"I'm simply saying that maybe she should think before attempting to solve all her problems with force!"

"And Ah'm just sayin' that maybe ya should stop calling the kettle black!"

Rainbow Dash struggled to block out the harsh sounds interrupting her nap.

"What does that even mean?!"

"Girls..."

"It means Rainbow's not the only pony blasting things!"

Rainbow Dash groaned softly as she tried to borrow deeper into her cloud. It sounded like Rarity and Applejack were arguing over something she broke again and that was not something she wanted to get involved in.

"Girls..."

"You're calling moi a hypocrite!?"

"Girls..."

"If the horseshoe fits."

Maybe if she stayed quiet they would argue it out and forget about it. It's worked before.

Rarity gasped, "Why I never..."

"GIRLS!"

Rarity and Applejack turned sheepishly to Fluttershy, her stern yell having made them remember where they were.

Fluttershy looked at them sternly, "You two should be ashamed of yourselves! Rainbow Dash is laying unconscious in that bed, Pinkie Pie is bawling in Cadance's hooves and Twilight's missing and all you two can do is fight!"

Rarity and Applejack looked at each other guiltily as Fluttershy continued, "I leave for one minute and come back to you two shouting. In an infirmary of all places! " Fluttershy shook her head as she turned away from them, "I am very disappointed in you both."

Applejack held her hat in her hooves as she bowed her head, "Ah'm sorry, Fluttershy. Yer right, Ah've been acting real awful like."

"I too must apologize. My behavior has been most unbecoming of a lady." Rarity said.

Fluttershy nodded, "I accept your apologies."

Applejack and Rarity sighed in relief. "Why doncha girls go get some grub. Ah'll sit with Rainbow." Applejack offered, nodding towards the door.

"Why, thank you Applejack," Rarity said, "but I couldn't possibly allow you to go hungry while Fluttershy and I eat. You go first, I'll sit with Rainbow Dash."

"Thank ya kindly, Rarity, but Ah'm fine. You go on."

"Thank you, Applejack, darling, but I'm simply not hungry at the moment. You go."

"That's mighty generous of ya, Rarity, but Ah'm not hungry neither, so Ah'll stay here. Ya'll go rest."

"That's very kind of you, Applejack, but you must be tired from your long day. Please, allow me to remain while you rest."

"Thank ya, Rarity, but Ah'm not tired. Ya'll should get some sleep while ya can."

"That's very considerate of you, Applejack. However, I'm not the slightest bit sleepy. I shall stay here."

"That's mighty kind of ya, Rarity, but Ah should stay with Rainbow Dash."

"That's most noble of you, Applejack, but I'll stay with Rainbow Dash."

"Thank ya, but Ah got it."

"Thank you, but I insist."

"ENOUGH!"

Rarity and Applejack stopped butting heads, and looked up at Fluttershy.

"Thank you both for your offers, but what Rainbow Dash needs right now is peace and quiet so I think you both should leave." Fluttershy walked over to the door and held it open. "I'll call you as soon as she's feeling better." Ignoring their protests, Fluttershy swiftly pushed them both out of the room.

Fluttershy let out a sigh as she walked back over to Rainbow's bed. "Now Rainbow Dash, tell me how you're feeling."

'Aw, ponyfeathers!' Rainbow Dash groaned silently.

"I just can't believe Fluttershy kicked us out!" Rarity said, pacing the hallway.

"Well, maybe if somepony hadn't gotten all high and mighty in there..." Applejack started before being interrupted by Rarity gasping.

"Well, maybe if somepony hadn't insisted on being the only one in the room...' Rarity said, glaring.

"If y'all hadn't..." Applejack said pressing her face to Rarity's.

"If I hadn't?! You were the one..." Rarity interrupted, pushing her own face forward.

"If you both weren't such big meanie grumpy pants, Twilight wouldn't have left in the first place!" Pinkamena yelled as she pushed by them.

Rarity and Applejack watched their friend storm down the hall, too shocked to say anything. Pinkie Pie had gone full Pinkamena mode. The last time that happened it had taken all five of her friends to change her back. And even then, it had been a close call.

"That was very foolish, Rainbow Dash. You could have been seriously injured." Fluttershy scolded Rainbow.

"Well, I didn't see anypony else coming up with any bright ideas." Rainbow grumbled as she rubbed her head.

"You still shouldn't have charged at the screens. Princess Celestia..."

"Princess Celestia couldn't do anything! She said it herself. Discord's gotten stronger. And without Twilight..." Rainbow Dash trailed off, turning over to look out the window.

"Rainbow Dash! I'm surprised at you." Fluttershy said. "That is no way to be thinking. Twilight is our friend and..."

"And what?" Rainbow Dash interrupted, jumping up and glaring at Fluttershy. "It's not like we can just talk to her and everything will be hunky dory again! Equestria to Fluttershy, we already tried that. Discord just poofed up, twisted everything around on us and Twilight vanished. Again!"

"Be that as it may, that's no excuse for you to give up."

'I wonder where Twilight is now.' Spike shuffled through the hallways dejectedly. Lost in thought, he wasn't paying any attention as he turned the corner.

SMACK

Spike and Pinkie Pie collided, sending them both to floor with a loud thud. Spike slid into a side table, sending the vase flying. It broke on the wall above Pinkie, sending water and various pieces of pottery and plants showering down on her head.

"Whoops, sorry Pinkie," Spike mumbled, picking himself up.

"You need to look where you're going!" She grumbled as she plucked a particularly large flower off her head.

"Oh uh, yeah, sorry" Spike stammered as he tried not to stare at his friend's now completely flat and lifeless mane.

'Please let her just be wet.' he silently begged. His hopes were dashed as she glared at him and stormed off, shouting a "I'm fine!" to the guards inquiring if they were both okay. Dejectedly, Spike nodded and shuffled in the other direction, leaving the mess to the exasperated maids. (To be fair, it has been a long day.)

'I hope we can cheer her up, I don't want to lose another friend.' Spike thought as he hurried through the halls to the infirmary. He sighed in relief as he saw Applejack and Rarity. 'Finally!'

Spike cringed back as the sounds of a an argument reached him. Quietly sneaking past them (that was one situation he didn't want to be caught in again) he snuck into the infirmary. 'Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash will fix this. I mean, kindness and loyalty, right?' Spike laughed nervously, only to stare unbelieving at the scene in front of him. Rainbow Dash was glaring down at Fluttershy as Fluttershy stared sternly back at her. Spike whimpered as he sank to the floor. The sounds of his friends arguing swam around his brain as he covered his ears. Desperately trying to block out his friends fighting.

"Nonononononono" Spike whispered frantically. 'pleasestoppleasestopbefriendsstopfightingstoppleasestoppleasestop' "Stop..."
He could hear Rarity and Applejack through the door
"Stop..."
Rainbow Dash was chanting as Fluttershy lectured.
"Stop..."
Pinkie Pie turned into Pinkamena.
"Stop..."
Twilight was gone.
"Stop..."
Voices
"Stop..."
Arguing
"Stop..."
Friendship
"Stop..."

"STOP!" Spike yelled, a breathe of fire surging through his teeth and scorching the ceiling as he screamed.

The sound in the room immediately ceased. Wide-eyed, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stared at Spike in shock. Noiselessly the door swung open to Rarity's and Applejack's concerned faces. Rarity took a step forward and opened her mouth, only to be cut off as Spike yelled again, "Stop it! Just stop it! You're supposed to be friends! You're supposed to be working together! Not fighting! Please, just stop! I ... I just can't.. can't take it.." Spike trailed off into sobs as he ran past Rarity and Applejack,

right into Pinkamena, who was standing right behind them.

"Spike?" She asked gently. Spike's tiny body shuddered as tears ran down his face. He shook from the force of his sobs as Pinkie carefully lifted him onto her back. Slowly and steadily she carried him back to the infirmary, where their friends were waiting.

Wordlessly, Rainbow Dash moved off the bed as Rarity picked Spike up in her magic and floated him over. Applejack tucked a blanket around him as Fluttershy rubbed his back. Silently they all sat down to let him cry it out. Slowly, Pinkie began to sing softly as she hugged Spike to her.

Flutershy's ears perked. Gently she reached next to her and nudged Rarity

Rarity looked at her in confusion,

then nodded in understanding as she heard the soft slow song

she nudged Applejack

who nudged Rainbow Dash

who looked at Fluttershy when she head the singing

Fluttershy shook her head and pointed to Pinkamena

and Rainbow's jaw dropped

Pinkie Pie nudged Spike with a hoof, but he didn't move. She hesitated and her mane started to droop again.
'Not on my watch.' Rarity stood up tall, picking up the song where Pinkie left off.

Pinkie Pie froze at her friend's voice. Applejack quickly caught on to what Rarity was doing.

Pinkie lifted her head, a hint of her smile on her face as she looked at her friends.

Rainbow Dash joined in.

Pinkie Pie sang softly as her mane curled.

Fluttershy sang, giving Spike a hug.

Pinkie Pie sang with a smile. She bounced up and landed next to Spike with a 'BOING!', sending him flying into the air and successfully surprising him out of his funk.

Rainbow cut in

Rarity coaxed

Applejack sang as Spike gave a tiny smile, then they all sighed as he slumped again.

Pinkie sang, looping a hoof around Spike.

she gave him a hug before tossing him onto her back

Pinkie Pie finished with a big grin, turning to Spike expectantly. He tried to smile for his friends, but he couldn't help worrying about Twilight. His attempted smile turned into a quiver as tears ran down his face.
Before Pinkie could be disappointed, Rarity walked up determined.

Spike smiled as he looked around at his friends.
As her friends cheered, Pinkie happily danced around the room.

"There, there, all better?" Fluttershy asked the now quiet dragon.
"Mm hmm" Spike nodded, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Now why don't you tell us why you were so upset darling?" Rarity suggested gently. "What?" She asked as Rainbow Dash and Applejack stared at her.

Spike sniffled and blew his nose. "...Okay..." He said, "I...I miss Twilight! I just want her to come home! Why did she leave? Is it my fault? Was I a bad assistant? Did Twilight leave because of me? Does she hate me?..."

"Now you listen here, Sugarcube!" Applejack interrupted, "Yer not ta blame. This ain't yer fault. Now Ah don't know why Twilight ran off like that, but I do know one thing. Twilight loves ya, and there ain't nothing that could change that! So ya git that fool notion out of yer noggin' right now!"

"But I should have been there for her! Maybe then she wouldn't have left." Spike cried, tears running down his face.

"Oh, Spike," Applejack sighed, sitting next to him. "Sometimes a pony just needs some time to think. That don't mean they hate ya. Ah know, ah've been there myself. Just, be patient okay? We'll find her."

"Then why does everypony keep arguing and fighting instead of finding her! Why can't everypony stop fighting and be friends again? Why is everypony so angry? And why can't I do anything to help? Nopony will even tell me what's going on..." Spike finished in a whisper and buried his face in his arms. His friends looked at each other guiltily.

"Oh, Spike. I'm so sorry. I had no idea you felt so helpless." Fluttershy said.

"Oh, Spikey, I had no idea you felt this way!" Rarity exclaimed.

"Ah'm mighty sorry little fella" Applejack said humbly, holding her hat.

"Yeah, we're all sorry" Rainbow Dash said.

"I'm super duper sorry" Pinkie Pie said, giving Spike a big hug. They all piled on to give Spike a big group hug.

"Thanks everypony," Spike said, smiling . "I feel so much better n...yawn...oooww..." a yawn interrupted his sentence.

"No problem, buddy" Rainbow Dash said, looping a wing round him

"Why don't you get some rest now?" Fluttershy suggested gently.

"But what about..yawn...about...." Spike tried to say as his eyelids began to close from exhaustion.

"Don't you worry about that, sugarcube. We'll be here when you wake up." Applejack promised, pointing to the hallway. Comforted, Spike drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face. As he started snoring, they slowly and quietly backed out of his room, Rarity gently closing the door behind them.

"Poor Spike! We got so caught up in finding Twilight, that we completely forgot about how he was doing." Fluttershy whispered, shaking her head.

"Twilight is a dear friend to each of us, but to Spike..." Rarity started.

"She's more like family." Applejack finished, "Ah don't know what Ah'd do if Big Mac or Applebloom left and Ah'd thought Ah was responsible."

"Yeah..." Rainbow Dash agreed, trailing off as she thought about a certain young pegasus back in Ponyville.