After much help and waiting for Lysithea’s head to stop pounding, which Twilight found worrying considering the only thing that hit her was a bunch of newspapers, they got back to work. Annette took the letter that Lysithea had been carrying around, announcing herself as the unofficial navigator as she was the only one who knew where to go. As such, Annette was now the one leading them through town, allowing Lysithea to do the one thing she hadn’t really been able to do since arriving in Ponyville, enjoy it.
She knew she wasn’t the only pony who seemed to be taking to the small town atmosphere a lot better as well. Twilight, though she still hugged her sister and refused to meet the gaze of any pony passing by, was easily less tense than she had been for the past few months. It was the open atmosphere, it had to be. Nowhere near as many ponies around, all of which she had interacted with being far more kind than any she knew in Canterlot. All that led to a Twilight who was smiling more than she had ever had in a single day in eight whole years.
“Enjoy yourself Twilight?” Lysithea asked, her sister let out a silent gasp and looked away. “Twilight?”
“S-sorry sis, it’s just…” Twilight trailed off, suddenly seeming conflicted in what to say. After a minute, she smiled again and turned to Lysithea. “It’s just something about this town, about how quiet it is. I can’t help but wonder why I’ve never tried to look anywhere else before?”
“Because you were too scared of everyone in Canterlot to even consider stepping out of the house,” Spike reminded the unicorn, earning a glare in return. “What? I’m right!”
“Yes Spike you are. It’s just, I’m finding myself in a weird position,” Twilight looked for something to avoid the thought that had just popped into her head, but after some time she surrendered to the horrible idea that she had. “T-t-thea, I’ve been thinking, what if I decided to move away from Canterlot? Would it make you upset?”
Lysithea opened her mouth to reply, expecting to immediately have an answer to her sister’s question. The truth of it all, however, was that she didn’t know at all how she felt about the idea of her sister leaving her. On the one hoof, she loved that her sister seemed to fit in here in Ponyville, away from everything in the city. On the other, she couldn’t help but feel like something could happen. She had no idea exactly what that something would be, but she had been the protective sister for much of her life in Equestria.
In the end though, it wasn’t about what she wanted but what her sister needed. If Twilight believed it was best for her and Spike to move to Ponyville, she couldn’t stop that out of selfishness.
“It’s your choice, sis,” Lysithea told Twilight, smiling to hide the fear inside of her. “If you think it’s best for you, then go for it.”
Twilight didn’t give much for a response, simply nodding her head before looking back in front of them. Annette had stopped at what Twilight and Lysithea could only assume was the Ponyville community center, which was currently rather well decorated. The earth pony turned back to face the group she had led.
“Alright, this is town hall,” Annette said, looking back over the list. “If I’m correct, we should find Rarity here. Though whether they are here with her is…” Annette shook her head, her choice of words confusing Lysithea. “Whelp, no way we are going to know just standing here.”
Annette opened the door and walked in, Lysithea following just behind with Twilight and Spike to her sides. None of them noticed as Spike stopped mere seconds after entering the building, instantly smitten by what his eyes saw before him. Twilight and Lysithea were more intrigued at the fact only one pony stood waiting for them, putting up decorations at the far end of the room and humming to herself.
Annette stood to the side, motioning for Lysithea to step forward and do what she was supposed to be doing.
“Hello, excuse me?” Lysithea called to the white unicorn in front of her.
“Uh, yes, one second darling, just getting the finishing touches wrapped up,” The unicorn replied, adjusting some of the ribbons and other decorations that she hung up. After a minute or two of waiting, she turned around. “Alright that should do it. Oh, and apologies darling. It’s just that somepony like myself loses the image they have when it’s right there for them.”
The unicorn, Rarity, if Lysithea had read the letter correctly, stopped talking and stared at her. The pony walked up to her, seemingly infatuated not by her, but rather her mane and coat. Then, after minutes of being stared at, Rarity put her hooves on Lysithea’s shoulders.
“Boutique, now!”
With that, Rarity bolted out the door, dragging Lysithea with her out the door. Twilight simply looked on in horror, Spike too blinded by the beauty in his mind's eye to have noticed what happened, and Annette simply sighing.
“Annette, i-i-is this normal for Ponyville?” Twilight asked.
Annette shook her head. “Well, if you’re wondering, she is usually the last pony here to do something like that.”
--------
Lysithea had expected many things from being dragged off by the unicorn who, as she learned, was indeed Rarity. Being measured and asked to stand still in the middle of a clothing store, which she had learned the unicorn did not like it being called, for what she had called “sudden inspiration” wasn’t one of them. The two did at least greet each other finally, but other than mentally checking the decorations off of the list, nothing happened for a good couple of minutes.
“Hello, Rarity?” Annette called from the entrance way. Lysithea didn’t see her enter, but the bells on the door had told her somepony was there.
“Oh, Annette. Apologies for earlier,” Rarity said, picking up some purple fabric from a chest next to a table covered in threads and fabrics. “Needless to say I’ve already apologized to Ms. Velvet here, but nonetheless…”
Annette just laughed at what she was seeing before her. “It’s fine Rar’s, just try and not drag them next time. It would both be nice and save you having to give a bath.”
“Yes, yes, of course. Though thankfully her coat only needed a blowdry,” Rarity nodded with a smile. She heard the door open, and a pony gasp in awe. “Who is it?”
“Just Dorothea… oh hey Annette,” Lysithea felt her body tense up as she heard the name and accompanying voice from the other side of the door. “Oh, and who are you two?”
“Tw-tw-tw-tw,” Twilight stuttered. Lysithea heard Spike’s claw make contact with her head, which seemed to get the unicorn working again. “Twilight Sparkle, hey, hi, how are you? Who are you? EEP!”
Twilight swung the door open and closed it behind her, leaving everypony rather confused at exactly what happened. That wasn’t a standard Twilight freak out, Lysithea and Spike could attest to that, but it didn’t get rid of the fact of who had caused Twilight to act like that.
“Is she okay?” Dorothea asked. “Did I do something or…”
“No, I’ve been told that’s pretty normal,” Annette replied. “Oh, almost forgot to tell you, another of our old friends are here! Rar’s has them in the other room.”
If any words were exchanged after that, Lysithea felt too panicked to hear them as she watched Dorothea walk into the room with Spike and Annette following. The first thing she noticed other than the fact she was a unicorn was that Dorothea was easily the tallest of anypony in the room with them, and looked like a fashion model compared to everyone around her. Her hair was the same long, wavy brown that Lysithea remembered, while her coat was a crimson red. If it wasn’t for how nervous Lysithea felt at seeing the unicorn, she would have gawked in jealousy at Dorothea’s form.
“No, Lysithea?” Dorothea called, the cheer in her voice causing Lysithea’s panic to stop, being replaced instantly by confusion. “I got it right, didn’t I? The mane style gave it away, not to mention that sweet sweet childish innocence you never seemed to get rid of.”
Lysithea, not sure if Dorothea was hiding her anger or was being genuine about how happy she sounded, faked a smile to hide her fear. “Yep. Hi Dorothea, didn’t expect to see you.”
“Trust me, after the second pony from Fodlan, and living in Ponyville, stuff like this is expected,” Dorothea replied. “What are you doing here in Ponyville?”
“Oh, just uh… checking on the festival with my sister is all,” Lysithea replied, running up and shaking her old classmates hoof. “Anyway, sorry, can’t stay, got work to do. Bye!”
Dorothea watched as Lysithea grabbed the young drake and carried him outside, slamming the door shut. Annette and Rarity looked between each other, not sure what was going on or why Lysithea had acted so oddly. Looking to Dorothea for any answer as to what happened, they were greeted by a sigh and the earlier cheer from before being replaced with a much more somber tone.
“Don’t feel upset darling,” Rarity said, coming over and giving her assistant a pat on the back. “Whatever happened, I don’t feel like there is any way you could have known.”
“No, Rarity, not this time,” Dorothea looked to the door. “Annette, make sure she is okay, please? I want her to know that I don’t hate her for what happened.”
“I… I don’t think I understand what happened though,” Annette replied. “Did something happen between you two last time you were together?”
“Not directly, no,” Dorothea said with a shake. She opened her mouth to continue, but fonud herself conflicted. Part of her remembered what they had said about talking about the war, how no one wanted to think about it. Yet, Dorothea knew the time for that had passed, and as such, keeping things a secret wouldn’t help. “She… she thinks I’m angry at her. She thinks I’m angry because she killed my Ferdie.”