Twilight finished her letter, with a few tweaks here and there before rolling it up and sealing it tight with her new royal seal. She gently placed it on her desk in preparation of Spike's return, before she stands, hissing slightly through her teeth as her joints pop from being still for so long. After a moment of stretching herself back out, she trots up to the shower room, turning on the shower as thoughts and questions swirled about in her head like Charybdis, the great whirlpool that swallowed a thousand ships. She waits for the water to get hot before she slips in, using her field of magic to grab her shampoo and washing brush.
"I wonder what Pinkie is up to...I hope I can make her feel better about all this...I can just imagine how distraught she is. The look on her face when she saw me...oh, Pinkie. What did I do? You looked so sad, so broken. And I...I did that to you. Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have freaked out...I mean, you are a beautiful mare, anypony would be lucky to have you. I mean, you are a little overzealous at times, but I think its just enthusiasm to make everypony happy. And all those sweets you eat! Heh! Keep eating like that, you're flank is going to get just a little plump. But that's just who you are, isn't it? Happy, bright, sweet, beautiful Pinkie...listen to me going on! I'm talking about Pinkie like...like...like she was talking about me."
Twilight was stunned into silence after her little rant, the brush freezing mid-brush as her mind comes to a screeching, complete halt. She couldn't possibly...could she? But now, thinking back on all of her friends, she could see the difference in how she saw Pinkie. Oh, Twilight loved all her friends, but there was something...special about Pinkie Pie. She had that happy-go-lucky bounce-ability that made Twilight feel less burdened with the weight of duty and importance. Where Twilight saw everyday life, going on without interruption, Pinkie saw a blank canvas, waiting to be painted with the wonderfully bright hues of laughter and delight.
And her eyes...that was the kick in the rump right there. Those beautifully deep azure eyes that drew you into the explosion of happiness and smiles that Pinkie was made of, those eyes that could sear you with a look of surprising wisdom, eyes that could light up a room when matched with that face splitting smile. Eyes that could drown you in all of the love you could ever want in life...if only you would open yourself to it.
The sound of the brush hitting the floor makes Twilight jump, and she realizes that in her reverie, she had dropped her magic field around the brush, leaving it to empty air and gravity. The alicorn blinks once, then twice, then picks the brush up again and sets it aside, rinsing herself off in a wide eyed daze. With a jolt of magic, she turns off the water and grabs her towel, wrapping it around her head and rubbing vigorously to dry her mane before doing the same with her tail, leaving both in tangled mops. As she dries the barrel of her body and her wings, another field wraps around her mane-brush and she starts to mold her mane into some semblance of order, her bangs curling around her horn as usual. Once her mane is done, she works on her tail, which is far easier to tame. After her mindless routine is complete and all items are back where they belonged, she slowly raises her eyes to her twin in the mirror, who looks just as mind-blown as the real one.
"Oh Pinkie...what have I done to you? I never want to see that face on you, that sadness in your eyes...I want to make you smile as much as you make me smile...what can I do to show you that?"
She lets out a long and drawn out sigh before trotting back downstairs, eyes widening slightly as she sees Applejack and Fluttershy waiting in the library. They both turn their heads to look up at Twilight, and the looks on their faces confuses the alicorn mare.
"Oh, um...hey girls. What's going on? Is something wrong?"
"Yer darn right somethin's wrong Twilight. What in tarnation did you say to Pinkie Pie to make her cry like that? She's an absolute mess!"
Twilight is taken aback at Applejack's angry tone and stern words, stopping partway down the stairs to look down at the fuming farmer. Even Fluttershy looks angry, though most of her face is hidden in her pastel pink mane. Twilight trots the rest of the way down the stairs before speaking, looking ashamed.
"I didn't say anything to her. She came in earlier today and I guess she thought that I wasn't here. I came down to see who it was, and then she started singing...it was a beautiful song, and it was about me. She cares for me a lot, I think. I never saw it before, but then again...Pinkie's always been pretty good at hiding things..."
"Twilight, she don't just care for ya. She loves ya. She told me that herself, right before collapsin' in tears. Now, Ah'm normally a very decent pony, but this is gettin' me all riled up Twilight. Ya can't just-" And this is where Fluttershy cuts in, much to the surprise of both Applejack and Twilight.
"Twilight, I think what Applejack means is that you shouldn't be so quick to judge Pinkie because of her orientation. We...I mean Applejack and I...we've been keeping ourselves a secret for a while now, and if you don't accept that, then what does that mean for our friendship?" After a short pause, Twilight blinks and lifts a hoof to point at the two mares.
"Y-You two are...? Wow...I didn't see that coming...um...congratulations, first of all. Second, I have zero issue with mare-amours, girls. I'm not judgmental like that. And as far as Pinkie goes...maybe I don't love her yet, but...that doesn't mean that I won't give her a chance. I really care for Pinkie Pie, she's a wonderful pony, truly special. And I want to see her smile again. That face she made when she ran away from me was fear and pain and sorrow. I never, ever want to see her make that face again. Especially if I'm the one causing it to be there." When Twilight stops speaking, there is a heavy silence in the air between the three mares before Fluttershy moves forward to embrace the alicorn, Applejack soon following suit.
"Then we're rootin' for you both, sugarcube."
"Of course we are. Just not too loudly..."
"Thanks girls. Now, what do you think would be a good way to ask Pinkie out on a date...?"