//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 - It's Getting Worse // Story: A Dragon's Depression // by rarityxspike //------------------------------// 'Rarity remembered how bad 'the voice' controlled her, but she tried to forget about it since she wasn't sure that's what Spike was doing. Spike and Rarity sat down at the table opposite Twilight. Spike looked down at the plate and saw that it was beautifully presented. "Wow, Twilight! The presentation is beautiful", Spike said impressed, Twilight smiled. "Thank you, Spike, it was Rarity who did the presentation though", Spike looked over at Rarity, and she smiled at him. "Oh, well, thank you, Rarity, it's beautiful", Spike smiled back. 'Just like you', he thought to himself. "You're welcome, Spike, are you hungry?", Rarity asked. Spike looked at Rarity, then looked at Twilight who was patiently waiting for his response and then back at Rarity. 'Is this part of the test? What do I say? Twilight is right there!', Spike thought, he knew he had to eat in front of Twilight. "Umm... Maybe a little bit", Spike smiled weakly, worried about the response he might get. "That's okay, Spike, you eat what you can", Twilight said smiling at Spike, with Rarity's advice still fresh in her mind. Spike was surprised at the mare's response. "Oh, umm... thank you, Twilight", Spike almost stuttered in shock. Twilight and Rarity both smiled and began to eat their food, Spike subtly took a deep breath and then began to eat his food. Twilight noticed how Spike seemed to be eating normally, she subtly looked at Rarity who looked up, Twilight pointed to Spike with her eyes and Rarity looked across at Spike, back to Twilight and subtly nodded, then they both went back to eating their food. After a few minutes, Twilight and Rarity finished their meal and Spike was on his last bite. "That was so delicious, Twilight, thank you", Rarity lightly wiped her face with a napkin. Twilight smiled at the compliment. "You're welcome, Rarity, and thank you for making it look beautiful", Spike put his fork down, Twilight looked across as she heard the tap of his fork on the plate, she could see he was chewing the last of his food. "What about you, Spike? Did you enjoy it?", Spike looked up at Twilight and nodded since he had his mouthful and Twilight smiled. Nice! You fooled her, but hurry before your body digests the food Spike hardly reacted when the voice spoke. "Twilight may I be excused? I need to use the bathroom" "Of course, Spike", Twilight watched Spike, waited until he was out of earshot, then looked at Rarity. "Rarity, he ate all of it! Look!", Twilight smiling and pointed at Spike's empty plate. She used her magic to lift and look inside his cup and smiled even more. "And no chewed up bits in his cup!", Twilight couldn't be happier. Rarity smiled at how happy Twilight was, but then a memory emerged from her past "Mum! May I use the restroom?" Rarity's smile dropped, her eyes widened and her pupils shrank, Twilight noticed the sudden scared and worried expression on Rarity's face. "Rarity! What's wrong?", Rarity didn't respond, she just ran towards the bathroom. Twilight ran after her worried and confused. Spike knelt over the toilet trying to put his claw down his throat. "Come on! You did it before", Spike thought out loud before trying again. Spike managed to touch his throat and make himself throw up. Rarity heard through the door, she couldn't stop him in time, she put her hoof to her mouth and started to quietly cry. Twilight came up to her. "Rarity! What's wrong?", Rarity shushed her to talk more quietly. "It's worse than I thought", Rarity whispered, Twilight didn't understand what was going on. "What do you mean?", Rarity didn't want to worry Twilight, but also knew she had to tell her, she hesitated and took a deep breath. "Spike just made himself throw up", Rarity tried to hold back her tears. Twilight couldn't speak for a second, she was trying to process what Rarity had just said. "Wha--- He--- Why would he do that?" Twilight just looked at Rarity shocked and upset, Rarity let out a short sigh. "When somepony with this condition feels they can't pretend to eat, they'll eat to trick the people around them, but then throw it up so it was like they never ate it", Rarity remembered being in that mindset. "But why? Why doesn't he want to eat? It can't be just to have some control", Twilight made her way back to the dining room, Rarity followed. "Twilight, it starts that way, but it leaks into one's self-esteem, it makes you think you're fat, so he's trying to lose weight", Rarity was trying to stay comprehended for Twilight, but inside, she was crying, she had no idea that Spike's condition had gotten to this stage, and she knew what had to be done. Twilight and Rarity sat back down at the dining table. "I'm sorry, that we couldn't do anything about Spike throwing up, Twilight", Rarity felt so guilty, but she knew from experience it may have made Spike spiral even further. "It is hard for sure, it feels like I'm not caring for him as I should be", Twilight felt like a horrible carer and friend. With Rarity now knowing Spike's condition is now in a severe stage, she had to find out what had triggered it. "Twilight, do you have any idea what could have caused this?", Rarity asked eagerly. Twilight looked up to see Rarity looking serious. Twilight thought for a moment. "No, I care for him, I let him go on walks when he needs to, I don't work him too hard, so I don't know", Twilight just looked defeated, her once bubbly and happy assistant is now, depressed and hates himself. Rarity thought it might help to ask the right questions. "When you first noticed a problem, had something happened that day or the day before?", Twilight thought about Rarity's question for a good few minutes, Rarity waited patiently for Twilight. "There's nothing I can think of, I remember him not wanting to eat dinner, not sleeping that night, then not wanting breakfast the next morning, that was the day you came round to ask if you could borrow him, but the day before we were just doing what we normally do", Twilight was lost, she wanted to help, but couldn't think of anything that would be useful. Rarity thought for a second, but before she could say anything she heard Spike coming back from the bathroom. "He's coming back, remember because he's not aware of his condition, saying anything won't help", Rarity felt more pain with every word she said. Twilight nodded knowing Rarity was also hurt by not being able to help.