Chapter 1: An unexpected invitation
It’s early morning in Ponyville, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom are trudging along the ground as they walk to their school, not so ready for a new year.
“I mean honestly, why do we even NEED to go to school it’s no fun”, Scootaloo moaned trying to be as dramatic as possible.
“Cause we need to get an education, so that when we earn our cutie marks, we can make our special talents even more special”, Apple Bloom said trying to convince Scootaloo to stay on the path they were headed before Scootaloo decides to turn tail and run home.
“Yea but I’m going to be an amazing flyer like Rainbow Dash, I can just learn everything I need to know from her.”
“That’s not what I had in mind”, Apple Bloom grunted, annoyed by her friend’s remark.
Suddenly, the pair hears loud and fast hoofsteps, they turn around to see their friend Sweetie Bell charging at them, she’s beaming as she halts inches from their faces.
“Oh my gosh, guess what my sister told me”, Sweetie Bell said a little out of breathe.
“What?” Scootaloo and Apple Bloom said as they raise an eyebrow.
“Rarity said that the Grand Galloping Gala is being held early this year, in fact, it’s this weekend. And Princess Celestia has asked big sister to make her and Princess Luna a dress for the occasion”, her smile widens to the point it seemed her face froze.
“Wow Sweetie Bell, that sounds great, but, how does this affect us?” Apple Bloom asked, a little confused, “you know that we can’t go unless somehow we get invitations, and knowing the Gala it’s really fancy like, it’s not exactly a place for fillies”.
Sweetie Bell smiles even wider, now it seems a little un-proportional with her head. She reaches into her saddle bag, and pulls out three golden invitations saying: “You are formally invited by Princess Celestia to the Grand Galloping Gala: Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell”
Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo where amazed from what is in front of them, finally Scootaloo stammered, ”H-how did you get these?”
“While Rarity was flipping out and already getting to work on the dresses, I snuck Princess Celestia out of the boutique, warning her that she wouldn’t want to go in there if Rarity is on an inspiration rampage, she found what I said to be funny so she took me to get some ice cream, amazed myself from what I heard I followed her to Sugar Cube Corner. There we talked about how we thought the dresses are going to turn out and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She found the idea of a club to earn cutie marks to be cute, so she made invitations for all of us seeing if we can get our cutie marks there”.
“Does your sister know”, Apple Bloom asked, still trying to absorb the moment.
“Yea, she even made dresses for us too.”
“How did she do that so fast?”
“She somehow knew that we would be going to the gala, when we got back, poof, three dresses, one for each of us”
Still amazed by how they got invitations to the biggest party of the year, Scootaloo zipped in between the pair as they screamed to the heavens:
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS PARTY ANIMALS”
“No that’s my job”
The trio turned around to see Pinkie Pie standing behind them, looking serious, “But you can try to get your cutie marks by being party animals.” She smiles and bounces away leaving the three fillies speechless.
The week went by fast for the trio, Apple Bloom's and Sweetie Belle's sisters, Rarity and Applejack said that they would take them to the Gala since they were going as well with their other friends, Scootaloo even got Rainbow Dash to take her.
It's was the day before the Gala and the mane six along with the Cutie Mark Crusaders were at Golden Oaks Library, talking about what they have been doing for the Gala.
"My word, this has been a very busy week", Rarity sighed with satisfaction, "I managed to finish the princesses' outfits yesterday they should be by this afternoon to pick them up."
"Princess Celestia wanted you to make their dresses? Well shoot she asked me to help out with catering", Applejack stepped in equally tired from all the cooking for the Gala.
"Oh come on, that's SOOOO not hard", Rainbow Dash sneered, "I had the most awesome job of all: Training the Wonder Bolts so that they each can create a special sonic boom for the opening ceremony of the Gala." She smiles while putting her hooves on her face, squishing her cheeks. She was hovering above them to show a little pride in herself.
"Did you accept so you can spend time with Soarin?" Rarity said with a very wicked grin about her face.
Rainbow Dash blushed, "what, no way, it was because I was training the Wonder Bolts, THE Wonder Bolts, my heroes of flight and complete awesomeness, although Spitfire and Cloudchaser were a bit snooty" ,she rolls her eyes recalling the last times those two have gotten on her nerves.
"I noticed you didn't mention the third" Rarity, smiling even more wickedly.
"For bucks sake, I don't have a crush on him", Rainbow Dash said her face turning bright red.
"Hey you two, stop arguing", Twilight snapped as she was coming downstairs with her saddle bags.
"Sorry", they said almost simultaneously.
"Now", Twilight spoke trying to regain her composure, "thanks to Lotus Blossom and Aloe, they offered a full spa treatment for everypony for half price since the Gala is happening so early. So I thought I would treat you girls to a spa day, even the Cutie Mark Crusaders can come along."
All three of them lit up, beaming and eyes glistening, they took a deep breathe preparing to yell something involving the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Luckily, Twilight saw this coming and used her magic to create ear muffs for her friends.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER'S SPA TREATMENT…."
The older mares took their ear muffs off as soon as they knew that they were done.
"Nice shootin' there partner", Applejack said as she took off her ear muffs.
"Just a little something I learned after I canceled 'Twilight Time'", Twilight replied as she narrowed in on the trio, their heads down from the memory of when Diamond Tiara got the CMC to bring the entire class to Twilight's tutoring session to which the class called it 'Twilight Time'.
They finally made it to Lotus' and Aloe's spa where they drowned themselves in relaxation and the fact it was half-price, until Apple Bloom noticed a pink earth pony, with a lavender mane, a tiara, and a cutie mark to match, Diamond Tiara, the head bully at Ponyville Elementary.
"Well it seems the blank flanks are at the spa. Tell me, like, what are you doing here?" Diamond Tiara sneered using her teenaged personality to make herself look tougher."
"If you must know", Apple Bloom said as she met the snooty filly's gaze, "Twilight is treating us to a full spa treatment so when we go to the Grand Galloping Gala, we can look our best."
"Knowing you, you are going to need a double treatment."
"Why that little…." Scootaloo was ready to give her a good pop on the nose.
"Now, now Scoots", Rainbow Dash said, "we don't need violence here, we are here to relax, not get into fights."
As much Scootaloo wanted to admit Rainbow Dash was right.
"Besides", Rainbow Dash whispers to Scootaloo, "we can get her back later."
Scootaloo giggled at the sound of that, after a few moments she looked around, "Hey has anypony seen Sweetie Belle."
"Over here guys," Sweetie Belle called while she was sinking into one of the mud baths Aloe prepared for the girls, "this stuff feels great."
She sinks in deeper to where only her face was showing. The mud seemed a little different, as if it was cleaner, which is quite ironic being that it was mud. Aloe gave all three fillies pairs of cucumbers for their eyes, Sweetie Belle did so while the other two ate them, once they realized what the tasty snack was for, they laughed over their moment of oblivion.
"At least the white one knows what she's doing", Diamond Tiara said while walking over, even though Sweetie Bell was the only one who couldn't see, all three of them jumped.
"By Celestia's rule, stop sneaking up on us like that", Sweetie Belle said with an annoyed expression on her.
"I was only complimenting you, but since you, like, didn't enjoy my appraisal, I'll just go back to calling you a blank flank", she smirked.
All three fillies gave her a dirty look as she walked away, there was a few moments of silence until Apple Bloom breaks it.
"Come on y'all let's go into the mineral bath".
Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo agreed to the idea.