Once I dropped Derpy off with Scarlet and checked once more on Gemini to see how she and Mica were doing (they were training when I entered my house and she told me that they'd be playing a Lycan strategy game and sleeping early), I headed out again, making my way towards Rarity's boutique. As I walked up and saw Pinkie bouncing on a small trampoline, squealing to herself. "I…can't…believe…the…Grand…Galloping…Gala…is…tonight!"

"Believe it, sister!" I called out.

Pinkie turned, squealed again, then, pausing in midair, zooming over to me and wrapping her hooves around me. "Jethy!"

"Pinkster! How's my favorite fourth wall breaking mare?" I laughed.

"I'm doing great! But what's the fourth wall?" she asked.

"I'll explain later," I laughed as I scratched behind her ear, making the pink mare purr loudly.

"Pinkie! Jethro! Please stop that! I'm trying to concentrate!" Twilight, who was sitting nearby with an old looking book open, shouted.

"Still trying to get that Cinderella spell right?" I asked, carrying Pinkie Pie over princess style. "Just remember the magic words." I began hopping around slightly, causing Pinkie to giggle harder. "Salagadoola mechicka boola bibbidi-bobbidi-boo! Put them together and what have you got? Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!" Pinkie was laughing as I continued singing. "Yes, salagadoola means mechicka booleroo. But the thingamabob that does the job is bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "That's just nonsense," she muttered.

I tossed Pinkie up into the air, then caught her, flying up and catching her in midair as I flew her around briefly. I couldn't help myself. Pinkie's bubbly personality was just catchy. "Whee!" she screeched in joy as I flew her around a bit, "Flying is fun!"

"Pinkie Pie! Jethro! Get down from there right now! It's time to get ready for the Gala, and I won't have you getting dirty and sweaty before then!" Rarity exclaimed as she trotted up quickly to us. "Now where are the others? It's getting late."

"It's only noon," I said, landing with Pinkie. "The Gala isn't until seven. Take a chill pill."

"Hold your horses, girl. We're here," Applejack said, walking up with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, as well as a smiling Zecora.

Zecora walked up to me and nuzzled me. "I see you've got your arms full there, my love," she joked.

"Can't help it," I laughed. "Pinkie here is just the most adorable floofball." I gave her ears a brief scratch before putting her down.

"Perfect! I'm ready," Twilight said, putting her book down.

"For what?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking at her with anticipation.

"Time for Cinderella!" I laughed.

I watched as Spike put down a shiny red apple, then grinned as the apple began to expand and turn into a massive carriage, much larger than it had appeared on the show. When Twilight turned them into horses with some mouse features, it took all of my willpower not to laugh, since I knew Opal was nearby. I decided to step in as the other girls were giving their mixed reactions to the horse-mice, hice, morses, whatever they were.

I kept an eye out and soon, I saw a gorgeous looking white Persian cat coming out from underneath a branch. She stretched, arching her backside up and pressing her paws into the ground in a very feline manner. When she looked around and saw the newly transformed horse-mice, I could swear that her eyes narrowed and she grinned. Just as she leapt, however, I encased her in my magic. Startled, she looked around as I floated her towards me.

Reaching up, I tapped her nose. "No. Bad kitty," I said in an admonishing tone. "Mice are friends, not food." Somehow, the cat crossed its front paws and frowned, clearly disappointed that she couldn't get her meal. "If you promise not to attack the mice, I'll bring you some nice delicious tuna some time. Does that sound good?" Opal's yellow eyes widened and she nodded.

"Jethro! What are you doing with my Opalescence!?" Rarity exclaimed.

"Did you…understand her?" Fluttershy asked.

"First off, to answer your question Rarity, I was stopping her from trying to eat the mice," I said, gently releasing her and catching her, stroking her fur and scratching behind the cat's ears. The frustrated expression on Opal's face melted and she began to purr. "And to answer your question, Fluttershy, no. But the animals here are more expressive than ones on Earth. I just interpreted what I saw written on her face."

"Oh, I see," Fluttershy said.

I looked at the mice, who thankfully hadn't run away but were still looking skittish. "Sorry about that, you three. Thanks in advance for pulling the carriage for everyone here." Turning back to Opal, I raised an eyebrow. "If I let you go and you try and go after those mice, no tuna. Got it?" With another silent nod from the cat, I put her down. She stuck her nose in the air and walked back to the boutique.

"Well…that was fun," Rainbow Dash said.

"Fluttershy, could you help me hook your friends up to the carriage?" Twilight asked.

"Um, of course," Fluttershy said, but as she walked past me, she gave me a curious look. Somehow, I had a feeling she'd be talking to me about that little interaction between me and Opal.

After hitching the horse-mice up, Rarity ushered us into her place. Immediately, she dragged all of the girls into another room and locked it, leaving me and Spike alone in the other room. Spike didn't take that well, but just as he was about to knock, I put a hand on his shoulder. "Zecora's going to be changing into her Anthro form in there. She'll be more exposed than a Pony would be. Best leave them be for now. Even though the rest of you all walk around naked anyway!" I called out.

"It's the principle of the thing!" Rarity's muffled voice said.

Moments later, I heard the telltale sound of magic being cast, then Zecora grunting as if in pain. "I will never get used to that," I heard her said.

"It doesn't hurt, does it?" I asked.

Zecora chuckled. "No, my love. It's just a bit disorienting."

"Good to know," I said, sitting down and pulling out my phone. "Spike, wanna watch some videos?"

"What kind?" he asked curiously as he sat next to me.

"Well, let's see what we get in my recommended," I said. Opening up YouTube, I looked at the recommended, and saw, to my surprise, a video titled Who is Zecora? by a user named Sawtooth Waves. "Zecora! There's a human back home who made a video about you!"

The door opened and Zecora's face peered out. "Oh? That is interesting. Can you play it? I'll listen here." She closed the door again, but not completely as a small sliver of light came out from it.

Nodding, I hit play. Spike leaned close, eyes wide as he and I watched the short but older video. When we reached the part of the video discussing the mark on Zecora's flank, I heard a snort. "This is not a cutie mark," Zecora said. "Zebras can't receive such a thing. It's a tattoo."

"This video is old," I said as I looked through the recommended once again. "Seven years old. At that time, My Little Pony was still airing."

"Hey, what about that?" Spike asked, pointing to another video.

I looked and tilted my head. I hadn't seen the video before. "Great to be Different by BronyDanceParty?" I wondered. "Hmm…wanna watch it?"

"Sure!" Spike said excitedly.

I started the video, and immediately realized I probably shouldn't have. When the guy started singing, I suspected I'd be holding back tears. The talking behind the door stopped as the song continued. I had a hard time holding my own emotions in check. The song spoke to me on a bigger level than I expected. As the final chorus began to play, I began to lipsync it. My eyes were misty as the screen faded to white. "Well…that was certainly something," I said, trying to divert attention away from myself. "Let's find something else to watch, eh?"

"My love?"

Zecora was suddenly standing before me, wearing her Gala dress now. It was a ruby red flowing dress with a white silk scarf wrapped around her neck. The shoes on her feet looked like they were made of actual ruby. It might have been simple, but I couldn't help but stare.

"Oh…my…" I gaped at her. "Zecora…you…look absolutely gorgeous!"

She smiled, then held out her hand to me. Spike moved out of the way as I took it and she gently pulled me to my feet. "That song hit you more than you expected, didn't it?" she asked. Closer up, I saw she had on some false eyelashes and a hint of makeup on her, making all of her features pop out even more.

I gave her a chagrined smile and nodded. "I might try to hide it, but I know I'm different. Derpy might not have actually said this to me, but it sounds like something the mare I've gotten to know recently would say."

"I'm different too," Zecora said.

"I know," I said. "It still bothers me a bit, that's all-Mmmph?!"

She locked lips with me, startling me. All my worries and fears melted away as she pulled me closer. I returned the kiss, my mood lifting drastically at her not-so-chaste kiss. She quickly broke away, batting her eyelashes. Still in a bit of a daze, I licked my lips. "Anyone get that girl's number…I think she sucked out my soul," I giggled.

I heard a few laughs from the open door. Zecora smiled warmly. "Feeling better?"

"Much," I replied. "Sorry to bring the mood down. Tonight's the Gala, after all."

"Darling," Rarity said, sounding a bit more subdued than normal as she walked out to me, "Does being the only one of your kind here still bother you?"

I looked at her, then took a deep breath and sighed. "Yeah, it's hard not to. Sure, almost everyone in Ponyville has accepted me and they're friendly enough, more or less, but even here there are some exceptions."

Silence passed over the group for a bit. To my surprise, Rainbow Dash was the first to speak. "You know, I was planning on trying to get the Wonderbolts to notice me tonight, but maybe it'd be better if I stick with you."

"And as much as I wanted to see the animals there, you need somepony by your side," Fluttershy added.

"My prince can wait," Rarity said, "My friend is more important."

"How can I enjoy the Gala when one of my bestest of bestest friends is having a hard time smiling?" Pinkie lamented.

"Ah don't want what ah made to go tah waste, but yer mah friend too, an' ah reckon spendin' time with ya is just a mite more important than sellin' goods to all those hoity toity nobles," Applejack said.

Twilight stepped forward, standing on her hind legs and looking me square in the eye. "I'm really sorry you feel alone," she said with sincerity, "but I hope you realize you aren't alone with us here. And you have other friends too, you know." And with that, she gave me another one of her gentle and caring hugs.

"She's right on the money, monkey-man," Spike said, giving me two thumbs up.

Zecora came up, placing her hand on my shoulder. "Jethro, it pains me to hear that you feel like this still, but they are right. You aren't alone. You have all of us."

The other Ponies and Spike came up and I was enveloped in the group hug becoming common for these Ponies. A pair of slender arms joined in, hugging me from behind. I felt Zecora's hands on my head, gently running them through my hair. "Perhaps tonight after the Gala, you and I can spend some quality time together," she said softly in my ear.

"If we're not both wiped out," I said gratefully.

Unsurprisingly, it was Rarity who broke away first. "Oh my! Celestia's flowing mane, we really need to get back to it! Zecora, darling, I'm still not quite finished! And don't think that you two are out of the woods either," she added, pointing to me and Spike. "There's still so much to do and so little time!"

I chuckled and gestured for the others to go back into the room. "Go ahead back in, everyone. I've got a great video I can show Spike. Something to do with Star Wars."

Spike's eyes widened in excitement. "Ooh! Is it a lightsaber fight?"

"Hmm…not quite. Let's just say, I actually think Octavia would find it entertaining," I said, pulling up YouTube again as the Ponies and Zecora headed back into the other room. "Now the…Cello Wars…here it is. Trust me, it's more entertaining than you'd think." I hit play.

I had to admit, the suit Rarity had thrown together for me (her words, not mine) was absolutely top notch. Aside from the sleeves in the back for my wings, the suit reminded me of something out of early last century, a dark gray suit with a buttoned-up vest, red and white striped tie, and a corsage pinned on the left side of my chest. She'd taken some of the designs I'd given her and made them her own. I was thoroughly impressed.

Still, it feels like I'm on my way to a Prom, I thought as we all walked out to the carriage. The sun was just heading down towards the western horizon. I offered to help drive the carriage, but Spike told me he would be able to handle it. So, I found myself in a surprisingly spacious carriage, sitting shoulder to shoulder with Zecora on the right side facing forward.

When we were on our way, I spoke up. "Not that I don't enjoy feeling like a Disney princess, wouldn't it have been easier to take the train? Hell, I'm sure I could have driven my car there. The roads seem like they could handle it."

"The roads aren't designed for your vehicle," Twilight said. "Besides, you promised me that I could study it sometime and maybe find a way to replicate it here!"

"Just as long as you find a better and cleaner alternative to gasoline," I chuckled. "But yes, I haven't forgotten. I'll take you for a spin in it at some point. Preferably before it snows."

That got her all excited. "Eee! I can't wait!"

I rolled my eyes, grinning as I looked out the window. The sky was, once again, cloudless, but as the sun began setting, the blue faded into bright reds, oranges and yellows.

I felt an arm intertwine with mine. Looking down, I saw the salient deep blue eyes of my girlfriend looking up at me. She had a wide smile on her face. She began humming something, a tune I immediately recognized, since it was from one of the first movies I showed her.

I softly began to sing. "I bring you a song and I sing as I go, for I want you to know that I'm looking for romance."

Before I could continue, Zecora cut in. Her singing voice was absolutely melodious and sweet to listen to. "I bring you a song in the hope that you'll see, when you're looking at me that I'm looking for love."

I beamed happily as the two of us took each other's' hands. We began singing again. "I'm seeking that glow only found when you're young and it's May. Only found on that wonderful day when all longing is through. I'm seeking that glow only found when a thrill is complete. Only found when two hearts gently beat to the strains of a waltz that's both tender and new."

Zecora blushed as she placed her head on my chest. I sang again. "I bring you a song, for I'm seeking romance."

We moved closer to each other. I was vaguely aware of the others having stopped talking and looking at us, but I was in my own world with Zecora now. We started up again. "You're by my side, there's a moon up above. It shines with a light that's so mellow and bright. It's easy to see that tonight we shall fall in love. Aaah…"

There was a slight pause, then I finished. "I bring you a song, for I'm seeking romance. And you."

She nuzzled my cheek, and I did the same. "My love for you, as was once said on Earth, burns with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns," I said, using the most intimate of intimate language with her.

She replied in kind, "And I love you more than Punda Mila loved Tai." I somewhat understood that reference. The two were Zebra's from a play remarkably like Romeo and Juliet, but with a substantially happier ending. They were the example that other Zebra couples compared themselves to, or so Zecora told me.

"You two are simply the happiest couple I have ever seen," Rarity's voice broke into the silence. Her tone was one of support, but I also sensed something else in it. Jealousy, perhaps?

"They're two peas in a pod," Rainbow Dash smirked.

As one, Zecora and I turned. The others were watching us, all with smiles on their faces. A couple of the smiles, however, seemed somewhat forced. Especially on Twilight's and Fluttershy's faces. Or at least, I thought that was what I saw. It was gone before I could be absolutely sure. Even if it was just my imagination, I didn't want to take the chance that something was keeping them from being truly happy. They were, after all, giving up their dreams for this Gala to support me. Clearing my throat, I straightened. "Okay, everyone. We need a game plan for tonight."

"Wait, there are gonna be games there?" Pinkie asked, eyes wide in excitement.

"Not ones you'd like," I said.

"Game plan is just a saying from his home world," Zecora said. "It means strategy."

"Thanks, love," I said.

"Strategy for what?" Twilight asked.

I chuckled. "For all of you to get what you want."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

I began pointing at each of them in turn. "We're going to visit the garden to see the animals, Flutters, but we're gonna do it right. We're going to see Captain Spitfire, RD, since she owes me a favor. We're going to get Celestia alone for a while so we can all talk with her, Twilight. We're going to find that Prince of yours, Rarity, and see what kind of stallion he is, and we're going to try our darndest to sell as many of your treats as possible, AJ. And last, but certainly not least, we're going to do all of this together. Hear that, Spike?"

"I heard!" he called back, sounding happy.

"Ah appreciate the thought, sugarcube," Applejack said, "but it wouldn't feel right."

"I've got plenty of opportunities to impress the Wonderbolts with my awesomeness," Rainbow Dash said, a confident smile on her face.

"You're more important right now than seeing some new animal friends," Fluttershy said, giving me the kindest of looks.

"Ladies, I appreciate the thought, I really do," I said, "but you've been looking forward to this night for months now. I can't just step in at the last minute and be the reason you all can't really enjoy it. It feels like I'm taking advantage of you."

"Nonsense," Rarity said. "Darling, nothing is more important to me than making sure my friend enjoys himself. And if that means sacrificing my time, then so be it."

"We wanna help you turn that frown upside down!" Pinkie said.

"Because that's what friends do," Twilight finished. "Jethro, sure I want to talk to the Princess, but if it means you being alone for the evening, then I'd rather stay with you."

"I wouldn't be alone." I looked at Zecora and squeezed her shoulder. "Zecora would be with me-"

"You need to be with them just as much, my love," Zecora said. "I'm not the type to monopolize your time. Besides, we'll have plenty more opportunities to be alone," she added with a subtle wink.

I really started feeling guilty now. "I still feel bad, though…"

"Hoo, yer a stubborn one," Applejack said.

"Coming from you, that says a lot," Rainbow Dash smirked.

"Can it," Applejack said.

"I just don't want your night to be ruined because you felt sorry for-" I began before a now furious Twilight came up to me.

"You're not a charity case, Jethro Bethridge! You're our friend! We want to help you in any way we can! We're still going to enjoy the Gala. Together. As it should be." She softened, and smiled at me sadly. "Don't you trust us?"

A few of the others gave me their versions of Puss in Boots eyes. I groaned, rubbing my temples before chuckling softly. "You girls…alright, you've made your point." I turned to Applejack first. "Listen, about your food, I can-"

"Don't even think 'bout buying everythin'," she said with a huff. "Ah can sell 'em tomorrow at the Ponyville Market. Ain't like they're gonna go bad right away."

"Fine, fine," I said. "I know when I'm beat. Let's enjoy the Gala. Together."

And after various words of agreement, we switched topics. But as we continued talking, a thought crept up in my mind. Did they learn something earlier than normal?