What a day it's been. Everyone's been frowning, sulking around. And who could blame them? The toilet had been clogged for hours and Dad "grounded" everyone. Leni didn't mind too much, given how her feet were already on the ground (otherwise she would be floating around a lot). Lori, though, was aggravated because such plans interfered with her date with Bobby.

Indeed, both of them were resigned to their phones on the couch, killing time. Most of the others shrouded them, going about their own business. Lynn was on the floor, doing push ups, Lola was tending to her luscious blonde hair, Lisa was holding her wrenches and screwdrivers, Lisa was head deep in a massive book (probably about some super tough science). But not all was orderly. Luna and Luan were engaged in a tug of war over the previous TV remote, shouting at each other. It was weird how siblings so close in age can be close to each other yet engage in the pettiest of arguments. Maybe it was just a roommate thing.

Suddenly, Lucy and Lincoln entered the room. Leni only saw their hazy figures strolling around the rim of her vision.

"Excuse me. I have something to say," she heard a sad, gravely voice murmur. Leni drew her attention from her phone, closing in on Lucy. In fact, everyone was focusing on their pale, downtrodden sister. She, though, also saw a colorful book in her little sister's hands, "this is what totaled the toilet."

She then held up the book for all to see. Even with the toilet water stains and crumpled pages, the colors popped out clear as day.

Leni's heart stopped. In all the years she's been a fan, she never thought that her beloved franchise would be propelled into an all-sibling meeting. But here it was (the Princess Pony logo) flashing in front of all of them. She was paralyzed.

She knew it wasn't her's. Aware of how embarrassing it would be for others to know about her obsession, Leni refused to buy any merchandise. Lori would have discovered it somehow, even if she wasn't at the store with her. And yet, here Lucy was about to expose her.

Now, she was too scared to speak up. Leni felt her face heating up, her mind swirling in every way possible. What was gonna happen next? Why was Twily being flaunted around like that? It was like her adorable pony self was urging her to blurt something out. Lucy was really pushing it.

"Princess Pony?" Lisa said, reading the cover.

All the other sisters burst into terrible laughter. Each chuckle rattled her, bogged her down. She didn't want to be in there. She wished she was just imagining this. That silly voice was getting pretty silly in its ways of getting out. Was she really so dumb as to think a fantasy was real?

But what did it matter? Everyone else was laughing. Therefore, she started chuckling herself. Each one was like trying to throw up a slimy piece of pasta, becoming more difficult and nauseating. It was okay, though. After all, if they were laughing, it must be funny. Right?

"Which one of you lame-o's does that belong to?" Lynn said, still grinning

"Certainly not me! It's so sickeningly sweet I get a toothache just looking at it!"

Leni chuckled again, but now she was alone. Everyone was staring at her. Why weren't they laughing? She thought this was all part of the "fun". Well, she thought, she couldn't just keep at it forever.

"Can that really happen?" she eventually said, her voice still hoarse from the nervous chuckling. Maybe now they could forget about that, talk about something else. This was Lucy's chance to hide that thing, get it out of everyone's sight.

But no. Lucy just stood there, holding the book by her side. Her neck had collapsed. Even with Linky by her side, she looked so sad (even more than usual). Leni couldn't tell if her efforts were making things better or worse. At least she had given her little sister a few seconds of freedom, a temporary distraction from the humiliating teasing.

"Well," Lucy said hesitantly. Her breaths were so shaky and hollow. Everything part of her (arms, legs, even face) was as stiff as a stack of logs, "the belongs-"

"To me!"

Linky? Leni's face could not have exploded even more. Her eyes were saucers, her mouth was stretched out so much, she thought it was gonna stay that way. Suddenly, everyone (even Lucy) was propelled into an epic season finale with a major plot twist. This was even more baffling than when Twily grew wings or when Flying Colors came out as an avid reader.

"I-uh," he continued, scratching the back of his head. The poor boy looked so small, even more than Lucy, "didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd make fun of me."

"Aw Lincoln," Lori said. Oddly enough, her voice was tender, carrying understanding. She even had her lips stretched out, to lift each syllable into a gentle, cooing sound. If none of the other sisters were here, Leni could have seen herself talking like that, maybe even give him a hug, "of course we're gonna make fun of you. But only for the rest of your life."

Just like that, Lori was back to normal. Of course Lori had to harp on that. In her eyes, the show really was worthless dribble. And yet this was one area where Leni (in the midst of foggy certainty) knew exactly where she stood. She knew she loved it, that it was something that should be enjoyed. So where that voice rising up, jumping in to save her precious Linky?

Her little brother was just standing there, taking the brunt of the "shame". They were all chatting with each other about how silly the show is and how "stupid" it is that Lincoln (an eleven-year-old boy) could watch such a "babyish", "sweet", "girly girly girl" show. And here she was, wishing to just disappear. She might as well have been a ghost in there, filled with unspoken words, unfulfilled actions, and a rotting stew of good intentions.

Just like that, Leni was back on her bed. She had little to do that day, other than subject herself to whatever came before her. And what a day to observe.

With her head pressed against her pillow, she watched her sister moving meticulously, each object she held being deliberately placed and respected. A fancy necklace with a fake sapphire was laid out in full on her bed, the brace forming a clean circle. Lori's phone sat beside it, its physical boundaries lining up perfectly with those of the mattress.

And then there was the woman herself, adorning her formal blue dress. Admittedly, it wasn't anything too sophisticated. It was just enough to show the world that tonight was special and she wanted to celebrate. The bold eyeliner and dark lipstick made up much of the slack, animating her face and accentuating her skin. It was quite the departure from Leni, who was in her normal clothes without an ounce of makeup.

Normally, Leni would have used this time to ask some pressing questions. Where were they going? What was Bobby wearing? Was he bringing any gifts for Lori? It was just small talk, enough to pump up her big sister for the fabulous evening that awaited her.

All their dates had been successful and Lori often came back starry-eyed with stories, ones that often went beyond the simple questions Leni had asked. Such stories dominated the interaction, Lori exploding into details while her younger sister laid back and absorbed everything without comment (or at least, not anything beyond "Wow" or "That's totes great"). Leni had told herself that she should work on asking better questions so she could get more out of it. But hey, even if she didn't always get a lot out there, it was thought that counts. As long as she was supporting her sister, little else mattered.

Intentions. They were often so innocent, failing to take reality into consideration. She wanted to ask better questions, but she didn't know how. And then there was Linky. First he got grounded from his super fun convention and then he got laughed at. Who was she kidding? She might as well have been joining in on their mockery, as much as she should be been apathetic to her big sister's love life.

So was that it? Was Leni gonna spend her whole evening on her bed, thinking about what ought to be and what should have been until she fell asleep?

"Lori," she said, fighting every physical instinct in her body. Well, her voice was enough to catch her sister's attention. She was leaning on her bed, open hand suspended over her beloved phone. No response, no question. Just that pretty, colorful face patiently waiting for her to take the next step.

Leni gulped. She wasn't ready for this.

"Are you really, like, gonna make fun of Linky for liking...that thing?" she asked softly, her eyes wandering. To think that Lori had spent all that time making herself look beautiful, insuring that each color had just the right richness to evoke maximum pleasure. And here was Leni (the disrespectful coward) mulling on the simple wonder of the white ceiling. She thought she could see hints of gray and black, probably shadows or patches of dust.

"I can't believe he's literally into that sickening mess," Lori replied, tinged with disgust and playfulness, "it's so silly, how can anyone leave it alone?"

Leni tightened her lips and closed her eyes. All she could think about was whether she was reclined far enough to obscure her face. Did Lori already know about her? Leni could already see Lori and Bobby chuckling at their dinner table, throwing jokes left and right about how Lincoln is bad and has no taste. First there was the comic books, then the underwear, and now this. That's, like, a triple whammy. It was like her poor little Linky had no friends.

Well, intentions or not, she wasn't gonna get anything done by just lying on her back. She opened her eyes and propped herself up against the head rest.

"Why can't you just accept him for who he is?" Leni asked, her voice naturally growing stronger with the enhanced lung support, "Why should it matter if he likes Princess Pony or whatever?"

"It's not like I'm forcing him to like Dream Boat or Boyz Will Be Boyz," Lori shot back, snatching her hand and pressed up, "He can like his girls show all he wants, but that doesn't mean I can't bring it up. If he's willing to open up about it, then I should be allowed to voice how I feel about it," she then redirected her eyes to her buzzing phone, "And I think it's stupid he would watch such a lame show."

Lori proceeded to tap away, smiling at Bobby's latest text. Leni, though, was horrified. In her eyes, it was like Lori was mugging away, insulting just about everyone around her. It was like Linky's confession had unleashed a nasty demon from her older sister, bent on a lifelong campaign to spur bitterness and injustice on her poor little brother.

"How do you know the show's bad?" Leni spoke up, "You've never seen a single episode."

Lori peered up from her screen, silently rolling her eyes.

"And you have?"

Darn. After all this time, was this how it was finally gonna come out? Lori was already in a not-nice mood, let alone being swayed by Leni's pathetic sentiments. Linky deserved a better advocate, someone that could be good with words (like he himself was). Such a person also needed to have Linky's courage, an attribute that was clearly missing from the room. Leni's lips were like a melded slate of granite, too firm to move. And her eyes? Who knew what they conveyed.

The two silently stared at each other. Lori's phone was held out, clearly a place that Leni's indecision kept her away from. And yet, she wished she would go away and leave her alone. At this point, Leni was willing to take a passing mention to Bobby of the time she held up her big sister in his moment of need.

Eventually, though, Lori sighed.

"Whatever."

The following minute went by so fast. Lori snatched her keys and purse and flew out of the door, heartily shutting it.

The buzzing silence quickly caught up to her. Leni glanced at the empty corners of her room. First they were at the wall, then to the closet, and finally to her beloved sewing machine. Usually when Lori went out, Leni used the precious alone time to work on another project; in the world of clothes, one could never be too diligent. And yet, for once, her mind was elsewhere.

As far she could tell, everyone had retreated to their own bedrooms (especially Linky). What was he thinking right now? Leni only thought the worst. He must have been bawling his eyes out, wishing Rosy Cake were there to hug it out, tell him that he's the bestest brother other (weird word coming from her mouth, though). Still, Rosy loved everypony (and everybody).

Would Rosy Cake love this, though? Sitting on her bed counting how much fabric she could spread across the ceiling? That wasn't the party pony's way. It was boring, inefficient, and (worse of all) unhelpful. All Leni could ask now was what she was waiting for? Christmas? Linky's birthday? Graduation?

Without a good answer to go by, Leni launched herself from her bed. That spring was enough to energize her, fill her face and body with a new form of life. It was like she suddenly act three bars of chocolate and was acting off the inevitable sugar high. Her focus jerked to the doorknob, which appeared shinier than usual (Lori's hands clearly must have been super clean, she thought). With purpose in her step, Leni lunged to the door and flung it open. And with a determined stride that bordered on running, she quickly traversed the night hallway, her sight never leaving the door that lied before her. She was gonna get there somehow, one way or another.

And yet, the funny thing about sugar highs is that they eventually left to crushing crashes. Indeed, Leni had become paralyzed by the time she was within arms reach of Lincoln's door. She was just staring at it, as if it were a red hot orb posing a safety hazard. Was it really, though?

Every part of her seared with pain. Her arms became harder than burnt salmon while her legs became like the wood that made up her desk. But where it was worst was her chest, which expounded blasts of nausea. Not to mention the twisting, which turned everything surrounding her heart like a strand of rope. Out of all the areas of her body, Leni's heart was always so annoying. It always begged for everything else to hurt to, so it wouldn't be alone. And it often got confused about what it wanted. Indecision was Leni's worst neighbor.

If her heart had its way, this staring contest could have gone on the whole evening. Leni was squarely focused on the doorknob, imagining all the fun interactions she could be having beyond it. Hugs, confessions, the like. Of course the one thing that wasn't in that vision was making that crucial step to turn the knob.

Besides, there was always the chance that someone else could barge into the room, exposing her obsession as well. Lori's reign would be twice as glorious, the fires of her mockery seething into every snicker, every caustic word she uttered. It didn't matter how old she was or what was expected of her; the thought was still terrifying. Leni told herself that she already had enough naysayers for her awkward movements, annoying voice, nonexistent social life, and religious devotion to sewing. This didn't need to be mocked too. Rosy Cake was too pure and innocent to withstand the wrath of others' ridicule.

"So is this it?"

This. Being a coward, letting her brother be thrown to the wayside again.

"You think you have it rough? Just look at him!"

All his life, Linky never had someone in the House to talk about boy stuff (not grown up men stuff, the kind that Dad would evoke). He really was all alone from the start. And yet he still put himself out there. Look what happened? If Linky could do it, then she had no reason not to. Unless, of course, she was a worthless jerk. It would feel nice to be not as big of one as she already was.

And so it was decided. Her mission was set, her resolve hardened. Leni took several concentrated breaths, air in and air out. Leni stretches out her lips to make her face wake up from those endless moments of indecision.

Here she went. Leni smiled and pushed the door open with all the speed she could muster.

"Hi Linky!" she yelled uncontrallbly.

Her vision was but an incoherent blur. All her energy had come into her entrance that it didn't matter how much she could see. What mattered was what her brother heard. In fact, it took her retinas several seconds to find a center of focus. Only then could she make out clear lines and detailed textures.

And sure enough, Lincoln was sitting on the edge of his bed. But what struck her was his vibrant orange pajamas. It wasn't every day he wore those, usually opting to sleep in his undies (in his words, "a man's gotta be comfy when he sleeps"). Seeing this, long sleeves and long pants, was like seeing him read comics in a parka.

"Are you okay?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said simply.

Was it, though? Fine was such an interesting word. On its own, it meant good. So if Linky said, that must mean he's happy. But if this was joy, then why wasn't he smiling? Where was he sparkle in his eyes or color in his cheeks? If anything, he looked drained. In her mind, it was like he was about to give in and do something (cry, scream, fall down). Leni felt inklings of adrenaline spout in her arms and legs, but all they did was push her a step or so closer.

Even now, Leni was asking herself why she could bring herself closer to him, the poor thing had been through too much in one day.

"Do you even care about him?"

Well, of course. That's what Leni told herself. It's certainly what she wanted to believe. After all, Linky was family. Plus, as her only brother, he brought his special boy-ness into her life. He was really cute, he was much smarter than her, and (most of all), he loved everyone. He was even good enough to pretend that he had feelings for her. What a lot for a young man to put on his own shoulders.

"Are you okay?" he then asked.

Dang it, she thought. Leni has no idea how long she was just standing there thinking. Now Linky was suspicious. She needed to act.

"Yeah," Leni shot back.

And what? Just like that, her energy pettered out again, leaving her immobile and inactive. Out of desperation, she scraped the base of her foot against the carpet, creating the appearance of enthusiasm. But ultimately, the little sound fell flat and the two siblings locked eyes. They just stared at each other, unsure of where to proceed.

"Is there anything you need?" Linky asked.

That's it, she told herself. No more playing around. There was something that "Linky" needed and she was gonna see it through.

"Just take three deep breaths."

No. That was too much delaying. Three would have become four and then five until more time passed.

"So you like Princess Pony?" Leni said clumsily. But at last, she got it out there. Now Linky could pick it up from there.

Lincoln sighed and brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose. She could hear his amplified "grunts", displaying how annoyed he was.

"Yes," he admitted, pinching the cartilage, "I know it's dumb...so go ahead and start teasing me already."

He then sighed again. But it wasn't anything like the ones Lori was known for. Linky was really pushing himself to make the noise heard, as if he were doing it on purpose. She didn't blame him of course. After all, that first question was far too rough and she should have expected him to assume the worst out of her.

"Well, um," Leni said softly. No. She wasn't gonna back down now. Her heart had already begun the painful constriction she was familiar with. If she stopped now, she feared she would never find herself in this position again, "I wanted to know, like, who your favorite character was?"

Lincoln raised an eyebrow, though Leni couldn't tell what it indicated. Both of them were literally perched up, curving upwards rather than in a jagged bent.

"To be honest...I just got into it," Lincoln answered. Luckily, nothing in his voice pointed to anything toxic, "I don't have a favorite character...yet."

"Oh."

For several more seconds, the two continued to stare at each other. For someone like Linky, Leni expected this scene to play out more naturally (without all the pauses and mid-talk contemplation). For whatever reason, she thought her brother would be the next one to speak, to find a response to that simple utterance. Such a reply never came.

"I like Princess Pony," Leni blurted out.

There. It was out there. No taking it back, no apologizing. Weirdly, she felt lighter after saying that, as if everything that made up her heart was sucked out in an instant. Leni asked herself if this was a good thing.

"Really?" Linky asked.

Was that even a question?

"Yup," Leni answered. And just like that, everything cleared up. Her body popped to life, tempted to do all sorts of things from walking to jumping to dancing around (it was a shame Linky's room was tiny). But her mind virtually exploded. All of it (her opinions, experiences, feelings, and ideas pressed on this topic) had been unleashed. The concrete dam her siblings had set up was finally crumbling.

"That's cool," he answered apprehensively. Lincoln then jerked his whole self up, as if snapping to a realization, "Don't worry, I won't tease you."

"And I won't, like, tease you."

The two of them gave each other another look. Linky looked a little better. His shoulders were lowered and his face was loosened. But he still wasn't smiling. Wasn't he glad that he had someone on his side? Of course, this could only have meant one thing: that she didn't mean it.

It had to be that obvious. Linky was always so good at making others feel good when the occasion called for it. He just had this thing with words and using just the right tone. After all, he was the "man with a plan". Leni, though, knew she was nothing like that. It didn't matter if she thought or felt something; if no one could see it, then it meant absolutely nothing (and there were things she wanted to be that way). If he wasn't smiling away, then it was all on her.

"What do you think of the time Twily grew wings?" Leni asked, hoping to jumpstart their discussion.

"I dunno," Lincoln answered, scratching his head, "I haven't gotten to that point."

Leni then remembered what had been said just moments ago. Linky said all too clearly that he was just getting into the show. And now, a major plot development had been spoiled. Her mind was hit by a blunt strike, leaving her to pick herself up.

"How about...um...the first episode? The one where Twily moves to Maretown?"

Lincoln sadly shook his head. Obviously, it was only after the third time that the girl finally got it. Her brother, enthusiastic as he was, was a blank slate. There was an entire magical world, colorful cast of writing, and lineup of solid episodes (with some hiccups here or there) before him. It was her responsibility to bring it all to him, to help her brother fully realize his love, and maybe (just maybe) do other stuff.

"How about we watch it together," Leni asked. The mere image of it was exciting enough, casting a smile on her face, "I'm more than happy to spend some time with you."

"Sure," he replied, shifting his body across the bed. The poor boy then let out a chuckle, "I don't have anything better to do."

Trying her best to keep that smile going, Leni snatched out her phone and ear buds. In the short transit to his bed, she fiddled with the cord, poking it into the proper hole (it took several tries), Once it was securely locked, she jammed one of the buds into her right ear, twisting it just right so there was chance of it falling out. With her free hand, she presented Linky the other bud. All she could think about was how little joy she made him feel.

"Come on Rosy. Help us out!"

Leni plopped herself beside her brother and loaded up the first episode. As expected, the video took some time to buffer. Alas, such was the case in a House where thirteen people vied for the precious bandwidth. She used this time to cast a look at Linky, gauge his demeanor. She prayed that this show would get some reaction out of him. Anything!

Eventually, the buffering sign vanished and the screen faded in on a mural of two winged unicorns.

"Many moons ago, there lived two sisters that ruled Equestria side by side. They loved each other, shared everything, and sought to make all their subjects happy and harmonious. One was responsible for raising the sun to start each day while the other lifted the moon as night watched over the land."

As the narration continued, Leni couldn't help but divert her eyes to her special watcher. Linky was staring at the screen, but how he felt was a puzzle on its own. Was the prologue really boring? The scene was only a minute long, she told herself. There was no way that could have tuned anyone out completely.

The first few minutes were review for Leni. The younger sister, Diana, felt unloved by her subjects because they never saw the beautiful tapestry she made in the sky each night while everyone else slept. She got so disillusioned that she was corrupted by an evil demon, persuading her to collect her "recompense". When she refused to lower the moon and threatened tyranny across Equestria, her older sister Oriana banished her to the moon and assumed both sisters' responsibilities herself.

"There's conflict on this show?" Linky asked.

"Yeah," Leni answered simply, turning to her brother. This was good, she thought. He was asking questions about, learning new things.

Following that, they were introduced to Twily, the antisocial bookworm. Leni, too, liked to think herself like this (would that make her a "clothes worm" or something? Worms were gross). It was interesting seeing her go out of her away to avoid talking to others, even as they snickered behind her back. But to Twily, the only thing that mattered was studying.

All of that, of course, changed when Twily was assigned to go to Maretown to oversee preparations for the Solstice Festival and "to make some friends". Now that the groundwork was set, Leni braced herself for what came next.

Twily emerged from the carriage escorting her to her destination. Not only did she see buildings and houses and streets, but the bookworm was also exposed to a massive crowd. Leni's body tensed up, barely able to hold back this...sensation.

"Welcome to Maretown!" a pink mare screamed as she bounced to the front. As the camera captured her face, everything about her popped to life. Her sparkling blue eyes were the most prominent feature, perked upon a smile Leni strived to emulate. And even though she would never want her own hair to be like it, those frizzly curls fit her perfect, multiplied her quirkiness by countless numbers.

"Hi! I'm Rosy Cake and you must be our special guest," she exclaimed, side-by-side an apathetic Twily.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Cake," Twily replied, summoning a clipboard and quill with her magic, "I'm just here to oversee preparations for the Solstice Festival."

The lavender unicorn paused, her ineffectual gaze suggesting trouble assertions towards the cotton candy Earth pony.

"Um...are you the Festival Manager?" Twily asked reluctantly.

"Yes indeedy," Rosy cheerfully answered, "but that name is so boring! I like Party Pony better."

Twily's eyelids fell and her mouth couldn't have been flatter if she tried.

"Note taken," she said, unamused. Luckily, no such expression could dampen Rosy's day (or anyone else's for that matter).

The frame widened, once again revealing the eager crowd surrounding the two ponies. Twily looked back and forth, noting this observation. Leni chuckled. There was no way Twily thought anyone would miss a scene like this.

"So, I see that you have your matters in order," Twily inserted awkwardly. Silence. Why wasn't anyone saying anything. Oh man, the unicorn was just so confused, Leni thought, "in that case, I'll just move onto food and refreshments," she then glanced at her clipboard, "can you tell me where Perfect Pear Pastures is?"

Leni held her breath, darting to Linky. Here it came. While glancing at her brother, she heard Rosy laugh.

"You just got here silly," she said, using her hoof to hold back further giggling, "you wouldn't want to miss your very own 'Welcome to Maretown' Party!"

Twily's eyes widened.

"Oh," she said, stepping back, "I mean, I'm only here to oversee everything. I wouldn't want to lose time by having fun."

"This is a part of the Festival, silly," Rosy answered, the camera showing all the smiling ponies gathering around her, "we're all here, so you'll get to meet everyone you need to," she then lurched forward, "and more! You'll have so many friends, you won't be able to count them all!"

The unicorn just looked nervous. Indeed, there were other things on her mind beside the Festival (and friendship was far from being one of them). She had convinced herself that Diana was gonna break out of the moon after reading a book that foresaw doom on the thousandth anniversary of her banishment. The consequences of an eternal night were too grave to waste any time. Twily had convinced herself she needed to study this threat and hone her magic to face off against the ominous foe before it was too late.

"Uh..." she said, taking several steps back.

"Come on," Rosy said, her smile widening. That perfect face was too much for Leni, "you can check up on everyone here. They'll all be partying wit you. And most of all..."

Cutting back to Twily, the conquered thing couldn't help but sigh.

"I guess I don't have a choice," she said begrudgingly. Before the unicorn could have had a moment to process her regretful decision, she was yanked in, being flung into the crowd. Indeed, it was a hearty welcome to Maretown.

"Through your extraordinary talents, you six girls have saved me," a black alicorn said smiling, "I don't know how I can thank you."

Twily was surrounded by five other mares, each of them standing tall and proud. Even the unicorn couldn't keep herself from smiling at Princess Diana's admiration. Plus, she had made history without relying on books or magic.

"You have no idea how happy I am to be reunited with you sister," Oriana said, grinning as well. Her ethereal voice carried all the serene joy that Twily has become accustomed to. But it wasn't long before her mentor faced her, "what's wrong?"

Indeed, Twily was downtrodden, her head leaning towards the ground. Even if she could be a jerk at times, it was always sad seeing such a cute pony down in the dumps.

"It's just that I became such good friends with all you," she said, her eyes glancing at the five mares, "and now I have to go back home."

Showing a close up of her heavy eyes and depressing frown, all she could hear was Oriana's voice.

"This was actually my plan the whole time."

That was enough to grab Twily's attention. Her ears perked up and her eyes widened. Oriana gently approached her student and smiled.

"I sent you here to teach you that friendship is more important than studying," she explained calmly, "I know that you still have a lot to learn about it and her you care very much for the bonds you made during this quest."

"Aww" Rosy Cake said, squishing her cheeks.

"And with that, I have a new assignment for you," Oriana continued, locking eyes with Twily, "I would like you to stay in Ponyville and study friendship, learn everything there is to know about it," she then smiled, "I believe in you."

"I understand Princess," Twily answered formally. Her eyes glittered with pride and her chest was firm and upright, "I won't let you down."

As the pilot drew to a close, Leni invariably turned to Linky. He managed to sit through two whole episodes without speaking. Perhaps, she thought, he was so invested that he forgot he even had a voice. That was something that could happen sometimes (even to her).

"Well," Leni said eagerly, nudging her brother's shoulder, "what do you think?"

The boy shuddered (she didn't mean to touch him that hard). The bud he wore popped out of his ear, leaving it dangling with the rest of the mass.

"I was surprised," Lincoln answered frankly, "That wasn't as girly or boring as I thought it was gonna be."

At least he was paying attention, she thought. That was one thing that annoyed her with the others' blind hatred of the show. Leni knew all too well that the show wasn't edible, so it couldn't taste sweet. And there were so much more to come; that pilot was only scratching the surface of what lied ahead.

"Who's your favorite so far?" Leni asked.

"I'm not sure," Linky said, scratching his nose, "They all have their own little things going for them. I like Flying Colors because she's cool, Twily is really smart, Jewel reminds me of you," he grinned and gestures towards her.

Jewel? All this time, her mind had emphatically shouted Rosy Cake. Leni yearned to be like the party pony: mostly happy, always willing to lend a helping hoof, and knew how to make the perfect smile. Of course, like any other dream, reality was a tall obstacle to overcome. Though, she couldn't blame Linky for saying that. After all, Jewel was also a fashion designer, always carrying around tape measures, fabric, and a fancy sewing machine. She even had her own little store where she sold her creations for money. Maybe Linky was right.

"What about Rosy Cake?" Leni asked suddenly. At that point, the urge was too much to bear.

"She's alright," Lincoln said.

Alright? This was Rosy Cake they were talking about. Rosy. She had the ability to turn any occasion into a super fun party. Everyone always loved her parties and all she cared about was making others happy. To call that only aright was blasphemy, even if it was from Linky.

"She's, like, my favorite character ever," Leni said, her voice gaining strength, "by the end of this, you're gonna wanna be her. She's, like, fun ang great and super cute. Don't you think the same way?"

This had to be it. Linky would change his mind or admit he was only pretending to not like Rosy. There was no way anyone would not look on that sweet party pony and not conclude that she was objectively the best. Instead, Lincoln shrugged.

"I guess I'll just have to see more of her," he said simply, staring at the scrolling credits, "I've only seen what, one episode or so."

"Two," Leni clarified.

"Yeah. And I mean, I'm still getting used to everyone," he admitted, trying to not sound rude, "maybe she'll grow on me. But I dunno, I don't even know who my favorite is."

But then, Linky faded her and he smiled. That grin was just precious. Buck teeth, squishy cheeks, cute freckles, and that ashen white hair. Even if he couldn't yet see Rosy Cake's wonder, Leni thought that she could be an adequate substitute for the time being.

"Thanks for watching it with me," Lincoln said warmly. In the corner of her eye, she noticed his hand pressed against the mattress, nervously tapping his fingers along the upholstery, "it means a lot."

Now he was asking for it. And by the force of Oriana was he gonna get it. Leni collapses into her brother, wrapping him in an intense hug. She tossed her phone on the bed, focusing all her energy on Linky. Linky was perfect. He was everything. Not only was he gonna be loved, but he was gonna know it. Anything less was unacceptable. It was only seconds after that she realized she was also cradling him.

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

"Sorry? For what?" she heard her brother say.

Typical Lincoln. For all the compliments he has given to her sisters, the poor thing didn't even know how to take one. Hearing those questions emboldened her to continue.

"I didn't tell the others to knock it off when you said you liked Princess Pony," she admitted sadly as that demeaning laughter replayed in her head. She shuddered, sending the shockwaves onto her brother, "I should have done something. I should have, like, told them to leave you alone."

Suddenly, cradling wasn't enough. Leni instinctively extended her arm around the side and started rubbing Linky's back. She couldn't believe it. Not only was she forcing herself on her brother, but she was reigniting brutal memories like a kid playing with matches. A little back rubbing was the least that should have been done.

"It's okay, Leni."

No, she thought. It was getting to that point, to that dreaded area Linky loved to go down. It was his default, his lot in life. Every time she witnessed it, it was an inadvertent guilt trip, one she fell into just from caring. But now, it reciprocated those shudders, making her skin paler.

"It's not your fault," he said in that horribly sweet voice. The worst, most dreaded kind there was, "If anything, I'm sorry for taking so long to fess up to clogging the toilet, a brief pause. Perhaps that was the conclusion, Leni's chance to redeem herself. But not even that arrived. The typical voice continued, "And telling everyone about Princess Pony was my choice. I own it. Even if the others never let me live to see the end of it, I'm happy that I made that decision...and given the chance, I would have done it again."

Leni's lower lip was firm. She may not have seen that adorable face, but she didn't need to. He must have been dying on the inside, crying out for help. He needed a hero, someone that would have absolved him of all this unfair trouble.

"No," Leni said, tightening her grip of her brother, "I won't let you say that. I want to help you feel better. You do all sorts of great things for us and we love you," she then took a breath, "please don't do this to yourself."

"Do what to myself?"

This was bad. He must have been so used to being battered down, that it was asking someone what the word "the" meant. The poor thing was entrenched in a world of deference and self-deprecation. Leni was horrified at that prospect. No one like Linky or her other siblings belonged in that dreaded category, subjecting themselves to the most painful of lashing and burns. Under her watch, she wasn't gonna let that happen.

"You know," Leni blurted out, trying to find a way to put it. Vocabulary wasn't on her side here (and to think she was good at making people happy), "feeling bad about yourself. You matter, Linky. You can say that what I did was not okay. You can be, like, upset at me."

"But you didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes I did! You're the one whose, like, wrong-less."

"I clogged the toilet."

"Let me help you!" she exclaimed.

The cradling intensified while Leni stared straight into the chunk of wal before her. When would her Linky understand? None of this was right. It was like he never caught a break for anything he did while she and her sisters got off scot-free. Linky got teased for all sorts of stuff. His love of comic books, Ace Savvy, video games, boy things, and wearing his underwear were among the other things he got teased for. And yet she rarely heard anything bad directed to her. Didn't the world know that she was defective, full of things that deserved such savagery Linky got for having perfectly normal interests.

Maybe if she kept pushing. If it was a matter of more hugs, Linky was gonna get it. More compliments, time together, episodes of Princess Pony? All of it was gonna go to Linky. Everything revolves around him. That fact was simpler than two plus two. If he couldn't see that...well, Leni felt a fresh wave of guilt for finishing that sentence.

"Leni," Linky said softly, "are you okay?"

Oh no. Not that question. It was ones like those that completely derailed any effort to help out the other person (and who needed it more than Linky). Why did she need to be so abrasive with that last question? Was that really just a pathetic attempt to turn all the attention to herself? How selfish, Leni thought. This wasn't how nice people acted (then again, she was never nice to begin with).

And answering that question would have been catastrophic. How could she even begin to tell this story? Not even she fully understood the reasons. It was an enigma buried deep within, a puzzle that almost certainly had more than six colorful pieces. And even if she managed to scratch the mushy surface, any attempt to help Linky would have vanished. His focus (and everyone else's) would have been squarely on her.

The fear of things getting weird in the House, of others having to put up with a "difficult" person was too much. So much of their time would have been wasted on her, talking to her about issues, putting more thought into their every word they said to avoid hurting her feelings, thrusting them into an endless debate over the role they played in engineering this mess, and transforming what should be tolerable interactions into excruciating exercises of restraint. Leni would have transformed into the "no fun" person. Any inkling if worth she might have had left would have been destroyed by one verbal slipup.

"Yeah," she lied.

To prove it, she pulled herself back from Linky. Leni was never good at dishonesty, but she needed to smile now (even if it was only for a few seconds). Once she as pulled far enough back, he saw his confused complexion. Happy, happy, happy, she thought. Even if the smile looked crooked, it wouldn't have been out of place for her.

Several seconds passed with the two observing the other. Leni looked for any indication of her Linky letting his guard down, realizing that this night was supposed to be about him. And whatever he was looking at, she hoped that the concern he had would fade. The boy was too preoccupied with other struggles to worry about silly old Leni.

Eventually, a miracle happened. Lincoln's brows gradually rose and his right frown loosened.

"Okay," he said slowly, "but you should know I'm fine," and just like that, the lips curled into a U-shape, th best one there was, "Thanks for looking out for me."

Magically, the smile she was propping up became a little easier to manage. She couldn't stop thinking about how precious her little brother was (and how much she liked bringing that notion up).

"Yup!"

She then remembered her phone. The whole time, the thing was just lying there on the bed, ready for use. Leni eagerly snatched it, along with the headphones.

"Wanna watch the next episode?"

Lincoln stared at the device for several seconds. Was this a sign that he still harbored some doubts? Leni fretted as she watched Linky contemplate his options. But then, it all cleared out.

"Sure," he said, "Let's see some more Rosy Cake!"