Scientific Method

by ruinology

allegory of the cave

Maybe, just maybe, he should've thought about what he said to Twilight through before he said it, but hey, Spike was more of an act-first-think-about-it-later kinda guy.

He watched, hopelessly, as Twilight paced around the room, books scattered everywhere while some were stacked on one another. He didn't dare touch or move any of it unless he wanted her to be angry: a structured mayhem, she called it.

It was like a representation of Twilight's hazardous mind in its own way.

After Spike's advice and her getting the idea of creating a research paper about it, she wasted no time racing towards the bookshelves and razing everything that had relations to emotions and pony psychology. A day has passed since then, and here he is now, night cap on his head, morning air brushing his scales like a soft caress. It was about five in the morning by now, and, as far as he knows, Twilight hasn't slept properly.

Not that she does, but she at least gets about four or five hours of sleep sometimes.

Levitating the books mid-air, it spun around her as she seemed to search something, mumbling to herself all while. With a sigh— or a yawn, he can't really tell— he picked up a book that he purposefully dropped so that she'd notice it, but it seemed as if Twilight had ignored it. So much for subtlety. Well, if she can't get the hint, he'll just say give it to her face to face. He knew he shouldn't meddle much, should let her go find the truth on her own, but this was all heading in the wrong direction.

"Here Twi, I think this could help." She snapped her head towards him with an insane speed he was worried her neck broke. Immediately, she met him halfway, and levitated the book from his hands. Pulling the book to her, she squinted her eyes to read the title before casting a frown towards him.

"A romance book? Really?" Twilight says, disgruntled. "This won't help me at all!"

"I just remembered what you told me back then on Canterlot when you were studying something related to pony psyche, I think? It was a quote from...er...y'know what, that's not important, but it went like, love is similar to hate," he had to stop himself from cringing while saying it,"or something along those lines. So, if it is, doesn't it mean that you could also learn about hate in love? Maybe you might even find out a thing or two about hate and understand it deeper." At this point, he doesn't even know what crap he was spouting, but Twilight seemed to consider his words, so he thinks he probably made sense.

In a weird, Twilight way sense.

"I told you that?" She asked, brow knitted together as if searching her mind.

She didn't. "You did."

"I...I see." She nodded, before putting the book in the floor, no doubt a new stack of different categories. "Thanks for the suggestion, Spike. This'll be a big help."

"Of course!" He replied. "I'll leave you to it. Remember to—."

"—eat at twelve, I know."

"I was gonna say try to get some sleep, but that works too." He says wearily, but a smile still crept up on his face.

The mare nodded, smiling back et him. Really, she should get out of the library— anywhere out of Twilight's sight, before he slips up and tell her she's being thick headed, or worse, laugh.

And he supposed, it was kinda funny: this was like a set up from some rom-com he watched back then. But his worry outweighs his humor— something he doesn't think would be possible. Between the two of them, Twilight was the worrywart, and now here he was, fidgeting with his hands as he forced himself not to look back.

Twilight was a grown mare, she could handle this. She'll be fine. She would be. She have to—

"Ugh!" He threw his hands in his face. He needs to eat, that'll calm him down.

Hopefully.

As he headed to the kitchen in autopilot, he almost let out a scream when he saw a dash of blue appear from the corner of his eyes then approach his face. It took him a few seconds before he could realize that it was Rainbow Dash, her mane wildly sticking out everywhere as her eyes looked down at him.

"'Sup." She says casually, as if she hadn't broken into their home.

"...sup?" He echoed, as if he wasn't talking to an intruder.

She backed away, casually leaning against the kitchen counter. "So. Nice morning, huh?"

Spike looked at the pony flatly. "What do you want, Rainbow?" He liked the pony just enough, sure. She was funny and way cooler than Twilight, but casual talk wasn't her thing, it was also five in the morning and he definitely didn't want to see his sister-sorta-mother's (he still doesn't know what to call Twilight after all these years) source of dilemma.

"Where's Twi?" She said immediately, wings fluttering behind her.

"What?" He arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Uh, 'cause I wanna see her?" Rainbow Dash and the nerve to look at him as if he was being the weird one.

"It's early in the morning, why would you wanna see her? Do you need something?" He bit back a sigh. "Can it not wait tomorrow?"

He knew he was being uncharacteristically curious right now— he was counting the moment before Rainbow Dash would point it out— but, it was also uncharacteristic for Rainbow Dash to look for Twilight this late early; she'd never done it before! If he was being honest, in the past, he'd just point her in whatever direction the unicorn would be in, but after recent events and revelation, a part of him didn't want them together just because.

"Nope!" She says. "Y'know what they say," she flourished her wings, "early bird gets the worm."

"But you're not an early bird: you wake up at two in the afternoon." He moved away from the pegasus, heading towards the cupboard where his gem stash was. "And you didn't answer my question."

"Jeez, you're sounding like your mom, Spike-wikey." She says in a mocking voice, avoiding his gaze as if to avoid his question. Disagreement was immediately on the tip of his tounge: she's not my mom— just as any angsty teenager would claim because they hate affection, avoiding it like a feral cat, but an idea struck him. If he was to accept his role as Twilight's son, wouldn't Rainbow need to go through him first before her? That's the common courtesy after all!

Or well, according to what he read about courting. Not because he wanted to court a certain pony, oh no. He was just being curious.

Like his mom.

Wait, wasn't Twilight the one who had a crush on Rainbow? Maybe he was being far too prickly with the mare, he should give her a break. It's not like Rainbow also liked her, right? Gazing back at her, he squinted his eyes. Maybe the reason she was here to see Twilight— okay, no. He was being stupid, probably because of all this romance stuff was getting in his head.

There was no way a mare like Rainbow Dash would fall for Twilight. Not because she thinks Rainbow Dash was too good for Twilight, and vice versa, but because they were the compete opposite! Sure, they get along, but that was like, in a completely platonic way.

"Damn, you don't want me to see Twi that much?" She scrunched her face, seeing his inquisitive glare. "Is that some dragon instinct or something? A phase?"

Before he could respond, Twilight's voice could faintly be heard from outside, each of her steps echoing throughout the hollowed walls.

"Spike? Spike! I need you right now, I'm on the verge of a breakthrough— well, not really a breakthrough per se, but a realization nonetheless— and I need more references!"

The mare entered the kitchen all while a book floated in front of her. Behind him, he heard a sound of ruffling feathers, and, with a puzzled face, he glanced back and saw Rainbow Dash now standing rigidly, wings flaring on her back with full attention

"Not just any reference— I need this specific one. Something in relation to..." she tore her eyes from the book and finally realized they weren't alone, gaze landing at the pegasus, "Rainb—" her voice cracked, making her bit back a wince, "—Rainbow Dash!" She coughed. "Hi."

"Didn't know you were doing research about me, Sparkles," replied the mare in her usual bravado, though, he could faintly see her rigid wings trying— and failing— to push themselves down.

"I'm not, I, I wasn't—"

"She was kidding Twi," he saved the mare from further embarassment. Twilight glanced from him, then back to Rainbow Dash, vice versa. That went on for about a minute, with Rainbow Dash just casually looking back, a smug grin on her face for some reason, and honestly? It was getting kind of weird, so he decided to break the awkward silence, but Twilight beat him to it.

"What are you doing here? Why are you awake this early? Is there something wrong? Do you need help?" She asked rapidly, her tail swinging slightly back and fourth, seemingly unnoticed by the owner.

"Woah, woah, calm down, egghead, breathe. Take a chill-pill." Rainbow Dash finally seemed to have gotten her wings down, folding neatly behind her back, as she approached Twilight with a relaxed demeanor. "Ya want me to answer that questions chronologically, alphabetically or completely at random?" She flashed a grin, before it fell slightly, "...actually, can I not answer at all? I kinda forgot 'em already."

That made Twilight giggle, and the look in Rainbow's eyes changed then. He wasn't a poet; metaphors was never his thing, but the way Rainbow Dash stared at Twilight made him feel like he could construct a literary masterpiece to describe her stare. Her eyes curved like the crescent moon, smile blooming on her face like the summer sun on early mornings. She looked at her as if the entirety of her life spun around her and he wondered what it was like to see through her lenses. No doubt, he thought, it was tinted pink and scented like rose.

Spike almost— just almost— cursed out loud. Of course fate wouldn't be by his side. Of course they won't make it easy for anyone; of course they'd have to go to the cliché route of 'pony A's crush— pony B— actually like them back'! They couldn't just make this some sort of adulting event for Twilight; that not all her crushes will like her back. That not all love stories start. That not every opposite actually attracts.

A part of him wanted to tuck himself in the corner, let himself back away and allow the shadows to wrap around him like a shawl, because it felt like he was intruding in something warm, something so domestic and pure and lovely. And he wondered, if they were to be together, was this going to be his role too? An spectator, a watcher. A rock on the side of the road.

Envy crawled on his throat like a vine.

"Twilight?" He says, breaking their focus on one another. It felt like he shattered the glass barrier and finally, they were all on the same side. As if he stopped the world from spinning on its axis. "You need me for something?" He reminded, watching the cloudy haze disappear from the unicorn's eyes and get replaced by the familiar adoration, one that crept from the tips of his fingers then to his heart.

"Right." She says, glancing apologetically to Rainbow Dash, to which the mare shrugged in response. "The section of books about Psychosocial and Modern Minds? I swore I saw it last time on the second half of the left shelf but I can't find it anywhere!" She frowned, both brows knitted together.

"It's behind the shelves." He answered immediately, as if he was in a pop quiz. Ha! Take that Rainbow Dash— even she can't recall to where the books are that fast. "We reorganized remember? You said that you'll find them an appropriate section since it didn't fit your new system."

"Oh," her eyes widened slightly, "of course. I remember now. Thank you Spike." She nuzzled her cheeks, and he leaned closer in response, turning his head to the side slightly to peak at Rainbow Dash just to smile smugly. The mare just seemed to arch her brow in return.

Tsk. Still pretending to be clueless, it seems.

"And Rainbow, you didn't answer my questions; why are you here? Do you need anything?" She broke the contact between them, tilting her head to the side. Twilight seemed to have wanted to add more, but she pursed her lips to stop herself from barraging the mare with question.

The pegasus in question groaned, rolling her eyes as she frowned. "Why do everybody think I approach someone only when I need somethin'?"

"Well, it's just...odd. You're up so early; you usually wake up at—"

"Afternoon, I know." She finished flatly. "Somebody already said that." Rainbow glanced pointedly at Spike.

"So?"

"So what-ever! Maybe I just want to see ya. Maybe I just wanted to catch a glimpse of you, or maybe, I don't know, have a quick chat? Can I not do that, Sparkles?"

A tint of pink like the color of the spun cotton candy appeared on Twilight's cheeks, slowly taking over her face. She shifted, unsure of how to respond to such revelation, and opted to stare at anywhere but Rainbow Dash.

"You can. I was just, you know. I was just wondering. But you can do that: absolutely. In fact, I'd like—"

"Twilight," he says sweetly, so saccharine it tasted like artificial poison on his tounge. "you have research to do, remember?" He didn't want to hear this nervous flustered rambling anymore, oh sweet Celestia get him out of here please.

"Yes. I do! Research. I'm just going to do research for my...research!" The mare backed away slowly, heading out the kitchen clumsily. Rainbow let slip an amused chuckle, making her squeak in embarrassment. Squeak! He didn't know Twilight could squeak. The unicorn covered her face with her mane, and through muffled hair she says, "we can have a quick chat later, Rainbow. I need work to do. Have, I mean. Have work to do. As you know I'm a busy mare, and a busy mare has to do what she got to do. But that doesn't mean I won't spend time with you. Um, you can see me later. Spike, you should go back to sleep, it's not right for you to be awake this early. Thank you for your help, really. Bye-bye!"

"G'luck, Sparkles. I will be seeing you later." She flashed a smirk and it took all of him not to bash his head against a wall.

"So." The pegasus dragged her words, turning to him when they could no longer hear Twilight's panicked steps.

"So?" He echoed.

"C'mon big guy, don't go acting clueless. You think I didn't notice you try'na get Twilight away from me?" She says in a smug tone. "And those stink eye you threw me? If looks could kill I'd be six feet under; so whad'ya want huh? What's going on? You like Twilight, is that it? Ya jealous?"

Spike almost blanched at her words, physically recoiling. "What? No! That's disgusting Rainbow Dash, don't ever say that again."

"So, if not that, that what is it? I've got no time for puzzle solving—"

"You like her."

Her earlier bravado seemed to drop as Rainbow Dash seemed to stare at him as if he just told her that the sky isn't blue.

"What?"

"You like her." He repeated. The disbelief on Rainbow's face almost mirrored his. Though, his disbelief was leaning more in the abject horror side, her disbelief was in the 'are-you-serious' side.

"No I don't." The stubborn mare lied.

"You do like her." He says, equally stubborn. "When you stare at her you have this look in your face."

"Look? What look?" She demanded.

"You look at her like you look at the sky."

"And?" She tried to play nonchalance, but failed, her voice rising to a higher pitch. "That doesn't prove— or say— anything."

He looked at her dead in the eyes. "You love the sky."

She was silent for a moment, as if letting the words sink in. It was probably a hard confrontation for the mare; she was made up of sharp glass and bruised body after all. She was hardened bones and jagged corners; love has no place for someone as scarred as her— it was too soft, too vulnerable. Romance just did not fit her very being.

To admit love for a mare like her was probably like admitting to a weakness. She must've saw love as a vulnerability, a heel that Achilles has.

"So?"

"So!"

So, so, so. He was getting tired of that word so. It didn't sound like a real word in his head after repeating so may times. So, saw; a tool with jagged edges. So, sow; like scattering seeds in a field. So, saw; like how he saw the two mares stare at each other as if stardust was their very breath, the galaxy was their very world. Nothing exists outside or inside it. Just the two of them, so different, their corners jagged like saw, love blooming from the sowed seeds as he saw the start of a disaster.

Rainbow seemed as if she wanted to speak, wanted to defend herself but she just looked away. So stubborn. So cowardly.

"I...crap— y'know what, think whatever you want." She says. "You're wrong. I'm not in love. I'm not doing anything wrong." She flew away before he could say otherwise. She was not doing anything wrong— not right now anyways, but she was going to. Not because she likes Twilight, not because she's not confronting her feelings, and not because love was wrong, but because he knew she would hurt her.

"Love sucks." He said to the empty air. Then, as if to mock himself, he added: "so."

Author's Note:

This chapter is a sort of interlude of the main story. Kind of? I don't know what to call this (and the next) chapter, but it isn't the main line. More of a character study, I guess?

I wanted to scrap the whole thing to be honest, because Spike sounded so analytical, but at the same time, I can't deny that this is how I view his character. While I do want my characterization to remain true to the show, I also don't want to be that reliant on the show. I want him to be mature yet childish all the same, a little rough around the edges but he means well.

I don't know if this is a relevant detail, but this tales place between season two and three, just before Twilight turns into an Alicorn.

And, if you see Rainbow being inconsistent with what she says, yes, it is on purpose.