Cadence took a deep breath, walking through the exit of a portal. She walked through a very familiar store, looking over the clothes racks. She saw at least five dresses she'd like to add to her collection, but she wasn't here to shop. "Rarity?" She called, Cadence had sent a letter but it still felt odd to just teleport right on into a locked store.

A white and purple mare stepped through the curtain. "Princess, welcome. Sorry I got caught up in my newest dress. The client needs it by the end of the month. It must be one of my favorites." Rarity sang as she exited the back room, passing through dark purple drapes. "I got your letter."

Cadence smiled hesitantly, "I wanted to talk about...Discord and Sombra. Twilight's recent decision had me concerned. I'd like your input."

"I thought a lot about what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it. I have to be honest I think she wasn't right but she wasn't wrong either. Excessive punishment but one was still needed. If you ask me he earned at least acknowledgment for helping reform Sombra and all the progress since his mistake. Not a single reward for that, which is just unfair."

"I have so many mixed feelings about the situation. I'm frustrated that Discord didn't talk to anyone before he acted. I'm frustrated he makes simple friendship mistakes despite the lessons and how long it's been. I'm frustrated that despite the effort I put in the never opens up. I tried opening up to him but still nothing. He's like a brick wall. Perhaps if he did that I could understand him. Poor Fluttershy she's put in more work than I and I can't imagine that frustration."

Cadence scrawled Rarity's words across a page.

"Of course, I worry about Twilight too. She seems....different somehow. I have been making time to see her every Wednesday and she is just different. I can't put my hoof on it. I told her I'm there for her but it hasn't helped this feeling."

"I see and have you noticed anything else odd?" Cadence asked.

"You know now that you mention it I can't remember the last time I saw Discord and Sombra, especially without Fluttershy and Pinkie. It's like they drifted off into the background."

"It's a sin Discord ended up being a muse to me. His choices inspired me to make things I would have never made before. I wanted him to wear this, I made it with him in mind." Rarity pulled back the velvet curtain to reveal a multicolored dazzling dress.

"I was hoping he would wear this. I think he like it's made out of stained glass. He pointed to some sketches, I planned to do dresses inspired by the stained glass windows. 'Why not use the glass itself' and I did! Put of glass, then paper, and even duck tape!" Rarity threw on the light, they bounced through the dress in the way to make all her friends cutie marks on the walls.

"Rarity it's amazing..."

"I just wish I could catch him, he always disappears just as I try to reach him. It is really meant for him to wear I do know he loves a good dress. As for Sombra," Rarity flicked off the light embedded into the side of the display stand with her hoof. "He seems fine I just don't know him too well."

Cadenced bag buzzed furiously and she gripped it to open a small duck with '00:00:00' printed on its side quacked furiously. "I hate to leave in such a rush I have much work to do. I think I can do something about this Rarity. Thank you for your time."

"Don't be a stranger!" Rarity called as Cadence teleported away.

Cadence’s hooves echoed down a hall with rainbow accents. The Wonderbolts had gotten a paint job since the switch over. Approaching a door with the words Captain frosted onto it, she knocked.

"Yeah?" A familiar voice called.

Cadence opened the door Rainbow Dash took the seat Spitfire once did. "Hello, Rainbow I'd like to talk about-"

"The letter I know, look I'm really busy so I'm going to cut to the chase. They got what was coming to them. It should have been more. I'm so sick of Flutterdshy's time being stolen by that guy! I barely even see her anymore. I barely see anyone!"

"I used to love doing pranks with him but he kept cramping my style. I want to do big epic pranks but he and Pinkie want to just do surprise pies and trade out drinks. That's kid stuff. While I'm disappointed Pinkie and I stopped pranking when she got her business started. I don't miss the 'is this alright?' Questions that Discord always asked."

"He just....keeps making the same mistakes over and over. I'm tired of it, I'm tired of trying to teach him friendship! What will it take for him to understand us? Years?!?!"

"Oh...well what about-"

"I'm sorry but that's all I have time for I have a milllionnn things to do. Gotta jet!" Rainbow left her namesake trail behind her as she rushed away.

Cadence sighed as she wanted to talk about the Ponyville drought and Sombra. There wasn't much she could do now, she packed up her things and left the drought complaints on Rainbow's desk.

A snap sounded as dirt dusted into the air. She paused and looked at the wilting yelled grass. Cadence milled through sad-looking trees.

A yellow mare sniffled at the edge of her family's property line. Drawing broken hearts on the ground with her hoof.

"Hello Applejack, I know I came here for a reason but perhaps you need me for something else."

"I completely forgot..." Applejack sniffled "but I have a' opinion! I hate 'em both!" Tears streamed down her yellow cheeks as she crossed her hooves.

"Is that how you truly feel?" Cadence stroked the top of Applejack's shoulder. She softly smiled as she would bet everything she owned that Applejack was projecting.

"Noh, Discord is great wit the kin. When he watches em it a big help, I dun see him much ot'er then tat." Applejack paused, "We were neva really close so I twasn't as upset. I only mad cuz he made Flutters so sad. I ain't got any idea twat to do about it. Sombra is a'ight, it weird he so close to granny. She neva lets no one called her Maria."

"Your upset at something, you know I can always lend a hoof." Cadence continued gently patting the mare's back.

"It Rainbow I dun know how to get her to listen ta me. Aint no one replaced the head o' weather the crops are doin' poor. It ain't the only thing she ain't listenin' to. We ain't been on date in weeks all she care about is her dang Wonderbolts. She come home and it Wonderbolt, date night oh she at practice, i need her - surprise it Wonderbolt time."

Cadence just nodded.

"It ain't even like I'm there she doesn't come to any family parts. It's been two years n' most of meh family ain't met her!" Applejack paused "it ain't even like we started dating in ta first place..."

Cadence gave her a great big hug, holding APplejack tightly. "Try your best to sit her down and if she won't listen. Perhaps we can schedule something. I will be happy to help you through this."

Applejack passed letting the hug happen. "I prefer ta' be alone fo' now."

"Forget the meeting and take some time to think about what you want." Cadence hugged her one more time. "You know where I live, please stop by whenever you like."

Applejack sat on the hill looking at the sunset in the distance, Cadence didn't say anything else as she whisked herself away to her next meeting. She tried to shake the sad feeling in her heart as the wooden floor of the Sugar cube corner.

"Hellllloooo" Pinkie Pie sang as she hopped to the kitchen. Picking up some slices of cake, she hopped to Cadence a small yellow mare followed behind her.

"Hello, girls."

"Hello!" Pinkie chirped, and Fluttershy just waved.

"I got your letter and let me tell you Sombra and I are doing great. I just love love love Discord. Our pranks days are so much fun and oh my gosh cooking together! He can eat just about anything I make newspaper pies now! I think we gained a much better understanding of each other although I'm not sure what prompted it. Right Fluttershy?"

"Yes, Discord even....trusted me with some information. Which is why I can't do this. This feels like going behind his back. Cadence I am going to tell him what we know. I can't risk him not trusting me. I'm so so close I can feel it." Fluttershy stopped her hoof on the wooden floor. "I can't risk it his walls are finally coming down. I just know it."

Cadence smiled, "we will I just wanted to see if I could help mend the relationships he has. Give me until you two next have tea. All three of us can approach them together and help them bring down their walls."

Pinkie smiled, "I'm in!"

Fluttershy softly smiled, "we will see how I feel." She had never put her hoof down like this before. "I will see if I feel I am lying to him and want to tell him. I will send a notice." Pride bubbled within her, anxiety too but mostly pride. She felt before meeting Discord she would have been snowballed over and agreed to just about anything but not this time, not now.

Cadence smiled a nervous smile, it was time to get to work.

Author's Note

iiii did my best this was tough