Author's Note

• Hello, here again, I wanted to put the information first to clarify some things.

• I don't know if I mentioned it, but at the beginning of the fanfic I couldn't decide whether to follow the academic schedule of my country or yours, but then I realized that the chronology fits better if I do it with your academic schedule. Although I had to change one thing to make it coherent, you will realize when you read the chapter what the change is and I don't know if I will make another one in the future.

• In this chapter I separated many dialogues, because it is so that it does not seem too invasive when reading, but I separated it before to show how a character feels or by conversation, but here I did it for the reason I mentioned.

Unforeseen Things

Pinkie Pie was walking towards the institute. At other times, Applejack would come to pick her up, but they didn’t always go there together.

The party lover was determined: today she would talk to Rarity, she just needed to find the right moment, although she still had some slight doubts about how the others would react to her approaching the fashionista. For now, she wouldn’t think about it. However, she couldn’t help but recall one of the many times the seven friends had shared happy moments together.

Three Years Ago
"Come on, Twilight..." said Sunset. There was a sound of the blue-haired girl bumping into something. "Wait... carefully."

"Sunset, this would be easier if I wasn't blindfolded," Twilight complained with a hint of frustration.

The door was heard opening as Sunset put a finger to her lips and guided her friend inside with her other arm, removing the blindfold.

"Surprise!" they all exclaimed in unison, surprising the girl.

The place was decorated with balloons, streamers, and a big banner that said 'Happy Birthday, Twilight!'.

"Happy birthday! This is your big day. Ready for the cake?" asked Rainbow, holding a big, colorful cake with a wide grin.

"Thank you, girls. I wasn't expecting this," Twilight expressed emotionally, wiping away a tear of joy. Sunset placed a hand on her shoulder, showing her a smile.

"Now let's sing happy birthday," said Pinkie excitedly.

Once the six sang happy birthday, Twilight prepared to blow out the candles.

"Make sure to make three wishes, darling. It's crucial for a successful birthday," advised Rarity with a smile.

"I'll think of some," replied and then blew out the candles.

After blowing out the candles, Rainbow set the cake on the table and Sunset cut slices for everyone.

""Congratulations, you have reached adulthood," commented Applejack with a smile.

"Now you can drink," added Dash, extending a small beer bottle to her.

"No thanks..." declined the drink. "You know, even though I'm of age, there's still a lot to learn, right?" said, adjusting her glasses.

"That learning stuff is a bit overrated," commented Pinkie nonchalantly.

The bespectacled girl rolled her eyes; she knew enough about the party girl to know that she wasn't very interested in learning topics. She looked around, noticing the decorations.

"The decorations are nice. They're a bit... flashy," said Twilight.

"This was a joint effort between Belle and Pie," explained Pinkie, hugging the fashionista from the side.

"Well, Pinkie had the idea and I just designed a sketch of how it would look, and she took care of the decorating," detailed Rarity with a smile as the party girl let her go.

"It's lovely, as you'd say," commented Fluttershy with a smile.

"Yes... although for Sparkle's birthday it should have been something more, or rather, less colorful, but it didn't turn out bad at all," said Rainbow, taking a sip of her beer.

"Oh, dear, it's just a matter of having a good eye for details, and Pinkie has it," responded Rarity.

"Oh!" exclaimed the party girl. "I might consider throwing parties more often," said excitedly.

The others laughed at their hyperactive friend's idea.

Rarity glanced sideways at Rainbow. "You know, details are also nice in certain... areas," commented with a sly smile.

"Oh no, no, no," the athlete began, shaking her head and raising her hands, careful not to drop her bottle.

"I haven't even said anything," said the fashionista.

"No need... I know what you meant," Rainbow responded, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, come on, Dash, it's just a couple of touch-ups," insisted Rarity.

"you won't mess with my face, Miss Elegance," said the athlete, taking a step back.

"You'll look fabulous and you'll look cool," continued the fashionista, smiling.

"If I'm going to be 20% cooler... I already am, being me," replied confidently.

"Well, that extra percent cooler would look good with makeup," insisted again.

"Hahaha," Pinkie laughed. "I'd like to see you with that makeup."

"You say that because you've already fallen to the temptation of makeup," commented, looking at the party girl.

"What do you think, Pinkie, would she look cooler with makeup?" asked the fashionista.

"I'm not as much of a perfectionist as Twi to give an answer," replied Pinkie, shrugging.

"I'm not a perfectionist," protested Twilight, crossing her arms.

"Ehh... Half and half," said Sunset, smiling.

"I think you're cool in your own way," said Fluttershy softly.

"See..." said Rainbow. "I appreciate you wanting to help me look better, but this girl feels fine, we'll see later, Miss Elegance," she finished, taking a few steps forward. "Hey, Fluttershy, will you show me what you were going to show me?" she said, winking at her friend.

"What you..." the pink-haired girl was about to ask, not understanding. A few seconds later, she realized it was an excuse to get out of that situation. "Oh, you mean that..." said. The athlete nodded. "Yes, Dash, it was over here."

Both friends walked a little away from the group.

"Mmm... that sounded like a possibility for the future," commented Rarity, with an amused smile.

"Another day it will be," the blonde laughed before kissing her forehead. It wasn't necessary for her to stand on tiptoe like the fashionista usually did since she was a bit taller than Rarity. After that, she went to talk with Twilight and Sunset.

"You'll have your moment. You've already tried it on Fluttershy and me," commented Pinkie with a knowing smile.

Rarity nodded, giving in for now. "Miss Elegance... what kind of nickname is that? I don't know if I'll get used to that name," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"It's not so bad. She already gave me one," said, laughing.

"What's yours?"

"Sugar Rush"

"I suppose it's quite fitting for you. Always so full of energy."

"Exactly! And you're Miss Elegance because you always look fabulous and you care about every little detail," said Pinkie, moving her hands exaggeratedly to emphasize her words.

"Well, I like to make sure everything is in its place and looks perfect. Although I must admit it can be a bit exhausting at times."

"That's because you're a classy perfectionist! Hey, have you ever thought about making clothes professionally apart from what you do daily?" asked curiously.

Rarity raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Actually, yes. I've always dreamed of having my own boutique someday. I love the idea of creating something beautiful and unique for each person."

"That sounds amazing! You'd definitely be the best designer in the world," said Pinkie with genuine enthusiasm.

"Thank you, Pinkie. And what about you?"

"Well... I've always wanted to do something that makes people happy. I don't know exactly what, but something that brings smiles," said the party girl.

"That doesn't surprise me at all. You have a gift for cheering others up," said Rarity with a warm smile. "You'll come up with something."

As the birthday party went on, each one was scattered, talking in small groups.

"Girls, it's time for the photo!" exclaimed Pinkie.

The fashionista approached her bag to get the camera, and when she opened it, she brought a hand to her mouth with a horrified expression. "Oh, no, this is terrible!" she said, looking at the others.

The other girls looked back at her, a little worried.

"I forgot the camera," said with her typical dramatism, putting a hand on her forehead. "This is a tragedy."

The girls looked at each other and shook their heads, some laughing about it.

"Let her be," commented Applejack with a smile. Then she approached the fashionista. "Rare, who always has a cellphone in hand for selfies?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, that's true," she said, changing her expression to a more calm one and taking out her cellphone. "Does anyone have a tripod?"

"I have one in my room," said Sunset, getting up to look for it among her things. After finding a tripod, Rarity placed the cellphone on it and set the timer.

"Alright, girls, get ready," said the fashionista. Each one struck a particular pose as the timer began counting down.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1... *Click*

Present
"We used to have so much fun..." sighed, reminiscing. "Sugar Rush... she stopped calling me that, but it had a nice touch."

"In the end, I did find my passion... somehow it had to do with that celebration day. Who would have thought I like organizing parties? Sometimes I give my number to other people in case they want to call me to organize their events..."

"...I wonder where I left that photo and if the others... knowing how things turned out, it's possible they deleted the photo Rarity shared from their phones." Pinkie shook her head. "No, Pinkie, don't think about that. After I manage to talk to her, I'll somehow make the others change their minds."

With that determination, she kept walking.

The fashionista was arriving at the institute with her sister. Sweetie Belle noticed that her sister seemed a bit nervous, although she didn't look sad like she sometimes did when they went to institute. She knew the reason for that was that she was meeting up with the others. She assumed that their outing to the park yesterday had helped her think a bit about how to approach the matter.

Once inside, they stopped near the doors where, to one side, was the main building. This was a large area where some students from Side B often hung around. It was also the place where the younger students separated from the older ones.

"Well, Sweetie, this time don't lose track of time talking with the Crusaders and don't sneak through that 'shortcut' during class hours."

"Haha," the younger one let out a giggle.

"You're lucky Principal Luna didn't catch you," added the older one, crossing her arms.

"According to the Crusaders and Spike, they don't have problems with their sisters..." commented, seeing her sister raise an eyebrow. "As long as recesses are when their older sisters are in class and we don't skip our own classes."

"That doesn't mean you can do the same," Rarity responded firmly but with a smile on her lips. "You know I'm trying to keep you out of trouble. This place is big, and there are many rules to follow."

"I know, Rarity," replied, softening her tone. "I'm just saying that sometimes it's hard not to be tempted to go to the other side."

"I understand, dear, but the rules are there for a reason," said with a softer smile. "Now, go and have a good day. I'll see you after class."

Sweetie Belle smiled and nodded. "See you." And with that, she headed towards the side that led to Side A, while the fashionista made her way to her own destination on Side B.

The morning had passed quickly, and now Pinkie Pie was in her second hour of class, along with Sunset and Fluttershy, in the baking class. Pinkie, always full of enthusiasm, was busy decorating some cupcakes with colorful frosting, though her mind seemed to be elsewhere.

"How should I start? 'Rarity, can we talk?' or 'Hey Rarity, you know, I don't care what the others say'... although I do care about what the girls think," thought to herself.

"Pinkie," called a soft voice.

"Or maybe I should be more casual," continued, ignoring the voice while she focused on her thoughts.

"Pinkie," tried another voice to interrupt.

"I kno-"

"PINKIE!" Sunset finally exclaimed, interrupting before the party planner could continue her thought-driven distraction.

"What?!" responded, startled, accidentally dropping a tube of frosting onto the table, causing a small mess.

"Misses, is something the matter? Would you care to share with the class?" the teacher intervened, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the three friends.

"I'm sorry, professor, it was my fault," Sunset hurried to apologize while helping Pinkie clean up the frosting mess. Fluttershy nodded with a nervous smile towards the teacher.

The teacher sighed. "Try to stay focused on your projects, girls. And if you need to discuss something important, do it during recess," he advised.

Pinkie, now more centered, nodded and internally thanked her friends for the save. Once the teacher moved away to supervise other students, Sunset and Fluttershy looked at their friend with a mix of concern and understanding.

"Pinkie, are you alright? You seem a bit out of place today," asked the red-and-yellow-haired girl quietly.

"Yeah, you're usually more focused on your decorating... is something bothering you?" Fluttershy asked in the same tone.

"Oh, no, everything's fine. I was just thinking about... about... a new cupcake recipe! Yes, that's it, an incredibly cool recipe," she replied quickly.

Sunset and Fluttershy exchanged glances, clearly unconvinced by her answer.

"Are you sure there's nothing else we can help you with?" asked the pink-haired girl softly, placing a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder.

The party planner nodded with a forced smile. "Thanks, girls, I really appreciate your concern. But seriously, I was just thinking about recipes. Let's make these cupcakes the most amazing we've ever made!"

The two exchanged looks again but nodded, deciding to leave the topic for now and focus on helping Pinkie with the class assignment.

A few hours passed, and the third class hour also flew by quickly, marking the end of the school day. There were days when the girls had classes, free time, or, in the case of their three soccer team friends, practice. This time, Pinkie couldn’t make up an excuse to leave with her cousin and had to walk to meet her.

Pinkie was outside, near the statue, waiting to meet a certain curly-haired girl. She watched as some students exited through the main entrance while others headed to the parking lot to leave in their cars.

She had to wait until the end of the classes since she didn’t know the girl’s schedule and whether she would be busy or free. She could have waited for her during lunch, but today she didn't have lunch, as depending on her weekly schedule, sometimes she stayed at the school, and other times she went straight home.

She waited a few more minutes until she recognized the girl's distinctive way of speaking, which apparently hadn’t changed. She saw her walk past without noticing the party planner was there, so Pinkie detached herself from the statue and opened her mouth.

"Hello, Rarity," greeted calmly, though inside she felt nervous.

The fashionista stopped with her sister and turned around, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the party planner's smile. Rarity widened her eyes slightly at the unexpected appearance of Pinkie.

"Eh... Pin... kie?" Rarity's voice had a tone of surprise.

Pinkie approached. "How have you been?"

"Eh... ah... fine," replied, looking around with a confused expression, as if trying to understand what was happening.

"Do you want me to walk you home?"

Sweetie Belle, seeing her sister's expression and how she seemed paralyzed, answered for her. "Sure, Pinkie! We'd like you to join us."

"Perfect, I have lots to talk about," she said cheerfully.

"I'd like to hear it, right, sister?" the younger one asked with a smile.

"Yes..." Rarity responded, still surprised.

Despite seeing her sister's confusion, the younger one noticed she was happy about this. The three started walking, with Pinkie lightly skipping with each step, trying to avoid 'that topic' and starting a conversation. Rarity responded as best she could, and Sweetie Belle joined in the chat as well.

The next morning, Rarity found herself entering the cafeteria for lunch. She didn't want to sit at her usual table again, as she would once more feel the weight of the stares from her former friends, but it automatically became her table because no one else used it during lunchtime. She had thought about finding another place to eat until things were less tense between them.

As she sat down, she sensed someone else's presence and turned to see the hyperactive girl.

"Pinkie Pie?" Rarity asked, surprised to see her at her table.

"Hi, Rarity," greeted Pinkie with a smile.

"Aren't you supposed to sit with the girls?" suggested Rarity.

"I'm not obligated to be with the Mane Six all the time," replied.

"Mane Six?" Rarity asked, then recalled the conversation during the first days with the three girls in art class.

"Yeah, sometimes they call us that," Pinkie explained, settling at the table.

"I think I've heard something about that," commented Rarity. There were a few seconds of silence. "Um..."

"Is something wrong, Rarity? Are you feeling like this because the teacher scolded you again in Sports?"

"It's not that... It was unexpected for you to talk to me," admitted the fashionista.

Yesterday, when Rarity was leaving the school with her sister, Pinkie seemed to have been waiting for her and talked to her. It was strange for Rarity, but in a way, it made her happy; still, it didn't change the fact that it was unexpected.

"Ahhh... unexpected things happen, don't they?" Pinkie said.

"Yes... I suppose," Rarity said. "Why sit with me? I know we talked a little yesterday, but you didn't have to."

"I thought you might like some company," Pinkie affirmed with a smile.

"..." Rarity didn't know what to say.

Pinkie noticed that, so she tried something else to lighten the mood. "You know, I've always thought this table has a good view of the cafeteria."

"I'm not so sure about that..." Rarity responded. "Though I won't deny that I've wanted company," thought.

After another moment of silence, Rarity hesitated a bit in what she was going to say. "I don't know if you want to hear this, but... do you want to know why I did what I did?"

The party planner was surprised by the question. "Not necessarily, but on one side, I would like to know."

The fashionista let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know how to explain it. I had a lot on my mind, it was difficult for me..."

"Difficult, in what sense? In..." Pinkie stopped when she realized her own words, then saw Rarity's expression. She was looking at her with a sad expression. "I used the same words, didn't I?" murmured, looking down.

Rarity stood up and, turning her head, found herself meeting the stares of the others. She looked for a moment and then walked further into the cafeteria.

"Well done, Pinkie," said to herself, lifting her head a little.

The girls, seeing that interaction, got up, leaving their food trays on the table where they usually had lunch. Pinkie stood up, saw the girls already approaching, and out of the corner of her eye, saw the fashionista leaving.

Three Years Ago: That Day
"I still don't believe it," Fluttershy said, frowning, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"Why would I?" Pinkie asked, confused.

"We show her our support and she pays us back?" Sunset exclaimed in disbelief.

"She better not hold back, or else..." Rainbow said, visibly upset.

"Girls, I just sent him a message," Twilight reported with a serious expression, but implying that she was affected.

The five looked at each other. Applejack approached; Although he hadn't said anything about it, his expression said it all.

The girls were in a hallway where the broken but clean display case lay. After speaking with the janitor, who provided them with details about the person who broke the display case, they hoped to hear the truth from her friend, if they could still consider her as such. Minutes passed and Sunset noticed something at the end of the hallway.

"Girls, here she comes," the red/yellow haired girl announced, nodding toward the hallway. The six of them watched as a purple-haired girl slowly approached.

"I got your message, Twilight. Is something wrong?" Rarity asked, trying to stay calm.

"You know, Rarity...something peculiar happened," Twilight continued, her tone filled with seriousness of hers.

"What?" asked.

Sunset spoke up. "Someone broke the display case and took something out..."

"What did he pull out?" she asked, trying to hide her nervousness.

"A trophy," Sunset replied, watching Rarity's nervous reaction.

"Did they find out who did it?"

Rainbow frowned, she tried to take a few steps, but was stopped by Applejack. The girls exchanged meaningful glances and turned their attention to the dressmaker.

The air was filled with silence as her friends' gazes became more intense, until finally Sunset spoke again. "Someone saw a person walking through the hallways."

"In the hallways?" asked, a hint of nervousness creeping into her voice.

"Yeah, we don't know who yet, but we have some suspicions," the red/yellow haired girl explained. "But first... Why were you late to the cafeteria?"

"Yes Rarity, where were you when all this was happening?" Twilight asked with a curious look.

"I was in the library studying for an important project and I lost track of time." She excused herself.

"That doesn't make sense! We're in the middle of testing, and I don't remember any projects," the bluenette questioned. "Also, you said you would leave the pills and go with us, and one more thing: do you know how far it is from the library to the cafeteria?"

"Oh...huh," murmured, feeling her façade of innocence crumble.

"Please, Rarity, tell the truth," Fluttershy urged.

"We know you're not telling us the whole truth. You can't keep hiding behind empty excuses," Sunset said, a serious expression on her face.

"I don't know what they're talking about, but I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for all of this. I don't know what girl they saw," Rarity said, not realizing her own words.

"I never said it was a girl," Sunset corrected.

The dressmaker's eyes widened as she realized that she had given herself away. "Did I say girl? What I meant..."

"ENOUGH, RARITY! You can't deny what you did. Stop acting," the red/yellow haired woman interrupted, her firmness echoing through the desolate hallway.

"Yes, stop pretending!" Rainbow exclaimed, unable to contain herself any longer.

The dressmaker felt cornered by the accusations and she could no longer deny it. "I was the one who broke the display case and put the trophy in Rainbow's locker," confessed, feeling the weight of truth fall on her shoulders.

Twilight looked down, sighed, and looked forward again, taking in Rarity's confession and the impact she would have on the group.

"Rarity, please... Tell us there is a logical explanation for all of this," the pinkette implored, her voice filled with anguish as she looked at her friend with pleading eyes.

"I... I thought that...! You don't understand how difficult it was for me!" the dressmaker exclaimed, getting a little carried away by her pride.

"Difficult, in what sense?" Pinkie exclaimed, her voice shaking with emotion. "Break the display case?"

"How could you do something like that? We thought we were your friends, but you used us for your own selfish purposes," Sunset reproached.

"I didn't use them!" defended herself.

"Oh no?...you suggested we go to the cafeteria saying you'd be there soon," the bluenette interjected, pointing out her manipulation.

"While you broke the display case to get the trophy out and put it in Rainbow's locker," Fluttershy added, her voice shaking with sadness and disappointment. "You made us feel like mere tools in your plans. Did you really think about how we would feel?"

"Girls, listen to me..." tried to speak.

"No, Rarity, you listen! You can't just ignore what you've done," the party girl interjected, her tone reflecting her deep disappointment.

"A friend wouldn't do what you did. What kind of friend... are you?" Twilight questioned.

"I... I thought you were different. I thought you valued our friendship more than anything," the pinkette added.

"But I do..."

"It doesn't seem like... I always considered you a trustworthy friend, but now..." Rainbow clenched her fists. "At first I thought you were selfish, but Fluttershy told me not to judge you. However, with what you did to me, you proved me right. You are just as you seem: a girl full of..." she couldn't finish.

"She considered you one of my best friends. I always thought I could trust you, but... how can I now?" Pinkie said, a tone of sadness in her voice.

Rarity looked down, trying to find the words to justify her actions, feeling guilt and regret consume her, along with frustration.

"But listen, listen!" exclaimed, desperately trying to justify her actions. "There was a reason behind what I did. I didn't mean to hurt anyone..."

Sunset interrupted her sharply. "A reason? That doesn't justify anything, Rarity! You had no right to do what you did."

"Do you think that reason would change anything? You betrayed us. Or rather, you betrayed me. You can't just excuse yourself and expect everything to go back to the way it was before," Rainbow said, her voice heavy with disappointment.

"I considered you a friend. But now... now I'm not sure what you are," Fluttershy added.

The dressmaker didn't know what to say to those words. After a silence, Pinkie took something out of her pocket.

"Do you know what this is?" the party girl asked, with a serious tone.

"A deflated balloon?" Rarity asked.

"It's punctured, that's what you did. You punctured the balloon of joy...and friendship," Pinkie said seriously with a touch of sadness in her voice. "The friendship we had built together. I don't know if I'll be able to look at you the same way again..."

Rarity looked away, feeling Applejack's silent gaze on her, and returned to the party girl's. "Pinkie, please understand... I don't know what happened to me. It was a moment of weakness, a stupid thing..."

"Nonsense?" Pinkie replied, her voice shaking with emotion. "Is that really an excuse, Rarity?"

The girls had nodded in agreement, showing disappointed expressions on their faces. None of them found anything valid to justify the dressmaker's actions.

"We understand that people make mistakes, but what you did affected all of us. You failed us, Rarity. You failed us all," Fluttershy said, her voice filled with sadness.

The dressmaker got carried away. "Fail them? You have no idea what you're saying! I…" she began to protest, but the stern looks from her friends left her speechless.

"Until you're finally showing your true colors," the athlete said, looking at her with disdain.

"I thought I knew you... but you were always like that," the bluenette added, with a look of disappointment.

Rarity's expression fell, realizing that her pride was getting the better of her, although a part of her felt angry at her friends. "Me, just me..."

The tension in the room was palpable as the dressmaker faced the accusatory looks of her friends. She tried to keep her composure, but discomfort washed over her when the bluenette spoke again.

"Do you know why you can't say anything? It's because you have no excuses," Twilight stated, crossing her arms.

Rarity fell silent again upon hearing that and looked at the pink-haired girl. "Fluttershy, please understand..."

"Understand what? Put the trophy in Rainbow's locker..." the pinkette said, her eyes full of sadness, but with a firmer tone of voice. "How could you be so insensitive? Didn't you care at all how Dash would feel when he encountered that?" Her voice shook at the end, once again showing her sadness. "I always saw you as someone so sensitive and thoughtful... It hurts me a lot to say this, but I feel very disappointed. I didn't expect this from you."

"Girls, really..." she tried one last time.

"No more!" Twilight interrupted. "You almost got Rainbow expelled. There's nothing you can say to justify what you did!" she added.

"Exactly. You acted selfishly and thought only of yourself," Rainbow said, her voice filled with anger.

A tense silence takes over the room as Rarity stares at each of her friends. After a moment, Rarity looks at Applejack with a mix of sadness and despair.

"Why haven't you told me anything?"

The blonde looked at her. "There's no need to tell you anything. Your actions speak for themselves... Apparently I wasn't wrong in what I told you the other day," said, with a hard look.

Rarity is overwhelmed by Applejack's words. "No, you didn't say that, I thought you believed in me," thought, feeling how tears began to accumulate in her eyes, but she did her best not to let them out.

"I think this got here. We know what you did and that's enough," Sunset said, her voice firm, as her friends nodded silently, confirming her words.

Another silence was present. Rarity vividly remembered what happened a few days ago. That memory filled her with anger as she faced the stern gaze of each of them. Finally, Rarity, with a mix of regret and anger, makes a decision.

She gritted her teeth and spoke. "If that's what you want," she said, as she turned around. "I can handle myself," she muttered remorsefully to herself.

With these words, Rarity withdraws from her, feeling the weight of her guilt and the loss of the friendship of her loved ones. The other friends remain silent. The girls' gazes remained fixed on Rarity as she walked away down the hallway, leaving a heavy silence in her wake. Pinkie looked at each of her friends.

First, her gaze shifted to Fluttershy. She bit her lower lip, her eyes filled with sadness and confusion. It was evident that the trust she had placed in Rarity had been deeply shaken.

Then, she saw Twilight, who was serious, with her arms crossed and a piercing gaze. Despite her disappointment, Pinkie noticed a spark of hope in her eyes, although she knew it would be difficult to maintain.

Then her gaze fell on Rainbow Dash, who was staring at the ground, her jaw clenched and her fists clenched. The expression on her face mixed anger and pain, feeling betrayed by someone she had trusted so much.

Next, she Pinkie looked at Sunset, who was looking at them seriously. Her face reflected determination, but also palpable sadness. Pinkie could see that she too felt deeply disappointed and somewhat angry at the emotional consequences this had brought to the group.

Finally, her eyes landed on Applejack. She kept a hard look and a serious expression, although Pinkie noticed a slight hesitation in her eyes. It was evident that she was trying to hide any signs of weakness.

After seeing everyone, Pinkie watched Rarity walk away from her. She held in her hands the deflated balloon that symbolized the friendship that now seemed broken. Rarity's final words echoed in her mind, filled with anger and disdain. "If that's what you want," she had said, "I can handle myself." Bitterness mixed with sadness in her voice as she muttered to herself, "I never thought it would come to this..."

The silence deepened as Rarity walked out of sight. Pinkie felt the distance between them widen, and she realized that something had irrevocably changed in her group of friends.

Present
The party girl let out a sigh. "Could it be that she left like that the other time because we didn't let her talk?"

The girls were already in front of the dressmaker's table, where Pinkie Pie was now.

"Hey, Pinkie, what was that?" Rainbow said, frowning in surprise.

"An oversight," the party girl responded, a little sad, turning around to walk into the cafeteria.

The five of them looked at each other in confusion, exchanging glances with each other in search of answers.

"Shouldn't we tell him something?" Twilight asked, with a worried expression.

"Blonde, you should tell her something," the jock said, nudging Applejack.

"Because I?" the farmer asked, frowning a little.

"You're her cousin," Rainbow said, facing her.

"And you're one of her friends, so we should all talk," the farmer said, crossing her arms.

"But maybe Belle told her something to get her to talk to him and she doesn't mean it," raised her voice a little and frowned.

"Do you think that because I'm her relative she's going to tell me?" The blonde said, raising her voice even more.

"Mayb-"

"Not now, girls," Sunset interrupted, noticing the curious looks of other students around her, who were beginning to murmur.

"Sunset is right, I don't think here would be the right place for arguments," Twilight supported.

"We should calm down a little," Fluttershy said, his voice soft.

The two girls took a deep breath to calm themselves, closing their eyes for a moment.

"How about this?" Applejack began, "let's give it some time and see what exactly is going on," raising an eyebrow in suggestion.

"I think we should see what happens," the blue haired girl said, nodding her head in agreement.

"Good idea, let's just leave it at that," Sunset said.

"Yeah, let's go back for lunch?" Rainbow suggested, calmer.

"Come on," Sunset said.

The five returned to their table to eat.

Lunch was somewhat silent. The party girl appeared at the entrance outside the cafeteria, but within seconds she was gone again, she seemed to be looking for someone. So only the five of them had lunch this time.

After lunch, the five of them left their empty trays to leave the cafeteria and go to their only class of the afternoon. The athlete took the blue-haired girl and the red/yellow-haired girl from her shoulders, moving them a little away from the group. She gave Applejack and Fluttershy an excuse, but she assured them that they would be back soon.

"Hey girls, I need her help," said the multicolored haired girl, stopping in a semi-open hallway that led to a small pasture.

"What's happening?" the blue haired girl asked.

"Yeah, to get us away a little bit," Sunset commented.

"I think I figured out the reason why Fluttershy is acting like this towards me," Rainbow explained.

"Oh really?" the two responded in unison.

"I wanted to talk to her yesterday, but she escaped me," said the athlete, somewhat frustrated.

"How did she escape from you? Did she see you and run away?" the blue haired girl joked.

Rainbow looked at her a little seriously.

"Sorry, bad joke," Twilight apologized and cleared her throat. "Keep going".

"Well, I wanted to look for her to talk and I didn't arrive in time," the athlete explained.

"You could have run," Sunset suggested.

"Hey, I don't have as many free classes as you guys," the multicolored haired girl complained. "Do you know how long it takes me to go swimming, then shower and go pick her up?"

"Good point," Sunset admitted.

"When I went to pick her up, there were a lot of students in her classroom, so she must have left through the back door without me noticing," the athlete continued. "Plus, we had training and they know we have to prepare."

"Saying that on Mondays he leaves earlier and sometimes he usually leaves," Sunset recalled.

"Exactly, that's why I went looking for her thinking that this time she would stay," Rainbow said. "But I could have talked to her today before lunch, she just couldn't find the right time. She was surrounded by people and didn't want to make it public."

"Hmm...let's see," the blue-haired girl thought. "I know, you have three options."

"Which is it?" the athlete asked.

"Tomorrow in the second period you have free, you could go to her room and talk, but there is a but," Twilight began to explain. Rainbow waited for her friend to continue. "The break is not long enough for them to talk as much as they need to."

"Then that option is out," Sunset said.

"The other option is that in your last class before lunch you went to her classroom, but you would have to almost run to get there on time," the blue-haired girl proposed.

"Mmm...", the athlete thought a little about the option. "What's the third?"

"You'll have to wait until Thursday, in the middle of that free time we have and when we usually go to rehearse," Twilight suggested.

"What! I'm not going to wait until Thursday to talk," Rainbow protested.

"Then you'll have to run tomorrow," Sunset said, trying to sound optimistic.

Rainbow nodded, still thinking about the options. "I will. Thanks, girls."

"You're welcome. Now, let's get back to AJ and Fluttershy. We don't want them to worry," Twilight suggested, adjusting her glasses.

The three friends headed back to where Applejack and Fluttershy were waiting. Rainbow watched Fluttershy from a distance, remembering the times when her friendship was uncomplicated. "Tomorrow," she said to herself, "tomorrow I will fix everything."

The next day, as dictated by the class schedule, the girls were scattered in their corresponding classes. Applejack was in arts, her first hour of the morning. According to the teacher, today she would finish the drawing section, a task that had always represented a challenge for her. She looked around her as she prepared for class, noticing how the girls were spread out in their respective seats.

The teacher guided the class with detailed instructions on shading and composition techniques, while Applejack struggled to keep up. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Rarity's concentration on her drawing, her blue eyes shining with typical intensity as she immersed herself in her work.

"What is she up to now?" Applejack wondered, frowning slightly. "Out of nowhere he's talking to Pinkie..."

He shook his head and decided to focus on his own drawing. Turning his head, however, he met Sunset's gaze, who seemed to share her intrigue about Rarity and Pinkie's recent interaction. It was evident that at some point they would have to broach the subject with the group's party girl.

Why, out of nowhere, from one day to the next, did the hyperactive girl in the group start striking up a conversation with the sophisticated girl who was previously one of hers?

The hours passed and Pinkie headed to the playground for the second period break. She was a little thoughtful; she wanted to talk to Rarity and apologize. She sat on a bench and began to think.

"Pinkie Pie?" Rarity called in a soft voice.

The party girl raised her head and looked at her in surprise.

"Hello, Rarity," she greeted with a faint smile. "She was just going to look for you to ask for your forgiveness."

"Oh yeah?" she said, somewhat surprised, since she was looking for exactly the same thing. "I wanted to apologize for leaving like that yesterday," she began, looking Pinkie in the eyes. "I was supposed to give you an explanation and I left abruptly..." she remained silent for a few seconds before continuing. "I'm willing to take any criticism for what I did."

The party girl blinked, surprised. "Receive criticism?" asked. "Is Rarity willing to do that? Since when has this been...? well, it's been three years since we've talked and we've all changed."

"Yes," the dressmaker agreed. "What I did was wrong and my explanation may not be what you expect to hear."

"That's probably true... but at least I have to listen to her this time" thought the party girl. "Do you want to sit down?"

Rarity nodded and sat down. There was silence for a few moments before the dressmaker spoke.

"Well, I had a lot of things on my mind: the tests, the... contest... and you know, it would affect anyone if they broke up with their partner. Obviously, at that moment it affected me, although I wasn't good to her "I think it was good that it happened," Rarity began.

"Rarity, it's not like you did anything very bad to AJ, other than stealing her. You pushed her away just like you did us to fulfill your dream of being a designer," Pinkie said. "Sorry for mentioning us..."

"Okay. I accepted that... but leaving a couple out by not accepting their help, and yours when they offered it to me. AJ tried it when she was making the designs, even though she didn't believe in them, "It was bad," said the dressmaker with a sad tone.

"What do you mean?" the party girl asked, curious about what was said about her cousin.

"AJ always thought so. The other day and yesterday I remembered a little when she praised my talent, surely she just had to pretend, I guess it was to not make me feel bad," Rarity responded with a sad look.

"Wait, did Applejack tell her that her designs weren't cute or something? Maybe AJ said something similar and Rarity misunderstood, maybe it was a misunderstanding," the party girl thought with a frown.

"As for the robbery, it was worse. I was angry and I thought that by doing it... I don't know..." The dressmaker couldn't find the words. "I wanted to get AJ's attention, at least to talk to her and say goodbye to her."

"I understand that you might have gotten mad at Rainbow because she, well, because she noticed your...ex-girl," she surmised. "Rarity, there were other means to get attention. And why just say goodbye to AJ? What about us? We were there for you."

The dressmaker put a hand on her chin to remember. "Mmm..." she Then she opened her eyes, not quite sure what to say. "Well, it was because..." she trailed off before speaking. "I didn't know how to tell him... that's all... the other thing I was thinking is no longer important."

Pinkie knew there was something else she didn't want to say, that much was evident. Something was missing that she didn't even remember, for the moment she would let it go, but something the dressmaker said caught her attention.

"Wait, did you just say 'to say goodbye'? Did they already have your trip planned?"

"Yeah, in the middle of everything that happened. You know, the tests and the contest, among other things. One night, my parents took Sweetie Belle and me to a restaurant and told us we were going out of town. ... taking us to the restaurant was a way to compensate for the news," the dressmaker explained. "That happened a few days after we broke up, and Applejack was dating Rainbow."

Pinkie looked down. "Final tests, her designs, them finishing and seeing her with Rainbow, then finding out about her trip and something else she still doesn't want to tell. Yes, she was going through a lot, all the more so she was stressed, but definitely seeing AJ with Dash "After a few days, it must have made her feel betrayed and that's why she went straight to her locker," thought, putting a finger on his chin.

"You know, one day when I had already left town, I had a dream," Rarity said, snapping the party girl out of her thoughts.

"What was she about?" asked.

"It was me and Applejack." The party girl looked at her. "Don't get it wrong, it was a different kind of dream... I was talking to her about our separation and how I was now with Rainbow. I was telling her that it's okay that I'm with her and that I understood," the dressmaker explained as she played with her fingers.

"It's a nice dream," the party girl said with a smile, then her expression changed to a curious one. "You don't say it because she still feels-"

"Ah, Pinkie! That's a thing of the past," the dressmaker interrupted. "Besides, she's with Rainbow and I wouldn't get into a relationship. In the hypothetical case that something happens," clarified.

"You're right," said with a smile. "If that happened, it wouldn't be seen very well," finished, stopping thinking about that topic.

"Can I at least ask you a question?" Rarity asked. The party girl nodded. "Is he happy with her?"

Pinkie looked at her surprised. She then analyzed the question and grimaced, remembering a few things between the couple. "You can tell they have... a good time together."

The dressmaker just smiled, then her expression changed between serious and sad. "Going back to the trophy thing, I had an impulse that day, but I refused so I passed it by," continued.

"Did you have a chance not to?" Pinkie said with wide eyes.

"Yes, but everything changed when we all met in the hallway. Many emotions overwhelmed me. I felt alone, misunderstood. I felt abandoned everywhere...", Rarity closed her eyes for a moment, remembering.

"...I took the trophy as a kind of act of desperation. In my mind, it was an attempt to get someone to notice me. Putting it in Rainbow's locker was very childish and confusing, I know. Partly, I think I "I did it because she represented what I had lost... also to make her see that she is not perfect."

Pinkie looked at Rarity with eyes full of understanding. "So, actually, it wasn't about the trophy itself. It was a way to get attention, jealousy because well, AJ...and abandoned. Did you feel abandoned by my cousin?" asked, thinking about the last bit. . "Why didn't you tell us you felt that way?"

The dressmaker remained silent for a few seconds searching for the right words. "When Applejack and I broke up, I was going through a very difficult time. I felt alone and abandoned, but at the same time, I understood that we were all very busy with final exams. I didn't want to bother them with my problems while they were concentrating on their studies. I thought I could handle it alone, but I was wrong. Now I realize it was a mistake not to share how I felt with you, and I'm sorry for hiding it from you..."

"...I know that it was not desirable to hear and I apologize for what I did to them, I am truly very sorry, Pinkie. I understand that after what I told you, you do not want to approach me again," the dressmaker finished explaining.

The dressmaker expected the party girl to leave her, but she didn't expect the party girl to hug her. The dressmaker returned the hug. "Don't worry, Rarity," Pinkie said with a sad smile.

After breaking the hug, the party girl looked at the dressmaker. "Rarity, I know you made a mistake, but we all do. The important thing is that you're here, being honest with me. I really appreciate that, I really do. And I want you to know that I'll always be here for you, no matter what. We all make mistakes. mistakes, but what matters is how we face them and how we learn from them," he said, finishing with his characteristic smile.

"Thank you, Pinkie. You don't know how much I appreciate hearing that," she said with a smile. She was relieved to hear that, she felt like one less weight was lifted. Only the rest was missing, but for that she would have to wait.

"I can ask you a question, and it has to do with what you did, but I won't criticize you," Pinkie commented curiously. "It's something else we never knew with the girls."

"Which is it?"

"How come all this remained silent? How come they accepted you back despite what you did? Considering the fact that they changed directors and rectors, they must know the things that have happened throughout the year, right?" said the party girl.

"That's two questions," Rarity stated, showing two fingers. "I can answer the first one, but I'm not sure about the second."

Pinkie nodded curiously, waiting to hear the answer.

"Well, about how this was all kept quiet..." Rarity began. "Principal Mare decided to handle the matter discreetly to avoid negative publicity for the institute's reputation. My parents were present during the meeting with the principal, and they both supported her decision to keep everything quiet."

"That explains why yours never came to light," Pinkie pointed out.

"What did they say to you?"

"It was said that someone had broken the display case and caused damage, but the name was not specifically mentioned. Director Mare handled the situation so that the identity of the person responsible was not revealed publicly, but she made sure that the person had consequences." , explained the party girl.

"I understand. So you deduced that I was expelled like Rainbow would have been?" Rarity asked.

Pinkie nodded. "I think the fact that your name wasn't revealed made the girls angrier, or just Rainbow."

"I see, I understand... I think she would be angry about that too," the dressmaker mused.

"Going back to the other side, when we spoke to the principal, she was very firm with me. She clearly explained the consequences of my actions and how I had disappointed her. My parents were there to make sure I understood the seriousness of what happened; they were equally shocked for my behavior and determined that I would face appropriate consequences..."

"...I think the principal considered several factors in not expelling me. First, my parents intervened and assured the principal that they would make me face the consequences of my actions, no matter how embarrassing. Second, Principal Mare was also aware of that expelling me would have generated a scandal that could negatively affect the image of the institute..."

"...But that doesn't mean I was spared the consequences. The principal decided to suspend me, so I couldn't go to the dance or graduation and I had to do community service. Although I probably would have missed it anyway."

"Because of the trip, isn't it?" deduced the party girl. Rarity nodded. "So, the director made a strategic decision to protect the reputation of the institute and she gave you a chance to right your wrongs without expelling you, although at a significant cost to you."

"Even though I know I probably would have missed it anyway, it hurt me not to be able to attend, and my parents probably would have made me feel better in some way," she admitted a little sadly. "But it wasn't going to happen, since I had to compensate them for my mistake and apologize for letting them down," concluded.

"Wow, Rarity, you really did everything," Pinkie exclaimed, collecting all the information. "In a good way... The good thing is that things are better now and we will achieve something with the girls."

The dressmaker just smiled. "I think that's also one reason why I had no problem returning, although I still wonder why Rector Celestia didn't tell me anything and why no one recognized me."

"Possibly, when the two sisters took the position of chancellor and principal, each one was left with the affairs of her areas... That's the only thing I can think of," Pinkie suggested with a slightly nervous smile. "As for why no one recognized you... let me tell you that throughout these years I saw several new faces, therefore, for some who did not know you well, you only remained in their memories as another student and for others "You're the new girl," concluded by explaining.

"Ehhh... sorry for saying this, Pinkie, but since when are you good at making these kinds of deductions?" Rarity said, somewhat surprised.

"Mmm...Twilight and my Pinkie Sentido," replied with a smile.

The dressmaker was going to say something, but she remembered that she is talking to Pinkie Pie and never knows what to expect from her. After a silence, the party girl spoke.

"It's weird, right? The perception of time," the party girl commented, letting out a laugh.

"How so?" asked the dressmaker, confused.

"If you take into account that the final tests are at the beginning of January, and what you did was almost in the middle of the month, and as you said, you did community service for weeks and a little in February, you could say that it was two years ago" Pinkie explained. "But since we never saw you again since that day... you know, the argument, for us, was that you left three years ago."

"I hadn't thought about it like that," said the dressmaker, thoughtfully. "When we came back, it felt like it was two or three years ago," she concluded, thinking that she is not that far from reality.

After that, they started talking about other things. A few minutes later, they realized that a group of five girls were watching them. The two got up. Rarity was going to leave, but Pinkie stopped her by taking her arm and they approached the girls.

"Pinkie, what's going on?" Twilight asked.

"I'm just going on a hunch," he replied enigmatically. She knew well what the blue-haired girl meant.

"Hunch?" Applejack asked, frowning.

Rarity was going to intervene, but Rainbow interrupted her before she could say anything.

"Don't tell me, Belle. I know what you're going to do," the athlete commented with a half smile. "You're going to try again... and then Pinkie, for some reason, will insist that you sit with us at lunch."

"Yes, I had that in mind," the party girl confirmed with a playful smile.

"But I don't think that's the right thing to do," Fluttershy murmured quietly.

The dressmaker opened her mouth as if she were going to say something, but then closed it, hesitant. Finally, she opened her mouth again. "Maybe you're right...I should stay at my table and you guys at yours, like always."

"eh?" Pinkie exclaimed, confused.

"Ha, I knew-" Dash stopped abruptly at the words. "That's- that's...exactly what she wanted...to hear," she acknowledged, visibly taken aback by her response.

The other girls exchanged confused glances with each other.

"I should go now," said the dressmaker, turning around and starting to walk into an area of the university.

"That was…" Twilight began.

"Unexpected," Fluttershy completed with a surprised expression.

The athlete watched the dressmaker walk away from her and then turned to Pinkie, intrigued by the interaction they had just witnessed.

"Pinkie..." she started, but her girlfriend nudged her quickly to remind her of the conversation they had yesterday. "Forget it," she said with a forced smile.

"Okay," Pinkie replied, nodding with a smile.

"Well girls, next class is almost starting," Sunset announced.

"As soon?" she asked in surprise.

"Pinkie, we've been looking for you all break," Twilight added.

"Wow, have I been talking to Rarity that much?" Pinkie thought to herself, somewhat surprised. "Time really flies when you get into a conversation," she commented out loud.

Sunset seemed about to ask something else, but then she remembered the conversation from the previous day.

"I'm sorry for making you go all over the university to find me," the party girl apologized.

"Understandable," Sunset commented. "It seems like you got quite involved... in the conversation with... Belle." Finishing saying that, she looked at the four girls.

"Yes, she has that way of making you forget about everything else," said almost nervously.

The five of them seemed a little uncomfortable because of the naturalness with which the party girl spoke about the dressmaker.

"So, shall we go in?" Fluttershy suggested, trying to lighten the mood.

The girls nodded and began to walk towards one of the doors to enter another area.

"I'll figure out what to do," said the farmer.

Pinkie nodded cheerfully. "Great! I'm sure you'll find something interesting to do."

When they entered they said goodbye and began to separate, ready to face the next day of classes before meeting again for lunch. But before separating completely, Sunset and Twilight gave the multicolored girl a gesture of encouragement. She nodded already determined after this class she would talk to Fluttershy.

Applejack was walking through the hallways, greeting some acquaintances. At this time, he had free time, so he planned to go to the music room to play a little. As he turned a corner he bumped into someone unexpectedly.

"It had to be..." the blonde thought with annoyance when she saw who she collided with.

"I..."

The blonde was going to pass by, but she stopped and turned around. "May I know what you're doing, Belle?" she asked.

"Go to my next class?" Rarity replied, stopping and turning around a little confused.

"Don't play with me Belle." Applejack said, frowning a little. "I mean, one day you say sorry, another day you don't say anything, and then you talk to my cousin as if nothing had happened..."

The dressmaker moved a little closer. "She approached me, simple as that. If that's all..." replied, staying calm.

Rarity started to walk, but Applejack spoke again. "Is that all you're saying?" she asked in an annoyed voice.

The dressmaker stopped walking again. "There's nothing else to talk about. Aren't you the ones who don't want me to come near or talk to you?" she replied firmly.

"Well...yes, we thought so," the blonde replied, her expression serious, but hiding her astonishment.

Without saying anything else, Rarity began to walk away, leaving the farmer a little confused by the conversation. Normally, the dressmaker would try to apologize again.

As she walks to go to her third period, she lets out a sigh: "It will have to be like this..." the dressmaker murmured.

A couple of hours had already passed and Fluttershy was grabbing her things; His class had already ended. As usual, he would meet the others for lunch. When she left her classroom, she didn't expect to find one of her friends waiting for her right outside.

"Rainbow Dash? What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Fluttershy...uh...can we talk?" said the athlete, searching for the right words.

"We can talk at lunch," she replied.

"No...please, Fluttershy, I need it to be alone," Rainbow insisted.

The animal lover, seeing how tired her friend looked and how desperate she was, decided to accept. "Okay, where are we going?"

"There must be several unoccupied classrooms at this time. Let's go to one," said, motioning with her head.

They both walked in silence through the hallways until they found an empty classroom. Rainbow opened the door and walked in first, making sure she was truly unoccupied. Fluttershy followed her, closing the door behind her. The classroom was quiet, with only natural light coming in through the windows.

The animal lover left her things on a table to be more comfortable, she sat on one of them and turned her attention to the multicolored one. Rainbow walked over to another and sat down, across from her, letting out a sigh before beginning.

"What's wrong, Rainbow Dash?"

"Do you remember that trip to the zoo?" began her.

Fluttershy didn't understand why that came out of nowhere; she assumed it was another attempt to bring up a topic of conversation. "Yes, I loved seeing the animals. That llama mistook your popcorn for his food."

"We had a good time though," Rainbow said, laughing as she remembered that she had to buy new popcorn because that llama ate almost all of it.

"Yes," Fluttershy smiled nostalgically.

"Also that time when we got together with our families... although I didn't like seeing your brother," the athlete said with a sad smile.

"Yeah...it never seems to change," the pink-haired girl said with a giggle, almost heartbroken.

"Then when we went to those games," Rainbow continued, playing with her fingers. "It was a few months ago, right?"

"Actually... almost a year and a half ago," Fluttershy corrected in a sad voice.

"What?!" exclaimed the athlete. "But I remember that I invited you to another outing... it was in..."

"Yes, but it was months later and you canceled that outing because you had a date with AJ, where they were going to a game," the pink-haired girl explained, interrupting her friend, lowering her gaze a little. "Then you called me asking my opinion on who was right."

"And how about that time when I invited you for that training?" Rainbow asked.

"Yes, you invited me and Applejack, but..." Fluttershy said, looking down and not finishing the sentence.

The athlete began to reflect a little on those moments and others. Her eyes widened in realization. "No way, Scoot was right," thought. "This all started when he was already dating Applejack," said out loud.

Fluttershy just looked down; That was enough for Rainbow to confirm that what she said was true.

"But... that... I... I don't know what to say, I... I left you aside and I didn't have time for you," she said surprised. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy," she apologized, her gaze downcast. "I focused so much on my relationship with Applejack that I put our friendship aside."

Fluttershy looked up, surprised by her apology. "You don't have to apologize, Rainbow Dash. I understand that relationships can take up a lot of time and energy."

"No, it's not just that," Rainbow continued, feeling a lump in her throat. "How did I not realize that I have been ignoring you and neglecting our friendship."

Rainbow took her friend's hands like she used to before, but the pink haired girl gently moved her hands to her lap. That action surprised the multicolored girl, although she should have expected it.

The pink haired girl lowered her head a little sad. "Rainbow Dash is not just that what happened..."

"Wait there's more?" the athlete asked even more surprised.

"But if you realized this... it would be cruel of me not to mention the other part to you," the animal lover said.

Rainbow looked at her, waiting with a mix of fear and hope in her eyes. Fluttershy raised her head and, with her voice shaking, began to explain the other part of the story.