Twilight opened her door and walked out of her tree library, closing the door behind her with her magic. She inhaled as much fresh air as her lungs could carry before exhaling peacefully on a very beautiful day such as this. She smiled softly and walked into downtown Ponyville, heading over to Fluttershy’s cottage for a tea party she was invited too. Hopefully, that tea party will help her recover from Spike’s leaving. She craned her head down and glanced at the ground, thinking to herself that it’s been three months, and she still hasn’t recovered from that day. Twilight groaned, frustrated in herself for not getting over this. “Come on Twilight, Spike wouldn’t want you to keep moping like this. We knew it would happen eventually. Why can’t you let it go?” she crushed her eyes but shook her head, getting herself back into reality and pressed on through Ponyville; surprisingly not hitting anything or anyone around her; perhaps this meet up with her friends will help set her mind at ease, and hopefully help her forget that painful day. She crossed halfway over the bridge but stopped as she felt her ears twitch.

“Hey, Twilight!” a voice shouted in the sky behind her, calling her.

Twilight looked up to see Rainbow Dash dive down and land behind to her. She smiled at Twilight before they resumed their walk to Fluttershy’s tea party.

“Hey Rainbow Dash, how are you?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash caught up and walked beside Twilight, “Good. I had to go help my dad with a few things.”

“Like what?”

“Oh, the usual help around his house: take out the trash, rearrange some furniture, and help him figure out what to get his new marefriend for their first date.” Rainbow hung her head down and cringed, not liking that last part.

“Your dad has a new marefriend?! That’s wonderful. Who is she?” Twilight smiled, excited to hear the news.

“She’s a unicorn from Canterlot. Her name is Fluer de Lis, I think. Her name is kind of hard to pronounce.”

“Isn’t she that snobby, rich unicorn who hangs out with Fancypants?” Twilight raised a brow at Rainbow Dash, curious to know if that was correct.

“Yup, that’s her. But she’s not what you think, she’s actually pretty nice. She left Fancypants to be with my dad; which he took surprisingly well.”

“Really?!” Twilight looked at Rainbow surprised. “He wasn’t angry about her being with your father?”

“No, he wasn’t. And I was surprised as you were. For some reason, she saw a calmer nature in my dad that no one else sees, and that was what attracted her to him. My dad loved her for how sweet and nice she was and I can tell she would try her best to make him happy. Which isn’t going to be hard for her to do,” Rainbow Dash explained. “But that’s what my dad told me. I wasn’t actually there when they got together.”

“Fascinating,” Twilight chuckled, a bit interested to know more about the story, but decided to let it slide because she knew that Rainbow Dash wasn’t into talking about love stories, especially when it involved her father.

“Anyway, off of my dad’s love life, what have you been up to? I see you got Fluttershy’s invite, too?”

“Yup,” she said with a small giggle. “And I’ve been rearranging some books, been going to Roseluck’s flower shop, and got a free dinner at a restaurant; Princesses discount.” Twilight rolled her eyes at that. She didn't like being treated royally. It was never her thing. Though flying around was a lot of fun. “Plus the clerk wanted to be nice, too.”

Rainbow Dash gaped at what she just heard, “Lucky, you got free stuff.” She said out of slight jealousy. “I take it being a princess is easy for you now?” she bragged about Twilight’s new title as they walk closer to Fluttershy’s cottage.

“You could say that. But it is still a big responsibility for me, and it’s even harder for me when everypony always has to bow every time I show up to certain spots. I know I’m a princess and all, but I’m not on that level as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. I wish ponies would just treat me equally like they use to and I wish I had help without being addressed as such,” Twilight looked down at the ground and glared, irritated that each pony she asked for help always thought that they were beneath her, and she isn’t. She can try and overlook being called a princess, but every time it happens they sound as if she was that kind of pony who'd ask for lowlifes to lick her hoof. Picturing that was just disgusting and uncalled for. She would never treat everypony like that. She cringed at even thinking of anything worse.

Rainbow Dash could see it was bugging her but there was something more to Twilight’s frustration other than just having her title mean nothing and be treated as an equal.

“Twilight, are you still bummed about-- you know-- him, aren’t you?”

Twilight snapped out of her frustrating thoughts and beamed her eyes at her tomboyish friend and shook her head as she said, “What, no, I’m not sad about Spike leaving Ponyville. What makes you say that?” she laughed a bit, faking and trying to hide her real emotions, but Rainbow knew she wasn’t doing a good it, and frankly, she has had enough of it.

Rainbow Dash walked in front of Twilight and stopped her with an annoyed and frustrated look on her face, “Look Twilight, I know you’re still heartbroken about Spike, but you need to move on. I know it’s tough, but Spike is a full grown dragon now,” She sighed. “I know how much he means to you, but being depressed like this is just going to make things worse for you, and him.”

Twilight backed up a bit, a little shocked by Rainbow’s words. She looked at Rainbow with gloomy eyes and realized she couldn’t hide it from her, “I know that Rainbow Dash, but I just can’t.” A small tear appeared and slid down her cheek and hid her eyes under her mane, “You have no idea how much it hurts.”

Rainbow groaned, “It’s been three months, Twilight. Get over it!” Rainbow Dash slightly yelled in an assertive tone. “You’re being ridiculous.”

Twilight tightened her jaw and snarled, aggravated at Rainbow Dash before verbally lashing out, “Shut up, Rainbow Dash!” she snapped and glared at her with tearful, hurtful eyes, “You don’t know what it’s like to lose somepony very important to you. What makes you think you know my pain?!” she blindly yelled, letting out all her frustration and rage out on the rainbow pegasus and let out slow short breaths.

Everything around them went quiet for a minute before Twilight woke up from her emotion frenzy and realized what she did. She gasped and grasped her hoof over her mouth, eyes widen in utter shock from what she said. She looked at Rainbow Dash with eyes full of regret and a painful guilt flowing within her body.

She felt her heart sink when she watched Rainbow Dash widened her eyes, offended and hurt by Twilights words and the snarl on her face proved there was damage made.

Twilight softly spoke out to her “Rainbow Dash, I didn’t mean--”

“Save it,” Rainbow interrupted her. "Let’s just go to Fluttershy’s house,” she turned and walked away without looking back at Twilight.

Twilight extended her hoof as she watched her friend walk away from her. She couldn’t say another word, knowing that Rainbow Dash might be furious at her for saying those hurtful things. She hung her head down and slowly walked behind Rainbow dash. The guilt making itself stronger.

Rainbow Dash kept looking straight. Her iris's reduced to golf ball size and her rage quickly engulfed her mind. If she thought that Twilight was thinking she was mad at her, she’d be right. Rainbow was boiling mad at what Twilight said. She knew exactly how Twilight felt when it came to a situation like watching a loved one go. The only difference was that Spike didn’t die.

Rainbow Dash knew exactly what Twilight was going through and all she wanted to do was help, yet Twilight just yelled at her with those hurtful words. She wanted to blow up at the new princess for even doing that to her. Then again, she would’ve done the same if she was in Twilight’s hooves.

Rainbow Dash's eyes returned to normal size as the rage within her slowly diminished as she started to calm herself down. She thought about her own actions and realized what she did. She looked back at Twilight who was still looking at the ground with guilt in her eyes. She sighed and thought to herself 'Great, now you’re making things worse for her, Rainbow Dash. You’re supposed to be the element of loyalty, not the element of betrayal. That’s Nightmare Moon's element,' she grunted and quickly ignored her thoughts as she continued to walk ahead in front of Twilight.

Twilight was about to apologize when Fluttershy’s cottage came to view and a familiar yellow pegasus was sitting at the entrance and greeting them with her trademark kind smile.

“Hi girls!” Fluttershy greeted and waved.

Rainbow Dash smiled, “Hey Fluttershy! It’s been awhile”

“Oh, it has. It’s so good to see you, Rainbow”

“Likewise,” Rainbow said as she giggled with her timid friend.

Fluttershy peeked behind Rainbow Dash to see a depressed Twilight approach them. It caused an alarm to set off in Fluttershy’s mind, making her worry about her friend.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” she asked the lavender princess.

“Huh?” Twilight craned her head up and looked at Fluttershy before answering, “Oh nothing. I was just thinking about something.” She fake smiled before looking at Rainbow Dash with an apologetic look. Which to her relief, the rainbow tomboy nodded and secretly smiled, forgiving the new princess. This got Twilight to smile for real and turn her attention back to Fluttershy, “Yeah, I was just thinking is all”

“About what?” Fluttershy asked.

“A good book I’ve been reading, and how sad a certain scene is”

“Oh, well, tell us all about it. Rarity is waiting in the backyard”

Both Twilight and Rainbow Dash perked their heads up and smiled. Like Fluttershy, they haven’t seen Rarity in a while, too. Come to think of it, they haven’t seen Applejack and Pinkie Pie in a while too. This idea Fluttershy whipped up was prefect. Hopefully, they can all catch up on things they’ve been doing since Spike's departure.

Fluttershy escorted her friends around her home when they spotted a pink, round, wooden table with six chairs of the same color and a familiar white unicorn sitting on the one chair where her back was turned to them, sipping a cup of tea.

“Rarity!” both Pegasus and Alicorn called out, getting her attention and caused her to smile excitedly.

“Twilight! Rainbow Dash!” she said as she giggled happily before she slowly and carefully got off of the chair with some slight effort.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash stopped walking when they noticed a ‘change’ in Rarity’s figure. She wasn’t her usual thin, curvy self. No. When she faced her friends, her body seemed rather chunky around her front and back legs, her hips and flanks were near big and round like a pillow, and she sported a slightly large, round potbelly, too.

This two mares looked at Rarity shocked and confused. What have those three months done to Rarity? That was one question roaming around in their minds, then there were more. They just stood there speechless as if a surprise was too overwhelming.

Either way, Twilight spoke out and asked, “I-It’s been awhile Rarity. How have you been?”

“Oh, I’ve been wonderful, Darling” Rarity came up to her friends and hugged them close before backing up a bit, then took notice of their baffled faces. That got her smile to fade and look at them confusedly, "Why are you two looking at me like that?” the more they stared, the more frustrated Rarity got. Even Fluttershy wondered why it got quiet all of a sudden.

Twilight noticed and quickly spoke again to give Rarity her answer and not make upset her, “Well, um, it’s just—“

Rainbow Dash threw her arms up and interrupted Twilight, “Holy cow, Rarity!” Rainbow Dash blatantly said. “What happened to you? I mean, you’re not thin. You're all pudgy. What happened?"

Leave it to Rainbow Dash to say what she was thinking, but throwing that out so suddenly made Twilight want to smack her in the back of the head for being so rude. Twilight looked to Fluttershy and she had a slight rage on her face. She was thinking the same thing. After three months, this is what starts. Twilight shook her head and thought that this was a mistake. She wanted to say something, but Rarity spoke to Rainbow Dash.

“I beg your pardon,” Rarity said sternly before she looked at herself and realized what Rainbow meant by what she said. She completely forgot she was on the pudgy side and almost got offended by it. She smiled bashfully and rubbed the back of her head, “Oh yes, that’s right.” She blushed brightly, “Um, I really don’t want to talk about it. Let’s just say the day Spike left really changed me. I tried to lose weight for two weeks, but I gave up and couldn’t fight anymore. Now I’m just a fat pig!” she scolded herself and placed a hoof on her belly, yet briefly though as she sat down and looked at her big gut, or, what she intends to make her friend think it is. She did always think of herself as a good actress, and it worked well for Fluttershy. She just hoped it would work on Twilight and Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy, Twilight and Rainbow Dash felt sorry for her and wanted to make her feel better but a cheerful, familiar, southern voice filled their ears. and they quickly turned to see another welcoming pony.

“Oh please. I have a pig back on my farm that’s fatter than you. You’re just a pint-sized compared to her,” they look back to see Applejack stand next to the cottage and smile excitedly at them.

“Applejack!” they approached her and gave her a group hug, so happy to see her.

“Ah, shucks,” she chuckled. “I missed y’all too”

They separated the hug.

“It’s so good to see you. How have you been?” Fluttershy asked.

“I've been working non-stop at the farm. Had to exercise really hard for what Big Mac and I had to go through,” And she had proof to back up what she was saying. Her front and hind legs were slightly brawnier and her neck was slightly bulked to where it seemed like she could lift a rock as big as Big Macintosh, if not bigger.

Her friends briefly marveled at how strong Applejack became over the past three months. It was remarkable, even though a certain white unicorn felt more jealous, secretly. And a certain cyan pegasus was eager to test that strength.

“Shall we all go back to the table and catch up?” Twilight said smiling.

“Oh yes, let’s get started,” Fluttershy said, excited about her own tea party. “This’ll be so much fun”

“Wait, where’s Pinkie?” Rarity asked worriedly. “Surely she would’ve made it here by now.”

Rarity was right. Now that they thought about it, it was unusually for Pinkie Pie to be late especially when a party is announced. When it comes to something like this, Pinkie’s always the first on the scene. But now, she’s the last one.

“Guess she might’ve lost the invite or she might be busy with something,” Rainbow Dash guessed.

“But, still, that’s unlike her to do so,” Fluttershy said confused.

“Either way, even Pinkie can be late sometimes. Nopony's perfect,” Applejack said as the pegasi couldn't help but agree with that statement.

The five ponies walked towards the table to start their tea party without Pinkie. Once they all turned, they got a sudden surprise when a familiar pink form sat on a chair to the left of Rarity's chair and gave them a quirky smile.

“Or she could be saving the best for last,” Pinkie said as she giggled.

“Pinkie!” they all squeed and rushed over to her, happy to see her. Now the six are all here and ready to start the tea party. They sat down on their chairs respectfully and smiled at one another before Fluttershy kindly passed out cornbread, apple slices, and tea to her friends. They enjoyed themselves and laughed at Pinkie’s jokes and gestures, being a crack up as always.

Truly, this past three months had been worth the wait.

No King Ghidorah, yet. Just some ponies catching up. Title says it all. lol.