AUTHOUR'S NOTE: Yes, this is my first fanfiction, but I'll take criticism. This is a sequel to Cupcakes, which if you haven't read, you can read here: .com/threads/mlp-fanfic-cupcakes.47156/. It's kind of slow, at least right now, so I'm sorry if you become bored. There will be light shipping, and I might change the rating for medium shipping later. RainbowDash x TheOtherMain(mane)Five. I tried to make the writing style as close to Cupcakes as possible, while keeping a little of my own voice. The POV will change every chapter. Thank you for reading, and I'd love some feedback. :)

Twilight Sparkle hadn't left her home for two days; she was so worried. She had sent Spike to check on her friends every few hours. After a few trips, Spike had given up and brought AppleJack, FlutterShy, and Rarity back to the library. They all sat in the sad, sick silence; not knowing what to say. Twilight looked through book after book, reference after reference. She didn't know what to do. Pinkamina and AppleBloom had escaped the institution... the fact was difficult to wrap her hooves around. Where had they gone? What will they do? Will the madness ever end?

A soft voice inturrupted her thoughts.

"Twilight?"

"Yes, FlutterShy?" Twilight responded solomnly.

"Is she..Are they going to k..." FlutterShy shuddered as more tears streamed down her cheek.

"K...Do what they did to more people?"

"I don't know," Twilight mumbled. "I just. Don't. KNOW!"

She lifted the book she was reading and threw it against the wall, causing everyone to jump. A quiet, choked sob leaked through FlutterShy's lips.

Twilight grimaced as if she had a headache.

Spike went back and forth throughout the room. Comforting everyone, helping Twilight research, reassuring Rarity, sending and recieving messages when needed. He had kept a brave face during all the pain and confusion, and Twilight was grateful.

Rarity had made Spike bring her one of her many mirrors to the library, in which she frequently checked to see if the scars were fully healed yet. Rarity's horn looked fine to everyone, but she was never sure enough.

AppleJack blankly stared out of the window, her cold eyes missing the warmth and love that once inhabited them. She refused to give in. She didn't believe that she had fully lost her sister to some "crazy." AppleJack hoped everyday that AppleBloom would come home as the sweet, spunky little sister that she had raised. The last time she saw her beloved younger sibling was when they had taken AppleBloom and Pinkie Pie away in straightjackets. To know that they had escaped... Well, she wouldn't think about that now. After seeing what Pinkamina had done to Rainbow...

It took the strength of every hair in her mane to not sob. She stored the pain; the emotion. Her face had a vulnerable look for half a second, but was quickly replaced by a stone-hard facade.

Being as sensitive as she was, FlutterShy noticed the second of emotion. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen that much pain in anypony's face. She nuzzled AppleJack.

"Please don't cry, AJ," she whispered, with pure concern and love in her voice. "Twilight's going to find them and fix th-"

"Ah don't CARE!" AppleJack yelled. Everyone looked over. "Twilight's fixin' this, Twilight's workin' on that! Twilight didn't save Dash, did she?"

Twilight flinched. That hurt. FlutterShy's shoulders shook from another sob. Rarity gawked at AppleJack, mouth hanging open for a moment.

"How dare you?" Rarity yelled. "How DARE you?"

She charged across to room towards AppleJack, stopping feet away from her and looked her straight in the eye.

"You can NOT just toss the blame of this tragedy on Twilight. This isn't anypony's fault! Even if it was, it was Pinkamina's! What happened to Rainbow-" everyone winced "Wasn't something we could've stopped! We didn't know! So don't you even-" Twilight cut her off.

"No, Rarity... AppleJack's right. I should have realized earlier what was going on. I could have stopped this before it happened..."

Rarity stamped her hoof. "Twilight!"

FlutterShy finally gathered the courage to speak up.

"Please stop fighting..." Everypony turned their attention to her. "It's not anyone's fault...Just please stop yelling... Now that we've lost Dash, and that Pinkie and AppleBloom have left us, we have to be closer than ever. If we rip apart our friendship, what will be left?" They soaked this in, and Twilight nodded.

"Thank you, FlutterShy. Ponies, she's right. We have to stick together. We can end this"

Softer than her usual whisper, Fluttershy said, "You're welcome." Blushing for having become part of the conversation.

AppleJack stepped back and her intense expression softened.

"Ah'm sorry, y'all... this has jus' been kinda hard for me, and Ah've been holdin' in all my feelins. Ah shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"It's fine, dear." Rarity said, her eyes still slightly cautious.

AppleJack drawled, "So Twilight, how's that research goin'?

Note: The spacing is all weird; sorry. Next chapter will be short, and not a lot of dialogue. Chapter Three is longer, and introduces the way I let the memory of Rainbow live on. Thank you for reading!