Rarity slowly opened her eyes before her alarm went off. The dim sunlight illuminated her face. She remembered one of the reasons she always wore her sleep mask, as the light curtains didn't block out the light completely.

She turned off the alarm and blinked a few times before getting up. She looked at her clothes and frowned when she saw that she was still dressed.

"How come I didn't change last night?" muttered to herself as she made her way to the closet. She picked out a black skirt and a white long-sleeved shirt for the cold, as well as a matching blouse.

Just as she was about to open the bathroom door, someone knocked.

"Yes?" asked.

The door opened, revealing Sweetie Belle in her pajamas. "Hello. How did you wake up?" asked with a yawn at the end.

Rarity smiled slightly. "Good. I don't feel the weight I had yesterday anymore," said, though her expression then turned thoughtful. "The bad thing is that today I have to work out... I don't know how my body is going to react after last night."

"Shouldn't you tell the teacher?" her younger sister suggested, leaning against the door frame.

The seamstress shook her head softly. "I don't think it's necessary... I may not be an athlete, but I'll be fine. And if not..." she walked over to her dresser, pulling out two boxes of pills, "...I have this for muscle pain," added, showing them to her. "I used it the first few days, when the exercise left me with some pain. Although I'll also take the ones I took last night."

Sweetie Belle nodded, calmer. "Well, that's better," said with a smile. "I'm going to put the water on to boil. Mom and Dad are gone."

"Thanks, Sweetie. I'm supposed to be looking out for you, not the other way around," Rarity said with a small laugh before entering the bathroom. Her younger sister also laughed as she walked out the door.

She walked down the stairs calmly, still in her pajamas. Upon reaching the kitchen, she walked over to the kettle and filled it with water. While she waited, her gaze fell on a small box on the table. She smiled as she remembered her parents' surprise from the night before: macarons.

She couldn't resist and grabbed some macarons, biting into a small piece with a satisfied smile.

"Mmm... this is what I need to start the day off right," murmured with her mouth full, enjoying every bite.

As the water boiled, she poured herself a glass of juice and allowed herself to enjoy another macaron, a hint of guilt in her expression.

"Rarity sure won't blame me if I eat a few more..." She chuckled, knowing that her older sister always scolded her for snacking between meals, just like her mom.

When the kettle finished heating the water, Sweetie Belle turned it off and headed over to the cabinet in search of a cup. She then grabbed four loaves of bread and put them in the toaster.

With the kitchen quiet and a little time to herself, Rarity settled into a chair, savoring the last macaron. A few minutes later, Rarity came downstairs, finding Sweetie Belle sitting at the table, eating macarons. The older girl cleared her throat slightly, drawing her younger sister's attention.

"Eh... heh heh... I was waiting for you," said, putting on an innocent expression as she tried to hide the macaron in her hand.

"You're going to get a sugar rush if you eat too much of that. At least you're not eating it at night, or you wouldn't be able to sleep," Rarity commented, looking at her with a raised eyebrow, though a playful smile was on her face.

"You said it," replied with a mischievous laugh. "This will keep me from falling asleep in class."

Before the seamstress could say anything else, she caught a peculiar scent in the air. "What's that smell?" asked, frowning.

"I think it's the bread," Sweetie Belle said, looking in the direction of the toaster.

"Again!" exclaimed, walking over to tend to the mess.

"Oops..." the younger girl said, watching as her sister rushed to save the bread. Although she still lacked practice in the most basic of cooking, she wasn't giving up.

Once they had 'sorted out' the bread issue, the two of them were sitting in the dining room, enjoying breakfast. Rarity was calmly drinking her tea while Sweetie Belle seemed excited about something.

"I want to tell you something we heard with the girls," said, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Did they catch your Taylor Swift fever?" the seamstress tried to guess, taking a sip of her tea.

"No! Well... almost... Apple Bloom is about to drop, but Scootaloo is a little more expensive," replied, with an amused smile.

"So what is it?" Rarity asked, now genuinely intrigued.

"I was going to tell it last night, but you know what happened," Sweetie Belle said, pausing for a moment before continuing. "You see, with the Crusaders we heard Diamond Tiara complaining that she didn't want to go anywhere with the class after midterms."

"So?" Rarity still didn't get the point of the story.

The younger girl raised an eyebrow, as if the curly-haired girl was overlooking something obvious. "Come on, Rarity... you know that Diamond Tiara's parents have influence at school, so they always find out about some things before everyone else. Apparently, after midterms, the class is going to have an outing... for fun!"

"Or something educational?" the seamstress suggested, arching an eyebrow as she bit into a piece of bread.

"Ow, Rarity..." sighed, a little put off by the comment.

"Sorry, but that could be it and they should behave. I remember one class that didn't have a walk for bad behavior," said, remembering a few years back.

"When did you meet the girls?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously, leaning forward.

"No, I hadn't officially met them yet," replied, eating another piece of bread, her mind briefly wandering back to those times.

The youngest Belle, curious, rested her chin on her hands and looked at her sister with interest. "So, if you didn't know them, what were those days like for you?"

Rarity sighed, staring at her teacup for a moment, lost in thought. "It was a bit of a lonely time, really. I didn't have many close friends. I was always focused on my studies and my di-" She didn't finish the last sentence and just continued, "But everything changed when I met the girls..."

Sweetie Belle just nodded, not wanting to go deeper into the subject her sister didn't want to talk about. "The Mane Six, right?"

"You know about that nickname?" asked, more to herself than to her sister.

"Apple Bloom told me about it once."

Rarity nodded in understanding. "About the other thing," said, returning to the subject, forming a soft smile. "With them, I learned what it meant to have true friends. And although right now we're not as good as we used to be... I'll always remember our times."

The dining room fell silent for a moment, both sisters deep in thought. Then, the younger one broke the silence with a lighter tone.

"Well, at least you have someone to complain to when my bread burns," joked, causing Rarity to let out a small laugh.

"Yeah, I can always count on you for those little cooking failures," said, with an amused smile.

The dressmaker stood up and began to clear away the breakfast dishes. As she did, she glanced out the window. The sky was clear, but the cool October wind blew through the window. "It looks like it's going to be a quiet day, but you should still wear a jacket. I don't want you to catch a cold."

"Yes, Mom," Sweetie Belle replied, rolling her eyes playfully.

Rarity laughed lightly. "I could never take Mom's place. Now go get dressed."

The younger girl headed upstairs to get dressed while the older girl paced around the living room a bit, looking around the empty space. "It feels so desolate without Mom and Dad..."

"Mom," repeated quietly, and closed her eyes as she remembered the argument. "I have to find a way to get my head around what it's going to take for me next week," he muttered as he walked up the stairs to get his things, thinking about how to deal with what awaits him.

Pinkie Pie was leaving her house, raising her arms in an enthusiastic wave as she saw the red, somewhat old but well-kept truck and quickly getting in.

"Hey, AJ and Apple Bloom!" greeted with a beaming smile.

"Hey," they replied in unison.

Once she had buckled up, Applejack began driving. The sound of the engine roared softly, as the wind blew through the window, mixing with Pinkie's laughter.

"Did you see the picture I posted?!" the excited party girl asked, waving her hands as if she were catching the pictures in the air.

"I haven't seen them yet. How many did you post?" the farmer asked, glancing over before focusing on the road.

"I wish I could have gone!" Apple Bloom interrupted, frowning a little annoyed.

"You went last year, and how did things turn out?" Applejack said, raising an eyebrow that was reflected in the rearview mirror, a slight smile on her lips.

Apple Bloom just bared her teeth, followed by a giggle. "Come on, it wasn't that bad. It was just a little cake fight."

"A fight we had to clean up after!" said, sounding amused.

"Well, that side wasn't very pleasant," Apple Bloom said, grimacing.

"Another reason we didn't take you is because there was booze," Applejack added, winking.

"Twilight didn't drink much of anything!" Pinkie said, laughing.

Apple Bloom grimaced at the mention of booze, remembering Sweetie Belle's expression when she tried the cider. "They taste better if I hadn't gone."

"And that change?"

Pinkie laughed. "You see, at the event, Sweetie Belle tried the closest thing to a drink, and the rest of the Crusaders were left with that answer out of curiosity."

The farm girl let out a laugh.

"How do you stand the taste?" the younger sister asked, arching an eyebrow.

"It's part of growing up, sugarcube. You might like it someday, or you might not. It'll depend on whether you're the type that likes alcohol when you're older," Applejack said with a sympathetic smile.

"And you haven't even tried the mixed ones yet. That'll make you grimace worse," the party girl said, looking back knowingly.

"Ugh!" Apple Bloom said, shaking her head with a horrified expression.

"Someday we'll go to another event where there's no alcohol or anything like that," the older sister said, trying to sound serious.

"Really!?" the youngest Apple exclaimed, lighting up with excitement. "We're all Crusaders this time!"

Applejack looked at her in the mirror, a playful smile playing on her lips. "Only if you prove you can behave."

"Me? Behave? But I'm an angel!" Apple Bloom said, rolling her eyes, though a smile spread across her face.

"Sure, an angel up to her own mischief," Farm Girl said, giggling as she shifted gears.

"I love that idea," Pinkie said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We can put tracks all over the place and have everyone participate. We could even have a dance competition at the end!"

"There are so many possibilities. We have October, with Halloween; then November, which is not happening at the moment; and December, with Christmas and New Year's, which will obviously be family time," Applejack said with a smile.

"I want a party already!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, daydreaming about the idea.

"There's also the prom. I hope this year is better," Pinkie added.

The blonde shook her head. "If the second one wasn't as good... I don't know if I'll go to this one."

Her younger sister shrugged. "I hope she gets better."

"I hope Rarity goes this year," Pinkie commented suddenly.

Applejack wasn't sure how to answer, but she finally did. "Why do you say that?"

"Don't you remember? Junior year wasn't there, then senior year came, and after what happened, Rarity..." she said, trailing off.

"She left town," Apple Bloom finished.

"Actually, she did community service, and even if nothing had happened, she still couldn't have gone," explained.

"Community service?" Applejack thought, frowning slightly. "So she didn't get expelled like we thought, she had to do community service instead."

"Because of the trip?" the younger asked, continuing the conversation.

"Exactly."

"I hope they don't leave and can enjoy themselves," Apple Bloom said.

"Yeah, what do you think, AJ?" Pinkie asked.

"When she told you this, didn't she ask you not to reveal too much?" Applejack asked, snapping out of her thoughts.

The party girl crossed her arms, noticing that she was avoiding the question. "She didn't say anything. We just talked honestly."

The farm girl glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and nodded slowly as she stopped at the traffic light.

"And what do you think?" Pinkie insisted.

"I think about what?"

"About Sweetie Belle and Rarity enjoying the last dance," Apple Bloom replied with a smile.

"Well... if everything goes well, they will," said, trying to answer naturally, focusing on the traffic light.

Pinkie left the conversation, noticing that Applejack wouldn't continue, and they went on their way.

Side B / University
Fluttershy was walking through the front door, passing through the hallway to get to her locker. On the way, she waved at a few people who waved at her. She wasn't like the others, or especially not like Pinkie Pie, who greeted everyone who passed by with great enthusiasm. Therefore, she only waved at a few.

As she walked, she ran into Twilight and Sunset, who were at their lockers.

"Hey, girls."

"Hey, Fluttershy," the two of them replied.

"Rainbow didn't come with you this time?" Sunset asked.

"No, she wanted to come by car this time. Plus, sometimes when she gives me a ride, she avoids meeting my brother," Fluttershy commented, letting out a small laugh at the end.

The two of them let out a laugh.

"I can already imagine her running away if she sees him, but we know what Rainbow is like, so she would 'face' him," Twilight said, making quotation marks with her fingers.

"He should understand by now that he's unavailable with Applejack," the redhead added, curious.

"Zephyr says there's no one on his level or anyone Rainbow should be with," explained, rolling her eyes amusedly. "You know, the classic words from him to deny that Dash isn't available."

"Your brother and his logic," the bespectacled girl commented, smiling.

"So, let's go?" Sunset suggested, showing her sports bag.

"Wait a bit," Fluttershy said, heading to her locker, entering the combination and leaving only the backpack inside, keeping the bag. "There you go."

The women, already on the court, after separating from the men, heard their teacher ask them to jog before stretching.

The echo of sneakers hitting the ground and the laughter of the others filled the space, but Rarity's mind was elsewhere. As she ran at a slightly slower pace, her thoughts kept going around and around.

"Rarity," a familiar voice said. Pinkie quickly stepped forward, standing beside her with her usual energy. "You've got things on your mind," said, noticing the serious expression on her friend's face.

Rarity gave a weak smile, aware that her usual confident mask was cracking. "Yeah, I know you don't like talking about school, but that's what's on my mind," confessed, letting out a sigh as she glanced sideways at the party girl.

"It's a shame for me to have to endure school," Pinkie joked, lowering her head for a second in dramatic gesture before brightening again. "But I know it'll all work out!"

"I can't afford to fail," the seamstress thought, feeling the pressure rise from her stomach to her chest. Her worry consumed her to the point that she didn't notice the cheerful girl still talking, trying to cheer her up with her usual spark.

She looked around, noticing how the students, while also dealing with the pressure, seemed to be much calmer than her.

Her eyes met Twilight's, who was running focused a few meters ahead. The girl with glasses always seemed to be in control, never letting stress get the better of her.

"Twilight has always been good at everything academically," Rarity thought, envying that part of her a little. Then her eyes widened at an idea. "If anyone can explain this to me, it's her... she spends all her time in the library and knows which books provide the most information."

But the idea of asking her for help was... risky. Even though nothing had happened, the tension was still present. She bit her lower lip as she ran, her thoughts spinning faster than her steps.

"Would she really help me?" she wondered as she tried to keep up with the group. "We're not friends like we used to be, and I don't want her to think I'm using her."

"Knock knock," Pinkie said, drawing her attention as she noticed Rarity was lost in thought.

"Ah, sorry... I got lost... what were you saying?" replied, forcing a small smile.

"Never mind, we'll leave it for later. But it seems an idea crossed your mind," commented with a knowing smile.

The seamstress nodded, her gaze once again wandering back to the group of girls still jogging. "Yes, though it is a bit risky," she said, her tone reflecting the uncertainty she felt.

The teacher's whistle cut through the air, signaling the end of the race. The girls stopped, waiting for instructions.

"Too risky? Risky is always exciting," Pinkie murmured, not losing her characteristic enthusiasm.

Rarity glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, a little bit infected by her carefree spirit. "Maybe I should try it," she whispered, biting her lower lip. "I don't lose anything by asking, do I?"

The party girl nodded vigorously.

"Although I should also have a plan B," thought, looking into the distance at another girl.

Spitfire stood firm as she approached the center of the group with a grading board in her hand.

"Okay, team! Pay attention, I'm going to explain how the evaluations will be."

The conversations that were still echoing quickly ceased. All the girls focused their attention on Spitfire, knowing that when she spoke, there was no room for distraction.

"Listen carefully, because this is important," she began, her voice authoritative and confident. "The evaluations will be in two parts. The first is a physical evaluation, where you will have to demonstrate your flexibility, endurance, and technique in the exercises we have practiced so far."

She paused, her eyes assessing each of the students, who remained silent. Some, like Rainbow Dash, seemed excited by the challenge, while others, like Rarity, frowned in concern.

"But don't worry," added, softening her tone slightly, "I'm not here to make you suffer. Each of you will be evaluated based on your personal progress, not just in comparison to the others. What matters most is your effort and improvement."

Fluttershy sighed discreetly in relief. Applejack, from her spot, crossed her arms and nodded. This sounded fair to her.

"The second part of the evaluation will be mental," continued, which caused some curious glances. "You're going to be tested on your ability to handle stress and how you apply the breathing and relaxation techniques we've seen. It's not just about muscles, girls, I also want to see how you handle pressure."

Twilight nodded in interest, while the multicolored girl rolled her eyes, unenthusiastic about that part of the assessment. However, Rarity seemed frustrated to hear this as she noticed how this wasn't helping her.

Spitfire let the information settle for a few seconds before continuing.

"In short, I want to see how you've improved physically, but I also want to see if you've managed to stay calm and in control in stressful situations. That's what we'll be testing in the coming weeks. So work hard and don't stop practicing!"

The girls nodded silently. Some exchanged glances, knowing that the tests wouldn't be easy, but also recognizing that Spitfire wasn't a teacher who asked for the impossible without providing them with the tools to achieve it.

The teacher took a step back and crossed her arms. "Okay, now that you know what the assessments will be like, let's stretch! Today we'll work on lower body flexibility."

She began leading the stretches, moving around the group to correct postures and give practical advice to each student.

"Applejack, keep your knees straight. Don't rush it," she instructed when he saw her bending over too quickly.

The farm girl groaned, but corrected her posture. Meanwhile, Rainbow was performing her stretches with a smile.

"That's it, Dash! Good control, but I want you to go down a little more," said, leaning beside her and giving her a light tap on the leg to guide her.

At the other end of the line, Fluttershy was doing her best to maintain a correct posture. "Don't worry, Fluttershy," Spitfire told her in a softer tone, "you're getting better. Just focus on your breathing."

Rarity, for her part, was struggling to keep her balance as she attempted a stretching pose. "Belle, don't push yourself too hard. Remember, it's about progress, not perfection," she told her as she helped her find a more comfortable position.

The seamstress nodded, letting out a sigh.

"Remember that stretching is not only to prevent injuries, but also to improve your flexibility and relax. Practice it at home," Spitfire said, walking between them and the other girls, watching each movement with her critical but fair eye.

After several minutes of supervised stretching, the teacher finally said, "Okay, that's it for today, girls! See you in the next class!"

With that, the stretching session came to an end. The students began to head towards the locker room to change. As they changed in the locker room, the conversations around them mixed with the sound of showers and lockers opening and closing.

Rarity shifted a little, looking at her body; there was no sign that today's exercise had affected it from what happened the night before. However, she thought about taking a pill. She looked at the two boxes: one for muscle pain and another to feel better after an attack. After thinking twice, she took out a pill, the same one she had taken the night before.

She approached the water tap, she always disliked the taste a little, but she knew she had to do what was necessary for the sake of her health. As she took a sip and swallowed the pill, she looked at herself in the reflection in the mirror. There were the Mane Six, and in particular, her gaze stopped at the girl with glasses. That made the idea she had in mind come back strongly. She knew that asking Twilight for help would not be easy, but... it was her best option.

The blue-haired girl, for her part, was focused on changing, although she felt someone looking at her. But she didn't want to pay attention to it.

When everyone was finally done changing, they began to disperse around the campus. Rarity headed to her locker. She opened the door, put her bag away, and pulled out a notebook, which she carefully opened. The blank sheet looked defiant, as if it expected her to write something meaningful. With a shaking hand, she jotted down a few words.

[Hey, Twi...] "No, not that..." said to herself, quickly crossing it out. That sounded too close to how things were now, and she didn't want to give that impression.

[Twilight, can you help me?] she wrote again, but the thought that that line might sound desperate made her shake her head, crossing out the sentence halfway.

As she continued to try to find the right words, her mind wandered. She thought of all the moments they had shared before, the laughs, the long talks about fashion, and the problems of life.

Finally, after several failed attempts, she dropped the pencil on the locker table and took a deep breath. "I can't go on like this," muttered to herself. "If I'm going to ask for help, I have to be honest."

She looked at the time on her phone and opened her eyes in surprise. Even though there were 'no classes,' she could still make the most of the moment if she could talk to the girl with glasses. Without wasting any more time, she grabbed her backpack, slammed her locker shut, and almost ran to the classroom.

Inside the classroom, the students were organized into small groups, reviewing for their midterms. Some were exchanging notes, while others were solving problems in silence. The professor was at his desk, attending to those who approached with questions.

As the minutes passed, Rarity couldn't help but sneak glances at Twilight. The girl with glasses was immersed in her notes, writing and nodding from time to time when she understood something. While the others whispered among themselves, Twilight remained focused, solving the exercises with agility alongside Sunset. The seamstress noticed how the girl with glasses easily understood concepts that were confusing to her.

At the end of class, the professor gave the signal for them to leave. The curly-haired girl took her backpack and headed for the door. She saw Twilight saying goodbye to Sunset, giving a slight smile.

When she veered off the usual path, Rarity's heart skipped a beat. She knew that if she was going to ask for help, it would have to be now or never. Without thinking too much, she decided to follow her.

She watched the blue-haired girl climb the stairs, but she didn't expect her to stop between the stairs on the third floor and turn around.

"I'm not usually so direct, but... why are you staring at me so much?" said with a frown.

Rarity froze for a second at the unexpected reaction. "I wanted to talk to you about something, and it's not about... that matter," replied indirectly.

"And you had to stare at me for hours? You know how uncomfortable it is to feel someone staring at you," Twilight said with a sigh.

The seamstress raised an eyebrow, tilting her head, looking directly at her, who quickly understood.

"Fine, skip that part," the bespectacled girl murmured. "What do you need?"

The curly-haired girl was silent for a few seconds, searching for the right words before looking at her with a mix of determination and vulnerability. "Twilight, I need your help for the tests," said in a somewhat tense voice.

The blue-haired girl showed an expression between surprise and confusion. "My help?" asked in an incredulous tone.

Rarity nodded firmly. "Yes, I need to understand some concepts that I'm having a hard time with," continued, noticing how Twilight avoided her gaze.

"Belle, I don't know if..."

"I know we're not on good terms, but this is important to me and... I can't fail," insisted, determination in her voice. "I want to prove something to someone."

The girl with glasses observed the seriousness on Rarity's face, but she was still unsure. She remembered Starlight's words that she hadn't taken into account until now.

"Please, I'm asking you, could you put aside our differences for a moment?" insisted.

Twilight stared at her in silence for a moment, her thoughts revolving around the implications of that request. It wasn't just an academic question; it was a personal opening. She still remembered how things had been left, and while she wasn't ready to reopen old wounds, she also couldn't ignore the genuine desperation in the seamstress's eyes.

"I'll think about it," finally said, looking up. "I'll give you an answer later or tomorrow."

Rarity nodded, surprised but relieved that it hadn't been an immediate refusal. "Thank you," murmured before heading down the stairs.

"What decision should I make?" the blue-haired girl wondered, blinking several times as she processed the conversation.

For her part, Rarity, who had already gone downstairs, looked around for someone else. If Twilight didn't agree to help her, she needed a plan B.

After a few seconds, she managed to find the person she was looking for. She quickly approached until she was finally behind her.

"Sunset Shimmer"

The red-haired girl turned around, showing a slightly confused expression.

Fluttershy was sitting on one of the campus benches, carefully reviewing her notes. Even though she had just arrived, she wanted to make sure she had everything clear. As she reviewed, she heard three familiar voices and looked up. The party girl, the jock, and the farm girl were approaching, chatting amongst themselves.

"You know what's great about study week?" Rainbow asked, sitting next to the pink-haired girl with a knowing smile.

"There's no class?" Fluttershy guessed, looking at her friend curiously.

"Exactly," replied, raising her hands in a triumphant gesture. "But..." added with a gesture of annoyance.

"We have to study," Pinkie finished, flopping down on the grass with a dramatic sigh.

"You said it," Rainbow said, with a resigned expression.

"At least all we have is gym class," Applejack added, sitting on the other side of Fluttershy, with a calm smile.

"Hey girls," Sunset greeted, sitting next to the party girl, though her face showed an expression of mild disbelief.

"What's wrong with you?" the multicolored girl asked, arching an eyebrow at the red-haired girl's expression.

"Have you ever received an unexpected request?" asked them, crossing her arms and looking at the group.

"Yeah," they all answered in unison, causing a slight laugh among them.

"Well, now mix it with the feeling of doubt," continued, with a thoughtful expression.

"Wow, you're not the only one in that situation," Applejack said, nodding toward the approaching glasses-wearing girl.

They all turned their heads to look at Twilight, who walked with slow steps and her head slightly tilted, as if she were trapped in her thoughts, searching for the solution to an equation without an answer.

"Everything okay, Twi?" Fluttershy asked, her voice soft and worried.

The girl seemed to momentarily snap out of her reverie, looking up at her friends. "Yeah, I just had an unexpected... end to class," she said, still somewhat distracted.

"So there's two of us," the red-haired girl said.

The two exchanged a brief glance before Twilight looked away to the ground, still pondering Rarity. She decided not to mention anything for the moment, and Sunset, who seemed to be on the same page, didn't elaborate either.

"Well, at least this week isn't too bad," Pinkie commented as she played with a flower she plucked from the grass. "We can study outside, relax, and still have a good time!"

"If you don't mind failing," Rainbow added with a laugh, leaning her back against the bench as she stretched out her arms. "I prefer to do everything at the last minute."

"Dash, that's just what you shouldn't do," Applejack said, looking at her partner disapprovingly. "Then you end up complaining the day before tests because you don't know anything."

"What Applejack means," Fluttershy interjected softly, "is that you should use this week to really study."

"You know me! I always manage to get by," said with a shrug. "But... it wouldn't hurt to do some review first. Just in case."

"Good idea," Sunset said, getting up from the grass and stretching. "I was actually going to the library in a bit to go over some stuff. Anyone wanna join in?"

"Now?" the rainbow-colored girl asked, grimacing. "I thought we were free."

"It's study week, Dash," the farm girl replied with a small smile. "It's not exactly the same as having free time."

"Yeah, I guess," Rainbow sighed as she sat up. "I guess it wouldn't hurt."

Sunset smiled. "How about this, you two?" asked, looking at Rainbow and Applejack. "Tomorrow, second period, you have nothing, just like now, but with study time. We could relax a little by playing a game during that time."

The sporty girl smiled. "You got me. Okay, let's go to the library, and tomorrow we'll relax a little before we get to full speed."

"There you go," Applejack said, standing up.

"That helps me out too... I need some help with sports psychology," Rainbow added with a grimace.

"You could have said it earlier," Sunset commented as she picked up her backpack.

"Word is word. Tomorrow relaxation, today library and I don't want to start with that," the athlete concluded, following her.

Fluttershy stood up laughing a little. "Twilight, are you coming too?" asked curiously, seeing that the blue haired girl had been strangely quiet since she arrived.

Twilight, still distracted, looked up and nodded quickly. "Yeah, sure, I'll be there in a bit. I just... need to gather my thoughts first."

The girls didn't give it much thought, thinking Twilight was solving a mental calculation.

"See you at the library then," the red haired girl said with a smile, before walking with the others.

Twilight watched her walk away, feeling the weight of the decision she would soon have to make about the request. She also thought about how Sunset, judging by her expression, was probably in a similar situation. What was the difference between them, though?

The party girl, for her part, didn't say anything about the redhead's suggestion at any point and decided to detour before following the girls.

She headed in the direction of the cafeteria, but taking another route that led her to some stairs. She quickly climbed up and, upon reaching the door, verified that it wasn't locked. She smiled at the confirmation, opened the door and there she was.

"I lost sight of you when you left the dressing rooms," said softly, looking at the lonely figure standing near the railing, observing the view of the city.

Just as she had mentioned a week ago, Rarity finally showed her the rooftop where she usually isolates herself to relax and, sometimes, have lunch. So now, Pinkie knew the way perfectly.

"I wasn't sure if they would go to the cafeteria... and after the request, I preferred to avoid the glances on me," answered, her gaze still fixed on the horizon.

"Request?" repeated, approaching her friend with slow steps.

"Yeah, I thought you'd be with the girls."

"I was, but they went to the library to study. Though Twilight seems to be doing mental calculations... as usual," the party girl explained, letting out a light laugh as she settled herself close to Rarity, resting her arms on the railing. The wind on the rooftop played with their hair, and for a moment, they both stayed silent, enjoying the cool breeze.

"Did she stop to think?" the seamstress muttered to herself, her eyes lost in the landscape.

"Did I miss something?" Pinkie asked, cocking her head, trying to connect the pieces of the puzzle.

"Apparently, they didn't mention it," said, slowly turning to look at the cheerful girl. "I had an argument with Mom last night, because she found out about my notes... which I'd been hiding from her," explained in a tone that denoted embarrassment and frustration. "And it gave me..." she paused, hesitating to continue, but then decided to move on without mentioning her anxiety. "It made me sad to see your disappointed expression, so I thought I'd ask Twilight for help."

"What?!" Pinkie exclaimed, her surprise clearly written on her face, her eyes wide.

"And in case it didn't work out, Sunset too," continued, keeping her tone calm.

"WHAT?!" she cried, even more flabbergasted, throwing her hands up in the air in an exaggerated reaction.

"Are you done?" Rarity asked, crossing her arms and arching an eyebrow, keeping a serious expression.

"Yeah, sorry, I just wasn't expecting that," Pinkie said, with a nervous smile, trying to regain her composure. "And what happened? Did they refuse or did they agree?"

"Both," replied, her voice soft but laced with slight frustration, as she looked back at the scenery.

"What do you mean, both?" asked, now more intrigued than ever, moving a little closer.

"It wasn't a yes or a no," Rarity explained, turning her head slightly towards Pinkie. Noticing her confusion, she added, "They told me they'd think about it."

"Ah..." the party girl said, nodding slowly. "At least they're going to consider it, and they didn't say no to you right away. That's a good thing!"

"Yeah, I was relieved that they didn't reject me right to my face," admitted, sighing as she lowered her head for a moment. She knew things weren't right, but this was at least a small ray of hope.

Neither of them said anything for a few seconds, only the soft sound of the wind and the distant bustle of the university could be heard around them. From the height of the rooftop, the campus seemed small, and Rarity felt that, from there, her problems seemed less heavy as well.

"And then are you going home to study, or are you going to stay here... well, not here here, but at class?" Pinkie asked, breaking the silence with her usual energy, though softened by the seriousness of the moment.

"I'll go to the library," Rarity replied in a determined tone.

"We can study together, see if you know more about management than I do," the party girl suggested with an enthusiastic smile, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Management?" Rarity asked, surprised to remember Pinkie's major.

"Yeah, I have a subject called business management in my major," the party girl said, lowering her head slightly, visibly frustrated. "It's not as fun as cooking."

"I had that subject last year," the seamstress commented, looking at her friend with an understanding smile. "I could help you with that."

Pinkie's reaction was immediate. She jumped up excitedly, turning around on the spot. "Great! That would save me a lot!" she exclaimed, her energy returning to its usual intensity. Rarity couldn't help but smile, following closely behind as the two of them headed towards the rooftop door, with the party girl jumping for joy and the dressmaker holding back a yawn.

Side B / Library

In the library, the five girls were already reviewing their notes and studying together, helping each other despite being in different majors.

"Are you sure you don't want to review sports psychology today and leave it for tomorrow?" Fluttershy asked softly.

"Or Sports Nutrition?" asked Applejack who was in front.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Rainbow answered, before quickly looking away. "And you, how are you doing?" asked, looking in the opposite direction.

"Understanding math is easy, but... helping Twilight with advanced calculations?" Sunset commented, nodding at the blue-haired girl, who seemed to be lost in thought despite her gaze fixed on her notebook.

"Don't even mention it..." the multicolored girl muttered before turning back to the farmer. "And you, blonde, something I can help you with?"

"Do you know algebra?" asked Applejack, tilting her head with a half-smile.

"Uh..." Rainbow said doubtfully before wrapping an arm around Sunset. "Well, we have our favorite redhead who knows almost everything."

"Sure, but... could you let me go? You almost look like Pinkie already," replied, half-joking.

"By the way, does anyone know where she's gone?" Twilight asked, coming back from her thoughts.

"When Sunset suggested coming to the library, Pinkie didn't say anything," Fluttershy reminded her.

"Let's hope we don't have to look for her if she has her phone on vibrate," Applejack added with a laugh.

Right at the entrance, Pinkie and Rarity were entering. The party girl was looking for an unoccupied table.

"That one's unoccupied!" exclaimed, pointing at a table. "And besides, it's right next to the hallway where everyone passes by... what a coincidence, huh?!" said with a bright smile, looking at the seamstress, who was covering a yawn with her hand.

"I'm sorry, Pinkie. It's not because of you, it's just that..." Rarity searched for a quick excuse. "Studying, you know."

"I know! It's really boring, but like Twilight and the teachers say, it'll help us in the future," she replied in a more practical tone than usual.

"Exactly..." Rarity muttered as she let out another yawn. "Damn, I guess it wasn't a good idea to take that pill after class. It affected me faster yesterday because of how tired my body was. Now I understand how I ended up sleeping with my clothes on, although I'm sure I wasn't in bed before I fell," thought as she tried to shake off her drowsiness.

"Let's go to the table!" she said, trying to divert Pinkie's attention, who continued to watch her yawns with curiosity.

Once seated at the table, the party-goer had pulled out a series of somewhat disorganized and colorful notes, along with a couple of neon markers. The seamstress, for her part, was organizing her materials meticulously, although she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"So how do we figure out the cost of ingredients if I don't know how many cupcakes I'm going to sell?" Pinkie asked, drawing circles around random numbers.

Rarity, with a tired but determined smile, sighed and tried to explain. "Well, the first thing you need to do is figure out the total cost of ingredients, regardless of how many cupcakes you plan to sell. Then, you divide that cost by the number of units you expect to produce..."

The cheerful girl looked at her with wide eyes, nodding quickly. "Oh, sure, sure! It's like figuring out how many balloons I need at a party depending on how many people are coming! Only with cupcakes and without balloons! Easy, easy."

The seamstress gave a small smile at her friend's explanation, but tiredness made her slow to process everything. Every time she tried to concentrate, she felt her mind wander.

Pinkie continued to talk about her ideas on prices, quality of ingredients, and decorations, but her voice became more like an echo in Rarity's head. As her eyelids began to feel heavier and heavier, she leaned forward a little, trying to focus on the papers in front of her.

A moment later, the party girl paused in her talk, feeling a small sound that was not usual in her study routine: a soft sigh. As she put down her notebook, she was met with the most adorable and funny scene.

Rarity had fallen completely asleep, her head resting on the pile of books and notes. Her curls fell in soft waves on the desk.

Pinkie blinked a few times, surprised, and then smiled tenderly. "Awww, poor Rarity," whispered. "So much studying has left her fried!" Looking around, seeing some students passing by and others at some tables focused on their books or notes. She decided it was best not to disturb her, so she began stacking a few empty books to give her friend a little support as an improvised pillow.

In the same place, but a little apart, the four girls were putting away their things.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," said Rainbow, after having reviewed one of the subjects thanks to her friends' insistence.

"And algebra too, Sunset," said Applejack, grateful for her friend's help, even though the redhead seemed to be in another world, just like Twilight.

"You're welcome," replied as she put her backpack on her shoulder.

"We'll continue tomorrow," added Fluttershy with a smile. "Twilight," she called to her friend, who was still distracted.

"Uh, yeah," the girl with glasses reacted quickly, closing her backpack and putting it on.

The girls walked through the library, they saw Pinkie, who was sitting at a table. But they soon stopped when they saw the dressmaker, her curly hair covering part of her face as she was asleep on the books.

"Umm, Pinkie, what happened here?" the pink-haired girl asked, discreetly pointing at Rarity.

"Can you believe it? Looks like she studied so hard that her brain was fried," whispered, so as not to wake her up.

"Wow..." Twilight murmured, remembering what she had asked her hours before.

"It looks... ehhh..." Sunset whispered, searching for the right word.

"Is someone going to...?" Rainbow began to say in her normal voice, but was interrupted by Pinkie.

"Shhh!" the party girl exclaimed, putting a finger to her lips.

Applejack, for her part, didn't say anything.

She stared at the seamstress's relaxed face. Seeing her sleeping there, she couldn't help but remember several similar moments. Like that quiet afternoon at her house, when they were sitting together on the old couch in the living room. Concentrating on some plans she was trying to decipher, she had become frustrated at not fully understanding how to put together a more advanced structure than others she had been able to decipher. It had taken several minutes and she finally understood the design and sighed in relief. When she was going to share her small victory with Rarity, she noticed that the latter had fallen asleep, leaning on the arm of the sofa.

She had carefully approached, watching as the dressmaker's hair fell over her face. Gently, she pushed the loose strands aside, revealing her soft, serene skin. She looked as if she was about to wake up. Just as her eyes seemed to begin to open, ready to show her those sapphires...

Applejack felt a hand on her shoulder.

"AJ, it seems you were lost in your thoughts," Sunset said with a soft laugh, moving her hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"You look just like Twilight," Rainbow added, briefly pointing at the glasses-wearing girl, who also seemed a little lost in her own world.

The farm girl blinked a few times, looking at the girls and then around, until she stopped at the table where Pinkie and... Rarity were, still sleeping on the books.

"Sorry, I think I remembered something..." replied, scratching her head.

The party girl covered her mouth to keep from laughing. "Like when Dash and I drew mustaches on them while they were sleeping?" whispered, remembering that joke.

Twilight and Sunset raised an eyebrow, remembering that moment. Applejack crossed her arms, remembering that the only one who was saved that time was Fluttershy, who now let out a small laugh.

Rainbow showed a half smile as she took something out of her backpack. "Wait, you're not thinking about...?" asked the red-haired girl, almost standing in the middle.

"I only considered it since AJ and Pinkie remembered it," answered, with the marker in her hand.

"Well... I didn't... although we got really upset that time," Applejack said, waving her arms.

"At least we didn't use permanent ink," Pinkie joked, still in a low voice, although she wasn't sure about letting her friend draw on the sleeping girl's face.

"Yeah, and now here's my masterpiece," the multicolored girl said, approaching the table, while uncovering the marker.

"Shhhh..." Fluttershy interrupted, trying to stop the athlete. Startling the girls who gave her glances. "Sorry... it seems like she's fast asleep," added quietly. But that didn't stop the athlete, who turned her attention to the seamstress.

Pinkie, seeing the pink-haired girl's intention, quickly thought of something to stop her friend. "Did you forget what she looked like? It wasn't fun afterwards, was it?" asked, taking the perfect opportunity to stop Rainbow without admitting she was wrong.

The athlete thought about it for a moment. "Well... there are better victims," said, covering the down and putting it back in her backpack.

Sunset didn't say anything, but she seemed grateful that the multicolored one hadn't pulled off her prank. For their part, Twilight and Fluttershy let out an almost imperceptible sigh. Applejack, however, wasn't sure if she felt relieved or uncomfortable that her partner hadn't pulled the prank on Rarity.

"So... are you going to wake her up?" the farmer asked, changing the subject, lowering her head with her hands in her pockets. When she raised her head, she was met with the curious gazes of her friends. "Sooner or later she has to wake up, right?" she said in an almost neutral tone.

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

"True," Rainbow said, shrugging her shoulders.

The party girl looked at the corner of the table where Rarity was still asleep, her head resting uncomfortably on her arms. She picked up a pencil, turning it so that the eraser gently touched the seamstress's cheek.

"We better get going," the multicolored one said, noticing the attempt to wake her up. "If you follow us later, we'll be in the cafeteria."

"Yeah..." Fluttershy added, giving the sleeping girl one last look before turning around.

"I'll follow you," Applejack said, walking behind.

Pinkie didn't take her eyes off Rarity as she continued to play with the pencil. With the eraser end, she traced soft circles on her friend's skin.

"Will you two stay to see his reaction when he realizes she fell asleep?" asked, turning to Sunset and Twilight, who hadn't moved yet.

The two exchanged a glance, then looked back at the others, who were already walking away. Then, her eyes returned to the party girl, who was waiting curiously for her answer.

"I don't think that's a good idea," the red-haired girl said, crossing her arms.

"You're right," the blue-haired girl agreed, adjusting her glasses.

The party girl smiled, continuing to move the pencil over Rarity's skin.

"Well, I'll tell you what happened later," commented, as if she were telling a funny anecdote for later.

Sunset and Twilight, without saying anything else, turned around to catch up with the others.

Pinkie continued to move the pencil, watching as the seamstress made small faces.

"Hey, sleepyhead," she murmured.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?" Rarity replied in a sleepy murmur, not fully opening her eyes.

The cheerful girl let out a small laugh, deducing that Sweetie Belle must be the one usually in charge of waking her sister when she fell asleep.

"Yes, I am Mini Belle," replied, trying not to laugh harder. "And I would like a lollipop when you wake up."

Rarity paused, blinking slowly as she tried to understand the situation.

"But we already agreed on your condition..." muttered, feeling the discomfort of having fallen asleep in that position. Still, she didn't seem completely aware of her surroundings.

The party girl couldn't help but continue to joke, amused by how sleepy the seamstress was.

"Well, I still want a lollipop, while we're at it," said, holding back the urge to laugh as she watched Rarity begin to fully wake up.

As Pinkie continued to trace soft circles on her cheek, the seamstress began to shift slightly. Her face showed a confused grimace, as if she were awakening from a deep, disoriented sleep.

"Mmhh... What...?" muttered, slowly raising her head, her eyes half-closed and blinking to adjust to the dim light of the library. She saw the party girl smiling beside her.

"You woke up!" exclaimed in an exaggerated whisper. "You fell asleep on the books, so I thought maybe you needed a little... improvised pillow."

Rarity blinked a few times, clearly confused, then rubbed her eyes with her hand. "Oh... did I fall asleep? I'm so sorry, Pinkie. I didn't mean to."

"Don't worry, you look adorable when you sleep!" Pinkie leaned forward. "Although you almost fell for a prank... but I thought maybe you've had enough."

The curly-haired girl smiled weakly, still recovering. "I'm glad it didn't happen... I'm not sure I could handle the prank you were going to pull."

The party girl let out a soft laugh, but then her gaze shifted to the group of girls who were arriving at the door. "Actually... Dash was tempted to do it, but I managed to stop her."

Rarity followed her gaze, watching the silhouettes of the girls walking away down the hallway. "Ah, I understand, but you forgot to mention that they were all here."

"A detail I overlooked," replied, laughing as she gathered her things.

The seamstress nodded. "Yeah, it'll be the last time I take that pill after class. I might as well have picked the other one."

Pinkie, being Pinkie, suddenly had an idea. "Well, since we're done for today, maybe we could do something fun tomorrow after studying! Maybe a mini cupcake party... or a relaxing spa party!"

Rarity smiled a more genuine smile this time. "Since when does she think about parties so much?" wondered. "Sounds... interesting, though I'd prefer something a little quieter. We could save the party for when the tests are over," said jokingly.

However, the cheerful girl, excited by the idea, didn't realize it was a joke and made a mental note of it. "Decided! Tomorrow I'll bring... I'll see what."

"Okay."

When the two finally left the library, the fresh air of the day gave Rarity a little respite, though not enough to free her from the thoughts still lingering in her mind.

Side A/Patio
The Crusaders, with their usual curiosity, had gathered behind a wall, where they could observe Diamond Tiara without being seen. They were crouched down, carefully peeking out to spy without raising suspicion.

"Are you sure this is an exit?" asked Spike, who had joined them, cowering to stay out of sight.

"Shh! Spike, keep it down," Apple Bloom whispered, casting a quick glance at Diamond before hiding behind the wall again.

"Sorry..." said in a whisper.

"Look, she looks upset again," Scootaloo commented quietly, pointing out how the girl was pacing back and forth, clearly angry.

"But why does it have to be on rocky terrain?" they heard Diamond complain as she talked on her cell phone, waving her arms in frustration.

Sweetie Belle frowned. "Rocky terrain... that doesn't sound like a fun exit."

The three Crusaders were silent for a moment, as they continued to listen intently, trying to catch any clearer clues about what the girl was discussing.

But, a shadow loomed over them. "And what are you guys doing?" Silver Spoon asked, crossing her arms. She had seen them from afar and silently approached.

The Crusaders jumped, almost falling to the ground, and Spike jumped back a little.

"Nothing!" the three of them answered in unison, as the green-haired boy tried to hide his shock.

"Nothing?" Silver raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the moment. "Because it seems like they were spying on Diamond."

"We weren't spying!" Sweetie Belle said quickly, though her nervous tone gave her away.

"We were just... making sure everything was okay," Apple Bloom added, trying to sound convincing.

Silver let out a sarcastic laugh. "Do you really think I don't notice? Diamond would be furious if she knew you were sticking your nose into her life. How about I tell her instead?"

"No, no, no!" Scootaloo exclaimed quickly. "No need. We don't want any trouble."

"Of course not," Silver said, grinning. "But you owe me for this."

The Crusaders exchanged glances, as Silver turned around triumphantly, knowing she had the situation under control. As she walked away, the small band of spies breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness, I wouldn't want to share punishment with Cozy Glow," Spike said, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder.

"Hey, don't be so mean, she's just a kid," Sweetie Belle replied, frowning.

"We're kids too, but she's a little... weird," the green-haired boy commented, grimacing as he remembered some of Cozy's pranks.

"Well, we'll just stop the spying here, since..." Apple Bloom said, her smile turning into a frustrated expression. "...We've got to study."

"Ugh, that's great..." Scootaloo said dejectedly, letting out a sigh as she looked up at the blue sky that was barely peeking through the clouds.

"I'm going to be stuck with Twilight and her books these weeks... how fun," Spike said sarcastically.

With that, they headed off to their last class of the day, their footsteps echoing in the hallway as they prepared for the next round of lessons.

A while later, the Mane Six were heading to the parking lot. The laughter and chatter of other students echoed around them. The sun was still a little high, although it was already beginning to set.

"Well, remember to bring more of your notes tomorrow," Twilight said, her voice a mix of the authority of a diligent student and the concern of a friend. She adjusted her glasses as she mentally reviewed the topics she still needed to study.

"Ugh, fine, but don't forget the deal," Rainbow replied.

"Yeah, Dash, we won't break that," Sunset assured, with a knowing smile.

"But cheer up," Applejack added, smiling and nudging her partner lightly, trying to infuse her with some energy.

"Yeah, yeah," said, with a half-hearted gesture that showed her resistance to the idea of studying.

"Girls, I had an idea to lift your spirits!" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly, her voice so loud it seemed to echo throughout the parking lot.

"And what's that?" Fluttershy asked, curious, putting her notes aside to pay attention to the cheerful girl.

"A party!" exclaimed, jumping in place with energy.

"Pinkie, it's study week," Twilight said, raising an eyebrow.

"I like the idea, but Twi's right; even though I don't like studying," Rainbow admitted, a slight smile curving her lips.

"It's not for now... it'll be soon. I thought saying it would motivate you, especially you, Dash," the party girl said, with a mischievous smile.

Before anyone could respond, they were interrupted.

"There we go!" announced Apple Bloom, accompanied by Scootaloo and Spike, who walked behind her.

"Perfect, I'm feeling lively, so let's go home; I want to make a pie," Applejack said, her voice calm.

"A pie!?" The party girl exclaimed excitedly, her hands on her cheeks.

"Yeah, if there's any left, I'll bring it back tomorrow," the farm girl replied, walking away and waving goodbye.

"Bye, girls; I'll let you know if there's any left," Pinkie said, waving goodbye as she walked away with the Apples, still jumping for joy.

"Do you think there's any left?" Sunset asked, almost sensing the outcome.

"With Pinkie, it's unpredictable," Rainbow laughed, looking back with a mocking smile.

"Sometimes she leaves it or eats it," Fluttershy said with a smile.

Twilight nodded. "Shall we go?" asked, shaking her head.

"Sure," Fluttershy replied, taking a few steps and looking back with a friendly gesture. "Bye, Sunset. Bye, Rainbow. Bye, Scootaloo."

"Bye!" the two of them replied, along with the youngest, as the group began to disperse.

The three of them headed to Twilight's car, getting in and buckling up. Once ready, the bespectacled girl started the engine and drove off.

Pulling out of the parking lot and down the road, Twilight suddenly slammed on the brakes as she tried to turn, causing the passengers to lean forward slightly from the momentum, though the seatbelts held them in place.

"Twilight, are you okay?" the pink-haired girl asked from the backseat, somewhat worried.

"Sorry," apologized, looking at her brother and then back at her friend. "I think I changed gears," lied so as not to worry them about what she had seen.

She turned her attention back to the steering wheel when she heard the sound of horns. She turned quickly, although she couldn't help but take another look at the seamstress walking next to her sister. Seeing her, she remembered what had happened hours ago. "I have to get to something."

As the car moved forward, Twilight seemed less distracted. She looked at the passenger side, where Spike was sitting, wanting to know more about his day.

"Did you study something?" asked, with a curious tone.

"Are you going to punish me if I didn't?" he replied, a little tense.

"First, studying will help you in the future, and that is essential in life," said firmly. "And second, Mom or Dad would ground you, but I can give you a good challenge," added with a smile.

"Motivation is what's missing," Spike said, crossing his arms. "The Crusaders are the same."

"The girls too... well, more so Rainbow, but I'm not so sure about Pinkie. Though Applejack might bring something to motivate us," Twilight said.

"If Pinkie leaves something," Fluttershy commented, laughing softly.

"If it was something Dash liked, maybe... but we know he's not much for sweets," the blue-haired girl commented, as she stopped at a traffic light.

The animal lover looked out the window, and suddenly an idea came to her mind. "Maybe I need some salty motivation," she said softly. "Could you stop at that corner and wait a minute?"

"What do you have in mind?" asked curiously.

"I'm going to go get something," replied, with a small smile.

"Okay, but don't take too long," Twilight said, as she stopped the car at the corner.

Fluttershy unbuckled her seatbelt and walked out the door. "I'll be right back," said before closing it and driving away. The bespectacled girl turned her head to Spike, who was staring out the window.

"..."

The silence in the car caught the boy's attention, who turned to look at his sister. "Are you solving another mental calculation? I get lost with you sometimes," he teased.

Twilight shrugged and sighed before speaking. "It's not that... Belle came up to me today and said something I wasn't expecting. And it's got me thinking."

"Did she apologize again?" asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I said something I wasn't expecting," replied, emphasizing his point.

"Yeah, I know," Spike said, shrugging. "But since she hasn't apologized again, that would be unexpected too."

The older girl opened her mouth to respond, but closed it, analyzing her brother's logic. It seemed that part of her had rubbed off on her. "Good point, but it wasn't that... she asked me for help with her studies."

"Wow, that's unexpected," commented, surprised. "Are you going to help her? Maybe you could..." suggested, though he finished the sentence in his mind. "It could be a step."

"I don't know," Twilight said, hesitantly lowering her head.

"I say you should," said, with a small smile.

"Starlight once told me that when we're in a bad mood, we tend to go with first impressions without considering the positive behind them," recalled, raising her head.

"And what does that have to do with it?"

"One can interpret words in several ways," explained, looking at him again. "Maybe it's not just about the positive thing someone did, but what they're trying to prove with their actions. Maybe Belle wants to prove something to someone in particular."

The younger boy looked at her thoughtfully. "Hmm, interpreting something in a different way... I think you just answered yourself."

Twilight looked at him with a mix of confusion and doubt at Spike's deduction.

At that moment, Fluttershy returned with a small bag in her hand, smiling. "I'm done!" said, closing the door.

"What did you buy?" the green-haired boy asked, curious.

"Mmm... surprise. I hope it gives him some energy!" the pink-haired girl exclaimed, excitedly, as she settled into her seat.

"Ow," Spike said, regretting not knowing what it was.

"I'm sure," Twilight commented, happy for her friend. "Now, I'll drop you off," said, starting the car again as they headed to drop off Fluttershy and then continue on to her house.

Belle Family House
Within minutes of arriving at the house, Rarity found herself in her room, focused on her studies.

She was reading a book, but instead of the thick tomes she usually asked for, she tried a thinner one, like the ones she always saw the blue-haired girl ask for, despite how illogical it seemed to her. However, some things turned out to be interesting, especially for the plan she had in mind in case her other options failed.

A soft knock resounded on the door, interrupting her concentration.

"Come in," said without taking her eyes off the book, her tone almost automatic.

The door slowly opened, revealing her mother. Cookie entered with a slight smile that seemed to contain something else, a concern hidden behind her usual composure.

"Mother, is everything okay?" Rarity asked, tensing her shoulders slightly. "I'm studying and I think I've got it."

"I'm glad to hear that," replied, her voice calm but laden with a deeper intention. "But I wanted to talk about what happened yesterday... I didn't mean for it to end in an argument. I just want you to know that you don't have to hide things. You can talk to me."

The seamstress set the book aside, her breathing a little heavier. She knew this conversation was inevitable. She stood up slowly, feeling the weight of the moment. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have hidden my grades... I just thought you'd be disappointed if you knew I wasn't doing so well."

Cookie walked in, sitting on the edge of the bed. "It's not disappointment I felt. Maybe a part of me was worried, but if you need help, you can always ask me." Her tone, though firm, showed a vulnerability uncommon to her.

Rarity lowered her head for a few seconds, struggling with guilt. "I don't like being seen as weak. I know I can do it somehow. I'm trying to find a solution."

Her mother nodded slowly, remembering years of teachings and advice she believed to be infallible. "I understand. I've taught you not to give up in the face of challenges, right?"

"Yes, Mother," replied, a slight tremor in her voice, feeling like her comment may have come off as colder than she intended. "And I don't want you to think I'm vulnerable... I want to live up to your expectations."

Her daughter's words resonated in Cookie like a bitter echo. "How bad can a mother use the wrong words and cause her children to develop a personality she never imagined?" thought, a pang of guilt growing in her chest. She knew she had inadvertently put too much weight on her daughter's shoulders.

"Rarity, you don't have to try so hard to prove how amazing you are. You've already proven it, even more than you think." Cookie reached out a hand to her daughter, gently squeezing her shoulder. "I've seen you grow in these two years."

The dressmaker forced a smile, her emotions running high. "Thank you, Mother, but... I've done it with your help."

"Still, it was you who made the decision to keep going," he replied, still looking at her tenderly. For a moment, silence filled the room. "You can fail and still get up. It's part of the process," Cookie continued, trying to make her daughter understand. "I don't want you to feel like you always have to be perfect."

Rarity felt a lump in her throat, trying to keep any traitorous tears from escaping. "Thank you, ma..." She wanted to say 'mom', but stopped, feeling unsure. "Mother."

Cookie noticed the change. She looked down, hiding the small pang of pain she felt, then returned to her warm expression. Even though her daughter hadn't called her 'Mom' in a while, something in her heart still hoped to hear that word.

"You're welcome," replied softly. "But please don't push yourself so hard. I wouldn't want something to get to you, like a seizure or something." Her voice held genuine concern.

Rarity tensed for a moment, remembering the seizure she'd had. She was thankful that Sweetie Belle hadn't told her mother. "I can't help but feel stressed about school... sometimes it seems like everything just boils over."

"There are always ways to handle stress," Cookie suggested. "Writing, relaxing somewhere quiet... even listening to music."

The seamstress blinked at the mention. "I remember the music teacher telling us that music can be a great way to release tension, whether it's listening to it or playing an instrument."

"How long has it been since you played the piano?" asked with a wistful smile. "I think you gave it up when we left town."

"Yeah, I barely played while we were gone," Rarity admitted. "But... maybe I could take it up again."

Cookie nodded. "You have a piano here at home. And surely there's one at the university. You could play in your spare time."

The curly-haired girl nodded, a feeling of relief beginning to form in her chest. "Thank you, Mother. I'll consider it... though I don't know if my fingers remember how to play."

Her mother gently stood up, smiling fondly. "I trust you still have the touch. And remember, child, don't overexert yourself. You'll do fine in your own way."

She watched as her mother headed for the door, waving goodbye with a soft wave.

"And don't fall asleep at your desk again," Cookie said with a soft laugh, reaching the door.

The dressmaker's eyes widened, now understanding how she got to bed. "Thank you, Mother."

After those last words, Cookie closed the door behind her. Rarity sighed, looking back down at her books. "I'm not going to overexert myself... but I have to do it," she told herself. "If I can get through this and show her how capable I am, I'll make her prouder."

In the Apples' cozy kitchen, the delicious aroma of freshly baked pie wafted through the air. Applejack was placing the pie on the counter to cool, pleased with the result. "We'll let it sit there for a while," muttered to herself, wiping her hands on her apron.

Meanwhile, from the living room, Pinkie and Apple Bloom's laughter drifted into the kitchen. Curious to know what was going on, she peeked in to see what it was about.

"This picture!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, still giggling as she held Pinkie's phone. To make it funnier, the party girl had put a funny filter over the picture, complete with a black eye and a fake mustache.

"She looks so funny with this filter!" Pinkie said, holding back her laughter, as she switched to another one.

Applejack, who had entered the living room, walked over to them and looked at the photo over her younger sister's shoulder. The photo showed the dressmaker asleep hours ago in the library. The party girl had taken it before meeting the girls.

"And Belle knows you took that picture of her?" asked, showing a serious expression.

Pinkie and Apple Bloom looked at each other, still smiling. "No, she doesn't. I was thinking of showing it to her later," the cheerful girl replied.

The farm girl nodded, keeping her tone neutral. "Uh-huh... what if you posted it? Do you think she'd like to see that on social media?"

The two of them laughed. "Of course not, you know how she is!" Apple Bloom said between guffaws. "She'd be pretty mad, for sure."

"Yeah, and more than that," added, raising an eyebrow and looking at Pinkie. "From what I understand, you and Dash are in the same process."

The cheerful girl looked at her confused for a moment.

"Trust," explained before falling silent for a moment, adding in a softer tone, "Maybe it's best if you don't upload it... but you could show her the picture in person, don't you think?"

"Or delete it!" Granny Smith chimed in from her chair, having been listening.

Pinkie nodded, understanding, as she put her phone away. "Good idea!" she said with her usual energy. "You're right. I've noticed that Rarity sometimes seems to hold back from telling me the truth... I wouldn't want to lose that trust."

Applejack shrugged and went back into the kitchen. "Well, I'll let you know when the pie's finished resting."

Once she was gone, Pinkie leaned over to Apple Bloom and whispered, "Did you notice that?"

"What thing?" asked, confused.

"The way she talks about Rarity," the party girl said with a smile.

"Disinterested," Apple Bloom replied, shrugging.

"I see her almost the same, although with some resistance," added Granny Smith from her seat.

"Still..." Pinkie left the sentence hanging, her eyes narrowing. "There's something different, I know it," thought.

After a while they sat at the table to enjoy the freshly baked pie, between chatter and laughter, the afternoon quickly advancing showing the orange sky. Applejack got up from the table, stretching. "Well, it's getting dark now. I guess it's time to take you home."

Pinkie nodded with a smile, still savoring the sweet. "Thanks for the pie, AJ! It was delicious, as always." She stood up, wrapping up a few pieces. "Bye, family," said goodbye to the three Apples.

Apple Bloom said goodbye as she went up to her room, and Big Mac and Granny Smith waved.

Applejack walked Pinkie out to the truck. The ride back was a quiet one. The lights of the city twinkled in the distance as they made their way down the road to the girl's house.

Once at the entrance, Pinkie stepped out of the vehicle with her usual energy. "See you tomorrow, AJ! And don't worry, I'll either delete or show the photo to Rarity!" said with a light laugh.

"Why would Belle's photo reassure me?" asked, raising an eyebrow, somewhat confused.

"When are you going to tell her again, Rarity?" asked back, tilting her head.

"I don't have an answer for that," Applejack said, keeping her voice neutral.

"So why are you defending her?" asked with a half-smile.

"My comments are because I respect the privacy of others... in this case, Belle's," the farm girl clarified, leaning in slightly.

"Uh-huh, whatever you say," said almost wryly as she walked toward her front door. "Good night."

Applejack rolled her eyes at the comment. "Get some rest, Pinkie," said with a smile.

And so, with a farewell, he stood for a moment watching the party girl enter her house, before turning around and heading back to his own.

The next day, the soft aroma of coffee and toast still wafted through the Sparkle family kitchen as Twilight stood up from the table, picking up her empty plate. Spike finished his cereal, taking the last spoonful before pushing his bowl aside.

“That was quick,” commented, wiping his hands on a napkin. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah, give me a sec,” Spike replied, getting down from his chair and heading towards the door.

Twilight walked over to the closet by the entryway and pulled out an umbrella. “I’ll take this, it’s already started raining,” he said as he inspected it, making sure it worked fine.

The green-haired boy, already putting on his jacket, raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think you need that. It’s just an October drizzle, you know how they are. It barely lasts a couple hours and then it clears up.”

The bespectacled girl looked at him, hesitating a bit as she held the umbrella in her hand. "What if it gets worse? I don't want to get soaked if it surprises us."

Her brother let out a small laugh. "Twilight, we've been through this every year. Those October showers are more of a quick hello than a storm. By the time we get to school, it'll have stopped raining."

Twilight smiled, agreeing with Spike's logic, though still clutching the umbrella. "Well, I'd rather be prepared," said, but then set it aside. "Okay, I'll leave it here... for today."

They both peeked down the hallway and said goodbye to their parents before leaving the house. The older girl closed the door behind them and headed to the car, feeling the first drops of rain.

Spike smiled confidently as he climbed into the passenger seat. "In a few hours, the sun will be shining."

The blue-haired girl shook her head, amused, as she started the car. "We'll see."

After a drive, Twilight slid smoothly into the school parking lot. As she parked, she turned off the engine and turned to see her brother, who was already looking out the window, looking for his friends.

"I see Scootaloo," Spike said, opening the door. "I'll go with her for now, okay?"

The older girl smiled. "Okay, but don't forget your stuff."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," replied, already out of the car with her backpack on her shoulder. She raised her hand to wave to Scootaloo who was standing waiting.

As Twilight watched her brother reunite with the magenta-haired girl, she noticed another vehicle approaching. It was Applejack's truck, which parked right in front of her. The farm girl got out of the vehicle with her younger sister.

"Twilight! Good morning!" the blonde greeted, smiling as she closed the door of her truck.

Apple Bloom, adjusting her backpack, stepped forward to join Scootaloo and Spike.

She got out of her car, feeling the raindrops still falling. She grabbed her backpack, locked the car, and walked over to the blonde.

"They're here," Rainbow commented with a smile, walking over with her arms relaxed behind her head.

"Ready, we're leaving," Apple Bloom said, her tone cheerful.

The three eldest shared a look laden with warning, one that needed no words, but said it all.

"Pay attention," Applejack said, her voice firm, as she adjusted her hat, which barely protected her from the lingering drops.

"And don't stray," Twilight added, her tone softer, but just as serious.

"We know, we're just taking a detour to meet Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo replied with a mischievous grin.

"Okay, see you at the exit or before," Rainbow said, waving her hand before turning her back to them.

The three boys turned and began walking towards the building, their animated voices fading with each step, as Twilight watched them disappear through the door. The mention of the youngest Belle left her deep in thought, reminding her of Rarity's request of her, a decision she hadn't made yet.

"Ready for another day of studying?" the blonde asked, breaking the silence.

"I have no choice, but I'm ready," the multicolored girl replied with a forced smile, stretching. "Though I would have preferred to sleep a little longer."

Suddenly, the familiar roar of a motorcycle echoed through the parking lot. Sunset appeared, parking her motorcycle next to the farmer's truck. "Good morning!" greeted, waving a hand as she put her helmet away in the compartment.

"Looks like we all arrived at the same time today," Twilight said, forcing herself out of her thoughts, smiling at the sight of her friend.

The four of them adjusted their backpacks before heading towards the entrance of the building. The rain, though light, fell at a steady pace, creating small puddles along the way. They stopped in the hallway.

"I have to meet up with Starlight. We're going to study together," the bespectacled girl said, picking up a book she'd pulled out of her backpack.

Applejack nodded. "See you later. Don't kill yourself studying too much," teased, though there was a gentle sincerity in her tone.

Twilight nodded, waving goodbye to the others with a smile before heading off to her classroom.

"Well, I'm going to the soccer field," Rainbow said, rolling her eyes. "I'm going to... study my way," added with a mischievous grin. "See you in an hour, you know."

The farm girl chuckled. "Okay, Dash, but put more effort into it," said, raising her fist in support.

"Maybe playing later will motivate you," Sunset commented, patting her on the back as she offered her a smile.

"Uh-huh, see you later with the others," said, starting to walk off in the direction of the field.

The two watched her walk away before continuing on their own path. "Will you join me? I'm going to the library. I want to borrow some books so I don't have to come back after playing with Dash," the redhead said as she checked her backpack to make sure she had everything.

"Sure, that way we kill more time. You know, the minutes fly by," the farm girl replied, taking out her phone to check the time before putting it in her pants pocket.

Sunset nodded, and the two began walking together towards the stairs, the soft sound of their footsteps echoing in the school that was just beginning to fill up with students.

Minutes had passed and Twilight was already studying alongside Starlight, though the glasses-wearing girl didn't seem to be completely focused.

"So, the theory says that when the neurotransmitter binds to the receptor..." Starlight stopped as she saw her friend lost, her gaze fixed on an indefinite point.

"Twilight," called softly, trying to get her attention.

"Yeah? Where did we leave off?" replied, looking at her notes, as if trying to remember.

"The question is more like, where did you leave off?" said with a sympathetic smile. "Do you want to talk about what got you like this?"

Twilight hesitated, looking at the graphs of synapses and neurotransmitters in her notes. "Um... I don't know, it's just kind of personal and well..." her voice trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

"Okay, no pressure, unless you want to talk about it," Starlight said, lowering a hand and counting down on her fingers with a knowing smile.

The blue-haired girl looked down at her notes again. "The theory says..." she was going to continue, but her eyes wandered around the classroom, watching other groups working together. She looked back at her friend, knowing how good she was at giving advice, and finally decided to speak.

"Okay, I'll put it another way," said, her voice holding a hint of determination, though still hesitant.

Starlight, who had already reached zero with her countdown, raised her hand arching an eyebrow in interest. "I'm listening," said, leaning on the table.

"Yes... Person X did something that affected her group of friends years ago, something that created a rift. She left for a while, but now she's back... here, not exactly here," said, waving her hands as if trying to encompass everything around her.

Starlight nodded, feigning surprise, although she knew perfectly well who she was referring to.

"Well, that person has been around the group for a few months," continued, unable to hide a slight tone of frustration. "The truth is, it's almost usual to see her hanging around the university. And... now she asks me for help studying. What would you do in my place?"

Her friend looked at her thoughtfully. "Would it bother you to help her?" asked softly. "I understand that it's difficult, but as you say, it's already usual to see her around, but being around her in an academic situation, is it the same?"

"I guess," Twilight admitted, blinking a few times, while nervously playing with her pencil. "But the memories... the memories are still there. I'm in doubt whether I should help her or not. But... honestly, she seems to need it, and I feel like there's something behind all of this."

Starlight tilted her head, thinking. "Look, we're studying psychopharmacology, right? We just talked about how certain substances can influence emotions and how medications can stabilize an imbalance. Maybe you can apply that idea to your situation: if you manage to establish a sort of 'emotional barrier' and focus on academics, you could do it without the personal interfering."

Twilight watched her, thinking about the metaphor. "I mean, treat it like just another job... like there's no story behind it."

The girl smiled softly. "Exactly. And set your boundaries from the start. If you feel like it's just an academic thing, maybe you can handle it without the emotional burden."

The girl with glasses dropped the pencil and smiled, feeling a little more relief. "You're right, if I approach it as something academic, I could move on."

"You know I'll always be there to remind you if you need it," Starlight said with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Starlight," Twilight said, more relaxed now that she had a clearer perspective. "I think I'll talk to X person later."

"Perfect. Now let's continue," replied, returning to her notebook to resume studying.

Rarity was in the library, where she had been since she arrived. She found herself surrounded by books and sheets of paper. Her hands were shaking slightly from nerves as the days went by and the next week approached.

"Come on, Rarity, calm down, you don't need another attack," muttered to herself.

As she tried to balance a pile of papers and a couple of books, she lost control and everything fell to the floor.

"Oh!" exclaimed quietly, quickly bending down to pick up her things, feeling panic rising in her chest.

Just then, a girl passing by the library hallway noticed her struggling to pick up her papers. After a moment, she sighed and approached.

Without saying a word, she bent down and began picking up the sheets scattered on the floor. Rarity, surprised by the action, watched her for a moment.

"Thanks... Applejack..."

Applejack, still focused on picking up the papers, answered without looking her directly in the eyes. "I just saw that someone needed help, that's all."

Once they finished packing up, the farmer handed her the papers and looked up briefly, meeting her eyes for a second before looking away.

The blonde stood up, remembering what happened days ago. Hesitating a bit, she sighed and decided to speak. "Hey... I know it's late, but I'm sorry about the cafeteria and about letting you go," said without waiting for a response.

The seamstress's smile formed a small smile. This was the second time she had helped her, and now she was apologizing for what had happened. Maybe this wouldn't end in future disappointment.

As Applejack took a few steps to leave, Rarity stood up still with a smile, remembering the brevity of the moment and what had happened in class a week ago.

"Kind and thoughtful... I've always admired that part of you..."

The farmer stopped short, not sure if she had heard correctly. She glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, as if evaluating if she had really said it. However, before she decided whether or not to answer, she was interrupted when Sunset appeared.

"Ready, AJ. Shall we go?" said, holding up some books.

"Uh, yeah, sure," replied, walking away with the redhead as they left the library.

The seamstress looked at her hand and noticed that it was no longer shaking. "Looks like I won't have another attack," thought, calmer.

As they walked, Sunset noticed Applejack looking a little thoughtful.

"Everything okay?" asked.

"I don't know... I just think Belle said something to me, but I don't know how to take it," replied, a little bewildered.

The redhead briefly glanced back, watching them walk away from the library doors. "I still haven't given her an answer," thought, turning her attention back to the blonde.

"Was it something bad or good?"

"It was... something good about me," Applejack said, looking a little confused.

"So... you should take it as a compliment," Sunset said, thinking about everything that's happened since Rarity came back.

"Yeah, I just don't know if I heard right... but it sounded like a compliment," said with a slight smile as she scratched her head.

"That's good," the redhead said with a smile, to which the farmer nodded.

At that moment, they saw Twilight apparently heading towards them.

"Twilight!"

"Are you here for another book or are you just going to come with us to relax?" Sunset asked. "Rainbow should be at the court already, I just came for something, then I can study."

Twilight laughed, but her laugh seemed a little nervous. "I'm going to get a book, maybe I'll see you later... if the books don't get the better of me first," joked.

Applejack laughed. "Okay," said, as she continued walking alongside Sunset.

The girl with glasses watched them go and then looked towards the library. She knew the seamstress was there; she had seen her hanging around there lately. She took a deep breath and started walking inside.

Once inside, she looked around for a head of elegant hair. She looked from side to side, and there she was, at a table with books.

Twilight approached Rarity, and just seeing someone standing next to her, the seamstress stopped paying attention and raised her head.

"I've thought about your request," said, breaking the silence and looking away for a few seconds.

The curly-haired girl, with her expectant expression, just nodded and put her things aside.

"I'll help you," said, her tone serious. "But let's not mix up the personal. This is just academic, okay?"

Rarity nodded in understanding. "Of course, I understand," said sincerely. "Thank you. It means a lot to me."

Twilight nodded briefly. "What exactly do you need help with?"

"Accounting, statistics, and math," replied, counting on her fingers.

"Statistics!?" exclaimed, her eyes widening. "And the rest... it's all about numbers. Belle, that has nothing to do with design, what are you really studying?"

"That's personal," replied, looking away.

"You're right," Twilight admitted. "I was the first to break the agreement," thought, remembering the rule she imposed.

"But yes, I'm not studying anything related to design," Rarity confessed, looking away. "I don't want to disappoint the one who gave me this opportunity."

The blue-haired girl sighed. "She must have her reasons for wanting someone's approval." thought. She took a deep breath, pushing her thoughts away and focusing on academics. "Okay, let's start with statistics," said as she sat down across from her.

"What subject have you made progress on?"

Rarity searched through the notebooks on her table until she found the one she needed and opened it, turning it over so Twilight could review the seamstress's notes.

"It's pretty simple when you break it down into smaller steps. What part don't you understand?"

"Actually, it's this section on distributions," said, pointing at some equations. "I've tried to figure it out, but I can't seem to make the numbers add up."

She stared at the page for a moment, then picked up a pencil and began writing. "This is where you apply the formula, but it seems like you're leaving out a part of the process. Look, you have to first..."

As Twilight explained precisely, Rarity watched her silently, trying to concentrate, but her mind kept wandering over everything that had happened between them and the other girls. She wanted to say something more, but she knew it wasn't the time.

"So, if you follow these steps, I assure you that everything will start to make more sense," concluded, pushing the notebook towards the seamstress. "Try doing this exercise and tell me if it works."

Rarity took the pencil, but her hands were shaking slightly. She did the exercise carefully, but her thoughts betrayed her. "I can't fail," thought as she traced the numbers. "Not again."

Twilight watched her from beside her, curious. Even though they had put a wall between them, she could see the wavy-haired girl's internal struggle.

Indoor Court

Rainbow Dash was lying on the floor of the court near the basketball hoop, staring at the ceiling as she waited for her friends. She had sent them a message that the place to meet and play had changed.

Fluttershy was the first to arrive, walking with her light and timid steps. She watched her from the doorway for a second before approaching gently. "Are you okay, Rainbow?" asked with her usual gentleness.

The multicolored girl let out a soft sigh, not looking away from the ceiling. "It's the rain..."

The animal lover looked at the floor of the court and then at Rainbow, hesitating for a moment. She carefully placed her backpack on the bleachers and, after another second of hesitation, decided to sit near her, stretching her legs forward. She didn't lie down; she simply made herself comfortable to accompany her in a more comfortable way.

"The rain has stopped. That's the good thing about October... it only lasts a couple of hours," commented, trying to lighten the mood with her soft tone.

"I know... It's just that lately I feel like it doesn't relax me anymore," Rainbow replied, frowning. "I went to the soccer field and slipped a few times. It reminded me of the game that was suspended."

Before Fluttershy could say anything else, they heard someone's footsteps approaching the field, accompanied by small jumps. Both girls didn't need to look towards the door to recognize who it was.

“Oh, is this a friend circle? I want in!” Pinkie exclaimed with excitement and, without a second thought, flopped down on the floor, arms and legs spread out like a star.

Rainbow rolled her eyes but couldn’t help a smile, while Fluttershy let out a small, nervous laugh.

“Come on, Fluttershy, you too! Now it’s an official friend huddle!” Pinkie said with the same enthusiasm, encouraging the pink-haired girl to lie down with them.

Fluttershy looked down at the floor, hesitant about dirt. She glanced at Rainbow, who gave her a relaxed shrug and smile, as if giving her permission or just supporting the idea. Finally, with a shy smile, she let herself be convinced and lay down next to her friends, though she kept a little distance.

Rainbow sighed more comfortably. “I guess lying on the floor doesn’t sound so bad now,” joked.

Pinkie grinned widely. “Of course not! Here we can all talk about what’s on our minds, like a friend circle! So, who’s going first?”

“Dash seems upset about the rain,” Fluttershy began softly.

"It's not that bad... It's just that the wet grass makes it hard for me to move easily and makes me slip," Rainbow complained, crossing her arms.

"But it'll dry soon, it was only a few hours of rain," the party girl said with a smile.

"That's what I told her," Fluttershy added with a nod.

"I just hope it doesn't rain again on game day or I'll end up hating and considering rain as bad luck," muttered, raising a fist before letting it fall back to the ground.

"Ah, but there is a good side to it... dancing in the rain, playing in the puddles that form..." Pinkie said, waving her hands as if imitating someone splashing. "And the romantic things that happen in the rain..."

"What's so romantic about it?" the multicolored one asked, looking at Pinkie with a curious expression.

"You mean romantic scenes in the rain, right?" Fluttershy chimed in, giving the girl a quick glance, who nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it!" replied cheerfully.

"I still don't understand," Rainbow admitted, frowning with a confused look.

"Ah, right... Dash, you're not one of the romantic ones," the girl said cheerfully, waving her hand as if dismissing the idea.

"I'll take that as a compliment," said, grimacing slightly. "But what's romantic about the rain?"

Fluttershy looked at Rainbow, and for a moment, her lips curved into a small smile. "It's... the kiss," murmured, her cheeks blushing slightly.

"That's right!" Pinkie exclaimed with a big smile.

"A kiss?" repeated, clearly incredulous.

"From your comment I gather you've never done the rain thing with AJ," the party girl commented directly, turning as best she could towards the multicolored one.

Rainbow was silent for a second, staring at the ceiling. "Uh, no..."

"That would be nice, don't you think?" Fluttershy commented, her voice barely a whisper. Then, feeling the gazes of the two, she blushed even more. "I-it's not like I'm looking for... something like that..."

"I don't know if I explained myself well," added quickly, covering her face a little with her hands.

"Do you want to have your first kiss yet?" Pinkie asked directly, looking as she turned around to look at her friend.

"Pinkie..." Rainbow scolded, glaring at her.

The comment seemed to make Fluttershy blush even more. She tried to say something, but only stammered in response.

"What?" asked, looking at the jock innocently.

"U-um... I...," the pink-haired girl tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out.

"Relax, Fluttershy. It'll happen sometime and it'll be uh... special and unexpected," Rainbow said searching for the words and trying to reach her friend's shoulder to give her a small touch of comfort.

"O-okay..." she whispered, still blushing. "Can we just drop the subject, please?"

"Yeah, sure, and your time will come and it'll be nice," Pinkie added with a mischievous smile, laying back down. "Any other worries?"

Before they could continue with their worries, Applejack and Sunset came over with Lyra and Bon Bon, looking at the scene in surprise.

"What are you doing?" The red haired girl asked, looking at the three girls on the ground.

"A friend circle!" the party girl exclaimed excitedly.

The farm girl raised an eyebrow at the sight of the girls lying on the ground and then crossed her arms. "A friend circle? On the ground of a court?"

"Yeah! It's an official activity now," Pinkie replied, waving her hands up from her position on the ground.

"Well, I guess that doesn't surprise me coming from you," Applejack commented with a light smile as she approached the group, followed by Sunset, Lyra, and Bon Bon.

"Are you guys going to join in, or do you want to keep standing like you're referees?" Rainbow asked, raising her head slightly to look at them with a half smile.

The red haired girl laughed softly. "I'll pass. I'd rather keep myself a little clean before we start playing."

The blonde crouched down to be closer to the group, though she remained standing, resting her hands on her knees. "What were you two talking about?"

"About the rain and how Rainbow doesn't understand romance," Pinkie replied with the same energy as always.

Applejack raised an eyebrow and looked at her partner. "I'm not surprised."

Rainbow looked back at her with a serious expression and then shrugged. "Not everyone is obsessed with that stuff."

"Maybe it's because you've never tried," replied, frowning slightly before relaxing. "But I know you, and I know you won't even try."

The multicolored girl snorted and crossed her arms. "Exactly. And thank you for accepting."

Fluttershy, who had been watching silently, kept a small smile, though her attention briefly drifted to the door, as if she was waiting for someone else to arrive.

"Uhm, maybe we should focus on the game... if you want," finally said softly.

"Yeah! I wanna join!" Pinkie added, jumping to her feet and carefully grabbing her backpack. "We've got enough people already. We can make two teams!"

"I knew we wouldn't be able to get four," Sunset said with a smile, walking over to the field with the ball. "That's why we went looking for Lyra and Bon Bon."

"Perfect," Rainbow said as she stood up, stretching her arms out with a more relaxed expression.

Fluttershy stood up and looked around a bit. "Hey, where's Twilight?" asked as she brushed off her dress.

Applejack looked at the door and then at the redhead. "Wow, I thought she'd be here by now. I think we know what happened, though," said with a laugh at the end.

Sunset replied as she noticed the confused looks from the others. "We found her going to the library, so the books won out."

"That Twi needs a break. Luckily we were able to get her out for her birthday," the sporty girl said, smiling.

The party girl looked at Lyra and Bon Bon, who had curious looks on their faces. "Relax, girls, I'll consider the party I have in mind as another celebration and they'll be there."

"Hey, thanks, Pinkie," Bon Bon said with a smile.

"But we don't feel bad, we were just a little surprised that Twilight let herself relax," Lyra said with a laugh.

"We had to prod her a lot," Fluttershy added, gently reminding, which made the two girls laugh.

"So, girls, ready to play or are you just here to talk about books?" Applejack asked in a challenging tone, but with a friendly smile.

"Let's play!" Pinkie shouted as they began to form teams.

Rainbow, now standing, couldn't help but smile as the party girl began to encourage everyone to organize the teams. She felt her competitive spirit awaken, and a spark of excitement lit up her eyes. "I hope you're ready, because I don't plan on going easy on anyone."

Fluttershy listened, her mind briefly going back to what she and Pinkie had mentioned earlier about romance. She didn't think much about it, but sometimes she wondered, what it would be like to share something like that with someone, but she quickly shook her head, focusing on the present.

Back in the library, Twilight was still helping Rarity, who, after several minutes of teaching her, gave her some exercises to solve.

"I did it," said in a whisper, breaking the silence. She looked up at the blue-haired girl with a slight smile, almost incredulous at seeing the notebook.

Twilight nodded with a slight smile of approval, but with a serious look. "See, it's not that complicated once you understand it."

The silence settled between them again, but this time, although uncomfortable, it seemed less cold than before. The seamstress felt that, perhaps, just perhaps, something had changed, as if a small crack had formed in the wall that separated them.

"Thank you, Twilight," murmured, looking down at her notes, feeling vulnerable for a moment. "I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome," replied, putting her things away. "We'll leave it here. Tomorrow or the day after we'll continue." She stood up, but before she left, she was interrupted.

"Twilight." Rarity's voice was soft but firm.

The bespectacled girl looked at her, watching as the seamstress held the books in her hand with a slight smile. "You might not expect this from me, but it's never too late," said, her voice shaking slightly.

Twilight continued to wait in silence, feeling a mix of anxiety and curiosity.

"Happy birthday... I hope you enjoyed it with the girls," said, with a sincerity that surprised the blue-haired girl.

Twilight gaped, unable to articulate an immediate response. "Did you see Pinkie's Instagram?" asked, somewhat suspicious of how she had known.

"I saw it later. But I never forget a date," Rarity said, a smile appearing that brightened her face a little. "See you." said goodbye before walking away.

She watched as the seamstress walked away to return the books. Blinking a few times before reacting and seeing her disappear around the corner of a bookshelf. A warm feeling washed over Twilight, as a knot formed in her stomach. That simple gesture, an acknowledgement of her birthday, meant more than she expected.

Author's Note

• In the slight flashback, I tried to make it more of a description, but it seemed more like a separate scene, without the bars I usually put in memories or the black letters. I hope they didn't get tangled up.

• I'm going to try to reduce the subtitles that indicate where some characters are, since with the description it's easy to understand.

• Each chapter that comes out brings us closer to the revelations.

• Has it ever happened to you now or at some point that your parents tell you that you should change your ways? Well, I'm not blaming my dad, but he always told me as a child to never show weakness in front of others. And as a child who didn't fully understand, I interpreted his words differently. When I grew up and started going to school, they always asked me if I was angry, because, following what my dad told me, I always showed seriousness, although inside I was a shy and sensitive girl. Now, at present, I'm not that shy, but my parents and my brother tell me all the time to change my expression, but one has already grown up like that. I identify a lot with the scene of Cookie and Rarity; it's something I would like my dad to recognize, but he never admits his mistakes. Sorry to tell you this if it bothers you, I got sentimental.