Twilight's Slumber Party

by Furious Thestral


Inviting the guests.

“Three… Two… One,” Minuette made the countdown before opening her clock shop right on time for the arrival of the new day’s morning. “Right on time.” She hummed happily, changing the sign from closed to open and began her daily work.

She returned back to the interior of the shop, watching each and every single clock on display, making sure they were on the correct hour and no minute late or sooner, as was the norm for any member of the Timekeepers Guild. She moved towards the back of the shop, trusting that the bell will chime for the arrival of any possible customer, and moved directly towards where there was a work table was a small atmos clock waiting for her to be repaired.

“Crystal walls, gold structure bathed in super gold with diamond encrustations and plastic cogs. Such a wonderful piece of art, Mr. Fancy Pants,“ Minuette mused to herself as she focused her magic to unscrew the clock open and begin a check up for any possible malfunctions the clock may have.

To fix such piece of art was one of the reasons Minuette loved her job with a passion, ever since the first day she got her Cutie Mark. She never got old on the idea of fixing old relics of high sentimental value and profit.

Once the lid was taken off, she lit her horn to create a scanning spell to locate damages and other pieces that would need maintenance or replacing, as well to check upon the spells the clock was infused with to allow the device to run.

“Not even from the outside, but on the inside, a perfectly made masterpiece from an expert,” she complimented, before taking her tools as she made the first touch to begin. Before she could begin though, she was interrupted by the chiming of the bells of her shop.

Hearing the call of a costumer, Minuette poked her head through the doorway to the shop area and noticed the little purple dragon scanning the many clocks that were on display before noticing the blue mare walking around the counter to greet him.

“Spike, good morning!” greeted the blue unicorn giving the small drake a noogie. “What brings you here?” she asked with great curiosity at the morning visit.

“Good morning, Minuette,” Spike said back with a smile after being released from the hoof of his friend and summoned up a flame that materialized into a scroll in his hand. “Twilight is inviting you, and all of our friends, to a slumber party tonight,” he invited, giving the scroll to the unicorn for her to read the details of time and place for the event.

Giving the scroll a quick read, Minuette beamed happily and hugged Spike. “Ooooh, what a great opportunity! To have a slumber party in Twilight’s home along the others in celebration for our journey in the Everfree Forest! How delightful!” she cheered, giving one twirl on her hindlegs with Spike being held in her forearms.

“Ye- yeah... Twilight is going to make the preparations at her home. Just follow the directions and be on time, okay?” he instructed once he got on his own feet and recovered from his dizziness.

“What could be a good thing to bring? Should I come along with a game or some snacks for everypony? Perhaps just go along with some pillows and several blankets to help Twilight in the sleeping arrangements…?” while Minuette began to plan out what could be good for the sleepover, Spike just decided to let her go on with her thoughts, considering them as a confirmation of her presence to the slumber party as he walked outside the shop towards the street of the next pony to send an invitation to.

Walking down the through the residential area, Spike knew very well where to go in order to find the next pony on the list.

From the many houses that held pristine, and slightly extravagant, decorations that made them unique in their own way, Spike wandered through the same street with his usual even pace among them. They might be as luxurious as the ones from the noble upper villa, but they all had the appropriate look of decency and class that every single house of the white city needed.

And there it was in the distance, the humble home of his friend, Twinkleshine.

Walking over the stone path, he reached the door and knocked three times, awaiting for an answer, but it came too soon for him, with a swift movement of a hoof pulling him inside.

The room was clearly dark, and little could be seen under the shaded light of the curtains. “Uhm... hello? Twinkleshine?” Spike asked, trying to figure out the things that were around him.

A spotlight from above the baby dragon blinded him for a second, and after that, a voice called from the darkness.

“You have such a nerve to come to my house and show your face.” From the darkness appeared Twinkleshine, her posture tall and imposing as she kept her eyes glaring daggers at Spike, who stood there confused and intimidated.

“What? Twinkleshine, what are yo-”

“Silence!” the marble coated unicorn interrupted him with a stern voice of command and leaned her face to meet him closer. “To think that you had some dignity to crawl your way back here and show your face of shame is truly abhorrent for my eyes.” She then shoved Spike to make him step back.

Spike was completely confused at this and couldn’t understand the anger of his friend. He gathered his thoughts on what could be the reason for her enragement, only to find nothing that could be related with him or their other friends.

“Well? What do you have to say for yourself?” Twinkleshine demanded, returning to her tall posture, glaring at Spike with a defying manner.

The little drake swallowed his saliva, and with slow and careful movements, he pulled out the letter, shaking slightly, and gave it to her. “I came to deliver you an invitation to Twilight’s slumber party tonight,” he said softly, careful to not irk the mare any further.

And without a word or warning, the dense, cold, atmosphere vanished in a single blink once the light in the room expanded to illuminate it entirely.

Spike could now see the blue walls that the living room had, which was covered with several movie posters from recent and old times. A brown wooden floor with a red tapestry in the middle was below, and it came with three large purple cushions that leaned up against a wall. The films of super eight were placed in order in a display for easy access, along with a movie projector that rested behind the cushions. The room also now included a smiling unicorn that was angry just a few seconds ago.

“A slumber party?!” exclaimed Twinkleshine, reading the scroll in one go as she went all giddy about the invitation. “Oh, how wonderful! Truly, a nice detail of our friend to do for the evening.”

Spike was truly confused at how quickly the unicorn changed her mood, from angry to euphoric, in one go and was worried a bit about her.

“Uhm... Twinkleshine... you alright there?” he asked tentatively on the matter, since he might trigger the anger of the mare once more.

The unicorn glanced at Spike, seeing his perplexed look, and it took her a mere five seconds to realize what he meant with the question.

“I’m sorry, Spike. I was rehearsing some lines for a casting that is scheduled for the next week,” explained Twinkleshine with a sheepish grin. “I will be trying to make the role of a criminal gang leader that has a short temper and a strong attitude,” she explained with a contained scream of enthusiasm as her hooves jumped excited at the idea of obtaining a role in a movie production.

“Oh. Well… good luck on that,” said Spike as he decided to leave her to continue with her practice, walking away and closing the door behind him.

“See you tonight, Spike!” The white unicorn shouted once she saw him leave. “It might be an excellent idea to bring a movie for entertainment tonight, possibly a horror one to boot,” she thought out loud out of earshot as she went and checked her movie list.

Spike returned to the street and gave one last look to the house of Twinkleshine, wondering about the last time he paid her a visit during the days when Twilight was studying magic in her school days, but no such time came to mind, since he was never requested to do anything of this sort. That made this experience the first of many possible awkward meetings inside Twinkleshine’s house.

“Better get going before I get to think of how strange it will be at Lyra’s home,” thought Spike out loud as he began to rush to the next home on his route.

The next one on his list was Moondancer, since it was the closest one from his current location. It was just a few turns, and some blocks, away.

It was in the vicinity of the Canterlot Stadium, a small house in the middle of two elegant buildings, which caused it to stand out all the more as a humble home surrounded by elegance and regal structures. One could walk by the place and not even bother to acknowledge the building existing there.

He walked past a withered tree and towards the door to gave three soft knocks and waited, although he was slightly paranoid that he would be received the same way he was with Twinkleshine.

Nothing happened for an entire time of five minutes, and Spike was forced to knock once more, with more force this time to ensure that his presence was noticed by the resident.
The door opened slowly, and from the small crack, Spike noticed an eye glaring at him right at the moment the door opened completely.

Spike was about to go through the whole spiel and hand Moondancer the invitation as quickly as possible, but once he saw the state of the unicorn, he was frozen from head to toe as his eyes remained focused on what he guessed was a pony.

Her face was tired, and her eyes were red and held bags of a sleepless night, along with her lips that shown cracks of dehydration as well with her mane combed in one knot to keep it all above her head.

“Who is it? What do you want?” she mumbled, adjusting her eyes to have a better look at the figure in front of her.

Spike could see how grumpy Moondancer seemed and wondered if it was a bad time to give her the invitation, but he was still concerned of the current state of his friend.

“Moondancer, it’s me. Spike. Are you alright?” he asked, holding a claw up in case she would fall down at a giving moment.

The vanilla coated unicorn focused her eyes on the green spot until it focused clearly for her to see. “Spike, what are you doing here this late in the night?” she asked, until her brain realized that sunlight fell upon them. “Uhm, rather being… What time is it?” she corrected once she saw how bright it was and retreated back into her home.

Spike followed her inside, stumbling on many things with his feet before his eyes adjusted to the darkness that the room held. “It’s kinda like an hour pass sunrise,” replied Spike once he could manage to see the entire mess the house was in. “Did you even sleep last night?” he asked, finding the mare looking at herself in a mirror.

“No, I spent the entire night catching up on my studies about the Kirin cultural history and the economic exchange of Equestria and the Saddle Arabian tribe,” explained Moondancer as she then walked near Spike. “After the last conference, I was getting so behind in my studies that I needed to catch up on them,” she explained.

Spike mused at how Moondancer was similar to Twilight in how she would act if Celestia gave her a spree of lessons for her all week, but he let that thought slide as he decided to take this as an opportunity to complete his reason for visiting his friend.

“I just wanted to give you this invitation to Twilight’s slumber party tonight. Hope you can spare some time, now that no new meetings will happen today,” he said, giving her the scroll about the details of the event.

Moondancer adjusted her glasses and began to read the scroll before she realized something about the arrival of Spike. “Wait, how did you know where I live?” she asked curiously, recalling that she never gave her address to Twilight, nor had Twilight ever asked for it.

“Oh, well… I went ahead and got written down all the addresses of all Twilight’s friends a while ago, in case she wanted to hang out… or in case she needed help with a group project,” he replied, smiling to himself for his foresight of the need for such a thing, until he realized that he said too much again.

“So, she knew that all along and never decided to come and visit? Even if it would mean to make a study group?” she questioned with a low growl in her voice, feeling hurt at the implications.

The green drake gave a step back and placed his claws in a defensive manner as he saw the heated glare that Moondancer gave him, and the red of her eyes made it even worse.

“She doesn’t!” he shouted, making the unicorn stop her pressure and give him a confused look. “I went ahead and wrote down all the addresses, but Twilight never asked me for them or that she had planned to have a group study with anypony back then. But don’t take it all on her, because she usually was the lonely type. That’s all,” Spike explained, trying to dissuade another unicorn from his slip up.

The vanilla unicorn was tired and needed sleep, but she listened to his words and calmed herself down, wanting to base her decision on Twilight with as clear of thoughts as she could manage.

“I know she has been a bad friend in the past, and I bet that she is doing this as an apology for the past and to make amends for the day before the Summer Sun Celebration,” she thought out loud as she glanced once more to the invitation and to the baby dragon with serious look. “Fine. I’ll be there, just because I want to know where she lives,” she accepts, guiding Spike once more to the door while giving him a weak smile.

Spike nodded, satisfied with the answer and decided to take his leave, “Great! We’ll see you in the evening then!” he shouted before passing by the stone fence and to the street once more.

Spike now had only two houses left to visit, and they were located in the upper section of the city, almost closer to the castle itself. He needed to finish his task before returning to assist Twilight in the preparations for the party itself.

He walked where most of the ponies trotted on the sidewalk with their usual practiced grace and elegant clothes, clothing meant to show off to those around them just whom they were... Nobility.

For Spike, it was just some unnecessary fashion show, so he, as usual, decided to ignore it and get on to his next target, the house of Lyra Heartstrings.

Walking down through one of the finest districts of the city, where mansion after mansion were lined up for each noble to live in, Spike could not help but note how all of them were displaying a unique design, along with each housing a symbol designating which family it belonged.

One in especifically was the one he was searching for, a heart with four strings crossed from one side to the other, with a golden Sol key in the center of the heart to tell those who walked in front that this was the home of the Heartstrings family.

Spike reached to the entrance and rang a bell that chimed with a sweet melody.

After a brief moment, a butler came and answered the call. “Yes? What is your business here?” he asked once he saw the small drake at the door.

Spike cleared his throat and did his best to act as regal as possible, while failing doing so.
“Is Lyra here?” he simply asked, giving a curious glance to the butler, expecting to receive a simple answer from his part.

The butler remained unfazed but decided to go with answering the baby dragon’s request.
He opened the small part of the gate and stepped aside to let Spike enter. “Follow me please,” he instructed and guided him into the front gardens, taking a side route to pass by the mansion.

Spike followed the butler to a small path that didn’t lead directly to the mansion but to a route that went by to, what he assumed, was the backyard. He could see a giant pool and a canopy that was meant for summer parties, along with a smaller house on the other side of it.

The butler guided Spike until they reached the small house that Spike saw, and gave it three steady knocks.

“Good morning, Rumpelstilking!” greeted Lyra with a broad smile as she noticed the eye roll the butler gave her and leaned on the frame door, “So, what do I owe for this morning visit?” she asked casually, until she noticed the small drake waving his claw to her.

“Sir Spike is here to see you, Madam Lyra,” the butler announced with a nod of his head. He soon took his leave once he fulfilled his current task, not bothering to wait for permission from the mint unicorn.

Lyra ignored the stallion and stepped aside from the door, allowing Spike better access. “Hey there, Spike. Come on in!” invited Lyra with enthusiasm at the sudden visit of Spike. “Sorry for the mess here, but I was quite busy… “ the mare added as she saw the mess that the small home was in.

Spike decided to ignore the litter that the room was filled with and sat down on a couch in the middle of the living room, followed by Lyra as she took a seat on the sofa in front. “So, what’s Twilight been up to? Guess that Twilight has begun with her solitary readings as usual, huh?” Lyra asked as soon she relaxed on her own sofa from the front.

“Not really,” Spike straightened his back and summoned the next invitation and handed it over to Lyra. “Twilight is having a slumber party, and she’d truly love for you to come,” he explained after seeing the mint unicorn holding the scroll in her magic hand.

“Well, that seems to be a sudden change of scenario,” Lyra said while placing the invitation on a stand, ”Okay. I’ll be there on time,” she added with a smile, along with an awkward silence that Spike didn’t expect to happen. After all, the other four spared some time to speak with him, and this meeting seemed to end rather dryly.

“So, uhm… how are things here? Still being a free spirit and all that?” asked the baby dragon, noticing several things the small room had that would resemble a home, but not enough to be comfortable to live in it.

“Yeah. Been spending some bits to have this little piece of heaven looking nice and comfy,” replied the mare as she picked up a juice box with her magic and took a sip from it. “Orange juice?” she suddenly offered one for her guest, receiving an eager nod from him.

Spike eagerly accepted the drink and took the moment to relax a bit more with his friend. “But why are you not living there? You know, with your family?” Spike asked pointing at the bigger house in front of them.

Lyra sat back and relaxed her head on the back of her sofa as she looked up at the roof. “It’s just not my style, you know?” she replied, waving the juice box from one side to another. “I just kinda want to obtain things by myself, and not just because I’m a Heartstrings,” she told the baby dragon, before smiling at him the same way she always did, to make him know to not say a word about it.

“Uhm... okay then. Well, see you at the party!” Spike finished his juice quickly and walked to the door, before waving goodbye to the mint green unicorn.

“It better be fun!” she shouted once the drake walked back around the pool and through the front garden.

Spike now needed to rush and deliver the last invitation to Lemon Hearts, the only one that lived close by to Twilight. More specifically, he had to go closer to the castle, where a small neighborhood was built exclusively for the ponies that work under the service of the crown, aside for the royal guards and servants.

Many of the houses were modest and not outstanding, unlike the ones of the high class nobles of the luxurious district, but they all were well maintained and held a pristine look of their own.

It didn’t take Spike long to find the humble home of the yellow unicorn, one that was painted light pink with white spots, a small frontal garden, with a flower bed of daisies and lilies and a backyard that held a big lemon tree that could be seen from the street.

The baby dragon walked confidently and rang the doorbell, hearing a small tune from inside the residence.

Lemon Hearts opened the door with an excited smile, “Hello there, little Spike! Come on in,” invited Lemon Heart’s with a smile, as she guided him to the kitchen. “I was about to take breakfast early today. Wanna join me?” she offered with a smile as she began to collect two plates with her telekinesis, and placed them on the table.

“Actually, Lemon, I am here to deliver this invitation,” Spike, as he had been doing from the very beginning, gave Lemon Hearts the last invitation for the party that Twilight was planning for the night.

The yellow unicorn put aside the plates and received the parchment, revealing the contents to read for her own eyes and smiling broadly at what they had inscribed.

“What a great opportunity! A night gathering in Twilight’s home, for all of us to take part in!” She rolled back the scroll and left it on the table. ”Would it be better to bring something for the party? I can bring a good batch of my delicious lemon flavored cupcakes, with sour sweet gummies in the top,” she offered, having a need to give something for being invited to the party that she was now eager to assist in.

Spike beamed with glee at the proposal of Lemon Hearts bringing one of her special treats to the party, ones he enjoyed whenever they are brought before him.

“Definitely! I’ll be waiting for them tonight,” he licked his lips in anticipation, while Lemon Hearts giggled as she saw his reaction at the mention of her pastries.

“Expect a good batch for tonight then,” Lemon Hearts smiled as she guided Spike out to the entrance door to see him off to the street. “Until tonight!” she said, waving her hoof at him.

“See you there!” he replied before rushing back to the streets and heading to the Castle of Canterlot.

He rushed as quickly as his little legs could take him, having wanted to make sure everything on Twilight’s side was prepared.

At the main entrance of the castle two guards saw him rushing towards them, but never bothered to stop him.

“Good morning, Sir Spike!” called out one guard as the other gave the baby dragon a polite smile.

“Good morning, guys!” Spike greeted in return, passing by with a wave of his claw. He didn’t have time to stop, though not like he could remember their names due to not remembering which guard was in which place in the castle.

The two guards just simply saw him ran off the paved road and take the usual road, leading to his home with the princess’s prized pupil.

Spike could see where he, and Twilight, lived from a distance, and decided to rush up a bit to see what else he could do for the lavender unicorn

Running as fast his little legs could give him, Spike reached the stairs that were the only access to the front door and opened them, with more force than he might have intended to, and found Twilight with a check list held in her magic and a saddlebag in the floor.

“Spike! Glad you came back,” Twilight greeted the baby dragon and rubbed his head. “I hope you didn’t have any problems with the invitations, right?” she asked, not wanting to deal with any kind of disaster before the party itself.

“All invitations delivered, and all of them have accepted to come tonight!” Spike reported with a smile and leaned closely to inspect the checklist that Twilight was currently writing.

“That’s great! With all of them here, the first part of the plan is a success!” Twilight smiled as she levitated a second scroll and made a mark in it before she returned it to its place. “Alright, Spike, I’ll be going out to buy some supplies and obtain some extra pillows for tonight. You will be taking care of cleaning and bringing out some of the games for entertainment in order to begin phase two,” the lavender unicorn instructed while adjusting her saddle bags on her back and walking to the door.

“Yes, Ma’am!” the purple baby dragon gave a military salute, the thought of making this as a serious royal guard task made it a little more fun for him, rather than another labor to do.

Twilight closed the door and walked down the stairs to the road that directed to the castle, her mind filled with how well things would go for tonight.

After all, the real purpose for this event was to have a better understanding of her friends and to have a stronger bond with each other. Or with her for the most part.