//------------------------------//
// Part 6: A sisterhood of books. 
// Story: Harmony Unfurled 
// by Saturni_Rose 
//------------------------------//

“And so I said ‘Stinger? I hardly know her!’” There came no applause. No laughter. Pinkie was displeased. “Listen, they can’t all be gold, okay?” 
Fluttershy simply shrugged, not sure what to tell her. “Sorry, guess I’m a little worried about that poor bumblebee.”
“It’s a hypothetical bee, Flutters.” Pinkie was a little incredulous. 
“I know, but still.” She gave an agreeable smirk and Pinkie let her off the hook. 
The sun was out and shining. It was a bright summer’s day, which faded somewhat as the trio walked in under the shade of the greatwood. Luna took the lead, seeing a young filly idly kicking her hooves from the side of the stoop leading up to her library door. “Hello, little one, do you need some help?” 
Her salt white ear flickered, and she twisted round. When that burgundy hair swayed out of the way, she looked to Luna with big, uncertain eyes, dark like summer roses nestled comfortably in their hedge. “Oh wow, it’s really you.” 
“Yes, everypony’s favorite librarian.” said Luna with a chuckle. “Sorry if I kept you waiting.” 
“I-it’s alright. I was only here for a few minutes.” She hoisted up thin, tall book with a colorful cover. “My dad checked out this story book for me, and well, I wanted to return it personally.” 
“That’s very mature of you, dear.” Luna unlocked the door and led all these girls in. “Though, we do have a return chute by the entrance. I do hate to have made you wait like that, when you shouldn’t have to.” 
This little one couldn’t have been more than four or five years old. She awkwardly looked away. “I um… couldn’t reach it.” 
Luna’s cheeks flushed. She was so mortified that she’d just embarrassed this child like that. “Aw, don’t worry, young filly. You’ll get there one day. In the meantime, why don’t I get that book for you?” 
“Sure thing, miss Luna.” She passed her the book and watched her amble around behind the counter. Her two friends, meanwhile, had already wandered off into the library somewhere. 
“Oh dear.” said Luna when she opened the book up. 
The girl’s heart sank, and she nervously licked at the gap where one of her foal teeth had fallen out, trying very hard not to lisp through it. “What’sh… what’s the matter?” 
“It appears this book was actually due back yesterday.” Luna showed her the date behind the cover to confirm. 
“Oh no.” She breathed a little heavier, checking the pockets she didn’t have. “I’m so sorry I forgot, but I didn’t bring any money for the late fee.” 
“Well, I-” 
“Please don’t throw me in jail, miss Luna.” whined the filly, not noticing the abrupt stop of the other two, not wishing to intrude. 
Luna pursed her lip rather ponderously. “Listen. Wait, what’s your name, dear?” 
She held onto her shoulder nervously. “B-Brightwick. But all my friends jutht call me Wick.” 
“Listen, Wick.” bade Luna, retrieving her stamp. While it floated in her horn’s magic grasp, one of the wheels turned with an audible click, whereupon she stamped the slip inside the cover. “Trust me when I say that I understand wholeheartedly what it’s like, you know. To falter and seek forgiveness.” She presented the book. The column for return dates now held a new entry: yesterday. 
Wick’s face was quizzical. “I don’t underthtand.” 
“You made a mistake.” admitted Luna. “But we can look the other way, just this once, okay?” 
“Oh! Th-thank you, miss Luna.” Wick bit her lip, feeling like she might just cry. 
“Promise me one thing, little Wick. The important thing to do is you must own up to your mistakes, and do better next time.” 
“I promise you, I swear. It won’t happen again.” Wick crossed her heart.
“Then all is forgiven.” Luna winked. “This time.” 
“Thank you so much, Luna!” Wick leapt for joy and skipped over to the door. “This is why you’re my favorite princess!” 
Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy came forth as the door closed and Wick was gone. Luna shrugged at them with a skittish smile. 
Thinking about it, Fluttershy chewed on her lip. So she gave the book she’d picked to Pinkie. “Maybe a little filly shouldn’t wander about town on her own. I’ll go ask if she’d like me to walk her home.” 
Before either of them knew it, she was out the door too, and the two of them were all alone. This was a good moment, yes. That thought marathoning in Pinkie’s brain hit a second wind as she approached the desk now. Yep. Now was a really good time. Uh huh. “Say, why don’t you go ahead and stamp this, and I’ll catch up to Flutters in a snap.” 
“Sure thing, Pinkie.” said Luna, checking the book out with a click-thump of her stamp. She failed to notice the regret welling underneath that fake smile. But then again, when you smile in earnest so often, even your worst ones seem good. 
Pinkie moved doorward, compelled on, despite herself. And with the book tucked into her bag, she pushed open, gritting her teeth in silence. That’s when she heard a roar, followed by a shout. She jerked her head in that direction. A furious flapping of wings belied a vicious laugh. And there, cowering on the ground was Fluttershy. Pinkie’s entire sense of self faded away, an assumption of the very, absolute worst overtaking every other single selfish thought she’d ever had in her life. 
Luna leapt through the door, air rushing past Pinkie and tussling her fluffy hair. She hit the cobbles with four loud clacks, hooves coming down hard. Her horn pointed one way, then the other. Before she could ask what was going on, she spotted her. She turned into dark blue thunder under clear summer sky. “Fluttershy!” 
Pinkie caught up with her, and the two of them knelt beside their shaking companion. She wasn’t sure whether she should touch her or not. “What happened?” 
“Ptoo.” came a meager sound from the hedges nearby which flanked the corner building. “I can tell you.” It was Wick, spitting out a couple leaves as she clambered out of the broken twigs atop the hedge. 
Luna went to Wick, leaving Fluttershy to Pinkie. Her instinct bade her scoop this child up, plucking off the twigs and leaves with a couple magic tugs from her horn. “Are you alright, little Wick?” 
“J-just thorta dizzy.” she sighed. 
“Fluttershy’s bleeding.” announced Pinkie, after inspecting her leg. When she turned and saw how pale that made Luna, she added “Oh, only a little bit, though!” 
“Probably from that mean ol’ griffon.” scowled Wick. “I hope I never see another griffon again.” 
Luna’s priorities shifted somewhat. Fluttershy seemed to be calming down, so she set Wick in front of her. “Now Wick, you mustn’t say that.” 
“Why not? She was awful.” Brightwick’s brow wrinkled greatly for one so young as she tried to understand. 
“Yes, but she was an individual griffon. It’s unfair to assess all of her kind based on that.”
“I don’t get it.” she puzzled. “I’m not allowed to be mad?” 
Luna firmly held her shoulder. “Frustration is only natural. But it pays to keep a level head about these matters. You might otherwise say or do something you’ll only come to regret. Perhaps greatly so.” 
At first, little Brightwick started to ask how she knew about this. But when she lifted her head again, she saw how Luna blocked the sun from this angle, and suddenly she recalled exactly who she was talking to. She hung her head in the shadow. “That’s what happened to you. Isn’t it.” 
Luna’s heart skipped a beat. There was no intonation to imply a question had been asked. Because they all knew the answer already. Her mouth tightened. But then she sighed, lifting her again, holding her against her shoulder. “It is. And I want all my little ponies to be better than I was.” 
Pinkie got Fluttershy standing upright, and most of her tears dried. Her own shoulder was wet now, though. From where she stood, she beheld an angel cradling a lost soul. 
“Why don’t I go ahead and take you home? Would that be okay with you?” 
“Okay.” said Wick meekly. 
“Would you keep an eye on the library for a few minutes, Pinkie?” asked Luna as she spread out her wings. 
“Sure, no prob, Bob.” assured Pinkie, and she watched after her as she flew off. “Alright,” she told Fluttershy, “let’s go. I know where she keeps the first aid kit, and you can tell me what happened.” 



“It’s not that it hurt all that much.” Fluttershy winced, failing to convince Pinkie while she pat down some bandage tape under her unfolded wing. “She mainly startled me.” 
“Girl.” said Pinkie bluntly and incredulously. “You tackled a nightmare spirit, and yelled at a dragon.” 
Fluttershy blew some hair out of her face, eyes halfway through a roll before thinking better of it. “I don’t want to seem rude here, but is this going to be the metric for the rest of my life? I screamed a couple times, so now I have to be brave forever? All the time?” 
Pinkie tenderly folded her wing back down over the bandaging for her. Like she’d said earlier, it wasn’t as bad as it seemed at first. As though Gilda was trying to scare her, not maim her. Even so, this didn’t sit well with Pinkie. “Okay, fair enough. Does that feel better?” 
The hot, angry air abandoned Fluttershy and she sank into that chair, no longer puffed up and indignant. “Yes. Thank you. I’m so sorry I got all flustered like that.” 
From her bag, Pinkie slipped the book she wanted. “Don’t worry, auntie Pinkie understands. Here’s that book, by the way, checked out and ready to go home with you.” 
Fluttershy looked at the book, then back to her, pouting. “I’m a year older than you.” 
“What’s in an age?” asked Pinkie, musing with a smirk and ignoring her complaint. “An aunt friend by any other number would care just as sweetly.” She doted on her with a tender pat of her hoof. 
Ponderously and with great consideration, Fluttershy lightly shook her head. “You seem like more of a big sister friend to me.” 
“Well, I guess that makes sense.” beamed Pinkie. “I’ve always sorta-”
“Especially to Luna.” The look she got at that comment gave her great cause for concern. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cut you off, there.” 
“Hey.” she said. “It’s all good. It’s alright.” Here, she paused. “It’s fine.” 
“If you’re sure, then.” A clock on the wall not too far off caught Fluttershy’s attention. “Oh dear, I’d better be going, actually.” 
Pinkie was already slipping the book into Fluttershy’s bag. “Well if you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go, as they say. It was really good to see you and spend time with you, Flutters, we really oughta do it again sometime, maybe next weekend, see you around, love ya, pal.” 
With the door shut behind her, Fluttershy found herself outside. How she got here during that, she wasn’t entirely sure, as it was something of a blur. Instead of worrying about it, she shrugged and took off. After all, Pinkie told her while fetching the bandages that she’d take care of Gilda later for her. Perhaps she should still have a conversation with Gilda herself at some point, but maybe that could wait until Pinkie softened her up with a smile. Yeah, that would be best. 
Not long after Fluttershy was gone, Luna returned. Inside, she found Pinkie behind her desk, trying to sort which books were coming in or going out. But when the door came in, Luna following close behind, that hardened focus dates and the like vanished on the breeze which blew in. She smiled at the silhouette in the framed sunshine, but didn’t get one back right away. 
“Did you get the same story Wick told me?” asked Luna dryly. 
“That Gilda bumped into her, got mad, and when Fluttershy tried to talk her down, she scratched her, then threw Wick into the hedge?” Pinkie’s head slowly tilted curiously over to one side, further with each passing phase of the rephrased story. 
Luna’s nostrils flared. “Twice in one day, this Gilda character has shown herself to be nothing short of contemptible. Nigh incredulously so.” 
“Easy, girl. You’re going all vindictive fallen princess on us again.” With an incorrigible grin, Pinkie propped one elbow on the desk. 
Mouth tight, and eyes tighter, Luna sidled on up to her own desk. She snorted a puff of air which tossed one tuft of Pinkie’s messy mane. “Watch it, sister.” 
Now Pinkie’s eyes narrowed as well, her smile growing more wry. “Maybe don’t call me sister, toots.” 
Now, Luna didn’t know what that word meant. But she wasn’t about to let on and give Pinkie the edge here. “Hm-hm, oh? And what would you like me to call you?” 
“Hrmmmmmmmmmmm.” hummed Pinkie, on, and on, never breaking eye contact. Though, she wasn’t sure she could truly out-smug former royalty. So, rather than concede, she pivoted. “How about sweet, sweet, sugary sweet, wonderful keeper of my solemn oath?” 
“Snrk.” Luna covered up her face as it warmed up. “Fair enough, sweet, sweet, sugary sweet, wonderful keeper of my solemn oath.” 
Ah. There it was. “There it is.” She loved hearing that. “I love hearing that.” 
“I’d say it again,” explained Luna, “but we’re getting off topic. We can’t let this Gilda individual go on like this. I think we need to have a talk with her.” 
Pinkie’s good vibes faded away, like a puddle in the cobbles on a hot, sunny day: slowly, but surely. The more Luna ranted, the less happy she felt. Seeing her upset like this, it pained her. It were as though hot coals had suddenly appeared in her guts to burn her up inside. It just felt wrong, like it always did. Enough had upset this poor filly before her. 
“Honestly,” continued Luna, “as witness to my oath, perhaps even you must profess that if things become heated, this…” Luna had paced away in her ramblings. She peered over one shoulder, feathers ruffling. “This would be justified. This would be protective of my friends.” 
“Luna.” chided Pinkie. Her name hung on the air, heavy like steam. “No. Fighting.” 
Luna was just a little filly, all over again, pleading for the desires of her immature tiny heart. “Aw, but surely… I mean. She hurt Fluttershy! Nary can we forgive this transgression.” 
“Luna.” she said again. “Is a paladin vindictive?” Though she asked rhetorically, she honestly didn’t know for sure. There was still the research into the subject she’d been meaning to do. If only she weren’t so distractible. 
“No.” huffed Luna. 
Ah, so they aren’t. I finally learned something about paladins. thought Pinkie Pie. 
“Alright,” admitted Luna, “perhaps I’m not the best pony suited to handle this. But what shall we do?” 
“Simple.” said Pinkie with a smile to bely something akin to mischief and confidence. “Leave it all to me.” 
This perplexed Luna, and her face tilted to one side, one ear going limp in confusion. “How’s that now?” 
“Don’t you worry that gorgeous face of yours, hon.” Briefly, very hardly noticeably, Pinkie tried to clamp her own mouth shut, hoping to put a proverbial vice upon it to never be unwound again. 
Luna, meanwhile cupped her own cheek, as though testing some new theory. “You think my face is go-” 
“That’s right.” blistered Pinkie on past. “I will handle everything. And when I’m done, she won’t ever hurt our friends again.” 
Before Luna could put forth her formal request for an elaboration on the implication of such a proclamation, her pink oath keeper frantically bounded up and over the desk. And out the door she went, surprising a few incoming library patrons in the process. For a moment, Luna considered chasing after her. But she felt she’d left her library unattended for too long as it was. 
“So sorry about my friend, there.” explained Luna, ushering a few disparate ponies in. One of them looked like that colt she saw moving crates earlier. 
“Oh, it’s no trouble at all.” he said, removing his hat as he came in and gawked around. “I’ve heard about how that pink gal can get. Once she has her mind set on something, she rushes right to it.” 
“I see Pinkie’s reputation precedes her.” chuckled Luna. 
“Oh yeah, just about everypony round here has heard of the friendliest pink gal you’ll ever meet.” 
Friendly. thought Luna. That was certainly true. She had even approached a certain hooded stranger lurking in the shadows with a welcoming smile. That seemed so long ago. But surely it was indication enough for her that Pinkie wasn’t planning anything rash. Not like she would have. 
Still. She had to wonder. Was there something sour waiting deep underneath all those fluffy layers of sweetness? 



“There is a certain kind of irony I find fascinating during the early narrative.” Twilight explained with confidence in her tone. 
“How do you mean, princess?” asked Rarity, but then she remembered herself. “Oops, sorry, sorry. How do you mean, Twilight?” 
Twilight straightened upright in her chair, getting ready substantiate what she meant. “We often associate winter, and fall to a lesser extent, with death. Since all the leaves have fallen and rotted away. Winter time in most classics therefore tend to have a rather dour mood.” 
Plumheart had apologia already forming on his face as he flipped through his own copy, as though to verify what she said. “Sorry, girls. Classic lit was never like, my strong suit. That’s when Jane was um, running around with the other orphans, right?” 
“Yes, you’ve got it, dove.” assured Rarity. 
“So where does the irony come in?” Plum was still a bit lost. 
“In the spring.” told Twilight to her circle. “It’s a season we associate with renewal, or rebirth if you would. All the flowers are blooming again, the trees grow new leaves.”
“Right, right.” He finally thought he was starting to pick up on what she was getting at. 
“But it’s during the death-state of winter we find Jane frolicing with the other children. It’s when she makes a best friend. The cruel and awful irony is that illness befalls many of the orphans the following spring; so often associated with life, now the solemn time of tragedy Jane will always remember for taking her best friend away.” Gently, Twilight ran the side of her hoof over the cover of her own copy. 
“Okay.” said Applejack somewhat absently. She tried to maintain a polite tone in the face of royalty. Not that this was her first interaction with a mare of status, but she was still uncertain about joining this club to an official degree, no matter how hard Rarity has to beg. Her ear flickered, missing the hat she’d respectfully removed. “I’m pickin’ up on the irony. What does it accomplish?” 
“It can serve as a reminder of how life can have, shall we say, a rather wry humor?” posited Twilight. 
“Also, it reinforces the notion that Jane’s life truly is topsy-turvy.” suggested Rarity. “While also going against the grain of established tropes.” 
“Ooh, good observation, Rarity.” Twilight approved. 
Applejack began to nod her head along. “Ahhh, alright, I can see that. Yeah.” 
Rarity was quite pleased with herself. She leaned over and pat AJ’s knee, doting. “See, love? Literature can be like a puzzle, and wrapping your head around it, why, it can be very mentally stimulating, especially when you can share thoughts in a group.” 
Twilight grinned from ear to ear. Somepony finally understood. “Rarity, if you keep talking like that, you might become my most favorite pony ever.” 
Rarity gawked her. When she took her eyes off, she saw a highly bemused face overtaking Applejack, her knowing eyes narrowing with scrutiny. 
“Speaking of my favorite ponies, though,” said Twilight, moving on, “Luna?” 
“Hmm?” Luna’s mind had completely wandered off from book club. Whatever all that was about dramatic irony was fuzzy in her head. Her eyes had instead been locked onto the empty chair Pinkie Pie wasn’t sitting in. She wasn’t sitting sitting there because it was empty. But that bothered her, as she didn’t know why she didn’t show up to book club this afternoon. There had come no note, no message, no tiny scrawl rolled round the ankle of a bird. 
Luna actually wouldn’t put that last one past her, come to think of it. 
“You’ve been awfully quiet. Isn’t there anything you’d like to add?” 
“Right, sorry, my mind’s somewhere else.” It was on someone else, specifically. In a rush, Luna flipped open to one of the tabs she’d placed for possible topics, as per Twilight’s advice. “Erm, I suppose feeling unclear if that run-in Jane has very early on with some sort of haunting, and well, whether or not it was true supernatural activity or not, ah… was somewhat… frustrating?” She shrugged, unsure of the assertion herself. 
Twilight pondered, tapping her chin. “I suppose greater clarity on that might have made interpreting the type of setting for this narrative a touch morer… wholistic. But either way, the event still informs Jane’s character, shaping her so to speak.” 
“But isn’t not knowing for sure aggravating? It could be explained so many ways, and you’ll never know for sure.” Luna wasn’t half-certain she was still talking about the book. 
“I get what you’re saying, Luna.” Twilight casually slung her straight, purple hair back over her shoulder and continued. “But it’s underexplored because it is immaterial to the overall necessity of the plot. A true haunting or not, it fundamentally changes Jane as an individual.” 
Luna sighed, trying to let go. “I suppose you’re right.” 
After the club had adjourned for the evening, Luna said goodbye to all her friends. Out the door went Plumheart, Applejack, and beside her was Rarity. Rarity was in the middle of cooing something about how proud she was or something. They were already off, so Luna couldn’t quite pick out the words. But, she realized, counting heads, one was missing. That’s when she peered over her shoulder to find Twilight sheepishly having stayed behind. 
“Mind if we have a chat?” she asked. There was not another soul besides the two of them in the darkening chamber. 
Overcome with a distinct sense of deja vu, Luna hesitated. “I suppose.” 
“Don’t worry,” requested Twilight with a light chuckle, “no pestering you about your sister or the gala tonight.”
“About that,” interrupted Luna, almost somewhat excited about the news she had for her, “I’ve actually decided to attend the gala.” 
Twilight stopped, losing all train of thought. Her surprised face gave way to a smile, and she lept giddily into the air. “Really? Oh, that’s wonderful, Luna!” 
Luna caught her, letting her back down onto the floor. “I’m glad you think so, heheh.” 
She was still prancing in place. “It’ll be so nice to have somepony there I can really relate to.” Her cheeks went pink. “Ah, aside from Sunset, of course.” 
Luna gave her a playful grin. “Who could forget her?” 
“She’s very wise. Honestly, I’m not sure of where I’d be without her.” She cozied up to Luna again, warm smile on her face. “I really mean it when I say I value our friendship. And I can’t thank you enough for hosting a book club with me. It’s so good to get away from Canterlot castle and just have some casual conversation for once.” 
“In-depth literary analysis is your idea of casual?” teased Luna. 
“It’s not always going to be about theming and classics, okay? This week’s is the second Daring Do novel.” With a grin, Twilight made to shove her, but really it came off more as a nudge. Either she was holding back, or she misjudged how heavy Luna’s larger frame really was. Whichever it was, still got a laugh from Luna. “And anyway, you completely detracted from the nice ramble I was giving you, which I was gonna lead into… this with.” From her bag, she produced a familiar rolled paper. 
After a moment, Luna puzzled it out. That was the string she’d tied her own letter with at the start of this very week. “Oh. You kept that?” 
“Snrk, Luna, I keep all my messages neatly organized, rolled out, pressed into labeled folder, in my personal filing cabinet in the-” stopped Twilight to laugh herself down. “Okay, not the point, getting off base again, sorry.” 
Luna nervously tapped her hooves together. “Then what was the point of this conversation, Twilight?” 
“Two-fold. First, I want to say that I’m proud of you, and Sunset is too.” 
“She is, is she?” asked Luna dryly through reflexively clenched teeth. 
“Yes, very much so. She says one of the key factors to temperance in one’s life, is to solve one’s problems by first identifying them, and being willing to admit they exist. And well, sometimes, ponies have a hard time owning up, you know?” Twilight stepped in, a little closer, tilting her head to one side. 
The air she held onto when hearing Sunset’s name left her, and Luna relaxed. “I’ve, erm… actually taken certain steps, hopefully in the right direction, to doing better. To being better.” 
Twilight’s eyelashes fluttered like delicate little butterflies, dancing daintily on the breeze. “Oh yeah? I’d love to hear about it.” 
“I’ve sworn a solemn oath.” 
When Twilight blinked again, it was far less impressed. Rather, she was almost dumbstruck as she realized just how unmodern this mare really was. “You mean like a paladin?” 
“In a manner of speaking, yes.” Luna’s pride in this was lost on her. 
“What code did you swear upon?” wondered Twilight aloud, already imagining which it could be. “Or, did you have an anointed knight bear witness?” 
“A friend bore witness as keeper of my oath, actually.” replied Luna, smiling fondly. 
The corners of Twilight’s mouth stretched out into a long, awkward line. “Who might that be?” 
“Pinkie Pie.” explained Luna. 
“Pinkie Pie?” repeated Twilight. 
“Yes.” said Luna, perplexed. “You’ve met her. She does book club with us sometimes?” 
“No, I’m familiar.” Twilight scratched at the back of her neck. “I suppose I’m just a little surprised. A solemn oath is a very sacred… serious thing.” 
Luna lifted her shin to her chin, taken somewhat aback. As she peered over the bridge over her nose, she told Twilight rather frankly that “She might be a regular court jester, but she is capable of taking things seriously.” 
Twilight gulped. “You’re right, that was rude of me.” 
“It’s alright, Twilight.” sighed Luna, resting her hoof on her shoulder. “Sometimes, even a princess is not above relying on assumptions and first impressions.” 
“I suppose you would know that better than anypony.” Twilight placed her hoof over Luna’s. 
“I don’t know about that. But nopony’s perfect. Besides,” shrugged Luna, “I can hardly expect you to know her as well as I do.” 
Twilight very briefly chewed on her lower lip. “You two are close, then?” 
“She is my very best friend.” doted Luna with a warm smile. “But my, we’ve gone astray again. What was the second thing you wanted to say, regarding my letter?” 
The brows above Twilight’s purple eyes raised, airily so. She made herself relax a bit. “That you’ve actually been very inspiring to me.” 
“Oh?” Luna watched her reclaim eye contact with her, and keep it fairly steady. 
“Yeah, you’re like this…” Twilight paused, deeply considering how to word this. “Like this cool older sister I never had.” 
“You’ve an older brother, no?” suggested Luna. 
“I said ‘cool,’ didn’t I?” derided Twilight with a smirk. “You’ve met my brother. He cares, but he can be a total meathead.” She let Luna get in a good guffaw at that before continuing. Tenderly, she held Luna’s hoof. “Which I guess is why I feel a little disappointed you don’t see me as best friend material, when you’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
The laughs Luna had prior faded. After a moment, she closed her hanging mouth. “What about Sunset?” 
Twilight let Luna have her hoof back. “I don’t know about that. She’s always been very kind to me, but sometimes it feels like she only tolerates my bookishness. Not like you. I feel like you get me-like I can just relax and be myself with you. You know?” 
“I think I understand.” While here physically, Luna’s mind relived her previous one-on-one with Sunset. Perhaps she ought be gentle with her next words. Though, truth be told, she wanted to simply be a gentler pony for her own sake, as well as Twilight’s, Sunset’s, and most of all Pinkie’s. “Maybe you should take some of this new confidence of yours and be more direct.” 
Twilight’s focus wandered back to her. “How do you mean?” 
“Go to Sunset. Tell her how you feel. How she makes you feel.” 
“I’m not so sure.” Her view began to fade away again. 
“I am.” asserted Luna. “I’ll bet she cares about you even more than you realize.” She unfolded one wing, drawing Twilight in under her chin, trying to accept that big sister role she’d been assigned. Some small part of her cried out that Celestia used to embrace her exactly like this. But now was not the time to dwell on that. Right now, her newfound bookish little sister of sorts needed her. “Just be upfront with her. Be candid.” She placed her hoof against Twilight’s heart, feeling it flutter nervously at her touch. “Be confident.” 
“Thank you, Luna.” whispered Twilight, leaning into the warm embrace. “It seems I still have a lot to learn. I’m very lucky to have someone like you in my life to help me figure out this whole friendship thing.” 
“It is a very tricky subject, yes.” lightly laughed Luna. “I’m still figuring it out myself, thanks to you, all the girls bound to the Elements, and Galahad…” After a moment, Luna added “And Sunset, of course.” 
Twilight eventually left the warmth where Luna had taken her under her wing. She donned the hooded cape she wore when she wanted to walk among her ponies unrecognized, and headed for the door. For a moment, she paused within the frame, fading sunlight cloaking her. One last time, she gave her thanks to Luna, with a smile. And then she was gone. 



Later that night, Luna sighed again. Coming in from brushing her teeth for the night, she stopped by her window, as though some sign of or from Pinkie Pie might manifest in the dark, nighttime street below just now. But no sign came. So she peered over her shoulder. There, by her pillow, sat the pink lamb doll. 
When she sat on one side of the bed, Luna scooped it up into her lap. She held it against her belly; it was soft. She tried to convince herself that she was overreacting. That Pinkie was an adult, and didn’t need to give Luna a reason for not spending time with her. She’s probably fine, wherever she is, whatever she’s doing. What am I, thought Luna, her mother?
But, no, that wasn’t right. She doted on her, but not in the way a mother might. Luna recalled Twilight saying she felt like a cool older sister to her. Was that how she felt? Pinkie had certainly helped Luna in a similar way to how Luna helped Twilight. It made a certain amount of sense. 
Whatever goal she aimed to arrive upon was lost to her as Luna laid her head upon the pillow, clutching the lamb doll to her chest. Her thoughts felt fuzzy and unclear; like she could almost make out the silhouette of an answer for herself, but the details were all blurred. Notions, ideas, feelings, they were all awkward and heavy, and they tired her out. Sooner than she anticipated, Luna found herself deep within the realm of dreams.