The next afternoon, Twilight invited her friends over to the library to hang out. They always had a wonderful time with each other. They filled each other with happiness, laughter, and love.

Spike came over holding a pink book. "Hey Fluttershy, I might have something that can help you with Yorkshire."

"Oh?" Fluttershy wondered, turning to him. "Help with what?"

"I found this book on female etiquette and I was thinking that this could give you useful tips when you and Yorkshire go on your first date."

She smiled and shook her head. "No thank you. I don't think I need any books to help with building my relationship with Yorkshire. I like how it's going for the both of us so far."

"Well, if you insist." Spike threw away the book. He felt a sudden loud rumble in his stomach. He groaned quietly, placing his hands on it. "Ughh… I don't feel so good…"

"What's wrong, Spike?" Twilight asked.

His cheeks inflated and belched out a large stream of green fire. The flames vanished and appeared as a rolled up letter with a seal of a horseshoe.

She gasped. "It's a letter from Princess Celestia!" she exclaimed, clapping her hooves.

"Those surprise deliveries are really getting on my nerves…" he growled.

"Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Read it! Read it!" Pinkie Pie said, hopping up and down wearing a big smile.

He opened the letter, and cleared his throat:

Here ye, here ye!

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 the 21st day of May from now and cordially extends an invitation to Twilight Sparkle and her friends.

The six remained silent for a moment.

Rainbow Dash raised a brow. "The Grand Galloping Gala? Are you sure we should go? I mean, don't you all remember the last time we went?"

"Don't remind me!" Rarity exclaimed. "It was a complete disaster! That Prince Blueblood was not the stallion I dreamed him to be! Oh, it makes me so mad just thinking about him!"

"And I never really got to hang out with the Wonderbolts." Rainbow Dash added. "They were too busy talking with other ponies."

"The Gala was too high class for mah apples." Applejack said. "All Ah got were a few bits for sellin' pies to that Wonderbolt fella."

"And there was no excitement there!" said Pinkie Pie. "It was so boring with all that slow music and dancing!"

"And I'm not so sure that I want to try seeing those animals again… because of what happened that night…" Fluttershy whimpered, remembering her psychotic episode with the fauna at Canterlot.

Twilight looked at all of them, reading their depressed faces. She lifted a smile.

"I don't think there's anything to worry about this time." she said. "Princess Celestia told me that last time was the most exciting she had ever seen. She assured me that the rest of the Gala nights will be better than ever. So what do you say? Shall we give the Grand Galloping Gala a second chance?"

"Well, as long as I don't see that Prince Blueblood… I see no other reason not to go again." Rarity said.

Twilight looked at everypony else, seeing them nodding with approval.

"This going to be so exciting!" Pinkie Pie said, jumping higher and higher, already forgetting about the last Gala. "I'll be able to eat all the goodies I want, ride on the super-duper fun rides, and play my favorite pony games!"

"I might as well make a new dress for this year." Rarity implied.

Spike burped out golden tickets to the Gala appearing from the green flames. He grabbed the tickets from the air and counted them. He tilted his head to the side, lifting an eyebrow. "Huh… this doesn't seem right…"

"What's wrong Spike?" Applejack asked. "Not enough tickets?"

"We have enough," he replied. "but there are thirteen here. We somehow got six more." He then burped out more green fire, and another letter appeared. He opened the letter:

Please pardon this second letter. The extra six tickets are for the knights who have come to Ponyville from battle. Please inform them that they too are invited to the Grand Galloping Gala.

Signed,

Princess Celestia

"Oh! So that's what the extra tickets are for." Twilight said. "That's very kind of her to do that."

"Maybe we can all go together." Pinkie Pie suggested.

"Um, Twilight?" Fluttershy said. "If it's alright if you, could I have one of those extra tickets? I would very much like to give it to Yorkshire and um… ask him if he would want to go with me to the Gala." Her cheeks hinted a shade of red.

"Ooh! Wanting to ask him out on a date huh?" Rainbow Dash asked, nudging her shoulder.

Flutershy nodded, biting her lip. "Yes."

Twilight giggled. "Of course you can have one." She handed an extra one over.

"Thank you so much, Twilight."

"Should we head out to see the knights now?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Why not?" Twilight replied. "If that's alright with everypony else."

They all looked at each other and nodded.

"Alright! Let's go!"

Twilight opened the door and exited first with the others following.

. . .

They arrived at the barn seeing the doors closed. Applejack knocked on the doors loudly.

"Who is it?" a muffled voice asked from inside.

"It's Applejack and the girls!" she replied. "We wanna talk to y'all!"

"Come on in!"

She opened the doors letting themselves in. They found the knights lying around on their piles of hay. Llanfair, Penarth, Tregaron and Rhayader were playing cards while Knighton and Yorkshire were sharpening their swords.

"Okay boys," Tregaron said grinning. "let's see the cards!" He laid out his five cards. "A pair of aces and a pair of tens! Top that!"

Llanfair groaned. "I fold." he said, placing his cards face down.

"Me too." Rhayader implied, making the same gesture.

Penarth was still holding his cards. "You guys stink at this game."

They hung down their heads. "We know…" they said in unison.

Tregaron laughed. "You think you have a better hoof than I do? Show it to me! I dare you!"

Penarth smirked and laid out his cards, showing them a six, seven, eight, nine, and ten cards. "Straight flush!" he exclaimed.

Tregaron's jaw dropped. "This can't be! I'm the best card player on the team! You just started playing the game! An amateur!"

"Looks like your winning streak is destroyed Tregaron!" Penarth said laughing. He turned his head seeing the girls looking at them giggling. "Hey girls! How's it going?"

"Oh nothing…" Pinkie Pie replied innocently. "Except that the Grand Galloping Gala is coming soon! EEEEEEE!"

"That's right." Twilight implied. "Princess Celestia was kind enough to give us tickets and six more for you guys."

"That's awesome!" Llanfair said, standing up fast. "I've always wanted to go to the Gala!"

Twilight distributed tickets to five of the knights.

Yorkshire noticed he wasn't given one. "Aren't I invited too?" he asked.

She turned to Fluttershy, nudging her.

Fluttershy gulped nervously. She put the other extra ticket in her mouth and walked over to him. "Um…" she blushed. "Yorkshire. I was wondering… if it's alright with you…"

"Yes?" he asked.

"I… would you uh… want to… mmmm…"

"Yes?"

She slowly took a deep breath. "Will you go to the Grand Galloping Gala with me?!" Her face turned bright red and closed her eyes tightly followed by a squee.

He slowly got up and stood tall in front of her.

With her eyes closed, all she could hear was silence. Her heart was beating faster, almost whimpering. She cracked open and eye and found him smiling.

"Yes." he replied. "I would love to go with you." He softly took the ticket from her mouth with his.

Her expression was flabbergasted. She turned to her friends with widened eyes and cracked smile. "I-I can't believe it… He said yes…! He said yes!" She was about to faint again but Applejack caught her fall.

"Whoa, take it easy girl!" she said, trying to help her stand upright. "You ain't faintin' this time!"

Yorkshire chuckled. "How about we all go together? And after that, Fluttershy and I can go off on our own."

Knighton stood up. "I think that's a nice idea. How about it ladies?" he asked.

"I think we would like that." Twilight replied. "I mean; we did give you the extra tickets after all."

"Be sure to dress nicely, boys." Rarity suggested, giggling.

"We will."

"The Gala is on May twenty first, so that is about a week from today." Twilight added. "We'll all meet up at the town square and then take a train to Canterlot."

"Sounds like a plan." Llanfair nodded. "Thank you very much for the tickets!"

"We'll see ya'll later then!" Applejack said.

They all said their good-byes to each other as the girls left.

Yorkshire quickly closed the doors with a big smile on his face. "YES!" he shouted. "I'M GOING ON MY FIRST DATE WITH FLUTTERSHY!" He whooped and bounced all around the room with excitement.

"Whoa, whoa! Easy there, little brother!" Knighton said, catching him.

Yorkshire cleared his throat and blushed, laughing nervously. "Sorry. I'm just really excited about this!"

"I know you are. Just don't take it too seriously or you might hurt yourself."

"Right. I'll need to get an early start on getting ready. I'll need something to wear though…"

"Isn't there a place somewhere in town that design clothes for special occasions like this?" Knighton asked.

Yorkshire thought for a moment and gasped. "Rarity's Carousel Boutique! She makes incredible clothes! I'll ask her to make something awesome and knightly!"

"Go for that then, little stallion!" Rhayader said with encouragement.

"Yeah!" Penarth agreed. "Wouldn't want you to look awful on your first date!"

Yorkshire sneered. "Shut up..."

. . .

Meanwhile, the girls sat around the apple trees having some of its fruit for a snack. There was much to discuss.

"We still have those dresses that you made for us." Applejack said. "I think it'd be a good idea to wear 'em to the Gala again."

"Of course! I would love for all of us to look glamorous this year!" Rarity replied. "Although I wish to make something different for myself."

Fluttershy however frowned with her ears folded back. "Rarity… I don't know how to say this, but I might've ripped the dress you made for me… It was also covered in dirt from my little episode with the animals at the last Gala…"

Rarity gasped. "That's terrible! You must have something to wear for your first date with Yorkshire!"

"I know. I do wish that I had something very special for the Gala."

"I'll tell you what, how about I make a new dress for you? Something that will suit you better than that old dress I made."

Fluttershy turned to Rarity. "You will?"

"Why of course! This is your first date after all."

Fluttershy hugged her tight with a big smile. "Thank you so much Rarity! I would just love that!"

Rarity's horn glittered as her aura lifted a small notebook and a pen from her bag. "I already have a few ideas in mind, so I'll let this be a surprise."

. . .

Once at home, Rarity went to work on Fluttershy's dress for the dance. She gathered the supplies she needed. She started with drawing out the sketches. "This dress will look beautiful on her!" She then heard the bell from her door ringing. She paused her project and walked into the lobby. "Can I help with anything?" she asked. She found Yorkshire in the lobby for a second time. "Yorkshire! It's a surprise to see you in here again."

He nodded. "Yes it is."

"Have you come in here to take another look around?"

"Actually, I need a favor."

"Oh? And what is that, may I ask?"

He chuckled nervously. "I need you to make an outfit for me for the Gala. I don't really have anything to wear."

"Do you have any ideas for your outfit?" she asked.

"Yes. I would like you to make me a green and white surcoat with an eagle on the chest with its wings spread open. I have some chainmail back at the barn that I could wear underneath, but could you also make some long sleeved black pants and an undershirt shirt? I would greatly appreciate it." He took some bits out from his saddle bag and placed it on the table. "Will this much do?"

"For you, yes." she replied with a smile. "I would be honored to design an outfit for a sweet, gentle knight like you."

He blushed and chuckled. "Thank you for the compliment. I really want this to be a special night for Fluttershy. I want to show how much I care about her. I want to make her happy. She's like a flower in the form of a bud, soon to bloom." He lowered his head. "But all of this excitement is also making me really nervous…"

Rarity walked over to him. She lifted up his chin with her hoof, making him look at her face. "I'm sure Fluttershy's nervous too, sweetie." she said softly. "I just know from the look in her eyes, she cares about you too. You are one of the sweetest, most caring ponies we have ever met. You show such passion, confidence, and loyalty. Don't start doubting yourself before the Gala. I know you'll have a wonderful time together. I believe in you, Yorkshire. Make it the best night of her entire life."

"Thank you very much for your kind words of encouragement." he said, hugging her. He turned back and walked to the exit of the shop. "I hope to see the outfit soon!"

"I can guarantee that you'll be happily satisfied when you come back!" She sighed happily. "Love is truly a magical thing." She continued to sketch out Fluttershy's outfit as well as Yorkshire's. When they were done, she cut out shapes from her most unique rolls of fabric to use for the outfits and sewed them together with accessories added onto them. "This will be a dance they'll never forget."