Looking around Fluttershy’s cottage, Twilight Sparkle could see that her friend had been packing. A family of mice watched with solemn little faces as Fluttershy flitted about. Twilight, who had spent the past week piecing everything together, didn’t know what to say.
But that didn’t stop her from trying.
“Are you going to try and find him?” Twilight asked.
Fluttershy let out a soft sigh and nodded. “Yes.”
“Fluttershy?”
“What?”
“Do you love him?” Twilight looked at her friend and all she could see was Fluttershy’s back. She watched Fluttershy’s tail swish from side to side and then the pegasus dropped out of her hover. Twilight felt a catch in her throat and she fought back a shudder.
“I don’t know, Twilight. I’m not sure that it matters. I’m his friend. Perhaps his only real friend. He needs me. He’s hurting… he’s hurting real bad, please, don’t ask me how I know, I just do.” Fluttershy sank down to the floor, covered her face with her hooves, and then choked as she tried not to cry.
Twilight, who had been having a rough week in the aftermath of Adora’s appearance, went to her friend’s side, sat down beside her, and then threw herself over Fluttershy, wrapped her forelegs around the grief stricken pegasus, and pulled her close.
“If Princess Cadance can love the unloveable, perhaps I should do more to make friends with somepony that is very hard to make friends with,” Twilight said in a low voice as she stroked her friend and tried to console Fluttershy. “If I was to be totally honest about all of this, I haven’t done a very good job.”
“He’s very frustrating.” Fluttershy sniffled. “He does bad things. He’s very selfish. He can be very, very hard to be kind to… but I never stop trying.” Fluttershy rested her head against Twilight and closed her eyes.
“I’m coming with you. We’ll get Rainbow Dash to help us,” Twilight said.
“You would do that for me?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yes,” Twilight replied without hesitation. “In fact, I think we’ll all go. This is a friendship crisis. There is a lonely, heartbroken draconequus in need of friends. Perhaps this is a chance to break through to him and maybe make him better.” Twilight looked at the family of mice that were now watching her and could see them nodding their approval.
“Thank you, Twilight, this means a lot,” Fluttershy said in a low whisper.
Letting out a little sigh, Twilight realised that she was up for an adventure. There was more to life than books and study. There was a whole world that she wanted to see, and she wanted to see it with her friends. She patted Fluttershy and gave her friend a soft squeeze.
“I think that we should visit the Crystal Empire first and see if Adora knows any way of helping us find him.” Fluttershy opened her eyes, blinked a few times, and then sniffled her snotty nose.
Twilight found herself in agreement. “That would be a good place to start.”