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// Chapter 11: Kindness 
// Story: Spikenautica 
// by PhysicistBrony 
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"Wait, your telling me that somepony built a base down in those dark and spooky caves?" Fluttershy asked, finding it hard to believe somepony would want to. "Yeah, the PDA told me that there was an artificial structure located somewhere within that cave system. I didn't see it though because the Seamoth can't go further into the caves than at the entrance and my oxygen tank was draining faster than normal, probably due to an increase in pressure." Spike was saying all this while watching Fluttershy slowly put together a set of portable radios for them to use.

"Hey Fluttershy?" Spike asked with a sudden idea having come to mind. "Yes?" Fluttershy said distractedly. "So, how did you get onto the Aurora? I always thought you were good at taking care of animals. What kind of job did you have that needed that?" Spike asked, knowing that at least some of you readers might want to know as well. "Oh, Twilight and I managed to convince Celestia to let me onboard. As for the job I had? Well, I have had to build so many houses and such for the different animals I sheltered, so I have experience with building. That was enough to land me a job working on repairs for the ship along with doing maintenance checks." Fluttershy said while turning to face Spike to explain properly.

"That.. actually makes a lot of sense to me. Twilight wouldn't want to only have some of her friends go and not all, just like with the Gala tickets when we first got to Ponyville." Spike said with a slight shudder, remembering the mob of ponies chasing them around that day. "Oh, um, I'm still sorry about that. I shouldn't have been trying to win Twilight's ticket by doing a favor for her." Fluttershy said, shame evident in her voice. "It's ok Fluttershy," Spike said, "Twilight and I forgave you already. You don't have to keep apologizing for it."

"So anyway, how are those radios coming along? Once you're done we can probably go to sleep and continue practicing tomorrow." Spike said with a yawn following his proposition. "Oh, I like that idea, just let me connect this, aaand, done. Now these should work, but I'm not sure how far the range is yet, so I might make some more modifications to it later." Fluttershy said while carefully placing the radios into the storage unit for safe keeping. Fluttershy then looked at Spike and said with a stern voice, "Now, tonight, you are going to sleep in the chair because Celestia knows how bad the metal floor is messing up you back."

"Fine, but by tomorrow night, I should have some of a base built for us, so I might have at least a bed in there, and if I don't have one, then you will be sleeping in the chair. It seems fair that we can trade spots every night, right?" Spike said moving over to the chair. "Ok, I think that could work, if you don't mind that is." Fluttershy said, suddenly having all of her confidence drained after Spike agreed. They both started to get ready to sleep when Spike realized something. "Um, I think I'm going to head back out for a minute. I forgot to grab something earlier." Spike said quickly departing from the life pod. "What could Spike have forgotten? He seemed like he had everything he needed earlier." Fluttershy thought as the life pod was soon plunged into an almost eerie silence.

Spike quickly climbed into the Seamoth and took off towards the Kelp Forest. "I can't believe I forgot that we used the last of the silicon rubber. Without that, Fluttershy won't even have a makeshift pillow to use tonight, unlike how I got to use one when I slept on the floor." Spike said. He soon could see the outline of the kelp vines and turned on the headlights before climbing out so he could see as he worked. He quickly grabbed three seed clusters for two makeshift blankets and a makeshift pillow/mat for Fluttershy. He then climbed back into the Seamoth and took off back to the life pod.

After getting back to the life pod, Spike turned off the headlights and exited the Seamoth. He then climbed back into the life pod to see Fluttershy already sleeping like a rock. He turned to the fabricator and managed to make all three pieces of silicon rubber without waking up Fluttershy. He then slowly lifted Fluttershy's head and slid a rolled up piece of rubber under her head to use as a pillow and then laid another piece over her body to use as a blanket. Spike's intention when he made the third piece of rubber was to use it as a pillow, but using it as a blanket sounded much nicer.

Soon sleep quickly overtook Spike as the day's exhaustion finally caught up to Spike. He and Fluttershy both managed to have a relatively easy time sleeping without any major nightmares waking them up. Soon morning arrived and Fluttershy woke up, looking around and trying to remember why she was covered with a big piece of rubber. She then realized that she fell asleep while Spike was out and Spike made her a pillow and blanket from the rubber to use while she slept on the floor.

Fluttershy decided to start cooking some fish and prepare a meal for when Spike woke up. She pulled out the fish and started to cook them, and by cook, it meant putting them through the fabricator so all the inedible parts were removed and the remaining parts were cooked to perfection, according to the designer of the fabricator. Soon Spike was waking up because he could smell the cooked Peeper and soon was standing and stretching. "Good morning Spike. I got breakfast ready for us while you were still sleeping." Fluttershy said, giving Spike one of the cooked fish. "Thanks Fluttershy. So, I think I'm going to go back to the island-" Fluttershy gasped "-and get some of the fruits and vegetables that grow there."

Fluttershy then began shaking her head no. "No Spike, I can't let you go to that island again. There are too many mean creatures there that might eat you, and then I'd be all alone." Fluttershy said, starting stern, but quickly turning it into sadness. "Fluttershy, I can't imagine how sick you are of eating Peepers over and over again for every meal, but I am starting to get sick of fish. I would like a change of food, but I don't think I can go gem hunting underwater or without a gem finding spell. Besides, I can always just avoid the creatures. They seemed to keep their distance the last time I was there." Spike said, countering Fluttershy's reasons, leaving Fluttershy quiet while she internally debated on whether or not she wanted Spike going.

"Fine, I'll let you go, but we need to make sure that we save some of the seeds from the plants so we can try to avoid going back to the island for more plants later." Fluttershy said, finally agreeing with Spike's reasoning. Spike quickly agreed to Fluttershy's term, and after eating, departed from the life pod. He soon turned around and climbed back inside. "Oh, back so soon?" Fluttershy asked, wondering why he almost immediately came back inside. "I think now would be a good time to try out the range on those portable radios." Spike said while opening the storage unit and grabbing out the radios.