Fluttershy sat at the table, eyes vacant and unfocused. Applejack and Rainbow Dash waited for her to say something, stealing glances at one another. They could hear Twilight shuffling around in the kitchen preparing the tea as they waited. Finally Rainbow said, "Hey, Flutters. How'd it go?"
Fluttershy gave a small 'eep' and jumped back, landing on her rump, pressing a hoof to her chest. Rainbow jumped over to help her up.
"I'm so sorry, Flutters! I didn't mean to scare you. I use wanted to know how it went up there with that... Thingy."
"Oh, it's fine, Rainbow. To be honest, I didn't even notice you two sitting here. I'm sorry. I should have been more observant," she said as Rainbow helped her up. "I'm just so tired from dealing with John..."
"Whoa, there. The thing has a name now?"
"Oh, yes. Of course it has a name. I mean, it would be kind of strange not to have a name, wouldn't it?" Suddenly she gasped.
"Oh, no, Rainbow! I got blood all over your beautiful coat! I'm so sorry!"
"Aw, come on Flutters. It's nothing. You know me. I've had way more blood than this on me. Some of the time it wasn't even mine," she winked.
"That doesn't make it ok. You're all messy now."
"Don't worry about it, Flutters. Besides, you look way worse than I do."
Fluttershy looked down at herself as if for the first time and gasped. "Oh, no! I just... I just got so caught up in dealing with John that I didn't even notice... And now I've tracked blood all over the library! Twilight's going to be so angry with me..."
"Hold on there, sugar cube. I'm sure that Twilight will understand. Still, you should probably go and wash up. You'll feel better once you're all clean. Twilight's still making tea, so we've still got a minute before she's done."
Fluttershy squirmed in place. "Are you sure Twilight won't mind if I use her bathroom?"
Rainbow let out a laugh. "Of course we're sure, Flutters. You worry too much. Come on, let's go get you cleaned up," Rainbow said, grabbing Fluttershy's hoof.
"Ok," Fluttershy said meekly. "If you're sure she won't mind."
With that the two of them went off towards the bathroom. Fluttershy insisted on flying most of the way, muttering something about not wanting to get any more blood on the floor.
Applejack chuckled quietly and shook her head. The two were as different as night and day, but they were closer than peas in a pod. Turning back to the table, she began humming a happy little tune under her breath. Music was one of the few things that made the long days at the farm to by quicker. Gradually, the tune tapered off, and Applejack found her gaze drawn to the top of the stairs and the door there.
She pondered as the pleasant clamor of Twilight in the kitchen and the rush of water from the bathroom echoed in her ears. John. What a strange name. But a strange name for a strange creature, and there weren't many creatures stranger than whatever was lurking up in Twilight's bedroom. Where had it come from? What was it like? Fluttershy seemed to be fine with it, but then again Fluttershy kept company with bears and stared down cockatrices. Strange creatures didn't really phase Fluttershy as long as they weren't dragons, so it was little wonder that Fluttershy seemed to be getting along with this one.
That's why Twilight had called her, after all.
Even so, the strange new creature called John unsettled Applejack. She couldn't quite put her hoof on it, but something about it just made her uneasy. She shook her head and tapped a hoof on the ground. There would be plenty of time for this new creature later. For now he just looked like some sort of monkey.
Twilight walking in with a tray levitating in front of her snapped Applejack out of her reverie. "Where'd Rainbow go?" Twilight asked when she saw Applejack sitting alone at the table.
"She took Fluttershy to the restroom to help her get cleaned up. You don't mind, do you? Fluttershy was a little worried that you might not want her to use your restroom."
"Oh, of course not! What kind of a friend would I be if I didn't let her use my bathroom? Especially after I asked for her help." Twilight shook her head as she set the tray down on the table. Before the metal hit the wood, the plates, cups and spoons all took off as if on their own accord, each surrounded by a faint purple haze. The china and utensils danced in the air, spinning around each other before each one came to rest, arranged neatly and precisely on the table. Applejack watched in jealous fascination and gave out a low whistle.
"Are you sure you can't teach me a thing or two, Twi?" Applejack said with a wink.
Twilight stuck her tongue out at her friend. "You know that's not how magic works, AJ. Besides, you've got special talents because of your heritage that are just as valuable."
Applejack gave a little snort and grinned a little. "Like how I can work for three days on no sleep, and the rest of y'all get tuckered out before lunch time?"
Twilight blushed a little. It hadn't even taken her until lunchtime the last time that she'd gone over to help Applejack harvest her orchards. "Yes, like that."
"Heh. I know, Twi. I was just teasing you. Still," she said, nudging her friend, "it would be nice to be able to set the table as quick as you do."
Twilight chuckled as she scooped up the tea kettle in her hooves and began to pour the steaming tea into each cup.
Applejack cocked an eyebrow as she watched her friend pour the tea. "So how come you always pour the tea with your hooves like an earth pony instead of with your magic? Seems like it would be a lot more convenient the other way."
Twilight shrugged. "I don't know. It's just the way that Princess Celestia taught me to do it."
Applejack took her cup in her hooves and took a long, deep sniff. Perfect, as always. There were only a couple of ponies that Applejack of who could make a better cup of tea. Merriweather, the retired guard pony who'd opened up a coffee shop, and Rarity were the only ones who came to mind.
"What's this? Princess Twilight Sparkle doesn't know something?" Applejack took a sip. She still preferred Twilight's tea to Rarity's, though.
"Oh, hardy har har," Twilight said, rolling her eyes. "No, I don't know everything. " She set the kettle down on the tray and took her own cup between her hooves. "It was something I never really payed attention to. I really enjoyed having tea with Princess Celestia, but I always had so many other questions. It never really seemed important." She closed her eyes and took along, slow sip, savoring the memories as much as the tea itself. She swallowed and let out a peculiar sigh and laughed. "To be honest, she always was a little disappointed in my tea brewing skills."