//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Things Change // Story: Family Matters // by SFC Ponycron //------------------------------// Family Matters Chapter 6: Things Change "My ears have been burning all week, that mean's somepony has been keeping an important  secret that's going to be revealed. My cheeks wouldn't stop flushing, which told me somepony else was in love. I didn't think they were going to be the same thing until I couldn't stop vibrating this morning, that meant a doozy was gonna happen and I just had to act!" Pinkie Pie explained to her captive audience. The three in the doorway continued to stare in shock, along with a growing number of gawkers who had seen the initial explosion of confetti and expected free food. Twilight disentangled herself from Big Macintosh’s embrace. Her heart beat even faster as she found herself suddenly on display. Unperturbed, Pinkie continued her monologue. "The only pony who ever brings on doozies is Twilight Sparkle, and I just put two and two together and knew I had to congratulate them. I still haven't figured out the rumble in my stomach. The only other time that happened is when Mrs. Ca-" Pinkie Pie's mouth magically zipped shut as Rarity cast a spell. "I'm afraid there is going to be no party today," Rarity said as she tried to shuffle the bystanders away from the doorway. She sighed at Pinkie Pie's crowd gathering tendencies and glared as a couple of mares whispered to one another before running off. Several stallions eyed Pinkie Pie's cupcakes longingly. "The lady said leave!" Rainbow Dash caught their attention with the stomp of her hooves. The few stragglers scattered before having to deal with the irate mare. Pinkie Pie struggled with the magically created zipper as Twilight started pacing and hyperventilating. "No, no, no this isn't supposed to happen like this!" Twilight stopped when she circled around to Spike. "How long have you been keeping this secret?" Spike demanded. "Spike-" Twilight began before being cut off. "Well?!" Spike demanded again, more angrily this time. "You've been keeping secrets!" "It's complicated..." Twilight said lamely. "That doesn't mean you can lie about it!" Spike yelled before running out of the library. Twilight started to cry again before disappearing in a flash of purple light. A loud thud from upstairs indicated that she had not gone far. Rarity sighed again as she quickly swept up Pinkie Pie's confetti and popped the balloons. The pink pony protested behind the zipper. "Ah'm guessing you two already know everything?" Big Macintosh concluded from Rarity and Rainbow Dash's apparent calmness. "About a week now," the pegasus admitted. Rarity enveloped the cupcakes in her magical grip. "You're not mad, are you?" "How could ah be? Twilight just’ needed to sort herself out first. I reckon it’s high time me and her had a talk," Big Macintosh replied. "I'll go find Spike," Rarity said. "I guess I'm stuck with Pinkie Pie." Rainbow huffed as Pinkie Pie continued to struggle with the zipper. "It should fade in about five minutes," Rarity explained as Rainbow Dash grabbed the pink earth pony by her hind hooves and dragged her out of the library. Rarity held the door open for the pair before leaving herself. Big Macintosh climbed the stairs and knocked gently on the door to Twilight's bedroom. The doorknob flashed and Big Macintosh entered to find that Twilight on the floor, blowing her nose. Twilight sniffled one last time and looked up at him. "Please don't tell me you brought tea. I keep drinking it to calm down, and my bladder can’t take much more.” Big Macintosh settled down next to her before speaking. "So what do you wanna talk about?" Twilight blew her nose again. "Nothing and everything. There is just so much to do, so much to plan..." "Why don't we just handle you right now?" Big Macintosh suggested. "You saw the way he looked at me." “He jus’ needs to calm himself down a bit. Rarity’s lookin’ for him, she’ll help settle him down.” "I should be me talking to him." “Not right now, you shouldn’t. Ah know a thing or two about angry siblings myself. He ain’t gonna be ready to talk to ya until some of the hurt and anger wear off. Give him some time to cool off, then make it right.” "What if he doesn't?" "He will." "You promise?" "Ah promise." *** Rarity decided that Spike would most likely seek refuge in her store, it had practically become the dragon’s second home. By the time Rarity arrived at Carousel Boutique, Spike had entrenched himself under the table in Rarity's kitchen. He sought comfort from a roll of tinfoil he absentmindedly munched on. "Spike, you know that too much tinfoil gives you indigestion," Rarity commented. "I don't care." Spike turned away from her in a huff and bit through the entire roll into the cardboard. Rarity changed tack and floated a shiny, emerald in front of his eyes. "I'll give you this Everfree Pine Crystal if you come out and hand over the tinfoil." "No." Spike resisted. The crystal floated away before appearing again, covered in glittering gold and silver speckles. "Even with a dash of gold and silver dust?" Rarity upped her bribed. "Hnnng…" "I also have a bowl of turquoise." "...Only for you." Spike emerged from under the table and took the crystal and bowl of turquoise from Rarity. He pulled out a chair to sit at a table. Rarity flinched when he cracked the crystal in his claws before mixing it in with the turquoise. Rarity waited for Spike to start eating before she spoke. "Now Spike, you have a perfectly legitimate reason to be mad at Twilight, but you are mad for the wrong reason. Twilight is an adult, and has the right to keep certain parts of her life private. Yes, her relationship with Big Macintosh should have been revealed in a better way, but there is nothing inherently wrong with keeping that to herself." "But Twilight was lying to me," Spike protested. "Technically, yes, it was a lie of omission, but there are perfectly good reasons for that," Rarity said. "Like?" Spike asked. "Such as dealing with a baby dragon who is not mature enough yet to handle the more intimate matters of an adult relationship," Rarity countered. Then added, "I saw the expression on your face. You were angry but you were also a little disgusted, weren't you?" Spike broke down. "Big Macintosh had his tongue in her mouth!" "In what he and Twilight thought was a private moment," Rarity explained. "I'm sure you must have seen Twilight's parents kiss before?" "Don't remind me," Spike stuck his tongue out at the memories. Twilight Velvet and Night Shine were always rather public in their affections for one another. "Is that what you do when you're in an adult relationship?" Rarity paused before answering. "If I ever find the right stallion, yes." Spike's heart broke a little. Rarity distracted herself by preparing a bowl of quartz for the baby dragon. "Why don't you finish your lunch, then go talk to Twilight. I'm sure she's worried." "Fine." *** Big Macintosh left the library just as Spike arrived. Despite the warm sunny day, the red pony's orange hair was a little damp. They both paused in the doorway before the stallion spoke first. "Twilight wants to talk to you when you're ready." Spike tried to retort but could not come up with anything. He did not know how to react to someone not trying to reassure or talk down to him. "I'm taking Twilight out to dinner tomorrow night. After that, we'll have more to talk to you about. I'll see you then." Big Macintosh left. Spike stared at the receding pony as Twilight emerged from the bathroom, drying her tail with a towel and brushing her mane. They paused awkwardly for a moment before Twilight finally spoke. "Do you want to talk now? I can wait." "Yes, I wanna talk." "Well, good timing." Twilight finished drying up. "Listen, Spike, I didn't mean to keep my relationship with Big Macintosh a secret for long. It just sort of happened. You're a big part of my life, I shouldn't keep things from you." Spike sighed before speaking. "It's alright." "Really? That's very mature of you, Spike." "I just wish I didn't find out the way I did." Spike would not let Twilight off the hook that easily. "You and me both, and I'm sorry for that," Twilight apologized. "You're very important to me, Spike, and so is Big Macintosh, just in different ways. We just wanted to make sure what we had was really going to last before telling anypony." "It is really going to last then?" "Yes it is, and you're going to be seeing Big Macintosh around more often because of it." "Applejack and Apple Bloom too?" Spike perked up a little bit. Twilight bit her bottom lip before speaking. "We're just going to take this one step at a time. For now, I need to trust that you will keep this between us. No telling anypony else what's going on." "But why?" "It's complicated," Twilight said. "If you need to talk to somepony, I'm always here, as are Rarity and Rainbow Dash." "Pinkie Pie too?" Twilight Sparkle had completely forgotten the pink earth pony. "That's something I'll take care of later. Do you want a hug?" "...Yes," Spike admitted before succumbing to the purple's pony's embrace. Something new in Twilight stirred in response.