Everypony's mouth hung open as Celestia's words rang in their ears.
“Huh??” That was all Pinkie Pie could get out.
The white Alicorn turned and walked slowly back to Twilight, nosing gently at her mane.
“It truly breaks my heart to see you like this my little pony. You have let your fears get the better of you...” she whispered softly to her student.
“Y-you? Whoa-wait...How could YOU have gotten Twilight into this mess Princess?” Rainbow Dash stared at the Princess, her expression a picture of confusion and disbelief.
“Ah don't get it either...didn't Luna just say that it was her spell going wrong? Don' get me wrong tho' Princess Luna...Ah realise ya meant nothing by it...but – how come ya'll blaming yourself Princess Celestia?” Applejack sat down and reached up to take off her hat, holding it over her chest in the crook of one fore hoof while rubbing her head with the other.
Celestia sighed, looking down at Twilight's still form.
“You see Applejack, I also visited Twilight earlier today, to continue Twilight's studies in person...”
-------------------------------------
“Alright Twilight. Let's try again, and this time focus.”
Princess Celestia and Twilight stood together in the middle of the main room of the library. Books littered the floor and the table, and a few scrolls and other items were adorning the walls in ways that seemed to defy even the fairly lax laws of physics that operated in Equestria.
Twilight's lesson wasn't going very well.
Celestia watched as Twilight built up a spell in her glowing horn, her eyes screwed shut in concentration. While complex, the spell Twilight was trying to cast was usually well within her student's capabilities. Today however...
“Now Twilight, we just have to-”
The spell abruptly seemed to explode into bolts of violet lightning, arcing in all directions. A small tornado of airborne books whizzed about the library like square missiles while the table made another desperate bid for freedom through the fireplace.
“Yowch!” Celestia quickly ducked as a heavy old tome sailed past her crown at high speed, then quickly cast her own fail-safe spell as her student had a small panic attack while trying to correct the errant magic.
The book storm subsided and Celestia sighed, mentally chalking up another attempt. Already Twilight had accidently conjured up an impressive number of storms and chaotic magic spells of varying types and degrees, including a strange tentacle creature which Celestia had hurriedly stuffed back into it's own dimension and tried her best to forget about. As for the cupcakes, that was probably best left...
“Oooh...I'm so sorry Princess Celestia!...I...I don't understand! I don't know what went wrong!”
“Twilight...” Celestia took a deep breath. “This spell requires a great deal of concentration and focus. Even the smallest distraction will cause it to fail. I had thought that you had reached the level of control necessary for this but perhaps that assumption was a little premature...”
“N-no! I know I can do this! It's just...” Twilight's words trailed off, her ears lowering. Celestia regarded her student, her sympathy mixed with curiosity. Twilight had seemed unhappy all the way through the lesson, and her magic had been giving her no end of trouble the whole afternoon.
“Twilight? Is something...?”
“I'm sorry...please give me another chance Princess Celestia...” Twilight bowed her head.
Celestia considered for a moment. “Perhaps Twilight, it would be best to end our lesson at this point. The hour grows late and I will soon be needed in Canterlot.”
“Princess...” Twilight looked more depressed than ever,
Celestia turned and walked towards the balcony, pausing for a moment with her wings flared.
“Twilight...I sense something is wrong. I will not pry, but you have much to think about if you are to advance any further in your studies”
Celestia spread her wings and took off into the late afternoon sun, but her thoughts remained of her student and the puzzle of her uncharacteristic inattentiveness. Part of her wished she could remain, but she dismissed the thought - royal duties apart, it would be a disservice to Twilight and her already considerable abilities to interfere too much. She just hoped Twilight found the answer she needed soon.
She never saw Twilight sink to the floor and begin to cry pitifully as she was left alone in the library, the mare curling up tightly and shivering in the grip of a nervous breakdown...
--------------------------------------
“After I returned to Canterlot, I admit I felt uneasy...” Celestia closed her eyes as a twinge of regret plucked at her heart. “I could see that something must have been troubling Twilight deeply, to the point it was affecting her magic...and...perhaps I erred in not pursuing the matter.”
Celestia knelt beside Twilight and lay her head against Twilight's neck.
“I'm sorry my student...I know how much your studies with me mean to you...my words were never meant to be harsh.” she whispered.
The sound of nearby hooves interrupted Princess Celestia's thoughts. Lifting her head, she turned and looked up to see Applejack, the rest of the Mane Six behind her drawing close.
“Princess Celestia...”
Applejack nervously stepped forward to address the Princess. The earth pony's eyes were filled with guilt and shame. “Ah...think ah got somethin' to confess too.”
“Me too.” Rainbow Dash spoke up behind Applejack, the usually confident pegasus fidgeting uncomfortably.
“We all have something we should say” admitted Rarity.
Celestia stood up regally and looked down at the rest of the Mane Six. The faces of the five mares were glum, and even Pinkie's mane had suddenly gone flat. Spike kept his gaze on at the floor in front of him.
“I'm listening...” came Celestia's soft reply.
Applejack, looking decidedly shamefaced, took a deep breath.
“You see Princess...that mornin', - well... we weren't being terribly good friends.”
--------------------------------------------
“No way Applesnack!”
“For th' last time, Rainbow!”
Morning sunlight streamed through the windows of the library. Fluttershy and Rarity were seated on cushions in one corner of the main reading room, watching Rainbow Dash and Applejack arguing louder and louder, their noses barely an inch apart.
“Will you get off your high horse just ONCE in a while!? Sheesh, you are so not cool when...”
“Get off mah high horse? How 'bout YOU getting' your head outta the clouds?”
“Oh funny. Coming from an Earth Pony who's got her head up her...”
“What's goin' on?” asked Spike as he and Pinkie Pie came in from the kitchen and stared at the two arguing ponies.
Rarity shook her mane “Nothing...unusual Spike dear. Just Rainbow Dash and Applejack being their usual uncouth selves whenever they disagree.”
“An' just what does THAT mean Rarity?” snarled Applejack, glaring over at the snow coloured unicorn.
“Really Applejack, must you two be so crude?”
“Oh yeah? Well at least we aren't like...total snobs like SOME ponies!” Rainbow Dash hovered in mid-air, glaring at the dressmaker.
“Face it Rare...when it comes to bein' fussy and persnickety, y'all just as rude an' aggravating as...”
Rarity gave Applejack an angry look. “Oohh...It. Is. ON!”
“Hey! Nopony speaks to Rarity like that!” Spike leapt in front of his crush and smoke puffed from his nose.
“That's very noble of you Spike but I can handle anything these...uncivilised brutes can say!”
“Girls! What's...going on down here?” Twilight Sparkle trotted down the stairs from her bedroom, staring wide-eyed at the arguing ponies in shock.
“Stay outta this Twilight...This is between Rainbow, Rarity an' me.” said Applejack firmly.
“Yeah, we don't need any eggheads butting in neither!” Rainbow Dash snorted. Twilight's jaw dropped open.
“Rainbow!... What in Equestria has gotten into everypony?”
“We are quite capable of dealing with this ourselves Twilight, even if some of us are just plain rude and obnoxious.” sniffed Rarity.
“Rarity! How can you say that about your friends?” Fluttershy walked over and glared at her unicorn friend.
“Fluttershy...stop! Please everypony, calm down!” Twilight pleaded.
“Will you stop interfering Twilight? That's all you EVER do! It's NOT cool - why can't you just leave us alone for a change?” Rainbow glared at the librarian, who's eyes grew watery.
“B-but...but...I'm your friend! Friends are supposed to help each other!”
“Says the mare who only wanted to be our friend when she was ordered to by the Princess!”
“Whaat?” gasped Twilight, hardly believing what she heard the weather mare say.
“Let's face it Twi, The only reason ya'll came to Ponyville 'n the first place was to study frien'ship” cut in Applejack. “The only thing ya'll always cared 'bout were ya'll friendship reports, or did ya'll forget about what ya'll did with that doll?”
“Is that all you care about Twilight? Are we just some...dumb research project to you?” Rainbow Dash was practically nose to nose with Twilight, hovering directly in front of her.
“B-but...n-no! I...I...” Twilight backed away from her friends, her ears lying flat as if to block out the accusations flying at her.
“That's...really MEAN Twilight! Are you really a mean meanie-pants?” asked Pinkie
“How could you do such a thing Twilight?” whispered Fluttershy.
“N-no! I-it...it's not...” Twilight's heart felt like it was being torn up in front of her like parchment, words failing in her throat. It couldn't be true...could it?
“Forget it - I'm outta here.” Rainbow headed for the door.
“Me too. Ah got honest friends ta buck apples for...” Applejack turned and vanished out of the door, closely followed by the others.
“Rarity...” Spike gave Twilight a hurt look and headed in the direction of the Boutique.
Twilight crouched miserably in the middle of the room, tears welling up in her eyes.
“I...I don't understand...what did I do wrong?”
-----------------------------------
“Course afterwards we realised just how silly we'd y'all been, and how awful we'd treated a friend like Twilight.” Applejack hung her head, a couple of tears falling to the stone slabs.
“Me and Rainbow Dash...well, when we cooled our heads some and made up, we tried ta go apologise to Twilight...but by then she were too upset to even talk ta Spike... She j'us...hid herself away, so we figure we'd try ta talk to her in the mornin'. Guess by then...she'd had her lesson with ya'll Princess..." Applejack sighed and walked up to Twilight to nuzzle her.
“So y' see Princess, 'twas our fault that Twilight was so upset an' was messin' up her magic so bad. She was worried 'bout losing her friends, but we were the ones who should'a done the worryin' after treating her so bad....we're sorry Twi...real sorry...”