The Forgemaster woke up the next morning none the worse for wear. His arm and ribs weren't irritating him anymore; he would just have to replenish his body's calcium supplies. He was also hangover-less. Something everyone who has ever seen him drink have always marveled at. However, just because he rarely gets hangovers, doesn't mean he doesn't know how to cure one.

He sat up from the couch and got ready to start his day. Rainbow Dash was still upstairs in his bed, or at least he hadn't seen her wake up. That meant that he couldn't go take a shower or change his clothes, either.

He stood from his couch and went to the kitchen. He prepared a breakfast for himself and one for Rainbow Dash. For him; a good old fashioned breakfast: eggs (From an undisclosed location), toast, manticore bacon, and orange juice. For Rainbow Dash; a similar, albeit ponified, breakfast: Hay-bacon, toast, jam, a salad, and orange juice.

After that came the most important part of anyone with a roommate's morning routine: creating a hangover cure. A mixture of various herbs and even more disgusting things, add some water, stir vigorously, and done! Unfortunately, it literally tastes like someone took water from a swamp and then added crushed bugs, the texture was actually similar, too. However, that drawback is out-balanced by the almost immediate removal of the hangover, completely and utterly, and all of its side effects. That is, of course, assuming that you manage to keep the horrifying brew down. The first time: unlikely.

He picked up one of his collapsible tables and went upstairs to his room. He found Rainbow Dash still asleep on his bed. He set up the table and then went downstairs and brought up her meal and the hangover cure. He attached a note, more of a warning, really, to the hangover cure that simply said; Hangover cure, tastes like crap. Drink.

The still sleeping Rainbow Dash hadn't stirred when he had set up her meal, so he went back downstairs. He figured that he might as well report in to the Princess that held his leash. No disrespect meant, of course, as he was quite happy to have her holding his leash. He obtained the necessary ingredients; a scroll, a quill, and ink and wrote out his letter on the kitchen table, over a plate of breakfast.

The letter read thus:

Celestia,

I have done as you asked.

The 'Elements' are secure up until this point.

However, I thought it prudent to warn you about some things I have noticed about the 'Elements'. As well as give you my personal opinion of them.

Twilight Sparkle; she appears to be a very intelligent young female. She often suffers from mental break downs and various forms of psychosis. She is one unknown event away from a complete breakdown. Conclusion: fixable, with time. May become a valuable part of the team, perhaps even team leader.

Rainbow Dash; she appears to be a very athletic young female. She doesn't suffer from insanity of any form, though her determination to win at any cost will drive her to reckless acts. Fixates on joining the Wonderbolts, practical nut-job if any are mentioned or if she is near them. Conclusion: with training on reducing her reckless tendencies, she will become a valuable member of the team.

Fluttershy; she appears to be a very caring young female. Her very caring nature will make her essential as a medic. However, I would disagree strongly with ever sending her on a tense mission. She has a tendency to freeze under pressure. Also, she is extremely adorable. Conclusion; with training on reducing her tendency to freeze under pressure and some self-confidence courses, she will become a valuable member of the team. Recommended on being sent on diplomatic missions, any other types of missions should be delayed, for now.

Pinkie Pie; a very insane individual. If she were anyone else, I would recommend immediate institutionalization. Her psychotic tendencies appear to be repressed if she is allowed to throw parties constantly, her friends also appear to have this effect on her, as well as breaking the laws of physics. I believe that she will crack eventually, when eventual occurs, she will not become a happy psychotic, rather a happy stabbing psychotic. Immediate psychic block to reduce chance of breaking instituted without your direction, subject is much more stable now, although no discernable change has been noticed in her outward expressions, and internally she is much healthier. Conclusion; she will be an effective wild card. As a team member, she will be invaluable. She appears to be able to carry any number of items with her, could be exploited to bring supplies with the team.

Applejack; a stubborn and hard-working individual. I have yet to have extended contact with Applejack. Though, comments on her nature have led me to several facts about her. She is very strong in body, and stronger in mind and willpower. She appears to be the rock-solid foundation of the group. She rarely cracks under pressure, and is sure to be of use. Conclusion; barring any unforeseen events, subject is fully capable. Training recommended in various necessary, albeit useful, matters.

Rarity; appears to have an attention to detail second-to-none. She is also a business pony and has saved myself and made for myself many bits. Subject's contacts in the business world, as well as her acumen, lead her to be perfect for negotiations. Attention to detail will also contribute to any investigative work that might need doing. Subject requires training to rid subject of fear and hatred of un-cleanliness. Recommendation; send subject on negotiations of trade deals with other nations, first as an observer or advisor to gain some experience, and then as the negotiator once deemed ready. Conclusion; Rarity is ready for anything that may need doing.

The group of 'Elements' will need additional time and effort to be truly up to par with other groups of heroes that I have trained, but their potential is staggering.

On a personal note: I understand the Gala is coming up, the fact that you have sent me a ticket earlier being a large hint. I recommend an experiment: send Twilight Sparkle only enough tickets for a few of her friends. I wish to see how she will react. By the way, I will be returning the ticket to the Gala that you have given me.

I am arranged a test for the Royal Guards to see if I can get in without being spotted. Rules are: If I am spotted, I am to be escorted to you and allowed into the Gala, resulting in a win for the guards. If I am in the Gala and I am spotted, it doesn't count as a win for the guards as the mission to get inside was already completed, resulting in a win for me. No violence allowed, being seen and ordered to stand down will result in a loss for me. Essentially; get into the Gala undetected.

Your undying servant and personal asskicker,

The Forgemaster

Just as he finished signing his name, a loud groan from upstairs announced that his housemate for the night has woken up. He waited 7 seconds, immediately a sound that sounded as though someone were puking their guts out came from upstairs. Evidently, Rainbow Dash had underestimated just how akin the drink tasted to 'crap'. He rolled the scroll up and sent it with a flourish of magic, and then dropped his dishes in his most recent invention: the automatic sink. After that, he went upstairs to check on Rainbow Dash.

He knocked gently on the door.

"Rainbow, may I come in?"

"Ugh… yeah, sure come in." Rainbow Dash sounded sick, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

He opened the door and was face-to-face with a clearly upset Rainbow Dash staring down at her plate.

"Why didn't you tell me that, 'Hangover cure' tasted so badly?"

He shook his head sadly, "I did, Rainbow. Didn't you see the note? It said that it tasted like crap."

She didn't reply, she just continued to stare at her plate.

"How much did you get down?"

She sniffled, "About half."

He smiled brightly at her, "Good! You should be fine, then."

He went to the windows, which had their blinds pulled down, and went to open the blinds.

As he reached out, Rainbow screamed out, "NO!"

Too late.

The windows let in a blinding stream of bright, white light. Rainbow instinctively closed her eyes tight and held her head. When the irritation of being hung-over and being blinded by light didn't hit her, she slowly opened her eyes. After hesitating for a few moments, she grew used to the light. After that, she opened her eyes wide and was amazed; she really was cured!

"Ohmigosh!"

He laughed at her girlish antics, "Come-on, Rainbow! Finish your breakfast and we can go outside. Hey, we can even go bug your hung-over friends!"

She smiled at that, and began to eat the meal he had so painstakingly created.

When she had come downstairs 5 minutes later, he had set up an armory on the dining room table. He had several flash-bulbs, a couple of air horns, multiple water balloons, and a large bottle of hangover cure all packed up and ready to go.

After having a shower, and a quick change of clothes, they were both ready to go.

"Alright, we can get everyone except Fluttershy. She might have a heart attack if we get her."

"Yeah, Fluttershy is way too frail. She's been that way since before flight camp."

"Alright then, let's head out."

Shouldering the packs, they left his house and flew off to start with Applejack.

wWwWwWw

The pair of devious pranksters were hiding in the trees, waiting for Applejack to come by. But, what luck! Both Twilight and Applejack, along with Spike, but he wasn't hung-over, came into view. With a nod to Rainbow Dash in the tree across from him in the path, the pair slowly glided into position above the 3. He unleashed the first barrage with a series of water balloons, whilst Dash was laying into them with an air-horn. Only a few seconds had passed before Twilight grabbed the air-horn away from Rainbow with magic, for her troubles, she was summarily hit in the face with a flashbulb from The Forgemaster.

They soon stopped the torture after he flashbulbed her. The 2 ponies and dragon were stumbling around, trying to get their bearings, while Rainbow Dash and he hovered in mid-air and laughed madly. They slowly regained their senses, Applejack was trying to glare at the 2, but she was off by about 15 degrees. Spike looked as though he were going to puke, he made all of the correct motions and then burped up something, though what came out of his mouth wasn't puke.

It was a letter, from Princess Celestia.

"It's a letter from the Princess!" added Twilight, unhelpfully.

Spike read the letter out loud, "Hear ye, hear ye, Her Grand Royal Highness Princess Celestia of Equestria, is pleased to announceThe Grand Galloping Gala to be held in the magnificent capital city of Canterlot, on the 21st day of, eh, yadda yadda yadda, cordially extends an invitation to Twilight Sparkle plus one guest."

"The Grand Galloping Gala!" Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle all said at once.

'So, the Princess has agreed to my little experiment! This will be fun. I wonder how Twilight Sparkle will react.' The Forgemaster thought.

Just then, Spike flinched and held his hand to his mouth, and then burped, once more leaving a letter in its place.

The Forgemaster reached out and grabbed it, just as Twilight's magical aura descended upon it.

"Twilight Sparkle, what have I told you about reading my mail!"

He lowered the letter to her height and pointed out the seal, a large, red 'TF' in wax.

Tutting her quite loudly, he unrolled the letter and read its contents to himself.

"Well?" asked Twilight.

He raised a brow at her, "Why would I show you my mail?"

The letter from the Princess that was addressed to him said this:

Dear Forgemaster,

While I am concerned about your assessments on the 'Elements', I understand that you were being as truthful as you could and holding them to the high standards of your previous masters.

However, in Equestria, these ponies are considered fairly normal by anypony's standards.

What you took for insanity, which it would be considered in your homeland, I agree, is actually quite normal in Equestria.

Your recommendations were read and accepted, they were clearly well thought out.

I have also agreed your experiments, if you were not aware. Twilight will be receiving 2 tickets and will receive the rest whenever either you or she asks for them.

I also accept the terms of your 'game' with the guards, so long as nopony is hurt.

Your Princess,

Celestia

"Because you just heard my mail!" Twilight screamed at him.

"The answer is no, besides, I didn't read my mail out loud for anyone to hear."

Twilight groaned while Applejack and Rainbow Dash snickered at her.

Twilight turned back to Spike and asked, "I've never been to the gala. Have you, Spike?"

"No, and I plan on keeping it that way. I don't want any of that girly frilly frou-frou nonsense."

"Aw, come on Spike. A dance would be nice."

Applejack butted into the conversation, "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 Macintosh could replace that saggy old plow, and Granny Smith could replace that saggy old hip. Why, I'd give my left hind leg to go to that gala."

Rainbow Dash took this opportunity to interject, "YES! This is so awesome. The Wonderbolts perform at The Grand Galloping Gala every year. I can see it now. Everyone would be watching the sky. Their eyes riveted on The Wonderbolts, but then in would fly Rainbow Dash. I would draw their attention with my Super Speed Strut. Then I would mesmerize them with my Fantastic Filly Flash. And for my grand finale, The Buccaneer Blaze. The ponies would go wild. The Wonderbolts would insist that my signature moves be incorporated into their routine, and then welcome me as their newest member. Don't you see, Twilight? This could be my one chance to show 'em my stuff. You gotta take me!"

"Hold on just one pony pickin' minute here," Applejack spits, "I asked for that ticket first."

"So? That doesn't mean you own it. "

"Oh yeah? Well I challenge you to a hoof-wrassle. Winner gets the ticket."

The farm-filly and the athlete get down over a stump and start to hoof wrestle. The Forgemaster took a moment to bask in the hilarity. Then Twilight had to ruin the moment by opening her flap.

"Girls, these are my tickets, I'll decide who gets it, thank you very much. Whoever has the best reason to go should get the ticket, don't you think?"

Applejack and Rainbow both plead their case to Twilight, both using very good reasons for them to go with her. Twilight backs away, saying that she'll decide later and that she can't think straight on an empty stomach.

The Forgemaster had an idea of what was coming: the 5 other 'Elements'; would desperately plead for the extra ticket, leaving Twilight with only 3 options. 1: give up the tickets to 2 friends, 2: give one friend a ticket, or 3: give no one a ticket.

He had a feeling that no matter what would happen; it would go down at her library. So, he moseyed his way on down to the library, chatting with the friendly ponies as he went. He went into the library, found one of the few books that Celestia hasn't already read, and sat down to get to work on it.

He waited all of 5 minutes.

Twilight Sparkle and Spike teleported into the library, not 5 feet from his elbow. Spike looked slightly singed, for some reason. The Forgemaster raised a brow at their entry, but didn't make a sound.

"Ugh, warn me next time you're gonna do that." Spike said to Twilight, neither of them noticing him yet.

"I didn't even know it was gonna happen. Now quick, lock the doors. Phew."

Spike and Twilight worked on getting all of the windows and the door secured, and they still hadn't noticed him, even though he had turned the page on his book several times.

Suddenly, the doors burst open, letting in the rest of the 'Elements'.

Twilight pleaded with them, "I can't decide, I just can't decide. It's important to all of you and I just can't stand to disappoint any of you, and giving me gifts and doing me favors won't make any difference because you're all my friends and I wanna make you all happy and I can't, I just can't."

Apparently, he had used his invisibility spell without using any magic, because none of these ponies even noticed him. Deciding to make his presence known, The Forgemaster slammed his book shut, hard. Twilight and Fluttershy jumped, but the others just turned to see him on the couch.

"When did you get here! Oh no! You want the ticket too, don't you?" Twilight screamed at him.

"Twilight Sparkle, I couldn't care less about the ticket. And I've been here since before you teleported in with Sir Spike, lousy job by the way."

Stunned, Twilight could only ask, "Why?"

"You probably messed something up with the spell. Maybe didn't put up enough barriers to ward against…" He noticed the look from Twilight, "You mean why I don't want the ticket?" she nodded, "Well, the Princess already sent me a ticket."

He left out that he had set up a game with the Royal Guard and sent the ticket back.

Most of the ponies went, "Ohhh."

After an awkward moment, Applejack spoke up, "Twilight sugar, I didn't mean to put so much pressure on you, and if it helps, I don't want the ticket anymore, you can give it to somepony else. I won't feel bad, I promise."

"Me too. I feel just awful that I made you feel so awful." Fluttershy added.

"And me too. It's no fun upsetting your friends." Came from Pinkie.

"Twilight, it was unfair of me to try to force you as I did." Interjected Rarity.

"Yes! That means the ticket is mine. Ha ha, I got the ticket, I got the ticket," Rainbow Dash was happy for an instant, but then she noticed the glares she got from her friends, "you know, I haven't perfected my signature moves for The Wonderbolts anyway. I don't need that ticket either."

"We all got so gung-ho about going to the gala that we couldn't see how un-gung-ho we were making you." Explained Applejack.

All of the tiny ponies said in unison, "We're sorry Twilight."

The Forgemaster snorted and interjected, "I'm not. I never wanted to go."

He got glares from the other ponies, evidently, not going to the Gala was more important to them than he realized.

"Spike, take down a note. Dear Princess Celestia, I've learned that one of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings, but when there's not enough blessings to go around, having more than your friends can make you feel pretty awful. So, though I appreciate the invitation, I will be returning both tickets to The Grand Galloping Gala. "

The rest of the ponies all screamed, "WHAT!"

The Forgemaster, though you couldn't see it through the perpetual scowl he put on whenever Twilight was near, was proud of her. This was exactly the outcome he had hoped for. There was some hope for the unicorn, yet.

After some comments on friendship, the letter was sent and a reply was almost immediately received. Apparently, Celestia had been waiting anxiously for this moment.

"A letter from the princess? That was fast." Said Twilight, still unhelpfully.

Spike read the letter, "My faithful student Twilight, Why didn't you just say so in the first place?"

6 tickets came from Spike's mouth, enough for all of the ponies. After a moments delay, 2 more came through, and a letter for him. The letter asked The Forgemaster how the experiment went, and basically forced him to abandon his plans with the guards after a lieutenant, and many of the other higher ranking soldiers, expressed doubts and refused to do the game.

'Aw, man.' He thought.

Thankfully, the others didn't notice his ticket. That would've been uncomfortable to explain.

As the ponies all left to treat Twilight to dinner, but Twilight turned back to The Forgemaster with a sly grin on her face.

She leaned in close and whispered, "The trip to Canterlot will take a few hours, plenty of time for questions. Hehehe." She giggled into his ear.

No reaction on his face, he whispered back, "I can teleport."