Number One Assistant

by TexasDragon1995

And Best Friend

There was really no other feeling like it. The way the steam slowly blew out of the shower door. The way the bathroom mirror fogged up to the point where you annoyingly couldn't see yourself yet. The way the bright bathroom lights shone on your glistening body. And just that overall sense of euphoria you would normally get after finishing up a long day.

Well…I’m sure anypony could also get that same experience at the spa here in Ponyville, but I for one believe that getting out of a long, hot steamy shower works wonders just as well. Especially during the winter months.

I carefully stepped out of the shower (definitely not wanting to slip again like last time) and slowly trotted over to my bathroom door to open it and let some air in to clear out the condensation and rid the stuffiness. I turned back to the large wide mirror and used a small washcloth to wipe away any of the fog left over from the steam.

“…”

“Hmm, well hey there good lookin,” I said as I cracked an admittedly cocky grin and gave my eyebrows a quick couple of bounces.

I don’t normally flaunt my looks. At least not in public. But I’ll be darned if I don’t do it on my own accord because for sooo long I have dreamt of breaking out of my little baby body. I still thought it was odd that in dragon culture you call a dragon a baby until they turn the age of 13, while in… pretty much any other culture you’d stop being called that by, at most, three years (Unless you call your special somepony babe, which I also never understood, weird pet name). I remembered Ember telling me that it most likely just had to do with the fact that since dragons live such long lives many of the older dragons simply view back to their time as a whelp as, well... being a baby, considering that it was such a short span of their life. It’s just hard for me to see that right now since I’m still so young, and the fact that I was raised by the ponies as Ember put it. But I digress.

I still remembered how I always used to flex my imaginary muscles all with the hopes of making an everlasting impression on the beautiful and generous Rarity as I thought to myself back then. But as I looked at myself in the mirror before me, I saw both how far I’ve come and how much I’ve stayed the same since those younger years. It's the eyes. It’s mostly in the eyes from what I saw that’s stayed the same.

I gave myself a genuine smile.

Since my mind was already wandering onto my body I began to thoroughly study the changes it’s gone through over the years.

Back when Ember first became the newly crowned dragon lord, Twilight and her began to exchange much information between each other over soo many things regarding our countries and cultures. From major things like history and government, to little things like when’s a proper time to have dinner and what’s the best way to court a mate. Of course, with Twilight being Twilight, she sent her stacks and stacks worth of info while Ember (at best) sent two pages. In a letter that her and I exchanged, she told me about how much of a torture it was to go through over twenty pages worth of info when she simply asked Twilight ‘where’s the hottest area located in Equestria’? I replied ‘you should’ve seen that coming’.

Eventually, the subject of biology came up in one of their letter exchanges.

It was around that time the uncomfortable glances from Twilight began to surface. Now, I already knew about the birds and the bees. Cause you know, when you happen to be the same height as anypony’s flank to where you’re able to catch a glimpse…under there, then you’re bound to ask questions. Of course, this was what she wanted to talk with me about. Except it being the dragon version essentially. Strangely enough, it was nowhere near as awkward as the first time and was actually quite interesting instead. Mostly because of the growth that would soon take place over my body at that time.

By the time I turned 13 my first major growth spurt came in. My limbs started to grow at such a fast rate that by the time I turned 16 I was as tall as Ember when we first met! It happened so fast that it definitely took a bit of time to get used to, more so for Twilight, considering that I was taller than her at that point. However, the most dramatic shift came when I turned 18. A year before that, I began to feel great pain in my shoulders, but I knew what was coming. Around that age, every dragon felt the beginning of becoming a quadruped and the possible final stages of growth set in. I say possible because any growth after that will depend on how greedy a dragon can become. Thankfully, because of the incident with greed I had years ago I really encouraged myself to make sure that it would never happen again.

When I was a baby (and I do mean that in normal pony terms) I remembered how Princess Celestia was like a giant white tower that stood above all. I was able to feel her aura of royalty by just her sheer presence alone.

Now, as I stood at the bathroom mirror before me, I dwarf her size by a monumental centimeter. And I always made sure she knew it every time we met. Of course she would always roll her eyes whenever I do and she has every right to. It was only thanks to the tip of the green spike on my forehead compared to her white horn. Regardless, it truly is an amazing thing being able to feel what it’s like to stand side by side easily by the ruler of the sun.

The two lumps on my sides felt wetter than the rest of my body as I continued to air dry. This being the indicator, I slowly spreaded my wings to let them air dry as my mind continued to ponder.

Speaking of which…

The wings…ohh boy the wings! That was when I finally understood the whole sense of freedom that only flyers could enjoy. Despite how rough all the flying lessons were from both Rainbow Dash and Ember, I knew how necessary they were since a dragon’s wing growth did have much to do with how often you used them. After much extended training from dragon and pegasi, my wings have grown to be bigger than the average dragon of my current rightful age of 22.

I continued to look in the mirror at my facial features and how long, sharper my snout and mouth have gotten. How my ears stood up more and actually looked like real ears instead of ridges on the sides of my head. How the green spines from the tip of my forehead down to the tip of my tail have gotten larger and sharper. How my claws have gotten sharper. How my teeth have gotten sharper and my tail as well (Twilight definitely made the right call with my name).

And now my non-imaginary muscles.

I loved them. Oh how I loved them.

I found myself flexing them again.

And I didn’t even know I was doing it.

My eyes widened a bit as I saw a blush form on my cheeks. After being embarrassed by others when they used to catch me doing it, who would’ve thought I’d embarrass myself now.

“Oookay I need to simmer down on that,” I said as I tried to bring my blush down.

I felt my body still not completely dried off from letting the air do the work.

Time to resort to another measure.

I closed my eyes and focused on the fire in my stomach and the magic in my heart.

I then breathed in and out as I felt the two fuse together when they made their way up my throat.

By the time they reached my mouth, I slowly blew out. Instead of green fire splurging out in front of me like how anypony would see in a normal fire breathing dragon, a green aura I made started making its way in every direction as soon as it left my mouth and began to surround my snout. Then my head. Then my neck and all the way down to the tip of my tail. I concentrated more on the fire and saw water evaporating all over my body as the steam rose off of me.

As the last of it evaporated I concentrated on my fire and magic to stop it and watched the green aura around me disappear.

I looked in the mirror and saw my body now clean and bright as Celestia’s sun.

I gave a small genuine smile.

I figured all that magic training from Celestia would never go to waste.

Okay, to be fair, ever since I’ve learned much about my magic from her there really hasn’t been much of a threat that’s required me to take any action with my magic. What I’d give to go back to my younger years with all that I have now.

What I did have now is magic that has taken root within me ever since the day I was hatched. And I have an amazing lavender alicorn to thank for that.

When I was very young, I was told that the magic that Twilight had instilled within my heart, when she first hatched me, would grow significantly as I aged. Why the heart? For dragons, we’re ready to be hatched when our heart is jumpstarted within. That only happens when our body is fully developed and the egg was warm enough. Despite my egg already having those two things checked off I still wasn't able to hatch. Normally when that happens, no dragon would be able to do anything and have no choice but to let the dragon die inside. Never hatching.

Not with me though.

When Twilight used her magic on my egg she really concentrated on jumpstarting my heart. Because of that, part of her magic had been within my heart ever since. Something I’ve always been grateful for and would not have done in any other way.

It’s rather heartwarming.

And I’m not sorry for having that thought, it’s my mind.

Anyway, by the time I was around 20 years old the magic had grown so much that whenever I tried to do something as simple as sending a letter to Celestia, my green fire would splurge all over and send the letter... along with everything around me to Celestia. It was not fun having to move the cutie map back from Canterlot.

Ever since that incident, Celestia believed that it would be best if I had to get better control of my magic or bigger consequences would follow.

It wasn’t until I got to Canterlot to start training when I realized how truly important it would be for me.

Especially for Twilight.

When I arrived at the castle not only was Celestia there but Shining Armor as well. That was when the hammer got dropped on my head. Dropped a magic bombshell. I got thrown through a loop or however you would say it. Personally, I’d say, 'My next major step in being Twilight’s assistant'.

Celestia began to explain to me how for years she planned on using the growth in my magic and my body for a purpose that I shouldn’t refuse.

Protecting Twilight.

However, since Twilight was an already powerful alicorn, Celestia worded what she said in a way that made much more sense.

'It’s not really you protecting Twilight. It’s you helping her protect herself,' she said.

I remembered having to stifle a giggle but Celestia did that for me. However, Shining didn’t exactly share our laughter considering that it did have to do with having to protect his baby sister. But I swear, I did see a smile.

Since I ended up having to accept their deal I lived in Canterlot for over a year so Celestia and Shining could train me in magic and guarding. Respectively of course. It definitely wasn’t easy, having to leave all my friends behind, including Twilight. It’s not like we didn’t see each other through out that whole time span. We were still able to on a few occasions like holidays, but it still did put a tiny rift between me, them and Twilight as well.

Twilight.

I had to take a deep breath.

“Don’t... think about that again Spike,” I said as I gripped the marble bathroom sink. “It’s over. She's doing far better now.”

I smiled.

Regardless, in the end. Where I stood now. The training in Canterlot was worth it.

I then continued to admire myself in the mirror (in a genuine way this time), I really am proud of the dragon that I’ve now become.

Okay I’ve stood still awkwardly for long enough. I’m sure I’m not the only one that goes into deep thought. I sometimes thought it felt all right to simply reflect on ones life. Help me give clarity. Help me relax. At peace. Zen.

At least that was what Celestia taught me. Never go full philosophical or you’re not just gonna feel like yourself and I wholly agreed with her on that.

I decided to brush my teeth with my brush made of iron bristles (since regular ones became useless as my teeth got sharper) while I made sure my bathroom's spick and span.

Satisfied, I gave another admittedly cocky smile and headed out the bathroom doorway that was connected to my bedroom.

The smaller room that I used to stay in when we first moved into the castle became a bit too uncomfortable for me live in by the time I started walking on all fours. Even though I never said anything, I should have seen the signs that Twilight knew about my predicament. So Twilight, bless her heart, surprised me when I got back from my training with Celestia and Shining by moving all of my things, except my bed, into what is best guest suite in the castle. Of course, I refused at first, but Twilight remained completely headstrong about her decision. She told me how her giving me the room was her way of thanking me for all the help and other things I’ve done for her over all the years we’ve spent together.

I still remembered how she smiled at me when she told me.

It was true, genuine and very sweet.

If only I had known.

Right then and there. I could’ve…

I clenched my eyes shut, slightly shook my head and took a deep breath.

“I really need some kind of distraction,” I said as I noticed the small shadows of falling snowflakes filling up the section of my room that my large window would allow.

I walked over to the window and noticed that all of the lights from the Hearth's Warming decorations were shining bright under the dark and cloudy night sky. The town hall shone the brightest of any other house or building, being in the center of town. It’s that building along with others that caused light to shine through my window. Bringing me a sense of much needed comfort.

That really is the best way that I have always described Ponyville during Hearth's Warming. Comfort. Warmth and comfort.

I started to smile again as I looked down at the ever growing town.

Ever growing it was. Mainly due in part of the amount of recognition it had gotten over the years by being the location of the Elements of Harmony, the Princess of Friendship and ‘all the weird stuff that happens in the town’. Before Twilight and I moved here, at best, the town was known primarily for it being named after ponykind like how the griffons are with Griffonstone. Definitely not the case now.

Ponyville was now seen as the alternative to expensive big city living. Due to the close proximity to Canterlot, I still saw it as no surprise as to how the town continues to grow. It’s not just Ponyville, but because of the alternative, other small towns around Equestria have grown significantly such as Appleoosa.

Thankfully, despite the growth the town has experienced, I’m happy that it still has that same small town spirit to that it always had when we first came here. I’d like to believe that spirit was helped still being retained by yours truly. Even though the town has experienced much growth for a while, there were many ponies from cities that were skeptical of moving here because of the weird stuff that has happened here. Not only that, but at the same time, many of the residents here were worried that because of the many ponies that have been moving in that the ‘small town spirit’ would vanish. As someone who has a seat in the town council, I came up with, what I still think is, a great idea.

Embrace the weirdness.

I came up with the slogan 'Keeping Ponyville Weird'.

Naturally, the ‘elders’ of the counsel weren’t fond of the idea. After all it did embrace the harsh weirdness that the town has gone through and probably wouldn’t want to go through again, understandably. All the while Mayor Mare was on the fence on this. I countered their arguments by harsh truth. After everything the town’s gone through, when the weirdness does happen the residents shake it off as if it’s just another day in Ponyville. Why? Because that’s what Ponyville is. Weird. At this point the whole nation sees the town as weird because they’ve always heard of the things that happen here. And who are we to deny them by denying who we are? Every city and town has character that defines who they are. And they embrace it. So why can’t we?

Even though the campaign only passed by one vote, the effects are still felt to this day. Despite it being less than a year old. Not only has my respect for the town grown immensely, but also so has the respect of everypony including the ‘elders’ had for me. The respect they had for me was always there. But I’m still grateful nonetheless.

I continued to smile down at the warm and comforting town.

Celestia first promised me to have a seat in Ponyville’s city counsel among the ‘elders’ when I would be done training with her and Shining. I had to stifle a small giggle when she said ‘elders’ because even though I knew that any member of the city counsel from any town was called this because that’s how it has always been historically, the idea of a young pony called ‘elder’ made me laugh. I told her this, but she put me down when she called me ‘elder’ Spike.

Regardless. It overwhelmed me with excitement. Especially when she gave me a lenient schedule to still have me be Twilight’s assistant.

Since she always knew that I’d never give that up for anything.

She also knew that not only have I been interested in doing more for Ponyville, but also to help get any of Twilight’s ideas across to do more for the growing town as well.

Her soft spot for this town and the residents had grown so much over the years. How she became such a noble (and I mean real noble) character to everypony. How she worked diligently to make time to help others. How she always had been eager to lend a helping hoof with things like decorations. How she made sure everypony was satisfied with their lives. If not, then how could she help?

No matter what she or others are doing she was always willing. Eager. Happy to give to others even if she got nothing back.

She loves this town. This kingdom. Everypony that lives within and out of the city gates. Her family. Her friends. Me. And she makes sure we all knew it. All the time.

Always.

She gives so much.

So much love.

So much respect.

So much…

Friendship.

“Then…”

“W-why?”

“Why did she have to go through so much?” I said as I noticed a tear fall from my right cheek and onto…

A picture.

One I knew too well.

There. On the windowsill. A picture of many ponies smiling and laughing in the background. With party streamers. A dance floor. A stage. A large half eaten cake. And a banner that says “Happy 30th Birthday Twilight!!!!!”

Below that banner…

Was Twilight. Laughing hard. With her eyes closed.

She was standing up on her two back legs to reach up and wrap her two forelegs around my neck and her left cheek against my right. I was standing there on all fours looking at Twilight, laughing with her, as both my right arm and wing easily wrapped around her to the point where I was helping her stand up.

We both just got done dancing together to a really upbeat jazz song. Twilight and I were all over the place on the dance floor. Twisting, twirling and bobbing our heads constantly. It got to the point where everypony else stopped just to watch us.

In other words, we both looked ridiculous. Despite that, since her and I were both in our own little world having so much fun, everypony couldn’t help but laugh and smile with us.

She was so happy that night.

I smiled as I picked up the picture in my claws.

I wiped off the tearstain that fell on Twilight’s face with my thumb.

She’s truly grown into such a strong... beautiful mare.

I sniffled as I put the picture back down.

A huge yawn reigned over me. The kind that would give foals nightmares, with all my sharp teeth up for display for all to see.

I used my long forked tongue to dry my lips, but I now realized how parched I was. I looked at the clock and saw that it was 9:23 P.M. That surprised me. Usually I wouldn’t feel so tired as I did now until at least 10:00.

I sighed.

“I guess all that thinking really did a number on me already,” I said to me.

I headed out of my bedroom door to get a glass water from the kitchen.

With a glass in my claw I gave our large Hearth's Warming tree in the foyer one last look. It truly was beautiful. Years ago Twilight got the idea of having everypony in town come hang in ornament from all their homes. It really gave the tree a very diverse appeal. A sense of unity that I’ve grown to appreciate over the years.

I smiled at it before I turned around to head to my room.

I took another sip of my drink as I glanced up at the garlands and ribbons that were put above every door. As well as the mistletoe’s. Again, above every door.

“Pinkie you’ve really out done yourself. Now nopony will be safe,” I said stifling a giggle. I took another sip.

Then again it’s Pinkie I'm talking about.

“I wonder what she’s gonna do next ye…”

The lights to Twilight's room were still on.

It had to be around 9:30 by now so it’s not that surprising that she'd still be up. She doesn’t go to bed until usually 11:00P.M. Better than 1:00A.M. like how it used to be for years.

Yet, despite knowing that. I felt my heart jump a little when I saw her lights.

I was so tempted to go knock and tell her goodnight once again and ask her if she’s doing all right. But I needed to remember that we’ve both been very busy today. Her and I were both already pretty tired by the time we got in at around 7:00P.M. after finishing up the preparations for the annual Hearth's Warming parade. She was probably about to go to sleep and was only finishing up a book. I really didn’t want to disturb her then.

And… after somewhat reminiscing about her before in my room, she’d clearly see how nervous I’d be just to talk to her, which would make her nervous and that’s the last thing I wanted for her.

With that decided I turn to head back…

I heard a rough sniffle and a quick draw of breath. From her room.

My heart started to quicken.

My eyes widened.

Unease crept into my mind. It started going a million miles an hour. Part of me wanted to run in her room to comfort her. A part of me thought it was not good enough and to go get her friends again now. I wanted to do so many different things all at one time.

But I knew none of it would work. At least if I’m acting like the way I am.

Instead, I entered my room, I shut the door and took another sip of water. I placed the glass on my nightstand and started to take deep breaths.

The first step was to calm my mind.

Next step was to get comfortable. I lied down on my large bed with my wings splayed out to relax myself. Pretty ironic how a giant king sized mattress is the same size that Princess Celestia sleeps in.

I giggled at my own joke. I knew it was stupid but I already felt myself start to really relax.

My breathing had slowed down and I began to feel very comfortable now.

Celestia’s method of having a clear mind was working amazingly. But it wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

I then had to think about what was making me feel this way in order to address it in the best way I could.

I knew what it was.

Twilight.

And everything she went through.

I knew that she’s doing far better now but…

Maybe that sniffle could have been something else. Maybe it…

“No. I need to get my mind straight before I could move ahead,” I said as I was still lying comfortably.

Next step, analyze or reanalyze why I felt the way I was and start from the very beginning. No matter how painful it’ll be. With another deep breath I delved into my thoughts.

Ever since she became princess, her accomplishments had easily been recognized by not just Equestria, but the whole world. Since her ascension over ten years ago, there had been more treaties helped made by her between two countries during that course of time than treaties made by Celestia in the span of 500 years. Because of these treaties, not only had over 37 wars been prevented, but trade among nations had increased exponentially. There were more goods and trades being made now than ever before. Along with that and the lack of war between nations, our world is more economically strong and peaceful than it had ever been in our world’s history.

I knew because I’ve sat with Twilight through it all.

The respect she had gain from world leaders have been helped due to her success in saving her own country multiple times and help in reforming previous baddies all along with her friends.

It was not just political but (especially) social as well. On her own time she had always made it a must to spread her wisdom of friendship across the world by making many trips and many speeches worldwide. I already thought about what it did on that scale, but it affected Equestria as well of course. Any little crime that existed before Twilight had shrunk dramatically to near nonexistent. Bullying in schools is considered so taboo that it usually left the bully almost socially ostracized as way of punishment until they changed. Along with the help of Princess Cadance, divorces in the country decreased from 50% to just 17% and marriages skyrocketed over 75%.

So.

To even just say that Twilight had contributed more to the world than a single pony would in several lifetimes, would be the understatement of the century.

The best part of it all was that she didn’t do it to gain power, to gain trust, to gain money, or even to gain respect. She didn’t do it to gain anything.

No. The best part was that she did it because it’s the right thing to do.

She did it because she wanted to love and care for as many as she possibly could.

Anypony would think that, despite her not wanting anything, Twilight’s rewards for all her effort would be immense. Endless even.

Where at the end of the day she would go to sleep in peace because of everything she’s done. Her mind would be stimulated. Her body, rejuvenated. Her heart…

Satisfied.

Anypony would think that.

But that wasn’t the case.

I clenched my teeth in anger.

My claws tightened to fists.

My eyes closed shut to prevent any tears from falling out.

I immediately started to slow my breathing. I knew that going into Twilight’s room with an uneasy mind would end badly. So I knew to keep going. I had to.

As I started to get my breathing in control I had to finish my thought process. Celestia’s way to a clear mind.

Even if it meant going through the worst of it.

I took a deep breath and continued.

Twilight went through mental depression.

And it lasted for several months.

And I had to see her go through it all.

A tear escaped my right eye. I used my claw to wipe off its trail as I steadied my breathing before I continued.

I shouldn’t be so selfish. Twilight’s friends, her family and the princesses had to see her go through it as well. And like me, it broke all our hearts.

When? Where? How did this happen?

It began in the most unlikely of ways nopony could have even fathomed.

Fluttershy.

I don’t mean it in any accusing way. In fact, that’s not how it really began. I guess the best way to say it is that her announcement was the snowball that started the avalanche six years ago when I was 16.

Her announcement? She got a coltfirend.

Me, Twilight and all her friends attended a picnic on our usual spot east of Ponyville in the grassy field when this happened. Of course, it came as a great shock to all of us. Except for Rarity who apparently talked with Fluttershy for advice on relationships.

The stallion was Thunderlane. Fluttershy explained how it began innocently enough. One day he came by to her cottage with his brother’s golden retriever who broke his left paw. Thunderlane even stayed to help however he could to make her job easier. After finishing, he thanked her and they parted ways... until he came back the next day to thank her again. He admitted to having much time to kill with only being a Wonderbolt reserve and his weather job taking only a few hours to finish. So he thought perhaps he could make better use of his time by helping out Fluttershy. Even though she was reluctant at first she had greater incentive when he said he'd do it for free. What took root as friendship eventually blossomed into a loving relationship over the span of just two months. Fluttershy never said anything to anypony because, naturally, of how nervous she was. She finally confessed about her relationship to Rarity who embraced it and told her to go for it if he ever asked her because she understood that Fluttershy wouldn't. Sure enough, Thunderlane asked her out and asked her then to be his special somepony. And the rest is history.

We were all so happy for Fluttershy in her new relationship. Even Twilight, who was just as excited for her. Soon Thunderlane became a regular sight when having to do with Fluttershy and we all got to know him greatly. It was great for all of us.

Years later, Twilight told me that she truly was happy for Fluttershy, but it did at least get her thinking about romance in general.

It was during the time after Fluttershy's announcement that Twilight started thinking about how friendship connected with love.

I wouldn’t say this was the first sign of depression because she really did study hard on the subject.

But it did get her thinking about it.

About half a year later, a new stallion named Caretaker moved to Ponyville. The best way to describe him would be the male counterpart of Fluttershy. Except he’s great with foals instead of animals. In short, a clear contrast to Pinkie Pie. He got jobs by foalsitting for many ponies around the town, but because of the Cakes taking care of their business a lot, Caretaker was over at Sugarcube Corner a lot more than most. Eventually, the more he came over, the less the Cakes needed Pinkie Pie. This gradually began to upset Pinkie quite a bit, fearing that she was being replaced as the Cake twins' aunt. One day, after months of holding it in, it boiled over and she blew up in Caretaker’s face. Like Fluttershy, he did not respond well to yelling. Pinkie immediately felt so horrible. As a way to make it up to him, she threw a small, quiet party for him where it was just him and her. Nopony else. She said small party, but everypony else (including me) still say that it was more or less a date. After tearfully apologizing to him, he then forgave her with a surprisingly huge hug and the two became friends. At Caretaker's suggestion, they started working together taking care of the Cake twins quite a bit and as the twins grew, so did Pinkie and Caretaker’s hearts for each other. They both announced their love together to all of us a year later.

Of course, we were all so happy for them and Twilight as well.

However, this was when things started to get more personal for Twilight. When she was studying the connections between friendship and love, she read primarily psychology books and the ideas themselves. After Pinkies newfound relationship, I noticed Twilight being more interested in romance novels. Before, she would only once in a blue moon read the occasional fun or saucy romance for, well, fun. And it was always with a small smile or smirk when she read. However, it started to get to be almost every weekend and I was able to tell that she was really concentrating on them. Enveloping herself in them. I did ask her about it once but she told me that it was part of the research since so many other ponies read the same books and she wanted to be in their heads to better understand how they think. Naturally, I believed her. Turning a blind eye.

I took another drink of water and another deep breath.

About a year after Pinkies new relationship, Rainbow Dash faced hardship. For several years, she had a crush on Soarin, but the one thing she could never braveheart against was to ask him out. Soarin went to her one day and asked if she knew anypony that could make a killer pie for that upcoming Hearth's Warming to take to his family. Dash did the right thing and told him about Applejack. Later that night, Dash went to Applejack’s home to see if Soarin was there so she could finally ask him out. However, she found the two get along together as if they were old friends and talked about their own families. That really hurt Dash because she believed her and Soarin were never like that. So she turned away. Overtime, she saw Soarin quite a bit at Sweet Apple Acres whenever she flew around, adding to her frustration. Several months later, AJ and Soarin announced to everypony about them being together. Everypony showed their excitement, including Twilight, but Dash only gave a small smile. She excused herself. Dash eventually told me and the others years later that she flew out of the farm in tears and sat at a small lake. Big Mac came by from seeing where she flew and sat with her. Dash still angry, yelled at him for trying to console her and tried to fly away only to be grabbed by him. She tried so hard to fly off at first, but she then caved in and broke down in front of him who was holding her against his chest. She explained everything to Big Mac who did nothing but listen the whole time. She then felt better enough to go back with her friends and thanked him for listening. To which he gave her his signature 'eeyup'. That became Dash and Mac’s relationship. She would talk to him and he would listen, only talking when necessary. This somewhat quiet relationship eventually blossomed into love just as well. The two came out to everypony a year later. AJ and Soarin were happy. Her friends and family were happy. Even Twilight as well.

At the time, when I was 19, Twilight confessed that she was going to avoid Dash’s mistake and try on occasion to ask a stallion out, but only as friends. This led to her making several stallion friends over the coming months. However, when she believed it was time to ask for anything a little more than friendship, in nearly every occasion, the stallion would be either too, nervous, overwhelmed, intimidated or scared with the idea.

All because she’s a princess.

By the time Twilight was asking these stallions, she had already grown an image of being a high class and important figure that works far more than have time for pleasure. While all of her hard work was very appreciated it came off as just that, work. Meaning, having not much time for leisure. Cadance was an exception because Shining and her had their relationship begin at a younger age and she didn’t have as much responsibility then. Twilight was in the prime of her work and came off as not having as much leisure time. We all knew wasn’t the case, but that didn't matter. It was how everypony else saw it.

Despite the polite rejections, it didn’t deter Twilight. She kept at it in the coming months and I was there to support her all the way.

About half a year, after Dash’s announcement, Rarity and Pinkie went to go handle a friendship problem in a mining town called Rockwell. They had to handle a big brother and little sister dispute. It ended beautifully with them embracing. While there, Rarity encountered a very large, very gruff, very dirty stallion named Quartz. To say they didn’t get along would be a massive understatement according to Pinkie. Whenever they encountered, basically, he would flirt about her beauty in a very playful tone and she would ostracize him for being uncouth (while blushing). They left on not so good terms as Rarity and Pinkie had to head back to Ponyville. However, (a big however) just a few weeks later, Maud Pie found a whole undiscovered section of tunnel beneath Ponyville that could be explored and mined, but she needed help with it. She let it be known through help wanted signs and mail. Who answered the call? Of all ponies? Quartz. I heard that his first encounter with Rarity when they bumped into each other in Ponyville went something like, Quartz playfully flirting with her as if it was his first time meeting her again, while she only stared back at him in disbelief that he was actually here with her mouth agape (while blushing). What I would’ve given to see that. This playful banter went on for about another three to four months or so. Suddenly one day, Quartz trotted up to Rarity while we were all having a big picnic when he said he wanted show Rarity something in a serious, but inviting tone, which shocked all of us. Rarity reluctantly agreed and went. They went into the mines and he showed Rarity a secret tunnel that he discovered filled with the most beautiful display of rubies, sapphire and quartz all in one chasm. While Rarity was mesmerized, Quartz apologized for having teased her so much. He admitted that she reminded him very much of his little sister that he used to have, in the same way he used to tease her, but she died several years ago in a mining accident. When Rarity heard the first tear drop from him she instinctually embraced him, despite how dirty he was. Thus a friendship was born. And with that friendship blossomed into a loving relationship.

When that happened. I admit that I felt uneasy about it.

Several years before their announcement, I simply let Rarity know about my feelings toward her while not wanting to pursue a relationship. Being mature about it as best I could. She of course knew about my feelings and, to my surprise, she tearfully apologized to me for leading me on about there being something more between us and playing with my feelings. By the end, I was the one comforting her. When it was all said and done we both became very loving and caring friends to one another. Like always.

That’s why I was a bit hesitant of Quartz when I first met him after hearing the way he flirted with her. But, after getting to know him more I quickly saw that he really meant well and clearly had Rarity's best interest at heart.

Regardless. Within another half year, the two announced their courtship and everypony jumped for joy for them. Including me.

Twilight only gave a small smile.

But it was still genuine.

Twilight still seemed fine after the announcement. She continued to befriend any stallion that was willing to at that point and still visited her friends often as she could when she wasn’t working.

For a while everything seemed just fine.

Until the day Rarity came to me distressed.

About another year later when I was 20, Rarity came to me and asked me how Twilight has been holding up. I told her I had no idea what she was talking about and Twilight seemed fine as usual. That’s when I knew Rarity told me something I shouldn't've known about. I eventually convinced her to tell me what was happening and she said that Twilight was beginning to become desperate over finding a coltfriend. I asked how desperate. She said she came to her one day almost on the verge of tears.

That did it for me.

Despite Rarity’s objections I went straight to Twilight and confronted her about this. Initially, she was mad that Rarity told me, but I told her not to change the subject. Twilight admitted that she was having a little trouble with finding a stallion, but she would remain headstrong about it and not give up on finding one no matter what. She wouldn’t say anything more on the issue. Feeling that the cat was out of the bag already, Rarity said that Twilight was thinking about asking nobles now.

I did a double take and nearly fell over when she said that. I practically yelled saying it would be a cold day in Tartarus before I have Twilight crawling to nobles for a relationship. I saw what Rarity meant by desperate. Despite knowing this, Twilight rest assured that it’s the last thing she would do, but she was running out of options. She then requested that I not intervene in anymore unless asked to. She didn’t budge any more than that.

Usually, I would never try to disobey her because of how important she is to me, but I still saw it as what Rarity said before. ‘An act of desperation’. I knew had to do something for her. I just wasn't sure what.

But. As cruel as fate was, I wasn’t given enough time to think about it. Only a month later, I accidentally teleported the Cutie map to Canterlot I had to go retrieve it. While I was there, I was urged by Celestia to get control of my magic and she was willing to teach me. I told her that it wasn’t a good time. She then asked why.

I paused and took another sip of my water. This part was painful for me because I only have myself to blame for this. All the blame. It’s something I regret doing even to this day. And it ached my heart to no end. I took a huge deep breath before I continued.

I didn’t tell Celestia about Twilight’s problem. She already knew about Twilight’s search for a coltfriend, but she didn’t know how desperate her search had gotten. And I had the chance to tell her.

But I didn’t.

It could’ve been one of many different reasons. Maybe a part of me was saying that since Twilight had persevered through so much there would be no reason to see her do it again. Maybe because a part of me said that I was making a mountain out of a molehill about this. Maybe it was just a faze for her.

Here’s what I believe it really was. Twilight has done so much for me my entire life. Along with Celestia, her servants and Twilight’s parents, Twilight helped raise me. At best I saw her as a big sister, but that was only when I was really young and barely remember much. I quickly deduced that we were clearly not related in any way. So at the end of everyday she was my best friend. That’s what I always saw her as my whole life in my mind. My best friend. She was my best friend in every way. And like with every best friend, you make sure they’re taken care of. That’s what she’s always done for me. I was always so infatuated by how she met my needs that I began to see her for who she is. A very strong, diligent, smart and determined pony that I’ve grown up with. I knew she had her moments of weaknesses but she would always brush past them like nothing. So the mere idea of thinking about Twilight being in such a lowly state would not only break my heart, but also might have been for nothing because of how strong she’s always been. I knew I had to stay calm and just believe in her. She would get through it.

It’s what I still consider today to be the worst thing that I’ve ever done.

I was beyond selfish.

I told Celestia it was nothing, and I still rejected her offer and went back to Ponyville.

After putting the Cutie map in its place with the help of Twilight, I told her what Celestia offered me and rejected it. Twilight was shocked to say the least that I would reject such an offer. I told her that I’d be gone for over a year, but she wouldn’t have it and all but ordered me to go for the sake of me. I, of course, asked what about her and how she would hold up. With a determined expression, that I’ve always known her for, she said that she’d be just fine. It only further made me believe that it was okay not telling Celestia of Twilight’s problem. So I packed all of my essentials, said goodbye to everypony and left for Canterlot.

If I had known what was going to happen two months later... I never would have left at all.

Two months after I left, one day Sunburst came to visit Ponyville to see Starlight.

The two have gotten very close again over the years. Even though they didn’t have much in common, they helped rectify that by making more time for each other so they’d be able to try new things together. Because of this, Starlight had actually contemplated on moving to the Crystal Empire with Sunburst for a while. However, she had been really connected to Ponyville for years and never found it in her heart to leave Twilight. Especially considering that she’s the reason her life had turned around for the better and reconnected with Sunburst in the first place.

That all changed when Starlight and Sunburst had a tearful exchange about their futures and the friendship they have shared over the years.

That’s all I knew about their conversation. It was too personal for them to ever talk with anypony about.

In the end though, they both confessed a deep seeded love that they have had for one another for the longest time, believing that they have always meant to be together.

Not only was it that Starlight now wanted to move to the Crystal Empire, but also they wanted to get married as soon as possible.

Despite being so ecstatic, Starlight knew of Twilight’s predicament at the time and believed that it would be the worst possible time to move. So she and Sunburst went and told her everything. They knew that she would be shocked as they told her, so Starlight quickly added that she wouldn’t go anywhere unless Twilight is comfortable with it. Twilight, who kept a calm demeanor, told them both that there was no need to sacrifice their happiness for hers and that it wouldn’t be right to keep a friend from their dreams. Believing that Twilight truly was okay with it, Starlight and Sunburst announced to everypony about their marriage.

I received the news from Shining as I was training with Celestia. Of course, we were all shocked by their engagement, but we were still very ecstatic when he also told us that the wedding would be within a month, in the Crystal Empire and that Cadance would be officiating it. It was all so sudden, but it couldn’t have been more exciting. Then he said that Starlight would be moving to the empire with Sunburst.

That made my heart stop. I immediately asked if Twilight was okay with all this, but he said that she couldn’t be happier for the two and was excited for the wedding as well. Again, I took this as a sign that Twilight was persevering well and staying strong. Plus I couldn’t be happier to see her and all my friends again.

So a month later we all went to the empire for the wedding, which was a true spectacle in itself. Everypony was there. From the most common ponies to royal ponies. The wedding itself was magnificent. However, with all respect to Starlight and Sunburst, I was there for something more important.

I spotted Twilight with her friends at a table who were all talking and laughing about a friendship mission that Dash and AJ had to take. Twilight just sat and smiled.

A smile that felt…off.

We met eye to eye and I asked if there was anything wrong and that she’d like to talk about. She told me that she was exhausted from helping Starlight move along with help planning for the wedding. Like an idiot I believed her and stuck with her excuse that she was tired.

Even though I went and mingled with others I was always close enough to see Twilight. Throughout the rest of the wedding, with the exception of her speech for her former student, Twilight was mostly quiet. As we neared the end of the reception, I asked her if she wants me back at the castle and I would never hesitate to do so. She responded with how it was great for me to learn about magic and that our letters were more than enough to talk. Even though it took longer for her to respond since she didn’t have me.

Eventually, the wedding was over and we all said the last of our good byes. As we did, Twilight reassured me to take as long a time as I needed to learn and train in magic. Again…like a fool…I…

I took another sip of my water, which was almost gone and took another deep breath. But I had to finish.

For over ten months I was still training in magic and being a guard all the while exchanging letters with Twilight.

Ever since the wedding, Twilight’s letters were starting to come in less and less. I noticed this, but Celestia told me she was busy with helping make a trade pact between the Griffon Kingdom and the Hippogriffs. That would make sense, sometimes trade pacts can be harder to make than treaties. In the last two months of training Twilight hasn’t responded to any of my letters. In the last week of training (I didn’t know it would be last) I confronted Celestia again about this and even she was really surprised by this. She then decided to finish up my training quickly in that same week so I could finally head home. I flew as fast as I could.

When I got to the castle, I went inside and found Twilight reading in the library, which was a complete mess. Herself as well. Her mane was disheveled, the feathers in her wings were disjointed and there were bags in her eyes. I noticed she barely smiled, but it was still genuine when she saw me. Before I could ask what had happened when she didn’t exchange letters, Twilight got up and gave me the surprise of giving me the room that I have now. Telling me about how she knew I was too big for my old room and it being a present for all the work I’ve done for her. I almost teared up right there as she still managed to give me a weak smile.

That was the last I’d see of her smile for a while.

Pinkie suddenly came in and hugged me and said that she and everypony knew I was coming back that day because of a letter from Celestia. So she invited Twilight and I to our usual picnic spot. I was reluctant but I really wanted to see all my friends again so I accepted. But Twilight kept saying she was busy and didn't have time. I had to practically beg her to come outside with all of us and explained how I wasn't going anywhere at all unless she did. She agreed with a frown.

At that point I really started to worry for her as the strong and determined persona that I’ve built her up to be started to crumble before me.

We got to the spot where my friends were all waiting including their coltfriends, which Twilight gave pause to, but then sat with me. They all wanted to know about the things that I learned in Canterlot and how my body got extra buff. I told them about the many ways Celestia taught me and while there Shining helped me build up a better body and taught me how to stay healthy. I even showed them a few spells to their satisfaction. Twilight wasn’t paying much attention.

Until I asked them all about anything I missed.

As they talked more about the things that they’ve done together with their coltfriends…the more Twilight’s eyebrows started to furrow.

When Pinkie explained how her and Caretaker tried to get a handle on the Cake twins one evening…

Twilight got up…and started to trot away.

We all turned our heads toward her then Pinkie stepped up…

I took a deep breath.

Pinkie stepped up and asked her if she wanted to at least hear the rest of the story.

I took another long, deep breath.

Twilight.

Snapped.

I’ll never forget her words. All of us will never forget her words.

There are bad words in Equestria. But even then. Only the worst of criminals and the hardiest of Royal guard veterans rarely use them. It’s considered so taboo that cussing is almost equivalent to admitting you committed a murder.

And after so much anger, frustration, sadness, jealousy and envy being built up for such a long time, Twilight didn’t hold back.

“Pinkie…I don’t give a flying FUCK about you and your FUCKING relationship! Or any of your FUCKING relationships! That is ALL you guys ever FUCKING talk about! While I sit ALONE in my FUCKING castle do you guys honestly believe that while I’m there I wonder how the FUCK all of your FUCKING relationships are going?! HUH!?! Why do you all think I don’t want to be anywhere FUCKING NEAR you guys!?! It FUCKING hurts! Until you all drop your FUCKING COLTFRIENDS you can all BURN IN TARTARUS FOR ALL I CARE!!!

Twilight then teleported away.

I wiped away a couple of tears from my eyes as I took another deep breath.

When Twilight disappeared…none of us said anything because we just couldn’t. We were beyond able to speak. Instead, we cried in silence. Dash tried to be angry and a couple of the coltfriends as well, but it hurt too much.

I cried…because I finally realized how hurt she really was.

I was the first to recover. I asked them if anything bad had happened while I was gone and if they saw any sign of what just happened at all. They only said that Twilight had been way too busy for leisure because of extra work given by Celestia. Just like the best friends that they were, they trusted her. The only time she ever came out was for either buying things or the occasional birthday, but she rarely talked to them.

All of them wanted to give her space after what she said to all of us, but I deduced that she needed all of us more than ever.

She couldn’t be alone anymore.

After a bit of persuasion, we all went over to the castle to see her, but had already locked herself in her room. Anytime we tried to enter she would only yell with harsh insults and asked to be left alone.

We contacted everypony we could about the situation. Especially the princesses.

When Starlight first caught wind of this she immediately put blame on herself for all of this and felt horrible for leaving her alone, but me and the rest had to reassure her constantly that it wasn’t the case. Thankfully in the end, she and Sunburst decided they were going to stay as long as it took for Twilight to feel better.

After nearly a day of studying, Celestia and her doctors concluded that it was the early stages of depression. She was angry, which meant she was on the defensive so whenever we pushed, she would push back. So the best possible thing to do was wait until she won’t push.

This lasted for over a month.

Twilight’s friends and I slept in the castle to stay close to Twilight and make sure she needed anything. The only thing we said to Twilight was that we had food ready for her, which she responded by teleporting the food into her room and teleported the dishes out when she was done. All without saying a word.

In short, it was the longest, worst month of my life.

One day, she actually came out of her room, but she clearly didn’t expect all of us to be here waiting for her. So she went back in and didn’t even object when we went in with her. That was it though. No matter how much we tried to talk to her she didn’t say anything and wouldn’t for the next two months or so after.

By the next month after, Celestia took it upon herself to help when we all told her that Twilight wasn’t getting any better. Considering that we told her we could handle it on our own from the beginning. Celestia came the next day and went into her room alone. Months later I found out from Twilight that Celestia told her a story that only she, Luna and Cadance knew about and that she would like for it to remain a secret. The only thing I know is that what happened to Celestia, happened a very long time ago and explains why she isn’t and will never marry. Even though it was hard to listen to, it gave Twilight the tiniest flicker of hope for herself. I’m still grateful toward Celestia to this day for doing what she did.

Later, in the middle of that night, I decided to go into Twilight’s room and saw her sleeping. I held her hoof with my claw just to have some kind of contact with her. So badly, I wanted her to feel better because at that point I was so desperate. When I looked around the room to see its condition...I felt her hoof squeeze my claw. I looked back at her and both of her eyes were cracked open. In very raspy, fragile voice she said, ‘Happy Birthday Spike’. I noticed it was past midnight when I looked at the clock. I had completely forgotten that it was going to be my birthday that day when I was to turn 22. I teared up because of her remembering despite how badly her condition was. When I did, she began to as well. We embraced in each others arms. When the tears from our eyes weakened she then asked me to cuddle with her in bed. And that’s exactly what we did. For the first time in my life...

I was the one holding her.

The very next morning I heard Twilight crying in my chest as she kept muttering something. I got her to speak up and she kept saying, ‘I’m sorry’ to me over and over and over again. I continued to hold her as she wept in my arms. To which I kept replying with, ‘I forgive you’.

For hours we still cuddled, until I asked Twilight if she wanted to see her friends at all. But she admitted to me that one of the main reasons she stayed in her room for as long as she did was because she was absolutely terrified of her friends, if she was even allowed to call them that, after what she said to them all, she told me. But I reassured her that more than anything, they all wanted to see if she’s okay, that they just wanted to see her. She started tearing up as she told me to bring them all in.

I brought them all in and they were all so quiet at first. Twilight took a deep breath and said, ‘Girls…I…I…’ A flow of tears sprung up from her eyes and barely finished. Her friends immediately took action and surrounded her with hugs as they were all on her bed. Through her crying, Twilight couldn’t stop apologizing. She did so, while even thoroughly explaining what it was for again and again. All the while, I watched with much happiness. As her friends kept telling her that they already forgave her. For the first time in a long time

I saw Twilight give a small, genuine smile.

After an hour of apologies and hugging, Twilight asked if she could apologize to their coltfriends as well. They all left and returned with them. She gave a long explanation for what it was that she did and how beyond wrong it was, why she acted the way she did and how she couldn’t possibly ask for better coltfriends for her own best friends to always look after them. They all happily forgave her for.

For the next month after, she slowly started to get better, but wasn’t out of the woods. The idea of never finding a coltfriend still saddened her, but Celestia’s story before was the only reason to just barely get out of bed. Twilight for the most part was still very quiet, only talking when necessary, but was always trying. Her friends always made it a point to see her at least once everyday to see how she was and if there was anything that they could do for her, which she greatly appreciated.

It was during that month that she surprised everypony when she, along with the help of Pinkie, threw a huge party for everypony in Ponyville at her castle. It was all a way for her to both thank them for all the great years in the town and apologize to them for not being involved in anything as of late. She also urged her own family and the other princesses to come as well so she could apologize to them too for her lack of work and communication with them. Already knowing the reason why, they were all quick to forgive her as well. All the while, I was there and watched it all happen. The party was the happiest I’ve been in a long time, because Twilight was happy.

Overall, that party was absolutely amazing for everypony, especially Twilight.

Her smile was there and genuine the whole time.

For another few weeks, Twilight was finally starting to get back into her routine. However, she needed much help to get back on track. That was when I did everything I could to help her. Perhaps too much. I reminded her of every step she would normally take to make sure everything was perfect for the day. From the paperwork to the paperweights. From pens to pencils. Books to booklets. Breakfast to dinner.

Clean air to dirty air.

I thought of everything. However, Twilight eventually confronted me about all that and told me how much she greatly appreciated me and everything I’d been doing for her, especially during the hard times. But, she wasn’t a foal and she’d ask me when she needed something. This disheartened me greatly at the time, because I always felt like no matter what I did for her it was never enough. So when she asked me to do this, it only felt like she was putting a huge restraint on my heart.

About a week later, Celestia came to visit Twilight to see how she was doing since the party. Everything, of course, was going well and had been making much progress since.

I managed to pull Celestia aside and told her of the restrictions Twilight had put on me. I also told her how even before Twilight’s depression I wasn’t satisfied and wondered what I should do. Celestia immediately read me like an open book. She assumed that I wished I could’ve done more to prevent Twilight’s depression. I gave her a stunned nod. She then said that all the extra help I’ve been giving her had been fruitless and would remain that way until I got down to the main issue.

Confronting Twilight about how I felt and to do it soon or it would only get worse.

It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. Having to confess to your own best friend that you were essentially responsible for her depression. Nopony would ever want to be in my position. Regardless. I confronted Twilight later that night about it.

I went into her room and confessed everything to her. How I believed that I could have done more to stop her depression. How I should have seen the signs earlier. How I should have been there for her despite her objections. How I should have told Celestia when I should have in the first place then maybe…

It was at that point Twilight stopped me with her magic on my mouth. She slowly and calmly explained to me that it was not my fault for what’s happened to her and that even if I did tell Celestia or saw the signs earlier, she still would've rejected the notion that something was wrong with her and would’ve kept saying that she was fine. Her depression was all her own fault and how she should have told everypony about it from the very beginning. Any argument I tried to make she just kept repeating to me that it was never my fault and should stop blaming myself.

I eventually began to break down in tears, but at that point it wasn’t out of guilt. It was simply me thinking about everything that Twilight went through and the fact that it actually happened. How she secluded herself in her room. How she chastised everypony or not say a thing. How I saw her in her lowest state.

...How she would never smile.

When I cried, she then held my head against her chest, just like how she used to when we were younger, despite me being much bigger. As she did, I told her of my beliefs of how I always saw her as a strong and determined mare. No matter what she did and would always be able to persevere through anything. She then told me that at the end of the day she’s only a pony and is not as strong as she believes I thought she was. Despite that, I told her that I still believed she is the strongest pony I know and that her beating her depression further proved that. And that without a doubt I would always have full confidence in her. So even if her depression ever did come back I knew she’d overcome it.

I remember looking up at her and her looking down at me. She said that as long as she always had all of her friends, her family, and me as well, then she’d believe every word I just said.

We embraced each other and cuddled together that night in her bed just like when we were younger.

Ever since that night, for the first time in what seemed like far too long...

everything felt normal again.

Just like how it used to. How it had always been for years. Twilight, even though she still wanted a coltfriend, was very content and happy with her life along side her friends, her family, the princesses and me too.

Everypony felt at peace.

As I currently lied on my bed though...

there was something that’s been on the back of my mind for a while.

The experience with Twilight’s depression was one that none of us, especially her or me, would ever want to go through again. It put such great strain on Twilight and everypony else around her. With everypony trying to do so much for her but only getting so little back.

However, there was one blessing that I personally believe came out of that horrible mess.

Twilight and I have gotten much closer intimately.

When we were much younger, we always used to hug, cuddle, kiss (on cheek and forehead) each other all the time. We stuck very close to one another no matter where we went. If anypony simply looked at us they would immediately tell that we were very close friends. And nothing would ever change that.

As we both grew older though, those moments of intimacy slowly began to fade. By the time we moved to Ponyville it started to lessen significantly. We still hugged and did have a moment of intimacy every once in a while. But by the time I started to grow a lot when I turned 13. Hugs became a rare thing.

And soon none at all.

The thing though is that…I never noticed it at all. It slowly went away just as fast as we both grew.

I never noticed this…

Until she asked me on the midnight of my birthday to cuddle with her.

As we did that night, the only thing I thought about was trying to comfort her as best as I could. But on the back of my mind I felt like what we were doing was like…finding the last piece of a puzzle. We fit perfectly in place. Like I found something that I didn’t even know I lost in the first place.

It just felt right.

Ever since that night, not a single day would go by without giving each other at least a hug. We shared many moments of intimacy since Twilight barely left her bed. Sometimes she simply needed a shoulder to cry on and I would always be there to comfort her. Since my wings have grown bigger than her body I would easily envelope her within them as we wrapped our arms around each other and cuddle for hours. As she started to get better in the coming months, she would sometimes lay or sit on the couch in front of the fireplace in her room while reading a book. When she did this she always wanted me to sit behind her so I could wrap my arms around her while she read and sat up with her head against my chest. I pretty much became her chair. I would even put intimacy into my own claws. Sometimes when we sat together or walked together I’d simply wrap my wing around her and she’d respond by laying her head against my shoulder. She would sometimes even reach up and give me a kiss on the cheek when I did that. Other times for no reason at all. I’d always respond by kissing her back on both the cheek and the forehead.

There’s...heh...even an inside joke I do with her where I use my claw to lift up the bangs of her mane and expose her forehead, but the thing is that from my angle it looks like she’s bald and I'd call her out on it.

I giggled at that again.

Even after Twilight started to feel just like her old self again when her depression was gone, we still shared the same moments of intimacy and I’d comfort her as if her depression never went away. It went on like that for many months throughout almost all of this past year.

But after her 30th birthday three months ago…

It stopped.

I was never able to figure out why.

I mean, she had such an amazing time. Everypony did. There was no birthday for her last year because of what she was going through, so that made it all the more grand this year when her family, the princesses and everypony in Ponyville were invited. It was one of Pinkie’s greatest masterpieces, the sheer spectacle of it all. Everypony thought Rainbow Dash’s 21st birthday was crazy? Regardless. It was an awesome experience.

No. It definitely couldn’t have been the party. At the end of the day...

It had to have fallen in line with me somehow. But what was it? Twilight and I were with each other for most of the night except for mingling with others. We ate together, we laughed together and, of course, we danced together. It was all genuine.

The last major thing I did that night was give a speech about how phenomenal her life meant to everypony and me. But even after that she was in tears hugging me.

Ever since then, our moments of intimacy had almost disappeared. I would need to be the one to start it, but even then when I did, she would feel stiff. Like she was almost uncomfortable just to be near me. For over a month now I stopped trying all together.

Anyway, it’s left me befuddled ever since.

However, despite all of those concerns, tonight isn’t about me. This is about Twilight.

I heard her give a loud sniffle and I believed more than ever that I was ready.

“Oh wow,” I said as I glanced at the clock. It’s 10:07 P.M. “Celsetia’s last step took a liiittle longer than I thought.”

But it was worth it. I already felt faaarr better than before. I was nervous; terrified before about her depression suddenly coming back with a vengeance, but I knew that it really shouldn’t even be the case. And even if it was…just like what Twilight said herself, ‘As long as I have you, my friends, my family and everypony else that’s important to me in life, than I believe what you said. I can overcome anything’.

So with this new energy, I sipped the last of my water and headed out of my bedroom door.

I turned left and there…in all of its glory…was Twilight’s door. Her lights were still on. In a surreal kind of way, it almost looks like the gate to a better afterlife.

I calmly trotted up to it and stopped when I got there.

No matter how she felt.

I’d be there for her. It was time to be her number one assistant.

But most importantly…

Her best friend.

I raised my claw.

I cracked open the door.

And poked my head through the crack.

As I opened the door slowly…

I saw that she was leaning on one end of the couch that was in front of her fireplace. Her right arm was resting on the arm of the couch resting her chin on her hoof. She was levitating a book that I couldn’t make out but she was reading it with concentration.

It was time.

I raised my claw to the door and knocked on it two times.

Twilight shot her head up and turned toward me as her long mane flew and twirled around her neck when she did.

She smiled at me.

I smiled at her.

“Hey Spike.” she said in a soft tone.

“Hey Twi.” I then gestured toward her. “Could I uh…or if not…”

“Oh yeah! Sure come in.” She then patted the cushion next to her with her left hoof and put her book down on the end table next to the couch’s arm.

I closed the door behind and trotted up to where she was. I noticed how the only light sources in the room were the fireplace and the lamp sitting on the nightstand next to her bed. I could’ve sworn her room looked brighter from the outside.

I opted to instead sit on the floor right in front of the middle part of her couch; that way I was a little more eye level with her. It was very comfy. The fireplace gave a very a nice sense of relaxation, the soft lavender carpet below my claws and with me sitting between the couch and a large coffee table, it all made me feel small. In the best way. It was just the overall atmosphere. I imagined the big; outside world still being dark and snowy, which perfectly contrasted with everything, I was feeling in here. And I absolutely loved it.

“So.” Twilight spoke up. “I imagine that you came in here for a reason.”

I smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Since when do I need a reason to come see my best friend?”

Twilight matched my face. “Everything happens for a reason Spike.”

“Pfff. Please. Tell that to Discord.”

“Believe me or not but even he has his reasons. Fluttershy told me herself.”

“Really?” I asked in the faint oh, I can’t believe what I’m hearing tone. “And what would those be?”

“Apparently even though chaos is his very nature, everything that he does comes in full circle, which means that what he does is more for the sake of being a metaphor for those going through chaos in their own life and it being a test to see if they could grow and form their character or inner being if you will. It’s like there’s some sort of other outside party involved to make sure that whatever Discord does isn’t total chaos but chaos that irons out somepony’s character.”

“…”

“Really?” I asked in a I REALLY couldn’t believe what I was hearing tone.

She looked at me with a cold, serious stare…before a smile formed and she let out a high-pitched giggle. “I don’t know.”

I furrowed my brow and flattened my mouth in response, but that just made her start to laugh.

I let out a deep breath. “Jeez Twilight, really? Don’t go all so philosophical on me like that. You know how serious I take that now that I’m older and more mature than I used to be.”

Twilight stuck her tongue out at me and continued to giggle. How could I not giggle at that? Which I did while I held a claw to my mouth.

Twilight eventually stopped though. “But seriously, Fluttershy does know about Discord’s reasons, but she’ll never tell anypony. He made her Pinkie promise since he knew nopony could ever break one.”

I could only imagine Pinkie suddenly shooting up in her bed right now yelling ‘EVER’ while giving Caretaker a heart attack.

“Really?” I asked in a normal tone.

“Yup. Her and Thunderlane. Since he’s grown to trust him as well. And stop saying ‘really’ a lot it’s getting a bit annoying.”

I smirked. She didn’t. “…Really?” Playful tone.

She lightly hit my right arm with her left hoof as I started laughing while she just rolled her eyes and smiled.

“Grow up,” she said. I stuck my fork tongue out and made her giggle.

We both stopped soon after. I saw Twilight raise her eyebrows like she was concerned, but she gave a soft smile.

“All right Spike. Come on. Why don’t you tell me what’s what. Is there something on your mind?”

I flattened my mouth a bit but enough for there to be a small smile matching hers. I decided now was a good time as ever to get up on the couch. So I got up and moved next to her. Adjusting my long tail to wrap around me to get comfortable. She looked up at me with the same expression as before, but ready for an answer.

I then grabbed her left hoof with my right claw and held it. She then brought her other hoof over on top of my claw, as she never took her eyes off me. I think she could tell I was hesitant.

“Twi?” I gripped her hoof a little tighter. “How have you been lately?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow, looked at me quizzically.

“Uh. I’ve been good.” Her expression brightened quite a bit. “Well, actually, more than anything I’ve been excited. I’m really looking forward to having everypony here for Hearths Warming in a few days. I can’t wait!” She said as she smiled brightly.

“Oh. Well… good, so am I,” I just had a quick overview of everything that’ll take place. “Yeah, it’s definitely going to be hectic that’s for sure.”

She still smiled brightly. “I know!”

I smirked. “A lot of chaos needing to be put in order?”

She simply giggled at that. “Well…it’s not going to be not fun for everything to go right that’s for sure.” Her smile turned to normal. “I mean it’s just the overall spirit of the holiday that I’m looking forward to the most. Being surrounded by so many loved ones…I’m really looking forward to it.” She tightened her grip on my claw as she continued to look up at me.

I continued smirking. “Oh. I thought for sure it’d be the food.”

“Spike! That’s…well…okay to be fair Pinkie and AJ are catering most of it so it’d be a sin not to look forward to the food.” I gave a small giggle. “Oh don’t give me that Spike I know you are too.” Matching my smirk.

I sighed, admitting defeat. “Yeah ya got me there. Honestly I just hope I’ll have time to get at least one slice of apple pie in before Soarin inhales them all.”

She winced at that. “Riiiight good point. It wouldn’t kill him to use some kind of utensil.”

“I know seriously.”

She then brought a soft smile. “Anyway, my statement still stands. Family and friends is what I’m looking most forward to.”

“That’s good. I’m glad to hear that coming from you.” I felt my smile coming off differently. “Yeah, I’m really excited too. Seeing everypony in the same room again like how it was at your party, it’s definitely gonna a lot of fun.” My smile started to feel forced as I slowly started to think of her sniffling again.

Twilight must’ve noticed as she gave me a concerned look.

“What about you Spike? How have you been? You…really seem like you have something on your mind.” She gave me a small fainted smile as she tilted her head a little with her mane hanging off on that side.

She was so cute whenever she does that.

But I couldn't get distracted. I had to tell her.

I took a deep breath and matched her face. “Twi. I um…I heard you…sniffling earlier. It…kinda almost sounded like you were…crying.”

She immediately stopped smiling. My heart jumped when I saw that.

Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened just a lit…was she blushing?

“Oh! Yeah…that.” Her eyes went to a small stack of books on the end table beside the couch’s arm next to her. “I was actually reading this.” She levitated a book that was titled For Better or For Best by Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.

It was Cadance’s new book for mares to handle marriage.

I stared at her, almost a little too shock to speak. Twilight only smiled.

“Cadance gave me this on my birthday in secret. I was the first one to ever get a copy. She told me that she was so confident in me on finding a coltfriend that she said that it’s best to prepare myself on how to handle a marriage since…I’ll be married someday.”

Her eyes were beginning to shimmer a little as she was looking at the book.

With a small genuine smile.

I cleared my throat as my eyes almost threatened to do the same. “S-so…you were crying?” She responded with a sheepish smile. “Why?”

Even though the reflection of the fire was showing all over her, I noticed her blush deepen. Why?

She cleared her throat before continuing. “W-well um…I uh…” She suddenly straightened her posture…and then let go of my claw. “Lets just say that it got to a part that gave me some hope. Aannnd I just couldn’t help myself.” Same smile.

I felt my heart being lifted up and relief engulfing me as I then stared at the fire.

That really scared me for a second there.

“What?” I heard Twilight say.

I quickly turned back to her. “Huh?” She looked at me quizzically an eyebrow raised.

“Uh…you said that …something scared you or I scared you?”

My eyes widened. “Wait. Did I uh…I said that out loud?”

“Umm…did you not mean to?”

I flattened my ears. I really felt way too ashamed of myself. I looked back at the fire for any kind of an escape.

Then I felt her hoof on my cheek and turned me back toward her. She wore a small smile. But it seemed…sad. She then put her hoof down.

“Spike. Did you…” She stopped and held my right claw in her hoof. “Did you think that…that I was crying for um…you know…a different reason?”

My ears were still flattened. I closed my eyes and looked down. I didn’t deserve to even look at her.

I slightly nodded. “Yes.” My voice was barely a whisper. I decided to explain. I owe her that much. “It’s just…” I took a deep breath. “When I heard you…I…I immediately felt my heart jump. All the feelings of…you know, came rushing back towards me and…” I suddenly felt a tear go down my right cheek. “I guess I just assumed the worst.” I gave a weak laugh and smiled a little. “Even though for a mare as strong as you are. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions like that.” My eyes were still closed when I wiped the trail my tear left. “I’m so sorry Twi, I shouldn’t have…”

I was cut off when I felt two hooves on both my cheeks. I opened my eyes and her face was right in front of mine and brought a small smile with it.

“Spike. Stop. Please.” She said with a kind but firm tone. “You have no reason to be sorry at all okay? There’s nothing wrong with a friend being concerned for their other friend.” She leaned in less than an inch of distance between us. “Especially if they’re best friends.” She then leaned in and kissed the tip of my nose. She then nuzzled it with her nose. She leaned back but still only an inch away.

We both gave each other genuine smiles.

I leaned in and gave her a kiss on her left cheek and held it there for a few seconds. I disconnected with an audible pucker and nuzzled it. I leaned back to see her still smiling up at me. She put her forelegs back down to her front. I noticed a part of her mane was covering her left ear. I reached up with my right claw and used my fingers to, ever so lightly; tug her mane back in place behind her ear. I was about to bring my claw back until she grabbed it with her hoof and held it.

“But still. Thank you Spike, for looking after me.” Even the small smile she gave made my heart flutter.

“It’s my job….” I gripped her hoof. “And my greatest pleasure.”

For the longest time, we just kept looking at each other’s eyes. Her eyes. The very same eyes that I remembered first staring up at when I first hatched out of my egg.

Her most beautiful feature.

The sound of wood popping from the fireplace brought me out of my trance. It seemed to be the same for her as well.

I cleared my throat. “Well um…again I’m sorry for over think…” I was stopped when she put a hoof to my mouth.

She was wearing a deadpan face. “Spike. What did I just get done saying?” She put her hoof down.

“Oh! Sor…I mean…I... sor…shoot!” Why was it suddenly SO hard not to say sorry!?

Twilight only began to laugh the more I fumbled with my words. She then put her other hoof on my claw as she kept laughing.

“Okay. Okay Spike. Calm down. Don’t hurt yourself.” She said barely containing her giggles.

“…”

“Sorry.” I said as quickly as I could.

This only made Twilight giggle a little more.

“It’s okay Spike. In fact. I think it’s... kinda cute.”

I could only imagine the blush that was currently applied on my cheeks. I only gave a sheepish smile.

“Okay, now you’re just trying to be cute.”

I smirked. I then gave an exaggerated sad frown, flattened my ears and tilted my head slightly to the left. I looked at her with big eyes.

“No I’m not.”

She then quickly turned away with a hoof to her mouth to stifle a giggle, but I could still see her smile. Her blush then came back with a vengeance.

And she says that I’m cute.

I leaned in and gave her a kiss on her cheek and nuzzled it a few times. I felt her head turn to me so I leaned back to look at her when she looked up at me.

And we smiled at each other.

And started to quietly giggle, which died down soon before I responded.

“So um...do you wanna continue reading?” I said when I gestured toward her stack of books.

“Oh um…yeah sure.” Sounded a little hesitant. I expected her to pick up Cadance’s book again, but went for the one underneath it.

“A Hearth’s Warming Tale. Classic,” I said.

“Yup. Can never go wrong with it no matter how many times I’ve read it.”

“Hmm. I guess I could go to my room and pick up a comic or two.”

“Spike. I know how much you love your comics, believe me, but maybe you can just stay and read the same book with me?”

“Well…I mean I’ve read that so many times. It’s still great don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t have that…flash that comics have. You know?”

“…”

“The character?”

I give her a deadpan stare. “No. I mean…what’s a good word? Simplicity. That’s how comics. Simple yet complex. Simple settings. Simple character’s. Simple stories. Simple pictures. I think they’re simple to understand.”

“…”

“For the simple minded I presume.”

I looked at her with a shocked expression with my mouth agape. She then started to giggle uncontrollably.

“Owww! Shots fired!” She started to fully laugh. “I mean, jeez Twilight. Here we are, having such a nice time.” Her laughs had only gotten louder. “Then suddenly you just had to start chipping away at what’s left of my ego all for your satisfaction.” Her laughs finally started to die down as she looked back at me with a wide smile.

“All right. All right Spike I’m sorry, but you have to admit you kinda set yourself up for that one.” She gave me a small smile and tilted her head slightly to the left and looking up at me with big eyes as she flattened her ears. “I’m sorry.” She leaned in a bit towards me.

DARN IT TWILIGHT STOP BEING SO ADORABLE!!

I simply smiled. “It’s okay Twi.”

“Good!” She said as she straightened up.

“You know why it’s okay?” I smirked at her.

“Oh? Why is that?” She responded matching my smirk. She leaned in closer to me like she’s really interested.

I leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “Because I’ll get you back for it. That’s why.” I huffed air through my nose and onto her ear, which flattened in response. I leaned back to the front of her face with just a few inches space between us.

“Oh really?” She didn’t sound deterred at all.

“Yes. Oh. Really.” I tried to sound like I wasn’t kidding around.

She only leaned back and shook her head when she gazed back to her book. “Okay Spike.” She said in a whatever you say tone.

I was about to get up to go get my comics…until…

As the ever beautiful and generous Rarity would say…

IIIIDDEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAA!!!

A very devious one at that. I couldn’t contain my evil little smile as it formed.

I looked back towards Twilight who looks sooo content on reading her book.

Ooohhhh she has no idea what she’s in for.

I concentrated on the magic in my heart and the fire in my stomach to create the spell necessary for what I needed to do. I felt it come up my throat and made it settle there.

I was ready.

Twilight was still peacefully reading her book. I leaned in slowly near the top of her head with her not noticing a thing. I then quickly blew on her horn and retreated as fast as I could. The green aura surrounding her horn dissipated. While this all happened Twilight spun her head toward me, again her mane twirling with it. She had her hooves on the top of her head because as far as she was concerned, I just blew hot air on it.

“What the? Spike what was…?” She stopped when she saw my smirk and raised brow. She furrowed hers. “What did you do?”

“Use your magic.”

Confused, she looked at the book she just dropped and picked it up with her magic.

Except she didn’t do that.

“Wait.” She clenched her eyes shut when she kept trying. I then got up from the couch and picked up the book in my claws. I walked over to the end table near the arm of the couch and placed the book down. “What did you do to my magic?” I then turned to Twilight’s bedroom doors and walked over to them.

“Oh nothing. I just…temporarily disabled it is all.” My tone was as playful as it could possibly get.

“What?! Why did you do that?” She yelled as I stopped in front of her bedroom doors.

“Twi. Do you remember when we were younger? And alllll of those times you used to…”

I locked her doors.

“…tickle me?”

Even though her doors to the couch were pretty far, with my dragon eyes, I was able to see her eyes widen, her pupils shrink and her mouth left agape. And then...

I began my journey toward her.

On the first step I took she immediately got up from the couch, but stood there.

I continued, as my smile grew larger. “How you used to tickle me so hard that I cried?” Ever so slowly, I continued my playful trot toward her. When I did she just continued to stand there. She might as well.

I locked her doors and I know the doors to her balcony are locked since its winter. But even if any of the doors weren’t locked I’d be more than fast enough to catch her. Essentially, her fate had been sealed.

“How you used to tickle me so hard that you wouldn’t stop until I cried?”

Twilight’s ears flattened and made the most the most sheepish smile I’ve ever seen her make. “Nnoooo? Heh.” She giggled weakly. I giggled with her.

I finally reached the end of the couch while she stood there on the other end giving a weak smile compared to my superior one.

“Well. I do.” I could practically hear her heartbeat getting faster. “So. You know what this means, right?”

I saw her take a deep breath like she’s finally accepted her fate.

She looked up at me in a semi serious way. “Okay. Spike listen. Are you listening to me?”

I nodded. “I am.”

She takes another deep breath. “Okay. Spike. I am sorry. I’m very sorry for tickling you all those times when we were younger. It’s just…I just loved seeing you so happy and smiling. And admittedly, I did like messing with you. But I now realized that I probably have gone too far when it came to tickling you. And for that…I’m sorry Spike. And I hope you can forgive me.” She then closed her eyes and bowed her head a little.

“I completely understand Twi. I know that you were just trying to make me happy.” I said with what really was a genuine smile.

She looked up at me with a small smile. “So. You forgive me?”

“Twi. You already had me at I’m sorry. Of course I forgive you. You’re my best friend.”

She put her right hoof over her heart. “Thank you Spike I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome Twi.”

“But I still have to tickle you.”

I had to contain a laugh with how quickly her eyes went wide.

“Wait. WHAT!?”

“Twi. You know this has to be done.”

She then started to try and make words but only came out as jumbled messes. I could only hold in my laughs for so long. Twilight finally took a deep breath and appeared calm…only for her to sporadically say. “WHY!?”

I put a claw to my chin. “Well. Think of it like this. It’s like what you said earlier. For every act of chaos there is, then it must come back in full circle. You tickled me. Now I tickle you.” I made a rotating motion with my fingers. “Fullllll circle.”

“I WAS JUST KIDDING ABOUT THAT SPIKE!!”

I simply shrugged my shoulders. “What can I say? You had a point.” I took my first step toward. “Now. If you’ll just come quietly…” She took a step back.

“Spike no! This is…it’s not fair!”

“Of course it’s fair. Remember. Full Circle.”

“Not that! I mean…you know…you’re a lot bigger than me now.”

“Well.” I took another step forward. “That’s just gonna make it a lot easier for me to catch you then now isn’t it.” I took another step forward.

She took one step back. “S-spike please don’t…”

“Oh nu nu no. Nuh-uh. You are not doing that to me. When you tickled me you showed no mercy on me even as I begged you to stop you kept going…” I took a step. “…and going…” And another step. “…and going.” And another step.

Twilight backed up every time I did. “B-but. I’m sorry!”

I put a claw to my chest. “And I forgive you. But this must be done. For justice.” I took another step.

“Spike. Stop.”

“Twi. Darling. Light of my life. I’m not gonna hurt ya. I’m just gonna tickle you to death now. Okay? So just accept your fate. All right?”

“Okay Spike. You win. I’ll come quie…” She made it for the balcony doors but right as she got there I flew right in front of her. But she turned away and made it for the other doors.

Again. I could catch her right now…but this was too fun. Over and over I kept chasing her around the room. We jumped in and over the bed, the couches and tables. The reason I was letting it drag on was actually because I saw Twilight smiling as I chased her around again and again. She was having too much fun in all this. And I loved every second of it.

I saw Twilight clip her back left hoof over the top of her reading chair near the corner of the room. She flew over it and was forced to barrel roll to the ground and stop…right into the corner with nowhere else to go. I landed in front of her while wearing a proud smirk. I extended my wings to their fullest so she wouldn't escape.

“Well. It seems we have reached an impasse. Oh wait…no we haven’t. I can just…” I took a step forward.

“Spike no!”

“Oh yes Twilight! I’m showing no mercy, I’m gonna tickle you on your sides, your chest, your belly and…especially where the bones connect your wings.” I said when I brought my claws out in front of me and started to wiggle my fingers. I stuck my fork tongue out like a predator who just caught his prey.

Twilight then folded her forelegs in and used her wings to wrap around all fronts of her body to not expose herself anywhere like a feathered cocoon, which left nothing but her head and tail showing.

“No! Don’t you dare take another step forward I am so serious!”

“Then why are you still smiling?” I said when I smirked and raised a brow.

It was then that Twilight tried to scowl at me by puckering her lips and furrowing eyebrows, but she was clearly struggling beyond belief in not trying to smile. It only made her even more adorable than how she already was.

Ooohh this was gonna cost her.

“Okay, now you’re just asking for it.” about to take the step toward victory.

“What? I am serious!” still made her pouty face.

“Then stop being so adorable.”

“I am not adorable!”

“…”

“You know you’re really not helping yourself when you say that.”

“So you’re saying that I have to not be adorable for you to not tickle me?”

“Yes. So it looks like you’re stuck.”

I took a step a forward. Then she gasped and pointed to my right.

“Starlight!?”

I decided to humor her and look to where she was pointing.

And that was when she made her escape. Tried to.

She tried to make a break for it by heading to the opposite way of where I was looking. But with quick lightening reflexes…

I grabbed her.

And began my little reign of terror.

When I did. There was one thing that I had no idea about that became immediate. When she began to squeal, it was as if she was a little filly in a mare’s body. That’s how high pitched it was.

I hardly left any area on her body exposed from my claws. I reached and tickled almost every area I saw and as I did Twilight tried every which way she could to escape my wrath. Any time she tried to get up I lightly pushed her to the ground, always making sure I was on top of her. She couldn't even attempt to fly. The best she could do was flapping her wings sporadically as her back was on the ground. Because of that it left all of her front, that she tried so hard to cover earlier, exposed. Like I said. I showed no mercy.

“SSSSPIIIIIIIiiiiiIIIIIIKE SSSTOOOHAOOHAOOP HAAAHAAHAAHAA!!!!!”

“What’s that!? I can’t hear you from me tickling you so hard!” I yelled as I continued to tickle her sides with her wings flailing over and over again.

Eventually, I did see tears start to fall from her eyes when she kept laughing. I decided to finally end the torture and letted go of her.

When I sat up on the floor, Twilight was still lying there getting the last of her laughs out. I then bent down and grabbed her left hoof with my right claw and brought my other claw around her back to support her. I pulled her up all the way until I believed that she was able to stand on her own. But she couldn’t. Instead, as I was still sitting up, our bodies connected. I had to wrap both my arms around her to support her. She then lied her head against my chest. As I looked down, her eyes were closed…as she nuzzled against my chest. And before I even knew what I was doing, my wings wrapped around her. The next thing I knew…

I was holding her.

I was holding her.

She didn’t feel stiff at all.

She was completely relaxed.

She practically melted into my arms.

I heard a few sniffles from her when she nuzzled my chest more. I could only smile at this. She then looked up at me with a smile matching mine when tear trails adorned her cheeks. Wait…there all from the tickling right? It seemed a little too fresh.

“Thank you Spike.” I raised an eyebrow at that.

“Thank you? For tickling you?” She huffed a laugh when she rolled her eyes.

“No…for…for making me smile.”

I continued to smile at her and I bent my neck down and gave her two quick kisses on her left cheek.

“Anything for you Twi. You’re my best friend.” I gave another quick kiss. “I love you.” I said as I nuzzled her cheek. I then felt her arms wrap around my neck. She leaned in and I felt her lips grace against my left cheek. She held it there for a few seconds and with an audible pucker she then nuzzled my cheek.

“I love you too Spike.”

She put her hooves down and rested them on my chest. I raised my head back, but only a little. We were still only several inches away from each other’s faces as we were smiling and only looking at each other. Holding her.

She leaned in and nuzzled my nose. Seemed to be just cause. She leaned back but I went along with her and gave her left cheek another couple of quick kisses. When I leaned back…I saw the bangs of her mane. I smiled.

“Hey Twi?” She was still looking up at me.

“Hmm?”

“Have you been protecting your forehead?”

I giggled a little as she immediately gave me a deadpan stare.

“Spike. Really? You want to do this now?”

“I’m doing it now,” I said as I leaned in toward her forehead. “Lets take a look shall we?” I raised my right claw and brought it to her bangs. I then folded every strand of hair that made up her bangs and pushed it back exposing her whole forehead. “Ah. There it is.”

“Spike.” She said in a monotone voice but she started to smile.

My claw covered all of her front mane…making her look bald.

“My goodness Twilight!” I said in a fake gasp. “What happened to your mane?”

“It’s right here.” She said annoyingly. With her hoof she flicked the back part of her mane up in the air behind her where I could see. But I ignored it.

“Well no matter. At least I can see the base of your horn. Lets take look.” I leaned in and gave it kiss. She started to giggle.

“Spike.”

“As well as the rest of your forehead.” I started to plant kisses all over her large and exposed head and as I did the more she giggled.

“Spike! Stop! That tickles! I thought you were already done tickling me.” I planted one last long kiss as I removed my claw covering her bangs, which then fell on my nose. I nuzzled her forehead before I leaned back. As I was about to look back at her she put her head back on my chest with her eyes closed.

I simply smiled at her.

I decided to put my right claw to use again and put it on the back of her head.

I’d been waiting to do this.

I grabbed a few clumps of her mane in between my fingers and began to stroke her long, silky smooth mane like a brush.

It definitely had gotten longer as she got older. Instead of the backside of her mane always hugging one side of her neck, it fell completely behind her. It is far more flowing. Whenever she’s out on a windy day the wind simply carries her mane whichever way it goes. It shimmered and flowed like the waves of a calm ocean. So beautiful.

She’s so beautiful.

I leaned down and kissed the bangs of her forehead. I hope she never changes that about her mane.

I looked back at her face and her eyes were still closed. She had to be getting tired because I was starting to feel a little lightheaded as well.

I shook Twilight. She then opened her eyes and looked at me with a half lidded gaze. “Hmm?” She managed to get out.

“You tired?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“We should probably get to bed then, it’s pretty late already.”

“Okay.” She lifted her head off my chest and gave a small yawn.

I unwrapped my arms and wings around her.

“Um…Spike?”

I looked down at her. “Yeah?”

“Is it…umm?” I saw her starting to blush, which made me raise an eyebrow. “Um…is…is it okay if you can maybe…sleep with me tonight?” I smiled at her.

“Yeah. Of course it’s okay with me.” Her face beamed a little and matched my smile.

“Okay. Great. Um…you can go ahead and make yourself comfortable. I need to use the bathroom first. Is that okay?”

“Sure thing that’s fine with me.” She then trotted away to her bathroom door, which also connected to her bedroom as well.

When she closed the door I was about to make my way over to her bed until I noticed Cadance’s book splayed on the floor. Hm. It probably got knocked over during my tickle session with Twilight. I did feel my tail nudge something after all. I shrugged.

I reached down and picked up the book, but then I saw something fall out. I looked down and saw a folded piece of paper.

I placed Cadance’s book down on the end table and reached for the paper. It could be just notes...or something more private. If it is I'll immediately close it.

So I opened it.

Wait?

It couldn't be.

I read a little more. The more I read the more I...I knew exactly what this was.

The speech I gave at Twilight’s birthday.

I’m not surprised because I found this hidden in one of her books.

No. I was surprised that I memorized it before I gave the speech and got rid of the original copy that I wrote down on.

She memorized it.

And wrote it down.

And she got every single word correctly.

And kept it in a book.

The exact book that I saw her reading earlier.

It couldn’t be.

“W-was she crying earlier because of…this? Why was..." My eyes widened. "It...this gave her hope?” I didn’t know my speech meant that much to her. I knew she came hugging and crying to me after I was done giving but...still.

I smiled.

“Wow.”

She was gonna come out any second. I decided to put the paper back in the book and made my way to the left side of her bed. The closest thing to sleeping on a cloud. I opened the bed sheets and slid right into her lavender silk covers.

So comfy.

I noticed the lamp on her nightstand was still on so I pushed the button and turned it off. It must have been a really bright light because I immediately noticed how much the fire from the fireplace gave the room an orange-ish glow. It definitely gave me a beautiful sense of comfort. It was perfect.

I heard the bathroom door open and saw her come out. She looked toward me and we simply smiled at each other. But she was still standing there.

“You coming?”

“Y-yeah.” She said and made her way over. Was she nervous?

I opened the covers up for her and she slowly slid right in as she was still facing me. She didn’t close the covers so I took this as a sign for one thing.

“You want me hold you?” I said when she gave a nervous smile.

“Please?”

Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms and wings around her. Since I was laying on my right side I used my left claw to bring the covers over our bodies as we laid our heads down on the pillows.

“Um…Spike?”

“Yeah?”

“How long does that…magic disable spell of yours last?”

“Oh. Umm…due to the amount of magic I used I think about an hour? Why?”

“Well…I’m kind of laying my head on most of my mane and usually I’d splay it back behind my head and let it lay across the pillow. I’d do it with my magic but someone made that a little more difficult.” She said the last part in a teasing tone. “So uh…could you do that for me?” She gave a sheepish smile.

I smiled at her.

“Sure.”

She lifted her head to let me do it. I reached my left claw around her head and made sure to grab all of her mane under her. When I did Twilight put her head back on the pillow. I then, as she said, splayed all of her mane behind her and laid it across the whole pillow, covering nearly all of it in a wavy shimmer.

I brought my claw back. “Feel better?”

“Mm-hmm. Much.” I wrapped my claw back around her and laid my head down beside hers, only half a foot away.

We smiled at each other.

Twilight suddenly beamed. “I really can't wait for this Hearth's Warming.”

"Yeah, me too."

"Especially since I kinda...you know...missed out last year," she said as she gave a sheepish smile.

I stopped smiling.

She noticed and stopped as well.

"Sorry Spike. I...I didn't mean..." I put a finger on her mouth to stop her when I leaned in and gave her a kiss on her right cheek since it was faced up.

"Don't be," I said when I leaned back now smiling at her. "It's in the past." I tightened my hold around her.

"Oooh." I lightened my hold as she stiffed up.

"Sorry. Too much?"

"A little bit." I loosened my hold on her just a little bit. She relaxed again. Then she giggled. "Since when did you get so strong?"

I smirked at her. "What are you talking about? I've been this way my whole life."

I giggled as she rolled her eyes. "Spike. Come on. Really?"

"Yes. Really." I gave a softer smile when I lifted my claw to her cheek and lightly brushed it. "I learned from the best after all."

She matched my face as she grabbed my claw with her hoof and kissed it. "Thank you Spike."

I leaned and nuzzled her nose. "No." And kissed it. "Thank you."

We both laid just an apart as we continued to smile and stared at each other.

Her eyes.

The one thing that has stayed the same after all these years.

I smiled bigger when I thought about what to say next.

"Hey Twi?"

"Yeah?"

"You know what I love about your eyes the most?"

She smiled in a way that made it seem like I was about to say something deep and philosophical. I smiled wider at that.

"What?" She responded with anticipation.

"I like the way they..." Paused for dramatic effect. "...sparkle."

I immediately started to giggle loudly with how quickly her face transformed into a deadpan expression with her mouth slightly agape.

She sighed. "Oh...Spike." She started to faintly smile at me. "Really?"

My giggles finally subsided. "Yes. Really. Besides my joke did its job." I smiled satisfyingly.

"No it didn't. Did you hear me laughing?"

"No. But you are smiling." I then gave an admittedly cocky grin.

She giggled at that. "Okay fine. You do your job well."

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

We then went back to simply staring at each other. I gave her a longing smile.

"But I am serious Twi. Your eyes are very beautiful." She matched my smile in response.

"Thank you. So are your eyes." I raised a brow.

"And by that you mean handsome." She shook her head.

"No. I mean that you have very beautiful eyes too," she said blinking her long eye lashes.

I felt my face redden being called beautiful. She giggled probably noticing this.

"But." She leaned in towards me practically touching my nose with hers. "I think you're also very handsome as well." She then kissed my nose and left it for a few seconds until with an audible pucker she leaned back, but still a few inches away from me.

I simply smiled at her but I still felt heated on my face. "Thank you." She gave one nod.

"I just really like that despite how big you've gotten or how much your body has changed..." She raised her hoof and touched my exposed left cheek. "...your eyes have stayed exactly the same ever since you first hatched." She then caressed my cheek as she continued. "I still remember trotting up to you while Celestia talked with my parents." She giggled. "You were sucking on your tail like a pacifier but I was little scared that you would start crying if you saw me. But instead, you just looked up at me. With those big green eyes. Like you were really curious about what I was. Then you raised your little arms at me, wanting me to hold you." She giggled again as she lowered her hoof to my bicep. "Funny how you're now paying me the favor."

I could only stare at her when she explained. I thought now was the best time to confess more than any. When she brought her hoof back to herself I began.

"I remember that."

As I expected her eyes widened. "W-what?"

"I said I remember when that happened."

Her mouth went agape. "You...you remember the day you were hatched?" I nodded. "Wha...h-how?"

"Honestly. I don't know. I even wrote to Ember about it once to see if it was a dragon thing but even she was baffled by it." I then raised my claw back to her cheek and began to caress it. "But I do remember it."

"Everything." She still looked at me in disbelief.

"Well...not everything. Only one thing. Everything around me was so blurry. I could only remember the blue and green of the room and that was it. But then I saw something purple coming up to me. One second you were blurry, but then I saw your face much more clearly. And the first thing I saw were your eyes. How big they were. How purple they were. How they shimmered." I giggled a little. "And how they sparkled." She giggled a little. "The truth is. I didn't stare up at you with curiosity. I was mesmerized by you. Your eyes. Just like right now." I leaned and kissed her on the nose then nuzzled it. "And as for paying you favors..." I said when I leaned back. "I'm not paying you anything when I hold you." She raises both brows like she's concerned. "Paying you would mean that you would have to pay me back." I tightened my arms a little around her. "Holding you...is a gift. And when it comes to gifts you don't ever have to pay back. Holding you is a gift that I'm always willing to give to you." Her eyes began to shimmer when she closed them.

Beginning to think that I was a little too sentimental. I opened my mouth about to apologize...

"I'm sorry Spike," she said in soft voice.

My eyes widened a bit in surprise. Whatever it was that she was sorry for I immediately wanted to shut it down and tell her there was no reason to be sorry at all. No matter what it was. I took in a small breath.

"Twilight. Why are you sorry?"

She cracked open her eyes a bit when they still shimmered but no tears fell out.

She then took a deep breath. "Spike...I'm sorry for not...well...being as close to you as I should've been over these past few months or...since my birthday. it's just that...what you did for me that day...it..." I saw a tear fall from her face. My heart fell when I saw this and then...that same heart took action before my mind even had a chance to react.

I unwrapped my arms and wings around her and with a few swift movements, as the blankets were still covering us...I shifted my entire body right on top of hers.

I was still looking at her when I did this and I saw how quickly her eyes widened and the blush that formed...almost all over her face. She had to fold her inner forelegs to make room for me.

As for me, I knew I was blushing something fierce, but my heart didn't care at all. It only wanted to comfort Twilight as best as it could. And I was along for the ride. I felt all the fur from her stomach against the lower part of my chest. I put my arms on both sides of where she was laying, my claws on both side next to her head on the pillow, one of them was on her mane that was still splayed to the side, for support.

When I did this, Twilight tried to get her words across.

"S-s-spike? W-wha...w-w-why are y-...what a-are...y-your on top of me."

"Yes I am," I said as if it was nothing. But deep down my heart was pounding like crazy. "What were you gonna say?"

"Y-your on top of me."

"I know i'm on top of you but continue on what you were gonna say." I looked down beneath the covers where our bodies were touching. "I-I'm not crushing you am I?"

"Oh. N-no you're not. It's actua..." Her face couldn't blush anymore, so reached her ears.

"Twi. Please relax, okay? I just want you to be comfortable. It's okay. Please continue."

She took a deep breath. "On the month leading up to my birthday I...I was starting to think about...never being able to find a coltfriend again."

My eyes widened in shock. "What?" She put a hoof to my mouth.

"Spike let me finish." She put her hoof down and took a deep breath. "You need to understand that turning 30...well...it was a sign to me that...I'm not getting any younger."

I raised a brow. "Not getting any...but Twi your immortal."

"It doesn't matter. My point is that...the...you know...those feelings that I've had before were...they were starting to creep up again. At that point I was starting to worry more about you, my friends and everypony else again like before. So. I thought that after my party I would then tell you guys about those dark feelings slowly coming back again and until then I'd try and enjoy the party as best I could. But then..." She closed her eyes again when I noticed them starting to shimmer again. "T-then. You." Tears started to fall down the sides of her face. I used the thumbs of my claws to wipe away the trails they've left behind. She opened her eyes and smiled up at me. I smiled back. She continued. "Anyway. Ever since then...I didn't need to tell anypony about those creeping feelings because they were gone." She raised her right hoof up to my left cheek as we still smiled softly to each other. "Because of you." Her smile disappeared as she lowered her foreleg. "Over these past few months, most of my thoughts have been occupied by everything that you said. And...and what I could due to repay you. But...the thing though is that...I...I couldn't think of anything. Nothing. Nothing ever came to me. I even tried asking my friends for help without being too specific about it. And even then I couldn't think of anything." Tears started to appear again. "Th-that's why...it got harder for me to just be near you because..." She tried to wipe away a tear. "I didn't think..."

She sniffled and took a quick draw of breath. "I was good enough for you."

"Twilight!!"

She jumped a little as I yelled. I immediately flattened my ears in regret. I leaned in to nuzzle her nose.

"I'm sorry Twi, I'm sorry for yelling." I leaned to look at her just a couple of inches from her face. "Don't ever think that Twi. Do you remember what I said earlier? That speech I gave was a gift and..." Before I continued she put a hoof to my mouth.

And gave me a small smile.

"I know. I know exactly what you said. Because of that. I now realize something."

She stopped to put both of her hooves on my cheeks as we gazed in each others eyes.

“I don’t care.” I gave her quizzical look.

“What?”

“I said I don’t care.”

“Y-you don’t care? About what?”

“I don’t care if I’ll ever find a husband.” I looked at her with wide eyes.

Just as I was about to respond, she put a hoof on my mouth and continued.

“I don’t care if I won’t ever find a stallion and I don’t care if I won’t ever marry.” She stopped to take a deep breath. “I don’t care because I don’t need to. I don’t need to because…I’m already satisfied with what I have.” She put her hoof off my mouth.

I only continued to look at her, not sure on what to say next. I was happy that she was already satisfied with everything that she has, but before I could ask what those things were she continued.

“Because I already have you. The one that has always been there for me. The one that sees me as you have always seen me through the good and the bad. The one who has always tried to satisfy me even if I never asked in the first place." She pulled my face in close and nuzzled my nose. "Your my number one assistant." She then kissed me on my left cheek. "And my best friend." She kissed my cheek again. "I love you." She simply let her head lay on the pillow.

Without realizing it. A tear fell from my right eye when I smiled down at her. I wanted to comfort her more. I leaned down and nuzzled her left cheek.

"You're my best friend too Twi." I then kissed her left cheek. "I always have and always will love you." I then proceeded to give little, small, long kisses on her cheek as she continued to lay there. I almost nuzzled her after each kiss. I did this several more times when I decided to move to her other cheek but noticed her eyes were closed. But I continued to do the same thing on her other cheek. I even felt her head turn to help me.

When I gave her one last kiss on the cheek I went up to her nose and nuzzled it once more. And then...I let our noses stay connected when I stopped nuzzling her. Our lips were barely touching. I saw her eyes were still closed as mine closed as well. My heart was beating furiously. I heard and felt the fireplace behind me. I only imagined the snow falling outside in the night. I felt her fur against my scales. It felt like my brain was processing all of my surroundings as if it was its last time doing so.

I knew why. Because slightly. Ever so slightly.

I felt my lips.

Push against hers.

It ended just as it started. I slowly pulled my lips back. A pucker sound barely audible even for the two of us. I was beyond scared to see her reaction as my eyes were still closed. But I had to see her.

I slowly cracked my eyes open. When I did. I saw that she was only starting to crack her eyes open as well.

We looked at each other with half lidded gazes. And then...

She gave a small genuine smile.

And soon enough. Mine matched hers.

For what seemed like ages, that's all we did. We stared. Both my claws cuffed both her cheeks. When I did this she brought both hooves and wings around my neck and body.

But then.

Her eyes started to close. And slowly leaned forward.

Out of nothing but pure instinct, I did the exact same as my heart kept beating with anticipation.

The distance our heads traveled were finally rewarded by the comfort of each others lips.

When our lips conected, the first feeling that my brain could possibly latch onto was. Weird. The feeling weird. But I knew it was a good weird. An amazing weird.

It just. It felt like. It’s as if, I’m someplace else.

Somewhere else completely. A place I didn’t know. Yet my brain was still trying to connect to it. I could almost feel it.

I knew where I was at that moment.

I knew I was in Ponyville.

I knew I was in the Castle of Friendship.

I knew I was in Twilight’s bedroom.

I knew it was snowing outside where it’s bitter and cold.

I knew there was a fireplace behind me that made the room warm and comforting.

I knew I was in Twilight’s bed.

I was lying on top of her.

I was enveloped in her warmth.

Comforted by her fur.

Wrapped in her wings.

Mesmerized. I was completely mesmerized by her soft, furry lips gently pushing against my hard, scaly ones.

The feeling was overwhelming. Captivating. Polarizing. It was a feeling of absolute bliss. It was absolute in itself.

These feelings.

All these feelings enraptured me completely as our lips were still connected ever so lightly.

That’s all it was.

All I became.

Feelings.

I stopped knowing. I stopped knowing anything. Soon, when I tried to make my brain connect to what I know…it couldn’t. I stopped knowing anything because I couldn’t know anything.

There was only feeling. Anything that could be deduced as logic was completely gone. I’ve forgotten what I even knew before.

Then. The feeling of being somewhere else that I tried to know before. It came.

It became the only thing I knew for sure.

I knew exactly where I was.

I. Am. With. Twilight.

It was so obvious. It became so obvious to me. Not because of where I was now. But.

Because.

It's where I was always meant to be.

We were meant to be.

All along.

I felt her lips disconnect with mine. I cracked my eyes open and saw that hers were cracked open as well. Then...

She's started to giggle?

I raised a brow and could only look at her with both amusement and confusion.

"Um...Twi? What's funny?" She only responded with more giggles.

"I-I don't know. I don't know why I'm laughing." Her giggles finally subsided and then looked up at me with a sheepish smile as her ears flattened. "Sorry."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I shook my head and opened them. "Twi...just...stop being so adorable." She stuck her tongue out at me. But I quickly leaned in and gave her a kiss on the lips again. To which she giggled at.

We both stared at each other for a little bit. Then she spoke.

"Thank you Spike. For giving me my first kiss. It um...It...It's gonna be hard to describe this in my diary." She giggled.

"Uh. Sorry?" She rolled her eyes.

"Spike. Don't apologize for giving me one of the greatest gifts I've ever received in my life." She beamed up at me. I smirked.

"Whoa. Hold on. Who said that this was a gift? I expect you to pay me back in full." With her mouth agape in fake shock, she lightly hit me in the arm and then giggled. I giggled along with her. "I'm kidding or as the nobles say I jest."

Our giggles subsided once more and I saw her yawn. Which in return made me yawn too.

She unwrapped her hooves and wings around me. "Okay. I think it's pretty late as is."

I glanced at the clock on the nightstand which said 11:05. I looked back at Twilight and nodded. I gave her another quick kiss on the lips and got off of her.

I laid back in my original spot as we both turned towards each other. Her eyes widened like she saw a ghost but then smiled brightly.

"I just realized something Spike."

"Hm? What's that?"

"Everypony is gonna freak out when we tell them we're together."

I smirked. "Well...technically we're not together since you never asked me to be your special somepony...or dragon."

"Oh," she said as her ears flattened.

"Spike?"

"Yes Twilight?"

"Will you be my..."

"YES!" With lightening reflexes I shot forward and kissed her fully on the lips once more as she giggled. I leaned back to see her smile softly at me.

"So. It's official. We are a couple now."

"Mm-hmm." I responded with a nod."My heart belongs to you" She giggled again. "Well...actually...if you think about it. My heart...has always belonged to you."

She raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that you are the one who...you know...jumpstarted my heart and made me hatch. I'm yours. I've always been yours." I leaned in and kissed her on the lips once more. "And I'll always be yours," I said as I leaned back to my spot on the pillow. She just kept smiling at me.

"You will always be my best friend Spike." She leaned in and kissed me on the lips again. "Just as I'll always love you." She went back to her spot. "Can you hold me?"

"As you wish...my princess." I wrapped my arms and wings around her once more and moved our heads just an inch away from each other.

"Goodnight Spike."

"Goodnight Twilight."

We both gave one last kiss.

We then looked at each other...

And gave each other one last genuine smile before we closed our eyes...and thought the same thing...

This was going to be the best Hearth's Warming ever.

Spike's Speech

Who can find a mare in this world with more noble character? She’s worth more than any gem or treasure-trove that these dragon’s eyes will ever see. Whom ever Twilight will marry, her husband will have full confidence in her and lack nothing as she’ll always bring nothing but good to him for the rest of his days. She chooses wisely and works with eager hooves. Wherever she trots she brings much to others. She wakes early at dawn to provide for all whom she cares for. She takes everything under consideration so she could see its benefits towards others. When she works vigorously, her arms will always be set for the task. When she sees the results of her work, her passion doesn’t go out. As she works, she never skips a step on her list, she continues on carefully. She extends her arms to those who seek for her guidance. Any bad weather that overwhelms her, she strives fearlessly as she’s more than willing to sacrifice. Wherever she lies down for comfort she always gives off a sense of light and purity. Even if her bed sheets are purple. She is so well respected that it will rub off to whomever she’ll marry as he does his job. Whatever she touches will have value and will willingly give it to others. She is so strong and honored that she will just laugh in the face of danger. She speaks of much wisdom and gives it to others in their time of need. She makes sure that her work is always in order and will never take anything less. Her future children will cherish and bless her, just as I hope her future husband will. Many mares do many noble things, but I believe that she has surpassed many, and all the things she’s done will last on for many generations. The only thing she could ever fear is the unknown and impossible to which could become all be knowing and possible.

To whomever her future husband may be, I’ll only have this to say to you. Give. Give her you’re all and all that you are. And never stop. Ever. For she deserves even more than that.

Give her the reward she has earned. So it may ripple across the land and that whoever greets her will only give praise to her.

Twilight.

You’re my absolute best friend. I will always love you. Now and forever.

So do your friends, your family and everypony else that you always surround yourself with. We all love you Twilight.

Happy Birthday.