Thunderspite

That same afternoon, Fluttershy was helping Rarity in her shop. Her natural talent for sewing had helped Rarity meet more than one deadline over the years.

“Thanks again for your help, Fluttershy. I’d never get this order done without you," said Rarity, feeding another strip of fabric into her sewing machine.

“Anything I can do to help, Rarity," said Fluttershy, taking another spool of thread from the claws of one of her bird friends.

In the other room, they heard the bell ring as someone walked in the shop. “I’ll be right back, dear,” said Rarity. “I’ll just see who that is.”

As she came around the corner, she saw a pegasus of the Royal Guard standing just inside the door.

“Oh! Can I help you?” asked Rarity

“Are you Rarity Unicorn?” asked the guard.

“I am.”

The guard reached into his bag and retrieved a scroll bearing a royal seal. “I bring a message from Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

“Oh!” said Rarity, taking the scroll from his hoof with her magic. “Thank you very much. And be sure to give the Princess my best, won’t you?”

The guard nodded, then left the shop. Rarity trotted back into the sewing room. “Fluttershy! It’s a letter from Twily! She must have responded to our letter!”

“Twily!” Fluttershy smiled. “That was fast. What does it say?”

Rarity unsealed the envelope with her magic, and read aloud:

My dear friends,

I hope this letter finds you all well.

I am very intrigued by the pony you spoke of in your letter. You may recall that I also had a hard time making friends when I came to Ponyville. Like me, it could be that this pony does not yet understand the magic of friendship, and he may even believe that he doesn’t need friends at all. But if my time in Ponyville has taught me anything, it’s that every pony, no matter how much they may try to isolate themselves, at the very least needs someone to talk to.

I’m afraid I don’t have much advice to offer you in terms of exactly how to go about this, but I have every confidence that you will succeed. I would like to make this an official assignment, and I would like you to keep me posted on your progress.

I miss you all very much, and I hope to be able to visit you soon.

Yours truly,

Twilight Sparkle.

“Well! It seems that the princess has a mission for us!” said Rarity, when she had finished reading.

“Well if Princess Twilight wants it done, then we’re gonna do it!” said Fluttershy, with uncommon determination. “Um... how exactly do we do that?” she asked, resuming her usual meekness.

“Hmm,” Rarity pondered. “I think the best thing to do for the time being would be to get to know him better. He does seem a bit shy, do you think he’d be more comfortable in one-on-one settings?”

“Yes.” Fluttershy nodded slowly and definitively, drawing on her extensive knowledge on shyness.

“Well then, perhaps we should start there. Let’s all see if we can spend some time with him individually, and see if we can get him to open up that way.” Rarity looked around and made a quick survey of all the sewing she still needed to do. “You know darling, I think I’m just about all caught up here. Why don’t you go show the other’s Twilight’s letter, and relay to them our plan.”

“Alright.” Fluttershy packed the letter into her bag and trotted out the door, with her bird friends close behind.