With Spike now on the ground beside Rainbow Dash, the two approached the library and noticed the door had been left wide open. They heard at least two mares speaking inside, one sounded calm while the other sounded frantic. They looked to each other, then cautiously... they approached.

"Hello... uh, Twilight?" Said Dash, knocking. "We just got your note. Everything alright?"

Twilight came to the door:

"It's a pandemonium, you guys! Rarity's gone off the deep end and Fluttershy thinks she betrayed Apple Jack!"

Spike and Dash looked over at the two ponies sitting at the table. Rarity had her side bound in bandages and looked disconnected, while Fluttershy was just plain in tears.

"What happened?" Asked Spike.

Twilight took a deep breath and told them both what happened, starting with Rarity.

It was a given that the purple Unicorn felt her friend had gone batty from grief and too much work. That's all she would have said, if it weren't for what Rarity had done to herself:

"Rarity," Twilight said, turning to her friend. "Do you want to show them what you have under there or shall I?"

"Well," Rarity shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Since it seems I'm on trial here, I might as well show them myself!"

As the mare pulled back her bandages, she winced in pain... whatever it was under there was clearly not healing right.

Beneath the bandages the group saw that Rarity had cut back her own fur. He skin was raw and swollen, stained in purple and pink that would eventually change the color of her fur in the area. Rarity had given herself a tattoo near her heart using a needle and special ink she'd bought. In fancy script it said the name "Sweetie Belle". Showing it off, Rarity seemed almost proud of it:

"It goes to show how special she is to me, darling," the mare answered, though the group asked no question. "I do only have one sister, after all..."

Twilight sighed:

"She's got many cuts from removing her fur and, while she did a good job... the tattoo looks infected. We're going to need to take her to the doctor to get it treated or she could get really sick."

"And Fluttershy?"

"Fluttershy," Twilight said, looking over at the crying yellow mare. "She's been manipulated into telling --"

As if on cue, Twilight heard the distant voice of Apple Jack shouting outside the library... the second time she'd been interrupted within the hour, but this time she welcomed it.

"Twilight!" AJ called out, the rhythmic sound of her hooves drawing closer. "Twilight!"

All four ponies, plus one dragon, turned towards the door. Fluttershy hid her eyes in shame as Apple Jack approached in tears:

"Twi, ya gotta help me... Ah don't know what to do. I'm gunna lose my farm!"

With Spike and Rainbow's help, Twilight kept everypony organized. She spoke to Apple Jack privately and got an idea of what was going on...

Unbeknownst to them all, Twilight included, Equestrian law had some very unusual rules about Walkers in small towns:

The Unicorn verified in her books the law states that if a Walker is injured while in the care of a resident, that resident is held accountable for the medical bills out of pocket or subject to 1 year in jail. The Unicorn wasn't worried as she knew it was easy enough for the Apples to pay the 30,000 Bits Scootaloo's treatment was currently costing... while losing 30k was certainly going to hurt business, they would recover. However, because Scootaloo ran away, Apple Jack was being held as negligent for not anticipating the problem and arranging with some other pony to watch her. The fine for her degree of negligence totaled 200,000 Bits or 4 years in jail. Though the cost would be considered a death sentence for the business, Granny Smith had made it perfectly clear they would all rather starve than allow AJ to go to jail (foolishly her Grandson nodded). Adding to that, Scootaloo's bill was expected to climb the longer she was hospitalized... Big Mac already knew by the end the bills were going to get too high for even their family to help with... for once the mellow farm pony had adopted a fatalistic attitude. This was it for them.

These laws effected more than just the Apples. Because of the nature of Scootaloo's injuries, and Apple Jack's "carelessness", the town would no longer considered a place fit for Walkers for one year's time... when Ponyville would be subject for review. If the filly wasn't adopted in 3 months, she would be shipped away to an orphanage in the city of Fillydelphia.

The whole time Rainbow Dash sat and listened to this she wanted to be sick. Everything was so close to working out, yet like a sandcastle at the beach... it just waited for the tide or some brat foal to come by and destroy it. Rainbow had to do something, and was ready to toss out ideas when Fluttershy suddenly upchucked her breakfast on the library floor... causing her to lose her thread completely. Spike got a mop and began cleaning up the puke as Dash tried to get back on track. She was too upset to do so successfully.

Seeing how shaken Fluttershy was, Twilight had to give their yellow friend something else to keep her busy:

"Take Rarity to the hospital, Fluttershy. They'll treat her infection, plus they might give you something to help calm your nerves..."

"Okay, Twilight," Said Fluttershy, turning to her seated friend. "I really think we should go, Rarity."

"Oh, I'm fine..." replied the ivory mare, not budging. "It just needs a few days."

Twilight finally lost her patience:

"Rarity, if you don't go to the doctor's with Fluttershy right now we'll all drag you there by your tail if we have to!"

Everypony in the room -- Spike included -- fixed their eyes on the tattooed mare. She shrunk back and nervously chuckled:

"Alright, you silly ponies...." She got up and walked behind Fluttershy. "I'm doing this only to humor each of you. I assure you, I'm perfectly fine!"

As the two left, Spike put the mop away and busied himself going through every section they had concerning Equestrian law. Twilight sighed, knowing it was no good:

"Spike, take a letter..."

The Unicorn's letter to her mentor was brief and to the point. She got got a speedy reply, which was promising. While Spike opened the letter, Rainbow Dash put a hoof on Apple Jack's shoulders and sighed:

Dearest Student Twilight Sparkle,

It troubles me greatly that your friend Apple Jack has run into this problem with Equestria's Law. It plagues me to think that I established this law almost a hundred years ago in good fairness. While I cannot bend the law, not even for you, I will study the documents over the next week to see if I can exploit any loopholes in her favor. While it may be too little too late, this event has given me cause to review the law this coming year with all the Town Mayors of Equestria. I will do everything I can in the meantime.

Please be optimistic.

Sincerely,
Princess Celestia

They at least had the Princess on their side... not that it seemed she'd be much good.

Right now, no pony knew what to do.