"Does anypony know where Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo are?" It was Twilight Sparkle that spoke the words, but truly the sentiment was on the minds of everypony that was huddled in the Apple family barn. Although they weren't behind the bales of hay that made rows through the room, blocking anypony behind them from view of the door, the ponies of Ponyville were ready to move at a moment's notice. Which they would definitely have to do as soon as they heard Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo approaching the barn, though that was seeming less and less likely to happen by the minute. The multicoloured pennants that hung from a string across the middle of the barn grew ever so slightly closer to the hay-covered ground with each passing minute.

Silver Spoon stood in the back of the barn and she looked over to her friend Diamond Tiara, who seemed to be looking all around the room—looking for something or somepony, maybe. "Hey, DT, what're you looking for?"

Diamond Tiara turned to face Silver Spoon. "Oh, um, I was just thinking—I haven't seen either Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle for a while. Do you know where they went? It seems weird that they wouldn't be here for their best friend's birthday party."

Silver Spoon made a cursory sweep of the entire room with her eyes and, sure enough, there was no sight of either filly. There wasn't really anywhere for them to stay out of sight, either; the barn had a pretty open floor plan. "No, I haven't, and that is really weird. We should ask Applejack or Rarity or somepony else."

"Yeah, good idea. C'mon." Diamond walked across the barn towards the front, where Applejack, Rarity, and the rest of the Elements of Harmony (besides the conspicuously absent Rainbow Dash) were huddled in a circle, deep in a conversation in hushed tones.

"...so do you really think she'd forget? Last time that happened, she—oh, hey there, girls. What can we do for you?" Twilight looked a little surprised at the sight of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon approaching.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we were wondering if you've seen Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle. We haven't seen them in a while."

"Oh, oh, yes," Twilight said, nodding. "They went into the house to get something, but they should be back in, uh... not too long."

"Now that ya mention it, they've been in there a little longer than it shoulda taken," Applejack said, raising an eyebrow. "Could you girls go in and check on them, make sure everything's all fine and dandy?"

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon both nodded and turned away from the older mares, who returned to their discussion. The fillies cantered over to the side entrance of the barn, passing and greeting Pipsqueak and Cheerilee and Mayor Mare and a few other ponies as they went. Even Spike nodded his head and smiled. Silver Spoon reflected on how, just several months earlier, most of the ponies there would have scoffed or flashed nasty looks in their direction; not that she or Diamond Tiara would have bothered to attend in the first place.

Once they were at the side door, it was only a few short steps from the barn to the house. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon wordlessly went around to the front door and opened it, stepping into the living room with quiet hoofsteps.

"Sweetie Belle?" Diamond Tiara called. "Apple Bloom?"

Silver Spoon wondered if she had ever been inside the Apple family's house; the homely orange rug on the floor and the antique couch looked unfamiliar. She didn't have much time to ponder these, though, before Tiara got a reponse.

"Hey, guys," Sweetie Belle's voice came from the other room—what looked to be a kitchen. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon took a few steps in that direction before Sweetie spoke again. "No, wait—um, I think you should probably go back to the barn—everything's fine—"

"No, it's alright, Sweetie," Apple Bloom's strained voice said, quietly. "They can come in—it's fine."

"Oh—okay..." Sweetie stepped into view from the kitchen and nodded, so Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walked through the living room towards her. As they neared, the kitchen came into view and with it they could see the form of a yellow filly slumped against the stove, face concealed behind her hooves. Her breaths were ragged and uneven; she kept exhaling and then quickly sucking in.

Apple Bloom looked up at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon and they could see her eyes were red and the fur on her face was matted; she had definitely been crying. "H-hey, girls... how's the party? Scoots there yet?"

Diamond Tiara frowned. "Um... no."

"O-oh. Of course." Apple Bloom laughed nervously. "Of course she wouldn't be."

"What's going on?" Silver Spoon sat down next to Apple Bloom, her hooves tucked underneath her torso. "What's wrong?"

"I-It's silly, really," Apple Bloom mumbled, looking down. "But I think... I think Scootaloo doesn't c-care about us anymore."

Diamond Tiara blinked. "Huh? But you're best friends! You guys have been friends forever!"

"That's what I tried to tell her, too," Sweetie Belle murmured. "Scootaloo doesn't hate us, even if she's excited about hanging out with Rainbow Dash for her birthday."

"B-but that's just it... Scootaloo's gonna learn to fly," Apple Bloom stammered. "She's gonna... she's gonna love flying, just like Rainbow Dash. And I'm happy for her... I really, really am. B-but," and at this point she gulped, "she's not gonna want anything to do with me."

"I still don't get it," Diamond Tiara said. "Just 'cause she can fly doesn't mean you guys won't be friends."

"Tiara, I like Scootaloo. Like like. And there's no way she'd let some dumb old earth pony like me hold her back." Apple Bloom sniffled. "I just gotta get used to that."

"Apple Bloom," Silver Spoon said, "it's all gonna be okay. Scootaloo's gonna come and we're going to have a good time at the party, you hear? She's gonna open presents and we're all going to have cake and hang out. And I'm sure she'd like you, wings or not."

"Yeah... I guess..." Apple Bloom murmured. "I hope."

"Yes, we will!" Sweetie exclaimed. "Now, let's get you cleaned up and let's get back to the barn so we can be there to greet her."

"O-okay." Apple Bloom took hold of Diamond Tiara's outstretched hooves and pulled herself up to her hooves. "I can do this... I can do this."

"You can do it," Silver Spoon said, nodding, and the four fillies walked out of the kitchen.