//------------------------------// // Diamond Tiara's Earliest Memory // Story: Speak Up // by doomie-22 //------------------------------// Chapter 3 The next day saw Spike roaming around the streets of Ponyville. Back at home, Starlight, Trixie, and Twilight were engaging in a three-way magic duel. Thus, Spike had made a hasty escape from the castle for his own safety, in spite of the fact that the three had taken safety precautions beforehand so that nopony would get hurt. Still, it paid to be on the safe side, hence why Spike was walking around looking for something to do. He decided to go to Sugarcube Corner. It was near lunchtime anyway and he was in the mood for something sweet to eat. There was already a queue forming outside the front door to Sugarcube Corner. He went ahead and took his place in line, holding tightly onto the sack of bits he’d brought along with him. “Next!” Stepping inside the confectionery Spike spotted Pinkie behind the counter. Upon meeting his gaze, she beamed and waved at him. “Hey, Spike,” she said as he walked up to the counter. “What can I get you today? Turnover? Cake? Pie?” “Could I get a strawberry turnover?” He reached inside his sack for a handful of bits. He deposited the correct amount onto the counter. In an instant, almost as if by magic itself, Pinkie was holding out a strawberry turnover for him. Grinning, he grabbed it, both of them thanking the other, before he walked off in search of an empty table. Scanning the area, he spotted Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon seated at a booth, both sipping at a chocolate milkshake while they pored through a magazine. Walking over, he cleared his throat to get their attention. Once he had it, he asked, “Hey, Diamond Tiara, can I ask you a question?” The filly shrugged. “Shoot.” She took a sip of her milkshake. “What’s your earliest memory?” He bit into his turnover. Diamond Tiara gave the dragon an odd look. “That’s a weird, random question.” Spike sighed and rolled his eyes. “Just answer the question.” He swallowed his bite of food. “Hmm, let’s see . . .” Diamond Tiara pondered to herself for a moment or two. Then, she said, “I was four years old. I didn’t invite Silver Spoon to my birthday party and she didn’t talk to me for a year.” “I kind of regret that,” Silver Spoon said, popping the cherry from her milkshake into her mouth. Spike nudged her. “What about you?” he asked her. “I was seven,” Silver Spoon said, “and I’d signed up for the school talent show. Big day came. I went up on stage. And ended getting stage fright and peeing on myself.” Her face turned red. “It was, like, so embarrassing.” From across from her, Diamond Tiara could be heard laughing. “It was hysterical,” she cried. “No, it wasn’t,” Silver Spoon cried. Still laughing, Diamond Tiara playfully nudged Spike. “Oh, you should’ve been there, Spike. The look on her face!” Silver Spoon glared. “You’re one to talk, little miss I-can’t-make-a-rabbit-disappear.” “At least I didn’t pee myself on stage in front of everypony in Ponyville!” “No, you just proved you suck at magic.” Her laughter dying down, Diamond Tiara turned to Spike. “Getting back on topic, why do you ask, Spike?” Spike shook his head. “Anything after Starlight came into the picture is kind of foggy and hazy.” “Well . . . there was a lot that happened after she arrived in Ponyville,” Diamond Tiara said. “That snowstorm in the Crystal Empire, that show with Trixie, spending Hearth’s Warming Eve together, the Changeling scare in the Crystal Empire, not to mention Chrysalis coming back for revenge.” She plucked her cherry off her own milkshake and popped it in her mouth. “Why are you bringing up Starlight Glimmer anyway? Is she back in town?” “Only for a couple of days,” Spike said, taking another bite of his treat. “What happens then?” Silver Spoon asked, resting the crook of her foreleg on the table and pressing her hoof against her cheek. Spike shrugged. “I don’t know.” He smiled. “Trixie seems to be happy that she’s back.” “You know, Daddy managed to book her for one of my parties one year,” Diamond Tiara said, smirking. “She was amazing!” “That, she was,” Silver Spoon agreed. Spike eyed the magazine resting between the two fillies. “What were you guys looking at?” “Just trying to decide which colors would go best for our carts,” Diamond Tiara explained. “I hear you’re competing in the Applewood Derby this year?” “Yeah, me and Trixie,” Spike said, nodding. “And you guys are going with your parents, I imagine?” “I am,” Silver Spoon said. “I’m not,” Diamond Tiara said. “Daddy has a business meeting in Fillydelphia and Mother wouldn’t be caught dead doing one of these things. So, it looks like it’s going to be me and Randolph again this year.” “And I bet he’s helping you with your cart?” Spike tossed what was left of his treat into his mouth, quickly chewed it, and swallowed. Silver Spoon pushed her milkshake towards him and he gratefully took a drink. “Well, duh,” Diamond Tiara replied. “I mean, who else would be?” “Maybe when me and Trixie get done with our cart, we can help you,” Spike offered. “Sure, why not? We could use the extra help.” “Sounds like a plan.” Spike grinned. Hearing a bell jingle, he turned his head to see Starlight, Trixie, and Twilight walking in. He bid the fillies farewell, then walked over to the three mares. “Hey, you guys done already?” “Yeah,” Twilight said. “A three-way magic duel sure takes a lot out of you.” “Tell me about it,” Trixie said with a groan, while Starlight giggled behind a hoof. “Hey, Spike, why don’t you join us?” Starlight asked. “I was just about to head out and go back home,” Spike said. “I just got done with my snack. Sorry, girls. I’ll see you guys back at the castle.” “Okay, then.” Twilight and the others watched him leave. She turned to Starlight. “Starlight, why don’t you go ahead and find us a seat while me and Trixie order? I already know what you want.” Starlight shrugged. “Sure thing.” She walked over to an empty table and sat down. Looking across from her, she noticed Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. She nodded at them and called, “Hey, cutie, what’s your name?” Diamond Tiara flicked back her mane and said, “I’m Diamond Tiara.” Starlight shook her head and nodded towards Silver Spoon. “I was talking about your friend.” Silver Spoon blinked and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Me?” Starlight nodded. “I’m Silver Spoon.” Blushing, she began running her hooves through her pigtail. “Starlight Glimmer,” the unicorn said. “Pleasure to meet you both.” She opened her mouth to say more, only to be caught off guard upon seeing Twilight and Trixie walking over with the food. She instantly began chatting with them as they dug into lunch. Grinning, Silver Spoon turned to Diamond Tiara and said, “How weird was that?” “I know, right?” Diamond Tiara replied, frowning. “For a moment, it was like I didn’t even, like, exist.” She downed the rest of her drink and slammed it down on the table, letting out a satisfied sigh. “Ready to go?” Silver Spoon finished off her beverage as well and nodded. “Yep. Let’s kick it!” With Diamond Tiara, she made her way out of Sugarcube Corner. “And the fork goes over here . . .” Trixie mumbled to herself as she helped Spike set the table. She looked over at him. “Knife goes inwards, towards the plate, right?” “Mm-hmm,” Spike mumbled, setting down napkins at each individual seat. Trixie grinned. “Great!” She finished setting the silverware out, then took a step back to observe the results. She smirked and crossed her hooves over her chest. “Looks good to me, wouldn’t you say?” Spike looked over her shoulder at the results and nodded his head. “Of course, what else could you expect except perfection from the Great and Powerful Trixie!?” Spike smiled, rolled his eyes, and shook his head. “So, how are things going between you and Starlight?” Trixie grinned. “Things are going great. It’s almost like she never left.” Spike sighed and looked down at the floor. “Is everything okay?” Trixie asked, giving him a concerned look. “I just wish I could remember how it was before.” Trixie chuckled. “How it was before,” she echoed. “I remember you hogging all of her attention.” Spike looked up and blinked. “What?” “Yep. Every time we would try to practice magic, you’d come in and she’d walk off with you to your bedroom to put you down for a nap, just to get you out of the way.” “She did?” “Yeah.” Trixie nodded. “But, things are different now, and you’re not going to steal her away from me like you did before. Just keep avoiding her like you have been doing since she got here, and things between us will be peachy keen. I’d like to get in some more magic practice and I’d love to learn some new magic from Starlight, if that’s okay with you.” Spike nodded. “Fine by me. You get Starlight all to yourself and she stays away from me.” Trixie sighed, casting a depressed look at the floor. “I’m not trying to be mean. I’d just like to spend as much time with Starlight as possible before she leaves again.” “Sounds good to me.” “Why do you hate her?” “What?” “Starlight. You seem to really hate her all of a sudden.” “What makes you say that.” “Well, you’ve been avoiding her since she got here.” “Trixie, I’d like to spend time with her. Really, I would. I just haven’t gotten the chance yet.” “Then how about tomorrow?” a new voice asked. Spike spun around and Trixie looked up to see that Starlight, with Twilight right beside her, was walking in the room. She smiled down at Spike. “Why don’t we go out for ice cream? Or we could go to the park and fly some kites?” She sat down at the table. “I think I’ll take you up on that offer to go fly kites,” Trixie said, sitting down right beside Starlight. Starlight giggled. “Trixie, we spent the whole day together.” She rested a hoof on her chin and grinned at Spike. “I’d like to spend some time with Spike now.” “Yeah, sounds great,” Spike replied, sitting down at the table beside Twilight. “By the way, Trixie, I’ve got good news for you,” Twilight spoke up. “Starlight managed to book you a show.” “Really?” Trixie looked at both unicorns in surprise. “Yep, right after the Applewood Derby at three-fifteen,” Starlight said. She smiled at Twilight. “I was thinking we could go out, have a picnic just before the big race.” “That sounds great!” Twilight beamed. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Spike asked. “I mean, with all of that racing ––” “The race doesn’t start until half past one,” Twilight reminded him. “We can have lunch at noon. That should be more than enough time for your tummy to settle.” “Exactly!” Starlight agreed, nodding her head. “Now, Spike, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll toss your salad for you.” She began mixing the salad in the bowl in front of her, smirking when Trixie laughed at her subtle joke. She dumped a heap of the stuff onto Spike’s plate. “There you go.” “Thanks, Starlight.” Spike grabbed his fork and started eating. He looked over at Twilight. “So, while Starlight and I are hanging out, what do you plan on doing, Twilight?” Twilight shrugged. “I don’t know yet.” “I think I’ll go shopping,” Trixie said. She glared at Starlight. “Since I’m not wanted anywhere else.” Starlight sighed. “Trixie, I told you, I want to spend some time with Spike. There will be plenty of time for us to hang out, just the two of us. I promise you.” Setting down her glass, Twilight said, “You know, I was thinking, wouldn’t you like to go to the Crystal Empire sometime this week and see Sunburst?” This caught Starlight’s attention. She looked up at her former teacher and nodded. “Yeah, that would be nice.” She licked some ranch dressing off her hoof. “And then maybe me and you can hang out sometime.” Twilight shrugged. “Sure, why not? Maybe we could all go to the spa together.” “I’m in,” Trixie cried, lifting up a hoof. “Me too,” Starlight agreed, beaming. “Spike, what about you?” Twilight asked. Spike looked up at the three mares, his fork halfway to his mouth. He took a bite, then nodded his head. “Sure. I’ve been meaning to get my claws done anyway.” “Then it’s settled,” Twilight said. “We’ll go as a group, sometime this week.” “Feel free to invite the rest of the girls if you want,” Starlight suggested. “I’d love to spend some time with them too.” “You’ve got it,” Twilight agreed. “Anything you want, Starlight. Whatever I can do to make your stay here more comfortable. All you have to do is ask.” “Then would it be all right if I put Spike to bed tonight?” Starlight asked. Her question earned her odd looks from Twilight, Trixie, and Spike. She blinked. “What?” “That’s a weird question,” Trixie spoke up. “I mean, Spike’s not a baby anymore. I’m sure he could put himself to bed.” “I know,” Starlight said, “but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. It’ll be just like old times.” “Actually, I do mind, thank you,” Spike said. “Okay,” Starlight agreed. “I can take a hint. No means no.” She threw back her head and downed what was left of her drink in her glass. She lowered her head, licking her lips as she set down her glass. “Is there any more cider?” “I’ll get it for you.” Twilight started to get up. “No need.” With her magic, Starlight floated over the pitcher of cider, hitting Spike in the back of the head in the process. He winced in pain and rubbed the back of his head. She giggled. “Sorry, Spike.” “You did that on purpose,” he said. “I did not. It was a total accident.” “Yeah, I’ll bet.” “Oh, stop being so childish, Spike,” Twilight said. “Starlight apologized. There’s no need to go accusing her.” She levitated over a basket of bread sticks. “Bread stick?” “Sure!” Both Trixie and Starlight grabbed one before Spike could. He grabbed two and set them on his plate while the two unicorns started munching on their own. “Great as always, Spike,” Starlight said. “Thanks,” Spike mumbled. Starlight decided to take a bath after dinner. It didn’t come as a surprise to either Spike or Twilight when Trixie decided to join her, and Starlight didn’t object. The two of them stepped into the tub once it was full, letting out sighs of content, the hot water doing its job in relaxing them. Starlight was suddenly surprised when she felt a stream of water hit her in the face. Once it stopped, she looked up to find Trixie smirking at her. She frowned. “Aren’t we getting a little old for these games?” Instead of answering her, Trixie decided to splash her. Starlight splashed her right back. Soon, a splash fight had ensued, with both mares giggling like a couple of fillies. The fight only stopped when Spike entered the room. “Don’t mind me,” he said, walking over to the sink. “I’m just going to brush my teeth and then I’m going to bed.” He proceeded to do just that. Before leaving, he noticed that the floor in front of the tub was soaking wet. “Be sure to clean that up before you go to bed.” He stepped out into the hall and turned, heading down the hallway towards his bedroom. Entering his bedroom, he stopped and stared at his bed. For a moment, he considered sleeping in it. After giving it some thought, however, he decided to grab a blanket and a pillow and camp out in his closet. He gently kicked some things aside, making room on the floor for him to sleep, then laid down, covering himself with his blanket and placing his head on his pillow. Once more, Starlight’s voice echoed in his head. “Silly Spikey-wikey, you put your pajamas on backwards again. Now you be a good boy, Spikey-wikey, while Auntie Starlight fixes them for you.” Spike woke up a few hours later. Seeing as how he was in a dark closet, he had no knowledge as to what time it was. Opening up his closet door, however, told him that it was morning. He yawned, stretched, and rubbed at his tired eyes before turning and walking out of his bedroom and going to the kitchen. He stopped when he noticed that Trixie was the only one seated at the kitchen table, sipping at her coffee. “Hey,” he called out. She looked over at him. “Where’s Twilight and Starlight?” “Oh. They went out for donuts.” She chuckled. “Who in Equestria goes to Canterlot just to get some donuts?” “Well, Donut Joe’s does have the best donuts around.” He poured himself a glass of orange juice and sat down at the table. She cocked her head to the side, giving him a questioning look. “Really?” He nodded, taking a drink. “Mm-hmm. Maybe I could take you sometime. How come they didn’t take you?” “I slept in.” “Good for me, then, I guess. We can hang out, if you want. You hung out all day yesterday with Twilight and Starlight, now it’s my turn.” Trixie sighed. “I suppose that’s true. It’s only fair, right?” Spike nodded. “Right.” “So, what would you like to do? I’ve got some new magic tricks, if you’d care to take a look.” Spike shook his head. “No, thanks.” “Okay, well, what would you like to do?” Spike shrugged. “I don’t know yet, but I’ll let you know when I do.” “You’re impossible, you know that?” “And that’s why you love me.” He smirked. She blinked. “Good comeback, dragon.” “Well, I did learn from the best.” “Point taken.” Twilight and Starlight didn’t get back home until late in the afternoon. Spike sat in his bedroom, looking through an old photo album, while Trixie had gone out to get some apple fritters. (“I’ve had a craving for them all day,” she’d said.) She’d promised she’d bring Spike some if he really wanted any. Despite her offer to let him tag along, he had declined, saying that he’d like some time to himself. Starlight went to the library to look up some spells she wanted to try. Twilight had advised her to make sure that the spells were tame, that they weren’t too dangerous or life-threatening. As for Twilight, she decided to check in on Spike. She received no response from her knocking at his bedroom door, leaving her to gently open it and poke her head in to see whether or not he was asleep. She found him seated cross-legged on his bed, an open photo album in his lap. Smiling, she walked in and sat down beside him, looking at the photo album with him. She pointed to a picture showing Spike and Starlight smiling at the camera with cake frosting all over their muzzles. “I remember that. It was the first time we celebrated Starlight’s birthday.” Spike looked up at her. “Did – did she and I get along when she was here?” Twilight laughed heartily at that. “Are you kidding!? You two were crazy about each other! I couldn’t keep you apart!” She rested a hoof on his back and gently rubbed. “It’s great having her back home, isn’t it? It’s like we get a second chance to be a family again, to do things right this time. It was a mistake letting her go.” She ceased talking for a moment or two, as if in thought, then she said, “I was thinking about asking her to permanently stay instead of going back to her old village. Would you be all right with her being around more?” Spike turned a page in the photo album. He swallowed hard. “Sure.” Twilight bent down and kissed his head. “Thank you, Spike.” Both jumped as Trixie suddenly burst in the room, grinning, levitating a bag behind her. “I’m back,” she announced in a sing-song manner. She levitated out a similar bag to the one she was carrying from her saddlebags and dumped it on Spike’s bed. “Here are your apple fritters, Spike. Enjoy.” “Thanks, Trixie,” Spike replied. “What are you two up to?” Trixie asked, joining them on the bed. “Just reliving some old memories,” Twilight replied. She chuckled, spotting a picture of Trixie standing in the kitchen with something burnt resting on a plate, the mare sporting a nervous look. “You remember this, don’t you, the first time Spike tried teaching you how to cook?” Trixie blushed. “Don’t remind Trixie.” “Like you’re one to talk, Sparkle,” Spike said, playfully nudging her. “She at least got better.” “That’s true,” Trixie said, “and now Trixie can make all of the sweets she wants.” “Just make sure you don’t eat too many of them,” Twilight warned. “Don’t want you getting fat.” “You make that sound like a bad thing,” Spike said, along with another voice. He looked over to see Starlight standing in the doorway. “Something wrong, Starlight?” Twilight asked. Starlight shook her head. “No.” Twilight nodded. “Okay. If you’re not busy, would you mind helping me make dinner? There’s something I want to talk to you about.” “Sure thing, Twilight,” Starlight replied. “Want me to come with?” Trixie offered. Starlight shook her head. “No, thanks. I’d really like to be alone with Twilight right now, got some things I need to think about.” Trixie frowned and her ears drooped. “Oh, okay, then.” Starlight chuckled. “You know, Trixie, sometimes I think you like me a little too much.” She blew each of them a kiss before walking out the door with Twilight. Dinner was a quiet affair, at least for Spike. He ate his dinner as quickly as possible, then immediately afterward excused himself from the table, retreating to his bedroom once he’d deposited his plate in the sink, figuring that since Starlight and Twilight had cooked dinner, Trixie could do the dishes for the night, which would give him ample time to catch up on his reading. He was sudenly interrupted from it, however, when Starlight opened his door and peeked in. He met her eyes. “Hey,” she said. She cleared her throat. “Twilight told me that you were okay with me staying here on a permanent basis.” She entered and smiled down at him, running a hoof down his face. “Thank you.” “Okay,” Spike said. “It means a lot to me.” She sighed. “It feels so good being back here at home. It’s like nothing’s changed. Well, I’ll get out of your way. Good night.” “Night,” he called out as she left the room, and turned back to his book, only to look up once again when he heard it open once more. “Hey, come on,” Trixie said, motioning for him to follow her. He blinked. “What? Where are we going?” “Meeting at Sugarcube Corner. All of the Applewood Derby racers are getting together to discuss cart designs and draw up ideas for what the race track is gonna look like. Come on, Pinkie’s serving snacks and drinks!” Spike bookmarked his page and walked over to the door. “Alright, alright, let’s go.” Sugarcube Corner was packed with ponies. Not only were the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Cheerilee there, but also, but not limited to, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Randolph, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Snips, Twist, Rumble, and Truffle Shuffle. Trixie and Spike entered just as the meeting was getting underway. Pinkie immediately bolted from the store’s kitchen to offer them some snacks and drinks. Spike accepted a cupcake while Trixie asked for a stiff drink. To her displeasure, as well as that of Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the latter especially, Pinkie said that alcoholic beverages were not permitted during the meeting, for obvious reasons, leaving Trixie to settle for a soda. Spike immediately requested one as well, having eaten his cupcake by this point and it had made him quite thirsty. The two of them seated themselves at the table that the other fillies and colts were crowded around, the table laying waste to papers, sketches, lists, cupcakes, drinks, and crumpled up pieces of paper, likely ideas that had been turned down or decreed too complicated to do. Both Spike and Trixie guessed that these were ideas for the race track that they would be racing on, and, when they asked Applejack and the other grown-ups, they found that they were correct in drawing this conclusion, although Randolph added that some of the crumpled up pieces of paper were ideas for carts where the imaginations of the children were too imaginative, not that Cheerilee seemed to mind. She seemed to relish in the idea of the children using their brains and imagination to come up with such creative and wonderful ideas for carts of various kinds. Looking at them, Spike had to admit that they were nothing short of creative; even some of the rough sketches for the race tracks were quite imaginative. The group worked long and hard into the night, more often than not shouting over each other, each filly or colt wanting to be heard, leaving it up to the adults to quieten them down so that each one could be heard individually. Eventually, it occurred to them that it would be best to have some kind of object that would permit whomever was wielding it to speak. At this point, Pinkie ran upstairs and returned with a rattle, apologizing due to the annoyed and disbelieving looks she received upon doing so, saying that it was the only thing she could find and the best that she could do. Despite the juvenile nature of the toy, they agreed to it. Even some of the children, such as Diamond Tiara, agreed with the adults that it was hardly appropriate, but ended up using it anyway. Some of the children, such as Silver Spoon, didn’t seem to mind the toy whatsoever, and spent a majority of their time shaking it while they were holding it, earning odd looks and questioning stares from the others in the room. Thankfully, the noise of the rattle made so much noise that it was hard for the others to hear when its holder was speaking, which meant that a new rule was issued, that of course being that no shaking of the rattle would be permitted while its holder was speaking. Little by little, the group disbanded, bidding farewell to their friends while they made their exit. Naturally, the children were the first to go, their bedtimes drawing nearer and nearer as the night wore on, leaving only a small portion of the adults left in the room. Some of the adults, once they had seen that their children had gotten home safely, returned to further discuss their ideas for the carts and the track, those being Randolph, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Cheerilee, among others. It was at this point that Pinkie found it appropriate to whip out the more age-appropriate drinks, and soon the adults, sans Spike who just stuck with soda, were downing shot after shot of alcoholic beverage one right after the other. Unbeknownst to the others, Spike would occasionally slip some of these alcoholic beverages into his glass of soda when nopony was looking. “So it’s agreed,” Cheerilee spoke up as the meeting drew to a close. “The track will start in the Ponyville square, go through the Everfree Forest, through Whitetail Woods, and finally the finish line will be right back where the race started. Does that sound good to everypony?” “Yep,” the others agreed. “Sounds good to me,” Applejack said. “I bet all of Ponyville will be watching,” Rarity said, flicking back her mane with a hoof. Spike swiped Applejack’s flask of whiskey from her saddlebag and poured some of it into his glass of soda. “Yep,” he said. “Not to mention Twilight and Starlight.” “Starlight?” Applejack looked over at him. “She’s back in town?” “Mm-hmm,” Spike said. “Good ol’ Starlight.” He hiccuped. “And she’s here to stay. Isn’t that something?” As he threw his hands in the air, his arm knocked over his glass, spilling its contents onto the floor. He burst out laughing. “Okay,” Trixie said with a sigh. “You’re drunk. Come on, time to take you home.” “I’d be happy to take him home,” Cheerilee offered. Trixie shook her head. “No, you stay. It’s your meeting. Besides, the meeting’s almost over anyway and it’s getting late.” “Trixie’s right,” Applejack said with a nod of her head. “We’d all best be gettin’ home.” Rainbow Dash yawned and stretched. “I hear that.” Cheerilee said, “Well, I guess that’s all the work we’re going to get through tonight.” “Hey, don’t let it get you down,” Rainbow Dash said, lightly punching Cheerilee in the side. “We kicked butt tonight. We got a lot done.” “We certainly did,” Rarity said, “but I’m afraid Applejack is right. Some of us have got to get home and get our beauty sleep.” “Well, let’s hop to it, y’all.” As she made her way to the front entrance along with the others, Applejack called over her shoulder, “Sleep tight, Pinkie Pie! Thanks for havin’ us over!” “Not a problem, Applejack,” Pinkie called back from the kitchen. With Spike slung over her back, Trixie entered Twilight’s castle. Walking in the living room, she plopped down on the floor, allowing Spike to slide down her back. She looked over to see Starlight and Twilight seated at couch, both drinking from a couple of wine glasses and reading what appeared to be a romance novel, judging by the saucy cover. Looking closer, Trixie could just make out the title and author: The Quickie by James Trotterton, one of Twilight’s favorite authors. Rolling over onto his stomach and pushing himself up onto his feet, Spike swayed for a moment or two before laying eyes on the two unicorns in front of him. “Hey, h-how’s it going?” Twilight eyed him carefully, paying close attention to his eyes. She gaped and turned her head to look at Trixie. “Has he been drinking?” “Yeah,” Trixie said, nodding. “He’s, uh . . . he’s a mess. I’m going to bed.” “Thanks for making sure he got home safely,” Twilight called as the unicorn walked out of the room. “You’re welcome,” Trixie called back. “Wow, you two are mad at me instead of each other for a change,” Spike spoke up. “That’s a nice change of pace.” “Shut up, Spike,” both Trixie and Twilight barked. “Well, I don’t really know how to feel about this,” Starlight said. “Surprise and disappointment should suffice,” Twilight added. She sighed and shook her head. “I can’t deal with this right now,” she told Spike. “Just . . . go to bed.” “We’ll discuss your punishment in the morning,” Starlight said. Spike turned to walk out the door, only to turn around and say, with a smirk, “Thanks for coming to visit, Starlight.” Twilight let out an annoyed sigh and snapped, “Spike! Bed! Now!” “I’m going, I’m going,” Spike mumbled, walking out of the room. He turned to walk down the hall, then stopped, pressing himself against the wall upon hearing Twilight talking with Starlight. “I’m sorry,” Twilight said. “It’s usually Trixie who he’s mad at. She’s usually the one getting under his skin.” Starlight sighed. “You don’t think he’s still mad at me, do you?” She turned to her former mentor. “Did he ever tell you why?” “Starlight, the two of you were very close when you were here, and then you just up and left without so much as a goodbye. It’s bound to leave some scars.” Sighing, Spike turned and continued to walk down the hallway towards his bedroom.