//------------------------------// // Chapter 22- New Discovery // Story: My immortal phoenix. // by Lieral //------------------------------// Being more than thousands of years old should be more than enough for one person to never receive a lecture again... But it is not. "It's getting hotter here or is just my impression?" Spike tried to help by changing the subject while he uses his small paws to try to get a little amount of wind. "Not now, Spike! YOU, you left this world for 30 minutes, 30 MINUTES," Twilight was walking back and forth in front of the couch where Sunset Shimmer and Spike where sitting. "Then, can you please explain how come you managed to come back with a fatal wound in such little time?" "Well, I would love to," Sunset scratched the back of her head with one of her hands. Her blue blouse was painted with her deep red blood, and despite her phrase, she did not say a word after that. "And?" Twilight asked just like a stressed mom, her hair have multiple strings out of their respective places. "I said I would love to, not that I can," "I can't believe this is all you want to say," Twilight's dumbfounded expression almost was enough to make Spike laugh, but he was really busy trying to refresh himself. "At least I am being honest," Sunset knew she was not getting away from this situation so easily. Under certain circumstances, Twilight is a girl that can seriously overreact, and this is one of them. "Honesty will not help your recovery!" "Believe me, my recovery does not need any help," Twilight's expression was one of shock. Realization of what she had just said hit her like a punch. Of course this is a hard subject for the red-haired girl, actually, this is exactly the reason she had left earlier this morning. "I-I'm sorry. It's just hard for me to get used to your... situation," "Worry not," Sunset sighed tiredly. "Well, at least I am not rusty anymore," She makes a weak attempt of changing the subject. Twilight smiled sadly and sat down right beside Sunset. "Yeah, after all, you're bleeding but you at least managed to do some exercises," "Actually, I was not bleeding since before I crossed the mirror," Sunset shrugged. After living for so long she already tested a lot the limits of her own body, and despite the fact that this was the hardest battle in many centuries to count it was nothing near what she already had been through. "It's just... You came with me because you wanted to leave it all behind, didn't you? What kind of friend am I if I let this kind of stuff happen with you?" Twilight stared a blank point on the wall in front of her with a lot of interest. "Twilight, this is how I lived my life ever since I can remember," Sunset passed an arm for behind Twilight's neck and pulled her head closer leaning against her own. She closed her eyes. Twilight, on the other hand, was blushing furiously for a second, but after a few deep breaths and mental exercises she smiled and allowed herself to finally enjoy the moment. "Hum... Twilight," Spike's voice cut the air like a knife. "Shh, Spike, Please read the mood!" Twilight hissed. "What mood?" Sunset asked genuinely confused. "None I think..." Now Twilight's depression was clear on her expression. "Are you alright?" Sunset asked. "I'm not..." The one that answered was not Twilight but Spike. His face suddenly assumed a green tone that should not be there. He put one of his paws on top of his chest which at the same time triggered two different reactions, the first one being the fact that Sunset felt a heavy amount of magic being gathered at once. And the second one was Twilight standing up with a jump and exclaiming his name worriedly. But even before she managed to touch the floor she felt Sunset's soft arms around her and with a quick movement, she was soon being held like a princess as the red-haired used her inhuman speed to cross the entire room in a second. Spike, on the other hand, had a horrible expression on his face, and a second after Twilight was dragged away from him, that proved to be the best decision. Without being able to hold back anymore Spike burped. But together with it came also a violent wave of green flames that burned the table that was in front of him to ashes in less than a second. Spike stared the remaining ashes with his mouth wide open. He turned his gaze toward the pair on the other side of the room just to see his expression mirrored on their faces. The first one to regain the composure was obviously Sunset that put Twilight down and walked toward the dog with a still very surprised expression. "W-wait, what? When? How? What?" Twilight's mind was obviously trying to process what had just happened. Spike on the other hand... Or paw... Was starting to laugh without control. The bizarre situation finally reaching his brain causing more than just a little confusion within his mind. Sunset was frowning heavily while staring Spike, which does not ease even a little his small panic attack, but her mind was not even processing it. 'How...?' Usually, Twilight's mind is always focused on the real problem, but this time this role is not meant for her, magic is not her field, it is Sunset's. And that said, it is, of course, her job to understand this problem. He fell inside that fountain, so, of course, this is the reason he is now capable of breathing fire, but honestly, this is NOT the main question. Why he never was capable to do that before? He did not get in contact with that water again, so there is no reason for him to simply gain a new power out of nowhere, right? There must be a reason for this new discovery. But what if it is not from nowhere? She put one of her hands on her chin and assumed a thoughtful expression. There is something she is missing... This world's magic DO exist, but it does not have much influence on her, a being far more magical than the dog, so there is no reason to believe that it has something to with Spike's new power. But... "Spike," Sunset's voice demanded attention. "When did you started to feel bad?" "Hum... Just a little after you came back," He said while almost pleading an answer with his eyes. "After, huh..." She turned her face toward the portal. If he felt bad after she came back, then obviously the reason this started is that he reacted to her own magic, but why now? She lives in this world for some time now, and this never triggered any reaction. There must be a reason why he reacted now... When she was on the other world she thought she was, somehow, better, stronger even! And she still feels that way. Probably the magic within his small body was there ever since before, but her new injection of magic was the necessary trigger for it to see the light. A good theory for someone that had been thinking for less than a minute. At this point Twilight already double checked Spike's state and ask for the fourth time how does he feel. "For the last time Twilight, I'm fine," He rolled his eyes as the girl took a deep breath. "I just wanted to be sure," She cleaned the sweat off her face with the back of one hand. "Man... First you started talking, now, breathing fire? Are you sure you're a dog and not a dragon?" A weak attempt to change the mood was done, but it worked better than she thought. "A DRAGON? That would be soo COOL!" His tail suddenly jolted to life. "I bet even Rarity wouldn't be able to resist me anymore," His eyes assumed the form of a heart. "I... Think you have better chances as a dog," Twilight giggled nervously. Of course, she noticed that Spike have a small, or better, really big crush on the purple haired girl. But ever since he fell inside that fountain he became far more... Human. And that is far stranger than one would think. "I agree, I saw dragons before and judging her character I am really sure that she would not like you more than she already does. Quite the opposite, actually," Sunset interrupted her wondering for a few seconds. "Twilight, can you open the door?" "What? Why? There's no one calling..." A lot of beating on her door changed her mind. "Remember me of never betting with you, please," She sighed and stood up. "I heard steps," Sunset shrugged and turned back to her thinking. Twilight was not expecting visits. Actually, the only visit she received in a long time was her parents, Shining Armor and Cadence. So, the hope of seeing one of her friends actually filled her chest with happiness. She still talks with them by cellphone, but before she started working on the portal they hang out all the time, be it to complain about their jobs, eat pizza or play their songs. She opened the door with an already big smile... That died a second later. "Good morning Miss Red String..." The woman that attend by the name of Red String is a really small woman, more than a head smaller than Twilight, which is already small, is the owner of the building where Twilight lives. She has a dyed blonde hair (A failed attempt to fake her own age) and a pear color body that is almost larger toward the sides than she is in tallness. "I smell smoke, I heard a man's voice. YOU KNOW I DON'T ALLOW COUPLES HERE!" Twilight sighed. Ever since her husband left her (To stay with the mailman) she decided that all the problems of humanity are because of the so-called 'love' and 'couples'. Luckily she has no idea that most of the people that live in this building are secretly married... "There's no man here Miss Red. Just me, my friend and my dog," "And what? Are you going to say that I'm hearing things? Or that the dog is the one talking?" The older woman is so red that this could be confused as her skin color. "I know a man's voice when I hear one!" "Actually, this is my fault ma'am," Sunset stood by Twilight's side with an enchanting smile. "My name is Sunset Shimmer, It is very nice to meet you," She even gave a small bow for good measure. "Your fault? Don't make me laugh! Are you saying you where the man talking, with your voice? How fool do you little thing think I am?" She turned to face Twilight. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU THINK I'M A FOOL!" Twilight sighed heavily this time. Miss Red String's temper is famous all around the city, and Sunset's idea of taking the blame was far too obvious... That's what Twilight thought. "I am saying the truth, ma'am," Sunset's smile did not fade away, actually it became even more breathtaking. "Twilight was helping me to prepare for a small act," "What? She is?" Both Red String and Twilight asked at the same time, which made the older woman look at Twilight searching for any sign of a lie... Luckily the woman is not that good at that. "Yes, she is my valuable audience!" "She is?" Again both Twilight and Red String asked at the same time. 'You're not helping!' Twilight almost yelled but decided to dance along. "Yes, she's practicing to make a show at the hospital for children with cancer," She makes her biggest 'moved' expression with a hand above her chest and pretended to wipe away a tear. "She is?" Even Red String could not compete with children with cancer. "Yes," Sunset's expression was so solemn she looked like a woman that lost the husband in military service and accepted his death as an honor. "I am going to do a ventriloquism show," Twilight and Spike managed to hold back a burst of laughter with their sheer will power, but it was a hard battle. "Said what now?" "Ventriloquism," She repeated. "Do you mind joining us for a second? I am a little scared of staying in front of people, so more is better!" "I, hum..." Miss Red String thought for a second and frowned again. "I don't believe you, I know what I heard!" "Well, I can show you. I am using her dog to help me," Spike barked once and closed the distance between him and Sunset that took him on her arms. "YOU'RE STILL WITH THAT DOG?" I am pretty sure he was mentioned before, but whatever, she just noticed now. "The only reason I let you stay here is that you said it was a scientific project, isn't that thing over?" "Human-Canine Cohabitation: Effects and Implications," Twilight answered fast for the confusion of the older woman (And for the diversion of the oldest person there that was still trying to hold back a burst of laughter). "That's exactly what I was doing, and actually, is such a complex thing that we're still keeping track of that now," "R-really," "Oh, yeah," Sunset said with her best poker face. "And I can prove that the one you heard was me," "Well, that I want to see!" Red String crossed her arms. "Just a moment," Sunset put a hand on her chest while still holding Spike with her other arm, and after that, both of them cleared their throat at once much for Twilight's surprise. She could explain a friend and a dog, but a strange friend and a talking dog? Definitely not. "Hello everyone," Spike spoke clearly while Sunset's mouth was still very close. "My name is Spike, and tonight I will present you with a small charade, so please answer me, what the farm guy uses to count his cattle?" Red String was shocked at the sight of the girl and the dog and failed to see the purple haired girl trying to keep her face serious. "I- I don't know? Why?" "He uses his COWculator!" Spike finished with his paws forming to guns and winking once. "Why the skeleton canceled the gallery showing of his skull-pictures? Because his heart wasn’t in it" "PFFT!" Twilight used her hand to keep her mouth shut and leaned against the door frame. Spike knew she loved bad puns and went straight for it. "I..." Red String could not believe her own ears. How come someone can say such a bad joke? " I have other people to look at..." She turned away and disappeared slowly inside the long corridor. After a minute of silence, Twilight closed the door and a minute after that... "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" The sound of their laughter echoed through all the apartment. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT WORKED!" Spike managed to stop his laughter time enough to say. "I KNOW, RIGHT?" Sunset put a hand on her forehead and closed her eyes, but her laughter did not stop. "VENTRILOQUISM! HOW COME YOU EVEN KNOW THAT?" Twilight was holding her sides that was already aching after so much time of nonstop pulmonary activity. "I saw a guy on the internet a few days ago and thought: HOW COME SOMEONE BELIEVE IN THAT?" Her phrase renewed the wave of laughter and they even forgot about the still burning ashes on the floor a few steps behind them.