~~~~Monday~~~~

The Golden Oaks Library

Twilight turned and decisively nodded. “Right, Spike! One more time on the checklist!” Her little dragon assistant raised his quill and smiled in waiting. “Examine the maid applications, double check Silver Shill’s resume for bursar, make final decision on seneschal, lunch with Sunset, and log the new book delivery.” The list thus repeated, Spike gave her a big thumbs up and rolled the thing up before hoofing it over. She sighed heavily. “Sweet Luna, I’ve got way too much to do. Luckily, things should be slowing down after today...” She made to lean back into the wall in minor exhaustion, but her body hit a warm soft body instead that instantly made her smile.

“I got up early to see you this morning, Mistress,” Sunset murmured, lightly kissing Twilight’s cheek. “Thank you for these as well, I slept better than I have in days.” She wriggled out from behind Twilight and shook one of her hooves. Or, well, more appropriately the sleeve of a far too long pajama shirt. She looked so adorable, and Twilight allowed herself a little grin and pat on the back.

Twilight leaned in and returned the kiss. “I’m glad you like them,” she said warmly, and eyeballed the clock. “Lunch at one today, okay? I’ve got no idea how long the interviews will go this morning, and I’d like to make sure I can take a long lunch.” She leaned to nuzzle against Sunset’s cheek, sighing softly. “I’m sorry things’ve been so busy, love. I promise that this ridiculous nonsense won’t last much longer.” Not if she had anything to say about it, anyway. Well, at least most of the nonsense was easy nonsense.

“I know,” Sunset said. “I trust you, Mistress. And… well, it’s not so bad. At least I don’t get in your way being here.” Her eyes went blank when she said it, and if Twilight’s considerable experience were anything to judge by she was very busy with her own thoughts. Yes, she had to get all of this finished up and quickly. If she was decisive, Sunset would follow suit. Not to mention Twilight actually being able to be there to talk with her, no matter how long she needed. But, as long as she wasn’t blowing up Ponyville for stress relief, Twilight had to say Sunset was handling it all better than she’d thought she would.

“Will you be at Rarity’s most of the day?” she asked. She might’ve been a lot more self-sufficient lately, but Twilight felt it of paramount importance that she know where Sunny was, or at least the general area. Just in case something… less than positive happened. “What’s she still needing help with now that she’s moved in all the way?”

“Well…” her love replied, some color finally entering her voice. And amusing at that. Her annoyed drag couldn’t have been more obvious. “Apparently...” Sunny’s eyes rolled, “apparently the paint on the walls inside lost it’s ‘shine’ while she was gone, so I’m helping her repaint the place one room at a time. Why didn’t she wait to unpack, Mistress? I wouldn’t have to be moving half the furniture I am now.”

Twilight had to laugh softly. “Because it’s Rarity, Sunny. That’s actually fairly standard for her. She never trusts first impressions when it comes to the style of something.” Twilight had to roll her eyes a little too. “Don’t ask me to explain how it works, I certainly don’t have her eye for fashion or her keen instincts in the world of sales. At least she isn’t replacing her floors again.” She hesitated then, wondering if it was time to ask or not but… “So, how are you two getting along now, hm?”

“You know, I keep telling her she should just hire some - Oh… yeah, that. We… uh, deal with each other mostly,” Sunset replied. “It’s… weird. Pinkie had a good word once I’d use… um… Oh! Yeah, frenemies. That’s the best way I explain it.” She sighed expressively. “It’s not so hard as it was, Mistress, I’ll admit for you, but I still don’t like being in her house. Meeting her on the street wouldn’t be so bad maybe.”

Well that was… progress, at least. She’d take progress over recidivism “Well, hopefully we can get to something a little better with some more work.” Twilight said as brightly as she could, and purposefully ignored Sunset’s flat return stare. “Right, I’d better get on top of this, Sunny.” She kissed her warmly once more on the lips and nuzzled her cheek. “Good luck today. Make me proud.”

Sunset smiled faintly at her, and Twilight hurried off toward the door while glancing at the top of the list. Wait a minute… Pinkie Pie wants to be my maid?! She facehoofed even as she rushed out the door.

~~~~Wednesday~~~~

Sweet Apple Acres

“Thanks for seeing me, AJ. I know you’re in the middle of the busy season and all, but…” Twilight hesitated over her words. Getting Applejack to take time off of work had seemed like a miracle. Of course, she probably should have suspected Applejack already knew she was having issues and had made time to help her deal with it. “Just thank you,” she finished, putting on a smile that probably looked way past nervous.

“Pft,” Applejack huffed out, and then rolled her eyes. “Twi, yer the absolute last pony I ever expect to ask me fer anythin’. You’ve built up more than yer share of credit ‘round these parts. Besides, Big Mac’s off doin somethin fer himself today so I ain’t gettin’ much done as it is.” She doffed her hat for a moment to wave Twilight into the living room. “Grab a seat, partner. I’ll get the good stuff.”

“The what?” Twilight balked but hopped up on the chair in curiosity. Applejack returned a moment later with a pair of shot glasses balanced in her hat and a dark brown bottle with no label between her teeth. “What’s that, Applejack?” She’d seen more than her share of liquor bottles over the years, but nothing that looked quite like the strange labeless bottle AJ was carrying.

Her friend grinned at her. “You remember cousin Johnny Appleseed, from the last reunion?” Twilight tentatively nodded, the stallion having had a distinctly sly look about him when Applejack had introduced them briefly. “He runs the family distillery down in Tenneighsee. Makes all of our whisky and brandy.” She held up the bottle with a clever smile. “This is made from our crop right here, an’ it’s the strongest stuff they make. Calls it Applejack Johnny’s Whiskey, an’ he sends me the first batch outta the stills every year.”

Twilight blinked at that little spiel of information, and even more so as the dark amber liquid poured into the glass. It smelled strong, even from here. “I spread around a few bottles t’ friends. It’s supposed to be pretty expensive in the real bars.” She chuckled richly, setting the bottle to one side. “So. What’s th’ problem with that filly of yers?” AJ cocked an eyebrow at her, taking a slow sip of the liquor. So slow that Twilight instantly felt a lot more cautious about what was in her glass.

She didn’t know what to say at first, so she sipped some of the liquid absently… and nearly went into a coughing fit as a firey river of apples seared down her throat and made her entire stomach feel awfully warm. “Yanno, lemmie guess,” Applejack drawled, crossing her legs and leaning back to carefully regard Twilight. “Ya’ll are losin yer mind cuz somepony’s tryin’ to push somethin’ on ya yer not ready for.”

Twilight nearly sputtered and stared at Applejack, who continued on laconically. “Yer worryin’ over every li’l detail in yer life an’ ya can’t figure out how t’ talk to yer filly about it. An she’s got some bug up her plot ‘bout somethin she can’t figure out how t’ tell you about, cuz neither of y’all have ever done this dance before.” Applejack adjusted her hat, took another sip of the strong whisky and kept speaking. “So you two keep dancin’ around one another like yer in the middle of a ho-down an’ she keeps gettin’ her head in a tizzy about y’all lovin’ her, an you keep stressin’ yer pretty head over whatever ridiculousness th’ princess has ya bouncin around doin. Oh, an yer filly still can’t get over whatever stupidity got her tail in a frizz with Rarity. And neither of y’all can figure out how to talk to each other ‘bout it.” Applejack cocked her eyebrow up again, half smiling. “That about sum it up?”

Twilight couldn’t help but blurt it out. “How do you do that?!” Her exclamation was almost a shout, but not quite. Applejack was grinning confidently at her, and Twilight sunk back into the couch. “There’s a few details missing there, but that really is about the sum of it.”

Applejack shook her head. “Years of havin’ Big Mac as a brother. Ya learn to put things together without a lotta words.” She set her glass to the side and sighed. “I ain’t gonna lie, Twi. Yer up the creek on this one. That filly of yours needs t’ unravel before she’s gonna get any better, an’ that’s no lie.” She stabbed a hoof toward Twilight, and she winced away from it. “You’ve been coddlin’ her, Twilight. I hate t’ say it, but somepony’s gotta.”

“I suppose…” Twilight hedged, trying to wrap her brain around that statement. What on earth was AJ getting at? She hadn’t been that soft with Sunset, had she? She was sure she hadn’t been shielding her from everything at least.

AJ was giving her a long look, then settled back into the chair. “Twi, I need y’all to listen to me.” She waved at Twilight with a hoof and took on a serious look. “I’ve been ‘round long enough t’ have seen this before. Ya get a new couple, an they’ve got themselves a filly, an’ they’re all proud of the little tyke. Think she’s the tops, an’ can’t do no wrong. They love ‘er dearly, but they never let her fall an’ skin her knees none.” She pointed a sharp hoof at Twilight. “Anytime it looks like she’s gonna take a tumble, they’re there with pillows an’ sweetness, an’ she never learns how to be tough without bein’ mean.”

She sighed softly. “An’ time goes by, she thinks everything she does is the right an’ proper way of doin’ things. Can’t figure a time when the way she sees the world isn’t the right way, even when it’s obvious as the sun risin’. She starts thinkin’ she’s supposed t’ get her way.” She fixed Twilight with a beady eye. “An she starts thinkin’ the things she wants are hers by some kinda’ royal decree, an’ that’s when you get what happened with Rarity.”

Twilight winced in pain at the reminder of that party, but she had to fight some of these accusations. Sunny wasn’t really like that! “AJ, she needs some of that support and love.” Twilight leaned forward earnestly, pressing her hooves together. “She’s been through such a rough time, and she’s been isolated for so long that I’m worried about what a harsh treatment might do to her. If she doesn’t feel safe here, what’s that going to lead her to do?”

Applejack shook her head slowly. “Twi, that filly of yers obviously never got the discipline she really needed as a youngin’. Ain’t nopony had the stones to sit her down an’ tell her the honest truth, I’d reckon.” She snorted softly. “S’why she acts like a little filly all the time. She’s still tryin’ to grow up, an if yer not careful she’ll just turn back into the mare she was before. Cept’ this time she’ll have yer heart all twisted ‘round her hoof, an then where will we be?”

She leaned forward, gently prodding her hoof into Twilight’s chest. “I can’t tell ya’ll how to fix things, Twi. It’s yer marefriend, it’s yer life. But I’ve seen too many li’l fillies ‘n colts wander down this road, an’ when Life finally caught up to em it wasn’t pretty. It’s better when they get the lesson from somepony who loves ‘em, who’ll make sure to pick ‘em up and help ‘em heal when they need t’ be taught a lesson instead’a somepony just trying to knock ‘em down a peg.” She leaned back and huffed. “Or do ya’ll want yer Sunny turnin’ into a grown version of Diamond Tiara?”

“AJ… how long has it been since you’ve actually talked to her?” Twilight asked. She understood, to a degree, why Applejack was seeing and reasoning what she was, but there were other, deeper things there too. “Look, we’re both working on how much of an issue her inability to let go is, but… “ She rubbed her temples with her hoof. That whiskey and the whole past few days was really doing a number on her brain.

“Been a while. She doesn’t come round’ these parts much.” Applejack rubbed at her chin.

“Then you wouldn’t have seen what I have to look at, usually by the start of the afternoon almost every day,” Twilight cut her off. She didn’t mean to sound pretentious. There were just things she had to explain that nopony except her would know. “Applejack, I'm sure she knows deep inside she has problems. And around midday, I can see in her face how trying to deal with that wears her down. And I don’t want that to be all she can think about.” She gestured broadly, hoping she wasn’t sounding utterly inane. “Am I making any sense? She does try, and she does know. I’m just at my breaking point trying to figure out why it doesn’t seem to be working the way it should. She's so smart, she ought to know better than this!”

Applejack hummed softly, pouring herself another shot. “Cuz she ain’t got a reason t’ change yet, Twilight.” She sipped at the liquid. Slowly. She fixed Twilight with a hard look. “Ya’ll haven’t given her a reason t’change. ‘Til she believes she should change, she can try all day an’ not get mucha anywhere.” She half smiled then, rather suddenly. “I know you’ll figure it out though, Twilight. You always do.” Then she glanced to the side of the room, and Twilight turned to follow her gaze…

There, on a shelf, was a very familiar looking stuffy doll. In fact, Twilight was prepared to say that it was exactly the same as a very special doll that laid back in the library except it looked a great deal more feminine. Next to it, a small pile of empty vials were stacked neatly alongside her, and Applejack chuckled. “Eventually, at least.”

~~~~~Friday~~~~~

Golden Oaks Library

Twilight smacked her head into the desk just once to get it out of her system, then drew her head level with Celestia’s and exhaled. “Okay. The maids have been whittled down to around four candidates, and I’m putting my hoof down. I do not need more than two unless you intend to build me a new castle out here in the middle of nowhere. I’ll make a final decision by the end of the weekend.” She glared her best glare at her teacher and was rebuffed by cool serenity. “I’ve got a bloody doorpony picked out, and I’ve finalized my choices for personal guards and a couple of handyponies.”

She tapped out the list as she went down it, ruthlessly checking off boxes in her head. “Silver Shill has agreed to take the bursar’s position, and I don’t care what the Canterlot nobility thinks, I am not usurping Dash as the weather manager around here. If she’s got to be a formal part of the house, fine, but she’s keeping her job, and I’m giving her an official government raise!” She slammed her hooves into the desk, ratcheting up her glare a few notches. “And for Pete’s sake, yes! I’m going to have a decision on the housekeeper before we need to fill out the paperwork!”

Twilight huffed softly, and Celestia smiled with a tiny bit of pride at her. For some reason, that was annoying, so she kept talking slowly. “I’ve fulfilled my end of our bargain, and I’ve got my short list of everything but my…” she winced away, “attendants, which I refuse to do without Sunset’s input, and a pair of scribes to handle the legal paperwork, which come with the seneschal.” Now she stabbed her hoof at Celestia. “You said you’ve got two ponies in mind for my seneschal and castellan, and you’re going to go back to Canterlot to recruit them and let me have a weekend alone with Sunset.”

Celestia bowed her head with a slow smile. “Indeed I did. And you promised to have the discussion with Sunset Shimmer while I’m gone.” She cocked her head to one side. “Am I mistaken?’

Twilight wanted to grind her teeth. That was the very last discussion she wanted to have, truth be told, but she knew it had to be done. “I will be ready by the time you return on Tuesday,” she said softly. What she’d be ready for, she wasn’t sure yet, but she really hoped the list would include Celestia.

~~~~~Saturday~~~~~

Fluttershy’s Cottage

What was really maddening was how she was greeted. “So. Here to talk to me about Shims, eh?” Rainbow Dash cocked a very suspiciously familiar eyebrow at her. Twilight could have sworn she’d stolen it from Applejack and her conversation with her just days before. Twilight wanted to huff in indignation, but Dash took the wind clean out of her sails. “Come on in, Fluttershy’s already gotten the tea on.” Dash darted away from the door, leaving Twilight with a lungful of air and nopony around to care about her rant.

So she sullenly pushed past the door and closed it gently. Fluttershy’s cottage smelled richly of fresh tilled earth and sweet hay, and a small flock of birds sat upon the rafters as they pecked at trays of seed. Fluttershy herself was puttering about the place and sweeping up errant feather puffs. Dash flopped onto the couch and smiled at her. “Chill out, Twi. It’s not like we’re not looking out for you two.” She waved her toward one of the chairs, which Twilight sat primly down in much to Rainbow Dash’s amusement. “Besides, AJ already told me you were probably gonna come talk to us. We’re the closest you’ve got to experts after all.”

Twilight gave Dash a beady look. “You know, normally I’d ask if there was anything you lot didn’t discuss amongst yourselves, but I know better by now.” She sighed, but was in a way thankful for AJ taking the need to explain herself out of her hooves. Now she could focus on the problems. “She’s been getting moodier, even after Celestia left for the weekend.” She huffed out a breath. “Really, I could’ve sworn Sunny would be happy to have a few quiet days with me!”

Dash snorted softly. “Twilight, I saw her the other day heading to Rarity’s place. That filly’s so wound up over something you could use her to hold up a tent pole.” She flicked her hoof toward Fluttershy who nodded slowly. “She was just here about a week ago at Fluttershy’s place, absolutely bawling her eyes out over… something.” She eyeballed Shy, who quickly busied herself with her tasks. “And Fluttershy won’t tell me what, either.”

Twilight blanked at that, but then an idea came to her. “Probably thought I was talking about her with Celestia,” she sighed, shaking her head slowly. “I should be surprised, but I’m not. She keeps getting more and more suspicious, I think.” It hurt to admit that, even in front of two of her very closest friends, but things were getting increasingly out of control and in a very short period of time.

The time had come to fess up completely. “I don’t know what to do, Dash. I’ve tried everything I could think of. When she’s around me in the evenings, it’s like everything’s sunshine and rainbows but the instant I’m out of her sight, or she thinks I’ve gone, she just goes into this funk.” Twilight gently rubbed at her temple. It was hard to keep the desperation out of her voice, even as she descended into mutters. “And it isn’t helping matters that I’m stuck with all this selection of royal staff and that… conversation I still can’t figure out how to have with her.’”

Fluttershy squeaked a little, and Twilight arched an eyebrow at her. “Um… Have you tried asking her what’s wrong?” Fluttershy looked… well, she was dry washing her hooves and not making eye contact. The second part wasn’t unusual, but the first part was. “I mean, I know you’ve talked to her a bunch recently but…” Fluttershy wasn’t usually quite that direct. What had Sunset been willing to tell her, but not Twilight?

Twilight sighed softly. “I have. She keeps telling me it’s just her adjusting to things with Rarity, but she’s been ‘adjusting’ for three weeks now and it’s getting ridiculous!” She dropped her head into her hooves and stared into nothingness for a bit. “I can’t tell if things are going well for them, or if it’s just the calm before the storm. Rarity certainly isn’t saying.” She laughed faintly. “She keeps telling me Sunset’s been lovely and not to worry my head over it.”

Dash actually laughed at that one, smacking her thigh. “Sheesh, Twilight. You really can pick ‘em can’t you?” She shook her head once and half smiled. “Stuck between two crazy mares and you’re just trying to keep everypony happy. Typical Twi.” She half giggled at that.

“I hope you realize how completely unhelpful you’re being right now Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said, imbuing her voice with every ounce of sarcasm she could muster. Which, given how she felt, turned out to be quite a bit. “If I can’t figure out what’s going on… I can’t leave her, Dash, you know that.”

Fluttershy pressed a hoof into Dash’s shoulder, and Rainbow Dash blew out a sigh. “Of course I know that, jeez. I’m just tryin’ to loosen you up a bit, egghead.” She shook her wild mane out a little, reaching up to touch Fluttershy’s hoof. “You’re wound pretty tightly yourself, and nopony here wants either of you to lose it.”

“Then help me out here,” Twilight said, throwing up her hooves. “We all know, sorta, what the big issue is, but I can’t help her tackle that until we know what’s setting it off. And right now,” she puffed a strand of her mane out of her face, “I think Sunny’s the only pony around who knows what’s bothering her.”

Dash glanced nervously - Nervously! - at Fluttershy and got a little nod before she spoke again. “You want my best advice? Okay, here’s my best shot.” She leaned forward earnestly as Fluttershy settled down at the foot of her chair. “It’s a hard lesson to learn, Twilight, but anypony will tell you that when two partners don’t communicate that there’s a breakdown in trust somewhere. Sunset might think you’re not telling her something.” She frowned a little. “And in turn, she might not be telling you some things too. Both of you are probably thinking it’s something bad, even if it ultimately isn’t such a big deal.”

“But still Dash, everypony knows shes still ticked off at Rarity.” Twilight scratched at her brain. “What else is there? Or, Celestia forbid that’s still the problem.”

“She thinks you want to replace her,” Fluttershy piped up with a soft, squeaky sounding voice that caught Twilight completely by surprise. “Or, um…” She hesitated, then continued on quickly, “Maybe not quite that lurid, but she’s afraid she’s not doing enough for you. I think she misheard some conversation you were having and…” She gestured broadly. “She’s a wonderful filly, Twilight, but she has some very strong self-confidence issues. “

“Um, alright, that’s worrying, but at least it’s somewhere I can start…” Twilight murmured to herself, her mind already tracing back through the past two… weeks… “Oh shit.” She facehoofed, hard. “I’d bet anything that’s why she was home late that night.” Twilight couldn’t stop slamming her hoof into the arm of the chair. “Why did she have to walk nearby then! I mean the odds of that are astronomical. Nearly zero! Ugh, why!?”

Dash and Fluttershy were giving each other a strange look she couldn’t parse. “I think…” Dash said very slowly, “that you’d better tell us what’s been going on with the princess, Twi. I know you’ve been running around and talking to everypony about something, but I can’t make heads or tails of what’s up.”

“She’s, well...” Twilight sighed softly. “I don’t know exactly what she’s up to, to be honest, but here’s the basics of it.” Twilight allowed herself to just flop back as she tried to process how she was going to fix this. Had she known even a day or so afterward, things would be much simpler. But of course, she couldn’t have it that easy. She half-felt that would violate some inherent law of the universe. “Essentially, she’s dredged up some very old Equestrian laws which dictate that a royal princess has to have a certain amount of personal staff.”

Fluttershy blinked, and instant recognition came into her eyes. Dash, on the other hoof… “Well what in the world does that have to do with anything?” She sounded incredulous, but then, Dash was not the most avid history student.

Twilight opened her mouth to pontificate on the subject, when Fluttershy cut her off. “In the olden days, Dashie, powerful nobles were expected to have um…” She blushed a bright red, and it looked very fetching on her. “Sexual servants, for lack of a better term. They had them for lots of reasons, actually, but their primary purpose was to provide the head of the household with a safe sexual outlet that wouldn’t cause scandal.”

Dash blinked at her. “Wait, how do you know about… yanno what? I don’t wanna know how you know about that.” Her voice turned wryly amused, and Fluttershy just smiled mysteriously. “But, uh, that doesn’t make any more sense. Twi and Shims get plenty of action with each other. Why would Twi need more?” She turned back to face Twilight, and she could have predicted the next question even out of context. “You don’t want more do you? I mean, whoa…”

Fluttershy turned her head away a little and spoke in a very quiet voice as Twilight tried to register that insane idea in her usually logical brain. “Da- Mistress Dash, it would not be my place to speculate, but if it were, I would say the princess came from a different time. There are certain… old prejudices that still exist.” She looked up at Twilight, biting at her lip. “About the expected behaviors of princesses. Um. Not that I could tell you much about those…” Aside from the blatant lies at the end, that was fascinating and also kind of terrifying. What in the world had Celestia and Luna gotten up to all those centuries ago?

“No, Dash, I’m not a frisky mad mare. So you can stop looking so eager,” Twilight answered sardonically. “But yeah, that’s the long and short of it.”

Dash tilted her head back and hummed. “Well, maybe it’s not just about you. Maybe it’s about keeping Shims happy too, and maybe help you both stay kinda on an even keel.” She rubbed at her chin. “I mean, it can’t always be about the real intense thing you two’ve got going. That can get exhausting, you know? Even Fluttershy and I have occasional other partners.” She snorted, “Heck, Fluttershy had somepony in here just…” She paused, and turned sharply to look at Fluttershy. “Dove…” Her voice turned into a stern, warning sound.

Fluttershy squeaked softly and hid behind her wings in trembling nervousness. Rainbow Dash sunk her hoof into her forehead and shook her head slowly, and Twilight felt utterly lost. Dash reached down and pulled the hiding wings apart in a slow and deliberate gesture, and simply gave Fluttershy a ‘look’. Fluttershy squeaked again but began to speak tremulously. “I-i-i-i-i-it wasn’t intentional…” she whispered faintly, shivering in place. “She was crying, and she was so sad and lost and I was so worried she was going to…” She gulped. “Going to… to… to do what I did at the Academy…” She shivered again, and Dash’s eyes went wide.

“What on earth are you talking about, Fluttershy?” Twilight half whispered, wondering why the cold stab into her gut from the knowledge didn’t hurt as bad as it should. Sunset had cheated on her, and she’d been so worried about her accepting the attendants! She should be furious! She should be… But she wasn’t. Why? Because Twilight had been the entire reason for it? Because instead of waiting for Sunset to come home and have the real conversation with her present, she’d set off this entire chain of events? Or was she finally coming to realize the dreadful truth… That maybe she’d been doing this wrong the entire time?

Fluttershy gulped once, her wings fluffed up to maximum size as she tried to hide her face away. “I--i… my first m-marefriend… S-she dumped me. Before I got with Dashie. It… it… I got low, Twilight. Real low.” She sniffled once, and Twilight wanted very much to reach out to her. “I wasn’t very strong. Dash was so busy with the Speedsters, and I’d gotten so attached to her… She wasn’t even mean about ending it, It was just not working for us… but…”

Twilight’s mouth went dry, all at once. Fear grabbed hold of her heart and squeezed with the force of a god. Fluttershy had Dash’s wings wrapped around her, sobs heaving out of her throat. “I thought.. I was sure that nopony was ever going to love me like she did, ever again. I couldn’t handle it. I completely lost it… I went looking for a knife.” She sniffed again, just once, then raised her head high. “If Dash hadn’t found me, I’d have used it.”

Fluttershy sucked in a breath and spoke again, between the sobs in her chest. “S-so I brought her in, and we talked a lot and she just kind of leaned into me, and I knew she needed somepony else to trust and…” Her wings spasmed a little. “And I saw what was going to happen to her if she thought nopony loved her. I was so sure she was going to k-k-k-k-kill herself. I didn’t know what to do. I was panicked, but I couldn’t show her that or she’d run, and I… and I… Oh, please, don’t hate me!” her words exited in half a scream, enough to set Twilight rocking back on her butt.

Dash grabbed Shy’s hooves, and cooed softly. “Hey hey, settle down, Dove. It’s okay. It’s okay. Shh…” She tried soothing Fluttershy with gentle touches as the realization of what Fluttershy had done sunk into Twilight’s bones, little by little. “Shy? Stay with me hon… I’m not mad at you, okay? It's okay, we all mess up, shh....” Dash kept reassuring her, even as Twilight tried to pull herself out of the moment of shock.

Fluttershy’s chest heaved as she forced out the words. “I needed.. I had to make sure she knew she wasn’t alone.” She looked up, eyes full of tears and pleading with Twilight.. “P-please don’t hate me, Twilight… I just… I couldn’t think of what else to do. I had to buy time. I had to make sure she knew somepony else loved her too... That she wasn't going to be alone.” She sniffed once more, her eyes closing wearily. “I was sure if you had time, you could fix things. You always somehow do…”

Then, it all clicked. Slowly. A series of events, racked up like dominoes, set one after the other in sequence and each leading to the tumble of an even greater event. She’d been throwing her mental gears trying to understand how Sunset could go from one mental state to another so very quickly, and she hadn’t been able to figure it out because, of course, she had been missing vital pieces. It was like the keystone of an arch - without it everything else was just a big pile of rubble. With it, on the other hoof…

It was maddeningly simple. Sunset, overhearing a conversation because she had to have come home early from Rarity’s. She would have been upset, and terribly so. Twilight, assuming she’d simply gotten caught up in work, hadn’t even noticed. Who would she go to? Dash lived in the clouds, so that was out. Applejack she didn’t quite trust yet, so nothing there either. Pinkie Pie… yeah, right. That left, of course, Fluttershy.

Sunset had to have been horribly vulnerable. She’d made a decision in the heat of the moment, of a need for the love of others that she still couldn’t admit to herself. Once it was over, it would’ve gnawed at her. She would have turned what might’ve been the most positive thing Twilight could ever hope for into a reason for self-doubt and guilt, which would inevitably snowball into… everything else.

Like dominoes. Once one could see the pattern, dictating how it would all fall was foal’s play. Which meant… Twilight shot upright in her chair. “I’ve got to…” She could feel her breathing coming more rapidly. Her mind threw itself into overdrive. Sunset was on the edge of certain destruction, and she had to act swiftly. “Fluttershy, I need to go, but I most certainly do not hate you, even if I may need to yell at you later, but I need to go now.” Time. She needed to get Sunset alone. Clear her schedule. She knew where those dominoes would fall the last, and if they did…

No. She wouldn’t contemplate that. She had to interrupt the pattern somehow. Set Sunset on a better course. How would Celestia do it? She’d figure that out on the way. She turned and was out the door before Dash could speak again. She’d apologize later. To everypony, for being so bloody dense.

But first, she had to talk to… and save… her little Sunshine.

~~~~Sunday Night~~~~

Golden Oaks Library

Twilight laid atop her bed, with thin rays of moonlight streaming through the window. She was exhausted, of course, but everything else was handled. The staff was handled, the library was handled, Spike was handled, and Sunset was... handled. Everything was all wrapped up in a nice neat bow except one teensie tiny little itsy bitsy thing, and that very thing opened her door a few moments later. She cracked an eye at it, and then closed it shut. A week ago, that behavior would have horrified her, but it seemed Celestia had finally accomplished her goal of making Twilight feel capable of being casual around her.

The princess said nothing and closed the door behind her. She crossed the room, and still said nothing, and Twilight couldn’t honestly blame her. Why would she say anything to somepony who had just barely managed to keep everything from falling completely apart inside of a mere few days? What kind of princess was she, anyway? If she’d been taking this as a test, she’d barely qualify for a D minus, and Twilight was privately of the opinion that she probably shouldn't be given even that.

But the princess didn’t say anything. She simply stepped out of her hoofboots and laid aside her regalia. Her crown hit the ground next to her boots with a startling clang, followed by her torque. The weight of the Princess upon her bed was instantly noticeable, and a few moments later she was laying softly against Twilight’s side. A huge wing extended out and wrapped her up, and finally, the princess spoke to her. “I’m sorry for all of this, Twilight.”

Twilight turned to look up into those luminescent violet eyes and couldn’t swallow the words any longer. “Why are you sorry? I’m the one who screwed everything up. She was a goddess-damned mess from start to finish, and I was so wrapped up in trying to help her...” She turned away and buried her head back in her pillow… but the princess didn’t leave like she normally might have. She just hugged her, and it was a warm and familiar feeling from long,long ago that made her feel a little less icy on the inside.

The princess simply shook her head. “No, Twilight. You didn’t. One does not ‘screw up’ in relationships this complex. You simply made mistakes anypony with a big heart and not much experience would have made. Such mistakes were simply amplified by the deep issues involved.” Why was she being so kind to her? She didn’t deserve it. She’d done what she’d done to save somepony’s life, and just because that hadn’t ended well for her didn’t mean she deserved some kind of credit for it.

After all, this had all come back to her own incompetence. “Stop that, Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia huffed softly, and the soft wing buffeted against her head. “The last thing I am going to take is my faithful student beating herself up over things she could not control. You are a pony. You make mistakes, like anypony. even I make mistakes.” Celestia’s forelegs wrapped around her, and it was like being a little filly again. She turned without thinking and started to cry into that big white chest.

It was hard to think of it that way - just starting to cry. No weeping or sobbing or losing it slowly over time, just flipping the tears switch. She was certain she’d ruined everything, and now what could she do? Everything was out of her hooves now. Sunset would live, she’d be okay somehow, but Twilight didn’t know how she would ever be the same. “I was just trying to…” she began, and Celestia hushed her with a hug. There was no need for words right now, and Twilight was thankful for the comfort.

“There is much we will need to discuss,” the princess said quietly, “but for now, I think it might be prudent if you came back to Canterlot with me for a few days. Things need to settle out here before any further good can be done, and Princess Cadence will be arriving in Canterlot on Friday. Perhaps you can consult with her on what your next move ought to be.” And, unspoken, was Celestia’s assurance that this would mean Twilight wouldn’t have to face Sunset until everything else had settled itself out.

It was very tempting, she had to admit it. “That’s…” She exhaled softly. “Yeah, maybe that’s what we need right now. Maybe once I’ve been gone a few days…” She shook her head slowly, trying to blink back the tears. “L-let me go… pack up a few things. Maybe we can spend some time together.”

That put a smile on Celestia’s face, and it felt good to actually put a smile on somepony’s face. So she gently dislodged herself from the bed and began to gather up what she’d need. Her brush, her crown, a few nice items of clothing, her diary. She avoided certain other items of course. Things she couldn’t take with her because of… memories. “Okay. I’m sure mom and dad can help me with whatever I’ve missed.” She pressed herself into Celestia’s side, and like so many times before, they descended a staircase together.

Somehow, she’d fix things. Somehow, she could make it right again. Somehow she’d figure it out. Somehow… Click..

The door swung open ahead of them, and Sunset Shimmer walked through it. A second later, Rarity followed her, and Twilight stared at them in something approaching shock. “Wh… what’s going on?”

Sunset looked her dead in the eye and looked oddly serious. “We need to talk, Twilight.”

Author's Note

For people wondering where a certain scene is, it's in the next chapter.... and yes, this was a stylistic choice.