The soft glow of the late morning sun pierced a gap in the blinds of Dusk's bedroom, slicing through the room and leaving a small warm ray to tease the eyes of two weary bodies still at rest in bed. Dusk Shine lay prone upon his bed, a blanket half pulled across his hip, yet as a knock at the door echoed free throughout The Great Oak Library, he was forced to open his eyes and split his lips in a long lingering yawn. One hand slipped low, to scratch over his groin something silky was tickling at his balls.

Even while his jaw slipped open to release a heavy yawn while his jaw cracked open his eyes squeezed tightly closed. A giggle as his fingers scratched at his thigh drew his attention and as jaw slammed closed, while eyes focused down between his legs... And Rarity's rich grin as she gazed lovingly up at him while his fingers stroked at her jawlines curve. "Err..."

Turning her head, Rarity tenderly kissed his wrist, while nuzzling gently across his bare thighs her voice light and teasingly musical. "You're such a gentleman, wakening me with tender strokes to my jaw... I like that I lot." Offering a warm coo she leaned in, kissing a line of soft passes across his balls and up around to his belly, letting her breasts drag across his leg and up over his hip. Groaning he finally let his eyes slip closed, hissing in low pleasure...

Until another round of hard knock's to the door drew his mind back from the pleasure of her company to the distracting noise. A hard grunt escaped his lips and he cupped the mare's cheek his voice low and tender. "I'd... I'd better go check on that Rarity. Sorry, but it could be important." When she lifted her lips from his belly she simply nodded with quiet ease, twirling up the blanket of his bed and wrapping it around her slender figure. A few seconds later she stood with grace before him, wearing a thin white toga that hung low over her chest thanks to the sexy way the silk hung low to expose a deep line of her cleavage.

Grunting and slipping to stand up while he forced himself to look away from the attractive mare, Dusk grabbed a robe and threw it over his shoulders, pulling it tight in the front and tying together a quick and lazy knot. With a nod to the mare as she sat at his bedroom desk brushing with lazy ease a comb through those heavy noble purple locks he wished again to linger a moment, but the third set of hard knocks to the door sent him running down the stairs his voice lifted high. "Sorry! I'm on my way!"

As the door unlocked and he pulled it open, the cheery grin of a Pegasus in the standard Uniform of the Royal Mail stood outside awaiting him. Long locks of blond... no not blond, a very bright apple green hue in fact, hung loose about her shoulders, trimmed an inch or two short of them. Her bubbly warm grin and happy voice instantly relaxing Dusk from worry something might have been wrong for someone to wait and knock for so long. "Hello there! Are you Dusk Shine?" At his nod, she grinned and continued, her voice soft but delighted. "I'm your local mail mare! You've got a bunch of packages coming in today from Canterlot so I figured I'd come say hi! Oh and letters too." A pause, as she reached down towards the letter pouch she carried at her right hip... Only then realizing she wasn't carrying it. Stomping a foot she cried out. "Oh fiddlesticks! I must have left it behind while I was getting breakfast at the Cake's Bakery. Sorry Dusk Shine. I'll be right back, OK?"

Still half asleep as he stood at the door, Dusk could only nod slightly at her words, watching as she turned and took off running, yet three steps out the door her foot caught on a random rock in the path and she tumbled head over heels, crashing to the dirt. Now it was his turn to dash outside, kneeling down and putting a hand on the mare's soft grey feathers as she started to push to sit up her blush dark red. "You alright?" he spoke struggling to remember a name for her, at last simply sticking in a generic "Miss?" at his realization he hadn't even got her name while staring blankly at the door dawned on him. "Err... I can get you something? Did you hurt your ankle when you tripped?" When she laughed and turned over, offering him a hand to help her stand up. He relaxed after seeing that winning smile still warm upon her face.

With his aid she was quickly on her feet again, brushing the dirt from her knees and laughing at grass stains she was going to simply have to put up with for the day. Her voice a joyful chatter, Dusk Shine was awed by her simple good mood and how infectious it really was. The mail uniform was a simple brown button up top, badges for local service area and rank on each shoulder, with matching light brown shorts for the warm summer. His eyes now hunting, he swiftly found her name tag and shot a glance to her face, voice unsure at what he had read. "It's great to see you're Okay Miss...Derpy?" he said, a little befuddled by so odd a name for a mare.

She offered him her hand again, her voice now proud, as she stood up tall and straightened her wings to lay flat at her back again. "Mail mare Ditzy Doo, Mister Dusk Shine. But most call me Derpy, cause of my winning grin." And here she winked at him, and he finally released her eyes were staring off in two random directions. A moment of unsettling confusion before he realized she didn't appear to have any problems seeing him, so he ignored it, and thrust his hand back into her own, shaking it warmly.

Voice calm and confident despite her eyes odd behaviour Dusk offered a wave towards the house with one hand. "Well, do you want to come inside for a drink of water or something after that fall? It's the least I can offer."

Derpy however laughed and shake her head, releasing his hand and taking a light hop into the air, her wings beating to keep her afloat in place. "I'd love to take you up on your offer Mister Dusk Shine, but I better go get my mail bag before the Cake's turn it into our office. I'll be right back with all your redirected mail!" One word in that statement really stuck with Dusk as he turned to walk back inside. All. He rarely got more then a letter a month from his parents, busy as they were with work even with relations with the gryphon's at an all time high. And it wasn't like he spent a lot of time in correspondence with the other students. Who might be writing him that much mail? And then thoughts of dread loomed in his mind. The magazine had taken his address for their silly rag after his exam. Suddenly a pile of fan-mail from mares who knew him only from that silly tabloid flooded his mind.

Rarity stood in his doorway as he approached, a slight grin upon her lips and one coil of hair teased between her fingers. "I see you finally got to meet Derpy. She is a real charmer our local mail mare, a good heart if a tad... unlucky." At his glance she laughed warmly. "You see, if you don't move that rock she tripped over? I'd give you twenty to one odds she trips over it again when she comes back."

Dusk's wide eyes inspected her own, but when he saw no jest hidden in her words he simply shook his head and stepped forward, a hand on her thigh, slipping through the toga she had made of his blanket, his lips pressing into her own. "I think if we want any more fun before she returns we had better hurry then dear. And I'll not risk taking that bet. You sound too confident you'd win." At her low moan he knew it was time to move back inside, before others started to wonder what they were doing in the doorway.

Rarity had lasted another hour before at last declaring she had to go home and see to her little sister. Now dressed and sitting alone at his desk in the library proper, Dusk eyed the pile of mail Derpy had left behind when she returned the second time, and made a mental note to check his lawn from more rocks. Rarity might have won that bet if he had of taken it, yet never once did the mail mare's good natured grin ever waver. In his outbox he had quickly written up the last few notes for Rarity's Profile for princess Celestia, and for fun had taken a few minutes to throw together one for Derpy as well just as a chuckle.

He drew one letter from the massed pile that had poured out from Derpy's bag, filling his inbox and spilling off to pile upon the floor. Inspecting the senders address for a moment in silence Dusk at last gave a low sigh and ripped open the envelope pulling a letter out that held dried rose petals and the rich scent of perfume. A groan left his lips as he scanned over the words inside about eternal love and faithful devotion. Once again it became quite clear he really needed to think twice about ever doing an interview like the one he had done post graduation.

Head in his hands, Dusk had no clue how long he sat there before he at last found a solution, a soft grin crossing his lips. The letter was neatly picked up and any loose petals that had fallen free were gently pushed back into the envelope and he set it in a new pile. With quiet dedication he continued, letter by letter, one after another inspecting each note and reading over them in time before adding to the quickly growing new pile. Eventually he was forced to stop, and a heavy box had to be found to properly hold and file the collection of love letters from strangers he that had never meet him.

It was hours later when Dusk realized that at some point Barb had come home, and at some point she had shoved a sandwich before him. When he got obsessive, Dusk often lost track of time like this. At last, he sat back and looked up to see Barb glaring at him from the other side of the desk. When he did so, she finally spoke up. "I spent all night getting scale polish and spike rubs. She wanted me to help her get her cutiemark in a dozen different things." When Dusk only laughed, Barb sighed and stroked a hand through her spikes. "Though I admit... it does look good doesn't it?"

Nodding warmly Dusk sat back and took a bite of the Daisy sandwich, chewing quietly and thoroughly before at last speaking up himself, watching as Barb started to idly sort through the inbox, having sent the letters in the outbox while he was obsessing. His voice smooth and low he spoke with soft care. "I'm sorry Barb. It does look good on you though, all polished up. And I've already placed an order for a few pounds of sapphire shaving's from Canterlot as thanks for your hard work of late." When she grinned he shook his head. "But you gotta make them last, they are a treat, not a meal by themselves."

Pouting for a moment Barb gave him nod at last, and hook a random letter from the pile. "Anything of worth at all in this crazy mess Dusk? Or just a ton of silly mare's hitting on you?" At his groan she shook her head and lightly laughed with quiet ease. "Then why the box? To contain the fire?"

Shaking his head Dusk passed the single letter of value over to the young dragoness, a note from his parent's. "Mother sends her words of encouragement from their work in the Gryphon Kingdom. Apparently relations are improving and a new trade treaty should go though anytime now." A pause and a glare down to the box of letters. Grin spreading over his lips. "I have a better plan and without any need to waste some magic." His meal finished, Dusk returned to working at the letters and hardly noticed when Barb wandered off to start cleaning and likely put something on for dinner.

In the end thanks to his neat filing and organizational skills the box was nearly full to bursting, yet managed to hold the piled mess. A new letter, this one penned by himself was placed on top, for once in his life Dusk was taking advantage of his rank in Canterlot though he wondered if the Princess might care that he abused a fraction of the power he got. Written in his gentle cursive hand the note was polite and warm but the threat bold as day. 'It was a pleasure to receive these fan letters due to our recent exciting conversation. However, I've now been assigned new duties for Princess Celestia and will be unable to deal with these and all future letters. I thank you in advance for your utmost discretion on this matter and hope I need not be forced to inform the Princess about this matter.' Grinning lightly to himself as he sealed the box closed with a layer of packing tape, he scribbled a few notes and the papers address. At least he had a reason to see the charming Mail Mare again soon.

With a grunt Dusk lifted the heavy apple basket from the base of the tree, tossing it into the cart with twenty others. Sweating hard in the afternoon sun, a rag was pulled from his back pocket, and used to wipe his brow dry before stuffing it back into jeans pocket. It was shocking how worked up you got even just helping out a few hours a day at the apple farm. Tossing the last of the baskets into the cart, little Apple Bloom called out to the towering figure of Big Mac as he tied on the heavy shoulder harness. "Ok Big brother! That's this cartload! Me an' Dusk gonna join AJ for lunch in the south Orchard. See ya soon!" The titan of a Stallion simply nodded to his littlest sister's words before giving Dusk a serious nod and stepping off, dragging the heavy cart despite how its wheels strained under such a heavy load as if it were nothing.

Laughing warmly Dusk dropped his gaze to the tall young mare his voice happy, yet tired. "Ok, I know you gotta be tired Apple Bloom. It's Saturday, you were already helping them apple buck before I got here and that was what?" He glanced to the sun and made a rough guess. "Three? Maybe four hours ago? I'm beat. You gotta be tired too right?"

The mare shook her head and proudly crossed her arms over her chest, the light red cotton shirt she wore showed nearly no signs of the hours of hard labor she had put in, lifting piled baskets of the early ripening apple's from the family orchard with him. A defiant grin curved her lips before she spoke up. "We Apple's can buck for hours like this! It's easy! You'll pick it up Dusk! You only been at it for a week or so anyway!"

Over excited, the mare started leading the way through the twisting maze of evenly spaced trees as if she were walking on some invisible path he couldn't see. Twice this week Dusk had gotten lost when he lost sight of Apple Bloom or AJ and he wasn't about to have it happen a third time, picking up his stride to make up for the fact the young mare was jogging in the sweltering early summer heat. "If you say so Apple Bloom. I don't mind helping you guys out, but I'm only here to get back into shape. Like Nurse Redheart and Doctor Horse said, two hours of jogging with Rainbow Dash a day and three hours on the apple farm."

When she looked up at him, it wasn't an argument about how he might make a good farm hand, nor a suggestion he could stay on longer as he got stronger she had in mind, it was another of her idea's. He knew that look in her eyes and even as the suggestion formed on her lips he started to bite down on a groan. "So Dusk... how's about you let me try sorting your mail? Or maybe 'elping Barb with da bookkeeping at tha library? I could earn my cutie mark as a Mail mare in no time but Derpy won't let me help cause she says it's too dangerous for a little filly around heavy boxes."

The pout on her face made Dusk consider for a few moment's relenting and letting her win her way, but the sound of barking and AJ's warm laughter distracted him from the conversation, up until she grabbed his hand and stared up at him with those big eyes. Relenting a little, he lightly give her a pat upon the head before answering. "We can talk to AJ about it during lunch, if she says so I will let you hang around for a day or two. No harm in that, right?" Releasing a whoop of joy she bolted off again into the Orchard, though this time Dusk wasn't so worried about getting lost, not with the dog Winona around.

Of all his new found friends helpers, Winona was easily the friendliest and the most talkative. At just short of six feet herself, the canine girl was still young, but worked for the apple family as a guard at night, and helped sometimes during the day in the field. AJ had hired her just five years ago and they were clearly good friends. A picnic was already set up, and Apple Bloom rushed to join her sister and the canine girl on the blanket, already misrepresenting Dusk's words with her excitement while shoving an apple tart into her mouth, her words were muffled between chunks of food. "Ah Dusk said I'd get ta help Barb and everything! Pleaze?"

Her sister laughing at the excited young girls eating habits, it was Winona's rich hello that warned the mare Dusk had joined them. Today for the first time all week however, he realized she didn't tense up, she simply grinned and looked over her shoulder to him. "Come on over partner, join us for some grub. You earned it and no question at that." The casual way she acted for the first time in two weeks made Dusk wonder if her heat was at last over, yet as her fingers lifted to linger a soft touch that swept a few stray hairs off her cheek, the look in her eyes remained hungry.

"A pleasure AJ. I don't mind the chance to snack. And Apple Bloom says this is your early harvest? Just how much isn't ready yet?" The conversation was light and soon with the two younger girls absorbed in rapid and silly duologue Dusk focused on the mare, and his half finished apple tart, taking another light bite and chewing fully before speaking up again. "It's a pleasure to see the farm doing so well. But shouldn't you guys have more help with Harvest coming so soon?"

The proud mare laughed sitting up taller and pushing her empty plate away her voice soft but level. "You think we can't handle it? We're Apple's Dusk! We can handle any harvest this Orchard has managed. Just cause this year's the biggest we've ever seen don't mean we can't handle it!" At her leveled glare Dusk this go and returned to more casual conversation while they finished their meals.

The meal was good and quite calm until the sound of Barb's voice and rapid pace running through the orchard was heard, calling out with bold excitement. "Dusk! Dusk! You gotta see this Dusk!" The little dragoness at last arrived to join their picnic by crashing through the bushes at random until she got lucky and stumbled upon their meal. Winona jumped up, with her hackles raised while a low growl lifted in the base of her throat. Only when the dragon collapsed to her knees and panted for breath did the canine girl really realize just who was running around and making so much noise, relaxing herself to the blanket again to let her hackles lower.

Rushing to her side with AJ at his side, Dusk picked the little dragon up, and placed a hand on her throat to check what had happened to send the girl rushing to their company. "What’s wrong Barb? What's happened? Why did you rush out here so quickly?" Her response was to shove a letter up at him, panting for breath.

Able to only just pull together enough to call out to him, voice staggering but low. "Letter..." A gasp and hiss as she tried to clear her lungs and get her head once more level on her shoulders. "The Princess!" And then AJ started to rub over Barb's back shushing her as Dusk took up the note and let his eyes roam over the page in a moments silence, his jaw unhinging, and beginning to creep open wider and wider against his will as what he read swarmed over him.

At last Dusk was forced to drop his gaze once more at the little dragoness, his voice whispering free after he managed to swallow once. "Is... Is she serious Barb?" The note was lifted to offer to the Cowgirl when she tried to take it from his grip, Dusk lowering to his knees and drawing Barb's hands into his own. "You're not just making a bad joke, right?"

Reading aloud AJ recited the letter to herself, worried herself just what could possibly bother him so much, so fast. "Her Grand Royal Highness, Princess Celestia of Equestria, is pleased to announce The Grand Galloping Gala to be held in the magnificent capital city of Canterlot, on or around the 21st day of, eh, yadda yadda yadda, cordially extends an invitation to Dusk Shine plus one mare as his date."

Together AJ, Dusk Shine and Apple Bloom spoke in shock. "The Grand Galloping Gala!" The difference though, was that Dusk's mind was on the terror of Princess Celestia and how she might treat Rarity in such a situation. His letter from the week before now haunted him. Unaware of Dusk's silence, the two farm girls quickly got carried away on a very different line of thought.

Apple Bloom started first, grabbing Barb by the wrist, and gazing with glee in her eyes into the dragon's own. "Wow, that's just great! I ain't never been to no gala. Have you, Barb?"

Suddenly pulled from her kneeling posture and forced to link arms with the excitable filly, Barb rolled her eyes and shook her head at the mare's words. "No, and I plan to keep it that way. I don't want any of that silly frilly frou-frou nonsense."

Dancing around the two shorter girls, Winona was the one to teasingly punch Barb in the shoulder her voice warm as she drifted off into some little day dream, her voice bright in quiet delight as she fluffed Barb's head spikes. "Aw, come on Barb. A dance would be nice!"

It was Applejack who took over now, her excited tones drawn Dusk to watch her as she reminisced with chipper delight. "Nice? It's a heap good more than just nice. I'd love to go. Land sakes, if I had an apple stand set up, ponies would be chowin' our tasty vittles till the cows came home. Do you have any idea how much business I could drum up for Sweet Apple Acres? Why, with all that money, we could do a heap of fixin' up 'round here. We could replace that saggy old roof, and Big Mac could replace that saggy old plow, and Granny Smith could replace that saggy old hip."

As she droned on it was Apple Bloom who spoke up first, a questioning look crossing her face. "But... Granny Smith Doesn't have a saggy old hip." Sharing a shrug with Winona the little filly looked at Dusk, both beaming with excited glee.

For his part, Dusk had gotten carried away by Applejack's story however... Yet however as she turned to face him, her thick eyelashes were suddenly sweeping low and over the bright Sap green hue of her eyes. A step was taken to his side, and her hands slipped forward, to rest on his hips, drawing him to stand against her suddenly warm and welcoming body. Her voice low, drawl thick with warm intentions. "Why, I'd give my left hind leg to go to that gala." Here an eyebrow arched high, while she leaned in cooing the last few words low into his ear.

Realization of the real meaning of the offer was lost on Applejack, forcing Dusk to backpedal and attempt to find some polite way of letting down the suddenly engaging mare, a deep blush on his cheeks. "Oh... well it's just that---" And yet before he could continue any further, the sudden crashing sound of a body dropping from the treetops and landing between the two of them with a slight grunt and low cry for help.

As the dust cleared, Dusk found himself knocked to the ground again, with Rainbow Dash clutching his collar, and staring wide eyed deep into his shocked eyes. Behind her, AJ crossed arms over her chest and stamp a foot to the ground at the sudden interruption. For her part, Dash was far from subtle, shaking the larger stallion with both hands as she gazed into his eyes. "Are we talking about the Grand Galloping Gala?"

A grunt escaped Applejack's lips as Dash shook the stunned stallion, her voice harsher with disappointment at the betrayal and sudden interrogation going on before her between Dusk and Dash. Her tone rich with disapproving overtones to help her with layering on the guilt as thick as possible. "Rainbow Dash, you told me you were too busy to help me harvest apples. What were you busy doing, spyin'?"

For her part though, Dash appeared to be totally ignorant of the situation at hand. Turning her gaze back to AJ for only a moment to dismissively declare her innocence "No, I was busy napping, and I just happened to hear that you have an extra ticket?" The last question was asked with her face now pressing nose to nose with the stallion's own. Her wings standing tall behind her back, and dancing with unrestrained glee.

Attempting to get a grip of the situation at hand, Dusk put both hands on Dash's shoulders, attempting to push her back from his lap so he could get his feet back under himself in hopes of finding his way to stand up once more. The level and strong tones of his voice sure and rock hard. "Yeah, but--"

And before he managed a third word, it was an instant interruption that blew him back to the ground resting upon his ass once more. Rainbow Dash had used him as a launch pad to lead into the air, thrusting a fist high overhead while she exclaimed with bold pleasure. "YES! This is so awesome." Her wings dancing with bold delight behind her body, flicking instead strokes behind her back to slow her descent to the ground again. Now raving like any fan girl with her mind trapped in a world filled in her fantasies. "The Wonderbolts perform at The Grand Galloping Gala every year. I can see it now. Everypony would be watching the sky. Their eyes riveted on The Wonderbolts, but then I would fly past, Rainbow Dash!"

Together, Dusk; AJ; Apple Bloom and Winona got lost in Dash's bold storytelling. The whole time she danced and darted around the sky above them, reenacting her daydream as a showpiece for the small gathered crowd as if they were a massive stadium audience. A joint declaration of 'Huh' was the best answer she got out of them.

If Rainbow Dash was aware the rest of them were far from as into her daydream as she had gotten, it wasn't something she was going to give up on very quickly. "I would draw their attention with my Super Speed Strut... and Then? Then, I would mesmerize 'em with my Fantastic Filly Flash. And for my grand finale, The Buccaneer Blaze! The ponies would go wild!" Darting around in a small loop in the air over them, she whipped up great speed, before dropping low and brushing to a stop before Dusk again, grabbing him by the hands and drawing up into the air a little as she spun him around, waltzing together though the air. Grinning wildly she threw one arm around his hips, holding him tight while the other swung through the air gleeful voice loud and warm in his ear. "The Wonderbolts would insist that my signature moves be incorporated into their routine, and then welcome me as their newest member." Setting him to the ground again, she turned to look up into his eyes again, her hands once more slipped to grip his in turn and her wings still stood tall, pumping with unrestrained excitement behind her slender figure. "Don't you see, Dusk? This could be my one chance to show 'em my stuff. You gotta take me!"

At last Applejack had enough of Dash and grabbed her by the shoulder, pulling her back from Dusk and shaking an angry finger in the smaller mare's face. Glare leveled on the shorter pegasus. "Hold on just one pony pickin' minute here. I asked for that ticket first."

Dash only offered a shrug at AJ's words. Her body turning away from her friend, declaring with level annoyance clear in her tone. "So? That doesn't mean you own it."

Applejack's snort in return was as derisive as ever. A cold glare leveled in return to the greedy behavior of her friend. "Oh, yeah? Well I challenge you to a hoof-wrestle. Winner gets the ticket." Dash was far from one to resist the dare, and soon the two were locked hand in hand, and fighting one another with all their strength to force the other mare's wrist down. A spare tree trunk from a recent pruning of the extra dead or half rotten trunks yet to have been removed served as a table for their competition.

At last Dusk Shine got his feet back under him as the two mares got carried away in their sudden competition. Annoyed at how he was ignored and mistreated so suddenly by such good friends, he took a step forward, pushing them apart and attempt to clear up the confusion the two had built up so swiftly in their excitement. "Girls, these are my tickets, I'll decide who gets it, thank you very much." When they both dropped their shoulders, realizing the point of his words and their respect for his opinion of them... for three seconds.

Then AJ grinned warm and shifted to stand up, grabbing him by the hands, her voice swift with her now suddenly peacemaking attempt to fix the problem as she saw it. "Then whoever has the best reason to go should get the ticket, don't ya think? And for me that means drummin' up business for the farm!"

However Rainbow Dash wasn't about to let AJ get a hand up on her in the sudden new battle for the extra ticket. Thrusting a step in front of her taller friend and grabbing both of Dusk's hands she gazed up into his eyes with glee blazing in her lively cerise eyes. "A chance to audition for The Wonderbolts?"

Of course this only lead to the two mare's pushing one another aside to grab up Dusk's attention one after another as they each attempted to make their reason stronger, more important than the other. Applejack's next declaration was with a low pout on her lips her hand casting a wave towards the farmhouse in the distance. "Money t' fix granny's hip."

Dash shot back, just as fast and hard. "Living the dream." Her eyes were in the stars, the joy at the concept of having her best chance to see and spend time with the hero's of her childhood. To be one with them making her lips whisper a wistful sigh.

Dusk was floored by the sudden new dilemma. It was now a battle between his loyalty to helping out his friends with their dreams and what was clearly the hidden intent in Princess Celestia's letter. Swallowing sharply and shaking his head he backed away from the girls attempting to buy himself time to think of some kind of a solution. "Oh my, those were all pretty good reasons, aren't they?" The sound of Barb's stomach rumbling shot a solution for the moment straight to his lips without a stop at his mind. "Listen to that, poor Barb is starving! I don't know about you, but I can't make important decisions on an empty stomach, so I'll, uh, think about it over lunch and get back to you two, okay?"

Thankfully Winona and Apple Bloom had finished off the rest of AJ's picnic lunch, leaving nothing as an excuse keep them stuck at the moment, A sigh escaping both mare's lips as they gave Dusk a little nod. "Okay" Dash muttered, her eyes rolling skyward as she started to whistle to herself.

Applejack dropped to the basket and when she found it empty leveled a glare at her sister and the canine guard who were busy whispering back and forth to one another and laughing at Dash and AJ's battle. At last standing up and nodding again she let her shoulders droop. "Okay Dusk. you take care of Barb and get back to us. Taking care of your family is whats most important after all." It took Dash a few seconds to pick up on that comment, her eyes narrowing and a low grunt escaped her lips.

Even as Dusk ran off with Barb slung over his shoulders, the pegasus mare realized just what was going on, and cried out. "Hey!" Then the two were quickly once more back at their arm wrestling, fighting hard over who could win the best of five.

Walking back in town together Dusk had taken to talking over the problem with Barb. After all, she at least understood his dilemma over the order subtly hidden in Princess Celestia's letter and his need to help out his friends. At last Barb simply was forced to shrug, her voice low and worried. "So, who you gonna give the ticket to, Dusk? They both have good reasons, yet it's clear Princess Celestia wants you to bring Rarity since she is the one you're clearly dating..." Strangely enough Dusk didn't notice any resentment in her voice about that situation, maybe she had already accepted Dusk was in the way of her crush?

Walking with his body turned to focus more upon his dear little sister then the road they walked down Dusk remained obsessed over the conversation on hand. One hand lifting and scratching across the back of his neck even while a low sigh whispered free of his throats base. "I... I just don't know Barb, but I really can't think straight about this right now. How about we worry about your hunger first?" At her nod he laughed gently. "So then. Where should we eat?"

Of course, walking with his gaze turned away from the path he walked on to focus instead on Barb had its side effects. Today that result was Dusk crashing head first into Pinkie Pie who herself had been hopping along the street without a worry in the world, her eyes closed as she gleefully walked. Crashing together they fell to the ground, the two tickets shooting free of his pocket and dancing through the air, drifting wildly and at last landing upon Pinkie's nose.

Her gasp of glee at the sight before her was sudden and powerful, jaw crashing wide open even while she started to shake in place where she rested upon her knees. Her voice a shaking with glee at the concept presented by the twin tickets to the gala she cried out with her delight, her voice a rapid rant of pleasure. "These aren't... they... they are! Tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala?! It's the most amazing incredible tremendous super-fun wonderful terrifically humongous party in all of Equestria! I've always always always wanted to go!"

Of course Dusk rolled his head back, to watch the mare as she suddenly jumped up and started to dance around him in a gleeful circle, twisting and spinning about herself while her joy resulted in a dance that carried on with daydream she had thrown together in her creative imagination's endless depths. And of course, as it was Pinkie Pie... she started to sing again.

Oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me

Oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me

Hip hip

Hooray!

It's the best place for me

For Pinkie...

Pausing and wrapping her grip to Dusk's collar, she pulled him to his feet in a break of her song. Planting a deep kiss to his lips as he staggered under the raw power of her words and strong emotion, Dusk could only stare back up at her as she once more released him twirling around in a circle and tickling his nose with the fluffy tip of her heavy tail as her wild dance started once more. Her voice was a rapid rant of delightful ideas even as she took time to describe every concept with the same rapid glee. "With decorations like streamers and fairy-lights and pinwheels and piñatas and pin-cushions. With goodies like sugar cubes and sugar canes and sundaes and sun-beams and saraparilla. And I get to play my favorite-est of favorite fantabulous games like Pin the Tail on the Pony!" And pausing a moment to clutch her hands together again, she once more burst out in gleeful song.

Oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me

Oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me

'Cause it's the most galarrific superly-terrific gala ever

In the whole galaxy

Wheee!!

Finished at last, Pinkie Pie returned to Dusk's side and wrapped her arms around Dusk's neck again, clinging tightly to his chest and lifting a foot from the ground, pressing her full weight into his chest while she released a low and gleeful giggle, while nuzzling heavily up against his cheek while a light coo whisper into his ear. "Oh thank you, Dusk, it's the most wonderful-est gift ever."

With the tickets in her hand against his cheek, Dusk attempted to reach finger's up to snag them from her grasp. As he tugged she finally let them go. His voice low and whimpering a little as he realized he was going to be forced to let down a third friend. At last though Dusk bit the bullet and attempted to speak out, to let Pinkie down gently. "Um, actually--"

But then Rarity gasped as she stood behind him, her eyes wide with glee at the sight of those golden embossed tickets that could only be for one event. Her words filled with awe as she spoke with whispered pleasure hardly contained. "Are these what I think they are?"

Blushing darkly now as he was suddenly confronted by Rarity even as Pinkie clung to his chest and she nuzzled heavily across his chest and burbled sweet nothings into his ear. Dusk struggled to come up with something to say to excuse his way out of Pinkie's grasp and stammered in an attempt to answer her question. "Uh--"

Yet for her part, Pinkie had no shame. Her deep and gleeful coo escaped her lips as she nodded with a giant and wild grin on her lips. "Yes, yes, yes! Dusk's taking me to The Grand Galloping Gala in Canterlot."

Still in her own little world, Rarity stepped forward, her eyes growing wider as she took up Pinkie's hands voice low and whispering in her soft glee. "The gala? I design ensembles for the gala every year, but I've never had the opportunity to attend. Oh, the society, the culture, the glamour! It's where I truly belong, and where I'm destined to meet him."

More then happy to have another person's fantasy to get carried away with, Pinkie Pie leaned in to Rarity's words, her grin spreading wider as she nodded with joy at the story Rarity weaved in soft tones. Smiling with joy she nodded, her voice lifted with delight "Him!" A moment passing before she suddenly looked around shrugging at Dusk and looking back to Rarity. "...Who?"

With her voice dripping with mystery and joy Rarity continued on with her fantasy world. Ignoring the fact the story she told might not really make sense with her recent relationship with Dusk. "Him." She declared, dancing around in a small circle with herself, before taking up Pinkie's hands again grinning with vapid glee. "Why him my darling, the greatest prince in the land and the most interesting unicorn to roam our kingdom..." Releasing the still befuddled but supportive mare's hands she turned and stepped up to Dusk, a hand slipping over his jawline stroking in teasing dance down his cheek and across his jaw.

Their bodies close and her eyes locked upon his, and she started to tell her fantasy, the whole time, locking tight with Dusk's body, and plastering her body physically to his own, the wanton lewd actions getting even Pinkie's mind to focus on the fact she did all of this to the stallion as if he was clay for her hands to mold... and that Dusk appeared to accept her attentions, even leaning in to her fingers tease across his lips at one point. "Why, can't you see it? I would stroll through the gala, and everyone would wonder, 'Who is that mysterious mare?' " With a giggle she turned, to rest her back against Dusk's chest her hands pulling his arms around her body and using his arms to squeeze her in a hug.

"They might never have guessed that I was but a simple mare from little old Ponyville. My sense of class and stylish dress would cause such a sensation. I'd be invited for an audience with Princess Celestia herself!" She cooed these words, leaning back in Dusk's arms and kissing his cheek once before her gaze turned to Pinkie who was getting lost in the story she wove, the pink bundle of energy nodding excitedly in hopes it might prompt Rarity to continue. "At that point, the Princess would simply have to introduce me to her favorite student. The most handsome, eligible unicorn stallion in Canterlot. Our eyes would meet, our hearts would melt. Our courtship would be magnificent."

Swooning over, Dusk was forced to catch her weight in his arms, shocked at how little she really did weigh. Never once did she miss a beat however, as gazing longingly up at him she spoke in soft delight. "At last, he would ask me to marry him. To be his bride and to spend our lives together. Married to him, the stallion of my dreams." At last she split apart from him, a forlorn wrist cast to her brow while she released a low and sorrowful moan, her head dropped low as she stood with her back to him. "Not... that I'd ever get to go to the gala. No Prince Charming is here to sweep me up today."

Confused by her tale, Dusk started to step forward his hand lifted and voice speaking with soft tones. "Rarity... you know..." he paused, swallowing as he looked to Pinkie Pie, then stepped forward again, his hand on her shoulder. "It's just. Isn't that dream a little far fetched? Right Pinkie?" If he had expected any support from the earth mare, he got none, she was balling in tears at the sad end to Rarity's tale. One for melodramatics she looked seconds away from rushing to Rarity's arms, to soothe her about the lack of a 'Prince Charming' in her life.

Now pouting deeply, Rarity's pout only grew deeper and she twisted around, to look over Dusk again, her eyes wide with deep sorrow while her fingers lifted to return the Tickets she had at some point unbeknownst to him stolen from his grip. "Dusk darling, I simply cannot believe you would invite Pinkie Pie so she can... party, and prevent me from meeting my true love!" Teasing him, she flicked her tail in his face while she turned away, her voice lifted in false disappointment. "How could you? Hmph." Though her actions remained melodramatic, it was clear Rarity harbored hints of hurt feelings in her words.

Here at last Dusk might finally get a grasp upon the situation at hand. Thrusting the tickets to Barb he stepped to Rarity's side, his hands slipping around her hips to hold her a moment his voice soft, whispering low into her ear for no other to hear. But while he was distracted by the attempt to make things up to his new found mare love, Barb was knocked over by one of the only people in Ponyville as short as she was. Knocked on her rump, the tickets were snatched up and in a streak of white fur Angel Bunny bolted away despite Barb's protests. "Hey!"

Hopping along and scooting around Pinkie pie, Angel made a swift bolt across the street to Fluttershy's side, the two golden tickets now thrust up into her hand while the little bunny flashed a bold grin back over his shoulder at Barb, now fuming, was stomping after the short and fluffy male. For her part, Fluttershy was shocked at the sudden gift from her little assistant, her voice a gasp of shock, yet joy, as she inspected them. "Oh my Angel, these are perfect!"

Releasing Rarity as she calmed and had started to blush darkly at whatever it was he was whispering into her ear. Now free after calming down one situation Dusk was forced to turn around and find yet another had sprouted up in its place behind his back. Groaning out and slumping his shoulders, he slapped a hand to his forehead his voice now strained at the sudden realization his fifth friend had just wandered into this situation as easily as everypony before her. "Uh, listen guys, I haven't decided who to give the extra ticket to. And besides... I really think Princess Celestia had a hidden--"

But of course, the excitable mares were far from about to give him time to really explain himself in a moment as important as this. At once both Rarity and Pinkie Pie were at his sides, each taking up one of his arms and leaning in close, eyes wide with glee and unmasked ill intent if that was what was required to get their hands upon the second ticket. Together their voices raised in shocked awe. "You haven't?"

Shocking them all however, it was Fluttershy who spoke up next, her hand on Dusk's shoulder, causing him to spin around and lift his gaze to look to the normally so shy creature who stood before him. Behind her Angel stood stomping a foot to the ground with a rapid impact to the ground. Barb stood beside him glaring at the bunny and shaking her head. Voice as fragile as broken glass Fluttershy stepped between the two mares in Dusk's arms to speak up. "Um, excuse me, Dusk. I would just like to ask, I mean, if it would be all right, if you haven't given it to someone else--"

Of course as soft spoken as she might be, Rarity's shock at the fact that Fluttershy spoke out about so social an event as the gala "You? You want to go to the gala?"

Blushing darkly Fluttershy shook her head and drew back a little, half hiding her face between the two tickets she still grasped, blushing darkly and though her meek voice was still loud enough to be heard over the tickets. "Oh, no." She started, but a light push against her lower back by Angel as she started to back away from the others forced her to glance down to him, then whimpering she cleared her throat and stepped forward again, lowering the tickets and nodding with a more honest attempt to start again. "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. There's loons and toucans and bitterns, oh my! Hummingbirds that can really hum, and buzzards that can really buzz. White-blue jays, and red jays, and green jays, pink jays and pink flamingos!"

Realizing that she had gotten carried away in a fantasy daydream just like all the others had been as they obsessed over their version of the night at the gala, Dusk gave a groan and squeezed at the bridge of his nose, hissing out his breath in frustration at how complicated things had gotten with so simple a thing as bringing a date to meet the Princess under the cover of a simple social situation."Gee, Fluttershy, it sounds... beautiful?" He attempted, to smooth things over.

Until Rainbow Dash crashed to the ground behind Fluttershy, her voice angry as she stepped up and pushed her way between Dusk and the more sheltered pegasus mare. Voice aggressive and demanding she asserted her place into the middle of the conversation. "Wait just a minute."

Dusk wasn't about to put up with this however, and stepped forcefully forward, pointing a finger to Dash's nose and glaring deep into her eyes, his voice hurt and angry with no attempts to hide his tone. "Rainbow Dash, were you following me?"

Suddenly forced to backpedal Rainbow Dash blushed and looked up and away attempting to find something to distract from her sudden goof. One hand lifted, scratching across the back of her neck as she strained for a believable excuse. "No. I mean, yes. I mean, maybe." Deflated she sighed, then flew up and crossed her arms defensively over her slender chest, glaring back down at Dusk and the others while hovering in the air over them by a few feet. "Look, it doesn't matter. I couldn't risk a goody-two-shoes like you giving that ticket away to just anybody."

The sudden sound of a lasso whipping through the air and wrapping around Dash's feet signaled Applejack's arrival. Hauling in the struggling pegasus mare and glaring deep into her friend's eyes, AJ grunted, her voice annoyed as she started to pull Dash to ground level. "Wait just another minute."

His headache now in full blown migraine Dusk groaned openly and turn to face the last of his friends as she walked to the growing circle, still fighting with Dash and the rope she held clutched in rippling arms, a bead of sweat traveling down her cheek while she reeled in Dash. "Applejack, were you following me too?"

And at last, someone managed to give Dusk what was at least close to an acceptable answer. Applejack hulled Dash to eye level and thrust one free thumb over her shoulder to point to the pouting pegasus mare who still attempted to float with her arms crossed turning away from them as she gave a snort of derision. AJ's voice still strained by the effort, though leveling out now that she no longer fought Dash with the rope. "No. I was followin' this one to make sure she didn't try any funny business. Still trying to take mah ticket."

Rainbow Dash turned on AJ at this point, and stormed over, face level with her far taller friends, as she pushed the taller mare on the shoulders. Glare open she leveled her voice in plain annoyance at the situation at hand. "Your ticket?"

But Pinkie Pie was the one to step between the two fuming mares, her gleeful voice now joined by the others in annoyance at the others stepping into the matter she had considered settled already, her normally warm voice whining. "But Dusk's taking me!"

As the five mares got quickly carried away in the burst of bitter argument, Dusk was now locked up in the situation at hand, with all pushing and shouting as they surrounded him with a tirade of different arguments, at last forcing the issue he stood up tall and lifted his voice to bellow out in hopes of pushing them to give him a moment of peace. "QUIET!"

And it worked for the most part. As all the mares save dear Pinkie Pie fell silent under his sudden harsh outburst. Carrying on in her own little world, the bubblegum mare ranted on with open frustration. "And then I said, "Oatmeal, are you craz--" A moment of realization dawned on her as she noticed the others had gone silent. Her head lifted she blushed, voice soft. "Oh..."

Turning in a slow circle around as he glares at the gathered mares, all now acting out in different ways to deal with the shame of having started a fight over something that mattered so much to them all and yet at the same time was so small a thing as a simple ticket. Gathering himself, Dusk at last give them the full truth of why he was being so reluctant. "Girls, there's no use in arguing. This is my decision, and I'm gonna make it on my own, and I certainly can't think straight with all this noise..." As Barb's stomach rumbles he groaned and shook his head. "Not to mention Barbs hunger. Look, Princess Celestia's letter had a double meaning, a private one and I don't want to hurt any of your feelings when I answer this. So give me some time. I need to make a choice here and it's really important. Now go on, shoo."

As the others started to melt away Dusk let his eyes linger on each in turn, last of all Rarity and the swelling pain of disappointing them all made his pulse race, and his heart ache. Muttering softly to himself as he wrapped an arm about Barb's shoulders and started to walk over to a nearby cafe his voice was tired, hints of half concealed remorse still present. "And don't worry, I'll figure this out... somehow."

Author's Notes:

Hey guys, here is part 1 of The Ticket Master. Due to length and time it was taking to do editing I decided to split the story in half at the only point that felt comfortable. Can't wait to hear back from you all on how this half goes over!

Massive thanks to Frankie2 for the major help in editing and prereading! Same goes to EmperorJewel for assistance in some major rewrites to the Rarity scenes in both this and the second half!

Thanks to ShadowThunder for your continued help with idea's and prereading, and to the rest of you who continue to aid me every day with work on the story!

Version 2.0 posted April 29th, 2016. Focused on removing improper use of 'own' and 'would', as well as major formatting changes that have happened across the series.