Author's Note

Three years later, the official sequel to Friendship Lesson #101 is finally here! You guys should seriously go and thank this handsome stallion. If it weren't for him, this story wouldn't be here.

1| I've Got A Silver Ticket

The warming rays of the morning sun began to peek through the crack in Twilight’s bedroom curtains, spreading itself across the large, unkempt bed and its two occupants. Twilight’s eyes flitted open in response, forelegs withdrawing from around Shawn as she sat upright and stretched her muscles, yawning widely. Her gaze lazily drifted over to the bedroom door, deciding whether or not her morning routine could wait another five minutes. Or twenty.

Twilight looked down to Shawn, smiling happily. ’Breakfast can wait,’ she thought with a grin, laying back down and cozying up to Shawn, draping her hooves over him. She hummed with delight, nuzzling along Shawn’s jawline, followed by a few pecks down his neck and over his collarbone. Shawn stirred slightly, mimicking Twilight’s hum unconsciously and making the mare giggle a little.

The next time Twilight opened her eyes, she grimaced. Thirty minutes had passed. Careful not to disturb Shawn, she gingerly got out of bed and made her way over to the desk to open her appointment book. Aside from a trip to the spa with Rarity and Fluttershy, she was surprised to find it barren of any other notes, though the rest of the week was another story, which, unfortunately, meant less time with Shawn.

A devious grin crept across Twilight’s face, and she looked back at her companion, who’d rolled onto his back, his bare, toned chest gently rising and falling while the blanket covered everything else. Knowing this was the last full day the two of them could spend together for the next week, Twilight licked her lips and crept back to the bed, crawling underneath the sheets to find the object of her desire.

Shawn’s morning wood.

’He must be dreaming about what we did last night…’ she thought impishly.

Twilight began by lightly licking Shawn’s shaft, flicking her tongue over the head and back down the underside. She lapped at each of Shawn’s balls, her tongue gently lavishing both of them with affection, ensuring not a single millimetre of skin was unlicked. Being thorough was very important, after all.

Shawn stirred in his sleep, but thankfully didn’t roll over. Twilight soon found the warmth from being under the duvet stifling, so she gingerly levitated if off, taking a refreshing breath and leaving nothing but the two of them on the messy bed in all their glory.

With her lips at the ready, Twilight pressed down over the head of Shawn’s glistening cock, slowly taking in all that he had to offer as she relished in the delicious sensation against her tongue. Twilight took her sweet time withdrawing for a breath before leisurely enveloping as much of Shawn’s shaft as she could, losing herself in the drumming away inside her head.

Twilight had no idea how long she was at it before she completely pulled off to admire her handiwork, looking up to Shawn.

Who happened to be looking back at her.

“Having fun there?” he quipped with a raised eyebrow.

Twilight blushed sheepishly and looked away, barely glancing back at Shawn out of the corner of her eye. “H-how long have you been awake?” she awkwardly asked.

“Long enough, Twi, long enough…” Shawn said softly playfully. “You do this at least once a week, in case you haven’t noticed.” He stared at Twilight for several expectant moments before speaking again. “Well, are you going to finish what you started?” he asked, sitting up against the headboard and folding his arms expectantly, not bothering to cover anything.

“We should really get out of bed,” Twilight smiled, beginning to vacate the bed.

However, Shawn stopped the mare with a hand on her shoulder. “I wasn’t asking,” he said slyly, the same hand working its way up her neck and into her mane to stroke it. Said hand suddenly gripped a handful of Twilight’s mane, and her breath hitched. “It would be rude to wake me up like this and not finish, wouldn’t you agree?”

Twilight didn’t answer. Instead, her eyes were transfixed on Shawn’s cock as he gently forced her head lower.

“Open wide, Twi…” She tentatively licked her lips then parted them once more, allowing Shawn to push the mare’s head down onto his waiting length. Twilight’s hooves braced herself beside Shawn’s thighs, looking up to him as she could feel his head prod at the back of her throat.

Shawn glanced down slightly, disappointed in the remaining inches that were yet to find home in Twilight’s mouth. Bracing herself, Twilight took a final breath and relaxed. Shawn carefully pressed her down even further, feeling the familiar depths open up to him. When he was satisfied with Twilight’s nose buried up against his crotch, he held her there for a moment before pulling her halfway off to allow her a breath, seeing those lavender eyes beginning to water.

“There’s a good girl,” Shawn said lovingly. He proceeded to wrap his legs around the back of Twilight’s head, folding his arms behind his head, and looked down at her with a devious smile. “I’m not letting you up until I’m done.”

Twilight whimpered lightly around the shaft, then began to idly bob her head up and down as best as her restrictions would allow. When she hilted Shawn’s member again, his legs kept Twilight’s head firmly in place. It wasn’t long before Twilight’s lungs began to crave oxygen and she desperately tried to gulp air around Shawn’s cock.

Shawn relished in the sensation of Twilight’s rippling muscles around his shaft, like he was being given a massage from an expert masseur, but eventually relaxed his legs enough to allow Twilight a few breaths. She coughed a few times to rid herself of the welcome discomfort before she was right back at it, diving back down and consuming Shawn in one fell swoop, bobbing up and down like a wanton bitch in heat.

Twilight was absolutely ecstatic to know that Shawn couldn’t get her pregnant, which was the perfect excuse for the mare to have the human fill her to the brim without risk, thanks to Zecora’s two-part enhancement brews made specifically for the human.

Shawn’s breathing began to grow shallow and heavier, and his legs locked Twilight firmly in place as he gave a sharp, upward thrust, completely burying himself within her mouth as she went wide-eyed at what was about to happen. Shawn gave a couple more thrusts for good measure to ensure his finish, then let loose a husky moan, throwing his head back and unloading torrents of viscous essence straight into her throat. Twilight was utterly powerless to do anything but swallow. Every. Single. Drop.

Twilight’s audible gulping was like music to Shawn’s ears, all the while her helpless visage never wavered. Lost in the throes of pleasure, Shawn was brought back to reality from his endorphin high when Twilight began batting his thigh, her bloodshot eyes pleading for oxygen. His strength momentarily drained, Shawn relaxed his grip on Twilight. Not one to disappoint, and with lips closed like a vice around Shawn’s girth, Twilight gingerly pulled up and off, milking the last few drops and leaving nothing but a thin coat of glistening saliva behind.

Dazed, and feeling a gentle tap against his thigh, Shawn looked to Twilight and noticed her open mouth, her tongue swimming in a small pool of seed. She made a deliberate show of swishing her tongue around a little, then closed her mouth and swallowed the last of it, giving Shawn an unadulterated view of her throat undulating with his cum.

“Geezus fuck, Twi, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing you do that. It’s probably the hottest thing anyone could witness,” Shawn panted.

The mare giggled devilishly, then licked her lips in response. “I’m glad my handsome stallion enjoys taking advantage of a helpless princess,” she cooed, looking at Shawn through half-lidded eyes.

“One of these days, I’m gonna drink more of Zecora’s tea, tie you down, and just go to town on you all night long.” Shawn suddenly lept forward, pinning Twilight to the bed against her back. “Spanking you like a disobedient whore, pumping you full of cum like a broodmare, and nothing you can say would ever make me stop…” He punctuated the statement by biting down on Twilight’s neck, eliciting a gasp as the mare trembled under him. Shawn caught sight of Twilight glancing down and, upon following her gaze with his own confused one, was greeted by the sight of her rapidly winking marehood.

Grinning, Shawn trailed a hand down her stomach, curling an index finger as he lightly flicked at her clit. “Does the pretty pony princess want to cum, too?” he asked through faux condescension.

Twilight blushed and looked off to the side, shyly nodding. “I want to hear you beg,” Shawn said as he roughly gripped her left thigh with his spare hand.

“I, I…”

“Speak up!”

“Please,” she weakly murmured.

“Please, what?”

“M-Master, can you please let me cum? I’ve b-been a good little mare…” With Twilight panting expectantly, Shawn sunk his finger into her passage as it began to seek out her sensitive nerve clusters. Twilight heaved a breath of ecstasy as not one, but an additional finger suddenly began dancing around inside. Shawn deliberately kept Twilight on edge for several long moments, firmly rubbing her clit with his thumb as her legs twitched in anticipation.

“I can’t take it any more!” Twilight exclaimed. “Please just let me cum!”

Finally hearing what he wanted, Shawn redoubled his efforts and began to rub every tender nerve cluster as he could while his thumb battered the mare’s sensitive nub. It wasn’t long before Twilight’s eyes shot open as she gasped in finality, every muscle in her body tensing as her folds clamped and quivered around the invading fingers, unleashing a small deluge of fluids.

Panting in orgasmic bliss, Twilight collapsed against the bed as she was hit by a wave of satisfaction crashing down upon her. Slowly, Shawn pulled his drenched fingers from Twilight’s spasming pussy and, like she did for him, made a show of licking his fingers clean.

“Y’know, did I ever tell you how I found out your favourite fruit was pineapple?”

“Nu-uh,” Twilight said arily, her chest rapidly rising and falling.

“I can taste it on you,” Shawn said with a grin, releasing the last finger from his mouth with a small pop.

Twilight snickered a little and rolled her eyes, weakly sitting up. “Is that so?”

“Oh yeah. Same can be said if I eat enough beetroot. It will tint my spunk pink.”

With a raised eyebrow, Twilight gave Shawn a look of disbelief, which then evolved into a seductive smile. “I’ll make sure to pick up as much as I can from the market today,” she commented. “Shower?”

“That shouldn’t be a question you have to ask,” Shawn laughed. “You start it, I’ll join you momentarily while I strip the bed. I can smell breakfast, so we shouldn’t keep Spike waiting any longer.”

“Remember to clean yourself properly, too! You now know how sensitive Spike’s nose is!” Twilight chided with a grin.

“That was one time!” There was no need to be reminded of that embarrassing incident.

Tossing his towel into the washing machine with the rest of the dirty laundry then setting it to run, Shawn put on a clean set of day-to-day clothes that Rarity had made him a few months ago. Having spent the last several months in a farming community, Shawn’s personal supply of clothing slowly withered away from overuse, and Rarity was ecstatic when the human came to commission her for more clothes.

All freshened up and not reeking of Twilight, Shawn made his way to the kitchen, where he saw Twilight just sitting down to her stack of pancakes topped with mixed berry compote.

“Spike,” Twilight began as she picked up her knife and fork, “since next week is going to be busy, you can have today to yourself if you’d like.”

Spike was about to reply when the chime of a bell rang out. Having a doorbell that rang throughout the large castle was certainly handy.

“I’ll get it!” Spike chirped, hopping down from his seat. He came back a moment later with two envelopes in hand. “Hey, uh, Shawn,” he said, looking over one of the envelopes. “Since when do you get mail delivered to the castle?” he asked, offering the human the envelope. “Derpy knows where your shuttle is if she needs to deliver your mail.”

Spike offered Twilight the other, slightly thicker envelope, where she broke the yellow wax seal and pulled out seven golden tickets and a small letter.

“The Grand Galloping Gala!” Twilight joyously cried, her fork clattering against her plate.

“...The what?” Shawn queried.

“The Grand Galloping Gala!” Twilight echoed. “A formal event the princesses hold at the castle once a year, and Celestia always sends my friends and I tickets! Speaking of, you would have arrived a few weeks after we had our last one.”

“Are those VIP tickets?” Shawn asked.

“Mmhmm! There’s three types of ticket. Celestia has a finite number of normal tickets printed and sold, then makes gold tickets for more personalised invitations.” Twilight blinked and shot a look at Shawn’s envelope. He hadn’t even bothered to open it yet. “Shawn, what’s in yours, and who sent it?” she anxiously asked.

Putting down his knife and fork for a moment, Shawn picked up the envelope and turned it over. The castle’s address was on the front with his name written in cursive, but what struck Shawn as odd was the glob of metallic, silvery wax stamped with a crescent moon and cloud that sealed the envelope. “So if Celestia sent you those tickets, does it mean Princess Luna sent me this?” Shawn said, flashing Twilight the stamp.

“That’s Luna’s seal!” Twilight excitedly confirmed, telekinetically snatching the envelope from Shawn in her haste. He was quick to lean forward and swipe it back, playfully scowling at the mare and placing it off to the side before continuing his breakfast.

“Aren’t you going to open it?!” Twilight hotly asked.

“Something tells me by your reaction that Luna doesn’t send a lot of mail, so whatever’s in there must be important. I’m going to make you wait until I finish eating before I open it,” Shawn said, teasing Twilight with a grin and a wink.

She harrumphed in return and rolled her eyes, settling back into breakfast and casting sideways glances at the envelope. After deliberately taking his time to eat up, Twilight eyed Shawn as he placed his plate on the counter to be cleaned, then sat back down to finally pick up the envelope. Careful not to break the seal, Shawn gently bent the envelope so the wax would peel away from the paper. Inside was a ticket of the same overall design as Twilight’s, but what made her eyes widen in surprise was that the ticket was silver. Shawn put it down on the table before picking out the letter and reading it.

“Well, what does it say?” Twilight ventured.

“See for yourself,” Shawn said smugly, passing Twilight the letter.

Twilight stared slack-jawed at the letter before her head mechanically turned to stare at Shawn. “I don’t quite think you realise what you have there, Shawn. Princess Luna didn’t just give you a ticket to the Gala, she’s inviting you as her personal guest!”

Shawn blankly stared at the envelope like it was a flying pig. “Sure we’ve spoken to each other on the odd occasion, but I’ve never given Luna a reason to invite me to something as apparently prestigious as the gala.”

“You don’t understand!” Twilight exclaimed. “Princess Luna only returned from the moon three years ago! She didn’t attend the first Gala after her return, then went with Celestia the second time, and now she’s sending a personal invite to you?!”

“Jealous?” Shawn taunted despite his confusion, waving the ticket around.

“A little bit,” Twilight sheepishly admitted. “That’s… actually the first ticket Luna’s given out after she was banished, which makes it the first one in over a thousand years.”

Shawn immediately stopped waving the ticket around, balking at it before gently tucking it away in its envelope. “I think I’ll stop by the shuttle later today so the safe I have there can protect it.”

“Why does a spaceship have a safe in it?” Twilight queried, blinking in confusion.

“It’s standard issue for the more precious-slash-personal effects I brought with me,” Shawn explained. “In any case, when’s the Gala?”

“Two weeks,” Twilight replied. “If you’d bothered to actually look at the ticket instead of using it as a fan, you’d find that it has the date on it,” she added with a cheeky grin.

“Alright then Miss Smarty Pants, looks like we need to go into town and give everyone their tickets, starting with Rarity.”

“Can I come with you?!” Spike immediately asked, expectantly looking up to Shawn.

“Sure thing buddy,” Shawn chuckled, giving the drake a friendly pat on the back.

“Why Rarity? Fluttershy is the closest to the castle,” Twilight said pointedly.

“Well, since Luna’s gone to the trouble of inviting me, I want to look the part, and who better to go to for a suit than Rarity? That said, we can pay Fluttershy a visit on the way back. Pinkie is also in town, and we might catch Rainbow flying around or Aj selling apples,” Shawn said. “You could see if Rarity will make you a dress too, Twi.”

“Sounds like a plan!” she replied. “Let me just get my saddlebags, bits, and then we can go.” She put her emptied plate on the counter, then trotted off to get her things.

“Might as well put my shoes on and also get my money,” Shawn mused to nobody in particular. By the time he and Twilight met at the castle’s entrance, Spike had finished the dishes and joined the two on their departure.

Twilight’s castle was located on the edge of town, the magnificent and arguably gaudy crystalline building standing sentinel over Ponyville, a testament to Twilight’s victory over Tirek. The first time Twilight told Shawn about that debacle, he was shocked beyond disbelief after hearing about Tirek, what he did, and how Twilight stopped him. According to what Shawn said afterwards; “Firing beams of rainbow magic and having a castle sprouting from a mysterious chest sounds like something you can only hallucinate.”

As the trio walked clear of the castle’s shadow looming over the path to town, Shawn was assailed by three familiar fillies pouncing him like a cat onto prey. Unfortunately, those cats weighed more than they let on, and the next thing Shawn knew, he fell flat on the ground with a resounding “Oomph!”, staring up at the three fillies framed by the sunlight behind.

“Hi Shawn!” they exuberantly exclaimed at the same time. They were partly responsible for the tearing of Shawn’s clothes when they jumped him like that.

“Sweetie, Scoots, Apple Bloom, how many times have I asked you not to do that?” he playfully chided. “Can you let me up please? We can play tomorrow; Twilight and I have some business in town that needs organising.”

“Awww,” they sadly chorused, reluctantly hopping off of Shawn’s chest.

After Shawn got up and dusted himself off, a realisation struck him. “Scootaloo, you know where Rainbow Dash is by any chance?”

“Rainbow’s training with the Wonderbolts for a show next month. She said she’d take me for ice cream after practice!” she animatedly exclaimed.

“Could you tell her to come find us at the castle afterwards? We’ve got something for her,” Shawn said.

“What is it?” Sweetie chirped.

“Celestia sent Twilight invites to the Gala!” Spike answered. “We’re going around town to give them out to everypony.”

“Including Applejack?” Apple Bloom asked. “She’s in town sellin’ apples, so you should be able t’ catch her.”

“Thank you, girls,” Twilight said. “You just made our job a little bit easier.”

“I’ll see you girls tomorrow, alright?” Shawn said as he idly slid a hand into his pocket to make sure Luna’s ticket survived.

“Pinkie Promise?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Pinkie Promise,” Shawn smiled, waggling a pinkie at her. The last time Shawn idly made a Pinkie Promise and forgot to follow it up, Pinkie certainly made sure he didn’t forget about future ramifications. Shawn quickly learned that, if you’re not going to keep your promises, don’t make any.

Applejack was quick to spot Shawn, Twilight, and Spike approach her cart, beaming and waving them over. “Howdy there you three! What brings you into town?”

“We actually have something for you,” Shawn said as he fished around in Twilight’s bag for a moment.

“Well Ah’ll be,” Applejack said airily as she laid eyes on the ticket. “Is it that time of year already?”

“My ears are still ringing from when Twilight got the mail this morning,” Shawn chuckled as Applejack snickered behind a hoof.

“Lemme guess, Twilight dropped whatever she was doing and started dancing around the table while hollerin’ about the tickets?”

“More like she was bouncing up and down in place,” Shawn said, looking down to a playfully disgruntled Twilight.

“We just came here to give you your ticket, Applejack,” Twilight calmly said despite her friends playful banter.

“Well thanks a bunch, Twi,” Applejack said, turning to look up at Shawn. “Did Celestia send you a ticket as well?”

“Celestia only sent Twilight seven tickets, not eight,” he said, feigning disappointment.

“Well shucks, Ah’d’ve thought Celestia would’ve invited you.”

“Oh I did get an invite. From Luna.”

Applejack’s hat rose in tandem with her eyebrow. “Princess Luna invited you? I don’t believe it,” she said playfully.

“You don’t have to,” Shawn replied in kind, “but you’ll find out in a couple weeks. Anywho, we’d better get on our way.”

“Before you go,” Applejack said, tossing Shawn, Twilight, And Spike an apple each by their stems. “A little sumthin’ for y’troubles!”

Shawn was humbled how Applejack always returned gestures in kind, no matter how big or small. “Thanks, Aj!” With Applejack ticked off the list, it was onto Rarity.

The bell that hung inside Carousel Boutique jingled as Shawn, Twilight and Spike stepped inside.

“Welcome to Carousel Bouti–Twilight! Aren’t you a little early for our get together at the spa?” Shawn couldn’t really put a finger on it, but something about Rarity’s refined disposition somehow rubbed him the wrong way.

“We actually have something for you,” Shawn said before Twilight could answer.

“For me?” Rarity replied nonplussed. It was Spike who unashamedly helped himself to a ticket from Twilight’s bag, clutching it in both claws as he strode over to Rarity, offering it to her. “The Grand Galloping Gala!” she immediately exclaimed upon looking at the ticket, eyes sparkling in wonder as she bounded up and down on the spot.

“Do you want to go to the gala, Rarity?” Spike asked, looking up to the fashionista with a hopeful glint in his eyes.

“Thank you, Spikey Wikey,” she cooed, levitating the ticket from Spike’s grasp. “All of us together at the gala will make for quite the evening, like the first time we went!” Rarity promptly made the ticket disappear with a flash of magic to somewhere for safekeeping.

And in that moment, Shawn could see Spike’s hopeful expression shatter like a crystal vase.

“That’s actually why we came to see you,” Twilight said with her focus on Rarity. “Shawn and I were wondering–”

“Say no more! I’ll have dresses for you and the girls, Shawn’s suit, and Spike’s cute little tuxedo finished in time for the gala! I just need to touch up on your measurements to make sure everything fits,” Rarity said, magicking a measuring tape out of nowhere. “If you don’t mind, Twilight?”

It wasn’t until after Rarity finished taking Twilight’s measurement that she went to take Spike’s, but when she looked over to where he once stood, was only met with the open door to her shop. “Where did Spike go?”

“He must’ve gotten bored waiting around,” Shawn lied. He was the only one to notice Spike’s silent departure.

“That’s odd,” Twilight wondered. “He was eager to come earlier…”

“Why don’t you go find him while Rarity takes my measurements? Pay a visit to Pinkie and Fluttershy, too. I’ll swing by the shuttle to drop off my ticket, then meet you back at the castle.”

“If you’re sure,” Twilight said with a quick peck to Shawn’s cheek before heading out, closing the door behind her.

Shawn proceeded to remove his bag and jumper, hanging them on a coat rack for the time being. At Rarity’s instruction, he stood with legs as far apart as his shoulders and his arms out.

“Did you see where Spike went?” Rarity asked as she ran the tape around Shawn’s waist.

“From one friend to another, can I be honest about something for Spike’s sake?”

“By all means.”

“What is Spike to you?”

“Spikey Wikey is my dear friend,” Rarity replied with a smile. “Whenever he helps me dig up gems, I’ll always take him to Sugarcube Corner for a milkshake and snack afterwards. Why do you ask?”

“On Earth, us guys have an unwritten, unofficial code of ethics. We call it, ‘The Bro Code’.”

Rarity snickered lightheartedly and continued to measure Shawn. “And what is in this “code” of yours?”

“Well, one point is as follows: If your bro has some trouble and you can help, don’t ask. Just do.”

Finished with her measurements, Rarity jotted them down in a notepad as Shawn donned his removed items, then took a knee to talk with the mare on the same level. “And what does that have to do with me?”

“That ticket was Celestia’s invite to you, right?”

“...Right?” Rarity blankly replied.

“When Spike offered you the ticket and asked if you wanted to go, what did you think that meant?” Shawn pressed.

“Does this have something to do with your… bro code, was it?”

“Rarity, Spike wasn’t just giving you the ticket so you could go to the Gala, he was asking if you wanted to go with him. As in, together.”

“T…together?” she said, struggling to get the word out.

“Spike’s my friend just as much he is yours, and as fellow ‘bros’, I feel as though I have an obligation to help him out in this situation.” Rarity’s haunches sank like a lead weight, the measuring tape around her neck dropping to the floor.

“I… I...” came the mare’s listless response.

“I’ve seen how Spike looks at you, how much he likes being around you, and how far he’s willing to go for you. He’s never said as much, but I’d venture that Spike helps you dig for gems and helps you out because he considers your little sojourns to Sugarcube Corner, dates,” Shawn said with a friendly poke at the mare staring at him in abject disbelief.

“H-he...”

“Yeah, Rares. I believe you consigned Spike to the friendzone without even knowing it,” Shawn lightly chuckled.

“What’s the friendzone?” Rarity said, perplexed.

“A human thing. Essentially, if I were to make a move on Jessica from the shuttle, and you’ve seen what she looks like, through no fault of hers, I get placed in an imaginary circle called the ‘friendzone’.”

“That sounds rather... juvenile if I may be honest.”

“Hah!” Shawn guffawed, making Rarity wince. “Yeah, you’re right, couldn’t agree more, but hear me out for a moment. Spike really likes you. Really, really likes you. He’s willing to go so far out his way to lend a helping hand, claw, hoof, depending on the context of the species, all to spend time with you. The gala was a prime opportunity for Spike to ask you out, and your inattentional blindness to his feelings is what made the little guy walk out earlier. He was crushed by his crush.” Rarity just sat there, motionless, her ears long since fallen flat against her head as she stared up at Shawn with regret, trying to absorb what the human was saying despite his colloquialisms.

“Rarity… Can you do me a favour?”

“I…” she replied airily before clearing her throat. “I’m sorry, go ahead.”

“Spike’s known you for a while, Rares. The little guy deserves a straight answer.”

Her shoulders sagged and her head drooped to the ground. “I just thought that he… That Spike was just being a friend to me as much as I was to him.”

“And there really is nothing wrong with that. How about this. Take some time to think about what you want to do. Whenever the suit’s ready, I’ll come pick it up with Spike. You two can talk then.”

Rarity drew a determined breath to steel her resolve, then looked back up to Shawn. “You’re right, Shawn, I do owe him that at the very least.”

Shawn spread his arms wide. “Would you like a hug for good measure?” he asked with a grin.

“...Yes please,” Rarity said with a faint blush. Shawn kneeled then wrapped his arms around the equine marshmallow, and gave her a few comforted back pats and mane strokes. “Thank you,” Rarity simply said before pulling back.

“Being a dragon, Spike’s still got quite a bit of growing up to do. According to Twilight, that also means a growth spurt at some point,” Shawn said with a playful poke at Rarity’s side. “You know how dragons are with gems; I’d bet he first looked at you the same way you looked at that geode after Rainbow’s sonic rainboom shattered it.”

“How did you…”

“Twilight told me how you guys got your cutie marks. It’s weird how these things work out, isn’t it? If it weren’t for Rainbow, you two likely would have never met.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Rarity said contemplatively. “I’ve got a lot of work and thinking to do, so if you wouldn’t mind?”

Shawn chuckled inwardly before standing back up and tousling her mane for good measure. “How much do I owe you for the suit anyway?”

“Just the standard fare,” Rarity said as she donned a pair of sewing glasses, then did a double take at Shawn when he rolled his hand for the mare to continue.

“Rarity, I don’t know how much “the standard fare” is for a suit; it’s just been mostly casual things here and there up until now.”

“Suits are simpler than the vast majority of ball gowns. So, for you, a hundred and fifty.”

“I can pay you a third now as security, and I’ll have the rest to you before the gala.”

“I’d hate for your suit to suddenly fall apart at the seams because you were short a couple bits,” Rarity said impishly, flashing Shawn a wink.

“Yeah,” Shawn knowingly replied, “and I’m pretty sure I could convince Rainbow Dash to prank you for as long as it’s in the newspaper.”

Rarity gasped in faux shock. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“There’s lots of things I never thought I’d do, yet here I am.” Shawn was thankful that Rarity didn’t pick up on his double entendre. “Anyway, I need to drop by the shuttle on the way back to the castle, so I’d better be going.” Shawn turned to leave, but felt a tug on the scruff of his shirt.

“One more thing before you go?” Rarity said, and then Shawn half turned to face her. “Did Celestia invite you to the Gala as well?”

With the biggest grin on his face, Shawn reached into his pocket to fish out the envelope and handed it to Rarity. Shawn had previously removed the wax sealing the envelope so it wouldn’t disintegrate in his pocket, thus Rarity had no idea what to expect when she pulled the ticket out. Her eyes were wide enough you could have served a full course meal on each. She just stared at the silver ticket without saying anything, let alone moving a single inch. To make sure Rarity hadn’t been shocked too badly, Shawn experimentally poked at her side.

“Yoohoo, you all there, Rares?” No reply. Shawn carefully reached into the magical aura surrounding the envelope to slide the ticket back in, and it was only at that point did Rarity’s eyes look up to Shawn slower than they should have.

“Princess Luna… invited you!?”

“Yup!” Shawn chirped, pocketing the envelope and briskly walking out the door. “See you later mallow-butt!”

“I told you never to call me that again!”