It was twilight when Twilight and Rainbow Dash finally made their return. The first thing they noticed was Sanguine - now in a suit reminiscent of Daring Do's shirt but beige-gold, lined with pockets, and extending over the flanks to the rear legs - whistling a merry tune as she smashed the timberwolf corpses into manageable chunks and stacked the resulting firewood next to Fluttershy's cottage. The second thing was Pinkie poinging out Fluttershy's door, shortly followed by Rarity at a more dainty pace.
Rainbow Dash looked at Sanguine, then at Rarity. "...alright, how?"
"How, what?" Rarity looked over Rainbow Dash, relieved to see her friend no longer in the grip of raw terror. Twilight could work more than one sort of magic, it seemed.
Rainbow Dash gestured in Sanguine's direction. "I could practically smell the angst dripping off her, and now she's HAPPY? What'd you do, put her heart on a plate and offer all her inner darkness to...er...who would you offer it to?"
Rarity shook her head. "Nothing of the sort. We simply had a nice talk. Pinkie and I showed her new opportunities, which she has chosen to embrace. That's all. And it would seem she simply loves her new outfit. She liked it so much, I made her spares."
Pinkie giggled. "You were just trying to use up that fabric! That's why you made it long, too!"
"Err...aheh, yes, well, one must be practical and frugal," Rarity covered. "Hers was likely to be the only use I would have for that particular roll for quite a while. As to the length, now ponies will just think she likes to carry a lot of things - not unreasonable, given her new profession - so its real purpose won't even occur to them. And I've stitched in a few folds she can undo as she finishes growing - I'd say she's got another hoof-length or two to go - so it will fit her for years." And, yes, she admitted to herself, now that dreadful bolt was used up and gone.
Twilight smiled. "Wow, good work, you two! So does that mean she's done here?"
"Not at all. She needs to have talks with you, Zecora, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash regarding the particular opportunity she wishes to pursue." Rarity favored Twilight with a half-lidded serious look. "A life of fighting monsters is quite dangerous work, and she lacks practical knowledge. Oh, but first - Rainbow Dash, do please be a dear and speak with Fluttershy, she puts on a brave face but I could tell she was torn up by your absence."
Rainbow Dash shivered briefly, taking a step back - into Twilight's waiting wing. Twilight nuzzled her friend. "Go on. We're right here."
Pinkie smiled. Rarity gave Rainbow Dash a concerned look.
The cyan pegasus gulped, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and marched forward - only to be glomped by Fluttershy the instant she crossed the doorway. "You came back!"
"C...c-ca..." Rainbow Dash stammered.
Fluttershy squeezed. "I was so worried I'd lost you I'm so sorry seeing you scared was so awful!"
"A...a-ack...can't..."
Fluttershy hugged a bit tighter, then looked at Rainbow Dash. "Is something wrong? You seem bluer than usual."
"Can't...breathe..." Rainbow Dash finally got out.
"Oh! Sorry!" Fluttershy let her go.
Rainbow Dash panted for a bit. "I...I just wanna ask..."
"Yes?" Worry was all over Fluttershy's voice and face.
So Rainbow Dash took the simplest course: she raised a hoof to her long time friend and smiled. "We cool?"
Fluttershy smiled back and hoofbumped. "We're cool."
Rarity observed the exchange and turned a confused look upon Twilight. "They're...'cool'?"
Twilight nodded. "They're cool." She turned around to head back to town. "C'mon, I want to hear what you talked our visitor into that will need my advice."
"If you say so." Rarity made a note to herself that the particulars of Rainbow Dash's and Fluttershy's friendship were likely just a grade less bizarre than Pinkie's mind, and as such not to be explored unless she wanted a migraine.