For most ponies, the word "dragon" meant one thing: Something to run away from very quickly.

Usually, Twilight would have been happy to tell "most ponies" that they didn't know her.

"Uh, Twilight?"

This time, however, she was in a rare moment of jealousy for those storybook monsters. Their terrifyingly huge size. Massive wings, capable of causing hurricanes with a single flap. The ability to breathe gouts of white-hot flame, to take whatever they wanted without caring about who got hurt in the process...

Twilight was considering all those as her scaly arms strained upward. Especially how much easier it would be to reach the top shelves of the Golden Oaks Library if she could simply raid the nearest hardware store for a taller ladder. Her tongue stuck from the side of her mouth as she concentrated on her balance, standing on the tips of her clawed toes as she tried to put the uppermost level of books just a bit closer.

"Hey, Twilight?" the voice called again from somewhere below her.

"J-just—" Twilight paused, taking a second to steady herself as her eyes locked onto her target. "Just one more second!"

Drawing in a deep breath, Twilight bent her legs before springing from the ladder. Somepony below her gasped, likely in horror. Twilight barely noticed as she let out a triumphant cry, her claws grasping the book she'd been reaching for. With a quick yank, the tome slid free. Letting out a "Whoop!" of excitement, she grabbed hold of the ladder with her free paw and slid quickly back down to the library floor.

"Got it! Epona's Legend: Quest for the Sacred Saddle!" Twilight was smiling broadly as she held out the book. "I think you'll really like this one. There's tons of adventure, fighting, searching through ancient temples—"

Twilight's smile faltered as she looked up. The library's sole other occupant, a pale-gray pegasus colt, had a small grimace on his face as he looked at the book.

"Something wrong, Rumble?" she asked, tucking Epona's Legend under one arm.

"Well, not really but..." The colt paused for a second to blow a strand of his dark mane away from his face. "It's just... uhh..."

He gestured vaguely around them. Twilight followed his hoof, blushing slightly as she saw the various stacks of books she'd placed on the desks around the room. All of them organized alphabetically and by subject (of course), and leaving several notable gaps on the shelves.

"My book report is only supposed to be on one book," Rumble finished.

"Oh. Right." Twilight could feel her cheeks grow warmer still as she plodded over to one of the stacks. "Guess I got a little carried away."

"This is just 'a little' carried away?"

Twilight shot a sardonic look over her shoulder at Rumble's muttering. She was almost impressed at how fast the colt managed to force on a smile.

"I mean... heh heh, how about I help put some of these away?" Rumble quickly offered. "You worked so hard to help me find something for Miss Cheerilee's book report contest after all!"

"Hey, any friend... or little brother as the case may be, of Thunderlane's is a friend of mine!" Twilight said, her own smile returning as she started to gather some of the books. "So, any clue what that 'special prize' you mentioned is supposed to be?"

"No idea," Rumble answered as he moved to another pile. "But Miss Cheerilee looked super excited when she told us about it, so it's gotta be good!"

Twilight just giggled a bit in agreement as she hefted up a pile of fantasy novels. Mentally, she filed away the image of Ponyville's school teacher bouncing on her hooves the same way Rumble had when he first arrived.

"Sounds like I'm going to be pretty busy today then," she commented as she started walking towards the shelves.

WHAM

"OhmygoshthisisthegreatestthingEVER!"

Twilight didn't have time to turn and see who had slammed the door open. A series of loud THUDS immediately followed the excited voice as her carefully organized book stacks toppled in all directions. Including on top of her, sending the young dragoness sprawling to the ground amidst countless mystery and horror stories.

Thankfully, her thick scales absorbed most of the damage. That didn't stop her from feeling a little sore as she gingerly lifted her head. She did her best not to be angry as she looked at the pony responsible for the crash. A lavender unicorn filly, wearing a sheepish smile as she nervously patted down her blond mane.

"Uh... oops..." Dinky Doo muttered, shuffling her hooves. "Sorry!"

Somewhere behind her, Twilight could hear Rumble shifting underneath his own pile of books. She simply let out a sigh, trying to keep the frustration out of it.

Well, I was right...

Rumble let out a low groan. It was about all he could do with the numerous dictionaries that had collapsed on top of him. He still wasn't entirely sure why Twilight had added those to any of the piles and, given that one had pinned his muzzle shut, he couldn't exactly ask. All he could do was lay still, listening to the duo of approaching voices and the sound of books being moved.

"Oh gosh, I'm soooo super-duper sorry Twilight!" Rumble flinched a bit. That had been Dinky Doo's voice. There was no mistaking his classmate's energetic tone.

"It's alright, Dinky," Twilight said, as Rumble felt some of the weight on his body lift away. "Rumble and I were just about to clean up anyway."

A clawed hand finally pulled the dictionary off his mouth. Rumble flinched, wrinkling his muzzle a bit to test it out.

"Ow..." he groaned, prodding at his smarting nose with a now-freed hoof.

Looking up, he quickly stopped his poking. Dinky was looking right at him, her bright yellow eyes wide and worried.

"Er, I mean, right." He corrected himself, shaking off the last few books himself and standing back up.

Rumble gave his wings a test flap, letting out a quick sigh of relief as he felt no pain. That seemed to be enough for the other two as Dinky's smile immediately returned. Twilight flashed him a grin of her own and set to gathering up the books spread around the floor.

"See? No harm done," Twilight said as she hoisted small stack of tomes up. "Though maybe in the future you could be a little, uh... calmer when you come visit? This is a library after all."

Dinky blushed a bit, but Rumble could see her body tense up. A sudden warning shot through his body, and the pegasus colt quickly stepped aside.

"I know, and I'm sorry!" Dinky sprang forward, nearly bowling over Twilight again as she landed in the spot Rumble had occupied a second ago. "But something amazing happened and I just had to tell everypony I know! And the library is closest to-my-house-and-Rumble-saidhewascomingheretofindabooksoI--"

"Wait, is this about Miss Cheerilee's book report?" Rumble asked, even as he wondered just how he managed to pick his name out of Dinky's rambling. "Cuz I was in class today so—"

"No! It's even better than that!" Dinky cheered, spinning so fast she nearly knocked heads with the colt. "It's the greatest thing that's ever happened to anypony ever!"

Rumble could feel his ears ringing from Dinky's voice. His did his best to just return the filly's smile, while testing how slowly he could back away. With the way she was starting to pant for breath, that grin was suddenly looking more frightening than anything else.

"Alright..." Rumble said, slowly nodding his head.

"Well, don't keep us in suspense," Twilight encouraged, still balancing the books she'd picked up. "Just remember to take a deep breath first, okay?"

Dinky did just that. Rumble's ears fell flat as the unicorn's chest swelled out. For a second, he worried that she was about to explode. An instant later he was certain she had. There was no other way she could have shouted loud enough to rattle every window in the library.

Rumble's eye twitched a bit. His ears weren't ringing any longer. Neither was Twilight actually talking even as her mouth moved and her eyes went wide. Nervously, the colt rubbed one hoof against his ear.

"Uh... great?" He breathed a small sigh of relief at the sound of his own voice, realizing he could still hear. "So--"

THUD

Twilight's books hitting the ground cut him off. The dragon was staring at Dinky in disbelief, her fangs on full display thanks to her mouth gaping open. Rumble winced and quickly flattened his ears again, preparing for another high-pitched auditory assault.

"Th-the Grand Galloping Gala!?" Twilight stammered out, proving Rumble's fears. "Oh my gosh! Dinky, are you serious?!"

"Yeah! There was a fancy envelope in her mail deliveries today, and it was addressed to her and everything!" Dinky was bouncing so fast she was practically a blur. "And that's not even the best part!"

Rumble had to close his eyes. Mostly because watching the unicorn filly was starting to make him dizzy. Cautiously, he peeked out and glanced over Twilight. He almost immediately regretted doing so, as the dragon had joined in the bouncing, eagerly motioning for Dinky to continue.

"Mommy's ticket said she can bring a guest..." Dinky paused for breath, a delighted little squeak escaping before she continued. "And she said she's gonna take me!"

Rumble was silently thankful that Twilight let out a gasp. He wasn't sure his ears could take another shrill cheer. Though he couldn't hide the fact that his eyes were going wide with surprise just like hers.

"You're going-You're going?! You're going to the Grand Galloping Gala!?!" Twilight's jaw was hanging open, somewhere between shock and a smile. "Dinky that's amazing!"

"Yeah, that's... actually pretty cool," Rumble said, his ears cautiously lifting again.

"I know! That's why I couldn't wait to tell somepony!" Dinky's voice was picking up speed again, already getting dangerously close to high-pitched babbling. "It's gonna be just like a fairy-tale with music and dancing and pretty dresses—"

"Ooh, don't forget all the other ponies that will be there!" Twilight jumped in. "Some of Equestria's most noted scholars and philosophers—"

"—And the princess will be there and probably a handsome prince—"

"—Talking about history, magical theory, science—"

Rumble's small groan went unheard as Dinky and Twilight continued to talk over each other. He was quickly losing track as they spoke on and on in the sort of high-speed chatter that only girls seemed capable of understanding. His eyes travelled away from the excited duo, settling instead on the much calmer pile of books he'd been dug out of. He couldn't help but notice the Epona's Quest book that Twilight had been recommending sitting on top.

With a shrug, he scooped the book up.

"Ooooh, you're so lucky!" Twilight's voice was finally winning out over Dinky's. Likely because the filly had finally stopped to breathe again. "I wish I could go too..."

"Don't they have the Gala up in Canterlot like, every year?" Rumble asked as he opened his book. "You musta been to it before."

Rumble realized he'd said something wrong as the room went silent. He looked up from the book, biting down on his lip as he saw Twilight's eyes cast down to the floor. Even Dinky seemed less excited suddenly, trotting up behind the dragon with a worried look on her face.

"Not exactly... I mean... well, the princess thought T-Trixie was too young to go back when... uh, you know..." Twilight cleared her throat and quickly started gathering up the books by her feet again. "And there was always another pony covering it for The Sun so Spike's never been invited—"

"Really?" Dinky asked, tilting her head in confusion. "But mommy said he got an invitation too."

THUD

Here we go again.

Rumble flinched as the books hit the floor once more. Again, Twilight didn't seem to notice as she spun to face Dinky.

"He did?" she gasped out, grabbing Dinky's shoulders. "You're sure?!"

"Uh-huh! Mommy ran into him in town, so she gave him the letter then." Dinky explained, still smiling but her bouncing restrained by Twilight's grip. "Same thing for Miss Cheerilee and Mister Time Turner and—"

"Oh my gosh YES!"

Twilight's cheer wasn't anywhere near as loud as Dinky's. Rumble still jumped however, though more to avoid the joyful dragon crashing into him. Balancing the book on one wing, he simply stared as Twilight seemingly launched into a seizure, her body twisting and her arms flailing as she started laughing.

"Uh, are you feeling okay Twilight?" Rumble asked, uncertain whether to move closer or run and find a doctor.

"Ditzy Doo must have gotten her ticket for helping stop Nightmare Moon!" Twilight was still spasming, her legs kicking out in what Rumble was starting to realize was supposed to be some kind of joyful dance. "And if Ditzy's ticket lets her bring a guest--"

"Then Mister Spike's will too!" Dinky gasped out, suddenly jumping forward. "And that means—"

"We're both going to the Gala!" Twilight shouted, grabbing the unicorn filly in a tight hug.

Rumble did his best to smile as the two girls began jumping together. It was a bit strained, however, with the duo of sing-song voices filling the library with an endless chant of "We're going to the Gala! We're going to the Gala!"

"And that means Rumble can come with us!" Dinky cheered.

Rumble's ears shot straight back up as he heard that.

"Wait, wha-oof!" Was all Rumble managed to get out before Dinky suddenly had her forelegs wrapped around him.

"Cuz if my mommy and Mister Spike got invited then your big brother must have been!" Dinky was shouting practically in his ear, though the incredible strength of her hug was doing a good job of distracting him from that. "That means he'll probably let you be his guest!"

"Ugh, I hope not!" Rumble grumbled, beating his wings as he tried to squirm from the tight embrace. "I'd probably have to wear a tie—"

Rumble cut off in a sharp grunt as he tumbled onto his rear. Just as quickly as she'd grabbed hold, Dinky had released him. Judging by her still-present smile, the filly either hadn't heard his protests or didn't care.

"Today just gets better and better!" Dinky shouted, her voice getting dangerously close to dog-whistle pitched. "And we still have so many more ponies to tell! C'mon Rumble!"

Without waiting for him to even get up, Dinky Doo raced outside. Rumble just sat in place, watching as the front door swung on its hinges in her wake.

Okay... that happened.

Rumble got back to his hooves, only for a purple blur to nearly bowl him over again. It took a second for him to realize it was Twilight, racing from shelf to shelf with a duster in one claw and a stack of books balanced on the other. The mess on the floor was shrinking almost faster than he could follow in the wake of the scaly speed-demon.

"Sooo, did you still need help with that or—" Rumble asked as he started to pick up one of the remaining books.

WHOOSH

His hoof and question both stopped as he looked up from where the book had been a split-second ago. Twilight had finally stopped running around and was looking over her shoulder at the colt. Looking at her wide-eyed stare and the way she kept dusting the shelf next to her, Rumble had the odd feeling that she had forgotten he was still there.

"Oh! Right!" Twilight said, quickly adopting a smile as she looked at the now-clean floors and shelves. "Uh... I guess I've got this handled? Thanks anyway!"

"No problem..." Rumble muttered as he took a few uneasy steps towards the door.

He stopped for a moment as he remembered why he was there. Bending his wing, he slid the only unshelved book left into his forehooves.

"So it's okay if I borrow this, uh, Epona's Quest book? Right?" he asked, holding up the novel for Twilight to see.

"Uh-huh, sure! You enjoy it!" Twilight's eyes weren't even on him as she started towards the back of the library. "And good luck with your report!"

"Thanks!" Rumble called back as he scooped up his saddlebags.

Trying not to look like he was hurrying too much, Rumble slipped the book into the bags and headed out the door. The last thing he saw before it closed behind him was Twilight, carrying what seemed to be a small armory's worth of cleaning supplies with an eager smile on her face.

Standing outside the library in the afternoon sun once again, hearing the one-dragon cleaning crew setting to work and looking down at the trail of (slightly smoking) hoofprints Dinky must have left, Rumble could only think of one thing to say.

"Girls are so weird..."

Bong... Bong... Bong... Bong...

Twilight's ear-fins twitched at the sound of the clock tower ringing in the distance. Four clear chimes which left a smile on her face as she exited the kitchen.

"Perfect," she said as she plodded back into the main reading area.

Her eyes scanned the room one last time. The last hour had passed by in a blur of dusting, sweeping, mopping, and scrubbing, and the room was a testament to her efforts. Every last book was in its proper place, the rugs and curtains were perfectly straightened, and not even a speck of dust was visible on any of the sparkling shelves. On any other day, basking in her spectacularly clean domain would be a reward in itself for Twilight.

Just one final touch.

Shaking herself from the appreciation of her hard work, Twilight set the plate she'd been carrying on the center table. A monstrously huge sandwich dominated the tableware, stacked with more ingredients than even she had been willing to count. Delicately, she swept up the few crumbs that had fallen from it and adjusted the olive that speared to the top of the behemoth meal.

"There!" She cheered to herself, licking the crumbs from her claw. "Now we just need—"

Creak...

"Twi! I'm back!" a voice called out. "And you'll never believe... uh... wow..."

Twilight she spun to the front door. Just as she'd expected, a purple unicorn stallion stood there. The spikes of his green mane were swaying along with the feather tucked into the band of his fedora, following the motions of his head as it turned side to side.

Right on time.

Twilight couldn't hide her excited grin. While his greeting might have trailed off, the surprised look on her oldest friend's face spoke volumes.

"Welcome home, Spike!" she cheered, bounding up and grabbing the stunned stallion in a hug.

She could feel Spike's attention snap back to her. Twilight giggled a bit as a gentle hoof brushed down her spines. She looked up, tightening her embrace a bit as Spike "Purple Prose" Flail smiled down at her.

"Well, looks like somepony's been busy today!" he commented as Twilight released her grip, finally letting him trot inside. "Wasn't it my turn to handle dusting today?"

"Aww, don't worry about that, Spike! You've already been working plenty hard," Twilight encouraged as she closed the door behind him. "I figured you deserved a nice reward, especially—"

Grrr...

Twilight stopped as a low growl from Spike's middle cut her off. The stallion's cheeks flushed a darker shade of purple as he pressed one hoof against his grumbling middle. The dragoness just gave him a reassuring smile, and gestured to the central reading table.

"—Especially since you'd probably be hungry once you got back," she finished with a soft giggle, before adding in a sing-song tone, "I made your fav-orite..."

She didn't have to say anymore. Spike licked his lips as he noticed the sandwich waiting for him. Twilight innocently clasped her claws behind her back as Spike took a seat, a huge smile on his face as he somehow managed to take a bite from the mammoth meal.

"Mmmph! Thsisgrt!" Spike blushed a bit as crumbs and vegetable flecks sprayed from his mouth. He quickly swallowed before letting out an embarrassed chuckle. "Heh, heh, whoops! Sorry, let me—"

"I've got it!" Twilight interrupted, darting to the supply closet.

Before Spike could even get up, she'd raced back with a dustpan and broom. Twilight's short tail was wagging as she started sweeping up the fresh mess. Inwardly, she gave herself a pat on the back and marked make sure Spike enjoys his sandwich from her mental checklist.

"Uh... thanks, Twi." Spike's voice wasn't muffled this time. Looking up from her work, Twilight saw that he'd put his food back down and was watching her with a raised eyebrow. "So, what got into you today?"

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, smile still present as she emptied the dustpan into the waste basket.

"Come on. We both know you wouldn't handle my share of the chores on a whim," Spike said with a short chuckle as he picked up his sandwich again. "Something good must have happened, so what was it?"

"Like you don't know..." Twilight said, unable to suppress another giggle.

She hurried back to the supply closet as Spike took another bite. As she turned back to him, though, Twilight paused for a second. Spike's eyes were turned upward, like he was thinking very hard as he chewed.

"Oh come on, Spike," Twilight encouraged as she walked up to his side. "You know what I'm talking about!"

Her heart skipped a beat as Spike just looked back at her and shrugged.

"The ticket to the Gala, silly!" Twilight said, throwing her claws in the air.

That had an effect. Though not quite the one Twilight expected. Spike's eyes suddenly bulged, a strange sound coming from his throat. Like he was trying to yelp, cough, and swallow all at once. Twilight jumped back to her feet, already halfway turned to race to the kitchen and fetch a glass of water, when a heavy gulp sounded as the stallion finally swallowed.

"You—" Spike's voice was ragged as he coughed, though Twilight could see a smile trying to force its way onto his face. "Y-you already heard about the tickets?"

"Yeah! Dinky was here talking about how Ditzy Doo got hers and—" Twilight stopped as realization suddenly hit, one claw flying to her mouth. "Oh! And it was supposed to be a surprise, wasn't it?"

"Uh... yeah," Spike said, his voice still a bit raspy as he rubbed at his throat.

Twilight's worry for the unicorn faded somewhat as his horn began to glow. She bit down on her lip as an envelope addressed with gold writing floated from his saddlebags, setting down onto the table before her.

"Suprise?" Spike added.

Twilight was barely paying any attention to him anymore. Her claw darted out, lifting the already open flap of the envelope and pulling out the glittering bit of parchment within.

Mister Spike Flail, plus one guest,

You are cordially invited to attend

The Grand Galloping Gala

Twilight couldn't read any further as her own cheer echoed throughout the library. Fireworks were exploding all around her as she jumped for joy. Even the golden ticket clenched in her claw was sparking with gleeful energy.

"You... you're really excited about this, huh?" Spike asked from somewhere below her.

Twilight stopped her cheering as she noticed those fireworks were all green. A familiar tingle covering her body indicated Spike's magic was holding her up. With one clawed foot hovering just an inch above his sandwich.

"Ah heh heh heh..." Twilight cleared her throat, trying and failing to stop smiling so hard. "Is it obvious?"

"Just a little," Spike said slowly as he gently set her down on the cushion next to her. "It's, uh, sorta funny actually! I... didn't really think big parties were, you know, your thing."

"It's not just any party, Spike!" Twilight said, one claw eagerly tracing over the words embossed upon the ticket. "It's the Grand Galloping Gala! Oooh, when I just think about all the stuff Major Scoop used to report on..."

It wasn't the eager shudder running up her spine that made Twilight trail off. The silence was what caught her attention. Tearing her eyes from the ticket, she looked up to see Spike chewing on one of his forehooves. Though he saw her looking and quickly put it back on the floor, she couldn't help notice the way his eyes darted away from hers, nor the fine bead of sweat on his forehead.

"Uh, Spike?" she asked, putting the ticket back on the table. "Are you okay?"

"Sure, of course I'm okay! I was just... thinking!" Spike was speaking just a little too quickly. Twilight crossed her arms, one clawed foot tapping as his muzzle flapped opened and shut for a few seconds. "I mean... and it's nothing personal-but you'll be the only dragon there and... well I know you hate being the center of attention..."

Twilight ceased her foot tapping. She shook her head, trying to force back the image that had come to mind. One of a group of foals crowding her basket while a certain, blue filly ordered her to do tricks—

"Spike, it's the Gala! Not a Kindergarten show-and-tell, and..." Twilight stopped, looking back to Spike. Her imagination suddenly mattered much less as her eyes narrowed on the very strained smile he was giving her. "Alright, what's wrong?"

"Wrong? Why would anything—" Spike stopped his rambling as Twilight raised one scaly eyebrow at him. "Uh... well, there might be a little problem..."

Spike's eyes darted to the ticket. Even as Twilight tried to keep a probing glare on the stallion, a sudden sense of foreboding struck. She did her best to ignore the sudden rock in her stomach, something made harder as Spike's smile slipped away.

"So, it happened when Ditzy caught me while I was eating lunch..." he began.

Mister Spike Flail, plus one guest,

You are cordially invited to attend

The Grand Galloping Gala

That was the furthest Spike got, despite it being the fifth time he'd read over the ticket. Silently, he mouthed the words to himself one last time before setting the sparkling invitation back on the table.

"The Grand Galloping...The Grand Galloping Gala?" he said, still unable to believe what he'd just read. "And they want me there? Seriously?!"

"Not just you!" came an excited, bubbly voice from across the table. "I got one too! And so did Big Mac and Thunder-mpph!"

Spike was making shushing motions to the gray pegasus sitting across from him. Ditzy Doo didn't seem to mind as she started happily munching on the muffin he'd shoved into her mouth. Quickly, Spike glanced about the cafe patio, allowing himself a sigh of relief as he confirmed all the other diners were still indoors.

"Isn't this exciting?!" Ditzy's voice suddenly broke in again, after a particularly loud swallow of muffin. "We all got invitations!"

"Ditzy!" Spike winced, drawing in a deep breath before continuing. "Yeah, it's great, but can you please keep your voice down?"

The postmare tilted her head in confusion. Spike tried not to laugh as one of her yellow eyes drifted sideways. Though the sight did relax him, slightly.

"Okay..." the Element of Laughter finally whispered, flipping a bit of her blond mane back. "But how come? I mean, everypony loves The Gala!"

"I'll bet. Can you imagine what'll happen if the rest of the town finds out we got invited?" Spike asked, tucking the ticket back into its envelope. "We'd get mobbed by ponies that want to come with us! I'd rather make it home in one piece today, thanks."

"Hey, speaking of, who's your guest gonna be?" Ditzy asked.

Spike stopped, the envelope halfway to his saddlebags. Warily, he opened it up again, looking at the ticket as the gray mare's voice started to rattle in the background.

" 'Cuz I'd really hate for anypony to feel left out, buuuuut I already know who I'm bringing!!"

The ticket seemed to shimmer a bit, reflecting his own purple face. Off in the distance, over his shoulder, he could see the towering branches of the Golden Oaks Library.

"I'm gonna bring my little Dinky! Ooooh, I can't wait till she gets home from school so I can tell her!"

"Yeah... Yeah, I'll bet she'll love that," Spike said, just as much to himself as Ditzy Doo while a smile crossed his face.

"I know!" Ditzy continued to gush. "She's gonna be so excited when she finds out she gets to go to the Grand Galloping Gala!"

Spike just nodded and smiled in agreement as he closed the envelope again. He could already picture the moment. The look on her face as he presented the ticket and the good news about—

"The Grand Galloping Gala?!"

Spike's planning cut out at the sound of the new voice. He whirled around, hooves already poised to begin running from the mob of ponies no doubt about to descend on him. He froze, however, before he could even move a single step. There was only one pony there, rather than a mob, but the sight of her rooted his legs to the ground.

"Hi Rarity!" Ditzy Doo cheerfully called out, seemingly oblivious to Spike's sudden paralysis.

The mailmare's voice confirmed what Spike's eyes were already trying to convince him of. That the unicorn mare walking towards their table, framed by a cloud of glittering hearts, was indeed Rarity. The sun sparkling off her ivory coat as she flipped a curl of her rich, purple mane behind one ear. Her blue eyes were smiling as they turned to him.

"Oh! I do apologize, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. But..." Rarity was speaking again her voice dropping to a hush as she leaned in closer. "Did I hear that correctly, Mister Flail? Do you really have tickets to The Grand Galloping Gala?"

Spike just smiled. Try as he might, he couldn't picture a moment more perfect. Rarity swooning as he opened the envelope, himself catching her in his forehooves as their eyes locked—

"You bet we did!" Ditzy Doo suddenly piped up. Spike's imagination crumbled as she slung a hoof over his shoulders while eagerly waving her own ticket with one wing. "Isn't it amazing?! I've never been invited to a party in Canterlot before, especially not the Gala and—"

"Ditzy..." Spike grumbled, rather impressively with how hard his hoof was pressed against his face.

The pegasus stopped talking, and blushed a bit. Spike suppressed a groan as the last of his perfect moment slipped from his mind. Rarity, at the very least, was still smiling at the both of them. Even if she had taken a step back from Ditzy's enthusiastic chatter.

"Yes, well, congratulations on your good fortune! To the both of you!" Rarity said, sliding a bit closer again. "Not that it's surprising, of course. Heroes such as yourselves deserve to be rewarded, after all."

Spike melted as a perfectly polished hoof gently stroked the underside of his chin. The cloud of hearts had returned as Rarity pulled away. This time they brought symphonies to accompany her as she spoke.

"Of course you'll be needing a dress for the occasion, won't you?" Rarity asked.

"Uh-huh..." Spike muttered with a slow nod of his head.

His heart immediately stopped, the fuzzy clouds vanishing from his vision as he realized what he'd just said. One hoof covered his mouth just a second too late. Spike could feel his cheeks burning as Rarity started giggling.

"Well, I was making the offer to Miss Doo." Rarity rubbed her chin, her eyes wandering over the stallion. "Though I suppose with the right cut you wouldn't look half-bad yourself!"

"That's not-I mean—" Spike nearly bit his tongue, and was fairly certain his cheeks were glowing with how hard he blushed. "Oh geeze..."

Ditzy Doo joined in the laughter this time. Spike's magic sparked, tugging his hat over his eyes, praying that he'd just vanish into the old fedora.

"Well, you'll be happy to know I design ensembles for the Gala every year," Rarity went on, clearing her throat a bit. "Oh, and Spike? I design suits for stallions, too. If that's more your cup of tea."

"YES!" Spike caught himself, along with his hat as it flipped back into the air. He did his best to force on a smile as he saw Rarity's shoulders shake with a silent chuckle. "Yes, that sounds great! Thank you, Miss Rarity..."

"Yeah, thanks!" Ditzy Doo thankfully bounced back into the conversation. Spike quickly clamped down on his tongue before it could do anymore damage. "Oooh, are you gonna be there too?! You're gonna go, right? I bet you love seeing all the dresses you made and the ponies having fun in them and..."

Ditzy's excited rambling quickly trailed off. Likely because she'd noticed the sad little smile Rarity had.

"It does sound lovely..." Rarity said with a wistful sigh. "Unfortunately I doubt I'll be attending this year."

"What?!" Ditzy's wings flared out in shock, narrowly catching Spike in the face. "Why not?!"

Spike carefully nudged Ditzy's wing back down, and his breath caught in his throat. Rarity had taken one of the napkins from their table, and was gently dabbing at the corners of her eyes with it.

"It's not that I wouldn't love to attend. Oh, I've dreamed of going since I was a filly!" Rarity explained between dainty sniffles. "Regrettably I never seem to warrant an invitation myself..."

Those blue eyes locked right onto him, and Spike froze up. Even with her best attempts to keep them dry, he could still see the tears glistening. His heart was thundering in his ears, but it did nothing to drown out the saddened mare's next words.

"I'd often hoped for a handsome prince to come and... whisk me away to that fabulous evening..." She let out one final sigh, as she started to turn away. "But I suppose that's just a silly dream..."

Rarity didn't even have time to take a single step, before Spike's mouth flew open.

"S-so... you already said... that you'd take Rarity..."

Spike didn't have to lift his head to see Twilight's face. He forced himself to anyway, immediately flinching at the sight. The huge smile she'd greeted him with was long gone, replaced with a quivering lower lip and eyes locked on her fidgeting claws.

"I'm so sorry, Twi!" Spike said as he glanced to the ticket sitting next to him. Suddenly he was wishing he'd never laid eyes on it. "Honestly, you were the first one I was gonna ask—"

"But then Rarity showed up," Twilight finished for him.

He wasn't sure which stung more. The saddened look Twilight gave him, or the utter lack of surprise in her voice.

"It's not like-She was right there—" Spike flinched as he nearly bit his tongue. "It would have been rude to tell her no..."

His rambling stopped as Twilight just let out a heavy sigh. Her scaly tail dragged on the floor behind her as she turned around and started plodding away. She didn't seem to notice as he reached one hoof after her. She just started climbing the stairs to their loft without so much as a look back.

Way to go, Spike.

Letting out a low groan, Spike looked down at the table. His half-eaten sandwich still sat there, now looking far less appetizing. Next to it was the ticket, glittering slightly in the light from the window and the glow of his own magic as he gently lifted it up.

Spike drew in a deep breath as he looked at his own fuzzy reflection in the golden surface. It was the only thing he could think to do to prepare as he got back to his hooves.

"Alright," he said, turning back towards the front door. "I'm gonna fix this."

Twilight's footsteps came to a sudden stop.

"Huh?" Twilight asked from behind him.

Spike didn't answer right away. He forced his hooves to start marching towards the exit. Something in his head was screaming. Images of Rarity kept floating through his mind. The beautiful unicorn smiling at him, laughing, leaning closer for a kiss...

All of which he pushed aside as he reached the door.

"I'll go talk to Rarity and..." Spike inhaled sharply. It was hard to say the words, even if he knew it was right. "I'll just... tell her I can't take her to the Gala."

Silence filled the library. For a brief second, even Spike couldn't believe what he'd just said.

"Wait, wha—" Twilight's claws were scrambling back down the stairs. "S-seriously?!"

Spike's breath wooshed out in one long sigh as he slowly nodded his head. The part that had been trying to hold him back fell silent, the heart-bordered pictures of Rarity vanishing along with it. He still couldn't help the small, disappointed whimper that escaped as his magic gripped the door.

It only just started to open when a purple claw suddenly pressed against it. He blinked a few times before looking down at the dragon holding the door shut.

"Twilight?" he asked, raising one eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Well... Y-yeah, I want to go to the Gala," Twilight said, her eyes glued firmly on the floor. "But, I don't want you to have to disappoint somepony else for my sake..."

Inside, something was starting to cheer. Spike beat it back down, shaking his head before more Rarity could pop into sight. He forced himself to breathe in, to focus his attention on his assistant and oldest friend.

"Twi, it's okay. I messed up here," Spike said, a bit louder than he had to in an attempt to drown out the part of his mind that was still protesting. "I should have told Rarity I already planned to invite you—"

"And you forgot because of your crush on her," Twilight said.

"Right, so—"

Spike's eyes flew wide open as his voice choked out. He just stared at Twilight as she finally lifted her head again. A coy little smile was on her face as she crossed her arms.

"How... How did you—" he started to ask.

"Number. One. Assistant." Twilight was still smiling as she ticked each word off on her claws. "Remember?"

The little dragon giggled a bit. Spike barely got out a half-hearted chuckle of his own. It was all he could manage with his face trying to burst into flames. His blushing and nervous laughter both stopped as Twilight took one of his forehooves in her claws.

"Spike, it's okay. Really! I'm not mad or anything," she said as she patted his hoof. "It's your ticket, so you should invite whoever you want."

"But—" His protest was cut off as one of those claws suddenly pressed over his muzzle.

"No buts, mister," Twilight said, emphasizing her point by pressing down a bit harder. "You have my blessing, alright? Go ahead and take Rarity on the date of her dreams."

Spike pulled his hoof back as Twilight withdrew her claws. He looked down at it for a second, wondering if he'd imagined her grip tightening and the momentary look of regret...

"Well... I guess if you're sure," he said, stepping away from the door.

"I'm sure," Twilight said, crossing her arms.

She let out a short gasp as a green glow surrounded her. Spike didn't give her the chance to escape though, pulling Twilight into his forelegs with his magic. She burst into giggles as he gave her a tight squeeze, accompanied with a gentle noogie.

"What'd I ever do to deserve a friend like you, Twi?" he asked as he reluctantly released her.

"Oh, stop it." Try as she might, Twilight couldn't hide the blush. Not even as she made a shooing motion with one claw. "Now, shouldn't you get to writing today's report? Ink Blot will blow a gasket if you miss the deadline!"

Spike's smile dropped away as he looked to the clock. His eyes went wide upon noticing that they pointed much further past four-o'clock than he'd expected.

"Oh crud, you're right!" Spike jumped to his hooves, magic grabbing his saddlebags and the notes they contained along with the remains of his sandwich. "I'd better get writing! Thanks again, Twi!"

Twilight just waved as the unicorn dashed off without so much as a look back. She kept up her smile as he thundered up the stairs to the loft.

When the hoofsteps finally stopped, indicating he'd reached his writing desk, that was when Twilight finally let her face fall again.

"Well... you did the nice thing Twilight," she muttered to herself as she plodded to one of the reading cushions.

So why don't I feel good about it?

Twilight could only answer herself with a groan as she slumped face first into the pillow. She could feel the fabric give a little as her claws tightened on its edges.

"I want Spike to be happy, but I want to go too—" Her sharp fangs clenched as she flipped onto her back. The new position did nothing to help her frustration. Neither did kicking at the cushion with her clawed feet. "Argh! Come on, Twilight! Try thinking of... something else..."

On instinct, one claw shot out to the nearest shelf. Twilight didn't even care which book she grabbed. Her claw was already on the spine, ready to pull it out, when she noticed a glimmer of gold on the back of her paw. Twilight paused for a moment before slowly looking over her shoulder.

Something glinted from the table, reflecting a small patch of golden light towards her. Before she could stop herself, she was already walking towards the source. She let out another groan upon finding the Gala ticket, still half-hanging from its envelope.

"Right. You," Twilight grumbled as she picked up the invitation. With a long sigh, she started towards the back of the room. "Guess I'd better take care of the RSVP..."

At least Spike will have a good time.

The thought did nothing to improve Twilight's mood. She was sure she was gripping the ticket a little harder than she had to.

So will Dinky...

Her footsteps slowed as the excitable filly's smiling face popped into her mind.

And Ditzy Doo...

"And Time Turner, and Thunderlane and—Oh my gosh!" Twilight's claw flew to her mouth. "That's it!"

All her anger and regret vanished in an instant. Faster than she ever had before, Twilight scrambled to one of the writing desks. Her vision turned to a blur of parchment and feathers as she gathered up a quill, ink, and blank scroll. With trembling claw, she wrote out four names.

Time Turner

Thunderlane

Big Macintosh

Cheerilee

"All of them would have gotten tickets! That means each of them can bring a guest too!" Twilight realized as she scooped up the list with a huge grin on her face. "And they're all friends, so I'd bet they'd love to bring me along! Then I can go, and Spike can bring Rarity without feeling guilty!"

The library suddenly seemed brighter, the birdsong outside the windows more cheerful, as Twilight spun on her heel. With a spring in her step, she was racing towards the front door. She was pretty sure several of those singing birds went flying away as she burst outside with one final cheer.

"Twilight, you're a genius!"