The foals of Cheerilee's noon time class period were reporting to school as per usual. Twilight and Cheerilee were doing a head count and both mares realized something. Everypony was in attendance with the notable exception of one Noblesse Oblige. Twilight would have written this off as Noblesse simply living the furthest away from the school grounds, but she has had an uneasy feeling since yesterday afternoon.

The school foals were talking amongst themselves as they always did before class started, when the arrival of a familiar Pony instantly grabbed everypony's attention.

“Excuse me, Ms. Cheerilee? Dame Sparkle?” The Pony at the door was an Unicorn mare with a powdery purple coat a shade lighter than Twilight's, almost making it pink with a dark blue mane and tail. While she was still fairly new to Ponyville, everypony recognized the head of security of the Everfree Palace and Noblesse's supposed adoptive mother.

Top Priority was clearly here on business, as the serious look on her face and ornate armor suggested. Cheerilee was intimidated by the mare's no-nonsense attitude, being used to the typically friendly and familiar town guard of Ponyville, “H-how can we help you,” Asked Cheerilee doing her best to keep her fear from showing.

“I need to talk to you about something important,” Answered the captain somewhat cryptically.

Cheerilee and Twilight looked too each other. Both mares shared the same suspicion as to what brought Top Priority to the school today.

The two mares followed the guard captain outside and closed the door behind them before Twilight spoke, “Is he molting today?” Asked the studious Unicorn.

Top Priority nodded, “Yes. The accident that occurred yesterday accelerated the process. While his life isn't in danger, his new skin isn't as strong as it's supposed to be. He'll be bedridden for the rest of the school week at the least.”

“Convenient that he'll miss so much school,” Commented Cheerilee. She had meant it as a joke, but Top Priority didn't find the humor in it as she glared at the teacher.

“My master is most likely smarter than you as it is. He only came here because it is the best way to fulfill the task given to him by Princess Celestia. Master would sooner die than shirk a mission given to him by a superior, let alone the Sun Princess.”

While Top Priority's voice didn't increase in volume, it became colder than ice and the disdain it contained weighed down on a Cheerilee like countless emotional tons.

Twilight flinched as the captain turned her head to face the studious Unicorn. While Top Priority was still clearly upset with Cheerilee, she did her best to tone it down for Twilight's sake, “Lord Noblesse Oblige requests your presence at the Plastered Pegasus after school today.”

“I-I thought you said he was bedridden,” Pointed out Twilight, still unsettled by Priority's anger.

“He does not request an audience,” Replied Priority, “He said that there will be a problem there that only you will be able to deal with at some point later today.”

“Did he say what kind of problem?” Asked Twilight who somehow managed to keep how nervous she was out of her voice.

Both school mares flinched as they noticed the guard mare wince slightly, “His majesty said that you would know what was wrong upon arrival. He-he didn't say anything else about it to me.”

While Top Priority may not have known for a fact what was going to be wrong later today, both of the school mares got the distinct impression that she had a very good idea of what it was.

“Excuse me,” Said Top Priority as she stepped away from the two other mares, “I must return to the Everfree Palace at once,” Top Priority got four paces away before her horn lit up and she disappeared with a yellow flash.

Cheerilee and Twilight reentered the building just as the school bell rang. Cheerilee sighed internally. Today was the first day of the week that the foals would be working on worksheets. While Cheerilee wouldn't mind having a little extra paper work, especially now that she had help, she also knew that her class would be excitable after today's morning. I wonder if anypony will actually be able to concentrate on their schoolwork today thought the school teacher. Cheerilee raised her ruler and tapped it against her chalkboard to get the class's attention as she has had to do in the past.

Cheerilee rolled her eyes and suppressed a giggle as she noticed how many of her students didn't realize she and Twilight had put papers on their desks, “Class, you may use your math books for these worksheets. I have already put the pages you'll need to use on the board. Please raise your hoof if you need help with anything.”

Truth be told today went a lot better than Cheerilee would have thought it would, given the day's start any how. She only had to get after two of her students for talking in class, and nopony needed to reprimanded for causing excessive distractions.

Cheerilee smiled as she watched her students happily flood out of the building and onto the playground. She barely noticed her new assistant coming up behind her.

“You really like seeing foals being happy, don't you?” Asked Twilight.

“How could I not?” Asked Cheerilee as she faced the mare next to her, “I enjoy helping my students grow, and eventually bloom. While they may not enjoy it at the time, I always get thank you letters from previous students telling me how well I did educating them. I especially love it when they tell me how they're benefit society.”

Twilight got a teasing smile on her face, “Have you ever thought about having foals of your own?”

Cheerilee stumbled on her words as she tried to articulate a response, but both mares were interrupted by a polite cough from behind them. The mares turned around to see a light gray Pegasus with a black mane and tail behind them.

“R-Rumble!” Said Twilight, “Er, what are you doing inside?”

The embarrassed blush on Rumble's face reflected the blush on his teachers' faces, “I wanted to ask if now would be a good time for a tutoring session, and I didn't want to interrupt you two.”

The three Ponies stood in place in awkward silence for a few moments before Twilight answered, “Oh, uh, okay. Sit down and try to explain what you don't understand.”

Cheerilee took the chance to step away from the pair unnoticed as she sat down at her desk and started to grade the papers that had been turned in.

“Ugh, what is wrong with that loser?” Asked Diamond Tiara.

“I know right?” Agreed Silver Spoon, “She's spending recess studying?”

“What a nerd,” Stated Diamond Tiara.

“There is a bright side to this day though,” Pointed out Silver Spoon.

“Oh?” Diamond wasn't sure what her cousin was hinting at.

“If the grim look on whatshername's face is anything to go by, we won't have to see that serpent eyed freak for a while.”

Diamond Tiara only nodded in agreement. Noblesse Oblige had been nothing but creepy to them. The day after he saw the two of them putting Pipsqueak in his place, he had been stalker-ish. He had been the servant to bring them their meals and other supplies but had made a point of eating his meals in front of them before giving them their meals, and then watching them eat before leaving.

Diamond got shivers down her spine whenever she thought about that freak's unblinking stare watching them. But if he was too ill to attend school, then he would probably leave them alone for the rest of their 'sentence.' It still bothered her that Lord Noblesse Oblige refused to listen to their side of the story, they were actual noblemares, unlike that blank flank knight.

“Oh that's just perfect!” Silver Spoon's exclamation brought Diamond Tiara out of her thoughts, “Those Blank Flanks have the jungle gym!”

“Couldn't we chase them away like everypony else?” Asked Diamond Tiara. They have run their classmates off from playground equipment before, including the Loser Mark Crude-saders.

“Do you really want to mess with Apple Bloom while we're on probation for messing with her?” Pointed out Silver Spoon.

Diamond Tiara stopped and thought about that for a moment, “That's a good point actually,” Something interesting caught Diamond Tiara's eye, “Hey, why don't we run off those losers at the slide?”

Silver Spoon turned her head to see who was at the slide, and liked what she saw, “That sounds like fun♪ Lets do it!”

The school bell rang to let the foals out for the day. Twilight discreetly let the last of the foals go ahead of her before she left, or what she thought was the last of the foals.

“Excuse me, Twilight? Ms. Cheerilee?” Both mares turned to see that Rumble had called for them once again after his classmates left the schoolhouse.

“Do want to study some more?” Asked Cheerilee, surprised that a student was putting in more than the bare minimum amount of work to get through class.

“Yes, but I was hoping it could be somewhat later today,” Explained the effeminate colt, “I promised that I'd help a friend with something today, it shouldn't take too long.”

Cheerilee nodded her head in acknowledgment. Any colt or filly that lived on a farm had to chores to do on their family's farm, so she was used to having her students come in for studying sessions at odd hours of the day.

“How does three sound?” Asked the school teacher.

“Could we make it four?” Asked Rumble, “Pinkie won't be back to take care of the Cake twins until a quarter till four.”

Twilight's eyes light it up in acknowledgment. She and her friends, with the exception of Rainbow Dash, got together every morning to spend time with each other. Applejack was practically raving about a shifty colt trying to get close to her sister. Applejack never used a name, though she did clearly paint Rumble in an unjust light when going on about him.

“Excuse me,” Said Twilight, “There's something I need to take care of today, I might not be able to help this evening.”

“I understand,” Said Cheerilee, “Do you know where that place is?”

“The girls and I get together there sometimes,” Replied Twilight, “Sorry to leave you on your own like this Cheerilee.”

“Oh it's fine,” Said Cheerilee dismissively, “Just go deary.”

Twilight left a slightly concerned teacher and a very confused student as she left the schoolhouse. Rumble wrote it off as not being his problem and went to join Apple Bloom at Sugarcube Corner as Cheerilee finished grading papers.

Twilight stopped at the door to Berry Punch's bar. Twilight was made to stop by the sudden headache that appeared. Twilight tried to ignore it as she entered the building, but it only got worse. Twilight really began to worry when she noticed that there no other Unicorns in the establishment, and that Berry's daughter was an Unicorn.

Twilight came to the counter where Berry was mixing a yellow Earth Pony's drink, “Hey Berry.”

“Oh hi Twilight,” Said Berry as hoofed the Earth Pony's drink over to him, “Hard day at work?”

“Hardly,” Replied the Unicorn, “I actually came over to check up on Ruby.” Twilight had no idea why, but felt that Ruby Pinch was somehow involved in whatever problem Top Priority had mentioned earlier today.

“It's funny you mention my daughter,” Said Berry, “She was feeling really rough this morning, and coughed all throughout last night. So I gave her the off.”

“Do you mind if I check on her?” Asked Twilight.

“Her room is the third one down on the left,” Replied Berry as a cloaked (wearing a cloak, not invisible) Unicorn come up to the counter.

Twilight nodded and head up the stairs to Ruby's room. As she ascended the staircase, her headache became more intense. The pain increased sharply in a particular way, the studious Unicorn couldn't put her hoof on it, but the pain was familiar to her.

Twilight knocked on the door and awaited a response. Twilight waited a few minutes and got no reply. She put her ear up to the door to try and see if she could hear anything, she didn't want to barge in unless she had too. Twilight could hear something on the other side of the door, but it was indistinct.

Twilight opened the door, “Ruby?”

Twilight could see that Ruby was under the covers of her bed, and she could also clearly hear the young mare crying. Twilight approached the bed and stopped when she heard Ruby say a single word, “D-Daddy.”

Twilight stopped as she pondered what this could mean. Rainbow Dash told her and the girls about Ruby's family, surprisingly discreetly in fact. Ruby's father had skipped town when he found out Berry was pregnant, Berry then started drinking after Ruby was born. If it wasn't for Cheerilee, Berry would have lost custody of her only child. But why is she having a nightmare about somepony she never meet? Wondered Twilight.

Twilight gasped when Ruby turned over and revealed that she was not in fact asleep. Her eyes were wide open and clearly displayed fear. What horrified Twilight was that the whites of Ruby's eyes were a lime green, the iris of her eyes had turned scarlet, and purple smoke was flowing out of the sides of her eyes.

Twilight remembered well her part in saving the Crystal Empire from the mad king Sombra, she also now realized why the pain from her headache felt familiar. She was sore from the illusion of Sombra's Door, but toughed through it because she had something important to do. Twilight didn't know how Ruby Pinch came under Sombra's spell, nor did she care at the moment. What Twilight did know, is that this poor filly needed help.

Twilight thought about how she could help the poor filly. Of all of the things Twilight could have forgotten, the one detail about the 'Crystal Empire Affair' she could not remember, was how she and Spike helped each other when bewitched by Sombra's Door.

She and Spike were only enthralled by the Door for a few moments, there was no telling how long Ruby Pinch had been trapped within the illusion. Spells like this, from schools of magic Twilight was familiar with, often increased in potency as the target was within the spells' grasp. Even if Ruby had been trapped for a half hour, it could be very difficult to break the spell.

Twilight decided to take a chance. She didn't know what to do, she couldn't let more time pass to get Ruby help, and there was probably no one else who could help her outside of Canterlot. Twilight started to channel her magic through her horn. She knew a few spells that could break illusions similar to this, but she needed to know how Sombra's magic would react to a lesser 'Reality Check' spell.

Sombra's spell wasn't even affected by the cantrip, but that is not to say that it didn't react. Sombra's spell used the magic targeting Ruby as a spiritual bridge between Ruby's mind and Twilight's. Twilight was nowhere near fast enough to cancel the spell and before she realized what was happening, she too was under Sombra's spell.

“I'm gonna get you Pound!” Called out Rumble as he chased the little Pegasus through the air.

Rumble and Pound were playing tag while Apple Bloom and Pumpkin watched. Apple Bloom took advantage of Pumpkin's enraptured state to take care of some of the other chores entrusted to her by Mr. and Mrs. Cake. Pound loved having somepony to play with in the air, as neither his parents nor his usual foalsitters could fly, let alone fly as fast as he could.

“Guess who's baaaak♪” Called out a voice that the twins and Apple Bloom were familiar with.

Pound instantly changed directions to crash into the pink mare who just spoke as Pumpkin started crawling towards her.

Pound flew into Pinkie Pie's open forelegs (they are not arms) and they started cuddling immediately.

Pumpkin was jealous that her brother was getting all of the attention and quickened her pace, not that she could move all that quickly. Rumble noticed how distressed Pumpkin seemed to be and swooped down to pick her up.

Pinkie felt a small warm fur ball clinging to the side of her face as the colt she failed to notice spoke up, “I think you forgot somepony.”

“I would never!” Pinkie raised one of her forelegs to grab Pumpkin. She looked to see her the colt was as she cuddled both of the twins, “Oh! Hi Rumble. What are you doing here?”

“Ah asked him to halp me with the twins,” Explained Apple Bloom.

“Well that was nice of you,” Said Pinkie as she put the twins down in the crib, “Do you have plans later today?”

“Yeah actually, I do,” Rumble was a little thrown off by the non-sequitur, but he could easily indulge one of the mares that saved Equestria half a dozen times, “I promised Ms. Cheerilee that I would stop by and study.”

“I understand the importance of keeping your promises,” Said Pinkie Pie, she had nearly murdered Applejack when she broke her Pinkie Promise.

“But before I leave,” Said the colt catching the attention of both mares. Apple Bloom was legally an adult at this point, “Can I ask you something Apple Bloom?”

Neither Rumble nor Apple Bloom saw it, but parts of Pinkie started twitching. Tongue, left eye, left hock! Pinkie Pie knew exactly what that meant, and adopted a grin that would been seen as 'creepy' by anyone who didn't know Pinkie Pie very well.

“Uh sure,” Apple Bloom didn't know what to think of the slight blush on the colt's face, “What is it?”

“Well, we've been spending a lot of time together, and I've been really enjoying it,” Started the colt. He had planned to do this in private, but he didn't care who found out about it. Except for maybe her brother Rumble added in his head, “And I was wondering if you would want to go on a date some time this week.”

Apple Bloom blushed furiously. Then she started thinking about how much fun it was to look after the Cake twins, how nice Rumble is, how hard working and helpful he always tried to be, and how good looking he is. Pinkie's snout started twitching, and the rest of her body followed suit moments later. While the Cake twins found this humorous, Rumble found this to be deeply disturbing, especially how her snout looked like it was about to fly off her face.

Apple Bloom ignored it as she was used to Pinkie's silliness, “Yah know,” She said bringing Rumble's attention away from Pinkie, “Ah think ah'd like that.”

Rumble's blush deepened slightly, “Oh, that's great! How does Saturday sound?”

“Great,” Replied the cream colored Earth Pony without hesitation. The newly formed couple looked at Pinkie as she started making 'ooh-ooh' noises.

“If you two kids come here, I'd give you whatever you ordered on the house!”

“Oh thank you Pinkie,” Said Rumble, “But I have plenty of-” The effeminate colt was interrupted as Pinkie zoomed over to him and jammed her hoof into his mouth.

“Shhh,” Pinkie had a creepy smile on her face as she started whispering, “Let me do this for you.”

Rumble couldn't speak as there was a hoof somewhere between his uvula and his teeth, so he simply nodded in the affirmative as he was too scared to refuse the pink mare's offer.

“Great!” Exclaimed Pinkie as she removed her hoof from Rumble's mouth allowing him to breath properly, “I'll be waiting♪” Pinkie skipped out of the room to get the twins' formula.

“What time do you want me to pick you up?” Asked Rumble with a goofy grin on his face.

“Ah should be done with mah chores 'round eight,” Replied Apple Bloom.

Rumble trotted up to his new fillyfriend and kissed her on the cheek. The young lovers blushed as they heard Pinkie d'aww at the moment.

“I'll see you tomorrow at school then,” Rumble had a goofy and confident grin on his face.

Apple Bloom giggled some, “See yah then♪”

Rumble said 'excuse me' as he passed by Pinkie. Pinkie gave him a wide smile as he passed. Apple Bloom tried to leave as well, but was stopped by the usually jovial pink mare. Apple Bloom looked up at Pinkie's face and saw the serious expression on it.

“Hey Apple Bloom,” Said Pinkie with an unusual amount of seriousness in her tone of voice, “Don't tell Applejack about you and Rumble until he shows up at your house.”

“What? Why?” Apple Bloom was legitimately scared by how serious Pinkie was acting.

“Applejack is really protective of you,” Said the pink mare, “If you two are here, I can keep her at bay and calm her down. I don't like thinking poorly of somepony, but what do think Aj would do if she found out about your new relationship today?”

Apple Bloom paused as she realized how valid a point Pinkie had made. Applejack was scared to leave her alone at home, how would she feel when she found out that she started dating?

“Do yah think she'd hurt 'em?” Asked the young mare.

“I don't know, but I don't want to find out,” Replied Pinkie, “I promise that I won't let Aj interrupt your date with Rumble.” Pinkie then produced a cupcake with a lit candle in it and started making the motions for her famed Pinkie Promise, “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Pinkie then jammed the cupcake, candle and all, into her open eye.

Anypony would have been disturbed by what Pinkie just did, “Er, thanks Pinkie. Ah really appreciate it.”

Pinkie blinked and there was no sign of the cupcake. Pinkie also regained her typical blithe attitude, “Think nothing of it. Hey, do want this cupcake?” Pinkie then reproduced the same cupcake from earlier.

Apple Bloom only needed a moment as she thought about where that cupcake had been, “No thank yah Pinkie.”