//------------------------------// // not a concerning fever // Story: corruption // by a touch of sparkles //------------------------------// Twilight felt like she had been bucked twenty times in the head the next morning. Her legs were like lead weights and she was shiny with sweat, yet at the same she shivered violently. Another groan left her mouth as every movement was exhausting. That groan woke up spike. “You ok Twilight?” he asked her, his voice still croaky and unsteady from sleep. Spike rubbed his eyes as he looked over at her and became even more concerned when he saw her cringing face. He crawled out of his bed and pulled himself onto hers. He placed the back of her hand on her forehead, something he had learned from her. He never thought he would have to use it though. “You really warm. How are you feeling?” “Bad” “That’s not very useful. What like symptoms do you have?” “Headache still, my legs feel dead, I’m sweating yet I feel cold” Twilight shoved her head into her pillow, her ears curled. Spike rubbed his chin a little then left the room. Twilight felt the need to call him back for comfort, but she didn’t have the energy. Spike returned five minutes later with a glass of water. He placed it on her bedside table. “I read one of your books and it seems you have a fever. It also said that you might be dehydrated so I bought you a glass of water” “Thanks Spike” Twilight gave him the biggest smile she could muster, even if it was at most the hint of a smile. She lifted her head to take a drink, she didn’t dare use her magic. She used her shaking hooves to lift the glass to her lips and took a short drink. It didn’t settle right, but it seemed to stay in her stomach which is good enough for her. Twilight laid her head down on her pillow. While she wishes she could rest the pounding headache simply wouldn’t let up. She was unable to find a position that would let her muscles rest, her hind legs were particularly stressed and just wouldn’t relax. “Anything else you need?” Spike asked her, wanting to make sure she was as comfortable as possible. “books” “Knew it” Spike wandered of out of the room again to get some of her books. While she was waiting her stomach became unsettled. Then the familiar sick feeling came to her. On instinct she rushed out of her bedroom to the bathroom. Where nothing but bile dribbled out of her mouth. Twilight collapsed at the base of the toilet. Her head began to pound again as the world spun. Slowly she lifted herself up, the bathroom floor wasn’t comfortable, and neither was the chill. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were dull along with her fur. Her hair was greasy from the sweat that had dripped through it. What startled her was her horn, it was slightly bent backward. “Twilight?” Spike was standing confused in the doorway, multiple books were stacked in his arms. “Is my horn bent or is it me?” Twilight looked fearfully at Spike. Her mind flashed back to those umbrum creatures in that book. Spike cocked his head to look at her, his scally brows furrowed as he stared at her horn. “Not really…” Twilight knew he was lying to try and comfort her. She side eyed her face in the mirror. There was definitely a bend there. A wave of nausea wafted over her, Twilights knees wobbled beneath her. Twilight took it as a sight she should go back to bed, she followed spike back to her room. She looked over the books he had picked up. Most of them were Daring Do. Twilight didn’t mind though, she could immerse herself and ignore the still constant throbbing in her head. Twilight pulled herself back under the covers. Her stomach had been relieved and she felt slightly better. Spike handed her the first book. She propped the book up on her bedside table. But Spike asked her a question before she started to read. “Why were you in the bathroom?” “I threw up. I think my stomach got upset” Twilight rubbed her head as if it would relieve her headache. “Have we got any pain relief. My head still hurts” Twilight asked, Spike almost ran down to the kitchen to get her some. Twilight often forgot just how much he would care for her, although she was sure he had picked it up from her from when he became ill. She rested her head down on the pillow. The letters in the book seemed jumbled. A few pills were placed on the bedside table. Twilight lifted them in her magic and placed them in her mouth, she hadn’t realised she had used magic, she hadn’t realised it had turned black. But the pain in her head had covered it. She swallowed the pills and started to slowly read the book. Spike had sat down in his usual spot and started to right a letter. When he sent it the bright light aggravated her eyes. “I sent a letter to Celestia. So she knows why you won’t be writing for a bit” Spike said as he picked up his comics. They both read in silence for some time. The pain relief slowly started to kick in, although the pain was still very present. She groaned and rubbed her head as the words became jumbled again. “Spike. Where are you going?” Twilight had noticed Spike leaving the room. Although he didn’t answer, but he was wearing a face that suggested he had an idea. Twilight sunk her heavy head deeper into the pillow. Her eyes closed as she attempted to sleep. But it was interrupted within an hour, when a cluster of hooves could be heard coming up the wooden stairs. “HEY TWILIGHT” Pinkie’s voice leapt through the doorway, followed by her body. A sandwich box was strapped to her back, through its clouded plastic Twilight could see some cookies. Rainbow floated through the doorway, although she seemed slightly quieter than usual. “Hey pinkie, you know ill ponies don’t like loud noises right” Rainbow said to the pink pony. “Oh right…I made cookies though. Fresh from the oven!” while pinkie was still loud, she wasn’t shouting and Twilight quite appreciated it. The other three stood behind them, each having their own concerned face. “I though you might like some more company” Spike said as he held is arms out, displaying her friends to her. “We came as soon as Spike told us” Fluttershy said quietly, she had trotted over and placed a wing over Twilight. Then it was Applejack turn to speak as she sat down next to her. “Ah hope you’re alright sugar cube. Not feeling too bad are ya?” “Apart from the headache and the muscle ache…I’m not the worst” she did sugar coat it a little bit, as not to make them worry too much. Pinkie opened her box of cookies, the fresh smell of cookies made its self-known in her nose. Her appetite suddenly came back to her. Pinkie started to give out the cookies to her friends. Twilight slowly took bites out of hers, Twilight had always loved pinkies chocolate chip cookies. She just hoped her stomach wouldn’t mind. “So when did you start feeling ill?” Fluttershy asked her. “Yesterday. I think the headache turned to a fever overnight” Twilight told her as she continued to eat her cookie. She could feel her stomach turning. However she held back her needs to head to the bathroom. She didn’t want to insult pinkie. Twilight noticed Rarity seemed to be staring at her “Twilight dear. I don’t mean to sound rude but is your horn bent?” Rarity gave her a concerned look. Being a unicorn, Rarity could easily spot problems with a horn. Curved horns only ever happen if they are damaged during growth or there’s a genetic problem. They certainly aren’t a normal appearance, being quite tough its hard to damage them without extreme force. “I think so. I don’t know why…” Twilight stared upwards trying to see her horn. “I’m going to bet that horns bending is not a normal fever symptom” Rainbow said from atop the ceiling rafters. Her wings draped lazily down her sides. “I didn’t see it in the book on common illness, and you have thrown up already. The book said if vomiting is persistent to get medical help. I think I might go get a doctor” Spike said with concern as he processed the seemingly strange symptoms. “I’ll be fine spike. Fevers usually pass after a few days.” Twilight told him as she shifted her body, each muscle complained in unison. Another wave of nausea came over her, she tried her best not to vomit. “Are you sure?” “I’m sure spike” Twilight tried to convince him she was fine, but the wince of pain from her didn’t quite convince him. However the subject quickly changed when Pinkie started to talk. The group continued to exchange recent stories. Pinkie lamented over a horrible order, Rarity talked about the distinct lack of gemstones in the caves, or at least the ones she needed. Fluttershy talked abut her animals, and Applejack and Rainbow dash talked about the day before when they raced around the orchard. Then it was Twilights turn. However Fluttershy seemed to have caught on about Twilights recent absence from the outside world. And of course Spike already knew. “I haven’t been doing much…mostly just practicing magic and…reading and stuff” Twilight awkwardly said as she tried to form a half lie. Spike could see right through it, some of her friends became suspicious. However they didn’t push it. Fluttershy looked up through the window carved out of the tree’s trunk. “It’s getting dark. We should leave Twilight here to rest” she said as she removed her wing from over Twilight. She headed towards the door with a soft smile. The others followed her as they said their goodbyes, then they left the library and headed back to there own homes. Once she heard the door close she bolted out of bed, despite her muscle’s protests, and vomited into the toilet again for the second time that day. It burnt this time on the way up, stomach acid was forced up with the digested cookie. Now just a vile mush with some pinkish liquid mixed in. She felt spikes hands grip around her leg. But then he said something that horrified Twilight. “Twilight. Your cutie mark is disappearing”