About an hour later Twilight now stood in the kitchen helping Spike to clean all the plates from breakfast this morning, however she wasn't really paying all that much attention to the cleaning as she seemed to be more or less distracted at the moment. Looking over to her marefriend with a concerned expression as even though the talk the two of them had had a little while ago did seem to lighten Rainbow Dash's mood a little, it was still quite obvious that the pegasus's mind was continuing to spin with countless thoughts just like before.
Siting at the dining table, while she thought of what just might work for trying to face the pegasi up in Cloudsdale again, after all if she and Twilight were going to bring the two towns to an agreement, than that would mean she would eventually have to go back up there, and even just the sound of that made a cold chill run up her spine. Thinking of possible ways she could go about the situation, but then sighing heavily as they all seemed to end the exact same way with her leaving the floating city and making no progress at all with the plan, meaning that they would be back to where they started yet again.
Twilight looking over to Dash, wishing for there to be some way that she could make all of her marefriend's worries disappear, but at the same time not exactly knowing what she could say or do in order to reassure the pegasus and not have her thinking too much about things that she didn't need to get herself all worked up over right now.
Spike had been trying to get Twilight to keep her focus on what she was currently doing, but she would always go back to gazing at Dash again, and wanting to help her in some way. The young dragon sighing now as he looked to the Princess and knew she was worried about her marefriend right now, but the fact that she also was getting herself worked up because of this wasn't a good thing. Truthfully he had been hoping that that talk the two had would have caused them to both feel better, not worse about all this, as it definitely seemed to have gone that way for them.
Twilight felt like she should say something as she stopped what she was doing and thought of a way that she could maybe reach out to Dash, but just as she was about to walk over to the pegasus and talk to her, they all heard a light knocking at the library door. The sudden noise dragging Dash out of her thoughts for a moment as she looked to where the sound had come from, realizing it was only someone at the door and thinking that she might as well answer it, but ended up being stopped in her tracks as she felt a caring hoof resting on her shoulder, causing her to sit back down in her chair and look to the side of her, her eyes widening upon seeing Twilight now standing beside her and smiling.
"I'll get it, I know you've got a lot to think about right now, so you stay here alright?" the Princess stated as Rainbow dash looked to her with a wondering expression, before she just answered with a nod, and a slight returned smile, knowing that it would probably just be better for her to stay and think some more rather than go and try to talk to whomever might be at the door, while she still had so much going through her mind right now.
Twilight gave her marefriend a small peck on the forehead and a reassuring expression, before going over to the front door to answer it, hoping that she would be able to draw her attention on her visitor, rather then continuing to focus on Dash, although she knew she was going to be thinking about the pegasus still no doubt.
Now walking up to the wooden door, hearing another light knock, and quickly turning the handle with her magic. Answering the door, as her lavender eyes widened upon seeing a very familiar farm pony standing in the doorway, the other mare happily greeting her as she looked to Twilight with a cheerful smile.
"Afternoon Twilight, back from Canterlot I see,"
"Yeah, is there something that you need Applejack?" Twilight asked as she gave a nervous smile to the farm pony, and for now pushed her worries about Dash to the back of her mind, wondering if there was anything in particular that Applejack had come here for, or if she just came to say hello, it seeming to be the latter.
"No, not really, I was just wondering how things had gone with the Royal Princess as all, Rainbow wasn't too nervous about it all, was she?" the farm pony asked seeming like the only reason why she had come to visit was to see if all had gone well with Princess Celestia or not. Which Twilight was quite glad for, since she didn't think she could really try and focus on some other topic when her mind had been stuck on how this morning had gone for her and Dash for hours now.
"Actually she was quite nervous about going to meet Princess Celestia, but once the introductions were all over and done with, Dash and the Princess got on really well, and she was even really accepting when I told her about Dash and I being a couple," Twilight explained thinking that it was hard to believe that not too long ago she was so happy with how this moring had turned out, while now things had taken quite the turn since leaving Canterlot and coming back to the library.
"Well that's good, I was a little worried over how it would go, but am glad that it all turned out just fine," Applejack stated happy that all had gone well for Rainbow Dash, and sighing with relief slightly, as it seemed like she had nothing to be worried about at all, although the look Twilight now had on her face was giving her a little bit of a different impression.
"Yeah...me too,"
Twilight replied in a low voice, her eyes now directed at the ground, and that already weak smile of her's slowly forming into a frown as it was obvious that there was something bothering her. The farm pony raised her eyebrow slightly to the Princess and wondered if maybe things hadn't gone as smoothly as she thought after all. Hoping that whatever was causing the frown on Twilight's lips wasn't something that would be too concerning.
"What's wrong? If it all went so well then what's that face for?" Applejack now gestured to Twilight's frowning expression, wondering what the reason behind it was, and causing the Princess to shake her head and force a smile for a moment, before her face fell back into that same frown again, causing the farm pony to think there really was something wrong with the other mare.
"Well while Dash and I were with Princess Celestia we were also able to tell her about everything we have palnned for trying to bring both Ponyville and Cloudsdale to some sort of agreement so that everypony can get along better. And while that all went well enough, it seemed to have struck a real cord with Dash, especially beacuse she knows that there are going to be those pegasi from her hometown that just won't want to have any part of ending the feud no matter what we may try. And although I did talk to her about how we have to think postively if we are going to actually get through this, and I told her that I was sure we could find a way to get through to all of the peagsi and aim for that better future, it just doesn't seem to have lifted Dash's hopes much at all," Twilight explained her expression now finally showing how she truly felt about the situation she was currently in at the moment, and was beginning to show just how worried about the fact that this was bothering her marefriend so much, wonderding just how she was going to help Dash get through all of this, when truthfully she herself didn't know where to go from here.
"Hey nopony said ending a feud like the one Ponyville and Cloudsdale have got was going to be easy right?" Applejack smiled slightly, seeing that Twilight was in a state of dread and worry for her marefriend, and wanting to see if she could help in any way as she could easily guess just how confused on where to go both Twilight and Rainbow Dash were at this point in time.
"Yeah I know, I just wish there was a way to reassure her that all we're doing isn't for nothing, and there is a way to make things better for both towns. Although right now..." Twilight paused as she looked back to the kitchen and could still see Rainbow Dash sitting at the dining table, lost in thought and felt so helpless as she stood looking to her distressed marefriend with a concerned expression, "...I'm out of ideas. Maybe it's like how Dash said, a future where everypony can live in harmony really does seem too far off from where we are right now," she thought out loud in a low voice sighing heavily and looking down to the ground again, not wanting to give up at all, but also seeing just how impossible the future that she is looking to just may seem from Dash's point of view.
Looking to the Princess with a concerned expression Applejack could tell that Twilight was at a lost for what to do at this point and judging by what Twilight had said, the farm pony guessed that Rainbow Dash was most probably the same. She wanted to know if there was some way she could help since it definitely seemed like the other two mares were in need of it, but wondered just how she was going to help them when the plans that Twilight talked about also seemed near to impossible to her as well. Thinking that she should consult the others about this problem that the two were having, and then just maybe helping to find a solution to it that could cause for things to look a little brighter from here.
....
Deciding to go ahead do just that Applejack later met up with Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Fluttershy at Sugarcube Corner gathering them all together and siting them down to talk about the dilemma that Twilight and Rainbow Dash were dealing with, and maybe see if they had any ideas of their own for how they could all help their two friends out.
"That does sound like quite the difficult situation for them both," Fluttershy stated as the other two nodded in agreement, now understanding just what Twilight and Dash were having trouble with and why they hadn't seen either of them at all today, guessing from the sounds of things that they really did have a lot of their plate at the moment.
"Yeah I was kinda hopin' there was something that y'all could suggest that just might help them, since as Twilight said 'she's out of ideas at this point' and I can imagine that Dash is probably the same right about now," Applejack said obviously wanting to help their two friends with this troubling stiuation that they were in, but not entirely sure how to do just that, hoping that the other three might have some ideas instead.
The other three all thinking for a few moments, going over all that Applejack had told them, and then starting to try and work out a way that they could hopefully help their two friends, wanting to be there for them in their time of need, and maybe find a way for it to seem like what they were both planning wasn't just going to be for nothing in the end.
"Well what it sounds like is Twilight and Rainbow Dash need some motivation to not give up, so maybe we could get some poines from Ponyville to help out and encourage them both to keep trying even though the road ahead looks long from where we are now," Pinkie suggested thinking that if they were able to get enough of the citizens from Ponyville to help out then maybe it would lift both Twilight and Dash's spirits even if just a little so that they could find the will to keep on going, and not give up just yet.
"I don't think that would really do much for them Pinkie," Applejack stated as she shook her head at Pinkie's suggestion and caused the other earth pony to look a little confused to her, not seeing why she would deny her idea so quickly like that.
"Why's that?"
Pinkie asked, pouting slightly as she looked disappointed with the farm pony disagreeing with what she had thought of, and not really seeing why she had said that it wouldn't be of much help to Twilight and Rainbow Dash until Fluttershy now spoke up, and caused all the others to look to her.
"Applejack's right, although your idea isn't a bad one Pinkie, it's very possible that it won't do anything to actually give Twilight and Rainbow Dash much hope since Ponyville has never really been the problem, in fact most of the ponies from here do want to make peace with Cloudsdale so that we can all live happily again. But it's the pegasi up in the city above that wouldn't be all that willing to go through with a plan like this," Fluttershy explained remembering how some of the pegasi were before she decided to leave and move to Ponyville, and knowing that Dash was completely right when talking about how some of them just wouldn't agree to this kind of plan at all.
"Then do you think there's a way that somepony could go to Cloudsdale instead?" Pinkie asked, feeling that there was most certainly a way to slove this problem and help Twilight and Dash to get through it, it would maybe just take a little more thought added into it as all.
"Maybe that could work..." Applejack thought out loud as Pinkie's idea did seem like it maybe could turn out to be helpful to their two friends, but there was no guarantee that it was certain to work for them.
"But who would go? It can't be either Twilight or Rainbow Dash since it wouldn't be a good idea for one of them to go and talk to the pegasi of Cloudsdale at the moment," Rarity questioned, pointing out that although this idea of Pinkie's could show to be a helpful one, there was just the question of who would carry it out, and since neither Dash nor the Princess would be able to do it, they would just have to find some other pegasus who would be willing to go up to the floating city above and try and talk to some of the residents up there instead.
Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity all thinking for a minute on who they could send to fulfil this task, while Fluttershy widened her eyes, as an idea formed in her mind, speaking up in a nervous voice, while she caught the attention of the other three almost instantly.
"You know, I could go up there and try and talk to them?" she suggested, feeling nervous and a little uneasy about going back to her hometown again when she hadn't been there in so long now, but believing that she could pudh through and do it for Twilight and Rainbow Dash. The others all looking back to the pegasus with slightly surprised expressions, not thinking that Fluttershy would ever want to go back to Cloudsdale once she had left when the feud started between the two towns, but then she wasn't going to be doing this for herself after all, she would be doing it in order to help out their two friends.
"Are you sure you'll be okay with going back up there Fluttershy?" Rarity asked, now feeling a little concerned for Fluttershy, as were Applejack and Pinkie, wondering if it was really okay for them to let the pegasus do this for them when she did't really have to if she wasn't comfortable with it.
Fluttershy just smiled slightly as she glanced away from the others for a moment, "I'll admit the thought of going back up there again is making me a little anxious, but in a way I'm the best choice to do this. It wouldn't be a good idea for Twilight and Rainbow Dash to go up there right now, and it might turn out to be quite difficult to find some other pegasus that would actually be willing to not only go up to Cloudsdale, but also talk to some of the pegasi living there. So having me go up there would make things much simpler for us all, plus I really do want to help Twilight and Rainbow Dash in any way that I can," Fluttershy explained, it being true that she was a little weary of this task she had just set for herself, but was willing to go through with it if it would help Twilight and Dash.
The other three all looked to each other for a moment, unsure of how this would go for the pegasus, but could also see how Fluttershy was right in saying that she was the best choice for this task, plus it was true that it would make things a lot easier for them all, however that fact didn't stop them from still being a little worried over how their normally very shy and nervous friend would handle this sort of situation.
"If you're sure about this- Applejack started just to make sure that Fluttershy really did want to go through with this, before she was soon got cut off by the pegasus.
"I am," Fluttershy stated now looking to the other three with a determined expression, pushing all the anxiety she felt to the back of her mind, and trying to keep herself from thinking about those thoughts that just might make her back out of this idea too much, that being something she refused to let herself do.
The others all sharing another glance for a moment, as they all saw how determined the pegasus was about this, and now all of them sighed a little, before nodding to Fluttershy and wishing her luck agreeing to let her go through with her suggestion, and causing her to now smile to them all and nod in return, feeling confident that this plan could actually have a chance of working, certain that she would give it her best, in order to give Twilight and Dash the help they needed so that the better future that they were aiming for wouldn't seem so impossible to get to anymore.
....
Fluttershy soon being able to get to Cloudsdale quite quickly without much problem at all, as she now calmly hovered over the entrance to the floating city, looking past all the cloud houses and seeing many pegasi going about their everyday lives, most likely running errands, going to or from their jobs amongst many other things they could have planned for their day. Seeing little fillies and colts happily playing and flying together, thinking how weird this feud between the two towns must seem to them, after all it's not like they would know all that much about how it happened or what the reasons for it all were.
Taking in a deep breath Fluttershy nodded to herself and flew towards the entrance, still feeling a little anxious about all this, but knowing that there was no turning back for her now she was already here after all, so the only direction fo her to go was straight ahead, and not even think about backing out of this.
'Here goes nothing I guess,' she thought, reassuring herself that she could do this, as she slowly flew into the city, looking around at all the pegasi, and wondering if any of them would recognise her at all, but it wouldn't surprise her if no one did after all she wasn't all that popular when she did live here, in fact Rainbow Dash was one of her only very few friends, since she had always seen herself as someone who never really fitted in with the other pegasi in her hometown.
Most of the pegasi in the city not taking any notice or really seeming to see Fluttershy at all, as she slowly glided through the streets, wondering just where she should start, and who she should talk to, figuring that it wouldn't be all good of an idea to just walk up to some random pegasus and try to talk to them, but then it's not like one of the pegasi would come up to her at all. Or at least that's what she thought.
But as she was wondering about just who she was actually going to talk to now that she was here, and what she would say to them, a pegasus now approached her, flying over and calling out, while pulling her out of her thoughts, and being able to catch her attention successfully.
"Hey, you're friends with Rainbow Dash right?" the pegasus asked as they now were standing in front of Fluttershy, causing her to stop in her tracks as she just stopped hovering and landed on the cloud that the other pegasus was standing on. Looking left and right for a moment, making sure that she was definitely the one that the pegasus had called to, before she looked back and nodded now.
"Y-yes, I'm Fluttershy, do you know Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked as she looked to the turquoise coloured mare smiling to her kindly and greeting her politely, seeming welcoming enough. Looking her up and down and not recognising her at all, the golden blonde mane that was combed back, the golden eyes to match, and the lightning bolt cuite mark, none of it seemed familiar to her, feeling a little unsure if that was a good or bad thing.
"I'm so glad that I'm able to finally meet you," the turquoise mare stated seeming like she was truly greatful over the fact that she was talking to Fluttershy right now, and causing the pegasus to look back to her with a slightly confused expression, wondering just why this pegasus who she was certain she had never met before looked so happy to see her at the moment.
....
Meanwhile back at the Golden Oak library Twilight had made a late lunch for her, Spike and Rainbow Dash, the three of them now siting down to eat together at the dining table, however none of them really focusing on their food as Dash pushed her food around her plate with her fork, still obviously having her mind preoccupied with other things at the moment, while Twilight and Spike were still feeling concerned for the pegasus and wanting to help her out, but not really knowing how they could. This silence killing the Princess as she desperately wished for there to be some way for her to reach out to her marefriend and cheer her up if only a little and just as she was wishing for what could only be described as a miracle at this point they all heard a light knocking at the door.
Dash being pulled out of her thoughts for a moment as she looked to the front door, not even bothering to get up this time, as she knew she wouldn't be any good to anyone with the way she was right now, but not being able to help it as she couldn't see a way to stop thinking about how things just might not work out in their favour anymore and the more she thought about it, the more it seemed that all this seemed almost impossibe for her to get through.
"I'll get it,"
Twilight stated with a slight smile to Dash, the pegasus just nodding to her nervously, and sighed a little when she looked to the Princess's smile, watching her leave the table and go to answer the door, knowing that her marefriend wanted to try and make her feel better, but honestly not seeing how she could right now, and so just continued to push her food around her plate while Spike looked on with that same concerned expression on his face for the cyan pegasus.
Twilight answering the door while her mind was still on what her marefriend was dealing with at the moment, but shaking her head and forcing a smile to her visitor, pushing all her thoughts and worries to the back of her mind for now. Opening the door, greeting her guest and was a little surprised to see a very familiar pegasus standing there, and smiling to her.
"Fluttershy, what are you doing here?" the Princess asked, smiling to the pegasus and greeting her kindly, however only getting a question in reply from Fluttershy.
"Good afternoon Twilight. Do you think you could tell Rainbow Dash to come here for a moment?" Fluttershy asked with a bright smile on her lips, certainly seeming to be in a good mood right now, and causing Twilight to seem a little interested as to why the pegasus seemed to be in such high spirits, guessing that something good had happened to her just recently.
"Umm...I'm sorry Fluttershy but I don't think Dash will- Twilight was slightly taken aback by Fluttershy's beaming smile at first, but soon collected herself and her forced smile formed in to a slight frown now, glancing down to the ground and doubting that Dash would want to talk to anyone right now, however was cut off by the pegasus standing in front of her before she could really start to answer her.
"Please...I...I have a pegasus from Cloudsdale here with me, she's interested in your plans for ending the feud between the two towns, and wants to hear more about it," Fluttershy explained in quite a rushed voice getting right to the point so that Twilight would be more likely to go and fetch Rainbow Dash, rather than just refusing to do so like she was going to originally do, and hoping that the Princess and Dash would be willing to talk to the pegasus that she had brought along with her from Cloudsdale, believing that it would lighten their somber moods a little.
Twilight now looked surprised again as she was not expecting Fluttershy to say anything like that, looking to the turquoise peagsus that stood behind her friend, having not noticed that they were there until Fluttershy had mentioned it and brought them to her attention. Fluttershy stepping aside and gesturing to the pegasus standing beside her, as the blonde mare simply smiled and politely bowed to the Princess causing Twilight to raise her eyebrow and seem a little sceptical, while the unfamiliar pegasus simply greeted her kindly in return.
"It is such an honor to meet you, Princess Twilight"
The turquoise pegasus greeted Twilight with a kind smile, raising her head a little, while the Princess wasn't sure how she should react to all of this suddenly happening to her, wondering just what she should say to this mystery pegasus from Cloudsdale who had just shown up on her doorstep and apparently was interested in what she and Rainbow Dash had been planning for the two towns, being at a loss for words for a few moments as she just continued to stand speechless while the other mare just smiled back to her still.