Talking To My Friends.

Two days before the Fall Formal.

Twilight, Fluttershy and Applejack walked down the street on a brisk autumn afternoon. Apple Bloom rode on AJ's shoulders.

Princess Twilight's new plan to get her crown back without hurting Sunset was in full swing.

Fluttershy hoped inviting Princess Twilight to the movie theater would cheer her up. The new plan had little hope for success and everyone knew it.

Applejack acknowledged Twilight only when ignoring her would be rude. She made no effort to talk to Twilight even when prompted.

Grandmother Clock stepped in front of Applejack. "It is so nice to see young families spending time together. I hardly had time for my family and now they have no time for me."

The girls exchanged confused looks.

"How old are your girls?" asked Grandmother Clock.

A mischievous smile grew on AJ's lips. "Apple Bloom is my youngest daughter. Fluttershy is my oldest. Twilight, we call her the little princess, is my middle daughter."

"Mom is taking us to the theater," said Fluttershy. She suppressed a giggle and continued, "We are going to watch Romeo And Juliet remake 47-F."

"We are going to watch Love Teddies," squealed Apple Bloom.

Fluttershy crossed her arm over her chest and pouted.

Grandmother Clock smiled. "Aaahh. To be a young mother."

Applejack chuckled. "We have to be going now."

Grandmother Clock put her hand on Apple Bloom's knee. "Young people are always in a rush. I always rushed everywhere when I was your age. I rushed through life and now I have nothing to show for it."

Even Apple Bloom Knew Mrs. Clock was not a day over fifty. She showed AJ her watch.

"The movie won't wait for us." Applejack tried to walk around Grandmother Clock with no success.

"You don't have a few minutes for an old woman!"

"No!"

"I hate to contradict you, but you are not old," said Fluttershy. "Even if you were we don't owe you anything."

"I can't believe the three of you," shouted Princess Twilight. "Fluttershy is supposed to be the element of kindness. And Applejack you are supposed to respect your elders. This entire world is wrong!"

Applejack smiled like a hyena in a henhouse. "The little princess didn't take her nap today. You know how toddlers are."

"You are not my real mom!"

"She was adopted."

Twilight started breathing heavily. She dropped to her knees and started weeping.

Applejack stopped smiling. "Is she alright?"

"No. She is having a panic attack."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I am not her mother."

Applejack put her hand on Twilight's shoulder. "I was joking you are not adopted."

"Try sucking on your thumb," offered Applebloom.

"She is fourteen! Sucking her thumb won't help any."

"Can you please shut up! Give her some space."

Grandmother Clock was gone. She left to find more pleasant conversation.

Sunset climbed up the fire escape and ducked through a third floor window.

Pack Wolf sat at her wooden desk and sketched. She wore a sun hat and pink floral dress. She held a lollipop between dull crooked teeth. She waved with long pointed baby blue finger nails.

Sunset smiled at Pack Wolf. "Why are you all dressed up?"

"I wanted to look good for you," said Pack Wolf. She winked at Rarity. "Your cute friend too."

"Have you thought about fixing the lock on your front door?" asked Rarity with a sharp edge in her voice.

"No. Have you thought about fixing the lock on my front door?"

"I have." Rarity looked in Pack Wolf's sketch book. She saw dozens of possible designs for a bracelet.

"Have you finished making the jewelry for the Skull Cruncher's concert?" asked Sunset.

"Most of it." Pack Wolf offered Sunset her lollipop.

Sunset placed the lollipop in her mouth. "Fluttershy and I are going together."

Rarity rolled her eyes. "They are going together. Sunset does not have a ticket. She is only going to sell sushi and piercing studs. Fluttershy is letting Sunset drive her. They are going to the show together. The minute they arrive they are splitting up."

"Can you sell jewelry out of a sushi truck?"

Sunset shrugged. "Are you going to stop me?" She handed the lollipop back to Pack Wolf. "Is that butter flavored?"

"Apple pie." Pack Wolf offered the candy to Rarity.

"I think that is how the plague started."

"The concert is next month. I heard you were going back to the pony world in three days."

"I am. I will come back. I have a life here."

"I did hear voices," squealed Tipsy Wolf from the door way. "Can you help me paint my miniatures? I will be darned if Clover's gnomes, breezies and woodland train are painted better than my mermaid boats, rose bushes and pony explorers."

"Why do mermaids need boats?" Rarity added to one of Pack Wolf's designs.

"I have time," offered Sunset too quickly.

"Sunset bending over backward to earn an older woman's approval. Way to be complicated and nuanced."

Sunset stuck her tongue out.

"You are pretty good at pointing out other people's flaws," stated Pack Wolf.

"I could say the same about you." Rarity circled one of the designs. "Can you make this one for me?"

"Yeah. It will cost you forty-five."

"I can pay you in two weeks."

"I can have it done by then."

Rarity touched up another sketch.

"Ummm. Hey. So I have a date to the Fall Formal but he can't make it because I made him up so my mom would stop pestering me about dating. Do you want to be my date?"

"Did Sunset put you up to this?"

"No. I like you."

"I am flattered, but..."

"I get it. I would not date a dead beat who can only sell her jewelry out of her friend's food truck either."

Rarity laughed. "You are not a dead beat. You are a super star compared to App-" She loudly cleared her throat. "I am going to go help your mother paint tiny boats."

Rainbow and Pinkie stood by the entrance to the football field. The stands were packed for the afternoon college game. Rainbow handed out a flyer to a boy as he entered. Pinkie handed out two flyers. Rainbow ran around the field and handed flyers to all the players. Pinkie loaded a cannon with flyers and showered dozens of fans with the papers.

Angel Blossom approached Rainbow. "What are you doing?" she asked in a bright cheery voice.

Rainbow smiled nervously at Angel Blossom. At her light orange hair, fluffy bright red boa, busted lip, scraped knuckles and burn marks that ran from her wrists to her elbows.

"We are handing out invitations to Sunset's going away party," said Rainbow cautiously. She handed Angel Blossom a flyer.

Angel Blossom frowned. She pulled a lighter from her boa and set the invitation on fire. She didn't seem to notice the fire burning her hand. She held the flyer until nothing but ash remained. "I like Sunset," she growled.

"We all like Sunset. She needs to go home. Back to the pony world."

"This world needs Sunset." Angel Blossom stomped her foot like an indignant child.

Rainbow softly placed a hand on Angel Blossom's shoulder. She felt another lighter in her boa. "I am going to miss Sunset too. I understand exactly how you feel. You are scared about graduation. You are mad your friends are going to different schools. Sunset leaving is a big change you are not ready for. I understand. That's life. You need to buck up. And for the love of Sunset stop burning yourself!"

Angel Blossom nodded and took another invitation.

Rainbow smiled ear to ear. "Do you think Sunset would be proud of me?"

"I don't know," said Pinkie with trepidation. "Your empathy could use a little work."

"How can you not know. I asked what you think."

"I think you are giving me a headache."

"I thought hanging out with you would be fun."

"I thought we were trying to convince Sunset to stay in this world so the magic pony police can not arrest her. I thought we were taking this seriously."

"Pinkie, Sunset is leaving and we can't stop her. That's life. Buck up."

Princess Twilight sat on the ground crying.

Appleboom looked at her watch. AJ glared at Applebloom. Applebloom showed AJ her watch. AJ took the watch off Applebloom's wrist.

The day before the Fall Formal.

Trixie found Twilight and Applejack leaning against the schools far bathroom wall and whispering. Twilight was blushing like a bride.

"What are you talking about?" asked Trixie.

"Twilight's vagina."

"Now you're honest!" Twilight exploded.

AJ shrugged.

"I remember Sunset's first period as a human," said Trixie. "She still lived in the abandoned mall."

"Sunset was homeless?"

"She was only homeless for a year. Some families have been living in that mall for a decade."

"Did you hear Senator Will voted against Mayor Mare and Filthy Ritche's proposal to help those people. He said 'If they had the will to lift themselves out of poverty then they would not be homeless.'" AJ spat on the floor. "Politics makes me sick."

"I can't wait to get back to the pony world. Every pony has to help one another or we will all be murdered by windigo."

"Anyway. Princess, while you were at the slumber party I, The Great and Powerful Trixie, searched Sunset's apartment from top to bottom. All I found was vintage clothe and classic videogames. That girl is so obsessed with the past she is clinging to a history she never knew."

"You broke into her house?"

"Yeah. It was easy. The code to her security system is CMC3BFF. And she pretends to be better than the rest of us."

"Sunset is better than the rest of us," AJ boldly declared, "She got a job at a sushi bar when she was fourteen, and bought a food truck by bullying anything of value away from her school mates. She lost more fist fights than I care to count and she still robs people. Sunset is an unstoppable force. Nothing! And I mean nothing-"

"Applejack! You are going to give me a panic attack."

Rarity sat on a stool in Carousel Boutique. She finished putting the final touch on Applejack's dress for the Fall Formal.

Applejack whistled loudly. "That is the finest dress I have ever seen. Are you sure it suits me?"

"Yes! You are more beautiful than you give yourself credit for."

"Am I pretty enough for you to save me a dance at the Fall Formal?"

Rarity bit her lip. "I don't know if I can. I am in very high demand."

AJ sighed. "Loving you is almost as hard as loving Sunset."

"I know. I am sorry. You should find someone else to love. I am too... me."

AJ put her arms around Rarity's waist. "I am too stubborn to accept we are not perfect for each other. I don't care if you try to push me away as long as you keep your hands on mine. I love you just the way you are."

Rarity softly kissed Applejack's cheek. "I love you," she whispered. "I have to do something horrible to you now. I don't know why but I do."

"I know. I was in couples therapy too."

Rarity kissed Applejack again.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Fluttershy.

"I am," said Princess Twilight.

On a cold fall night Twilight stood in front of the wondercolt statue. She knew the portal would close soon. She knew reopening the portal in a world of magic would be easer than trying to open the portal from the human world. She knew abandoning Sunset was not an option. She would stay and help Sunset no matter the cost.

"Why haven't you talked to your friends in two days?"

Flutttershy sighed. "Drinking too much poison is bad for my health."

The portal closed.