> Candy Girl
>  by JonRS
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Obsession
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Obsession

Chapter 1


The sun was setting as Celestia pulled the sun across the sky. Peppermint Twist was trotting down the street on her way home after Diamond Tiara’s cuteceaneara. She couldn’t help but be happy that Apple Bloom had found two new friends to help her find her cutie mark. It was probably time that they parted ways as friends anyway. Apple Bloom had become so obsessed with her cutie mark that it dominated a majority of their conversations. Peppermint Twist was much more reasonable when it came to getting her cutie mark. She knew she would one day discover her special talent and earn her cutie mark, unlike Apple Bloom who assumed that her cutie mark would never come unless she did something.

Twist knew from experience that a cutie mark appeared when you least expected it. When you were doing something that made you happy or glad, it was then that a cutie mark appeared. She turned and looked at her cutie mark. Two candy canes in the shape of a heart representing her love of candymaking. She would have never discovered that if she tried everything else in an attempt to find her special talent.

Her musings were interrupted as she bumped into someone. The impact was enough to knock her glasses fell off her face in the collision leaving her practically blind. She could barely make out the figure in front of her face as she scrambled to find her glasses.

“Oh no, my glasses! My glasses! I can’t see anything without my glasses.” She said trying to make them out on the ground but her sight made it hard to see anything but blurs.

“Don’t worry! I got them.” The purple blob in front of her said. He carefully put her glasses back on brushing the sides of her face as he did so. He didn’t feel like a pony at all as his warm, smooth claw made contact. With her glasses back on, she could finally make out the figure in front of her.

“I’m sorry about knocking your glasses off. I was carrying all these books and I guess I didn’t see you there.” The purple dragon said gathering his books in a pile. Peppermint Twist was in awe of this handsome stranger before her. 

“Are you alright?” He asked waving his claw in her face.

“Oh! I’m fine. I just got a little dazed. Umm.. What’s your name?” Peppermint Twist asked the dashing creature’s name.

“I’m Spike. What’s your name?” Spike asked as he put the final book on the stack.

“I’m Mint Peppertwist…. I mean Peppermint Twist. I-It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The filly said holding out her hoof.

“It was nice meeting you too.” Spike said grabbing her hoof and giving it a firm shake. Peppermint Twist felt like she could melt as Spike’s warm claw grasped her hoof. Spike picked up his books and started to walk away. Twist stood there and held the hoof against her chest letting the warmth resonate with frantic beating of her heart.

“Will I ever see you again?” Peppermint Twist shouted to him as he left. Spike turned around with the stack of books in his claws and smiled at her.

“I live at the library. You can come by if you want.” Spike said before continuing on his way.

Peppermint Twist stood there for awhile until Spike was completely gone from view.  The hoof he touched still pressed firmly against the rapid beating in her chest. A feeling of yearning that she had never experienced started to fill her entire being. 

“Wowzers! I’ve never met anyone like him before. He’s so dreamy.” The filly sighed as the image of him smiling back at her washed over her mind. She skipped all the way home in a state of absolute euphoria. As she made it to her room, she couldn’t stop thinking about that fateful encounter with Spike.

“He smiled at me of all ponies!” She said hopping on to her red and white checkered bedspread. She grabbed a pillow and squeezed it to her chest as tightly as she could. The filly rolled around for a few minutes unable to sit still out of sheer excitement. It was like her body was bursting with energy after meeting Spike.

Twist finally managed to stop and looked up at the ceiling. The pillow still firmly clutched in her hooves. She started to remember the moment where Spike shook her hoof. She took the hoof and raised it into the air. She wondered if Spike was thinking about her as well. Was he laying on his bed looking at his claw as well? Twist stretched her hoof outwards as if trying to reach out to that claw again. 

She closed her eyes and imagined Spike pulling her up by that hoof into the ceiling. As they passed through the ceiling, Twist found herself standing in a beautiful, sunny meadow with an impressive array of colorful flowers on display. Sitting next to a beautiful waterfall was Spike twisting a rose in his claw. He turned and looked at her with his beautiful green eyes set in a low, nonchalant gaze. He lifted his other claw and slowly beckoned her closer. Spike seemed to glisten as the moisture from the waterfall and the reflection of the sun hit his body.

“For you.” He said offering the rose to Twist with that same wonderful smile she couldn’t get out of her mind. Twist walked over and sat next to him. Spike tilted the rose towards her mouth letting her nibble one of the petals.

“It’s delicious, Spike.” Peppermint Twist said enjoying the soft, sweet taste of a single petal. The dragon placed the flower on the ground and lifted her hoof with both claws. His expression turned into more serious one as he held her hoof. The filly could feel her cheeks burning as Spike leaned closer.

“Twist, I have something important to tell you. I know we just met, but I’ve felt this powerful connection between us since we first met. It’s like fate is telling me something and I know exactly what it is.” Spike said dramatically.

“What is it?” Peppermint Twist asked. Her heart was racing like crazy as Spike reached behind his back and pulled out a black velvet case.

“Oh my gosh!” Twist said placing a hoof over her mouth.

“I have something to ask you, and I hope you’ll say yes.” Spike said leaning in a bit closer. Twist could feel their breaths practically mingling as they were inches from kissing.

“What do you want for dinner?” Spike asked in a  completely different voice.

“Huh?” Twist said awaking from her daydream. She realized that it wasn’t Spike but her mother calling from downstairs. She sighed and put her hoof down as reality set in. She wasn’t in a beautiful meadow with the dragon of her dreams. She was lying in her bed alone hugging a pillow. She could take a small amount of comfort in the fact that she could see him tomorrow. Still she desperately wanted to be close to him now.

“Hey, mom? Do we have roses?” Twist called out to her mother.

The Next Day

Peppermint Twist was sitting in class anxiously waiting for the clock to strike three o’clock. She had barely been able to unable to focus on class all day. One overriding thought occupied her mind as she listened to Miss Cheerilee drone on. She watched the clock as less than one minute was all that stood between the freedom to see her beloved Spike again. Just as the clock was about to strike three, Cheerilee stood up and addressed the class.

“I’d like everypony to study the chapters thoroughly. This test is important and some of you can’t afford to fail.” Cheerilee said looking directly at Snips and Snails. As the bell rang, everypony gathered there things and prepared to leave. None faster than Peppermint Twist who was set to beat Snips and Snails for the record of leaving first. Once her saddlebags were packed, she raced to the door.

“Peppermint Twist, I’d like to speak to you for a moment.” Cheerilee said before she could make her escape. Peppermint Twist stopped dead in her tracks and walked back to Mrs. Cheerilee’s desk. The class making the obligatory “oooooo” sounds that came when any school official asked to see a student in private.

“Looks like the teacher’s pet is in trouble. Maybe Miss Cheerilee will hit her with a rolled up newspaper.” Diamond Tiara said eliciting a laugh from Silver Spoon.

“Makes sense seeing as she’s a total dog.” Silver Spoon said laughing with Diamond Tiara. Peppermint Twist shrugged off the remarks. It was just Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon being mean again. She had learned long ago that it was best just to ignore their abuse.

“Since you two are in such a good mood. Why don’t you two do the questions at the end of chapters three and four? I expect them on my desk by tomorrow.” Cheerilee said silencing their laughter. The two of them were about to protest when Cheerilee shot them a look that spelled the end of any discussion on the matter.

“I’ll make you pay for this, Twist.” Diamond Tiara swore under her breath as she and Silver Spoon left the classroom in a huff.

“Are you okay, Twist?” Cheerilee asked.

“Yes, Miss Cheerilee. Did you want to see me?” Twist said glad to see her bullies get their comeuppance. She would have never been able to stand up to those two on her own. Confrontation was definitely not her strong suit.

“I just wanted to check on you since you seem so distracted today. You didn’t raise your hoof or even ask me a single question today. Is everything alright?” Cheerilee asked standing behind her desk as the rest of her class departed. It was quite clear to her that something had changed. Peppermint Twist was her best student and it was unheard of for the studious filly to not participate in a lesson.

Peppermint Twist thought about discussing her feelings for Spike. Cheerilee was always somepony she could confide when she was unsure of something. She was also dying to tell someone about her crush on Spike and Cheerilee was definitely a pony she could trust.

“Actually, something did happen yesterday. I met someone and I like him a whole lot.” Twist said with a shy smile on her face. Just talking about Spike made her feel all warm and fuzzy.

“That’s wonderful, Twist. Having a special somepony is beautiful and magical experience.” Cheerilee said happy for her student. Discovering the joys of romance was important part of any filly’s life.

“Umm…. He’s a dragon actually. I met him after the party. Ever since we met, I can‘t stop thinking about him. I was going to visit him after class.” Twist revealed with great glee. Cheerilee was more than a little surprised by Twist’s choice, but she was happy for her all the same. Spike seemed like a nice dragon from what she had observed. There was one thing Cheerilee wanted to touch upon before she let her go though.

“Peppermint Twist, I know you’re excited about all this, but you should be careful not to rush into things. You‘re at that time in your life where your body‘s going through some weird changes. Now that you‘re considering a relationship, it‘s important that you understand the urges that come with such a partnership.” Cheerilee said speaking a bit more serious than before.

“Urges?” Twist asked confused as to what Cheerilee was implying. The mare could see the confusion in the fillies’ eyes as she tried to understand.

“Tell me, Twist. What do you think happens when two ponies…. or creatures like each other?” Cheerilee asked trying to get an understanding of how much she actually knew.

“They go on dates and stuff. Then they get married and have foals.” Peppermint Twist said. She had gathered that much from talking to her parents about it, but they didn’t elaborate on any of the finer details of what really happened.

Cheerilee wasn’t surprised by her answer. It was probably what everypony in her class would say if asked the same question. She could see that a lesson on the birds and the bees would probably be necessary in the near future. Unfortunately, she couldn’t teach such a sensitive topic to her students without permission from their parents. Still she had to make sure Twist wasn’t making any decisions she’d regret.

“That’s right, Twist, but there’s a little more to it than that. Now I want you to promise that if you and Spike decide to do something drastic, you’ll talk to me about it beforehoof.” Cheerilee said. She knew Peppermint Twist was a good filly and she’d almost certainly do as she was told in any case. Although she wanted to be clearer about what she should avoid, she’d be overstepping her bounds as an educator. It was the parents’ right to decide when and where their foals learned of such topics. She could still make sure that she didn’t do anything hasty.

“Okay, I promise, Miss Cheerilee.” Twist said with a nod.

“Good. Now run along, I know how much you want to see Spike.” Cheerilee said allowing her pupil to leave.

“Thank you, Miss Cheerilee. See you, tomorrow.” The filly said rushing out of the classroom. Cheerilee was filled with pride as she watch her student embark on a new adventure. She knew it was a wonderful thing to be in love and wished her well, no matter what happened.

“I guess they really do grow up fast.” Cheerilee said wistfully as she watched Peppermint Twist leave.

Peppermint Twist raced towards the Ponyville Library as fast as her hooves could carry her. She had no idea what Cheerilee meant by urges. Her only urge now was to see Spike and talk to him again. Still if there was something that she could do to be even closer to Spike, why would it be so bad for her to do it? The very notion that there was some forbidden way of being with Spike seemed pretty exciting.

The little filly made it to the library in record time. It had been awhile since she’d been here. She always had an avid love of reading, but the former librarian was extremely strict. It was her mission in life to drive anyone who came to the library off by being as rude and inhospitable as possible. At one point, she accused Twist of breathing too loud. After that Twist had decided to avoid the place all together. Although that pony had retired awhile ago, the memories of that curmudgeonly, old mare kept her away, until now of course.

The filly was out of breath as she finally reached her destination. As she stood before the door of the massive tree, she wondered what the new librarian was like. Spike was way too young to be left in charge of the place so there had to be someone else. The memories of the former librarian came flooding back. What if the pony Spike was living with someone who was worse than that old librarian? The filly took a deep breath and tried to prepare herself for whatever was inside.

“This is for Spike.” Twist said letting herself in. To her surprise, she recognized the mare as she walked in. It was that purple unicorn who stood up for Applebloom when Diamond Tiara started making fun of her for not having her cutie mark. The mare was sitting at a desk when she looked up and spotted the redheaded visitor.

“Hi, I’m Twilight Sparkle. Can I help you?” The mare said happy to have a visitor. She was beginning to believe that ponies in this town didn’t read at all. It was finally nice to have a visitor that wasn’t one of her friends for once.

“I’m Peppermint Twist. Are you the new librarian?” The filly asked hopefully.

“Yes, my assistant and I moved in just a couple of weeks ago.” Twilight Sparkle said. 

“Your assistant?” Twist said as her curiosity was piqued.

“Excuse me?” Twilight asked unable to comprehend that last word.

“I mean your helper.” Twist said rephrasing her response.

“Oh, you mean Spike! He’s out right now. Are you a friend of his?” The curious mare asked. Peppermint Twist couldn’t exactly call herself a friend of Spike’s. They had bumped into each other just once and talked for a couple seconds.

“We met the other day when he bumped into me. I was just hoping to talk with him.” Twist said as something occurred to her. She had been so caught up in trying to see Spike again that she had no idea what to talk about when she confronted him. It would be weird if she just showed up to see him and had nothing to discuss.

“He’ll probably be back sooner or later. If you’d like to speak with him, you could just wait here for him.” Twilight offered. The filly decided to just stay and wait for his return. Running around town searching for him would make it easy to miss him. She could also stay and find out more about Spike from Twilight Sparkle.

“Okay, but may I ask you a few questions about Spike?” Twilight Sparkle was beginning to see her visitor had a rather odd fascination with her young ward. She had received questions about Spike before, but something about this filly seemed different from the natural curiosity that comes with seeing a baby dragon for the first time.

“Sure, I guess I could answer a few questions. What would you like to know?” Twilight said prompting a deluge of questions to spill forth from the little earth pony who stood before her.

“Where did he come from? How did he become your helper? What was he like before he came to Ponyville? What’s his favorite food?  Does he like candy? If so, what’s his favorite kind? What does he do for fun? Does he-” Twilight quickly placed a hoof over the filly’s mouth. She hadn’t seen anypony take this much of an interest in her number one assistant, even Fluttershy didn’t ask this many questions when she met Spike.

“Whoa! Hold on a second, Twist. Before I answer your questions, can I ask you why you want to know all this?” Twilight asked removing her hoof. Peppermint Twist looked down and rubbed her foreleg nervously. She had gotten too excited and know Twilight Sparkle was on to her. Maybe she could lie her way out of it, but she was terrible at that sort of thing.

“Uhhh…I just want to be Spike’s friend.” Twist said stepping back. She knew it was a terrible lie. Nopony would buy such a blatant fib.

“So you just asked all those questions because you want to be his friend?” Twilight Sparkle asked suspiciously. It was too late to take it back. Twist knew how smart and wise Twilight was from her speech at the party. She had probably seen through her ruse already.

“Ummm…yeah.” The filly replied still clinging to slim hope that her lie might succeed.

“Come on, Twist. I think we both know what’s going on here. You obviously don‘t want to be his friend.” Twilight Sparkle said causing Twist to panic. She had been caught. It was so stupid to lie to somepony as intelligent as Twilight Sparkle. She definitely knew Twist had a huge crush on Spike.

“You obviously want to be his best friend!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed.

“Wha-” Peppermint Twist said completely flabbergasted.

“Don’t try to deny it, Twist. I think it’s a great idea. This is an excellent opportunity to show the princess that my studies in friendship are going well. As a matter of fact, I promise to do everything in my power to make sure you and Spike are absolutely inseparable.” Twilight Sparkle said excitedly pacing around the room. Twist was at a loss for words as she watched Twilight walk around the room. Was this really happening? It seemed to be too good to be true.

“So you’re going to help me get closer to Spike?” The filly asked still suffering from mild disbelief. It wasn’t that she didn’t want Twilight’s help. It was probably a bigger boon than anything to have Spike’s guardian assisting her as she attempted to get closer to him. It just seemed too good to be true.

“Of course, I will, and I know exactly where to start.” Twilight walked over to a chest and levitated out a giant photo album with a crudely drawn dragon on the cover. It was a book she received from Princess Celestia when she was younger. It was from when she first took Spike under her care. With some help from Princess Celestia, she had managed to keep a detailed record of every important moment of his entire life up till now.

“What’s that?” Peppermint Twist asked as she watched Twilight place the book on a table before them.

“I’m going to teach you everything you need to know about Spike. By the time we’re done, you’ll know more about him than he does.” Twilight said as she opened the book. Peppermint Twist listened and absorbed every significant memory of Spike’s life over the next couple of hours. Her keen mind committing it all to detail. The two ponies lost track of time as Twilight revealed every personal detail of Spike’s life to the filly. Twilight Sparkle looked out the window to see the sun starting to set and Spike still hadn’t returned.

“It’s getting pretty late, Twist. You should probably get home. I wish Spike was here though.” Twilight Sparkle said wanting to bring Spike and Twist closer together. She couldn’t very well create a friendship between two people if one of them wasn’t there.

“It’s okay, Twilight. I’m just so happy I got to learn so much about Spike.” Peppermint Twist said happily going over everything she had learned. Spike was kind, helpful, and always looking out for his guardian, Twilight. Although she hadn’t seen him today, her infatuation with the dragon had grown to new heights.

“I’m glad I could help you. Why don’t you come by tomorrow and I’ll make sure he’s here.” Twilight said inviting her back.

“Okay, I’ll be there. See you tomorrow, Twilight.” Peppermint Twist said cheerfully as she put her saddlebag on and left.

The filly skipped home positively ecstatic. She didn’t get to meet Spike, but she had made a powerful ally in Twilight Sparkle who promised to help her become Spike’s best friend. It may have been a bit misleading, but Twist figured when they started dating they’d be best friends anyway. Twilight would get to impress the princess, and she and Spike would be together. It was a win-win for everypony involved.

As the redheaded earth pony skipped down the dirt path towards her home, she was being watched by two ponies secretly lying in wait in a bush. It was Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. They had tracked her to the library by asking around. After hours of waiting, their target had finally revealed itself.

“Are you sure about this Diamond Tiara?” Silver Spoon asked feeling bad about this whole thing.

“Of course, I am. It‘s all her fault that we got that homework assignment.” Diamond Tiara said as if it made perfect sense. Silver Spoon knew it was their fault for making fun of Twist. She had been trying to convince her of that for the past couple of hours, but Diamond Tiara remained adamant that Twist was to blame.

“Okay, but throwing hardboiled eggs at her seems kind of harsh.” Silver Spoon said looking at the dozen eggs Diamond Tiara had brought. It was practically like throwing rocks at her.

“I’m sick of your complaining, Silver Spoon. If you don’t like it, just go home already.” Diamond Tiara said waiting for Twist to past the bush so they could ambush her. She’d do this without Silver Spoon if she had to.

“I’ll be quiet.” Silver Spoon said resigning herself to Diamond Tiara’s whim. Ever since the disaster at her cuteceanara, Diamond Tiara had changed. She was far more vitriolic and unstable than ever before. Silver Spoon realized that whatever good was in her friend was pushed even further down by the embarrassment of what happened that day. At this point, she was scared of what would happen if she left Diamond Tiara’s side. She could be the next one being pelted with hardboiled eggs or worse.

Peppermint Twist was humming a cheerful little tune as she passed by the bush, unaware of the trap that was about to spring. Her happiness only made Diamond Tiara more bitter towards the filly. She wondered what reason she had to be happy at all. She was ugly. She didn’t even have a cuteceanara because her stupid family was dirt poor. How dare she be happier than her? The enraged filly picked up an egg in her hoof and stood up.

“Hey, egghead! Special delivery!” Diamond Tiara shouted as she hurled the hardened projectile with all her might. Peppermint Twist turned around to see the egg coming straight at her. She was nowhere near athletic enough to move out of the way in time. She closed her eyes and prepared for impact.

Suddenly someone pushed Twist from the side to the ground and shielded her. At first, she had no idea what was happening as the stranger stood over her. Whoever it was covered her head with his arms and pushed his body down over hers.  She should have been panicking like crazy, but something told her that this person was trying to help her.

“I think someone’s protecting her.” Silver Spoon said. Diamond Tiara didn’t care though.

“Grr! Keep throwing!” Diamond Tiara barked at her friend. Silver Spoon did as she commanded and continued to pelt the purple figure covering Peppermint Twist.

Peppermint Twist began to feel funny as she realized who it was shielding her. It was Spike. The smooth, warm surface of the his body awakened something in Twist. As her savior body’s lay atop her, she wanted to hug him as strange as it seemed. It was like she wanted to push him inside of her. As ludicrous as the idea seemed, it somehow made perfect sense.

Diamond Tiara reached for another egg only to find the entire dozen had been exhausted. She looked over at Twist who was still unscathed and growled. She wanted to scream as she realized her plan had failed.

“Come on, Diamond Tiara. Let’s get out of here.” Silver Spoon said pulling her leg. Diamond Tiara reluctantly complied but not before making another promise.

“I swear I’ll make you pay, dork!” Diamond Tiara said as she and her friend retreated.

“I think they’re gone.” The voice of her savior said. Twist recognized it almost immediately.

“Spike?” Twist said looking at him as he got up. The dragon stood up and extended a helping claw to her. She placed her hoof upwards as Spike lifted her to a standing position. The feeling of his claw wrapped around her foreleg brought back tender memories.

“Are you all right?” Spike asked as he wiped bits of egg off his back. Peppermint Twist was left speechless as she watched her hero clean himself off. Everything inside of her wanted to embrace him and kiss him for his selfless act. She even wanted him to lie on top of her like when she protected her.

“Umm… I think you had an accident.” Spike said pointing between her back legs where a trickle of clear liquid could be seen falling down her legs. Peppermint Twist didn’t even realize it till Spike pointed it out. Her face turned completely red as she quickly fled the scene.

Spike watched as the filly ran away. Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything. He looked over to the ground and spotted a saddlebag lying on the ground. He picked it up and inspected the inside flap for any information. Luckily, there was an address sewn to the inside of the bag.

“I guess I’m going to be pretty late getting home. Twilight‘s going to kill me later.” Spike sighed as he slung the bag over his shoulder and headed towards the address.

> Urges
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Urges

Chapter 2


“I’m so stupid!” Peppermint Twist cried as she entered her home. The fiily ran to her room and hopped onto her bed. She cried into the nearest pillow she could reach. She sobbed loudly and openly into the pillow as she lay across her bed.

“Why did I do that? I didn’t even think I had to pee.” Peppermint Twist said trying to recall what happened. She did feel a pleasurable tingle in her nether regions, but she had no idea why she would wet herself in front of him.

“He probably thinks I’m some gross little foal who couldn’t control herself.” Twist said bawling into her pillow. She knew he’d be right to think that. After all, she had no idea why it happened either. She couldn’t face him after that. She’d have to cancel tomorrow. Twilight probably wouldn’t want her anywhere near Spike after such a shameful display.

Her little filly heart felt like it was breaking as everything came crashing down around her. She was well on her way to being closer than ever to the dragon she loved before this debacle happened. Now she felt completely alone left to wallow in her own misery. Spike would never accept her now.

“I wish I were dead.” Twist uttered aloud as she wiped the tears from her face.

“Oh, come on! It’s not that big of a deal.” A familiar voice called out. Twist looked up to find Spike standing in her doorway. She rolled out of her bed and fell onto the floor in shock. She instantly picked herself up and looked at him.

“W-What are you doing here?” She asked readjusting her glasses.

“You dropped this and the door was open so I let myself in.” Spike said holding up her saddlebag in one claw. Twist didn’t even realize she had lost it. It must have fallen off when he protected her. He was smiling at her which made her both a little happy and a little angry.

“Thanks for bringing it to me.” Twist said hiding behind her bed. She didn’t want Spike to see her. 

“Are you okay?” Spike asked. He knew it was a dumb question but he figured he’d ask anyway.

“Yeah.” Twist said still huddled on the other side of her bed.

“I won’t tell anyone about it. If that’s what you’re worried about.” Spike said scratching the back of his head. That wasn’t much comfort seeing as he was the only one she cared about.

“Okay.” Twist said trying to get him to leave. What he said next, caught her completely off guard.

“It’s perfectly natural, you know.” Spike said causing the filly to peek over the bed at him.

“Huh?” Twist said looking at Spike with confusion.

“To get wet like that.” Spike said causing Twist to get angry.

“What’s natural about peeing on yourself?” Peppermint Twist stood up and shouted. She didn’t mean to get mad at him. This was just so embarrassing for her and he didn’t seem to take it seriously at all. Instead of storming out, Spike just laughed at her.

“You didn’t pee on yourself. You just got a little aroused.” Spike said placing the saddlebag on a nearby table. He walked over to the bed and took a seat on the red and white bedspread facing the door way.

“Aroused?” Twist asked not getting the meaning he was trying to convey.

“You know, excited or horny.” Spike explained.

“I don’t get it.” Peppermint Twist said. It was at that moment Spike realized that Peppermint Twist was completely pure. She didn’t know anything about sex at all. 

Growing up in a library, Spike learned all this stuff from the mature books Twilight thought she had kept well hidden. At first, he just read them because he wanted to know what Twilight was keeping from him. Eventually, he became enamored with the world of sex. He read everything from sex ed books to  dirty romance novels. He had even learned the pleasures of masturbation through his studies. Despite his sizeable knowledge of the forbidden subject, he was still a virgin. Something he hoped he’d change with Rarity someday.

“All you need to know is it was my fault, okay? So try not to kill yourself over it.” Spike joked. Peppermint Twist felt much better about the whole thing, but she wanted to know why it happened in the first place. It seemed like Spike and Miss Cheerilee knew something she didn’t and nobody seemed to want to tell her anything about it.

“Could you do it again?” Peppermint Twist asked.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” Spike said looking at the door. Her parents could come home any minute. If they found a dragon in their daughter’s bedroom, things could turn ugly fast.

“Please, I’m so confused about my body and no one else will tell me anything.” Peppermint Twist pleaded. Spike figured it was simpler than explaining things and this was a pretty rare opportunity for him as well.

“Alright, hop up on the bed.” Spike said giving in to his own perverted curiosity. It wasn’t everyday that somepony offered their body up like this. He was usually relegated to looking in books or his imagination when ever he could. He would only look though. In no way shape or form, would he lay a claw on Twist’s body.

Peppermint Twist did as she was told. She climbed up on the bed and awaited his next command. Something about being in the same bed as Spike made her really happy. With all the ups and downs she had been through today, this felt like the high point of the entire day.

Spike couldn’t believe how easy this all was. He sat on the edge of the bed just watching Twist with lustful eyes. She wasn’t the prettiest pony, but she seemed alright as far as fillies went. She had an innocent charm to her that kind of made Spike excited.

Twist could literally feel Spike’s gaze taking every inch of her body in as she stood before him. She could feel that same pleasurable tingle from earlier. She mentally scolded herself for getting like this so soon. If she got wet too soon, Spike might leave and she wanted to see where this was going.

“Now turn around. Put your head down, but keep your back legs up.” Spike said completely focused on Twist as she lowered her head and did as she was told. With her tail facing him, he could catch a glimpse of her beautiful pink pussy. It was neatly folded in and perfectly rectangular. Spike unconsciously licked his lips as he saw such a wonderful sight close up for the first time in his life. The pictures in those sexual education books didn’t do it justice. He had to look away as he felt a raging hard on start to grow in his lap.

“What am I doing? This has gone way too far. If this keeps going, I don’t know what I’ll do.” Spike thought to himself as he put his claws over his crotch. His thoughts were interrupted by Peppermint Twist who was becoming impatient.

“What should I do next, Spike?” Twist asked innocently. Spike knew there was nothing inherently sexy about the way she said it, but it came out that way in his mind. He took a quick glimpse to see if she was wet. Nothing. Spike decided to get it over with before he did something they’d both regret.

“Lift you tail.” Spike said looking at her long back legs. She did as he said fully revealing herself to him. It occurred to Spike that Peppermint Twist wasn’t exactly objecting to any of this. Any other filly would have objected or at least hesitated before exposing herself to some guy she met yesterday. Twist, on the other claw, had followed every command with eager anticipation. She had even asked when Spike failed to prompt her in a timely manner. 

Spike felt like the situation had taken on a mind of it’s own at this point. He climbed onto the bed and crawled towards Twist’s exposed hindquarters. Moving in very carefully, he found his target. A small round bump at the top of Twist’s precious, pink lips. He began to gently blow on it. 

“Mmmm! What are you doing?” Twist moaned as the warm breath of the dragon hit the bump. Shivers went up her spine as the simple action nearly caused her to buckle from the sheer pleasure.

Spike licked his lips as he was less than an inch away from her pussy. The sweet aroma of candy seemed to be calling out to him. Spike could see she was wet now. He had accomplished his goal, but he didn’t want to stop. Twist obviously didn’t want him to. How many chances would he have to do something like this? Rarity wasn’t exactly doing this kind of thing for him. Who knows when she ever would?

“Oh no! I’m trying to think myself into doing something horrible. I have to get out of here.” Spike thought to himself. He couldn’t take advantage of her. She didn’t know any better. Spike jumped off the bed and turned away from Twist.

“See? I made you wet. Now if you’ll excuse me, I should be getting home.” Spike said looking out the door. He heard Twist move behind him, but didn’t turn around. He felt stuck between his desire to stay and his desire to go. He could feel her presence directly behind him now as she rested her head against his back.

“Please don’t go. Teach me.” Peppermint Twist pleaded in a low whisper as she nuzzled his back. Spike swallowed hard as he felt Twist’s soft fur caress his scales. He wanted to turn around and hug her. To show her all those things they did in those dirty romance novels. He wanted to let his imagination run wild with Peppermint Twist as his canvas.

“I’m sorry. I just can‘t.” Spike said taking off as he ran from her room. He didn’t look back. If he turned around, he knew there’d be no return. As Spike made it to the library, he was mentally and physically exhausted. He slumped against the door taking a seat on the ground and looked up at the night sky. He couldn’t go inside like this anyway. He was all sweaty and shaken up by the experience. Twilight would only ask more questions than he cared to answer at this point. As soon as he felt up to it, Spike entered the library calmly and coolly.

“Hey, Twilight! Sorry, I’m late.” Spike said greeting the purple mare as he usually did.

“It’s about time you showed up. I have the most wonderful news.” Twilight said.

~

Peppermint Twist didn’t give chase this time. She just watched as Spike left. She didn’t feel sad as Spike left her there alone with these strange feelings coursing through her body. For the first time in her life, she felt powerful.

Spike didn’t run because he was repulsed. It was the exact opposite. He ran because he was being pulled in. Twist had him right where she wanted him and Spike knew that so he ran. She still didn’t understand much, but one thing was certain. She had power over Spike. A power she would use to take him for her own. She couldn‘t remember being so excited for tomorrow.

The Next Morning

“How could you just decide something like that without even talking to me?” Spike said angrily as he ate breakfast with Twilight Sparkle.

“I don’t see why you’re making such a big deal about this. Peppermint Twist is a nice filly. She’d make a wonderful best friend for you.” Twilight Sparkle argued. She couldn’t see why Spike was so opposed to making a new friend.

“You’re my best friend.” Spike said yawning loudly.

“I still am, Spike, and Peppermint Twist will be too. We’ll all be best friends. Isn’t that wonderful?” Twilight said happily.

“Whatever.” Spike said too tired to continue.

“Just wait and see, Spike. You two will be practically attached at the hips when this is over.” Twilight said.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Spike said under his breath. Spike had decided along time ago that he would lose his virginity to Rarity. He almost broke that promise last night with Twist. Part of him still wanted to.

“Did you sleep okay? You seem kind of out it.” Twilight asked as she watched her assistant try to lazily navigate a spoonful of cereal towards his mouth with little success.

“Not really.” Spike yawned.

“Bad dreams?” Twilight guessed.

“Something like that.” Spike responded. Every time he fell asleep he’d dream up some strange roleplay scenario involving Twist. At first, it was the domineering corporate executive and his eager new assistant. After that it was the perverted professor and the desperate coed. Last but not least was the lusty gardener and the lonely housewife.

“I’m never reading another romance novel as long as I live.” Spike thought to himself.

“I have a spell for sleep, but you won‘t be able to wake up for the next eight hours.” Twilight said offering her assistance.

“Aww, I guess I’ll miss seeing Twist then. I was really looking forward to it too.” Spike said in a patronizing tone.

“Don’t worry. If I cast it now, you’ll wake up just when she arrives.” Twilight said thwarting his plan.

“We can wait a few hours before we cast it, right? I am eating breakfast now.” Spike said trying to stall her but Twilight’s horn was already glowing.

“You can barely feed yourself. I think now is the perfect time.” Twilight said lifting Spike out of his chair.

“Can’t we talk about this?” Spike said trying wriggle free of her magical hold.

“Sweet dreams, Spike.” Twilight said before she put Spike to sleep with a flash of magic.

~

“Spike, it’s time to go. Wake up!” 

“Huh?” The dragon said sitting up and looking around. He was laying on a couch in some kind of dressing room and Twilight was standing in front of him wearing a simple white dress. He definitely wasn’t in the library anymore.

“Come on, Spike. You don’t want to keep Rarity waiting, do you?” Twilight said jogging in place.

“Rarity’s waiting for me?” Spike asked trying to figure all this out. Before Twilight could respond, an organ began to play wedding music.

“We’re late! Let‘s go.” Twilight said placing Spike on her back and galloping out of the room at full speed. Spike struggled to hold on as the mare carried to who knows where.

“Late for what? Is someone getting married?” Spike said barely holding on to Twilight‘s dress.

“This is no time for jokes, Spike!” Twilight said turning several tight corners that almost sent him flying. As they made there way down multiple hallways, Spike recognized the grand pillars and plush red carperts as those that decorated Canterlot Castle. 

“I’m not joking. I honestly have no idea what‘s going on.” Spike said as they approached two giant doors leading to the banquet hall. Twilight stopped and let Spike dismount.

“Did you seriously forget you’re marrying Rarity today?” Twilight asked him.

“What!” Spike exclaimed.

“Why do you think you’re wearing that suit?” Twilight said bringing attention to the finely crafted black tuxedo jacket and white shirt adorning the dragon’s chest. He didn’t even notice he was wearing it till Twilight pointed it out.

“Listen, we don’t have time for you to figure this out. Rarity is waiting behind that door. Do you want to get married or not?” Twilight asked him. Spike didn’t have to think twice about such a question. Rarity was the only pony for him.

“I guess I forgot. Must be the pre-wedding jitters, you know.” Spike said scratching the back of his head nervously. He didn’t remember anything leading up to this, but as long as he was marrying the love of his life, it didn’t matter.

“I’m going to teleport inside and take my place. When the music starts over, the doors will open and you walk down the aisle. Got it?” Twilight Sparkle said quickly explaining the plan. 

“Got it!” Spike said giving her the thumbs up. Twilight Sparkle nodded and disappeared in a flash.

Spike stood outside the door and waited for his cue. He stared at the door wondering what Rarity would look like in a wedding dress. He couldn’t wait to go in and see his beautiful bride. Spike heard his cue as the music stopped and started over. The doors opened revealing his bride to be.

“Whoa!” Spike said as he stared in awe at Rarity. She was wearing a beautiful, silky white gown that flowed seamlessly down her back as the sun gleamed off it giving her a radiant glow that seemed to light up the entire room. A thin white veil covered her beautiful blue eyes and demure smile that were completely focused on him. 

As Spike started his march toward wedded bliss, Princess Celestia presided over the ceremonies as Twilight stood on Spike’s side as his best mare. Rarity’s sister stood next to her in a cute little white dress of her own. Everypony from Ponyville was there to witness the union of him and Rarity. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were all sitting in the front row. The music stopped as Spike stepped up to join his bride at the altar. With a nod from the happy couple, Princess Celestia began the festivities.

“Ladies and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to join Spike and Rarity in holy matrimony. Rarity, do you take this dragon to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold as long as you both shall live?”

“Of course, I do.” Rarity said putting a hoof out for Spike to hold.

“Spike, do you take this mare to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” Spike said enthusiastically. He couldn’t imagine a more perfect moment than the one he was experiencing now. Standing in front of everyone he knew while the love of his life pledged her eternal devotion to him.

“If there are any objections, speak now or forever hold your peace?”

“Nothing could ruin this moment.” Spike thought to himself as he gazed into Rarity’s beautiful blue eyes.

“I object to this travesty!” A familiar lisp cried out. Spike’s heart fell as he turned to see Peppermint Twist standing in the center of the aisle with an overstuffed backpack on her back. Everyone gasped at the sudden outburst. Rarity looked at the defiant filly then back to Spike.

“Spike, who is she?” Rarity asked confused. Spike just gulped and tugged at the collar of his tuxedo.

“I-I don’t know. She‘s nobody. Is she even really there? I don’t see anypony. Let‘s finish the ceremony and we can talk about it later. Princess?” Spike said hoping everyone would just ignore her.

“Before I complete the ceremony, I think I’d like to hear this little filly out. Why exactly are you objecting to this marriage?” Princess Celestia asked to Spike’s dismay.

“Because of this, your highness.” Twist carefully removed the backpack and held its contents above her head for all to see. Everyone gasped in shock as she revealed what was inside.

“Is that what I think it is?” Rarity asked.

“It’s our dragon egg!” Twist said holding up a large red and white egg with a swirl pattern adorning it’s exterior.

“That’s impossible! I didn’t touch you. That could be a griffin egg for all we know.” Spike protested. As he said that, the egg started to hatch revealing a tiny white dragon with red scales going down his back. Everyone glared at Spike as he scrambled for some sort of reason.

“Okay so it’s a dragon, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s my dragon.” Spike said starting to sweat. Unfortunately at that moment, the tiny dragon let out a burp of green flames and spoke.

“Holy guacamole!” He uttered. Everyone turned and looked at Spike who just tugged anxiously at his collar.

“Umm… I got nothing.” Spike said unable to explain away what just happened.

“I don’t even know you anymore!” Rarity cried as she ran away from him with tears in her eyes. Spike tried to give chase but the tiny dragon had made his way to Spike’s leg and was hugging him. His big pink eyes looking up at him.

“Papa?” The little dragon said eliciting “awws” from the crowd.

“No, but-” 

“I hope you’re ready to take responsibility for this. This is a serious matter, Spike.” Princess Celestia said in a grave tone of voice. Spike felt like everything was spinning for a moment.

“I know how this looks, but I never even had sex with her. This is not my child.” Spike pleaded his case to the princess.

“Since we’re already here, would you do the honors, Princess Celestia?” Peppermint Twist said taking Rarity’s place at the altar.

“This is insane! You can’t be serious?” Spike asked her majesty.

“I actually think it’s a great idea.” Princess Celestia said as her horn glowed making a ball and chain appear on Spike’s ankle.

“No way! You can’t make me this do!” Spike said trying to pry himself free.

“Actually, I can with or without your permission. I just have to ask your bride now. Well, Twist?” Princess Celestia said turning to the filly.

“I super, duper do!” Peppermint Twist said hugging Spike who was being held by Twist, his illegitimate son, and a ball and chain that magically attached itself to his leg..

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the groom.” Princess Celestia said causing everyone to applaud and chant.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Everyone chanted as Twist leaned towards the hopelessly trapped dragon. Spike tried to run but couldn‘t move.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

~

Spike sat up straight in his basket back in the library. A cold sweat running down his face. He quickly searched himself making sure nothing was holding him. He let out a sigh as he realized it wasn‘t real.

“It was just a bad dream.” Spike said looking out the window to his left. The sun was shining brightly as the birds sang songs of joy and happiness. 

“Everything is right with the world.” Spike thought to himself as he looked at the clear blue sky.

“Trouble sleeping?”

“Yeah, I had this terrible dream where I was marrying….. Peppermint Twist! What are you doing here?” Spike said stumbling out of his bed as the filly stood to the right.

“You had a dream we were getting married. That’s so sweet! What was it like? Was I wearing a pretty dress? Did we kiss in front of everyone? Oh my gosh, that’d be so embarrassing!” Twist rambled on for a few minutes before Spike got tired of it and finally decided to speak up.

“What are you doing here?” Spike asked getting up.

“Well, Twilight had to step out to help Pinkie Pie with a baking emergency so she asked me to be here when you woke up. You’re so cute when you’re snoring.” Peppermint Twist took a step towards Spike but he took another step back.

“Listen, I know you like me and all. Honestly, who wouldn’t? But I just don’t feel the same way about you.” Spike said in a firm, even tone. Twist looked a little sad at this point as her smile stat.

“What about last night? I thought we had something special.” Twist said taking another step towards him with a sorrowful look on her face. Spike took another step backwards. His back now literally to the wall.

“Last night was a one time thing. You asked me to do something and I did it. It’s over.” Spike said standing strong. He knew how harsh he was sounding but he had to put an end to this.

“You’re lying! It’s not over. No one ever made me feel this way before, Spike. Last night meant something to you too. I know it.” Peppermint Twist as she took a step towards Spike trying to close the gap between them. She knew if she could just touch him. If she could feel him, he’d realize it too.

“No, stay away from me!” Spike shouted as he pushed her away. Peppermint Twist fell to the ground as she stumbled over Spike’s bed. She landed hard as the sound echoed throughout the library.

Spike was as surprised as Twist was. He had never hit a girl before. His first instinct was to help her up and apologize profusely for this ugly mess. Then he thought about what would happen after that. She might get the wrong idea and try to get close to him again. She already had it in her mind that they had some sort of connection. He had to break her of that belief. As much as he hated doing it, he had to prepare himself for what he had to do next.

Peppermint Twist lay on the floor in pain. It wasn’t the physical pain that bothered her, but the emotional one boiling up inside of her. She knew deep down in her heart that they were meant to be together. She got to her hooves and looked at Spike with tear filled eyes.

“I love you, Spike.” She whimpered as she stared at him longingly. Spike had avoided eye contact, but those words hit him hard. It made what he said next all the harder.

“Just leave. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

At that moment, Peppermint Twist could feel her heart shatter into tiny pieces. The cold delivery of those words had left her in a state of pain not even she could describe. She wanted to cry but couldn’t. She wanted to run but her body wouldn’t respond. It was like she just shut herself down to protect herself from those words but the damage was done.

Spike watched as Peppermint Twist slowly turned around and walked away with her head hanging. Her movements seemed stiff and creepy. It was almost like watching a life size wind up toy try to walk like a pony. 

Spike felt horrible as he watched her walk out the door He looked down at the palm of his claws before clenching them tightly.

“It had to be done, Spike.” He told himself over and over again. He wanted to believe those words with all his might, but something told him that it wasn’t right. He pushed those feelings down and began to fix his bed. Twilight would be home soon and he had to explain that Twist wouldn’t be coming back again.
> Turnaround
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Turnaround

Chapter 3


Peppermint Twist walked through the streets of Ponyville with no signs of emotion or energy. Several ponies stopped to ask her what was wrong, but Twist merely kept walking as if they didn’t exist. She had no idea where she was going. Her mind was too fractured to do anything except keep moving away from Spike. Away from everything.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were walking alone when they happen to spot the distraught filly walking down the road towards them. Diamond Tiara smiled as she saw the filly headed towards her, but Silver Spoon could see something was off about her.

“Is something wrong with Twist?” Silver Spoon asked. She could tell that the normally hyper pony wasn’t herself as she walked at a painfully slow pace.

“Let’s go find out.” Diamond Tiara said deviously as a wicked grin crossed her face.

“I don’t know, Diamond. She looks pretty bummed already. Maybe we should let it slide for once.” Silver Spoon said feeling a pang of pity for her. Normally, she’d be the first to rip into the ugly, little suck up, but Twist already looked pretty depressed enough without the two of them going at her.

“Fine, I guess I’ll do it myself as always.” Diamond Tiara said walking towards the filly. Silver Spoon decided to follow but chose to stay silent when Diamond Tiara started to making fun of Twist. She was hoping that Diamond Tiara would come to her senses and realize that teasing somebody who was already depressed was a bad idea. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

“Hey, Twist! What’s wrong Twist look in a mirror lately?” Diamond Tiara said trotting next to Twist. The filly didn’t even lift her head as she continued to walk ahead.

“Are you okay?” Silver Spoon asked becoming concerned. Twist should have at least reacted to that. Diamond Tiara shot her friend a dirty look for actually showing some leniency to Twist before insulting her again.

“Maybe she just realized how hopelessly, pathetic she really is. I mean she‘s hideous, has that stupid lisp, and her family‘s a bunch middle class nobodies. I‘d be sad too if I were her.” Diamond Tiara said getting really vicious. Peppermint Twist continued to ignore her despite her biting remarks. Diamond Tiara decided to go a different route altogether this time.

“Where’s your freaky boyfriend, Twist? I bet he totally dumped your ugly butt. I can’t blame him though. Even a weirdo like him could do better than you.” Diamond Tiara said insulting Spike.

“What’d you say about him?” Peppermint Twist responded as she stopped dead in her tracks. Diamond Tiara rejoiced at a reaction from Twist. Silver Spoon was however worried about the fire in Peppermint Twist’s eyes that appeared.

“Diamond, I really think we should leave.” Silver Spoon said trying to warn Diamond Tiara. Her friend didn’t even acknowledge her as she decided to go after Twist again.

“You heard me. I’m talking about that wingless lizard who calls himself a dragon. You two losers are actually made for each other.” Diamond Tiara said jumping in front of Twist. Peppermint Twist was never one for confrontation. She always convinced herself that it was better to be quiet in the presence of Diamond Tiara. If she stayed quiet and didn’t respond, Diamond Tiara would get bored and move on to somepony else. This was different. After having her heart broken and being subjected to such ridicule, all those repressed moments where she told herself not to fight ran through her head instilling her with an emotional buildup that seemed long overdue. It was a righteous fury that came from years of just taking Diamond Tiara’s constant abuse. She looked her tormentor straught in the eyes and stared her down.

“Take it back.” Twist said ready to explode. Silver Spoon could see that Twist was absolutely in no mood for Diamond Tiara’s teasing. She’d never thought of Peppermint Twist as anything but pathetic. Something was different now. She was actually a bit scary as hard as it was for her to believe.

“Maybe we should just let it go this time, Diamond.” Silver Spoon said trying to pull her friend away before Peppermint Twist did something. Diamond Tiara just yanked her hoof away from Silver Spoon and put it in directly in the center of Twist’s chest poking her.

“What’s the teacher’s pet going to do? Tattle on me? Cheerilee’s not here to stick up for her and she can’t do it herself so I’m not taking anything back. What are you going to do about it, Twist? Your loser boyfriend isn‘t here anymore. Who‘s going to protect you now?” Diamond Tiara said as she pushed the filly a little. Peppermint Twist’s mind flashed back to the moment when Spike pushed her. She realized that she was always like this. Ponies would push her and she’d just accept it.

She didn’t want to do that anymore. Would she always be a background character in her own story? Always letting others cast her aside be cause she was too weak to fight back. She didn’t want to accept Diamond Tiara’s harassment. She didn’t want to accept Spike’s rejection. She was tired of taking what life gave her. From now on, she’d stop being so passive. She looked at her bully and did something that left everyone stunned, including herself.

Peppermint Twist head butted Diamond Tiara as hard as she could. Her glasses were sent flying as she placed her forehead square into her opponent’s. Diamond Tiara crumpled to the ground as her head rang from the force of the unexpected move.

“Are you crazy?” Silver Spoon asked Peppermint Twist who was standing tall over Diamond Tiara. Peppermint Twist didn’t look the least bit fazed as she looked down at Diamond Tiara

“Take it back.” Peppermint Twist said in low menacing tone. The duo had never seen this side of Twist before. Diamond Tiara wasn’t going to back down though.

“Never!” Diamond Tiara said defiantly. Peppermint Twist placed a hoof on Diamond Tiara’s mane and began pushing the filly’s head into the dirt, sending her tiara to the ground as she struggled to lift her head.

“Take it back!” Peppermint Twist said putting more weight on her hoof. The emboldened filly felt a bit of an adrenaline rush as she pushed the richest brat in town headfirst into the dirt.

“Ow! Ow! Help me, Silver Spoon!” Diamond Tiara cried out to her friend. Silver Spoon started to make a move when Peppermint Twist shot her a look that sent ice down her veins. It was like staring down a dangerous animal at the zoo. Her pink eyes were wild and bloodshot. The nerdy filly looked like a madpony out for blood.

“Maybe you should just take it back, Diamond Tiara. She looks really scary right now.” Silver Spoon said backing down.

“Are you kidding me? Ow! Ow!” Diamond Tiara cried out in agony.

“Take! It! Back!” Twist said pushing down even harder. At this point, Diamond Tiara realized there was nothing to be gained, except bruises and scars from disobeying her.

“Alright, I take it back! You’re not a loser!” Diamond Tiara shouted.

“Take back what you said about Spike!” Peppermint Twist demanded.

“I take everything back! Just let me go!” Diamond Tiara said on the verge of tears. She was in so much pain and she just wanted Twist to lay off. Peppermint Twist did as she said, but not before she made her flail in the dirt for a few more seconds.

Silver Spoon ran to her friend’s side helping her to stand. Diamond Tiara’s mane was a complete mess and her chin had some bleeding from being scratched up. The worst part was her head which was throbbing in pain. She could still feel the impression of hoof print on her head. She started to cry as Silver Spoon helped her limp away.

“First, my cuteceanara is ruined and now I’m being pushed her around by Peppermint Twist. I’m so pathetic.” Diamond Tiara thought as she leaned against her best friend for support.

Peppermint Twist watched her former bullies slink away and smiled. Without her glasses, she could barely make them out, but she felt empowered after defending herself for the first time ever. She felt her way towards her glasses and put them back on. She also spotted Diamond’s tiara sitting on the ground nearby. She looked at it for a moment before turning around bucking as far as she could.

“Bitches.” Twist said walking home. Now that she’d crossed Daimond Tiara and Silver Spoon off her list. She had to decide what to do about Spike now. One thing was for certain though. She’d fight until Spike responded to her feelings and nothing would stand in her way.

Back at the library

“What do you mean she just left?” Twilight Sparkle asked in disbelief. Her friendship project between Spike and Peppermint Twist had apparently gone up in smoke while she was helping Pinkie Pie clean up. The pink mare had decided to put a little too much yeast into one of the pastries and it left a nasty mess all over the bakery. With Twilight’s magic, she managed to clean everything up before the Cakes could get back and find their home and business in disarray. Unfortunately, Twilight had returned to find her own situation turned upside down.

“She just didn’t want to be my friend, Twilight. I’m sorry.” Spike said full of regret. He didn’t want to do this to Twist but she left him no choice. In the end, this was best for everyone.

“No, don’t be sad, Spike. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.” Twilight said sad that Twist had just left. It was strange that she would just leave without saying anything, She seemed so enthusiastic about it when she first arrived. She could have at least explained why she changed her mind so suddenly.

“Maybe I should go talk to her.” Twilight Sparkle said aloud causing Spike to jump.

“That’s not necessary. We should just leave her alone. I think she’s been through enough.” Spike said panicking. Twilight looked at Spike suspiciously.

“What do you mean she’s been through enough? Did you do something to her while I was gone?” Twilight said wondering more and more about what happened between the two of them while she was out.

“Nothing happened. I just woke up and she told me had to go. That’s it.” Spike said lying through his teeth. He couldn’t tell her what really happened without getting into the sordid details of what happened between them last night. Something he hoped to keep hidden from her forever.

“You’re lying, aren’t you?” Twilight said questioning Spike’s honesty. The dragon however stuck to his story.

“No, that’s what happened. She just said she had to go.” Spike said feeling worse than ever. He broke Peppermint Twist’s heart and now he was lying about it to Twilight. He didn’t like hurting and lying to anyone, but what could he do? Tell Twilight he was a pervert who used Twist to satiate his own sexual curiosity and broke her heart. No, that was completely out of the question.

“Fine, Spike. If you say that’s what happened, I believe you. While I am a little bit skeptical, I know deep down you’re an honest dragon. You’d never lie to me about to anything.” Twilight said believing him wholeheartedly.

Spike relaxed a bit as Twilight Sparkle bought his excuse. Still he felt bad about this entire situation. Lying to Twilight and hurting Peppermint Twist seemed so wrong. Was there no other way to make things better without lying? Should he have been nicer to Twist even though she might take it the wrong way? Should he have told the Twilight the truth and hoped she wouldn’t think too badly of him?

“No! This is the best thing for everyone. Twist will find somepony else eventually, and Twilight will never have to know anything about his sexual indiscretion. Everyone would be happier in the long run.” Spike thought to himself. He was convinced this was best for everyone.

The Next Day

Spike was walking through Ponyville after finishing some errands for Twilight. A normally easy task made extremely difficult by a fear of running into a certain filly. Fortunately, he had made it the entire day without seeing Peppermint Twist at all. As he walked back to the library, he wondered how long he’d have to slink around town on the lookout for the filly.

“Maybe I’ll just spend all my time in the library for a month or two.” Spike said as he reached his home. He was sure that Peppermint Twist wouldn’t return here, not after what happened between them.

As Spike entered the library, he heard laughter coming from inside. He walked in and nearly had a heart attack as he saw Peppermint Twist sitting at a table talking to Twilight Sparkle. The both of them were laughing together like old friends. They looked at Spike who stood at the door trying to figure out why the filly he had left emotionally devastated was sitting next to Twilight laughing like nothing had happened.

“Hey, Spike! I‘m sorry I left without telling you everything yesterday.” The filly said with a biggest smile on her face.

“She explained everything, Spike. It turns out you were mistaken.” Twilight Sparkle said.

“Mistaken?” Spike said trying to process what he was seeing.

“When Twilight told me how you thought I abandoned you yesterday, I was so surprised. I didn’t leave because I didn’t want to be your friend. I suddenly remembered this huge test I had to study for and I didn’t want to bore you by doing it here so I left.” Peppermint Twist said as she got up and walked over to Spike. The filly placed her legs around Spike’s arms in a constricting hug.

“Can you ever forgive me?” She asked squeezing him tightly. The filly silently sighed as she felt Spike’s warm body. It felt wonderful being this close to him.

“Isn’t that sweet, Spike? She was thinking of you the whole time. Well, go on. Aren’t you going to accept her apology?” Twilight Sparkle said watching the exchange closely. Spike couldn’t exactly say no, especially since Twist’s lie had covered all the holes in his own story so well.

“Yeah, I guess I forgive you.” Spike said wishing she’d stop hugging him.

“We were just going over a list of activities you’d might like to do together.” Twilight said.

“Activities?” Spike said feeling nervous at the very word.

“Yep, we’re going to be spending tons of time together from now on.” The filly said giving him another squeeze.

“T-Tons of time?” Spike said swallowing hard.

“Just you and me.” Peppermint Twist whispered into his ear.

“B-But what about being your assistant? I don‘t have time to do anything else.” Spike said trying to find a way out of this awful predicament. Peppermint Twist finally released Spike and looked at Twilight.

“Should I tell him or should you?” Twist asked.

“Tell me what?” Spike said getting a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“You should tell him. It was your idea.” Twilight Sparkle said deferring to Twist. The little filly put her chest outward and stood proudly.

“You’re looking at your new personal assistant.” Twist said happily.

“Assistant! I don‘t need an assistant. I‘m your assistant.” Spike argued.

“And you’re always complaining about how I overwork you all the time. Now you have somepony to lighten your load. You’ll also be able to finish your work quicker and hang out with Twist. Isn’t that great?” Twilight Sparkle said to a distraught Spike. If what Twilight Sparkle said was true, then Twist had successfully manage to insert herself into every aspect of his life. The very idea made him weak in the knees.

“I… uhm…. I need to lie down for a second.” Spike said walking aimlessly upstairs.

“If you need anything, just call me.” Twist shouted as he shuffled up the stairs like a zombie.

Spike walk towards his basket and fell into his sheets. He sighed into his bedding as he contemplated the horrible mess that his life had become. Did this all start with that night in Twist’s bedroom? It could have been the moment he met her that all this began. He was certain of one thing though. This problem wasn’t going anywhere soon.

“Hey, Spike. Are you awake?” Peppermint Twist said approaching him. Spike just made a groaning noise into his pillow.

“Twilight asked me to come check on you. Are you all right?” She asked sitting next to his basket.

“Why are you here?” Spike asked looking away from her. Peppermint Twist was silent for a bit as she contemplated the answer to that question.

“I love you.” She said placing a hoof on Spike’s back. The dragon shrugged knocking her hoof away.

“You don‘t love me. You‘re just some stupid filly with a crush. You don‘t even know about sex. What do you know about love?” Spike said berating her naiveté.

“All I know is what I feel for you. I know you don’t like me very much, but maybe I can change that.” Peppermint Twist said looking at the hoof Spike rejected.

“By deceiving Twilight and pestering me, you think I’ll fall in love you. You’re crazier than I thought.”

“I’m not deceiving or pestering anyone. I just want to be close to you, Spike. Isn’t that the very definition of a best friend? Someone you want to be close too.” Peppermint Twist said wanting to reach out and touch him again. The dragon laughed at her. 

“Do you want to know why I’ll never be close to you? Every time I look at you I feel nothing but shame and temptation. I feel like I’m about to betray somepony I care deeply for. If I’m being entirely honest, the reason I can’t be close to you is because I’m afraid. I’m afraid I’ll do something I regret.” Spike said closing eyes and thinking about his special somepony.

“Do you love her?” Twist asked.

“Very much.” Spike said.

“Does she love you?” The filly asked.

“I don’t know. I haven’t asked her.” Spike admitted.

The filly looked at the baby dragon and felt a pang of sympathy for him. She knew what it was like to love someone who didn’t return that same affection. She looked at Spike and wondered if he thought about her all the time. Was he thinking about her now? The thought of Spike thinking about another mare made her more than a little jealous.

“Who is she?” Twist asked.

“Rarity.” Spike said revealing the name of his beloved. 

The candy maker’s heart dropped at the sound of the seamstress known for her beauty and radiance. The unicorn who carried herself with such grace and elegance that most ponies mistook her for a Canterlot noble. She knew that she couldn’t hold a candle to Rarity. When it came to looks, she wasn’t as cute even as cute as her classmates. Now she had to compete for Spike’s heart against the most beautiful mare in town.

“If you asked, do you think she’d say yes?” 

“If I thought she’d say yes, I’d have asked her already.”

“Oh.” Twist said feeling stupid for even asking. She felt powerless as she thought of what happened if Rarity accepted Spike’s love. She told herself that she wouldn’t give up no matter what, but Rarity, the jewel of Ponyville, now stood in her path.

“Do you understand why I don’t want you around? I’m afraid of what I’ll do if I get too close to you. I‘m sorry that‘s the way it is.”

“Can I ask you one last question?”

“Go ahead.” 

“What’ll happen if I get too close to you?” She asked looking at Spike. An silence passed between the two of them as Spike considered his answer carefully.

“I’ll answer your question if you answer mine. Will you leave me alone after today?” Spike asked.

“No.” Twist asked not even thinking about it. Until Rarity had claimed Spike’s heart as her own, she would  fight hoof and tooth to the bitter end. Spike sighed as Twist made her resolve clear.

“Something terrible will happen. Now leave me alone.” Spike said ending the conversation. Peppemint Twist stood up and turned to leave but not before looking at Spike again. She wouldn’t lose him to anyone. Rarity could have anypony in Ponyville, but Twist would claim Spike’s heart for herself.
> Games
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Games

Chapter 4


It was a bright and sunny morning as Spike and Peppermint Twist walked through the town. Spike pulled an empty red wagon as he looked at a list of things Twilight wanted him to get. It was just a few groceries and some books that were delivered directly to the post office. He didn’t understand why Twilight made him bring her along. He’d have preferred it if she stayed at the library and done something there. He could see this whole helping out thing was going to be nothing but Twist following him around as he did all the work.

“This is just great.” Spike mumbled under his breath.

“Did you say something?” Twist asked as she walked behind the wagon.

“No.” Spike said looking forward.

“Oh, cause if you did I wouldn’t mind at all.” Peppermint Twist said dying to talk to him. He hadn’t said anything to her since she started her first day of work.

“I didn’t say anything so just drop it.” Spike said with an edge of frustration in his voice.

“I’m sorry.” Twist said lowering her head.

“Whatever.” Spike just sighed as he felt terrible once again. He could tell this was going to be a long day. He wondered why she didn’t just leave already. Why did she stay if all he did was hurt her? Was she really in love with him? He told himself she was just some filly with a crush, but he didn’t really have any evidence to prove that claim. On the other claw, Twist’s willingness to stick by him despite his constant coldness was evidence in itself.

“No! She‘s just some dumb girl who keeps following me around.” Spike thought to himself. The last thing he needed to do was believe her love was real. He just needed to get her to realize that. He needed to get her to fall in love with someone else.

It would be tricky though. He’d need someone handsome, tall, and easy to manipulate. Where would he find such a pony though? Suddenly, Spike saw the perfect patsy walking down the road. He wasn’t all Spike could have hoped for but two out of three wasn’t bad.

“Hey, guys!” Spike shouted to the colt who was walking up with his buddy, Snips. Peppermint Twist looked up to see her classmates coming towards them. She wondered why Spike was calling out to them when we were supposed to be retrieving the items on Twilight’s list.

Spike was on rather friendly terms with Snips and Snails. He wouldn’t exactly call them the brightest bulbs, but they were good ponies at heart. He was sure either one of them would have made a better partner for Twist than him but he’d have preferred Snails. The colt had a better chance in his eyes of wooing Twist.

“What’s up, Spike? H-hey, Twist.” Snails said approaching the two of them.

“Are you guys on a date or something?” Snips asked. Spike resisted the urge to smack him while Twist blushed at the very implication.

“No, she’s just helping me out at the library. Isn’t that right, Twist?” Spike asked with a smile that made Twist happy. It had felt like such a long time since he smiled at her that it felt good to have him do so even if it was just to deny any sort of romance between them.

“Ummm… yeah.” Twist said nodding.

“Could you pull the wagon to the post office for me? I want to talk to my friends for a moment.” Spike asked.

“Aren’t we supposed to do it together?’ Twist asked apprehensively. She didn’t feel comfortable having Snips and Snails accompany them. This was supposed her time alone with Spike, after all.

“I’ll be right behind you. I’m just going to talk to the guys. Please?” Spike pleaded. Twist knew she couldn’t say no to him. Even though she hated the fact that Snips and Snails had practically barged in on their alone time she couldn’t bring herself to say no to a request from Spike.

“Okay.” Twist said reluctantly. She moved to the front of the wagon and wrapped her tail around the handle. Pulling it as Spike moved behind her with Snips and Snails.

“So what’s with Twist working at the library?” Snips said.

“It’s nothing, really. Can I ask you guys a question?” Spike said changing the subject.

“Sure.” Snails said.

“What do you guys think of Twist?” Spike said as soon as he was sure Twist couldn‘t hear them. The two of them looked at Twist then Spike.

“She’s all right, I guess.” Snips said. In his eyes, Twist wasn’t exactly ugly, but she was the bottom of the barrel when it came to the amount of premium flanks in his class.

“I think she‘s kind of cute. She’s really nice too. She also brings these awesome treats for the class sometimes.” Snails said practically gushing over the filly. Spike couldn’t have hoped for a better response. Snips was lukewarm, but Snails might’ve already had feelings for her. He just needed to get him closer to Twist.

“Sounds like you have a crush on her, buddy.” Spike said causing Snails to blush.

“Gosh, I don‘t know. She’d never like a guy like me.” Snails said looking at Twist. His gaze focused on a particular part of her anatomy. This wasn’t lost on Spike who could see an obvious lust in his gaze.

“You got that, right!” Snips laughed. Snails just looked down feeling depressed.

“I don’t know. I think he has a shot. He just needs to change his attitude. Listen if you want something you have to do whatever it takes to get it.” Spike said.

“You really think so, Spike?” Snails said looking up.

“I don’t think so. I know so and I‘m willing to help you out. What’d you say?” Spike said offering his assistance.

“You’d really do that for me?” Snails said hopefully.

“Of course, pal. What are friends for?” Spike said with a devious smile on his face. With a little cunning and some luck on his part, he might be rid of Twist yet.

Peppermint Twist was walking with the wagon as Spike conversed with Snips and Snails. She wondered what they were talking about. She sometimes felt them staring at her, but she didn’t want to turn around in case it was Spike. Still, she felt uncomfortable with Snips and Snails around. She had nothing personal against them. She just wished she could be alone with Spike once again.

As they arrived at the post office, the three of them rejoined Twist in front of the wagon. Spike was still smiling at her which made her both happy and a little bit unnerved. He had barely looked at her when he came to the library and now he was all smiles around her.

“Snips and I are going to bring the books out. You two stay out here and watch the wagon.” Spike said as he and the other colt walked up to the brown brick building.

“But I was hoping we could go in together, Spike.” Twist said sad that Spike was leaving her behind again. Spike stopped and turned around with that same smile he had ever since he started talking to Snips and Snails. It was becoming more and more unsettling to see that smile for some reason. It was like he wasn’t even smiling at her but something else.

“It’s just that I need somepony I can trust to stay outside and watch the wagon, but if you don’t think I can trust you, I guess I could-”

“You can trust me!” Twist said not wanting to betray Spike’s faith. She knew it was an obvious attempt to separate himself from her, but she didn’t want to let him down.

“Good, we’ll be back out in a little bit.” Spike said leaving Peppermint Twist and Snails alone to watch the wagon. Peppermint Twist sighed as she sat in front of the wagon and stared at the entrance. This isn’t how she expected her first day of working with Spike to go. She felt like she was getting farther and farther away from him. She noticed Snails walk over and take a seat next to her.

“So.. ummm… It’s a pretty nice day out today.” Snails said looking up at the sky.

“Yeah, I guess.” Twist said staring at the door of the post office. The colt realized that his attempt at conversation was failing. He tried to remember Spike’s advice on being more complimentary.

“Your glasses….” Snails said trailing off as he tried to find something nice to say.

“My glasses?” Twist said taking off her frames and inspecting them. Snails was surprised to see how beautiful she looked without her glasses on.  The colt found himself just staring at her face as she looked for a flaw in her eyewear. He felt like his heart was trying beat its way out of it chest.

“They are a bit dirty.” Twist said as she wiped the lenses. Snails suddenly remembered he was supposed to be talking to her and said the first and only thing on his mind at that moment.

“You look really good without your glasses.” Snails blurted out awkwardly. Twist put her glasses back on and looked at him for a few seconds. She was starting to see why Spike was acting so strangely. It was all too obvious after that odd statement that Snails was trying to hit on her and not being too bright or especially clever also failing at it. Spike probably put him up to this. It would explain why he was talking to the two of them out of earshot as she pulled the wagon. Unfortunately for Spike, Twist was no fool and clearly on to his little plan.

“Umm… thanks. Could I ask you a question, Snails?” She said playing coy. She couldn’t find out what she needed from Spike but Snails may hold the answers she sought.

“You can ask me anything, Twist!” Snails said happy to have Twist’s full attention. He thought his words might have come off wrong but clearly it was working. She was smiling at him and talking all nice, just like Spike said.

“Let’s say there someone I wanted to get really close to. How could I show him how much he means to me?” Twist asked causing Snails to blush. 

“You could do all sorts of stuff. You could make him some candy, hold hooves and watch the sunset, or go on dates. I mean if you wanted to.” Snails said happily thinking about Twist doing all those things with him.

“I was actually thinking of something more personal. Something we could both do together. Do you know of anything like that?” Twist asked causing his face to go completely red.

“That kind of depends on how close you want to get to him.” Snails said looking away.

“Really close. Do you know how I could do that?” Twist asked barely maintaining her façade of liking Snails. She was more curious for Snails’ answer than ever.

“Well, there is one thing.” Snails said trying to keep imagination from getting ahead of him. He didn’t want to blow what could have been the greatest day of his life. He had to thank Spike for setting this all up.

~

“You really think he has a shot with her?” Snips asked as they entered the post office.

“Of course, he does.” Spike said with shaky confidence. He had hoped his advice had helped him to woo the troublesome pony. At this point, Snails was his only hope of getting Peppermint Twist out of his life for good.

“Next!” The wall eyed pegasus called out. Spike and Snips walked forward as the line moved up.

“I don’t know if you noticed but Snails is about as smooth as sandpaper. Besides she seemed more interested in you. Did you see the way she acted when I asked if you guys were on a date? She totally has the hots for you.” Snips pointed out. Spike had no idea it was so obvious. If Twist continued to follow him around, people might get the wrong idea. Rarity might get the wrong idea.

“Next!”

“I doubt it. She‘s probably tagging along cause she looks up to Twilight or something.” Spike said playing it cool as they moved up.

“Are you blind? Did you see the way she jumped when you asked her to stay outside? I bet you could ask her to do anything…. and I mean anything.” Snips whispered. Spike tried not to blush as thoughts of Twist on her back looking up at him entered his brain.

“Come on, Snips. You know I like you know who.” Spike told him.

“Next!” 

“Who says she has to know? Besides, it’s a known fact that getting laid makes you better with the ladies. You’re more comfortable around them and you’re not as nervous.” Snips said moving up. Spike had never thought that sleeping with Twist could help him get closer to Rarity.

“How would you know?” Spike asked.

“Everyone knows. Once you sleep with a filly, it changes everything. It‘s like a life changing event.”

“Really?”

“Yep! Nothing is ever the same again. You should go for it.” 

“Next!”

“I told you there’s nothing between us.”

“Riiiight, but if something does happen, you have to tell me.”

“I’m not telling you anything because nothing is going to happen.”

“Next!”

~

“So that’s really all the stuff I know.” Snails said as he finished imparting the entirety of sexual knowledge on the filly. All of it thanks to a Playcolt magazine his uncle gave him behind his mom’s back. The only piece of literature that the colt had studied thoroughly without being prompted to by his teacher.

Peppermint Twist felt foolish for not realizing it sooner. Everything her body had been trying to convey to her made sense now. More importantly, she knew how to make Spike hers now. If she could get close enough, Spike would finally accept her love.

“So you going to try some of that stuff with that guy you like?” Snails asked as scratched his head. The filly had almost forgotten she had been leading him on. There was no point in keeping up the charade any longer.

“Yep, Spike is going to be so happy!” She said with a huge smile on her face.

“Wha?” The colt’s goofy smile disappeared as the realization that she wasn’t talking about him set in. He was no stranger to feeling stupid but this felt even worse than usual. This wasn’t an insult or a bad grade. It went deeper than that and it hurt because of it.

“Are you okay, Snails?” Twist asked innocently. She could see the pain in his expression. It was funny, but she couldn’t feel any pity for him. She knew that she should feel bad or at least sorry for him but all she could think of was how he wanted to come between her and Spike. She could better understand why Spike was so mean to her now. He was protecting his love for Rarity. In a way, she was doing the same thing now.

“Yeah, I.. uhh… gotta go….do something.” Snails said standing up as he looked away from her. The colt wiped his eyes before he ran away. The last thing he wanted to do was cry in front of Twist. He felt pathetic enough already.

Snips and Spike walked out of the post office to see the colt leaving. They quickly carried their load of books down to the wagon and called out to the colt who just kept on going.

“What happened?” Spike asked the filly who smiled in a way that unsettled him.

“He had to go do something.”  Twist answered happily.

“Why is he running?” Spike asked angrily.

“It must have been something serious.” Twist said without breaking her smiling demeanor.

“I’m going to go check on him. I’ll see you later, Spike. Twist.” Snips left the two of them there alone. Both of them staring at each other with polar opposite expressions. Spike’s was one of anger and hatred. Twist’s was one of love and happiness.

“We should get going, Spike. Twilight’s waiting for us.” Twist said as she wrapped her tail around the handle of the wagon and began pulling it back to the library.

“What the hay did you do to him?” Spike said stepping in front of her.

“I wonder what kind of books Twilight got? Some of them look really heavy, but I bet they were no trouble for you.” Twist remarked moving around him.

“He was crying damn it! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?” Spike asked her as she walked past him. That smile that infuriated him so much still on her face.

“You’re so strong! I wonder if its because you’re a dragon. You’re probably even stronger than other dragons. You’re definitely cuter!” She giggled, but Spike wasn’t laughing or smiling. The dragon stepped in front of her again. This time he stood with his arms out that she could not move around. She made no attempt to go around him this time, instead stopping directly in front of him. Barely an inch of space between them as they stood there.

“Is this some sort of game to you? Do you get some sort of sick pleasure out of ruining my life? Do you think you’ll wear me down and I’ll start to like you? I mean I told you over and over again that I want nothing to do with you and you persist in annoying me. You’ve already lied to Twilight and now you’ve hurt Snails. How many people are you going to deceive and hurt before you realize that we are not meant to be?” 

The filly stood there with that damn smile plastered over her face. Spike was beyond fed up. He couldn’t remember ever being this ever angry in his life as he literally shook with rage. The dragon had never hit anyone before. Before he met Twist, the thought of a guy hitting a girl was a despicable and cowardly act. Now it was all he could think of as he stared into the smiling filly’s face. He wanted to wipe that goddamn smirk off her face. 

“She had driven me to this. She deserved it!” He thought as he tried to justify the act in his mind. Before he could act on his thoughts, Twist placed her head in his chest. The move was so sudden that Spike had no idea how to react as he felt the softness of her fur and mane against his body. The scent of mints wafted up to his nose making his rage slowly subside.

“I understand. If you want me out of your life, I‘ll leave on one condition.” She said in a soothing voice. Spike’s anger faded instantly at the idea at the thought of being rid of Twist. He lowered his outstretched arms around her neck and hugged her close.

“Anything, I’ll do it. Just name it.” Spike said trembling as he hugged her close. He was at his wit’s end. He could feel himself about to snap earlier and now there was a light at the end of the tunnel. The filly moved her head so she could enjoy the frantic beat of his heart.  She closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment for what it was.  Spike was holding her close in his arms and saying he’d do anything for her. Despite the context, this was everything she ever wanted. After her plan worked, they could be like this all the time.

“I want you to be my first.” She whispered. Spike instantly understood the meaning but not how she could have known such things.

“How’d you….” Spike suddenly remembered Snails’ lustful gaze and how he ran off. She must have gotten the information out of Snails. He was an easy target. It wouldn‘t have been hard for her to get him to spill the truth. Spike had thrown his friend to a wolf to try and save himself. He thought he was doing something good, albeit for his own freedom. He never wanted Snails to get hurt.

“Will you do it?” She asked.

“I-I don’t know.” Spike tried to push her away but she wrapped her forelegs around him. If Spike had pushed hard enough, he could have easily gotten free but he couldn’t muster the strength to do so. He could only move her slightly. Part of him wanted this and that scared him.

“Please, I’ll never bother you again.” Twist whispered as she looked up at him with wanton eyes. Spike looked down into her shimmering pink eyes. This was all he wanted. The part of him that wanted to have sex with Twist would be satisfied and she would be out of his life for good. Why did it feel so wrong to indulge himself? Why was a decision that sounded easy so hard to make?

The dragon thought of his beloved Rarity. What would she think of this? Did it matter? She’d never know. Was it still taking advantage of Twist if she knew about sex? Spike’s mind was racked with a million thoughts trying to find the one to tell him what he should do. His head started to hurt before he finally gave his answer.

“I-I need to think about this.” Spike said as he held his head. The filly pulled away and smiled allowing him some breathing room.

“Okay!” Twist said happily as she continued to pull the wagon towards the library. She relished the moment. Spike was practically eating out of her hooves. She smiled as her plan was already in motion.
> Pleasure
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Pleasure

Chapter 5



Spike and Twist walked back to the library in complete silence. The filly happily pulled the cart while Spike followed. His mind was racked with indecision as he weighed the pros and cons of her proposal.

“If I sleep with her, it might make her go away, but what if she just becomes even more obsessed? How do I know she’ll keep her word? If I have sex with her, she could threaten to tell Rarity about it. What are my other options though? I could wait her out, but who knows how long that’ll take?”

Spike was going in circles and getting nowhere fast. He had to make a decision about what to do before this got out of hand. If he learned one thing from the incident with Snails, it was that Peppermint Twist didn’t care who she stepped on to get near him. Who would she hurt or lie to next in order to get close to him? There was also the matter of what Snips said.

As long as they hung out together, it would look more and more like they were a couple. The dragon looked around to see if anyone was looking at them. He did notice a few ponies looking in their direction. Some of them were even whispering to each other while doing so.  In a small town like Ponyville, it was dangerous to see such an act. It meant that you were being talked about and pretty soon others would be doing the same. 

Spike knew Rarity loved gossip. She’d always gab about who was seeing who when Spike helped her. They were only talking about them walking together now, but it wouldn’t be long before it was blown out of proportion. Rumors had a nasty habit of evolving as they got passed on. They were talking about them walking together now, but it would change slowly. 

Pretty soon the wagon would be removed altogether as an “inconsequential detail”. After that, Spike would be moved next to her to “spice it up“. Finally, it would be “misinterpreted” when somepony assumed they were leaning into each other. The entire town would soon be talking about how he and Twist were practically making out as they walked through town. 

He looked at Twist who was humming as she pulled the wagon. It was clear to him what he had to do. He had to separate himself from Twist as soon as possible which ironically meant getting closer to her than ever.

“Hey, Twist.” Spike said as they reached the library. The filly turned and smiled as she stood at the door of the library.

“Yes, Spike?” Twist asked cheerfully.

“If I do this, how do I know you’ll keep up your end of the bargain? Let’s say I did sleep with you and you decided to stick around anyway. How am I supposed to trust you?”

“You can’t. I‘d like to give you some reason to trust me, but you‘ll just doubt me anyway. You don‘t like me, Spike and therefore you have no basis to believe anything I say.” Twist said with a cold, yet happy inflection that unnerved him. Spike had to admit there was truth in her words. There was nothing she could say or do that would make him trust her completely. Still there was something he wanted to know that she could answer.

“At least, tell me why you’re doing this.” Spike asked. The filly’s smile disappeared till her expression was completely neutral.

“I guess it’s because just for a little while. I want you to love me back. I thought if I was determined enough I could make you love me, but it’s clear to me now that’ll never happen. When Snails told me about sex, I thought if I could do that with you then maybe I could know what it was like to be loved by you, if only for a brief moment. That‘s really all I want.” Twist said with a melancholy tone.

“And if I didn’t accept your offer, you’d just keep following me even though you know it’s hopeless. Why would you do that?” Spike asked still skeptical of the filly. He felt sad for her, but he didn’t want to let that cloud his judgment. 

“Even though it’s pointless, I can’t bring myself to just stop. I like being around you, Spike. I feel all warm and fuzzy whenever I’m near you. I know it’s selfish to be around you when you don’t like me but when I think of not being around you, I feel cold and lonely. Without you around, I guess I feel incomplete. Empty.” The filly admitted.

“How would sleeping with me change any of that?” Spike asked not letting his guard down.

“Because I’d know for one brief moment that you loved me back and maybe I wouldn’t feel so lonely when you’re not around. Please, Spike! I know you hate me, but if you could find it in your heart to give me this I’ll never bother you again!” Peppermint Twist threw herself at Spike’s feet embarrassing him.

“Okay, I’ll do it! Just stop before someone sees us.” Spike said looking around nervously. There were a few ponies around but none of them seem to notice Twist hugging his legs. He didn’t want to imagine what kind of rumors such a scene would spread.

“Thank you, Spike! You don’t know happy this makes me!” She said releasing him.

“Let’s just get inside already.” Spike said opening the door to the library. Peppermint Twist followed Spike into the library with the wagon, only to find Twilight nowhere to be seen.

“Where is she?” Spike wondered looking around the library. Twilight wasn’t supposed to go anywhere.

“What should I do with these books?”

“Just leave them there. Twilight is very particular when in comes to arranging them.” The dragon said as he searched the first floor of the library.

“I’ll check upstairs.” The filly said heading up the steps.

“Okay.” Spike said looking for some kind of sign that Twilight left. He walked over to her desk and found a note there. It was hastily scribbled meaning Twilight was either furious or upset.

“Another baking emergency! Could take some time to resolve. I will be back as soon as possible. Signed, Twilight Sparkle.” Spike figured Pinkie Pie must have called upon Twilight to help her clean some mess she made. There wasn’t much Spike could do but wait for her to return. Spike looked upstairs and wondered what Twist was doing. It shouldn’t have taken more than a few seconds to look around.

As Spike walked upstairs, he heard strange noises emanating from upstairs. It sounded like Twist was on Twilight’s bed. Spike made it upstairs to find Peppermint Twist standing on Twilight’s bed inspecting it.

“What the hay are you doing?” Spike asked as he watched the filly jump on Twilight’s bed.

“I was trying to see if this was a good place to do it. What do you think?”

“I think you’re crazy. Get down here before Twilight comes back.”  Spike said reaching up to pull her down.

“How long is she going to be gone? Maybe we could do it now!” Twist said excitedly.

“We can’t do it here. Twilight could teleport in at any moment. Whoa!” Spike said as he managed to grab Twist’s foreleg causing her to fall back and pull him onto the bed. The mishap left Spike laying directly on top of the filly. Peppermint Twist had lost her glasses but she was close enough to see the two big green pupils staring down into her own. Spike could feel the heat of Peppermint’s body as he held himself over her.

“I-I sh-should probably go.” Spike started to get off of her when he felt Peppermint Twist wrapped her front legs around his neck.

“Please, Spike. I want to be yours. Just this once. Please.” She said looking up at him with a pleading expression. Spike’s mind flashed back to the moment in her room right before he ran away from her. It was the exact same situation, except this time they were face to face and much closer.

Spike’s brain was telling him not to indulge himself. He should wait for a better time when Twilight was less likely to pop in all of a sudden. Unfortunately, Twist was making a pretty good case to keep going. Suddenly, Spike felt a soft sensation rubbing up against his midsection.

“Twist, are you-” Spike didn’t finish his question as Peppermint Twist pulled him downwards into his first kiss. Spike wanted to be angry about losing his first kiss to Twist, but the tender, sweet sensation of the filly’s lips made it hard to be mad. There was also the matter of Twist grinding herself against his stomach. Before the dragon knew it, he was past the point of no return as he felt the blood rush to a particular point on his body.

“Spike,” Twist gasped as she felt Spike pull free of the kiss. Both of them were breathing heavily as they lay there. Twist was still hot as she continued to use the dragon’s stomach to stimulate herself.

Spike went back for another kiss this time letting his tongue slip into her mouth. Twist felt Spike’s intertwine with her own making her moan into the dragon’s mouth. The taste of another’s mouth filling her own as Spike started to slip a claw between them. Suddenly, she felt Spike move his stomach away and a more delicate, focused touch replace it as he ran a finger across the length of her moistening slit.

She moaned into Spike’s mouth as he rubbed her lower entrance carefully. Taking his time as he traced the lining . Her body wanting him more than ever before. She knew it was supposed to feel good, but this was simply unfathomable. She could feel herself getting lost in Spike’s wild kiss and gentle touch. She wanted more of him. She needed him right now.

Spike slid a finger into her causing her to break the kiss and moan loudly. As Spike probed her, he could feel the tightness of Twist’s cunt gripped his finger. He figured as much but it would be difficult to get inside unless he loosened her up a bit. Spike worked his finger in a thrusting motion as he started to suck on Twist’s neck trying to get her to relax.

The filly’s hold on Spike’s neck increased as she started to get more and absorbed by Spike‘s touch. She never wanted to let go of him or this moment. She never felt more alive than she did now. Her heart and mind racing as Spike showed her pleasures she’d never known. 

“Aaah!” She moaned loudly as Spike found a particularly sensitive spot on her neck. At this new discovery, the dragon decided to speed things up a bit. He added another finger opening her up further and increased his focus on the new spot with more force than before by lightly licking it as well.

Twist could feel the temperature of her body rise. Her face felt completely flushed. The beating of her heart grew more and more frantic as Spike worked even harder to please her. She didn’t know how much more of this she could take as her mind and body was reaching the breaking point. Spike pushed his fingers faster and deeper inside her until she could take no more.

“Spike!” She shouted out as her body tensed up and writhe in the pleasure of her body very first orgasm.

Spike could feel Twist’s forelegs tighten around his head for a few seconds before releasing him and falling back on the bed. The dragon could also feel her pussy grip his fingers tightly as she covered his hand in her juices. By the time her orgasm ended, Spike looked down at Twist who was completely sprawled out on the bed. He figured she was about as relaxed as she could get at this point. He hadn’t planned on making Twist orgasm but it was probably for the best that she went first anyway. He read that most guys were lucky to last a few minutes their first time and he was probably no exception.

Spike wiped his fingers on the bed leaving a stain on the sheets that he hoped would come out later. This was Twilight’s favorite bedspread and he didn‘t want to explain any mysterious stains. He quickly made a mental note to clean it as soon as this was all over. In the meantime, he had more pressing matters to deal with, particularly the raging hardon that had been digging into the bed for a while now.

“I’m… uhh… going to…start. Do you know what to expect?” Spike asked nervously as he moved himself up a bit so he was lined up with her dripping cunt. He didn’t want to just jump in without giving her fair warning since it was her first time.

“Don’t worry about me. I wanted to be yours, Spike. Even if it hurts, I don’t care as long as its you. I do have one request though.” She asked looking at him.

“Sure, I guess that’s okay.”

“Could I see it? I‘ve never seen one before.” She asked looking between his legs. Spike wasn’t exactly as comfortable with showing himself to Twist as she had been, but he stood up presenting himself to Twist.

“I can’t see it.” She said squinting her eyes as she looked up at him.

“W-What that’s supposed to mean?” Spike asked becoming defensive.

“It’s all fuzzy. Can you get my glasses for me?” The filly explained. Spike let out a sigh of relief as he looked around and spotted the frames next to her. He reached over her letting his phallus brush over her stomach. Twist jumped a bit as the warm skin of it rubbed over her body.

“I’m sorry about that.” Spike said quickly grabbing her glasses and putting them on. He realized how silly it was to apologize considering the situation.

“It’s okay. It just scared me a little.” Twist said taking a look at it with better clarity. She observed the pink object jutting out from Spike’s body like a tower. Her expectations were minimal since she had just learned of male genitalia moments ago. It had a round, domelike shape at the top which was connected to a shaft that seemed to come from between the scales on Spike’s body. She had no idea how such a thing would fit inside her body. Spike’s fingers seemed to barely fit and this looked almost as big as one of her legs.

“Okay, Spike. I’m ready.” Twist said feeling a bit more nervous. 

“I’ll try to be gentle, okay.” Spike said he knelt in front and placed his manhood directly in front of her entrance. Twist braced herself as Spike started to push forward. The dragon let out a pleasurable sigh as made contact with the soft, slick folds of Twist‘s flower. Spike‘s nervousness got the better of him as he failed to enter at the correct angle and ended up rubbing his shaft against it instead. A second attempt nearly went in the wrong opening.

“Is everything okay?” Twist asked.

“Ye-Yeah, I’m just new at this. Here we go.” Spike said finally getting it right as found the correct path. Twist moaned as Spike slowly began to enter. The firmness of Spike’s member parting the tight entrance with ease. In a moment she wasn‘t fully prepared for, Twist felt Spike thrust himself forward opening her body to a world of pain.

“Yeouch!” The filly shouted as she felt Spike push his member inside of her. The intensity of the pain caused her vision to blur as she looked upward.

“Are you alright?” Spike asked. Twist was breathing heavily with her eyes staring at the ceiling.

“I-I’m fine. Go ahead.” She said weakly. Spike suddenly saw a tear roll down her cheek and felt bad.

“Let’s stop for now. We can continue later.”

“No, I don’t want to stop. I just have to get used to it so…. please keep going.” Twist looked up at Spike with determined eyes. He decided to continue but he wanted to do something for her. The dragon leaned forward and kissed the filly. He slowly wrapped his arms under her body cradling her as he did so.

The gesture seemed to work as Twist felt the pain dissipate as Spike embraced her. He very slowly started to move his hips in a thrusting motion. Twist could feel Spike’s warm member stroking the walls of her sensitve flower. She moaned into Spike’s mouth as her pain turned to pleasure. She wrapped her  forelegs around his head as their tongues mingled.

Spike started to pick up the pace as he felt himself near his finish. The smacking of their hips and creaking of Twilight’s bed filled the library. Twist was moving with Spike as it started to feel better and better with each stroke. Suddenly, she felt Spike pushed himself as deep inside of her as he could muster.

“Ngh!” The dragon grunted as he pumped his hot, sticky goo deep inside of her. The heat of  Spike’s semen could be felt deep inside of her body. She moaned as it burned her insides. It was painful, but at the same time wonderful.

She watched as he pulled out. His member dripping as it retreated into his body. She figured it was pretty much over now. An awkward silence between them as they lay there. The act had passed but the question of what would happen next was still up in the air. Both of them avoiding the eye contact. Spike decided to start erasing the evidence..

“You should probably get cleaned up. You can use the shower. I’ll clean up here before Twilight gets back.” Spike said hopping out of bed.

“Um…. Spike? I just want to let you know that….. I appreciate this and… I’ll keep my promise too. I’ll leave you alone from now on.” Twist said looking at his back. As she headed to the bathroom, she remembered how gentle and warm he was to her before. Now he seemed cold and distant again. She thought if she could get close enough to Spike that he’d eventually realize they were meant for each other. Unfortunately, he wasn’t acting any different than before.

“Did my plan fail?” She wondered as she closed the bathroom door.

Spike immediately went into cleanup mode by pulling the sheets off Twilight’s bed and his basket. Since all the sheets were washed together, it would only look suspicious if he cleaned her sheets and not his. Everything had to be accounted for when Twilight was involved. Her obsessive compulsive nature made it hard to hide anything. Spike had to be extra careful when it came to trying to pull the wool over her eyes.

Spike carried the sheets to the basement and place them next to a metal washtub full of cold water from the previous wash. It would have to do for now. He didn’t have time to clean it out. Spike used his fire breath to heat up the water, added detergent, and placed the sheets in the water. The dragon set to work scrubbing the evidence as he thought about what just happened.

“I just had sex, but what happens now? I guess Twist will leave me alone, but I kind of want her to stay around now.” He thought as he washed away any signs of the deed.

“No, this is for the best. She got what she wanted and now she has to leave me alone.” Spike said aloud as he lifted the sheets and inspected them. He spotted a few remnants but everything was coming off pretty well. It was good that he got to it before it set in. He once again set to washing the remainder.

It was going to be pretty difficult to explain why Twist wasn‘t coming to the library anymore. He‘d already explained away her disappearance once and she’d came back anyway. It‘d be pretty hard to convince her for a second time. Maybe he could get Twist to come up with something. He pulled the sheets out of the washtub. This time all the evidence was completely erased. Hopefully, he’d have enough time to dry it before Twilight got back. With some luck, they’d be back on her bed before she got home.

Spike wrung the sheets out and carried them upstairs to dry by the fireplace. As he carried an armful of moist blankets upstairs, he wondered where Twist was. Spike set out the bedding near the fireplace and started a small fire. It was probably okay to relax now.  If Twilight came home, she’d only know that he was washing the sheets and nothing more. Spike walked upstairs and knocked on the bathroom door.

“Are you alright, Twist?” He could hear the showers being turned off.

“Yeah…. I’ll be out in a minute.” Twist said. Spike noticed a distinct whimper in her voice.

“Are you okay? You sound like you‘ve been crying?”

“I’m fine. Really! I’ll be out in a minute!”

“I’m coming in.” Spike said barging in. He was greeted by the sight of a soaking wet filly as she stepped out of the shower. Her mane fell over parts of her face in a straight, slick mess. The poofiness of her mane and tail were completely gone giving her the mysterious allure of a dark redhead. He could also smell the strawberry shampoo Twilight used wafting off of her body. The scenario made Spike forget why he had come up here in the first place.

“Spike…. I‘m sorry if I‘m taking too long. I wasn‘t trying to break my promise.” She said pulling a wet strand of hair from her glasses.

“Oh! I actually wanted to talk to you about that. You see I need you to-” Spike stopped mid sentence as Twist started to sob openly in front of him. She turned away and wiped her eyes. The dragon was at a loss for words as Twist weeped openly in front of him.

“Um.. Hey, it’s not that bad. There are tons of other fish in the sea. You’ll find someone way better than me and you won’t even remember my name.” 

“No! No, that’s not true! There’ll never be anyone but you in my heart I know it!” Peppermint Twist said as she placed her head in his chest. Spike was taken aback as he felt her soft wet fur brush his body, but the bigger problem was the scent of her body. She was fresh out of the shower and the scent of strawberries on her body was playing havoc on his senses.

“I’m sure y-you’ll be alright!” Spike said as he tried to fight his baser instincts, but his body got the better of him as Twist felt something hard poking her legs. She looked down and saw Spike’s erection had once again appeared. As she looked upon it, an idea came to her. A way she could get Spike to change his mind.

“If you forget about the promise, I’ll do anything you say. We can do it everyday from now on.” The filly punctuated her statement by taking a mouthful of Spike’s cock. The dragon gasped as the feel of Twist’s mouth sent shivers up his spine.

“Anything I want. Everyday.” Spike thought as Twist’s tongue wrapped itself around his member. The filly sat down and took as much of his cock into her mouth. The filly was practically gagging on it as she worked her head back and forth.  At times, Spike could feel the tip of his cock reach the back of Twist’s throat. The filly coughed as she pulled back to catch her breath.

The filly looked up at the dragon with pleading eyes as she stroked his drool covered dick. At that moment, Spike thought of all the things he could do with a pony as willing as Twist. With a filly like her, his imagination and libido were the only limits. All he had to do was let Twist hang around which was actually nice since it’d mean she’d be nearby if Spike wanted to do anything.

As Spike thought about it, Twist went back to deep throating him. She was desperate now. Even if Spike didn’t accept her love, she wanted to be around him. If she had to use her body to do so, it was a small price to pay. As she forced Spike’s cock further down, she tried to imagine what life would be like without Spike.

Her old life felt so painfully plain now that she met Spike. She never felt as special or happy when Spike was around. She could be more than the filly who was constantly overlooked or written off. Spike made her feel special and if she lost that feeling…… 

Twist suddenly started to push herself further and faster than ever. She took Spike till his cock disappeared completely. The force and speed with which she sucked his cock felt wonderful. Spike could hear and feel her tongue and cheeks shifted wildly as his cock was absorbed by the filly’s mouth.  The slurping noises she made as she pulled back and the feel of her lips wrapped tightly around the base of his member made it hard to hold back.

Spike’s eyelids fluttered as he shot his load into the filly’s mouth. Twist pulled herself back just enough so that she could allow herself to swallow it. There was a lot but Twist was determined not to let a single drop escape as she sucked down every last drop. By the time she swallowed the last bit, the sound of the front door opening could be heard downstairs.

“Spike! Twist! I’m home! Did anything happen while I was out?” Twilight called out as she entered.

“Not much!” Spike called out as he pushed his flaccid cock back inside of him.

“I’ll keep her busy! You dry off and join us downstairs.” Spike ordered. She merely nodded as Spike ran downstairs to greet the mare.

“Hey, Spike. Are you okay? You look a bit flustered and why do you smell like strawberries?” Twilight said sniffing the dragon.

“Just cleaning up! You know how it is. So where were you?” Spike said changing the subject.

“I was at Sugarcube Corner helping Pinkie Pie clean up again. Pinkie Pie was trying to make the world’s biggest cupcake and things didn’t exactly turn out well. Where’s Twist?”

“She’s upstairs using the bathroom.”

“That’s good! I know it’s silly, but I was afraid she’d leave again. Can you imagine?”

“Yeah, that’d be something.” Spike said nervously as he scratched the back of his head. Twilight looked upstairs to see Twist. The filly was completely back to normal as her hair and body appeared to have dried off completely.

“There you are, Twist. Are you ready for your first friendship activity?” She asked the filly as she slowly trotted downstairs. Twilight noticed the melancholy demeanor she had and wondered why she was so sad. Twist was as excited as she was when they planned this thing.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, I was actually about to head home.” The filly said as she made it down the steps. She looked at Spike who turned his gaze downward. She sighed as he didn’t seem to react at all to her announcement.

“Why? Is everything okay?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t feel very well. I think I should just go home.” Twist said as she walked towards the door.

“Are you sure? You seemed fine earlier.” Twilight said disappointed.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” The filly said reaching for the handle.

“Well, you’ll be back tomorrow right?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t think so.”

“Well, you should stay here then. You can use my bed.” Spike said speaking up. Twilight and Twist both turned around to look at the dragon.

“Yeah, if you want, you can use my basket. It’s not very big, but it should be enough for you to rest up. You’re probably tired from pulling the wagon from the post office.” Spike said nonchalantly looking away. Twist smiled as she realized this was his answer.

“Really, Spike?” The filly asked on the verge of tears.

“I said it, didn’t I? So go upstairs and get some rest already.”

“Spike….” Twist said looking at him with teary eyes.

“I can’t believe you, Spike. Just because Twist is your assistant doesn’t mean you can overwork her. While she’s resting, you can finish all the rest of the chores as punishment.”

“But-” Twist was about to speak up when Spike interrupted her.

“Okay, Twilight. You sure got me!” Spike said pretending to be sad about doing what he basically did everyday. The dragon winked in her direction letting her know that it was okay. The filly smiled as she walked upstairs. She was so happy that Spike had let her stay. She walked over to his basket which was just small enough to lay down in.

As she lay there and closed her eyes, she couldn’t help but smile. Spike hadn’t accepted her love, but he accepted her body. She wondered what kinds of thing Spike had in store in for her. If this morning was any indication, there was a variety of fun things she and Spike could get up to in the future. Out of all the things she learned, one thing stood out above all else. Without Spike, her life was meaningless. 
> Report
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Report

Chapter 6


“What’s wrong, sister? You seem bothered.” Luna asked as she entered her sister’s chamber. It was rare to see her sibling with such a troubled look.

“It’s these recent letters from Twilight Sparkle. I’m afraid she took my words a little too serious when I asked her to study friendship. She’s actually been studying an actual friendship between Spike and a filly named Peppermint Twist.” Celestia said as she lie on her bed looking over the letters.

“Is that all sister? Why not just visit your pupil and set her straight?” Luna said sitting at the front of her sister’s bed.

“It’s not Twilight that has me worried but the relationship between Spike and Peppermint Twist. I think Spike and Twist may be romantically involved.” 

“Would Twilight not notice such a thing?” Luna asked.

“Twilight is well versed in many subjects. Romance is not one of them. Some of the things she writes in her letter show a deeper relationship than she’s willing to see. For instance, she describes how Twist came to the library after bumping into Spike to become friends. Doesn‘t that seem a bit odd to you?”

“It does sound like she went out of her way, but perhaps she’s just fascinated after meeting a dragon for the first time.”

“That’s what I thought as well, but she apparently had a lot of question about Spike. What his favorite food was? His hobbies? His favorite color? I‘d say she was more interested than Spike rather than dragons in general.”

“I see, but what about this filly‘s crush has you worried?”

“Without proper supervision and guidance, I fear their curiosity may get the better of them. I should let Twilight know of my suspicions immediately.” Celestia said levitating a fresh scroll and quill to her side.

“Hold on, sister. Perhaps this could be a learning experience for our young dragon.” Luna said staying her sister’s quill.

“What do you mean, sister?”

“You sent Twilight to Ponyville to learn the ways of friendship. Couldn’t we use this as an opportunity to teach Spike about love? You said that Twilight was not well versed in the ways of romance. Maybe she is ill suited to dispense this lesson. I say we let him learn the ins and outs of love on his own.”

“What you’re suggesting is incredibly dangerous, Luna! He’d be walking blind into a situation he couldn’t possibly understand with the possibility of affecting any number of lives.” Celestia said chastising her sister.

“I know. It’d be just like the old days.” Luna said excitedly.

“That was so long ago, Luna. Don’t you think we’ve grown out of that hobby?”

“I recall you enjoyed it far more than I did. Besides we so rarely spend time together since my release.”

“Very well, sister. What did you have in mind?”

The Next Day

Spike stood outside the school with an anxious expression. He didn’t normally wait outside the school for Twist, but something had happened recently and he needed to speak to her immediately. As the bell rang, Spike stood outside by the door trying not to draw too much attention to himself. Unfortunately, being a dragon in a town full of ponies made that extremely difficult.

The act of remaining incognito was broken almost immediately as Snips and Snails walked out of the class first and spotted him standing there. It had been awhile since Spike had spoken to them. Things ended rather badly the last time they met. He still felt pretty bad about it but couldn’t find a good way to apologize for it. 

“Hey, Spike.” Snips said as they walked over. Snails merely waved without making much eye contact.

“Hey, guys. How’s it going?” Spike said trying to make small talk.

“It’s been pretty good. Right, Snails?”

“Yeah, pretty good.” Snails said looking down. Spike decided to try and clear the air.

“Snails, I wanted to apologize….. for Twist.” Snails looked shock but quickly put on a half hearted grin.

“Psshaw! Don’t worry about it. I totally forgot about that.” Snails said waving off his apology.

“Are you sure?” Spike asked as he remembered how torn up the colt looked after talking to Twist.

“It’s water under the bridge. I don’t even care about-”

“Spike, what are you doing here?” Twist asked interrupting Snails.

“Hey, Twist. I needed to talk to you about something. It’s kind of important.” Spike said noticing how Snails was sort of moving away as the filly walked over.

“Oh, I get it! Couldn’t wait, huh?” Twist said winking at him.

“It’s…uhh… not that kind of a problem. I‘ll explain on the way. I’ll see you guys later.” Spike said waving goodbye. Before he could leave, he was stopped as a familiar voice called out.

“Hold it right there, Spike!” Scootaloo shouted. Spike and Twist turned around to confront the boisterous filly who was flanked by Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, who was hiding behind Scootaloo.

“Hey, guys. What‘s up?”

“I wanted to ask you a question. You don’t mind?” Scootaloo asked. Twist glared at the pegasus as she moved closer to Spike.

“Sure, what do you-”

“Actually, we’re in a rush. Maybe later. Come on, Spike!” Twist said pushing Spike forward.

“Come on, Scootaloo. Let‘s just give up.” Apple Bloom whispered to her friend.

“Right, I wouldn‘t want to keep you two from your date!” Scootaloo shouted attracting the attention of the entire class which was outside now. Spike and Twist turned around and looked at Scootaloo before looking at each other. After a short silence, the duo burst into laughter.

“That‘s a good one, Scootaloo!” Spike laughed.

“Can you imagine? The two of us as a couple!” Twist said holding a hoof over her mouth in an attempt stifle her laughter. The orange filly was more than a little embarrassed by the display.

“Why are you two so buddy buddy all of a sudden?” Scootaloo asked becoming red with frustration.

“Maybe because we are.”

“Yeah, she comes down to the library and we just hang out. It’s pretty cool having someone around I can talk to who isn’t Twilight.”

“Hold on a second! Are you jealous of my friendship with Spike, Scootaloo?” Twist wondered aloud. The crowd of students murmured at Twist’s suggestion. Scootaloo turned even redder as her classmates attention turned towards her. Apple Bloom decided she had enough and stepped up.

“No, that’s not it at all. She only asked cause…. I was too scared to. I‘m the jealous one.” Apple Bloom admitted causing her fellow students to gasp. Spike was at a loss for what to do with this newfound revelation. Luckily, Twist wasn’t.

“Don’t we have to get to that really important thing at the library?” She said. Spike quickly realized what Twist was doing and seized the opportunity.

“Right, we should get going. This has been….. enlightening. Well, I’ll see you guys later.” Spike said walking away with Peppermint Twist at his side. With Spike and Twist gone, the crowd began to go about their own business. More than a few talking about the scene that had just occurred.

Apple Bloom looked at Spike as he left and sighed. She wondered what would happen now that her feelings for the dragon were out. Would he avoid her altogether or pretend she didn’t exist?

“I’m sorry, Apple Bloom. I totally screwed up.”  Scootaloo said.

“It’s okay, Scoot. This wouldn’t have happen if I’d had the courage to ask him myself.” 

“It’s not all bad, Apple Bloom. At least, we know Spike isn’t dating Twist. That’s good!” Sweetie Belle said trying to offer her friends some words of encouragement. It seem to work as she bucked up a little bit.

“I guess.” Apple Bloom said perking up a bit.

“Twist is your friend too. She’ll probably even help you.” Scootaloo added.

“She’s lying to you.” A familiar voice spoke up. It was Diamond Tiara, accompanied by Silver Spoon. The filly had a bandage under her chin and a rather sad look on her face. Diamond Tiara had seemed different lately. Ever since she showed up to class with that band aid over her chin, she never picked on anyone. She just sat at her desk with a far off look on her face.

“What? Why should we believe you?” Scootaloo asked.

“I know alright!  Just trust me on this one. You don’t want to try to get in between Twist and Spike.” Diamond Tiara said rubbing her chin.

“Yeah right! Like we’d believe anything you’d say.”

“She’s telling the truth, Scootaloo. I wouldn‘t get your hopes up if you expect her help getting close to Spike.”

“Hmmph! Don’t bother, Silver Spoon. Let‘s go.”

“Hey!” Apple Bloom called out to her. She knew it was crazy, but she felt like Diamond Tiara was actually trying to be sincere.

“What?” Diamond Tiara asked in an annoyed and exhausted voice.

“Why are you telling me this? I mean.. it’s not like you to try to help me. I was just wondering why you’d tell me something like that.” Apple Bloom asked. Diamond Tiara looked at Apple Bloom for a moment before sighing.

“I felt like it. Okay? It’s up to you if you believe me or not.” Diamond Tiara said before walking off with Silver Spoon close behind.

“You don’t believe her, right?” Scootaloo asked.

“I don’t know what to believe, but I felt like Diamond Tiara wasn’t messing with us. Maybe I should talk to Twist alone?” Apple Bloom said just as a tall, melancholy figure approached.

“Hey, Apple Bloom. Could I talk to you alone for a second?”

Meanwhile

Peppermint Twist followed a very angry Spike as they walked to the library. He had every right to be angry after all. She was supposed to tell him when someone was getting suspicious about their relationship and that whole mess with Scootaloo made it clear that she had been hiding her suspicions.

“I’m sorry, Spike. I thought I could handle it.” Twist apologized. Spike just sighed.

“It’s not important. We’re just lucky they bought our act. Next time I expect you to be upfront with me. If someone finds about us, it‘s over.” Spike said without looking back at her. His disappointment hit her hard though.

“I promise I’ll make it up to you. We’ll do whatever you want okay.” Twist said trying to cheer him up.

“Whatever. We have something bigger to deal with. Princess Celestia wants to talk to you.”

“Really? The Princess Celestia wants to talk to me. Gosh, I’m so honored. I never thought I’d get to meet her. She’s so important and powerful. I wonder how I should act. I’m not really the high society type. Do you think I should bow? Or is it curtesy for girls? I wonder if-”

“Will you shut up! Do you know what it’s like listening to you go on like that? If it’s not too much trouble, maybe you could shut your mouth for two seconds, instead of saying everything on your damn mind all the time!” Spike said getting fed up. 

“I’m sorry.” Twist responded quietly.

“Big surprise. Anyway, I think she’s onto us. Maybe something in one of Twilight’s reports made her suspicious. I don’t know, but you can’t tell her anything.”

“Okay.” She said feeling more down than ever. Spike couldn‘t have her being depressed around Princess Celestia. He turned around and placed a claw on her chin bringing her eyes upwards.

“Listen, I’m sorry I snapped at you. It’s just this whole situation with Celestia and the stuff back at school has me a little stressed out. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I just really need your help getting through all of this. Who’s my sweet treat?” Spike said cheerfully.

“I am.” Twist said cheering up a bit.

“That’s my girl! Let‘s go.” Spike said stroking her cheek.

“Umm…Can I ask you a question?”

“What is it?”

“What are you going to do about Applebloom?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to let her down gently. You’re not jealous, are you?” Twist didn’t answer. She knew that Spike only considered her a friend, despite the intimate nature of the relationship. That meant he was technically single to anypony who looked at him. A thought that always lingered in her mind, especially now that her former best friend Applebloom had laid her feelings out for all to see.

“Listen, you may not be my girlfriend, but you’re my sweet treat. You don’t need to worry about anyone else.”

“Oh, Spike!” Twist said leaning forward for a kiss but Spike turned around and kept walking.

“We should hurry up. Twilight will get mad if we keep the princess waiting.”

“Okay,” The filly said catching up to him. She was happy with being Spike’s sweet treat, even if that meant he didn’t technically consider her his girlfriend. It didn’t matter as long as she got to be near him. As long as she was with Spike, everything would be okay.

As they walked to the library, Spike wondered if the princess really did suspect anything. Maybe she didn’t suspect a thing, but why would she want to talk to Twist specifically? If she did know something was up, why didn’t she tell Twilight immediately? There were so many questions running through the dragon’s head that he almost walked past the library.

“Spike, we’re here.” Twist alerted the dragon.

“Oh! I guess I’m just a little nervous.” Spike took a deep breath and exhaled as he opened the door. Inside, he found Twilight and Princess Celestia chatting casually, As casual as Twilight could act when the princess was around anyway.

“Ah, Spike! This must be the young filly whom Twilight spoke so highly of. It’s nice to meet you, Peppermint Twist.” Princess Celestia said walking forward.

“The pleasure is all mine, your highness.” Twist said bowing deeply.

“I wanted to speak with you about your friendship with Spike. Twilight’s report has me curious about you two.”

“I don’t understand, Princess Celestia. Was something wrong with my report?” Twilight asked worried.

“It’s quite the opposite, Twilight. The detail with which you described their interactions made me want to observe them myself. I hope you don’t mind.”

“N-Not at all. You’re always welcome to join me in my studies. If there’s anything I can do to help, please don‘t hesitate.”

“Actually, I’d like to speak to them alone.” 

“Alone? I was hoping I could sit in.” Twilight said disappointed.

“I’m afraid my questions could compromise your research and I look forward to your next report untainted by any outside influences.”

“I understand, your highness. I’ll be at Sugarcube Corner, if you need anything just ask.”

“Thank you, Twilight. I will.” The princess nodded as her student left the library. She turned her attention the filly and dragon before her. She found it odd that Spike looked more nervous than Twist who was a little cooler in her demeanor. She knew her hunch about something going on between them wasn’t too far off.

“Now I’d like to ask a few questions to you two about your relationship. I’ve been talking to Twilight and she told me how you two bumped into each other. Could you tell me what that was it like for you two meeting each other?”

“If I had to describe it, I’d have to say it was like finding a piece of yourself that you didn’t know was missing. I know it sounds weird but being friends with Spike completes me.” Twist said wistfully.

“It sounds like you feel a great deal for him. Have you ever considered being more than friends? Perhaps a couple?” Celestia asked but Spike jumped in to answer this one.

“We have such a great friendship though. I really think we work better as friends.”

“That’s such a shame. I thought you two would make such a cute couple.” Princess Celestia said causing Twist to get excited.

“Really? Did you hear that, Spike? Princess Celestia thinks we’d make a cute couple! Isn’t that wonderful?” She looked to Spike who showed no happiness at Celestia’s opinion and even less at her reaction.

“Oh! I thought you valued our ‘friendship’ but perhaps I was wrong.  I guess we could become a couple but then I’d need a new friend. Maybe Apple Bloom would be interested in replacing you.” Spike said putting an end to her excitement. The implication was clear.

“On second thought, I think you’re right. We should just be friends.” Twist said quickly taking her statement back. Spike wasn’t ready to let her off the hook so easily though.

“No, I think it’s a good idea. We could go on dates and I could hold your hoof. In the meantime, I’d hang out with Apple Bloom and do all the things we used to do as friends. I‘m sure she‘d appreciate the type of friendship we have more than you do.” Spike said pretending to give the idea some thought. He knew the thought of Apple Bloom and Spike hanging out together as ‘friends’ sent Twist into a full panic.

“No, I appreciate our friendship. I don’t want to be a couple. I want things to stay as they are.” Twist pleaded desperately.

“Hmmm, I suppose if you insist on staying friends. I can’t really argue with that.” Spike said throwing his arms up as if he was being forced to give up on the idea.

Princess Celestia watched the entire conversation and she could divine several things from it all. Twist and Spike’s was far from anything resembling a friendship. It was more like Twist was a slave than a friend. She could see in the way she hung on his every word. She could also see a more domineering and controlling side start to come out of Spike. The way he used the word friendship implied something else entirely. At this point, she pretty much had their little secret figured out.

“I see. Well, I can tell the two of you are the best of friends. Let’s move on to something else.” The princess mostly made small talk after that. She learned that Twist was quite the accomplished student. She could see a lot of Twilight in her. The way she lights up when a question is asked and how she speaks with such excitement when delivering an answer. Yet, she could sense Twist was heading down a dark path. Her devotion to Spike made her unable to see how Spike truly saw her. She knew no good could come from their relationship in the end.

“That’s wonderful, Twist, but I should be going. The sun won’t lower itself. Before I go, I’d like to speak to Spike for a moment.”

“Of course, I’ll go get Twilight.” Twist said leaving the two alone. Spike felt a little nervous again as he stood by himself with the princess.

“Spike.” The alicorn said watching the filly leave. She hoped that he took the words she was about to speak to heart. There was still time to turn from the he was leading Twist and himself down.

“Y-yes, your highness.” 

“Strong feelings are dangerous. Take proper care that you don’t take advantage of what you have. It could come back to haunt you.”

“Of course, princess.” Spike said feigning understanding. It was obvious she was talking about Twist but he didn’t see a problem with the way things were now. The current arrangement satisfied everyone. What was wrong with that? 

With that said, the princess took her leave. As she walked outside to meet Twilight, Spike pondered her last words. What did she know? Was all that talk about Spike and Twist becoming couple just talk? Princess Celestia’s visit had passed without incident but he was more confused than ever as to why it happened.

“At least it’s over and Twilight’s none the wiser.” Spike thought to himself. Whatever Celestia knew, she obviously didn’t plan on letting Twilight know.

“Spike? It’s getting pretty late. Want to walk me home?” Twist asked in a soft, sexy tone. The dragon stretched his arms above his head allowing his body to become a bit looser.

“Let‘s go.” Spike smiled.

Later that Night

The princess of the moon waited atop a hill overlooking Ponyville. Her eyes searching the starry skies for a familiar figure. Suddenly, she spotted a white blip flying towards her. It was her sister. Luna was eager to divulge what she had learned following Spike as he went to pick up Twist.  She felt lucky to have witnessed the drama in the schoolyard. Watching from above, cloaked in a magic spell, was like watching a drama unfurl before her eyes.  The theater troupes in Canterlot could certainly learn a thing or two from these mere children. Reality proved far more exhilarating fodder than what they portrayed on stage. As Celestia landed next to her sister, she could see the excitement in her face.

“I see you’re quite happy, sister. Care to share?” Celestia asked. 

“Just relishing the fact that we might be witnessing the birth of a love triangle.” Luna said absolutely giddy.

“Really? Another filly has fallen for Spike. He certainly is popular.”

“I believe she’s related to the Element of Honesty. Her name is Applebloom.”

“Applebloom?” Celestia recalled Spike mentioning that name before.

“Yes, she was apparently a close friend of Twist before she joined up with her current group of friends. She expressed her feelings for him before her entire class. It was quite the scene. What did you learn?”

“I can confirm that Spike and Twist are romantically involved but things are not as I anticipated. It would seem as though our dragon has complete control over this filly. Her feelings blind her to what Spike is doing.” Luna clapped her hooves together at this news.

“That’s wonderful! So it is as we suspected. Things are bound to get more juicy.” 

“I thought we were doing this to teach Spike a lesson. You certainly seem to be enjoying yourself.”

“We are, but can I help being entertained by it all? You must admit that it is rather exciting.”

“I suppose, but I fear where it might lead them.”  Celestia said looking down on the quiet little town.

> Lesson
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Lesson

Chapter 7


Spike awoke to another beautiful morning in Ponyville, but he found himself unable to fully appreciate it. Princess Celestia’s visit and her cryptic last words were still fresh in his mind from yesterday’s visit. The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced that she had seen right through his deception and yet she did nothing but leave Spike with a weird warning.

At first he thought, he had gotten away scot free, but after further thinking about her line of questions and conversation with Twist, it seemed like the mare had already suspected something was going on between them. The words she left with were a confirmation that she pretty much knew what was going on.

“Strong feelings are dangerous. Take proper care that you don’t take advantage of what you have. It could come back to haunt you.” Her words echoed in his mind as he sat up in his bed. The strong feelings part referred to Twist and taking proper care was a hint that he should treat Twist better. Although those words weighed heavily on his mind, he couldn’t see anything wrong with the current situation. What was the alternative? Make Twist suffer alone and bear the guilt of hurting her. They were both happy and everyone benefited. There was also the rest.

“It could come back to haunt you.” He muttered the words to himself. He had no idea what she meant. Was she threatening to tell? That didn’t make sense. Nothing kept Princess Celestia from walking up to Twilight and telling her exactly what was going on.

He looked to the mare softly sleeping in her bed. She didn’t even get mad when Spike came back late last night from Twist’s house. Twilight still thought he was an innocent virgin and that suited him just fine. The last thing he needed was the mare trying to put an end to his fun.

He could never go back to the way things were. Pining over Rarity and living out lame fantasies in his head as he pleasured himself were nothing compared to the real thing. Twist had opened his eyes to a new world of carnal pleasures. A world where bodies met and feelings of ecstasy were there for him. His only regret was didn’t take advantage on that night long ago when she initially laid herself before him.

“Everything is okay, Spike. Everything is okay.” He told himself as repeated the mantra over and over again. The dragon started to think about his situation. Princess Celestia may know what’s going on, but she hasn’t done anything. For whatever reason, she was keeping quiet and allowing him to continue which was good. He couldn’t stop the Princess and yet she seemed to have no desire to stop him. In the end, he could do nothing but hope she would not divulge anything to Twilight.

Spike decided to forget about Celestia’s visit and focus on his other problem. The discovery of Apple Bloom’s newfound feelings meant that she’d have to come over and explain herself. Eventually, Spike would have to let her down gently. If she took it personally, Applejack might get mad and it could affect her friendship with Twi who would blame him.

“It’s not my fault I have such animal magnetism.” He said to himself as he crawled out of bed and walked over to the mirror. He started to admire his features as he wondered what to do. He suddenly realized that he might be popular among the fillies. It wasn’t such a stretch considering how hard Twist fell for him. He started to imagine himself surrounded by beautiful fillies.

“More apple cider?” Apple Bloom said bringing him a tall, frosty mug. He sat on a huge couch with several fillies around him. Each one vying for his attention. Spike took the mug and watched as Apple Bloom pushed Sweetie Belle aside to sit next him. The unicorn glared at her for a moment before returning her gaze to Spike as he took a deep swig of the refreshing beverage. Spike let out a relaxed sigh as he sunk into the couch.

“You have a little foam on your cheek, darling!” Diamond Tiara said kissing him on the side of his lips. She sat on his other side hugging him.

“Liar! You just wanted to kiss him.” Scootaloo accused her.

“You’re just made because he likes me more than you, blank flank!” She said hugging him closer.

“Ha! I bet he doesn’t like your blowjobs!” Scootaloo laughed.

“Oh yeah! Let’s have a contest and Spike can be the judge.”

“Ladies, I’d love to, but you’re going to have to wait till Silver Spoon is finished.” He looked down to see the filly deepthroating his cock. He couldn’t see his own cock as he started to cum. The filly  looked up at him as she swallowed every bit. She gasped for air as she pulled back and started to stroke his flaccid purple member.

“Aww, I want to do it again!”  She pleaded.

“Spike, you said we’d play today! You promised!” Apple Bloom whined.

“What about our contest?” Scootaloo added.

“I go first!” Diamond Tiara raised a hoof. The fillies bickered amongst each other as they shouted his name.

“Spike! Spike! Spike….” They all shouted until Spike realized that somepony was actually shouting his name.

“Are you in there, Spike? I have to go.” Twilight asked frantically trying to get his attention.

“Alright!” Spike said quickly exiting. As Twilight zipped past him, he thought about how he would respond when Apple Bloom confronted him. Maybe they could work something out. It was a shame to let such a beautiful filly down. He smiled as thoughts of Apple Bloom and other fillies filled his head.

Meanwhile

As Peppermint Twist awoke, she was thinking about how wonderful Spike was last night. She felt lucky to have gotten back into his good graces. He was so angry at her during Celestia’s visit that she thought he might have rejected her again, but the fact that they could still be together was huge relief, especially since her old friend made her feelings known.

“Apple Bloom!” She hissed. Her jealousy was so strong that she felt like she might lose it. She took a few deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. She started to think of all the reasons why Spike would never go for Apple Bloom.

She was willing to satisfy all Spike’s needs. Her mind, body, and soul all belonged to Spike who happily accepted them. Each time they slept together was more beautiful than the last. It was like their connection was renewed each time they made love. Spike had also promised not to touch Apple Bloom as long as she remained obedient. She almost felt sorry for her friend’s unrequited love. She had no chance of ever being with Spike.

“It serves her right.” She said going one step further. She remembered how her friend reacted to the news of Twist getting her cutie mark. The most important moment in a young filly’s life is getting her cutie mark and what does Apple Bloom say? She whines about going to Diamond Tiara’s party alone. No congratulations or anything even resembling any happiness at the news of Twist discovering her special talent. She never admitted it to her, but at that moment, she felt deeply hurt by her former best friend’s inability to look past herself and be happy for her. She would have told her, but Apple Bloom made new friends that day and she decided to let it go.

“Somepony like that doesn’t deserve to be with Spike!” She said as she placed a piece of paper in her backpack and slung it over her back. As she left her room, she heard someone knocking at the door downstairs. She walked to the door and was about to open it when she realized who it was.

Her parents left for work earlier so whoever was had to be somepony for her. Only one pony stopped by at this time of day because they used to walk to school together as friends. Her suspicions were confirmed when a voice called out from behind the door.

“Peppermint Twist? Hello, is anyone there?” A familiar country accent called out. She couldn’t believe her luck. The last pony she wanted to see was knocking in her door. She thought about ignoring her until she went away, but she realized that she might be here to get advice about Spike. A better opportunity to sabotage her wouldn’t present itself.

“Hey, Apple Bloom! What’s up?” She said with a forced smile as she opened the door.

“Good morning, Twist! I thought it’d be kind of nice if we walked together. It’d be like old times.”

“Sure thing! Sounds like fun!” She said as they began to walk. She looked over to her old friend and gave her a look of complete hatred as Apple Bloom’s attention was focused forward. Her thoughts turned nasty as she glared at the farm filly.

“You stupid, inbred hick! Go jump off a mountain and see if you get your cutie mark before you hit the ground.” She thought to herself.

“It’s been such a long time since we did this. Remember when we started school? It almost seemed like a tradition.” Apple Bloom chimed happily. Twist switched her demeanor before Apple Bloom could notice.

“Yeah! It was so much fun talking with you.” She said as she remembered how every conversation was about cutie marks and how it was so unfair that Apple Bloom didn’t have hers.

“I actually wanted to talk to you about Spike.” The country filly admitted. Twist didn’t even react to the name as it came up. On the inside, she was absolutely livid.

“Of course, you are, homewrecker! All you do is talk about yourself and what you want! I’ll never let you take Spike away from me! No one will ever take Spike away from me!” She thought as they walked to school. All the while keeping an unassuming smile on her face. Her peaceful exterior was merely a cover for the bubbling rage seething below. However, her former friend’s next words would turn Twist’s attitude on it’s head.

“I know the truth about you and Spike. I know you like him and…. if you want, I’ll forget I ever liked him.” Twist was completely caught off guard. She fully expected Apple Bloom to ask for her help or perhaps tips on how to woo Spike. She had planned on playing dumb or possibly giving her bad advice. This came completely out of nowhere and she had no idea how to react.

“W-What are you talking about?” 

“Snails told me you had feelings for Spike.” Apple Bloom revealed. Twist had completely forgotten that Snails knew about her true feelings. She wondered how much the colt had told her.

“He did, huh?” Twist said looking away.

“I just want to know why you lied about not liking him before. Yesterday, you and Spike seemed to laugh off the idea of liking each other. Was it because you didn‘t want to say it in front of everyone or was it something else?” Twist knew the real reason was Spike’s insistence that everything be kept secret. It made sense at the time because he told her that Twilight would not allow him to be sexually active if she found out. She wasn’t a fan of the idea, but Spike meant enough to her that she didn’t mind hiding it. It still didn’t stop it from eating her up inside though that she treated their love like something to be ashamed of.

“The truth is…. he turned me down.” She admitted.

“Oh, I didn’t know. I‘m sorry.” Apple Bloom said genuinely sad that her friend had been rejected.

“It‘s okay. We‘re friends now.” Twist said with forced happiness. The two fillies walked to school in silence for a few moments. The sounds of birds chirping and other ponies going about their business as they were lost in thought. Suddenly, Apple Bloom spoke up.

“I’ve made my decision. It wouldn’t be right going after Spike with what happened between you two.”

“You’d do that for me?”

“Of course, I would. We’re friends after all.” Apple Bloom’s words made the filly regret her unkind thoughts. Perhaps she was too harsh on her.

“Wow, I don’t know what to say!” Twist said.

“Don’t mention it!” Apple Bloom said pounding her chest. “So what do you think this special lesson is all about?”

“I don’t know, but it must be pretty important if we need permission slips.”

“When I gave it to Applejack, she looked real nervous after reading it and said she had to discuss with Big Macintosh and Granny before she signed it. It’s kind of weird considering they just sign stuff right away.” Apple Bloom said as she remembered how nervous her sister looked.

“Hey, Apple Bloom!” A voice called out as they reached the schoolyard.

“Hi, Sweetie Belle! I’m guessing Rarity signed yours too.”

“Yep! She was acting pretty strange when I showed her. She practically jumped when she read it.” 

“Hello, Sweetie Belle.”  Peppermint Twist said awkwardly greeting her.

“Hey, Twist. Could you excuse us for a moment?” Sweetie Belle said pulling Apple Bloom aside.

“Sure, I should get to class anyway.” Twist said leaving them to talk. Sweetie Belle waited until the filly was out of sight before saying anything.

“So did you ask her? What’d she say?” She asked.

“She does like Spike, but he turned her down.” Apple Bloom explained.

“That’s good then!” Sweetie Belle said earning an odd look from Apple Bloom. “I mean it’s bad for her but good for you. I knew Snails wasn‘t lying. He‘s just not the type.”

“Yeah, I guess.” She sighed.

“What are you sad about? This means Spike is available.”

“Actually, I think I’m going to give up on Spike.”

“Why? I thought you liked him.” 

“Peppermint Twist already asked him out and he turned her down. If I asked Spike, it would be like I was betraying her.” Sweetie Belle looked at her as if she were crazy.

“They‘re not dating, right? How are you betraying Twist by asking him out?”

“They’re still pretty close friends. It’d be awkward if I asked him out.” She said without conviction. 

“So let me get this straight. Spike is single, and the only reason you’re not asking him out is because he turned down Twist. That doesn’t make any sense and you know it.”

“What if it were you? Would you want me to date Snails after he turned you down?” She said putting the unicorn on the spot. The filly thought about it for a moment before answering.

“I’d be pretty disappointed, but if it made you and Snails happy, I’d be okay with it. I think if you and Spike started dating. Peppermint Twist wouldn‘t have any choice but to accept it.”

“What if he says no to me too?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Is that what this is all about?”  Before Sweetie Belle could press any further, Scootaloo arrived and immediately noticed the dour mood her friends were in.

“Hey, guys! What’s up? Don‘t tell me Spike and Twist are dating!” She guessed.

“No, he turned her down.” Apple Bloom explained.

“That’s great!” Scootaloo said earning an equally odd look from Apple Bloom. “Oh, you know what I mean! So all you got to do is ask him out now.”

“She doesn’t want to ask him out because she’ll be ‘betraying’ Twist.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. They’re not dating because Spike turned her down. How is asking after she failed wrong? If Spike doesn’t want to date her, how is you not asking him out going to make it better?” Scootaloo chided the filly’s logic.

“You know how much they hang out. It’s obvious Twist still has feelings for him. I don‘t want to swoop in and ruin it for her.”

“Did Twist tell you she didn’t want you to ask Spike out?”

“She’d never do that. She’s too nice.” Apple Bloom explained. Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle who just sighed.

“Listen, Apple Bloom. If you don’t ask Spike out, another filly will. If Spike ends up dating someone else, you‘ll be worse off than Twist because you‘ll never know what could‘ve been. Are you really okay with that?” Scootaloo asked.

“I don’t know! I wish I didn’t feel this way! It’s so confusing liking someone! I want to tell him how I feel, but I keep thinking he‘ll say no and… I can‘t face him.” Apple Bloom responded on the verge of tears. Scootaloo was less than sympathetic.

“Coward.” She uttered as she looked away..

“Scootaloo! What are you saying?” Sweetie Belle said shocked at her friend’s harsh words.

“It’s true! Do you really think that you and Twist are the only ones who have a crush on Spike? Did it ever occur to you that someone else could ask him out before you? If you’re so scared, just give up and maybe some other filly will take him!” Apple Bloom just looked at her friend for a second. Scootaloo wouldn’t meet her gaze instead choosing to look at the ground.

“Scootaloo, do you-” The earth pony was interrupted as Cheerilee called for class to begin.

“It’s time for class, everypony.”

“We should get to class.” Scootaloo said immediately heading towards the schoolhouse. Apple Bloom could only watch and follow as her friend hurried to class by herself. Her affection for Spike was starting to seem more and more troublesome.

Cheerilee was surprised to have a full turnout today. Considering her lesson, she expected more than a few ponies to keep their foals at home. Whether they trusted her with such a sensitive subject or just didn’t want to explain it themselves, she didn’t know. All she knew was that it was very important that somepony talked to them about this topic sooner rather than later. As she collected the last of the permission slips, she looked at her class and prepared to begin the lesson.

“Who can tell me where foals come from?” The reaction was mixed. Several of them were seriously thinking about it. Others were giggling. It wasn’t uncommon for a few to learn to learn the facts from older siblings or friends. One filly did throw her hoof up though.

“Dinky?” 

“My mom says the stork delivers foals to fillies who grow up to be good mares.”

“That’s a very good guess, but that’s something adults tell foals till their old enough to know the truth. I think you’re all officially old enough to learn the truth behind the miracle of life.” The class was practically buzzing with excitement. Cheerilee took the opportunity to pull down a screen and setup a projector.

“Settle down, everypony! We have a lot to go over and it’s important that you all pay close attention to everything.”

Cheerilee started by showing a film that detailed two couple’s very different journey involving the creation of life. The first couple involved a young earth pony who had inadvertently impregnated his equally young pegasus girlfriend. They mostly talked about how they never expected it to happen and what they would do next. The other couple was pair of unicorns who were trying to have a child but were told that they could not conceive. Their story was about trying to find a way to create the family they always wanted and how they tried everything before meeting the first couple who would eventually give their newborn foal to them.

Twist was particularly fascinated by the interactions of the young couple. The way the earth pony tried to separate himself when he heard the news, but he was still there for her when she gave birth and even promised to be there for her in the future. The idea of Spike at her side holding her hoof as she struggled to give birth to their offspring and promising he’d always stand by her side seemed infinitely appealing.

Scootaloo didn’t find any part of the presentation as interesting as Twist. In fact, she thought the whole process was disgustingly sappy. The act of giving birth seemed like a nightmare. Screaming in agony with a stranger staring at your privates while you pushed out what she could only assume was a foal. She never wanted to go through such an ordeal.

“Alright, class.  Does anyone have any questions?” Cheerilee asked. Several hooves went up almost immediately. Peppermint Twist, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom all had their hooves up.

“Apple Bloom?” 

“What happened to the foal?” She asked.

“This film is actually quite old so the foal is all grown up. As for where she is now, your guess is as good as mine.”

“What about the young couple? Are they still together?” Twist asked.

“I don‘t know. Young love doesn’t usually last though. You‘re all still growing and it‘s easy to believe that someone could be the one you want to spend your life with. That’s why it’s important to take your time and wait till you’re adults before you engage in any sexual activity with another pony.”

“Is that really what giving birth is like?” Scootaloo asked.

“Actually, the film is edited for time. The whole process can take up to twelve hours and involve several doctors working around the clock.”

“Twelve hours! What if she has to go to the bathroom or something?”

“Well, she can’t move so she has to do her business in a bedpan.” Cheerilee answered earning more than a few disgusted looks and groans from her class.

Scootaloo couldn’t imagine why anyone would ever want to do that. She felt like she had just watched some sort of twisted nightmare and the big monster was her own body.  All that happened because of sex. She suddenly thought about the pregnant mare and how she described the act.

“It hurts at first, but after a little while, you can’t imagine your life without it. It‘s like flying but a thousand times better.” She said with a huge smile on her face as she rubbed her belly. The fact that she compared it to flying made her all the more curious.

“A thousand times better, huh?” She said to herself as she tried to imagine such a thing. As long as she didn’t end up pregnant, it might be worth experiencing. She wondered who her first would be. She stopped herself as her mind drifted towards a certain individual. She started to feel bad about how she talked to Apple Bloom earlier. She decided to apologize after class when the bell rang for the end of class.

“As a side note, I’d just like to mention that, although extremely rare, some interspecies relations can result in pregnancy.”

Twist remained calm on the outside as she packed her bag. She didn’t want to let anyone know how she felt about that last minute revelation. She didn’t leave right away instead waiting for half the class to leave. Apple Bloom waved goodbye to her as she left and she waved back. Just as she got up to leave, Cheerilee called out to her.

“Peppermint Twist! If you have a moment, I‘d like to speak with you.”

“Yes, Miss Cheerilee.” She said as she pushed back the urge to cuss out her teacher.

“Can’t you see I’ve got stuff to do! Why don‘t you mind your own damn business for once?” She thought as she walked towards her teacher.

“I just wanted to see how things are going. I heard you’ve been working at the library with Spike for some time now.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m helping Twilight Sparkle out with her studies. It‘s really fun.”

“I only ask because you don’t seem to be interested in making any new friends. You don’t seem to play or talk with anyone since Apple Bloom. I was just worried that you might be a bit lonely.” She said as the last of her students filed out of the classroom.

“Not at all, ma’am. I feel it gives me more time to focus on my schoolwork.” Twist lied. The truth is she didn’t feel the need to talk to anyone. Her interactions with Spike were so much more real than the false platitudes she would have gotten from making friends. Spike was all the companionship she’d ever need.

Cheerilee couldn’t argue with a student who wanted to devote more time to studying, but Twist was her best student. Her grades were perfect. The idea that she’d be happy just focusing on her schoolwork didn’t sit right with her at all.

“I see. If you don’t mind my asking, how are things with Spike? You two must work pretty closely if you’re at the library all the time.”

“Yep! Twilight’s so smart! I hope I can be as smart as her someday.” Cheerilee was starting to notice a pattern. Twist was intentionally steering the conversation away from Spike. If she was going to get anything out of her, she would have to take the direct approach.

“I was actually more curious about you and Spike. You two seemed to spend a lot of time together after school.” 

“Oh, you must be talking about that crush I used to have! I’m actually over that.”

“You’re over it?” The mare said with a raised eyebrow and more than a little suspicion.

“Yeah, we got to talking and it turns out we don’t have much in common. He seemed so cool and mysterious at first, but once I met him, the appeal just wasn‘t there.‘” She explained.

“And you’re okay with that?”

“I’m a little disappointed that my first crush didn‘t work out, but I met Twilight and I really look up to her so it‘s okay.”

“So how would you describe your relationship with Spike?” Cheerilee asked.

“I’d say we’re friends. He‘s still fun to hang around, but I just don‘t see him like I used too.” Everything Peppermint Twist said made absolutely perfect sense. It was natural to hold someone in high regard and be disappointed when they turn out differently than you hoped. Cheerilee should have been able to accept that explanation. Peppermint Twist was prompt, courteous, and an all around great student. She had no reason not to believe her, and yet, she couldn’t shake this feeling of doubt. She could only wonder as she decided to let her go.

“I apologize for holding you up, Peppermint Twist.”

“Not at all, ma’am. I should have told you sooner. Well, I’ll see you later,  Miss Cheerilee.”

“Oh, one last thing before I forget! Do you know if Diamond Tiara is okay? She seems much quieter than usual lately. I know that‘s probably a good thing, but I can‘t help but wonder if something happened.”

“Hmm, I don’t know, but it can’t be all bad. They haven’t made fun of anypony lately.”

“It‘s great that she‘s not inflicting pain on anyone else, but if something or someone made her turn that pain inwards, it could be bad for her.” Cheerilee’s comment set off a fire in Peppermint Twist.

“So it’s better for her to pick on someone else, right?” Twist said in low, angry voice.

“That’s not what I meant, Peppermint Twist. I-”

“I get it. It’s better for her to spread it around and hurt other people than dealing with herself. If that‘s the case, I hope she stays depressed forever!” The filly shouted as she left. The teacher called out to her to no avail.

“I want all of my students to be happy.” The teacher sighed.

Near Sweet Apple Acres

“I’m sorry about this morning, Apple Bloom. I had no right to snap at you like that.” Scootaloo said as she walked alongside her two friends.

“Aww shucks, Scootaloo! You were right. I reckon if I can‘t truly confess to Spike. I should step aside and let another filly who can.” She said looking at Scootaloo.

“I-I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

“I insist, Scootaloo! If any filly gets to go out with Spike, it should be you.”

“I was just angry. I don’t think I could confess to him anymore than you.”

“Umm, guys?” Sweetie Belle said as they stopped at the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres.

“You should!”

“No, you should!”

“Guys!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

“What!” They said in sync. Sweetie Belle merely pointed at a lone figure standing against a wooden post with amused expression as he watched the them.

“Mind if I talk to Apple Bloom for a moment?” Spike asked.

> Betrayal
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Betrayal

Chapter 8

Apple Bloom felt like she had butterflies in her stomach as her mind struggled to process this new turn of events. She was trying to put her feelings aside so Scootaloo could step in and Spike shows up to talk to her alone. The nervous feeling of facing your crush was worse enough without the guilt of betraying a close friend. 

“Actually, I’m kinda busy right now.” She had to look away as Spike looked confused by her answer.

“Are you sure? It‘ll only take a second.”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Oh, maybe later then.”  She could feel the disappointment in her voice like a knife being twisted in her heart. The hardest part was when Spike walked past her. All the mental anguish and turmoil she had experienced since discovering her feelings came rushing back. She wondered if she’d always have to bear this pain. If her feelings for Spike never faded, could she truly ever get over him?

“Tsch! What a waste of time!” Spike thought as he walked away. Spike knew she liked him and she just blew him off like it was nothing. The only reason he went after her in the first place was because he thought she was a sure thing. It was a minor hitch anyway. There were plenty of other fish in the sea.

“I guess I‘ll have to find some random filly and start from scratch.” Spike said as he was walking away until a voice called out.

“Wait a second!” Scootaloo shouted as everyone turned their attention to her.

“What is it now?” Spike said digging in his ear.

“What’s with that tone?” She said equally irritated.

“The last time you shouted at me didn’t go so well. I think I’m well within my rights to be annoyed at you.”

“I‘m sorry, okay?” it wasn’t exactly the sincerest apology, but Spike accepted it all the same.


“I guess I forgive you. Is that all you wanted to say?” The dragon said looking at his claws.

“N-No, there’s something else.”

“This ought to be good. What is it now?”

The pegasus cast a sidelong glance at Apple Bloom. The moment was only a few seconds long, but the earth pony knew exactly what was going to happen next. She tried to be happy for her friend as she looked away.

“Ummm, do you want to…. I mean if you‘re not too busy…” Scootaloo said staring at the ground.

“Sure, I‘ll go out with you.”

“Huh?”

“That’s what you wanted to ask me, right?”

“How’d you know?” 

“If you were anymore nervous, you’d be Fluttershy.” Spike put his claws together and pretended to look nervous. “Do you want to… I mean if you’re not too busy?”  The dragon said playing up her nervous demeanor.

“Shut up!” Scootaloo said giving him a stiff hoof to the arm.

“So where do you want to go?”

“You mean now?”

“Is it a bad tine for you?”

“No, I just wasn’t expecting it to happen right away. Could you give me a second?” The filly said walking over to her friends. Sweetie Belle squealed with joy as her friend came back with a smile on her face.

“Oh, I’m so happy for you!” Sweetie Belle said hugging her friend.

“Do you guys mind if I leave early?”

“Of course, we don’t. Right, Apple Bloom?”

“Y-yeah, you go on ahead. I’m not feeling so hot today anyway.” Apple Bloom said excusing herself. Scootaloo wanted to say something to make it better but Sweetie Belle stopped her.

“Give her some time. I’m sure she just has a lot of stuff to work through right now.”

“I guess.” Scootaloo sighed. “What are you going to do?”

“I‘ll go see what sis is up to.” Spike started to cough loudly in an attempt to get Scootaloo’s attention.

“I should get going.”

“Good luck!” Sweetie Belle said as she waved her friend off. She watched as the two of them walked off together before turning and looking at Sweet Apple Acres. 

She wondered if things would truly be the same between the three of them. \When Scootaloo looked away, Sweetie Belle saw the look on Apple Bloom’s face. It was only there for a second but it was as clear as day. It was the same look she had seen on Snails’ face so many times when he thought no one was looking. It was one of complete and utter sadness.

As she started the rather lengthy trek from Sweet Apple Acres to Carousel Boutique, she wondered what she	 could do for either of them. Her attempts to cheer Snails up had proven fruitless as he avoided talking to her at every available opportunity. To make matters worse, she had no idea what had happened to make him so depressed. She had tried everything she could think of. Well, almost everything.

“Maybe I should ask Rarity.” She thought to herself as she walked through town. It was her last resort and with good reason. If she even hinted that she had a crush on a colt, Rarity would go overboard trying to help her. She’d put her in all sorts of dresses, redo her mane a billion times, and basically make a bigger deal out of it than she wanted. Unfortunately, trying to talk to Snails had proven fruitless and Snips wouldn’t tell her anything. She needed the advice of somepony who was experienced in matters of love and Rarity was the only pony she knew. 

As she approached Carousel Boutique, she noticed a figure in the bushes staring through the window. Sweetie Belle instantly recognized  the pony lurking in the bushes as her classmate Peppermint Twist. It was like she was looking for something, but why she had to sit outside and spy was a mystery to the unicorn.

“Umm, Peppermint Twist?” She said shocking the filly. Twist jumped at the call and turned to find herself busted.

“S-S-Sweetie Belle! What are you doing here?” The filly asked nervously.

“This is my sister‘s place. Why exactly are you peeping through her windows?”

“I was… looking for a dress. Yeah, that’s it!”

“From the outside and in the bushes?” Sweetie Belle said looking at her more suspiciously.

“Well, I didn’t want to bother her.” She said as she started to turn and walk away. “By the way, you haven’t seen Spike anywhere, have you?”

“Why do you ask?” Sweetie Belle was caught off guard by the query, but it did explain why Twist was really lurking around Rarity’s place. She didn’t know exactly where Spike was, but she did know he was with Scootaloo. If she was willing to spy on Rarity, how far would she go if she knew he was on a date?

“I just wanted to talk to him about something. So do you know where he is?” Twist asked. Sweetie Belle had to keep her busy until the after noon was over. She looked around and noticed Rarity working on a dress through the window. At that moment, she had the most wonderful idea.

“How about a total makeover from my sister? It‘ll be so much fun!” She suggested. If there was one thing that could waste time, it was one of Rarity’s projects.

“I‘m kind of busy. I really have to talk to Spike.” Sweetie Belle said pushing her towards the door.

“Nonsense, it’ll only take a second. After one of my sister‘s makeovers, Spike won‘t be able to take his eyes off of you.”

“Really?” Peppermint Twist said excited by prospect of Spike’s adoration.

“Of course! Spike used to spend all his time around Rarity so she would know for sure how to get him.” Sweetie Belle said playing up the Spike angle. As long as she mentioned him, she’d probably follow her all the way to Canterlot.

“I guess I could spare a few minutes.” Twist said as she imagined Spike complimenting her on something besides her oral skills.

“That’s great! Follow me.” Sweetie Belle said as they entered the boutique.

Rarity was pacing around the mannequin with a furrowed brow as she examined her latest work. It was supposed to be a centerpiece that would go on display outside her boutique and draw a crowd that would bring her business the recognition that it was sorely lacking. Unfortunately, there was something missing. Something crucial that left it wholly unsatisfying to the fashionista’s high standards.

“Hey, Rarity!”

“Oh, Sweetie Belle! I thought you’d be out with looking for your cutie mark with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom.”

“Where are Apple Bloom and Scootaloo anyway?” Twist wondered aloud before being pushed into Rarity by Sweetie Belle.

“This is Peppermint Twist and I told her you’d give her one of your amazing makeovers for absolutely free!” The little unicorn said changing the subject. Rarity looked at the filly for a moment before sighing.

“I’m very busy, Sweetie Belle! I don’t have time to play around. I need to figure out what the new display for my boutique is going to be before Photo Finish arrives. If I can impress her, all of Canterlot will be whispering my name.”

“You’re the Element of Generosity! Everyone already knows who you are.”

“Helping stop a evil alicorn from enshrouding the world is nice and all, but it doesn’t do much for my fashion career. I need to put something out that will really display my skills as artiste. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m very busy.”

“What about Peppermint Twist? She could totally be your centerpiece!”

“M-m-me?” Twist said surprised by Sweetie Belle’s proclamation. Rarity motioned for her younger sibling to come over to talk in private.

“Don’t worry about it, Peppermint Twist! Everything is totally fine!” She said before following Rarity to a secluded corner of the room.

“Do you remember when I told that some ponies have ‘it’ and some don’t? Well, I’m afraid your little friend falls into the latter category.” Rarity said as she tossed a smile and a wave in Twist’s direction.

“I know she’s not much to look at now, but I’m sure after one your makeovers she could do it.” Rarity sighed as she pressed a hoof in the center of her brow.

“I need to put something out there that will show Photo Finish what I’m capable of. This is very important for my boutique, and I can‘t risk that on your friend. I‘m sorry, Sweetie Belle.” Sweetie Belle was disheartened but not out. 

“Hmm… What if you proved how fashionable you are by using your skills to change Peppermint Twist?”

“Sweetie Belle, I told you-”

“Just hear me out, sis! If you could show everyone that you could turn Twist into a total knockout, there’d be no question that you’d be the trendiest pony in all of Ponyville.” Rarity couldn’t believe it, but Sweetie Belle actually had a point. She had thought a dress and mannequin were enough, but a living, breathing model showcasing her personal flair and design had far more appeal. There was only one problem and that was the supposed model.

“I suppose I could give it a try, but it’s going to take some time. Photo Finish will be here tomorrow, so I‘m going to need to keep her here all afternoon. The mane alone will take hours to work. The tail is going to be a nightmare as well. I should also do something about those granny glasses of hers. She‘ll also need to come back tomorrow afternoon” Rarity said already throwing around ideas in her head.

“That’s great! What should I do?”

“Go fetch my camera! We’re going to need good before and after photos! This is going to be my greatest work ever. I can feel it!” Rarity said with newfound enthusiasm. By the time she was done, Peppermint Twist’s new look would be the talk of the town.

Later that Evening

“You can’t honestly believe that.” Spike laughed.

“It’s totally true. Rainbow Dash could totally beat Princess Celestia in a race.” Scootaloo announced.

“How do you figure?”

“Princeess Celestia is always riding around in chariots and stuff. She doesn’t get enough to practice to maintain a high level of speed like Rainbow Dash.”

“She’s carried the sun and the moon across the sky for a thousand years.” Spike countered as they walked through the town.

“Yeah, really slowly! You’d think she’d be able to do it faster by now.” She said as the princesses began to draw the day to a close. The two of them looked up to watch them work.

“She’s pulling the sun and the moon. You can’t just sling them across the sky in a rush. They‘re heavy.”

“They have magic. Weight doesn’t matter.”

“Coming from a pegasus pony that sounds pretty presumptuous.” Spike remarked.

“Last time I checked, dragons can’t do magic either.” She pointed out.

“I know more about it than you think. Twilight tells me all sorts of stuff when she’s practicing spells.”

“You still don’t know what it’s like to cast a spell.”

“I bet I could cast one now.” He said confidently.

“No way!”

“I’ll prove it! Close your eyes.” He said stopping in front of her.

“How am I supposed to see it?” 

“It’s part of the magic. Trust me.”

“This better be good.” She said doing as he instructed.

Spike looked at her for a second before leaning and kissing her. At the instant their lips made contact, Scootaloo opened her eyes and looked into his as they connected on a new level. The warm sensation made her heart practically skip as she started to get into it. As Spike broke away, she slowly savored the warm feeling of  his lip leaving hers. 

“Wow.” She sighed.

“I told you I could cast a spell.” He smiled as Scootaloo blushed.

“You’re so cheesy.” She said pushing him away.

“I had a really great time today, but I should probably get home.” He took one of her hooves in his claws and held it.

“Me too. Do you want to hang out again tomorrow?” She asked.

“Come by the library after school tomorrow, okay.”

“Alright, bye.” She said quickly kissing him on the lips before skipping away. As Spike watched her, his smile faded as he yawned.

“That was so freaking boring.” He said stretching out as he started the trek back home. “It’s such a pain in the ass to do all this lovey dovey crap first. Twist was so easy.”

Speaking of which, he hadn’t seen her all day. He had anticipated her to come looking for him or something. Did she just go home? He couldn’t imagine her not trying to look for him. Maybe she did and they just missed each other. In any case, it was probably better she didn’t show up. It was less to explain for now and he had to focus on bedding Scootaloo so he could move on to the next filly.

“My next conquest, huh? Should I go after Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle? Or a completely different filly entirely?” The dragon shrugged as he walked on. It didn’t matter. There were so many fillies in this town that he could bang a different one every day for a year and never run out of options. This town was his gem and all he had to do was bite.

As the dragon grew closer to the library, he noticed somepony standing at the entrance. It looked like a filly and really cute one too. She had a beautiful, long red mane with a single white streak that covered her face and a shiny white coat that seen to shimmer in the waning sunlight. Before Spike knew it, he found himself unable to look away. She cast her somehow familiar red spectacles in his direction and smiled. He practically felt his heart skip as their eyes met.

“Spike? Is that you? I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” She called out a she ran towards him. Her voice was so soft, yet mature. He almost didn’t answer just to hear her speak again.

“Umm… have we met? I think I’d remember meeting a filly as attractive as you.” The filly blushed as Spike’s words hit home.

“Wow, that‘s the first time you ever called me attractive! I was so mad that Rarity‘s makeover took so long, but hearing you compliment me made it all worth it.”

“Rarity? You must be some fancy Manehattanite doing some shopping, right?” Spike guessed. The filly giggled at his response.

“Wow! You really don’t recognize me. Maybe this will jog your memory.” She leaned in and immediately kissed Spike. Her tongue lightly touching his lips made him open his mouth letting her slip her inside. Almost immediately she put her forehooves around his neck as their tongues intertwined. She began to slide around around Spike’s tongue letting it wraparound her own. At that moment, Spike realized who she was. He tried to speak only to be hampered by their current predicament. The filly carefully disengaged as they separated.

“I knew you’d recognize the flavor of your sweet treat. I‘m sorry about kissing you out in the open, but I just couldn‘t resist.” Peppermint Twist giggled.

“F-Forget about that! What happened to you? You look and sound so… different.” He said still shocked by this new revelation.

“Rarity gave me a makeover! I was kind of on the fence about it at first, but seeing how much you like it, I think I could get used to it. I mean it’s the first time I actually changed my style. My mom usually brushes it for me, but only for a little bit. Rarity took ages and she did all sorts of other stuff to it. At one point, it felt like my scalp was on fire, but being a dragon-”

“Okay, I get it!” Spike sighed. Only Twist could pointlessly ramble on like that.

“What happened to your voice? Your lisp is completely gone.” She tossed the mane back revealing a white choker with a red ruby at the center.

“It’s because of this thing. Rarity said as long as I wear this my voice is completely normal. She enchanted it and everything.”

“Well, you look great! If it weren’t so late, I’d really like to play around with the new you.” He said casually stroking her mane.

“I wanted to play with you too. Where were you anyway?” She said pushing her face against his claw.

“I had some personal business to attend to. Don‘t worry about it.”

“Maybe next time you could tell me in advance. I could probably help.” Spike dropped his claw from her cheek and turned away.

“I told you it was personal.” He said looking away.

“I’m sorry. I just thought if you had help…”

“What have I told you about thinking?”

“I’m sorry. Can you come to Carousel Boutique tomorrow? I’m going to be modeling some dresses for Rarity. I‘d really like it if you came.”

“I got something to do.” He said waving her off as he headed towards the library door.

“Please! It’d really mean a lot if you were there!” She shouted as he reached for the door. The dragon stopped and turned to face her. A neutral expression in his face as he stared at her. 

“I said no and I meant it. You get a makeover and suddenly think you make demands of me. Do you know how many fillies there are in this town? I could snap my fingers and have a whole new flock of fillies ready to take your place. I suggest you keep that in mind when I say no. Understood?” He said in a stern and harsh voice.

“I’m sorry.” She whimpered.

“Whatever.” He said walking into the library and slamming the door. The filly stood their for awhile crying softly to herself.

“He’s right. I shouldn’t have been so pushy. I’m so stupid.” She said as her makeup started to run.

“That’s right! You are.” A voice called out to her. The filly looked up to see where it came from, but there was no one else around.

“Who said that?” She said feeling a little spooked.

“I’m the one Spike wants. The one he deserves.” The voice said with a sinister tone.

“Who are you? I won’t let anyone take Spike away from me!” She said frantically searching for the source of the voice. It sounded so close that it could have been right next to her, but there wasn’t another pony around besides her. 

“That’s good! You have to want it enough!” The filly started to whirl around figuring the voice was behind her, hiding just out of her periphery.

“But I thought you wanted Spike?” Twist said confused.

“I want what you want because we’re one in the same.”

“This is some kind of sick joke! A unicorn is casting a weird spell on me. That‘s it! It‘s probably Snails or someone.” She said as her voice started to crack.

“Come now, Twist! Snails couldn’t cast a spell to save his life. Even if he could, we both know he doesn’t have the balls to face us, let alone get revenge. He‘s a complete pussy now. It‘s actually kind of pathetic the way he can‘t even look in our direction.”

The filly took off in the hopes that she could escape the spell. She looked around hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever it was. It had to be someone else. It was probably Diamond Tiara. She could easily pay a unicorn to do something dirty to her.

“Now you’re really reaching! Diamond Tiara! She’s even worse off than Snails. Ever since we shoved her to the ground and made her see what it feels like to be pushed around, she can’t even bring herself to act like a bitch anymore. It was a long time coming if you ask me.”

Peppermint Twist had made to her house and quickly ran upstairs. She threw herself on her bed and buried her head under her pillows. It had to be some kind of prank. Someone else was making that voice. It could be coming from anywhere else. For awhile everything was quiet, she looked around and sighed as the voice had seemingly disappeared. 

She decided to get up and check on her face. Rarity had told her not to exert herself or her hair could get all frizzy. She walked to the mirror near her door and did a quick check. Everything seemed alright as she looked herself over, except her reflection seemed wrong somehow. Her hair was bangs seemed to go right instead of left.

“Are you done?” The voice said reappearing again. Twist immediately fell to floor and covered her ears. With any luck, the voice would go away like last time.

“I’m not going away! Look in the mirror.” The voice said clearly annoyed. Twist refused to acknowledge the voice’s request though.

“La-la-la! I can’t hear you!” She shouted without looking up.

“Okay, this is getting pathetic! If you want to lose Spike forever, that’s fine with me. I’m sure he and Apple Bloom will make a wonderful couple.”

“No!” The filly said standing up and looking at her reflection. It was smiling back at her despite that the fact that she was clearly not.

“Glad to see you still have some spine left!” The reflection said.

“But how? Am I crazy?”  Twist thought to herself.

“You’re not crazy. You’re in love. There’s a difference, no matter how slight.”

“What are you?” The filly said lightly pressing her hoof against the mirror.

“I’m you. When you pushed that rich tramp into the ground and broke that idiot’s poor, dumb heart, I came out. If you‘re the good girl, I‘m the bad one you keep locked away.”

“You said you were the filly Spike wanted. The one he deserves. What did you mean?”

“First of all, you’ve been going about this whole thing with Spike all wrong. You can’t just chase after him all the time. I’m here because you need my help more than ever.”

“What should I do?” 

“Leave Spike alone. He’s pushing you away because there’s no challenge anymore. Remember when he wanted to try anal.”

“It wasn’t so bad.” She shrugged.

“It was awful, and you hated every minute of it. You had to go to school the next day and sit on a sore bottom for hours. Don’t even get me started on the blowjobs. A little more warning than grabbing my ears and  shoving it deeper would be appreciated before he cums down my throat. I think our gag reflex is practically nonexistent. Speaking of which, why doesn‘t he ever go down on us for a change? He did it that one time and never again. He has such a-” 

“Wow! Do I really go off on tangents like that?” Twist said as she watched her reflection go on. It was so hard to get a word in. She just kept talking and talking. Hopping from one subject to the next without any sign of stopping. No wonder Spike got so angry at her.

“Hey, are you listening to me?” She asked.

“What if ignoring him doesn’t work? He could go to Apple Bloom or another pony.” Twist asked.

“We’re not just going to ignore him. We’re also going to make him jealous.”

“Jealous? You don’t mean-”

“That’s right! You have to get close to someone besides Spike.” Twist looked down and sighed. She never wanted to be with anyone other than Spike. The very thought of even kissing another colt made her want skin crawl. 

“I don’t know. Things are fine the way are. Why ruin things?”

“Don’t you get it? If you stay Spike’s sweet treat, you’re going to lose him. You’re just a play thing to him now. Something to be tossed away when he gets bored. Is that what you want? I don’t want to get close to anyone else either, but if things continue the way they are now, we’ll lose him altogether.” Her reflection said breaking down in tears. Twist had long since known this was the case, but she always hoped that her devotion and love for Spike would somehow keep them together. That was never the case though.

“I have no choice.” Twist said wiping her eyes.

“We have to do whatever it takes to keep him.” Her reflection said staring back.

“Of course!” Twist smiled.

The Next Day

“Come on, buddy! You got to get over this.” Snips said for the millionth time.

“I am over it!” Snails said looking away.

“No, you’re not! You always look away when you’re lying.”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore, okay?” He said increasing his pace as they walked to school. Snails knew that Snips was only trying to cheer him up, but he couldn’t talk to anyone about what happened. Just reliving that awful memory was enough to make him tear up. He couldn’t do that in front of his best friend.

“At least, tell me what happened between you and Twist.” Snips said struggling to match the much taller colt’s pace.

“Nothing happened! Stop asking me already!” He said looking away again. Snips knew for a fact that something happened at the post office. He could never forget the scene he saw as he and Spike walked outside that day. Snails running away crying as Twist watched with an evil smirk on her face. He could never forgive for what she did to him, even though he had no idea what had transpired. To make matters worse, Spike had continued to hang out with her afterwards. He wasn’t sure he wanted anything to do with the dragon anymore.

The duo’s walk was interrupted by the sound of crying. They looked over and noticed a filly weeping next to a tree. Even though her back was turned, she looked like a real knockout. He noticed saddlebag on her back and wondered if she was a new student or something.

“Check out the hottie crying to herself by the tree!” Snips said.

“What should we do?”

“You should totally go talk to her.”

“Me? Why me?”

“She’s probably some new girl who got lost on the way to class. If you swoop in and help her out, you‘ll  be her hero, pal!”

“I don’t know.” Snails said reluctant about approaching another girl. He had been skittish around the fairer sex ever since the incident with Twist. Most of the time, he spent his time dodging girls. A task that wouldn't have been so hard, if not for Sweetie Belle who had started hounding him recently.

“I’ll tell you what. If you talk to her, I promise I’ll never ask about Twist again.”  Snips swore.

“Really?”

“Really!” He nodded. Snails decided it couldn't hurt to see what was wrong and if it got Snails off his back, all the better for him.

The colt swallowed hard and walked towards the filly. Upon closer inspection, the red in her hair seemed oddly familiar. The colt quickly pushed the thought out of his head. He didn't want to think about her anymore.

“Hey, are you all right?” He asked. The filly turned around and looked at him with those big pink eyes he recognized almost immediately. Before the colt could react, the filly wrapped her hooves around his neck and embraced him.

“P-P-P-Peppermint Twist!”

> Pretend
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pretend

Chapter 9

“Are you sure you want to go to school, Apple Bloom?” Applejack asked her sister for fifteenth time that morning.

“Yeah.” The filly said without any energy or emotion as she put on her backpack.

“You know you can talk to me, Big Macintosh, or Granny Smith about anything. Isn‘t that right, Big Mac?” The mare repeated for the hundredth time since her little sister came home in tears and refused to talk about it.

“Yup.” The stallion bellowed.

“I know.” She said walking to the door without looking at them. Just as she was about to open the door to leave, Applejack ran forward and put her hoof on the handle before she could open. She held it there as she looked at her.

“I know you spent all night crying, Apple Bloom. I also know you don’t want to talk about it, but it hurts all of us to see you suffering like this, sugarcube. If you won’t tell me what’s wrong for your sake, then do it for ours. Let us help you.” She pleaded. The filly looked at her big sister for a moment trying to decide what to do.

“Can I tell you after school?” She asked hesitantly.

“Of course, you can, darling!” Applejack smiled.

“Eyup!”

The mare stood aside and let her sister pass without incident. After they said their goodbyes, Apple Bloom felt terrible. She only said that because she was tired of Applejack’s constant badgering. Now she had to make up some lie to make her siblings feel like they were helping. She couldn’t tell them the truth.

The awful truth she couldn’t admit to herself, let alone anyone else. The truth that deep down she wasn’t okay with Scootaloo dating Spike. She felt betrayed by her friend, even though she encouraged her to ask him out. The worst part of it all was that her own cowardice was to blame.

If she had the courage to face Spike yesterday, she’d be the one going out with him. She knew when Spike approached her yesterday that he was going to ask her out, but she put everyone else’s feelings before her own and got burned because of it. The idea of going out with Spike as a couple made her even more bitter. It could have been her and she knew it.

“Hey, Apple Bloom!” She instantly recognized the voice as the last one she wanted to hear. She turned around and put on the closest thing to a smile she could muster.

“Hey, Scootaloo. Hey, Sweetie Belle.” She said.

“You’ll never guess who I ran into the other day?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I don’t know. Who?”

“Peppermint Twist and she was looking for Spike!” The unicorn revealed.

“Yeah, but Sweetie Belle kept her busy so she didn’t interrupt our date.” Apple Bloom’s mind suddenly focused on those last two words. Those two words made her want to scream. It was like Scootaloo was throwing her happiness in her face, even though she knew that wasn’t her intention.

“Why didn’t you just tell her Spike was on a date with Scootaloo?” The earth pony said with a little more anger than she intended.

“I just wanted to make sure she didn‘t interrupt Scootaloo‘s date.” The unicorn said more than little hurt by Apple Bloom’s outburst.

“So you lied to her? That’s awful, Sweetie Belle.” Apple Bloom chided the filly.

“Back off, Apple Bloom! She was just making sure Peppermint Twist didn‘t stalk us. She found her hiding in the bushes of Carousel Boutique looking for Spike. You can‘t say she wouldn‘t have followed Spike and me around.”

“I guess we’ll never know since Sweetie Belle lied to her. Maybe she would have went home. You can‘t say for sure she would‘ve stalked you.” The earth pony shot back. Sweetie Belle was practically on the verge of tears as Apple Bloom continued to call her out.

“Stop it, you two! We‘re supposed to be friends, remember?” Sweetie Belle shouted as she wiped the tears from her eyes. The two of them looked at Sweetie Belle then each other.

“I’ll apologize if she does.” Apple Bloom muttered.

“Why should I apologize?” Scootaloo responded.

“For treating Peppermint Twist like some crazy stalker pony, of course.”

“Newsflash, Apple Bloom! She follows him around even though he already turned her down. If that’s not the definition of stalker, I don’t know what is.”

“No more arguing! I’ll apologize to Peppermint Twist personally, okay?” She said desperately trying to find a compromise.

“Fine.” Apple Bloom sighed.

“I guess.” Scootaloo said looking away.

Sweetie Belle had managed to defuse the situation, but the tension continued to linger as they walked to school. The unicorn began to feel like this was her fault. If she had told Twist the truth, Apple Bloom wouldn’t have gotten mad and there wouldn’t have been a fight. She didn’t know if it would make things right, but it was worth a shot. 

“At least things couldn’t get worse,” She thought to herself when Apple Bloom noticed something from afar.

“Who’s that filly with Snails? She looks so familiar.” She asked. Sweetie Belle looked up and couldn’t believe what she saw.

“Is that…? I think that’s Peppermint Twist. Sweetie Belle said Rarity gave her a makeover, but she looks like an entirely different pony.” Scootaloo remarked.

“That’s what you’re worried about! Why is she so close to Snails? She’s supposed to like Spike! Snails isn’t Spike!” Sweetie Belle said panicking.

“Maybe she moved on. I told you she wasn’t stalking him.” Apple Bloom said to Scootaloo.

“Don’t you think it’s strange that Peppermint Twist who had a huge crush on Spike suddenly likes Snails?” Scootaloo asked.

“Maybe she had a change of heart. What do you think Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom said only to realize the filly was already walking towards them.

“So I was wondering if you were doing anything after school, Snails?” Peppermint Twist said delicately circling the center of his chest with her hoof. The colt had been like putty in her hooves ever since she started talking him up. It was a lot easier to get back in his good graces than she thought. A smile and some innocent physical contact had all but turned the colt from a sad sack to a gullible dope ready to do whatever she asked.

“Hey, guys! I just wanted to remind Peppermint Twist that Rarity wants her to come over right away after school. So what are you two doing?” Sweetie Belle said awkwardly injecting herself into their conversation.

“I know Sweetie Belle. It was yesterday.” She said annoyed at her interference. “I was just going to ask Snails if he’d like to come to my debut.” 

“Ha! As if we’d come watch you strut around in fancy clothes, we got better things to do. Right, buddy?” Snips said nudging his pal.

“I’d love to.” The colt sighed happily.

“Oh, Snails! You’ve made me the happiest filly in all of Equestria!” She said hugging him. Snips and Sweetie Belle watched equal parts disbelief and disgust as a the colt followed her into the classroom with a big, goofy grin crossed the his face.

“What the hay is going on?” Sweetie Belle asked trying to process the scene in front of her.

“Your guess is as good as mine. We’re walking to school and find Twist crying against a tree. Next thing I know she’s all over Snails and he’s back to being his big dopey self again.” Snips explained.

“You don’t sound happy about it.” Sweetie Belle noticed.

“Who do you think made him all depressed in the first place? It was all Twist and Spike’s fault.”

“What do you mean?” 

Sweetie Belle gave her full attention to Snips as he told her about everything from meeting Spike and Twist on the way to the post office to Snails running off in tears after talking to her. The filly found herself particularly mad at Spike for trying to dump Twist on Snails.  Even if she was stalking him, it was no reason to involve Snails. As far as she was concerned, the dragon was chief to blame for Snails’ depression.

“So why is she hanging around Snails now?”

“She’s probably trying to make Spike jealous, but I don’t think that’ll work. He’d probably be happy to see her with some other guy.”

“Especially since Scootaloo and Spike are a couple now.” The remark caught Snips completely by surprised.

“Wait a minute! Spike and Scootaloo are going out! Does Peppermint Twist know?” Snips asked.

“No, she doesn’t and I’m not so sure we should tell her.”

“Why not? I’d love to see her totally flip out.”

“Think about it, Snips. If Peppermint Twist really is crazy about Spike, what do you think will happen to Snails?” 

“She’ll probably dump him and go after Spike directly.”

“If Snails was depressed the first time because of Twist‘s rejection,”

“It’ll destroy him all over again.” Snips said sad at the thought of his best buddy even more heartbroken than before.

“Exactly! I don‘t want Snails to get hurt anymore.”

“But she’s going to find out and dump him eventually. What are we supposed to do?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t want to see him get hurt anymore.” Sweetie Belle sighed. Snips looked at the filly and it finally hit him. She actually cared about Snails. It gave Snips the perfect idea.

“Listen, Sweetie Belle. If there’s one thing I know about Snails, he has a one track mind. All we got to do is get him on the right track.”

“Wha?” She asked confused.

“If some other filly took Twist‘s place, it wouldn‘t matter what she did to him.” 

“Wait, you don’t think I could-” The filly said blushing profusely.

“You like him, don’t you?”

“I… I do. But he wouldn’t talk to me before.” She admitted.

“You didn’t have his best friend backing you up. Just listen to me and Twist won’t stand a chance.”

“Really?”

“I know Snails better than anyone. Besides the alternative is letting Twist get her way.”

“We can’t let that happen.” Sweetie Belle said. As much as she wanted to be with Snails, she’d be happy as long as Twist didn’t get her way.

Peppermint Twist was being treated like a celebrity by her classmates. Her new look had garnered her more attention than ever. Colts and fillies alike flocked around her in awe of her radical new transformation.

“I hardly recognized you, Twist. What happened?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I owe it all to Sweetie Belle and her sister, Rarity. It was all their idea.”

“She’s so modest. Rarity asked her to model for her after class.”  Snails said causing the crowd to ooh and aww.

“So you’re going to be a model?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yeah, but to be honest I’m really nervous about it.”

“She might even become a famous pony if they really like her.” Snails explained.

“Can I get your autograph?” A filly asked causing a number of other ponies to make their own requests. While the rest of the class was trying to get Twist’s autograph,  there were two ponies who were less than pleased to see the formerly geeky earth pony as the center of attention.

“I can’t believe it. Look at them falling over themselves to get that dork’s autograph. It’s absolutely disgusting.” Diamond Tiara said glaring at the filly from afar.

“If they knew what she did to you, they wouldn’t be treating her so well.” Silver Spoon said causing Diamond Tiara to rub her chin. The mark had long since healed, but the memories of it were as strong as ever.

“We should do something, Diamond Tiara! You can‘t tell me you aren‘t bothered by what happened.” Silver Spoon said trying to fire up her friend.

“It’s over, Silver Spoon. Let it go.” Diamond Tiara told her. The filly watched her friend suffer through a terrible depression after the incident with Peppermint Twist. She had hoped that with time her friend would return to herself and come up with some nasty revenge. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The once proud and confident filly who spoke her mind without fear was a shell of her former self.

To make matters worse, it was partly her fault. If she had done something when her friend called out to her, she might’ve been able to save her friend. Diamond Tiara never called her out on her inability to act but it bothered her all the same. She felt like she had betrayed her trust by failing to help her when she needed it the most.

The worst part of it all was Peppermint Twist who seemed happier than ever. The nerdy earth pony’s happiness seemed to mirror Diamond Tiara’s fall in to depression. Every time Twist smiled, it felt like another insult to her friend. Now she was talking about being a model and being treated like an actual celebrity by the rest of the class. She couldn’t stand for this any longer.

If Diamond Tiara wouldn’t act, she needed to take the initiative and enact her own brand of vengeance. If she could take Peppermint Twist down, it might return her friend to her old self. Luckily, she knew Peppermint Twist’s one weakness. Peppermint Twist would suffer for what she did. The same way she made Diamond Tiara suffer. As the bell rang, Miss Cheerilee walked in.

“Alright, everypony. Get to your seats. You heard the bell.” The class groaned collectively in disappointment as they reluctantly walked back to their seats. As Cheerilee stood at the front of the class, she noticed a new face among her foals.

“Oh, I didn’t know we were getting a new student.” She said looking at the somewhat familiar filly. The class chuckled at the teacher’s faux pas.

“That’s not a new student, Miss Cheerilee. It’s Peppermint Twist!” Apple Bloom clarified to the mare’s surprise.

“Oh, I see. Could I speak to you outside for a moment, Twist?” She asked.

“Okay.” She said as she wondered what her teacher wanted. The two of them stepped as the class whispered to each other.

“I want everyone to study quietly until I get back.” She told them as she and Twist walked outside.

“Is something wrong, Miss Cheerilee?” The filly asked.

“That’s what I wanted to ask you. This is such a radical transformation for you. May I ask why you‘d change yourself?”

“Oh, I didn’t do this. I’m helping Rarity out. She asked me to model for her.”

“So it wasn’t your idea?”

“No, ma’am.”

“So you know there was nothing wrong with the way you were before?” She asked.

“Huh?”

“I just want you to know that you don’t have to change yourself to impress others. It‘s always better that you be accepted for what‘s on the inside rather than what‘s on the outside.” Miss Cheerilee told her.

“I understand, ma’am.” The filly didn’t care what anyone thought. She was only out to impress one person. His approval was all she desired and there was no change too radical to get it. Everyone and everything was just a tool to get closer to Spike.

At the Library

Twilight sat across the table from her assistant watching him. He seemed to be even crankier than usual ever since he woke up. The dragon sat there staring at his cereal with a frustrated expression and drumming his fingers against the table. His shoulders occasionally twitching.

“Are you alright, Spike? You seem a little wound up.”

“I’m fine. What’s it to you?” Spike snapped at her.

“I was just asking. You don’t have to bite my head off.” She said levitating her bowl and carrying it to the sink. As she walked, Spike found himself occasionally eyeing the mare’s hindquarter. Twilight put her bowl away and noticed his stare.

“Do I have something on my cutie mark?” She asked as she inspected the area. Spike immediately adverted his gaze and felt bad for even looking at her. Ever since he woke up, he felt all pent up and antsy. The fact that he was looking at Twilight meant he was desperate enough to make Twilight seem sexy.

“Ugh, I should have gotten a blowjob or something from Twist, yesterday.” He thought to himself.

“There’s nothing on my cutie mark, Spike. What were you looking at?” Twilight asked.

“Nothing, your tail just looks different.” He lied.

“Really? I didn’t do anything special to it.” She said shaking her tail in front of him. Spike groaned as more dirty thoughts about the mare filled his mind.

“You‘re definitely acting strange, Spike? Do you have a fever or something?” She said walking over to him.

“No, stay away from me.” Spike said looking away.

“At least, let me feel your forehead.” She said leaning in close and attempting to place a hoof on his head.	

“I said no!” Spike waved his arms wildly keeping her from making contact. The mare backed off and glared at him.

“Fine! I’m just trying to see if you’re alright. Why are you being so difficult?” Twilight asked angered by his standoffish behavior. 

“I’m just feeling anxious. It’s a dragon thing. You wouldn‘t understand.” Spike honestly had no idea if it was a dragon thing or not. He just really knew that he had never felt this horny in his entire life.

“Aww, I know what’ll cheer you up. A hug!” She said sitting on her back legs and opening her arms to him.

“I really don’t want a hug.” Spike said crossing his arms.

“Nonsense! It always make you feel better. I’m hugging you whether you like it or not, mister.” She said using her magic to pick him up and pull him towards her.

“No, I don’t want a hug!” Spike said struggling helplessly in the air. Twilight wrapped her hooves around the dragon pushing him against her soft stomach fur.

“See, this isn’t so bad. Don’t you feel a lot better?” She asked holding his body against hers.

“N-No, let me go.” Spike said unintentionally enjoying how comfortable and warm she was.  He felt that familiar sensation building between his legs as Twilight continued to press him closer. 

“I’m not letting go till you turn that frown upside down. Huh? You feel a little warmer than usual. Are you sure you‘re alright?” She asked as he continued to fight the hug, but his resistance made her hug even tighter and he was quickly running out of time before Twilight would feel something they‘d both regret. 

“I’m serious! Let me go!” Spike said digging his claws into her side.

“Ow! What was that about?” She said releasing him. The dragon didn’t stick around to explain himself as he ran to the bathroom and locked the door.

“Fine! Be that way! I was just trying to make you feel better.” She shouted. Spike was too busy stepping into a cold shower to listen. He never felt like this before. He had no idea what was going on inside of him, but it made him hornier than ever. He had never need to get laid so bad in his entire life. As he stepped into the shower, the ice cold stream provided some relief, but he still felt restless.

“I can’t go on another play date with Scootaloo. I have to seal the deal …today!” He said with a determined yellow glint in his eyes.

> Force
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Force

Chapter 10


Spike could feel Twilight’s glare from across the room. She had been huffing and puffing to herself since the incident this morning. She hadn’t said anything to Spike since he came out of the bathroom.  The dragon knew all too well she was waiting for an apology. Unfortunately, he wasn’t in the mood to give her one.

He had managed to make his erection retreat, but he still felt restless. The dragon needed to get laid, but all his best options were in class.

“At least, it can’t get any worse.” He thought to himself as there was a knock on the door. Twilight didn’t say anything instead continuing to glare at him from behind whatever book she was reading.

Spike opened the door and found Rarity standing there in her radiant glory. Almost immediately he was picked and hugged by the beautiful white mare.

“Oh, Spike! It seems like forever since I last saw you. Where have you been?” She said holding him in her soft white legs. Luckily, she wasn’t holding him nearly as tight as Twilight had been earlier. The dragon managed to wiggle out of her grasp and run to the bathroom once again.

“Excuse me!” He said as he slammed the door.

“Is he going to be alright?” Rarity asked Twilight.

“Don’t mind him. He’s being a grumpy dragon!” She shouted at the closed door.

“I see… Well, I hope his sour mood won’t spoil Peppermint Twist’s big moment.”

“Her big moment?”

“Yes, she’s going to model for me. It’s quite the opportunity for the both of us.”

“What? We have to catch up on the friendship project. I already took a day off after Princess Celestia’s visit. She’ll think I’m slacking off if I take another day to send her a report.”

“Why don’t you just bring Spike by? It should be quite the event. I’m sure you’ll be able to find something to write about. Besides, this could mean big things for the both of us.”

“What do you mean ‘big things’?”

“My designs could be featured in Canterlot. Oh, can you imagine? The big name stores carrying my beautiful works in their window for all the elite to see.” The white unicorn sighed.

“What about Twist?”

“She could be offered the opportunity to work in Canterlot. I don’t mean to brag, but after my magical makeover, she’s like a completely different pony.”

“Work in Canterlot! She can’t work in Canterlot. How am I supposed to document the details of her friendship with Spike if he’s in Ponyville and she’s in Canterlot.” Twilight said freaking out.

“I suppose she could decline, but it really is a dream offer.”

“Don’t worry, Rarity. We’ll be there. I may need to talk her down.”

“Be where?” Spike asked as he walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his neck.

“Rarity’s having a fashion show. We’re going to make sure Twist doesn’t do anything drastic.”

“Oh, I’m not going. Twist already asked me to come and I told her no.” Twilight didn’t know what to be madder about. The fact that he knew Peppermint Twist wasn’t coming and didn’t bother to tell her or that he wasn’t going to see her.

“You knew and aren’t going! What could you possibly have to do that’s more important than seeing Twist?”

“I got some stuff planned later. Go without me.” He said nonchalantly waving his claw.

“Oh no! You’re coming with me whether you like it or not. We need to be there to make sure she doesn’t get any ideas about leaving Ponyville.” Spike couldn’t help but chuckle at the idea.

“Trust me, Twi. She’s not leaving Ponyville.” Spike said with supreme confidence. Twist was completely head over hooves in love with him. The filly would sooner take her own life than leave his side.

“Still, we aren’t leaving anything to chance. We’re going to be there.” Twilight said.

“What part of I’m not going did you not understand?” Spike said crossing his arms. Twilight looked to Rarity on changing the dragon attitude.

“Spike, I could use some assistance tidying things up. I‘d be ever so grateful if you could find it in your heart to attend.” Rarity said looking at Spike with that gaze that used to make him hop to attention.

“Good luck with that. I already told you I’m not going.” The dragon said not taking the bait. Rarity and Twilight were taken aback by Spike’s answer. He never said no to Rarity, no matter how ridiculous the request.

“Are you feeling alright, Spike?” Rarity asked placing a hoof on his forehead. He pushed her hoof away and glared at the two of them.

“I’m fine. I just don’t want to go. Is that so hard to believe?” Spike said becoming heated.

“We’re just worried, Spike. You’re acting unusual today.” Twilight said worried about him.

“So what? If I’m not saying yes, I’m acting unusual. I’m sorry if my sudden development of a backbone has caught you all off guard. I‘m sick of being treated like some gofer whose supposed to jump and smile every time you ask me to do something. I quit! You can find another chump to be your assistant.” The dragon said throwing his towel on the ground.

“Spike, you can’t quit. You’ve been my number one assistant for years. I… I don‘t know what I‘d do without you.” Twilight’s voice was quivering as she held back her tears.

“Yes, Spike. Don’t you think you’re being a bit hasty? You and Twilight have been together for years.” Rarity said hoping to talk some sense into her.

“And you!” Spike said with such contempt and disgust it shook Rarity to her core. He was about to say something but just slowly shook his head in disappointment.

“I’m taking a nap. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask someone else.” The dragon stomped up the stairs leaving the mares utterly devastated. As he climbed into his bed, he fell into a fitful sleep. Neither Twilight nor Rarity made any attempt to talk to him. Something he was completely fine with. A long talk was on the horizon and he didn’t want to deal with it.

Just as he managed to fall into a somewhat decent sleep, there was a knocking at the door. A lazy glance at the clock revealed that it was mid afternoon. The dragon walked downstairs and answered the door to find the orange pegasus standing there looking rather displeased.

“Where were you? We were supposed to meet at school like an hour ago, remember?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, babe. I’ve been feeling kind of funny so I was taking a nap. I must have lost track of time.” Spike explained.

“If you’re not feeling okay, I can‘t blame you for not coming. Do you still want to hang out?”

“Of course, come in.” He said inviting her in. His eyes following her flank as she walked in.

“So what do you want to do?” She asked unaware of the dragon’s lustful gaze.

“I was thinking we’d stay in. Just the two of us.” He said placing an arm around her neck.

“You mean like… more kissing?” She said blushing.

“Yeah, more kissing. You liked it, right?” Spike said pulling her closer.

“Definitely! I mean… it was okay.” She said playing it cool as the two of them sat on the stairs.

“Good, this time it’ll be even better.” Spike said placing a claw on her back and slowly began rubbing between her wings. The filly was uncomfortable at first, but it quickly faded away as she relaxed and started to enjoy it.

“Even better?” She cooed as Spike started to kiss her neck. His warm lips pecking gently into her fur. She could feel herself getting caught up in the mood.

“Just relax and I’ll make you feel so good.” He said sliding her claw down her back and around the  flank furthest from him. He pulled her closer as he placed his other claw on her leg and began caressing it.

Scootaloo’s entire body felt amazing. The pegasus tingled with ecstasy as his warm touch enveloped her senses. She suddenly felt Spike’s claw moving dangerously close to her privates and pushed him away.

“W-wait, are we… going to have sex?” Scootaloo asked feeling flustered.

“What’s wrong with that?” Spike asked trying to put his claw around her, but she curled up and moved away.

“Don’t you think we’re moving too fast? I mean I just had my first kiss yesterday.”

“I love you.” Spike said without hesitation. The tiny pegasus turned red enough to put Big Macintosh to shame.

“Y-Y-You love me?” Scootaloo stammered. The dragon took her hooves in his claws and stared deep into her purple pupils.

“Ever since we kissed, I’ve been thinking about you nonstop. Don’t you see, Scootaloo? This was meant to be. Didn‘t you feel something yesterday?”

“Of course, I did. That kiss was wonderful and it’s been on my mind too. I love you too, but… I just don’t think I’m ready to take such a huge step. I mean… what if I get pregnant?” Spike couldn’t help but laugh at her concern.

“You’re not going to get pregnant, Scootaloo. I can’t even get you pregnant.”

“Miss Cheerilee said it was possible. She said sex with other species could result in pregnancy. What if we had sex and I got pregnant?” She said looking at him. Spike didn’t know how to answer that question and hoped he never would.

“How about I just pull out at the last second? We’ll be super careful. I promise.” Spike said as he started to kiss her hooves.

“I-I don’t know. This is all just happening so fast.” Scootaloo said looking away.

“Trust me.” Spike pleaded.

“I… I can’t. I’m sorry.” Scootaloo said shaking her head.

“Scootaloo, please. I need you.” The young dragon begged.

“I’m sorry!” She shouted as she pushed him away and ran. Spike barely had enough time to call after her before she was out the door. He tried to give chase, but by the time he made it to the door, she was too far gone. The dragon slammed the door in anger at his failure to seduce her.

“Damn it! I almost fucking had her!” The dragon said spitting fire and swinging his fist into the air.

“Argh! That stupid fucking teacher bitch ruined everything. Why’d she have to tell her all that dumbass crap about getting pregnant like that shit was even possible? I must have cum in Peppermint Twist more times than I can count and she’s not pregnant. Damn it!” Spike said wearing himself out from his temper tantrum. The dragon was more frustrated than ever now as he had been denied the sexual release he had so desperately needed.

“What am I supposed to do now?” He sighed as he fell to his knees. His only other option was Peppermint Twist and she was doing some fashion show.  Working on another filly would take time and effort that he couldn’t muster in sex deprived state. The only way he was going to get laid now was if a miracle happened. 

The dragon’s lament was interrupted by a knock at the door. The dragon ran to the door hopeful that Scootaloo might’ve returned.

“Scoota- Oh, it’s you. What do you want?” Spike said as he realized it was not Scootaloo, but Silver Spoon at the door.

The filly was more than a little displeased that he knew her identity. Her plan to steal Spike away from Twist and throw it in the pony’s face was already off to a bad start. She needed to get on his good side and fast.

“I came to see you, silly.” She giggled as she placed a hoof on his chest. The gesture seemed to change the dragon’s mood considerably.

“Really?” Spike smiled as looked at her appraisingly.

“Mind if I come in?” She said batting her eyelashes.

“Be my guest.” The dragon said stepping aside and letting her enter. As she looked around the library, she didn’t notice him locking the doors behind her.

“So this is where you live, huh? It‘s definitely…. cozy.” She said wondering how anyone could live in such a cramped little space.

“Yeah, it is. So can I ask why you came to see me? The last time we met you and your friend were pelting me with eggs.” He said walking up to her. One clawed finger sliding along the filly’s body as he passed. The filly was more than a little uncomfortable with the gesture, To be honest, she wasn’t the least bit attracted to the dragon in anyway. She also felt the same about all the colts too. All boys in general seemed were a huge turn off for her.

“That was so long ago and to be honest, I was hoping we could be friends. Or maybe more than friends?” She said acting coy.

“More than friends sounds really nice. Yeah, I like the sound of that.” Spike said gently lifting her chin upwards. As Spike started to move in for a kiss, Silver Spoon panicked. She assumed all it would take was a couple of winks and some sweet talk to make him obedient, but the dragon obviously wanted more than she was willing to give. She stepped back and giggled nervously.

“Oh, would you look at the time? I have to go.” Spike grabbed her hoof and pulled her back. His claws tightly holding her in place.

“Aww, but we were just getting to know each other.” The dragon was not about to let her go. He was going to get laid, whether she wanted to cooperate was of no concern to him.

“L-Let me go!” She said desperately trying to shake her hoof free. Unfortunately, the dragon’s grip was like iron.

“We’re going to have fun so just fucking relax!” Spike threatened as he managed to grab her other hoof. Silver Spoon realized that she had to get away from him anyway she could but with both hooves held by the dragon she couldn’t fight him off. She had one last resort. She pulled her head back and thrust her forehead into his own as hard as she could.

The headbutt was enough to make the dragon release her hooves and stagger back. Silver Spoon had managed to break his hold, but the strike left her dazed as well. As Silver Spoon attempted to clear her head, she saw the dragon holding a claw to his head. She felt a sense of pride having fought off her attacker but realized that it wasn’t over. 

The dragon looked up at her with yellow, glowing eyes that sent chills down her spine. She knew she had to run, despite her woozy state. She turned and started to run towards the door. Just as she reached out a hoof and managed to shake the latch, she felt a pair of claws grab her legs and pull her to the ground. His grip was even tighter than before.

“You want to play rough bitch! That’s fine with me!” He growled as he yanked her away from the door. The filly started to scream out for help.

“Help! Somepony help! He’s hurting me!” Spike had to silence her. He released her legs and started to slap her face.

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up!” Spike said mercilessly driving his palm across her face. Silver Spoon had never been struck before by anyone. Each strike was a terrible memory burned into her cheeks as he continued his assault. She tried to put her hooves up to block, but he easily smack them away.

“You fucking whores are all the same! You think you can use me and get away with it! You bitches always want something from me!” Spike continued his assault even after he realized she wouldn’t resist anymore. He found something about this sexually exciting. It made him feel powerful to see the filly on the floor cowering. Before he knew it, his dick was bigger and harder than ever.

“Well, I’m tired of giving. I think it’s time I started taking.” The dragon said standing up and stroking his erection. Silver Spoon lay on the floor alive, but beaten senseless. Her head felt like it was underwater. Her eyes focused on her glasses which had been knocked away in the attack.

She suddenly felt someone throw open her hind legs. She looked up and saw Spike between her legs. A devious smile on his face as he looked down. She could only plead as he prepared to do the unthinkable.

“No…. please don’t.” She mumbled weakly. Her jaw was still sore from being smacked around. Tears streamed from her eyes as she felt his member rubbing against her entrance.

“What’s wrong? I thought you wanted to be more than friends.” He said in a false comforting tone.

“I lied…. I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.” She whimpered. The dragon’s face went completely straight as his eyes stared into her soul. She could see no emotion or feeling in his face. The silence seemed to go on forever before he finally spoke.

“I know you are, but I’ll take you anyway.” He said as he thrust himself deep inside her. Silver Spoon cried out in agony as her virginity was taken. All the pain in her face faded away as the pain from being pierced down below took precedence. She felt sick to her stomach as she realized he was inside her.

Spike looked up to the ceiling and sighed as he felt Silver Spoon’s body wrapped around his member. He could tell just by how tight she felt inside. Spike looked down at the filly who was moaning and looking off to the side. Spike leaned over and whispered into her ear.

“Aww, don’t give up on me yet. I’m just getting started.” He said as he started to pump vigorously inside her. 

She tried to ignore what was going on, but it was far too painful to dismiss. She could tell he wasn’t worried about being gentle as he slammed his pelvis into hers. She whimpered in agony as he thrusted himself inside her. She tried to go numb, but each thrust was a painful reminder of where she was and what was going on.

While Silver Spoon was suffering in her own personal hell, Spike was in heaven. The yearning that had haunted him all day was finally being alleviated. Each time he pumped his rock hard erection into her soft, warm pussy was like being enveloped by a little slice of heaven. Her plot was practically intoxicating.

“I’m about to cum!” He said causing her to look up.

“No, please don’t cum inside me! Anything but that! I won’t tell anyone. I swear just don‘t come inside me.” She pleaded with tears in her eyes. Spike put a claw on her face as he continued to work himself inside of her.

“I know you won’t.” He said as he released his hot load deep inside of her. Silver Spoon could only cry as she hoped this wouldn’t result in anything more. She watched as the dragon groaned in ecstasy as he blew his load into her. He fell into her chest as he expended the last of his seed.

Silver Spoon could feel him laying on top of her. His weight was stifling, but she was too scared to try to move him. She didn’t want to anger him anymore than necessary. She just wanted to leave and put this awful experience behind her. As he sat up, he looked at her with green eyes once again. The change did little to calm her nerves as he stood up.

“Go clean yourself up.” He said dusting himself off.

“Ca-Can I go please?” Her voice trembling.

“After you clean yourself up and we have a little talk, you can go home. Understood?” He explained.

“Please I just want to go home. I won’t tell anyone about this. Just let me go.” She begged. The dragon turned around and knelt next to her.

“The sooner you do as I say, the sooner you get to go home. Now go!” He said pointing towards the bathroom.

As she got up and walked to the bathroom, she looked at the red and white stains on the floor and felt like crying again. As she was about to enter the bathroom, the dragon spoke to her.

“Don’t do anything funny and take a shower. I‘ll be up there to check on you.” He said without looking at her.

Silver Spoon walked into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. Despite everything that happened, she looked relatively okay. Her face was red from where he smacked her and her mane was a bit of a mess. Her glasses were also gone. Beyond that she saw an entirely different Silver Spoon, the filly she was before was gone. The filly staring back at her in the mirror was like a sad stranger.

“I don’t hear any water.” Spike shouted ominously. 

Silver Spoon quickly turned on the shower and hopped inside, not wanting to incur the dragon’s wrath. As she let the water washed over her, some of the fatigue and soreness from earlier faded away. She closed her eyes and tried to get lost in the water hitting her body. Her temporary reprieve was ruined as Spike came in with her glasses and a towel over his shoulder. She moved into the corner of the shower furthest from him.

“That’s enough.” Spike said turning off the water and handing her the towel.

“Can I go?” She asked drying herself off.

“We have to talk, remember? Come sit in front of the mirror. I’ll fix your mane.” Spike said putting her glasses down and picking up a brush. Silver Spoon didn’t want to sit in front of him. She didn’t even want to be in his presence, but she was more afraid of disobeying him so she complied. As he began to take down her hair, he started to speak.

“I thought I should explain some things before I let you go. Namely why you can’t tell everyone about what happened here.” Spike said as he brushed her hair.

“I told you I wouldn’t tell anyone.” Silver Spoon said looking down. Spike reoriented her head so she was looking straight ahead again.

“I need to tell you why though. First of all, no one would believe you. Peppermint Twist told me about you and your reputation. A lot of ponies see you as a bully and a snob. If you start throwing accusations at a helpful, friendly guy like me, people will tend to side against you. If that happens, it’ll get back to me and when that happens…” Spike placed his claws on her shoulders and began rubbing them.  Silver Spoon instantly tensed up as he leaned in close to her ear.

“I’ll have to come see you again and I can’t promise I’ll be as gentle as I was last time. Do you understand?” 

“Y-yes, I understand.” She said sobbing heavily. Spike took his claws off her shoulders and began braiding her hair.

“I’m glad we could reach a mutual understanding. Despite everything, I feel like you and I made a real connection today. Just keep your mouth shut and it’ll be like nothing ever happened.” Spike said finishing her mane. He picked up her glasses and placed them on her face.

“See? Good as new.” He said looking at her reflection. Silver Spoon looked at the mirror and saw everything in it’s proper place. She looked just the same as when she came in. She knew better than that though. She was never going to be the same again. Everything would be different.

“Alright, you’re free to go.” Spike said opening the door of the bathroom

The filly looked down as she walked past him. Spike didn’t say a word as he watched her walk down the stairs. Silver Spoon looked at the door to the outside and realized it was locked. She missed that detail when she was trying to escape. She unlocked the door and opened it.

The sun was just starting to set and ponies were smiling as they went about their business. It was a harsh reminder for the filly that while she was being raped by a dragon the world kept turning and everyone else continued to live their lives. As she walked outside, she realized that she would have to live her life as well. Somehow she’d have to live her life knowing she’d been raped by Spike.

The dragon watched as the filly walked down the road before closing the door. He felt confident that she wouldn’t tell anypony about what happened. Even if she did, he knew no one would believe her. A rape accusation attached to his name would bring a bunch of attention he didn’t need. He closed the door and stretched as he wondered if there was anything to eat in the fridge.
> Rifts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rifts

“Thank you again!” Rarity said bowing her head for the umpteenth time as Photo Finish and her entourage left. The shutterbug was more than impressed by Rarity’s show and offered her the chance to take some of her designs back to Canterlot which she accepted without hesitation.

The sun was setting on a rather hectic day for the fashionista as she rejoined the ponies in her boutique. Peppermint Twist and Sweetie Belle brought along several of their friends from school to the show,  even Twilight had come to show her support. She walked over to Peppermint Twist and smiled.	

“I owe a debt of gratitude to you two. I could have never impressed Photo Finish as much as I did with out your help.”

“I feel like I owe you, Rarity. I’ve never felt more confident than I do now and it’s all thanks to you and Sweetie Belle.” Peppermint Twist said cuddling closer to Snails.

“Are you sure you didn’t want to accept Photo Finish’s offer, Twist? It’s not every day you get an offer to model in Canterlot?” Sweetie Belle said with a hint of anger as she watched Twist move closer to Snails. She knew she was just using him to get to Spike. Every time she acted affectionate towards the colt was like an insult to her.

“I couldn’t leave. There’s too much for me here.” Twist said scratching the colt’s chin. “Besides, I made a promise to Twilight.”

“About that promise, there’s something I have to tell you.” Twilight said looking particularly glum.

“What’s wrong did something happen?” Twist asked genuinely worried. Rarity wasn’t looking so happy either.

“Spike quit his position as my assistant. I don’t know what that means yet, but I’m hoping I can talk him out of it.” She explained.

“Will Spike move out of Ponyville?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I don’t know.” Twilight said sadly.

“What about the friendship project?” Twist asked anxiously.

“I don’t know.”

“DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING?” Twist shouted catching everypony off guard. The filly was quick to apologize for her outburst. Twilight looked especially hurt.

“I’m sorry. I’m just worried about Spike.”

“It should be fine. I’m sure Spike’s just having a bad day. This could all be a bad memory by tomorrow.” Rarity assured everyone.

“Don’t worry about it, Twist. It’s just more time for us to hang out, right?” Snails said trying to cheer her up.

“Yeah, sure.” She said half heartedly stepping away from him.

“Come on, everypony. We should be celebrating my success. Why don’t we all head over to Sugarcube Corner before they close? My treat!” Rarity exclaimed earning cheers from Snips and Sweetie Belle.

“Let’s go, Snails. We could get your favorite, peanut butter cupcakes!” Sweetie Belle said tugging on his leg.

“Are you coming, Twist?” He turned towards Peppermint Twist.

“I think I’ll sit this one out.” The filly said taking her leave.

“I should go talk to Spike. His mood might’ve improved while I was gone.” Twilight said going home as well.

“I’m supposed to talk to Applejack about something. I should get going too.” Apple Bloom said following Twilight out. Snips, Snails, and Sweetie Belle remained. It was as good a group as any to celebrate the mare thought to herself.

“Well, let’s go, everypony. We need to hurry before they close up shop.” Rarity said ushering the other ponies along.

The sky was reddish orange as the ponies made their way to Sugarcube Corner. The crowds were either heading home or finishing up their business. Rarity decided now was the opportune time to talk to Sweetie Belle about her behavior. 

“Sweetie Belle, do you mind if we talk alone for a bit?” She said watching her try to walk close to Snails who was practically moving off the path to avoid her.

“Okay, Rarity. I’ll be right back, Snails.” She said batting her eyelashes. Snails just gave an incomprehensible mutter as she went to her sister’s side.

“What’s up, sis?” The filly said beaming.

“I noticed you’ve taken an interest in Snails.”

“Wh-what… No!… I’m just being friendly.” The filly lied. Rarity was no fool. She could see it her sister’s eyes the moment she walked into her boutique. She had a crush on Snails. She thought her sister could do far better, but her poor taste was beside the point.

“I just wanted to let you know that it’s never a good idea to be the other pony.”

“The other pony? What’s that mean?”

“You know what a special somepony is, right? The other pony is someone who tries to push aside the special somepony and take their place. Kind of like how you‘re trying to take Snails from Peppermint Twist.” Rarity explained.

“I‘m not the other pony!”

“I know what it’s like Sweetie Belle. You’re going down a dark road. One that’s filled with nothing but heartache.” The mare said as if her mind was somewhere else.

“It’s not like that. She’s just using him to make someone else jealous.”

“If that’s true, you should simply wait. She’ll eventually break his heart and you can step in.”

“I’m not going to let Snails get hurt just because it’s convenient. I don‘t want him to get hurt.” The filly sighed.

“As good as your intentions are, you can’t dictate his love life. Some ponies have to learn things the hard way. The best thing you can do is be there when he falls to help him back up.”

“Sure.” The filly said looking down.

Snips and Snails were still walking along the road behind Sweetie Belle. The diminuitive colt didn’t understand his friend. Peppermint Twist ,who had broken his heart and sent him into depression, was using him to get to Spike while Sweetie Belle, a wonderful, beautiful, and kind filly, worked her tail off to no avail.

“Tell her to stop.” Snails said suddenly breaking the silence.

“Stop what?” Snips played dumb.

“Tell Sweetie Belle to stop flirting with me. She’s making Peppermint Twist uncomfortable.” The colt said his voice cold and even. Snips couldn’t take it anymore.

“Are you freaking kidding me?” The colt said jumping in front of Snails causing the two of them to stop.

“No, I’m not and quit telling her stuff about me.” 

“She didn’t leave because of Sweetie Belle and you know it. We both know the real reason she left. You can’t be this stupid!” Snips shouted as Rarity and Sweetie Belle turned around to see the commotion.

“Whatever.” Snails said nonchalantly looking away.

“Is everything alright?” Rarity asked.	

“I know you see it! The only guy she cares about is Sp-” Snips was interrupted as Snails delivered a right hook that took the colt off his hooves.

“Snips!” Sweetie Belle said running to the fallen colt’s side and helped him up.

“I’m not hungry. You guys go on without me.” The colt said shaking his hoof before walking home.

“You idiot! Don’t turn your back on me.” The downed colt said about to return the favor, but the filly stopped him.

“Let him go. I don’t want to see you two fight.” Sweetie Belle said as she watched Snails walk into the sunset. Snips could see the sadness in her eyes. As he watched her, he felt his heart skip. She was everything any colt could ever ask for and Snails just walked away from that.

“You deserve better, Sweetie Belle.” Snips said blushing.

“Thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it.” Sweetie Belle said.

“If you ever want to talk or something, I’m always here.”

“Come on, Sweetie Belle. I feel like we’ll have to celebrate some other time.” Rarity said as Princess Luna brought up the night sky. Sugarcube Corner was surely closed by now.

“I’ll see you later, okay?” Sweetie Belle said as she started to head home with her sister.

“W-wait a sec, Sweetie Belle. Would it be okay if I walked you to school tomorrow? Usually, I walk with Snails, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.” He chuckled nervously. Sweetie Belle looked thoughtful for a moment. Snips instantly regretted asking her. He was about to pretend it was all a joke when she finally answered.

“Sure, meet me in front of my house around six, okay?” She said causing the colt to leap into the air.

“Wahoo! I’ll be there. See you tomorrow.” He said running home. Rarity watched the scene and wondered if the filly knew what just happened.

“Just to be clear, Sweetie. Why exactly did you accept?”

“I’m partly responsible for what happened. I also feel like Snips really needs a friend right now.” The filly responded.

“A friend? So you don’t see him as anything else?” Rarity asked.

“What else would he be?” The clueless filly wondered.

“Come along Sweetie Belle. We have a lot to discuss. What do you know about the friend zone?” The mare said as she led her little sister home.

At the Library

Twilight stood outside the door feeling apprehensive about entering. She knew Spike felt like he was being used and on some level she realized that she might have put more stress on him than usual. Ever since they moved to Ponyville, he’s had to do more work than ever. She hoped it was just stress and that he could be convinced to reconsider quitting. As she opened the door, she heard the unmistakable voice of her mentor, Princess Celestia.

“Are you sure there’s no way I can change your mind?” She asked as Twilight entered the library. She saw the princess and Spike talking casually. A piece of paper held casually between them.

“Your majesty! What are you doing here?” The purple unicorn said bowing.

“Twilight Sparkle. I wish we could have met under more pleasant circumstances.” The princess said greeting her student with a sad look on her face.

“Hmph! I wanted to be out of here before she got back.” Spike said crossing his arms and looking away from her.

“What’s going on your highness?” Twilight asked.

“Spike has requested a place of his own.” The princess informed her pupil.

“Away from you!” Spike added.

“No! There must be something we can do to work this out, Spike. You’re my friend.” Spike laughed at the unicorn’s heartfelt plea.

“Your friend! I was never your friend! You want to know what I was. I was your lackey. When you were too lazy to turn your head slightly to the left and pull a book off the shelf, you made me do it. When you were too socially inept to go outside and socialize with other ponies, you made me do it. I was some walking joke you could force to do your bidding. No more! I’m sure, Princess Celestia. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my entire life.” Spike said staring directly into Twilight’s eyes. The unicorn was in tears at the combination of his harsh words and the thought of his imminent departure.

“I never thought of you like that. When I made a mistake on a test, you were there to convince me it wasn’t the end of the world. Whenever my birthday came around, you always tried your hardest to make sure I felt special even though I never asked you to. You’re more than my assistant, Spike. You’re my best friend.” She cried as she poured her heart out to the dragon who’s expression softened considerably.

“Gosh, Twi. I never thought of it like that. When you say all that stuff,” The dragon said holding a claw out to her. The unicorn wiped her eyes and smiled. This was tough on both of them but their was still hope that their relationship could be saved. She walked over and extended her hoof only to have Spike grab it and pull her close. His face becaome cold and stone like as his eyes radiated open hostility.

“Forget my name, don’t address me in the streets, and don’t look for me. As of this moment, you’re dead to me, Twilight Sparkle.” The dragon said practically ripping out her heart.

Princess Celestia had thought she’d seen the depths of cruelty this afternoon with Silver Spoon. By breaking the heart of the closest friend, he had become a creature devoid of any feelings for others. A monster who only cared about himself. She had seen and known many who walked the path that Spike now tread. Few had realized their mistake before it was too late.

“By the way, I always thought it was pathetic the way you sucked up to Princess Celestia. You make me sick.” He spat on the ground as he released her hoof.

The princess observed her pupil with concern. The mare was devastated beyond words. She had assigned Spike to Twilight specifically so she could experience the joys of friendship. The wound Spike had left with his words was deep. It would be one she’d have a hard time coming back from. In the coming days, the other elements of harmony would have to fill the void that Spike left. A mighty task for the other five friends.

“I shall return, Twilight Sparkle.” The princess said as she and Spike teleported away.

The mare didn’t hear her as she sat alone in her library. Her eyes were downcast as she watched her tears hit the floor. The pain in her heart was wrenching as she sobbed to herself. The unicorn let out a wail of agony that would’ve broken the heart of any who heard it. Those tears would not end anytime soon.

The princess and the dragon were outside a house near the center of town. It was a modest dwelling. The home had been abandoned long ago. Princess Celestia now awarded ownership of this property to Spike.

“You’ll live here from now on. The house is fully furnished and it should suit your needs. I will provide you with anything else you need.” She explained.

“I didn’t need it. Your advice, I mean.” The dragon said looking at his new home.

“My words are as true as when I spoke them to you, Spike. You should be careful how you treat those around you.”

“Hmph! If that were true, why didn’t you step in when I was laying into her? I was surprised you didn’t try to stop me.” The dragon said walking towards the door.

“It was a matter to be settled between you and Twilight. It was not my place to interfere.” Spike just laughed.

“I got to say that’s pretty cold, princess. I have to wonder though. You seem to be unusually neutral, even for you. Ever since that day at the library, you seem to know more than you’re probably letting on. If that’s the case, I wonder if I should interpret that as a free pass to do whatever I want.” The dragon said with an evil grin as he looked at his door. The princess didn’t have to see Spike’s face to know what he was getting at.

“Your actions will always have consequences, Spike.” She warned him.

“Hmph, you don’t give anybody a straight answer, do you? I like it anyway. Good night, your highness. Oh, thanks for the house I guess.” Spike waved back as he entered his new home. As the princess prepared to leave, she wasn’t angry with the dragon’s rudeness, only saddened that the dragon had fallen so far. She could only hope that he found his way when the time came.

Peppermint Twist was in her room pacing in front of her mirror. Everything would’ve been for nothing if Spike left town. She would have spent all that time with that disgusting sack of sweat and fur called Snails for nothing. Her life would’ve been meaningless again. She needed a plan.

“Calm down! We don’t know what this means.” Her reflection stressed.

“It means everything was pointless! Spike is probably gone! That means your plan was a total bust!” She said as she walked in circles.

“Shut up! By the way, I’m a figment of your imagination so it’s your plan too. Panicking isn‘t helping the situation.” The filly realized the reflection was right. She wouldn’t get anywhere freaking out in the middle of her room.

“Okay, what do we do now?” She said making a conscious effort to breathe calmly.

“We go to the library and talk to Spike. If he’s leaving, we can figure out what to do then. Whatever we do, we don‘t abandon the plan. We play it cool when we see him.” The reflection explained.

“Ugh! Do I have to keep sucking up to Snails? My skin crawls every time I have to touch that creep.”

“Were trying to make him jealous, remember? He needs to believe you like Snails. If Snails believes you like him, it makes it more believable.”

“He just makes me so sick. How long do I have to…. Ugh!” The filly clutched her stomach as a wave of nausea suddenly over came her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. I feel like I’m about to-” The filly put a hoof to her mouth as she ran to her wastebasket and unleashed the contents of her stomach into the receptacle. As she did, she tried to recall eating anything that might’ve made her sick. Nothing came to mind as she went over he previous meals.

“Are you okay?” Her reflection asked.

“Yeah, I think so. I just wonder why I got so… Wait a minute! Could it be?” The filly said as an idea popped into her head.

“You don’t think it could be?” 

“Miss Cheerilee said it herself.” The filly said placing a hoof on her belly and smiling. “One of the first signs are nausea and vomiting. Isn‘t that right, little one?”

> Invitation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Invitation


“It’s all right, honey. You’re safe now. Tell me what happened.” The female guard said as she sat across from a frightened Silver Spoon. The filly had gathered her courage and decided to report what happened. When the male guards approached her, she felt hesitant about the whole thing. The way they towered over her made her think of Spike. It was then that a female guard stepped forth and she found the courage to speak once again. The guard pulled her into an interrogation room so they could talk in private.

“I… was raped… by someone.” The filly said as sat across from her.

“That’s awful. Do you know who did it? Did you get a good look at the suspect?” She asked.

“He’s a… dragon… and his name is Spike.” Silver Spoon admitted. The guard’s face flashed with recognition as the name hit her.

“You’re not talking about Twilight Sparkle’s assistant, are you?” The guard said in disbelief.

“Y-yeah, it was him.” Silver Spoon admitted.

“Are you sure it was him? I’ve known him ever since I started joined the castle guard. He always seemed like such a nice helpful little guy.”

“I’m not lying. He raped me!” The filly shouted. The fact that she or anyone could call that monster nice sent her over the edge.

“I’m sorry that was unprofessional of me. Let’s stick to the facts. Could you tell me where it happened?” She asked.

“Ponyville Library.” Silver Spoon told her.

“That’s where he lives now isn’t it. Why were you there?” The guard asked causing Silver Spoon to become nervous. The trained investigator took notice of her sudden reluctance.

“Is that important? He raped me! That’s what matters.” Silver Spoon shouted causing the guard to become frustrated.

“I didn’t say it wasn’t, but if you don’t tell me why you were there in the first place, it’s going to weaken your case against Spike considerably. If he says you were there to have sex with him and you stay quiet, we have to take his word for it. Is that what you want?” She asked in a matter of fact tone. Silver Spoon felt more like a suspect than a victim at this point.

“No.” Silver Spoon said looking down.

“Then I need to know why you were there?” She asked again.

“A friend of his hurt my friend so I wanted to get him back.” She admitted.

“How exactly were you trying to get him back?”

“I was trying to make him like me. Spike’s friend is a filly who has a crush on him, and I thought if I could get him to like me that I could use it to hurt her.” The guard rubbed the center of forehead as she tried to put together what happened.

“So let me get this straight. You went over to the library to seduce him and he ended up raping you. Is that right?” She asked.

“What’s that supposed to mean? I’m telling the truth.”

“Of course, you are. Could you give me a second?” She said not waiting for a response as she stormed out of the room. Silver Spoon was becoming worried. If she failed to get Spike arrested, it was only a matter of time before he came after her again. His dark promise rang in the back of her mind.

“I can’t promise I’ll be gentle as last time.” The words rang out. Silver Spoon thought the first time was the worst of it. If that was his idea of gentle, she didn’t want to see what happen when he got rough. She had to get him arrested before he could come after her again. The mare returned with a stern look on her face. 

“Princess Celestia is on her way. She’s bringing Spike with her. In the meantime, I want you to tell more about this filly who likes Spike and how she hurt your friend.”

“What’s that got to do with anything? I’m telling you he raped me! Why are you trying to make me look like I’m the one at fault?”

“You’re the only one making yourself at fault when you refuse to answer my questions. I’m only trying to get to the bottom of why this happened. When you refuse to answer a question, it only makes you look like you‘re hiding the truth.”

“Hiding the truth? He pushed me to the ground, beat me, and forced himself on me. That’s the truth! Why do you need to know anything else?” The filly shouted. A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

“That’s probably them. I’ll be right back.” The guard said with a hard edge in her voice. Silver Spoon watched as the mare walked outside. As the door swung open, she saw him for only a second. The dragon who took her peace of mind was standing outside about to face justice. It was finally going to be over. The guard came back in alongside Spike who had a guilty look on his face.

“He told me everything.” The mare said.

“So you’re going to arrest him?” Silver Spoon said. Unfortunately, the mare shook her head.

“He says he didn’t rape you, but that you came to the library to seduce him. He didn’t want to have sex, but you were persistent and he gave in. When he didn’t want a relationship, you threatened to report him for rape.”

“Wh-What?” Silver Spoon said in disbelief.

“It was nice, but I just didn’t want anything long term.” Spike said acting timid.

“He’s lying! You raped me! Tell her.”

“He says you’re a known bully who tortures his friend on a constant basis. Is that true?” The guard asked glaring at her.

“No… I mean… Yes, but he’s tricking you! He‘s the evil one!”

“Please stop, Silver Spoon! I just want to get on with my life.” Spike said starting to cry.

“I’ll have you know that filing a false report is grounds for severe punishment, Miss Spoon.”

“Please don’t punish her. If I could have a moment alone, I think we could settle this between us.” Spike pleaded.

“Sure, Spike. You’re very luck he doesn’t press charges.” She said leaving the room.

“Wait! Don‘t leave me alone with him!” She shouted only to be ignored as she left the room.

Spike wiped his false tears away and smiled evilly as the door was shut. Silver Spoon backed away as he turned his attention to her. His eyes turning yellow as he observed her.

“Do you have any idea how it felt when the princess showed up and told me what you did? I mean you broke my heart, Silver Spoon. We had a connection. ” He said walking towards her as he cracked his knuckles. She scrambled back into a corner as he got closer.

“Don’t fight it, Silver Spoon. We both know how this ends. Just bend over and it’ll only take a few minutes.”

“Help! Somepony help me please! He’s going to rape me!” She shouted to no avail. Spike drew his claw back behind his head and slapped her as hard as he could. He laughed as the filly put a hoof to her cheek and started to weep.

“No one’s coming to help you, Silver Spoon. Don’t you get it? I’m the good guy and you’re the evil little bitch who picks on everyone. The good guy always get the girl in the end, even if she doesn‘t want it” He lifted the filly’s chin forcing her to look at him.

“You’re mine. No matter what you do or who you tell. I will always own you. Whether you fight it or not, makes no difference to me, but if you didn‘t resist, it‘d be a lot easier on you.” Spike said as he prepared to force his tongue down her throat. It was at that moment that the entire room fell to pieces or rather reality itself seemed to give way as Princess Luna descended upon the scene. The dragon looked at Silver Spoon and smiled as he disappeared with everything else.

“Are you alright, child?” The alicorn asked the frightened filly. She was still trembling from the terror of her nightmare. Even though she was dreaming, he was waiting out there in reality. Luna put a hoof on her shoulder that caused her to shriek and curl into a ball.

“I’ll never tell anyone. I promise. Don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt me anymore.” She pleaded. Luna’s voice couldn’t reach her.  Her mind was completely gripped by a fear of Spike. The princess of the night’s mind went back to this afternoon as she watched the trembling filly.

“What are you doing, sister?” Luna said as she stepped in front of her.

“Stopping Spike! I can let him go through with this.” Princess Celestia said.

“Are you ready to stop all rape in Equestria then?” Princess Luna asked.

“I will not stand by and watch Spike hurt Silver Spoon.” Princess Celestia said glaring at her sister.

“Answer the question, sister!” Princess Luna demanded.

“Move aside, Luna!”

“If you don’t have the resolve to answer my question, you don’t deserve to stop him. On the moon, I saw enough death, tragedy, and evil to last ten lifetimes. Despite being evil, I still have memories of nights where the acts committed still haunt me. Do you know why I don’t spend every waking second trying to right the world?”

“So I should let Silver Spoon get raped?” Celestia asked her sister as she looked down and saw Spike standing over Silver Spoon.

“We’re here to observe and guide them. In the end, they must make their own choices or they’ll never learn. You know as well as I that some lessons are harder than others.” Celestia didn’t respond as she looked down and sighed.  Luna remembered a look of helplessness on her face. Few ponies had ever seen her like this. The last time Luna saw her like that was right before she was banished to the moon.

Princess Luna looked at the filly cowering in the corner of what little was left of her nightmare. It was terrible that it had to happen, but she would grow from this experience and become a better pony because of it. Some lessons had to be learned the hard way. She knew that better than anyone.

The Next Morning

Silver Spoon awoke in cold sweat as the sun rose outside her room. Her nightmare was still fresh in her mind, but the events seemed off. She remembered trying to report Spike for what he had done and he came after her. Before he could do anything, the dream ended… or did it? She remembered a voice calling out to her but not who it came from. A knock at her door made her jump as one of her servants entered the room.

“Are you ready for school, miss?” A maid said stepping into the room.

“Wh-what are you doing? Don’t just barge in here like that!” The filly shouted at the servant.

“I’m sorry, miss, but I did knock. Is something wrong? You seem unwell.”

“It’s none of your business. Just get out of here. I’ll be there in a minute.” She sighed in frustration.

“As you wish.” The maid said sullenly. Silver Spoon looked to the mare as she left the room a felt a pang of regret for her actions.

“Wait! I shouldn’t have blown up at you like that. I’m just… going through some things right now. I’m sorry.” The filly said rubbing her forehead.

“I.. It ‘s quite alright, miss.” The maid said stunned for a moment. She walked outside and another maid noticed her expression.

“What’s wrong with you? You like you saw a ghost.” The mare said eyeing her coworker.

“Silver Spoon just apologized for being rude.” The mare told her.

“Ha! A ghost would’ve been more believable. I‘ve worked here since she was a foal and she‘s never apologized to a servant for anything, let alone being rude.”

“Well, she just did.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” At that moment, the filly walked out with her bags. The mare were expecting to be berated for slacking off and knelt before her.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have to get to school.” She nodded to them as she walked down the hall.

“I thought I’d never see the day.” The maid said surprised.

“I told you. It’s like she’s a completely different pony. I wonder what happened?” Her friend said as she watched the filly leave.

As the filly walked outside, she was greeted by Diamond Tiara. It was comforting to see her again, after yesterday’s unpleasantness. Some time with her best friend was just what she needed.

Meanwhile at Sweet Apple Acres

Apple Bloom watched in amazement as Princess Celestia talked to her sister. She had dropped by in the middle of breakfast to talk to her about something important. She didn’t hear exactly what they were saying, but she did hear Spike and Twilight’s names dropped throughout the conversation. When the princess left, Applejack was preparing to head out as well.

“Big Macintosh, can you handle my chores for the day?” She asked getting ready to go.

“Eyup!” The stallion nodded.

“Wait a minute! What happened?” Apple Bloom asked.

“It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with Apple Bloom. Go on and get to school.” Her sister said walking outside but the filly was hot on her hooves.

“Is it about Spike and Twilight? She said something about him being in a bad mood yesterday. Did something happen?” She asked.

“If you must know, Spike moved out of the library and he said something that got Twilight feeling pretty bad. She’s in pretty bad shape. Princess Celestia is too busy to stay with her, so she’s asking the six of us to stay with her.”

“That’s awful. I can’t imagine Spike saying something to hurt Twilight.”

“Well, he did and now he’s living somewhere else in Ponyville till the princess decides what to do with him. I plan on visiting him later and getting to the bottom of this personally.” The mare said adjusting her hat.

“Can I come?” Apple Bloom asked.

“You should head off to school. I don’t think you want to be there when I talk to Spike anyway.”

“Maybe I can talk to him too. We’re friends too.”

“Go to school, Apple Bloom! I’m not going to repeat myself.” Applejack ordered. The filly was about to make a comment to how it wasn’t fair but decided against it. The mare had a look that said it was not up for discussion.

“Fine!” The filly huffed as she walked to school. It wasn’t fair that Applejack got to check on Twilight and she couldn’t see Spike. At least he was still in town, she could probably find him if she asked around.

“What am I thinking? I should ask Scootaloo before I visit him. I wonder if she even knows. She did see him yesterday. It must be nice having a special somepony with their own house. A private place for just the two of them. Whew! I feel kind of funny.” She said feeling a slight fever coming on. Her entire body felt like it was getting warmer as she continued to walk to school. She was already sweating and she was only halfway to school.

“I don’t ever get this tired walking to school.” She said wiping her brow.

“Hey, Apple Bloom!” A voice called out. The filly turned around and saw Sweetie Belle and Snips walking towards her. For some reason, her eyes were drawn to Snips. She didn’t know why, but the colt seemed different today than usual.

“Do I have something on my face?” The colt said wiping his face. The filly blushed as she realized she was staring.

“N-N-No, I was just…”

“Oh, Snips is just walking with me today… as friends.” She said emphasizing that last part. The filly’s talk with Rarity was a real eye opener.

“Yeah, I can carry your book bag if you want.” The colt said undeterred.

“I told you I can handle it.” She sighed.

“Okay, but if you need anything, I’m right here.” He said standing at attention and saluting.

“Thanks.” She said halfheartedly.

“What’s that all about?” Apple Bloom asked.

“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later. Are you okay? You look tired.” Sweetie Belle mentioned.

“I don’t know. I just feel weird. It’s like I’m sick, but I’m not. My body just feels funny.” She said wiping her brow and trying not to look in Snips’ direction.

“Maybe you should go home or see a doctor.” Sweetie Belle advised.

“I‘m fine. Besides, I need to talk to Scootaloo. Something huge happened with Spike.” She said continuing to school with them.

“Spike, huh?” Sweetie Belle said less than happy to hear his name.

“He got into a fight with Twilight and moved out. He‘s living in his own house in town till the princess decides what to do with him.”

“Does Scootaloo know?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I don’t know, but she was with him last. If anyone knows anything, I figure it’s her.” Apple Bloom explained.

“Hey, guys!” Scootaloo shouted coming up behind them on her scooter.

“Hey, Scootaloo!” They greeted her.

“Do you know the big news about Spike?” Sweetie Belle asked her. The filly’s face went red as she thought about her encounter with him yesterday. She hoped he wasn’t to angry about it.

“What big news?” She asked nervously.

“Spike got into a fight with Twilight and he moved out.” Apple Bloom informed her.

“He’s living in a house in Ponyville till the princess decides what to do with him.” Snips added.

“What? I just saw him yesterday at Twilight’s place. I can’t believe he moved out.” Scootaloo said sadly scooting along. She wondered if her suddenly leaving had something to do with it. He said he needed her and she left him high and dry. Maybe he did need her and it caused him to fight with Twilight.

“We were wondering if you know what happened. You were with him yesterday. Anything interesting happen?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“N-Nothing happened! We just hung out!” Scootaloo lied. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were about to ask her why she was so suspicious when Snips interrupted.

“Hey, isn’t that Spike in the schoolyard?” He announced. A crowd of fillies and colt surrounded the dragon who was leaning against the sign with his arm crossed.

“So yeah? I’m throwing this party at my place and everyone’s invited. It’s going to be pretty sweet. It‘s a no adults affair. It‘s about just having fun. Do you like having fun?” He said asking a filly with gray fur and a blond mane.

“Y-yeah, I like having fun.” She giggled.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” He smiled at her.

“Dinky.” She whispered. The dragon walked over and took one of her hooves in his claw.

“Tell me, Dinky. Do you want to have fun… with me?” He asked cocking one eyebrow. The filly could only nod as she tried not to swoon.

“Hey, Spike. What’s going on?” Scootaloo said breaking up the moment as she got off her scooter. Spike was quick to step away from the Dinky and greet her.

“Hey, Scoot. I wanted to talk to you.” He said walking up and guiding her away from the crowd.

“What’s going on?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Spike is throwing a party tonight. Every filly and colt in town is invited.” A colt spoke up.

“He says he’s got apple cider and treats straight from Canterlot castle. It’s going to be epic.” A filly told them.

“He wants to have fun with me.” Dinky sighed.

“Can Spike throw a party by himself?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“If he’s living alone, I guess no one can stop him.” Apple Bloom said wiping sweat from her brow. At that moment, they heard the sounds of sobbing coming from the side of the school. Spike walked out from the area looking down. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle walked up to him to see what had happened.

“Take care of her. I was easy on her, but she took it pretty hard.” Spike sighed. Sweetie Belle ran to Scootaloo’s side as Apple Bloom grabbed Spike’s arm.

“What did you do to her?” She asked angrily.

“Are you rubbing my arm?” Spike asked. The filly looked down and realized she was in fact rubbing his surprisingly muscular arm. She tore her hoof away and blushed. Spike smiled at her reaction.

“You know if you want to get together sometime. You could just say so.” He told her.

“I don’t… I didn’t…” Her mind was completely flustered as she could only think about how taut and firm his arm felt.

“Why don’t you skip school today? I’ll let you rub more than my arm.” He said lifting her chin. The light touch sent a shock that went straight to her nether regions. It was at that moment she realized what she wanted more than anything was his touch. She was in heat.

“I-I shouldn’t… You’re with Scootaloo.” She said jerking her head away from his claw.

“We just broke up actually. I‘m all yours.” He smiled devilishly. In her heart, she knew it was wrong. Her friend was crying and in pain, but all she could think about was Spike. She knew she should have said no and she would always wish she had. Unfortunately, she merely nodded as she followed Spike to his home.

As they were leaving Spike saw Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara walking to school, the filly was too engrossed in conversation to notice him. The dragon smiled as he saw her and decided to approach, asking Apple Bloom to wait.

“Silvie!” Spike called out to the filly’s horror. Before she could even react, the dragon had his arms around her in a tight embrace. She was so frozen with fear that her might have stopped for a few seconds as well.

“Silvie? She hates that nickname.” Diamond Tiara said angry at the dragon for interrupting.

“Maybe when you use it, but she loves it when I use it. It’s like a pet name. Isn’t it, Silvie?” Spike said dropping one arm and shaking her a bit. The filly took the opportunity to sidestep out of his reach completely and back to Diamond Tiara‘s side. The dragon looked angry for a second before going back to friendly.

“Hey, Silvie. I’m throwing a party and I want you and your friend to come. It’s kind of a house warming affair. I’d like it if you came.” He said. The filly didn’t answer instead opting to look at the ground and hope he went away.

“Look at her. She doesn’t want to go to your lame party. Leave us alone.” Diamond Tiara said fed up with his arrogance. Silver Spoon looked at her friend and smiled.

“I suppose if it can’t be helped.  I wanted to talk to you at the party with ponies around, but I guess we’ll talk some other time… all alone. Just the two of us.” Spike said in an ominous tone. His eyes and words sent a chill through her spine as she saw his statement for what it really was.

“I’d love to come to your party.” She said quickly changing her attitude.

“Excellent! I have some business to attend to, but it’s near the center of town and starts early. I can‘t wait to see you there, Silvie.” Spike said beaming as he walked away.

“She’s not going to your stupid party!” Diamond Tiara said causing the dragon to stop and turn towards her. He walked up to her and returned her glare with a smile

“That’s her decision. As for you, I’d watch your mouth. You know what they say about dragons and diamonds.” He said adjusting her crown before leaving with Apple Bloom.

“What was that about?” Diamond Tiara said turning to her friend.

“What was what about?” She chuckled nervously.

“That creep was messing with you and you were practically shaking. I want to know why.”

“Please just drop it, Diamond Tiara. It’s not important.”

“Are you going to his party?” She asked.

“I’m just going to stop by and see how lame it is.” She chuckled.

“You don’t even like him. I’ve never seen you so scared of anyone. Why would you want to go to his party?” Silver Spoon appreciated her friend’s concern. She found it rather touching that she cared enough to ask but she couldn’t tell her or anyone for that matter.

“I… can’t tell you, okay?” She said quickly walking ahead. Diamond Tiara knew something was up and Spike was behind it.

“Fine, if you’re going to that party, so am I.” She said determined to find out what happened. If Silver Spoon wouldn’t tell her, she’d make Spike tell her.
> Ambition
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Ambition


Peppermint Twist walked to the school next to Snails. The colt was talking about something, but she couldn't be bothered to listen. Her thoughts completely consumed by the gift of life growing inside her. The promise of a wonderful future with Spike was almost certain.

What kind of child would it be? A pony, dragon, or some kind of amalgamation of their species? She also needed to think of a name. She wanted a boy so he could be just like his father. Maybe she should have named him after his father. Spike Jr. seemed like as good a name as any.

"Hey, seems like everypony's pretty excited about something." Snails said as they approached the schoolyard. Peppermint Twist noticed it as well. The air around the school seemed to be abuzz with something big.

As they got closer, Peppermint Twist's ears picked up Spike's name and something about a party. Peppermint Twist went up to the nearest group and decided to investigate.

"What did you say about Spike?" She said startling a pony with her intense gaze.

"Sp-Spike's throwing a huge party tonight and he's invited every filly and colt in town to come. I thought you'd know about it before anypony." The filly said confused.

"Twilight's letting Spike throw a party?" Peppermint Twist remembered Spike and Twilight mentioning some trouble between them yesterday. Throwing a party seemed rather odd under the circumstances.

"Haven't you heard? Spike's not living at the library anymore. He moved into his own house. That's where the party's going to be." The filly explained to Peppermint Twist. Snails had heard everything. He looked to Peppermint Twist and saw the look of concern on her face. Snips' words rang out in his mind.

"I know you see it! The only guy she cares about is-" Snails remembered punching him before he could say that name, but he knew full well how it ended. He shook the thoughts out of his head as he decided to make his move.

"Hey, Peppermint Twist! How about we do something together after school, just the two of us?" Snails asked.

"Okay." Peppermint Twist agreed. Snails could hardly restrain his joy at her answer.

"Really?" He said excited. This was it. Spike was throwing a huge party and Peppermint Twist wanted to be with him instead of going. Everything Snips said about Twist as wrong. She did care about him more than Spike.

"After we go to that party." She said causing his spirits to crash back to earth. The unicorn was down, but not out. Spike was just her friend. It was perfectly natural to want to check up on him and she still wanted to be alone with him afterwards. The bell rang signaling the start of class.

As he walked to the building, he noticed Snips and Sweetie Belle talking to a rather distraught looking Scootaloo near the back of the school. Despite everything that happened yesterday, he still felt about how things ended between them. They had been best friends for as long as he could remember. He only said that stuff because he didn't know Twist like he did. Snails decided to walk over and try to extend an olive branch.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" Snails said greeting them. Snips glared at him for a few seconds before turning away.

"Hey, Snails." Sweetie Belle said.

"What do you want?" Snips huffed.

"I just want to apologize for hitting you yesterday. I was going through some stuff and it wasn't cool of me to react that way. I guess what I'm saying is I'm sorry for being such a jerk. Can you forgive me?" He said extending his hoof. 

Snips was still angry at the colt, despite his apology. He wasn't so much mad at him for hitting him, but hurting Sweetie Belle by choosing to be with a filly like Twist. He was about to reject him when Sweetie Belle spoke up.

"Isn't that great? You guys can be friends again." She chimed. Snips realized he couldn't accept his apology for himself but the least he could do was accept it to make Sweetie Belle happy.

"Fine." He said shaking his hoof with a forced smile.

"Come in, you four. It's time for class." Cheerilee said walking over to them. She saw Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle but one pony was missing from this picture.

"Where is Apple Bloom?" She asked. The students all shrugged as they looked around.

Outside Spike's New House

Apple Bloom watched in amazement as unicorns in fancy servant clothes carried food and guards brought boxes marked decorations from a huge wagon filled with a wide variety of items. They all nodded in respect to the dragon as they passed him. One of them walked up to Spike with a clipboard levitating in front of his face.

"Everything is going well, sir. We should have the snack station set up within the hour and the decorations set up soon after that. The music and entertainment should be here some time before the party start. As per your request, everything should be setup before the party starts."

"Excellent! Have everypony take the next hour off. I'm having company." Spike said putting his arm around her. The unicorn cast an eye over to the filly who nervously waved at him. He didn't say a word, but he was clearly  to her as he clopped his hooves and all the servants came trotting out of the house.

"One hour!" He shouted over and over to the ponies as they left the house. Apple Bloom watched as a number of guars and servants filed out of the humble home. She watched the group wonder off into the town.

"Shall we?" He said walking her inside. The interior was filled with unopened packages and boxes. The space seemed small already but with all this stuff it was almost impossible to move. She didn't focus on her surrounding for long as her body reminded of her own desires. Spike was also quick to make his move as he grabbed her hoof and walked her to his bedroom.

Spike's bed was absolutely massive compared to his room. It seemed like the kind of bed you'd find in a castle than a house.

"Why would you need such a huge bed?" She asked the dragon. Spike stepped in front of her and pulled her close. She could feel their breaths mingling as they stared deep into each other eyes.

"I could tell you better than I could show." He said as he leaned in and kissed the filly. 

Every dream she ever had about kissing Spike paled in to comparison to the actual warmth of his lips against hers. She and Spike craw led on to the bed as they continued to make out. The filly pushed herself on top of him as they sunk into the soft sheets.

She could feel Spike's tongue work itself into her mouth. She licked his tongue letting their slimy appendages push against each other in a glorious mess. Their kiss was interrupted as Apple Bloom something hard pressing between them. A trail of drool forming and breaking as they parted.

She sat up and looked down at his rock hard purple erection in amazement. It was her first time seeing a guy's actual penis. Her mare part's practically tingled at the sight of his throbbing member.

"You've never seen one before, right?" He smiled.

"Only in pictures from Miss Cheerilee's class. Are you going to put it inside me?" She asked. Spike laughed at how innocent she was.

"What's so funny?" She said getting offended.

"It's nothing. Turn around and lift your tail." Spike stood up and placed his claws on her flanks. As she lifted her flanks, he immediately noticed how wet she was. Her pussy had already leaked several trails of juice down her back legs. He'd have to ask those guys to wash the sheets when they came back from break.

"This is really embarassing." The earth pony whined as Spike stared directly at her privates. The dragon took his middle finger and ran it up her slit. She moaned as the dragon pushed in ever so slighlty came to the back. She felt Spike pull his finger away and felt him line himself up behind her.

"Trust me on this one. The last thing you're going to feel is embarassed." Spike pushed his hot tip slowly into her tight snatch. Apple Bloom could feel the hot muscle pushing it's way in. She moaned in half ecsasty and half anticipation.

"I want it now, Spike!" She moaned as she tried to push herself back into it. Spike smiled devilishly as he decided to tease her a bit.

"What do you want?" Spike said grabbing his member and rubbing it against her pussy.

"I want you to put it in! Don't tease me!" She shouted.

"I'm not sure I understand. Put what in where?" He said acting confused as he continued to rub her sopping entrance with his tip.

"Put your..." She trailed off into a whisper.

"Didn't quite get that? Say it loud and clear so I can hear." He said as he leaned in letting his tip rest inside her.

"Put your dick in my pussy!" She screamed. The dragon was looking for a "fuck me" but that might have been a little too much to expect from someone as wholesome as Apple Bloom.

Spike wasted no time slamming his member as deep as he could into her. The filly's body was racked with equal parts excruciating pain and euphoric pleasure as the dragon firmly planted himself deep into her body. Despite her conflicted state, she didn't want to stop. She wanted to feel him inside her a little longer.

"Agh!" She cried out as her virginity was no more.

Spike could feel her depths pulsing tightly around his swollen member as he pulled back and pushed himself in again. She placed her hoof in her mouth and bit as he started to thrust into her. His mind went back to the previous evening with Silver Spoon. A primal urge welled up in the dragon as he started to move quicker and quicker. His claws tightening their grip on his flank as he fucked her even harder.

Apple Bloom found herself being bucked even harder as Spike ravaged her backside. She found herself enjoying it more and more as the dragon rocked her to her very core. The pain that was so strong before was completely gone. The sound of the bed creaking, their hips smacking, and her moans filled the room as she experienced pleasure better than any she'd ever known.

The filly felt something deep inside. It was like a dam was about to burst in her body and the dragon was about to knock it down. Spike pushed himself with one final thrust as hard as he could into the the earth pony. Apple Bloom let out a lustful moan as she came first. Spike came less than a second later filling the filly with his semen as she came.

Apple Bloom slumped forward letting his cock slip out. Spike fell back onto the bed as his eyes turned green once again. The dragon looked down between Apple Bloom's leg and saw a pink trail seeping down her leg. He smiled as he relished his accomplishment. Another virgin felled by him. That made two in less than a day. His smile widened as he imagined how far he could go from here. Ponyville was flushed with pretty young fillies. He'd be able to keep himself entertained for a good long time. His 
thoughts were interrupted by a crashing noise in his home.

A Few Moments Earlier..

"I'm telling you, dude. My dragon Spike is in there wrecking it. I just know it." The earth pony guard said as he gobbled down his third carrot dog.

"They're kids." The pegasus guard said as he tried not to watch his friend eat for fear of becoming sick. The earth pony had a bad habit of talking while he ate and letting others see it. 

"They're at that age and Spike's living by himself. He's practically a bachelor. Bachelors bring girls back to their home for only one reason. He's probably making do one of these." The earth pony said putting his fifth dog in and out of his mouth before gobbling it down.

"I'm not listening to you anymore." The pegasus said turning away from his disgusting display.

"I know what this is about. You got that little filly at home whose always talking about Spike. You better watch out. You might come home and find your little girl in a... shall we say ... compromising position." He said working on his ninth dog.

"Don't you talk about her like that!" The guard said becoming angry.

"Whoa! Don't bite my head off, buddy! I'm just making small talk. I got to say though I got a newfound respect for Spikey boy. He finally acting like a guy." The guard said downing his fifteenth carrot in two bites. It was a sign he was at least half full when he took the time to take bites. His belly distended sloppily out of his gold armor.

"What do you mean? Spike was alright. He's always nice and respectful." The guard pointed out.

"More like a total wuss. I saw him wearing a heart apron with pink frills on it and serving cookies to that Twilight chick. He was actually smiling like it was okay or something. I felt so embarrassed for him. I wanted to smack him upside the head and tell him to act like he had a pair, you know. I would have done it if I could have gotten away." The guard said licking his hoof after is carrot dog number twenty six. Hoof licking meant he was nearly done. The guard had reluctantly learned his friend's eating habits because he always chose to sat next to him when he ate.

"If Spike is making you angry, he must be doing something right." The pegasus laughed.

"Whatever! He's in there making me proud now. I'm going to tell him when we get back there." He said finishing off his thirtieth carrot dog. Crumbs littered his chest armor as he sat back and ripped an obnoxiously loud burp.

"Hey, you fellas look like you might know where a dragon is living around here." Applejack said approaching the duo. The earth pony licked his lips lasciviously as he looked her up and down.

"He's busy right now, baby, but I'm free. Hows about a roll in the hay with a real stallion?" He said causing the farm pony to step back in revulsion.

"Forgive my friend. He doesn't have any manners. You wouldn't be the Element of Honesty by any chance?" The pegasus asked.

"Yep, that's me." The mare nodded.

"It's an honor to meet one of the heroines who saved Equestria." The pegasus said extending his hoof.

"Tweren't nothing! Anypony would have done it if they could." She said shaking his hoof.

"So you're looking for Spike? I can tell you where he is." The pegasus said.

"I don't think you want to pay him a visit right now though. He's entertaining company if you catch my drift." The earth pony winked.

"Huh?" Applejack said confused by his phrasing.

"Don't listen to him. He doesn't know what he's talking about. He lives in that house over there on the left. There's a wagon out front so you can't miss it." The pegasus pointed.

"Thanks for your help." She said tipping her hat to the pegasus and heading off.

"I'm telling you, dude. Spike is giving it to pink bow." The earth pony's word causing Applejack's eyes to go wide. She turned around and quickly confronted the bulky guard scaring him a bit.

"What do you mean by pink bow?" She asked anxiously. A lump forming in her throat as she hoped it wasn't what she thought it was.

"I didn't catch her name, but she was a blank flank with a red mane. You know each other or something?"

A Few Moments Later...

Applejack crashed through the entrance of Spike's home knocking the door to the ground. She looked around anxiously trying to find her sister. She ran through the crowded room and entered the hall. She opened the first door she could find to see a sight that rocked her to her very core.

Apple Bloom lay splayed out a giant bed. Her privates leaking a pink fluid that she had hoped not to see. The deed was done. Spike had defiled her sister. Her disapointment quickly turned to fury as she turned her gaze to the dragon who was nervously backing away.

"Wh-what are you doing here, Applejack?" The filly said covering herself with the sheets.

"A-Applejack! It's not what it looks like." Spike said slinking against the wall furthest from the mare. She lowered her hat covering her eyes as she walked towards Spike. Apple Bloom was quick to try to step in front of her.

"Stop, Applejack!" She said her sister eyes focused on her. At that moment, she could see the unbridled rage in her eyes.

"Go home, Apple Bloom!" The mare said in bone chillingly stern tone. The filly almost did as she was told but she saw Spike cowering in the corner and knew if she left there'd be no one to stop her sister from doing something she'd regret.

"I love him, AJ." She whimpered to her sister. The mare looked to her younger sister then to the dragon who cowering in the corner.

"Do you love my sister?" She asked the dragon.

"Y-yeah, I love her. I totally love her." Spike nodded.

"Then you're going to do right by my sister, Spike?" Applejack said her gaze leveled on the dragon.

"Umm... what exactly do you mean by do right?" He asked.

"I'm talking about making an honest mare out of my sister. You're going to walk her down the aisle and pledge the rest of your life to her. That's what I mean!" The mare said a distinct edge to her voice. Spike looked to Apple Bloom who was blushing and smiling.

"Oh, that kind of do right. You see the thing is...." Spike laughed nervously as he tried to think of a way out of this. Marrying Apple Bloom would have put a huge damper on his plans to nail every filly in Ponyville. At that moment, the guards rushed back to see what was going on.

"Hey, you ran off like a bat out of Tartauros! What the hay is going on here?" The bulky earth pony said entering the scene with a contigent of guards behind him. Spike realized this was his chance.

"G-G-Guards! Th-Throw the both of them out now!" Spike ordered from .

"You no good, dirty scoundrel!" Applejack said as she tried to lounge at him only to have the bulky guard tackle her to the ground. Her hat flying off in the scuffle.

"Whoa there, Apple Honesty or whatever your name is! It's time to go!" The guard said trying to hold her down, but the farm pony easily threw the overweight guard towards Spike. The mare was about to tackle Spike when she heard Apple Bloom cry out.

"Sis!" The filly cried as she was cornered by two guards. 

"Get your dirty hooves off my little sister!" Applejack shouted as she ran to her sister's aid when three guards piled on top of her.

"What are you waiting for? Throw them out of here!" Spike shrieked as Applejack seemed like she about to throw off three guards.

"That fucking bitch!" The bulky earth guard jumped on top of the pile putting an end to her surge of strength as she crumpled under the weight of the four stallions.

Applejack was led out by four earth ponies guards and one unicorn who occasionaly had to use his magic to restrain her. Apple Bloom was allowed to pick her up sister's hat before leaving. The sight of her sister being led out like some sort of animal and Spike ordering it had broken the filly's heart beyond all repair. She looked over at her former lover who just looked away.

"Get her out of here! I don't want see her or any member of the Apple Family within a hundred paces of me, understood!" Spike barked at a nearby pegasus guard. The pegasus guard put a hoof on her shoulder and she nodded. As the pegasus walked her out, he couldn't help but see a filly not unlike his daughter. If Spike was still in Canterlot, would it be he and his daughter being carried out like a bunch of common criminals? 

He looked at the dragon and remembered how happy his daughter was to see him come for the rare visit. The nice, respectful dragon that he knew was gone, replaced by a opportunistic coward who didn't care about anyone but himself.

> Apology
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Candy Girl
Apology


Shining Armor watched from on high as the strongest fliers in the Royal Guard pulled him toward Ponyville. A letter from Spike to Princess Celestia addressed to him. An unorthodox way of reaching him but probably the most effective considering the content of his letter.

He pulled the scrap of paper out of his armor careful not to let it get swept up in the winds at such high altitudes and looked at it. Spike's writing was usually so neat and clean, but this message was barely legible. It was like he was being shaken while writing it. The contents could barely be described as a sentence.

"Send Shining now!"

This was so confusing. He had received a report early this morning that Spike had moved out of Twilight's library and needed assistance with some project of his. He had sent guards, but planned to visit himself at a later date. He couldn't imagine his little sister being too happy about Spike moving out. She had grown terribly close to the little guy ever since he hatched. Despite getting her cutie mark that day, she always considered it the second with most important thing she got that day.  He couldn't imagine her taking Spike's departure all that well.

It was a good thing she had new friends in the Elements of Harmony. She shouldn't be by herself after Spike moved out. If not for them, he'd have come as soon as he heard.  He was also interested in meeting these new friends. Twilight was never the social type. The captain's ponderings were interrupted by one of the pegasus pulling the chariot.

"We're approaching our destination, sir."

"Land near the center of town. Spike's new home is somewhere in the vicinity." As the stallions' began their descent, they noticed a disturbance near the residential area. Upon closer inspection, it looked like a fight involving the guards sent here.

"I think our soldiers are under attack, sir!"

"Get as close to them as you can! Slow down when you approach them!" Shining Armor stash the note in his armor and turned to the back of the chariot. He looked down and readied himself as he prepared to jump. He saw a red stallion wrestling a bunch of guards by himself and leapt from the chariot.

He landed hard as his hooves made contact with the ground. His legs felt a bit numb, but this was no time to worry about it. He ran the best he could towards the scuffle. The guards seemed to be trying to impede his progress but the earth pony easily cast them aside or ignored them altogether as he marched onward.

"Stand down! You're obstructing a royal officer of the Royal Guard!" Shining Armor shouted. The guards smiled at his presence. The stallion continued to move forward despite several armored ponies clinging from his bulky form.

Shining Armor nodded to his guards. It was a signal they all understood as they stepped away from the red giant. Shining Armor's horn began to glow as a magic bubble ensnared the raging pony. The stallion stopped and looked at the barrier in front of him.

Shining Armor was interrupted as the large stallion reared his back legs up and did something that the unicorn didn't think possible. In one single buck of his muscular back legs, the barrier began to crack and splinter from the point of impact. Shining Armor and his soldiers were all stunned. His barrier was considered impervious to impact. For a single earth pony to crack it just by bucking his back legs was unheard of.

As they looked on in shock, the stallion wasted no time in delivering a second kick that completely shattered the magic barrier. The guards turned to their leader for guidance as the stallion continued his march forward. The captain quickly got over his disbelief and prepared to cast the spell again. This time instead of surrounding his entire body, he placed a smaller bubble over the stallion's head. The stallion stopped again and looked at the shield around his head.

"I get it!" One of the guards said realizing what was going on.

"Huh? What do you mean? He put a barrier on his head. How does that help us?" Another guard asked.

"The barrier is airtight. No matter how big and strong he is, he needs air to breathe. He's going to have to stop or pass out."

"Look he's doing something!"

The stallion held his head up high before slamming the bubble into the ground as hard as he could. Shining Armor wasn't worried though. A smaller barrier meant that it was that much harder to break. That didn't deter the large red pony from continuing to bash his head into the ground making a small crater in the ground. It wasn't long before he exhausted his supply of air and passed out. The stallions cheered as the red giant fell to the ground.

"Anyone want to tell me what's going on?" Shining Armor said causing them to line up and salute. A single guard stepped forward to debrief the captain.

"He's a member of the apple family, sir. Recent events have caused a rift between Spike and The Apples." Shining Armor noticed the phrase 'recent events' in particular. It was used when soldiers didn't want to go in to too much detail. The unicorn was almost too afraid to ask because it rarely meant anything good.

"Explain." He ordered in an exasperated tone.

"The Element of Honesty caught Spike in bed with her little sister. We escorted her back to her residence where her big brother, the stallion you just subdued, heard what happened. Half of our forces remained to watch the rest of the family. We were trying to stop him from getting to the dragon when you showed up." Shining Armor stood there trying to make heads or tails of this bizarre situation. When he came down from Canterlot, he didn't know what to expect. He couldn't have came up with a weirder scenario if he tried.

"I want that stallion tied up in the strongest rope you can find. Walk him back home and keep him there. Take me to Spike. I want to hear his side."

The guard who stepped forward took him to Spike while the other's dealt with the unconscious stallion. To Shining Armor's surprise, they were pretty close to his home. He thought about how far that stallion had to walk with royal guards trying to stop him with each step. He hoped they found some really sturdy rope.

As they walked through the busted down door, Shining Armor noticed unpack boxes and party decorations hanging inside. He spotted a pair of green eyes peeking around the corner.

"Is Big Macintosh still coming?" The dragon asked fearfully.

"If you're talking about that big red guy, I took care of him. Come on out, Spike." Shining Armor watched as the dragon strolled out from his hiding spot. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth as he walked up to him.

"I knew you could stop him. You used that shield spell of yours, right? Twilight said it was pretty powerful."

"Does Twilight know you're sexually active?" Shining Armor said. He was in no mood for small talk.

"She will the next time she talks to Applejack. By the way, I plan on pressing charges against Applejack. She broke into my home and  tried to attack me. I figure that's breaking and entering with an attempted assault charge. What do you think?"

"I'm not going to arrest one of the Elements of Harmony. Besides you slept with her little sister, you can't blame her for being angry."

"First of all, she came on to me. I only did it because we were friends and I felt sorry for her. Next thing I know Applejack is breaking down my door and starts threatening to hurt me if I don't marry her little sister. I'm the victim here." Shining Armor was nowhere near convinced of Spike's innocence as he was. There was only one way to be sure.

"I'm going to talk to the Apple Family and you're coming with me." The unicorn said to the dragon's dismay.

"Are you nuts? They'll kill me on sight!"

"I'm sure we can protect you. My guards and I should be enough to keep things civil. I need you there to get to the bottom of this. An apology from you would also go a long way in smoothing things over."

"Can't I write a letter?" Spike asked hoping to avoid the awkward conversation.

"You're going to do it in person or I'm taking my guards and I'll let you handle it alone." The thought of being left at the mercy of the Applejack and Big Macintosh was enough to make the dragon play along.

"Okay, I'll come, but if I get hurt, I'm holding you personally responsible." Shining Armor had an ulterior motive in asking Spike to come to the farm with him. He had noticed a change in Spike's overall demeanor. He hoped to find out what events occured that might have twisted his personality.

"I assume you know the way to The Apple Family farm?"

"Follow me." Spike sighed as they started the trek.

"So have you been with any other fillies?" Shining Armor asked.

"Huh? Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering. Twilight never wrote about you being interested in any ponies except Rarity. I finally come out to Ponyville and you're having sex. I'm just curious as to what happened."

"I grew up and realized the truth."

"The truth?"

"That waiting is pointless when you can reach out and take what you want." Spike said eyeing fillies in sight as he walked through the town.

"Waiting isn't so bad, Spike. Cadence and I have chosen to abstain from sex until we're married. It'll  make the moment we finally choose to do it that much more significant."

"You aren't a virgin though? I mean you've had sex with other mares before Cadence, right?"

"I am and there's nothing wrong with that. It'll stay that way till me and Cadence are ready." Spike couldn't help but snicker at the unicorn's sappy statement.

"I'm sorry, Shining, but everything you just said sounds like something Cadence trained to say so you'd stop asking for it. Tell me whose idea was it to wait?"

"It doesn't matter who came up with it. We decided to do this as a couple."

"It was definitely Cadence then."

"Okay, it was her idea, but that doesn't make my point any less valid. Some things are worth waiting for."

"Yeah, waiting's great. I think you're getting some attention." Spike said noticing a few ponies looking in their direction.

"It's only natural that they'd look our way. I'm in full armor walking around with the only dragon in town."

"It's more than that. Follow me!" Spike said running up to a group of mares.

"Spike! Get back here." Shining Armor shouted. Instead of heeding his command, he struck up a conversation with the trio. The stallion waited for him to come back, but the dragon continued to talk. He sighed and walked over to see why Spike had taken such a sudden detour. As he approached the three mares stepped forward, each one smiling and batting their eyelashes.

"I'm Rose."

"I'm Lily."

"I'm Daisy."

"And I'm in a hurry. Come on, Spike." Shining Armor said. Rose moved close to him and stroked his cheek.

"It's okay if you're shy." Lily said stepping closer.

"Spike told us everything and we think it's awful what she puts you through everyday."

"What she puts me through? Are you talking about Cadence? What did you tell them, Spike?" The stallion looked to the dragon who walked up to him with a smug look on his face.

"I only told them what you told me. Cadence intentionally deprives you of sex in order to manipulate you and you're to browbeaten and timid to realize it."

"We're leaving now, Spike! Excuse us, ladies." He said in an upset tone as he levitated Spike off the ground and walked away.

"What's wrong with you? I had them eating out of my claws." The dragon said miffed about the sudden exit.

"What's wrong with me? What were you trying to do back there exactly?" Shining Armor shot back even angrier.

"Whoa! I was just trying to get you a little help. You could have pulled anyone of those mares right now if you played along."

"I'd never cheat on Cadence! I can't believe you'd try to pull something like that!"

"You should have at least slept with one of them. You'd have understood what I was getting at earlier." 

"And what exactly would I have understood by cheating on Cadence?"

"You'd have realized you're being played. Cadence is using you. All the mares and fillies do it. They take and take till you stand up for yourself or got nothing left to give. You have to use them before they you. It's the only way to be truly free and still get what you want."

"Is that why you moved out of the library? You thought Twilight was using you. She'd never do that, Spike. She loves you." Shining Armor said but the dragon didn't respond as he continued the trek to Sweet Apple Acres. The remainder of the journey was spent in silence as the two made their way to the farm.

As the two approached the farmhouse, Shining Armor noticed that most of the guards were standing around outside. Spike slowed his pace as he let the stallion take the lead here.

"Where is the family? Is anyone inside the house?" The captain asked to a pair of soldiers standing in front of the door.

"We manage to contain them, but they were insistent that we not be allowed inside." The guard said saluting. Shining Armor 
sighed as the nervous dragon stood behind him. This was not an ideal situation. Spike had alredy pissed them off and now his guards had turned their home into a quaint little prison. This situation could turn very bad in the blink of an eye if

"Alright, I'm going in. Keep your ears open and be ready to move in on my word. Come on, Spike." Shining Armor said stepping to the door.

"Why don't I wait out here and you tell them I'm sorry?" Spike said as his legs shook with fear. Facing Applejack and Big Mac was the last thing he wanted to do.

"This is your mess, Spike. You can go in with me or deal with this on your own."

"Okay." Spike gulped as he crept slowly towards the door. The house was oddly quiet as Shining Armor knocked on the door.

"What do you want now?" An angry country female accent shouted through the door.

"I'm Shining Armor, captain of the Royal Equestrian Guard. I'm here with Spike to settle the dispute between him and the Apple Family. I'd appreciate it if we could talk face to face." Shining Armor heard hoofsteps moving towards the door. An orange mare with a long blond mane opened the door.  Her green eyes immediately locked on to Spike who hid behind him. He put out his hoof in attempt to keep things light. 

"It's truly an honor to meet the Element of Honesty." The stallion said as he waited to shake her hoof. Unfortunately, she made no effort to do so. Instead, she just glared at both of them. 

"Come in." She said stepping aside and allowing them to enter. Shining Armor walked with Spike doing his best to keep away from the mare.

The living room was the very definition of rustic charm. Wood furniture and hoof sewn throw pillows decorated with apples were placed in the center of the room. An old light green mare with a checkered throw over shoulders sat in a chair next to the big red stallion from earlier. She seemed calmer than her younger relatives. The faint sound of crying could be heard from upstairs.

"Why don't you boys have a seat? It's been such a long day and it's not even noon." Granny Smith said with a smile on her face as nodded towards the couch. Spike wasn't scared of the old mare, but something about her welcoming attitude made him uncomfortable. He always considered her a few eggs short of a dozen, but he didn't get that vibe now. Spike took the seat furthest from the old matriarch and her absurdly strong grandchildren who stood by her side.

"Spike has something he'd like to say." Shining Armor said nudging the dragon.

"Oh! I'm sorry about what happened with Apple Bloom. I got caught up in the moment and made a mistake."

"A mistake? A damn mistake! My little sister is upstairs crying her eyes out. She's completely heartbroken over this and you're sorry!" Applejack said incensed by his pathetic apology. She was about to take a step forward when Granny Smith held a hoof up. It was a tense moment as Applejack look to her elder in barely contained anger.

"Spike didn't force himself on Apple Bloom. While he shares some of the blame, she made a decision when she followed him to his home and had sex with him."

"But she was in heat!" Applejack shouted.

"You've been in heat before and you're still a virgin. It's hard but with enough self control you can resist the urges. You and I have done it before. Apple Bloom has no excuse." Granny told her.

"What about Apple Bloom? She said she loved this little cretin. The least he ought to do is make her an honest mare by marrying her."

"Yup!" Big Mac bellowed in agreement with Applejack.

"What? I'm way too young to get married." Spike countered.

"You weren't too young to have a roll in the hay with my little sister. I reckon that makes you old enough to get married!"

"Eeyup!"

"Enough! Do you really think your little sister wants you to force Spike into marrying her?" The two ponies looked away as the old pony's words stopped them in their tracks.

"So he just gets to use my little sister and get away with it? What about you, Mr. Captain of the Royal Equestrian Guard? There must be some law he broke that he could be punished for." Applejack turned to Shining Armor.

"I'm sorry, but Spike didn't break any laws." Applejack sat down in defeat as her eyes started to water. The pent up frustration over the situation causing her to break down and cry.

"How am I supposed to accept this? Seeing my little sister treated like some tramp off the street? It isn't fair." Big Macintosh walked and placed a hoof on her sister's back. 

"I'm sorry about all this. I really am." Shining Armor told them.

"Can I ask you a question?" Applejack asked.

"Yes, ask me anything."

"Do you have a sibling?" She asked.

"Yes, I have a little sister. You know her actually. It's Twilight Sparkle."

"You're Twilight's big brother?" The mare said perking up a bit. The stallion could only nod solemnly as the mare continued to cry.

"Then I reckon my little sister isn't the only one to be hurt by Spike."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shining Armor looked to the dragon who just shrugged.

"So everything is cool, right?" Spike said quickly changing the subject.

"For now." Granny Smith said cryptically.

"For now? What's that supposed to mean?" The dragon asked.   

"If my little Apple Bloom is with foal, I will hold you personally responsible. Until such time, you are banned from Sweet Apple Acres and if I ever catch you near my granddaughter again, Applejack and Big Macintosh will be the least of your worries." She told him in a monotone voice that sent chills up his scales.

"Of course. Come on, Shining Armor." Spike said quickly making his way towards the door. Shining Armor wanted to ask her what she meant by that, but it seemed like imposing to ask for more details. He decided to wait until he visited her for himself. As he was leaving though, Applejack called out to him.

"Hey! Shining Armor, was it? Tell Twi you love her." He nodded before he walked outside with Spike. As soon as they were outside, Spike was quick to complain about Granny Smith's warning.

"Like this dump is so great. I can get apples anywhere. Who does that dumb old bat think she is?" Spike grumbled.

"I'm going to see Twilight. You coming?" Shining Armor said interrupting his rant.

"Oh, I'm kind of busy. Go back the way we came and make a left at Sugarcube Corner. Can't miss it?" Spike waved dismissively.

"Did you do something to Twilight?" Shining Armor asked fed up with his attitude.

"Let's just say we parted ways. If you don't mind I'm going to take these guys back to my place, that door isn't going to fix itself. We got a lot to do if we want to make up for lost time. Come on, fellas! Back to work!" The dragon shouted. Shining Armor watched as the dragon walked away with his guards in tow.

He wanted to question Spike more, but he was more worried about Twilight. Something about the way Applejack spoke made him anxious to see his sister. If she needed him, he didn't want to waste time dealing with an obnoxious dragon.

As he walked towards town, he started to think about his relationship with his little sister. For the longest time, he and Cadence were Twilight's only friends until Spike came along. In a lot of ways, he was grateful for the little guy. Twilight didn't need to rely on Cadence or him for companionship. The break allowed them to start a relationship while she studied under Princess Celestia. Eventually, he saw Twilight less and less as time went on.

He wondered when the distance between them became so great that they couldn't see each other face to face. He loved his little sister but being one of her only friends meant that she was always around as foal. Even as a colt, it was hard to find time to himself without Twilight wanting to do something with him. He tried to find her friends but she never showed much interest in keeping them. 

So for the longest time, Twilight clung to him as her big brother best friend. It was adorable at first, but it got old having your little sister tag along everywhere. When she hatched Spike, it was like a breath of fresh air. She had found a friend and that's when they started to grow apart. When he could disengage himself from her without worry, he was more than happy to let her slip away. He welcomed the less than frequent visits. He allowed letters from him to replace his actual presence in her life. She didn't even know about his relationship with Cadence.

He stood in front of a treehouse with a large candle painted on the door. From the description in Twilight's letter, he could tell it 
was her home. He made a decision as he raised his hoof to knock on the door to make an effort to be a part of her life from now on. No more watching from a distance. He was going to be the big brother his little sister deserved and he was going to prove it as soon as she opened that door.

As the door opened, the stallion immediately wasted no time going in for a hug. If he had taken a moment to look, he'd have noticed the blue pegasus who opened the door. The mistake earned him a hoof to the chin as she pushed him back and drove her hoof upward.

"What the hay are you doing?" The pegasus shouted as the Shining Armor went out like a light.

"What's wrong?" A white unicorn with a fancy purple mane asked.

"I opened the door and this guy just hugged me out of nowhere!"

"Aww, I do that all the time, Dashie!" A pink earth pony said bouncing up.

"I know who you are, Pinkie! This guy just hugged me out of nowhere!"

"How's he supposed to tell you his name if you knock him out, silly?" The pink earth pony asked.

"Is he okay? He's not moving." A yellow pegasus asked.

"Who cares? He's a creep. Twilight doesn't need somepony like him around."

"Somepony like who around?" Twilight walked to the door to find her visitor on his back unconscious.

"Big brother!" She exclaimed as she saw her brother him to stir.

"Big brother!" Her friends shouted as Twilight helped him up.

"I'd like to introduce you guys. This is Shining Armor, my big brother."
> Offer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Offer


Peppermint Twist was barely there as Cheerilee delivered today's lesson. Every word was background noise to the torrent of questions raging in her mind. Spike had not only moved out of the library, but he was throwing a party as well. One she had to hear about from her classmates who got invited. She knew she meant something to Spike so why was he acting like this.

It seemed like everything had gone topsy turvy since she last saw him. She needed to talk to him and set things straight. It was destiny that she and Spike be together. She just needed to prove it to him. Once he knew about the good news, he'd know it too. 

She looked down at her belly and rubbed it gently. It made her happy to think that something was about to come to life thanks to the love she and Spike shared. It kept her calm despite all the uncertainty surrounding her. This was the one thing no one could take away.

"Psst!" Twist sighed as she recognized the not so subtle sound of Snails trying to get her intention. He was trying to pass her another note. He had sent one almost every time Cheerilee turned her back asking every inane question he could think of. It was a miracle he hadn't been caught yet. She took the paper from him quickly and read it.

"Are you hungry?" She sighed as he had been watching her the entire time she rubbed her belly. She was more than fed up with the colt and his overbearing attention. Normally, she'd pass him a letter telling him to stop for the hundredth time. Instead, she balled it up and flicked it off her desk.

The colt looked down at the crumpled piece of paper. Twist gave him an indignant frown before turning her attention back to Miss Cheerilee's lesson. Snails just turned his eyes downward toward his desk and buried his head in his forelegs. It seemed like everything he did pushed Twist further away. Snips' words from yesterday crept back into the center of his mind.

"The only person she cares about is-" 

The colt's thoughts were as interrupted as he noticed the piece of paper was placed on the desk again. He lifted his head to find Sweetie Belle standing next to him. A gentle smile on her face as she looked at him.

"Thanks." The colt said taking the balled up sheet and looking at it.

"Are you going to be okay?" She asked in that super sweet tone of voice of hers. He gave her a nod and turned away. Sweetie Belle's smile made him feel conflicted for some reason. He knew she liked him, but he was committed to Twist. It felt wrong to give up on this relationship. He knew if he kept trying he and Twist could have something really special.

Peppermint Twist saw the encounter out of the corner of her eye. She had gotten wise to Sweetie Belle's attempt to steal Snails long ago. After today, she'd be done with the colt anyway. The unicorn could have the annoying dolt. The two of them were perfect for each other. 

"The hapless halfwit and the brainless bimbo. The two of them might cobble together enough brain cells to actually get a clue." She thought to herself.

The bell rang signaling the end of class. Every filly and colt had one thing on their mind as they grab their bags and made a beeline for the exit. The only thing anypony talked about that day was the awesome party Spike was throwing at his house. 

Peppermint Twist was no exception as she prepared to leave. The filly was looking forward to seeing the dragon again. Although it had only been a day, she had been aching to see him again. Snails didn't share her enthusiasm.

The colt didn't want to go to Spike's party. He knew that Twist was loyal, bu she had a thing for the dragon that made him uncomfortable. As he walked with her to the dragon's new abode, Snips warning from that night ran through his head. He shook his head and hoped he was just overthinking this.

Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara were the last two students left in the class.  They hadn't talked at all since their encounter with Spike.  Diamond Tiara couldn't foget the way her friend shivered in the dragon presence. She had never seen her that scared before. Spike had done something that had her absolutely terrified of him.

"You're going, aren't you?" Diamond Tiara asked her friend. She didn't reply as she slowly packed her books into her bag. She slung the bag on her back and started to walk away when Diamond Tiara put a hoof on her shoulder.

"At least tell me what he did to you! Why are you so scared of him?" Diamond Tiara demanded. Silver Spoon looked back her with tears behind her glasses.  All the emotions that she held back seemed ready to explode forth from thoes purple eyes. It was like she wanted to scream but had 

"I'm sorry. I just can't." She said shaking off her hoof and running away. Diamond Tiara stood there with the image of her friend's face crying out for help but at the same time rejecting her.

"Is everything alright?" Miss Cheerilee asked witnessing the entire scene. The filly normally wouldn't have gone to an adult for help, but that look in Silver Spoon's eyes seemed like something she couldn't handle alone.

"I think Silver Spoon is in trouble and Spike is involved." Diamond Tiara proceeded to tell her about their encounter with Spike that morning and Silver Spoon's fearful reaction to his presence.

"Do you remember anything else?" The teacher asked.

"Apple Bloom was with him, but she just hung back for the most part."

"I'm going to check on Apple Bloom and then I'm going to this supposed party of his. I think it's time I had a talk with Spike. If anything happened between them, I'll get to the bottom of it." The teacher promised.

"Please help her. She's my only friend and seeing her like that...." Diamond Tiara wiped her eyes as she tried to hide her face. Miss Cheerilee gave the filly a reassuring hug. Diamond Tiara welcomed the embrace as she leaned into her chest.

"I promise I'll do everything in my power to make sure Silver Spoon is fine." Miss Cheerilee told her. The teacher should've talk to him earlier but was afraid of overstepping her bounds. Spike wasn't one of her students after all. If he did do something to negatively affect one of her students, it was her job to talk to him about it and try to resolve the matter. She just hoped it wasn't too serious.

Meanwhile

Sweetie Belle was alone as she followed Snails and Peppermint Twist towards Spike's party. Scootaloo was obviously in no mood to go to a party hosted by her ex and Apple Bloom had skipped class altogether. She had assumed Apple Bloom went home. She did look a bit flushed when they met up earlier so maybe she was just sick. She could always visit her later.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle!" A famiiar voice called out. It was Snips. She had hoped he wouldn't come. The colt had all but ignored her attempts to dissuade any romantic notions between them.

"Hi, Snips." She said focusing on Snails.

"So you're still going after Snails, huh?" He said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"Yeah, I have to save him from Twist." She said glaring at the filly.

"What about you?" Snips asked.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean you're spending all this time chasing after Snails. Have you ever thought that maybe he isn't worth it?" She stopped and looked at him. The confusion was evident in her face.

"You know as well as I do what Twist doesn't care about him."

"But he chose to stay with her. Whatever happens is on him now. I'm worried about you."

"Worried about me? Why?"

"You're stalking him and waiting for Twist to make her move. It just seems wrong. I know you don't like me the same way. I understand that now, but this waiting is just making you miserable and I hate seeing you that way. You deserve better. I know I'm not as good as Snails in your eyes, but if you gave me a chance, I promise you that I can be." 

Snips' word gave the filly pause. She couldn't deny that there was some truth in his words. She didn't like all this waiting and being turned down by Snails at every turn. Sweetie Belle had never considered Snips in a romantic light, but his genuine concern for her changed that a bit.

"Snips, I don't know what to say."

"It's just something I wanted to get off my chest. I'm going on ahead to check things out. I'll see you later." Snips said running ahead. Sweetie Belle just watched as he passed Twist and Snails. She was thinking about what was best for Snails this entire time, but what about what was best for her?

Twist watched as Snips ran ahead of her. She wondered why he was in such a rush. It wasn't like the party was going anywhere. She would've like to move a bit faster as well, but Snail was dragging his hooves. She couldn't wait til Spike saw her with him so she could get some use out of him. She could at least get that much out of him.

As they approached, they noticed all the student ahead of them were in front of the house. A pair of royal guards stood outside the home keeping everyone from entering. Twist wasted no time running up and pushing her way to the front of the crowd. The presence of the armored ponies made her fear for Spike's safety. Her worry was short lived as the dragon came out of his home and stood in the doorway.

Snails managed to make his way to the front of the crowd near Twist. At that moment, he saw the look on her face as she saw the dragon again. It was the way her eyes seem to light up as she watched Spike from afar. Her eyes never did that when she looked at him. He looked over to Spike who hadn't even paid attention to Twist and wondered why she couldn't look at him like that. What did he have that made him so much better?

"Fillies and gentlecolts! I want to set something straight before we begin. The guards are not here to watch us. They're here to ensure no one interrupts my party. You aren't bound by any rules in my home. We have the finest food and drinks that Canterlot has to offer. Enjoy yourselves!" Spike stepped aside and the guards let them in. The dragon made a point to greet each and every pony who came in, especially the fillies. He immediately recognized Dinky who had been blushing as she walked up. It was time to make his move.

"Hey, I'm so glad you came." Spike said holding out his claw to her.

"You make it seem like such a big deal." She said putting her hoof into his claw. The dragon smiled as he grasped it and pulled her close. Her horn pushed up against his forehead as his green eyes stared deeply into her own. Their breaths mingling as they stood there.

"It is. I'm really glad you showed up." He said about to go in for the kiss.

"Hey, Spike!" Peppermint Twist said walking up amd abruptly pushing Dinky aside.

"What the hay!" The gray filly said more than a little peeved at her violent interruption.

"I'm sorry. I meant to tap you on the shoulder. Silly me! Guess I don't know my own strength." Twist said playing innocent. Dinky was about to say something when Spike interrupted her.

"Why don't you go inside, Dinky? I'll meet you inside." Dinky looked at the dragon then Twist. She stuck her tongue out at the 
filly as she reluctantly walked into the house.

"Spike." Snails said making his presence known.

"I'm glad you could make it, buddy. How's it going?" Spike greeted the colt.

"Twist and I are... ummm..." The colt wanted to say they were dating but at this point he wasn't sure enough to make such a statement. It was becoming harder to ignore the fact that she was more interested in Spike than him. He was about to give up when Twist wrapped her hooves around his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss.

The colt was at a complete loss of words as he experienced his first kiss. The softness and warmth of her lips was far better than he could have imagined. He looked at her beautiful face and wanted nothing more than to be by her side. The kiss had reignited his waning hope in this relationship. He had to make it work . He just had to.

As Twist pulled back, she looked to the dragon who had been watching the display. A look of confusion on his face. She didn't expect to explode and knock him out, but confusion was a good start. Though the idea of Spike knocking out Snails in a fit of unbridled passion would have been a dream come true to say the least.

"So you two are an item, huh?" Spike asked. It was obviously a ploy to make him jealous. Twist was head over hooves in love with him and she had made it clear long ago that she had no romantic feelings for Snails at all. He wondered how long she would keep this up before she found out that he had moved on. 

He turned his attention to Snails who had this big, goofy smile on his face. He was considerably less sympathetic to the colt. If he couldn't see what was going on, that was his problem.

"Congratulations." Spike said smiling and holding out hs claw to the colt.

"Gee, thanks." Snails said shaking his claw.

"You two lovebirds enjoy the party." Spike extended his in a sweeping gesture welcoming them inside. Spike seemed way too happy about this. He should have at least looked a little upset given all they had done together. Maybe he was just putting on a really good act. She was left to think about it as she entered the house with Snails.

As Spike turned his attention to his other guest, he noticed Sweetie Belle and Snips walking up together. The dragon found himself a bit upset to see the two of them together. Nailing Sweetie Belle would have been a great way of messing with Rarity. 

"First, Snails and Peppermint Twist are a couple. Now I see you two walk up together. I kind of feel like a fifth wheel now." The dragon joked. Snips became flustered at his insinuation.

"It's not like that. We're just friends. Right, Sweetie Belle?" Snips looked to the unicorn who had really concerned look on her face. She wiped her eyes as she tried to hide her tears. She looked up at the two of them and realized she was being watched.

"I'm sorry. I need a minute." The filly said before rushing into the house.

"Sweetie Belle?" Snips said worried about the filly.

"So she's technically single... and vulnerable?" Spike said watching the filly. Snips was quick to shut the dragon down.

"She's off limits!" The colt said glaring at the dragon.

"Whoa! I'm just kidding, pal. Take it easy."  Spike laughed. The colt didn't bother to reply as he ran after her. 

He turned to see his last guest walking up. Her eyes darting cautiously between the big guards standing in front of his home. Spike watched her with a smile on his face. Her fear was somehow arousing to him. Something about seeing the filly so apprehensive made him feel more powerful.

"I'm here. Can I go now?" Silver Spoon said not making eye contact as she walked up to him.

"Silvie! I'm hurt! You didn't even come in.  I want you to enjoy yourself." The dragon said in an overfriendly tone. The filly's insistence on not looking at him was making him angry. He grabbed her jaw and forced her eyes upward.

"You're going to fucking look at me when I'm talking!" He said in a low, threatening voice. His claw clenching her jaw to the point of pain. She nodded as best she could with Spike holding her head up.

"Good! I asked you here because I'm willing to compromise. I'll leave you alone if you do one thing for me." He said releasing her chin.

"R-really? You won't talk to me or approach me?" She asked cautiously optimistic.

"Yep! You just got to do me one tiny, little favor and I'm out of your life for good."

"What do I have to do?"

"It's simple. Bring Diamond Tiara to my house tomorrow afternoon. That's it!" 

"I-I... There must be something else you want! My family is rich! I can get you anything."

"Ha! I have Princess Celestia behind me. Wealth and material things means nothing to me. I want Diamond Tiara and you're 
going to bring her to me." The filly couldn't subject her best friend to the horrors she had gone through, but she desperately wanted to get on with her life and Spike would never let that happen if she didn't do as he asked. It was Diamond Tiara's life or her own.

"Why? Why are you doing this? Haven't you taken enough from me already?" The filly said as she started to cry. He smiled and caressed her cheeks.

"You don't seem to understand your situation so I'll put this in words even you could understand. You belong to me until you bring me Diamond Tiara. You're a piece of property to be traded at my leisure. I'm doing this as a favor to you."

"I.... I can't... She's my best friend." Spike sighed and shook his head.

"Listen, it's either you or her. I expect you here with Diamond Tiara tomorrow or I'll have to break my promise." The dragon told her.

"But you said-" The dragon put his finger to her mouth before removing it.

"I know what I said and that's why I'm making this offer. Think about it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a party to attend to." The dragon said closing the door. The filly was left stunned as the sounds of the party came from behind the door. She couldn't go through that again.  Diamond Tiara's face flashed in her mind. If there was a way out, she had to take it.

	
> Responsibility
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Responsibility


Cheerilee sat in the living room of the Apple Family home in a state of shock. She had just heard the story what happened between Apple Bloom and Spike. She couldn't imagine what her student was going through after such an awful situation.

"Apple Bloom's been in her room crying ever since she got home. I talked to her a bit. I don't got the heart to even punish her. I figure Spike already did enough of that." Applejack sighed. She always considered Spike an alright dragon until now. She still couldn't believe someone she considered a friend could do such a thing.

"May I talk to her?" Cheerilee asked. Applejack looked to Big Macintosh who just shrugged. It was probably rude to ask when the filly was in such a sensitive state. She'd understand if they weren't willing to let her visit now.

"I reckon it's all right. Go on up and be extra quiet. Granny's catching up on her sleep. Apple Bloom's room is the one on the left." Applejack said tentatively. She saw no reason not to let her talk to Apple Bloom for a few minutes. She might have been more qualified than anypony else to do so. Besides, the farm pony couldn't find the right words to help her little sister, but maybe Cheerilee could succeed where she failed.

"Thank you. I won't be long." The teacher bowed her head to the elder siblings and made her way upstairs.  As she made her way upstairs, she could make out two distinct sounds coming from the dimly lit upstairs area. One was a light snoring noise come from the room on the right and the other sniffling coming from the room on the left. She made her way to the door on the left and lightly tapped on the door.

"Apple Bloom? It's me, Miss Cheerilee. Mind if I come in?" The mare said in the most gentle tone she could muster. It was imperative that she let Apple Bloom know that she wasn't angry about her absence from today's class.

"Yeah, I guess." The depression in her voice was clear as day. She opened the door and found the filly sitting on the edge of her bed facing away from her. The setting sun seemed to make her look sadder as it shone through the window.

"I heard about what happened from Applejack. I wanted to talk to you about it." 

"I'm sorry about skipping class."

"We can talk about that later. I'm here to talk about what happened between you and Spike." Apple Bloom turned to her teacher. Her face still visibly red from crying. The filly turned away from her concerned eyes.

"I'd rather not talk about him." The mare could practically feel the bitterness of her words.

"How about I tell you about my first time then?" Cheerilee said as she sat next to the filly.

"Did your guy have a bunch of guards arrest your family before he threw you out of his home?"

"It wasn't that bad, but he did break my heart."

"Were you in heat too?"

"No, but I would have done it with him regardless of whether I was or wasn't. I had convinced myself that we were meant to be together. I would have given him anything. Unfortunately, he only wanted one thing. After I had sex wiith him, he treated me like I didn't exist."

"Are they all like that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Some of them are, but I like to believe a lot of them aren't."

"How do you trust someone again when they can do something so awful to you?"

"It takes time, Apple Bloom. You'll be able to find the one pony who'll truly appreciate you for who you are."

"Does that mean you're still looking for your special somepony, Miss Cheerilee?" The mare was caught off guard by the personal nature of her question. She was far removed her days on the dating scene, instead deciding to focus on her career. 

"I suppose..." She said unsure of herself. It wasn't that she didn't want to find someone, but the search was a bit more draining than she expected.

"How about Big Macintosh?" The filly suggested.

"Oh, I don't know if Big Macintosh would be interested." The mare said trying to find a way out of this. It wasn't that she didn't like him, but she had grown accustomed to the simplicity of single life.

"You'd like him, Miss Cheerilee. Big Macintosh isn't anything like Spike or that guy you lost your virginity too. He'd be perfect for you." The filly was becoming more and more excited about the idea which made it harder to decline her offer.

"I just don't think it's a good time now, Apple Bloom. Your family's been through a lot recently. You need your big brother more than I do." Cheerilee explained.

"So maybe later then?" Apple Bloom asked showing no signs of giving up. On the bright side, she had delayed her a bit.

"We'll see. Are you okay?" Cheerilee asked.

"I feel a little better. Thanks for talking to me." The filly smiled and gave her teacher a hug. The teacher bid her student farewell as she hugged her back. On her way out, she thanked Applejack and Big Macintosh for allowing her to have a moment with Apple Bloom. As she left, she couldn't help but realize how handsome and strapping Big Macintosh was. She had forgotten what it was like to look at a stallion as anything more than another pony. She dispelled those thoughts as she made her way to Spike's party.

Meanwhile at Twilight's Library

"What are we just standing around here for? I say we go over to Spike's and break up that party." Rainbow Dash said hopping into the air and preparing to fly off. Shining Armor's story had her raring to confront Spike.

"How could Spike have changed so much under my watch?" Twilight asked herself. Fluttershy was quick to assure her.

"It's okay, Twilight. If Spike changed once, he can surely change back. I'm sure if we just talk to him. We can fix everything."

"I wonder how the Apple Family is handling all this. It must be dreadful to have to go through such an ordeal. If Spike had went after Sweetie Belle..." Rarity shook her head as she dispel the thought from her mind.

"I can't believe Spike threw a party without us." Pinkie Pie sighed. Her normally bouncy mane was completely flat.

"Is that really important, Pinkie?" Dash asked.

"Of course it is. You throw parties for the ponies you care about. If Spike had a party and didn't invite us, it means he doesn't consider us his friends anymore." Pinkie Pie's words resonated with everyone there. A moment of silence passed over the room as they let her words sink in. If Spike had effectively sever ties with them, was there any way they could do for the dragon?

"Spike doesn't seem to care about much besides himself these days. How are you going to reach him?" Shining Armor asked.

"Maybe Peppermint Twist can reach him." Twilight wondered aloud.

"Peppermint Twist?" Shining Armor said not familiar with the filly.

"She was a part of the friendship project I was observing with Spike. She might be the only pony who can get through to him."

"Have you ever considered that Twist might be the reason Spike changed in the first place?" Rarity asked.

"What are you saying, Rarity? How could Twist be responsible for Spike acting like a jerk?" Dash asked.

"Peppermint Twist was Spike's first time." Twilight told them.

"You knew?" Shining Armor asked.

"Not until I heard your story. You were pretty sure that Apple Bloom wasn't first time with a filly. The only filly I can think of who could have possibly come before Apple Bloom was Peppermint Twist." 

"What if it was another filly he didn't tell you about?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"That's not possible. My project involved Spike spending as much time as possible with Peppermint Twist. She was the only one it could have been. Looking back I realize how naive I was about Spike. He was growing up so fast, but I never once thought about talking to him about sex. If I had taken the time to educate him, he might not have ended up like this and Apple Bloom might not have had to go through this." Twilight sighed.

"You can't blame yourself for what happened to Apple Bloom, Twilight. He's living on his own now. Whatever he did after he left your care is his problem, not yours." Shining Armor protested.

"I agree. Living alone means accepting the consequences of one's actions. Spike is solely responsible for the incident with Apple Bloom. I'm sure the Apple family would agree as well."

"Then what about Peppermint Twist? I not only brought them together I was too naive to see that Twist had deeper feelings for Spike when she came to the library. I was so sure they were just friends that I didn't bother looking deeper. I started this disaster and I'm finishing it." Twilight said heading towards the door.

"Where are you going?"  Shining Armor asked.

"To talk to Spike and Twist about this." She said as she opened the door. Her brother and friends wasted no time following the mare.

In Spike's Home

It was getting late and Spike's little shindig showed no signs of stopping. It was only a matter of time before the foals' parents wondered where they were. Snips had been trying to talk to Sweetie Belle, but the filly ran away every time she saw him get close. Luckily, he had managed to chase her all the way to the bathroom. He knocked on the door but the filly didn't respond.

"Sweetie Belle? You okay?" He asked.

"Leave me alone!" She shouted from behind the door. The colt was taken aback by the sudden outburst.

"If that's what you want..." Snips sighed. Sweetie Belle could hear the sadness in his voice through the door and felt bad about pushing him away.

"Wait! I'm sorry. It's just.... watching Snails and Twist kiss like that really got to me."

"But you've been watching Snails drool over Twist since yesterday. Why get upset about it now?" He asked.

"I saw Snails' smile and it made me angry. What kind of horrible pony gets mad when they see someone they like happy? It made me realize that you were right. I was happy when Twist made him sad, and I got angry when she made him happy. It's sounds crazy when that I could be so callous about Snails when I claimed to like him. I'm the worst." She explained through the door.

"You aren't the worst. You're the kindest, most caring pony I've ever met. Every time you smile it feels the whole world gets a little brighter. You made a mistake but that shouldn't define you. When I think of you, I can't imagine any pony better."

"Do you really mean that?" She asked.

"Of course, I do." The colt said before he was interrupted as he felt a tapping on his shoulder. He turned to find Featherweight dancing in an erratic motion.

"Hey, buddy! This is romantic and all but some of us have to actually use the restroom." He said anxiously awaiting an end to their occupation of the bathroom. Sweetie Belle hearing the dilemma exited the facilities immediately. The pegasus nearly pushed her aside as he rushed inside and closed the door behind him. Sweetie Belle and Snips looked around the party to see several ponies watching the two of them.

"Do you think any of them heard us?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"I think so. I'm sorry for embarassing you like that." Snips said blushing.

"It's not your fault. Let's go get some punch." 

"What about Snails?" Snips asked. Sweetie Bellle turned and gave him a kiss on the cheek. The colt turned red enough to give Big Mac a run for his bits.

"He's made his decision and I've made mine. Let's go."

As the couple went to get something to drink, Peppermint Twist was busy trying to figure out why Spike acted so nonchalant about their kiss. She barely noticed the dopey smile on Snails' face. The filly wondered if it was time to break the news about the little surprise she had kept hidden. She had one thing to take care of before approaching Spike.

"So do you want to get somthing to eat, my love?" Snails asked. Twist turned to him with deadpan expression. Her eyes were cold and indifferent enough to make the colt feel uncomfortable.

"I'm not your love and I never was. I only kissed you to make Spike jealous and you couldn't even do that. You disgust me physically, emotionally, and mentally. I unequivocally and unabashedly hate you from the very center of  my being. If I never see you again, it'll still be too soon. We're through." She said turning her back on the colt. Several ponies around overheard and were whispering. The colt's heart had once again completely uttered shattered by Twist. Oddly enough, it was not despair that overtook his heart. It was anger.

"Well, you're an awful pony. I only liked you because you were nice, but I see you for what you really are. You're worse than a bully. What happened to you? You used to be so nice before. Now you're worse than Diamond Tiara ever was!" The colt shouted. The filly took offense at being compared to Diamond Tiara and was about to fire back with an insult of her own when Spike stepped in.

"What's going on here?" Spike asked stepping between the two of them. A wicked smile crossed Peppermint Twist's lips as she walked up to Spike and kissed him right in front of Snails. The colt looked on in horror as his ex had a full on makeout session with another guy right in front of him. Several ponies even whistled and hooted as the filly and dragon kissed.

It only lasted a few seconds before Spike pushed Twist away. Snails didn't bother to stick around as he walked away. Sweetie Belle and Snips following him as he exited the party. Twist's victory was short lived as she was confronted by an angry Dinky.

"Who do you think you are?" She said shoving the earth pony.

Twist didn't bother talking as she tackled the unicorn to the ground. As the two fillies grappled on the ground, a few  ponies moved in to try to break up the fight, only to be stopped by Spike.

"Let them fight it out a little." He said watching Twist pull Dinky into a headlock. The crowd started to chant "fight" as the two fillies went at it. Until a familiar voice rang out, bringing almost everyone to a complete stop.

"Stop this nonsense immediately!" Cheerilee shouted as she  pushed her way through the crowd and separated the two fillies. Spike was incensed at seeing the mare interrupting his party.

"Who let you in? I told those bums no one was allowed in without my permission." Spike asked. 

"I want all of you home this instant! I am extremely disappointed in every single one of you. We will talk about this tomorrow." The teacher said as she watched her students file out of the dragon's home.

"What? You can't barge into my house and break up my party. Where's everybody going? You don't have to listen to her. The party isn't over until I say it is." Spike's pleas were ignored as they continued to leave.

"Sorry, Spike. She's our teacher." A colt muttered as they walked out. The dragon walked up to the teacher practically fuming at her for interrupting his fun.

"You got a lot of nerve coming in here. Who let you in here anyway?" He shouted at the mare.

"We did." Shining Armor said entering with Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. Rarity entered as well with a reluctant Sweetie Belle.

"If it isn't my favorite group of ponies in the world, what do you want?" The dragon asked. Pinkie Pie jumped forward and hugged him excitedly.

"I knew you didn't hate us! It was all just a misunderstanding." She said as her poofed back up.

"I was being sarcastic. I hate each of you with a passion." Spike pushed the mare away and dusted himself off.

"Oh." The pink pony said as her hair went flat.

"But we're your friends, Spike. We all love you dearly." Fluttershy told him.

"She's right. We never did anything to make you hate us." Rainbow Dash added.

"That's true. You didn't do anything to make me hate you. I simply chose to hate you because it was my will. Severing my ties with you was my second act of true freedom. It was the moment I realized that I would live me life for me and me alone." 

"The second? What was the first?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"It was Peppermint Twist, wasn't it?" Twilight asked. Spike clapped slowly as Twilight finally figured it out.

"And the last pony crosses the finish line. Took you long enough, genius."

"You know?" Twist spoke up.

"I do. I only wish I had known sooner."

"What is she talking about, Twist?" Cheerilee asked her student.

"I'm sorry, Miss Cheerilee. I know I should have told you, but Spike and I... became one." She blushed.

"Oh, Twist." The teacher sighed disappointedly.

"If you're done, I'd like you all to leave. At the very least, I'd like to get a good night sleep out of this." The dragon yawned.

"I have something to ask you. It's about Silver Spoon." Miss Cheerilee's words caught Spike by surprise.

"What about Silver Spoon?" Spike asked nonchalantly.

"I was just wondering if anything happened between the two of you. Diamond Tiara noticed her acting oddly during a conversation with you." Spike could relax a bit knowing that Silver Spoon hadn't talked. Diamond Tiara was becoming a problem though.

"If you must know, she approached me about a relatonship. We even had sex, but I still didn't want to commit. Naturally, she took it pretty hard." Cheerlee was instantly skeptical of the dragon's story. Diamond Tiara said Silver Spoon looked scared of Spike. Nothing about his story suggested anything that would evoke a fearful reaction. It was an obvious lie, but she wanted to see how deep a hole Spike could dig himself into.

"Why would you talk to her again? If she was truly trying to pull you into a relationship, it seems like the logical course of action would be to avoid her." The dragon chuckled nervously as he struggled to think of something to convince her.

"I was... err"

"You're lying!" Peppermint Twist said holding her hooves over her head.

"What? I'm not lying!" Spike said starting to sweat.

"You'd never sleep with somepony as awful as Silver Spoon! Or anyone else! We're supposed to be together. It's destiny!" She cried as she ran to Spike and hugged him. The room was silent for a moment as everyone just watched. Spike gently pulled her away and looked  her in the eyes.

"Oh, that's what you mean. No, I slept with her. I don't know what destiny you've got in mind, but you were just a phase. I told you from the start this wasn't serious and I meant it." The filly was stunned by the dragon's dismissal. He couldn't be serious. There was no way she could be 'just a phase'.

"You're joking. I know you felt it too. When we were together, it was like magic. I remember every single time we were together. You must have felt it too." She asserted.

"Sorry. It was just sex to me." He said brushing off her notions of some deeper connection. The filly was down but not out. She had one last card to play. She had hoped to tell him under better circumstances, but it was now or never.

"It wasn't just sex because I'm pregnant!" She shouted to a instantly stunned room. Her words hit Spike's hardest of all as he took a step back.

"Th-that's impossible! We're totally different species. There's no way I could've gotten you pregnant!"

"It's rare, but not impossible. Most dragons choose to avoid ponies, but you're not the first dragon to impregnate a pony." Miss Cheerilee informed him.

"What? You can't be serious. This has happened before." Rainbow Dash said scratching her head.

"When Twist told me she had a crush on Spike, I decided to do some research on the subject of pony-dragon relationships. The only thing I could find was an account from the last dragon migration where a dragon got injured and had to land near an earth pony settlement. A local farm mare took pity on him and nursed him back to health. The two fell in love and she became pregnant. The village caught wind of it and they were banished. This was back when pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies were separate so a half dragon foal was more than enough to stoke old prejudices."

"The great migration is coming up. It happens every one thousand years. That was a long time ago. Where are they now?" Twilight asked.

"The record ends after they were forced to leave. The important thing is what we do now. Peppermint Twist will have to visit a doctor and Spike will have to think about his role." She said as every one looked to the dragon who had fallen to his knees. He couldn't be a father to whatever it was inside Twist. He had just gained his freedom. Becoming a parent to some sort of freak would ruin everything.

"No... it can't end like this." Spike dropped to his knees. His claws curled into fists against the hardwood floor. There was so much time and now this had to happen. Peppermint Twist walked up and hugged his head. The warm feeling of her chest was a cold comfort to the dragon.

"It's okay, Spike. I forgive you for sleeping with Silver Spoon. After all, we're a family now." She said holding him closely.It was in his darkest moment that the dragon got an idea. He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Family? I've never had anyone I could call family before." Spike said as Twilight tried not to look to hurt by that comment.

"Really?" Twist said ecstatic that Spike was coming around.

"Yeah, I kind of like it, but..." Spike stood up and turned away from her.

"But what?" Twist said worried by his sudden silence. Spike used the moment to put a finger in his mouth and bit down on it hard enough to draw tears from his eyes.

"It's just I've always dreamed of this. Someone I could call my family, but I feel like we're not ready for this yet." He said turning to Twist with fresh tears in his eyes.

"What are you saying?" Spike put his claws on her should and stared into her pink eyes with the saddest look he could muster.

"I'm saying maybe we should... wait a few years before having a foal."

"I don't think I can make the baby wait." Twist said. Her mind trying to find another meaning on his words than the one she suspected.

"Maybe you should get an abortion." The dragon said. Twist looked down at the ground as one of her hooves almost instinctively going to her stomach as if to protect her unborn child from the very idea.

"Why?" She asked.

"Isn't it obvious? He just wants you to get an abortion so he won't have anything to worry about." Rainbow Dash announced. She and the dragon exchanged glares before Spike spoke up.

"How dare you? This is my sweet treat- No, my little sugar mama!" Spike said stroking her cheek for a second before turning to the accusing pegasus. "I'm saying this for the good of Peppermint Twist's future."

"I'm your sugar mama." Twist sighed happily.

"That's right, baby. No matter what you decide to do, you'll always be my little sugar mama." Rainbow Dash felt nauseated just watching sickeningly sweet scene.

"I...I don't know if I can do it. This is our first child and you're asking me to kill it."

"Only for the sake of our future, sugar mama. I promise you that one day we'll look back fondly on this moment." Spike said grabbing one of her hooves and holding it to his heart. Twist wanted everything Spike promised, but she also wanted this child.

"I need to think about this." Twist said feeling conflicted.

"Of course, you shouldn't make such a big decision quickly. I just want you to know that I'm here for you no matter what." Spike said kissing her hoof.

"In the meantime, I'll take you home. It's getting late." Miss Cheerilee said signaling to Peppermint Twist. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips before following her teacher.

"We should be getting home as well, Sweetie Belle." Rarity said ushering her sister outside. Sweetie Belle gave Spike a menacing 
glare as she left. It was at that moment he realized that the whole school would know Twist was pregnant and who the father was. No filly would touch him if that happened.

"Hold on a second! I think everypony here should keep this strictly between us. It'd be pretty embarrassing for Peppermint Twist if this got out." Spike said. Everypony except Twist believed that Spike was covering for himself more than Twist, but he made a good point. The last thing Twist needed was the stress of being judged by the entire town.

"Her parents should know. I'll help her break the news." Miss Cheerilee spoke up.

"Princess Celestia should also know. If a new race of pony is being born, she should be notified. I'll stay and make letter out to the princess." No one objected to the idea, but Spike bristled at the idea of Twilight not leaving with everyone else. As everyone else left, Spike turned his back and made a point not to say anything to the unicorn.

"Are you sure about this, Twily? I could just deliver the letter to Princess Celestia on my way back to the castle." Shining Armor 
offered.

"I need to talk to Spike alone. This is something I have to do."

"If you say so, I'll be outside." Shining Armor gave her a quick hug before leaving the two of them alone. A long awkward silence passed between them before Spike spoke up.

"Let's get this over with." Spike said walking over to a desk and grabbing a scroll and quill.

"I want to know why."

"Why what?" Spike asked derisively.

"Why are you pushing Twist to get an abortion she doesn't want? The only reason she's considering this is because of you."

"Is it not my right as the father to have some say in the matter, unlike a nosy unicorn overstepping her bounds." Spike remarked as he started writing the contents himself.

"You can hate me all you want but Twist has given you no reason to treat her like this. Since she came to the library, the only thing she wanted was to be close to you. She's probably the one pony Anypony could see she'd do anything to make you happy. Don't make her do something she'll regret." Spike finished the letter and rolled up the scroll as Twilight was talking. He blew a flame that sent the message up in a puff of smoke.

"If you're done wasting my time, I'd like you to leave." Spike said not even acknowledging her words. Twilight had taken all of Spike's hurtful comments in stride until now. She would not let her words be cast aside without a fight.

"What happened to you? Can't you at least try to care that Peppermint Twist is in this situation because of you? She's considering an abortion she doesn't want because of you, but you can't look past your own selfishness to think about her feelings. I came here because you used to care about others besides yourself. Now you're just cold and heartless. It's like you're afraid to care about anyone but yourself. Well, I'm going to support Twist whatever decision she makes. I wish you would too. Godbye, Spike." The dragon just wached with his arms crossed as his former roommate and boss walked out. As much as he tried to play it cool, he couldn't help but feel something deep inside of himself. Twist's smiling face appeared in his mind once again but he quickly shooed it away.

"Hmph! Whatever! I don't need her or anypony else." Spike thought to himself. He had bigger problems to worry about than Twist's baby anyway. Cheerilee's attention was now on Twist's impending pregnancy, but it wouldn't be long before she would start talking to Silver Spoon about what really happened. He needed to act fast.

A Few Hours Later

Silver Spoon looked to her bed stand with a strained gaze. The numbers appeared fuzzy as her glasses lay next to the clock. It was almost midnight and she hadn't been able to sleep. Spike's offer kept her awake. She hated to leave her best and only friend in the claws of Spike, but she couldn't go through that again. Diamond Tiara was tougher than she was. Maybe she could shrug it off.

Silver Spoon chuckled at how stupid that sounded. She wouldn't be able to just forget about it. She certainly wouldn't be able to forgive Silver Spoon for walking her into a situation. She'd gain her freedom but only at the cost of her best friend.

The filly's eyelids started to fall as she finally started to reach a state resembling actual sleep. Suddenly, she heard a jiggling noise in the darkness. It came from the other side of her bedroom door.

"Hello, who is it?" She muttered in a sleepy voice. The jiggling stopped at the sound of her voice. The room was dead silent as she awaited a reply. A terrible thought crept into her head as she watched the door. 

"What if it was Spike?" She thought to herself. Maybe he couldn't wait and decided to pay her a visit. She started to tremble at the thought. If she screamed it would wake half the house, he would have no choice but to run. 	

"I'm sorry, Miss Spoon. I didn't mean to wake you. We usually change the towels in your private bathroom so their fresh in the morning. I can leave them outside if you like." The old, female voice explained. Silver Spoon's heart rate dropped by at least half as she realized her mistake. She almost woke everyone up for nothing.

"Just leave them outside please." She told her. The filly felt so stupid for thinking Spike could be outside her door. 

"Of course, Miss Spoon. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." The pony quickly trotted away leaving the heiress to her thoughts. He was throwing a party right now or probably sleeping with some filly who didn't know what kind of monster he was. It was almost enough to make her laugh if not for the inherent tragedy.

She turned away from the door and tried to get some sleep. She was so close before but all that excitement had her wide awake again. She closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep until she heard the sound of her door knob turning again. It was probably another servant trying to bring her something again. The door quickly opened and closed. It was until she felt a claw on her shoulder did she realize something was wrong.

"Wakey, wakey!" Spike said leaning over her with towel in his claw. She opened her mouth to scream only to find the towel the dragon pushed deep into her mouth. She flailed her hooves wildly trying to push Spike away, but the dragon mounted her again and pushed her hooves to the bed.

"Stop it and I won't do anything! We need to talk!" He whispered angrily as she tried to wriggle from under his weight. The filly was too hysterical to listen to him. She started to sob at the idea that she would be raped again. Spike wrestled with her for a full minute before slapping her across the face. The sound was far louder than he intended but it calmed her down a bit.

"Listen, I just need to talk to you! I'm not going to hurt you!" He told her that but he had to admit a fair bit of arousal from her soft body struggling against his scales. He was fighting back what would have been an impressive boner if he decided to go all out. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Spike and Silver Spoon looked to the door with wide eyes.

"Tell them you're fine or I'll rip out your fucking throat." He put a claw around her throat and press the sharp tips into her skin for emphasis. The filly nodded quickly as she feared for her life. Spike removed the towel from her mouth and glared straight into her in the eyes.

"Is something wrong, Miss Spoon? I thought I heard a commotion." It was the voice from before. Spike didn't take his eyes away from Silver Spoon's as he awaited her response.

"I-I'm fine. Please leave me alone." She said trying to muster a confident voice, but it came out trembling and weak.

"Are you sure, Miss Spoon? I could come-"

"Go away or I'll have you fired!" She shouted.

"Yes, ma'am! I'm so sorry!" The mare quickly left.

Spike relaxed a bit but kept his claws on her throat. He knew full well that he didn't have it in him to kill Silver Spoon. As long as she believed he would, it was a valuable tool for keeping her in line. 

Sneaking into the mansion was surprisingly easy. The great thing about small towns like Ponyville is nobody locks their doors, 
even the rich are at ease leaving the front doors unlocked and unguarded. Finding Silver Spoon's room was the hard part without being spotted was far more difficult. If he didn't notice that cart of pink monogrammed towels being delivered to the filly's bedroom, he would have been in serious trouble.

He looked down at his prey beneath him. Her body quivered against his crotch as he knelt over her. He had to keep his urges in check, but it was getting harder to ignore the situation as time went on. If he raped her now, she might not trust him later. Spike had to be quick and to the point before he "compromised" her.

"Listen, you NEED to bring Diamond Tiara to my house tomorrow morning. This isn't a choice. If she's not at my house, you know what'll happen. Understood?" Spike said as he sweated profusely. It was taking everything he had to not take her. Those big purple eyes filled with tears, the soft, warmth of her fur trembling beneath him, and the heaving of her chest as she quietly sobbed was making it really hard to resist.

"I'll bring her to you! I'll do it!" She said. Spike quickly and reluctantly jumped off the scared, little filly. He walked over to her 
window and started to climb out. Before he left, he turned towards her and smiled.

"You're almost free, Silvie. Don't blow it!" He said before leaping out and making his exit. The filly continued to cry in the darkness of her room long after Spike's escape.

"Just a little longer... and it'll be over." She said sadly.