Chasing Feathersby 42squigglesChaptersChapter 1 - DwellingChapter 2 - CommittingChapter 3 - FlourishingChapter 1 - DwellingMaybe it was because she was simply feeling under the weather, but Twilight was in a dull mood. She sighed as she walked through the dusty corridor. The sound of her hoof steps echoed through the barren halls before fading away into the patches of shadows that seemed to be all too common inside the crystal castle. What this place really needs is a little light, Twilight thought, as she continued towards the great doorway that stood at the end of the hallway. Those windows barely let any sunlight through as it is, and it surely couldn't hurt to have a few candles here and there to lighten the place up, could it? Twilight placed a hoof against the door and gave it a slight push. It swung inwards with a creak, revealing the gleaming crystal thrones that she and her friends had sat in, maybe... a couple of months ago? Had it really been that long since they defeated Tirek? Everything had been so much brighter back then. There had been parties that lasted for days - a feat possible only with the help of a certain Pinkie Pie - and a special celebratory meteor shower, courtesy of Princess Luna. Everypony in Ponyville had been as happy as Twilight had ever seen them, and her brand-new castle had been open for all to explore and enjoy. Now that the novelty had worn off, however, hardly anypony felt the need to visit her... residence. She really wished she didn't have to call it that, but 'home' just didn't feel quite right. That was a word reserved for the one, special place that made you feel warm and safe, and she felt anything but that inside her castle. When her friends were around, the place lit up in a dazzling show of radiance and beauty, but without them? It was utterly lifeless. To some extent, she reasoned, whilst crossing the huge star emblazoned across the floor of the throne room, her feelings were likely due to the loss of the library. That had been her special place; at least until Tirek had destroyed it. Her loss was still as raw and harrowing as it had been back in that fateful moment. She could picture the rampant ball of flame hurtling closer and closer, the deafening explosion, the charred, smoking, irreparable remains of - No! Stop. Twilight shook her head, determined not to dwell on the subject. No need to make it any more painful than it already was. Upon reaching her throne, she let herself slowly unwind and sink into it. Or tried to, in any case. Crystal wasn't exactly the most comfortable material in Equestria. How did Cadence do it on her crystal throne? Was there some sort of royal sitting position for this kind of thing? Hmm. Maybe a little research wouldn't go amiss. Perhaps the Castle of the Two Sisters had a book with a spell for turning crystal into pillows. Twilight tapped a hoof against the arm of the seat erraticly as she struggled to recline. What was with her today? She was getting all stressed for absolutely no reason - although, she reluctantly admitted to herself, it wouldn't be the first time that had happened. Finally, she let her head fall against the icy throne head-rest. The coldness was comforting in a way. Twilight let it wash over her as a veil of drowsiness clouded her vision, taking her deeper into an all-consuming desire to sleep. Her conciousness gradually slipped away as - "HEY, Twilight!" "Gah!" Twilight snapped out of her stupor in shock, only to find a pair of rose coloured eyes hovering just in front of her face. She released a relieved breath and rolled her eyes. "Rainbow Dash. I should've known. Really, do you have to surprise me like that?" "Oh man, every time! Priceless!" Rainbow snorted, casually doing a back flip in mid-air. "Is there something you want to ask, or are you here because you have nothing better to do?" "As a matter of fact, Twi, there is something," Rainbow said, apparently oblivious to Twilight's somewhat cutting tone. "You know how A.K. Yearling - or Daring Do, I guess - released her new book last week? Daring Do and the Hunt for the Fire Ruby? Yeah, well I reaaally need to borrow your copy since my first edition one isn't gonna arrive for, like, four days and -" "Rainbow, I don't have the new Daring Do book." Twilight said bluntly. Please tell me she hasn't forgotten that... "What? But, you always get the latest Daring Do books right away! Always!" "That was before my library was blown up, if you'll recall. Remember that, Rainbow?" Rainbow winced. As a rather sceptical pony, she was very familiar with sarcasm; Twilight's voice was positively dripping with it. "Oh, yeah... Sorry to bring that up. Forgot..." Twilight stamped her hoof in annoyance and turned away. Some ponies had the irritating habit of speaking before thinking, and Rainbow Dash was at the top of that list. Ugh. For the first time in recent memory, she actually wanted to be alone! Rainbow peered at the back of Twilight's head concernedly. Even if she had been getting on Twilight's nerves a bit, it was weird for her to be this sharp with anypony, least of all her friends. Then again, this was Twilight. She could sometimes be a little grumpy, often after a long night of studying. Rainbow shuddered; she was sure that she'd rather live in Tartarus than regularly do that kind of thing. Better check, anyway. "Uh, Twilight? You haven't been studying too much recently, have you?" she asked tentatively. Twilight slowly turned back to face Rainbow. Oh. Another wince. Stupid, stupid Dash. Twilight had just reminded her the library was gone. "Sorry, sorry, I - you seem a bit off, Twi, that's all. Is everything OK?" The icy glare Twilight had directed at Rainbow melted away as her whole body sagged a little. She sighed heavily. Rainbow was right: she was out of sorts. Snapping like that was usually unheard of for her, even if Rainbow had been getting on her nerves a bit. It was this Celestia-forsaken castle that was making her feel this way! It was a little ironic, considering that the place was supposed to symbolise friendship. "Ah, you're right. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so harsh," Twilight said with an apologetic glance in Rainbow's direction. "Nah, it's OK. Everyone has that feeling now and again," Rainbow replied, waving a dismissive hoof. Really, she was just glad that Twilight seemed to be okay. Ish. "So, what's gotcha down, anyway?" "I... have a problem that needs addressing." "Hey, I'm your friend, Twilight! You can share it with me, right? Unless it's some icky romance problem, Rarity would probably be better for that kind of thing." "No, no, nothing like that," Twilight said, clambering off her throne and beginning to pace. The feelings she thought she had supressed were convulsing in her stomach again. "It's more of a... well, maybe I'm being silly, but, I... um... well..." There was a groan of frustration from up in the air. "Spit it out already!" "I, it's...! I...! "ARGHH! It's this castle, Rainbow Dash!" She couldn't take it anymore. Her pent-up feelings had finally reached their limits, creating an verbal overspill of frustration, sadness and confusion. "It's just so dark and dreary in here! There are those glowing crystals hanging from the roof, I suppose, but it's not enough! Those windows are so rough and thick that light can't get in that way either, but I can't start investing time in getting a better lighting method or anything because I'm supposed to be doing my princess duties, or studying with the few books I do have! "Except, of course, there isn't even anything to study from! How can I learn with basically no books? Nopony wants to visit me any more either since I'm not running the library so I don't get to see anypony from Ponyville except you guys, and I'm supposed to be the Princess of Friendship, for Celestia's sake! "Plus, it's too dull all the time! The walls and rooms are so bare, it doesn't feel like a place to live at all! And do I get to enjoy myself? I'm not saying I thought it would be constantly fun and games, but I had hoped for a little more than... this! I liked how things used to be back in the library, but it... it's... gone." Tears began to gather in the corners of Twilight's eyes she saw Rainbow Dash staring at her with a half open mouth. Her problems felt pathetic, now that she had said everything she wanted to say, as if they she was simply nit-picking. But she couldn't, simply couldn't go on living with them. The little absences in her life were almost unbearable. She suddenly heard a rush of air and a rustling of feathers as Rainbow swooped down beside her. A comforting wing draped itself over her shoulder, and with a sniffle Twilight looked up in mild surprise. Rainbow's expression was fierce, determined, and yet at the same time gently reassuring. "Twilight Sparkle, listen up. I, I'm not good with words, I know that, but hear me out. It's OK to be upset, you know? Any pony would be upset if they lost their home, it's natural, I guess. Don't sweat it over that, or this place. This castle feels weird and wrong because you're not used to it yet, alright? Look, when I first moved to Ponyville, I was... a little - just a little - nervous, since it was a new town, new house, everything was unfamiliar. It takes time for this stuff to sink in. "And hey, what you said about everypony not visiting? You still go out from time to time to see them, right?" Twilight began to nod, but then stopped. Now that Rainbow mentioned it, had she been visiting anyone except her best friends recently? She certainly couldn't remember the last time she had been to see Zecora, and that lunch with Cheerilee seemed a lifetime ago. "W-well, actually, I suppose I haven't really. I've been so busy ever since I moved in." "Yeah, see? As soon as your schedule clears up, you'll see everypony, no worries!" "You... you could be right there." "You know I'm right! It'll be fine!" For the first time that day, a small smile graced Twilight's lips. Rainbow Dash truly could be a loyal friend - she had rarely appreciated it as much as she did now. "Thanks, Rainbow Dash. You really helped," she murmured softly, nuzzling her head deeper into Rainbow's embrace. "Huh, well, that's what friends are for," Rainbow said with a slight touch of embarrassment. Snuggling was totally not her style, although she guessed she could make an exception for a friend. The two friends sat there, neither saying a word. Both knew it wasn't necessary - they sat, enjoying the simple tranquility of companionship. She didn't know how long it had been, but for once the all-punctilious Twilight didn't care. She was content, laying by Rainbow's side, watching the slowly pulsating jewels up above. It was a nice feeling, contentedness. She hadn't felt it in quite a while. Eventually, Rainbow stretched her legs and looked over at Twilight. "Oh, I also had an idea about that whole 'it's-way-too-dull' thing you were worried about." "Oh? What's that?" Twilight enquired, withdrawing her head from underneath Rainbow's wing. "You could ask someone to help you decorate this place a bit!" "Rainbow," Twilight began with a hint of exasperation, her mind already starting to formulate a list of issues with the suggestion, "I can't just go and... I mean, I'd... I..." She faltered. "What?" Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow. Hmm. Come to think of it, there weren't any actual complications. "What's wrong with that? It's a great plan!" Rainbow exclaimed, once again taking off into the air. "Uh, there might be one or two things I'd need to consider, but I actually think I agree with you. It is a pretty good plan!" "Ha, I knew it! Awesome!" "I'll have to find somepony to help me refurbish, though." This point calmed Rainbow's excitable chattering, and she took on a more thoughtful demeanor. "True. Maybe Applejack? She paints that ol' barn often enough, a castle isn't that much different." Twilight wrinkled her nose as she got up. "It's not about the colour scheme, Rainbow, it's about making it feel more homely. And come on, Applejack? She'll be busy on the farm. This is most likely going to be a long term project, you know." Rainbow grinned sheepishly and ran a hoof through her mane. "Fine, I didn't really think that one through. Okay then, how about Rarity?" There was a pause as Twilight considered the idea. Rarity was, of course, more than capable of transforming any ordinary object or concept into something incredibly 'fabulous', but was it really fabulousity she wanted? Not particularly. The castle already had a certain amount of pizzazz - which was admittedly impressive at times - but right now that wasn't very important. There was also the nagging suspicion that Rarity would totally go overboard. The shaping of an entire castle was way too much of a temptation for her. Twilight bit her lip. "Rarity is... qualified, yes, but I'm sure she'd prefer something a little more ambitious than this. Besides, I'd like to keep this, er, low-key." "I'll be sure to let her know that you think she's too imposing, then," Rainbow said, hiding her smirk behind her hoof. "What? No, I didn't say -" Twilight blurted, but her rising panic was instantly quelled by the sounds of Rainbow sniggering. "Oh, haha. Very funny." "Hehe! You worry too much, Twilight. Element of Loyalty, duh. I wouldn't do something like that." "So you claim." "Okay, at least not to my friends. Anyway, if you want 'low-key', then the perfect pony for that is Fl-" "Fluttershy!" The two mares swivelled their heads towards the source of the noise, a small purple dragon who was currently running across the room as fast as his short legs would allow. Spike reached them and bent down, breathing heavily. "Saw, Fluttershy, just now," he panted, fighting for air. "What's wrong? Spike, tell me!" Twilight spoke urgently, certain that something was amiss. "She was, running past, Quills and Sofas, crying, her eyes out. Was, worried, came here." Before he had even finished, Rainbow had crouched down low and spread her wings. Her face was contorted in fear, tinged with white. "I gotta get to her, now!" "No," Twilight said firmly, grasping her by the shoulder. Rainbow's expression darkened and she opened her mouth, but Twilight swiftly cut her off. "I'm faster. Say here with Spike." With that, an ethereal glow formed and swirled around Twilight's horn. There was a blinding flash of white light. Rainbow screwed her eyes shut, but as quickly as it began it ended. She opened her eyes. Twilight had vanished. Rainbow glanced at Spike, who was still catching his breath, then moved her gaze upwards. The ceiling was nothing but a haze of inky blackness. "Fluttershy..." Chapter 2 - CommittingHer surroundings sharply regained focus, disorienting Twilight a little. No matter how many times she teleported, she could never quite get used to the sensation; the only adequate description she could give to it was 'having the world shift beneath your hooves'. Still, that was irrelevant now, as there was something more pressing that required her attention - namely, the pink-and-yellow mass huddled on the vermilion rug in front of her. Twilight didn't say anything at first. She merely crossed the room and settled down next to Fluttershy, allowing a bit of space between them. A slight twitch of the yellow ear next to her told Twilight that her presence had been acknowledged, but Fluttershy said nothing. Instead, she curled up into an even tighter ball. Oh, Fluttershy. What happened? Gently, Twilight shuffled herself along the floor, closing the small gap between the two friends. She sensed the trembles running down Fluttershy's back, and had to restrain the urge to swamp her in a big, warm hug; the sadness and pain radiating from Fluttershy was making it exceedingly difficult not to. Her friend's well-being was more important right now, Twilight reminded herself, and this needed to be done slowly if she wanted the shy mare to open up to her. Almost there... Ah. It's okay now, Fluttershy. Twilight exhaled, allowing the light pressure on her side to increase as her friend lent against her. It was the signal she had been waiting for - reaching out, Twilight ran a calming hoof over Fluttershy's soft, silky feathers. The trembles ceased immediately, leaving only a quiet, almost inaudible breathing that Twilight could nevertheless feel resonating in the still summer air. She felt peculiar, as though she were... in tune with Fluttershy. It was strange - Twilight had never felt this connected with anypony before. A minute passed in near silence, the only sounds being the occasional sniffle from her left side. Every time it happened, Twilight softly stroked Fluttershy's wings, hugging her tenderly until the noises receded. It wasn't like how Rainbow had treated her, with a reassuring breath of confidence and a boldness that had struck down Twilight's doubts without any hesitation. No, this was deeper. Much deeper. One could say intimate, although obviously in a platonic way. Eventually, Fluttershy looked up. Tear-drops clung to her long, delicate eyelashes, and Twilight's heart ached with a mixture of sadness and anger. How could anyone do something to hurt such a kind, wonderful soul? "Twilight?" Fluttershy mumbled her name in a small voice. "Yes, Fluttershy?" "I'm... I'm sorry." "For what exactly? You haven't done anything wrong, Fluttershy," Twilight said, brushing a pink mane aside so she could properly look Fluttershy in the eyes. She absent-mindedly noted how bright they were, like glistening sapphires. "In fact, it seems that somepony has done something to you." Except, teal-coloured sapphires. Or more like the ocean, actually: gradual, calming, enchanting... "So, uh, would you mind telling me what's the matter?" Fluttershy opened her mouth, then closed it. She dropped her gaze and slowly shook her head. "It's, um, nothing. Don't worry about it." To her surprise, however, she felt a little nudge in her side, prompting her to raise her head again. Twilight sat, head tilted, a smile etched on her face. "Come on Fluttershy, do you expect me to believe that a brave pony like you would cry over 'nothing'? I've seen you face off dragons before!" "B-but, that was only because my friends were in danger. I could never normally do something like that..." "There's more than that! Remember when you had to send those Breezies away?" Fluttershy did remember, quite clearly in fact. It was one of the toughest things she had ever had to do, making her new friends leave like that. At the time, it had broken her heart, even if it was for the best. Twilight smiled knowingly. "It was incredibly hard, wasn't it? But you did it. So when I see you crying, Fluttershy, I do worry. Because I know if it wasn't important to you, it wouldn't make you cry." Wiping her eyes on the back of her foreleg, Fluttershy sniffed and - to Twilight's inward delight - gave a weak smile. "You, think I'm strong? Me?" Fluttershy shifted in place. "Of course, Fluttershy!" Wow, her coat looks so fluffy when she moves... Twilight imagined what it would be like to poke Fluttershy again, imagined her adorable giggle. She so wanted to hear that laugh. "Oh my, I didn't think anypony... thought that... Um, Twilight, are you OK?" "Huh?" Twilight's attention suddenly snapped back to reality, which led her to notice that Fluttershy was looking at her with a puzzled expression. Oh Luna, she shouldn't zone out like that. "Er, yes! Yes, just fine! So then, Fluttershy, can you tell me why you're upset? Did somepony do something?" "..." Fluttershy averted her gaze. A silence hung over them, unbroken, as Twilight waited hesitantly for an answer. When Fluttershy did finally speak however, it was not at all what she expected. "It's..." She took a deep breath. "Twilight, I don't think I'm ready to share this with you or anypony else right now. Is that OK?" "Oh... well, if you're sure, Fluttershy, then it's perfectly OK. Remember that we're here for you, though." "I know. Maybe some day." Hmm. This was a spanner in the works. She had been sure that if she approached the issue with enough care, Fluttershy would certainly have told her the problem! It had worked for Rainbow Dash with her, anyway, and this was a very similar situation. She and Fluttershy weren't having the best of days. Hopefully not everypony was feeling so down recently. With an exceptionally graceful stretch of her back, Fluttershy got to her hooves. Despite her crying, she still looked stunningly pretty, Twilight noted with no small amount of jealousy. After having a breakdown, Twilight's appearance could only be likened to a train wreck. It just wasn't fair. Ooh, wait a second, what is that? She would hate to be accused of nosiness - especially considering that Fluttershy had specifically told her she wasn't ready to share her problem with anypony - but could Twilight help it if her eyes strayed to the crisp, white letter clutched protectively in Fluttershy's grasp? That letter was probably why her friend had been so upset... If only she could sneak a peek at the address! What? No, Twilight! Friends don't betray each other's trust! If there was one thing she had learned from hanging around Pinkie Pie, it was to never, ever, EVER do anything like remotely that, lest she face the consequences. Fluttershy, meanwhile, had walked over to her desk and deposited the letter, a pensive expression on her face. She absently turned back to Twilight, then suddenly seemed to notice something. Hang on, she didn't see me staring, right? "Twilight, were you-" "I have something to ask, by the way!" Twilight cut in quickly, silently praying that Fluttershy would ignore her clumsy attempt to change the topic. "What is it?" Fluttershy replied, with - to Twilight's relief - no hint of accusation in her voice. To the contrary, she had a bright smile, much brighter than before. Perhaps she did feel better after our conversation? Excellent! Oh, hold on, she should give Fluttershy a reply. Of course, Twilight wasn't totally sure of what she was going to ask, seeing as her words had been more of a diversion than an actual question, although they had made a distinct impression on her. It was a common sensation, one Twilight usually felt when she was forgetting something. So, what was it that she was forgett- OH! She hastily cast her mind back to the conversation she and Rainbow had recently had. What Rainbow had been about to say now made her feel rather stupid - in retrospect, it should have been the first thing she thought of. Or rather, the first pony she thought of. Twilight cleared her throat. "Ahem! Well, it's to do with my crystal castle. I was wondering whether you could lend me a helping hoof with something over there?" "Ah, I... see." The smile that Fluttershy wore slipped ever so slightly. She glanced to the side, scuffing her back leg against the rug. Oh dear, she really hated to disappoint her friends. She hoped Twilight would understand. "Twilight, I'm really, really sorry, but your castle is too..." "Wait a minute!" Twilight's sudden outburst surprised Fluttershy. Did she realise that I was going to decline her favour? Oh, no! I bet she's really mad now! Small tear drops pooled in the corners of Fluttershy's eyes. "I- I'm, s- sorry Twil-" "No, no! I'm not angry or anything, Fluttershy, I just wanted to explain more clearly!" Twilight exclaimed, placing a reassuring foreleg on Fluttershy's shoulder. The contact felt... nice. "Okay, I know that you were going to decline. I guess you find my castle uncomfortable, am I right?" It pained her to admit it, but Fluttershy nodded. It was so big, and kind of scary! She didn't like the dark at all, and her animal friends refused to go inside it for reasons she completely understood. All in all, it made Fluttershy feel greatly overwhelmed, a feeling that she had been struggling to suppress her whole life. Even so, she still made it a point to visit Twilight every now and again - it wasn't worth losing a friend over, after all. She did try to arrange their meetings in more welcoming places, though. "I know it's your new home, Twilight, but I find it so, um... frightening! I didn't want to hurt your feelings, though," Fluttershy said timidly. "But that's just it! You understand completely!" Twilight squealed happily. She could not have found anypony more perfect for this! Fluttershy watched Twilight's energetic bouncing with an increasing sense of puzzlement. "Are- are you sure you heard me properly?" "Yes, yes! You hate my castle, that's great! Terrific!" "W-what?" Twilight's elated bouncing ground to a halt as she noticed Fluttershy's look of pure confusion. Oops, got carried away there. "Sorry, Fluttershy, I don't mean that it's great that you hate it, I mean it's great we share the same sentiment. The castle is too... well, I suppose 'frightening' does come pretty close as a good description. None of the townsponies visit me anymore, not even Cheerilee! "I don't suppose it's me, seeing as everypony treated me the same when I became a princess. You know, Rainbow Dash pointed out to me earlier that I should make more of an effort to go and see everypony in town. I can't even remember if Zecora is white with black stripes or black with white stripes! I haven't seen Roseluck for a while, either. "But even so, it'd be nice if they did the same back! I doubt they will visit though, the whole 'crystal-palace-for-a-new-princess-right-on-your-doorstep' is somewhat... you could say..." "Intimidating?" Fluttershy finished, giggling a little at Twilight's rambling. It was a habit of Twilight's that she loved - the expression on her face was really quite cute! "Exactly! My point being, I need to make it less so. I assume you know what I intend to do?" "Uh... convert it into an animal sanctuary?" "Wha-? No! I'm going to redecorate the place, of course! Won't it be great, Fluttershy? We can clean it up and make it much nicer, and all the while we'll get to spend a lot of quality time together! Just you and me, alone, the two of us having lots of-" Twilight froze mid-speech as her brain caught up to her mouth. "Err, what I meant to say was, it would a good way to spend some time together, don't you think? As friends." "Why, yes, Twilight! I'd be more than happy to help you, only..." "Only?" "I would still need some time to care for all the little critters at home, that's the only thing." "Oh, Fluttershy," Twilight said, sporting a cheerful grin, "That's not a problem! I could go and help you care for your animals in exchange for your help in the castle. Would that be alright with you?" "Definetely! It sounds wonderful!" "Great! Then, would next week be a good time to get started?" "I'll check my calendar, but I'm sure that it should be okay." Unfortunately, Fluttershy never got the chance, for at that moment an almighty crash sounded from outside as a section of the wall caved in. A rainbow-coloured blur whizzed across the room, colliding - rather painfully - with the opposite wall and taking a number of ornaments with it. It promptly became apparent that the blur was none other than a befuddled Rainbow Dash, who glanced from side to side blearily. "F... Fluttershy? That's you, right? Why is there four of you?" Rainbow mumbled as she made a feeble attempt to pull herself out of the rubble. The mare in question was standing stock-still, her mouth slightly ajar. Her eyelid twitched. If Twilight wasn't currently flat on her back from shock, then she might have wondered what emotions were running through her right now - astonishment? Anger? Horror? As it happened, it was Fluttershy's instinctive caring that won out. After a quick few blinks to establish that the whole scenario wasn't merely some crazy dream, she galloped over to Rainbow Dash and bent down to her level. Twilight (who had now recovered from the inital trauma) watched Fluttershy perform a rapid series of inspections to ensure that there was no serious damage to Rainbow. She was perplexed by the expression of the yellow mare, however - the usual calm, compassionate demeanor that she associated with Fluttershy was gone, leaving behind the presence of a much more serious pony, one who was prepared to do anything it took to make sure that a creature she deeply cared for was alright. Twilight looked on in awe - the powerful resolve that had manifested in Fluttershy could easily rival that of Applejack, or even Rainbow Dash herself! She couldn't help but be impressed. "Wings?" "F-fine." "Legs? This may hurt a bit." "They're okay- OUCH!" "This too." "OWWW!" Once Fluttershy had checked and re-checked everything for absolute certainty, she allowed her normal personality to fall back into place. Which, of course, meant tackling to the floor Rainbow with a crushing hug. "Oh my goodness, Rainbow Dash! Don't ever do that again, okay?" "Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say. Anyway, are you okay?!" Rainbow smacked her forehead with a hoof in frustration. "I'm the one that's supposed to be checking up on you, not the other way around! What were you crying over? Was it bad? Who sent it? I'll-" "Shh," Fluttershy said tenderly, as she gently pulled Rainbow Dash in for a hug. Rainbow stiffened in surprise, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. "It's fine now, I promise. I was just talking to Twilight about her castle." Rainbow muttered something that Twilight thought might have been 'That's cool', and then lent back whilst stretching her forelegs and wings out to their fullest extent. Weird. Twilight had anticipated a slew of questioning and prodding over the details of her and Fluttershy's arrangements, but Rainbow sounded as though she had completely lost interest. Oh, it was probably just Twilight being self-obsessed. Not everything revolved around her life, at any rate. Fluttershy spoke as she brushed a few stray wood shavings out of her mane. "We can finalise things at the picnic tomorrow, right Twilight?" "Yep! It'll be a good time to think things through." "Y- yeah. Think things through." Rainbow repeated, now reasonably steady enough to stand up without toppling back over. No, wait. Twilight was now sure that something was up with Rainbow Dash. Presumably the knock to the head on the way in had made her a bit loopy. Whatever the case, she was really in no fit state to go home alone. Twilight stooped low, providing Rainbow with an impromptu crutch. Another benefit of being an alicorn - all that Earth Pony strength was really coming in handy now. "If you need any help fixing that up," Twilight said, gesturing towards the pegasus-shaped hole in the wall, "Let me know." "It shouldn't be a big problem, but thank you for offering, Twilight." "No, no! I'll help! When I feel less... dizzy, that is..." Rainbow piped up, stumbling off to her left yet somehow managing to avoid knocking over anything. The other two winced. "I'd better take her home. Don't want any accidents to happen," Twilight whispered to Fluttershy, who nodded discretely. Both knew that Rainbow valued her pride more than almost anything else in Equestria, so saying it outrightly to her would doubtlessly result in Rainbow insisting she walk home by herself. And then, accidents would happen. "I'll see you tomorrow. Bye, Fluttershy!" "Goodbye! Be careful!" "See you, Shy..." Twilight and Rainbow left through the front door, one leaning heavily against the other. Fluttershy gave them a warm wave as they disappeared off over the hill leading away from her cottage and into the soft, orange sunset. She was thankful to have such good friends. One's she really cherished. Several rays of evening sunlight shone through the gap in her curtains, illuminating an old, antique desk that sat in the corner of the room. It had a single drawer, which contained a single object she had put in there not too long ago. Fluttershy frowned at it, then turned away. Out of sight, out of mind. For now. Chapter 3 - FlourishingOut to the far western edge of Ponyville lies the well-known Sweet Apple Acres, thought to be one of the earliest residences in the whole town. At least, that was what Granny Smith regularly yelled at passers-by during her non-napping hours, and nopony was foolish enough to argue with her. What was less well-known about the place, however, was that there was a lush, green hillock that sat hidden from sight directly behind the barn. Only a select few ponies were aware of it's existence, but those who did were able to occasionally - when the weather was nice - plod up to the top of the hill and enjoy the beautiful view of the expansive orchard that stretched out into the distance, as far as the eye could see. A single, solitary willow tree cast a hazy shadow over the hillock, swaying back and forth in the light morning breeze. The conditions were as perfect as could be for the six ponies (plus dragon) who were currently making their way up it. "Come on, y'all! Only a bit farther now!" The southern twang that split the air belonged to none other than Applejack, who was leading the group with a confident and steady trot. Her cry of encouragement was met with a collective chorus of moans and grumbles, the loudest coming from Rainbow Dash who for once had all four hooves on solid ground. "Seriously, AJ? We've been walking for hours-" "Barely twenty minutes." "-and my hooves are getting sore! Why can't I just fly to the top anyway?" Rainbow complained, throwing Pinkie an annoyed look. "Oh, don't be silly, Dashie!" Pinkie said happily, bouncing backwards up the hill. Ordinary ponies might question how in Equestria she was doing it, but the others had been around the crazy mare long enough to simply accept whatever logic-defying antics she pulled. "Using your wings is cheating! We all have to go up together, fair and square!" "Quite right, dear!" agreed Rarity, wheezing a little. She was at the tail end of the group, accompanied by Fluttershy on whom she was leaning. "I don't... want to have to suffer... alone!" "You won't have to suffer any longer, we're here," Twilight chipped in, smiling as Rarity collapsed onto her inexplicably summoned fainting couch in relief. Calling her a 'drama queen' would be akin to calling a swarm of parasprites a 'minor issue' - she was in a totally different league. "Finally!" said Spike weakly. He looked just as fatigued as Rarity, probably due to the large, heavy wicker basket he was carrying on his scaly back. "Man, this thing weighs a ton!" "I'm sorry, Spike - I would carry it for you, but I can't perform two different spells at the same time and Princess Celestia said she'd try and contact me at some point today using a two-way spell. I have to be ready to mantain the magic on my end." "Why does the Princess want to talk to you?" Fluttershy asked as she began to unpack the basket, begrudgingly assisted by Angel. "Oh, I think she just wanted to discuss how Discord was doing after, you know, that incident." "Yeah... Discord wasn't very fun at all when he was with that big bad guy," Pinkie said sadly, but brightened up almost at once. "Still, he's great now! Oh, I never got around to telling you - because I was babysitting the Cake twins and all - but yesterday Discord finally, FINALLY made me my own, personal candy floss cloud! Isn't that just superific?!" "That's great, sugar cube. Ah'm just glad that he's really starting to feel like one of us now, you know what Ah mean? Pinkie, gimme a hand with this picnic blanket, please." "Sure thing!" The amicable chatting continued throughout the morning, accompanied by the intermittent sounds of ponies laughing. As the day worn on, many topics of conversation were explored, and eventually they reached something particular that Rarity had in mind. "So, darlings," - Rarity clapped her hooves together with enthusiasm - "I have something simply magnificent to tell you! I'm sure you are all aware of the upcoming Annual Canterlot Fashion Parade, yes?" Though Spike nodded eagerly, the others all shook their heads. She wilted slightly. "Really...? It's the biggest clothing exhibition in the entirety of Equestria! How can you not have heard of it?" Two simultaneous smacks could be heard as both Rainbow Dash and Applejack facehoofed. "Ah though you'd learnt somethin' about me and fashion back when that Trenderhoof guy was visitin', Rare." Rarity turned her nose up, sniffing haughtily. "Well, I had hoped that ordeal might have made you a little more sensitive to the crucial necessity of good style. Even so, I can't believe nopony at all knows even the tiniest bit about it! Fluttershy, aren't you supposed to be an expert with sewing and the like?" "It's just something I picked up when I was little," Fluttershy responded with a good-natured smile. "Anyway, weren't you were telling us something about this show...?" "Yes! Right, right, right. Well... what I wanted to say was... I'VE BEEN SELECTED AS THIS YEAR'S DEBUT DESIGNER! EEE!" "EEE! Rarity, that's sooo great! I bet you're super excited!" Pinkie squeaked merrily as she and Rarity bounded up and down in a most Pinkie-Pie-esque, un-Rarity-like way. "Congratulations!" "Well done!" "I'd congratulate you if I knew what 'debut designer' meant..." "Hush, RD. Good on ya, Rarity." "Ooh, thank you, everypony!" Rarity looked fondly at them all. Even if Celestia herself expressed her felicitations personally, it wouldn't mean as much as the support from her very best friends! She attempted to put on a nonchalant air. "Though you should all know, it's not really that important," she said, waving a breezy hoof. It wasn't that much of a fib. Oh, who was she kidding - of course it was! But in any case, there was still someone with their praises left unsung. "Anyway, I couldn't have done anything without the help of widdle Spikey-wikey here!" She leant over and gave Spike a tight squeeze. "It's all thanks to him we managed to get everything sorted out! He has so many contacts in Canterlot, it's truly astounding." Twilight watched as a vacant, dreamy expression slid across Spike's face. Honestly, that dragon... "It was nothing, Rarity," Spike sighed, caught in the midst of his painfully obvious infatuation. Rainbow coughed pointedly, which seemed to snap him out of his reverie. "A-hem, yeah. There was a bunch of ponies I used to hang out with when Twilight was off studying, and it just so happens that one of them was Fancy Pants's nephew. No big deal. It'll be good to see them again." "Ah, you'll look terribly cute in a tuxedo, won't you?" Rarity cooed. Her words gave Twilight pause for thought. "What do you mean? Is Spike helping you... model?" Rarity turned to her, surprised. "Didn't Spike tell you already?" "No...? Spike?" "Um..." Spike looked nervous as he spoke. "I didn't know if you'd agree to it or not, okay? Please, please let me do it, Twilight!" Twilight didn't say anything for a moment, her expression unreadable. She looked up. Spike bit his lip. Come on, Twilight... "I see how it is. There's only one thing to do - I'm coming with you!" Spike's face lit up, beaming. "You mean it?" "Definitely! Come here, you!" And for the second time in as many minutes, Spike found himself wrapped up in a hug. Rarity clapped her hooves in jubilation. "Wonderful! That means that both of you will get to be there at the parade!" "Woah, hold up missy. You didn't think the rest of us would pass up on this, did ya?" Applejack chuckled, swinging a foreleg over Rarity's shoulder. "Tain't no way we're missin' this if it's that important!" "Oh... r- really? You'll all come and s-see me?" A film of tears glazed Rarity's eyes, causing Rainbow Dash to laugh, though in a nice way. "Aw, c'mon Rare, don't get all sappy. We'll be there, no worries." "Yes, it will be just like when we when to cheer on Rainbow Dash in Cloudsdale!" Fluttershy added, "Except less dangerous. Unless... uh, fashion ponies don't do dangerous things, do they?" "With the possible exception of that Photo Finish, I doubt anypony will do anything foolish, darling," answered Rarity with a small chortle. Typical, adorable Fluttershy. Rarity turned to the rest of the group, looking exceptionally pleased. "My dears, I can't thank you all enough for this! I'll show you a proper expression of my gratitude when we're in Canterlot, but for now we need to get everything organised! It's taking place in a few weeks, but I think it would be best if we all arrived a bit early to ensure that everything is in place, wouldn't you agree?" Rarity continued to make plans and arrangements which became increasingly elaborate, stopping only for a sip of water or to pose a couple of questions to the rest of them (most of which concerned whether or not it would be possible to carry twelve racks of dresses at once). "And Rainbow Dash, I have a little proposition for you and Fluttershy." "Shoot." "As you are both pegasi, would it be too much trouble to share a room when we're in Canterlot? The place where we'll be staying has a discount for pegasi groups since they get so many Cloudsdale tourists visiting." Strangely enough, the suggestion wrought a visible change in Rainbow's demeanour. Her casual attitude fell away, and she shrank back slightly from Rarity. "M-me and Shy? Together? U-umm, I don't know if..." "Wow, Rarity! That's a pretty clever idea!" Pinkie interjected, apparently oblivious to Rainbow's hesitance. "Dashie and Fluttershy would be just fine with that, wouldn't they?" "B-but Pinkie Pie, I-" Pinkie slowly twisted her head round to look at Rainbow Dash. Despite her lingering cheerfulness, Twilight could almost feel the atmosphere surrounding her drop a few degrees. "Wouldn't they?" she repeated, to which Rainbow gulped and nodded rapidly. "Yeah... n-no problem. That's not a problem is it, Fluttershy? Because if it is I can always-" "Oh, I'm so happy we can share a room again, Rainbow Dash! We haven't done that since back in Flight School - this will be just as much fun, I'm sure!" "Yeah..." Rainbow said feebly. It was almost like she didn't want to share a room. But why wouldn't she? Twilight silently pondered the issue; nothing sprung to mind, aside from a frankly ridiculous thought involving Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and a large barrel of cider. "That's settled then! Now, Twilight, you haven't had a dress refitting done in a while, so if you could pop by the boutique tomorrow we can get that sorted - just so we're sure - that would be marvellous." "Tomorrow?" Twilight said, a note of discomfort in her voice. "Rarity, can we do that another day? I have... something on tomorrow." "Really? And what would that be?" "Well, uh, Fluttershy is actually helping me out with my castle. It needs a bit of renovating." Rarity reacted with predictable surprise, and also a touch of affront. "I... wow. You're renovating? Interior décor, I presume? You could have talked to me about this, Twilight. That is my area of expertise, after all." Fortunately for Twilight, she was saved the effort of finding a good excuse as Applejack entered the conversation. "Flutters is good at that sorta thing to, y'know. She helped me organise some stuff the barn a while back - something that you, Ah remember, said was too 'mundane' ta help with," she sneered, complete with her trademark eyebrow raise. Rarity flushed a deep red, made even more pronounced by the contrast in colour with her coat. "S-S-shifting b-boxes around doesn't require my talents!" "What's that horn for, then?" "My horn is a tool of precision, not a plaything for you to access whenever you don't feel like moving your own equipment around!" Twilight's mood cheered as she watched her two friends bicker heatedly. Their personalities were so at odds that letting them bounce off one another was always a treat to observe - it was a mark of the strength of their friendship that they could argue so often and yet still remain such good friends. Maybe it was because they had been through so much together. Those experiences served to expand their affection for each other, making them more comfortable as companions. But if that was the case... She tilted her head backwards so that her field of view increased, allowing her to indirectly see Fluttershy in the corner of her eye, sitting with, as usual, an innocent look on her face. Why was it that she felt odd around her? Twilight hadn't realised it before, but lately she was definitely feeling... different, whenever she was around her. Lighter, almost. The simple act of looking at her made Twilight's breathing laboured - that wasn't normal, surely? Not for a friend? "Twilight, dear?" Twilight's insides lurched, and she quickly swivelled to face Rarity. "Err, yep?" "You were a bit... glazed..." Rarity tailed off as she noticed what - or rather, who - Twilight had been gawking at. Initially, she showed only mild bewilderment, but then something appeared to click in Rarity's mind. Her brows furrowed. "Were... hmm... Twilight, you said Fluttershy was helping you, correct?" "Y-yes!" Twilight replied jumpily. "Did you ask her... personally?" "Yes, o-of course! Why do you ask?" Twilight said, not quite meeting Rarity's eye. Rarity didn't respond immediately, but slowly rubbed her chin. "I was just curious dear, that's all. And Fluttershy, is this the first time you've helped anypony with something like this?" "Oh, um, yes. I think so." Fluttershy said, looking up from her attempts to coax a piece of celery into Angel. "I see. That's interesting, I must say." "Interesting? Bah! You should try giving a pair of legs to all the pastries in Canterlot Castle, now that's interesting!" The amused voice above them elicited a gasp from Fluttershy and smiles from the others. "Discord! You're here!" Beaming, she flew up into the air to throw her hooves around his neck. The two of them slowly decended back onto the ground, both looking over the moon. "I thought you would be in Canterlot for a lot longer!" Fluttershy exclaimed, as Discord detached various limbs from his body to give them a shake. "Me? Stay there?" he said in a tone of mock affront. "Oh Fluttershy, you know I can't stand being in one place for too long - it drives me CRAZY! Not that I need any help in that department," Discord added with a lighthearted wink. "Still up to your usual tricks, Ah see," Applejack chuckled. "You expected anything less? After all you ponies have taught me about friendship, I would assume it's only polite to return the favour. I need to teach everypony a thing or two about chaos!" "But you told me I was already an EXPERT at chaos!" Pinkie exclaimed, leaping up off the ground to an absurd height. "As you are, Pinkie Pie, as you are. You're the only one with a proper education," Discord replied, producing a mortar board from nowhere and placing it on Pinkie's head. "And I presume that little cloud I gave you is behaving itself?" "Yup! And let me tell ya, that thing is a-maz-ing! Mrs Cake said it's cut the Sugarcube Corner chocolate costs by over half!" "Probably because you eat the stuff from the cloud instead of from their cupboards," Rainbow sniggered, casting Applejack a look that set them both off in a fit of subdued snickering. "Hey! I heard that!" Twilight smiled as she watched Pinkie start to bicker playfully with them, only to have Discord join in with grandiose chocolate-guzzling impressions that made all three of them laugh even harder. It was nice to see the Draconequus finally mixing in with the group properly, rather than just spending all his time with Fluttershy. That wasn't to say that he was any less troublesome though. "So, Discord, what exactly were you doing in Canterlot?" Rarity broke in. "A certain somepony told me that you were talking to Princess Celestia about that... ah... minor affair, you, erm..." "Please, Rarity, let's not dance around these things. We're friends, after all!" His tail flicked across the top of her mane affectionately, and in doing so completely messed it up. "But alas, it seems somepony doubts my honesty and integrity! Celestia and I were merely engaging in some afternoon chit-chat. Ooh, I swear, you wouldn't believe the kind of things Luna uses in her shampoo!" "So Princess Celestia didn't even mention what happened with Tirek?" Twilight said questioningly, talking over Rarity's disgruntled mutterings about mane care. "Nope. Surely you weren't spreading rumours to sully my good name, were you?" Discord said with a sly grin. Twilight felt a strong warmth in her face as seven pairs of eyes rested upon her. "T-that's - I mean - no! I just thought, she might have wanted to check..." "I'm kidding, just kidding!" Discord chortled, before suddenly extracting an enormous pocket watch from behind his back and consulting it. "Dearie me! Ladies, lovely as this has been, I'm afraid Fluttershy and I have our monthly catch-up session right about now." A small gasp was just audible from beside him. "Goodness, you're right! I forgot that it was today." Fluttershy said, seemingly concerned. She turned to the rest of them. "Um, would it be OK if...?" She beamed widely as a series of affirmatives sounded from around the blanket. "Thank you everypony! I'll see you all again next week at our Pony Pet Playdate! Oh, and Twilight, I'll see you tomorrow to start decorating!" Twilight coughed and spluttered as she tried to talk through a mouthful of daisy sandwich. "Mhrph-mrph! Ohay Fla-sha! See oo om-owo!" Her embarrasment intensified sharply as she heard the poorly disguised laughs from the rest of her friends. Oh, no. She was being a complete klutz, and worst of all in front of Fluttershy! Quickly, think of something! Twilight gave Fluttershy a pained grin. A few daisy petals unstuck from her teeth and fell to the ground. "Well, um, yes. Bye!" Fluttershy giggled. With a fluttering of wings, she and Discord took off into the sky. The others waved to them as they glided slowly into the horizon, until they were nothing more than pinpricks in the distance. "Alright!" Rarity stomped her hooves purposefully, trying not to notice Twilight's look of absolute mortification. "I think that should just about do for today. I've got to go and prompt - or should I say, force - Sweetie Belle to take a bath." "Yeah, Tank's probably getting hungry. Mind if I pick up a couple of things from Sugarcube Corner before I head back, Pinks?" "No problemo! Are you thinking biscuits, pastries, cake or chocolate? Ooh, why don't I whip up a batch of my super special chocolate chip, sugar-coated, pink icing cookies!? I haven't done that in, like, a few days! Which is aaages!" "I was only planning to get a few cupcakes..." Rainbow said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, let's go now before it's too dark. Are - are you coming, Twilight? The castle's not too far from there." Twilight didn't move or speak. Rainbow Dash sighed. "Shoulda known it would come to this. AJ, pass me that glass of water." "Uh, okay. Here. Why do you - " Her half-formed question was immediately answered as Rainbow tipped the glass over Twilight's head, drenching her. Blinking through her straggled, sopping bangs, she seemed to come to. "Wha... What in Equestria...?" "There we go! Right, Twilight, you coming or not?" Twilight gaped wordlessly at Rainbow's partly-impatient, partly-amused expression for a few moments. She slowly nodded her head. "Cool! Let's get going, then. Bye Rarity, AJ!" "Bye girls!" Pinkie added with a cheerful wave. "G-goodbye..." The three of them set off down the hill, one bouncing, one hovering, one staggering, and followed by a small, purple dragon shouting "Wait for me!" It was a good few minutes before their hoofsteps died away, leaving a silence to drift over the two remaining mares. Applejack scratched the back of her mane and yawned. "Boy, Ah'm kinda beat. You go, Rarity, Ah'll just pack up the last of this and take it back with me." She bent down with a mind to collect some of the scattered plates, but even as she reached for the first one she felt a gentle hoof on her shoulder. She glanced up to find Rarity's mouth set in a hard, contemplative frown. "Applejack... We need to talk." Applejack gulped. When Rarity 'needed to talk' without punctuating her sentences with dramatic sighs, you could be sure as anything that it was serious. "About...?" "Twilight."
Chapter 1 - DwellingMaybe it was because she was simply feeling under the weather, but Twilight was in a dull mood. She sighed as she walked through the dusty corridor. The sound of her hoof steps echoed through the barren halls before fading away into the patches of shadows that seemed to be all too common inside the crystal castle. What this place really needs is a little light, Twilight thought, as she continued towards the great doorway that stood at the end of the hallway. Those windows barely let any sunlight through as it is, and it surely couldn't hurt to have a few candles here and there to lighten the place up, could it? Twilight placed a hoof against the door and gave it a slight push. It swung inwards with a creak, revealing the gleaming crystal thrones that she and her friends had sat in, maybe... a couple of months ago? Had it really been that long since they defeated Tirek? Everything had been so much brighter back then. There had been parties that lasted for days - a feat possible only with the help of a certain Pinkie Pie - and a special celebratory meteor shower, courtesy of Princess Luna. Everypony in Ponyville had been as happy as Twilight had ever seen them, and her brand-new castle had been open for all to explore and enjoy. Now that the novelty had worn off, however, hardly anypony felt the need to visit her... residence. She really wished she didn't have to call it that, but 'home' just didn't feel quite right. That was a word reserved for the one, special place that made you feel warm and safe, and she felt anything but that inside her castle. When her friends were around, the place lit up in a dazzling show of radiance and beauty, but without them? It was utterly lifeless. To some extent, she reasoned, whilst crossing the huge star emblazoned across the floor of the throne room, her feelings were likely due to the loss of the library. That had been her special place; at least until Tirek had destroyed it. Her loss was still as raw and harrowing as it had been back in that fateful moment. She could picture the rampant ball of flame hurtling closer and closer, the deafening explosion, the charred, smoking, irreparable remains of - No! Stop. Twilight shook her head, determined not to dwell on the subject. No need to make it any more painful than it already was. Upon reaching her throne, she let herself slowly unwind and sink into it. Or tried to, in any case. Crystal wasn't exactly the most comfortable material in Equestria. How did Cadence do it on her crystal throne? Was there some sort of royal sitting position for this kind of thing? Hmm. Maybe a little research wouldn't go amiss. Perhaps the Castle of the Two Sisters had a book with a spell for turning crystal into pillows. Twilight tapped a hoof against the arm of the seat erraticly as she struggled to recline. What was with her today? She was getting all stressed for absolutely no reason - although, she reluctantly admitted to herself, it wouldn't be the first time that had happened. Finally, she let her head fall against the icy throne head-rest. The coldness was comforting in a way. Twilight let it wash over her as a veil of drowsiness clouded her vision, taking her deeper into an all-consuming desire to sleep. Her conciousness gradually slipped away as - "HEY, Twilight!" "Gah!" Twilight snapped out of her stupor in shock, only to find a pair of rose coloured eyes hovering just in front of her face. She released a relieved breath and rolled her eyes. "Rainbow Dash. I should've known. Really, do you have to surprise me like that?" "Oh man, every time! Priceless!" Rainbow snorted, casually doing a back flip in mid-air. "Is there something you want to ask, or are you here because you have nothing better to do?" "As a matter of fact, Twi, there is something," Rainbow said, apparently oblivious to Twilight's somewhat cutting tone. "You know how A.K. Yearling - or Daring Do, I guess - released her new book last week? Daring Do and the Hunt for the Fire Ruby? Yeah, well I reaaally need to borrow your copy since my first edition one isn't gonna arrive for, like, four days and -" "Rainbow, I don't have the new Daring Do book." Twilight said bluntly. Please tell me she hasn't forgotten that... "What? But, you always get the latest Daring Do books right away! Always!" "That was before my library was blown up, if you'll recall. Remember that, Rainbow?" Rainbow winced. As a rather sceptical pony, she was very familiar with sarcasm; Twilight's voice was positively dripping with it. "Oh, yeah... Sorry to bring that up. Forgot..." Twilight stamped her hoof in annoyance and turned away. Some ponies had the irritating habit of speaking before thinking, and Rainbow Dash was at the top of that list. Ugh. For the first time in recent memory, she actually wanted to be alone! Rainbow peered at the back of Twilight's head concernedly. Even if she had been getting on Twilight's nerves a bit, it was weird for her to be this sharp with anypony, least of all her friends. Then again, this was Twilight. She could sometimes be a little grumpy, often after a long night of studying. Rainbow shuddered; she was sure that she'd rather live in Tartarus than regularly do that kind of thing. Better check, anyway. "Uh, Twilight? You haven't been studying too much recently, have you?" she asked tentatively. Twilight slowly turned back to face Rainbow. Oh. Another wince. Stupid, stupid Dash. Twilight had just reminded her the library was gone. "Sorry, sorry, I - you seem a bit off, Twi, that's all. Is everything OK?" The icy glare Twilight had directed at Rainbow melted away as her whole body sagged a little. She sighed heavily. Rainbow was right: she was out of sorts. Snapping like that was usually unheard of for her, even if Rainbow had been getting on her nerves a bit. It was this Celestia-forsaken castle that was making her feel this way! It was a little ironic, considering that the place was supposed to symbolise friendship. "Ah, you're right. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so harsh," Twilight said with an apologetic glance in Rainbow's direction. "Nah, it's OK. Everyone has that feeling now and again," Rainbow replied, waving a dismissive hoof. Really, she was just glad that Twilight seemed to be okay. Ish. "So, what's gotcha down, anyway?" "I... have a problem that needs addressing." "Hey, I'm your friend, Twilight! You can share it with me, right? Unless it's some icky romance problem, Rarity would probably be better for that kind of thing." "No, no, nothing like that," Twilight said, clambering off her throne and beginning to pace. The feelings she thought she had supressed were convulsing in her stomach again. "It's more of a... well, maybe I'm being silly, but, I... um... well..." There was a groan of frustration from up in the air. "Spit it out already!" "I, it's...! I...! "ARGHH! It's this castle, Rainbow Dash!" She couldn't take it anymore. Her pent-up feelings had finally reached their limits, creating an verbal overspill of frustration, sadness and confusion. "It's just so dark and dreary in here! There are those glowing crystals hanging from the roof, I suppose, but it's not enough! Those windows are so rough and thick that light can't get in that way either, but I can't start investing time in getting a better lighting method or anything because I'm supposed to be doing my princess duties, or studying with the few books I do have! "Except, of course, there isn't even anything to study from! How can I learn with basically no books? Nopony wants to visit me any more either since I'm not running the library so I don't get to see anypony from Ponyville except you guys, and I'm supposed to be the Princess of Friendship, for Celestia's sake! "Plus, it's too dull all the time! The walls and rooms are so bare, it doesn't feel like a place to live at all! And do I get to enjoy myself? I'm not saying I thought it would be constantly fun and games, but I had hoped for a little more than... this! I liked how things used to be back in the library, but it... it's... gone." Tears began to gather in the corners of Twilight's eyes she saw Rainbow Dash staring at her with a half open mouth. Her problems felt pathetic, now that she had said everything she wanted to say, as if they she was simply nit-picking. But she couldn't, simply couldn't go on living with them. The little absences in her life were almost unbearable. She suddenly heard a rush of air and a rustling of feathers as Rainbow swooped down beside her. A comforting wing draped itself over her shoulder, and with a sniffle Twilight looked up in mild surprise. Rainbow's expression was fierce, determined, and yet at the same time gently reassuring. "Twilight Sparkle, listen up. I, I'm not good with words, I know that, but hear me out. It's OK to be upset, you know? Any pony would be upset if they lost their home, it's natural, I guess. Don't sweat it over that, or this place. This castle feels weird and wrong because you're not used to it yet, alright? Look, when I first moved to Ponyville, I was... a little - just a little - nervous, since it was a new town, new house, everything was unfamiliar. It takes time for this stuff to sink in. "And hey, what you said about everypony not visiting? You still go out from time to time to see them, right?" Twilight began to nod, but then stopped. Now that Rainbow mentioned it, had she been visiting anyone except her best friends recently? She certainly couldn't remember the last time she had been to see Zecora, and that lunch with Cheerilee seemed a lifetime ago. "W-well, actually, I suppose I haven't really. I've been so busy ever since I moved in." "Yeah, see? As soon as your schedule clears up, you'll see everypony, no worries!" "You... you could be right there." "You know I'm right! It'll be fine!" For the first time that day, a small smile graced Twilight's lips. Rainbow Dash truly could be a loyal friend - she had rarely appreciated it as much as she did now. "Thanks, Rainbow Dash. You really helped," she murmured softly, nuzzling her head deeper into Rainbow's embrace. "Huh, well, that's what friends are for," Rainbow said with a slight touch of embarrassment. Snuggling was totally not her style, although she guessed she could make an exception for a friend. The two friends sat there, neither saying a word. Both knew it wasn't necessary - they sat, enjoying the simple tranquility of companionship. She didn't know how long it had been, but for once the all-punctilious Twilight didn't care. She was content, laying by Rainbow's side, watching the slowly pulsating jewels up above. It was a nice feeling, contentedness. She hadn't felt it in quite a while. Eventually, Rainbow stretched her legs and looked over at Twilight. "Oh, I also had an idea about that whole 'it's-way-too-dull' thing you were worried about." "Oh? What's that?" Twilight enquired, withdrawing her head from underneath Rainbow's wing. "You could ask someone to help you decorate this place a bit!" "Rainbow," Twilight began with a hint of exasperation, her mind already starting to formulate a list of issues with the suggestion, "I can't just go and... I mean, I'd... I..." She faltered. "What?" Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow. Hmm. Come to think of it, there weren't any actual complications. "What's wrong with that? It's a great plan!" Rainbow exclaimed, once again taking off into the air. "Uh, there might be one or two things I'd need to consider, but I actually think I agree with you. It is a pretty good plan!" "Ha, I knew it! Awesome!" "I'll have to find somepony to help me refurbish, though." This point calmed Rainbow's excitable chattering, and she took on a more thoughtful demeanor. "True. Maybe Applejack? She paints that ol' barn often enough, a castle isn't that much different." Twilight wrinkled her nose as she got up. "It's not about the colour scheme, Rainbow, it's about making it feel more homely. And come on, Applejack? She'll be busy on the farm. This is most likely going to be a long term project, you know." Rainbow grinned sheepishly and ran a hoof through her mane. "Fine, I didn't really think that one through. Okay then, how about Rarity?" There was a pause as Twilight considered the idea. Rarity was, of course, more than capable of transforming any ordinary object or concept into something incredibly 'fabulous', but was it really fabulousity she wanted? Not particularly. The castle already had a certain amount of pizzazz - which was admittedly impressive at times - but right now that wasn't very important. There was also the nagging suspicion that Rarity would totally go overboard. The shaping of an entire castle was way too much of a temptation for her. Twilight bit her lip. "Rarity is... qualified, yes, but I'm sure she'd prefer something a little more ambitious than this. Besides, I'd like to keep this, er, low-key." "I'll be sure to let her know that you think she's too imposing, then," Rainbow said, hiding her smirk behind her hoof. "What? No, I didn't say -" Twilight blurted, but her rising panic was instantly quelled by the sounds of Rainbow sniggering. "Oh, haha. Very funny." "Hehe! You worry too much, Twilight. Element of Loyalty, duh. I wouldn't do something like that." "So you claim." "Okay, at least not to my friends. Anyway, if you want 'low-key', then the perfect pony for that is Fl-" "Fluttershy!" The two mares swivelled their heads towards the source of the noise, a small purple dragon who was currently running across the room as fast as his short legs would allow. Spike reached them and bent down, breathing heavily. "Saw, Fluttershy, just now," he panted, fighting for air. "What's wrong? Spike, tell me!" Twilight spoke urgently, certain that something was amiss. "She was, running past, Quills and Sofas, crying, her eyes out. Was, worried, came here." Before he had even finished, Rainbow had crouched down low and spread her wings. Her face was contorted in fear, tinged with white. "I gotta get to her, now!" "No," Twilight said firmly, grasping her by the shoulder. Rainbow's expression darkened and she opened her mouth, but Twilight swiftly cut her off. "I'm faster. Say here with Spike." With that, an ethereal glow formed and swirled around Twilight's horn. There was a blinding flash of white light. Rainbow screwed her eyes shut, but as quickly as it began it ended. She opened her eyes. Twilight had vanished. Rainbow glanced at Spike, who was still catching his breath, then moved her gaze upwards. The ceiling was nothing but a haze of inky blackness. "Fluttershy..."
Chapter 2 - CommittingHer surroundings sharply regained focus, disorienting Twilight a little. No matter how many times she teleported, she could never quite get used to the sensation; the only adequate description she could give to it was 'having the world shift beneath your hooves'. Still, that was irrelevant now, as there was something more pressing that required her attention - namely, the pink-and-yellow mass huddled on the vermilion rug in front of her. Twilight didn't say anything at first. She merely crossed the room and settled down next to Fluttershy, allowing a bit of space between them. A slight twitch of the yellow ear next to her told Twilight that her presence had been acknowledged, but Fluttershy said nothing. Instead, she curled up into an even tighter ball. Oh, Fluttershy. What happened? Gently, Twilight shuffled herself along the floor, closing the small gap between the two friends. She sensed the trembles running down Fluttershy's back, and had to restrain the urge to swamp her in a big, warm hug; the sadness and pain radiating from Fluttershy was making it exceedingly difficult not to. Her friend's well-being was more important right now, Twilight reminded herself, and this needed to be done slowly if she wanted the shy mare to open up to her. Almost there... Ah. It's okay now, Fluttershy. Twilight exhaled, allowing the light pressure on her side to increase as her friend lent against her. It was the signal she had been waiting for - reaching out, Twilight ran a calming hoof over Fluttershy's soft, silky feathers. The trembles ceased immediately, leaving only a quiet, almost inaudible breathing that Twilight could nevertheless feel resonating in the still summer air. She felt peculiar, as though she were... in tune with Fluttershy. It was strange - Twilight had never felt this connected with anypony before. A minute passed in near silence, the only sounds being the occasional sniffle from her left side. Every time it happened, Twilight softly stroked Fluttershy's wings, hugging her tenderly until the noises receded. It wasn't like how Rainbow had treated her, with a reassuring breath of confidence and a boldness that had struck down Twilight's doubts without any hesitation. No, this was deeper. Much deeper. One could say intimate, although obviously in a platonic way. Eventually, Fluttershy looked up. Tear-drops clung to her long, delicate eyelashes, and Twilight's heart ached with a mixture of sadness and anger. How could anyone do something to hurt such a kind, wonderful soul? "Twilight?" Fluttershy mumbled her name in a small voice. "Yes, Fluttershy?" "I'm... I'm sorry." "For what exactly? You haven't done anything wrong, Fluttershy," Twilight said, brushing a pink mane aside so she could properly look Fluttershy in the eyes. She absent-mindedly noted how bright they were, like glistening sapphires. "In fact, it seems that somepony has done something to you." Except, teal-coloured sapphires. Or more like the ocean, actually: gradual, calming, enchanting... "So, uh, would you mind telling me what's the matter?" Fluttershy opened her mouth, then closed it. She dropped her gaze and slowly shook her head. "It's, um, nothing. Don't worry about it." To her surprise, however, she felt a little nudge in her side, prompting her to raise her head again. Twilight sat, head tilted, a smile etched on her face. "Come on Fluttershy, do you expect me to believe that a brave pony like you would cry over 'nothing'? I've seen you face off dragons before!" "B-but, that was only because my friends were in danger. I could never normally do something like that..." "There's more than that! Remember when you had to send those Breezies away?" Fluttershy did remember, quite clearly in fact. It was one of the toughest things she had ever had to do, making her new friends leave like that. At the time, it had broken her heart, even if it was for the best. Twilight smiled knowingly. "It was incredibly hard, wasn't it? But you did it. So when I see you crying, Fluttershy, I do worry. Because I know if it wasn't important to you, it wouldn't make you cry." Wiping her eyes on the back of her foreleg, Fluttershy sniffed and - to Twilight's inward delight - gave a weak smile. "You, think I'm strong? Me?" Fluttershy shifted in place. "Of course, Fluttershy!" Wow, her coat looks so fluffy when she moves... Twilight imagined what it would be like to poke Fluttershy again, imagined her adorable giggle. She so wanted to hear that laugh. "Oh my, I didn't think anypony... thought that... Um, Twilight, are you OK?" "Huh?" Twilight's attention suddenly snapped back to reality, which led her to notice that Fluttershy was looking at her with a puzzled expression. Oh Luna, she shouldn't zone out like that. "Er, yes! Yes, just fine! So then, Fluttershy, can you tell me why you're upset? Did somepony do something?" "..." Fluttershy averted her gaze. A silence hung over them, unbroken, as Twilight waited hesitantly for an answer. When Fluttershy did finally speak however, it was not at all what she expected. "It's..." She took a deep breath. "Twilight, I don't think I'm ready to share this with you or anypony else right now. Is that OK?" "Oh... well, if you're sure, Fluttershy, then it's perfectly OK. Remember that we're here for you, though." "I know. Maybe some day." Hmm. This was a spanner in the works. She had been sure that if she approached the issue with enough care, Fluttershy would certainly have told her the problem! It had worked for Rainbow Dash with her, anyway, and this was a very similar situation. She and Fluttershy weren't having the best of days. Hopefully not everypony was feeling so down recently. With an exceptionally graceful stretch of her back, Fluttershy got to her hooves. Despite her crying, she still looked stunningly pretty, Twilight noted with no small amount of jealousy. After having a breakdown, Twilight's appearance could only be likened to a train wreck. It just wasn't fair. Ooh, wait a second, what is that? She would hate to be accused of nosiness - especially considering that Fluttershy had specifically told her she wasn't ready to share her problem with anypony - but could Twilight help it if her eyes strayed to the crisp, white letter clutched protectively in Fluttershy's grasp? That letter was probably why her friend had been so upset... If only she could sneak a peek at the address! What? No, Twilight! Friends don't betray each other's trust! If there was one thing she had learned from hanging around Pinkie Pie, it was to never, ever, EVER do anything like remotely that, lest she face the consequences. Fluttershy, meanwhile, had walked over to her desk and deposited the letter, a pensive expression on her face. She absently turned back to Twilight, then suddenly seemed to notice something. Hang on, she didn't see me staring, right? "Twilight, were you-" "I have something to ask, by the way!" Twilight cut in quickly, silently praying that Fluttershy would ignore her clumsy attempt to change the topic. "What is it?" Fluttershy replied, with - to Twilight's relief - no hint of accusation in her voice. To the contrary, she had a bright smile, much brighter than before. Perhaps she did feel better after our conversation? Excellent! Oh, hold on, she should give Fluttershy a reply. Of course, Twilight wasn't totally sure of what she was going to ask, seeing as her words had been more of a diversion than an actual question, although they had made a distinct impression on her. It was a common sensation, one Twilight usually felt when she was forgetting something. So, what was it that she was forgett- OH! She hastily cast her mind back to the conversation she and Rainbow had recently had. What Rainbow had been about to say now made her feel rather stupid - in retrospect, it should have been the first thing she thought of. Or rather, the first pony she thought of. Twilight cleared her throat. "Ahem! Well, it's to do with my crystal castle. I was wondering whether you could lend me a helping hoof with something over there?" "Ah, I... see." The smile that Fluttershy wore slipped ever so slightly. She glanced to the side, scuffing her back leg against the rug. Oh dear, she really hated to disappoint her friends. She hoped Twilight would understand. "Twilight, I'm really, really sorry, but your castle is too..." "Wait a minute!" Twilight's sudden outburst surprised Fluttershy. Did she realise that I was going to decline her favour? Oh, no! I bet she's really mad now! Small tear drops pooled in the corners of Fluttershy's eyes. "I- I'm, s- sorry Twil-" "No, no! I'm not angry or anything, Fluttershy, I just wanted to explain more clearly!" Twilight exclaimed, placing a reassuring foreleg on Fluttershy's shoulder. The contact felt... nice. "Okay, I know that you were going to decline. I guess you find my castle uncomfortable, am I right?" It pained her to admit it, but Fluttershy nodded. It was so big, and kind of scary! She didn't like the dark at all, and her animal friends refused to go inside it for reasons she completely understood. All in all, it made Fluttershy feel greatly overwhelmed, a feeling that she had been struggling to suppress her whole life. Even so, she still made it a point to visit Twilight every now and again - it wasn't worth losing a friend over, after all. She did try to arrange their meetings in more welcoming places, though. "I know it's your new home, Twilight, but I find it so, um... frightening! I didn't want to hurt your feelings, though," Fluttershy said timidly. "But that's just it! You understand completely!" Twilight squealed happily. She could not have found anypony more perfect for this! Fluttershy watched Twilight's energetic bouncing with an increasing sense of puzzlement. "Are- are you sure you heard me properly?" "Yes, yes! You hate my castle, that's great! Terrific!" "W-what?" Twilight's elated bouncing ground to a halt as she noticed Fluttershy's look of pure confusion. Oops, got carried away there. "Sorry, Fluttershy, I don't mean that it's great that you hate it, I mean it's great we share the same sentiment. The castle is too... well, I suppose 'frightening' does come pretty close as a good description. None of the townsponies visit me anymore, not even Cheerilee! "I don't suppose it's me, seeing as everypony treated me the same when I became a princess. You know, Rainbow Dash pointed out to me earlier that I should make more of an effort to go and see everypony in town. I can't even remember if Zecora is white with black stripes or black with white stripes! I haven't seen Roseluck for a while, either. "But even so, it'd be nice if they did the same back! I doubt they will visit though, the whole 'crystal-palace-for-a-new-princess-right-on-your-doorstep' is somewhat... you could say..." "Intimidating?" Fluttershy finished, giggling a little at Twilight's rambling. It was a habit of Twilight's that she loved - the expression on her face was really quite cute! "Exactly! My point being, I need to make it less so. I assume you know what I intend to do?" "Uh... convert it into an animal sanctuary?" "Wha-? No! I'm going to redecorate the place, of course! Won't it be great, Fluttershy? We can clean it up and make it much nicer, and all the while we'll get to spend a lot of quality time together! Just you and me, alone, the two of us having lots of-" Twilight froze mid-speech as her brain caught up to her mouth. "Err, what I meant to say was, it would a good way to spend some time together, don't you think? As friends." "Why, yes, Twilight! I'd be more than happy to help you, only..." "Only?" "I would still need some time to care for all the little critters at home, that's the only thing." "Oh, Fluttershy," Twilight said, sporting a cheerful grin, "That's not a problem! I could go and help you care for your animals in exchange for your help in the castle. Would that be alright with you?" "Definetely! It sounds wonderful!" "Great! Then, would next week be a good time to get started?" "I'll check my calendar, but I'm sure that it should be okay." Unfortunately, Fluttershy never got the chance, for at that moment an almighty crash sounded from outside as a section of the wall caved in. A rainbow-coloured blur whizzed across the room, colliding - rather painfully - with the opposite wall and taking a number of ornaments with it. It promptly became apparent that the blur was none other than a befuddled Rainbow Dash, who glanced from side to side blearily. "F... Fluttershy? That's you, right? Why is there four of you?" Rainbow mumbled as she made a feeble attempt to pull herself out of the rubble. The mare in question was standing stock-still, her mouth slightly ajar. Her eyelid twitched. If Twilight wasn't currently flat on her back from shock, then she might have wondered what emotions were running through her right now - astonishment? Anger? Horror? As it happened, it was Fluttershy's instinctive caring that won out. After a quick few blinks to establish that the whole scenario wasn't merely some crazy dream, she galloped over to Rainbow Dash and bent down to her level. Twilight (who had now recovered from the inital trauma) watched Fluttershy perform a rapid series of inspections to ensure that there was no serious damage to Rainbow. She was perplexed by the expression of the yellow mare, however - the usual calm, compassionate demeanor that she associated with Fluttershy was gone, leaving behind the presence of a much more serious pony, one who was prepared to do anything it took to make sure that a creature she deeply cared for was alright. Twilight looked on in awe - the powerful resolve that had manifested in Fluttershy could easily rival that of Applejack, or even Rainbow Dash herself! She couldn't help but be impressed. "Wings?" "F-fine." "Legs? This may hurt a bit." "They're okay- OUCH!" "This too." "OWWW!" Once Fluttershy had checked and re-checked everything for absolute certainty, she allowed her normal personality to fall back into place. Which, of course, meant tackling to the floor Rainbow with a crushing hug. "Oh my goodness, Rainbow Dash! Don't ever do that again, okay?" "Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say. Anyway, are you okay?!" Rainbow smacked her forehead with a hoof in frustration. "I'm the one that's supposed to be checking up on you, not the other way around! What were you crying over? Was it bad? Who sent it? I'll-" "Shh," Fluttershy said tenderly, as she gently pulled Rainbow Dash in for a hug. Rainbow stiffened in surprise, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. "It's fine now, I promise. I was just talking to Twilight about her castle." Rainbow muttered something that Twilight thought might have been 'That's cool', and then lent back whilst stretching her forelegs and wings out to their fullest extent. Weird. Twilight had anticipated a slew of questioning and prodding over the details of her and Fluttershy's arrangements, but Rainbow sounded as though she had completely lost interest. Oh, it was probably just Twilight being self-obsessed. Not everything revolved around her life, at any rate. Fluttershy spoke as she brushed a few stray wood shavings out of her mane. "We can finalise things at the picnic tomorrow, right Twilight?" "Yep! It'll be a good time to think things through." "Y- yeah. Think things through." Rainbow repeated, now reasonably steady enough to stand up without toppling back over. No, wait. Twilight was now sure that something was up with Rainbow Dash. Presumably the knock to the head on the way in had made her a bit loopy. Whatever the case, she was really in no fit state to go home alone. Twilight stooped low, providing Rainbow with an impromptu crutch. Another benefit of being an alicorn - all that Earth Pony strength was really coming in handy now. "If you need any help fixing that up," Twilight said, gesturing towards the pegasus-shaped hole in the wall, "Let me know." "It shouldn't be a big problem, but thank you for offering, Twilight." "No, no! I'll help! When I feel less... dizzy, that is..." Rainbow piped up, stumbling off to her left yet somehow managing to avoid knocking over anything. The other two winced. "I'd better take her home. Don't want any accidents to happen," Twilight whispered to Fluttershy, who nodded discretely. Both knew that Rainbow valued her pride more than almost anything else in Equestria, so saying it outrightly to her would doubtlessly result in Rainbow insisting she walk home by herself. And then, accidents would happen. "I'll see you tomorrow. Bye, Fluttershy!" "Goodbye! Be careful!" "See you, Shy..." Twilight and Rainbow left through the front door, one leaning heavily against the other. Fluttershy gave them a warm wave as they disappeared off over the hill leading away from her cottage and into the soft, orange sunset. She was thankful to have such good friends. One's she really cherished. Several rays of evening sunlight shone through the gap in her curtains, illuminating an old, antique desk that sat in the corner of the room. It had a single drawer, which contained a single object she had put in there not too long ago. Fluttershy frowned at it, then turned away. Out of sight, out of mind. For now.
Chapter 3 - FlourishingOut to the far western edge of Ponyville lies the well-known Sweet Apple Acres, thought to be one of the earliest residences in the whole town. At least, that was what Granny Smith regularly yelled at passers-by during her non-napping hours, and nopony was foolish enough to argue with her. What was less well-known about the place, however, was that there was a lush, green hillock that sat hidden from sight directly behind the barn. Only a select few ponies were aware of it's existence, but those who did were able to occasionally - when the weather was nice - plod up to the top of the hill and enjoy the beautiful view of the expansive orchard that stretched out into the distance, as far as the eye could see. A single, solitary willow tree cast a hazy shadow over the hillock, swaying back and forth in the light morning breeze. The conditions were as perfect as could be for the six ponies (plus dragon) who were currently making their way up it. "Come on, y'all! Only a bit farther now!" The southern twang that split the air belonged to none other than Applejack, who was leading the group with a confident and steady trot. Her cry of encouragement was met with a collective chorus of moans and grumbles, the loudest coming from Rainbow Dash who for once had all four hooves on solid ground. "Seriously, AJ? We've been walking for hours-" "Barely twenty minutes." "-and my hooves are getting sore! Why can't I just fly to the top anyway?" Rainbow complained, throwing Pinkie an annoyed look. "Oh, don't be silly, Dashie!" Pinkie said happily, bouncing backwards up the hill. Ordinary ponies might question how in Equestria she was doing it, but the others had been around the crazy mare long enough to simply accept whatever logic-defying antics she pulled. "Using your wings is cheating! We all have to go up together, fair and square!" "Quite right, dear!" agreed Rarity, wheezing a little. She was at the tail end of the group, accompanied by Fluttershy on whom she was leaning. "I don't... want to have to suffer... alone!" "You won't have to suffer any longer, we're here," Twilight chipped in, smiling as Rarity collapsed onto her inexplicably summoned fainting couch in relief. Calling her a 'drama queen' would be akin to calling a swarm of parasprites a 'minor issue' - she was in a totally different league. "Finally!" said Spike weakly. He looked just as fatigued as Rarity, probably due to the large, heavy wicker basket he was carrying on his scaly back. "Man, this thing weighs a ton!" "I'm sorry, Spike - I would carry it for you, but I can't perform two different spells at the same time and Princess Celestia said she'd try and contact me at some point today using a two-way spell. I have to be ready to mantain the magic on my end." "Why does the Princess want to talk to you?" Fluttershy asked as she began to unpack the basket, begrudgingly assisted by Angel. "Oh, I think she just wanted to discuss how Discord was doing after, you know, that incident." "Yeah... Discord wasn't very fun at all when he was with that big bad guy," Pinkie said sadly, but brightened up almost at once. "Still, he's great now! Oh, I never got around to telling you - because I was babysitting the Cake twins and all - but yesterday Discord finally, FINALLY made me my own, personal candy floss cloud! Isn't that just superific?!" "That's great, sugar cube. Ah'm just glad that he's really starting to feel like one of us now, you know what Ah mean? Pinkie, gimme a hand with this picnic blanket, please." "Sure thing!" The amicable chatting continued throughout the morning, accompanied by the intermittent sounds of ponies laughing. As the day worn on, many topics of conversation were explored, and eventually they reached something particular that Rarity had in mind. "So, darlings," - Rarity clapped her hooves together with enthusiasm - "I have something simply magnificent to tell you! I'm sure you are all aware of the upcoming Annual Canterlot Fashion Parade, yes?" Though Spike nodded eagerly, the others all shook their heads. She wilted slightly. "Really...? It's the biggest clothing exhibition in the entirety of Equestria! How can you not have heard of it?" Two simultaneous smacks could be heard as both Rainbow Dash and Applejack facehoofed. "Ah though you'd learnt somethin' about me and fashion back when that Trenderhoof guy was visitin', Rare." Rarity turned her nose up, sniffing haughtily. "Well, I had hoped that ordeal might have made you a little more sensitive to the crucial necessity of good style. Even so, I can't believe nopony at all knows even the tiniest bit about it! Fluttershy, aren't you supposed to be an expert with sewing and the like?" "It's just something I picked up when I was little," Fluttershy responded with a good-natured smile. "Anyway, weren't you were telling us something about this show...?" "Yes! Right, right, right. Well... what I wanted to say was... I'VE BEEN SELECTED AS THIS YEAR'S DEBUT DESIGNER! EEE!" "EEE! Rarity, that's sooo great! I bet you're super excited!" Pinkie squeaked merrily as she and Rarity bounded up and down in a most Pinkie-Pie-esque, un-Rarity-like way. "Congratulations!" "Well done!" "I'd congratulate you if I knew what 'debut designer' meant..." "Hush, RD. Good on ya, Rarity." "Ooh, thank you, everypony!" Rarity looked fondly at them all. Even if Celestia herself expressed her felicitations personally, it wouldn't mean as much as the support from her very best friends! She attempted to put on a nonchalant air. "Though you should all know, it's not really that important," she said, waving a breezy hoof. It wasn't that much of a fib. Oh, who was she kidding - of course it was! But in any case, there was still someone with their praises left unsung. "Anyway, I couldn't have done anything without the help of widdle Spikey-wikey here!" She leant over and gave Spike a tight squeeze. "It's all thanks to him we managed to get everything sorted out! He has so many contacts in Canterlot, it's truly astounding." Twilight watched as a vacant, dreamy expression slid across Spike's face. Honestly, that dragon... "It was nothing, Rarity," Spike sighed, caught in the midst of his painfully obvious infatuation. Rainbow coughed pointedly, which seemed to snap him out of his reverie. "A-hem, yeah. There was a bunch of ponies I used to hang out with when Twilight was off studying, and it just so happens that one of them was Fancy Pants's nephew. No big deal. It'll be good to see them again." "Ah, you'll look terribly cute in a tuxedo, won't you?" Rarity cooed. Her words gave Twilight pause for thought. "What do you mean? Is Spike helping you... model?" Rarity turned to her, surprised. "Didn't Spike tell you already?" "No...? Spike?" "Um..." Spike looked nervous as he spoke. "I didn't know if you'd agree to it or not, okay? Please, please let me do it, Twilight!" Twilight didn't say anything for a moment, her expression unreadable. She looked up. Spike bit his lip. Come on, Twilight... "I see how it is. There's only one thing to do - I'm coming with you!" Spike's face lit up, beaming. "You mean it?" "Definitely! Come here, you!" And for the second time in as many minutes, Spike found himself wrapped up in a hug. Rarity clapped her hooves in jubilation. "Wonderful! That means that both of you will get to be there at the parade!" "Woah, hold up missy. You didn't think the rest of us would pass up on this, did ya?" Applejack chuckled, swinging a foreleg over Rarity's shoulder. "Tain't no way we're missin' this if it's that important!" "Oh... r- really? You'll all come and s-see me?" A film of tears glazed Rarity's eyes, causing Rainbow Dash to laugh, though in a nice way. "Aw, c'mon Rare, don't get all sappy. We'll be there, no worries." "Yes, it will be just like when we when to cheer on Rainbow Dash in Cloudsdale!" Fluttershy added, "Except less dangerous. Unless... uh, fashion ponies don't do dangerous things, do they?" "With the possible exception of that Photo Finish, I doubt anypony will do anything foolish, darling," answered Rarity with a small chortle. Typical, adorable Fluttershy. Rarity turned to the rest of the group, looking exceptionally pleased. "My dears, I can't thank you all enough for this! I'll show you a proper expression of my gratitude when we're in Canterlot, but for now we need to get everything organised! It's taking place in a few weeks, but I think it would be best if we all arrived a bit early to ensure that everything is in place, wouldn't you agree?" Rarity continued to make plans and arrangements which became increasingly elaborate, stopping only for a sip of water or to pose a couple of questions to the rest of them (most of which concerned whether or not it would be possible to carry twelve racks of dresses at once). "And Rainbow Dash, I have a little proposition for you and Fluttershy." "Shoot." "As you are both pegasi, would it be too much trouble to share a room when we're in Canterlot? The place where we'll be staying has a discount for pegasi groups since they get so many Cloudsdale tourists visiting." Strangely enough, the suggestion wrought a visible change in Rainbow's demeanour. Her casual attitude fell away, and she shrank back slightly from Rarity. "M-me and Shy? Together? U-umm, I don't know if..." "Wow, Rarity! That's a pretty clever idea!" Pinkie interjected, apparently oblivious to Rainbow's hesitance. "Dashie and Fluttershy would be just fine with that, wouldn't they?" "B-but Pinkie Pie, I-" Pinkie slowly twisted her head round to look at Rainbow Dash. Despite her lingering cheerfulness, Twilight could almost feel the atmosphere surrounding her drop a few degrees. "Wouldn't they?" she repeated, to which Rainbow gulped and nodded rapidly. "Yeah... n-no problem. That's not a problem is it, Fluttershy? Because if it is I can always-" "Oh, I'm so happy we can share a room again, Rainbow Dash! We haven't done that since back in Flight School - this will be just as much fun, I'm sure!" "Yeah..." Rainbow said feebly. It was almost like she didn't want to share a room. But why wouldn't she? Twilight silently pondered the issue; nothing sprung to mind, aside from a frankly ridiculous thought involving Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and a large barrel of cider. "That's settled then! Now, Twilight, you haven't had a dress refitting done in a while, so if you could pop by the boutique tomorrow we can get that sorted - just so we're sure - that would be marvellous." "Tomorrow?" Twilight said, a note of discomfort in her voice. "Rarity, can we do that another day? I have... something on tomorrow." "Really? And what would that be?" "Well, uh, Fluttershy is actually helping me out with my castle. It needs a bit of renovating." Rarity reacted with predictable surprise, and also a touch of affront. "I... wow. You're renovating? Interior décor, I presume? You could have talked to me about this, Twilight. That is my area of expertise, after all." Fortunately for Twilight, she was saved the effort of finding a good excuse as Applejack entered the conversation. "Flutters is good at that sorta thing to, y'know. She helped me organise some stuff the barn a while back - something that you, Ah remember, said was too 'mundane' ta help with," she sneered, complete with her trademark eyebrow raise. Rarity flushed a deep red, made even more pronounced by the contrast in colour with her coat. "S-S-shifting b-boxes around doesn't require my talents!" "What's that horn for, then?" "My horn is a tool of precision, not a plaything for you to access whenever you don't feel like moving your own equipment around!" Twilight's mood cheered as she watched her two friends bicker heatedly. Their personalities were so at odds that letting them bounce off one another was always a treat to observe - it was a mark of the strength of their friendship that they could argue so often and yet still remain such good friends. Maybe it was because they had been through so much together. Those experiences served to expand their affection for each other, making them more comfortable as companions. But if that was the case... She tilted her head backwards so that her field of view increased, allowing her to indirectly see Fluttershy in the corner of her eye, sitting with, as usual, an innocent look on her face. Why was it that she felt odd around her? Twilight hadn't realised it before, but lately she was definitely feeling... different, whenever she was around her. Lighter, almost. The simple act of looking at her made Twilight's breathing laboured - that wasn't normal, surely? Not for a friend? "Twilight, dear?" Twilight's insides lurched, and she quickly swivelled to face Rarity. "Err, yep?" "You were a bit... glazed..." Rarity tailed off as she noticed what - or rather, who - Twilight had been gawking at. Initially, she showed only mild bewilderment, but then something appeared to click in Rarity's mind. Her brows furrowed. "Were... hmm... Twilight, you said Fluttershy was helping you, correct?" "Y-yes!" Twilight replied jumpily. "Did you ask her... personally?" "Yes, o-of course! Why do you ask?" Twilight said, not quite meeting Rarity's eye. Rarity didn't respond immediately, but slowly rubbed her chin. "I was just curious dear, that's all. And Fluttershy, is this the first time you've helped anypony with something like this?" "Oh, um, yes. I think so." Fluttershy said, looking up from her attempts to coax a piece of celery into Angel. "I see. That's interesting, I must say." "Interesting? Bah! You should try giving a pair of legs to all the pastries in Canterlot Castle, now that's interesting!" The amused voice above them elicited a gasp from Fluttershy and smiles from the others. "Discord! You're here!" Beaming, she flew up into the air to throw her hooves around his neck. The two of them slowly decended back onto the ground, both looking over the moon. "I thought you would be in Canterlot for a lot longer!" Fluttershy exclaimed, as Discord detached various limbs from his body to give them a shake. "Me? Stay there?" he said in a tone of mock affront. "Oh Fluttershy, you know I can't stand being in one place for too long - it drives me CRAZY! Not that I need any help in that department," Discord added with a lighthearted wink. "Still up to your usual tricks, Ah see," Applejack chuckled. "You expected anything less? After all you ponies have taught me about friendship, I would assume it's only polite to return the favour. I need to teach everypony a thing or two about chaos!" "But you told me I was already an EXPERT at chaos!" Pinkie exclaimed, leaping up off the ground to an absurd height. "As you are, Pinkie Pie, as you are. You're the only one with a proper education," Discord replied, producing a mortar board from nowhere and placing it on Pinkie's head. "And I presume that little cloud I gave you is behaving itself?" "Yup! And let me tell ya, that thing is a-maz-ing! Mrs Cake said it's cut the Sugarcube Corner chocolate costs by over half!" "Probably because you eat the stuff from the cloud instead of from their cupboards," Rainbow sniggered, casting Applejack a look that set them both off in a fit of subdued snickering. "Hey! I heard that!" Twilight smiled as she watched Pinkie start to bicker playfully with them, only to have Discord join in with grandiose chocolate-guzzling impressions that made all three of them laugh even harder. It was nice to see the Draconequus finally mixing in with the group properly, rather than just spending all his time with Fluttershy. That wasn't to say that he was any less troublesome though. "So, Discord, what exactly were you doing in Canterlot?" Rarity broke in. "A certain somepony told me that you were talking to Princess Celestia about that... ah... minor affair, you, erm..." "Please, Rarity, let's not dance around these things. We're friends, after all!" His tail flicked across the top of her mane affectionately, and in doing so completely messed it up. "But alas, it seems somepony doubts my honesty and integrity! Celestia and I were merely engaging in some afternoon chit-chat. Ooh, I swear, you wouldn't believe the kind of things Luna uses in her shampoo!" "So Princess Celestia didn't even mention what happened with Tirek?" Twilight said questioningly, talking over Rarity's disgruntled mutterings about mane care. "Nope. Surely you weren't spreading rumours to sully my good name, were you?" Discord said with a sly grin. Twilight felt a strong warmth in her face as seven pairs of eyes rested upon her. "T-that's - I mean - no! I just thought, she might have wanted to check..." "I'm kidding, just kidding!" Discord chortled, before suddenly extracting an enormous pocket watch from behind his back and consulting it. "Dearie me! Ladies, lovely as this has been, I'm afraid Fluttershy and I have our monthly catch-up session right about now." A small gasp was just audible from beside him. "Goodness, you're right! I forgot that it was today." Fluttershy said, seemingly concerned. She turned to the rest of them. "Um, would it be OK if...?" She beamed widely as a series of affirmatives sounded from around the blanket. "Thank you everypony! I'll see you all again next week at our Pony Pet Playdate! Oh, and Twilight, I'll see you tomorrow to start decorating!" Twilight coughed and spluttered as she tried to talk through a mouthful of daisy sandwich. "Mhrph-mrph! Ohay Fla-sha! See oo om-owo!" Her embarrasment intensified sharply as she heard the poorly disguised laughs from the rest of her friends. Oh, no. She was being a complete klutz, and worst of all in front of Fluttershy! Quickly, think of something! Twilight gave Fluttershy a pained grin. A few daisy petals unstuck from her teeth and fell to the ground. "Well, um, yes. Bye!" Fluttershy giggled. With a fluttering of wings, she and Discord took off into the sky. The others waved to them as they glided slowly into the horizon, until they were nothing more than pinpricks in the distance. "Alright!" Rarity stomped her hooves purposefully, trying not to notice Twilight's look of absolute mortification. "I think that should just about do for today. I've got to go and prompt - or should I say, force - Sweetie Belle to take a bath." "Yeah, Tank's probably getting hungry. Mind if I pick up a couple of things from Sugarcube Corner before I head back, Pinks?" "No problemo! Are you thinking biscuits, pastries, cake or chocolate? Ooh, why don't I whip up a batch of my super special chocolate chip, sugar-coated, pink icing cookies!? I haven't done that in, like, a few days! Which is aaages!" "I was only planning to get a few cupcakes..." Rainbow said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, let's go now before it's too dark. Are - are you coming, Twilight? The castle's not too far from there." Twilight didn't move or speak. Rainbow Dash sighed. "Shoulda known it would come to this. AJ, pass me that glass of water." "Uh, okay. Here. Why do you - " Her half-formed question was immediately answered as Rainbow tipped the glass over Twilight's head, drenching her. Blinking through her straggled, sopping bangs, she seemed to come to. "Wha... What in Equestria...?" "There we go! Right, Twilight, you coming or not?" Twilight gaped wordlessly at Rainbow's partly-impatient, partly-amused expression for a few moments. She slowly nodded her head. "Cool! Let's get going, then. Bye Rarity, AJ!" "Bye girls!" Pinkie added with a cheerful wave. "G-goodbye..." The three of them set off down the hill, one bouncing, one hovering, one staggering, and followed by a small, purple dragon shouting "Wait for me!" It was a good few minutes before their hoofsteps died away, leaving a silence to drift over the two remaining mares. Applejack scratched the back of her mane and yawned. "Boy, Ah'm kinda beat. You go, Rarity, Ah'll just pack up the last of this and take it back with me." She bent down with a mind to collect some of the scattered plates, but even as she reached for the first one she felt a gentle hoof on her shoulder. She glanced up to find Rarity's mouth set in a hard, contemplative frown. "Applejack... We need to talk." Applejack gulped. When Rarity 'needed to talk' without punctuating her sentences with dramatic sighs, you could be sure as anything that it was serious. "About...?" "Twilight."
