//------------------------------// // Reintroductions // Story: Little Memories // by Skijarama //------------------------------//     The smell of a hearty breakfast only grew more potent as Twilight descended the steps, and her mouth watered in anticipation. Whatever Spike was cooking, it made her stomach rumble. As she stepped out into the central room of the library, she took a moment to sweep her eyes across it and take in the details. Compared to when she had gone to bed last night, the room was practically shimmering. There wasn’t a speck of dust or dirt, and everything they had pulled out had been neatly put back in its place. Spike must have cleaned up, she figured before heading towards the kitchen and dining room off to the side.     It was more or less the same as the living room, she noted, albeit more rectangular in shape and without recesses in the walls for books. Instead, a long wooden counter was carved into one of the walls, including an assortment of appliances for cooking, most notably a stove, which Spike now stood at. Cabinets hung above the counter, each one presumably stocked with ingredients, spices, and cutlery. Against the far wall was a long dining table with rounded corners, bordered by five chairs.     Twilight’s attention was drawn back to the counter by a pleased exclamation from Spike. He was working diligently at the stove and, having noticed her arrival, was now looking back at her with a friendly smile. “Good morning, Twilight. I see you’re up bright and early,” he commented in a teasing voice.     Twilight tilted her head for a moment before catching on to the fact that he was being facetious. She let out a small snort and walked closer to him, her gaze affixed onto the frying pan he was working with. “Good morning, Spike. What are you making?” she asked, her eyes shimmering a little in anticipation. Much to her dismay, however, Spike shifted his body so that he blocked her view of the pan, giving her a cheeky little grin.     “Sorry, but you don’t get to see your breakfast until it’s ready to be served. It’s bad luck to see it before it’s time to eat, you know,” he taunted lightly before nodding at the table. “Go ahead and have a seat. It’s almost ready, so you won’t have to wait for long.”     Twilight stared at him for several seconds before relenting and heading for the table. Once she was settled, she took a moment to look out the window next to the table. The small section of Ponyville she could see from here was unquestionably very charming, and she couldn’t help but smile as a few ponies cantered by, happily chatting to one another with friendly smiles. Once they passed out of Twilight’s field of view, though, her own smile fell away. Thankfully, Spike was true to his word, and she didn’t have to wait for very long. It only took a minute for Spike to hop down from the stool he had been using to operate the stove, a plate held in his claws. He wore a smug smile as he walked up to the table and deposited the dish in front of Twilight with a slight fanciful flourish, allowing her to see what he had made for her.     Woah.     It looked delicious! There was a mound of hashbrowns occupying one corner, which had been cooked until they had just started to turn brown and crispy. The plate was lined with a circle of thin apple slices, each one rotated just right to maintain a clear and almost hypnotic pattern. A collection of buttered biscuits were huddled in the corner opposite of the hashbrowns. The smell made it clear that Spike had added some sauces or seasonings or something, and Twilight’s mouth was having a hard time containing its saliva. She swallowed heavily and looked at Spike with wide eyes and a gaping jaw. “This… is for me?” she asked, her wings ruffling on her back.     Spike chuckled and nodded. “Yup. If this is the first of my breakfasts you remember, I figured it’d be a good idea to make it extra special,” he explained before hopping up and sitting down in the chair across from her.     Twilight mouthed like a fish for a moment, struggling to find her words. Finally, all she could get out was a weak and amazed “Thank you.” Spike shook his head and waved a claw dismissively. “Ah, don’t worry about it. It’s the least I can do for you. So have at it, Twi! Eat up!”     Twilight looked down at the dish and hesitated for a moment longer. Another growl from her stomach ended her procrastination, and she eagerly followed Spike’s instructions. She lifted up the silverware he had brought with the plate and dove in, happily consuming the meal with great enthusiasm. She had not thought it was possible for the food to taste better than it smelled, but boy oh boy was she proven wrong! Her mouth was flooded with delightful sensation after delightful sensation, and she had to resist the urge to start growling like a hungry beast.     Spike started chuckling, despite his best efforts to contain his mirth. Twilight gave him a questioning glance between apple slices, prompting him to calm himself and clear his throat. “Oh, sorry. I’m just not used to seeing you eat like this unless it’s hayburgers. You go kinda wild whenever I make those,” he explained happily before reclining in his seat. “I guess that means you like it?”     “I love it! What’s the recipe? You have got to teach me!” Twilight replied before stuffing another slice of apple into her mouth and savoring the crunch and the rush of sweet juices.     Spike shook his head tauntingly. “Ah, but you see, just as a master magician never reveals his secrets, I will never reveal to you the recipes that I use to make you smile like that,” he explained before poking Twilight on the nose. “Otherwise you’ll make them every day, and it’ll stop being so special.”     “That, and Twilight would burn down the library if we let her cook” Rainbow’s voice suddenly cut through the air, drawing both of their attention. She had just stepped in through the doorway, watching Twilight eat with a pleased smile. “Having fun there?”     Twilight pouted at that, fearing already that this would be the start of a running joke. Looking at Rainbow, though, her thoughts fled from her indignation to instead ponder Rainbow’s appearance. She hadn’t really noticed it in the past, but her eyes were drawn to how Rainbow’s mane was now tied in a ponytail near the end with a thick blue band. It was a very noteworthy change from when Rainbow had woken her up, letting her mane hang limply in a series of wild spikes. Now, though, bound as it was, it hung over one of her shoulders. Looking at her, Twilight noted that she seemed to have groomed her entire body during her time in the bathroom, making her appear far more composed and organized.     “And regal,” she thought, remembering that Rainbow Dash was a princess of Equestria. It was still a hard connection for her to make, mentally. When Twilight thought of Celestia, Luna, or Cadance, all of whom she had only had limited interactions with, she thought of tall and towering alicorns with a presence that commanded respect, attention, and a feeling of safety. Well, that was how it had been with Celestia, at least. Luna had been… decidedly more cool during their brief interactions back in the empire. Cadance exuded a similar aura to Celestia, if a bit less imposing. But Rainbow Dash was anything but regal, from what Twilight had seen. For one thing, she was just a pegasus. She spoke casually and with a healthy dose of snark and sarcasm; she carried herself with an air of relaxation instead of authority. When around her, Twilight didn’t feel the need to be respectful or careful like she had with the other princesses. She just felt… calm. “Uh, Twi? You’re staring,” Rainbow pointed out awkwardly, making Twilight snap out of her reverie. “Oh, sorry! I was  just…” Twilight blurted before stuffing a biscuit in her mouth so she wouldn’t have to keep talking. This got Rainbow and Spike to burst into a fit of chuckles. After a moment, though, Rainbow sobered up and came closer to the table. “Well, go ahead and finish eating, okay? Everypony’s gonna be waiting on us over at Sugarcube Corner.” Twilight swallowed her latest mouthful of biscuit and glanced sideways at Rainbow Dash. Her ears fell a little bit. “R-right. Um… that’s where, uh, ‘Pinkie Pie’ lives, right?” she asked, hesitating on the name. Rainbow’s face flinched at the reminder of Twilight’s condition, but she gave a nod all the same. “Yeah. She lives there and works there. Seemed like as good a place as any. We all have a few pretty good memories of the place, so, you know…” she trailed off and shook her head. Twilight looked down into her plate and at what little food remained. She took a breath and let it out in a quiet sigh, her energy having been diminished along with the mood. She momentarily retreated into the safety of her thoughts to chastise herself for ruining what had otherwise been a lovely moment but was snapped out of it when Spike clapped a claw against her shoulder. His face lit up and he beamed at her in reassurance. “Hey, don’t look like that. C’mon, chin up, jaw open, food in the belly!” he urged while gesturing at the plate. Twilight gave a nod, and she did have to admit that his energy was a little contagious. Looking down into her food, she set about finishing it off, all with Rainbow quietly watching from a short ways away.     A short while later, her breakfast was consumed, and her belly was satisfied. Now she stood in the living room, in front of the door that would take her out of the library and into Ponyville. Now that she was preparing to go through it, it looked a lot more imposing than she first thought. In fact, she was downright intimidated. Through those doors was an entire town of ponies who probably knew more about her than she did. Rainbow Dash, who stood to Twilight’s left, noticed her trepidation and gave her a gentle nudge in the side with her elbow. “Ease up, Twilight. You’re going to be fine,” the pegasus said in a soothing voice before nodding at Spike. “Now let’s go. Our friends are waiting.” Spike threw a smart salute, then made his way for the door. Twilight watched him go, then took a deep breath when his claw found the handle. As the door opened, a rush of warm summer air came in through the frame, washing over Twilight’s face and chest, carrying with it the fresh smell of the outdoors. Already, some of Twilight’s trepidation was melting away, and she took in a long, deep breath. Rainbow smiled sideways at seeing her relax, then made her way out the door first. She looked over her shoulder at Twilight as she went. “I’ll lead the way. Come on,” she called before slipping outside. Twilight hesitated for a moment, one last vestige of uncertainty bubbling up inside of her. She gulped heavily and slowly followed Rainbow out the door. Spike followed after her, closing and locking the door behind them. With her hooves on the grass, Twilight took a moment to take in the sight of the village. It was even more charming than it had been in the fading glow of the sunset or through the dining room window, and she found the sight was enough to set her at ease. The quaint homes were almost never more than two stories tall, and each one, while similar in architectural style, was still uniquely personalized by the ponies who lived there. And speaking of ponies, Twilight’s eyes were drawn to the streets ahead. She could see several ponies going about their day, many of them giving respectful nods of their heads to Rainbow Dash as they passed. More than one of the passing ponies glanced at Twilight, though, and she shrank back a little at the look in their eyes. Confusion. Shock.     Curiosity. Sympathy… Her wings ruffled on her back, and she had to swallow a lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. After a moment, though, she felt Spike’s claw on her shoulder. She looked down and saw him giving her an encouraging look. “It’s okay, Twilight,” he said softly before lightly pushing her to follow Rainbow, who was now looking back at them, patiently waiting. “R-right… sorry,” she mumbled before cantering to catch up to Rainbow Dash. Once she was next to the Pegasus, they walked side-by-side through the streets, presumably heading for Sugarcube Corner. They were quiet at first, with Twilight looking around and just… taking it all in. Eventually, they passed into a square with a bunch of tents and stalls set up, each one with a pony calling out to passersby in an effort to sell something. Again, though, many of the ponies were looking at her. Specifically, at her wings. Twilight did her best to ignore them and stay close to Rainbow Dash, but it was easier said than done. Leaving alone the fact that, being an alicorn, she was quite the oddity here, she couldn’t help but wonder... how many of these ponies did she used to know? How many might one day trot up to her and ask if she remembered them, only for her to have to let them down? “You’re being awfully quiet,” Rainbow noted after a while, drawing Twilight out of her depressing thoughts. “Am I?” she asked in response. Rainbow nodded, and the two slowed to a halt in the middle of the square to face each other. Rainbow looked Twilight up and down in concern, shifting closer to get a better look. “I kinda figured you’d be asking a lot of questions, you know? This is a busy spot in town, and there’s a lot to look at.” Twilight hesitated, sagged, and looked around, her expression solemn. “Sorry, but… I guess that’s the problem. I just don’t know what to ask about. There are just so many things and ponies out here that…” she shuffled on her hooves and looked down as if she were ashamed. “I’m feeling a little overwhelmed right now, to be honest.” Rainbow’s expression softened considerably. “Ah, I gotcha…” she said apologetically before looking around. “Uh, well… this is the Ponyville Marketplace; pretty sure you got that just from all of the ponies selling stuff.” “Yeah, I got that,” Twilight nodded before turning and looking around again. The two were quiet for several moments, with Rainbow fishing for something she could say, or some suggestion she could make. Spike looked between the two of them, his expression becoming more strained. But then, an idea came to him. His face lit up, and he tugged on Twilight’s mane to get her attention. “How about this: Let’s go see the girls, and together we can all go on one big tour of the town! They all have their own favorite spots, and we can go around and see them all, and they can tell you all about them!” He suggested with a hopeful smile while throwing his arms open. Twilight looked down at him for several long seconds, processing the idea. It sounded as good as any and running through it in her mind, it actually made more sense than just pointing at something and asking about it. There would be some clear direction, and so she smiled and nodded. “You know, I think that’s actually a pretty good idea. It’ll be a great start, at least,” she agreed before glancing back at Rainbow. “Although, if we’re lucky, this visit with our friends will jog my memory.” Rainbow visibly winced the moment Twilight said that but was quick to shove down any discontent she was putting on display. “We can hope. Good suggestion, Spike.” “Eh, I can be useful sometimes,” he replied with a toothy grin before the trio pressed on. If nothing else, Twilight thought, Spike’s idea was a good one, and it gave her something to look forward to. A reintroduction to her home, her ‘friends,’ and if all went well, a prime opportunity to feel comfortable calling them that again. But still… even with that spark of motivation and optimism, she couldn’t get rid of the feelings of shame that filled her heart and soul whenever somepony they passed stopped what they were doing to stare at her with a recognition that, try as she might, she could not return.     “Uuuugh, I’m booooooored!” Pinkie Pie wined from her place by the second-floor window of Sugarcube Corner. The decidedly poofy earth pony spun around on her posterior to look at all of the other ponies in the room with her. “They should have been here by now. Do you think they got lost? No, probably not. I know Rainbow Dash could never get lost in Ponyville. She knows this place like the back of her hoof, although now that I think about it, Rainbow’s hoof doesn’t quite look the same, since Chrysalis bit it and left a nasty scar. She did leave a scar, right? I dunno, I never actually looked. I just assumed because she and Twilight were a thing and mares totally love scars so-”     “Pinkie Pie,” Rarity cut her off from her spot near the stairs with a flat look and a dry voice. “You are rambling.”     “Again,” Applejack, who was leaning against one of the walls with her hat lowered over her eyes, added with a huff. “Yer anxious, we get it, but can ya try an’ tone it down a bit? Ramblin’ like that ain’t helpin’.”     “Oh, right! Sorry,” Pinkie apologized before looking out the window again. The silence came back, weighing heavily down on all of them. It had been like this ever since they had gathered. Brief moments of conversation would briefly disturb an otherwise perpetual silence. They had all had a few days to cope with the news, of course. Rainbow had had Spike send them all a letter explaining Twilight’s condition the after she learned about it.     Each of them had handled it in their own way, some better than others. Of course, of the group, there was one mare who took it all far worse than the rest. The yellow pegasus in question was currently resting on top of Pinkie’s bed, her face all but hidden by both, her long pink mane and equally long tail. She had practically wrapped herself up in a cocoon of hair and had contributed almost nothing to the conversation.     Finally, Rarity could stand her silence no longer. Rarity abandoned her post by the stairs to gingerly approach Fluttershy, looking worried. “Fluttershy?” she called like she might to a small, frightened animal. The word was enough to draw the forlorn gaze of the despondent mare in question. “How are you holding up, darling? You’ve been… much quieter than usual.” As Rarity spoke, she settled down onto her haunches by the bed and reached a hoof out to Fluttershy’s shoulder.     Fluttershy gave a slow nod and an appreciative smile, though it was clearly forced. “Oh, um, yes, I’m okay. I’m just… thinking…” she said before her smile fell away, once again replaced by a somber look.     Rarity tilted her head. “May I ask what about?” she ventured, though she had the feeling she already knew.     “Ah don’t think ya need to ask, Rarity,” Applejack confirmed, her eyes fixated on Fluttershy. “Ah think she’s thinkin’ about the same thing the rest of us are.”     There were several seconds of silence before Fluttershy gave a slow nod and a weak sigh. “Do you think she’ll remember us when she sees us?” she asked in a quivering voice. “Will we jog her memory?”     It was like a pin had dropped. Everypony winced, and even Pinkie Pie’s slightly cheerful demeanor became forlorn in an instant. Nopony spoke or moved. Eventually, Applejack left her spot by the wall and went over to join Rarity by Fluttershy’s side. “Ah dunno, sugarcube… Ah hope so, but Ah’m tryin’ not to get mah hopes too high.” she slowly said.     “Oh… right…” Fluttershy mumbled before resting her chin on her forehooves again. “Okay…”     Several seconds of silence came and went, nopony quite sure what to say. Thankfully, Pinkie got an idea. She turned away from the window and shuffled back over to the group, still managing to smile in an attempt to cheer up everyone else. “Don’t worry. Even if Twilight doesn’t remember us, she’s still our friend, and we’re still her friends! And do you wanna know what the best thing we can do for her is?” she asked, her voice sounding almost playful.     Applejack gave her a questioning glance and a raised eyebrow. “Uh… Ah get the feelin’ yer gonna tell us.”     Pinkie grinned. She then reached into her mane and yanked out a water pistol. “We make her the super-duper special guest of honor in the ‘Welcome Back to Ponyville’ party that I promised Rainbow Dash I would throw for them!” she declared before pulling the trigger on her water pistol, causing a stream of confetti to fly out of the barrel and into Applejack’s face alongside the buzzing of a kazoo.     Applejack’s expression flattened when Pinkie was done and shook her head wildly to get rid of all of the confetti. Rarity rolled her eyes in amusement, while Fluttershy finally managed to wear a genuine smile. She giggled quietly, amused by Pinkie’s antics, then nodded to agree with her. “I’m sure it will be wonderful, and I’m sure they will both love it. You’ve had it all set up since we got home, haven’t you?”     “Oh, I dread to think…” Rarity mumbled under her breath with fake dread.     Pinkie Pie snorted. “Pfft! Oh, puh-lease! I’ve had it set up since before we left! All we need to do is schedule a time and a place!”     Fluttershy tilted her head in confusion. “You’ve had it set up since… Um… how?”     Pinkie Pie’s eyes suddenly narrowed, rapidly shifting left and right. She then leaned in close to Fluttershy as if to tell her some huge secret. Fluttershy shifted a little closer and perked up her ear, curious.     “Ha. ha. Please.”     Applejack slammed a hoof into her face. “C’mon, Pinkie, ya can’t rely on that one sentence to explain everythin’.” she groaned out in mild exasperation. Pinkie just rolled her eyes and reached out a hoof to poke Applejack on the tip of the nose.     “Sure I can!” she shot back. “It’s not my fault you all can’t understa- oh, woah!” she suddenly stopped mid-sentence to let out an exclamation of surprise. Her ears flopped down over her eyes, her eyes fluttered, and one of her knee’s twitched erratically as if someone had stuck it with a cattle prod. She looked down at herself, then back up at everypony else with a smile. “I think they’re here.”     As if on cue, there was the sound of a door slamming open downstairs, followed by the voice of Rainbow Dash calling out. “Hey, we’re here!”     “Pinkie sense?” Applejack asked.     “Uh huh.”     “I figured as much,” Rarity nodded along.     Fluttershy quickly got to her hooves, joining the others in heading for the stairs, eager and ready to find her two foalhood friends and welcome them home.     The front room of Sugarcube Corner was surprisingly empty. In fact, it was as if the place was closed. Were it not for the lights being on and the door opening with no fuss, Twilight would have assumed it was closed. Rainbow was currently hovering a few feet in the air and looking around in confusion. “Huh… where are they?” she wondered out loud.     “Maybe they’re upstairs?” Spike suggested.     “Maybe…” Rainbow muttered before falling back to her hooves and glancing at Twilight. The alicorn was presently looking around the room with a curious and searching gaze, slowly trotting up to the counter and glass displays.     “So… judging by the name of the place, the smell of cookies and cupcakes, and all of the pastries and baked goods on display here in the front… I’m going to assume that this is a bakery,” Twilight deduced before looking back at Rainbow with a small smile. “Am I right?”     “Spot on,” Rainbow replied happily while trotting up next to Twilight. She looked down into the display herself and gave an impressed whistle. “Heh… looks like Pinkie’s been busy…”     “She must be a pretty good baker. It smells wonderful in here,” Twilight mused thoughtfully, her mouth already starting to water again. She glanced over a Rainbow with a question in her eyes. “You told me last night that she’s the ‘odd’ one of the group.”     “‘Odd’ is putting it mildly,” Spike added in with an amused huff, crossing his arms over his chest. “That mare can break the laws of physics.”     “I think you’re probably exaggerating,” Twilight replied skeptically while giving Spike a sideways glance. “I mean, we all have to follow the same laws. Reality wouldn’t work if we-”     “WOAH!” There was suddenly a loud crash and a high-pitched shriek from behind them, prompting the two ponies and one dragon to spin around and face the source of the commotion. There, laying in the middle of the floor with a disgruntled expression, was a pink earth pony mare with a slightly darker pink mane and tail. Her eyes were a bright sky blue, and her cutie mark was of three party balloons. She pouted up at Twilight in disappointment. “Aaaaw, why did you have to remind me about the laws? Now I have to follow them for, like, ten minutes!” “I… what?” Twilight asked out loud, confused. Her gaze then drifted up past her and to the rest of the group. She recognized them from the photo album, looking back at her and Rainbow with hopeful expressions, seemingly unphased by Pinkie Pie’s odd statement. Rarity, Applejack, and… Fluttershy. She looked at the yellow pegasus in particular for several seconds before Pinkie picked herself back up. The two groups just looked at each other, and all eyes were on Twilight. She looked back and forth between them all and shrank down beneath their gazes. “Uhm… uh… h-hello,” she eventually stammered out before taking a step forward. “Uh… you’re all my… friends, right?” she finally asked, her ears drooping. “Yeah, we are,” Applejack confirmed quietly before stepping forward. “Ah imagine Rainbow’s already told ya all about us, but Ah’m gonna introduce myself anyway. My name’s Applejack. It’s…” her face grew into a warm, if strained smile. “It’s a pleasure to see ya again, Twilight.” “Right… uhm… it’s nice to meet you,” Twilight said hesitantly, though her heart withered in her chest when she saw the hurt look in their eyes when she said that. She shrugged it off for now, though, and turned to Pinkie Pie. “And you’re Pinkie Pie, right? The baker and odd one?” Pinkie Pie nodded and bounced up to Twilight, throwing her forelegs around her in a tight hug, eliciting a startled squeak from her. “Yupperooni, that’s me! Pinkie Pie, the local party planner, and baker!” she declared before leaning back and giving Twilight a more gentle smile. “I’m really, really glad that you’re okay, Twilight.” Next was Rarity, who stepped forward to give a small curtsy. “So are we all. You were hurt pretty badly… And I’m sure Rainbow mentioned me,” she said, shooting Rainbow a pointed look. “Yeah, and so did Spike,” Twilight replied, though she tilted her head in confusion. “They had… strangely different descriptions of you, though.” “Oh? How so?” Rarity asked, glancing at the now furiously blushing drake with a knowing look. “Well, Rainbow described you as ‘the frilly one,’ - although her tone suggested that she thinks it’s endearing,” Twilight explained, oblivious to Spike’s frantic gesturing. “But Spike described you as the most beautif- ACK!” She was cut off mid-sentence when Spike slapped her on the shoulder and then reached up to grab her chin when she turned to glare at him. He then pointed her face at Fluttershy and pointed his other claw at her for emphasis. “Hey, there’s Fluttershy, go say hi to her!” He said way too quickly to be believable. Twilight tore her chin out of his claws and blinked down at him, confused by his outburst, then at Rainbow Dash for an explanation. She just shrugged and nodded for Twilight to carry on. Still a little confused, Twilight turned her attention to the one mare who had yet to step forward. The others slowly moved aside, allowing Twilight to make her approach. Fluttershy looked back at her with an expression of apprehension. Her bright yellow hooves toyed with a lock of her mane, and she stayed rooted in place. Most of her face was hidden behind her long pink mane, save for one eye that peeked out hesitantly. “Um… hello, Twilight…” she whispered. “Do you… remember me?” Twilight came to a stop a few feet away from Fluttershy and gave a slow, apologetic shake of her head. “No, I don’t… I’m sorry,” she said quietly before looking down. “I know we were close… Rainbow and Spike’s stories, and the photos made that pretty clear, but…” “Were?” Applejack asked doubtfully, trotting up to Twilight’s side and giving her a warm smile. “Twi, ya might not remember it right now, but we are close, not were.” “Yeah, she’s right! You just need a little time to figure out how good friends we are!” Pinkie chirped, bouncing up to Twilight’s other side with a wide grin. “And I plan to throw you and Rainbow and Spike a fantabulous welcome home party at some point in the near future! I just need the perfect time!” “You may not remember us as your friends, Twilight,” Rarity added, circling around the group to be next to Fluttershy, a more reserved smile on her face. “But we know you as ours. Nothing, not even a little case of amnesia, will ever change that.” Fluttershy nodded along, her face slowly revealing itself from her mane. She finally seemed to gain her courage, as once Rarity finished speaking, she stepped forwards and drew Twilight into a hug. Twilight tensed at first from the unfamiliar contact but was soon able to relax in it. “I’m just so glad you’re back home, Twilight…” Fluttershy uttered in barely even a whisper, shaking softly. Fluttershy didn’t say anything else, instead opting to tighten her embrace and hold Twilight close. Finally, after several seconds, Twilight returned the embrace, sitting down on her haunches to do so. She was hesitant, but nonetheless, she could feel Fluttershy relaxing in her hooves. The newfound silence was broken by Pinkie clearing her throat. “So… group hug?” she questioned eagerly. Twilight looked at all of them, one by one. She didn’t know them… and the prospect of so many ponies that were all but strangers to her huddled around her all at once made her feel more than a little uneasy. But they knew her as their friend, and their friend would want that group hug. “If I’m going to be their friend…” she thought before offering a small smile and a nod. “Sure. Group hug.” Pinkie didn’t need to hear any more than that. She shot right over to them and wrapped her forelegs around both of them. Rarity joined in, then Applejack, and soon, every single pony and dragon in the room was entangled together in the center of sugarcube corner, surrounding Twilight with their warmth, their smiles, their friendship... Twilight had to admit… it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be.