//------------------------------// // 3 - Patience is a monument // Story: She's the flan // by TheInfamousFly //------------------------------// Maud watched her sister as they approached the glimmering exterior of the Friendship Castle. It was formed largely out of Intoxicating Amethyst, a variety of quartz created only by massive exposure magical radiation. But her mind was not on the material of the castle, or the wheelbarrow of gemstones which she and Pinkie were bringing toward the castle. She didn't mind helping Pinkie track down gems or vacate them from her underground campsite. Gemstones were simple, pieces of rock which had been pressed into perfect, shiny, useless things. They represented a distinction between creatures and minerals which she preferred not to dwell on. If you put a rock under enough pressure, it turned into something shiny and indestructible. That wasn't true for ponies and Maud very much doubted it was true for other species either. If you put an animal under pressure, it became fearful, then angry, then all dignity and intelligence was stripped away, replaced with a mindless, foaming desperation. It was the reason she preferred stones like Boulder. They were formed from sediment, ancient but common and utterly uninteresting to the common eye. And just like ponies they wore away over the years, ground down by the wind and rain of life, untempered and unremembered. Maud would take a thousand pebbles like Boulder, over another perfect, glittery diamond. No, she was not bothered by last night's excavation or the disruption of her own sleep schedule. She often kept strange hours, in her geological pursuits, if only because spelunking prohibited her from seeing the sun for days on end. What she was bothered was not the flamboyant display, but the subtle change to her sister's gait. Normally, Pinkie's bouncing steps were quick but deliberate. Not the slightly off-kilter stagger to which even Maud's slow trot was more efficient. Pinkie was normally a source of immeasurable energy, fueled by a high caloric diet and the occasional nap. Now, in spite of her smiling and humming, Maud could see the cracks in the normally seamless facade. There were rings beneath her eyes and her hair, normally as wild and untamed as she was, now looked slightly too frizzy. "Pinkie, why are we doing this?" She asked, as they reached their destination, leaving the cart in full view of the front door. "I told you, Rarity was feeling bad about not having any special somepony, so I got her a gift. But me getting her a gift made Spike feel jealous, so now I'm getting Spike a gift, so that he doesn't think I'm not his friend anymore!" Maud blinked at Pinkie. "Pinkie, I barely remember who those ponies are." "Spike's not a pony, he's a dragon, silly!" Pinkie said, bouncing off the stoop of the Castle of Friendship. Maud stepped close to her. "Pinkie, when was the last time you slept?" Pinkie laughed. "Ha, ha, good one, Maud." "I wasn't joking." "C'monnnnnnnn..." Pinkie said, gently elbowing her sister in the ribs. "It's not like it's the first time I've skipped bedtime...remember that time when we stayed up all night to celebrate you getting into Institute of Rockology?" "Pinkie, everypony needs rest. Including you." Maud said. Pinkie groaned and threw up her hooves. "Fiiiiiiine! I'll take a nap, okay?" Maud stared at her for a long time and the nodded. "You know if you burn yourself out you won't be able to participate in the party tomorrow." "It's not a party, it's a dance. Speaking of...is Mudbriar taking you?" Pinkie asked, returning to elbowing her sister even more slyly. "He's on a retreat in the Badlands, looking for a tree which is older than most nations." Maud said. "Aww! Y'know, I don't have a date for the dance yet. Why don't we spend the night together?" Pinkie asked. "Actually, Trixie is out of town at the moment...so Starlight asked if I would spend the holiday with her." Pinkie paused. "Oh. That's...wonderful! I'm so happy that you and Starlight...are such good friends." Maud sighed. "Pinkie..." "I-I should go take that nap we talked about...uh, have a great day, Maud. Thanks again for your help!" Pinkie quickly turned and sprinted in the direction of town. Maud closed her eyes and put a hoof to her forehead. She pretended for a moment, that she was a rock, deep beneath the surface of the world, surrounded by warm, comforting soil. Then she sighed and opened her eyes. It was not the first time she'd all but begged Pinkie to be healthier in body and mind, but the lesson, for whatever reason, hadn't gotten through. She supposed Pinkie was stubborn, in the same way the rest of their family was, she just happened to be the best at hiding it. She wondered if Starlight would be able to help. She had become great at counseling the students of the Twilight's school ever since she took over it. Maybe she would know how to say what Maud couldn't. Apple Bloom walked through the eastern orchard, sizing up each trunk before doing as she had been taught. There was a specific spot where you wanted to hit on each one. It had to be low enough to the ground to shake the entire tree. But it also had to be far enough up the trunk for the impact not to be completely absorbed. Of course, if she expended all her magic, it was easy, but the trick was to use enough so that every kick had an effect, but she still wasn't exhausted by the time her bucking was over. She was slightly miffed when she noticed her sister, halfway across the orchard, reclining in the shade of a tree. Applejack had always instilled in her, the importance of hard work. It felt a little hypocritical for her to be slacking off, especially when she knew their farm was supplying so many of the ingredients for the feast tomorrow. Apple Bloom was about to gallop over and give her a piece of her mind, when she realized Applejack wasn't alone. There was a blue pegasus, lying down in the tall grass next to her. It was not the first time that Apple Bloom had caught the two of them sneaking around, but it was the first time she'd seen them cuddling. They looked...happy. Applejack looked content, like all the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. The two weren't kissing or even really hugging like Apple Bloom might have expected ponies in relationships did. Instead, they were just lying there, enjoying each other's company. She felt ashamed suddenly, first at her own anger. Applejack did so much for their family and had done so much for Apple Bloom, teaching her the value of hard work and always being there to support her no matter what. And Apple Bloom had gotten huffy with her the second she saw her relaxing. She often worried she was spending too much time with the other Crusaders, that she wasn't here enough to support Applejack and Big Mac run the farm. There was something deeper too, some sense of uncertainty and discomfort which only came when she saw her sister like that. Like she had done something wrong, even if she hadn't meant to. Or like she was witnessing something that was wrong, even if she knew it shouldn't be. She didn't know how to express it, only that talking about it to Applejack was out of the question and holding it inside made her nauseous. "Hey, Apple Bloom!" Apple Bloom turned and quickly rushed around the side of the tree she'd just finished bucking to intercept the visitor. It was Scootaloo, riding her skateboard over roots and around trees to reach her. Apple Bloom swallowed and tried to compose herself. She didn't know why Applejack and Rainbow Dash were keeping their relationship a secret or even if Scootaloo knew about it. What she did know, was that she didn't want to be responsible for letting that secret get out. Applejack would surely never forgive her, and she was sure she wouldn't deserve it if she did. "Howdy, Scootaloo!" She said, hoping that she sounded like a better bluffer to Scootaloo than she did to her own ears. "What brings you 'round these parts so early?" Scootaloo grinned. "I just wanted to know if anypony was taking you to the dance tomorrow." Apple Bloom brightened up. If Scootaloo wasn't going to the dance, then maybe they could hang out together instead. She'd felt too scared to ask anypony out and to be honest, she felt like she'd be more comfortable just having a conversation with Scootaloo or Sweetie Belle then getting all dressed up and spending the evening with some pony she barely knew. Plus, the latter would involve her revealing that she didn't really know what ponies did on dates anyway. "No, I ain't got any plans for tomorrow night." She said, vaguely aware that she should have felt bad that no pony had asked her to the dance, but instead relieved that Scootaloo seemed like she wanted to hang out. "Do you wanna go to the dance with me?" Scootaloo asked. Apple Bloom frowned. "Ya mean like with you and Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo's smile dropped a little bit. "No, I mean like...on a date...just the two of us." Apple Bloom felt her stomach turn. The apple pancakes she'd had for breakfast suddenly felt like they wanted to be on the outside of her and the warm spring air grew terribly cold. She had to close her eyes and take a deep breath to repel the feverish sensation overtaking her. "I...I don't think so, Scoots...I'm sorry but I can't." She said, staring at the grass and hating herself. All the other ponies were doing it, why was she so weird about it? Why couldn't she just make herself go through with the date? It would have been so much simpler. Still, she knew, deep down, it would have been a lie. "Oh...okay. I umm, I'm sorry..." Scootaloo said. "No, no, you don't have to apologize. It-it's not that big of a deal, really." Apple Bloom said, unsure which of the two of them she was trying to reassure. "Just forget we ever had this conversation." She said. Why had she said that? Why was this so hard? Scootaloo nodded. "Is it because I'm a mare?" She asked, without looking at Apple Bloom. "What? Uh, no, I just..." "Is it because I'm a pegasus?" Scootaloo asked, now looking her right in the face as she stepped closer. She looked like a prisoner waiting to find out if she'd been given a leave of execution. Apple Bloom suddenly felt like she was back in the fire swamp, cornered by the chimera. Only Applejack wouldn't be able to come and save her this time. "No, Scootaloo, I just don't want to go to the dance..." "Well, I mean, if it's the dance that's the problem, we can have a date somewhere else. We-we could even go on a different night if you want..." Scootaloo said. "Scoots, it's got nothing to do with the place or the time, I-I just can't go on a date with you, alright?" Scootaloo just stared at her and then nodded, her eyes drifting to the ground. "Okay, Apple Bloom. I'm sorry for being pushy...I just thought...well...I...I really, really like you and I-I thought...I'm sorry..." Apple Bloom rushed forward to comfort her friend, seeing tears gathering in her arms. But she stopped herself, certain that touching Scootaloo after the conversation they'd just had would hurt more. She paused, terrified by indecision before finally giving into empathy and reaching out. Scootaloo brushed her hoof away and Apple Bloom felt like she had been slapped. She was sure now that she was going to start crying too. What was wrong with her? Why was she hurting her friend so much? Why did Scootaloo have to pick her, the one pony who absolutely couldn't have reciprocated her feelings even if she had wanted to? "I better get going. Thanks for being honest with me." Scootaloo said, turning away and slowly trotting back up the hill, now carrying her skateboard at her side. Apple Bloom wanted to run after her. But what could she say? What could she do? She took a deep breath. Maybe, maybe Zecora would know what to do. She was so wise. Or Twilight? Twilight was the princess of Friendship. And Scootaloo was her friend no matter what. Yes, Twilight could help her. She quickly finished up her chores and headed in the direction of the castle, praying that Twilight would have some magical solution to all her problems and that by this time tomorrow, this terrible feeling, that she might have broken something which was beyond fixing would be long gone. Twilight Sparkle stepped out onto the balcony of her bedroom and flexed her wings, letting the morning air smooth between them. She had fallen asleep reading about dragon history, in a vain hope of finding some information about dragon holidays, so that she might have a better way of conveying to Ember the purpose of Hearts and Hooves Day. Her search had been unhelped by the fact that the scrolls she'd been reading were so ancient they'd been written in pre-Equestrian times. She had woken to find that Spike had put a blanket over her, and she made a mental note to do something for him tomorrow. Hearts and Hooves Day was all about spend time with the creatures in your life that you loved, not just the ones you were in love with, after all. She had just considered what might make a nice gift, when the morning sun struck something below and nearly blinded her with a polychromatic flash. She almost fell backward in surprise and held a hoof to her face as she peered over the edge of the balcony and down at the until now unnoticed wheelbarrow full of gemstones parked up below. She glared down at it, wondering who in their right mind would deliver such a valuable stash and then abandon it on her front stoop. It was practically a fire-hazard where it currently was. Focusing her telekinesis, she levitated the cart and its contents up and onto the balcony, inspecting the haul carefully. A deposit of this size, containing this many high value gems...it was worth more than half of Ponyville. Who could have possibly obtained it and then physically located it to this castle? Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered something she'd read in one of her books last night. It was written from the perspective of one of the few and extremely fool-hardy ponies who, like herself, had via camouflage infiltrated the Dragon Lands and risked life and limb to return with information about dragon society. The passage had included a description of one aspect of dragon courting. If a dragon wanted to invite another to fight them, thus proving their viability as a mate, they would gift that dragon a pile of gems. The larger the pile, the more romantic the gesture. It was a compliment, a willingness to spend resources to assure the safety of another and simultaneously, also an insult. It told the dragon being courted, that the dragon courting believed themselves strong enough to defeat another dragon, even if that dragon's hoard was bigger. She remembered, dimly, Ember mentioning something about a present which she'd be sending as part of their negotiations when they'd met several weeks prior. Surely, she hadn't been referring to an invitation of courtship like this? Twilight's mind reeled at the implications. There were three possibilities. The first was that Ember had sent the pile for Spike, which meant she was challenging him to a duel to prove that she should be his mate. Which made the most sense, and simultaneously seemed completely insane. Spike wasn't as small as he'd once been, but he wasn't anywhere near the same size as Ember, let alone as vicious as she could be in a full-on brawl. Maybe that was why the gift was so large, because she wanted him nice and strong for their confrontation? She knew that Spike and Ember had spent a lot of time together and had often thought that Ember might make a suitable replacement for his crush on Rarity. But he was too young to start a family. She knew that dragons wente mated earlier than ponies, but it still seemed wrong for Ember to ask him to either accept the invitation to a tooth and claw fight (which he had to win if he didn't want to guard her eggs for the next two decades) or to decline the invitation, destroying their friendship and any chance at diplomacy between their two nations. The second possibility was almost as bad. It was possible that the gems were intended as a gift toward Cadence. Dragons after all, didn't stay with one partner and had no concept of marriage. Even if Ember knew that Cadence was married to Twilight's brother (unlikely, given that Ember wasn't one for new information), it was entirely possible that she didn't believe that beginning a relationship with Cadence violated Equestrian cultural mores. This was worse, she decided, because it meant that Ember possibly did understand what Cadence as the princess of love was responsible for and wanted to enjoin Equestrian royalty with the spawn of the Dragon Lord. The third possibility, and the worst, was that the gift was for Twilight herself. She remembered fighting alongside Ember in the battle for Equestria. Ember was powerful and...pretty, in a scaly kind of way. But Twilight didn't think she could honestly be in a relationship with a dragon, even if it was to Ember, even if it was a fling, even if, in both of their elongated lifespans, it would eventually become only a footnote. Ironically, Twilight actually felt more confident fighting Ember in a duel than trying to explain to her that she was flattered but uninterested without Equestria ending up as a scorched landscape. Dragons barely understood friendship. How would Ember react if she tried to introduce the disappointment and frustration of unrequited romance to them? What if to Ember this proposal was a purely mechanical one? What if she just wanted to be in a relationship with a pony and considered Twilight, as an alicorn, to be one of the few who could serve as an adequate partner? There might be no romantic intention in the proposition, only a pure biological need, or worse, a perverse curiosity. Not that Twilight was against inter-species relationships. She knew for a fact that Ocellus the changeling and Smolder the dragon were very happy together. No, she wasn't against such relationships on principal. She just would prefer not to be in one, where she would remain incapable of loving the other participant. There was a knock at the door to her bedroom and she forced away the panic. "Twilight, it's me...can I talk to you about something?" It was Spike. She had to hide the gems. If he found out...well, she didn't know what might happen but until she was sure who it was Ember was gifting them to, she couldn't let him know. She quickly created a field of invisibility over the wheelbarrow and stepped back inside, closing the balcony doors behind her and pulling the curtains closed, just in case. Then she raced over to the door, took a deep breath and opened it. "Hey, Spike! What uh, what do you want to talk about?" She asked, with as kind a smile as she could summon given the circumstances. He frowned. "It's about Pinkie..." Fluttershy took a deep breath. Then she turned to the myriad birds, rodents, reptiles and the one ursine who were cheering her on. "Wish me luck." She said to them, and Harry even gave her a shooing motion as if hurrying her to admit her feelings. She stepped out of the alley and trotted up to the front door of the boutique. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to fly with how nervous she felt at just this moment. But she was glad for the stability of the cobblestones beneath her feet. She lifted up a hoof as if intending to knock down the door with one strike. Then she winced as she lightly tapped its perfectly polished surface. Almost immediately, the door was thrown open and a white hoof dragged her inside. "Fluttershy! Just the pegasus I was looking for!" Rarity said, hurrying Fluttershy through the shop and into one of the backrooms. "What do you think, darling? It took me alllll night, but I think it was worth it..." Fluttershy stared up at the lavender and silver dress which rested on a mannequine. It had hearts, carefully sown across the hemline and the waistline and a big, red piece of cloth sewn into the breast. It was quite possibly the best one she'd ever seen Rarity put together. Oh, to be that mannequine, to stand in this shop all day and be adorned by Rarity's creations. Oh, to be that dress, to have those delicate hooves working on her every day, molding her into something which radiated refinement. She was overwhelmed in that moment with the longing she had hidden since the two first became friends. She suddenly wanted to make her affections known through yelling and screaming. Instead, she said "It's beautiful, Rarity." She wanted to add some cheesy line about how it wasn't as beautiful as Rarity was to the end of that sentiment, but she stopped herself, having not yet gone that mad with affection to give into such an obviously cringe-inducing compliment. "Yes...I can't wait to find out who made it for me." Rarity said, with a deep and wistful sigh. Fluttershy blinked rapidly. "I thought you said you worked on it, last night..." "Oh, I did...but the original material comes from my secret admirer. That's what I wanted to tell you, Fluttershy, I recieved the most scandalous note yesterday afternoon. Somepony asking if I liked mares...well, naturally, I was at a loss for words, but it came with this dress and well, the meaning is obvious, isn't it? Some mare in this town made this dress for me and she wants me to wear it tomorrow to indicate my interest in her. It's the most romantic thing you've ever heard of, isn't it?" It wasn't. Fluttershy briefly flipped through a mental calendar, trying to ascertain if she had made a dress for Rarity and forgotten about it. No. No, she hadn't. Did that mean that there was some other mare, vying for Rarity's attention? No, the message had come from her, or from her through Rainbow Dash. Anypony could have given Rarity this dress. Its existence was no confirmation that there was another mare interested in Rarity, only that there were plenty of ponies who found Rarity as attractive as she did, something she'd already known. Now all she needed to do was tell Rarity that the dress she'd worked all night on hadn't come from her. Instead, a piddly, foalish note had and if Rarity just came with Fluttershy out of the boutique, she would receive an invitation to the dance which was not nearly as romantic as the dress. In her duties as a pegasus, she had often become blown off course by inclement weather or temporarily lost consciousness mid-flight due to exhaustion. The sensation of falling now returned to her, all the comfort of the floor beneath her hooves disappearing into a vast gorge. She had failed. She had waited too long to act on her feelings and somepony had beaten her to the punch by one day. She considered then, madly, throwing herself at Rarity's hooves and begging her to choose her instead. But it would due, no good. She had been too shy, too nervous, again, and it had taken everything from her. She turned away, ready to march out of the shop and return to her hut and hopefully never have to leave it ever again. She was interrupted by Rarity's unhidden enthusiasm. "Who do you think it is, Fluttershy? I've made a list of all the mares who I think might be in love with me, and well, I thought maybe you could help me narrow it down, just a tiny, winy bit? I'm just so excited to know who it was, I can't bear to wait to find out." Whoever it was, they would probably make a wonderful partner for Rarity. They would probably be able to visit all the galas and social gatherings that she loved without wanting to curl up and hide underneath the furniture. Whoever they were, they would probably be able to work up the courage to tell Rarity how wonderful she was. "What are you talking about?" It was Sweetie Belle, she'd been sitting at the front of the shop, flipping rather unenthusiastically through a magazine about fashion. Now, she had a look like she'd just been roused from a particularly rewarding dream. "Oh, Sweetie Belle, I can't believe I didn't tell you!" Rarity buzzed over to her sister, giving her a big hug and then showing her the note that Rainbow had delivered on Fluttershy's behalf. "Some mare left me this note yesterday, along with this beautiful dress (Which I've only made a few adjustments to). Do you see, she's asking me if I like mares! Can you believe it?" Sweetie just stared at the note in momentary confusion and what almost looked like disgust. "Fluttershy and I were trying to work out who my secret admirer is. Whoever she is, I just hope she's a good dancer..." Rarity said, with another lovesick sigh. Then Sweetie spoke and both Rarity's contentment and Fluttershy's misery were cut short. "You mean the letter that Rainbow Dash delivered?" She asked. Rarity frowned and Fluttershy wondered if it was possible to fly out of the boutique as quickly as possible without her exit being noticed. "Whatever do you mean, Sweetie?" "I saw Rainbow delivering this letter yesterday." Sweetie Belle said, handing the letter back to Rarity. "Congratulations, sis, now you know who likes you." Rarity took the letter without looking at it, her smile slowly fading as comprehension made it past her mind and into her eyes. "Oh. Oh dear. Oh no." "What do you mean, 'oh no'? Isn't that what you wanted?" Sweetie asked, almost angry now. "Well, yes, I mean, no, that is to say...I-I never would have expected...oh dear." Rarity suddenly slumped. "I thought...well, it's not that I don't love Rainbow dearly, as a friend, or that I don't find her work commendable, as an associate, or that she hasn't bettered my life, as an acquaintance...but..." But. But Rarity wasn't interested in Rainbow Dash any more than she was in Fluttershy. "Ugh, you're impossible!" Sweetie complained. "You, you get to hang out with princesses and visit other kingdoms and-and you own a fashion empire and it's still not enough for you!" "Sweetie Belle!" Rarity began. "And-and then when you complain that no pony loves you, boom! This beautiful pegasus, one of the greatest mares in Equestria shows up and gives you a gift and you can't leave it alone or stop talking about it. And then when you find out it was her...you're disappointed!" Sweetie said, tossing her hooves up in the air. "It-it's not fair, Rarity! You get everything you could ever want and you're still not...you're still not happy." "Sweetie, that's not...you don't understand..." Rarity said, stepping over to her sister. She looked absolutely gutted, but her distress was nothing compared to Sweetie's verge-of-tears expression. "I-I hate you! You-you make it impossible to be your sister!" Sweetie Belle said, before turning away and racing out of the room. Fluttershy heard the sound of front door slam shut behind her as Rarity dropped the note and rushed after her. "Wait! Sweetie, please! Wait! Let me explain!" She cried, galloping after her sister. Fluttershy stood in the workshop, staring at the abandoned, half-crumpled love note. She knew she had to run after Rarity, to tell her that the note was from her, not Rainbow Dash. To be sure that Sweetie Belle was okay. To be sure that no pony was hurt because of her mistake. She knew that was the kind thing to do. Instead, she slumped to the ground, lying next to the note, in the shadow of the lavender dress above. And quietly, she began to cry into the floorboards, closing her eyes and listening to the feeling of her heart, pounding a hole through her chest. Diamond Tiara sagged in her bed, staring out her bedroom window at the bucolic day blossoming outside. She was quite sure that she would have preferred it, at this moment, if the sun wasn't shining and ponies weren't jumping around outside, giddy with love for one another. It was bad enough for Sweetie Belle to refuse her advances. That was something she'd just need to accept and move past. But for Silver Spoon, her oldest friend to mock her, when she was at her most vulnerable...she wasn't sure if she could forgive that kind of behavior. It was so unnecessarily spiteful, especially since Diamond Tiara had asked for her help in figuring out how to approach Sweetie Belle about her feelings. She groaned and rolled over for the sixth time, trying to drive herself back into the comfortable oblivion of sleep. It was no use; she'd cried herself to sleep last night and stayed in long past breakfast. Sooner or later, she would have to get up. It didn't help that her parents were acting strangely as well. She kept hearing them whispering to each other, then they would break into giggles. Maybe their relationship was flourishing too because of Hearts and Hooves Day. That was just what she needed, for her stuffy parents to be flirting with one another while she was picking up the pieces of her broken heart. When another fit of giggles broke out down the hall from her room, she decided she'd endured enough. She rolled out of bed and, landing on her hooves, hurried downstairs and out of the sweet-smelling interior of her home. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were always talking about friendship, right? Maybe if she talked to Scootaloo or Apple Bloom about what had happened, they'd have advice about what to do about her feelings for Sweetie Belle (and her feelings about what Silver Spoon had done). It would be embarrassing, for sure, to discuss her crush with another pony, after how the first had treated the subject. But she knew that Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were incapable of the cruelties exhibited by Silver Spoon and she needed a friend right now, more than anything. Careful to avoid detection, she crept downstairs, slipping out the front door and onto the busy street. She was halfway to the park, where she knew Scootaloo would be headed this time of day, when she heard it. A strange, almost familiar lullabye, echoing from a nearby alleyway. It sounded like something her mother had hummed to her when she was a foal, or like some tune which had appeared in a now long distant dream. It was soothing to her aching heart and over-heated mind. So slow, so gentle, like the rocking of the waves beneath a pleasure barge, or the soft beat of another heart pressed to her chest. It was so beautiful, as simple and natural as the singing of the birds and the whistling of the wind. But it was simultaneously beyond nature, beyond description. As ephemeral as a thought and as enchanting as a dream. So, enticing, so inviting, Diamond Tiara was sure that if the stars themselves could make sound, it would sound like this. Slowly, she entered the alley, too entranced to even notice the overpowering fragrance of rotting flowers emitting from its depths. Applejack had just finished helping put up the stage for Cadence's big speech, when she saw Rarity pushing through the crowds, stopping every other pony and asking them something in desperate tones. Dropping the hammer between her teeth into a nearby bucket, she cantered over. "Are you alright?" She asked, as Rarity desperately interviewed a heavily tattooed Earth pony. "Applejack! Have you seen Sweetie Belle anywhere? Did she run through here?" Rarity asked. Her mane was all frizzy. Applejack didn't know it could get that unkempt. "No, I'm sorry." Applejack watched Rarity's face fall. "Why? Is she in trouble?" Rarity shook her head and Applejack thought she might keel over; she looked so upset. "I-I have to find her...It...it's all my fault..." "Slow down, sugarcube." Applejack reached out, putting a steadying hoof on Rarity's withers. "Sweetie Belle is a smart mare, just like 'er sister. I reckon whatever trouble she gets up to she'll be alright...now tell me what happened, and I promise to do everythin' I can to ya find her." Rarity took a deep breath regaining some of her normally uncompromising composure. "Well, Fluttershy had just come by and I was telling her about this dress I received in the mail. I-I thought it was a gift from a secret admirer, because it came with this note...asking if I liked mares. Anyway, Sweetie Belle says she saw it being dropped off by Rainbow Dash and I...I was just shocked is all, because I didn't think that Rainbow Dash was interested in me, in that way. But then Sweetie Belle started yelling about it...the poor dear, I know I'm not the easiest pony to grow up in the shadow of...but I never meant to hurt her! Well, she...she said she hated me and ran out of the boutique and now I'm worried that she might do something drastic and all I want to do is apologize to her, but I-I can't find her!" "Don't you worry now, Rarity...we'll find her." Applejack assured, pulling her hat down over her eyes and then turning and yelling up at Thunderlane, who was in the middle of adorning the awning of the stage with flowers. "HEY! Thunderlane! You and the rest of the pegasi start scanning the area, we need to find Rarity's sister lickety-split!" Thunderlane frowned. "Applejack, I'm kind of in the middle of so-" "You get goin' or I'll have Princess Twilight Sparkle reassign you to the Frozen North, ya hear!?" Thunderlane rolled his eyes, most ponies knew that Twilight was incapable of that kind of punishment. Still, he bolted up into the sky, waving some of the pegasi on cloud duty down to him so that they could set up some kind of search party. As soon as they were gone, Applejack suggested Rarity go tell her and Sweetie's parents, while Applejack checked out the old Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse. She was glad to help, but she was also far more comfortable not having to hide the grinding of her teeth. Sweetie Belle was mistaken, that was all. Rarity was clearly distressed and her story didn't make much sense anyhow. Clearly, there had been some kind of misunderstanding and this whole big mess would soon be cleared up and they would all laugh about it over a heart-shaped eclair. There were pegasi from all over Equestria for the Hearts and Hooves festival. Sweetie Belle had probably just seen another blue pegasus and the pegasus had been flying quickly and so she had mistaken her for Rainbow. Just another blue pegasus with a very distinctive rainbow mane. It was mistake. It had to be. Rainbow was the most loyal pony that Applejack knew. She would have never betrayed her. And even if she had, she never would have done it like this. Dropping off some kind of dress? She couldn't think of anything which sounded less appealing to a mare as coltish as Rainbow. It was probably some kind of prank, where she had sent Rarity the dress just to make fun of her. Of course, that wasn't like Rainbow either. It was a little too personal, to be mocking Rarity's greatest passion and her love-life all in one go. But it made far more sense than sending a love note. Then Applejack remembered how hesitant Rainbow was when the two of them had started seeing each other. She was so worried about what others thought of her, and so worried about messing up her friendship with Applejack. It had taken a lot of patience to get to this point, where they could spend time together the way ponies ought to be able to, and even now, Rainbow still begged Applejack not to tell anypony about it, not even their best friends. If Rainbow was willing to lie about her relationship with Applejack, after claiming that she loved her, what else was she willing to lie about? "It's not that I don't want her to be happy..." Spike said. "It's just...I don't know...I-I never thought she wanted to be with Rarity. If I had, I wouldn't have told her about my crush..." "Spike, what you're describing doesn't sound like Pinkie at all." Twilight said. "If she was in love with Rarity, I'm pretty sure she'd spell her name out in the sky with fireworks." "But Derpy said she saw her doing it!" Spike said. Twilight sighed. "Why don't we go talk to Pinkie about it and find out her side of the story, before we jump to conclusions, okay?" Spike took a deep breath then he nodded. As Twilight got up from her seated position and moved to clear away the mess of books left behind by last night's cram session, he hopped off the bed and padded over to her. "Twilight?" "Yes, Spike?" She put the book where she'd read about dragon duels atop her bedside table for later reading. Boy, she hoped that Spike was wrong about this thing with Pinkie Pie, she had enough to worry about with their tightly wound group dissolving due to some needless drama. "Rarity doesn't love me, does she?" Twilight's telekinesis went so haywire she very nearly knocked over her private bookcase. Steadying it with both hooves she glanced back at Spike. "Why do you say that?" She asked, when she was sure that her carefully curated collection of thousand-year-old tomes was no longer in danger. "Well, she wouldn't be this excited about being with a mare if she was, would she?" Spike said, slowly. "I thought for a long time that maybe she'd fall in love with me. But that's not going to happen, is it?" Twilight took a deep breath and then walked over, leaning down slightly so that the two of them were eye to eye. "Spike, I think that Rarity will always be there for you, as a friend...but no, I don't think she is in love with you. I can't say that I know she will never love you the way you love her. But...I know that you can't make some creature love you, all you can do is give them love and hope they will give it back." Spike hung his head, nodding slowly. "I've been deluding myself for years, haven't I?" "No, Spike...I...I don't know much about relationships, okay? But I know that all the time you've spent with Rarity...the things she's done for you...none of that was wasted okay? Just because you two can't...be together. It doesn't mean that it wasn't worth it, that you were there to make her happy...or that she'll be there to help you be happy sometime in the future." Twilight said. "Remember when you were all embarrassed about your stone-scale? You were afraid to let her see you like that, but she didn't care. She just wanted to help you. That's a true friend, and sometimes...that lasts longer than love ever will." Spike stared at his claws for a moment and then nodded. Twilight sighed and drew him in, wrapping her wings around his torse and rubbing the ridge of scales across his head and back. "Someday, you're going to fall in love again, Spike. And someday, some creature who cares as much about you as you do about Rarity, is going to fall in love with you. This isn't the end of the world, I promise." There was a knocking on the door and Twilight, mildly annoyed, gave Spike one last smile and then hurried over to the door. "Okay, what is it this time?" She asked, unlocking the door and swinging it open. It was Apple Bloom, coated in a thin layer of dust and completely out of breath. Her coat around her eyes was stained too, as if she'd been crying and her legs were wobbling slightly. "Apple Bloom...wha-what are you doing here?" Twilight asked, glancing out into the hall, as if expecting the other members of the CMCs to be right behind her. "Princess Twilight...I-I think I did somethin' awful and I'm worried about my friendship with Scootaloo...is-is it alright if I talk to you about it?" She asked, her big amber eyes turning up to meet Twilight's. "Oh, umm, yes, of course." Twilight glanced at Spike, who was already opening the balcony doors. "I'll let you get to your work, Princess..." He said, with a smile. "Wait, Spike, don't-!" Twilight began. It was too late, he flew out of the room, smacking straight into the wheelbarrow of gems and causing it to turn over upon him, burying him in a cascade of emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds. Twilight lifted a hoof to her face and slowly dragged it across her muzzle and mouth. Apple Bloom stared at the bizarre sight and then at Twilight. "Uh...did I come at a bad time?" Sweetie Belle sat in the shade of tent, listening to the carnival barkers trying to drum up some early business before the rush of the festival tomorrow. She lay with her hooves pressed to her forehead, trying to rub feeling back into her brain. How mortifying. First, she'd acted like an idiot in front of Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo and now she'd been an absolute beast to her sister, only because she'd been in a bad mood. It was Rarity's fault that Scootaloo wasn't interested in her. It wasn't Rarity's fault that she was prettier than Sweetie Belle. Of course, Rainbow Dash would want to be with her. She wasn't a spoiled brat, desperate for the slightest attention. It wasn't the first time that Sweetie's envy had bubbled to the surface. But it was the ugliest. She wouldn't blame Rarity if she never wanted to see her again. Slowly getting to her feet, she wandered away from the town center and into the safety of the park. Oh well, maybe she wouldn't ever have a special some pony. But at least Scootaloo was still in her life, at least she hadn't totally burned that bridge yet. Staring at the monument and waiting for Scootaloo to arrive and start her familiar routine, Sweetie resolved to return to the boutique and give her apologies. Maybe if she told Rarity about her crush on Scootaloo, maybe she wouldn't just receive an undeserved "I forgive you". Maybe Rarity would be able to say something to her, something which would ease the heartbreak. She was mentally assembling the exact phrasing of her apology, when she noticed Silver Spoon across the path, standing next to a garbage can and staring intently at a discard piece of paper litter. Her normally pristine coat was dirty, her mane unkempt and the bags beneath her eyes magnified by her spectacles. Sweetie Belle hated the thought, but she looked half-dead, almost zombie-like. "Silver Spoon...are...are you alright?" She asked, slowly inching toward the taller mare. Silver Spoon's eyes left the ground and flashed with hatred. Sweetie Belle jerked back instinctively. She hadn't seen that much anger in another pony's eyes since Cozy Glow almost destroyed Equestria. Silver Spoon wasn't cackling like Cozy Glow would be. There was nothing cheesy or over-the-top about her expression, just a piercing intensity which reminded Sweetie of staring at the sun. Silver Spoon whispered something, slightly too quiet for Sweetie Belle to make out. "What-what did you say? What's wrong?" Sweetie Belle asked, still backing away. She was scared now; she'd never seen another pony act like this. She'd only heard stories, usually told around a campfire, of ponies who lost their mind and became inured to the balm of friendship. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Silver Spoon yelled, attracting the attention of the Scootaloo fans who'd gathered nearby in preparation for today's show. Her words were accompanied by a pointing hoof and Sweetie Belle actually looked behind her, she was so stunned by Silver Spoon's accusation. "Wha-what are you talking about? What did I do?" "HA! Don't play the foal, thou art more diabolical than furies of Tartarus, more parasitic than the lowliest centaur..." Silver Spoon snarled, her hooves making deep grooves in the dirt path as she stomped over to Sweetie Belle. "First thou takest mine love, then thou denies her bliss. Thou art a serpent by tongue and tooth, poisoning the roots of harmony with caprice." She spat, looming over Sweetie Belle and causing her to fall over in surprise and fear. "Were that thou a stallion, I would be revenged upon thou in the arts of bloodletting. But as thou art the most churlish and lubricous of temptresses, I am reduced to callous denouncements!" Sweetie Belle lifted a hoof to protect herself, closing her eyes and wincing for an impact. "Suh-Silver Spoon stop it...what, what's wrong with you?" Silver Spoon growled and turned away addressing her audience and pointing melodramatically again at Sweetie Belle's prone form. "Behold, good ponies, the most dangerous of deceivers! Look upon her and feel naught more than disgust, for she art more wolf than waif! She hath savaged the love of mine dearest friend as a bone to a starving stray! Reveal unto the world her wantoness, and let it be known to her most doting ally, how the marrow of Diamond Tiara's devotion tasted!" Sweetie Belle stared at Silver Spoon in shock. She was vaguely aware of the meaning behind Silver Spoon's words, some accusation of harming Diamond Tiara. But Silver Spoon's method of speaking was so strange and her mannerisms so exaggerated, she was more terrified of what had befallen the pony she once called friend. Just yesterday, Silver Spoon had been her normal, sarcastic self. "Silver Spoon! Knock it off!" There were gasps as Diamond Tiara stepped out from the edge of the crowd, with a glare at Silver Spoon. But it was not, as Sweetie Belle hoped, outrage at Silver Spoon for her actions or even concern for her mental state. It could barely be described as more than annoyance at a spot of public embarrassment. Silver Spoon withered like a flower in December and squeaked. "But mine lady-" Diamond Tiara lifted up a hoof in disdain to silence her and rolled her eyes. Then she marched up to her, keeping her eyes on Sweetie Belle. "I thought I told you to shut up! Honestly, do you think I would ever want her?" Sweetie Belle felt like she'd just been thrown a lifeline, only to discover it was made of paper. "Hath mine proposal been reconsidered?" Silver Spoon asked, a shred of joy appearing on her ghastly face. "I believe I requested...SILENCE!!" Diamond Tiara snarled, giving Silver Spoon a look which made her cower. Then she glanced back at Sweetie Belle and marched up to her, with that same look of imperious distaste which Sweetie Belle thought she would never see on her face again. "Well? Did you tell her I fancied you? Is that what this is about?" Diamond Tiara demanded. "I-no...I..." Sweetie Belle glanced at the crowd, hoping that somepony would come to her aid. But at the moment every creature seemed too stunned by the madness of the proceedings to consider intervention. "Do you honestly believe any pony would find you intriguing, let alone one as well-bred as me? I mean, puh-lease! I expect your own parents forget you exist half the time." Diamond Tiara said as she looked Sweetie Belle up and down and sneered. "The only reason you have friends is because you found two other fillies too pathetic to give up on you. I expect the lot of you take comfort in each other, all the while aware that no stallion is ever going to deign to use you for anything more than passing pleasure..." She paused, smirking and leaning down, her voice lowering as the tears welled in Sweetie's already red eyes. "Is that it, Sweetie Belle? Did you want me to join your little club so you could kiss me and tell me how wonderful I am? Maybe you got tired of playing at the real thing with that hayseed, Apple Bloom?" "HEY! Knock it off!" Called a voice. Again, the crowd parted and again there were gasps as Scootaloo strode forth, carrying her skateboard under one hoof. Diamond Tiara laughed. "It figures. Who else would come to the defense of this loser and her bumpkin friend?" Boos rose from the crowd, finally jolted out of surprise by sheer outrage. Scootaloo just walked up to Diamond Tiara and pointed with her hoof. "Get out of here! NOW!" Diamond Tiara wasn't even looking at her, she was too busy scowling at the crowd. "Oh please! Save your sympathy for a creature deserving of it!" She turned back toward Scootaloo and pointed at her. "Admit it, thhe first thing you notice when you see this mare is those wings on her back. Any mare who says otherwise is deceiving only herself." Scootaloo gritted her teeth together. "I knew you hadn't changed...I knew that no matter how kind we were, you would always just be a spoiled brat." Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. "Oh, my heart! I'm soooooo wounded...go ahead, flightless. Call me all the names you can think of. At least I have parents who actually care about me-" Sweetie Belle's hoof collided with Diamond Tiara's face, spraying blood across the park grass and causing the Earth Pony to fall over in surprise. For the first time in her life, Diamond Tiara had been hit and she did not like the feeling. She removed a perfectly manicured hoof from her snout and stared at the dark stuff staining her coat. Then she narrowed her eyes at Sweetie Belle. Whatever revenge she had planned was made unnecessary a moment later, when Silver Spoon launched herself onto Sweetie Belle. "How darest thou!!?" Silver Spoon screamed. The park was suddenly filled with the nauseating echoes of crunching bone beneath her whirling hooves. The melee was quickly stopped when Scootaloo and the crowd quickly descended on Silver Spoon and dragged her kicking and hissing away from her victim. But Sweetie Belle still lay on the ground, one eye blackened, two teeth missing, her snout crumpled, and her mane stained with blood. Worst of all though, was the crack which Scootaloo could see in her horn. Wrapping her hooves around Sweetie's incapacitated form, Scootaloo picked her up and atop her skateboard, hurried in the direction of the Ponyville Hospital.