This chapter is a soft edit with some grammar and spelling corrections. A final edit is pending review and will be uploaded when finalized. I apologize in advance for any errors that were not corrected.

The six bid farewell to Big Mac and the CMC's and darted back, whispering to one another before rushing back to Big Mac's side. No doubt pestering him about the kiss and how he feels about Kelly. The poor guy.

Entering the house, all six made a point to over-exaggerate where Kelly must have left drips and puddles on the floor of the hallway leading back to the kitchen.

Sniff, of course, had to have the best jab of them all. He emerged from the darkness holding a mop and bucket. "Benny! Quick! We need like, ten more of these or your house is going down like the Edmund Fitzgerald!"

Everyone laughed, even Kelly joined in. "Oh, come on. The Fitzgerald? Why not the Titanic?" She jokingly asked?

"Because the Fitzgerald went down by itself. You stopped short of ramming yourself into something big and hard." Lumberman answered.

Benny laughed before adding to it. "Yeah, but if Big Mac is the iceberg, what would happen first? Kelly going down or getting split in two?"

Kelly stood up, red in the face, but still laughing with everyone else while taking her defeat in strides. "Okay, ya got me. Taking a walk."

And she did, just not far; only about as far as the kitchen.

She took a light with her back to and used the time to grab some dishes and utensils. She loaded up with seven bowls and spoons for the soup and made her way back to the coffee table back with the others.

After the laughing died down, silence overtook the dimly lit room. If the world they had left behind was in synch with this worlds time, it was 9:48. Cerb took a glance at his watch and spoke softly to the group. "We've been here only eight hours, yet it feels like just minutes have passed."

Lumberman felt for his phone, but then remembered that it was busted to shit. "Only eight hours? Feels like days to me."

"Yeah, that's because you went night-night during your Tequila fueled camping trip," Cerb joked, throwing some shade his way.

"Yeah," Lumberman admitted. "Thanks for reminding me about that whole mind fuck of an experience."

Chris watched as Kelly came back with a handful of bowls and spoons. "Hey, Kelly..." Chris spoke with caution, gently catching her attention. "About that kiss, you gave to Big Mac."

Kelly gave a glance while placing out bowls and silverware. Just enough to let him know that he had her attention but wasn't interested in what he had to say if it was going to be an insult or something stupid. "Yeah? What about it?"

Chris carefully asked. "Did you feel anything like Cerb and them talked about? Like you weren't in control?"

Kelly poured herself a small bowl of the soup. She slowly stirred it while thinking quietly.

"No," she said after a short pause. "It was kind of more of just reflex."

She blew softly on the still soup, which was still steaming hot. " Kinda just did it out of habit."

Becky laughed at the response. "Damn, girl. We can't take you anywhere."

Lumberman had a similar response. "Kelly, sis. This isn't like trying to get a discount on an oil change. It was a talking horse with a to-go meal."

"Oh yeah?" Kelly fired back playfully. "Who got half off their oil change and a free dinner for seven?"

Sniff wormed his way through the others to grab a bowl himself. "The soup was already free, sis. You either flirt too much or were trying to score us some dessert."

Kelly flicked him in the ear. "Ass," She chuckled.

Sniff winced and shielded his ear with his free hand. "Hey, I wasn't complaining. Just surprised you'd be willing to hit on someone so much smaller than you're used to."

Kelly was finally sipping some of the gifted soup. Once she got past how hot it still was, it's flavor was something she wasn't expecting. So smooth and bold, yet sweet. Creamy and soft, yet just the right touch of salt. "It-" 'smaller than you're used to'?

Those words caused Sipping_Soup.exe to crash. Kelly chocked and what little soup she had in her mouth. She dropped her spoon back into the bowl and tried to cover her mouth before she started to spit out what bit wasn't caught in her throat. It was a mostly successful attempt.

You'd think with so much shit that had been going wrong and heavy thoughts on their minds that such Juvenile jokes wouldn't just be used so flippantly, or that they wouldn't be so well received. Yet...

"Oh, my god! You little shit!" Kelly fiendishly searched for a place to place her bowl. She was laughing almost as hard as everyone else in the room. "You made me choke."

"Better me than Big Red Ram Rod out there." Sniff spat out before taking a defensive position.

Kelly started dropping hammer fist on Sniff. It wasn't enough to really hurt him. But hard enough that he had to ward them off. Both laughed all the way down to the carpet, Kelly mounting him UFC style.

"Ah! My back! My legs! No fair!" Sniff shouted up, not able to adequately defend himself.

Chris relaxed back into his chair as he enjoyed another spoonful of the Apple families soup. "Oh man," he downed another spoonful. "Outside of the obvious, tonight is a good night."

Benny did his best to block out the commotion that was Kelly and Sniff trading jabs at each other. "Something that's good for all of us, or is it just great that met your dream girls?"

Chirs grinned with mischief in his eyes before speaking in a cliched Italian accent. "Not only were we treated with this wonderful," - He obnoxiously sipped the orange-colored concoction, over passionately moaning, expressing his approval while loudly sucking tips of his fingers. "- delectable home-cooked dish. We all get to sleep easy knowing the chastity of all the mares in Ponyville are safe if Sniffles can't even take down Kelly."

"Oh, come on!" Sniff shouted, signaling Kelly to finally let him up. "You really think I'm gonna start whore'n it up with horsewomen here? Come on now. I'm a lady killer."

He posed, arms wide open, doing a slow turn, showing himself off. "You know how high my standards are."

Lumberman let his spoon fall into his now-empty bowl. "Yeah. A warm body with a hole between their legs."

"Boom!" Becky burst out. "Shots fired!"

"Oh," Sniff scrunched his face. "I'm sorry, but that's only parts one and two. They also need to be at least a nine or a ten. And you know how I be just ah reining them in." - Sniff finished off with the motion of casting a fishing line out and reeling it in.

Cerb stood content with his empty bowl. "Sniff, your scale is from one to a hundred. Now shut up and eat your soup before it gets cold."

Sniff stood still in the center of the room. His standards and integrity left questioned by his comrades.

Before he could counter with another rebuttal, Kelly directed him to eat. "Quit your whining and crying, Sniffy. We all know you're the worlds greatest poon hound. You're like a version of me if I had a penis."

She gulped down another spoon full of her now cooled soup. "Well, I mean. I get penis all the time. So really I mean if I had a penis attached to me."

Sniff let the sweet scent convince him to give in to his hunger. "Ugh! You would be one fuggen ugly dude if you were born a man, Kelly."

Kelly smirked, grabbing the empty dishes and spoons from everyone that had finished their meal. "Nah... I'd still be pretty."

Sniff took his first taste. "Holy shit this is good soup."

Everyone nodded and voiced their agreement.

Sniff sipped it directly from the bowl, downing nearly half of it in one go. "Mmm. No. Forget what I said earlier. I'll fuck a horse for food like this."

"Dibs on Big Mac!" Kelly shouted from the kitchen.

Lumberman tilted the recliner. "Y'all fuckers are gross."

Meanwhile, in the cover of night, Starlight was again walking to Trixie's wagon. A lone torch poorly lit the area where Trixie was slowly sorting through her mash of strewn-about items. Starlight observed quietly as Trixie's sluggish sorting continued.

"Trixie," Starlight tried not to startle the saddened mare. "When did you sneak off from us?"

"It doesn't matter," she said with an empty tone. "I can't help with anything."

Starlight wanted to share with Trixie the positive experience that they all had shared earlier. Something Trixie could have joined in with had she stayed. But that wouldn't have helped to cheer her up. Her needs had to be addressed if any progress was going to be made to bring her out of this funk.

She looked around at the stacked items, seemingly placed in no particular order. "Soooo, you just thought you'd come back and pick up your stage props?"

"No," Trixie replied just as empty and drained as before. "I thought I'd find Twilight's books so I can give them back. Not risk hurting some pony else."

Starlight stomped her hoof. "That's enough, Trixie. -" She glared down at her mourning friend. " - We are going to fix this. One way or another. No matter how long it takes. And you're going to help. One way or another. No matter how long it takes."

"I'm sorry," Trixie's voice dropped as she apologized. "I also..."

She swallowed hard and looked away. "Never mind. It's not important right now. Trixie does not wish to talk about it."

A handkerchief floated out and dabbed her nose softly. She examined it for a moment before her magic tucked it away once more. "Trixie... does not know how to explain." - She raised her head in protest, acting too proud to give in.

Starlight walked over and just sat next to her friend. Just barely close enough for their sides to touch. "Trixie, I won't pretend to know how you feel. And that's coming from somepony who knows what it's like to ruin the lives of others."

She turned to Trixie with a confident smile. "But you can make things right. I mean, -" She thought back to the toast. - "I wish you would have stayed with us, Trixie. After you left. Us ponies that were still there shared a toast with the humans. Helped to brighten their day and give them hope."

Trixie didn't reply. She just sulked, again pulling out the used cloth to dab her nose again.

Starlight leaned in to further try and comfort her friend. "Trixie. You must have left when Cerb was angry but had you stayed you would have seen how much better things are now. You wouldn't feel so bad if you could have seen their happy faces."

She thought back to saying goodbye to them. Even the images of Becky vomiting were overshadowed by her optimism from Cerb picking her up and carrying her back.

"It's not just what I did to them that's bothering Trixie," Trixie muddled.

She sniffled before continuing with a voice of worry. "Starlight... I don't-" She was looking for some fine descriptive words to explain what she wanted to express. "I don't feel right... Everything feels different. Feels... I dunno."

Starlight stood up and moved in front to face her friend. She laid a hoof under Trixie's chin, lifting it up. "Trixie, talk to me. What's wrong."

Trixie once more used her magic to pull the soiled cloth from her cloak. This time, she didn't use it. She instead held it up for Starlight to see.

"Trixie, is this from you?" Starlight eyed the red on the cloth.

"Starlight... I've never bled before." Trixie's eyes watered up as she confessed her worries.

Twilight was dictating a letter to Spike while looking through her many books.

"-their drinks seem to have a magic all of their own. It's almost like just a small amount can turn perfect strangers into friends and..." She groaned heavily.

"No. That's not what's important right now. Princess Celestia wouldn't want to hear about how amazing their alcohol can be." She sighed again.

Spike grumbled in frustration before crumpling up yet another piece of parchment. "Letter to Celestia about mysterious stranded creatures with anger issues and tipsy drinks, attempt number twenty-five."

Twilight was now pacing back and forth, eyeing up more books that could maybe shed some light on who or what these humans really were. Perhaps maybe even give some incite about where they actually came from. "Spike, Celestia needs to know as soon as possible that seven new-"

A flash of light gave a little warning for the unicorn who was teleporting in.

"Twilight!" Two hoves grabbed Twilight's face, holding it close to Starlight's.

"I need your help. Now!" Before a response could be given, Starlight teleported out, only to flashback in instantly, disposing of a weary and confused Trixie.

"Starlight, please don't-" Trixie looked around for her friend, but was nowhere in sight. In her stupor, she started to falter backward.

Another flash of light revealed a comfortable chair that Trixie fell into. Starlight stood just behind it, ensuring her friend landed safely. With the magician pony seated securely, Starlight dashed back to her friend's side.

"Are you feeling any better? Do you have a fever?" She placed a hoof over Trixie's forehead. "How bad does it hurt?"

"Starlight!" Twilight protested the sudden madness that was overtaking her study. "What in blazes has gotten into you?"

Starlight turned and was instantly back in Twilights face. "We need all your knowledge and understanding of magic and science."

Twilight tried to pull away from Starlight's intensity.

"What-" Twilight said to no pony as Starlight had already flashed herself away again. She stood dumbfounded. No day could get any crazier than today. That's all she could think. That's when her eyes fell onto the sight of Trixie sitting somewhat slouched in a chair that didn't belong in the study.

"Trixie," She asked puzzled. "What in the world is going-"

Another flash interrupted Twilight, her face contorted with rage from not being able to complete a full sentence to anypony. She took a deep breath, ready to lecture her only student... who was standing with Nurse Redheart?

"Nurse, this is the patient." Starlight pointed to Trixie. She then looked back to Twilight. "Don't go anywhere, Twilight. I'll be back as fast as I can."

Again, Starlight teleported out. The flash and pop letting Twilight know that her questions would be put on hold.

Nurse Redheart was a bit in shock. She was trembling nervously. "Where am I?!"

It was just about twenty minutes that pass by until Starlight finally reappeared. She flashed back into the room, still in stride with all the books that had been given Trixie. They floated up behind her closely as she approached Nurse Redheart, who was in the middle of an examination on her patient.

"Starlight, wait!" Twilight's magic grabbing ahold of Starlight's tail.

"Yes. Of course. Sorry," Starlight said, finally acknowledging Twilight.

She directed the books down on the table Spike had been writing on before, turning herself around to finally explain the situation.

Trixie took notice of the books. "Good. The sooner those things are out of my hooves, the better," she mumbled with some trouble with a thermometer in her mouth.

Twilight glared to her student. "Now can you pleeeeeeeese tell me what you need me for, instead of teleporting away and leaving me with a doctor and her patient in my care instead of a hospital?"

"I'm a nurse, not a doctor," Redheart said begrudgingly.

The white pony pulled a stethoscope off of Trixie's chest and removed the thermometer. She gave it a quick glance before pocketing it and walking back to the other two.

"And I can't give a proper diagnosis," She said with some concern looking back to Trixie. "That is if I had any clue what was wrong with her."

Redheart didn't like having patients just dropped on her without an explanation. "Now, can either of you explain to me what happened to my patient to put her in such a condition."

"Condition?" Twilight asked.

Starlight sighed. "It's a long story that I can't really explain. Not in any way that would make sense or you'd believe. Not without meeting our new guest at least."

"Guest? Are there more injured ponies you need me to attend to?" Redheart's tone sounded both concerned, yet agitated.

"No," Starlight was quick to respond. "Don't worry about the guest right now. They're fine. As for Trixie..."

All three turned their attention to the blue magician who was twirling cotton balls like a juggler, but without the hand/hoof motions, because magic.

"A simple explanation would be that she combined a bunch of magic with a teleportation and portal spell which caused an explosion that maaaaaaay or may not have exposed her to unknown magic from one or more different dimensions." Starlight answered with a guilty smile.

Redheart blinked slowly, trying to take in that dose of information. She then turned to Twilight. "Can you explain to me what happened to my patient to put her in such a condition."

Twilight looked back and forth between Nurse Redheart and Starlight before stopping on Redheart. "I don't think I can give a better explanation than her's unless you understand the intricacies of unstable magic produced by an incomplete linked Rosen bridge with a sixteen-meter access point powered by forces that don't use a power appropriation process outside of the Canterlot academic standards of at least-"

"Twilight," Starlight tried to get her attention.

"-the accepted methods that are still taught within advanced lectures on-" The princess continued.

"Twilight, please," Starlight still wasn't getting through.

"but you would also need to understand the side effects produced by combining time and space manipulation magic with the non-uniform structured magic of emotions or other-" Twilight finally stopped as medical tape began wrapping around her muzzle.

Starlight tried to look as apologetic as possible while holding Twilight in a headlock and wrapping more layers of tape around her muzzle. "I'm sorry. She tends to go on and on like this for much longer if somepony doesn't take drastic measures."

Nurse Redheart held her hoof up on the bridge of her snout between her eyes, clearly trying to fight off a headache. "So, a magic spell that had a lot of different types of magic blew up. Right?"

Starlight nodded, letting the most simplistic explanation cover the medical side until Twilight and herself could research the rest. "Pretty much, yeah. But is she doing okay? Did the bleeding stop?"

Twilights eyes lit up at those words. She tried to repeat those words out for confirmation. Or it could have been just about anything else. You can never really understand a pony with a muzzle wrapped up like that.

Nurse Redheart nodded, though unphased. "Yes. The bleeding didn't seem to indicate anything major. No signs of major trauma or organ damage. Everything seems to be rather superficial. She seems to be more exhausted above anything else."

Starlight sighed with some relief. "Thank goodness. I was so worried, but I mean-pft... just a little nose bleed, -" She rolled her eyes. "Am I right?" She forced a smile at the nurse, hoping for an agreeable response.

Nurse Redheart looked to the worried unicorn and the princess alicorn hoofing at the tape and tugging on her muzzle trying to free herself. "I've been here dealing with your friends as patients for many years now, -" She recalled putting Twilight in a wheelchair after a piano to the head in particular. "- and I've seen a lot worse."

Starlight leaned to her side to talk directly to Trixie. "You hear that Trixie? You're fine!"

Trixie's head slid off from her hoof, waking her up and causing the cotton balls to drop.

"Although..." the nurse had sounded concerned. "I've never actually seen a pony bleed before."

This news was not welcomed by Starlight, and she wore it clearly on her face.

Twilight had enough tugging on her face. Her horn flared up, causing the tape trapping her mouth shut to burst into shreds.

"Plah," she opened her mouth wide and stretched it out. "What you mean you've never seen a pony bleed before? Shouldn't that be common for a pony in your line of work."

Nurse Redheart, despite all her prior annoyance with the whole situation this had presented to her, addressed them both properly. "I've seen ponies with bumps, bruises, broken bones, missing teeth, limbs that were completely flattened, but never once a drop of blood."

Twilight and Starlight both stared at each other in disbelief.

Nurse Redheart had an epiphany. "Come to think of it. I don't know why we use as many bandages as we do. They're just as clean when we take them off as when we put them on."

Twilight rubbed her chin. "Now that I think about it, I don't think I have either. And I've been on plenty of adventures where ponies and others were hurt, but... never any blood. No matter how bad their injuries were. That just doesn't make any sense."

Nurse Redheart was ready to leave. "Yeah, it's a real mystery. Now, look. Just like me, your friend is exhausted and needs some sleep. Some headache medicine would do us both a world of good, too. Otherwise, ice packs on her bruises and swollen areas, and have her follow up with the doctor's office in the morning. You can pick up your bill for this at the front desk.

"Yes. Of course." Twilight said with a bow, of which the nurse returned before departing out the double doors.

"Well, that's a relief," Starlight said thankfully.

"Ah, Buck!" Twilight word vomited.

"What? Did you just figure something out?" Starlight asked, concerned.

"Yes," Twilight said with remorse as she turned and looked to her pupil. "I just agreed to pay Trixie's medical bills..."

A fashionable white unicorn was toiling away on a large piece of fabric. She examined her detailed work. "No, no, no! These proportions are all wrong!"

The fabric glowed with an aura of magic, lifting in the air. Rarity focused on her hard work and began to dismantle it. Pins and needles were pulled, and threaded strings reversed their way out.

She eyed the tee-shaped fabric and frowned. "Rarity, honestly, what are you doing?" She said to herself with a groan of disappointment.

She lifted small rolls of fabric, eyeing each one. Considering their colors and texture. Lost in thought, she was startled by a knock on the door.

"Sorry, but we're closed for the evening, my dear!" Rarity loudly called out to the front door, ending with a tone that sounded like she was singing her response as lyrics.

An all too familiar voice could bearly be heard from the outside. "Oh, okay. Can I come in any way?"

Fluttershy stood outside the boutique, hoping Rarity would let her in. "If you're busy, I can come back tomorrow."

The door unlatched and opened up, causing a jingle of a bell just above the door frame. Rarity hadn't expected to see any of the others tonight, so this was somewhat of a surprise.

"Nonsense, dear. Please come in." Rarity ushered her feathered friend in, closing the door behind her. "Is everything okay? It's not like you to venture out so late at night unannounced."

Fluttershy looked back to Rarity, still walking into where they usually sit and talk. "Oh, no. I'm fine. I just kept thinking about all of our new guests, and wanted to get your opinion on some of the thoughts I was having."

Fluttershy noticed the large tee-shaped fabric laying down on Rarities workstation. "Is this something new you're working on."

Rarity grabbed the fabric with her magic, quickly folding it up and stashing it away in a drawer under the workstation. "Oh, just something I was experimenting with. A failed project that isn't working out the way I was hoping."

Fluttershy turned to her left, seeing another similarly designed garment strung up, though more complete. "Was this one a success?"

Rarity quickly pulled it down, folding it and stowing it just like the other one. "Oh my, I need to stop leaving so many projects just laying around. It's leaving my boutique quite the mess." Rarity's voice did a poor job of sounding convincing.

"I think Mr. Cerberous will like it. You shouldn't feel embarrassed about making him a new shirt, Rarity." Fluttershy said, exposing her friend's unreasonable fears.

Rarity sulked slightly. "Oh, dear. Is it that obvious?"

Fluttershy sat in her usual spot when she visited. "Is what obvious? The fact that it's a shirt his size?" She asked, not sure just what exactly Rarity was referring to.

Rarity contemplated whether to actually answer that question honestly. She reminded herself that Fluttershy obviously wasn't the most social of creatures, nor one all too experienced in what she was wrestling within her mind.

"Nevermind, deary. I'm just being silly, I suppose. Today has just been a whirlwind of chaos and emotions... Would you care for some tea? I could use the distraction."

"Oh, if it's not too much trouble, then yes, please," Fluttershy replied, growing still and quiet in her chair.

A few moments later, Rarity returned from the kitchen with some warm tea floating in on a platter. "Here we are, -" She set the platter down on the coffee table between them. "I must apologize, I wasn't expecting company, so I don't have anything to go along with our tea."

Fluttershy seemed to be hiding behind her mane more than usual. "Oh, that's fine. I don't mind." Fluttershy lowered her ears back a bit, a touch of sorrow as she sat deeper in the chair.

Rarity saw her friend clearly had something bothering her. "Fluttershy, sweety. What's bothering you," Rarity asked, filling both their cups.

"You know you can talk to me about anything." Rarity floated Fluttershy her tea.

Fluttershy held her cup in her lap with her wings. "It's nothing. I'm just going to forget about it. It's nothing, really. Just a dumb idea I had."

She forced a smile. "So, tell me about what kind of clothes you're making for Mr. Cerberous. You could probably make something for all of them. They all seem to wear a lot of clothes. They'd probably fit right in if they visited Manehattan."

Rarity gulped but was thankful that Fluttershy was looking down at her tea instead of her. That way she couldn't see just how embarrassed she was thinking about the shirt she was making for Cerb. Well, not the shirt, but thinking about Cerb, himself.

"Oh, please," she squeaked out with a suspiciously higher octave in her voice. "That's nonsense. I make clothes every day. I'm going to make all of them something nice. That Cerb, though. He's so big I had to make sure I could even fashion up something for him. So that's nothing to talk about when you obviously have something weighing on your mind."

"Really?" Fluttershy asked not sure how to read this situation. "And I'm sorry. I saw what you were working on and thought that maybe you were making him something because you wanted to get closer to him."

Rarity laughed nervously. "Get closer to him? You mean like trying to be his marefriend?" Rarity fawned ignorance and waived off the notion.

"Please, darling. If I were interested in such a specimen like our friend Mr. Cerb, I would be much more forward with my intentions. Besides, -" Rarity swooshed her mane back, taking a pose of elegance. "I'm more of a mare for a prince or a Noble pony. Don't you think?"

Fluttershy exhaled audibly in relief. "Oh, well, then. That puts my mind at ease about that."

"Yes, of course," Rarity said confidently, believing that Fluttershy had bought the lie. "So now, just what seems to be bothering you."

Fluttershy blushed. "Well, you see. I've always been such a shy type of girl, so I've never really had the chance to- well if I just don't know what I would need to say the next time I..."

Fluttershy suddenly had a subtle glow about her. "I need your professional advice on what I need to do. I seem to have a crush on Mr. Cerberous."

"What?" Rarity was so shocked by Fluttershy's unusual bluntness that she let her teacup fall to the floor.

Fluttershy flinched and opened her mouth to apologize for whatever it was that she must have said wrong, but a jingle of a bell chimed out from the front door opening, causing her to hold her tongue.

"Rarity! I'm home!" Sweetie Belle cheerfully made herself known. "I met that human you told me about. You were right! He is pretty handsome for not being a pony, and he seemed to like the scented candles that smell like your perfumes. But I don't know why you acted so jealous over Fluttershy's hug she got. I mean, his hugs are nice, but not that nice."

Rarity was sweating bullets, her cover was blown, and Fluttershy was glaring the most discontent glare a pony could muster at her lying friend.

Sweety Belle continued her report. "His friends are really funny, too. They tried to tell me that if that Cerb stallion gave me a hug, that I could give it to you. Can you believe that?"

"Oh wow, Sweetie," Rarity answered back, trying to not to sound in distress. "That's just silly, isn't it?"

"You don't wanna see if it works, do you?" Sweetie offered.

"No, thank you! You can just head off to bed now, please. You can tell me all about everything else in the morning. Okay?" Rarity was just hoping Sweetie would stop talking and go upstairs.

"Okay! Night, sis!" The filly hollered back as she trotted upstairs.

Fluttershy and Rarity continued their awkward silence, neither changing their expression or moving from their seats. Both just waiting for the sound of Sweetie Belle's door to close.

As the door upstairs finally latched shut, Rarity tried to save face as best she could. "Now Fluttershy-"

"Jealous?" Fluttershy snapped at Rarity. "I thought you were more of a mare for a Prince or Noble."

"He thinks I'm gorgeous." Rarity said, turning away in a huff. "I can't help it if he has an eye for beauty."

Fluttershy turned up her nose. "And I can't help it if he has a firm grasp on what he really wants."

Rarity gasped. "That was a pity hug. You made it so awkward being ignored while he was lost in my eyes."

Fluttershy was letting this get to her, getting cattier with her responses. "A hug? I tend to think it was more of an embrace. One he clearly didn't want to let go of."

"You lie," Rarity tried to yell, but kept her voice low enough not to alert her sister trying to sleep upstairs.

Fluttershy looked her friend dead in the eyes. "The only lies here tonight came from you, Rarity. You probably aren't even planning on making gifts for the other humans, are you? Just making the one for Mr. Cerberous. Or is that to be too forward with your intentions?"

Rarity stubbornly humphed. "Well, fine. You caught me in a little white lie. Perhaps I do find him fetching as he is. Is there something so wrong with that?"

There wasn't anything wrong with that. Fluttershy was feeling the same way. And yet, she didn't know why this irked so much. Was it jealousy on her part? No, she wasn't the jealous type. Envious at times, but not jealous.

Was she being over possessive? No. Not that either. No claim had been made towards him by anypony. Nor had he made any claim to anypony, himself. He did show interest in both of them, though... didn't he?

She took in the sight of Rarity. Her forehooves crossed, eyes closed dismissively, and not even facing her anymore. It was Rarity herself that was making her angry. She had come to ask her friend for help, but instead, she was lied to. And it wasn't even the fact that Rarity lied about her feelings. That could be understandable. Even she felt uneasy discussing them.

The true source of her anger was now clear. It was Rarity's lie itself. She spoke as if the human wasn't good enough for her.

That was it. That's what was upsetting her. Her first real interest in another pony, well a human, but you know what I mean. Her first real interest in a significant other, and Rarity acted as if he was something to be avoided or looked down upon. And that, that was to be Fluttershy's new focus.

She composed herself with her thoughts clearly defined and prepared to say something that could wound her friend's pride while protecting the honor of her new pursuit.

"No, Rarity," she said softly, only a touch of her anger showing. "I don't think there is anything wrong with finding Mr. Cerberous fetching. I think he would make a fine special somepony."

Rarity gave no laps in her posture, pridefully she responded. "Well, at least we can agree-"

"But the simple fact that you have to lie about Mr. Cerberous not being good enough for you," Fluttershy's words were cutting. "that you would lie about even having any interest in him at all because he's not the kind of pony you thought you would end up with, or that he's not even a pony at all-" Fluttershy stood up from her chair and cast the teacup down on the coffee table, splashing its contents about.

"I just don't know why you would do that. I mean, yeah, sure. He's not a pony. We all know that. But I wasn't afraid to admit it. I even came over to ask for your help." She pointed at Rarity who was now sinking lower and lower into her chair at the verbal lashing of the assertive Fluttershy. "But then I saw what you were working on-"

Fluttershy folded her wings back aggressively and turned away. " And I thought to myself, that if you had eyes on the same special somepony as me, I would do the kind thing and not get in your way. Because you had the confidence and charm to win over anypony you could have wanted."

Her real feelings were starting to show through, as her eyes began to water. It hurt knowing what she was going to say next.

"And I actually thought you were the kind of friend that would have been good for Mr. Cerberous if he would have you as his special somepony-" She turned back to Rarity who was waiting for the next verbal slap to hit - "But you were ashamed of him." - Fluttershy lowered her head, not feeling good about herself for saying that, even if it was the truth.

"That's not how you should talk about those you care about, Rarity," Fluttershy's voice rescinded.

Without looking back, Fluttershy started to make her way to the door. "I'm sorry that I came to you for help. I don't-" Fluttershy stopped dead in her tracks. Three tears she couldn't hold back fell to the floor, and whatever the words were in her mind that stopped her didn't escape her lips. Perhaps the words that went unspoken left a much stronger impact on the scene playing out for the only set of eyes that were watching her.

She thought silently, but still no words. Finally, she lowered her head even further and continued to the door.

"I'm sorry. Have a good night, Rarity." The front door to the boutique opened slowly, the bell above the door jingled and chimed off, letting the click of the door shutting finalize the silence that her absence created.

Rarity sat alone to contemplate her poor choice of lies. Lies she didn't even fully understand why she created. Lies for feelings she didn't understand why she even had in the first place.

Cerb didn't deserve to be put down as something lesser than a Prince or some Noble. She didn't even like most of the Princes or Nobles she knew. Silently she cursed Fluttershy for saying what she said to her. She just needed more time to work out how she really felt. How she felt about Cerb after only one day. So, alone, she sat. Alone with her selfish and wishful thoughts that she was ashamed of.

Outside, the wind was absent from the night. The air was still warm and soft, but it provided no comfort to the pink-maned pegasus. What was she going to do now? Rarity was the one she trusted the most when she needed to open up about her personal feelings. Not to mention Rarity knew how to talk to stallions, how to flirt, how to treat that special somepony in your life.

Most of her customers came to her for fashion items to impress their loved ones. To woo them. To celebrate how much they mean to that pony. Rarity did more than just provide tailored clothes to match the situation. She gave advice and even coached many of her customers. Gave them the guidance and confidence they needed.

The confidence that she needed if she hoped to even get the time of day from... oh what was the point of it all, now?

Fluttershy's pace was less than leisurely as she made her way back home, everything weighing down on her heart. Did she just guilt Rarity into leaving Cerb alone, or make her into a rival?

Fluttershy needed Rarity's help as it was, what would happen if she actually had to compete with her now? She didn't stand a chance. Would she even bother?

As she thought about all of it more, she wondered, did she just ruin her friendship with Rarity? Over a crush, none the less?

Her tears turned to sobs as she continued this lonely path with her fears and doubts. It wasn't long until the sobs had grown into crying so hard that she couldn't keep her eyes open.

In a fit of distress, she floundered her way to the nearest empty bench and sprawled out with her face buried in her hooves and wings. The babbling water under a nearby bridge was the only sound of the night that shared her sorrows.

A good deal of time had gone by, though Fluttershy hadn't the faintest concept of just how much time it had been with her bawling her eyes out. Sadly, her tears had not emptied out; resistant to the notion of stopping.

She wanted to move off the hard bench. Just make her way home instead. Cry there. Not shamelessly blubbering out in the middle of nowhere. At home, in her bed is where she should be. There she could shut the world out and suffer alone for the night.

Fortunately, a comforting caress stroked her mane while she languished at what her life had led her to. At least now she wasn't alone.

The strokes continued, pulling her back from that dark spot in her mind. What little comfort was being afforded to her was enough to bring her down to only a few sobs. Even still, she hid behind her wings.

"I don't know why you're crying," came a mournful voice Fluttershy wasn't expecting. "After all, I'm the one who should be hurting," Rarity spoke softly, trying to comfort her friend.

She continued to stroke her friend's hair. "- and rightfully so, I am."

"Rarity?" Fluttershy edged out with bated breath.

Rarity pulled her hoof back, resting it in her lap as she sat next to Fluttershy on the bench. "Yes, dear. I'm sorry I didn't come after you sooner."

She sat there silently, taking a moment to let her friend collect herself. "You were right to call me out on my behavior. I know I make myself out to have high standards," She lamented. "Too high, it seems."

Fluttershy brought herself upright, sitting just out of reach of Rarity. "I'm sorry, Rarity." She replied, trying to dry her eyes. A fruitless effort as her tears had already soaked her forelegs.

A dainty cloth floated up to her, sent by Rarity with an apologetic smile. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it, darling," Rarity answered back, trying not to sound as broken up inside as she actually was. "and... I'm... sorry, too."

Fluttershy finished with the cloth by blowing her nose clear, but the apology so sudden that it surprised her. The apology had her turn to see the mascara that had left streaks down Rarity's normally picture-perfect face.

Fluttershy's big heart hated seeing Rarity like this. Even if she didn't like the way she was acting before, they were still friends. "You're not... mad at me, are you?" She carefully questioned.

Rarity's forced smile, as weak as it was, dropped. "No. Though I am rather upset with myself -" Rarity looked up to the night sky. "I didn't completely lie to you, though. I've always fancied myself to be fit for a Prince or some Noble. Rarity, of royalty! The Noble lady of beauty and eligance... Like every fillies dream of. To be a princess or the like."

She turned her eyes to the well-beaten path before them. "Then the brute that we saw spoke those words to me and-" her eyes started to well up. A black-stained teardrop rolled away down her face, staining her arm. "-Oh, I don't know what came over me, or what it was about him that just... excited me so much."

Fluttershy raised over the used dainty cloth on the tip of her wing.

Rarity politely turned it down. "No, no. Dear. Thank you. I'm overdue for a good cry, myself. I think I can rough this one out..."

She sniffed as her face lowered slightly. More dark streaks ran down her muzzle. "Oh, very well." She finally grabbed the cloth in her aura and brought up to blow her nose as well.

The cloth lowered and Rarity continued with a sigh. "But then there was everything else about him. He was quiet and reserved when others spoke. And then he was firey and passionate as he asserted himself. Like a knight from the olden days who was hidden away under the robe of a shepherd."

Her breathing quickened. "Then under that robe and armor..." - She thought back to his massive body when he tore his shirt off and threw it down at Applejack. "So well developed and powerful... yet his scars are written on his body like a story of sacrifice and the injuries he's endured that must torment his heart and mind."

She drew back from her excited thoughts of her new perspective stud of affection. "I've never come across a stallion who is so complex and interesting. Then his words from earlier only further cemented his sincerity of them when he lost his temper. He had no filter."

Rarity had come to a conclusion that ensured Cerb's appeal for her. "So when his emotions become too much for him that he cannot help but to speak them aloud, -" She clutched her chest and smiled excitedly. "He couldn't help but confess his attraction to me at first sight." She cooed into the warm summer nights air.

"So romantic." She finished off.

Fluttershy didn't expect such an eccentric explanation for her friends' new interest in Cerb. "Wow. I never thought of it like that. Not from when he first saw you. I didn't think about how complex or deep he must be from just looking at him either."

Fluttershy thought back to their first encounter. "I'm not trying to bring it up to brag or anything, but it was the hug he gave me that has me feeling so strongly about him, now. I thought he was just taking pity on me at first," - She closed her eyes and warmly hugged herself, not even thinking about it. "But then I felt something I've never felt before."

Rarity's jealousy failed to show up in this visualization. Instead, it was curiosity.

"What was it?" She asked, not fully cognitive of her words until after they were spoken.

Fluttershy further embraced herself in her wings. "Oh Rarity, it was only for a brief moment. But it was so warm. Like being wrapped all snuggly-wuggly in a blanket next to a fire... but after I felt it against his strong body, -" she described her experience with some saunter when she mentioned his body. "I felt that fire burning inside me, instead."

She nuzzled in with her wings. "And his arms were so strong." - She popped her head up to reveal the sensation to Rarity's face.

"I swear they were stronger than a grizzly bear!" She closed her eyes and fell back into the bench. "Yet..."

She slowly opened her eyes, gazing blankly up to the night sky. "- it was so soft... and gentle..."

Her body went limp. "I felt so safe and..." She searched for the words to say. "- like I belonged there."

Rarity folded her ears back and frumped. "Okay. I'm jealous again."

Fluttershy giggled softly. "Well, I can't say that I made him confess any feelings for me at first sight. And no pony else has either."

Rarity's ears perked back up again, and her expression softened. "True..."

Fluttershy sat there with an uneasy feeling gnawing at her. "So... what do we do now?"

Rarity started to put the emotions aside in her mind and let the rest of the cogs start turning again. "Fluttershy, dear. I propose we not jump to any conclusions about the outcome of what our potential special somepony may be looking for. Honestly, he's in no position to be looking for romance. He hasn't been here a full day in Equestria. He has six friends to care for. One, of course, that is incredibly sick and requires all of our resolve and pool of resources."

Fluttershy could see where Rarity was taking this. "Plus, they have no money or jobs."

She gasped. "They can't even buy themselves food if they get hungry!" She raised her hooves to her head. "It didn't even think of that."

Rarity smiled and pulled the agreeable pegasus closer to her side. "Now you're starting to get the picture. We need to show him that we care. That we can be trusted."

Fluttershy looked up, excited at what was to lay ahead. "We need to make sure that they are so well taken care of, that he can have all the time he needs to see just how suitable we can be for him!"

"Exactly!" Rarity shouted far too loudly with her hooves raised in the air.

"Oh, my," She giggled. "Sorry. But yes! Exactly. We can't be fighting over him when he has so much going on right now. Not to mention that it would be rather unbecoming of us to put our wants and desires ahead of others who are in need."

Fluttershy gasped at such a concept. "Oh, dear. Or make them think that we would exploit their need for help as a way to win them over."

Rarity rubbed shoulders with Fluttershy suggestively. "Plus, that would give me plenty of time to help you with anything you needed and get comfortable with Mr. Cerb, himself. Hmm?"

Fluttershy returned the gesture. "Or maybe enough time for another glance at you will make him give another confession?"

They both sat back and laughed at their ingenious plan.

After the laughter ran its course and they had come to peace with their situation.

Rarity turned to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, deary. I want to make something very clear."

Fluttershy was basking in her newfound good mood and promising outlook. "What's that?"

Rarity sat upright and proper. "I promise that while we're doing what's right and helping our human guest while they're here with us, I won't try to come between you and our dear Cerb. Should anything start to develop naturally and a relationship is inevitable," - She locked hooves with her new partner, showing her sincerity. "You're a good friend. You always have been. Not only that, you're a great mare. Any stallion in Equestria, or from any other world, would be so lucky to end up with someone as loving and kind as you."

Fluttershy's heart and confidence swelled inside her chest. "Oh, Rarity."

She all but threw herself at Rarity, hugging her tightly and wrapping her up in her wings. "Thank you! You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that!"

Rarity squeezed back. "Don't put another thought to it."

They continued for a moment like that until Rarity realized the one-way offer that was made. "Fluttershy, dear? Aren't you going to offer me the same generous consideration?"

Fluttershy squeezed a bit tighter, and with the cutest voice ever answered. "No promises."

Rarity shot out of the hug, holding her friend out at the full extent of her reach. "Fluttershy! How could-"

"Just kidding." She said with an innocent grin.

Rarity took a second to let Fluttershy's attempt at humor kick in. It took a moment, but she fell into a laugh that Fluttershy joined in on. "Oh, Fluttershy. You have a touch of Tartarus in you, you cheeky thing."