Author's Notes:

Hello everyone!

It's me your favorite author! And if I'm not then you are still my favorite! All are.

So today I give you a more casual (short) chapter and a special surprise inside! No, it's not Pinkie or a party. Anyways, another announcement is that I've become an official editor for someone on the site. In addition to my story writing I'll be assisting him in his first story and it won't hinder me from my stories so no worries!

Love ya'll!

The next morning Trixie rolled in bed moaning. Her head was aching and burning and she felt just awful. Her body was sore and she could barely move under the comforters. Mary was awaken from her stirring.

"Uh, Trixie? Are you OK?" she asked the mare.

She lifted the covers finding a badly bruised Trixie with a red face under. She reached for her touching her cheek to find she was very hot. Mary tensed as she felt the mares forehead. She was burning up badly with a fever.

"Trixie. You have fever!"

The mare patted the younger mare gently on the cheeks. Trixie smiled at her. A blue hoof gripped the tan mares hoof and the two stared into each others eyes. She leaned forward, suddenly she groaned loudly gripping her head as a throbbing sensation overtook her.

"Ugh... Trixie feels awful... her head hurts so much." She moaned softly, too weak an sore to move much. "Mary?"

"What is it?"

"Can you please get Trixie some water? And a towel to cool her down cough, cough, please?"

Mary smiled leaning forward to kiss her. "Sure." She gave her a small hug rubbing her mane.

Trixie Smiled not opening her eyes. The tan mare then left to the kitchen. She got a glass of water and a wet towel for Trixie. She placed the towel on her head dampening her forehead. Afterwards she helped Trixie lean up, groaning from the pain she was in, drinking the water. So strong was her pain she couldn't concentrate to do even the simplest of spells.

Laying back down, Trixie wiped her fore head with the towel. She had been sweating bad. Her fur was now damp and she felt like her head was going to split. She turned over and over turning to get comfortable but was unsuccessful. At one time, she glanced at the clock and saw it read 10am.

"You... cough... you better get going Mary." she huffed. "You'll be late."

Mary shook her head, sitting beside Trixie on the bed. "I won't leave you alone again. Not while you're in this condition." She laid beside her. Doing her best not to touch the young mare's bruised body. "I'll cancel my meetings and stay home to take care of you."

"No! Cough... you can't do that!" Trixie exclaimed.

"I can and will. As mayor it is my obligation to see to the welfare to the citizens of Ponyville."

"How can you do that... cough, from here?"

'Well, I can just reschedule everything for tomorrow?" Mary suggested.

Trixie gave her an unamused look. "And if they can't?"

The tan mare laid their looking at her for a while. She had no come back for that one. Trixie was right. She had a job to do and she can't do it from here. She couldn't leave the sick mare alone though. What can she do? She thought for some time. Trixie scooted closer to her nuzzling her.

After thirty minutes Mary sighed rolling over to face the sick mare. "Guess I better get going."

Trixie smiled coughing a bit, she turned away from her as to not get Mary sick too. "You'll be back later, right?"

"Of course. I live here after all." Mary replied getting out of the bed.

She walked out to the bathroom to prepare for the day feeling refreshed.

Brush mane and fur, brush teeth, and steam her ascot. Done. Afterwards she ate a quick breakfast making sure to give Trixie some soup. The poor mare was in miserable condition. She throat was dry constantly and her head was sore. Mary tended to the sick mare as she got ready for her day.

Once she finished settling Trixie in, Mary put on her favorite neck tie and her glasses. After a quick breakfast she tucked Trixie in bed making sure she had a jug of water near to drink.

"You sure you'll be fine until I get back Trixie?" she asked looking at the sick unicorn.

She worried about leaving her alone while in this condition. With Applejack around especially. Trixie nodded once not breaking eye contact from her as Mary made her way from the kitchen to the bedroom.

"Trixie will be fine." She replied in an annoyed tone.

Mary gave her a scolding look making her giggle. She shook her head at the mares silly attitude. After a quick kiss on the forehead, she made her way to the door. Making sure it was locked she started off towards her office in town hall.

Few ponies were out this morning but the weather team sure did a great job for cleaning up the town with their storm last night. The streets were as clean as she'd ever seen, the trees looked great, and the air smelt fresh. As she walked down the cobblestone path, Mary took a deep breath smelling the morning air.

The moisture made it smell like morning dew and it was great. Relaxing even.

Overhead she once again saw the familiar figure of Derpy flying to deliver the mail to ponies homes.

She waved up to her as the grey mare, who waved back with a warm smile. She thought back to Trixie who was resting in her bed. Then she thought about how Derpy once shared the same bed with her as well. Her chest tightened in that moment. She felt a tinge of despair as she felt torn between the two mares she liked.

Deciding on a detour she made her way deeper into the town and went to the one pony she knew would be able to help her in her love jam.

Knock! Knock! She rapped the door to Carousel Boutique twice with her hoof. "Just a minute!" a sing song voice called out.

After a minute the door opened revealing Rarity wearing her working spectacles and a pencil in her mane. "Madam Mayor! Come in come in! What can I do for you darling? How's Trixie? You never came back last night. Are the other's OK?"

"Yes, Miss Rarity everythings fine. Trixie is just at home resting after last night. I just wanted to talk, but if you're busy," She looked at the alabaster unicorns condition, she was clearly in the zone, "I can come back later."

Rarity scoffed pulling the mare into the building. "Not at all darling! Tell me what's on your mind and I'll get some tea ready!"

"Thanks Miss Rarity."

"Just Rarity please mayor." she replied formally.

"No see here we are friends and friends don't talk to each other like that." Mary said in mock annoyance enticing a smile from Rarity.

"Yes, well I do see your point, Mary." She lead her to the living area where a couch was with a long white ornate table with violet trimming on the edges sat in the center. In the center of the elongated table was a picture of Rarity's cutie mark. Mary took a seat while Rarity took to the kitchen and made them both tea.

Once the tea was served, Mary took a few minutes to retell her side of the events that took place after they left while Rarity made them some tea. They sat in the boutiques living room beside the kitchen. The place was clean compared to her work room which was covered by fabric and ponyquines. Rarity had been working on a project when Mary came over. They talked for a while and Mary brought up that how sick Trixie was which cause Rarity to respond in her usual fashion.

"Oh, dear that's awful! How is the poor dear?" she exclaimed worriedly.

Mary tried her best not to laugh, but managed a small smile at the overly dramatic unicorn. "She's fine, Rarity."

"Are you sure she's, OK?" the unicorn asked annoyed. "And why in heavens name did you leave her alone for?"

"She said she was fine." Mary reasoned, but the unicorn wasn't having any of it.

"Now see here, you need to march yourself home right now and be with her!" Rarity barked. "She could get hurt if she's left alone!"

"She's got a fever and is bruised from her fight with Applejack, she'll be fine while I run to the office to attend my meetings." Mary said trying to calm her angry friend. Rarity managed calmed down after taking a deep breath. "I promise I'll head straight home afterwards. She'll be fine."

Rarity sighed shaking her head. "You really shouldn't leave her there by herself."

Mary shook her head lowering it. "I know."

Mary looked down, her mane covered her eyes as she tried to hide a tear from her friend.

Rarity tried to look her in the eye, but after Mary turned away she thought something might have been wrong.

"Mary? What's wrong, darling?" she asked scooting closer to her friend.

"Mary exhaled loudly rubbing the ridge of her nose. "I love Trixie." she said not even raising her head to look the other in the eye.

Rarity gasped nearly dropping her tea. "You do!? That's wonderful Mary!" She squealed in delight. She glanced over her shoulder with a mischievous grin. After a brief moment she returned her attention back to her guest.

"So?"

"So, what?" Mary replied questioningly.

Rarity sighed rolling her eyes. She took a sip of her tea and placed the cup on the saucer and levitated it back to the table making a slight clunk noise. "So, what made you like her? Does this mean you're over poor Derpy?"

Mary cringed at the question. She hated to admit it, but she liked both mares. But she couldn't have both that wouldn't be fair.

'I don't know Rarity," She said swirling her tea in her cup. "I like them both and I don't know how to choose between them. Am I awful for thinking this?"

The white unicorn gave the question considerable thought. She never thought that Mary of all ponies would fall into such a dilemma. Truth be told, she half expected Rainbow to, but not somepony like Mary. She looked at Mary who was inspecting her table, like she was silently judging it.

She looked terrified. Like the answer Rarity would give her would break her if it was told to her in the wrong way.

While Rarity was deep in thought, Mary glanced at the clock seeing it read 11am she decide it was time to get to the office. "I have to go now, Rarity."

"I understand, dear." she said sadly.

"Thanks for the tea."

"Anytime darling." Rarity said seeing the mare off. "If you ever need anything, all you need to do is ask, OK?"

The tan mare looked back from the doorway with a nod. She then turned and proceeded back to her destination. After seeing her off Rarity returned to her couch and pulled a newspaper out from under the pillow and began to read. A voice called to her from the next room over. "Rarity!" it whined. "Can I move yet?"

"No Rainbow,'' she said folding the paper seeing her marefriend standing on a podium. "You know it takes over ten minutes for the glue to dry." she said casually going back to reading her newspaper.

"But, Rares." the cyan mare whined fidgeting. "I can't stand this waiting! I need to fly! Move! Anything!"

"That's nice, dear." Rarity replied not even looking up. She cracked a smile behind the paper casually reading the headlines.

***

Ponyville Train Station

Ponies were going on about their daily lives. Some were working, others went on daily activities like exercising. At the Ponyville Train station the friendship express pulled up. The whistle tooted twice signaling its arrival. Once it pulled up and came to a complete stop the doors opened up and sea of ponies walked out. Among the ponies was a grey mare with a purple mane and a flat stone expression.

She stood on the platform looking around as if searching for something. It didn't take long when she spotted a pink pony very well known in Ponyville. The pink pony smiled shaking vigorously, jumping up she ran over to the grey pony tackling her.

"Maud!" Pinkie Pie cried out hugging her tightly.

"Pinkie." Maud replied calmly.

"I can't believe you came! How's everypony back home? Mom? Dad? Our sisters?" she asked excitedly.

Maud blinked twice before calmly replying, "They're fine Pinkie. Father says 'hi.'"

Pinkie broke away from her sister smiling happily. "So Maud, what brings you here? Oh, are you going to have a party? I want to make you a welcome to Ponyville Party! It'll be great!" she began to rant off how she'll begin preparation for Maud's party. Maud simply watched the excited mare bobble up and down as she went on while retrieving her bags. Once her saddle bags were on she walked back to Pinkie who was still rambling on. "So, Maud what are you doing here in Ponyville anyway? Oh, you got to meet m friends! I just knooow you'll love them!"

Maud blinked. "I'd love to Pinkie. But first I'm here to meet a friend of my own. Actually, I came here to see her and planned on stopping by later to surprise you."

The pink pony wrapped her arm around her sisters neck pulling her close to where their cheeks touched. "Silly! You can't surprise the master of surprises! I know all..." she finished dramatically waving her hoof across the sky.

The grey mare blinked unmoving. "Father told you I was coming didn't he?"

"Yup."

"I see." Maud replied. "Well Pinkie, I'm actually going to see a friend. Care to show me around along the way?"

"SURE THING!" she beamed, hopping down the street with Maud behind her.

Maud listened to her sister as they walked the streets of Ponyville. Taking in the sights and noticing a few interesting rocks along the way, Maud enjoyed her little tour with her sister. Pinkie said Maud was her favorite sister, but Maud held no such list of favoritism to anyone. She thought about Trixie and wondered if things were going well for her.

She'd heard about the Alicorn Amulet. It made her worry to no end about the arrogant mare. News of Trixie had traveled fast during the ursa minor incident. It was twice as fast when she was possessed by the amulet. All the while Pinkie rambled on about her party preparations and introduced Maud to several ponies along the way.

As they made their way down Mane Street, Maud noticed the address of a nearby building. She stopped pinkie saying this was the address. The party pony stopped mid air hop and floated to the ground. She wasn't sure if Maud had the right place.

She watched curiously as Maud walked up to the house past a mail box that read, Mary, on it. Maud walked up to the door and knocked.