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// Chapter 4: A Day With Pharynx 
// Story: Equestria Girls Spikebelle 3: Summer Vacation Part 2 
// by Chaos04 
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Days had passed since Spike’s birthday, and what a birthday it was. From the beginning, it wasn’t so great. With Sweetie Belle dodging the activities he wanted to do, and the bizarre movie they went to see instead, it was turning out to be quite disappointing.
But, with the advent of a surprise party on the beach with his parents and all of his friends, things picked up quickly to make it one of the most spectacular moments of his life.
That day had gone and passed, and now, he was riding in the car with his parents. Joining him in the backseat was Sweetie Belle.
With the approaching advent of Sombra and Ember’s anniversary, Spike’s parents wanted a weekend to themselves. As it always was when that time came, they brought Spike to stay with Pharynx while they were gone. This time, however, special accommodations had to be made for the extra guest.





For hours, Pharynx had been preparing for the arrival of his young guests. Living alone and having few visitors, there was little he had to do for preparations.
A guest bedroom was set up with two rolls of bedding, a small TV, and a table for Spike to set his Xbox One onto.
After he finished dusting the last of the furniture, there came a knock on his door.
This was it. The guests had arrived. Putting aside the rest of the things he had to do, Pharynx walked to the door to receive his visitors. When he opened his door, he was greeted by the familiar faces of his friends.
“Hey, guys. Perfect timing. I just finished dusting the place,” Pharynx said.
“For once,” Sombra chuckled, as he led the others inside.
“Up yours. You don’t even know where the laundry soap is at your place. Ember told me,” Pharynx said, before addressing the children. “So, you kids need any help with your luggage?”
“No. I got this,” Spike said, heaving in a suitcase that was bigger than himself.
“I’ll get that. Pharynx, help the others with everything else,” Ember said.
“Everything else?” Pharynx thought to himself. He peered over his friend's shoulders and saw that the trunk of the car outside was popped open with luggage sticking out, with only ropes holding them in. “How the hell long did those kids think they were staying?”
“Most of it’s mine,” Sweetie Belle said.
“That’s some girl you got there, kiddo,” Pharynx said to Spike, “Guest room’s down the hall. Same room as every year.”
“Thanks,” Spike said.
He and Sweetie Belle both walked to the guest room down the hall, shortly followed by the adults, who were carrying all of the luggage.
“Don’t bother to help,” Sombra said, as he placed the luggage on the floor.
“You look like you have a handle on it,” Spike said.
Sombra rolled his eyes. His son was starting to sound like Pharynx. Speaking of, Pharynx and Ember both walked in carrying their own sets of luggage, which were promptly placed on the ground.
“Okay, that’s that,” Ember sighed. “So, Spike, behave for Pharynx while we’re gone, and we’ll be back by Monday.”
“Don’t worry about Spike. He always behaves better for me than he does for you two. He’s practically a soldier while he’s here,” Pharynx said.
“Well, see that you both stay in line while we’re gone, sergeant,” Ember said, before she and Sombra left.
Pharynx saw his friends to the front door, and watched them drive off. With a sigh, his eyes glanced to his couch. The kids would be busy unpacking for a while, he knew. It would give him time to reminisce about times past.
Walking to his couch, he reached underneath and produced a book of photographs.





Spike and Sweetie Belle immediately set to unpacking. In the meanwhile, they took the time to enjoy the time alone together.
“Thank god Pharynx agreed to let you stay. It would’ve been boring without you,” Spike said.
“What do you mean? Don’t you ever have fun when you stay here?” Sweetie wondered, as she unpacked one of her many luggage.
“I do. But, Pharynx isn’t so good with kids. At least, not when he’s by himself. With mom and dad, he’s always loads of fun. But, I guess he’s uncomfortable without them around. It’s probably why he doesn’t have any of his own kids,” Spike answered.
“At least he’s nice. I wish I had an uncle like him,” Sweetie said.
Spike winced at those words. The way Pharynx was before, a kidnapping, murdering madman in black, nobody would ever have wished to know anyone like him.
“Are you okay, Spike? You look kind of pale,” Sweetie Belle said.
“It’s-It’s nothing. It’s just...Pharynx isn’t my uncle. He was my dad’s best friend in school. You know, you don’t know what he was like before and...You want to watch a movie? I brought my Xbox,” Spike stammered.
“Yeah, alright, weirdo,” Sweetie said, not understanding what had gotten into her boyfriend.





Pharynx looked over the pictures in his album, remembering his days as a young man. Each one showed him with Ember and Sombra, enjoying their times together at various locales. One showed only himself and Ember, which he had taken extra care of.
He heard footsteps coming down the hall, and placed the book back under the couch.
“How are you settling in, kiddo?” Pharynx asked without turning around.
That was another word that made Spike wince. The same name Pharynx called him, before he had magically altered his own reality.
“Fine. I was just wondering if I could borrow a movie for me and Sweetie Belle to watch,” Spike said.
“Sure. Movies are in that box over there,” Pharynx said.
That was odd. Normally, Pharynx would have carried the box all the way to his room for Spike. It wasn’t like Pharynx to distance himself as such.

“Are you feeling okay?” Spike asked, as he picked up the box.
“Your girlfriend’s waiting for you,” Pharynx said.
Not wanting to keep Sweetie Belle waiting, Spike simply walked off, wondering what was wrong with the normally amicable Pharynx.
Spike left and Pharynx sighed as he leaned back in his seat.
There came a knock on the door.
“Ember and Sombra must have forgot something,” Pharynx thought to himself.
When he opened the door, he was greeted not by Ember and Sombra, but--
“Tirek? Chrysalis? Shouldn’t you two be at work right now?” Pharynx asked.
“We know. But, the way we figure it: if the boss doesn’t care enough to show up, neither do we,” Chrysalis said.
“Work is supposed to be playtime for the soul. When your soul’s not in your work, everyone suffers,” Tirek said.
“He means we were thinking of quitting anyway,” Chrysalis said.
“Besides, we thought it would be a good idea to check on you after that party,” Tirek said.
“...What are you talking about?” Pharynx asked after a bout of silence.
“Call it ‘woman’s intuition,’ but you seemed different after the party. Like, you were upset about something,” the waif said.
“It was nothing. I just came down with something,” Pharynx said.
“You must be feeling fine now. What with you watching Spike right now,” Chrysalis said.
“Not just him. Spike’s brought his girlfriend this time.”
“Really? And his parents are okay with that?”
“Everyone approaches manhood at a different time. Spike’s just getting there quicker than most his age,” Tirek said.
“As nice as it is talking to you: can we come in? It’s freezing out here, and I didn’t bring my jacket,” Chrysalis said, indicating the tank top she was wearing.
“Sure. Come on in,” Pharynx siad, ushering the others inside.
“I offered to let you wear my jacket,” Tirek said, as he walked in.
“There’s no way in hell I’m wearing that thing. I’d look like a charcoal briquette with legs,” Chrysalis said.
Tirek smirked, as he adjusted his enormous, black jacket.
He and Chrysalis settled themselves onto the couch, while Pharynx went to the kitchen to put together a pot of coffee for his friends.
“Hey, Pharynx. Got any popcorn for that movie?” Spike asked, as he walked back into the room. Instead of seeing Pharynx, he was greeted by the sight of his father’s other friends. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Nice to see you too, Spike,” Tirek greeted.
“Sorry. But, shouldn’t you be at work right now?”
“Us and the boss have an arrangement: she doesn’t show up, neither do we,” Chrysalis said.
“Fair enough,” Spike said. “Did you guys notice Pharynx was acting a bit strange?”
“Actually, yes. We were just talking to him about that.”
“Any idea what’s wrong with him?”
“The man’s soul is somewhere the rest of him isn’t. He needs to focus himself is all,” Tirek said.
“Will you stop that,” Chrysalis said.
“Where’s Pharynx now?” Spike wondered.
“He just went to the kitchen. He’s getting coffee for us,” Chrysalis answered.
“Thanks,” Spike said.
The boy walked to the kitchen, where he found Pharynx putting grounds into his coffee maker.
“Hey, Pharynx,” Spike said.
“Need something?” Pharynx asked.
“Yeah. Sweetie Belle wanted some popcorn for the movie we’re watching.”
Without a word, Pharynx opened his cabinet, and tossed a whole bag of kernels to Spike.
“There you go. Popper’s in that cupboard next to you. Same as the mixing bowls,” Pharynx said.
That was definitely odd. Why Pharynx was behaving this way, Spike didn’t know. But, he took the popper and large mixing bowl from the cupboard and returned to the guest room.
“That didn’t take long. Did you make the popcorn already?” Sweetie wondered.
“No. Pharynx didn’t even bother talking to me when I got down there. He didn’t seem like he wanted to talk,” Spike said.
“Well, it’s no use trying to figure out what’s wrong with him. Let’s just make some popcorn now,” Sweetie Belle said.
Spike poured in the kernels to the popper, placed the bowl to the front of it, and plugged the appliance in.
There was a loud, mechanical whirring noise as the machine started working. In seconds, popcorn started popping up and out into the bowl.
During the entire time, Spike wondered what was wrong with his dad’s friend. In the back of his mind, he dreaded the thought of Pharynx returning to the way he once was before.