Here's that new episode you've all been desperately wanting to see. I did my best to make it as good as I could. Also, oh, spoiler alert, I wanted to introduce Sweetie's little sister Rarity and I thought this would be the best way to do it.
Note to those following my SOWR (Story Of Wind Rider) series, I won't be posting on that for a while in favor of getting back into the Snowflake thing but mostly to post a new story here: it's a crossover between MLP: FiM and NUMB3RS. It's by no means done, but I figured you guys might like/love it. It's one of my better stories in my opinion.
Now that's cleared up, enjoy the new episode!
"Ah sure am glad ya were kind enough to help me out, Dinky. Ah bet mah cousin Babs that Ah could get all these Golden Delicious in the barn by lunchtime. If Ah win, she'll walk down Stirrup Street in one 'a granny's girdles."
Dinky was helping out Apple, each pony was hauling two large baskets across their backs, each basket full past the brim with golden apples.
"No problem at all, Apple. I'm glad the goal is lunchtime. All this work is making me hungry."
"I know, right?" Ganache said, laying on Dinky's back between the baskets of apples.
"Oh, Puh-leez, Ganache, you've been lounging on my back the entire time we were working."
"Exactly. You two took so long I missed snack time."
"Nope. Worm." He tossed an apple with a visible hole in it off the top of the basket. "Aha!"
He picked up a perfect one, tilting it so it glinted with the late morning sun's light.
"Oh Ganache, that looks delicious." But as Dinky said that, Ganache took a large bite. She glared.
"What?" Then a scroll appeared in front of them. Ganache snatched it, it had the royal seal and had obviously been sent by magic.
"It's a letter from the Princess."
"I'm aware, Ganache. Read it."
"Hear ye, hear ye! Her grand royal highness, Princess Luna of Equestria, is pleased to announce the Grand Galloping Gala to be held in the magnificent city of Canterlot, on the 21st day of… eh, yada-yada-yada… ah! …cordially extends an invitation to Dinky Do plus one guest."
Both Apple and Dinky gasped. They exclaimed in unison, "The Grand Galloping Gala!"
—
The next thing that was heard through the two ponies cheering was a whooshing sound as two golden tickets appeared out of thin air in a burst of icy blue which instantly dissipated.
"Two tickets," noted Ganache.
"Wow, great! I've never been to the Gala. Would you like to come, Ganache?"
"No, and I plan to keep it that way. I don't want any of that girly frou-frou nonsense."
"Aw, come on, Ganache. A dance would be nice."
"Nice?! It's a heap good more than just nice. Ah'd love to go. For land's sakes, if Ah had an apple stand set up…"
Apple Bloom envisioned ponies of all kinds lining up in front of an apple stand there, run by her, of course. She envisioned all the bits she'd get.
"Ponies would be chowing our tasty vittles 'til the cows came home! Do y'all have any idea how much business Ah could drum up for Sweet Apple Acres?! Why, with all that money, we could do a heap 'a fixing up around here. We could replace Lil Mac's saggy old crib, Babs could replace her saggy old plow, we could replace that saggy old roof, and Granny could replace that saggy old hip! Why, Ah'd give mah left hind leg to go to that Gala."
"Oh, well, in that case, would you like to…"
"Hey! Did somepony say something about the Grand Galloping Gala?!"
Apple coughed at the dust Scootaloo's scooter had kicked up off the path, then she said, "Ugh… yes. Ah'm going with Dinky. She had a spare ticket."
"Hey, no fair! I should totally get to go!"
"Why?" asked Dinky.
Apple looked skeptical. "Why is right, ya dodo."
Scootaloo shrugged off the insult and said, "Cause the DST performs there every year!"
"Excuse me, but what in Equestria is the DST?" asked Apple.
"You don't know?! Do you live under a rock?! UGH! The DST is short-hoof for the Daredevil Scootering Team, they're the most awesome scootering champions ever! They perform at the Gala every year and this is the year I'm gonna go so I can show 'em my stuff!"
"What stuff?"
"You should know that already, AB, but for Dinky's sake I'll tell y'all." She was obviously mocking Apple right back. "My Fantastic Filly Flash, and also my Scooter-bolt, and then do a few wheelies, flips, layback-360's and BAM! They'll be so awestruck with my scootering skills that they'll have no choice to have me skip all the stupid testing and training and, straight-up, welcome me as their newest member."
"Don't you see, Dinky? This could be my one chance to show them my stuff! You've gotta let me go!"
"Hold on just one pony-picking minute here. Ah asked for the ticket first."
"So?! That doesn't mean you own it."
"Yeah? Well, Ah'll hoof-wrestle ya for it."
"You're on!"
But before either could make any meaningful progress in the hoof-wrestle, Dinky shoved them apart and said,
"Girls! This is my ticket, and I'll be the one who decides who it goes to, thank you very much. Whoever has the best reason gets the ticket."
"Drumming up business for the farm?"
"A chance to audition with the DST?"
"Money t' fix Granny's hip."
"Living the dream."
"Oh my. Those are both really good reasons, aren't they?" Her stomach growled. "Look at that, I'm starving. And I don't know about you, but I can't make decisions on an empty stomach. So… I'll think about it over lunch and I'll get back to you. Okay?"
They both sighed. "Okay." Then they went right back to hoof-wrestling, probably for the hoof of it this time.
"So who're you gonna give the ticket to, Dinky?" asked Ganache, flying beside her as they strolled through Ponyville, taking a turn down Horseshoe Avenue.
"I don't know, Ganache, but I really can't think straight when I'm hungry, so where should we eat?" Suddenly Babs crashed into Ganache and the tickets fell on her face.
"Aah! Bats! Bats on my face! Help! Oh wait, these aren't… TICKETS TO THE GRAND GALLOPING GALA?! It's the most amazing incredible tremendous super-fun wonderful terrifically humungous party in all of Equestria! I've always, always wanted to go!"
She clutched the tickets in her teeth and bounced around Dinky saying, "Did you find these for me? Did ya? Well if you did, thank you thank you thank you!"
She continued to monologue, "They have decorations like streamers and fairy-lights and pinwheels and piñatas and pincushions! They have sweets like sugar cubes and sugar canes and sundaes and sun-beams and sarsaparilla! And I get to play my favoritest of favorite games like Pin the Tail on the Pony! And they have the most beautifulest garden in the history of ever! There's flowers like daffodils and daisies day-lilies and lily pads! Oh thank you Dinky, these are the bestest present EVER!"
"Um, actually…" Dinky started to say, trying to point out that she hadn't decided who to give them to.
"Are these what I think they are?" asked Sweetie Belle in surprise, levitating the tickets over.
"Uh…" Dinky said, not knowing what to say.
Pinkie grabbed them from her and exclaimed,
"They are! See, Dinky's taking me to the Grand Galloping Gala!"
"The Gala? I go up to Canterlot every year to do ponies' manes for the Gala, but I've never had the chance to attend. Oh, the society, the culture, the glamour! It's where I truly belong, and it's where I'm destined to meet… Him."
Enthusiastically Babs said, "HIM!" And then she realized she had no idea who her friend was talking about and as such said after a pause, "Who?"
"Him." Sweetie repeated, then when Babs tilted her head to the sideways to indicate that she was still confused the unicorn continued, "I would stroll through the Gala and everypony would wonder, 'Who is that mysterious mare?' Nopony would guess that I was just a simple pony from little old Ponyville. Why, I would cause such a sensation that I would be invited for an audience with Princess Luna herself, and the Princess would be so taken with my style and elegance that she would introduce me to Him, her nephew: the most handsome, eligible unicorn stallion in Canterlot. Our eyes would meet, our hearts would melt. Our courtship would be magnificent. He would ask for my hoof in marriage… to which I would say 'YES!' We would have a royal wedding, befitting a princess which is what I would become upon marrying Him, the stallion of my dreams."
"Dinky, I simply cannot believe that you would give your extra ticket to Babs so she can… party… instead of taking me to find my true love!" exclaimed Sweetie, though when she said the word 'party' she obviously meant 'make an idiot of herself'.
"I am not going to 'party'!" exclaimed Babs, turning her nose up at the meaning that Sweetie was obviously implying with her word, Babs held the tickets in the air and shook them, "I am going to Gala!"
"Mm-hmm…" Ganache muttered, staring at Sweetie the whole time. Dinky rolled her eyes. At that moment Rumble flew by, snatching the tickets from Babs.
"Hey!" exclaimed Babs.
"Are these what I think they are?" Rumble asked enthusiastically.
"Yes, but…" Dinky started to say before she was interrupted.
Sweetie pointed an accusatory hoof at Rumble. "You?! YOU want to go to the Gala?!"
"Well of course! Scootaloo is going, so I'm going! Besides, it's a party! I love parties!"
"Dinky only has one extra ticket, and it's going to me, y'all understand? Ah asked for it first!"
"That doesn't mean you own it!" exclaimed everypony else in unison, including Scootaloo.
Then the entire group burst into arguing, Dinky stuck in the middle.
"QUIET!" screamed Dinky.
Everypony turned to look at her.
"Girls, there's no use in arguing."
"But Dinky…"
"EH! This is my decision, and I'm gonna make it on my own, and I certainly can't think straight with all this noise- not to mention hunger. Now go, shoo."
Everypony was unhappy as they walked away. Dinky shouted after them,
"And don't worry! I'll figure this out… somehow."
"Oh Luna… how am I going to decide? All five of my best friends have really good reasons to go to the Gala. Apple Bloom or Scootaloo? Sweetie Belle or Babs… or Rumble… Oh, who should go with me?!" Dinky worried herself into a tizzy trying to figure out who she should give her extra ticket to.
"Madam? Have you decided?" A skinny stallion with an orange coat and a green mane and a snail cutie mark asked.
Dinky screamed, "I CAN'T DECIDE!"
"Dinky, he just wants to take your order," Ganache said.
"Oh." The unicorn was embarrassed. "I'll have a daffodil and daisy sandwich."
"Do you have any raw steaks? No? Then I'll take some hay fries, extra crispy." Ganache sighed and set down his menu. Ordering nothing but hay fries if restaurants didn't have what he wanted was common for him, especially since ponies rarely order raw meat of any sort.
"What do you think, Ganache?" asked Dinky.
"I think these restaurants should start stocking meat at some point. I mean, I like grass just fine, but would it hurt anybody to offer something that's not vegetarian?"
"I MEANT about the Gala and who I should give the ticket to!"
"Oh. You're still on that?"
"Ganache, listen. How could I possibly choose? And when I do choose, will the other four be mad at me? I mean, I could give my ticket up and give away two, but that'd still leave three disappointed ponies!" She envisioned her friends being mad at her, or being sad about not going, or being mad AND sad… "What if I…"
"Madam? Your food." Their waiter set down a plate with Dinky's sandwich on it.
"Oh, thank you, this looks so good. I'm sure everything will be much clearer once I eat something."
"Ehm, madam? Are you going to eat in the rain?" Snails asked, he both looked and sounded confused.
"What are you talking about? It's not raining…" Dinky looked up from her table and saw the rain pouring down, everywhere but where she was… She looked straight up and saw a hole punched through the cloud layer, the sun shining through the opening and a pegasus stallion looking down at her.
"Hello, best friend I've ever had! Enjoying the sunny weather?"
"Rumble, you're not trying to get extra consideration by doing me favors, are you?"
"Me? No-no-no, of course not! I just saw the smartest, most generous pony about to get rained on, and I punched a hole in the clouds so that wouldn't happen and she could dine in peace, that's all!"
"Uh-huh."
"I'd do it for anypony!" He was apparently just as bad at trying to cover the fact that he was doing her favors for the ticket as he was at hiding his crush on Scootaloo.
"Rumble, I am NOT comfortable accepting unwanted favors, so I'd appreciate it if you'd close up that raincloud, right now!"
"That's better," Dinky said after Rumble closed the raincloud, making an audible zipping noise. Almost immediately afterward, just as she was about to take her first bite of her sandwich, everything became soaking wet as the rain poured down on them.
"Dinky, it's raining," said Sweetie Belle, under a large umbrella to protect her hair.
"No, really."
"Here, come with me before you catch a cold."
The two ponies and the one griffon ran into the boutique, Dinky's hair dripping all over the floor. Sweetie brought over a hair dryer and started to dry off and brush the other unicorn's hair.
"Sweetie Belle, aren't you mad about how I've managed to drip all over most of your floors? I'm really sorry about it, by the way…" Dinky hung her head a little.
"Oh, don't worry, darling, it's quite all right. After all, we are the best of friends, are we not? And you know what best friends do for each other?" The white unicorn levitated over several of her hair care products and tools and got to work, even helping Dinky into a seemingly homemade but extremely well done dress.
"Oh, that is kinda pretty, isn't it? I didn't know you did dresses too, Sweetie!"
"Oh, the dress isn't of my making. That's actually done by my little sister Rarity, she is a talent, is she not?"
As if on cue, her friend's younger sister came from the other room in an adorable flowered hat.
"Sweetie Belle? Can you take me to the store so I can get some more fabric? PLEASE?!"
As Sweetie pushed her little sister out of the room, she said, "Yes, of course, but currently I'm talking to a friend, so please leave me alone for a while, alright? Thanks."
There was a slamming of a door almost immediately afterward, then Sweetie came running back in with a nervous giggle. "Heh-eh… where were we? Ah, yes. I was going to show you the little outfit I have for the dashing gent."
She ran behind a curtain and got something, looking much less rushed as she came out of the other room and demonstrated the outfit her sister had apparently made for Ganache. She helped him into it, though it was apparently a bit difficult.
"There, that's perfect!" exclaimed Sweetie, "Now you just need a hat."
"I told you, I don't want any part of this girly Gala gunk. See you back at the library." And with that Ganache flew out.
"Oh, who needs him anyway. This is all about you, and how fabulous you'll look at the Grand Galloping Gala!"
"Wait, the Grand…" Dinky tried to speak, but was cut off.
Sweetie gasped as she rolled back a curtain. "Oh, and what a coincidence. I just happen to have another ensemble just like yours that matches it to a T! We'd be the belles of the ball, you and I! And everypony would see that the smartest, most beautiful, most sophisticated unicorns in all of Equestria are Sweetie Belle and Dinky Do!"
"Uh-huh. I see what's going on here. You're just buttering me up so I'll give you the extra ticket. Well, it's not gonna work. You'll just have to wait for my decision, like everypony else. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've been trying to get some lunch." And with that she walked out the door.
"Did somepony say lunch?" Apple Bloom was pulling a cart through the light snow which was probably of her own hoofwork piled high with food.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Dinky looked over the huge pile of goodies.
"Ah've got apple pie, apple tart, apple crisp, apple dumplings, apple strudel, apple fritters and apple Brown Betty. Er… the dessert, not mah auntie. Whatta ya say there, best friend?"
Dinky's stomach growled, begging her to eat something.
"Is that a yes?" Apple leaned toward Dinky.
"No. NO. I don't know who I'm giving the ticket to, and being showered with favors isn't making things any easier! In fact, I'm less sure than I was this morning!" And with that Dinky ran off.
"So… that's a maybe?"
When Dinky got back to the library, she opened the door and said, "Ugh, I never thought being showered with favors would be so aggravating!"
Then she saw Scootaloo, zipping around the room on her scooter with a rag and a spray bottle, cleaning the library for her.
Dinky gasped. "Scootaloo! Not you too!"
"Oh, hey Dinky! Flash and I were just doing a little spring cleaning for ya!"
The pegasus pointed to her pet wolpertinger who proceeded to offer Dinky a scrumptious looking salad.
"It's not spring yet. It's winter."
"Being early never hurt anypony! Besides, it was Flash's idea. Heh-eh…"
"You're doing this for the ticket, aren't you?"
"Nope! I'm just doing this 'cause you're my best friend! Isn't that right, Flash?"
The wolpertinger flew over and shook its little head.
Scootaloo sighed. "Yeah, we're doing this for the ticket."
"No, no, no! That's very nice of you and Flash, but I will NOT be accepting any more unwanted favors until I've made my final decision. I'm going to have to ask you to please LEAVE."
Dinky opened the door and gestured for her friend to leave the library.
Suddenly, from outside the library there was a huge crowd of ponies. They shouted, "SURPRISE!" and a hoof grabbed her and dragged her outside, tossing the unicorn through the air as they sang.
"Dinky Do is my best friend, whoopee, whoopee! She's the cutest, smartest, and all-around best pony, pony!" sang a familiar voice.
"Babs…"
"I'll bet if I throw a super-duper fun party, party…"
"Babs!"
"She'll give her extra ticket to the Gala to me!"
"BABS!"
Dinky dropped to the ground. Babs leaned over her and helped her up. "Yes, Dinky?"
"At least the other ponies tried to be subtle about the ticket."
Another pony, a pegasus who Dinky didn't know, walked over. "Wait. What ticket? What Gala?"
"Oh, you didn't know?" Babs turned to face the pony. "Dinky has an extra ticket ta the Grand Galloping Gala!"
Everypony exclaimed in unison, "THE GRAND GALLOPING GALA?!"
They all began to crowd around Dinky and Ganache – she wasn't exactly sure when he'd walked out of the library but she wished he hadn't – and they all were spouting a constant stream of things they said they'd do for the ticket.
A dark purple unicorn mare leaned over to them as soon as they turned a corner. "Would you like help with your gardening? I'd be happy to…"
Dinky turned around and started to briskly trot away when she was stopped again.
"I have an extra cartload of peaches!" exclaimed a peach-colored earth pony standing next to and gesturing to that cart.
The ponies began to crowd around Dinky and her assistant again.
"What are we going to do?!" Ganache backed into a corner.
"We're gonna… run!" Dinky cast a very rapid teleportation spell and they ended up inside the library.
They were covered in dust and patches of Dinky's coat were burnt from the magical surge when they appeared in the center of the library.
"Ugh… warn me next time you're going to do that." Ganache dusted off his feathers and flicked his tail a few times.
"I didn't know it was going to happen. Now, quick, lock the doors." She turned around and saw all five of her friends standing there. She screamed, then began to ramble. "I can't decide, I just can't decide! It's important to all of you and I don't want to upset any of you. 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 but I can't!" She curled up in a little ball, looking like she was going to cry.
"I'm so very sorry, Dinky, I should never have been so selfish! If it helps, I forfeit the ticket. You may give it to somepony else. I shan't feel bad, I swear it." Sweetie walked over and gently hugged her friend.
Rumble flew over and landed at Dinky's side. "Me too… I feel awful that I made you feel so awful."
"Me too. Ah'm sorry Ah made ya feel bad about it, Dinky," Apple offered.
"And me too. It's not any fun upsetting your friends," Babs added.
"I… eh… didn't have my stuff ready for the DST anyway."
"Ganache, take a note, please." Dinky waited long enough for him to grab the necessary tools to do so, then continued.
"Dear Princess Luna,
I've learned that one of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings. But when there aren't enough blessings to go around, having more than your friends can make you feel pretty awful. So though I appreciate the invitation, I shall be returning both tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala."
"What?!" Everypony asked of Dinky after Ganache had already left with the letter and the two tickets.
"If my friends can't all go, I don't want to go either."
"Dinky, ya don't have ta do that." Apple turned to look her in the eye. "Ya know that, right?"
"Nope. I've made up my mind."
"Now you won't get to go either!" Rumble pointed out.
"It's okay, guys. I couldn't possibly enjoy myself without my friends there with me, so I'd rather not go at all."
Suddenly, in a burst of icy blue light, a scroll appeared just as Ganache flew through the window. He snatched it in a claw and read it.
"My faithful student Dinky,
Why didn't you say so in the first place?"
Then in another burst of magic, six tickets appeared.
"Six tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala," noted Ganache.
"Now we can all go!" exclaimed Dinky.
Everypony cheered, though this was broken by the rumbling of Dinky's stomach. She laughed nervously.
"Allow us to treat you to lunch." Sweetie led Dinky out the door.
"What a great way to apologize." Scootaloo walked out with them, the rest followed suit.
"And ta celebrate! Ah've still got that cart full 'a dessert if y'all are game!" Apple was the last out before Ganache.
"Aw, how come I don't get a ticket?" Ganache asked himself. Though, as if the Princess heard him, another letter appeared as well as another ticket. He opened it and read it, unintentionally reading it aloud, "And one for you, Ganache. Great!"
Apple looked over at him.
"Er… I mean… gross, I have to go too?"
The mare chuckled and they walked out the door, shutting it behind them.
