The morning after their little trip to the palace, Rarity was woken up by a sharp knocking at her door. She checked the window- It was a truly preposterous hour, so who was at her abode / store's entrance so early? She made sure everything was in place, quickly positioned her mane with a spell, and then checked the door's windows. It was... Twilight Sparkle? With an extremely bright, almost blushing, glow on her face, and a pair of saddlebags. This... Yes, this will end poorly. But she opened the door despite her second thoughts, and her friend practically bounced in, all smiles and shine.

"Twilight, what ever brought you here this early? I myself just woke up!" She closed the door as she spoke, but Twilight didn't come any further inside than she already was.

"Oh Rarity, you will not believe what I figured out last night!"

"Last... last night? But you were here, talking to me and Fluttershy, last night."

"No silly, after that! I went home, and I was looking for books on, erm, romantic advice, and I found this, and then..."

Rarity sort of choked in the back of her throat when Twilight removed the book from her bag. She recognized it full well, having a copy in the cleverly-hidden compartment beneath her bed. And before Twilight could get any further, Rarity absolutely shrieked when a hoof touched her shoulder. She didn’t even have to turn around to recognize her marefriend’s voice.
"Well well, what'cha got there, sugarcube?"

"Ah! Applejack, I, ah, hehe..."

Twilight looked past Rarity to the slightly smug-grinned Applejack.
"But wait, how did you get in here? My back was to the door, and Rarity said she... just... woke... Oooooh. I see." She blushed brightly, kicking one leg back and forth and trying to look innocent.
"I, uhm, hope I didn't interrupt anything..."

"Aw, no worries at all Twilight- We were plum tuckered out this mornin', and sleepin' in. Didn't interrupt a single thang."

"Well that's good! But, as I was saying before you came out, I figured out some pretty incredible stuff about myself, and... From the looks on your faces you already know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Twilight looked at them both, and Rarity couldn't help but blush and nod. Applejack, however, seemed entirely too at ease with this situation. How was she not embarrassed right now? One of their friends had just come to her home at a ridiculous hour of the morning, blushing like a bride and brandishing a book full of badly-behaved bim... Well, no, she was quite sure that all the mares in the photographic segments would be quite nice, should she meet them. But that was beside the point. It was still being shoved in her face by an over-enthusiastic Twilight Sparkle, a most dangerous pony indeed. And to prove her point, only seconds later Twilight brought one forehoof onto the other with a loud clap (or possibly clop, said a rather well-hidden part of her), an idea visibly springing into her mind.
"Oooh, ooh! You girls could probably help me learn about this! It's always nice to learn things from your friends, right?"

Rarity started with shock, and then shook her head.
"Oh Twilight, I... I don't think that would be entirely appropriate, between us."

"Aaah... Well, that's a shame- I'd been hoping I could find someone to show me the ropes. But I suppose I can just study it like always!"

"Show ya the ropes? Well, Rarity here'd be pretty darn good at that- Just the other day, she showed me-"

"Applejack stop right there don't say another word!"
She was blushing head to hoof, shaking from the shock of how close Applejack had gotten to talking about their private life, and banish her if she didn't enjoy that fact. Quite a lot, actually... Hmm. Maybe there was some merit to Twilight's idea... And, truthfully, she had been bringing up similar ideas to Applejack, albeit mostly in jest, for some time. She tapped a hoof against her chin and sighed. "Mmmm... I suppose it wouldn't hurt to, perhaps, get together to educate you on the subject. Although I must insist we find a time when we are all equally free and not liable to be missed- This would be quite the strange situation to be caught in."

Twilight apparently decided that was an appropriate situation to break out the 'Yes Dance' that Rarity had heard so much about from Sweetie Belle. It involved quite a lot of bouncing, and had a rather infectious level of good cheer wrapped up in that one simple word. So Applejack and herself shared a bit of laughter, and a slightly guilty look as they realized just what they had promised Twilight. And the timing could not be any more awkward-- Because in a few hours, they were going to convene the first meeting of... Well, the group didn't have a name yet. But their goal was simple.

They would make sure Twilight and Fluttershy, as their friends, accomplished their dreams. After all, if anypony could do it, it was them.

--------

She strode, confidently (as always) before the arrayed group. All five of her closest friends (and Opalescence, they couldn't simply kick her out, that would be terrible manners) were seated on cushions and chairs around the main the chamber of the Boutique. They were closed early for the day, locked tight, and her and Twilight had, in a fit of fully-justified paranoia, scanned the building for any kind of magical surveillance. What they were discussing wasn't illegal, per se, it was merely... eccentric, and rumors are always problematic, especially in a place as small as Ponyville-- Their initial issues with Zecora taught her that the hard way.

"So, as I am sure you are all won-"

"Rarity, why'd you have to drag us to the Boutique? I was just about to run this wicked new routine, and then Fluttershy, of all ponies, tells me to come down!"

"O-oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you in the middle of anything."

"Nah, it's fine. Just woulda been cool to know earlier."

She facehoofs- This is not the easiest group of ponies to try and have any kind of organized speech for. She regained her composure, sweeping back and forth in her impromptu pacing.
"So, as I was saying, I am sure you are all wondering why you've been brought here."

"Well yeah!"

"Yeppers!"

"I, uhm, well, yes."

"I'm afraid I already know."

"Y'all ain't told me a thang, sugarcube."

"Yes, well, the matter in question is... Delicate. I trust you all implicitly, you are my friends after all, but... If any of the ponies who are involved in the situation in question object, please do so now."
There is silence, and inside, she sighed with relief- She had been so worried that Fluttershy might back down, or Twilight reconsider, and they were already putting plans in motion, there was no turning back- They'd snipped the first few threads, so they had to keep going. She put on her best smile and presented the facts:
"Two of us, out of the group, are currently seeking romantic partners, and I believe we should do our absolute best to help them."

Those who didn't already know seemed a bit confused at first- All this fuss over helping somepony get a colt or a marefriend?- But then they put that kind of thought aside and got into focused mode- It was time to help their friends. Dash looked around the room for a moment before asking a question:
"So, who're the lucky mares? Can't be you or Applejack, and I think I'd know if it was me."

"True. It is, in fact... Well, I'd like them to step forward, actually."

Slowly, but surely, Twilight and Fluttershy got up and walked up next to Rarity. Dash half-sarcastically whistled, and Pinkie Pie started talking about party preparations. Twilight nervously spoke, doing enough stammering for Fluttershy and herself.
"Erm, ah, thank you all for being... so supportive. I'd been really worried that this would end terribly, but with you girls on my side, I know, well, uh, hope, we can succeed!"

"Aw come ahn Twilight, how bad could it be? I mean, it's not like you're tryin' to ask Celestia Herself on a date or nothin'!"

"Hehe, uhm... about that..."

There was the rather specific silence of six ponies not speaking and at least three of them trying to act like they didn't just hear what they know they just heard. Rainbow Dash quickly stood and went to leave, muttering something about an appointment 'not being banished', but Rarity just pinned her tail in place with her magic. Dash chuckled and ruffled her mane in a look of embarrassment. "Haha, I was... just kidding! Yeah. I mean, there's absolutely no way that Fluttershy's pony of interest could be just as ridiculously risky or anything! I mean, the only other option for that would be..."
She stopped and looked at Fluttershy's deep red blush.
"...I spoke too soon, didn't I?"

When Fluttershy nodded, Pinkie Pie bounced onto her hooves and bounded over to hug both her and Twilight.
"Aaaw that's great! You'll be like a matching set! You can go on double dates at the palace and have little theme parties and everything will be awesome!"

Rarity would have sworn she would never appreciate a Pinkie Pie interruption, but that was exactly what they needed to break the mood and calm everypony. Then the inevitable chatter began, and she waited until it was time to restore order.

When things settled down, they discussed the (scant) details-- Much of the actual information were things Twilight and Fluttershy preferred to keep between themselves and Rarity, just for decency's sake. But the general idea-- That the two of them were interested in the Princesses, and hoped to find a way to make their feelings known-- Was put forth. And finally, she could reveal the success of her plans yesterday.

"And the good news is, we already made some progress! However, there is somewhat bad news."

"Eh, give us the good first- The bad can't be that bad."

"Girls, would you care to share it yourselves? I'd hate to take the limelight."

Fluttershy scuffed one hoof across the floor and back, looking away.
"Ah, well, we talked to Princess Luna about maybe, mm, updating her wardrobe, with Rarity, and perhaps, also, spending... time with us, all. As a friend."

"Wait, y'all are serious? So she's gonna be comin' back to Ponyville, regular-like?"

"That was the plan, yes- I had thought it would be of great benefit to the Princess, both to get her out and about more often and to get her into some new clothes after her... long absence."

"Well, sounds cool to me! I still haven't gotten her back for that lightning bolt to the flank!"

"Rainbow, you got pretty much all of us with the exact same trick! I don't really think getting payback is the best idea, or we might get some ideas."

"Haha, oh Twilight, you... Aren't kidding, are you?"

"Let's just say that Pinkie Pie isn't the only one willing to play jokes on you."

"Yeeeah let's head this prank war off at the pass. What's the good news on your side?"

Twilight looked nervous, and Rarity could fully understand- This next bit was part of the bad news, after all.
"Well, I... I asked Princess Celestia if I could begin taking more advanced magic lessons with her, and she said yes. But it means I'm going to be gone on a lot of weekends, or sometimes even longer."
Rarity braced herself for the impact of the others objections, but was pleasantly surprised when what Twilight received instead could best be described as a sudden hug pile.

"That's great! Oh geez, now we can have a double party!"

"We're happy fer ya, Twilight."

"I know you're gonna rock those classes!"

Twilight returned their collective embrace, smiling and, clearly, holding back a bit of a tear-up.
"Thank you all so much for being OK with this."

"So, Rarity... What was the bad news?"

"Mmmh, yes. We... lied to you about going to a party with Aloe and Lotus. We went to Canterlot and had meetings with the Princesses."

"Oh, that? We already knew that."

"I'm so sorry we didn... What?"

"Heh, yeah! Dashie was at the spa the other day get-mff-murr-mmmff~!"
Pinkie Pie suddenly found it very difficult to talk through a muzzle full of Rainbow Dash's hoof, as she fake-laughed nervously and kept making shushing motions-- It was futile, because a few seconds later, she was squirming with actual laughter as Pinkie did her best Gummy impression and started gnawing at the other pony's hoof. Rarity sighed- Well, at least it went over well.

"So, that adjourns the first meeting of... Wait, we don't have a name for this little group effort yet, now do we?"

Rainbow Dash gave her an odd look, dislodging her hoof from Pinkie Pie's mouth.
"Do we really need a name?"

"Whatever do you mean? A name is one of the most imperative parts of-"

"Yeah yeah, listen. It's a bad idea, here's why in four words: Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, Scootaloo."

Rarity took a moment to think about her little sister's escapades, their silly group name, the massively chaotic cries before something inevitably went wrong or got broken.
"...You know what, "less is more" is a very fashionable concept this season, let's forget about the name."
And the meeting, with that, was adjourned.