Ticket to Gallop

I've Got a Golden Tickect

Halfway through town, Gummy decided it was far enough away to ask Dawn her opinion.  "So, who you gonna give the ticket to, Pinkamenia?"

"It's meant for you, Gummy." She responded. "I don't know how I'm going to break the news to them, but I really can't eat--I mean think--on an empty stomach. Where should we eat?"

Of course, it was at that moment that Carrot Top was rushing through the marketplace with an almost overdue book.  She brushed past the unicorn with just the right amount of force to knock the cotton-candy-colored mare over.  The two apple embalmed, golden tickets flew out her hair where she had stashed them, and floated to the ground, directly in front of her blue eyes. "Gah!"  She muttered.

It was just the hungry mare's luck that Fleur-de-Shy would also be in the market place today.

"Dawn! Dear! Are you okay?" The yellow mare kneeled down so she could help her fellow unicorn to her hooves.

"Yeah, just got the wind knocked out of me." The sunrise-colored mare answered.

"Oh and what are zese?" Fleur picked up the tickets in her turquoise magic. "Tickets to ze Grand Gallopping Gala? Carousel Bouttique designs ensembles for ze gala every year, with myself designing ze accessories, but I've never had the opportunity to attend." She sighed dramatically. "Oh, ze society, ze culture, ze glamour! It's where I truly belong, and where I'm destined to meet him."

"I'm afraid to ask, but who is him?"

"Him. I would stroll zrough ze gala, and everypony would wonder, 'Who is zat mysterious mare?' Zey would never guess zat I was a simple pony who lived in little old Ponyville.

"Why, I would cause such a sensation zat I would be invited for an audience wiz Princess Celestia herself, and ze princess would be so taken with ze style and elegance zat she would introduce me to him, her nephew: ze most handsome, eligible pegaus stallion in Canterlot. Our eyes would meet, our hearts would melt. Our courtship would be magnificent. He would ask for my hoof in marriage, and of course I would say, 'Yes!' We would have a royal wedding, befitting a princess, which is," She giggled uncharacteristically, "What I would become upon marrying him, ze stallion of my dreams."

Dawn stood in silence as she processed everything the mare had just said. After a few moments, she managed to respond. "Wow. You really thought this through, haven't you?"

"Well, I did meet ze prince back in Prance a few years ago. He was certainly a Knight in Shining Armor."

"Uh huh." Pinkie-Dawn was still unconvinced.

Of course, Pinkie couldn't be left with only three of her friends to choose between. Rarity was also in town that day, and just happened to notice the tickets fluttering away in the breeze.   Her pet bird grabbed the tickets in its beak and set them on Rarity's waiting hoof. 

"Oh, these are perfect Angelica!"  The white mare exclaimed.

"Fleur, the ticket is for Gum-"

"Pinkamenia?"

Pinkie sighed.  "Yes, Rarity?"

"I would just like to ask, I mean, if it would be all right, if you haven't given it to someone else--"

She was cut off by the fashionista. "You? You want to go to ze gala?"

"Oh, no. I mean, yes, or, actually, kind of. You see, it's not so much the Grand Galloping Gala as it is the wondrous private gated garden that surrounds the dance. The flowers are said to be the most beautiful and fragrant in all of Equestria. For the night of the gala, and that night alone, would they all be in bloom... and that's just the flora! Don't get me started on the fauna.

"The best part of it all, though, is the secret gazebo. During the night of the gala, deep within the gardens, the secret gazebo is able to be found. It's said not only to have the perfect acoustics, but it also is enchanted by magic to give inspiration to anyone under its roof."

"Wow, Rariry, it sounds... beautiful...?" Once again, Pinkie was at a loss for words.

"Wait just a minute." There was the mechanic.

"Twilight Swish!" The magician accused, "Were you following me?"

"Yes." Seeing The pink mare's face, she thought better of her answer. "I mean, no." Lying wasn't accepted either. "I mean, maybe? Look, it doesn't matter. I couldn't risk a goody-four-shoes like you giving that ticket away to just anypony."

"Wait just another minute." The flying cowpony was right behind her other pegasi friend.

"Another one?" Pinkie shook her head. "Apple Jet, were you following me too?

"Of course not. I was followin' this one to make sure she didn't try any funny business. Still trying to take mah ticket."

"Your ticket?" The purple one got nose to nose with her fellow pegasus.

"Dawn's taking me!" Fleur wasn't one to be left out.

Neither was Rarity, though her arguing was significantly quieter. The noise got so loud that Dawn couldn't hear her belly rumble, although she could certainly feel it.

"QUIET!"

"And then I said, 'Strawberries? are you craz--' oh."  Pinkie was sure Twilight had a semi-good reason for saying this, but now was not the time to ask.

"Girls, there's no use in arguing."

"But Dawn, dear-". Fleur tried, but got a taste of her own medicine when she was cut off by the addressed mare.

"Enough!  This is my ticket, and I'm gonna give it to whoever its for. I certainly can't think straight with all this noise..."  Not to be forgotten, her stomach rumbled. "...not to mention hunger. Now go on, shoo."  The unicorn made a shooing motion with her forehooves.

"And don't worry, I'll figure this out..." 

Everypony left her, grumbling. Nopony was left when she finished her statement.

"...Somehow."