Them

"A-Are you sure we can just barge in their room like that?" Bright Sky asked.

"Oh, we're not barging in!" Fluttershy said, smiling. "I've known them for years, we're like family. I dare to say that I 'live here' too."

"Bu-But... What if they're doing something... Private?"

Fluttershy giggled as she turned the doorknob. "Don't be silly, Sky. They're both mares, it's not like they can--" she stopped talking and blushed when she heard moans. She quickly closed the door. "But, on second thought, we should wait. Family or not, it's not polite to enter somepony's house uninvited."

Twilight woke up with a nudge on her side. She had fell asleep on her table. She had drooled all over the blank parchment under her face.

"Wake up, Twilight Sparkle." said Trixie, nudging her side with her muzzle once again.

"Tr-Tr-Trixie!" she shouted, surprised. "I-I-I'm sorry, I was about to write my report, but--" she sighed and stopped shouting. "It wasn't my intention to fall asleep..."

"I know it wasn't. You've been researching for eight days on end, Twilight Sparkle. You don't sleep and hardly eats. I literally shove a daisy sandwich down your throat three days ago! I'm not surprised that big brain of yours simply shut down. That's why I requested Princess Luna to give you two days off."

"You did what?"

"And guess what? She approved!"

"WHAT?! No no no no no no no, this is not good!"

"You're welcome." Trixie said sarcastically.

"I have to keep researching. I need to find a way to solve this mess!"

"Sparkle..."

"I can't have days off. I'll be away and won't be able to study and research."

"Twilight..."

"What will I do while I'm away? What will the team do while i'm away? What--"

Trixie started rubbing Twilight's horn with her hoof, stealing a moan from the lavender mare, who then blushed and slapped Trixie's hoof away from her horn.

"Wha-What the hay, Trixie? You know how sensitive our horns are when we wake up."

"I know, but it was the only way to have your attention."

"S-Sorry..."

"Don't worry, Twilight Sparkle. The team can take care of itself with you gone for a couple of days. We're all powerful and trained unicorns, after all. Also, a sleepy Twilight Sparkle can do more damage than no Twilight Sparkle at all. Get out of this laboratory, go meet your friends and, most importantly, get some shut-eye!"

"I suppose you're right." she hugged the blue unicorn. "Thanks for caring about me, Trixie."

The former showmare was about to hug her back, but then pushed Twilight away.

"Do-Don't get me wrong. Trixie cares not about you, Twilight Sparkle. She only cares about the research and is worried about the mess you could make if you tried to work with your body about to collapse."

Twilight giggled and slowly took off her lab colt, unaware of the mare staring at her body, wishing it. Craving for it!

"Well, there's nothing I can do about it now, right? See you in two days, Trixie." she placed her lab coat on the nager and left her office.

Once the door was closed, Trixie grabbed the coat and sniffed it while hugging it. The thoughts in her mind made her blush.

* * *

Fluttershy knocked on the door of her friends. After a few moments, a sweaty Applejack opened it.

"Oh! Howdy there, 'Shy!"

"Ho-Howdy..." she stuttered, blushing like mad.

"And who are ya, pardner?"

"Br-Br-Bright... S-Sky..."

"Howdy, Sky. Any friend of 'Shy is mah friend as well." she then jumped out of the way. "Please, do come in."

"T-Thanks, Applejack..." Fluttershy said before stepping in the apartment, Bright Sky following her.

"Make yerself at home. Ah'll tell RD yer here. Be right back!" she said before going back to the bedroom.

"Kinda hard to make myself at home with the whole place smelling like love-making." Sky whispered, making Fluttershy blush crimson red. Both guests sat on the couch (Fluttershy sniffed on it first, to be sure). Applejack returned a few moments later, Rainbow Dash following her (sweaty as well).

"Fluttershy!" she said before glomping her long-date friend (who shivered a little thanks to the smell). "I missed you so much. I'm so glad to see you alive!"

"And I'm glad to see you..." she pondered her answer for a couple of seconds. "...Healthy!"

"Heheh, thanks. And who's that? Your coltfriend?"

"Oh, he's Bright Sky and WAIT, COLTFRIEND?"

"Yup!"

They blushed even more (Fluttershy on the verge of fainting due to the lack of blood in the rest of her body).

"Oh, no no no, he's not my coltfriend."

"Yet." Rainbow Dash whispered to Applejack, making her marefriend chuckle.

"I met him on the way here and now we're travelling together. That's all!"

Rainbow Dash looked at Bright Sky. "Do you agree with that?" the colt nodded and Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Ok, then. Anyway, welcome to Manehattan."

"How's that, Dashie?" Fluttershy asked, pointing at the eyepatch.

"Still stings sometimes, but it doesn't hurt as bad as it used to, thanks!"

"Oh, that's good."

"What about ya, Sky?" Applejack asked.

"What about me what?"

"What's yer story? We already know 'Shy her, but yer face is new to us."

"Yes, you didn't told me either." Fluttershy said.

"It's not an interesting story." he said.

"Every story is interesting!" Fluttershy said. "In their own way."

"Well, ok then. Here it goes." Bright Sky took a deep breath. "I used to live in Cloudsdale with my little brother, until one day the infected pegasi attacked. We managed to escape, but we were sent to different Safe Zones. I was sent to Trottingham and haven't had news of him ever since. One day, decided to find my brother, I escaped the city. I was on my way to Las Pegasus, the first Safe Zone I was going to check, when I got ambushed by them. That's when I met Fluttershy! The rest is history."

"One more question, sugarcube." Applejack said. "What's yer lil' brother's name?"

"Well, his name is..."

* * *

"Dark Cloud!" the former fashionista mare called.

"Yes, miss Rarity?" Dark Cloud was a dark blue pegasus colt. His mane was a darker shade of blue and he had purple eyes. His Cutie Mark was (what a surprise!) a dark cloud.

"Could you be a dear and do me a favor? Tell my sister and her friends that I have a friend who is going to spend a couple of day with us and that I would be very grateful if they prepared a room for her?"

The colt saluted. "Right away, miss Rarity." Dark Cloud then dashed toward Pinkie Pie's old room.

"What a sweetie!" she thought, smiling. "He's just like Spikey-Wikey!"

"Thank you, Rarity." Twilight said, taking another sip from the teacup she was levitating. "Since I kinda live in my office and I can't go there because of those forced vacations..."

"It's a pleasure to help, darling! We're happy to see you again."

"Is Pinkie Pie at the hospital?"

"Yes, she goes there early in the morning and only returns one hour before sunset. She really cares about them!"

After a few more subjects, Rarity couldn't keep herself from asking what she really wanted to know:

"So, Twilight, have you found your very special somepony yet?"

The scientist almost choked on her tea.

"Wh-Wh-Why are you asking me that?"

"Well, those laboratories are filled with -pardon the term- eggheads, so it's not hard for you to find somepony with the same interests as you."

"Well, there's somepony there who likes to read and loves magic..."

"Oh my stars! That's great! Who's the pony?"

"Trixie!"

It was Rarity's turn to almost choke on her tea.

"Tri-Trixie?!" she almost shouted. "Like in 'The Great And Powerful Trixie'?!"

"Yes, exactly." Twilight said matter-of-factly, taking another sip from the teacup. "She tries to hide t, but she really cares about me. And I care about her! But I don't think it's something beyond friendship."

"Well, that's a relief. You may share the same interests, but it's Trixie we're talking about here! The Liar And Full-Of-Herself Trixie! It wouldn't work out. Her soulmate might be that griffon ruffian. What's her name again? Guilty? Gear? Guile?"

"Gilda."

"Yes, that!"

"Give Trixie a chance, Rarity. She changed!"

"She turned my mane green, Twilight. Green! I'm still waiting for an apology."

Twilight facehoofed. "Is that the reason you still don't like her?"

Rarity simply nodded while drinking her tea.

Twilight sighed. "Let's just change the subject. Well, what about you? Found your very special somepony?"

"I did~!" she answered in a dreamy tone.

"Ohhh! And who's the lucky pony?"

"Pinkie Pie."

Twilight managed to turn her head before spitting her tea into oblivion. "That was... Unexpected!"

"During dark times, ponies feel lonely and manage to find love in the most unusual places. A close friend is no exception!"

"I know, it's just that I didn't thought you were into mares, but I'm happy for you two. Really. Congratulations!"

"Thank you, darling."

* * *

Fluttershy tried to sleep, but she just couldn't. It's not that the couch wasn't comfortable; it was because she didn't thought the blanket on the floor was comfortable enough to serve as Sky's bed. And there was something else...

"Pssst. Fluttershy!" Called Sky. "Are you asleep yet?"

"No. It's hard to sleep with those... Noises!"

"Same here. So, do you want to talk?"

"Yes. It will help me keeping my mind out of what's going on in the other room."

"So... Do you think Cloud is still alive?"

"I'm sure he is! Alive, safe and sound. I can feel you two will meet very soon. Don't lose hope, Sky!"

"I won't. I'm just... Worried! Is he in good hooves? Is he eating properly? Are they treating him well? There are so many questions!"

"That's normal. Every big brother and sister cares about their little brothers and sisters, no matter the situation! I have a friend. Her name is Rarity. She and her little sister were always arguing, but when they had the biggest fight of their lives, she did everything she despised the most to earn her sister's trust back!"

"I never had a single fight with little Cloud."

"That makes your relationship even more special!"

"I suppose you're right. Thanks, Fluttershy!"

* * *

"Where are you, big bro?" Dark Cloud asked the picture he was holding on his hooves; a picture of him with his brother, where both were smiling. He tucked the picture under his pillow and curled himself up before falling asleep.