//------------------------------// // Morning // Story: Families // by Darth Link 22 //------------------------------// Applejack and Rarity were the first to the library the next morning. Applejack entered without knocking with a loud, “Mornin’, Twi!” “Good morning,” Rarity said, a bit more politely. Twilight pulled herself out of the book she was reading and looked at her two friends. “Morning, girls.” Both of them stopped dead. Twilight had bags under her eyes, and her mane was wild and unkempt. Her shoulders slumped, giving away her exhaustion. “Twi… have you been up all night?” Applejack asked, concerned. “No,” she answered through a yawn. “I just… didn’t sleep well. I only got maybe an hour of it.” “Oh, you poor dear,” Rarity fretted. She trotted over to her and felt her forehead. “Well, you don’t seem to be ill. Is this about Spike?” “That’s part of it,” the purple unicorn admitted. “I tried to talk to him last night, but he just locked himself in one of the rooms and wouldn’t come out.” “Well, I’m sure he’ll come around,” Applejack assured as Rarity excused herself for a moment. “I hope so,” Twilight sighed. “I’ve never seen him like this before. He just seems so...I don’t know, angry.” “Angry? At who?” “Himself,” she sighed. At that point Rarity returned with a manebrush. She wordlessly began using it to undo the knots in Twilight’s mane. “I suppose we were all feeling that way after we found out you were right,” Rarity sighed. “And I’d imagine Spike is making a greater deal of this than he should. Children have no perspective in matters such as this.” “Rare’s right. I see Apple Bloom flippin’ out over gettin’ her cutie mark all the time. Spike’s probably just feelin’ like we feel, an’ he’s makin’ too big a deal of it.” “I figured that was it,” Twilight nodded. “I decided to just give him some space for right now. He’ll talk to me eventually, right?” “Well, that might work for right now,” Applejack noted slowly, “but I think you better press him more on it soon.” “I will,” Twilight assured. “So, let’s get that breakfast, then I can get back to work.” “Actually, dearie, we were hoping you would accompany us to the spa afterward,” Rarity explained, finishing with Twilight’s hair. That caught Twilight off-guard. “What?” She looked at Applejack incredulously. “You set up a spa date?” “Ain’t for me, sugar. It’s for you.” “You were so distressed yesterday, we figured it’s for the best that we find some way to help you control your little… episodes,” Rarity explained. “So we figured, Aloe and Lotus know how to keep ponies calm. We were figurin’ they’d have some idea as to how you can calm yourself down the next time you get worked up.” “And at any rate, after the weekend you’ve had, I think a little pampering would be in order,” Rarity noted. “I have more than enough bits for the three of us.” “Rarity, I told you not to try and make this up to me…” Twilight began to protest, but Rarity put a hoof to her mouth. “And we’re not. We are helping you with a problem, like any friend would.” “Yeah. Don’t you fret none, Twi, this is to help you,” Applejack added. “Well… if you think it’s for the best… are the others coming?” Twilight asked. “We hadn’t planned on it,” the cowpony explained. “This is to help you. We don’t want to pull Rainbow Dash into another problem while she’s fussin’ over Scootaloo, and we figured she’s pull Pinkie and ‘Shy in with her before too long. We’ll let them worry about that, and we’ll worry about you.” “That makes sense,“ the lavender unicorn nodded. Appealing to her logical side always worked. “The others should be here soon. I’m going to wake Spike.” The others nodded as she trotted to the door that her dragon had barricaded himself behind the night before. “Spike,” she called softly as she knocked the door with her hoof. “We’re going to breakfast. You want to come?” “No, thanks,” his voice said weakly. Twilight groaned. “Spike, please stop moping like this. I’m not mad at you for anything at the wedding. You don’t have to avoid me.” When she got no answer, she lowered her head in disappointment. “Fine. I’ll see you when I get back. I want you to think about what I said.” She turned back to her two friends, who had looks of concern on their faces. Scootaloo awoke early that morning, eager to start the day. Almost in a flash she collected up her saddlebags and headed for the door. “Scootiekins,” a cheery voice called. Scootaloo stopped and sighed. “Yes, Mom?” “Come here and see your mommy!” Sighing, the filly pushed herself away from the door and toward her living room, where her mother, Quick Delivery lay sprawled across the couch. Scootaloo had inherited her mane from her mother, but the elder mare’s coat was pure white, something she griped about often as being a chore to keep clean. Her eyes matched her daughter’s as well, though at the moment they looked a bit hazed over. Her cutie mark, a blue mailbox, was currently out of view due to her lying on her side. “Scootie! Come give Mommy a hug!” she said, setting down the smoothie she had been drinking and opening up her forelegs. Sighing, the filly walked over and hugged her mother. “Who’s my little foal?” “I am,” Scootaloo answered, without much enthusiasm. “Of course, you’re not much of a filly anymore, are ya? You’re growing into a mare!” “Yes, Mommy,” the younger pegasus answered, almost robotically. “Of course, you’re still not one yet. Honestly, haven’t you gotten that cutie mark yet?” Scootaloo flinched. “No. I missed all that time crusading from being a flowerfilly.” “I suppose that’s true. It was quite an opportunity. And you got me these chocolates all the way from the palace,” she motioned to an empty box on the table. “They were wonderful, darling!” “I thought you’d like them, Mom.” “Scoots, you know what you’re supposed to call me,” she said sternly. She sighed again. “I thought you’d like them, Mommy.” “Very good,” she praised, taking a sip of her smoothie. “Truth be told, it was a harrowing weekend for me too. With Derpy taking time off to care for those animals, I got to travel out of town as well! It was quite exciting to see the big city, but unlike you I actually had to work. You don’t know what that’s like, do you?” “No, Mommy.” “Of course, you’re still just a silly filly. Now go out and play! Your father and I have work to do around here, and you’ll get in the way if you’re underfoot.” “Yes, Mommy.” As soon as Shining Armor came home from school, He dashed up to his sister’s room. “Twilight? How’d it go?” “Great!” the little filly ran and hugged her brother. “You won’t believe it! I passed my exam, and Princess Celestia made me her personal student!” “Really!” Shining’s eyes lit up. “Awesome! See, I told you the Princess would love you!” “Yeah! And I got my cutie mark!” she said, showing off her newly decorated flank. “You got your cutie mark!” he repeated happily. “And… and I missed it!” he growled angrily. “Shiny?” Twilight asked worriedly. “I’m just… mad at Mom and Dad. Don’t worry, kiddo, I’m not mad at you. But I’m really proud of you. I always knew you were going to make it big.” At that point, a happy cooing came from the end of Twilight’s bed. Shining Armor’s ears perked up, searching around for the source of the foreign noise. “Oh, and this is the best part!” she squealed happily, running over to the basket at the foot of her bed. “For my exam, I hatched a dragon egg… and they let me keep it! This is Spike!” The teenaged colt gaped at the creature looking up at him happily. “Whoa… a live dragon.” He leaned in close, causing the creature to tilt his head in curiosity. “Hey little guy… who’s a wittle cutie!” “Not the mama!” Spike suddenly said, hitting Shining Armor with a frying pan. “Pinkie!” “What?” the earth pony asked innocently. “Honestly, could you please let Twilight finish her story?” Rarity scolded as she cut another bite of her pancakes. “Fine,” Pinkie huffed. “But my way was funnier.” “Shiny, don’t talk baby talk to him,” Twilight huffed. “Aw, but he’s so cute!” the elder brother crooned, poking the dragon in the stomach, causing him to giggle. “Yeah, but you’re just talking to him like he’s stupid! I’m going to talk to him using proper Equestrian, so he’ll learn to talk properly!” “You know, you sound way too eloquent for an eight year old,” the elder sibling noted, leaning down to the dragon. “Doesn’t she?” “Arrumph,” Spike grunted as he opened his jaw and bit down on the pony’s muzzle. Shining Armor backed away, not from pain, as Spike had no teeth, but surprise. Twilight giggled. “Yeah, he likes to put everything in his mouth,” she giggled. As if proving her point, Spike put the tip of his tail in his mouth and began sucking on it. “Thanks for the warning,” he said flatly. “I’m going to go wipe this off. Then I’ll get some sodas and we can talk.” “Can you get a bottle of milk for Spike? His bottles are on the counter, heat the milk to…” “Twilight, I used to prepare your bottles. I know what to do,” he assured, walking out of the room. He was gone for five minutes. When he came back. “Who’s a cute dwagon?” Twilight cooed while Spike giggled and clapped his claws. “You’re a cute dwagon! A cutie-wootie! You’re Twiley’s favorite dwagon! Yes you are! Yes you…” At that point she noticed her brother, wearing the smuggest expression she had ever seen. “…And that’s how not to talk.” She said quickly, turning back to the infant. It didn’t work. “Nice try, Twiley,” Shining Armor laughed. “Don’t call me that,” Twilight muttered, now beat red as she took the bottle and put it in Spike’s mouth. “Aw, but Twiley is such a cute name. In fact, Twiley is so cute that I could say Twiley all day long! Twiley, Twiley, Twiley... “That’s how you got the nickname?” Applejack asked, amused. Twilight blushed a little. “He never let me live that down,” she admitted. “Still, I eventually stopped caring.” “I guess you did, Twiley,” Rainbow Dash egged on. “You know, you should really stop and consider all the terrible things my magic can do to you,” she said flatly. “Aww, we can’t use the nickname?” Pinkie pleaded. “No,” Twilight answered bluntly, taking a bite of her pancakes. “Ah, well,” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “So, Spike’s still not saying anything?” She sighed. “Nothing. At all. I’m wondering if he’s even left that room. He had me worried all night… which means I didn’t get much work done for you. I’m sorry…” “Hey, relax,” the pegasus assured. “It’s like I said, we don’t even know what Scootaloo’s problem is. Don’t sweat it.” “Um… Twilight?” Fluttershy asked meekly. “You didn’t… I mean, you weren’t up all night trying to find something to help her, were you?” Twilight groaned. Of course the others would notice the bags under her eyes. “No. I just didn’t sleep well. I’ve been worried about Spike, that’s all.” Applejack arched an eyebrow at this, but didn’t press the matter. “Aww, I’m sure Spike will come around eventually,” Pinkie assured. “Nopony can be that mopey for long.” “What about Cranky?” Twilight pointed out. Pinkie seemed to deflate at the point. “Well… Spike’s not one to mope around for long.” “I hope so. Anyway, let’s talk about something else. Fluttershy, how are your animals doing?” As it turns out, Spike had left the room he had locked himself in. After feeding Pee Wee, he had returned to his chest of items and pulled out a plain, white box. Carefully, he carried it out of the library and across the town, coming to Sweet Apple Acres. He weaved through the apple orchards until he found the Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse. He entered, and was relieved to find that none of the fillies were there this early. Quickly and silently he set the box on one of the tables before quickly running for the door. Despite himself, he looked back at the package one last time, wondering if he was making the right decision. In the end he sighed and left, ruing the Mother’s Day present that would never reach its intended receiver.