Tomorrow was an important day for the leaders of Equestria, so it was expected that the diplomats and royals would be in bed early so they would be rested for their meeting.

But Aurora Borealis wouldn’t be sleeping for awhile. There was a much bigger issue at hoof. She patted the pillow in front of her as an invitation for Iolite to come sit down.

“Come here, let your mane down. You look stressed! In fact, you’re pacing.”

She urged her best friend, using her magic to undo Iolite’s mane as the pegasus mare sat down.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, we should be getting to bed, surely it’s nothing-“

Iolite tried to deflect but quickly gave up, sighing deeply.

“Well to tell the truth…it’s Summer. As of recently she has been horribly cold and tense. She does this every time I depart for my duties, but this time she was especially aloof. I wished to spend the day with her, and I did, but she simply wasn’t acting right. Bidding her farewell was no better either.”

Aurora grimaced as soon as Summer was mentioned. She had to admit she suspected she was the issue after how much Iolite had vented before. It might not have really been her place, but she had to offer her two cents.

“Summer, of course. She’s always been like this. I’ve already told you, she’s not worth it. She’s possessive, attention-seeking, selfish—“

She felt a twinge of guilt when she noticed Iolite’s disheartened expression, realizing that she may have overstepped a boundary. As much as Aurora wanted Iolite to heed her advice, it was best not to lecture her in her already shaken state.

“I love her, I truly do.”

Iolite drew a deep breath and continued.

"I want us to be together, but her fretting makes it more difficult to enjoy her company. I hoped she would be accustomed to this routine by now.”

Aurora let out a deep sigh and began to put Iolite’s mane in curlers, a moment of awkward silence draping over them as.

“Maybe you need some time apart for real so she learns to appreciate when you're around, like a break. Though I don’t think we'll be nearly as busy next month. You can plan something, a date."

Iolite gasped.

"Are you suggesting I should break up with her? Why, she would be absolutely devastated! She would not know what to do with herself. Perhaps if I explain to her-“

“No! What are you thinking?”

Aurora snapped, allowing herself to be truly blunt without thinking to sugarcoat her words. It frustrated her to see her friend like this, giving her all to such a selfish pony and making excuses for her all the while. She couldn’t take it.

But seeing how much she startled Iolite, she diverted the conversation.

“Maybe it’s best that we get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.”

She finished off Iolite’s curlers, heaving herself up off the pillow and making her way over to the bed that awaited her.

“I suppose you have a point.”

Iolite nestled herself to her best friend’s side instead of returning to her own room.

“Best not concern ourselves with this now when we have duties to attend to.”