-Laugh Track-

"Flutter Shy… I have to tell you something…" Pinkie Pie mumbled, her hair laying limp and her eyes leaking tears that cut dark paths down her bright cheeks. Flutter Shy nodded and stepped into the room, gently closing the door behind her. Flutter Shy moved to the bed and took a seat at the edge, patting the spot next to her invitingly.

Pinkie slowly stood up and locked the door again, shuffling her feet until she took up residence next to Flutter Shy who gently grasped her and pulled Pinkie into a firm hug, holding Pinkie's head against her shoulder, letting her work her way to the big reveal.

"Flutter Shy, do you promise not to tell anybody?" Pinkie spoke softly into Flutter Shy's shoulder, her voice almost completely muffled.

"If you don't want me to," Flutter Shy responded. Sometimes you couldn't tell someone something yourself and you needed to share that burden. But sometimes you really just needed to say something so that nobody will know except yourself and one other person. That's how Flutter Shy came out to her parents. She had told them both it seperately, making it out to be a secret.

"I've been struggling with depression since middle school…" Pinkie said. Flutter Shy was taken aback, from what she knew of depression, Pinkie certainly didn't show any symptoms she knew about. "I was heavily medicated for a while, but recently the doctors put me on Prozac because it had seemed to develop into manic depression. I don't like the Prozac, Flutter Shy…" throughout the story, Pinkie had slowly started to cry more, her shoulders shaking just as much as her voice, her body trembling in Flutter Shy's arms as she breathed deeply, "I don't know what to do… I hate this feeling, but if I don't take the pill, I go crazy. And if I go back to my old regime, I have to take more pills, and deal with being crazy… I don't know what to do…"

Flutter Shy closed her eyes and thought about what had happened after camp. Her mother had noticed a distinct change in how Flutter Shy acted and, being curious, wanted to know what might have cracked her shell. It wasn't long before her uncle was brought over. He's a psychologist and he said that Flutter Shy might have SAD: social anxiety disorder. That was a big deal to her, learning that it was her brain's fault for making her different from everybody else. Flutter Shy couldn't stop herself, she wanted to know if it could be fixed. Of course, there are no pills, no treatment plans, nothing. Flutter Shy couldn't compare the two plights in anyway except their effects on a person.

Here was Pinkie Pie, the happiest person Flutter Shy knew, with depression and cryin in her arms. And then there was Flutter Shy with the aptly named SAD, leaving her awake often nights, crying at anything she might have done ever. But here they both were, hugging each other, friends. They cared about one another and worried about each other. Now Flutter Shy could understand how Rainbow Dash acted around her.

After Flutter Shy shared her own story with Pinkie, she could swear Pinkie's hair started to curl at the tips again. Her eyes lit up, or was it just the shine of her tears?

It was Pinkie's turn to hold Flutter Shy, they both sat there for a while, hugging and consoling each other, barely a word passed between them, but they finally realized just how close a friendship they had. Pinkie had forgotten that during the whole drama that was going on. As far back as the dance Pinkie had been focused on Twilight and herself.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

It didn't matter who said what first, or who decided it was time to walk outside again. Even thinking back and retelling the story, the girls wouldn't be able to remember the correct order of events. It seemed a blur.

Twilight ran as fast as she could and hugged Pinkie tightly as soon as they left the room, she buried her face in Pinkie's shoulder, half to be close to her, half to hide her tear-stained face. Everyone was assured that they were alright and it was just a few tears. Apple Jack apologized for pushing Pinkie so far over the edge. Rainbow Dash had somehow managed to get a kettle of water boiling while everyone was upset and prepared mugs of cocoa to calm everyone's nerves.

With a respect of privacy, the six girls sat at the table and silently waited for the cocoa to cool. Despite the calm on the surface, there was a sense or tension or urgency that lay beneath them all, a cool dread that loomed overhead like a dark storm cloud.

"Well at least all the drama is out of the way, now," Rarity chimed in hopefully, "I mean, now we can certainly enjoy our time off…" she chuckled lightly and glanced around the table, glancing into everyone's face to be met with a grin expression.

Then, at the end of the table, a light giggle was heard. Slowly, everyone turned their heads to see Pinkie Pie biting her lip and shaking with silent laughter. Another squeak passed her lips as she snorted into her cocoa.

"What's wrong, Pinkie?" Twilight asked, unable to keep a small grin off the corners of her lips despite her concern. Pinkie tried to stifle her laughter again by slapping her hands over her mouth, but the slight peeps of her guffaws eaked out into the otherwise silent room.

Rainbow Dash chortled lightly too, picking up her own cup of chocolate and smiling into the steam.

"I don't get it," Apple Jack said, glancing between the two girls on either side of her as they both started to laugh a little louder. "What's so funny?" She asked, grinning at the two.

The Smiles were contagious and were spreading like wildfire from one to another. Rarity began to break as Apple Jck couldn't help but swing her head back and forth, trying to figure out what the others were laughing at. The sight only made them laugh harder.

Rainbow Dash pounded the table as Pinkie keeled over in her seat, clutching her ribs. Some of Twilight's drink spilled onto the table and made Flutter Shy smirk. Her lips began to tremble as she was almost in tears from holding in te laughter.

Apple Jack looked from the faces of everyone to Twilight's, who happened to glance up from the spill. Once their eyes met, their own barriers broke down and they too were laughing. It wasn't about what was funny, it was that they could still have fun, despite the awkwardness, the secrets, the tension. They were all still friends, and laughter was an important part of that.

It was still early in th day, in fact, the girls hadn't even eaten breakfast. But they didn't mind, the day was already filled with what had happened, and the laughing and kidding to dispel the past incident left everyone relaxed and unwound.

It was another day of calm and peace in that cabin. Which would have been nice, if it didn't mean another day closer to leaving. Going back to Rarity's stalker. And Trixie's vendetta. And Lightning Dust's rudeness. There was something waiting for them back in town that wasn't very friendly. And there were some dreams that still had to come true.