Applejack was wandering the halls, searching for a certain girl with wavy hair to discuss their project. She was getting frustrated by not finding her, having literally searched for one or two hours throughout Building B: the library, the courts, the classrooms.

Not finding her, she decided to head to the cafeteria since it was lunchtime. Upon reaching the door, she saw Twilight and Fluttershy entering. She didn't say anything to them, knowing she'd find them anyway when they were serving lunch or sitting at the table.

As she was about to enter, she heard the sound of heels clicking. Turning her head, there was the girl she couldn't find anywhere. Meeting Rarity's gaze, the farm girl made a gesture with her hands and a look of incredulity on her face.

"If you speak, I'd understand you better," Rarity said.

Applejack narrowed her eyes. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Is that so?" asked with curiosity.

"Don't get it twisted, it's about the project," the blonde clarified. "We haven't talked at all since I had no choice but to pick you."

"Always so honest..." Rarity said with a touch of sarcasm.

The farm girl frowned.

"I was in class, that's why you couldn't find me," she said, trying to calm the atmosphere. The blonde said nothing, waiting for her to talk about the project.

"Alright. We need to make progress on this project. How about after classes?" the fashionista suggested.

Applejack nodded seriously, accepting the proposal. "Better than nothing."

They both headed towards the cafeteria entrance. Upon entering, each walked towards their usual table: Rarity, as she had been doing since her return, sat alone at her quiet table, while Applejack made her way to where the others would be.

But before Applejack reached her table, she took out her cell phone and called her sister. "Hey, Apple Bloom. I need you to stay and come to Building B after classes. I have to work on an important project with... someone, and we need to concentrate. Can you do that?"

From her table, Rarity was doing the same with her younger sister. "Sweetie Belle, dear, could you stay nearby after classes for a couple of hours? Applejack and I are in the middle of an important project."

With confirmations from their younger sisters, both hung up.

Side A / Cafeteria

On the other side of the school, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were in the cafeteria with Scootaloo and Spike. Upon receiving the calls from their sisters, they exchanged knowing smiles.

"Looks like we got the same information," commented Apple Bloom.

"What's up?" asked Scootaloo, curious.

"Our sisters are going to work together on a project after classes," explained Sweetie Belle. "So we have to stay a bit longer."

"Together? Applejack and Rarity?" asked Spike, raising an eyebrow. "That sounds... interesting."

"Yeah, I know. But they have to do it for the project," said the younger Belle.

"Do you think anything good will come of this?" asked the magenta-haired girl. "We saw the other day how things are between our sisters and Rarity... with the girls in general."

"Well... Pinkie talked to my sister, and even though Rarity acts tough, you can tell she misses the company," Sweetie Belle said with a smile.

"Our sisters are very proud," affirmed Scootaloo, resting her head in her hands.

"You can say that again," added Apple Bloom. "AJ keeps everything to herself when she's sad. Pinkie always says she cries on the inside. We often notice what's going on with her, but it can go unnoticed by others... unless she makes up bad excuses, which as you know, she's terrible at."

"Rainbow... mmm... it would be the same, although sometimes she talks to me," said the magenta-haired girl.

"Twilight isn't like that, she would show if something's wrong," said Spike.

The group fell silent for a few seconds.

"So, they'll stay after classes. We have that class after lunch, but then..." the green-haired boy said, thinking aloud.

"We'll soon have permission to go to the other side without sneaking around," said Apple Bloom, with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

"I bet they'll announce it tomorrow," said Spike, smiling.

"I bet next week," added Scootaloo, with a competitive tone.

Sweetie Belle frowned, a bit confused. "I'd like to follow the conversation, but I don't understand what you're talking about. How can we go to the other side?"

"You'll get it," said the green-haired boy, winking at her.

The other two nodded in agreement.

"Oh, come on, the suspense is killing me," said Sweetie Belle.

"Alright, how about this? If they don't announce it tomorrow, we'll tell you," proposed Apple Bloom, with a smile.

"Mmm... deal."

As the four friends continued eating, they chatted animatedly about what they would do after classes and how they could spend time while their older sisters worked on their project.

Side B / Cafeteria

Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Sunset Shimmer were heading outside the cafeteria with their trays. They saw Applejack and Twilight eating in their usual spot, but curiously, Fluttershy was sitting at another table.

"Why is Fluttershy at a different table?" asked the athlete, frowning.

"We're just as curious as you are, Rainbow," replied Sunset, looking in the same direction. "Let's go get some answers."

"I'll join you in a bit... I need to talk to someone first," said Pinkie, heading towards the solitary girl with wavy hair.

The five of them, from their places, watched the party girl approaching the fashionista. Many questions were on their minds, but they had decided to wait a bit before talking to the cheerful girl and continued with their own business.

"Hey, Rarity," said Pinkie, sitting next to the fashionista.

"Eh..." she didn't know what to say.

"You know you can talk normally," encouraged the party girl, with a smile.

"You're right..." murmured Rarity, picking up her fork and putting some noodles in her mouth, a bold move to avoid conversation.

It had only been three days since the party girl approached her to talk, but Rarity found it difficult to talk as before with the cheerful girl, who seemed to have an easier time speaking to her.

"Anything new? Anything that happened today?" asked Pinkie, noticing that the fashionista was hesitant to speak and decided to find a topic of conversation.

After swallowing the food, the fashionista thought. "No, actually... wait, yes there is something," she said, remembering the morning. "I have to do a project with Applejack."

The party girl nodded, smiling.

"You already knew?" asked Rarity, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, AJ mentioned it to us during our free time," explained Pinkie. "She told us she was going to look for you for the project."

"Since she doesn't know my schedule, it was obvious she wasn't going to find me," she said, putting the fork with noodles back in her mouth.

"Let me guess... mmm... she was looking for you and couldn't find you because you were probably in class," the party girl guessed animatedly. The fashionista nodded.

"We agreed to meet after classes, so I asked Sweetie Belle to stay on this side after classes," explained Rarity.

"AJ probably called Apple Bloom for the same reason, so I'll likely stay to keep an eye on her. If you want, I can do the same with your sister," offered Pinkie.

"That could work, although..." She couldn't finish speaking upon hearing the sound of a tray hitting the floor.

Both looked around to see what was happening. Turning back, they saw Rainbow on the floor, with the tray a distance from her hands and food on top of a girl's head.

A few seconds back
Pinkie Pie was moving away from Sunset and Rainbow. Once the questions passed through their minds, the athlete turned her gaze to the animal lover.

"I'm going to help her, Sunset," said Rainbow with determination. "I'm going to bring her the tray of food to show her that I'm here for her."

"Don't rush, Dash," warned Sunset, concerned.

"Sunset, I'm taking the opportunity," Rainbow insisted, determined.

"Alright, but... be careful," said Sunset.

Rainbow nodded. She took a deep breath and approached Fluttershy, who was engrossed in her biology book.

"Hey, Fluttershy! Let me help you with this," said the athlete with a nervous smile.

The pink-haired girl looked up, surprised by the gesture. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, it's not necessary..."

"I insist," Rainbow replied, trying to sound confident.

However, as she got closer, her foot stumbled over a misplaced chair. In a desperate attempt to maintain her balance, the tray tilted, and its contents spilled over her friend.

The food fell directly onto Fluttershy's head and clothes. She remained still, her eyes wide open, as the spaghetti and tomato sauce slid down her hair and clothing. The juice soaked her biology notes, turning the situation into an absolute mess.

The athlete stood up and observed the mess she had caused. "Oh no, Fluttershy! I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, her face full of panic and regret.

Fluttershy took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment to calm herself. "It's... it's okay, Rainbow Dash," said, though her voice trembled a bit. "I know you didn't do it on purpose."

The rest of the girls, who had seen everything from their tables, hurried to help clean up the mess.

"Are you okay?" asked Applejack.

"Flutters, are you okay?" asked Twilight, taking the girl by the arm to lift her from her seat.

"Yes, I'm fine, girls," Fluttershy replied.

"Are you sure?" asked Pinkie.

"You should go to the bathroom to clean up better," suggested the blonde.

"Good idea, AJ. Let's get you cleaned up," said Sunset, taking her other arm. "Twilight, come with me."

The girls went inside the cafeteria on their way to the bathroom to help clean up Fluttershy.

"Oops! That was unfortunate, Dash!" said Pinkie with a sympathetic smile, putting an arm around Rainbow's shoulder. "You'll get another chance."

Rainbow still didn't move, frustrated and guilty. "I just wanted to help... why do I always mess things up?" she murmured to herself.

Applejack approached her girlfriend. "Dash, what was...?"

"Not now, blondie," said Rainbow, heading towards the entrance.

"What was that all about?" asked the farmer.

"I think it was an attempt to get closer to Fluttershy," said Pinkie, shrugging.

"Failing in the process... I'd better leave her to handle her frustration," said Applejack. "I'm going to take the trays from the others," she added, heading to her table. The party girl nodded and went back to where she was before.

The fashionista, on her part, had seen the whole scene from afar. She wanted to help, but she knew it would be a risky move with everything going on with the girls, so she stayed put.

"I feel somewhat powerless," murmured Rarity, gritting her teeth slightly.

"Don't worry. You know you could have approached," said Pinkie with a nervous smile. "Rarity, I'm not saying you should have taken advantage of this incident, but it could have been an opportunity."

"All in due time, Pinkie Pie," said the fashionista, looking at her sideways.

"What?" asked the party girl, confused. She was going to ask, but the girl spoke first.

"I don't recall seeing Rainbow act like that before," commented Rarity, curious. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah, it's just that something's going on within the group... that, well, it's..." Pinkie said, not quite sure about revealing the distant relationship between her two friends.

"It's okay, Pinkie Pie... I know I'm very curious and would like to know, but I understand if you don't tell me important things happening in the group," said Rarity. But the conversation she had in arts with the girls crossed her mind.

Pinkie, on her part, found the fashionista's attitude curious. Before, she would have taken any opportunity to get closer, but she didn't this time. However, if she thought about it, the others probably wouldn't have let her get close to Fluttershy either.

Twilight and Sunset were in the bathroom, helping Fluttershy wash the noodles and tomato sauce out of her hair and clothes.

Twilight grabbed some paper towels, dipped them in water, and started cleaning Fluttershy's hair. Sunset took care of the stains on her clothes.

"I don't understand what Rainbow was thinking," the blue-haired girl muttered, focused on cleaning. "I know it wasn't intentional."

The animal lover sighed. "I know. It's not Rainbow Dash's fault. It was just… unexpected."

"Rainbow just wants to make things right with you," Sunset pointed out, handing Twilight another wet towel.

"Do you know that too?" Twilight asked, looking up curiously.

"Dash talked to us about it," the redhead explained.

"I see," the pink haired girl said in a thoughtful tone.

"She said she would take another chance, but I told her not to rush into it. But...you know how impulsive she is," Sunset continued. "She just wanted to show you that she cares."

"She makes me a little happy, but she's looking like she did when she tried to get close to him and failed in many of her attempts," said, a little crestfallen.

"Are you afraid it will happen again, but this time with her attempts to fix things?" Sunset asked, looking at her friend sympathetically.

"Yes, and one more thing," said, looking at Twilight's reflection with concern. The latter she knew what she was referring to. "Do you think things will go back to the way they were before?"

"Yes, I'm sure she'll find a way to do it," the blue-haired girl replied confidently, finishing cleaning Fluttershy's hair.

Fluttershy nodded slowly. "Thank you, girls. I really appreciate her help."

"We're always here for you, Fluttershy. We've all been through tough times, but we always have each other's backs," the redhead said, smiling at her.

"Exactly. And we're here for Rainbow, too," Twilight added, offering an encouraging smile.

Fluttershy smiled slightly, feeling a little calmer with the support of her friends. After the conversation, they continued helping her friend clean up. A few minutes later, Sunset and Twilight finished cleaning Fluttershy and the three of them left the bathroom.

After classes ended, all underage students walked towards the exit to meet their parents or siblings. This was the case for Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, who, after saying goodbye to Scootaloo and Spike, headed towards the main entrance connecting the college and the university.

They received a last-minute message from their sisters advising them to take the main entrance instead of their famous 'shortcut'. As they were passing through, they heard an older female voice.

"May I ask where you're going?"

The two were a bit startled and turned to look at the woman.

"Oh... we were just... going through to the other side," said Sweetie Belle.

Apple Bloom lightly slapped her forehead at her friend's comment.

"And whose permission are you going with?" asked the older woman with a serious expression.

"Haha... our sisters'?" Apple Bloom replied, showing a nervous smile.

"Your sisters'?" repeated the woman, walking around them.

Celestia, who had been watching the scene, approached with a serene smile.

"Luna, don't scare your students," said the chancellor.

"I'm following academic rules," said principal Luna, looking at her sister and stopping beside her in front of the younger girls.

Celestia smiled and turned to the girls. "Don't worry, girls. I know your sisters are waiting for you. Applejack and Rarity, right?"

"Yes, Ms. Celestia," Sweetie Belle replied, feeling somewhat relieved.

"Very well, then you may pass. But next time, make sure to have a pass or something similar, alright?" the chancellor said kindly.

"Yes, of course!" they both replied in unison.

"Alright, carry on. And Luna, don't be too hard on them. They're learning," Celestia added with a smile as she watched the two girls pass through the entrance.

Luna sighed and nodded slightly, allowing the minors to continue on their way.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle walked quickly towards the university building, exchanging relieved glances.

"That was close," murmured the younger Belle.

"Yeah, but now we know we have to be more careful. I don't want to face Director Luna like that again," Apple Bloom said.

"Well, let's go find our sisters before they start worrying," said Sweetie Belle as they quickened their pace.

They arrived at the university building and saw Applejack and Rarity waiting for them in the lobby. Their neutral expressions changed upon seeing their sisters smiling and approaching.

"There they are! Everything alright?" asked Applejack.

"Yes, all good. We just had a little run-in with Director Luna," Apple Bloom replied with a nervous smile.

"Really?" Rarity said, embracing Sweetie Belle.

"Yes, but now we know we can't use the shortcut anymore," said Sweetie Belle, laughing softly.

"If Director Luna doesn't find out," Apple Bloom added with a chuckle.

Applejack and Rarity smiled and nodded, leading the younger ones inside. They walked a bit and warned them not to wander off or enter other classrooms where other students might be.

Once briefed, the older ones headed to the art room while the younger ones decided what to do next.

"Hey, mischief-makers, want to hang out or do something?" Pinkie asked, appearing beside them with her characteristic energy.

Both exchanged glances, feeling relieved by the arrival of the cheerful girl, who always knew how to lighten the mood.

"Hi, Pinkie!" greeted Sweetie Belle enthusiastically. "We were thinking about what to do after that little scare with Director Luna."

"Oh don't worry! Luna can seem a bit serious sometimes, but she's very understanding," Pinkie said with a reassuring smile. "How about we go to the cafeteria and share some delicious cupcakes I made in class? I have some new flavors that are super tasty!"

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle exchanged a look, knowing that a sweet treat would be a great way to relax after their little adventure with Luna.

"That sounds great, Cousin Pinkie. Let's go to the cafeteria!" exclaimed Apple Bloom, following her.

On the way, the party girl told them about her day and the latest campus news. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gradually relaxed.

Upon arriving at the cafeteria, Pinkie led them straight to a table, where they could enjoy a peaceful view of the campus while sharing cupcakes and laughter.

Rarity and Applejack stood in the art room, surrounded by scattered clay blocks and tools. Rarity was flipping through the paper with the project instructions, focused on the task at hand.

"Friendship is a unique bond between individuals based on mutual trust, unconditional support and respect..." read aloud.

"Trust and respect! Look at that." she interrupted the blonde with a note of sarcasm in her voice.

The dressmaker looked up, noticing the tone in which she said it. She decided not to respond immediately, knowing that any discussion could make things worse. "Applejack, I understand..."

"No, you don't understand…" she interrupted her again. "That's the problem, you don't really understand what friendship is about."

Rarity took a deep breath, feeling the frustration building in the room. "Maybe you are right..."

"Maybe? Really?"

The dressmaker closed her mouth, trying to control her emotions before continuing. "I'm sorry for having the bad friendship experience." She added with a hint of sarcasm. Applejack looked at her angrily.

"If you're done complaining, we can do this. We have to do this together, Applejack." The dressmaker insisted.

"I don't know if I can do that." She answered.

There was an awkward silence.

"Look, I know we have our differences, but we have to get over this. The teacher expects a joint effort and we cannot fail." Rarity declared. "Let's focus on what a perfect sculpture would look like."

The farmer snorted, visibly frustrated. "You're always talking about perfection and appearances. Friendship is not something you can sculpt and make it look pretty for others."

"And what do you propose then?" she asked, trying to remain calm. “What can we do that is authentic and meaningful?”

"Maybe we could start by being honest about what we feel. We can sculpt something that represents our true emotions, not just an abstract idea of friendship." She suggested the blonde after taking a breath.

"That might work. But we need to find a way to do it together." she said, nodding slowly.

"That's the hard part, isn't it?" the farmer said, looking at the block of clay at her as if she expected it to give her an answer.

Rarity moved a little closer to the girl. "Look, I know it hasn't been easy. But if we work together, we can do something amazing. I just need you to trust me a little."

Applejack looked at her. "Trust you?"

"..." Rarity fell silent, realizing that she once again used the wrong words. "Okay, bad choice. So let's trust what we can do. At least we can take the first step."

They both began to work on their clay blocks, the atmosphere still tense. A few minutes passed and the blonde stopped instantly.

"What are you doing?" Applejack asked, looking askance at the dressmaker seeing that she was not moving forward rather she seemed to be drawing something.

"Making a draft. It's better to have an idea of what it would look like." She explained.

"The idea is to do it based on our imagination," said the blonde, pointing a finger at her head.

The dressmaker took a deep breath, she was already getting annoyed by the blonde's attitude. "How about we change the subject and show the bad side of friendship. It doesn't always end well and sometimes there are reasons why that happens."

"Are you kidding me? Do you think the teacher is going to want that for exposition?" she said with a frown. "Only one thing you are right: friendship is not always pretty, but if you are there for them and don't stab them..." she added looking at her. "And as for those reasons, I don't think they are justified."

Rarity didn't say anything for a moment. "So, do we continue with the idea or change it?" she asked with a frown.

"Here's my two cents," Applejack said, taking the things from her and heading towards the door. Rarity, who was on the opposite side of the door, only heard the door slam shut.

"Nice contribution..." murmured.

Pinkie was walking through the hallways, opening each empty room. A few minutes ago she was walking through the halls with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, but in the blink of an eye, the two mischievous girls ran away.

She walked a little further until she ran into a familiar face.

"Rarity, have you finished the job?" the party girl asked, with a friendly smile.

"Of course, that job..." the dressmaker responded with a touch of sarcasm. "I would have moved on if your cousin could put things aside for a moment," she added with a sigh, clearly exasperated.

"What happened?" Pinkie asked, curious and concerned.

"We were just starting work until I started reading the prompt and Applejack started with his comments about friendship... Long story short, he indirectly mentioned what happened with the girls," Rarity explained, visibly frustrated.

"Oops, looks like she took it personally," Pinkie commented, grimacing.

Rarity frowned, her voice filled with frustration. "I understand that we are bad, but I could at least, just for work, put the conflict aside. It's not that I'm asking that we be friends again, just that we can finish this project."

Pinkie nodded, understanding the difficulty of the situation. "I know it's hard, Rarity. Maybe they just need a little more time to let go of the past."

"I'm just on that," Rarity said, sighing. "But in the meantime, we have to find a way to work together without everything turning into an argument about what happened."

Pinkie frowned a little at the first thing the dressmaker said, she was just going to ask, but she beat her to it again.

"What were you doing here? It's not like I'm kicking you out," Rarity said, a little nervously.

"Don't worry, Rarity. I'm not going to think anything bad," Pinkie responded with a smile.

"You're right..." she murmured. "So what were you doing?"

"Oh, I was with Sweetie and Apple Bloom..." Pinkie explained.

"Well, I think it would be ideal to call them before we leave," Rarity suggested.

"Oh...Haha," she laughed nervously. "They were with me, but at some point they were no longer with me, although I saw where they went."

"Ah, that girl is already 14 years old to be doing her mischief," commented the dressmaker.

"Tell me, how old were you when you were running out there?" Pinkie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Ehhh..." she said, not knowing what to answer.

"Come on, I'm sure they're both over there," Pinkie said. "Applejack must also be looking for Apple Bloom," she said, starting to take a few steps.

"Oh, Applejack," the dressmaker said, stopping and putting a hand to her forehead.

"What else happened?" Pinkie asked.

"I stayed a little longer since I thought he would take a breath to calm down and try to get back to work," Rarity said.

"You know how stubborn she is," the party girl said.

"Yes...she reminded me of the time she got upset over one of the final tests," Rarity said.

The party girl raised an eyebrow, confused.

"The final tests before moving on to the last year and the rest happening," the dressmaker clarified.

Three Years Ago: Winter
Applejack was sitting at one of the tables in the school library, surrounded by books and notes. She was frowning as she tried to concentrate on her studies, clearly stressed by the academic load. Rarity, sitting next to her, was flipping through a fashion magazine, enjoying a moment of quiet.

Applejack slammed the table in frustration. "I can't do this, Rarity! It's too much!"

Rarity looked up from her magazine, surprised by the blonde's outburst. "Applejack, honey, what's wrong?"

"The thing is, this is impossible!" exclaimed, her voice echoing in the silent library. "I don't understand any of this and I need to pass this exam!"

Rarity closed her magazine and stood up. "Sorry, I did not want to bother you." she said and started walking away leaving the library.

Applejack watched her walk away from her, immediately feeling the weight of her own guilt. He knew she had gone too far, that he shouldn't have yelled at Rarity.

The dressmaker walked through the hallways thinking about what she could do to relax her girlfriend, and an idea crossed her mind, so she almost jogged towards the stairs to go to her destination. .

A few minutes later, the farmer was still deep in thought, when she heard footsteps approaching. He looked up and saw Rarity standing in front of her, holding a small package.

The dressmaker smiled shyly. "I know you like apple pies, but the cafeteria only had pear ones."

Applejack blinked in surprise and stood up. "Rarity... I... I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm really stressed and... that's no excuse." said, looking down.

Rarity leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "It's okay, honey. I understand you're going through a hard time. I just want to help you."

Applejack took the cupcake. "Thank you, Rarity. You're amazing. I don't know what I would do without you. You know, it doesn't matter that it's apple..." she looked around her a little. "Don't tell Grandma Smith this, but I recently tried a pear dessert and I liked it." she confessed in a whisper.

Rarity laughed at that. "Then it will be our secret." said with the same tone of voice.

Then they both sat down again, this time closer to her, and Rarity took her hand. "Come on, I know you're going to be able to handle this. Would you like to study together? I can help you with whatever you need."

The farmer nodded, feeling comforted by Rarity's presence. "Yes, I would love to. Thank you for being here for me."

They both began to study together, the tension fading as they shared laughter and sweet moments, like when Rarity touched a part of the cake cream with her finger and then smeared the tip of Applejack's nose, and they both laughed about it.

Rarity sighed with her arms crossed. "And that was what happened..."

Pinkie, with her hands clasped near her cheek, smiled sweetly. "I knew you guys were cute, but that was so sweet!"

The dressmaker cleared her throat to change the subject. "Sorry..." the party girl began, "I meant it was a good way to calm you down."

"Thank you," Rarity said looking at her nails.

"So...were you thinking of bringing her something to calm her down?" Pinkie asked with a giggle.

"Pinkie Pie!" Rarity exclaimed, "don't say those things. Besides, she left and... I was left waiting for her to come back." She then raised a finger to clarify, "Don't misunderstand, it was just a mistake to think that."

"Okay," Pinkie agreed.

The wavy-haired one wondered aloud, "I wonder if Grandma Smith finally found out about her taste for pears."

The party girl laughed a little. "Let's just say she had no choice," she replied with a knowing smile.

The dressmaker looked at Pinkie somewhat confused, but she decided not to ask.

"If only I knew that Aunt Buttercup had a pear farm in the end, and that we all found out about it after that. Grandma Smith let us do anything related to pears. Looks like blood ties will never separate us," Pinkie thought grimly. a little grace

"Did you say she saw Sweetie around here?" Rarity asked, pointing to a part of the hallway.

Pinkie nodded with a smile as she followed Rarity through the halls of Side B in search of Sweetie Belle. The afternoon sun illuminated the central courtyard, where they met Applejack, who seemed to be looking for someone.

"What a coincidence meeting here!" the party girl exclaimed, trying to break the ice before any tension between Rarity and Applejack could arise.

Applejack, with surprise on her expression, barely nodded in response. His gaze shifted to the side, as if she were evaluating whether she should continue searching or retreat.

At that moment, a sudden "Boooo" echoed from behind them, followed by a high-pitched scream from Rarity. The two little sisters, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, emerged laughing, enjoying the success of their prank.

"You almost scared me to death, Sweetie Belle!" she exclaimed, trying to catch her breath as she hugged her chest.

Applejack, with a slight smile, but still evident reservation, approached the girls. "Apple Bloom was looking for you... you know? It's not time to scare anyone," he said with a slightly scolding tone.

"We just wanted to play a prank on you," Apple Bloom said, high-fiving Sweetie.

"Sweetie Belle..." the dressmaker began to speak, followed by responses from the minors and the blonde.

Pinkie watched the interaction carefully, remembering something similar to this, but at the same time not.

Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie walked together through the hallways of Side A, sharing an animated conversation. Rarity and Applejack were holding hands like they usually did.

"Do you think we'll have a dance?" the party girl asked excitedly.

"Ah, that would be a dream! But first I have to find something new to wear, I can't go with just anything," Rarity commented, stopping her in her tracks.

"Rare, whatever you wear you'll look beautiful as always," Applejack stated tenderly.

"Jackie, always with those words that make my heart beat," said the dressmaker, wrapping her arms around Applejack's neck, while the farmer hugged her waist.

"I hope I'm the only one," Applejack added.

"Jackie and Rare?" Pinkie asked with a smile.

The two, still in that position, looked at the party girl. "Well...yeah," the blonde admitted, blushing a little. "The other day we went on a date and it came out of the blue, and we both liked each other's nickname."

"Sounds nice," the party girl commented with a smile.

"Yes..." they both sighed in unison.

They stayed like that for a few more seconds, until Rarity noticed something alarming and quickly took Applejack towards the janitor's room to hide.

Pinkie watched the scene curiously. She found it strange that Rarity and Applejack were suddenly hiding. At that moment, she saw Sweetie Belle and Applebloom running down the hallway.

"Hello Pinkie!" Sweetie Belle greeted as they walked past her.

"Hey girls! Are you looking for your sisters?"

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom responded enthusiastically. "We need to talk to them about something."

"Oh, I see," Pinkie said with a giggle. "They're... uh... busy." For some reason her 'Pinkie sense' told her not to tell on her two friends. "Applejack is in the woodworking club and Rarity is in the sewing club. I'll bring your message to them when I find them."

The two little girls nodded gratefully and continued on their way quickly.

Pinkie waited a few seconds to make sure they were out of sight, then she opened the door to the janitor's room where Rarity and Applejack were kissing.

The party girl coughed to get attention. "Everything okay, girls?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, flashing an amused smile. The two laughed when they saw Pinkie. "They calm me down, lest something else happen," she added, raising her eyebrows up and down.

"Pinkie!" the two exclaimed, then leaving there.

The dressmaker cleared her throat to speak. "Thank you, Pinkie. I knew I could count on you."

"I will always be here for you!" she replied briskly, closing the door behind them. "But why did you hide with AJ?"

"Oh, I told Applejack inside..." Rarity explained.

"Yes," the farmer confirmed with a nod.

Pinkie made an expression waiting for a response.

"Oh, sorry...it's just that Sweetie still doesn't know about me and AJ," she explained.

"Okay...for a moment I thought you were embarrassed to be seen with my cousin," the party girl commented.

"Never that," Rarity said, hugging the farmer's arm. Applejack kissed her forehead. Pinkie smiled when she saw that.

The three friends continued walking, sharing a new conversation through the school hallways as if nothing had happened.

Present

Coming back to reality, remembering what the atmosphere was like before, there was now a palpable tension between Rarity and Applejack, a distancing that did not go unnoticed. Not only with each other but also with the other girls.

"Girls, what are you doing here?" Pinkie asked, trying to steer the conversation toward something lighter. "They were with me and plop!... they disappeared."

"Ah, we just wanted to get to know this place a little more," Sweetie Belle said, trying to sound casual.

"Sweetie Belle convinced me," added Apple Bloom.

"They could have gotten lost, this side is big," said the dressmaker, worried.

"According to Apple Bloom we're going to have per-," the youngest Belle was going to say, until she felt her friend's elbow. "Nothing."

"What were you about to say?" Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.

"No need to pressure them," Applejack interjected, looking at the dressmaker. "You shouldn't force your sister to say something she doesn't want to."

Rarity looked back at him. "Are you going to give me lessons on how to treat my sister?"

The courtyard fell silent, only the bustle of the few students coming and going. The looks of the minors and the party girl alternated between the farmer and the dressmaker, who held serious looks, one more than the other.

"Well, girls, maybe we should calm down a little! We don't want the atmosphere to get any more tense than it already is, right?" The party girl tried to intervene with a nervous smile.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other, looking for a way to ease the situation. "Hey, Rarity, we were thinking we could take a tour of campus together sometime," Sweetie Belle suggested. "So we won't get lost next time."

"Yeah, that would be great," Apple Bloom added, trying to sound enthusiastic. "And so we could spend more time with you."

The dressmaker took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "That sounds like a good idea, Sweetie. We could do that one of these days."

"Yes, we could plan something like that. But right now... no." said the farmer

The group was silent for a few seconds.

"I think we should go home now," Apple Bloom said, breaking the silence, trying to ease the tension.

The girls nodded, recognizing the need to end the conversation. With one last exchange of glances, they began to gather their things and prepared to leave the school with their sisters.

Applejack and Rarity began walking towards the corresponding exit, going their separate ways without saying another word, each heading towards their respective houses.

Author's Note

• I know, a tense chapter for Applejack and Rarity, but it's part of the development. Same for Rainbow and Fluttershy...

• As you noticed, I put a flashback that happens in January, which are the final tests. Why in January? Well, it is to complement RariJack's past history until they get to where they meet the rest of the Mane Six almost halfway through the year. Then another part of the past story will follow, which is evident which couple it is, and will explain many things about why they are like that in the present.