Out to the far western edge of Ponyville lies the well-known Sweet Apple Acres, thought to be one of the earliest residences in the whole town. At least, that was what Granny Smith regularly yelled at passers-by during her non-napping hours, and nopony was foolish enough to argue with her.
What was less well-known about the place, however, was that there was a lush, green hillock that sat hidden from sight directly behind the barn. Only a select few ponies were aware of it's existence, but those who did were able to occasionally - when the weather was nice - plod up to the top of the hill and enjoy the beautiful view of the expansive orchard that stretched out into the distance, as far as the eye could see.
A single, solitary willow tree cast a hazy shadow over the hillock, swaying back and forth in the light morning breeze. The conditions were as perfect as could be for the six ponies (plus dragon) who were currently making their way up it.
"Come on, y'all! Only a bit farther now!" The southern twang that split the air belonged to none other than Applejack, who was leading the group with a confident and steady trot. Her cry of encouragement was met with a collective chorus of moans and grumbles, the loudest coming from Rainbow Dash who for once had all four hooves on solid ground.
"Seriously, AJ? We've been walking for hours-"
"Barely twenty minutes."
"-and my hooves are getting sore! Why can't I just fly to the top anyway?" Rainbow complained, throwing Pinkie an annoyed look.
"Oh, don't be silly, Dashie!" Pinkie said happily, bouncing backwards up the hill. Ordinary ponies might question how in Equestria she was doing it, but the others had been around the crazy mare long enough to simply accept whatever logic-defying antics she pulled. "Using your wings is cheating! We all have to go up together, fair and square!"
"Quite right, dear!" agreed Rarity, wheezing a little. She was at the tail end of the group, accompanied by Fluttershy on whom she was leaning. "I don't... want to have to suffer... alone!"
"You won't have to suffer any longer, we're here," Twilight chipped in, smiling as Rarity collapsed onto her inexplicably summoned fainting couch in relief. Calling her a 'drama queen' would be akin to calling a swarm of parasprites a 'minor issue' - she was in a totally different league.
"Finally!" said Spike weakly. He looked just as fatigued as Rarity, probably due to the large, heavy wicker basket he was carrying on his scaly back. "Man, this thing weighs a ton!"
"I'm sorry, Spike - I would carry it for you, but I can't perform two different spells at the same time and Princess Celestia said she'd try and contact me at some point today using a two-way spell. I have to be ready to mantain the magic on my end."
"Why does the Princess want to talk to you?" Fluttershy asked as she began to unpack the basket, begrudgingly assisted by Angel.
"Oh, I think she just wanted to discuss how Discord was doing after, you know, that incident."
"Yeah... Discord wasn't very fun at all when he was with that big bad guy," Pinkie said sadly, but brightened up almost at once. "Still, he's great now! Oh, I never got around to telling you - because I was babysitting the Cake twins and all - but yesterday Discord finally, FINALLY made me my own, personal candy floss cloud! Isn't that just superific?!"
"That's great, sugar cube. Ah'm just glad that he's really starting to feel like one of us now, you know what Ah mean? Pinkie, gimme a hand with this picnic blanket, please."
"Sure thing!"
The amicable chatting continued throughout the morning, accompanied by the intermittent sounds of ponies laughing. As the day worn on, many topics of conversation were explored, and eventually they reached something particular that Rarity had in mind.
"So, darlings," - Rarity clapped her hooves together with enthusiasm - "I have something simply magnificent to tell you! I'm sure you are all aware of the upcoming Annual Canterlot Fashion Parade, yes?"
Though Spike nodded eagerly, the others all shook their heads. She wilted slightly.
"Really...? It's the biggest clothing exhibition in the entirety of Equestria! How can you not have heard of it?"
Two simultaneous smacks could be heard as both Rainbow Dash and Applejack facehoofed.
"Ah though you'd learnt somethin' about me and fashion back when that Trenderhoof guy was visitin', Rare."
Rarity turned her nose up, sniffing haughtily. "Well, I had hoped that ordeal might have made you a little more sensitive to the crucial necessity of good style. Even so, I can't believe nopony at all knows even the tiniest bit about it! Fluttershy, aren't you supposed to be an expert with sewing and the like?"
"It's just something I picked up when I was little," Fluttershy responded with a good-natured smile. "Anyway, weren't you were telling us something about this show...?"
"Yes! Right, right, right. Well... what I wanted to say was... I'VE BEEN SELECTED AS THIS YEAR'S DEBUT DESIGNER! EEE!"
"EEE! Rarity, that's sooo great! I bet you're super excited!" Pinkie squeaked merrily as she and Rarity bounded up and down in a most Pinkie-Pie-esque, un-Rarity-like way.
"Congratulations!"
"Well done!"
"I'd congratulate you if I knew what 'debut designer' meant..."
"Hush, RD. Good on ya, Rarity."
"Ooh, thank you, everypony!"
Rarity looked fondly at them all. Even if Celestia herself expressed her felicitations personally, it wouldn't mean as much as the support from her very best friends!
She attempted to put on a nonchalant air. "Though you should all know, it's not really that important," she said, waving a breezy hoof. It wasn't that much of a fib. Oh, who was she kidding - of course it was!
But in any case, there was still someone with their praises left unsung.
"Anyway, I couldn't have done anything without the help of widdle Spikey-wikey here!" She leant over and gave Spike a tight squeeze. "It's all thanks to him we managed to get everything sorted out! He has so many contacts in Canterlot, it's truly astounding."
Twilight watched as a vacant, dreamy expression slid across Spike's face. Honestly, that dragon...
"It was nothing, Rarity," Spike sighed, caught in the midst of his painfully obvious infatuation. Rainbow coughed pointedly, which seemed to snap him out of his reverie.
"A-hem, yeah. There was a bunch of ponies I used to hang out with when Twilight was off studying, and it just so happens that one of them was Fancy Pants's nephew. No big deal. It'll be good to see them again."
"Ah, you'll look terribly cute in a tuxedo, won't you?" Rarity cooed. Her words gave Twilight pause for thought.
"What do you mean? Is Spike helping you... model?"
Rarity turned to her, surprised. "Didn't Spike tell you already?"
"No...? Spike?"
"Um..." Spike looked nervous as he spoke. "I didn't know if you'd agree to it or not, okay? Please, please let me do it, Twilight!"
Twilight didn't say anything for a moment, her expression unreadable. She looked up.
Spike bit his lip. Come on, Twilight...
"I see how it is. There's only one thing to do - I'm coming with you!"
Spike's face lit up, beaming. "You mean it?"
"Definitely! Come here, you!"
And for the second time in as many minutes, Spike found himself wrapped up in a hug. Rarity clapped her hooves in jubilation.
"Wonderful! That means that both of you will get to be there at the parade!"
"Woah, hold up missy. You didn't think the rest of us would pass up on this, did ya?" Applejack chuckled, swinging a foreleg over Rarity's shoulder. "Tain't no way we're missin' this if it's that important!"
"Oh... r- really? You'll all come and s-see me?" A film of tears glazed Rarity's eyes, causing Rainbow Dash to laugh, though in a nice way.
"Aw, c'mon Rare, don't get all sappy. We'll be there, no worries."
"Yes, it will be just like when we when to cheer on Rainbow Dash in Cloudsdale!" Fluttershy added, "Except less dangerous. Unless... uh, fashion ponies don't do dangerous things, do they?"
"With the possible exception of that Photo Finish, I doubt anypony will do anything foolish, darling," answered Rarity with a small chortle. Typical, adorable Fluttershy.
Rarity turned to the rest of the group, looking exceptionally pleased. "My dears, I can't thank you all enough for this! I'll show you a proper expression of my gratitude when we're in Canterlot, but for now we need to get everything organised! It's taking place in a few weeks, but I think it would be best if we all arrived a bit early to ensure that everything is in place, wouldn't you agree?"
Rarity continued to make plans and arrangements which became increasingly elaborate, stopping only for a sip of water or to pose a couple of questions to the rest of them (most of which concerned whether or not it would be possible to carry twelve racks of dresses at once).
"And Rainbow Dash, I have a little proposition for you and Fluttershy."
"Shoot."
"As you are both pegasi, would it be too much trouble to share a room when we're in Canterlot? The place where we'll be staying has a discount for pegasi groups since they get so many Cloudsdale tourists visiting."
Strangely enough, the suggestion wrought a visible change in Rainbow's demeanour. Her casual attitude fell away, and she shrank back slightly from Rarity.
"M-me and Shy? Together? U-umm, I don't know if..."
"Wow, Rarity! That's a pretty clever idea!" Pinkie interjected, apparently oblivious to Rainbow's hesitance.
"Dashie and Fluttershy would be just fine with that, wouldn't they?"
"B-but Pinkie Pie, I-"
Pinkie slowly twisted her head round to look at Rainbow Dash. Despite her lingering cheerfulness, Twilight could almost feel the atmosphere surrounding her drop a few degrees.
"Wouldn't they?" she repeated, to which Rainbow gulped and nodded rapidly.
"Yeah... n-no problem. That's not a problem is it, Fluttershy? Because if it is I can always-"
"Oh, I'm so happy we can share a room again, Rainbow Dash! We haven't done that since back in Flight School - this will be just as much fun, I'm sure!"
"Yeah..." Rainbow said feebly. It was almost like she didn't want to share a room. But why wouldn't she? Twilight silently pondered the issue; nothing sprung to mind, aside from a frankly ridiculous thought involving Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and a large barrel of cider.
"That's settled then! Now, Twilight, you haven't had a dress refitting done in a while, so if you could pop by the boutique tomorrow we can get that sorted - just so we're sure - that would be marvellous."
"Tomorrow?" Twilight said, a note of discomfort in her voice. "Rarity, can we do that another day? I have... something on tomorrow."
"Really? And what would that be?"
"Well, uh, Fluttershy is actually helping me out with my castle. It needs a bit of renovating."
Rarity reacted with predictable surprise, and also a touch of affront. "I... wow. You're renovating? Interior décor, I presume? You could have talked to me about this, Twilight. That is my area of expertise, after all."
Fortunately for Twilight, she was saved the effort of finding a good excuse as Applejack entered the conversation.
"Flutters is good at that sorta thing to, y'know. She helped me organise some stuff the barn a while back - something that you, Ah remember, said was too 'mundane' ta help with," she sneered, complete with her trademark eyebrow raise.
Rarity flushed a deep red, made even more pronounced by the contrast in colour with her coat. "S-S-shifting b-boxes around doesn't require my talents!"
"What's that horn for, then?"
"My horn is a tool of precision, not a plaything for you to access whenever you don't feel like moving your own equipment around!"
Twilight's mood cheered as she watched her two friends bicker heatedly. Their personalities were so at odds that letting them bounce off one another was always a treat to observe - it was a mark of the strength of their friendship that they could argue so often and yet still remain such good friends. Maybe it was because they had been through so much together. Those experiences served to expand their affection for each other, making them more comfortable as companions. But if that was the case...
She tilted her head backwards so that her field of view increased, allowing her to indirectly see Fluttershy in the corner of her eye, sitting with, as usual, an innocent look on her face.
Why was it that she felt odd around her?
Twilight hadn't realised it before, but lately she was definitely feeling... different, whenever she was around her. Lighter, almost. The simple act of looking at her made Twilight's breathing laboured - that wasn't normal, surely? Not for a friend?
"Twilight, dear?"
Twilight's insides lurched, and she quickly swivelled to face Rarity.
"Err, yep?"
"You were a bit... glazed..." Rarity tailed off as she noticed what - or rather, who - Twilight had been gawking at. Initially, she showed only mild bewilderment, but then something appeared to click in Rarity's mind. Her brows furrowed.
"Were... hmm... Twilight, you said Fluttershy was helping you, correct?"
"Y-yes!" Twilight replied jumpily.
"Did you ask her... personally?"
"Yes, o-of course! Why do you ask?" Twilight said, not quite meeting Rarity's eye.
Rarity didn't respond immediately, but slowly rubbed her chin. "I was just curious dear, that's all. And Fluttershy, is this the first time you've helped anypony with something like this?"
"Oh, um, yes. I think so." Fluttershy said, looking up from her attempts to coax a piece of celery into Angel.
"I see. That's interesting, I must say."
"Interesting? Bah! You should try giving a pair of legs to all the pastries in Canterlot Castle, now that's interesting!"
The amused voice above them elicited a gasp from Fluttershy and smiles from the others.
"Discord! You're here!"
Beaming, she flew up into the air to throw her hooves around his neck. The two of them slowly decended back onto the ground, both looking over the moon.
"I thought you would be in Canterlot for a lot longer!" Fluttershy exclaimed, as Discord detached various limbs from his body to give them a shake.
"Me? Stay there?" he said in a tone of mock affront.
"Oh Fluttershy, you know I can't stand being in one place for too long - it drives me CRAZY! Not that I need any help in that department," Discord added with a lighthearted wink.
"Still up to your usual tricks, Ah see," Applejack chuckled.
"You expected anything less? After all you ponies have taught me about friendship, I would assume it's only polite to return the favour. I need to teach everypony a thing or two about chaos!"
"But you told me I was already an EXPERT at chaos!" Pinkie exclaimed, leaping up off the ground to an absurd height.
"As you are, Pinkie Pie, as you are. You're the only one with a proper education," Discord replied, producing a mortar board from nowhere and placing it on Pinkie's head. "And I presume that little cloud I gave you is behaving itself?"
"Yup! And let me tell ya, that thing is a-maz-ing! Mrs Cake said it's cut the Sugarcube Corner chocolate costs by over half!"
"Probably because you eat the stuff from the cloud instead of from their cupboards," Rainbow sniggered, casting Applejack a look that set them both off in a fit of subdued snickering.
"Hey! I heard that!"
Twilight smiled as she watched Pinkie start to bicker playfully with them, only to have Discord join in with grandiose chocolate-guzzling impressions that made all three of them laugh even harder. It was nice to see the Draconequus finally mixing in with the group properly, rather than just spending all his time with Fluttershy. That wasn't to say that he was any less troublesome though.
"So, Discord, what exactly were you doing in Canterlot?" Rarity broke in. "A certain somepony told me that you were talking to Princess Celestia about that... ah... minor affair, you, erm..."
"Please, Rarity, let's not dance around these things. We're friends, after all!" His tail flicked across the top of her mane affectionately, and in doing so completely messed it up. "But alas, it seems somepony doubts my honesty and integrity! Celestia and I were merely engaging in some afternoon chit-chat. Ooh, I swear, you wouldn't believe the kind of things Luna uses in her shampoo!"
"So Princess Celestia didn't even mention what happened with Tirek?" Twilight said questioningly, talking over Rarity's disgruntled mutterings about mane care.
"Nope. Surely you weren't spreading rumours to sully my good name, were you?" Discord said with a sly grin.
Twilight felt a strong warmth in her face as seven pairs of eyes rested upon her. "T-that's - I mean - no! I just thought, she might have wanted to check..."
"I'm kidding, just kidding!" Discord chortled, before suddenly extracting an enormous pocket watch from behind his back and consulting it. "Dearie me! Ladies, lovely as this has been, I'm afraid Fluttershy and I have our monthly catch-up session right about now."
A small gasp was just audible from beside him.
"Goodness, you're right! I forgot that it was today." Fluttershy said, seemingly concerned. She turned to the rest of them. "Um, would it be OK if...?"
She beamed widely as a series of affirmatives sounded from around the blanket. "Thank you everypony! I'll see you all again next week at our Pony Pet Playdate! Oh, and Twilight, I'll see you tomorrow to start decorating!"
Twilight coughed and spluttered as she tried to talk through a mouthful of daisy sandwich. "Mhrph-mrph! Ohay Fla-sha! See oo om-owo!"
Her embarrasment intensified sharply as she heard the poorly disguised laughs from the rest of her friends. Oh, no. She was being a complete klutz, and worst of all in front of Fluttershy! Quickly, think of something!
Twilight gave Fluttershy a pained grin. A few daisy petals unstuck from her teeth and fell to the ground.
"Well, um, yes. Bye!" Fluttershy giggled.
With a fluttering of wings, she and Discord took off into the sky. The others waved to them as they glided slowly into the horizon, until they were nothing more than pinpricks in the distance.
"Alright!" Rarity stomped her hooves purposefully, trying not to notice Twilight's look of absolute mortification. "I think that should just about do for today. I've got to go and prompt - or should I say, force - Sweetie Belle to take a bath."
"Yeah, Tank's probably getting hungry. Mind if I pick up a couple of things from Sugarcube Corner before I head back, Pinks?"
"No problemo! Are you thinking biscuits, pastries, cake or chocolate? Ooh, why don't I whip up a batch of my super special chocolate chip, sugar-coated, pink icing cookies!? I haven't done that in, like, a few days! Which is aaages!"
"I was only planning to get a few cupcakes..." Rainbow said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, let's go now before it's too dark. Are - are you coming, Twilight? The castle's not too far from there."
Twilight didn't move or speak. Rainbow Dash sighed.
"Shoulda known it would come to this. AJ, pass me that glass of water."
"Uh, okay. Here. Why do you - "
Her half-formed question was immediately answered as Rainbow tipped the glass over Twilight's head, drenching her. Blinking through her straggled, sopping bangs, she seemed to come to.
"Wha... What in Equestria...?"
"There we go! Right, Twilight, you coming or not?"
Twilight gaped wordlessly at Rainbow's partly-impatient, partly-amused expression for a few moments. She slowly nodded her head.
"Cool! Let's get going, then. Bye Rarity, AJ!"
"Bye girls!" Pinkie added with a cheerful wave.
"G-goodbye..."
The three of them set off down the hill, one bouncing, one hovering, one staggering, and followed by a small, purple dragon shouting "Wait for me!"
It was a good few minutes before their hoofsteps died away, leaving a silence to drift over the two remaining mares.
Applejack scratched the back of her mane and yawned. "Boy, Ah'm kinda beat. You go, Rarity, Ah'll just pack up the last of this and take it back with me." She bent down with a mind to collect some of the scattered plates, but even as she reached for the first one she felt a gentle hoof on her shoulder.
She glanced up to find Rarity's mouth set in a hard, contemplative frown.
"Applejack... We need to talk."
Applejack gulped. When Rarity 'needed to talk' without punctuating her sentences with dramatic sighs, you could be sure as anything that it was serious.
"About...?"
"Twilight."