Talking To My Friends.

On a warm autumn day, Fluttershy sat in Sweet Snacks Café. She was supposed to meet Pinkie and Princess Twilight when the café opened. She was ten minutes early, but Pinkie let her in.

Pinkie leaned against the counter top and drew brightly colored stars onto it with crayons.

The first time the girls brought Sunset to Sweet Snacks Café she complained about the seating for forty minutes. There were no stools on the ends of the very wide horseshoe shaped bar. There were booths for large groups running the length of the entire restaurant, but no tables for two or three. On her first visit Princess Twilight complained about the floor plan for nearly ninety minutes.

"Are you excited to meet the new students," asked Pinkie.

"New students? I have not heard about them."

Pinkie put her crayons into the apron that was part of her work uniform. "Still avoiding Rarity? It has been a nondescript amount of time since the sleep over. You can't still be mad at her."

"I am not mad at Rarity for picking fights with everyone. I am used to her doing that."

"Can't you pretend you don't disapprove of their relationship like you did the last five times?"

"No! Weren't we gossiping about new students?"

"Yes. I wish you could be happy for them. Rarities' problems are not as simple to solve as you think. She can't just take a pill an be better."

"I know that. She isn't even trying."

"She is trying. Just not the way you want her to."

Fluttershy looked at her watch. The café opened in eight minutes.

Pinkie resumed drawing on the counter. "Three students are starting at Canterlot High tomorrow."

The bell above the cafe's door rang. Twilight sat beside Fluttershy. She smiled and said, "You don't have to stop talking because of me."

"We were not talking," Fluttershy assured.

"Will the pony world be okay without one if its princesses?" asked Pinkie.

Twilight nodded. "I got Twivine to cover for me."

"What is the plan to help Sunset this time?" asked Pinkie.

"I don't have one. Yet. Pinkie, you have an interesting outlook on life. I want to learn more about your philosophy. Fluttershy, I missed you. How have you been?"

Fluttershy looked at the stars. "Fine," she whispered.

Twilight smiled at Fluttershy. She turned her attention to Pinkie. "Last time I was in this world I learned life can be unfair. What should I do when life is unfair?"

Pinkie tapped a green crayon against her chin.

Sunset and Applejack sat on a blanket in the park. It was a warm sunny day but they both wore jackets.

"Cloud five," said Sunset.

AJ shook her head. "I would like this game more if it was about trains instead of clouds."

Sunset nodded. "So..."

"So?"

"How is volleyball?"

"It's fun. Coach Goose told me I am the best outside hitter in the league."

"I thought our coach was Yellow Card."

AJ tried to hide her prideful smile. "She is. Cloud Six."

"You win."

There was a six minute silence. The other park goers were quiet just to emphasize the awkward pair.

"Will this get easier?" asked AJ. "I know a lot has happened in the last three years. I know we may never be as close as we once were. I want us to be friends again. Maybe not best friends, but I want to be able to hold a conversation with you."

Sunset took off her jacket. "I am sorry I tried to drag you down with me. I was mad you could come to terms with your parent's deaths and I could not confront my feeling about being abandoned. When you stopped being miserable I felt abandoned by you. I still resent you. I still feel abandoned. I think you could have tried harder to be my friend. I don't understand why you felt the need to cut me out of your life entirely."

AJ crossed her arms pinning her jacket to her body. "Okay."

The opening day of The Flim Flam Brothers Everything Under The Sun Warehouse Store, Rarity stared intensely at the full length mirror. She wore an apple red dress that showed off her knees and most of her shoulders. "Do you think Applejack would like this?"

Rainbow pulled a raincoat off a clothing rack. "Don't tell me you are trying to get back with her."

Rarity furrowed her brow. "I already have. We started dating again day of the Fall Formal."

Rainbow pulled on a hiking boot. "Does Sunset know?"

Rarity rolled her eyes. She marched up to a boy and asked, "Does this dress say 'I want to take our relationship to the next level'?"

Letrotski said, "It says 'you can have me for a glass of wine.'"

Rarity smiled. "That is perfect. Thank you." She walked into the dressing room.

Rainbow leaned against the dressing room door. "When are you and AJ going to make the night special?"

"As soon as I figure out why I keep hurting her and how to stop."

"You are going to start taking your antipsychotics again?"

"No! Those barely helped. I prefer solving my problems to mitigating the symptoms."

"What did you think of the story of how Sunset beat Twilight and sent her back to the pony world?"

"Aside from the fact Sunset lost," said Rarity as if she was reminding Rainbow for the hundredth time. "It was fine."

Rainbow beamed. "Really? I worked hard on it. I am glad people appreciate my work."

Rarity pulled open the dressing room door. Rainbow nearly fell.

"Some people do," said Rarity as she started looking through a rack of sweaters. "The other day I was hanging out with Rara. That is what I call Countess Coloratura."

"That is what everyone calls Rara. She in insists on it. Anyway you were hanging out with your girlfriend's oldest and closest friend who happens to be famous."

Rarity glared at Rainbow. "Yes! Sunset, Fluttershy, Rara and AJ all said they wished you would stop making up stories about Sunset." She handed Rainbow a pink turtleneck sweater. "Try this on."

"No! You have not picked a single thing for our hike. I already got all the gear Scootaloo and I need. Have you picked out a single thing for Sweetybell?"

"What bit your butt? We have only been here twenty minutes.

Rainbow groaned. She stripped down to her grey tank top.

Rarity covered her eyes and yelled, "Use the dressing room!"

"Why? It is not like anyone will notice me. Not in a world with people like Sunset. I will always be invisible no matter what I do."

Pinkie tapped a green crayon against her chin. "That, Princess Twilight, is a good question."