//------------------------------// // Part 5: Am I... awkward? // Story: Twilight Sparkle Sprouts Wings // by Sollace //------------------------------// Several hours—and a hot shower—later, the bathroom doors burst open to reveal Twilight Sparkle in a wave of hot steam. She stepped out dripping wet, her mane and tail each wrapped up in their own towels, whilst a third hovered out behind her. It flapped in the air, did a twirl in a dove pattern, and began rubbing itself up against Twilight’s face, fluffing the fur on her cheek and ruffling her feathers as it worked to dry her off. Twilight took a long, deep breath, letting the towel carry out its job, and allowing her eyes to drift closed. She revelled in the fresh air, the cool breeze blowing through the castle washing over her body, and let the clean smell of daffodils and jasmine relax her further. Starlight was right. A shower was exactly what she needed. Her mind was clear and refreshed, and she was finally able to think straight. The towel inched its way across her face, turning over and rubbing her chin, then wrapping itself around each wing in succession to dry them too. There was a grumble from below that brought Twilight back from her meditation. She opened her eyes, sighing, and letting her breath out in a slow and controlled exhale. She rubbed a hoof over her barrel, silencing her stomach’s rumbling, a slight reminder that she was late for dinner, and set off down the passage towards the dining room. As she walked, Twilight went through the events of the last few days in her mind. Yes, she was still covered in feathers—no thanks to a certain Draconequus who shall remain unnamed—and, yes, they were incredibly itchy. She didn’t even notice when the towel’s pace quickened, rubbing more furiously as Twilight walked, and leaking a fine trail of feathers in the wind behind her. But, all-in-all, the damage was minimal. The only ponies who had seen her like this, were all her closest friends, and she trusted them to not tell anypony. Discord knew, of course, but she didn’t see much gain in him telling more ponies. If at least half of what he said was true, then Celestia finding out would only make things worse for him. Ahead and on the right, one of the doors cracked open. The smell of cooking gems wafted from inside and Spike poked his head out with his chef’s hat and moustache. The facial hair twitched slightly as he pushed the door further open, using a wooden spoon in his other claw to hold up his chef’s hat as he watched Twilight trot past. “Um, Twilight?” “No,”— Twilight shook her head—“but that doesn’t make any sense.” She ignored Spike, frowning in deep thought as she trotted right past and turned a corner. Spike looked both ways, then ducked back into the kitchen. There was a loud clatter and a crash, and the frantic, angry hooting of Owlicious from inside, then Spike emerged, sans hat and moustache to take off after Twilight. “Twilight, wait!” he shouted and slammed the door behind him. Twilight was still mumbling to herself when Spike caught up. He slowed to a waddle next to mare and wrung his hands. “...so.” .he kept his eyes low; focusing on the ground ahead. “You’re not...” Spike braved a glance up to the mare’s face, past the feathers and towels, and saw the faintest inklings of a frown. He gulped, “Y-You’re not still mad about earlier, are you?” “Huh?” Twilight stopped cold, her head snapped up as she seemingly broke out of her trance. “What?” She glanced around, finally setting eyes on Spike, and her expression softened. “Oh.” She shook her head. “No, Spike, I’m not. I’m just... a little worried, that’s all.” “Well... Do you want to talk about it?” Twilight shook her head, taking another moment to bat the enchanted towel away. “Later. Let’s just have something to eat first.” ~ ~ ~ The dining room doors burst open, creaking as the pair of solid crystal walls glided inwards, knocking slightly against the walls on either side, and then slow began their trip back to closing behind them. Twilight trotted with a purpose, with her trusty companion—towel— and Spike trailing close behind. They left the doors to close behind them and trotted across the distance to reach the dining room table. “So, Twilight,” Spike spoke up again, “Do you still think Discord’s behind this?” “I—” Twilight paused with a hoof rested on the back of her chair. She frowned in thought for a moment, before finally coming to a conclusion. “...yes?” Admittedly, she was still a little confused about the details. Whatever Discord had done, it didn’t seem to work. The word ‘placebo’ jumped to the forefront of her mind, but knowing him, he’d probably just made it worse. She pulled out her chair and took her place at the dining room table, taking a moment to scratch her cheek wings and adjust the positioning of the towel around her head. She grabbed her napkin with a hoof and placed it across her lap then, finally, threw a quick nod to the mare on her right. “Hey, Pinkie.” “Hish, Twishigt.” Pinkie Pie spat. Spike pulled up his own seat, and was just getting comfortable when Twilight turned back to him to continue speaking. “I’m still not entirely sure what happened earlier.” In truth, it hurt her head just to think about it. “But I’m certain Discord is responsible. All we have to do is—” Suddenly, and rather unexpectedly, a lone piece of cabbage sailed across Twilight’s field of vision, and she was cut off. It was accompanied by a loud noshing and the pained squeaks of several, innocent pieces of cabbage being devoured. Several more pieces followed, one of them landed on Twilight’s muzzle, followed by another sticking to her feathers only to be wiped away moments later by her diligent slave—towel. Yet more shredded pieces were sprayed across the table, and all eyes turned to glare at Pinkie Pie. The mare sat, unawares, eating like ravenous carnivore. She held a fork hooked at the tip of her mane’s curl, and was using it like a shovel to carry load after load of innocent, unassuming vegetables into her already bulging cheeks. She was spraying pieces of food in every direction as she chewed with vigour, and was leaning in to get another helping when Twilight caught her eye. Noticing the stares directed her way, Pinkie slowed to a halt. Her fork hovered motionless above the plate, still holding a bundle of cabbage leaves in front of her open mouth. One last piece of cabbage flopped from the fork, returning to is brethrens, slumped in the middle—surely telling the tale of how it escaped certain death. Pinkie’s fork dropped from her mane and clattered to her plate, tossing up a shower of food in its wake. Pinkie’s mouth slowly closed, and she turned it up into an embarrassing smile. “Uh...” “...” The silence dragged on. Twilight blinked. She looked to Spike to see him looking on with a similar stupor, and then back to Pinkie. At length, when no further explanation was forthcoming, she shook the cabbage off her muzzle and pointed a hoof to Pinkie. “... What are you doing here?” “Oh.” Pinkie Pie sat back in her seat, looking between Spike and Twilight. The latter was looking to her, one eyebrow raised and expecting an answer, whilst Spike found himself more interested in tucking into the gem buns on his end. “Well...” She crossed a hoof over her chest, leaning on it with her other as she rubbed her chin. “I helped you with Discord earlier, and then I got a snack from your fridge. The I helped Starlight pack away some old book in the basement—that thing was huge!” She did a gesture with her arms, indicating a breath of her entire body. “And then I—” “No,” Twilight interrupted, shaking her head, “Pinkie Pie, what are you doing here, now? It’s, like, 7PM!” “Oh, that’s easy. I’m here be—“ “Ahem.” Spike coughed, cutting Pinkie off. From where she was sitting, the dragon leaned forward to glare at her from behind Twilight. He waved his arms in some kind of gesture, like a cutting motion beneath his neck, whilst shaking his head. He whispered something under his breath, but none it caught Pinkie’s ears. Pinkie Pie blinked. “What?” Twilight immediately shot around, glancing to Spike just as the dragon snapped back to his seat. He leaned back against the rest, averting his eyes, twiddling his thumbs, whistling, and otherwise trying his best not to act suspicious. But, of course, if there was one thing Twilight knew—and she knew it well—it was that trying not to look suspicious was the single most suspicious thing one could do. “You’re....” She raised a hoof, pointing from Pinkie to Spike and back. Her eyebrow rose as the suspicion grew. “... What did you two do?” “It was her idea!” Spike blurted out. He jumped up in his seat, pointing to Pinkie Pie, then immediately gasped and slapped his hands over his mouth. He slumped back in his chair to continue looking suspiciously not suspicious. Twilight’s frown deepened. “What’s going on?” she asked, sceptical, “You guys aren’t going t—” She stopped cold, her breath catching in her chest. Her ears dropped as the idea dawned on her. Oh no. No-no-no... She could already feel the panic attacks returning, and reflexively reached for her glass. She fumbled with it for a moment, the anxiety becoming clear in her trembling voice. “Y- You’re not here to—” She raised the glass to her mouth, and found it empty. Thus, tossing it aside, just missing Spike, Twilight reverted to her backup technique. She focused on her breathing, fast and rapid, whilst rubbing her temples. “You’re not here to try and ‘cure’ me like AJ and Fluttershy, are you?” She was already dreading the answer. She really didn’t need more mental scarring. Pinkie Pie shook her head. “Oh, no; nothing like that”— she waved a dismissive hoof— “I already know there’s nothing else we can do.” “Oh, good...” All at once, a wave of relief washed over Twilight and she relaxed. She let out her breath, and turned back to inspecting her place setting. She prodded her fork with a hoof, contemplating the best way to eat without magic, and commented offhoofedly. “For a minute there I thought you were going to—” “So we did the next best thing.” Pinkie Pie added, and Twilight froze, her breath rising once again. Twilight looked up and glanced from Pinkie Pie to Spike and from Spike back to Pinkie. Spike was visibly shaking, inching lower below the table by the second, whilst pinkie Pie sat in her spot, a wide grin across her face and beaming with satisfaction. “... What did you do?” “We called Princess Celestia.” “You what!?” Twilight screamed, and almost fell out of her seat. There was a flash, a smash, and in an instant crash as Twilight stood, hurling the towel in the air from the sheer force. Her wings flared at her sides, and the chair was obliterated against the back wall. She spun around, grabbing Pinkie Pie between her hooves, and pulled her out of her seat. “When!? Where!? How!?” she screamed, barely keeping her composure. Several curls of mane sprung loose from Twilight’s head, and the rest started to puff out into a frizzy mess from their post-haste unwrapping. She glowered down at Pinkie Pie, letting out a low growl, their faces almost touching. The wings on Twilight’s face instinctively twitched, brushing slightly against Pinkie’s muzzle causing the mare to flinch. She snorted, a smile creeping up the side of her face as the wings continued to flick against her muzzle. Then, finally, she burst. “Pfffttt—” She sprayed spittle in Twilight’s face, making the princess pull back in disgust, and broke into laughter. “Ha-haha!” Twilight scrunched her muzzle, causing her wings to retract into the widest frown. She watched with contempt as Pinkie devolved into a fit of giggles. One of her eyelids started twitching, and reflexively she brought a hoof up to rub it back into submission. “Pinkie Pie...” she groaned. “Okay, okay.” Pinkie waved a hoof, wiping the tear from her eye as she regained her composure. She pushed Twilight away, taking her own seat, and absentmindedly scratched her face with a hoof. “Those things are dangerious, you know.” She grabbed her fork, and resumed impaling lettuce leaves, devouring them menacingly. “Okay, to answer your question.” Heaving a pile of leaves into her mouth, she pointed the fork to her other hoof and counted off on each item, “Spike, right here, and ten minutes ago.” “Sp—” Twilight stuttered, and spun around, glaring at the dragon on her other side. “Spike!” By now she could already feel her entire face twitching sporadically, and the smell of phosphorus was getting abnormally strong. Her trusty companion, Towel, buzzed Twilight’s head one more time and she swatted it away. “Hey!” The dragon dropped his fork and held up both claws in self defence. “This time it wasn’t my fault!” He pointed back to Pinkie Pie. “It was her idea, she made me do it!” “You couldn’t have told me this sooner— oh who am I kidding.” Twilight dropped to her haunches, slammed her head down against the desk, “Ugh...” and groaned. The flying towel, no longer her trusty companion but more of a pest, flew over her head and began fluffing Twilight’s mane. She promptly obliterated it with a surge of magic. “... When will she be here?” “Actually”—Pinkie glanced to her hoof— “She’s a little bit late.” PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE The castle was shook to its foundations, Celestia’s voice booming through its very halls as she called out Twilight’s name. There was a distant rumble, shaking the silverware on the table, and the chandelier jangled as it shook in place. There was the slam of a door, a hastened clatter of hooves against marble tile, and Twilight, Pinkie, and Spike all turned with wide eyes to the back. The doors shimmered with a golden hue, and swung inwards of their own accord as the regal alicorn herself soared through. Princess Celestia alighted on the table before Twilight, shattering her plate beneath her hoof as she took a stance. She glowed brightly, radiating strength as she glowered down at Twilight Sparkle. “I-I-Ugh,” Twilight stammered, blushing profusely as she slowly slunk back, sinking lower and lower beneath the table under the princess’ withering stare. “It’s nice to...” she trailed off, her voice becoming but a squeak, as she disappeared below the table top. Finally, all that was visible were the tips of Twilight’s ears, and several upstanding wings that she’d failed to account for, blowing in the breeze. Celestia took a deep breath, her gaze softening, and formed a thin smile. She turned to her right. “Pinkie Pie,” she inclining her head her head to the mare, “I thank you for calling me as soon as you did.” “Oh.” Pinkie Pie perked up and waved a hoof. “No prob, Celly!” she chirped, “Anything for a good friend!” A low groan emanated from beneath the table, attracting both their attention. Celestia cast a sideways glance, joining Spike as they both looked down to the bundle of disembodied wings trembling from behind the table. “Uuuuughh...” “...Yes, well,” Celestia continued, turning away from Twilight for the moment, considering the severity of the matter, you really should have come to me immediately—” They were both interrupted by another, much longer, groan rumbling form under the table, and a loud thud between them as Twilight facehoofed beneath the table. “Aha!” Spike smirked. He jumped from his seat, standing on the edge and leaning over the armrest to point a claw, shouting, “I told y—” “Now,” Celestia continued, clasping her hooves together and shouted slightly to be heard over the dragon’s cheers. “May I ask that I have a word with Twilight Sparkle”—she turned, looking to Pinkie Pie—“alone.” “Yes, ma’am, Princess, Sir!” Pinkie saluted, dropping her fork, and ran around to the other side of the table to grab Spike. “Hey!” Spike shouted, at first from surprise and then from annoyance as he was yanked from his seat by the scruff of his neck. “Wait!” He pulled against Pinkie’s grip, clawing at the ground as she dragged him further away from the table. “I need to—” The dragon’s protests died in his throat, as the futility dawned on him. He went lip, laying on the ground pouting as he was dragged away. “...aww.” The doors slammed shut after Spike, the sounds of Pinkie’s hoofsteps, and the dragon’s whines being the last thing Celestia heard as they faded away into the distance. Celestia took a moment, turning one ear to the doorway, and listened for any more commotions. After several minutes of silence, Celestia sighed, finally satisfied that they were, truly, alone. She stepped down off the table and took a seat in Pinkie Pie’s chair, scooting it out slightly to make room for her comparatively larger stature. “Twilight...” She trailed off in a soft, endearing, almost motherly voice, looking down to the bundle of purple feathers and fur that still refused to get up next to her. Twilight felt something draping across her back, and she tensed up. It was soft and feathery, like a blanket made of pillows. She peeked up over the table, risking a glance to Celestia. The princess just sat there, looking to her with a thin smile, her eyes soft, forgiving. She had one wing extended over Twilight’s back and, in one smooth motion, she pulled it in. Twilight was whisked up from her safe zone and pulled up into a wing hug at Celestia’s side. “I’m so sorry you had to go through this alone,” Celestia cooed, pressing Twilight into her chest. Twilight fidgeted slightly. She pulled a hoof free, and used it as leverage to wrench her face away from the white, downy fluff currently invading her mouth. She spat, “Pleh,” and looked up to Celestia with a blank expression. “...” She blinked. “What?” “No need to worry, my little Twilight.” Celestia continued, “I’m here now, and everything will be okay.” Twilight was still at a loss. “What?” Celestia brought a hoof up to stroke Twilight’s mane. Her muzzle scrunching, Twilight responded with the biggest pout. “Now I’m sure you must be looking for some answers.” Oh, thank Celestia! Twilight rolled her eyes. She hadn’t seen Celestia acting like this since the time she’d lost a baby tooth in a hoof fight, and Celestia knows what might have happened if Luna tried to punch her sister again. “Rest assured, that I know exactly what is happening to you.” Celestia glanced down to the pony cuddled against her side. Twilight was avoiding her eyes, rather sitting with a pout as she ran a hoof through her mane. She continued. “You see, when a young mare such as yourself reaches a... certain age, she’s going to start experiencing... changes.” Twilight’s eyes went wide, and her breath caught in her chest. He feathers and mane all bristled as Celestia’s words registered, and she looked up, no longer pouting. “Wait,” she frowned, “Are you giving me...’The Talk!?’” Twilight almost screamed, the revelation hitting her like a brick wall, or a steamroller, or a brick steamroller wall. Celestia nodded, yes, continuing as she spoke. “You’ll also start finding certain new ‘interests’ in life beyond just books, and sometimes you will act a little—” “Woah,” Twilight interrupted the princess, still in the uphill climb of her impending freak-out. She shook her head, and waved her hooves as she repeated, “Woah, woah, woah, woah. Time out!” She tried to pull away from Celestia, only succeeding in ruffling her feathers and making a mess of her mane. She turned around, glaring with a raised eyebrow, up to her former mentor. “Wh-” She stumbled on her words, screaming, “What!?” and quickly added in, “I’m twenty-six!” Celestia averted her eyes for a moment, contemplating something. “Well... Alicorns do develop at different rates from normal ponies, after all,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “But I’d expected that to be common knowledge to you. I mean”—she motioned to her chest—“looked at myself and Luna. We’re both over a thousand years old.” “Yeah, bu—” Twilight stammered again, her mind racing to process this new information. A faint blush made itself known between Twilight’s cheeks, and she squeaked out. “You’re gods!” “We’re alicorns, Twilight. No different than yourself, just older and wiser. Compared to us, you are but a foal.” “B-but-but-” Twilight’s stammering intensified. Her eyes glanced around, looking in all directions as she fought for some kind of explanation, her expression growing all the more distressed. “It—” Her frown deepened. “It can’t be...” “It’s okay,” Celestia cooed. She brought her hoof up to brush Twilight’s mane once more, and hugged the princess closer to her chest to comfort her. “...You don’t have to tell Saurin.” It was, at that very moment, that Twilight’s already fractured mind shattered. She blushed intensively, “Wh—” and did a double take, pulling her face away from Celestia’s chest to look her in the eye. “But Saurin’s Rainbow Dash’s—I mean—” Her blush intensified, exploding into a deep crimson that covered her entire face, right up to the tips of her wing. She shook her dead. “Ewww!” Celestia chuckled, watching as Twilight made a show of sticking out her tongue. The mare shivered, and shook, grappling with her hooves to get all of her wings to behave themselves. Unfortunately, every attempt only made it worse, with every touch causing them to spring back to full mast, further embarrassing Twilight. Satisfied that Twilight wasn’t about to freak out and do another Twilight for her to clean up, Celestia gently patted the princess on her back and retracted her wings. “I have to go. The guards will have surely realised I’m gone by now.” Carefully extricating herself from her position, Celestia stood up and left Twilight to pick up the broken pieces of her chattered psyche. “As long as you don’t use more magic to make it worse, the wings should go away of their own accord, just be patient. I’ll have Luna sent down later this week with a care package.” She had just reached the door, and had it held ajar in her magic, when one final chirp sounded from behind her. Celestia looked back to find Twilight still huddled behind the table, and peeking over it to look her way. “Um, Celestia?” She squeaked, “One more thing before you leave: Why weren’t there any books about this?” Celestia laughed, “Oh, Twilight.” She pushed the door the rest of the way open, shouting over her back as she went. “Do you really thing I would want anypony knowing about my awkward phase?”