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Denial

Friendship: A form of interpersonal relationship generally considered to be closer than association, though there is a range of degrees of intimacy in both friendships and associations.

Well, that was rather bland. Why was she being encouraged (or forced, thank you very much) to read this again?

Association: Can be divided into association by relationship with an individual, group or idea.

Oh, that's right, by an individual. Princess Celestia. Relationship, master and student/protégé. Idea...that pouring over books of psychology was an effective use of her time. Group...well, all the other students of Canterlot, though that was an association that she wasn't sure of. Sometimes, it seemed to be worthy of..."academic" interest, but...

"O-M-G, did you see that?

"Yeah, like totally..."

And other times...as nonsensical the idea that the world actually orbited the sun.

Which was crazy considering that the princess raised the thing. But crackpot astronomy would have been far more interesting than this.

Ignoring the giggling of ponies that had far too much time on their hooves, she turned the page. More drivel, this time on...

Love: An emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. May range from personal pleasure to interpersonal attraction.

Well, that didn't seem so bad. After all, didn't she have a dragon as her closest friend (come to think of it, wasn't that kind of...strange...that her best friend was a member of another species?) She felt an almost daughter-mother like bond with Celestia (but what about family relationship? How many letters had she written to them?). But in regards to interpersonal attraction...

"So, let me get this straight. You've got a date...with Sir Grey Hooves?"

"I know! Isn't it sweet?"

"Totally."

Totally...not worth listening to. Not in this library, not in Canterlot, not in Equestria! After all, it wasn't as if there was anything more important than doing research for the princess, making reports on magic and its use. And psychology, all of a sudden. 999 on the Equestrian calendar begins, and suddenly Celestia goes on some kind of idea bender that she should be...well, preparing for something. Like...talking to Grey Hooves, for instance? Or, maybe...getting out more? Or...maybe actually talking to people besides the librarian, even if words such as "totally" and acronyms have to be used?

Whatever. Time to see what the next term is...

Denial-A defence mechanism employed by a pony when faced with a fact that makes them uncomfortable, to reject that fact...

Ha...what a joke...

...and at times make justifications...

What justifications...?

...to explain said pony's behaviour, at times considered strange...

No, you are not feeling the urge to look at that handsome colt that's just walked in...

...insisting that it's not true...

"Hey, do you know what that lavender pony's name is?"

Don't look, don't look...wait, what?

...despite overwhelming evidence

"Oh, she's Twilight Sparkle. Forget her. Bookworm."

I'm...not a bookworm...

...to the contrary.

"Oh, well...

"Wait!"

And then she's done it. Yelled. Not talked. Yelled. Shouted. Not shown that she isn't a bookworm, loner and above all the girl-talk that friendship brings, but indeed is quote, bookworm, loner and...wait. She's fine with that. Really. She's fine with all the staring, and the whispers, and the sarcastic invitations to parties and the like. Now, back to the book...

The effects of denial, if contained long enough, can emerge at a most inopportune time...

And even if she knows she's above all the silliness that "friendship," "association" and "love" brings, Twilight knows that on some level, that's the absolute truth.