I settled the teacup back down, glancing over at the Pegasus. "I have something I wanted to ask you," I said, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks. "A little over two weeks ago, somepony covered me up in the grove just a little ways from here. It was you, wasn't it?"
The shy pony ducked her head and let one of the long locks of pink mane slide down to hide an eye. "Yes," she whispered. "I hope you didn't mind."
I smiled. "Of course not," I said, glancing over at my pack and drawing the folded blanket from its depths. "I actually rather appreciated it. I just wanted to know something."
"Oh?"
"Why didn't you just wake me up instead of covering me and protecting me from the rain?" I glanced away. "I'm sure that would have been easier on you."
"Oh, it wasn't any trouble," she whispered. "The rain had let up for the time being but Dash said there might be a few more showers that night." She turned away slightly, hiding behind her teacup. "As for why I didn't wake you up, well," she blushed furiously. "You looked peaceful in that moment, despite the tears on your muzzle. I didn't want to disturb that peace."
"I wouldn't say I was at peace," I said, settling the blanket next to her. "Anyway, this is yours. I should have returned it sooner."
"It's ok," she said. "You can keep it if you want to."
I blinked for a moment. "Are you sure? I don't want to take something you might need later."
"You needed it more than I did, Sunset," she said, turning towards me. "And maybe it will help you over that bit of self-doubt you have. I heard what some of the townponies have been saying."
I frowned. I haven't been able to pass through the main part of town without at least one whispered conversation concerning me starting, and though I had been back three months now I couldn't teleport very far yet. I was so far out of practice with Equestrian magic that I was almost starting out from scratch again.
"I can handle it," I said as I rubbed one foreleg. "It isn't like it's the first time I've been through it."
"You shouldn't have to," she said firmly. "I've seen everything the papers printed and they didn't talk to you in it at all. They could have at least asked Twilight for information like when Starlight moved in."
I chuckled ruefully. "Sadly, the by-line of the article is a filly that I took classes with when I was a private student of Princess Celestia," I closed my eyes. "Not all of her attempts to keep it a secret were successful, it seems."
"Still though," Fluttershy started again.
"It's ok, 'Shy," I said, picking up my teacup again. "Let's not let this spoil our tea, ok? It'll be fine and everything will blow over in a few weeks."
She refilled her cup and picked it up again, but she didn't seem placated. "Why go it alone, though?" she asked.
The rest of the tea was silent but for the tweeting of the birds.