//------------------------------// // Living the Dream // Story: Spinel's New Best Friend // by luckyboys121 //------------------------------// As the morning sun rose Spinel felt the light tickle at her eyelids before waking up with a slight yawn. She rose up and stretched her arms and legs to about double there length with another yawn before returning to normal and jumping from bed with a quick shake. She smiled to herself excitedly saying, "Ready for another great day," before looking at the empty bed on the adjacent side of the room saying, "looks like Pinkie's already up." As she started moving downstairs she thought to herself, "You know... it wasn't too long ago that waking up alone like this would have freaked me out, but ever since the Gala a few weeks ago.... every things been just... " as she reached the ground floor and entered the kitchen she smiled at Pinkie as she thought, "Perfect." She waved the mare saying, "Morning Pinks, how's the breakfast rush coming along?" Pinkie smiled back at her as she said, "Pretty good, just finishing up a few more batches of pan cakes." "Do you need any help?" asked Spinel. "Meh, I should be fine. Cider season is just around the corner so most ponies are avoiding eating out to save enough bits to get a few barrels," said Pinkie. "Well if you're sure, I guess I'll head over to the school then," said Spinel. "Oh that's right, didn't Starlight say she wanted to talk to you about something today?" said Pinkie as she looked at her friend in mild concern. "Yeah but... I'm not sure what about though...." said Spinel as she stroked her chin in thought. As Pinkie thought about it herself she gasped before saying, "What if she and Trixie are having problems and she wants your advice!" Spinel thought about that for a moment before saying, "Nah, you saw how happy they make each other.... besides why would she go to me for dating advice?" Pinkie thought about this for a moment before saying, "Fair point... well whatever it is I hope you two have a good day," before smiling and waving. Spinel did the same as she said, "Same to you," before heading out the door. As she walking through the streets she smiled and waved to several passers by as she thought, "Ah, this really is the life, not only are Pinkie and Starlight the best best friends a Gem could ask for, but I'm starting to make friend all over Ponyville." As if to confirm this a green unicorn mare saw her and approached saying, "Oh Spinel I was meaning to talk to you, do you think you could stop by me and Bon Bon's place later to tell her all the stuff you told me about humans? She still doesn't believe me." Spinel chuckled at that saying, "Sure thing Lyra." This resulted in a mare jumping in joy for a bit as she said, "OH THANK YOU THANK YOU! Not only is my novel on humans coming along much smoother thanks to you but if you can get Bon Bon to admit that the're real that would just be so AMAZING!" "Happy to help," said Spinel with a smile as the mare pranced away. Soon Spinel entered the school and as she looked around she couldn't help but notice a group of fillies and colts sitting around and looking bored out of their tiny skulls. Spinel decided she couldn't just walk past this as she thought for a moment about what could cheer them up before it came to her. She stretched her finger into a horn before blowing a tune into her thumb. The kids all perked up at this and began following her and giggling like she was some kind of pied piper. As Starlight was filling out some paper work she heard the commotion from outside her office, and smiled as she said, "Sounds like she's here," before making her way to the door. She opened it was greeted to the sight of Spinel marching along with several foals happily following behind. Starlight smiled wider as she thought, "Yup, she's definitely the right choice." As Spinel happily played she soon caught sight of her friend and let the song fade about before saying, "Alright kiddos, looks like we'll have to pick this back up again another time," resulting in several groans of disappointment before they walked away. Starlight smiled saying, "They sure do like it when you visit." "Eh, what can I say, I'm good at making friends with everyone whether the're old or young," said Spinel with a shrug before she entered into the office. Starlight chuckled at this as she said, "Man, you and Pinkie really are allot alike." "Well of course the best Gem around is like the best mare around," said Spinel with a teasing smile. "Oh, the best mare around you say," said Starlight feigning offense. "Well... maybe tied for best," said Spinel before the two of them broke out into a laugh before taking their places on the therapy couch and chair respectively. As the laughter died down Spinel took in her surroundings as she said, "I didn't think I'd be sitting in here again after my 'big breakthrough' at the Gala." "Honestly neither did I but... somethings come up," said Starlight as she struggled to approach this subject. "Oh," said Spinel in sudden concern. "Don't worry it's nothing bad or anything," said Starlight as she raised her hooves in defense. "Oh good," said Spinel breathing a sigh of relief. "Pinkie was worried you and Trixie where having problems or something." "Well actually..." said Starlight as she trailed off. "Wait what!?" said Spinel as her concern returned. "Well it's not so much a problem with us, in fact things have been going really well so far or as well they can anyway... the thing is between me working five days a week at the school and her having gigs all the time we haven't gotten much time to spend together," said Starlight with a sigh. "Oh no," responded Spinel. "So we talked about it and after briefly thinking about living together, before both agreeing it's too soon for that, we decided to just try and get our schedules more lined up instead," said Starlight. "Makes sense," said Spinel. "So she's talking to all her usual hires and trying to work out what days she can and can't work and I talked to Twilight about it and of course she was totally understanding and more then happy to give me less days," said Starlight. "Well that's good," added Spinel. "Yeah, but the problem is we can't just have no guidance counselor those days so we need to hire another one," said Starlight. "Oh, who'd you have in mind?" asked Spinel. Starlight smiled at this as she said, "Well firstly it would have to be someone who's good with kids, to handle all the little ones who just started this semester." "Naturally," said Spinel. "More then that though... the reason I'm a good counselor is because I've been through some of the same things these kids go through and can understand how they feel. So I would really need someone like that to help out," said Starlight. "I see," said Spinel in thought before saying, "So, you got anyone in mind?" Starlight's eyes widened, genuinely surprised that Spinel hadn't picked up where she was going, before simply gesturing to the girl with her hoof. "Wha-me!" said Spinel in surprise. "You do fit the job description," said Starlight with a chuckle. "Well... I guess but... me! Really?" said Spinel. "Look Spinel, I understand you're reluctance but as someone who's not only been through a similar experience as you, but has LITERALLY felt what your experience was like I have to tell you that you have handled everything very well and have made more progress then I did when Twilight first took me in," said Starlight with a reassuring smile. "Thank you... but still I," said Spinel as kept worriedly thinking about all this. "Of course it wouldn't start right this second or anything, we'll need a few weeks to go over all the paper work as well as for me to teach you all the actually therapeutic techniques involved," said Starlight. "Yeah I just...." said Spinel as she trailed off once more in thought. Starlight picked up on this as she said, "Of course this is just an offer and if you don't want to do it that's totally fine." "I... I'll think about it," said Spinel as she soon got up and made her way towards the door. "Of course, take all the time you need," said Starlight with a reassuring smile. Spinel smiled back before saying, "Well... thanks for the offer and it was good seeing you Star." "Same to you," said Starlight before the two parted ways. The rest of Spinel's day went by in a haze as she couldn't stop thinking about the offer on the table until eventually the night came and she and Pinkie where getting ready for bed. "Well I think you should take the offer," said Pinkie with a smile. "You like making ponies smile just like me and this might be a good way for you to do that." "I guess... it's just... after all the help I needed to get to the place I am now, from Steven, Starlight, and of course you Pinkie... I just never thought anyone would ask me to help someone else like that," said Spinel as she continued to think on this. "Well... I still think you'd be good at it but for now maybe we should just get some sleep and it will be easier to think about in the morning," said Pinkie. "I hope so," thought Spinel as she simply nodded before Pinkie cut off the light and the two laid down in their separate beds. "Goodnight Spinel," said Pinkie with a yawn. "Goodnight Pinkie," responded Spinel with her head still swirling over all this as she closed her eyes. Spinel found herself pacing through a foggy cave as she said, "I suppose Starlight is right, I do understand things like loneliness better then pretty much anyone else and could help others deal with it... but I'm not cut out for helping others... am I?" "Yes you are," said a voice from behind her. She turned and looked in shock as where there was once nothing now stood a large tree that seemed to be made of some kind of blue and white crystals. As she looked around at it surprised she briefly noticed several gem stones in the branches shaped like Pinkie and her friend cutie marks before her observations were interrupted as what looked like a very sparkly Princess Twilight stepped out of the tree saying, "After all, that's why I brought you here in the first place." "Twi-Twilight?," said Spinel in confusion before noticing the blank look on the mares face and the lack of emotion in her voice. She stiffened up saying, "You're not Twilight... who are you?" The strange mare didn't seem to hear the question as she said, "There is someone here who knows your pain... the pain of being abandoned by their Diamond." "Wha-what are you talking about?" asked Spinel in greater concern before suddenly the world appeared to collapse around her. The mare didn't seem concerned about this as she said, "Only you can help him heal." Suddenly Spinel woke up in a cold sweat as she tried to catch her breath. "Oh good Spinel you're awake," said a voice that for a moment made her think she was still dreaming. As Spinel looked up she confirmed, that yes Princess Twilight was indeed in the room and looking rather concerned as Spinel slowly got herself back to reality saying, "Twilight, what are you doing here?" Twilight's concern only seemed to grow as she levitated a letter over saying, "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna just sent over an urgent letter asking me and my friends to come to Canterlot immediately!" "Oh no," said Spinel as she quickly read through the letter. "Pinkie's in the bathroom getting ready, you should come too. If this is as bad as it looks we need all hooves, claws, and hands on deck," said Twilight. "Of course," said Spinel as she followed Twilight out the door thinking, "That weird dream must have been because I heard Twilight's voice in my sleep... right?"