As the sun finaly settled into the horizen at dusk all the ponies had gathered around the outdore concert hall and stage,each one of them in costume the babie ponies and thier mothers,the bushwollies spike,the sea ponie (who were swiming about in a large fountain),even the big brother ponies,who had come home for a visit were there..were all having a good time enjoying the festive music and the bountifull food...then the time came for the dancing,tho most of it was tooken up between the Big brothers and some of the mares...tho they did not know who exactly,as the tradition of the ball was to keep everones identity a secret...only to reveal them selves at the end of the festival,the mystery and elusivness making it that much more fun.

Megan sat at one of the tables,happly watching everone els enjoying the fun. She was wearing the same white gown she had worn at thier perade of costumes a year earlier. Megan didint see the point of keeping herself discuised since she could easily be told apart form eny of the ponies,or her younger sister Molly. As she watched the ponies dance she heard light footsteps from behind her,to witch she at first ignored...untill..

"what a Plesent evening for a festival" an un familiar voice had spoken from behind her.

suprised,Megan turned around steadily as her eyes were met by a tall slender boy,seemingly not much older than herself,wearing a Silk,Silver vest with blue trim,long grey dress pants and loose fiting silver over-robes that eligently trailed down into a cape. He had platinum white hair and was wearing a mask shaped like a Dragon's head over the top half of his face.

"h..who are you..?" Megan replied,still a bit taken...who was this boy? and how did he get here? "Now now" the Mysterious Masked Boy wagged his finger.. "you know i can't tell you that..." "At least not now" he continued "we whouldent want to spoil the fun of the ball now whould we?" he smiled down at megan and extended his hand... "Whould my fair maiden care to lend me her hand?" he asked giving a friendly smile. Megan's face turned a slight shade of red...was he asking her..to dance! after giving it a moment of thot,she thot 'why not?' Megen gave him a slight nod as he took her hand and pulled her up and they walked side by side to the the dancefloor... as the two of them began to dance several of the ponies stoped and gazed wide eyed at the two.

not to far away Slugger,who was dressed in a Zorro style outfit was dancing with a Unicorn mare wearing a weding gown and a veil...A mare that Slugger was almost certan to be Buttons. "You don't need to say a thing...I know who you are" he smiled... "And I love you. with all my heart and soul" the Mare in the Weding dress simply smiled,tho not for the reason Slugger whould think... from across the floor,a held in fit of laugheter could be faintly heard by a couple of the other Big Brothers. FourSpeed turned to Score "this is pure gold" he said trying hard not to laugh. "should we tell him?" "No...not yet...lets wait till the ball is over,then hel REALY look stupid". *the two start laughing un controllably under thier breath.*

Meanwhile as Megen danced with the masked boy,the eligent display caught just about everyones was curiouse as to who he was and where he came from...and more curiously,why he had asked to dance with her. "Your not too bad of a dancer" Megan smiled at the boy. "Thanks,you are a rather good dancer yourself" he replied smiling back. "beleave it or not,you are my first" he laughed..."there is something specail about you...but i cannot place my finger apon it." the boy added

across the floor Slugger slow danced with his veiled sweetheart...untill finaly,he eventualy leaned in to kiss her. just then...a bell chimed out from a clock atop the concert stage...it was midnight.. the time had come for everyone to reveal themselvs...just as Slugger had closed his eyes and was about to kiss the mare of his dreams she pulled back her veil...shocking everyone that saw...for not only was it not Buttons...but it was Infact Tex Dressed up as a mare and wearing fake Horn. "pucker up partner!" Tex said making smoochy faces and beating his eye lashes before laughing histaricaly making Sluggers eyes shoot open as quick as lighting bolts. "TEX!" he shouted in a loud voice as Tex,Fourspeed and Score all busted out laughing while rolling on the floor. "why you son of a-" "Woowie you shoulda seen your face Slugger" Tex interupted,still unable to keep a streight face.

As the bells tolled out everyones attantion was grabbed by Tex and an indescribably humiliated Slugger...inluding megan,who after taking her eyes of her Masked admirer,turned around to find that he was gone, as swift and silently as the summer breeze.

"where did he go?" Megan said quietly to herself as she set out to look for him.