Awards of the Heart: Pause and Reset – by Twifight Sparkill
Having slipped through the rest of Ponyville without further incident, inasmuch in part for Rainbow Dash's thwarting any encroaching parties as for the pair taking an extremely far-reaching course of narrow alleyways and side roads through the boroughs, both Spike and his pegasus escort eventually reached the Golden Oaks Library unscathed.
Certainly the matter of his current status as hero of the recently reinstated Crystal Empire had been well documented and remained very much a topic of interest amongst the townsfolk, not to mention all of Equestria, but the constant showering of praise and accolades had worn the modest young dragon down to the barest nerve; the entire subject had begun to complicate his otherwise quiet life to a point of desperation. At least now, delivered safely home by a watchful Rainbow Dash, he might find a semblance of peace. Of normalcy. Doldrum and routine would soothe his flailing anxieties, he was certain, as they always had in the past whenever he felt tense or stressed.
Oh boy, was he stressed.
Spike stood outside the library for a long while, having gotten as far as the front stoop before coming to an abrupt halt. He stared at its heavy wooden door with trepidation, regarding it with a decidedly pained expression.
"So... are we, like, waiting for something in particular?" she queried, nudging the dragon impatiently. "Let's go already. While I'm young!"
"Hold on. I can hear Pinkie and Twilight talking in there," Spike noted, pressing his head to the door for a better listen. "It sounds like... they're planning a party?"
"Wow, now there's a shocker!" Rainbow admonished, rolling her eyes dramatically. "That's the last thing I'd expect from Ponyville's premiere party pony! Next you'll be telling me Applejack is mindlessly obsessed with fruit, or that Fluttershy is wa-a-a-y too into animals! Who'd ever believe that? Sheesh!"
The purple dragon ignored his companion's gruff sarcasm, listening instead to the conversation going on inside. Once having apparently heard enough, Spike touched at the door, then backed away from it.
"I'm not going in." he stated softly.
Rainbow pressed a hoof to her forehead, managing a low growl in utter frustration.
"We whuh-what... why aren't we going in?" she stammered in displeasure. "We just spent the last good hours sneaking all over Ponyville to get you here without being mobbed by crazy ponies, and... you're not even going to go inside? They're throwing you a party, for Celestia's sake! What the hay, Spike? Did I miss something in translation or what?"
Spike sighed, turned on his heel, and meandered back down the pathway from whence they'd previously come.
"They're apparently planning some sort of a party for me in there, from what I just heard, and... I really don't feel up to it, Rainbow."
The cyan pegasus simply gawked at the little dragon in utter disbelief, fluttering unconsciously alongside him as he moved from the library to the dirt paths that led out towards the wooded boundaries surrounding the town.
"Hmpf," Rainbow Dash sniffed haughtily. "I wish ponies'd throw me a surprise party once in a while. What'd they say exactly?"
"Something about purple and green streamers," he shrugged absently, "and making amends I think? Whatever that means. Anyway, I'm sorry for wasting your time, Rainbow Dash. I appreciate all your help today, and the chat helped, but... I really need to be alone right now."
The pegasus fell quiet, judging Spike's expression with thoughtful concern.
"... it's okay," she responded sagely. "I get you. You're feeling overwhelmed and even though your friends are trying to make you happy, you won't be happy until you can make sense of your situation. That's reasonable. I guess a party of frantic ponies doesn't really help much, heh. Though seriously, how come nopony ever throws me a cool surprise party for no reason? Sheesh!"
"Thanks for understanding," Spike grinned a bit, nodding emphatically. "You're a good friend, and I truly appreciate it."
"Well, that all goes without saying," the pegasus chuckled ruefully, "though sometimes it's nice to hear. You're gonna be okay, right?"
The dragon nodded.
"I will be. Eventually. Thanks."
Rainbow nodded, pumped her wings a few times, then veered skyward.
"If you need to talk again, don't hesitate to ask, hm? Never too busy to help a friend! You can count on ol' Dash, believe it!" she called out, eventually disappearing into the endless blue of the clear afternoon sky. "Just remember – everything works itself out in the end! Later gator!"
Spike continued to wave goodbye as she slowly disappeared from view, then set towards a long walk with his thoughts.
"... I wish it was the end," Spike sighed.
---
Pinkie sat inside by the library door, adorned in the party favor finery she preferred – pointy polka-dot hat worn edgeways, deely-bobbers primed, noisemakers and a hoofful of confetti at the ready – as Twilight paced nervously about wondering where Spike could have ended up.
Here was her best chance, amidst a possible grand and professional procession (if anything Pinkie concocted could ever be considered remotely close to professional) to relent and seek forgiveness for her unreasonable feelings regarding the Crystal Heart fiasco. Certainly, things had eventually worked in the favor of the Element's heroism, but it paled in excuse compared to the biting remorse she had felt for letting Spike threaten her existence as confidant and pupil of ponydom's grand sovereign.
The pain and guilt of such continued to gnaw at her gut, and she'd gone from fretting and remorseful to bitter and irritated – wait, when had that happened? Yes, Spike was supposed to be here ages ago, but... she was theoretically apologizing and his unprecedented delay had complicated the matter. At the moment, all she felt was a necessity to viciously berate the young dragon for keeping her waiting for so long. Er... that wasn't right, surely?
Was it?
"Any minute now..." Pinkie whispered as she had every few minutes since fitting the library with all the banners and streamers it could possibly manage.
The waiting wore on Twilight, who absently just wanted to be done with the whole mess so she could move on to what was expected of her – painful, unending studiousness. How was she supposed to continue to absorb the necessary magical require in the tomes she'd borrowed from Canterlot and beyond if she couldn't manage to get past this simple gesture of passing regret?
Damn you, Spike. Where have you gotten to?
"... any minute now was about an hour ago," Twilight finally groused. "Obviously this was a wasted effort. He probably got sidetracked into following whatever whim Rarity had cross her needy little mind. Hmpf, the nerve! After all we'd planned! It makes me so... so angry!"
Pinkie turned and regarded her friend cautiously for the rise in her voice, noting not just the venomous tone – Twilight never spoke ill of anypony, especially not her beloved dragon – but the billowing black flares that set aflame from her unusual emerald-shaded eyes.
"Um, hey there grumpy-pants," the festivity-driven earth pony offered, "did you know your eyes are really spooky?"
Twilight blanched.
It had happened again.
Buck.
"Oh! Um, sorry!" the lavender unicorn excused. "I er... I mean, I wonder where Spike got off to? It's not like him to be so late! I'm worried about him!"
Pinkie raised a brow in dubious repose, though eventually shrugged the moment aside once Twilight had regained her appropriate humdrum appearance.
"Hey, how about we take this party on the road? We'll make it an official Ponyville dragon hunt! Ooh ooh ooh! Can I carry the banners and play the trumpet? I'm good at both! Puh-lease?"
"Sure, whatever," Twilight appeased. "Spike better have a good excuse for making us wait, though."
Pinkie watched the purple unicorn closely and found herself slightly unnerved for her uncommonly dour demeanor.
"... right," Pinkie nodded. "We'll find Spikie and make this right... I hope."
The two ponies collected packs and a few necessities, then trotted down the path towards Ponyville. Pinkie remained silent throughout, though Twilight paid no particular notice.
There were more pressing matters at stake, she figured. That was certain.
To be Continued.