It was Saturday when Twilight and Rainbow decided to meet up for the second time. That morning, Twilight left the house early to run an errand in town, leaving Spike to lounge around until she returned. It took over two hours for her to arrive back home.
"You were gone for a while. What happened?"
Twilight levitated a plastic case in front of her brother. On the cover was a purple flower unknown to the dragon. In the top left corner rested a logo designed in the Ruritania font.
"It's called Orchid by Opeth. I'm sure I've mentioned them before."
"I'm guessing it was hard to find."
"Yes, but I have my ways."
"Did you wanna listen to it before we left?"
The Alicorn shook her head.
"No."
"Then why did you look so hard for it?"
"Because this isn't mine."
Twilight guided the case over to her brother.
"I want you to listen to this alone before we leave."
"I don't get it."
"Your mind and heart need to be under a specific influence. You'll understand what I mean when you listen."
Spike skimmed the back of the album. The song titles piqued his interest to say the least.
"If you want to win Rarity over, you have to search the depths of your soul."
"Twilight, I have a question."
"Yes?"
"...Are you high?"
The mare smiled.
"High on life, little bro. High on life."
Spike shrugged.
"Works for me."
Around two in the afternoon, Twilight and Spike left to meet up with the others. On the way, Spike plucked a purple coneflower native to the region. He wrapped himself inside his wings as a symbolic gesture. When the pair reached the restaurant from their first encounter, everyone was waiting for them.
"I was startin' to worry you might flake on us." Rainbow said.
Spike approached Rarity, flower firmly in hand. He held it out to her.
"For you, fair lady." he spoke.
The world went silent. Even Pinkie was at a loss for words. Rarity stared into the dragon's eyes with a look of surprise. She saw a kindness dormant during their previous meeting. A smile of her own began to form. She levitated the plant behind her ear.
"Thank you, Spike," she stated sweetly, "I'll treasure this."
Rainbow moved next to Twilight.
"Little dude's got balls of steel." the Pegasus uttered.
"I may have coached him a bit." Twilight replied smugly.
"I have to check on the animals at the shelter," Fluttershy interjected, "Would it be okay if we stopped by?"
"Of course." Twilight assured.
The party gathered and took their leave. Spike leaned against Rarity's shoulder. Her fur felt so warm and inviting. As they marched on, he became lost in his own world.
Fluttershy filled each of the animals' food dishes, taking her time to play with them. She petted and cuddled each of them before moving on to the next. Twilight could tell it brought the Pegasus great peace caring for them.
"Do you have any pets, Fluttershy?" the Alicorn questioned.
"Just one: a bunny named Angel."
"Boy or girl?"
"Boy."
"He was a little shit when she first got him." Rainbow cackled.
"In what way?" Twilight asked.
"He used to pull her mane and smack her with his tail."
"I take it his temper evened out after a while?"
"She had to fight him on it, but they eventually grew on each other."
"Do you have any, Twilight?" Fluttershy inquired.
"We had a dog when I was little. He passed away, unfortunately."
"I'm so sorry."
"It's okay. I know most smaller animals have short lifespans."
Rarity was the next to voice her thoughts.
"Forgive me for prying, darling, but why didn't you tell us about your connection to the royal family? It seems like the sort of thing most would wear proudly."
"I knew that would come up sooner or later," Twilight responded, "The truth of the matter is, I want nothing to do with politics. It's more headache than it's worth, and I didn't want people to feel like I had an unfair advantage. I built the life I have so I could help those in need. I despise greed and selfishness with every fiber of my being."
"What you're describing is true nobility. That's precisely what a leader does."
"Maybe, but I'm content in the shadows for now. There's too much scrutiny in being a public figure. I think most people would find our way of life odd, anyhow."
"How so?"
"Spike and I experimented with vampirism during my senior year of high school. It became a normal part of our routine. He feeds on my blood from time to time."
"I see. Perhaps that would raise some eyebrows among the common folk."
"Blood tastes sweet to him because of his genetic coding. It's a survival mechanism from the Paleozoic era."
"Well, fret not. It's of no consequence to us, provided you employ caution."
Twilight nodded.
"Come on," Rainbow urged, "Let's head to my place. I've got a ton of movies to choose from. We'll pick something out with lunch."