Monday had arrived with its usual frenetic pace. The students were returning to their respective classrooms after a weekend that, for some, had been more relaxing than for others. The campus was full of energy, with the sound of conversations mixing with the echo of hurried footsteps through the hallways.

Applejack, as usual, had arrived early for her morning classes. Her friends were also busy in their major classrooms: Twilight in the lab, Sunset with her art projects, Rainbow Dash perfecting her sports techniques, Pinkie Pie somewhere in the baking classroom or another related one, and finally, Fluttershy in some subject related to animal care.

After two intense classes, the farmer was now in her third period: Physics.

The teacher, Dr. Quantum, was standing in front of the blackboard, explaining how heat and energy influence the properties of construction materials.

"As they build more complex structures, they must consider how temperature changes and heat transfer will affect the materials. Thermal expansions, for example, are crucial to prevent cracks or failures in the structure over time. A material may seem strong at room temperature, but under the heat of summer or the extreme cold of winter, its properties change."

Applejack nodded as she took notes, remembering how, on the farm, they always made sure to take the weather into account when building anything additional. She knew this knowledge would be vital for her future projects, both in the field and off.

"Well-designed structures need to be able to adapt to these conditions. That's why understanding thermal conductivity and thermal expansion is key," the professor continued to explain. "It's not just about choosing a good material, but knowing how it will behave under different circumstances. Applied physics will allow them to make these calculations and ensure the durability of their constructions."

Despite being somewhat exhausted, she paid attention and continued taking notes.

The class progressed and the blonde tried to concentrate, but she couldn't stop her mind from wandering from time to time. The feeling still persisted, although it was less than last week. There was something about this class, about this teaching, that made her feel like she could start handling things better.

The minutes passed and the teacher ended the class, so Applejack headed to the cafeteria to meet her friends. She found them in line, and although they didn't have a full lunch on Mondays, that didn't mean they couldn't eat something light. As she walked to the short line to get something before training, her gaze was lost for a moment in the bustle of the cafeteria.

Just then, a certain girl was approaching the line, but suddenly stopped some distance away.

The seven girls exchanged glances. Some didn't know how to react to the situation, while Pinkie raised a hand and waved effusively. Rarity returned the greeting with a slight smile.

The dressmaker looked undecided, as if she didn't know if she should join the line behind them or wait to the side until it cleared. The dilemma kept her motionless for a few seconds.

The line moved forward, and it was the girls' turn. That was when Applejack made a decision. She glanced at Rarity out of the corner of her eye, noticing her indecision.

With an almost imperceptible sigh, the farmer took a small step to the side and, without looking at her directly, nodded towards the counter, making it clear that she could go before her.

The curly-haired girl, surprised by the gesture, as well as the five girls behind Applejack, hesitated for a moment. Her eyes briefly met the farmer's, but none of them said a word. Finally, Rarity bowed her head slightly in gratitude and moved towards the counter.

"Thank you..."

The farmer didn't answer, while the dressmaker helped herself to a cupcake.

As they left the line, Rarity couldn't help but think that, although small, Applejack's gesture was a sign that, perhaps, things could improve between them despite the words that didn't help her concentrate over the weekend.

The girls found that interaction curious, if it could be called that, and met the blonde's gaze. Before they could speak, the farmer opened her mouth:

"I didn't want another meeting that ended in an argument over the buildup of my emotions," she explained in a neutral tone.

"At least you acknowledge that you were wrong the other day," Pinkie commented with a smile, as she watched Rarity walk away with her cupcake. "Wait... is she going to her table?" thought intrigued. "I know she doesn't have lunch... But she wasn't here last week. Hmmm..."

"Maybe I went too far," admitted, not realizing that the party girl was distracted by her own thoughts.

"Well, at least they didn't take you out of context, since some people didn't even understand what really happened," Rainbow said thoughtfully.

"At the very least, they're saying that you don't like the new girl or that you two don't get along," Twilight added.

Applejack crossed her arms, frowning slightly. "Finally, they're saying something real."

Fluttershy, in her soft tone, cautiously intervened: "Is this just about Rainbow, or is it about something else?"

"What do you mean?" Sunset asked before the farmer did.

"It just seems like this isn't just about what happened," she timidly hinted. "Part of your frustration has to do with Belle?"

The farmer frowned, her expression hardening. Unintentionally, she scared Fluttershy a little, who hid behind Twilight.

"Okay, it's possible..." Rainbow intervened, putting a hand on the blonde's shoulder and pointing with the other at the pink-haired girl. "...but don't look at her like that."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she apologized.

Sunset changed the subject to ease the tension. "Well, the important thing is that you look better now. Eating something and training will surely help you relax more."

Once they had eaten something, especially the three girls on the team, they headed to the locker room to change, followed by Twilight and Fluttershy, who again decided to stay.

The afternoon sun was still high, bathing the soccer field in a warm golden light. The cones were already scattered in a line in front of them, ready to be dodged. The atmosphere was relaxed, although competition was always present when Rainbow Dash and Applejack got involved.

"Come on, girls! I want to see speed!" the multicolored girl shouted, with a defiant smile as she adjusted the elastic band on her forehead. "Let's see if you can keep up with me."

The red-haired girl, used to her friends' rivalries, smiled as she prepared herself at the starting line. Sometimes these competitions could be intense, but today the mood was more relaxed.

"It's not a race, Dash," reminded him as she adjusted her sneakers.

Applejack, finishing tying her hair into a high ponytail, cast a determined look at her partner. "Of course it isn't... but if it was, you know who would win."

Rainbow laughed. "Whatever you say, Blondie. Let's see what you're made of."

At Spitfire's signal, the team charged toward the cones. The athlete, with her natural speed, was the first to dodge them, sliding between the obstacles as if they were part of her body. The granger, on the other hand, opted for a stronger and more controlled approach, relying on her balance and power to keep up without losing stability.

Sunset, true to her meticulous style, advanced with calculated steps, although sometimes her feet slipped slightly on the grass. Lyra, Gilda, and the rest of the team followed close behind, encouraged by the competition.

"Watch your feet, Sunset!" Lyra yelled from behind as she saw the redhead almost trip over a cone.

"Got it," she replied, regaining her balance and accelerating to keep up.

Rainbow, always looking out for her friends, smiled smugly at how close she was to the finish line. But Applejack wasn't about to let her partner overtake her so easily. With one last effort, the farm girl accelerated, getting dangerously close to her.

"Not so fast, Dash!" she made a quick movement with her foot, moving ahead of her at the last cone.

The athlete frowned, determined not to be left behind. She accelerated to the maximum, turning quickly at the last obstacle, but the blonde had already taken the lead.

"That's cheating!" exclaimed Rainbow between laughs, knowing full well that everything had been fair.

"It's just using my strength," Applejack said with a triumphant grin, crossing the finish line just seconds before Rainbow.

Sunset arrived shortly after, panting but smiling. "Phew... you two don't know when to give up."

The multicolored girl, though defeated by seconds, let out a laugh as she crouched down to catch her breath. "Well... maybe AJ has her moments."

Applejack shrugged. "It was just a little luck... and a little skill," added, satisfied with her victory.

The coach blew her whistle, drawing the team's attention. "Okay, girls! Now we're going to work on ball control and passing. I want accuracy. Remember, whoever controls the ball, controls the game."

The athlete jumped up, quickly regaining her energy. "That's a piece of cake!"

Sunset, still breathing hard, rolled her eyes with a smile. "Always so confident."

Applejack nodded, remembering the last game. "This is going to help us against the Shadowbolts. They're not going to take the ball away from us this time."

"Exactly," Spitfire added in a firm tone. "Now, each of you with a ball. I want you to practice those shots until Bon Bon can't stop any of them!"

The entire team responded with energy. "Yes, Coach!"

Pinkie Pie, with her usual enthusiasm, was on her way to meet up with the rest of her friends and watch them practice. She was walking down the aisles, skipping with energy, when she noticed her curly friend, who seemed distracted, flipping through some papers as she headed down another aisle.

"Rarity!" exclaimed, stopping in front of her with a grin from ear to ear.

The seamstress looked up, somewhat surprised to see her friend. "Oh, hello, Pinkie. What brings you here with so much energy?"

"I'm going to watch the Wondercolts practice! You know, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Sunset are there! I thought I'd invite you to come with me," said with sparkling eyes, bouncing slightly on her feet.

Rarity frowned slightly, clearly uncomfortable with the idea. "I don't think that's a good idea..."

"Oh, come on, Rarity!" insisted, giving her a light push on the arm. "You don't have to talk to anyone if you don't want to, we're just going to watch the practice! Besides, it's always more fun when we're together."

The seamstress hesitated, looking in the direction that led to the court. She wasn't sure if it would be the wisest thing to do, but Pinkie's enthusiasm was hard to resist.

"Okay... but just for a little while," finally agreed, though her voice sounded a little resigned.

"Great! Let's go!" The party girl took her by the arm and led her to the court with an infectious energy.

As she arrived at the court, she saw that some students were already sitting in the stands. From a distance, Rarity spotted Twilight and Fluttershy, who were also there, calmly watching the practice even though the pink-haired girl seemed to be reading her book at first.

Pinkie, noticing her friend's discomfort, shook her head quickly. "You're not leaving! We'll sit a little apart."

"Fine..." sighed, though she still felt a little unsure.

The two of them settled into the stands, both far away from and close to their two friends. The dressmaker sat rather stiffly, while the party girl, as always, was relaxed and cheerful.

Twilight and Fluttershy, though focused on training, couldn't help but notice the arrival of Pinkie and Rarity. They exchanged curious glances. Neither of them commented.

"See? This isn't so bad," whispered, leaning toward the wavy-haired one with a knowing smile.

Rarity let out a small laugh, relaxing a little more. "I guess not."

The Wondercolts' training continued, filling the air with the sound of plays and cheers of encouragement.

"According to what the headmistress said, the game will be postponed to January, right?" Rarity commented thoughtfully.

"Yeah, that's what she said," the party girl replied blankly.

"Don't you think it wouldn't be fair? They're facing the Shadowbolts and the final tests are waiting for them the next day," she added, sounding worried.

"Uh..." Pinkie tried to come up with an answer.

Fluttershy closed her book, feeling the need to speak. "They might move it to February," said, looking up a couple of steps.

Rarity looked back at her. "Ah, that makes sense."

Twilight looked at the pink-haired girl curiously, taking a deep breath before speaking. "It happened last year for another reason," commented, not taking her eyes off the field.

The seamstress's eyes widened slightly, surprised by the unexpected answer. "Funny... they didn't move it for me."

"It's possible that since you studied online, they decided it would be normal for you," the bespectacled girl replied, this time giving her a brief glance.

Rarity just nodded.

After that slight interaction, the three of them returned to their training. Pinkie smiled, considering that little chat as another step forward.

At the end of the training, the students began to come down from the stands.

Fluttershy and Twilight took a few steps, but the blue-haired girl suddenly stopped. "Look, Applejack and Sunset are coming..." She couldn't finish the sentence when she heard a boom.

The pink-haired girl had tripped over her friend's foot and fell to the ground, her book flying a few meters away.

The two friends who were coming, seeing what had happened, quickly approached.

"Fluttershy!" the blue-haired girl exclaimed, worried.

The animal lover raised her head and, to her surprise, saw Rarity right in front of her. For an instant, she imagined two students between the dressmaker, remembering past moments.

Three Years Ago: Summer; weeks after the start of classes
Fluttershy walked down the hallway on side A, hugging her books. She was going to meet the three girls she met a few days ago: the genius girl, the cheerful girl, and the redhead. She walked with her head down, trying to go unnoticed, but two students behind her intentionally pushed her.

The pink-haired girl tripped, and her books fell to the floor with a loud crash. The students laughed amongst themselves, as she felt her face flush with embarrassment and humiliation.

"What's wrong, girl? You should watch where you walk," one of them said disdainfully.

"Yeah, do you think that because you're the pretty girl the books will obey you?" the other added with a mocking smile.

None of the few students passing by did anything, which made the girl feel bad. How she wished her multi-colored friend was at her school and defended her like she has done other times.

"So chivalrous," said a female voice that stopped in front of them.

The three of them looked up. But the two boys were taken aback by the beauty of the girl who had just arrived.

"Oh, hello," one of them said, a flirtatious hint in his voice.

"What brings you here, beauty?" asked the other.

"They're blocking my way," the girl replied, glancing at the two before turning her attention to the pink-haired girl.

"Don't pay attention to that useless girl," one of the boys said, noticing the elegant girl staring at the pink-haired girl.

"You're right," the wavy-haired girl replied.

That comment made Fluttershy feel a little bad, lowering her gaze even further.

"But, if you don't mind, I'd like to come in. Unless, of course, you'd prefer your names to reach certain ears," continued, with a fake smile. "So, why don't you two get lost over there?"

The students exchanged nervous glances before quickly walking away, not saying another word.

Fluttershy looked up, surprised. She had heard about the sophisticated girl, but she hadn't expected her to do that.

With a slight smirk, the girl looked down at the ground, bent down to pick up one of the books, and offered her a hand. Though hesitant, the pink-haired girl ended up accepting the hand to get up.

"Th-thank you," murmured.

The wavy-haired girl nodded. "You shouldn't let them treat you like that, dear," she said in a soft but firm voice, looking into her eyes as she handed her the book.

Fluttershy, still shocked, took the book and murmured, "I don't know if I could."

"You could trick them into thinking they'll fall for your trick, then 'touché' them in the end," suggested.

"It seems complicated... That's what you just did, right? For a moment I thought you were going to leave me on the floor."

"I could have done it, but... where is fair?"

The pink haired girl's eyes widened. "Thank you... You're Rarity, aren't you?"

"That's right, nice to meet you, Fluttershy."

"You know me?" she asked, surprised.

"We've shared a few classes," Rarity replied.

"I know, but I thought you wouldn't know my name because... because... Nevermind," Fluttershy said shyly.

"Honey, let's work on it," she said with a confident smile.

"On what?"

"Nevermind, you'll see in time," the seamstress said. "Shall we?" added, pointing down the hallway.

"Sure, though I was going to meet up with some girls," Fluttershy said.

"Hmm, are they trustworthy?" the seamstress thought. "It's nice to meet new people, I'd like to meet them."

"Okay," replied without much question.

The two began walking as Rarity began to chat.

Elsewhere, Applejack was walking around the courtyard, looking at her phone. She had agreed to meet her partner, but a few minutes had passed, so she decided to look for her in the hallway or at the entrance. Finally, she decided to go to the entrance.

"Have you considered using some words of encouragement for yourself?" the seamstress asked as they approached the entrance.

"For myself?" the pink-haired girl asked, still surprised to have her by her side.

"Yeah, like..." replied, thinking of some phrase. "I know I can handle this test, she won't beat me."

"Hmm, I have a friend outside of school who does the same thing," Fluttershy commented.

Before she could continue speaking, a voice the seamstress knew interrupted her.

"Rarity, there you were."

Fluttershy opened her eyes when she saw the farmer, since she had seen her a couple of times in the hallways.

"Jack— AJ, sorry for keeping you waiting," apologized, looking at her.

"Okay," Applejack replied with an understanding smile, then turned her gaze to the pink-haired girl. "And you, uh... partner or maybe friend?" asked curiously.

Rarity smiled. "I don't know if I should call her that... yet. Her name is Fluttershy."

"Hello," she greeted shyly.

"Hello, my name is Applejack," the farmer introduced herself, and turned her gaze to the curly-haired girl. "I knew you would, but I wasn't expecting your choice."

Rarity had been drawn to the pink-haired girl. She had seen her from afar when she was being bullied and noticed that no one did anything about it, even she herself was about to follow like everyone else, but she understood that one does not change on one's own.

"Yeah, well... I was walking through the halls and I saw that they were bullying her," commented, looking at the farmer and then at the animal lover.

"Yeah, and thanks again for that," said.

Applejack smiled at the seamstress. "You make me prouder and prouder," said, giving her a kiss on the temple, and her partner laughed at the tender gesture.

This surprised Fluttershy a little.

"Sorry about that," the farmer said when she saw the look on the pink-haired girl's face.

"Don't worry... erm... you... umm," the shy girl said, not very sure, but she made a sign with her fingers. The two understood.

"Yes, she's my girlfriend," Rarity affirmed, hugging the farmer's arm. The blonde smiled.

Near the main door of the institute, Sunset and Twilight nodded at everything Pinkie Pie said, despite not understanding much due to her energetic way of speaking.

"And that's how the house was scattered because of one more ingredient," finished telling.

"Wow, so you were trying to make a cake for the first time and it exploded," Sunset commented, a little incredulous.

"Yeah, it was so exciting."

"Uh-huh," Twilight nodded slowly, equally incredulous. "Fluttershy's kind of taking a while," added, checking the time.

"That's true," the red-haired girl said.

"She's sure to be here soon," the party girl said.

The girls looked around until they noticed three figures at a close distance, recognizing one that stood out.

"Isn't that Rarity Belle?" Twilight asked, surprised to see her with the pink-haired girl.

"That's right, it's Rarity. I've seen her a couple of times," Sunset said, equally surprised.

Pinkie jumped up and down excitedly, as she had in mind to introduce the dressmaker and the blonde, and knowing that they already knew them somehow gave her an advantage. "Uhh, let's see what happens," said, starting to walk, and the other two followed her.

"Hey girls, hello, Fluttershy!" the party girl greeted, already close to the three girls.

"Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy said.

"Pinkie!?" the other two exclaimed.

"I'm not surprised you know Pinkie Pie," the red-haired girl commented with a smile.

"Still... it's funny," the girl with glasses added.

"Ha ha, she's actually my cousin," Applejack replied, a little nervously.

"Your cousin?" the three asked in unison.

"Distant relatives," Rarity clarified.

"Ah, that makes more sense," Twilight said.

"I said the same thing too," the seamstress added, smiling. "I'm Rarity Belle, by the way, though you can just call me Rarity."

"Sunset Shimmer," the red-haired girl introduced herself.

The blue-haired girl stared curiously at the seamstress, receiving a slight nudge from her friend. "Ah, uh... Twilight Sparkle."

"Nice to meet you," Rarity said, waving her hand. "And this young lady here..." she looked at the blonde.

"Sorry, I'm Applejack," the farmer introduced herself.

"Hello," the two greeted.

"AJ, you were almost left halfway," the curly-haired girl murmured, almost pouting.

"Sorry, I was surprised by such an unexpected... meeting?" Applejack said, looking at the girls.

Sunset, Twilight, and Fluttershy looked at the seamstress. Their perception of her was totally different from how she was interacting now.

"The world is so small," Pinkie exclaimed with a smile. "Who would have thought that the six of us would be here together?"

They all looked at each other with a smile, while Fluttershy thought about her absent friend, wondering if they would get along with the others.

Applejack smiled especially at her partner. She seemed to be happy about what was happening to her. Fluttershy saw how she took her hand, giving it a squeeze, they seemed to say something to each other through their gaze.

This day was unexpected for the pink-haired girl, as she didn't expect to meet other people. With the idea of her multi-colored friend being present, she imagined that the seven of them would have a great friendship.

Fluttershy blinked a few times, dazed, as she watched the seamstress kneeling in front of her, offering her a hand. Although her gesture was kind, she couldn't help but notice a small hesitation in Rarity's eyes, as if she herself was unsure of her own action.

"You should watch where you put your foot or you might hurt yourself," said, as she helped the pink-haired girl to her feet.

Fluttershy nodded slowly, still a little dazed.

The seamstress then turned around, meeting the gazes of Applejack and Sunset, who had already arrived. She couldn't read whether those gazes were of approval, which only increased her discomfort. Without saying anything else, she began to walk.

"Are you okay, Flutters? You didn't hit your head, did you?" Pinkie asked, worriedly as she examined her from head to toe.

"I'm so sorry, Fluttershy. I shouldn't have stopped like that," Twilight said, her voice full of concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," murmured absentmindedly, but her attention was still on the figure of the dressmaker already walking away. A part of her felt a strange sense of nostalgia.

Rainbow walked over, briefly passing by Rarity where they exchanged glances before approaching her friend. "Hey, Fluttershy, what happened?" asked, quickly bending down to pick up the book that still lay on the floor.

Fluttershy took the book, but was barely able to look at her friend. Her mind was still fixed on Rarity, who was now lost.

Once they explained what happened and calmed down, the three members of the team went to change to continue the conversation before saying goodbye for the next day.

The walk back home was quiet. Upon arriving, she greeted her family, smiling as she passed through the kitchen. Once she went upstairs and greeted her brother, she entered her room, closing the door behind her.

She dropped onto her bed with a long sigh, her backpack still on the floor. She was exhausted, but not from classes or studying, but from the weight of memories that were beginning to flood over her. She closed her eyes for a moment, but the image of Rarity, kneeling in front of her, offering her hand, did not fade.

The stumble that day brought back the memory of when she thought the seven of them would still be together, an illusion of that moment, and now things were different. Although Rarity was best known for her style and elegance, the dressmaker had a unique way of offering her advice.

"My dear, confidence is not just about how you look, but about how you feel about yourself," she remembered Rarity telling her after one of their many talks about how difficult it was to fit in or speak confidently.

Fluttershy looked up at the ceiling of her room, her thoughts spinning back to the memory of when she first met her and what happened today. The Rarity she had seen looked like a different version of the one she remembered. Although she still maintained that characteristic elegance, there was something about the way she acted that was different.

She fondly remembered how the seamstress would sometimes help her with advice on how to feel more confident, encouraging her to be more open and not let her shyness hold her back. Her five friends had also supported her in that, but Rarity also contributed to it.

Now, however, everything seemed so distant. "Will it be possible for things to go back to the way they were?" she wondered. "I would like to talk to her, but what will the girls say? Especially Dash."

She didn't know what to do, maybe the answers would come with time. Or maybe she would just have to accept that some things change forever.

The next day, the girls were in class, following the teacher's instructions as they did various stretches. Spitfire had now asked each student to perform the assisted handstand, an exercise that required the support of peers.

Applejack and Trixie held their classmates' feet as, one by one, they crossed to the other side after several attempts, successful or failed.

Twilight was next, almost losing her balance when her glasses fell off while she was upside down. Fortunately, both Applejack and Trixie helped her land softly on the mat.

Next was Fluttershy, who, although nervous, managed to successfully cross to the other side. Then it was Rainbow Dash's turn, who with a sign made them move aside.

"Watch," said confidently.

She took a step back, raised her arms, and with a strong push, landed upside down in a perfect handstand. She held the position for a few seconds before lowering herself with control, leaning on the mat and landing on her feet. Some of her classmates praised her, while others rolled their eyes.

"This is how it's done," commented with a half-smile.

Professor Spitfire came over with her paper tablet, taking notes. "As always, well done," said with a smile.

The multi-colored girl smiled proudly.

"But remember that this is a team exercise," the teacher added.

"Oh, come on," Rainbow said, a little frustrated.

"Just because you did well I won't deduct points from you this time," Spitfire said, before walking away to take a good look at the rest. "Next!"

"I still won," muttered, as she walked over to where her friends were.

The party girl came over with a little skip. "Are you going to want support or do you want to show off?" Trixie asked with her arms crossed.

"Nah, it's not my thing, but I think I could do it," replied with a wide grin. "Besides, like the teacher said, this is work..."

"As a team," Applejack finished, getting into position to catch Pinkie's feet, along with Trixie.

The party girl raised her arms and pushed off, and her feet were caught by the girls. Pinkie held the position for a few seconds and with help, landed softly on the mat, lying down.

"Okay, next," the teacher indicated.

Now it was Rarity's turn, who was not exactly known for her physical abilities. The seamstress approached, giving Applejack a brief glance. Despite the tensions between them, she knew she could trust her. She raised her arms, pushed off, and stood in the handstand position, while her classmates held her up.

With a focused face, Rarity struggled to keep her balance.

"Looks like she's doing it," Pinkie commented excitedly, as she watched.

Fluttershy nodded and looked at Twilight, with whom she was talking.

Suddenly, as the seamstress adjusted her balance, her shirt slid down slightly, revealing her torso a bit.

"Oh, the girl sure has them," she heard a student mutter.

"I think she's one of mine," another classmate said.

"Ahg!" Rarity exclaimed, irritated by some of her classmates' comments, though she was glad that they were mostly girls and that the boys were on the other side of the court.

Applejack and Trixie, listening around, looked down to understand the reason, but were a bit surprised by what was happening to the seamstress.

"Could you please...?" Before she could finish her sentence, her left foot was released.

"What are you doing!?" the gray-haired girl exclaimed, trying to help the seamstress land safely, drawing more attention from several of her classmates.

Rarity, now lying on the mattress, frowned when she saw that it was Applejack who had let go of her. She noticed that the farm girl was staring at the wall with her head down, avoiding eye contact.

She stood up, brushing her hands off in irritation, and walked over to her. "What the hell is wrong with you?" asked, with a mix of confusion and irritation.

Applejack turned slightly before looking back at the wall, frowning. "Nothing's wrong with me."

Rarity crossed her arms, exasperated. "Then why did you let go of me? Nothing's wrong with you."

The farm girl took a deep breath and finally looked at her, placing her hands on her hips. "I just... got distracted."

The dressmaker narrowed her eyes. "Distracted by what? Did you think I could hold myself up by hand?"

"Of course you wouldn't," mocked, laughing.

"Yeah, because I don't have your muscles," Rarity grumbled, annoyed.

"Don't go with that," said with an indifferent look. "My mind is somewhere else, that's all."

"I thought the exit made it better," the seamstress thought, a little worried. "Then you should put that aside and focus on not letting me down with your strong muscles."

Applejack frowned, noticing the sarcasm and opened her mouth to respond.

"What did this muscle thing lead to?" Sunset wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"No idea," Twilight commented, shrugging her shoulders.

Fluttershy didn't say anything at first, unsure if she had seen correctly, as the farmer's reaction, even though she only saw her in profile, was curious to her. She shook her head slightly before opening her mouth, having heard what her friends said.

"I don't want to sound mean, but... luckily it didn't happen to me," commented quietly, fidgeting nervously with her hands.

"It seems Rarity wasn't too bothered by it, just what AJ did," Pinkie said, cocking her head.

"Or what she didn't do," Rainbow added, looking at Fluttershy. "And don't worry, if it had happened to you, I would have covered you up." Her friend smiled. "Though, worst case scenario, if it had happened, I would have complimented you on your figure."

"Oh, Rainbow," the blue-haired girl exclaimed, gently hitting her forehead at the comment.

The multicolored girl's eyes widened as she realized her own words, blushing along with the pink-haired girl. "What I mean is that it would have made the comments not sound offensive," she quickly clarified. "It's not like I've ever seen her with nothing on," thought, blushing even more as she tried to explain further.

As the dressmaker and the farmer continued to argue, the teacher approached.

"Enough. Applejack, you need to be more focused. This is a team exercise. Apologize to your partner and then get in line."

The blonde nodded, trying to keep her expression as neutral as possible. "I'm sorry... Rarity. It won't happen again."

Rarity, with her arms crossed, looked at her for a moment before sighing. "Okay... But seriously, stay focused or else I'll ask for another partner." said a little calmer.

Applejack nodded again. "That's the best idea you could ever come up with."

"Oh, seriously, I don't understand you... One day you act nice and the next you don't," the girl reproached, adopting an annoyed tone again.

"Don't confuse things, the other day was nothing," replied indifferently.

Rarity looked at her, feeling a knot in her stomach that saddened her, but she tried to hide it behind her serious and angry facade. "You're the worst."

"I have almost the same thought," said the farmer, sketching a half smile.

The seamstress lowered her gaze. "I wonder what I saw..." muttered without finishing when she realized what she was going to say.

"You saw what?" asked without much interest.

"Nothing," Rarity answered before turning around and walking away to where Lyra and Bon Bon were.

Applejack, when she saw her leave, put on a slightly relaxed expression, letting out a sigh that she had been holding back, and went to her friends.

When she got close enough, she saw Rainbow explaining something to Fluttershy, although she didn't know the exact reason.

"It's okay, Rainbow, I understand, don't worry," said the pink-haired girl, slowly returning to her natural tone.

"Whew, great. I didn't mean to sound like that," said, raising her head.

When the girls noticed the farm girl's presence, they looked at her.

"I was wrong, wasn't I?" asked, grimacing.

"Hey... if any of us had been in that position, we could have fallen off the mattress and gotten hurt... That's all I'll say," Rainbow commented.

"Long story short, you were wrong," Twilight added.

"What happened to you?" Sunset asked.

"Nothing, I just got distracted," Applejack replied, putting a hand on her neck.

Fluttershy looked at her for a few seconds. "Are you sure it was just that?"

The blonde looked at her with a confused expression. "I still have a lot on my mind. What else would it be?"

"You're right," said, not quite sure.

"Fine, but next time be careful around Rarity," Pinkie warned, narrowing her eyes before smiling again.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Applejack replied, faking a smile. "I'm supposed to feel a little better, but I let go for some reason," thought, frowning.

She looked at Fluttershy and Rainbow, wanting to see if something in their interaction made her have certain memories, but they weren't doing anything. The pink-haired girl was looking at her thoughtfully, though, as if something was going through her mind.

She turned her gaze to Rarity, who was talking to Lyra and Bon Bon. More than talking, they seemed to be listening to the seamstress, who looked annoyed by what she was saying. "I went too far again," thought in frustration.

The animal lover looked at Applejack from behind and looked away at Rainbow. No doubt, what she saw reminded her of something she had decided not to say, leaving her thoughtful at the memory.

The class continued with the stretches until it ended, and the students headed to the dressing rooms to change.

Rarity walked out the backstage door with her bag over her shoulder, the echo of her footsteps resonating in the nearly empty hallway. As she turned the corner, she found a brown-haired boy leaning against the wall, staring at the floor with a thoughtful expression. When he looked up and saw her, he straightened up with a smile.

"Freather? What are you doing here?" asked in surprise, her voice tinged with a tiredness she barely managed to conceal.

"Hello, Rarity. I heard what happened," he replied, approaching her with an air of concern mixed with drama. "If I had been there, I would have definitely done something," added, waving his hands as if he were rehearsing a speech.

The seamstress raised an eyebrow, giving a small, wry smile. "Oh, yeah? And what exactly would you have done?"

Freather smiled confidently. "Oh, you know... I would have given a glare or maybe a speech about respect and decency," said, raising a hand in a theatrical gesture.

Rarity let out a soft laugh, almost a whisper. "I imagine that would have been... quite effective."

"But now that I think about it, maybe you could use a coffee to take your mind off all this. What do you say we sneak out for a while? There's a coffee shop downtown," the boy proposed with a half-smile, suggesting an escape from the heavy atmosphere of the place.

The curly-haired boy hid a smile, looking towards the group of girls approaching. "Mmm, sounds tempting. But, Freather, how will you deal with your admirers?" asked, nodding towards the approaching girls.

"Freather, is our date still pending?" one of them asked, with a determined look.

"Uh..." tried to say, raising a finger.

"Didn't you say we were going out today?" another girl added, looking at the brunette with a mix of reproach and hope.

Freather turned his gaze towards Rarity with a nervous expression and then towards the girls. "Girls... Sure, come on, come on. I promise we'll work it out," he said, winking at Rarity before starting to walk with the girls.

The seamstress observed the scene with a mix of amusement and resignation. "I told you so," Pinkie commented, appearing behind the seamstress with a giggle. "He has so many and he can't decide."

"Yeah, I noticed. I was just seeing how far it would go," replied, starting to walk alongside her friend.

"So, how do you feel after what happened in class?" asked curiously.

Rarity grimaced, adjusting the strap of her bag. "You mean the time I was flashed or when your cousin decided to let go of my foot?" asked, a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"Heh heh, well, Applejack... I don't know what happened to her, but I'm sure it won't happen again," the party girl said, trying to justify herself. "And I meant that we saw a bit of your torso... although from where we were, we only managed to see your back."

"I thought it was better," Rarity said, stopping and looking at the party girl.

"Well, what we've seen so far seems to be improving. But letting go of you was unexpected," said, stopping as well.

"I don't want to repeat myself, but it seems like this has nothing to do with what happened with the girls, it's something else, something that has to do with me... Every time she makes me see her in a different way," said the seamstress, crestfallen, crossing her arms. "She once said something to me... about letting go," said, looking away at the ground.

"Seeing her in a different way? About letting go?" asked, intrigued and looking at her intently.

"Nothing..." Rarity said, letting out a sigh. "I just trusted her and she let me go," added, starting to walk again. "Like she did in the past..." murmured, hoping her friend wouldn't hear.

Despite her efforts, Pinkie managed to listen. "Will she talk about the day they broke up?" thought, getting a little lost in her thoughts as they walked.

"And about what you said," she said, bringing the party girl out of her thoughts.

"What thing?" asked, with a confused expression.

"About how I felt," replied.

"Ah, right... that was my question," the cheerful girl said, regaining focus.

"It was a little embarrassing, but at least I'm glad there were only girls around," Rarity said, fixing her hair with an automatic gesture. "The comments weren't that inappropriate."

"Er... a silver lining," Pinkie commented, with a doubtful grimace. "But... they might start with..."

"Gossip?" the curly-haired girl quickly deduced.

The party girl nodded. "I don't know what's going on this year, rumors just pop up about anything. They used to be occasional," said, surprised.

"Lyra mentioned it to me too, but I guess since we're adults now, we make more mistakes than we can take advantage of," Rarity commented.

"And what do you think they'll say this time? Will they comment on your figure or go further?" Pinkie asked, with a worried expression.

"I'm fine with them talking about my looks and not anything more... suggestive," replied, with a resigned grimace.

"If you put it that way, it sounds better," said, trying to be optimistic.

Suddenly, a girl near the lockers approached with a mischievous smile. "You don't look half bad, though!"

"Let me guess, have you gotten the rumors yet?" Pinkie asked with her signature smirk.

"No, I'm in their class, but they're already saying some things," the girl admitted, smirking.

"So fast?!" Rarity exclaimed, frowning slightly. She moved closer, looking at the pink and white haired girl. "Were you the one who mentioned 'you're one of my kinds' or maybe...?"

"You have a good ear," she interrupted and winked at her. "And yes, you are, although it doesn't seem like you're going that way."

"Why does everyone think that?" the seamstress thought, somewhat annoyed. "Well, everyone has their tastes," replied politely, not revealing much about her preferences.

"Let me know if you ever change your flag," the girl said, lifting Rarity's chin with a finger before walking away with a playful smile.

"Wow!" Pinkie exclaimed, watching the girl walk away before looking back at her friend. "I think this is the first time I've seen a girl flirt with you."

Rarity cleared her throat a little before answering. "When I was hanging out with girls outside of town, I had to be the flirtatious one," said before walking back to the party girl's side.

"When you were with... you know who, you both said things to each other the same way. But why were you the one doing it more outside of town?" asked, before processing what the purple haired girl had just said. "Wait, did you say girls?"

"Well, I don't seem to, but yeah, when things ended, I went back to my old ways, it was more girls than boys," commented with a smile.

"Wow, so you went that route, huh?" Pinkie said, giving her a friendly nudge.

"Yeah, though I'd let one or three dates go by before I told them I didn't want anything more," Rarity said. "That's why I compare myself to Freather. Whether it was guys or girls, I made it clear to them about going out."

"I see."

"Obviously, I've always been careful with other people's feelings, so I try to be gentle when telling them what I think," she explained. "If Freather ever considered girls' feelings, I might take it seriously. But I've already decided I won't be dating anyone this year."

"Considering Freather a bit?" Pinkie asked, with a flirtatious smile. "And no dates this year?!"

"Pinkie, we're in our senior year and we've been given job after job, and midterms haven't even started yet," Rarity replied, raising her eyebrows.

"You're right, but... I'm just saying, if something happens and someone catches your eye, would you break that rule you set for yourself?"

The seamstress thought about it for a moment. "Anything can happen."

The two stopped talking and continued walking in silence, but the party girl was a little thoughtful.

Pinkie lowered her head a little, hesitant. "Hey, Rarity..." she began, receiving a curious look, waiting for her to continue. "As your friend, and from the little you've told me, I've come to some conclusions about the things you did outside of town and I took one, but I was hoping you'd confirm it."

The seamstress raised an eyebrow. "You seem to be getting a little off track, unless it's because of..."

"No, don't worry, it's not about your passion, I'm already clear that you won't tell me unless you want to," replied, moving her hands in a reassuring gesture. "It's something more... personal."

"So..." Rarity said, intrigued, noticing the seriousness in the cheerful girl's voice. "What do you want to know?"

Pinkie took a deep breath before speaking. She knew what she was going to ask was delicate. "After you left town and obviously ended the relationship... On some of your short-term outings, was there ever a time when you tried something serious again?"

Rarity paused, thoughtful. Her gaze drifted to the floor as she reminisced. "Well, there were a couple of times that were... interesting," said, choosing her words carefully. "But none of them ever quite turned out to be... the right person. It's not that I haven't met some lovely people, but I just didn't feel a genuine connection."

The party girl smiled sympathetically, her expression softening. "I understand. Sometimes, finding someone we really fit with can take time. I'm sure that when the time comes, the right person will show up," she said, giving her arm a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you, Pinkie," Rarity replied with a genuine smile, feeling a comforting warmth in her friend's gesture. "And if someone does show up for you, I'm sure you'll know they're the one, too."

With the conversation over, they both picked up their stride.

After the first day, the students moved between classes, each focused on their own subjects. Despite not always sharing classes, the girls always found time to meet during breaks or lunch. However, something unusual was noticeable in the atmosphere: Fluttershy seemed quieter than usual.

During the first break, Twilight crossed the halls and noticed that Fluttershy, instead of chatting or reviewing her notes as usual, was sitting alone on a bench near the central courtyard, staring into space. The worried girl with glasses decided not to say anything at that moment, but the image of her friend lost in her thoughts accompanied her throughout the morning.

When lunch time finally came, the girls gathered in the cafeteria as usual, sitting around the usual table. Rainbow Dash talked animatedly about the team, while Pinkie Pie joked and gesticulated exaggeratedly to tell some crazy story. But the pink-haired girl remained silent, barely moving her food on the tray and occasionally glancing at Applejack. It was obvious that something was bothering her.

Twilight couldn't ignore it any longer. She set her glass aside and leaned over to Fluttershy, her tone full of concern. "Are you okay, Fluttershy? You've been so quiet since sport"

The shy girl, surprised by the direct question, looked up with a weak smile. "Yeah... I'm fine," murmured, though her voice didn't convince anyone.

Twilight exchanged a glance with the girls. Rainbow, who had noticed Fluttershy's behavior during the second recess and the free time they had, was also worried, but hadn't said anything.

"Wait, wait, wait! This isn't normal!" Pinkie exclaimed, her tone exaggerated but sincere. "Fluttershy hasn't laughed all day, and that's not common, not with my jokes! Something's wrong with you."

The animal lover looked down, clenching her fork in her hand. What happened on the first day had left her with an uncomfortable feeling and awakened a memory she had buried. She knew she couldn't keep it hidden anymore, but she didn't want to make the others uncomfortable. Before she could respond, Twilight stood up from her seat and extended her hand towards her.

"We can talk alone if you prefer," offered softly.

Fluttershy nodded, grateful for the chance to talk privately. She stood up and followed the bespectacled girl, leaving her friends behind.

Rainbow tried to follow them, but Sunset stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Let them talk," said calmly.

The athlete, visibly frustrated, asked, "Why did you stop me? I could have listened to her, helped her, whatever she's going through."

The red-haired girl sighed. "We know they're better, but they're still in the process of trusting each other. Still, I think Twilight will make her open up more easily."

Rainbow snorted, crossing her arms. "You're right... we're not quite there yet for her to tell me her concerns, despite some talks we've had."

The party girl watched curiously as her two friends left, looked away to another table, and back to her friends.

Applejack walked over to her partner and tried to reassure her. "Hey, Dash, why don't we try...?"

"Blondie, if you want that whole gesture thing, I don't think it's appropriate right now."

The farm girl frowned. "I know, I just think we could..."

"Do you want to or don't you want to?" Rainbow interrupted, clearly annoyed.

"Could you just let me finish! Now you're the one who won't let me finish," Applejack exclaimed, starting to lose her patience.

Sunset, seeing the tension rising, quickly intervened. "Girls, not here. The looks on everyone else's faces say it all," nodded and gently pressed both of their shoulders. "Right, Pinkie?" added, but when she turned around, she noticed that she was no longer there.

Applejack and Rainbow looked around, but saw no trace of their friend. "She must have followed the girls," the farmer deduced.

Twilight and Fluttershy walked away until they reached a small green area, where the noise did not reach. They sat on the grass, feeling the soft breeze and the silence of the place made the pink-haired girl feel a little more comfortable. However, when her friend turned to her, worry was still heavy in the air.

"Fluttershy, I know something is wrong," said, crossing her arms as she looked at her with serious but understanding eyes. "You can tell me whatever is bothering you."

Before she could answer, they heard a noise behind a nearby column. Twilight immediately turned around, knowing very well who was there.

"Pinkie, please get out of there," said, sighing as she rolled her eyes.

The party girl emerged from her hiding spot with a big smile, without any shame at having been discovered. "I couldn't let you two have a secret conversation without me! Besides, I'm a good listener," said as she sat down on the grass in front of them.

Fluttershy let out a small laugh, though she was still nervous, Pinkie's playful presence relaxed her a bit. Twilight, though resigned, couldn't help but smile at her friend's endless energy.

"It's okay," the blue-haired girl said, turning her attention back to her friend. "Whatever you're thinking, we're here to listen."

Pinkie nodded vigorously as she sat down. "Yes! We're here for you!"

Fluttershy took a deep breath. After a long silence, she finally looked up at her friends, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. "Didn't you notice how Applejack acted in class?" asked shyly.

Her friends exchanged confused glances.

"Uh... I wasn't expecting that," Pinkie commented, intrigued.

Twilight, more serious, added, "Well, AJ's been distracted lately. Maybe that's it."

Fluttershy nodded thoughtfully. "Something about her behavior reminded me of an event long ago... something I never mentioned," confessed, her voice shaky, but determined to continue.

Twilight and Pinkie fell silent, allowing their friend to continue.

"Do you remember the meeting we had three years ago at Belle's house?"

"Oh, how could I forget?" the party girl replied with a nostalgic smile. "It was when we were all finally together."

"Yes, and we had met Dash recently, then Belle suggested that meeting," Twilight added.

Fluttershy nodded slowly. "Yeah... but what happened in class reminded me of something to do with her, Applejack, and Rainbow..."

The girls arrived at Rarity's house, and were immediately shocked at the size of the property. It had been a few weeks since the six girls had met each other, and Rainbow Dash only recently. A few days ago, when they were at the mall, Rarity had suggested a get-together at her house, insisting that they wear swimsuits, despite it being early fall. And that they also invite the younger ones to join.

The fall air was cool, with a light breeze lifting a few leaves from the ground. The sky was partly cloudy, but the sun managed to filter through the clouds.

"Wow! This is impressive," Sunset said, looking the house up and down in awe.

"You should see one of Pinkie's beach houses," Apple Bloom chimed in excitedly.

"Ha, ha, ha, yeah," the party girl laughed, wiping away a tear. "Applejack calls this a mansion, but if you compare it to my parents' beach house, it's almost like a cottage."

"From what you see on the outside it's big, but it could be totally different on the inside, maybe it's just spacious," Twilight added with her usual logic.

"Rarity tells me this a lot, but I call it 'mansion' or 'little castle'," Applejack said with a smile.

"So you call Miss Elegance 'princess'?" Rainbow teased, laughing.

"No, I don't call her that," replied.

"I knew you were one of those," the rainbow commented, leaning in a little and giving her a playful smile.

Applejack forced a smile, noticing something. "Her dad calls her that."

"That's to be expected," the rainbow said, wiping the smile off her face.

"But it's a place anyone would want to live in," Spike interrupted, admiring the house.

"You don't even have to say it," Scootaloo added, nodding.

Applejack walked over to the door and rang the bell, hoping someone would open it.

The dressmaker's father appeared at the door with a warm smile. "Girls, welcome! Rarity's finishing getting ready. You can come in and make yourself at home while she comes down."

The girls entered the living room, where they were met with subtle yet refined decor, combining cream tones, reflecting impeccable tastes. Soft lace curtains hung from the large windows, letting natural light illuminate the space, and a fireplace in one corner suggested the cozy warmth of cold days.

"Oh, you must be Rarity's friends," Cookie said, appearing from a hallway with a smile that, despite its seriousness, was friendly.

Some of the girls stood a little straight at the air of superiority emanating from their mother.

"Hey, it's a pleasure, Mrs. Belle," Sunset greeted, taking the first step.

"It's a pleasure to have you girls here. Make yourselves at home," Cookie said politely.

"Thank you, ma'am," Twilight said, as everyone nodded gratefully.

"Well, we'll leave you," Hondo said with a smile.

They both left them waiting for their daughters to come down, so the girls took the opportunity to explore the place, taking a look at the details.

"Wow," Scootaloo said, more relaxed.

"I felt that too," Spike said, crossing his arms.

"Ah, she's not so bad once you get to know her," Apple Bloom said, trying to ease the tension.

The rest listened and nodded slowly.

"Hey, Flutters, I know you said not to judge, but this..." Rainbow pointed to the place with a broad gesture.

Fluttershy, at her side, looked at her with a slight frown. "It's like you said, it's just what it looks like. I'm sure it's more than just that."

The athlete rolled her eyes and smiled slightly. "I know, I know. It's just a first impression."

The group continued exploring.

"I wonder what her room is like," Scootaloo commented, her curiosity evident.

"It's not really as big as you're imagining," Applejack said. "It does have a queen-size bed, though."

The group of older girls turned to look at her, surprised.

"Cool," the magenta-haired girl said.

"I've never been in her room, only Sweetie Belle's," Apple Bloom commented.

The three younger girls looked up, seeing the older girls' odd behavior.

Applejack immediately blushed as she noticed all the eyes on her.

"Hey, don't take it that way... when I'm in there, she shows me things... that's all," she tried to clarify. "Okay, that sounded worse than I meant it to."

The older girls made more surprised expressions.

Pinkie stepped in, helping her familiar out of the awkward moment. "Oh, I've been in her room, but I've been in her sewing room more often."

"Is something wrong?" Scootaloo asked, not understanding.

"It's not weird, is it? She's her mate, so it would be normal to go into her room," Apple Bloom said naturally. "Even Applejack has a bed like Rarity's."

The older girls nodded, calmer.

"E-even Rarity usually sleeps with her," added with all the innocence in the world.

Applejack lowered her head in complete silence, wishing the topic would change quickly. That last comment made Sunset, Twilight, and Fluttershy's eyes widen, while the pink-haired girl blushed deeply, hiding her face in the multicolored girl's shoulder. Rainbow Dash struggled to contain her laughter. Pinkie Pie, as always, didn't seem affected, seeming normal for the couple.

"Is there something we missed?" Scootaloo asked quietly to Apple Bloom and Spike.

"I don't know, I don't understand either," the green-haired girl muttered.

After a few seconds, footsteps were finally heard on the stairs, and Rarity appeared next to her sister, dressed in something lighter for the occasion.

"Girls, I'm so glad you're here!" greeted the seamstress while Sweetie Belle did the same with a smile.

"Hello," greeted the younger ones.

"Hello, Rarity," the older ones began to say, trying to cover up the previous topic.

"Let's go to the backyard," said Rarity, pointing the way.

"Let's not get lost in a possible maze," joked Rainbow. Fluttershy laughed softly and took her friend's arm.

They all began to walk towards the exit of the yard.

"I don't know if you were thinking about anything else, but this is the yard," explained the seamstress, pointing to several areas. "There's the grill; over there you can leave your things; and over there, there's an area to sunbathe when you get out of the pool."

Pointing to a side door a little out of the way, she added, "But don't go through there."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow with a smile. "What do you have, a wild dog?"

Rarity giggled. "No, that's the exit to the street. I'm more talking about his sisters or brother," said, looking at Spike, who was watching her.

"Thanks for the heads up," Twilight said, then turned to her brother. "Did you hear, Spike?"

"Spike," repeated, trying to get his attention, but he was still staring at the seamstress.

Applejack, who was nearby, approached Rarity with a smile. "Looks like I have competition," joked, placing a hand on the seamstress's shoulder. The purple-haired girl laughed softly and, in a loving gesture, placed a kiss on her partner's cheek before turning her attention back to her guests.

The farmer's smile widened as she watched her partner, but she soon discreetly walked away so as not to steal the attention.

"The door you can open is the middle one," pointed to another doorway. "That one leads to the kitchen," added. The girls nodded.

"You can put your stuff down now. We need to go get the coal," Rarity continued.

"I'll get it," Applejack said in her characteristically confident tone. "I know the house better. Anyone want to come with me?"

"I'll come with you," Sunset offered, approaching the blonde.

"Perfect," the seamstress replied with a smile.

"Okay, Spike, just get your act together," Scootaloo said, shaking him.

"Yeah, and stop looking at my sister like that," Sweetie Belle added, rolling her eyes.

"You know she's older, right?" Apple Bloom said, crossing her arms as she looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow.

Spike looked away, trying not to look too embarrassed. "I know, but she's cute," he replied.

"That sounds better than saying you like someone older," Scootaloo said.

"I didn't imply that I liked her," the green-haired boy defended himself, shrugging.

"Okay, let's go to the pool," the youngest Apple suggested.

Once the girls dropped off their stuff, they began to spread out across the yard.

"You know, I could take care of the grill," Rainbow suggested, approaching Rarity with a confident smile.

"Thanks. I was going to ask AJ."

"Nah, this girl can handle anything," the multicolored girl said, gesturing with her hands.

"Okay, I'll help you open it," Rarity said as she walked with Rainbow over to the grill.

"Wow, it's modern," she commented in surprise.

"It's not heavy, but there's a trick. You have to push something to get the lid off. If it was heavy I wouldn't be able to, but you can tell you work out, like AJ," the seamstress mentioned, as she mentioned the farmer, she couldn't help but feel a slight heat invade her face, but quickly focused on the athlete.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the reference to Applejack's physical routine, but didn't say anything.

Falling behind, Fluttershy sat down at the table a little isolated.

"Here too?" Twilight asked as she sat down next to her.

The pink haired girl nodded, fidgeting with her hands. "Yeah... you know, I'm not very sociable at large gatherings."

"I understand," said with an understanding smile. "Sometimes I prefer to watch more than talk."

Fluttershy smiled at her, they began to chat and notice some slight similarities.

Near the pool, the Crusaders and Spike looked at the water with curiosity.

"It's not that deep, is it?" the boy asked.

"I was going to ask the same thing," Scootaloo said.

"Relax, half of it will reach our shoulders, but the other half is already deeper," Sweetie Belle explained, pointing to the sides.

"Good!" exclaimed the magenta haired girl.

"Who gets in first, or do we all do it together?" asked Apple Bloom, full of energy.

Meanwhile, Applejack was heading out the door to get the coal.

"Come on, I'll show you the way," she said, smiling.

"Thanks," Sunset said, hesitantly wanting to start a conversation. "So, not to gossip, but the other day when Fluttershy announced Rainbow Dash's transfer, the girls and I started talking about you and Rarity."

"Did you guys talk about how long I've been with her or how I'm dating someone of her 'status'?" Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow with a slight smile.

"It was pretty much those two, and I'm not trying to sound too nosy," Sunset replied, laughing a little.

"Relax, Rarity isn't a billionaire like she appears to be from the house she lives in," the farmer began, pointing at the property. "Her parents are businessmen and make enough money to have a house like that."

"Oh, that explains the house, and considering that she mentioned that she designs clothes, she..." was going to ask.

"...She makes some of her own clothes, but she also goes shopping," Applejack finished, then laughed. "You don't know how excited she gets when she sees a sale."

Sunset laughed. "She must be driving you around."

"Yeah, and as for your other question, we've been together for months, almost a year," explained with a smile.

"Really? Wow, that's quite a bit!" the redhead exclaimed, surprised. "They must have been through some things. They can tell they're very opposite."

"Yeah, we learn from each other. She shows me her fashion world, and I show her mine on the farm," Applejack said, proud of their relationship.

"Oh, you have a farm?" Sunset asked surprised.

"It's like a mini farm, actually, but you could call it that," said as they reached the shed where the coal was kept. "I even brought some apples that we harvested with the Apples."

"It'll be interesting to try a freshly picked apple," said, stopping.

"Yeah, and with this gathering, I can't wait to hang out with everyone and have them try it," Applejack said excitedly.

Sunset nodded. "Yeah, sometimes a good gathering and some fresh fruit is just what you need to relax."

With the conversation over they turned their attention to what they were coming to.

"Here's the coal. Let's load it up and head back before anything unexpected happens," Applejack said with a smile, picking up the box.

They both picked up the boxes of coal and started walking back to the yard, continuing their conversation.

Meanwhile, Rarity approached with a tray of drinks. "Hello, girls. How's the conversation going?" she asked in a warm tone.

"Hello, Rarity," Twilight replied. "We're just chatting for a bit."

Fluttershy nodded. "Yeah."

The seamstress smiled and offered two glasses. "I'm glad to hear that. Here, I can tell you're not the type to drink and prefer drinks."

"Thank you," the bespectacled girl said, taking one glass.

"We appreciate your hospitality," Fluttershy added, taking the other glass. "So..." she tried to say.

"Remember what I told you," Rarity said, leaning slightly toward her with a smile.

"Yeah," she said, inhaling and exhaling. "So you like designing?"

The curly-haired girl nodded. "Yeah, though I've never made anything for anyone in particular."

"So it's like a hobby?" Twilight asked.

"You could say. What about you two?" Rarity asked, interested.

"It's not exactly a hobby, but sometimes when I see an animal on the street, I tend to feed them," Fluttershy said timidly.

"You should go down that path..." the seamstress said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, something like... mmm..." the blue-haired girl tried to find the word, putting a hand on her chin.

"Walking dogs," Rarity suggested.

"Something in the animal field," the bespectacled girl also suggested.

The animal lover smiled at the suggestions.

"Or working at the zoo," a cheerful voice added out of nowhere.

The three of them looked across to where the party girl suddenly appeared.

"Pinkie Pie!" Fluttershy and Twilight exclaimed in surprise.

"When?" the bespectacled girl asked, still stunned.

"Don't look for logic, Twilight," Rarity said playfully.

"Is this what you meant by unpredictability?" the pink-haired girl asked.

The seamstress nodded with a smile.

"Where have you been all this time?" Rarity asked.

"I've been here and everywhere," Pinkie said dramatically and mysteriously.

"Okeeeeyyy... so," Twilight said a little incredulously.

"Cookies?" asked, standing in front of them and offering a plate. "I brought it from home. I hope you like it!"

"Thanks, Pinkie!" said the blue-haired girl, taking a cookie.

"Yes, thanks," added Fluttershy, taking one as well.

Rarity laughed softly. "Pinkie always knows how to add a special touch."

"Always!" she said, taking a cookie for herself. "And now, let's talk about fun things. What have you been up to lately?"

The four of them began to chat.

The Crusaders and Spike were already in the pool, floating in the water with a mix of excitement and calmness. The initial splashes had calmed down, and now they were simply enjoying the moment.

"So, have you two been in school since your sisters came in as kids?" Scootaloo asked, looking at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

"Yeah," the two of them answered in unison.

"It's kind of weird that you two never talked to each other before," the magenta-haired girl commented, swimming close to them and Spike.

Apple Bloom nodded, resting her arms on the edge of the pool. "Yeah, I know. But I think it's because we're in different grades. We never saw each other."

Sweetie Belle, who was floating on her back, looked up at the sky as she thought. "True. Plus, I used to hang out with my sister a lot after school, so I didn't socialize with other kids that much."

Spike chimed in. "I've been in school for a year, so has Twilight, but I'm usually around her and Sunset a lot. Plus, I'm in a different grade, too. I never got a chance to talk to you guys much, but I always saw you guys on the playground."

"It probably wouldn't make much sense if they were in the same grade and never talked to each other," Scootaloo said, laughing.

"Tell that to our sisters! Even though some of them were in the same grade, they never talked to each other," Apple Bloom commented, laughing lightly.

"Good example," said the green haired girl.

"And now we're all together, and even more so you... uh..." said Sweetie Belle, looking at the new girl.

"Scootaloo," replied the magenta haired girl.

"And I'm Spike, in case you forgot my name," added the boy, with a small smile.

"It's not that I forgot it, I only heard it once. Besides, I'm in Apple Bloom's grade, how do you expect me to memorize it after hearing it once?" said the youngest Belle with an innocent gesture.

"That's a good point too," admitted Spike, nodding.

"So let's start over: My name is Scootaloo," the magenta-haired girl said, floating.

"Apple Bloom," the youngest Apple added, raising a hand.

"Sweetie Belle, and I hope we get together more often," the other girl added with a smile.

Spike leaned back against the edge of the pool, laughing. "Well, it's never too late to start."

"That's true," Apple Bloom added. "Besides, adventures are always better with more people."

"Exactly," Sweetie Belle said, splashing a little further out. "And now that we're getting to know each other, we can plan something big for when school ends."

"I like the sound of that!" Scootaloo exclaimed excitedly. "We could be the best adventure team this school has ever seen."

Spike stood up, smiling.

Laughter filled the air again as the four continued swimming.

Rarity approached the multicolored one, who was growing the fire.

"Is it too early to bring the meat?" asked, looking at the small flames.

"It's just started, it's still a ways off," replied as she blew on the fire.

"I can already imagine the taste," said Pinkie, approaching next to Fluttershy.

"Dash has a good hand for these things," commented the pink-haired girl, smiling shyly.

"Sometimes, when I get together with Fluttershy's family, my dad and her dad take care of the grill, so I learned from them," explained with a small smile.

"Oh, they've been doing it for a few years?" asked Rarity, interested.

"If you mean getting together with her family, quite a while. But if you're talking about the grill, they taught me a few years ago, more or less. Now I know when to turn the meat," answered Rainbow confidently.

"Have you known each other for a long time?" asked Pinkie, moving excitedly.

"Yeah, well... we've known each other since- since kindergarten," Fluttershy replied stuttering.

"Easy, Fluttershy. Take it easy," Rarity suggested in a relaxed tone, making a supportive gesture to make her friend feel more comfortable.

The pink-haired girl nodded, feeling the encouragement of the dressmaker beside her.

Rainbow was surprised to see the scene. "Is she giving him self-confidence advice?" She smiled at the thought. "It seems you're not shallow like I imagined," thought, admiring the way Rarity supported her friend.

"You said it, Miss Elegance," said, with a half smile. "I like that you're not just beauty." Fluttershy smiled noticing that her friend was seeing more than just looks.

"Elegance?" the dressmaker murmured, raising an eyebrow, a little confused by the nickname and not knowing if she should take the other as a compliment.

"Hey, girls!" Sunset interrupted as she silently approached.

"Is something wrong, Shimmer? That sneaking around doesn't help in the daylight," Rainbow said.

"I wasn't... alone... nevermind," replied, making a face of resignation.

"Is something wrong, Sunset?" Rarity asked.

"I see everything is fine and Twilight is having fun. I'm so glad, she needed something like this. She needed this kind of environment," Sunset said with a relieved expression.

"Are you talking about Crystal Prep?" Fluttershy asked, a little nervously, peeking out from behind Rainbow.

Sunset nodded slowly.

"Did I miss something?" the seamstress asked, curious.

"Oh, it's something Sunset once said," Pinkie explained, shrugging.

"That's not the important thing now," the red-haired girl continued. "It's just that next month is October, and Twilight's birthday. I'd like to..."

"Throw a surprise party!" Pinkie exclaimed, excited and almost raising her voice.

"Shhh... Pinkie, not so loud," Rarity suggested, her tone calm.

"Yes, we must keep it a secret," Rainbow added, looking at the party girl with a smile.

"Secrecy is paramount," the seamstress said, looking at Pinkie with a light warning.

"And seeing any presents," Fluttershy said.

"Present? I didn't mention anything about a present," the party girl said alarmed, looking back and forth. "I don't know anything about do... I'm leaving!"

"Did I say something that upset her?" the pink-haired girl asked, a little bewildered.

"Is that normal for her?" Rainbow asked, looking at the others.

"Sort of, and you've only seen a little of her," Rarity said with a smile as she watched Pinkie sit next to Twilight and Applejack, who were talking on the other side.

"You're not going to tell her, are you?" The sportswoman asked, worried.

"I hope not," Sunset replied, sighing. "I haven't told the details yet, like the place, the cake, or the age."

"We'll tell her later," Rarity said. "She's acting like this because I asked her for something," she explained.

"As for Twilight, the age is ours, right?" Fluttershy asked, leaning in a little.

"She's still underage. She's turning 18," Sunset clarified.

"So Sparkle's the youngest?" Rainbow commented, raising an eyebrow.

The redhead nodded.

"Well, we'll see that it's a splendid birthday," Rarity said, with a slight smile.

Sunset was going to say something, but Rarity interrupted her, lowering her head slightly blushing. "And if you're wondering, I don't think it's bad to anticipate something... I'm also waiting for a moment for something special."

"I was going to say something else, but I hope yours works out," replied, noticing the change in tone from the dressmaker and following her gaze to the farmer.

"I don't know what it is about, but it seems like you're hoping that day will come," Fluttershy said, with a small smile, trying to understand.

The others looked to where Rarity was watching, staying silent for a moment.

"You have no idea," she whispered, returning to her usual color.

"Those couple problems..." Rainbow commented, rolling her eyes with a grimace.

"You'll know the feeling when you get interested in someone," Rarity said, focusing back on the girls, especially the multicolored one.

"I don't know. That stuff like giving things away, holding hands, hugging, and well, that stuff like..." Rainbow paused, a little awkwardly.

"Kissing?" Sunset said with a mischievous grin.

"Yeah, that," she replied with a grimace. "I do such things with Fluttershy."

"What?!" the redhead exclaimed

"Are you two...?" the seamstress asked, surprised.

"What?! No...", Rainbow said quickly. Fluttershy blushed visibly at that. "What I meant was that some gestures like hugging or offering my arm, is something I normally do with Fluttershy. Nothing more," clarified.

"Ahhh," Sunset and Rarity said in unison, finally understanding.

"Yeah, just that," Fluttershy murmured, still somewhat embarrassed. "Rainbow's never been with anyone."

"And I don't need to be with someone to be okay with my life," said, lifting her chin. "I can have fun... with you, if you want."

Fluttershy smiled at her friend's suggestion.

"You're right. You don't need to be in a relationship to take pictures or do fun things," Sunset commented.

"Pictures..." Rarity repeated suddenly. "That's right, pictures. I'll be right back!" said, hurrying away.

"If you're asking if that's normal, I don't know," the red-haired girl said, shrugging.

"Me neither," Fluttershy added.

"Okay," Rainbow muttered, looking at the grill feeling the heat.

"Do you think it's time yet?" Sunset asked.

"Go get it, I think it's almost time," she replied.

The two nodded and walked away to the kitchen to bring the meat and chicken.

A few minutes passed as Rainbow started grilling and because of the heat she took off the coat she was wearing, leaving only a sleeveless shirt.

And the girls continued to chat, each one in a different part of the yard.

Applejack, who was walking, came to the side and watched the athlete for a moment. Her gaze was vaguely distracted, and without realizing it, her jaw hardened slightly. Fluttershy, who was walking towards Rainbow with a bottle in her hand, noticed the farmer's gaze and her slight blush.

Curious, the animal lover thought about what she had just seen, on the part of the blonde she was interrupted by the energetic intervention of Pinkie, who approached her with a radiant smile.

"Everything okay, Flutters?" Rainbow asked, paying attention to her friend's arrival.

"Oh, yeah, everything okay," replied, though her gaze drifted to Applejack, who was now heading into the house through the patio door. At that moment, Rarity came out of the kitchen, moving gracefully toward them. "I just brought you this," said, holding out a bottle of beer. "I saw you were hot."

"Thanks," replied, opening the bottle with the edge of the grill table, the sound of the cap clanking through the air.

"Sorry I'm late. I was looking for something and I also brought some glasses and sunscreen," Rarity explained, already in front of the two.

"You're the whitest of all; it's only natural that you can get sunburned," Rainbow joked, taking a sip from the bottle.

"Oh, dear... I have to take care of my skin. I wouldn't want to get sunburned and be like this in front of everyone else," said, putting an envelope into the pocket of her thin coat as she carefully applied the cream.

"Ha," the sportswoman let out a laugh. "I knew you had something, but it's okay," said, turning the meat on the grill again.

"Fluttershy, dear, are you okay?" asked, noticing him looking at her with a thoughtful expression.

"Yes, Fluttershy, I know what you're like, but you're not usually this quiet," Rainbow added after another sip.

"Uh, yeah, I was just thinking about something," replied, her gaze fixed on Rarity with an air of doubt.

Before the seamstress could ask, the arrival of the minors interrupted the conversation.

"Do you think we can try something yet?" Scootaloo asked, her voice full of excitement.

"Yes, I'd like to eat something," Sweetie Belle added, looking longingly at the grill.

"If you try anything, don't burn yourself, Sweetie," Rarity warned, before turning away as she saw Applejack approaching the table.

Fluttershy watched as the seamstress walked over to the other side. She pulled the blonde closer, feeling a mix of curiosity and concern at the look the farm girl had given her friend.

"Hello, honey," Rarity said with a smile.

"Rarity, is something wrong?" Applejack asked, turning to look at her.

"Do you remember the pictures from our last outing?" asked, trying to sound mysterious.

"Of course," the farm girl replied, intrigued. "What do you have now, another stuffed animal?"

Rarity laughed softly and pulled out an envelope. "Not exactly," said, handing the envelope over.

The blonde took it, confused, and when she opened it, a warm smile appeared on her face.

"I've shown you the photos of the roses you gave me when I sent them to be printed physically, like the frame we each have in our room..." said the seamstress, pausing. The farmer gave her a smile. "I thought it would be nice to have some of our outings or everyday moments printed, but physically just the way you like them," said, blushing slightly.

Applejack looked at the photos one by one, with an expression of tenderness and admiration. "Rare, they're beautiful," said, looking at her with a sparkle in her eyes. "I like that you did this."

Before Rarity could say anything, the excited farmer put the photo in the envelope and put it aside, took her partner by the waist and lifted her up, spinning her around while Rarity laughed and asked her to stop. But Applejack didn't stop until they both ended up jumping into the pool.

"YEI! EVERYONE IN THE POOL!" shouted Pinkie, immediately jumping after them.

Sunset and Twilight shrugged before joining in the dip. The younger ones jumped in as well, and soon, everyone was laughing, except for Rainbow, who had stayed near the grill.

"I would have joined in, but the meat would have burned," said, smiling as Fluttershy approached with something in her hands.

"I might have joined in too, if I hadn't been distracted," commented, briefly looking at Applejack and Rarity.

Rainbow laughed. "Next time," said, giving the pink-haired girl a smile as she returned to the grill and Fluttershy approached the table.

The pink-haired girl opened the envelope, seeing the photos the blonde had dropped, and briefly saw the couple who were still laughing in the pool. "Hmm, you can see the love they have for each other, but what did that look mean?" thought, leaving the envelope on the table with something heavy on top so it wouldn't fall again.

Soon after, the barbecue was ready, and everyone sat around the table. Rarity stood in one corner and Applejack on the side facing her. While everyone ate, Applejack and Rarity held hands under the table and leaned in a little.

"I think it could be half and half," the farmer suggested with a smile.

"I like the sound of it, though it's not all of them," the seamstress replied, smiling back.

"I could print out the others and we could do the swap," Applejack suggested.

"That's a great idea," Rarity said.

She then turned her attention to the table and stood up with a glass in toast mode. "I hope you enjoyed this day and that we have more outings like this, or get-togethers in this case," said, looking at each one.

"Yeah, and we could keep Rainbow on the grill," Pinkie said, her energy inexhaustible.

"Don't overdo it," replied, shooting a glance at the party girl.

"It was a great day," Sunset stated, smiling in satisfaction.

"And the meat is good," Twilight added, enjoying a bite.

"Yeah, Dash has his thing," Fluttershy commented, nodding with a smile.

"Here's to more moments like this, then," Applejack said, raising her glass with warmth in her voice.

The girls and their siblings raised their glasses in unanimous "Cheers!", the echo of their laughter filling the air, sealing a memory that would stay with them for a long time.

Present
Pinkie and Twilight stood in silence for a moment processing a bit of the other part of the story they didn't know, their eyes a little wider.

"Wow... we knew there was something when they met, but the fact that Applejack sneaked in on her at Belle's changes everything," the bespectacled girl commented, breaking the silence.

"I know. I wasn't sure how to interpret that look at first," said softly, her fingers fiddling nervously. "And then there's that subtle flirtation Rainbow gave AJ at the entrance."

Twilight frowned slightly, as if reliving the moment in her head. "Yeah, maybe we didn't realize it at first, but... it makes you think," muttered, crossing her arms as she looked at Pinkie.

The party girl had a much more serious expression now than she usually showed. "And why didn't you say anything? Maybe if Rarity had noticed those changes in feelings sooner, things would have changed," asked curiously, her eyes searching for an explanation.

“Well... I saw the same thing you all did. That connection was still there, so I kept quiet and chalked it up to a little slip-up from Applejack,” she explained.

“Makes sense. Sometimes, even if you're in a relationship, it doesn’t mean you can’t notice someone attractive in a particular moment,” Twilight added, reflecting.

“That’s true. If we set that slip-up aside, what really mattered was how happy they seemed before everything changed,” Pinkie added.

The animal lover nodded, remembering.

"That's why I didn't say anything. And I don't think things would have been any different if I had," said, letting out a sigh.

"Probably not," the blue-haired girl agreed. "Seeing how everything turned out."

Pinkie looked down, thoughtful. "Hmm... that kinda bums me out," muttered. "Now I don't know if they gave each other that."

Twilight and Fluttershy exchanged looks, confused. The bespectacled girl just shrugged.

"Well, that's behind us. As we've said a few times, you don't choose who you like or fall in love with, and Rainbow set her sights on Applejack," he said. "Even if I had prepared it," thought.

The hyperactive girl raised her finger, as if to say something, her expression changing for a second, but then she paused, biting her lip. Her eyes shifted to the side, hesitating.

"Everything okay, Pinkie? If you have to say something, you can say it," Twilight said, leaning towards her with a small but reassuring smile.

"Only if you want to," Fluttershy added in an almost whispery tone, watching her friend with a mix of empathy and curiosity.

Pinkie looked back and forth, as if weighing her words. "Maybe another time, I think it would sound wrong."

Fluttershy nodded, but couldn't help but feel a small weight on her heart. "Sometimes, not saying anything can be the best thing, but it also hurts to think about what could have been."

Twilight thought for a moment, a glint of understanding in her eyes. "Sometimes, the best thing we can do is learn from these experiences and support each other along the way."

"Are you feeling better now that you're free?" the party girl asked.

"Yeah, I think so, though I have something on my mind, but time will tell," the pink-haired girl said.

Again, Pinkie and Twilight looked at each other confused, but decided not to insist.

"The important thing is that you feel better now that you got this out, that for some reason it came back to you," the bespectacled girl said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder.

Fluttershy smiled at her friends for listening to her, even though the thought of approaching the seamstress was on her mind. She also remembered something else that she regretted, but as she released what she told the two, she felt the weight ease a bit, even though the other thing still weighed on her.

After sharing their thoughts, the girls got up from the grass and began walking down the hallway.

As they walked forward, they ran into Rainbow Dash, Sunset, and Applejack.

"Hey, girls!" the multicolored girl exclaimed, approaching with a smile, although Fluttershy could hear a slight nervousness in her voice. "Everything okay?"

"Everything okay," Twilight replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "Fluttershy was a little overwhelmed, but she's better now."

Rainbow frowned, looking at the pink-haired girl with concern. "Are you okay? If there's anything you need, I'm here to listen, you know."

Fluttershy felt a knot in her stomach. "Thanks, Rainbow. I've just... been thinking about some things."

Applejack, noticing the awkwardness, stepped in. "We all go through hard things. You know I still have things on my mind," said with a little grace, "and the outing the other day, which by the way, Pinkie, was a great idea," said looking at the party girl.

The cheerful girl nodded, although she would have liked to reveal that it was Rarity's idea.

"What I'm getting at is that you can count on us," Applejack said, turning her gaze to the shy girl.

Fluttershy nodded.

The sporty girl smiled, but there was a glint of seriousness in her gaze. "Sometimes, it's easier said than done, isn't it? I wish we could all talk more openly about what we feel. It would make us stronger."

The pink-haired girl nodded again. "Yeah, I think... sometimes we have to face what's bothering us in order to move forward."

Pinkie smiled, satisfied with the conversation, and Twilight added, "No matter what happens, we can always find a way together. Communication is key."

"Yeah, and don't forget..." The hyperactive girl was going to say, but was distracted when she saw the dressmaker who had disappeared again at lunch.

"What?" exclaimed. "I'm going to...!"

The girls were surprised by what they heard from the mouth of their cheerful friend, who was now walking away chasing the curly-haired girl.

"Hey, Rarity!" they heard, as the party girl wanted to ask her the question that had been on her mind during those days at lunchtime.

The girls exchanged confused glances.

"Uh, what just happened?" Sunset asked a little bewildered.

"No idea," said Applejack

"No matter how long we've known Pinkie Pie, she always ends up being very unpredictable," Twilight said laughing.

Fluttershy laughed. "She never loses her style."

Rainbow smiled; at least the animal lover seemed better, although she still didn't quite understand the reasons.

"How about we go to our last class? We'll see her at the exit," the farmer suggested.

They all nodded, starting to walk to their respective classes.

With the last class over, Rarity and Sweetie Belle had arrived home. As she put some things away to move forward with her work, she remembered how Pinkie had followed her, waiting for an answer. The girl looked surprised and somewhat angry, although more surprised than anything else, but Rarity had to give her an answer.

Although one of the reasons she wasn't at lunch was what was spreading around the university, at least they weren't going through the rumors and they only talked about her figure, although there was always someone who went too far; she slapped one of them when she asked him the size of her breasts, since they would be to his liking.

When the minutes passed, she had to almost run to her last class, since she had to hand in her work. Some were due last week, while a few others were due in the middle of this week or even earlier, according to the last notice from the teachers. So now, she wanted to add a few last things to her report in case the teacher decided to change the due date. Luckily, she was already well into the biography, despite the annoying comparison she made to the farmer, which had made her angry over the weekend and over these past two days, though it had also made her feel something else.

She was now in the dining room plugging in her laptop charger when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw her little sister come out of the kitchen. An idea formed in her mind. She was sure she would like to help, considering she was one of her most listened to artists.

"Sweetie, can you come?"

"What are you doing, Rarity?" asked curiously as she approached.

"I'm going over the work I have to do. It's a report," Rarity replied, looking at her sister with a slight smile. "We have to choose a songwriter, and I've decided to choose Taylor Swift. You mention her so much that I thought it would be a good idea. Would you help me with it?"

Sweetie Belle instantly brightened up, clearly excited. "Really!? I knew you'd love it!" exclaimed, pulling out her phone and searching for Spotify. "Taylor has so many amazing songs. I can tell you everything you need to know."

"You know I've heard only a few, and I know some of her songs have a deeper meaning than they seem. I could use some explanations," Rarity commented, leaning towards her little sister.

The younger girl sat down, ready to begin. "Well, for example, 'Clean'. That song talks about how, after a really hard time, you realize you can finally breathe again. It's like when you've been through a storm, and even though it still hurts, you realize you've come out the other side stronger," explained in a tone of understanding.

Rarity listened intently, feeling the words resonate within her. The thought of coming out of an emotional storm struck her. "Hmm... that sounds... familiar," murmured, thinking about everything she'd been through, especially with her former friends.

"Yes! And then there's 'All Too Well,' which is about remembering a relationship that was important, but ended badly. It's like the memories are so strong that you can't escape them, even when you try to move on," Sweetie Belle added, moved by the song's emotions.

"It seems to have a very precise way of capturing those feelings. I think it'll be an interesting choice for my work." The eldest commented.

"There's also one that has always resonated a lot with fans," said excitedly, though her tone changed to doubt.

"What's wrong?" Rarity asked, noticing the change in her sister, feeling curious.

"I don't know if you'll like it since you weren't that age when things happened, but maybe you'll still relate," she replied, somewhat hesitantly.

"Nevermind, I still don't think it'll reach me if it has to do with age," the seamstress stated confidently.

"It's this one." Sweetie Belle said, playing the song. "It's called 'Fifteen.'

Rarity listened to the song in silence, letting the soft melodies fill the room. When it finished, she lowered her gaze slightly. "Wow, you were right... Just that, even though it was my first love, and I admit it was... some things that the song says, it wasn't that accurate, like the mention of the football team and other things," added, with a touch of grace.

"Although I would have liked to have a friend to cry with," whispered, remembering the lyrics: 'we both cried.'

The younger girl, unable to hear that whisper, suggested something else. "Shall we go with one of their debut songs?" commented while searching on her phone. "Oh this one, it has a good beat. Mom won't explain to me what it's about."

"Did you show it to Mom?" Rarity asked, surprised and with a raised eyebrow, as if she couldn't imagine her mother dealing with the singer's lyrics.

"Yeah, but she didn't catch the Taylor Swift 'infection', despite showing her a few songs. She still explains some of the lyrics to me, since she uses metaphors and I can't understand them and in others I interpret them my way. But with this song and others, she didn't want to go into much depth," her little sister commented, shrugging.

"Why wouldn't I want to tell you?" she wondered, feeling slightly curious.

Sweetie shrugged again.

"Play it and I could explain it to you," Rarity suggested with a smile as she sat down and rested her elbow on the side of the table.

"Great, listen!" exclaimed, as she pressed the 'play' button with enthusiasm.

As the melody began to play, Sweetie bobbed her head to the rhythm of the song, letting the vibrant energy fill the space. The seamstress, for her part, paid attention to every detail of the lyrics. When the song ended, Rarity had a doubtful expression on her face.

"Wait a minute," asked, opening her computer.

"What's wrong? Did you notice something?" the younger girl asked, excited.

"I want to read the lyrics carefully. I'm not sure, but I think I understand what it's about," Rarity commented as she opened the search engine. "What did you say it was called?"

"I never told you. It's called 'Should've Said No'," replied.

The seamstress wrote it on the bar and went to a page. "There, play it again."

As the song played again, Rarity followed the lyrics, making different gestures, understanding the true meaning of the song. When the melody ended, Sweetie exclaimed:

"It's very catchy, isn't it?"

"It is... and I confirmed my suspicion," mentioned, taking her eyes off the screen, before turning to her little sister. "But first, what do you think the song is about?"

"From what I understand, the boy made a mistake and asks his partner for another chance to fix things, but she says no, because he should have thought twice before making the mistake," explained, her voice full of confidence in her answer.

Rarity nodded slowly, thinking about how innocent her sister still was. The song clearly spoke of betrayal, but she couldn't just tell her that. So she chose her words carefully. "Do you know what 'cheat' means?"

Sweetie answered quickly, "Lying, hiding something... am I right?" Rarity nodded again. "But what does that have to do with the song?"

The older girl made a sound with her lips. "Later I'll explain to you properly what it means and how it relates to the lyrics."

"Oh, come on, Rarity!" complained, crossing her arms with a pout.

"It's more... complicated than you think, and I'd rather you figure it out yourself in time," the seamstress said, smiling tenderly.

"Okay," Sweetie agreed, a little annoyed, but deep down she knew her sister was right.

"I don't want to ruin her innocent mind just yet and tell her the song is about infidelity," thought. The seamstress went back in time for a few seconds. "At least AJ didn't cheat on me physically..." She shook her head to not go too deep into the matter and looked at her little sister. "Another song you have in mind?"

The younger girl turned her attention to her cell phone, her finger sliding the screen. "Have you heard 'Teardrops On My Guitar'?"

"Yes." she nodded. "Many might feel represented by an unrequited love and wish the other person to make it happy," commented with an almost sad smile. "I wished it to him from a distance."

Sweetie Belle looked up, surprised by the confession.

"Don't mind me," Rarity added, trying to downplay it. "Even though my feelings were reciprocated at one point, I had to move on and wish Rainbow to make her happy," thought.

"I wish she would have told me her feelings... so I wouldn't get my hopes up," blurted out in an unintentional low voice.

The younger girl looked up again, not quite understanding what she meant, since she knew what her sister's relationship with the farmer had been like. Not fully understanding, she turned her attention back to her phone. "Let's skip a few eras."

"Okay," said, though she thought, somewhat confused, "Eras?"

"Oh, this is one of her sadder songs... sort of," Sweetie Belle commented, with some indecision in her tone.

Rarity raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her sister's hesitation.

"A part of the song says something that comes through," the younger girl continued, placing a hand on her chest. "It says something like that person gave you all their love, and the other just said goodbye."

"Metaphorically, I suppose?" the eldest tried to deduce. "Meaning that you... gave everything... so that..." she sighed a little, not finishing the sentence. The younger stared at her.

"Sometimes you can give a lot... but something doesn't quite fit, and you find yourself saying goodbye before you know it," Rarity finished, her voice soft.

Sweetie Belle hesitated, noticing that she had struck a chord with her sister and opted not to play the song. "Long story short, 'Back to December' is about regret. It's the first time Taylor has ever apologized for letting go of someone who was worth it."

"At least, part of it is close," the seamstress thought, letting out a soft laugh.

"Let's go with another one," the younger girl suggested, trying to change the tone of the conversation.

"Is there one that doesn't talk about romance? Something more focused on oneself," Rarity asked, looking for a break.

Sweetie Belle put a finger to her chin, thinking out loud until a song came to mind. "The Archer."

"Interesting title," commented, raising an eyebrow, intrigued.

The younger girl searched for the song to play and once they heard the song, Sweetie was going to ask her what she thought, but Rarity repeated part of the lyrics quietly.

"Who could stay... Who could stay..."

"Rarity, are you okay?" asked, worried.

"Sorry... The lyrics are very... introspective," replied, her tone thoughtful.

"Yeah, it's like..." Sweetie began.

"It's like I'm looking in the mirror and seeing my flaws," interrupted, her gaze lost.

"Actually, a lot of people imagine that, and when I looked up the explanation for the lyrics, it said to imagine yourself in front of a mirror," explained.

"This part is interesting..." Rarity said, looking for the lyrics, making Sweetie move so she could read the lyrics. "This..." said, pointing her finger at the screen. [All of my enemies started out friends.]

"Do you think they see me as the enemy? Someone who was once their friend," she wondered, a mix of doubt and sadness in her voice.

"I don't think so, Rarity," replied softly. "I know things are bad between you two, but..."

"But I'm the reason things are the way they are," interrupted. "Maybe, with Applejack too."

Sweetie whispered her name, "Rarity..."

The seamstress lowered her gaze before slowly raising it to continue. "Some things have happened, and Applejack seems to be acting out with me by telling me some things that make me sad... but also disappointed. And it's making me see something and wonder..."

The younger girl looked at her with concern. "And what made you wonder?"

"What did I see in her," replied, looking at the floor as if searching for answers there.

Sweetie Belle looked at her, surprised by her sister's confession. "What did you see in her? What do you mean?"

"She seems upset about something, but she makes me believe it's because of me and how things ended. Right now it makes me think that maybe I'm the one to blame for the breakup... and what's affecting her now," Rarity said with a lost look.

The younger girl didn't know what to say. "Uh... Apple Bloom said that she's frustrated about something. She said that maybe it will go away with the days, and surely what she said to you wasn't meant."

Rarity sighed deeply. "Even if she didn't mean it, those words stay with you. I wonder if, by coming back, I'm overshadowing her life... If I was the one who caused all this, who pushed her to feel this way." Her fingers tightened gently on her knees. "Maybe... I was to blame. I behaved badly. That day, when she came into the design studio to ask me out, I turned her down," said sadly, trying not to show too much in her expression. "And as the song says... 'who could stay?' ...after what I did later."

Sweetie Belle was still surprised. "Wow, I didn't expect you to talk about it now... but maybe you two should talk and maybe..."

The seamstress looked up. "It would ease her frustration... I wouldn't like to see her like that. It's not good for her."

"I don't know, I was going to say that maybe things between you two would get better," the younger girl said with a hopeful smile.

Rarity laughed softly. "Maybe. Maybe I'll talk to her in a different way, she obviously doesn't want to listen." She looked at her little sister with a smile. "Thanks, Sweetie."

"You're welcome, I'm glad to help... but what about you?" asked, worried about her sister. "Are you okay?"

"Sweetie Belle, the people you care about are always important," said with a smile. The younger girl nodded, not entirely convinced.

"Let's get back to the topic," Rarity said. "What other songs does she have?"

Sweetie looked at her sister, wondering if it was actually a good thing to care so much about others and not yourself. "How about something more upbeat?" suggested, turning her attention back to the screen. "Check this one out: 'Shake It Off.' It's about ignoring what others think and just being yourself. I think you'd like that too," she said, smiling as she tried to cheer her sister up.

They continued to listen to a couple of songs so Rarity could add to her report, immersing herself in the music as Sweetie's words echoed through the air.

The next day, Rarity and her little sister arrived early to school, as they should. After saying goodbye, Rarity went to the art classroom and watched as the farm girl entered, heading to her usual spot. A thought fluttered through the seamstress's mind: she needed to talk to Applejack.

As class began, the teacher was explaining something while many relaxed, relieved that art classes seemed like a respite compared to the work of other subjects.

As the class progressed, Rarity couldn't help but glance at the farm girl. Although she was sitting further back, she noticed her movements. She knew the blonde well, she knew how she acted when she was stressed, and even if she wasn't now, something in her body language told her what was wrong with her.

Rarity looked away, trying to concentrate on the class.

When class ended, everyone began to gather their things. Applejack, lost in her thoughts, was one of the last to leave the art classroom. Lost in her world, she began to walk through the half-empty hallways, passing by the lockers without noticing someone waiting for her.

"Hey, cowgirl."

She stopped dead in her tracks when she heard that nickname, knowing who it was. Turning around, she saw Rarity leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Applejack looked at her with a serious expression.

"Belle, not now."

Rarity took a few steps towards her, placing herself in front of the farm girl. "I'll be brief," began, her voice firm but calm. "At first, I was angry at how you treated me at the cafeteria and then at what happened yesterday."

Applejack tried to open her mouth to interrupt her, but the seamstress held up a hand, gesturing for her to continue.

"I've been thinking a lot and it's obvious that something is affecting you," commented softly. "I don't know if it's the farm, the jobs, or something else." The seamstress kept her gaze fixed on Applejack, who rolled her eyes, thinking that this was all going to be another one of those apologies.

"I know I can't change the past. And if this is all about 'getting in your way', I want you to know that I didn't mean to cause you any discomfort," continued, placing a hand on her chest. "Like that day..." added, lowering her gaze.

Applejack looked at her, surprised, but hid it with her serious expression. She grimaced, hesitating, but decided to speak. "I've... I've been trying to move on... after what happened," confessed, pausing as she looked down. "And not just about what happened, but in general." She knew the seamstress would understand what she meant. "But something's blocking me... now."

Rarity nodded slowly, processing what Applejack had mentioned. Her eyes reflected understanding. "I guess we're both going through something similar... and it's holding us back." The seamstress could see how the blonde tensed, as if she wanted to stop the conversation. "Don't worry, I won't go into it."

Applejack pursed her lips, feeling a bit of relief. A part of her that didn't want to talk about the subject was grateful for the discretion.

"We just... need to go our separate ways so we don't get stuck. We don't have to interact or get along to do that," the curly-haired girl suggested.

The farmer remained silent. Rarity sighed imperceptibly, remembering that the blonde had also remained silent during some parts of the discussion that day, taking her silence as a 'yes'. Now she didn't know if that silence meant that the farmer agreed.

For her part, the blonde, deep down, wished she could talk about what had happened, but her current emotions didn't allow her to see what had happened that day and what happened afterwards, so she chose to remain silent, as she usually did.

The seamstress was annoyed by it, but at the same time it made her sad, so she continued to hide it behind a facade of seriousness. "We can continue as we have been since I returned," suggested, her voice soft. "You, with the girls... and I by my side. That way we each have our space, and we can move on with our lives."

Applejack looked away. "That could be an option," murmured.

Rarity nodded again, though this time more to herself than to the blonde. "You know that whenever you need to talk..." The farm girl grimaced, it was obvious to her that she would try. "...You have the girls to listen to you. They've always been like that... they've always been there for each other." Even though she said this with conviction, she couldn't help but remember some moments in the past, when she hadn't felt supported.

Applejack raised her head, her eyes reflecting surprise, though her face quickly returned to seriousness. "I'll keep that in mind," replied in a more neutral tone, trying not to show too much.

The wavy-haired girl nodded one last time, turning to walk away. "Take that break," said as she began to walk.

The blonde watched out of the corner of her eye as she passed by. "Hey," called out, staying in the same spot. The seamstress stopped and turned to look at her, still with the same serious expression.

"You know this doesn't change the other matter," said, her tone lower, but firm.

Rarity didn't change her expression. "I know..." muttered quietly, turning around to walk away completely. "See you later, cowgirl," added, her tone neutral trying to hide any emotion.

Applejack shook her head as she watched her walk away. "How I hate that nickname," whispered, though for some reason, something inside her felt a little lighter.

As Rarity walked away, her brows relaxed and she let out a sigh she had been holding in. Though she was still shaken by everything that had happened, there was a small hope that this conversation would help her as well. More than anything, though, she hoped that the farm girl would somehow feel a little better. She continued walking, knowing that only time would decide how things would go between them.

Author's Note

• Wow, we had a flashback that could be considered cute, but at the same time disappointing (referring to what happened). The truth is, I was just going to put in the flashback of when Fluttershy met Rarity; Then I remembered that I mentioned in the first chapters what happened next and I wanted to extend it by showing when the six met. Then the second one came to mind when I was doing the closing scene of the welcome event, and it happened, and I think it's the longest flashback.

• I'll tell you something: as I was progressing through the part about how Fluttershy talks to Twilight and Pinkie about what happened, I came up with an idea for a subplot.

-If you're wondering why I didn't show when they met Rainbow, it would reveal a little about why Applejack and Rainbow's relationship is like that in the present, although I gave some clues in the memory.

• Let's say that Applejack and Rarity took the 'steps' about breaking up, but don't worry, it won't stay here; It will go deeper soon. For this reason, I had to modify the part where Sweetie and Rarity progress at work, since it would be too early for emotions to overflow.

-What do you think of what I have shown so far?

• That's all. I'll try not to keep you waiting with the next chapter. Bye bye!