The girls took another break after the experience with Pinkie.
"Yes, Fluttershy, I've known for a while," Luna soothed the shivering yellow pegasus. "It's a very common fear, including among adults; please don't be ashamed. I must presume Pinkie did not know about this..?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "I-I never b-brought it up b-because she n-never dressed up as a c-clown before, e-even though she does all these parties, I, I thought she knew. Honestly, it's strange that this didn't happen sooner, if Pinkie honestly didn't know..."
"It would seem she does not," Luna concluded. "I'm sure she would have avoided it otherwise." Fluttershy nodded. "Though now that you mention it," Luna mused, "I've not seen her in the ensemble either outside of her dreams. Curious."
"I-is it really that common?" Fluttershy wondered.
Luna nodded. "Oh, absolutely. I was rather startled when I first encountered them." She met Fluttershy's curious gaze for a moment before clarifying. "Ah, fears today are not the same as they were a thousand years ago. Upon resuming my duties, I was a bit out of touch, and caught flat-footed by all of these strange new nightmares. Back then we did not have 'clowns', as they are today. Jesters, fools, certainly; but not white-faced, red-nosed circus clowns." She felt Fluttershy shudder simply hearing the description.
"Have you always been afraid of clowns?" Luna asked, and Fluttershy nodded.
"I... I don't really remember when it started," the pegasus said. "I don't think I ever had a clown at my birthday party, or, or otherwise had a bad experience with one... other than being utterly terrified of them as long as I can remember."
Luna considered. "I for one have consistently found them annoying. They remind me of my sister." Fluttershy giggled in spite of herself as Luna continued, abashed at her own insufficient explanation. "W-well, at some times and not at others. You may have noticed she is considerably less... elegant outside of public view. I may no longer be Nightmare Moon, but I maintain a... healthier... level of envy for my sister's talent at poise and grace on the great stage of the world. As you may have surmised, I am not so patient as she with my court."
Fluttershy smiled and nuzzled closer. "I don't think I could ever handle what the Princesses go through."
"You could not," Luna said, her chin set. "Since at least once a month, we must drag Cadance over, and all sit together for a clown show."
Fluttershy simply stared at her in horror.
"Look, Pinkie, I'm sure you constructed this... imaginative story to entertain the Princess... right?" Twilight spoke to her in a low tone while Luna comforted Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack had a conversation about something or another over a light snack.
"Hooooooonk~!" Pinkie cried, placing her hoof gently on Twilight's nose. When Twilight opened her mouth, utterly baffled, Pinkie shoved a small lollipop in. Twilight closed her mouth, sucking on the lollipop with suspicious, "you didn't answer me" eyes.
Pinkie shook her head, blinking obliviously. "Nuh-uh. It's 150% what really happened! Except it was a dream so technically I made it up because dreams are made-up in your head. It's the clearest nightmare I can recall! It felt super important for some reason." She looked at the ceiling. "Can't think of why, though!"
"Buh Piggie," Twilight persisted through her lollipop, "Spibe and I ah eggoed in yow dweam. Righh?"
"Uuuuuh-huh!" Pinkie confirmed in a sing-song voice, bouncing on her hooves. "I didn't really realize that until you moved to Ponyville, though!"
Twilight shifted her lollipop in her mouth to speak more clearly. "Which means you hadn't met us yet."
"Sure I did! Maybe." Pinkie didn't miss a beat.
"W." Twilight froze, her lollipop still. "Excuse me, what? What do you mean maybe?"
"Weeellll..." Pinkie said. "Maybe we were friends in a past life who loved each other so very very much that I was able to detect your presence through time and space and thus even before we met in this life I subconsciously manifested you in my dreams as some kind of mix of nightmare and actual dream because my most precious dreams are to be with my friends but my immortal soul missed you to the point you were mystically coerced to Ponyville just to be with us again BUUUUUUUUUT --" She paused to breathe. "-- if you wanna be like that about it..." she finished with a mope, melodramatically pawing at the floor.
Twilight went teary-eyed. "P-Pinkie, that's beautiful," she said. "You're that sweet? C'mere you." And she grabbed her in a big hug. "You even included Spike. Nobody ever includes Spike."
"Of course I included Spike!" Pinkie asserted. "At least my weird sleepy brain did. Spike rocks! We should play something with him sometime."
"I think he'd be delighted." Twilight warbled, and dabbed at her face with tissues, lollipop still in her mouth.
"Pinkie Pie, a word, please," Luna said, rising from her position next to Fluttershy gesturing to the plump lady. Pinkie tilted her head and followed her aside, leaving Twilight to be a sucker-sucking sap behind them.
"Did you really need to tell that story again!" Rarity whined, setting her goldenfern tea down. "I have to hear it at least once a year."
"You ffure you wanna bring thiff up while we're eatin'?" Applejack asked, talking with her mouth full and her face a bit red. "Ya ffaid you can ffmell it effery time you hear it again."
Rarity sighed, a hoof to her head. "I can. And you're right. I'm making my own problem, again. But you supplied all the ingredients for it!"
"Yeah," Rainbow Dash laughed between bites of a custard donut, "Ingredients for fertilizer."
Rarity made a "GRRK" sound and gagged into her napkin. Applejack choked on her pastry. "Rainbow Daaaash!" They both objected. The pegasus laughed.
"Alright, alright, let's stop teasin' her," Applejack said sternly. "Had enough ponies faintin' tonight and I ain't intendin' to die from chokin' on a whatever-this-is. Sure tastes good!"
Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked at each other and waited for her to finish.
Applejack licked a few remaining crumbs from her hoof, saw them staring at her, and blinked. "... Wut?" she ventured.
"Applejack," Rainbow Dash said, grinning ear to ear. "That was a pear danish."
"TH' HELL YOU SAY?!"
"What's up, Princess?" Pinkie asked nervously. "Didja like my story?" She went pigeon-hooved like a young filly awaiting a grade from the teacher.
Luna briefly glanced at the direction of a yell from Applejack before returning her attention to the nervous candy pony. "I adored it, Pinkie Pie," Luna assured her with a big smile. "But..." She was careful to keep a smile on, so it wouldn't look like she was scolding. "Are you aware that Fluttershy is deathly afraid of clowns..?"
Pinkie gasped and blanched, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks. "I am so stupid..!"
"No, Pinkie," Luna soothed, "You didn't mean any harm --"
"Princess, have ya ever seen me dress up as a clown before?" Pinkie asked, plaintively.
Luna had to admit she had not. "No..." She shook her head.
"Even though I'm the party pony and almost always act like a clown?"
Luna wasn't sure what yes and no meant here. "I admit I did wonder at times why you did not look the part."
"'cause I know a lotta foals are afraid of clowns!!!" Pinkie whimpered. "But I didn't consider any of my friends might be! Ooooh noooo I have to make it up to her!!" She stamped her feet in place, eyes watering.
"I know that, however you approach this, she will forgive you, Pinkie Pie," Luna assured her. "You are a good friend."
"Except when I traumatize Fluttershy."
Luna grimaced. "I would be horrified in your place, yes... But our break is young. Maybe... Give her a hug? No matter how angry my sister and I are with each other, a hug is always an improvement to our relationship... and I doubt Fluttershy can hold a grudge against anyone. Especially not one of her best friends. Go, right now, and speak with her."
Pinkie bit her lip, nodded, and went right over to nuzzle the poor delicate pegasus, who was all too happy to accept her.
"Forsooth. Friendship saved!" Luna hissed to herself, pumping a hoof like a fist. "Eat it, Celestia!"