“Do you really think this’ll work, Twilight? I mean, I know you think Moondancer is mad at you because you skipped out on her party all those years ago, but what if she’s mad about something else? Then throwing a party to make up for her other one would be pretty pointless, don’t ‘ya think?” Spike asked, struggling to reach to hang up a stream of crepe paper.

Twilight turned and used a levitation spell to hang up the crepe paper.

  “No, Spike. I’m sure this is it. It’s like Minuette, said; that party meant a lot to her.”

  “She’s right. The party did mean a lot to her. Trust me, Twilight’s right on the money,” Minuette said, overhearing the conversation. Twilight and Spike looked at her and frowned.

  “Uh, Minuette, are you feeling alright? You haven’t seemed yourself for the past hour.”

  “Oh, uh, I mean, ‘Yup, she sure is right! That party meant a whole lot to her! Twilight broke her heart, that so-and-so! Yay!’” Minuette mocked, with an obviously fake giggle. Twilight and Spike looked at each other. Spike shrugged and Twilight turned to continue setting up the party. The party they were going to throw was going to be as big as the party Moondancer had thrown years ago. The one Twilight had missed. Twilight was almost certain that this would bring Moondancer around.

“That’s our last book. Here she comes!” Twinkleshine said, watching Moondancer as she cluelessly followed the trail of books her friends had left. Moondancer looked up from the book she was about to pick up and gasped, dropping all her other books on the ground.

  “What is this?” she asked.

Twilight walked up to her friend and stood by her side.

  “It’s a party. For you.”

  “Surprise!” Pinkie Pie said, leaping out from inside a massive cake and jamming a party whistle in Moondancer’s mouth. The yellow mare angrily spat the whistle out.

  “Come on in,” Twilight said.

  “Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t do parties,” Moondancer replied, scrunching up a party hat and dumping it as she turned to walk away.

‘You’re kidding me,’ Twilight thought, ‘I can’t let her do this. She isn’t getting away this easily!’

Moondancer was almost stunned by the sudden flash of purple that appeared in front of her. Suddenly, Twilight stood before her, still wearing her party hat.

‘She’s trying so hard…’ Moondancer thought.

  “I know. And I think it’s my fault. Back when we were in school together, you invited me to a party… I was so focused on my studies that I didn’t show up.”

  “Big deal!” Moondancer tried. Twilight wasn’t giving up.

  “It was a big deal. And now that I realize how important friendship is, I’d like to make up for my mistake with a new party. A party in honor of my friend Moondancer! Please, you’ve got to let me make this up to you.”

Moondancer scoffed.

  “And you think this is gonna do it, huh?”

  “Uh… yes?” Twilight replied, unsure of what to say. Moondancer took a stick from Twilight and walked over to the piñata that was hanging up, whacking it out of anger.

  “Well, sure, why wouldn’t it? That was only the first time I put myself out there, and then you didn’t even bother to show up! Then you left town without saying goodbye even though we were supposed to be friends! I was humiliated! I felt like I wasn’t important! I never wanted to let myself be hurt like that again! Those three finally convinced me that I had value, that other ponies might like me and want to be my friend.” Minuette, Lemon Hearts, and Twinkleshine looked at Moondancer in shock.

  “Please, please, please tell me this isn’t going to happen again! Please, please…” Lemon Hearts whispered to herself, tearing up.

  “…And you! Didn’t! Show! Up!” Moondancer screamed, flinging the stick away and running away from Twilight. She didn’t get far before she collapsed in a heap on the ground, sobbing loudly and burying her face in her hooves.

Twilight was shocked. Usually these things worked. Usually this was all it took and everything was all better. It was clear to her now just how much she had hurt Moondancer. She had thought she understood, but really she had no idea. Twilight turned to her three old friends. Twinkleshine looked away, and Lemon Hearts was resting her head on Minuette’s shoulder, sobbing quietly while Minuette tried to calm her down. Suddenly, Twilight realised what she had done. Moondancer wasn’t the only pony that she should have been focusing on. By hurting Moondancer like she had, she had also indirectly caused her other friends so much more pain. Maybe she couldn’t fix her relationship with Moondancer – but the way this was going, she had to at the very least do something to fix Moondancer’s broken relationship with her friends. The purple alicorn quietly approached Moondancer.

  “You’re right. This party can’t make up for the way I hurt you. But please, don’t let my mistake be the reason you can’t be friends with anypony else.”

Moondancer looked up to see Minuette approaching her, with Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts by her side.

  “We were your friends then and we’d be honored to be your friends now.”

Night had fallen and some of the party-goers had already left. The party was ending.

  “I think it’s time for us to go, Moondancer,” Twilight suggested, walking up to Moondancer.

  “Thank you for helping me make some new friends, even if they are my old friends,” Moondancer said.

  “We’ll come back and visit soon,” Twilight replied.

Moondancer leaned in to hug Twilight.

  “That would be great. You’ve still gotta teach me that Hayscartes technique!”

  “Deal,” Twilight said.