//------------------------------// // That's the Spirit! // Story: Viva la Vodka // by Liquid Truth //------------------------------// The night was young and full of horror. Scary noises attacked from all directions and scary smells converged everywhere the baby dragon went. The library was full of everything that’s not supposed to be, and Spike knew not of what to do. The only pony that usually knew what to do was one of the things that were not supposed to be, and that was not a thing the baby dragon was prepared for. Think, think, think, but the baby dragon’s mind couldn’t think of anything with all the wrongness happening in the library. What was the problem again? Everything. Everything is the problem and the baby dragon couldn’t ask the lavender unicorn because the lavender unicorn is the one having a problem. That’s right, that’s right, that’s right, now the baby dragon remembered. Now Spike remembered what was wrong, and what was wrong was that Twilight was dying. Spike was not equipped with enough medical experience outside first aid on external injuries, and Spike was too confused and scared to think of which medical book may help him on stopping Twilight from dying. Maybe it’s hematology, or maybe gastroenterology? Spike couldn’t think, think, think! The princess! The princess could help. But the princess is asleep at this hour. The princess may not find the letter until tomorrow, or worse until Twilight died. The princess! That’s right, there was another princess! Another princess that was still awake. In fact, the other princess had just awakened, if Spike’s memory of the princesses’ schedules were right. A gamble Spike would take if only to stop Twilight from dying. Anything to stop Twilight from dying. What should he write, what should he write? The truth, the truth, the truth, and so Spike wrote in frantic letters, “Twilight is dying” and sent it straight away to the other princess. It was only a matter of seconds before Princess Luna teleported into the library, finding Spike frantically running about without making comprehensible words other than sobbing and crying. She swept her vision right and left and cast a quick scouring spell, and she found that Twilight was in the bathroom. She galloped there, barged into the bathroom, and found that Twilight was vomiting her insides out. “Twilight, what happened!?” Twilight turned around, her mane an awful mess and her coat stank of sweat and grime and antiseptic. She stumbled back and tried to look up, but her head spun and she spewed out more of her insides on Luna’s shoes. Luna took a deep breath. It stank of not antiseptic, but cheap vodka. Of course. Luna took another breath and slowly let it out. “Twilight, are you drunk?” Twilight moaned. Luna sighed and smacked her face. It was a mistake, now her face was full of the clear liquid Twilight had been vomiting. She dragged her hoof down nonetheless, letting her see that Twilight was still carrying with her a bottle of vodka. A big one, at that, and it was already half-empty. Luna took it and dumped the remaining drink to the toilet. Twilight moaned again and rested her head on Luna’s chest. “You had enough?” Twilight weakly nodded. Luna lifted her up and put her on her back, then took her out of the bathroom, finding Spike waiting outside with his eyes bloodshot and still sobbing. She gave him a gentle smile and said, “Twilight will be alright, Spike. You have nothing to worry about.” Spike nodded. “T-thank you, princess.” Luna took Twilight to her bed and gently lay her down. She was still moaning and grunting and retching, but hopefully her stomach was already empty. Nevertheless, Luna summoned a bucket and put it next to the bed. Outside the bedroom she found Spike, sitting and cuddling himself. Luna kneeled down and pulled him into a hug, by which Spike gladfully entered. “It’s going to be alright, Spike. You have nothing to worry about.” Luna leaned back and gave him a smile. That smile, that one that mothers would give to their children after they came back from their first day of school sobbing. “You are a brave dragon, Spike. You took care of Twilight well.” “Will she be alright?” “She’ll be alright. She is going to feel horrible in the morning, so you have to be there for her. Give her a cup of coffee and don’t let her near any more alcohol, make sure she can eat.” Luna frowned. “Is there anypony that you know that… sometimes drink with Twilight?” “Rainbow Dash.” Luna nodded. “I’ll have Rainbow Dash help you in the morning. For now, sleep tight, Spike.” “But I have to help—” And just like that, Spike fell asleep in Luna’s embrace. Morning came and everything hurts. Her head was throbbing and her ears felt like bursting. She tried to open her eyes but the light was blinding and like javelins into her retinas. Her stomach was awful and hollow and rumbling. She turned to a side and her hollow stomach raged, urging her to throw out the nonexistent poison inside it. She retched and heaved to the side of her bed, where a bucket was magically there for some reason or another. The only thing coming out of her mouth was saliva, and that seemed to be enough for the riot inside her stomach. A few hours, or maybe minutes, passed before Twilight got herself to stand up and walk out of the bedroom, eyes still closed shut and ears pressed against her temples. “Good morning, Twilight!” came the deafening voice of Spike. “Breakfast is ready!” Twilight nodded dumbly and felt her way down the stairs. She walked further down and into the library and into the kitchen and plopped down on the dining table. She risked a peek and found that there was a stack of pancakes directly in front of her. If her nose was right then Twilight was sure there was coffee somewhere there too. A flapping noise came from the upper window, the one Twilight has modified to flap inward easily without much tension to the hinges. A second later she heard the clip-clop of hooves. Another and she felt the presence of somepony in the chair next to her. “You’re ok, Twi?” Twilight grunted. Rainbow took a piece of pancake with a fork and touched it to Twilight’s muzzle. It opened, and it lazily chomped it down. “Why did you do it?” Twilight grunted and continued munching. The munching continued for a while, and Rainbow found Spike standing awkwardly on the other side of the room, not knowing what to do. She invited him to join and sit next to them, and Rainbow draped a comforting wing around him and told him that she’ll be alright, right after she dashed her to the bathroom to throw up some pancakes.