//------------------------------// // Tricks Up In Her Sleeves (part 2) // Story: The Truth About Girls (Vol. 1) // by TheMareWhoSaysNi //------------------------------// Zyrtecset. Sunset Shimmer tried to decipher the name on the anti-allergy pill box Rainbow Dash had threw in her hands just before joining the rest of the players on the field. It was the last day of class of this school year, and really she couldn’t get why the female lacrosse team wanted to get together for one last practice. No other clubs were on duty tonight, and even the Students Board officially was on summer holidays. Right now, they could have been busy idling downtown or having a well-deserved nap. From the bleachers where she sat with the rest of the group, snacking potato chips, cakes and fizzy apple juice, she saw the girls from the team holding Rainbow Dash and throwing her in the air as if she was some cheerleader in the middle of a competition, then they did the same with Pinkie Pie. Their encouraging chants and screams echoed all around the place. In the end, it might not be a bad thing to be a part of a sports team. Maybe next year, I could envision to submit to a club, Sunset Shimmer thought while finishing her can. “The Wondercolts had an excellent season”, Twilight said, her hair loose in the wind. “They’ve been titleholders of the interschool championship for three years in a row now.” “Since Dash ’n’ Pinkie are a part of it, in fact…” “Really?” Fluttershy questioned. “I’ve always thought they’ve always been a part of the team.” “And so did I.” “No, not in ninth grade. The team already was full, they had to wait for members to leave. They were doing baseball meanwhile. The team was co-ed and all the boys were disappointed when they left for lacrosse.” Each time Sunset Shimmer thought she knew everything about the group in one special field, she stunningly noticed she still had things to learn. In these moments, she remembered she’d known them for less than one year. Of course she knew who they were before befriending them, since everyone in CHS had heard about them at least once during a conversation, yet, like for so many, they had been nothing but a shadow, figures vaguely familiar which details remained unseen for the eyes. From the moment they’d accepted her for good in their gang, she got used to be with them every day, to hear their voices and to see them quarrel to the extent that she sometimes felt as if she’d been with them since ninth grade. Fluttershy was probably feeling the same way, as the other latest honorary member. There was a difference between them, nonetheless. Fluttershy had on her wrist the famous bracelet Sunset Shimmer hadn’t received the honor to get yet. This fact saddened her, but she wasn’t upset with the pretty pink-haired teenage girl. It sent her back to a reality she ignored most of the time – that she wasn’t completely a part of them yet. “Wait a minute… The baseball team is a co-ed one?” she asked once she realized what Twilight had just said before she was lost in her thoughts. The other girls had started to talk about another topic when she asked this funny question, and raised an eyebrow in front of the slowness of her reflection. “Well eeyup, there weren’t enough girls for a softball team so hey! Why not? Ah can tell ya Ah can hit a ball as hard as a dude can.” “I don’t doubt it.” Everyone knew Applejack wasn’t the fearful type nor a wimp. In fact, it neither was Rainbow Dash nor Pinkie Pie style. What had surprised Sunset Shimmer the most about this confession, was the fact that usually members of a same team had to share the same bathrooms, the same showers. And it probably was a real issue for a co-ed team. There might have happened a whole lot of things back then… More than ever, she regretted she hadn’t met the group earlier, since she would’ve had the chance to share with them all those anecdotes which she still couldn’t get to. And who knew if she would be able to know them all one day? All this time wasted bullying the others, then sparing no efforts to please persons who’d only thought about playing with her remorse… She wished she had the power to go back in time, to erase everything. If only she had known then the things she knew now… However, she also knew that worrying herself sick about the past brought nothing good. And she had alive evidences at a few inches away. Pinkie Pie had to pay the high price for her past mistake a few weeks ago, and Rainbow Dash kept on fighting with a yesterday filled with gloomy shadows, darker than anything she’d ever known. Sunset Shimmer lowered her hands on the pillbox between her hands. She could see the way her friend swallowed her pills, her head thrown back and her eyes as clenched as fists of a boxer, as if the plain vision of a small pill was more dreadful than the most horrible of bloody shows. In her darkest hours, she had envisioned to go to such an extreme. Often, she had thought if she disappeared, the pain she had inflicted to the others would vanish away with her soul. There had been several times when she had been on the verge of the ravine. Fortunately, she had been able to get back on her feet, and it was a little while now since her parents had stopped to look at her with fear and wariness, and were trusting her again. Her arrest almost had the best of them. And she knew who she owed it to. If there hadn’t been these six extraordinary girls, maybe she would have taken this macabre step, and she wouldn’t even have had her own school-attending funerals like the infamous Night Shine. A destiny was a matter of small little things, sometimes. “Is everything okay, Sunset?” Twilight asked her suddenly. The young woman was looking at her, her head tilted and her eyebrows up. To be honest, the whole bunch on the bleachers was staring at her worryingly, and she realized then she had let her thoughts guide her too far this time. “Yes, have no fear. I was just thinking.” “Are ya sure? Ya look like an apple tree in the middle of winter.” “I’m sure”, she answered, smiling. Hoping she would find something to distract their attention, she looked in the direction of the field where the lacrosse team was busy putting away balls and nets. They didn’t seem to have played. It was a wonder why they worn their equipment if all they did was a year-end party. She saw, close to the team, on the lawn, a knot of boys talking while making passes with a soccer ball, though they weren’t playing for real. They weren’t dressed for sports, anyway, with their jeans and leather jackets – what a silly idea to wear such jackets by the end of May! One of them suddenly turned around to their bunch, and waved in their direction. That was how she realized it was the boy who’d talked with Twilight yesterday… Flash Something. Immediately, Applejack whistled to tell Twilight her “little sweetheart” had just greeted her. “He’s not my little sweetheart”, the young woman answered, pulling two strands of hair, blushing. “So why are you looking like a giant salad of beetroot?” Pinkie Pie’s high-pitched voice suddenly said. She hadn’t realized the teenage girl had arrived, her helmet on the bleachers, and her pink stick under her arm. Afar, Rainbow Dash was talking with one girl from the team, while going in the direction of her friends. Sunset Shimmer saw Twilight smiling at her, panicked, and she smiled back to comfort her the best she could. “You should go and talk to him”, she told the young woman. “What for?” “Ask for his number”, Pinkie Pie suggested. Twilight looked at her friends one by one, and saw that for once, they all agreed. Even Fluttershy, who usually was scared of anything new or including someone she didn’t know, nodded to the advice. It had not to be forgotten that although she was as shy as days were long, when she had first met them, she used to keep company to older men in restaurants, to whom she had to have conversations with. If someone such as Fluttershy was able to such a thing, there were no reasons for her, Twilight Sparkle, to be incapable to ask a boy she barely knew his number. She barely knew him, but she also wasn’t indifferent to his charms. The most difficult thing was to know she would have to do this in front of her best friends’ eager eyes, who wouldn’t miss a single piece of their exchange. She exhaled and got up, her legs a bit shaky. As she was going to the sports field, she could hear Rainbow Dash joining the group and asking what she was going to do there. Twilight could only imagine the young woman’s reaction. She did her best not to turn around and see six pair of eyes staring at her, and analyzing each of her gestures. Her chance was that she would be far enough for none of them to hear exactly what she would say to the boy with the leather jacket. If she tangled her legs and talked nonsense, no one would ever know. So, it was useless to point to the teenage boy the fact that each leather jackets weren’t made out of animals died from a natural cause, but sometimes via poaching, which was forbidden in Equestria. That would probably be too aggressive for a first contact. Or a second one. A knot had formed in her throat and stomach while she was getting closer. For a few seconds, she even thought about turning back, and too bad if her friends would tease her about her lack of courage. But when she saw one of the boys of the field waving at Flash Sentry who took the few steps separating him from her, Twilight knew there was no way she would turn back. “Hi”, he told her calmly. “Hi”, she answered, trying her best not to have her knees chattering. Suddenly, all the things she had thought about saying along her way to him had disappeared off her mind. She wasn’t even sure she still knew how to speak. That took the cake, especially for her, who’d read more books than her whole bunch of friends gathered. She never ran short of words. Never. Words were like figures – her whole life. No one could forget about their whole life in the matter of seconds. In the end, Flash Sentry was the one speaking first. “Are you with your girl friends?” “What? Well, yes… Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie had one last meeting with the lacrosse team.” “Oh yes, they rocked the year. They’re both awesome strikers and defenders.” “Yes. To be honest, I’ve never attended one of their matches. I know the results, of course, but I only went to their practice.” “That’s a pity.” It was the first time Twilight cursed herself for not going to any one of these games. They were her best friends, after all, she should have been able to sacrifice one or two hours of her time in order to show interest in their passions. They had attended mathematics contests just to please her… although, in reality, Rainbow Dash spent most of the time sleeping with her mouth wide opened. She was there anyway. In front of Flash Sentry, she appeared as a selfish person who only worried about what was important for her own sake. And she knew she wasn’t. “Listen, Twilight, I don’t want to sound rude, but…” “You think I’m too much of an individualist, don’t you? I understand, don’t worry. Don’t bother, it’s okay.” “Well, I don’t… I was about to ask for your number, in fact.” She pinched her lips, eyes wide opened, and mentally saw her crushing her own palm against her forehead. At each second, she’d feared to behave in a little flattering way in front of him, and couldn’t believe she’d just tangled her feet in the carpet. Yet, her intelligence was far above the average. It rather was unpleasant to told herself she was acting like a real idiot each time she was face to face with this boy who, although she didn’t know him well, she liked physically and who seemed to be nice and interesting. “Well, err… Alright.” From their seats at the bleachers, the five girls saw with delight Twilight who was dictating her number to Flash Sentry. “Ah can’t believe it, it’s goin’ to snow pigs and cows! That’s so touchin’ to see our lil’ Twilight had grown up so much.” “AJ, you’re talking like Grandma Pie.” “Don’t you think they’re adorable?” Fluttershy asked. “I think that’s screwy if Twilight and I are the only ones with a boyfriend.” “Why?” “It’s simple… Demisexual. Uptight egghead.” “I don’t think that’s screwy, I think that’s comforting. There’s someone for everyone.” “Now, Flutty, it’s you talking like Grandma Pie!” And yet, it was true to her. It even was something which Fluttershy had always felt from the bottom of her heart. Everyone had a soulmate somewhere. All it took was to look for it. Those who didn’t find were those who didn’t do everything in their power to get it. Within this context, she could understand what Rainbow Dash had said. She and Twilight were the ones doing the least efforts in order to find someone to love who wouldn’t be a friend or a family member. They had something else in mind. Up until now, she hadn’t done a lot in order to make understand the someone she thought she had found that she could be the someone he was looking for. Yes, she was afraid, but after all, she had done worse things in her life. And this time, it was something which could make her happy, and not suffer even more. What she had under her nose had convinced her it was about time for her to stop hiding behind her shyness and fears. She had to find a way to tell Big Macintosh what she was feeling for him. Somehow. They all were so focused on Twilight and Flash Sentry chatting together that they didn’t notice the two young persons had another audience a few inches away who didn’t seem to be the least of the world pleased by this charming plot twist. ------------------------------------------------------------ When school was over, Twilight’s universe didn’t stop spinning around for all that. Learning and reviewing was a great part of her life, of course. It didn’t mean the young woman was lost as soon as holidays were here. In-between, there always were new books to read, new scientific articles to explore and analyze… Once back home, she rarely left her room. It didn’t bother her at all to stay all day long at her desk, focused on her books. At night, she liked to go on her balcony, gazing at the stars thanks to a telescope her parents had offered her on her fifteenth birthday. If there wasn’t her bunch of friends to encourage her to go out and to socialize, she probably would have remained this withdrawn and a bit control freak she had been during her childhood. Yes, she was really happy she’d known them and she wasn’t that person anymore, it didn’t stop her from enjoying to be in the peace of her room, with the company of her little dog, Spike. In her mind started to bloom plans for these well-deserved holidays. She wanted to learn international sign language, to do charity work in order to teach children from immigration about History and Geography of Equestria, to make researches about the architectural techniques of the Antiquity, among many other things. In-between, there would be time to spend with her friends. Thanks to her sharp sense of organization, scheduled at the exact hour with the help of a very precise timetable, Twilight knew this was going to be possible and this, even in the case she would agree to go two weeks to the ocean in the Apples’ summer house. She was busy with her agenda when her phone vibrated by her side. Mechanically, not even looking, she grabbed it and slid a finger along the tactile screen. She needed a few seconds to understand what the message she’d just received meant. From the second it was clear, she could feel her pulse accelerating and her hands turning damp. What was she going to do? She had never done anything like this before, and for this reason, she didn’t even know what she had to answer. Should she wait before accepting? Acting busy and answering a bit later? Maybe all these solutions were the right ones for a fiction character, but she was living in real life. And she was lost. Down the screen of her notebook, the small blue icon with a white S was flickering in green. It probably was Rainbow Dash waiting for the answer about Applejack’s proposition to go to these famous two weeks to the ocean. As if a thunder had just hit her, Twilight grabbed her headphones always plugged in her computer, and launched the electronic call of her application. After a few rings, her best friend’s hoarse voice resounded through the headsets. “So, would you be there or not?” “I haven’t finished my schedule yet… But you must absolutely help me, Rainbow Dash.” “Me, helping you? You know I’m a zero when it comes to organization!” “Not for my schedule. I’ve just received a message from Flash Sentry. He asks me on a date tomorrow, and… I really don’t know what to answer.” Honestly, she would never have thought the young man would get in touch with her so quickly. She had even thought he’d taken her number out of sheer politeness but had no intention of using it, or maybe one day when bored. Too bad. Holidays had only begun for a few hours and he already had come back to her. This probably meant she didn’t leave him unmoved, but Twilight didn’t want to be driving too fast neither. Her rational instinct told her not to bolt, and to wait and see. And in order to see, she had to answer his message. And once the message answered, she’d have to think about what to wear, where to go, what to talk about, and many other things. It was out of question for her to envision a date without thinking of the least details. To let herself go to speculation? Thanks, but no thanks. If she didn’t know with certainty what to say or what to do, she couldn’t breathe. “So, you told yourself I was the most capable of giving you advices?” “You’ve dated a lot of boys.” “A lot… Don’t overstate. And, you know I never reflect on anything.” “But with Soarin…” “It’s not the same, Twilight. I know Soarin since I’m five. We both love the same things, there’s no need to rack your brains. Wait… I was in the middle of a conversation with Applejack, I connect her with us.” “Applejack? But she’s an abstinent!” Alright, Rainbow Dash wasn’t really foresighted, and let herself go with the wind. That was a fact. However, she had more experience in this matter than she did. There might be tricks she could confess to her. As far as Applejack was concerned, if it was clear that refusing to have sex until marriage could never stop her from dating someone, she had turned very vigilant since she had been a victim of harassment, and her experiences of romance were very limited. Twilight loved her, but she couldn’t see in what she could help. What Applejack confirmed as soon as Rainbow Dash brought her to the conversation and put her on their best friend’s trouble. “What dya want me to tell her to help her? To beware dark corners in the parks?” “Don’t be such a party pooper, AJ. You must have some advice to give. And, you got a big brother who you can ask what a guy expect from a girl at a first date.” “Twilight also has a big brutha, Ah have ya know! With Rarity, he might have learned a full handful of tricks.” “Why, yes, Rarity!” Rainbow Dash claimed. A strange row coiled the ears of the two young women, who wondered what could have happened to Rainbow Dash, until they heard her screaming her tortoise's name. “Damn, Tank has just climbed on my keyboard. I had to put him back down.” “Why don’t ya put him back into his bowl? He’s no dog.” “It’s a vivarium, not a bowl. And Tank needs to stretch his legs.” “On yer laps?” “Girls, can we please focus back on the topic?” Twilight asked, nerves beating against her skin. “S’cuze Twilight.” “What were we talking about? Oh yeah, your date! Don’t move, Twilight.” “How could I move?” A few seconds later, Rarity’s pseudonym was added to the conversation, and as soon as she saw it on the screen, Twilight wondered why she hadn’t thought about it in the first place. It was clear their friend was the most capable of giving her the right advices. She was the expert in men and relationships, the one knowing all the tricks to draw the opposite gender into her web and who could make them fall in love so deep they couldn’t refuse anything to her. Alright, Twilight didn’t want to trap Flash Sentry in her web, she didn’t even want him to fall in love with her… Only him to think she was a smart girl whom he liked to be with. To have a second date would already be a great accomplishment for Twilight. All the same, Rarity remained the wisest about the subject. The way she’d done with Applejack a few minutes before, Rainbow Dash explained their friends what made the young woman panic, making her in need of her advices tonight. “Congratulations, Twilight! If you want to know my opinion, it was about time it happened. You’re so cute…” “Thank you. Would you help me?” “Why, of course! As if I could leave you on your own with these two unlettered of seduction.” “Hey!” Rainbow Dash cried. “Sorry, darlings, but if it wasn’t the truth, you wouldn’t need me.” “She’s right, Dash.” “Yeah, whatever.” “Yes, whatever”, Twilight repeated. She knew if she didn’t pull the girls back into line from time to time, they could get away from the subject, and that would be almost impossible then to get back on their feet. She needed too much of these advices of someone highly qualified. “What does the message say? Verbatim”, Rarity questioned. “Well… ‘Would you like us to go somewhere tomorrow? To get to know each other better.’” “Holy shit! I have to call Soarin, I completely forgot. I come back…” The three girls didn’t pick her up on it and continued their conversation, without Rainbow Dash. “He’s a fast one”, Applejack declared, mocking. “Fast or not isn’t important, my dear Applejack. The most important is that our little Twilight has a date tomorrow.” “Are you going to help me or something?” “Avoid dark corners.” “First, be a dear and answer the message. Don’t keep him waiting too long. We’re going to think about the rest together. But there won’t be enough of us five.” “Eeyup, because we’re four right now… Well, when Rainbow Dash had made her phone call.” “What’s on your mind, Rarity?” “I think I’m going to call Pinkie Pie for more help. I won’t get very far on my own…” “I’m back.” “Rar’ calls Pinkie as backup.” “Oh, good idea.” Each of them could hear Twilight sighing from her headset. Since this conversation had begun, they hadn’t answered her anguishes at all, and only had called each other and babbled on. She felt like she would never know what to do out of answering yes to Flash Sentry’s message. “I’m trying to bake tiramisu-flavored cupcakes”, a high-pitched voice suddenly said. “It’s better be important.” “Twilight got a date”, Rainbow Dash answered tit for tat. “Oh. Cupcakes can wait.” “I’m still waiting for your advices.” “And you’re going to have them. Is there anything you want to do, or to see with him?” “I have no idea.” “How’s your appetite? Did you sleep well, last night?” Pinkie Pie asked, as excited as the night before a surprise party. “What’s the connection, exactly?” “To know whether or not you’re in love. When you’re in love, you lost your appetite, and you can’t sleep from thinking about him.” “Well… Not particularly. And I can’t see why it would help me to know. You need to know someone well to be in love with that someone, and I barely know him. But I want to know him, and I don’t want to be ridiculous.” “I know!” Pinkie Pie replied. Twilight stretched out an ear, impatient to hear what she wanted to reveal. Nothing happened, but she caught a glimpse at Sunset Shimmer’s name adding to the conversation, as well as Fluttershy. Wouldn’t it ever stop? And, Fluttershy… She might know something about the topic as much as herself knew about archery! “Sunny’s going to help us too. She dated many, many, many, many, many guys.” “Not that many, don’t push it!” the girl in question answered. “And what are we talking about?” “And why did you call me as well, Pinkie Pie?” “Oops, mistake!” she said, giggling. Once again, Rainbow Dash explained what was Twilight’s problem, and once again, she received congratulations. It was nice from them, but it wasn’t what she was expecting. If they continued this way, her short patience would decrease… Her only relief was that the whole gang was now connected, and unless they would add Big Macintosh or Sweetie Belle in the conversation, she would finally get her precious long awaited advices. “Choose a neutral place, something not too outlandish but not too dull either”, Pinkie Pie started. “A place where you’ll be able to talk, or it’s crappy”, Rainbow Dash continued. “All Ah can say is the same thang than earlier.” “Yes, I know, to beware the dark corners.” “They’re right, there’s no need to make something too sophisticated on a first date like this one. Offer him a walk, and you’ll be sure not to make a mistake.” “Is that all?” “Well, yeah, that’s all. It’s no brain surgery, you know, Twilight”, Sunset Shimmer assured, with as much benevolence as possible. “You guys meet somewhere, you walk through the town while talking, and that’s all there is to it.” “Not completely. She has to make an excellent impression”, Rarity corrected her. “Aesthetically speaking, I mean. This little heart of his has to thump when he sees her.” “Ah don’t wanna say nonsense but Ah think his lil’ heart already thumps when he sees her.” “That’s not a reason not to make efforts. You’ll absolutely need a dress, but not the blue one I made for you because he’d already seen this one. Something fresh… Not too much makeup either. And your hair loose, of course.” “But… What are we going to talk about?” “We can’t really help you with this, Twilight”, Rainbow Dash answered. “You’ll find topics to share… eventually.” “It’s easier said than done”, Fluttershy intervened for the very first time. “Really? How do you know this?” Pinkie Pie questioned. “Well…” “Let’s focus back on Twilight, if you please. Darling, you’re the smartest person in all Canterlot. I’m sure whatever subject you’ll choose; he’ll be just fascinated. You have to stay natural, that’s important.” “Natural with tricks.” “Of course. That’s how seduction is working, Rainbow Dash. Everyone doesn’t have the chance to fall in love with a childhood friend.” “Who said I was in love?” Immediately, an ensemble of laughs resounded at the same time. This habit their friend had to act as if nothing ever moved her, even with them, who knew better than anyone else she was not the wall of granite she was trying hard to be for the rest of the world. It was unbelievable. They all had seen her with Soarin and had seen the way she behaved with him when she thought no one was looking. Because she was who she was, for all that she hadn’t become a numbskull always laughing to the least of his jokes, never taking herself off her boyfriend’s arms, but at her own degree, she was being affectionate and considerate. Without taking into account the way her eyes and smile brightened up when she was with him. Twilight hoped that, if things turned out the way she wanted with Flash Sentry, one day she would have her look and face as radiant as her best friend’s. They weren’t there yet. Yes, she liked him, and she wanted to know him better, but they both had too short an interaction together to dare saying the word ‘love’ about them. While she kept on thinking about it, the rest of the group kept on teasing their friend. “Alright, yar not in love”, Applejack chuckled. “You’re just completely hooked up!” “Don’t talk nonsense. And, I’m not the topic tonight, anyway. This is all about Twilight. She needs other advices.” “In fact, I think those I’ve received aren’t that bad. At least, I can see clearer now.” “I do need advices”, Fluttershy suddenly declared. This intervention made a blank float between the seven girls. The teenager had been quite discreet until then, a bit in the background, as always when the topic of boys and romance was brought up. Aware that asking question could scare her, and would make her go back on her statement, none of them dared to say anything until Fluttershy spoke again. It was difficult for her, especially as she had no intention of professing to them the secret that had been now shaking her from the inside for months. As she was always afraid of things she didn’t know, she knew that if she didn’t speak now, she would never be able to confess again. And if she never confessed, she would probably pass her chance by. “I’m in love with Big Macintosh”, she delivered at full throttle. “Darling, it’s been a while since we’ve all noticed.” “What?!”, she cried, unable to hold herself back. Yet, she thought she had displayed discretion, and had done her best for no one to spot her inclination. Rarity’s avowal disappointed her a little… If her friends had guessed, then maybe Big Macintosh knew as well, and acted as if he didn’t know, because he didn’t care about her at all. “It’s as easy to notice as Dashie who’s not in love.” “You won’t start with this too, Pinkie Pie! Although, well… It’s true it was really obvious, Fluttershy.” “But… I did everything I could not to let it show to anyone.” “We’re not anyone, we’re your friends, Fluttershy”, Sunset Shimmer answered her softly. “If it makes ya feel better, Ah don’t think he’d see anythin’. Sometimes, mah big brotha’s a bit silly!” The young woman sighed from relief. That Big Macintosh hadn’t noticed anything made her feel a bit better. She’d already envisioned this first love which she didn’t really know what to make with would break her heart even before it started. Thankfully, the game wasn’t over yet. Hope remained. “Anyway, what’s the advices you need? Well, although I won’t really be able to help you since I’m the one because of who we’re all here…” “In fact, I only wanted to tell you girls, and I didn’t know how. But… Does he have a girlfriend, Applejack?” “Ah don’t think so. He no longer sees his librarian girl, for sure.” “Too bad, it was so useful”, Twilight sighed. “Han, girls, I have to go. My father has just arrived. He’s already yelling at me from downstairs. Bye. I’ll text you tonight when he’ll be out to meet his high-class hookers.” Rainbow Dash’s name immediately disappeared from the conversation, and none of the girls decided to pick up on their friend’s acerbic confession. Anyway, it started to get late, and it was about time each of them resumed their activities back where they were. “I have to finish the cleaning of my boutique”, Rarity said. “Eeyup, ‘tis time for bread, I go too.” “My cupcake’s dough’s about to harden. Good luck for your date, Twilie.” “Thanks. You’ve been very helpful; you don’t even know.” “That’s nothing special”, Sunset Shimmer answered. “This is what friends are made for.” “And I didn’t help you much, I only monopolized the attention”, Fluttershy added with a guilty voice. “Don’t say that. Just being there is help… Ah, it’s time for dinner. I leave you as well.” “Bye, Twilight”, they all said together before leaving the conversation at the same time. A few minutes later, as she was getting off the stairs in order to meet her family in the wide dining-room, the teenage girl couldn’t help but outlining a smile when she thought about her conversation with her friends. As always, it had been a bit rambling and had brought its load of novelty… And as always, she was marveled to see how in their outlandishness, their funny expressions, their very personal behaviors, she found a precious support, the most beautiful of the encounters she could have made.