Pattycakes: Needs

Fluttershy sat in her chair, taking a sip of her tea.

Rainbow lay in her crib, sleeping like a baby.

So, there was plenty of time for company.

Twilight sat in the chair across, not daring to drink yet.

Fluttershy chuckled at her friend's stillness, "Oh, Twilight. Do you think I put Foalmula in all my guests' drinks?"

Twilight answered with a raised eyebrow, "Perhaps?"

"No. No, you came over here to discuss something important. So, no extra little one for mommy. Maybe when we're finished?"

"Sorry, not this time. Have to get home afterwards. Spike needs me to help re-alphabetize the library again."

Fluttershy shrugged, understanding she couldn't get her way all the time. Sometimes, her foals had to be grown-ups.

Fluttershy motioned for Twilight to carry on with her news.

Twilight did, knocking back the tea before outright saying, "We need adult Rainbow back."

Upset, Fluttershy slammed her teacup on the coffee table, almost smashing the cup to pieces before getting prepared for an argument.

She grit her teeth, glaring at her friend seriously, "Maybe I should've drugged you."

Twilight rolled her eyes, not even the tiniest bit frightened, "Fluttershy, will you just listen? This is a hard topic to swallow, yet it would go down easier if you listen to it in full."

Fluttershy sighed, crossed her hooves to her chest, and would try to keep from another outburst.

Twilight listed off the positives of Fluttershy's motherhood, sweet-talking her friend, "First, I must say you are such a great mother. In the beginning few weeks, you were stumbling. Yet now, you can give Rainbow as much care as any mother who has a foal. I think anypony else would have not been able to hoofle the pressure of your...child. Yet, you did! And, you should be proud of yourself! And, she's given you so much confidence! You were about to stand up for yourself! To me! And, you wouldn't have done something like that before. Sure, you can take things a bit too far, but all in all you've grown for regressing Dash."

Fluttershy blushed as she smiled, finding the praise to be too much, "Y-you think so?"

"I know so!"

"T-then, why would you want me to part with my little Dashie?! The very pony who made me strong enough to stand on my four legs with pride since she couldn't?!"

Twilight's eyes lost the enthusiasm from before, swiftly turning to a depressed stare, "Because I want Equestria to last for more than a year."

Fluttershy didn't know which road Twilight was taking her on to see this decision in a positive light, and it's the curiosity that kept her silent.

Twilight almost started to cry, which she had to break away from to continue, "Because...what will we do when another villian returns?! What can we do?! They'll easily defeat us! Without Rainbow, we're...gone. We can't last. We are Equestria's defense when all is hopeless, and won't be there when we're needed most! How can Rainbow operate her Element when she can't even spell loyalty? Buck, barely even say it! What will we do, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy tried to save herself from the guilt of a destroyed Equestria, "What if I find somepony as loyal as Rainbow?! There must be...somepony out there."

Twilight shook her head, tears really streaming down now, "No. No, no, no. Dammit, no! That is her Element! You know nopony else could. And, I...I want my friend back. Please, Fluttershy! Please, for me. For the others! That would get Applejack to speak with you again!"

Fluttershy's ears dipped in light irritation from Twilight bringing up her and A.J.'s...disagreement, "I can wait a little more. Lasts until the end of the month. Then, we'll talk again. She promised."

"Fluttershy...do you really think Rainbow can stay your foal? F-forever?"

"Well...I don't know. I don't know! Why can't you just let her be?! She's happy! Happy, Twilight! H-happy!"

Now, Twilight's waterworks had progressively run dry. Fluttershy's was just beginning.

She had to cup her mouth to keep from the cries being too noisy, hating to let her Dashie hear her weep if that was possible.

Twilight wanted to comfort her friend. So...took the oddest route, yet the one she knew Fluttershy would appreciate.

Twilight magically stayed Fluttershy's hooves to their sides, which caused Fluttershy to cry more openly. Then, in one quick motion, climbed into her lap, and cuddled into her chest childishly.

Fluttershy began to shiver from the emotions within her being so conflicted, and attempted to calm down by hugging Twilight tight enough that the Unicorn's magic may not have been able to free her.

Twilight sat within her friend's hold for around five minutes. Five minutes of Fluttershy's shaking/sobbing while petting Twilight's mane and back as if she were the one in need of support.

When Fluttershy was seemingly done, Twilight was released.

Twilight got up, yet only went to the back of the chair to place her hooves over Fluttershy's shoulders.

And, thought of a solution, "What if...you still get your foal? And...we get own friend back as well?"

Fluttershy glanced down, shadows covering her eyes as she slipped out, "H-how?"

"Well...do what you do with us. Just, in reverse."

"Huh?"

"You keep us on a little schedule. I come in this day, somepony else another day, etc. Yet, it only lasts a day. Well...why not give Rainbow Dash a day or two a week to be an adult? Then, she can stay your foal the rest of the week without any word from anypony else. Not even Applejack. I'll speak with her."

"Though...what's to stop Rainbow from...remembering somehow she was a foal?"

"The Foalmula worked on me. I didn't remember anything the first time. Or, the second. Or, any time after that."

"Yeah. That's a day, though. What if she remembers, Twilight?! She loves me so much as my baby! I can't stand to know how she would react to our new relationship if she were mentally an adult again! It...it probably wouldn't be good."

"...If she remembers being your foal...I will do something. Something. Just...don't worry about that. I will make sure you have your foal. No matter what happens. You will get your foal to keep. Too important for you, emotionally and mentally, to just let everything you've done so far be taken away like that. By me."

Fluttershy giggled at how Twilight always knew what to say, "I doubt anypony else in Equestria would've been able to change my mind on a full-time foaled Dashie. You did, Twilight. I believe in you. I trust you will let me keep my foal no matter what. You...are the smartest of my babies. Mommy l-loves you."

Twilight left Fluttershy's side, going to the door since her work appeared done.

She said as her magic gripped the doorknob, "Heh. Twi...woves her mommy, too."

Fluttershy waved away the mare, replying even more motherly as Twilight opened the door, "Mommy woves you back! Yes she does! Yes she does!"

"Fluttershy, s-stop it! Ha! You do know I only humor you, right? I'm not into the whole foaling thing like Pinkie or Big Macintosh!"

"Sure, sure. I believe you. You're a big filly. Why you can go potty all by yourself, hm?! Only need Mommy most of the time."

"You just want to see me blush, hm? Alright, alright. See you tomorrow. I'll get the others, including A.J., over here then. Okay?"

"Okay."