Applejack nearly choked on her tea. "What, now? How could the princess be disappointed in your tea? This is darned near the best tea I've ever had."
Twilight smirked. "Maybe I should say she was dissapointed with how casually I treated it. I never cared much for the ceremony, and she always said it came through in the taste."
Applejack shook her head and took another sip. "Well, I don't know what she's going on about. You brew some of the best tea in town, and that's saying something."
"You're finally done with the tea? Took you long enough, Twilight." A gust of air ruffled their manes as Rainbow flew over them. She hovered for a moment, rattling the dishes before settling into her spot. "Come on, Flutters. It's going to get cold." She reached over and grabbed several sugar cubes, dropping them into her tea.
A muffled voice came from the bathroom and a moment later Fluttershy followed. Her hooves were damp, but the blood was gone and her mane had been hastily brushed. She made her way over to the table and sat next to Twilight. "I hope you don't mind me using your bathroom, Twilight."
"Not at all, Fluttershy. Especially not after I asked you to come help out with... That creature upstairs."
"John. His name is John," Fluttershy murmured, raising the teacup to her lips.
"Oh. So, how did it go? With John, I mean."
A small sigh escaped Fluttershy's lips as she set her tea down. "It was hard. I've seen this kind of thing before when an animal escapes a big predator like a manticore, but never this bad. It took me a while to get him to calm down to the point where I could take care of his injuries. He wasn't seriously injured, but he had a lot of cuts, and I think he might have a concussion. I used the first aid kit you had in your bathroom upstairs, Twilight. I'll be sure to buy you a new one. No, no. I insist. I had to use nearly all your gauze and bandages. He's sleeping now, though, which is probably for the best. I put him in your bed. I hope that's all right. There was just no place else to put him, and your bed was barely big enough as it is. I can move him if you want..."
Twilight waved her hoof. "No, that's just fine. We don't want to traumatize... Him more than we have to. I'll just sleep on the couch or something."
"Oh, thank your Twilight. That's a big relief. I'd like to come back, though, and keep an eye on him. The poor dear's been through quite a lot, and I want to keep him under observation. If that's all right with you, that is."
"Of course. Don't hesitate to tell me if you need something."
"Oh, I wouldn't want to be a burden. Besides, I have all my own supplies on hoof."
"All right," Twilight said, dissatisfied.
"So is he going to be all right?" Rainbow asked.
Fluttershy shook her head. "I don't know yet. He's not hurt very badly, but he has obvious mental trauma. He kept talking about what happened to him. He wasn't very coherent, but from what little I could piece together he and his friends were going to explore a mine of some sort? I think they were looking for somepony's father or something. After that, he started talking about how the dark came alive and started killing his friends, and how he ran, but he couldn't find his way out..." Fluttershy blinked and shook her head, taking another sip of tea. "I don't know how much of it's real, though. When animals, or ponies I guess, go through something trqumatic they'll forget things, or make up memories to make sense of what happened to them. Maybe one day he'll be able to come to terms with what he went through, but for now..."
Twilight looked at Rainbow and Applejack before cutting in. "Actually, Fluttershy, he's not delusional. That really happened. I saw it. That's why I brought him here. To save him."
Fluttershy glanced at her friend, disbelieving. As she studied Twilight's face, her eyes went wide, and her hooves began to shake. All at once she dropped her teacup, which shattered and spilled all over the table, and jumped to her feet. She ran to the stairs, only to have Twilight wrap a foreleg around her neck.
"Fluttershy, stop. You've done everything you can."
"But what he went through-"
"Stop. He's sleeping. You can't do anything else for him right now."
"But-"
"No buts. After what he went through, sleep is the best thing for him right now, and you need some rest too."
Fluttershy pranced from hoof to hoof, looking between the door to Twilight's room and her friend again and again. Finally she subsided and said, "I guess you're right."
Twilight smiled. "Sometimes your heart is too big for your own good, you know that?" She pulled Fluttershy into a hug. When she let go Twilight said, "Now you just give me a list of all the things you need from your house. Rainbow and AJ will go get it for you."
"Oh, no. I couldn't do that. I can get it myself, no trouble. I'll be back before you know it."
"Fluttershy," Twilight said sternly, "You are not going anywhere until you've had a few minutes rest. Besides, you have a patient upstairs who needs you. AJ and Rainbow will be more than happy to go get your things. Won't you, girls?"
Both mares quickly nodded. "Aw, yeah. We'll be there and back in like, ten seconds flat. No problem."
Fluttershy shifted her weight from hoof to hoof. "No, it'll be fine. I wouldn't want to be a burden on you girls."
Rainbow and AJ both started to protest, but Twilight put her hoof on Fluttershy's cheek and looked into her eyes. "Fluttershy, do you trust your friends?"
"We'll, yes, but..."
"Do you think they won't get everything you ask them to?"
"No..."
"Then let them show you the kindness that you show us all the time. Let them help you."
"But I can do it just fine, and I wouldn't want to be a bother..."
"Don't you worry, sugar cube. It ain't no trouble at all."
"Yeah. Like I said, we'll be back in ten seconds flat."
"That's assumin' RD can keep up, of course."
"Is that a challenge, farm girl?"
"You bet your pretty little feathers it is."
"Humph. It isn't a race if there isn't a prize of some sort."
"You got somethin' in mind?"
"Oh, yeah. The looser has to set up the winner with a hot date and pays for dinner."
AJ grinned and narrowed her eyes. "I think I got a better idea. It's gettin' pretty close to applebucking season. I don't think I'll be able to take a weekend off to show a stallion a proper good time." She glanced at Twilight. "How 'bout the looser sets Twilight up, and pays for the dinner."
"Hey, wait a second! You two leave me out of this!"
Rainbow looked over at Twilight and smirked. "You're on, farm girl." With that she spat on her forehoof and stuck it out in front of her. AJ smiled and did the same, knocking hers into Rainbow's, sealing the deal. In an instant both mares were out the door and galloping down the road.
Twilight rushed to the door after them and shouted, "Get back here! I didn't even give you the list yet!"