It was over. Storm King was destroyed and defeated. The king was nothing but stone now. Equestria was now saved and they were celebrating. Many of the ponies were watching the Songbird Serenade show. Well, except for the Mane Six. They were a little bit away from the show so they wouldn’t interrupt the show so they could talk privately. Many things happened during their journey.
Twilight Sparkle had called her friends so she could talk to her about something that had been bothering her since the end of the adventure. Twilight’s friends were confused about why Twilight asked them to talk. Like, it’s not that they didn’t like Twilight wanting to talk to them, but just that they wanted to know why Twilight wanted to talk to them, especially now that everypony was celebrating.
“Twilight, I’m confused. They are all celebrating that Equestria was saved and we are here,” said Applejack.
Twilight Sparkle didn’t know what to say. Her ears were down as she moved a front hoof. “It’s just ... I wanted to talk about something that has been bothering me lately...”
“Oh my godness. What bothers you?” asked Fluttershy, concerned.
“I know what can cheer you up! A party!” shouted Pinkie Pie excitedly.
“No, Pinkie. A party isn’t going to solve what I’m feeling. I need to vent what I’m feeling,” said Twilight Sparkle, in a dejected tone.
Despite the answer, Pinkie Pie continued to smile. “Ah. Come on. A party will cheer you up.”
“Ah… Pinkie. Maybe she better say what she feels to us,” said Fluttershy, gently.
“Okie dokie lookie,” said Pinkie Pie, still with a smile on her face.
“Thank you, Fluttershy,” said Twilight Sparkle with a small smile.
“You’re welcome,” said Fluttershy with a smile.
“Well girls, while we were looking for the queen of the Hippongriffons, I realized that in one part I made two mistakes. These two mistakes almost resulted in our friendship ending.”
Everypony was confused by what Twilight Sparkle said. What was she talking about? “Twilight, what the hay are you talking about?”
Twilight Sparkle felt like she was going to cry just remembering the scene. She looked at Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie, do you remember when I told you that we could stay at Seaequestria?”
“Yes, Twilight. Princess Skystar and I even sang and danced to a very happy song,” replied Pinkie Pie, still confused.
“Pinkie, do you remember what happened after you and she finished singing and dancing?” asked Twilight Sparkle.
Pinkie Pie tried to remember until she did. “Oh. Yes. You tried to steal Queen Novo’s pearl.”
“Do you remember what happened after we were expelled from Seaequestria?”
“Yes. You and I fight and then we split up after you yelled at me,” replied Pinkie Pie. “Why?”
Twilight Sparkle sat on her hips. “I’m sorry, Pinkie.”
Everypony was confused by what Twilight Sparkle said. “What?”
“II’m sorry, Pinkie!” cried Twilight Sparkle. “I’m sorry for lying to you just so that I could distract Queen Novo and I could steal the pearl and I’m also sorry to have yelled at you.”
Twilight Sparkle’s friends realized that Twilight Sparkle lay on the floor while crying. They managed to understand why Twilight was like this. She felt guilty for lying to Pinkie Pie and her friends and screaming at Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy went to console her. “Twilight, don’t cry.”
Twilight looked at Fluttershy. There were tears in her eyes and her cheeks were wet. “Why shouldn’t I? Don’t you see how I lied to all of you and especially to Pinkie Pie? And how i yelled to her?”
Pinkie Pie’s mane was almost going smooth because of those words. “Twilight, I’m sorry for making you feel sad. I should bring joy to the ponies and make them smile and not bring sadness and make them cry.”
“Pinkie, don’t blame yourself,” asked Twilight. “Because of my stress, our friendships are almost over.”
Rarity gaped and went over to Twilight Sparkle. “Darling, we were a little upset about everything you did, but you shouldn’t think you were the only one to blame.”
Twilight Sparkle looked at Rarity. “Why shouldn’t I? Don’t you remember how I acted with Pinkie Pie? A friend would never shout at a friend,” Twilight Sparkle put her mouth on the floor while her hooves on brothers covered their mouths. “And on top of that, I’m the princess of friendship ...”
Suddenly, the girls heard the sound of flapping wings. All but Twilight Sparkle looked back and smiled. “Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! Princess Cadence!”
Applejack approached the three princesses. “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and Princess Cadence. Why are you three here? Shouldn’t you be at the castle watching the show?”
“Yes, Applejack,” replied Celestia. “But when we saw that Twilight Sparkle wasn’t there, it made us worried.”
“Do you know where she is?” asked Luna, concerned about her best friend.
“Well...” Applejack pointed to Twilight Sparkle.
The three princesses were surprised to see Twilight cry on the floor. They were worried. Why was Twilight Sparkle crying?
Celestia approached Twilight Sparkle. “Twilight, are you okay?”
“No...” replied Twilight Sparkle. Her voice was muffled.
Luna approached Twilight Sparkle. “Twilight, why are you crying?”
Twilight Sparkle looked at Luna. “I-i made a mistake that almost ended my friendship with my friends.”
Now it was Candence who spoke. “Would you like to speak to us at the castle for nopony, but us and your friends to hear?”
Twilight Sparkle wiped away tears with a hoof. “Yes, Cadence.”
When they entered the castle, they stayed in the throne room. Twilight Sparkle cried in Luna’s embrace while Luna stroked Twilight’s back. Twilight’s back hair was very soft, it was like when a pony wore a soft outfit.
Celestia approached Twilight Sparkle. “Twilight, do you feel more comfortable here?”
Twilight Sparkle looked at Celestia, but there were still tears in her eyes. “Yes, Celestia. I feel more comfortable being in the castle, yes.”
“Could you tell us what you feel now?” asked Celestia, with a smile.
Twilight Sparkle looked uncertain and silent. “Come on, Twilight. You can let off your feelings with us. We will not judge you.”
“OK. Do you remember when you asked me to go to the queen of the hippogriffons?” asked Twilight Sparkle to the princesses.
“Yes, Twilight. And from what I saw you got it and I’m proud of you,” said Celestia.
Twilight Sparkle managed to smile, but remembering what she did, she returned to crying and hugging Luna.
Luna was concerned about Twilight Sparkle. Seeing her best friend cry made her heartbroken. “Twilight, please. Stop crying.”
“I-i can’t, Luna,” Twilight looked at Luna. “What I did almost ended my friendship with my friends!”
The three princesses blew out a surprised breath at what Twilight Sparkle said. Celestia approached Twilight Sparkle. “But how come your friendship with them is almost over?”
Twilight Sparkle looked at Celestia. “When me and mine friends arrived in the kingdom of the Hippongriffons, we discovered that they were living under water...”
“We’re listening, Twilight,” said Cadence.
“I-i tried to talk to Queen Novo about letting me use the pearl so I could bring all the ponies to Seaequestria so they could be safe...” More tears started to come out of Twilight Sparkle’s eyes. “She didn’t allow. So, I told Pinkie Pie to tell Princess Skystar that we could stay at Seaequestria… ”
“And what happened next?” asked Luna.
“S-so, I tried to steal the pearl from Queen Novo! Queen Novo was so irritated with me and my friends that she kicked us out of Seaequestria!” shouted Twilight Sparkle, through tears. “I lied to my best friends!”
The three princesses had different reactions. Celestia was saddened by Twilight, since Twilight just wanted to save Equestria. Luna was angry at Queen Novo because that queen made Twilight Sparkle cry. And Cadence was feeling sorry for Twilight Sparkle.
Celestia was about to speak, but Twilight Sparkle interrupted her. “So, we ended up on an island. Pinkie Pie and I started fighting, until a point came that I yelled at Pinkie Pie resulting in hurting not only her feelings but that of my other friends! I don’t even know if I deserve this title of princess of friendship after all this… ”
Celestia, Luna and Cadence were very sad. Twilight Sparkle continued. “A-and when they left me I thought my friendship with them was over! Forever!”
Twilight Sparkle returned to cry in Luna’s embrace. Luna looked at Twilight Sparkle’s friends, not happy. They realized and felt ashamed of themselves.
Applejack approached Twilight Sparkle and took off her cowgirl hat. “Twilight, we’re sorry for leaving you.”
Fluttershy approached. “I’m sorry for making you sorry.”
“Twilight, I’m sorry,” said Pinkie Pie, sadly.
“I am the element of Loyalty and I abandoned my best friend…” say Rainbow Dash, sorry. She didn’t like to show that she was sorry for her ego, but she felt it was necessary since Twilight’s fault for crying was also hers too.
“Darling, I am the element of generosity, and it was very selfish of me to leave you just because I thought you were wrong,” said Rarity.
“We were having so much fun during our adventure that we weren’t realizing that the princesses were counting on you to save Equestria,” said Applejack, “and it resulted in you being stressed. Could you forgive us?”
Twilight Sparkle stopped crying, surprised. But her sadness soon returned, but she wasn’t crying as much as before. Twilight looked at Pinkie Pie. “But Pinkie. Why are you apologizing to me? I lied and yelled at you. You aren’t to blame for all this, it is my fault for having… ”
Pinkie Pie approached Twilight Sparkle. “Twilight, don’t blame yourself. It was my fault and that of the others for not taking it seriously about how nervous you were about not being able to save Equestria.”
Twilight Sparkle was about to speak, but Fluttershy interrupted her. “I don’t want to interrupt, but Pinkie Pie is right. We are sorry that we didn’t take the mission to save Equestria seriously.”
“But Fluttershy, don’t you remember when you five left me after I yelled at Pinkie Pie? You all had good reasons for leaving me after I yelled at one of our best friends,” said Twilight Sparkle.
“Twilight, please. Don’t blame yourself. You were really stressed out,” said Applejack.
“But, Applejack ...” Twilight Sparkle tried to speak, but was interrupted by Applejack.
“Twilight, don’t worry Sugarcube. We’re not angry with you anymore,” Applejack said as she approached Twilight with a smile. “We were really worried when we heard you were captured. If we hadn’t left you... that wouldn’t have happened”
“Really?” asked Twilight Sparkle.
“Yes, Twilight.” Twilight Sparkle came out of Luna’s embrace.
“So, you five aren’t going to stop being my friends?” asked Twilight Sparkle as she wiped a tear from her eye with her hoof and had a smile.
“Of course not, sugarcube,” said Applejack. Twilight Sparkle’s other friends approached Twilight Sparkle for a group hug. The princesses only observed this beautiful scene of friendship.