It all started when Bell Weather cheated on Raven.

It devastated her! The poor girl spent two whole weeks crying alone in her apartment. All thanks to that feathered rat. He even had the gall to never apologize. Instead, I had to chase him all the way west to Seaddle to give him a piece of my mind. I got a few bruised ribs, sure, but I'm pretty sure he's still unable to fly for a few more months.

Now, I may be stubborn. Bullheaded, even. But despite how guilty Bell Weather is, I know that I'm ultimately responsible for setting them up together in the first place: I was the one who persuaded Raven to go on a blind date with him.

How could I have known that he was just using her? Coming by whenever his herd wasn't in the mood?

Hmph. Why did he lie about having a herd for all those months? The dates they went on, the little anniversaries they celebrated.

Even worse...how didn't I find out that he had one? Three mares, two pegasi and an earth pony. A bunch of hags if you ask me. Bell Weather always acted so cocky and boastful around Raven but when he was hiding behind those three mares when I chased him down he had his tail between his legs. A glass jaw, too.

Raven has always been a bit weird, ever since elementary school. She was uncomfortable with the idea of being in a herd, feeling anxious that she wouldn't fit in or be as appreciated as the other mares were.

Heh. We're such complete opposites.

Unlike her, I never saw the appeal of humans and was surprised that Raven was even willing to try her hoof with them. While there were some humans that followed the Equestrian method, the vast majority of them seemed to be Matched Pairs.

At some point Raven decided to date a human, before Bell Weather, a few years after the Princess announced the humans' existence and we all started going to each others' worlds. It turned out weird. Like, really weird. Apparently he never wanted Raven to say word. Ugh.

I just wanted to set her up with a stallion, and that's where Bell Weather came in.

That didn't really pan out, of course.

So when we found out we were getting a new hire at the branch, I had so much guarded hope when I saw the look of infatuation on Raven's face when we came across a picture of the new guy. That, maybe there was something that could be done to help her get over the feathered rat. Something so far and away that would get her mind off the whole affair.

But what do you know? I try to support her and what happens? I just had a bad feeling when I saw how uneasy he was when Sunbeam and Sam were being affectionate with each other that night at the club.

Why didn't I stop her? What sort of friend am I?

"You're doing it again."

After a blink, I remember who was here with me in my room. The unflappable pegasus, Sunbeam.

"Doing what?" I ask, my throat a bit tenser than I would have liked. It made my voice crack a bit. Anyways, I already knew that was an obvious tell about my current thoughts.

As for what I was "doing"? Sunbeam was keenly aware of my tail sliding back and forth, sweeping the ground.

"You really oughta simmer down about this, Ellie." Sunbeam said with a sigh, pointing at my tail with a hoof as it continued to sweep of its own accord.

Sunbeam decided to stop by my apartment this morning and it's already noon. We spent the majority of it hanging around, really. Nothing absolutely girly. It's not like there's that much of a difference between what mares and stallions like to do in their spare time, right?

We chatted, wondering about the newest gadgets and fashions and furniture. Gossip was involved, of course, but mostly it was me regaling Sunbeam about various things and at some point we got to the topic of...recent events.

In any case I clicked my tongue when Sunbeam made that comment, since I knew where she sided on the issue. It didn't take a genius to figure it out, of course, since she's married to one of them.

"Oh, don't give me that look," Sunbeam said, able to read my expression as always. While wearing that motherly smile of hers she batted off the irritation I sent toward her way like it was a heavy perfume. "You know this isn't his fault."

"Of course it isn't," I quickly replied, feeling my tail sweep even faster. Of course I knew who was really to blame for Raven getting hurt again. "If I had just kept Raven from-"

"It isn't your fault either, Ellie." Sunbeam admonished me. She sat closer to me, wrapping me in her wing and pulling me to lean my head on her shoulder. "Neither was the time with Bell Weather. Or did I end up with a black eye trying to pull you out of a brawl with a whole herd by yourself for nothing?"

I pouted, remembering that she was the sole reason I didn't get my butt handed me that day, considering I was facing two pegasi and the biggest earth pony mare I'd ever seen. But it was still embarrassing to admit. Everypony else only knows the story of how I trashed a herd to avenge my Pony Friends Forever's feelings. "...I never asked you to come with me."

"Raven's an adult. Sure she needs support from her friends like anypony else, but she doesn't need someone to fight her battles for her."

I pushed off of her shoulder and jumped to my hooves when I heard that, declaring, "I wasn't going to fight him. Just trample him a little."

Withdrawing her wing to her side, she let out a frustrated growl and said, "You always need to put up an act but then you end up doing things without thinking. You're just like your dad."

Heh. My so-called "father" back in Canterlot would never do anything unless it worked in his schemes, much less be spontaneous. It's absurd to think such a pony like Windfall could end up being an Equestrian representative to the humans. The things family connections conjured up, huh?

No, I knew perfectly well who Sunbeam was talking about.

"You're just saying that." I rolled my eyes and sat down on my haunches, letting out a huffy sigh. "You're always saying stuff like that to calm me down."

Sunbeam let out a grin. "Because it's true." Noticing her gesture her head, I reluctantly followed her out of my apartment and down the steps as she added, "and because it works, too."

I let out a huff at that truism, walking alongside her down the street. We continued at a casual pace when she suddenly chuckled out with a smile, "I swear, you're pretty much dad if he were a mare."

A shiver of excitement ran up his spine, and I wracked my brain wondering how much truth was in that statement. Mom was always careful about her words. It was as if the house had ears, but every so often she indulged in my filly self and told me a quick story, or a little event that I reminded her of. The most I ever learned from mom was that I had a herd-sister in Neighagra Falls, before she...

"...what would he do in this situation?" I wondered aloud, trying to interrupt my own thoughts. At the same time I felt my tail try its hardest to sweep the ground as I walked, garnering a few curious glances. I ignored them, of course.

"Hmmm...probably rely on his herd," she replied, then snickered. "But I guess you're stuck with me until you get yourself a guy."

"Like that's ever going to happen."

"Well...you just have to find yourself a stallion that enjoys being verbally abused and snapped at whenever you're too embarrassed. Although, you could always switch to being nice every now and then to keep him hooked." She aimed a wicked smirk my way, as though that was my only option.

"That's the very definition of a dysfunctional relationship." I said with a scoff, not liking the sound of that. Even if it was supposed to be a joke.

Pulling us closer with her wing Sunbeam said, "Hey, right now your problem is getting a relationship. Let's take things one step at a time."

I tried to stifle my laugh, but her smirking continues to pry it out of me.

After managing to calm down I asked, "And what do you think I should do?"

We both seemed to stop at the same time as she glanced up to the sky in thought. I happened to looked away for a moment, seeing that her and Sam's house was just down the street a bit.

"Eat ice cream." She said, making my ears perk up and return my attention to her. "Lots and lots of ice cream. Sam's out of town so we could eat his share of it, too. Come on, let's see if we can finish it all before your shift, tonight!"

I grinned when she said that. For whatever reason me and Sam loved the same flavor.

Author's Notes:

This takes place the same day as Chapter 5, by the by.