Twilight was carefully levitating a perfectly balanced spoonful of oatmeal to her mouth when Luna suddenly looked up from the Canterlot Times.
"You should make some friends."
"What?!"
Twilight's ensuing spit take, when one looked properly at cause and effect, was entirely Luna's fault.
This of course did not help Twilight as her half eaten breakfast suddenly found itself back outside her mouth and on its way towards the reigning monarch of all Equestria.
That the oatmeal did not reach its target was by far in a way for the best.
The Canterlot Times having taken the brunt of the attack Princess Luna put the paper to one side, looking regretfully at the Hoofball section.
Fixing Twilight with a look that had sent lesser dignitaries begging for a peace treaty she spoke.
"You don’t spend enough time with other ponies. " she stated bluntly.
Twilight opened her mouth to reply but Luna raised a hoof.
"Your siblings do not count Twilight. Family is all well and good but I cannot remember the last time you left the castle for any reason other than to retrieve a book." Her voice softened. "This is not what Sunset would have wanted for you."
"Well Sunset isn't here!" Twilight said angrily. "She left."
"You know that wasn't her choice." Luna sank deeper into her chair. "We don't know what happened after she fell through the mirror."
Twilight sniffled. "You think she's okay?"
Luna nodded, her tone carrying a certainty she herself could not bring herself to feel. "I know so."
Irrationally a smile broke over her face at the idea of Sunset lording over whatever poor souls lay on the other side of the mirror. "She most likely had them under hoof within the week. We'll likely arrive for a grand rescue only to find crowds cheering her name."
Twilight smiled tearily. "You really think so?"
Luna nodded. "We will get her back Twilight. I promise." A calculating smirk snuck onto her muzzle. "Now about you going out and making some friends..."
At Twilight's look of horror Luna grinned. Crisis averted.
As her student's panic grew she softened, silently resolving to ask Spike to look out for his sister today in particular.
"Look think of it as multitasking. I was going to invite you to Ponyville with me for the Summer Sun Celebration anyway. You'll simply have an extra task to complete now as well."
"But I was going to research..."
"Anything you have to research can wait one day Twilight."
"But she's due back today!"
"And I promised you I would take care of it, did I not?"
Exuding a calm she did not fully feel Luna reached over to lay a hoof on her student's shoulder.
"You need not worry Twilight. I have the feeling today is going to be a very good day. Now go make some friends. I'll be by just before sunset to check on you."