Countdown to the gala
If you asked a normal foal what they were doing, they would probably tell you that they were studying, playing with friends and family, doing their normal everyday routine or helping out. If you asked the cutie mark crusaders what they were up to, you’d have a hard time predicting your answer. In the park three fillies were prepared to do the extreme to earn their cutie marks. Apple bloom had fixed up a go-kart, Sweetie bell had hung a custom-made CMC flag, And Scootaloo had made up the whole idea. Apple bloom was currently building a giant slingshot, although it was poorly slapped-together and menaced to break every minute or so.
Despite this they had strangely found an elastic big enough to propel the buggy, which Scootaloo would ride. A bunch of foals gathered around to see how this would turn out. Some foals even bet bits to what would happen. Apple bloom had just about finished the slingshot and signaled her fellow crusaders to bring the kart. They brought the buggy next to the slingshot and pushed, and pushed, and pushed, Scootaloo jumped in it at the last moment and the two fillies let go.
The Kart went soaring at speeds that would impress Nightmare Moon. It zoomed into town square and crashed through many utilities, it miraculously avoided any buildings however. The cart kept going and going until it had reached an unconveniently placed ramp.
-Uh-oh!” whimpered Scootaloo covering her eyes. The kart sped onto the ramp and went flying. Ponies from below stared at the sky to see nothing they could believe. Scootaloo slowly opened her eyes.
“Woah” she muttered, she was now flying high, next to the clouds. It was her dream come true, that is, until the clouds cleared away to reveal a familiar barn.
Big mac was bucking Apple trees like no tomorrow. His sister had received tickets to the gala and was going to sell some of their apples like last year, except this time she promised to be more careful, and just sell apples. Big mac had also won 3 golden tickets in a bet, but he told himself that going to the gala was the last thing he was thinking of. He would probably sell the tickets for a big price and use the bits to fix his plow.
He admitted he didn’t really care about his granny smith’s hip. He really missed his plow.
Suddenly, he heard screaming. He turned his head in alarm but saw nopony. He whipped his head back and forth, still, nopony. The screaming was getting louder. Finally, he looked up, and instantly regretted it
Scootaloo screamed for her life, breifly considering jumping out of the kart. The poorly constructed wagon lost parts with each passing breath until it crashed into the barn’s roof. Big mac wasn’t really surprised by this, and he still didn’t express any shock when Sweetie bell and Apple bloom came galloping towards the barn.
“Hey bro, ah reckon ya might have seen Scootaloo, hm?” Asked Apple bloom.
“Eeyup” he answered.
“Did she crash through the roof?” Asked Sweetie bell.
“Eeyup” he answered in an annoyed tone.
At that moment the barn doors swung open and a rather beaten up Scootaloo emerged, Wood chunks in her hair, covered in apple sauce and what seemed like tree sap. Where the tree sap came from remained unquestioned. She woozily went around, and stood next to her friends.
“Heya guys, did I get my mark?” she asked. Apple bloom and Sweetie looked at her flank but all that resided there was tree sap. They shook their heads.
“So, about the roof” Apple bloom started, shifting on her hooves “Ah reckon yer’ mad at us about that”
“Eeyup” replied Big mac stern look on his face.
“And ah reckon yer gonna have t’fix that” She asked, smiling sheepishly, she and her friends slowly backed away.
“Nope” Answered Big mac, he cornered the fillies before they could escape.
“So we have to fix it” She asked, acknowledging that there was no escape.
Big mac sighed “Nope”
“What? Could ya speak up a bit?” she asked, not sure if she had heard her brother correctly.
Big mac exploded “No, don’t you touch the barn, don’t you touch any more handles, just stay where y’ are.” He huffed. If only there was a way to stop their crusading, to have the barn undamaged for a month…
Suddenly Big Macintosh sprung an idea; it was a magnificent, fool-proof plan.
“Tell me, are you three interested in making a-” he paused a moment, before leaning in and whispering “A big pony deal?” The CMC looked at Big mac, their eyes wide with anticipation as they crazily nodded.
Big mac pulled out his 3 golden tickets, and the Sweetie bell immedialty recognized them.
“Woah! Are those tickets to the Grand galloping gala?” she asked with excitement.
“Eeyup” he waved the valuable tickets around with a smug grin on his face while Sweetie’s eyes followed them as if in a hypnotic trance.
“Sweetie, just what’s so important ‘bout those tickets?” asked Apple bloom. Scootaloo had long ago fainted from blood loss.
“Don’t you understand?” cried Sweetie, grabbing Apple bloom by the sides and shaking her around.
“Well would’ya mind explainin’?” she asked, backing away. For a filly, that pony had an iron grip.
“The grand galloping gala is just the most spectacular event of them all!” dramaticized Sweetie bell. “Some foals only dream of going there. There’s cake, and tons of ponies and Celestia’ll be there!”
“Well that’s you, Sweetie bell, but personaly, Ah don’t feel confortable ‘round so many posh and fancy ponies” she said. Scootaloo also raised a hoof, somehow half-asleep.
“Apwe bwom’s raght, wut’s so glood abaat a girly-girl evunt anyhays?” she asked. Sweetie bell and Apple bloom seemed to completely understand what she was saying.
“It’s far from a celebration for mares, there are lots of colts there too” she answered.
“Dun kare” she murmered, before falling into her coma again.
“I hear the Wonderbolts perform there” She whispered into Scootaloo’s ear, giving her a slight nudge with her elbows. Scootaloo’s eyes shot open and she bounced up.
Unfortunately, doing activity only furthered her blood loss and she fell once again to the ground. Big mac hoisted the filly onto his back and hurried to the barn to have her patched up.
-...And then, I came face-to-face with a huge green dragon!" recounted Spike, waving his arms about exageratingly.
Listening intently in front of him were two colts. Snips was the slightly chubby one with buck teeth, And Snails was the rather tall one (Fluttershy told him many times that he looked like her when she was a filly. Snails usually shrugs off these remarks) With the dull expression on his face.
"So then what happened? Did you escape or did you fight it?" asked Snips eagerly.
"Well-" started Spike, but not before feeling something surge in his stomac and violently force it's way up his esophagus. Spike's eyes teared up and he belched out a letter.
"Woah! that was a good burb!" remarked Snails. He was going to try to top it off until he noticed a letter on the ground. He picked it up, not knowing who it was from he assumed it was adressed to him.
"To my dear students or to whom it may concern" he read. Spike tried frantically to take away the letter but Snips effortlessly put up a barrier.
"Hey, we're students!" remarked Snips
"And I'm concerned where this letter came from" added Snails, inspecting the letter from all angles, before continuing on.
"I have realized that in my previous letter, I forgot half the golden tickets that were originally clipped on. Since i don't Bla Bla Bla in this letter I have for you 3 golden tickets to the seventh annual grand galloping gala. Hold them with pride until the Bla bla bla.
Signed-" Snails gaped, and for once his eyes were now fully opened. Snips was scurrying, trying to see for himself who had signed such a letter.
"Princess Celestia" He muttered. Snips froze as well.
"Princess Celestia sent us tickets to the gala!?" exclaimed Snips. Snails slowly nodded, before you could tap a hoof the two were jumping up and down with glee, holding each other's hooves. Before running off.
"Man, Twi's gonna kill me for this" sighed Spike, before trying to catch up with the two foals.
