Friendship is Empathy
is a My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Fan Fic written by Trinary.
One day at the Golden Oak’s library, Twilight Sparkle is enthusiastic about a new project recommended to her by Princess Celestia. That is, to catalog the various Friendship reports she has written during since her arrival in Ponyville, as well as those of the friends she has met, and even her loyal assistant Spike, in a book. Feeling nostalgic, Twilight rereads the reports, warming up at the thought of these lessons making her and her friends become better ponies (or dragon in Spike’s case).
Something’s amiss though. To Twilight’s shock, she discovers that Rainbow Dash’s letter on humility following the Mare Do Well business is not among the letters sent by the Princess.
Soon fearing the worst, Twilight confronts Rainbow Dash. After some prodding, the unicorn gets an answer for why the letter is not there: Dash never wrote it. She angrily reveals the feelings of isolation and betrayal she harbored for her friends playing Mare Do Well that kept her from writing a nice sounding letter. Things escalate with Twilight unloading her bottled up resentment towards Rainbow— and by extension the others— for being duped by Queen Chrysalis and abandoning her at the Royal Wedding rehearsal. With the argument jeopardizing their friendship, can the two reconcile?
Now has a live reading, which can be viewed ''here"
Now has a sequel taking place after the episode "What about Discord?".
This Fanfic provides examples of the following tropes:
- Actually Pretty Funny: When Rainbow Dash apologizes for calling Twilight "Twilight Snarkle", Twilight doesn't remember her saying that (turns out Dash didn't say it out loud originally), but admits that it's "actually kinda funny".
- Deadpan Snarker: Twilight puts this trait to especially venomous use when she questions Rainbow Dash’s loyalty. When they reconcile, Dash even apologizes for calling her Twilight Snarkle, which Twilight notes she never did call her that.
- Deconstruction Fic: Deconstructs the “Mysterious Mare-Do-Well,” as well as the ending of “A Canterlot Wedding, Part 1.” Rainbow Dash is revealed to resent her friends over their actions in the episode when she had to seriously think about it, while Twilight is still hurt over how easily she was abandoned by her friends at the Canterlot Wedding for somepony they barely knew. The ending is happy, however.
- Hypocrite: Dash felt this way about Twilight, asking her why (among other things) she and the others tried to stick it to Rainbow with Mare Do Well, while not similarly trying to outdo Applejack when Applejack claimed she could harvest all of the apples at Sweet Apple Acres.
- Jerkass Realization: Rainbow Dash and Twilight both have this regarding their fight, as well as for Mare-Do-Well and the Canterlot Wedding. The rest of the Mane Six also have this at the end for the same events mentioned and apologize to Twilight and Rainbow Dash for the pain they caused them both.
- Mistaken for Gay: Discussed Trope Granny casually wonders if Applejack is gay herself - not that she minds it - and Applejack is incredibly flustered by the discussion while Apple Bloom asks what "the gay" is. Rainbow Dash is laughing hard while this is happening.
- Shipper on Deck: Granny Smith tries to set up Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh, to their embarrassment.
- Team Mom: Applejack. Not only does she provide Rainbow a shoulder to cry on, she lets her rest at Sweet Apple Acres and even has her stay for a meal before getting her to make amends with Twilight.
