Rarity was now in class, the projector illuminated the dark room showing some numbers that the dressmaker could barely understand. She could now tell the difference between when she was studying online and now being in person.

"It's been a few weeks and I understand less and less, but at least I'm not in Sports, that day was horrible," Rarity thought, remembering. "At least the rumor didn't spread so much, at least they didn't make fun of me like I thought would happen, but I did feel ashamed of what happened that day..."

A few days ago

On the covered sports field, full of animation. The Mane Six were practicing volleyball together with other students. The boys were in the other half with their teacher Bulk doing something else, this time not participating with the girls.

The students wore a variety of sports attire, from classic shorts and T-shirts paired with sneakers to more varied styles. Reflecting the diversity of styles and preferences among the students.

Many girls tossed the ball in the air so that, when the time came, they could hit the ball to the other side of the small net with their other arm and thus make it reach the other student for her to respond. They all seemed to do it well, even some who were a little bad at that sport could barely hit it properly, but still managed to get it over the mini net.

Among those girls was one who couldn't even hit the ball properly with the palm of her other hand when it was in the air.

"There it goes!" Rarity attempted to hit the ball. It passed by her face and fell to the ground.

Dash frowned, "Really?" she said, seeing the dressmaker's failure not too far away.

"It looks like someone should have spent more time practicing instead of choosing their outfit," Sunset commented sarcastically.

Rarity blushed, visibly frustrated by her lack of ability. At that moment, Professor Spitfire approached the field with a serious expression.

"BELLE!" the teacher shouted.

The dressmaker startled at hearing her name again, turning towards the teacher. She knew what was coming.

"Yes, Professor?" she asked, with a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"I see you're still struggling to keep up with the game. Have you been practicing like I told you?"

"Well, I've tried to practice, but it doesn't seem to be working," Rarity lowered her gaze, feeling ashamed of the teacher's reprimand.

"It's not enough! You must try harder if you want to improve! Mediocrity is not acceptable on this team!" the teacher exclaimed. "SOMEONE TEACH HER HOW IT'S DONE!"

Rarity felt even more embarrassed by the extra attention she was receiving.

"Sports isn't her thing," Fluttershy commented sympathetically.

"Then what is she doing here? If it's obvious that this isn't her thing," Rainbow added, crossing her arms.

"Sports is not part of the design unless she takes additional classes," Sunset remarked.

"It doesn't make sense for her to take this additional class and it wouldn't even be part of her career," Applejack said with a furrowed brow.

Starlight approached Rarity alongside Trixie.

"I didn't know you were this bad," Trixie joked.

"Trixie!" Starlight intervened, elbowing. "At least try to get it over to the other side," she suggested.

"How do I do that? I've only managed to get it close to my face," Rarity responded, frustration in her voice.

"You take the ball and gently toss it in the air, then with the other arm you kick it to get it to the other side of the net," she explained, demonstrating the motion with her hands.

Rarity got into position to try again, determination on her face.

"Come on, Rarity, you can do it," murmured Pinkie Pie, trying to cheer her up.

"Did you say something, Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy asked, curious.

"No, nothing," Pinkie responded with a nervous smile.

Carefully, she took the ball and gently tossed it in the air, following Starlight's instructions. Then, with a quick movement, she kicked the ball with the other arm, sending it to the other side of the net.

"See, there you go. We'll be over there," Starlight said, pointing to the other side of the court. Rarity thanked her and nodded, Starlight and Trixie began to walk away.

Rarity was so focused on throwing the ball that she didn't notice the presence of the student on the other side of the net. Suddenly, the ball came back with force, hitting her directly on the forehead. A cry of surprise escaped Rarity's lips as the impact took her by surprise.

The dressmaker brought her hands to her forehead, letting out a dramatic groan. "Oh, Heavens! I feel like a bolt of pain just struck me directly in the forehead!" she exclaimed.

"I think she forgot that they would return the ball to her," Trixie commented to Starlight with a chuckle. They had turned around upon hearing the scream.

"The Drama Queen's comeback," Rainbow commented, rolling her eyes.

They couldn't identify it, but someone around them let out a small laugh, though it wasn't a mocking laugh. The girls assumed it was one of their classmates nearby. So, they didn't pay much attention to it.

"That must have hurt. But at least it wasn't in the stomach like that time Twilight got hit by a ball," Pinkie mentioned.

"Yeah, Pinkie, it definitely wasn't a pleasant experience. I remember when the ball came straight at me. I felt like all the air was knocked out of my stomach. I couldn't breathe for a while, it was completely disastrous," Twilight said, rubbing her stomach as she remembered the sensation she felt at that moment.

On the other end of the court, beyond the volleyball net, a group of boys was doing warm-up exercises. Among them were Caramel, Timber Spruce, and Flash Sentry, among others. As they stretched, they couldn't help but notice the commotion unfolding on the other side of the court.

Timber raised an eyebrow when he heard a cry of surprise. He turned to see what was happening and saw a purple-haired girl on the ground, holding her forehead.

"Oh, looks like there's some action on the court," he commented casually.

"That's the new girl, Rarity, right? The one they say is hot," Caramel commented with interest.

"If it's her, Sandalwood told me that when she arrived on her first days, she asked to change seats in art class," Flash said, then changed his expression to a playful smile. "Looks like her charm isn't protecting her from the ball," he joked, making the other boys laugh.

Caramel chuckled softly, while Timber nodded with a smile. "I guess nobody's perfect, huh?" he remarked with a playful glance at the girl.

"Oh, wow! Looks like the new miss is having some trouble with the game. I hope she can improve soon, it would be a shame to see someone so pretty suffer like that," Feather Bangs added as he approached the other boys.

The boys continued to watch the scene with interest, exchanging occasional comments and laughing among themselves as Rarity got up from the ground.

The Mane Six hadn't noticed that the ball had rolled near them. They looked at each other, someone had to throw it back or return it in person. Applejack took the initiative, crouched down to pick up the ball, and headed towards the purple-haired girl.

Rarity was getting up from the ground and saw someone approaching. Sitting down, she began to apologize: "Teacher, I know what you're going to say...". She stopped when she realized who was standing in front of her and looked up. There was the blonde with a serious expression and the ball in her hand.

"You know, many take extra classes for sports or because it's part of their curriculum, like those who want to specialize in sports. I guess everyone has their reasons for being here. Anyway, I don't know how long you plan on staying in this," Applejack commented casually. The farmer dropped the ball next to Rarity and walked away, returning to her friends.

The dressmaker caught the ball just in time before it veered off. Rarity lowered her gaze, pondering what the blonde had said. "I don't have to tell you," muttered.

"Despite being annoyed by what she said, I wasn't going to back down. Although... she was right about what she said last time, before I left town," Rarity thought, lowering her gaze. She closed her eyes and tried to suppress that memory, pushing it aside.

The projector on the board switched to another page with numerical calculations. Rarity frowned in confusion as she tried to solve them.

The dressmaker returned to her thoughts. "After that, I changed my clothes and when I left the locker room, I ran into the girls and tried once again to find a way to apologize and...

Rarity was on the other side of the dressing room, finishing putting on her everyday clothes. She glanced at the mirror to check for any bruises or anything, as she was feeling a slight pain. Then, she headed to the door and opened it. As she walked a bit, she encountered them. The girls seemed to have noticed that someone else was present. When they turned, they found the dressmaker again, showing various expressions among the six at her presence.

Rarity wanted to say something, took a deep breath to speak. "Hey, about what happened..."

"We don't need your drama right now," Rainbow interrupted firmly, crossing her arms with a serious look.

"We really don't have time for this, we have classes," Twilight commented.

It wasn't difficult for Rarity to understand that they were avoiding her. It's been several times now, although this time they didn't leave her talking alone, they were direct with her. The dressmaker, without further ado, turned around and left the place, shoulders slumped and a resigned expression on her face.

Pinkie watched her leave and tried to hide her sadness. She looked at her friends. "Girls, have you considered the possibility that...?" Pinkie hesitated to say the last words, nervously fidgeting with her hands. "...what if Rarity wants to talk to us like she just did?" she asked, changing the last words with a feigned smile. "Talking to her was what I meant," she thought.

"She's already tried, Pinkie, and you know it, also it just happened," Twilight responded, raising an eyebrow.

"And the answer is obvious... like it just happened, say a few things so she gets the message," Rainbow said.

"Though it sounds a bit harsh, I prefer to keep our distance," Sunset declared, crossing her arms with a serious look.

Fluttershy glanced at Sunset. What she said echoed in her head and then she looked at Rainbow, with a sad expression.

"Do you have something else in mind, Pinkie?" Applejack asked, with a calm yet observant smile, showing curiosity.

"Nah, girls, hahaha," Pinkie tried to play it off, laughing nervously and twirling her hair. "As if we'd listen to someone who betrayed us," she added with a fake laugh, avoiding eye contact.

"Like you said, she betrayed our trust," Twilight affirmed, with a serious and firm gaze.

"Time goes on," Pinkie tried to play it off again, with a forced smile and showing slight tension in her posture.

"How do we know if she really changed or, rather, if she's pretending?" Sunset asked, furrowing her brow.

"it is not known" Fluttershy responded, with an expression of uncertainty and compassion.

Pinkie sighed discreetly and lowered her head at her friends' words. She wanted everything to go back to how it was before somehow.

Elsewhere, by the lockers, Rarity was at hers, looking at herself in the mirror she had placed there when she arrived on the second day of class. Starlight and Trixie, who were passing by, approached Rarity.

"How's your forehead?" Starlight asked with a compassionate tone, noticing the mark on her forehead.

"Oh, I'm fine," responded, trying to downplay the incident. Although inside, she was dying of embarrassment for what happened.

Trixie frowned as she examined the mark on Rarity's forehead. "Are you sure? It looks painful."

The dressmaker nodded. "It hurts a little, but nothing serious."

"It will probably disappear soon, but as a precaution, you should put some ice on it," Starlight suggested optimistically.

"I will when I get home."

Starlight nodded. "Well, if you need anything, we're here," she offered sincerely.

"Thank you, girls," Rarity thanked them, feeling comforted by their kindness.

Trixie stayed quiet for a moment, then gave Rarity a pat on the shoulder affectionately. "Don't worry. You'll surely recover quickly."

When classes ended, Rarity and Sweetie Belle were already at home. Just as Starlight had advised when she arrived, Rarity went to the kitchen for some ice. Minutes passed, and the other family members had already arrived.

"Darling, what happened? Are you okay?" Cookie asked, entering the dressmaker's room and seeing her with an ice pack on her forehead.

Rarity, with a gesture, placed a hand on her forehead and sighed. "Mother, you won't believe what happened."

"Tell me," said Cookie with concern.

"I was playing volleyball, and out of nowhere, I got hit in the forehead with a ball," recounted, pausing dramatically before continuing her story.

"Oh, Rarity, you nearly scared me. I thought it was something more serious," her mother expressed, with a tone of relief.

"That's what I told her," commented Sweetie from the doorway, with an amused smile.

"Just as a precaution, I put on the ice pack since I felt a bit of pain afterward and a mark appeared," explained Rarity as she held the ice pack to her forehead.

"Let me see," requested Cookie, approaching to examine the mark.

Rarity removed the ice pack, and as she did, she winced slightly. "It's red, but it might be from having the ice on my forehead for too long," opined her mother. "Does it hurt?"

"Not anymore, but my forehead feels cold," replied Rarity, slightly furrowing her brow at the sensation of cold.

"Then don't put that on again, just let it pass," advised Cookie with a reassuring smile.

Sweetie looked at her sister curiously. "Is it really painful?" asked.

Rarity nodded. "When I got hit, yes, and afterward, a little," admitted.

"Well, Rarity, I wanted to ask you, how are your classes going? Any difficulties or anything I should know about for a note?" her mother asked.

Rarity straightened up a bit at the question, but then her shoulders relaxed. "Not at the moment, you know I'm just starting, so I haven't had assignments yet," responded.

"This is your last year, Rarity, no distractions," said Cookie, raising a finger in a warning gesture.

"I know, mother, I'm determined to do well this year," Rarity affirmed with determination.

"I hope so, and try not to stress out, I don't want you to have another episode like the other day," added her mother with concern, while placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"From what I saw, it didn't seem like an episode," Sweetie interjected, who hadn't left yet.

"Exactly, it was just a nightmare," confirmed Rarity with a reassuring smile.

"Alright. I can't help but worry, you know?" sighed her mother as she crossed her arms.

"Don't worry," replied Rarity, trying to reassure her mother with a comforting smile.

Then, Cookie looked at the younger one. "Sweetie Belle, remember to do your homework," she said with a stern yet affectionate look.

"Do you think I can go play with Apple Bloom after I finish my homework, Mom?" asked Sweetie Belle, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Of course, as long as you finish everything on time, okay?" her mother replied with a smile, gently stroking her hair.

"Thank you, Mom!" exclaimed the younger one, jumping.

"You're welcome, dear," said Cookie tenderly, returning the smile.

"Well, I'll leave you to continue with your activities," said her mother, starting to walk towards the door. "We'll call you later for dinner," she added with a wave goodbye.

"Yes, Mom!" exclaimed Sweetie, returning the gesture.

"Yes, Mother," Rarity nodded, with a gentle smile.

The youngest frowned, took a few steps, but stopped, looked at her sister. "Rarity?'"

"Yes, Sweetie?"

"..." The younger one hesitated, she's always wanted to ask something, but she decided to leave it for another time. "Forget it."

"Okay," replied Rarity a bit confused, shrugging with a kind smile.

"I'll leave you, sister," said Sweetie Belle before leaving, with a last glance over her shoulder.

Present

"Fortunately, the mark has disappeared," thought. She glanced at the board, another calculation; this time, she decided to take notes. "I wonder what Sweetie Belle wanted to ask me that day." The dressmaker continued writing; luckily, she did it in time, as seconds later the lights were turned on, and the projector was turned off. Then, the teacher ended the class.

Rarity left her classroom and headed to the cafeteria.

Upon arrival, she grabbed her tray and chose her lunch before heading to her usual spot in the cafeteria, which was two rows away from the Mane Six. Although she sometimes talked to Starlight and Trixie, or to Lyra and Bon Bon, Rarity was almost getting used to being alone at lunchtime.

What she should get used to is the weight of the gazes from the Mane Six during lunchtime, which made her uncomfortable.

The Mane Six stopped looking at the fashionista and began to eat and talk about trivial things, until Pinkie Pie wanted to talk about something she had noticed in recent weeks.

"Girls, doesn't it seem strange what Rarity is studying?" Pinkie asked, causing the others to raise their eyebrows in surprise.

The girls stopped their movements. Despite being an uncomfortable topic to discuss, they decided to find out what their party-loving friend meant.

"What do you mean by that, Pinkie?" Applejack asked, curious.

"You said you got literature with Twilight and Rainbow," Pinkie continued.

"It could be like Rainbow, who took an additional class for some particular liking, like Dash with Daring Do," Applejack tried to deduce, downplaying its significance.

"That's right, Rainbow gets excited about Daring Do's adventures," Fluttershy mentioned.

"Twilight always said that literature could broaden our horizons and other things," Rainbow added, trying to disguise her discomfort.

"Not only that, you could analyze and discuss not only Daring Do books but also other literary works," explained the bespectacled girl, moving her hands to emphasize her words.

"What she said," Rainbow added, slightly tangled by her friend's explanation, furrowing her brow slightly.

"And Twilight is in literature because..." Applejack wanted to explain, but she preferred her friend to explain.

The bespectacled girl lowered her head slightly. "You know I sometimes have trouble relating to others, and I thought that reading about characters facing challenges and overcoming obstacles, perhaps similar to mine, might help me feel identified and overcome my own obstacles," she explained.

"You've made progress in that, and I'm sure literature will help you," Sunset said, supporting her friend with a understanding smile. The others nodded with a smile.

"And what about the most striking thing... Sports?" Pinkie continued, returning to the initial topic, raising her eyebrows expectantly.

"It's true, in all the shared classes I didn't expect to see her there," Rainbow commented, nodding in agreement.

"And she was really bad at volleyball; next thing you know, she'll be trying out for soccer or basketball, and we all know how bad she is at sports," Sunset added, grimacing.

Applejack recalled the other day when she was straightforward with her. She didn't regret what she said, but the purple-haired girl seemed determined when she attempted the volleyball shot, so she figured Rarity wouldn't pay any attention to what she told her.

"And the hit she took," Fluttershy mentioned, feeling empathy.

"I kinda agree with what Pinkie said; I didn't bring it up earlier. The other day, I saw her leaving a class," Twilight said, nervously fidgeting with her fingers.

"And...?" Pinkie prompted, expectantly.

"Just out of simple curiosity, I passed by to see what classes she was taking, and it was accounting," Twilight revealed, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"Accounting?" Sunset asked, astonished. "That doesn't seem to have anything to do with fashion design."

"Exactly! I saw her leaving an accounting class," Twilight confirmed, nodding. "And I wondered the same thing. What does that have to do with fashion design?"

Applejack furrowed her brow in confusion. "It doesn't add up at all. When I saw her in marketing, I wasn't too surprised, and in art when I saw her, I was surprised since I didn't expect to share classes with her, but it made sense because of the drawings; that has a lot to do with designers," thought. "I remember we used to support her, and then..." she lowered her head, remembering, shook it to shake off that memory.

The girls exchanged confused looks as they tried to understand Rarity's class choices. But they didn't want to dwell on it because, despite not wanting to know anything about her, conversations about her always came up and made them uncomfortable.

Side B / Locker Hallways
After lunch, some of the girls headed to their lockers to prepare for the next class. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash stayed behind. Pinkie skipped down the halls, Applejack had something to attend to before her class, and Rainbow Dash wanted to take a stroll.

Fluttershy, Sunset Shimmer, and Twilight were discussing classes as they approached the hallway where their lockers were located. They split up once they reached them.

Minutes later, Rainbow Dash arrived and approached Twilight and Sunset as they were organizing their things in their lockers.

"Hey, Rainbow!" greeted Sunset as she packed her backpack, while Twilight did the same next to her.

"Hey, guys, what if I just apologize and be done with it?" Rainbow asked, looking directly at Fluttershy.

"Apologize? What?" Twilight asked, a bit confused.

"To Fluttershy. I was thinking of apologizing, and maybe things will be sorted out," explained, not taking her eyes off the shy girl, with a hint of hope in her eyes.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Sunset intervened, shaking her head slightly.

"Why not?" Rainbow asked, turning her head to look at both of them.

"Well, you might end up making the situation even worse," Twilight began. "Imagine if you apologize for something you think caused her distance, but then you mention something that makes her feel misunderstood. That could just make things worse."

"Ugh... hadn't thought of it that way," Rainbow admitted, thoughtfully. "I wouldn't want her to end up avoiding me or even rejecting group outings because of me."

"Have you tried inviting her out like before?" Sunset asked.

"No, it's like talking on Messenger," Rainbow replied, shrugging with some resignation.

"You should give it a try," Sunset suggested.

"Uh... I'm not sure," she hesitated.

"Where's the determined Rainbow Dash we know?" Twilight chimed in, with an encouraging tone.

"Yeah, Rainbow, are you going to let fear of a mistake hold you back? You're stronger than that," Sunset challenged.

The girl athlete stood firm at those words. "Yeah, I could give it a shot," said determinedly, straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin with resolve.

"Remember to start with a good conversation starter," Twilight suggested.

"Come on, Twilight, who are you talking to?" Rainbow said, crossing her arms with arrogance.

Twilight signaled Rainbow to approach Fluttershy, who was taking some things out of her backpack. The girl athlete began walking forward.

"Do you think she'll make it?" Sunset asked, looking at the athlete with curiosity.

"If she chooses her words wisely, maybe," Twilight replied, watching as Rainbow headed toward Fluttershy.

Rainbow approached the animal lover with confidence, but as soon as she reached her side, she felt a knot in her stomach.

"Hey, Fluttershy," she greeted with a forced smile, leaning against a locker. "Have you seen the new murals in the gym? They're amazing!"

Twilight slapped her forehead and Sunset shook her head, fighting the urge to laugh at Rainbow's unexpected choice to start the conversation.

Fluttershy nodded. "Yes, I saw them," replied briefly before continuing to put her things away.

The athlete shifted her eyes a bit. "Did you like them? I thought the artist really captured the essence of... well, whatever they're trying to convey," commented.

Fluttershy glanced up briefly, but her gaze was distant. "Yes, they were fine," replied, returning to her task, leaving Rainbow feeling uncomfortable.

The athlete felt frustrated by her inability to maintain a meaningful conversation. "Well, is there anything more interesting that's happened lately?"

The pink-haired girl shook her head, not looking up. "Not really," responded as she now put some books in her backpack.

Fluttershy's lack of response left Rainbow feeling even more uneasy. "Ah, well... okay then," murmured, not knowing what else to say.

Rainbow glanced at Sunset and Twilight out of the corner of her eye, noticing Sunset signaling her with her hand in an attempt to bring up the other topic.

"Would you like to go to the movies this Saturday?" the athlete asked, a mix of hope and anxiety in her voice.

"The movies?" Fluttershy asked, apparently considering the idea.

"Yes! You could even pick the movie," Rainbow suggested, trying to sound enthusiastic.

The shy girl considered it for a moment. "That would be... wait, will Applejack and you be there?" asked.

"Well... she would have to be, although not necessarily," the athlete responded, trying to sound calm despite her nervousness. "It would be fun if we went out... if AJ goes, the three of us would have fun," she added, forcing a smile.

Fluttershy sighed regretfully. "I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash, I remembered I already have plans for that day. Maybe next time."

"Oh, okay. Next time then," responded resignedly.

Fluttershy closed her backpack and her locker. "I have to go, Rainbow Dash. See you later," said, turning around and walking away.

"Yeah, see you." Rainbow sighed, feeling frustrated.

After the animal lover went on her way, Sunset and Twilight approached.

"That was... um..." Sunset tried to find the right words, feeling empathy for her friend's situation.

"Your clothes and now murals," Twilight said incredulously, but with a hint of amusement in her tone.

"I just said what came to mind at the moment," Rainbow mentioned, trying to downplay it.

After the comment, Sunset frowned. "There were no murals, were there?" she asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"No, I made them up," Rainbow admitted.

"So, Fluttershy just played along with you," Twilight concluded with a raised eyebrow, intrigued by the revelation.

"It seems so."

Sunset frowned, surprised. "Really? That's odd," commented, thoughtfully.

Twilight nodded, reflecting on the situation. "Yes, it's a bit unusual."

"I was also surprised, but I was more focused on talking about something and then asking her why she played along," Rainbow confessed, with a tone of bewilderment in her voice.

In another hallway of lockers, Pinkie Pie was skipping along and greeting everyone as usual. Suddenly, she stopped upon seeing Rarity further ahead. She was close enough to be seen but far enough for the fashionista not to notice her presence. Pinkie thought about approaching, something she had wanted to do since Rarity returned. She lowered her head, lost in her thoughts.

Three years ago: That day

In the school hallway, the atmosphere was very tense. Pinkie Pie and the others were near a broken showcase, with Rarity standing in front of them, trying to explain.

"But listen, listen!" exclaimed Rarity, desperately trying to justify her actions. "There was a reason behind what I did. It wasn't my intention to hurt anyone."

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

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

Remember how Fluttershy told you she considered you a friend. Those words echoed in Rarity's head. After that silence, Pinkie pulled something out of her pocket.

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

"A deflated balloon?" Rarity asked.

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

Remember how the fashionista had lowered her gaze and then turned it towards the blonde, who despite not saying anything, her silence spoke volumes, making Rarity feel the weight of her gaze. Within seconds, the fashionista's gaze returned to the party girl. "Pinkie, please understand... I don't know what came over me. It was a moment of weakness, a foolishness..."

"A foolishness?" Pinkie replied, her voice trembling with emotion. "Is that really an excuse, Rarity?"

The girls had nodded in agreement, showing expressions of disappointment on their faces. None found anything valid to justify the actions of the fashionista.

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

"Failed us? You have no idea what you're saying! I..." she began to protest, but the stern looks from her friends left her speechless.

Pinkie was surprised by what the fashionista said at that moment. She still remembers the harsh words Rainbow and Twilight said to her for that sudden attitude. Maybe before she didn't understand why Rarity showed that side. But now Pinkie has an idea of why.

"I just... I..."

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

Present

"Maybe if I had one..." Pinkie murmured, still with her head down. She pushed that thought aside and began to take a few steps towards the fashionista.

As she approached, she looked around, observing the lockers and the students using them. Some were open, with students rummaging through or leaving their belongings. She saw a boy who seemed downcast and felt the urge to approach and cheer him up, but then noticed another student trying to do the same. She experienced a sense of déjà vu witnessing that scene.

Three Years Ago

Pinkie Pie walked through the hallways with a somber expression. Her friends immediately noticed the change from her usual bubbly demeanor.

"Are you okay, Pinkie?" Twilight asked, concerned.

Pinkie sighed, looking down. "I don't know, girls. I've been feeling a bit down lately. I can't shake the feeling that nothing I do is good enough."

"Oh, Pinkie, that can't be true!" exclaimed Rarity, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You're the spark that brightens our lives. Without you, our adventures wouldn't be half as fun."

"But I feel like I'm always trying to be funnier, more exciting, and it's never enough," murmured Pinkie.

Rainbow gave her a friendly tap on the shoulder. "Pinkie, you're the best at being yourself. Don't try to be anything else, okay?"

Applejack, Fluttershy, and Sunset Shimmer, who had just arrived, joined the group, looking at the party girl with concern.

"Pinkie, are you alright? You don't seem very lively today," the girl farmer asked.

"Do you need a hug? We're here for you," Fluttershy said.

Pinkie let out a sigh. "I just feel a little disheartened lately, like I'm struggling to fit into a mold that just isn't mine."

"Hey, Pinkie, I get how you feel," began Sunset, sympathetically. "We all have days when we question ourselves. But remember, you don't have to be perfect or meet anyone else's expectations."

"Exactly. Darling, real fun doesn't come from trying to be someone else, it comes from being yourself," Rarity said softly. "You're unique, Pinkie, and that's what makes you so special."

The other girls nodded in agreement. With the support of her friends, Pinkie Pie felt a little light return to her heart. She knew that no matter what, she could always count on them to lift her spirits.

"Thanks, girls," Pinkie said with a sincere smile. "You always know how to make me feel better! I'm grateful to have such amazing friends like you!"

With a comforted smile, she looked at her friends with gratitude in her eyes, feeling the warmth and love they radiated.

Present

Exiting that memory, Pinkie paused her steps; a small doubt invaded her. "She betrayed our trust," she remembered Twilight's words. "I'm sure we can trust her again," she murmured to herself.

The party girl struggled between being loyal to her friends' words or following her gut feeling. She looked at the fashionista again and then glanced around, undecided about what to do. She stepped back, turning around, and began to walk quickly, bumping into some students along the way.

"Careful, Pinkie," said a boy with blue hair.

"Flash, sorry, I was... um..." Pinkie began, searching for an excuse. "I'm just in a hurry... I remembered I had rehearsal with the Rainbooms," Pinkie replied, trying to get out of the awkward situation.

"Aren't some of them supposed to have classes?" Flash asked.

"Then, wrong day. See you, guys," Pinkie bid farewell, hurrying off.

"What was that?" Ringo asked, furrowing his brow slightly.

"Pinkie being Pinkie?" Sandalwood suggested with a playful smile.

"That Pinkie is always in her own world," Brawly commented, chuckling. "You never know what to expect from her."

Flash's group began to walk, leaving Pinkie behind.

"Rarity..." Flash greeted, approaching with his friends.

"Flash, guys," Rarity responded, returning the greeting. The boys walked past. Then, Rarity returned her gaze to her notebook from the previous class. "Just when Mom asked about classes, I told her everything was fine, but now that I'm going to tell her...," thought with concern.

"Hey Rarity," greeted Lyra, snapping the fashionista out of her thoughts.

"Lyra..." Rarity greeted, looking up.

"Did you notice they're not talking about you anymore?" Lyra remarked. Rarity raised an eyebrow. "It's true that maybe we left out some things from the gossip and they could take what really happened out of context." added, smiling nervously.

After a few seconds, Rarity nodded. "Yes, it seems rumors can easily spiral out of control in this place, right? Fortunately, what happened wasn't big enough to be heavily gossiped about," she replied.

"Exactly," Lyra nodded. "People forget about these things quickly," she said optimistically, though in her mind, she thought that if the gossip was potent enough, it could linger.

"Yeah, you're right," Rarity said.

Lyra looked around. "For being the new girl who catches the attention of many, I'm surprised other students aren't approaching you to be your friend or go out with you," she commented curiously, changing the subject.

Rarity lowered her gaze, feeling a knot in her stomach. "As you said, I'm new here and still getting to know people..." responded cautiously.

"Well, you'll make more friends soon. If you consider me a friend or acquaintance, I'm still here if you need anything," Lyra offered.

"Thank you, Lyra," Rarity said gratefully. "Regarding dating someone, I admit I've seen many cute guys who caught my eye, but for now, I don't have any plans to date."

"Of course, Rarity! It's important to do what makes you feel most comfortable and happy," Lyra said kindly.

After the conversation, Rarity stored her things in her locker and then began to walk with Lyra through the university halls.

Parking lot
Once classes were over, the Mane Six gathered in the parking lot, waiting for their siblings.

Rainbow tried to force a smile as she spoke with Fluttershy. "I can't wait to see my sister. I'm sure she has something exciting to tell us," said.

Fluttershy nodded. "Yes, I'm sure she does," replied.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie watched her friends closely and frowned upon noticing the tension in the air. "Girls, are you okay? I can sense something in the air," commented, breaking the silence.

The other girls glanced at each other, knowing that Pinkie could tell when things were tense or when the girls were feeling down. Dash sighed. "Things have happened," she said.

"They're probably like this because exams are coming up," Twilight intervened, lying, knowing the real reason.

"Is it because of what Rainbow told us about Fluttershy? She must have tried something and failed," Pinkie thought. Always ready to lift spirits, she proposed an idea. "I have an idea! How about we have an outing on Friday? Plus, we get out earlier on Fridays. We could go see a movie or go out to dinner together," she suggested enthusiastically.

The girls nodded in agreement, looking forward to the idea of spending time together. Twilight and Sunset glanced at the animal lover and the athlete. If Rainbow couldn't invite her, at least going out together would be the next best thing.

After agreeing, the girls headed to their respective vehicles, except for Rainbow and Applejack, who were still in the same place.

The farmer let go of Rainbow's arm, and the athlete stepped back a bit. "See you later," Rainbow said, her voice neutral.

"See you," Applejack replied with a faint smile, watching Rainbow walk away before joining Pinkie, who was waiting with a bright smile.

Sunset watched the scene from her motorcycle. "Okay, that's the most normal...," muttered to herself. "Seriously, that already—" her thoughts were interrupted when he saw the pink haired girl

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were the only ones without vehicles. There was no problem with Pinkie, as she would go with Applejack, while Fluttershy could only walk or take a taxi, unless her friends suggested giving her a ride.

"Fluttershy, do you want a ride?" suggested.

Fluttershy, with a slight expression of nervousness on her face, replied, "Speed isn't my thing, but still, thank you... I hope it doesn't bother you."

"Sure thing, don't worry," Sunset said, offering a sympathetic smile. "It's funny how in some mechanical games she likes speed."

Just then, Twilight approached. "I can give you a ride," offered kindly.

"Thank you, Twilight," Fluttershy accepted, grateful for her friend's suggestion. "Spike still hasn't arrived?"

"No, not yet," Twilight replied.

"Goodbye, Sunset, and sorry again," the pink-haired girl bid farewell, heading towards Twilight's car with a apologetic expression.

"Goodbye, and don't worry," Sunset replied with a smile, watching Fluttershy walk away.

The blonde reached her truck and stood next to the party girl, both leaning against it.

"Pinkie, are you okay?" Applejack asked, watching her cousin closely.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Pinkie replied, trying to maintain a smile on her face.

"You suggested we go out on Friday, besides cheering up the others as you always do, is also for you, something is wrong, isn't it?" the blonde pointed out.

"Oh, well, um..." she hesitated, trying to find the right words.

"Do you want to talk about it?" the blonde asked, with a tone of understanding.

"How could I bring up Rarity's example without her noticing?" thought. She knows her cousin can recognize when someone is lying. "Could it be a no for now?" asked, with a nervous smile. It wasn't really a lie.

"Alright, but isn't it something I should be concerned about?" the blonde insisted, showing her concern.

"No, there's nothing to worry about," Pinkie assured her.

Applejack knew there was something, but she respected her wish not to talk about it for the time being, so she decided to leave it at that.

With the conversation over, they continued to wait until finally the sisters, or in Twilight's case, the brother, arrived in the parking lot and got into their respective vehicles.

Getting out at a corner from Twilight's car and bidding farewell, Fluttershy headed to her house's door. She opened the door and entered with a sigh of relief. Instantly, she was greeted by her mother, who was preparing something in the kitchen.

"Hello, dear! How was your day?" the mother asked with a warm smile.

Fluttershy returned the smile. "It was... fine, mom," she replied.

From the living room, her father's voice was heard. "Fluttershy, you're home!" he greeted happily. "I hope you had a good day."

"Yes, dad, thank you," she replied as she made her way up the stairs to her room.

Upon reaching the hallway, she encountered her younger brother, Zephyr, who was busy playing his guitar in his room.

"How's it going, Flutters?" Zephyr greeted with a carefree smile.

The pink-haired girl returned the greeting with a small smile. "Hi, Zephyr," she replied.

Unlike Fluttershy, Zephyr had chosen not to attend college and instead decided to work.

"How was work?" She asked.

"Not bad, the day flew by," her brother responded. "And how was your day?" he asked.

"Ah... the usual, nothing new to report," she replied kindly, still thinking about her conversation with Rainbow. "I'm going to my room," she said before heading to her own room.

Once inside, she closed the door behind her and flopped down on her bed with a sigh. "I almost thought it would work..."

The conversation with Rainbow had been uncomfortable, like many others lately. She had hoped that the movie invitation would be an opportunity to reconnect, but once again, things didn't go as she had hoped.

The animal lover closed her eyes, recalling every word of the conversation. Her attempts to keep the conversation light, her forced smile. But no matter how hard she tried, there was always a barrier between them, a distance.

"I knew how it was all going to end," muttered to herself, feeling the weight of disappointment on her shoulders.

She got up from the bed and walked over to her desk. There, lay a small framed photograph.

The photo showed Fluttershy alongside Rainbow Dash and her other four friends, smiling and laughing together. They had been taken at a happier time. But now, looking at the photo, she realized how much things had changed.

A pang of sadness pierced her heart as she looked at the image. How had they come to this point? How had they gone from being best friends to barely being able to hold a conversation?

With a resigned sigh, Fluttershy put the photo back in its place and sank into her chair. She couldn't help but feel nostalgic for the good times, but she also knew she had to accept the reality of the situation.

Author's Note

• Regarding flashbacks, I have three varieties. The first is from a character's point of view, as happened in the previous chapter. Second, even though it's a memory of one character, I'm going to show others' points of view, even though that character doesn't know what happened. And third, whether with the previous two mentioned, the character may remember and at some point return to the present, but remember again what happened later. That ends once I put present.

• I had a lot of fun doing the drama queen scenes

-When Rarity is alone eating in the cafeteria and feels the heavy gazes of her friends, I based it on my experience when she went to school. I was the one who sat alone when my colleagues I used to sit with were absent (there were only 3). I was going to eat on the side of a table, but a comparison is that I was the one who looked at other former classmates :( It's not that we were fighting, it's just that, as usually happens when we pass classes, they combined us and we separated.

• Have you already joined the threads and suspect about Fluttershy?

• Why do you think Rarity took those classes?

• As you may have noticed, I changed Bulk Biceps' age, making him a professor, the same will happen with another recurring character.