The six ponies laughed and giggled at the latest attempt at Twenty Questions, which had ended with Rainbow Dash and Applejack somehow guessing that Twilight was thinking of hoofball when the answer had been Starswirl the Bearded.
“Okay,” Rainbow Dash said. “I’m thinking of a pony…”
“Spitfire?” Rarity deadpanned.
“How - er, no,” the cyan mare stuttered, causing the group to laugh.
“Hey, Twilight, I’m starving, you got any more s’mores?” Pinkie asked.
“No problem,” she assured, rising to her hooves. She trotted over to her refrigerator and opened it.
Inside she found Gummy.
“What the?”
In a flash Gummy’s jaws opened wide, about three times wider than it should have, revealing a set of razor sharp teeth. He jumped up and bit at Twilight. Thankfully, she managed to back away in time, slamming the door shut.
“Twilight?” Applejack called. “Is everythin’ alright?”
“I think Gummy just ate all my food.”
“Well that’s alright, you’ll do.”
Before Twilight could be asked what that meant, she was tackled to the ground. She looked up to see Applejack and her friends standing over her with hungry looks on their faces. “What are you?”
At that instant the forms of her friends twisted and contorted, turning into the forms of Changelings, all of whom looked ready to devour her.
Letting out a yell, she summoned her magic and swatted the offending creatures away. They were stunned for only a moment, then continued coming after her. In terror she leapt up and raced out of her front door, and into the darkened streets of Ponyville. She called for help, but received no answer.
She ran, ran, ran, not even looking back to see if they were still following her. Finally, she came to her friends… her real ones, hopefully.
“Oh, I’m so glad to see you guys. There are Changelings after me!”
“Uh huh, sure,” Rainbow Dash snorted as she returned to the Daring Do book she was reading in mid-flight.
”Darling, really,” Rarity sneered, smoothing out a wrinkle in her Gala dress. “We haven’t the time for your delusions.”
Twilight was baffled. “Wh-what?”
Pinkie hopped up and down, babbling frantically. “Ooh, ooh, is this a pretend game? Let me get Rocky and we can…”
“Don’t waste yer time, Pinkie,” Applejack groaned. “We ain’t got time for your shenanigans. I got applebuckin’ ta do.”
“But…” Twilight began, only to find herself receiving a hard buck from the cowpony’s hind legs. She shook her head, trying to ease the pain, and was shocked to see that her friends had walked into the distance after such a short time.
“Wait!” she cried, only to find herself being pulled down by the five Changelings. Had she not been scared for her life, she would have found the sight of them suddenly wearing dinner napkins and carrying silverware almost comical.
Suddenly, Twilight was on a giant dinner plate, hogtied. One Changeling stuffed an apple in her mouth. Struggling against her bonds, she let out a muffled scream as one of the Changelings brought down its knife.
Twilight let out a piercing scream, bolting upright. She took several deep breaths, trying to get air back into their lungs. She was in her bed, completely safe. At least, she hoped that was the case.
She glanced to the side to see if she had woken Spike, only to remember that Spike wasn’t sleeping in the same room anymore.
She sighed, flopping back down on her pillow. Using her magic, she levitated Smartypants off her bedside table and into her waiting forearms. When she was a foal, it helped soothe her after such dreams. Here, however, it was not having the same effect.
She knew the reason. This wasn’t a dream about the Headless Horse chasing her or Slender Mane hiding in her closet. These threats were very real, not stories started by unqualified parents to get their foals to behave. It was never something she could truly wake up from.
And, of course, it was because Smartypants was a poor substitute for Spike. The doll had found itself being used less and less once the baby dragon came into her life. Even as an infant, he seemed to instinctively know when his caretaker was upset and would crawl up next to her in an attempt to comfort her. Now her foalhood comfort seemed a bit… weaker in comparison.
She closed her eyes again, letting out a low moan. There was so much on her mind sleep seemed like an impossibility. Still, she had already lost one night to bad dreams, she was determined not to lose another.
Celestia’s Sun shone into the library as a weary Twilight poured herself a glass of orange juice. Spike was in trouble, Scootaloo might be in trouble, the political situation was getting worse. She didn’t think she could handle any more surprises.
At that moment, the door to the library burst open, and Big Macintosh stormed in. “I want that doll back!”
“You can’t have it!” Twilight said defensively. “She’s my study buddy!”
“You threw her out!” he exclaimed.
“I… used her for an experiment,” she defended, glaring at him.
“Same thing,” he said, his face getting closer to hers.
“Is not!” she shot back, leaning in.
“Give her back!”
“Make me!”
The two stared at each other intently for a few seconds.
Then, suddenly, their forelegs were around each other as their lips touched, doing a dance…
Pinkie!
“Why doesn’t anypony let me finish a story?”
“’Cause they’re ridiculous!” Applejack snapped with a blush. “I really don’t wanna hear about Twilight makin’ out with my brother!”
“Oh, I see! I know what I did wrong.”
”I-I’m sorry I got a little crazy taking my doll back,” Twilight sulked. “I’ve just been so stressed out lately…”
Applejack put a hoof under her chin and forced her to look into her eyes. “I know just the kind of relief you need, sugarcube.” Slowly, she brought them together, until their lips…
“PINKIE!”
“What? I fixed the story! See, now you could be with Twilight…”
“I don’t like Twilight that way,” the cowpony said through gritted teeth, her face now bright red.
“Oh, Applejack, denial isn’t healthy. I mean, you got so upset when Twilight was with somepony else, and you came over here to talk about Twilight…”
“I came here to buy some more supplies,” she groaned, gesturing at the cart filled with flour and other supplies. “I told you, Apple Bloom’s cooking didn’t go so well. I was just worried, is all. Twi looked a mess yesterday, and she’s been wantin’ her doll back but didn’t tell me ‘bout it. Why not?”
“Maybe she’s embarrassed about still wanting her doll?” Pinkie suggested.
“I don’t think so. If she was embarrassed ‘bout wantin’ it back, I don’t think she’d ‘a made quite a scene when she left yesterday.”
“Well, maybe you should talk to her. You’ve got to look out for your mare…”
“Pink… you…” Applejack sighed. “Ya know what? I really wish I could live in your world for a day. I really do.”
“I get that a lot,” the pink pony said obliviously.
The orange pony sighed, lifting up the cart. “I’m going ta go see Twi tonight. I’m way behind on the applebuckin’, so it can’t be put off anymore, and Apple Bloom’s not workin’ today, since I kept her busy yesterday.”
“So it’s one of those nose to the grindstone days, huh?”
“’xactly,” Applejack muttered, without her usual enthusiasm. Normally she loved the long days, but not while things to worry about lingered in the back of her mind. “Just keep out of trouble, okay?”
“Yes sir, ma’am sir!” Pinkie saluted.
Applejack rolled her eyes, then pulled the cart away from Sugarcube Corner. As Pinkie waved her friend goodbye, Mrs. Cake walked up to her.
“Applejack seems down. Do you know what’s wrong?”
Pinkie gave a sad sigh. “Unrequited love.”
Several feet away, Applejack had the sudden urge to run back and buck Pinkie, but fought it.
Mrs. Cake opened her mouth, but decided it was better if she didn’t ask. “Derpy just got here with the mail. There’s a letter for you.”
Pinkie perked up, but her foster mother put a hoof up. “I don’t care how little mail you get, we’re not throwing an ‘I Got a Letter’ party.”
Pinkie drooped. “Can I at least have a special cupcake?”
Mrs. Cake ruffled her hair affectionately. “Always.”
Back at the Golden Oaks Library, the real Twilight was at her bathroom sink, splashing water in her face. It had been a second restless night, and she was almost glad all her friends would be busy today. She didn’t have the energy to deal with Rarity’s dramatics, or Rainbow Dash’s theatrics, or Pinkie Pie’s enthusiasm.
She brushed her mane into form. At least, a form that she considered good enough for staying inside all day. She then mentally made a checklist on what she had to research today. Look through some old court cases of foal abuse and intervention for Rainbow Dash, research on offensive spells for whatever next encounter the Bearers had to face. Maybe now she could convince the others to practice combat a little more often.
She was stirred out of her thoughts by her front door opening, its bell reaching her even upstairs. She quickly composed herself and broke into a half-run, getting to the library’s foyer in time to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders enter.
“Oh, girls, what brings you here? Want to look up something for your latest endeavor?”
Scootaloo looked enthusiastic at the suggestion, but Sweetie Belle spoke first. “Actually, we’re here to see Spike.”
Twilight was silent for a moment. She tilted her head in curiosity. “What brought this on?”
“We figured, since we hadn’t seen him in awhile, we could just hang out,” Apple Bloom answered immediately. It sounded rehearsed, or at least planned.
The lavender unicorn was silent for a moment as the three foals squirmed, seeming uncomfortable by her scrutiny. “He’s upstairs,” she said at last.
“Thanks, Twilight,” they said quickly. Before the older mare could process this, the three were already halfway up the stairs, anxious to get away from her curiosity.
Twilight thought about following them up to see if she could overhear anything that could help her. But she decided against it. She had raised Spike to be attentive and alert, and he would undoubtedly have his defenses up. She would leave them alone, let them talk, and hopefully something would come of it.
Upstairs, the three foals stopped running, catching their breaths.
“Man, I thought for sure Twilight was going to figure us out,” Sweetie said with relief.
“She has,” Scootaloo said bluntly. “Your sisters told you she figured out something. I still say we should…”
She was cut off by Apple Bloom’s hoof in her mouth. “Don’t say it, especially where Spike can hear you,” she scolded.
Sweetie ignored her friend’s antics. She walked to the door Spike was hiding behind and gave it a knock.
No answer.
“Spike, it’s us,” she pleaded.
“…Sweetie?” Spike’s voice said hoarsely.
“Yeah, it’s us, Spike. Let us in.”
“Is Twilight there with you?” he asked cautiously.
The three fillies all gave annoyed looks, but hid it well. “No.”
After a pause, the door unlocked and opened, with Spike motioning them to come in.
Pinkie had bounded up to Sugarcube Corner’s main counter where Mr. Cake had laid the mail, as he did every morning before the shop opened. Then again, she bounded just about everywhere, except on certain occasions. She picked up the letter and examined it.
At that point, something that only happened once in a blue moon occurred. Pinkie Pie froze. She recognized the return address.
Carefully, and very reluctantly, she opened the letter with her teeth, allowing the simple parchment to fall on the counter. She moved it into place, and scanned it quickly.
Her stomach lurched.
“Pinkie?” Mrs. Cake called cheerfully, oblivious to her child’s uneasiness. “Who’s it from?”
In a very quiet, very un-Pinkie whisper, she answered. “My parents.”
Spike looked at the three fillies as if they were up to something, which wasn’t an unfair assumption where the three were concerned. “I guess you’re over here to tell me to talk to Twilight, to quit moping, blah, blah.”
“Well duh,” Scootaloo answered, only to get an annoyed nudge from Apple Bloom.
Sweetie placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Spike, it’s like we told you, this whole thing is ridiculous. You should just…”
“Look, if you just came by to tell me what you told me at the wedding, then just leave. I’m not in the mood.”
The three gave another disappointed look. “Well,” Sweetie said at last, “we wanted to hang out with you today. We figured it would help you feel better.”
Spike kept his arms folded, drumming his fingers on his upper arm. Finally, he sighed. “I guess it’s better than reading up on obscure unicorn history all day.”
His three guests raised eyebrows in fascination. “Why would you even be reading…”
“A gift from Twilight,” Spike said suddenly. “Not that I was grateful for it until now.” He added the last sentence with a bitterness that he made sure the Crusaders heard.
“Yeah, we get it, you’re sad,” Scootaloo rolled her eyes. She had the breath knocked out of her by Apple Bloom with another nudge.
“Come on, let’s play a game. Twilight keeps board games around, doesn’t she? She has to have something good.”
“They’re in the next room. One of you can go and get them.”
There was silence. “Why don’t you go get them?” Apple Bloom asked at last.
“Because that would require leaving this room, and Twilight might corner me.”
Scootaloo’s hoof hit her face. Her fellow Crusaders were more restrained, but they still looked visibly annoyed. “Oh, this is so… fine,” Scootaloo rolled her eyes, marching out of the room. “But we’re playing what I want.”
Pinkie quickly and nervously munched her cupcake. An extra special one, the Cakes had assured. After all, this was no little thing. Her foster parents waited patiently for her to finish her meal, occasionally glancing back at the letter.
“Well,” Mr. Cake said at last. “What are you going to do, Pinkie?”
“I… I don’t know,” Pinkie stammered, sounding like a child begging her mother to make it all better. “What do you guys think?”
They both looked at each other solemnly. They had been expecting this. “Pinkie, this is your decision to make, not ours,” Mrs. Cake began. “But if you must know, they’re just asking for a talk. I think you can manage that.”
“After…” Pinkie began, but the words died in her throat. She placed a hoof on her stomach. “My tummy hurts.”
Mrs. Cake rubbed her back. “Do you need the day off?”
“No, no,” Pinkie said quickly. “I always think best when I’m baking. And I have a doozy to think about.”
They nodded. Seeing Pinkie baking was almost surreal. Pinkie went about her actions with pep and vigor, though she could almost pass for normal.
“If you’re sure…”
She nodded. “I’m sure. I need to think about this.” She ate the last bite of her cupcake, throwing the wrapper in a small garbage pail.
Time passed in the library with silence. Spike and the Crusaders played their games, starting with Battlecloud, which Scootaloo picked from the logic that it was Rainbow Dash’s favorite, to checkers, to a game of Twenty Questions. Spike even talked them into a round of chess, which he showed surprising skill at.
Twilight kept herself busy, first with her studies, then on looking up more information for Rainbow Dash, and all throughout she had to fight the urge to go upstairs and eavesdrop on Spike. At lunchtime she brought them up some hay sandwiches and gemstones, as well as four mugs of apple juice. When Spike refused to open the door she simply left the tray on the floor and left. She came back an hour later to see it empty, so at least they had eaten.
Noon wore into afternoon, then early evening. Looking at the clock on the wall, Apple Bloom sighed. “We better git goin’ Spike, it’s getting’ late.”
“Alright then. Just make sure Twilight doesn’t…”
“Spike, this whole thing is stupid!” Scootaloo finally snapped, stomping a hoof on the floor.
“Scootaloo,” Sweetie tried to chastise, but it came out halfhearted, if even that. She was thinking the same thing, and was grateful her more aggressive friend was speaking.
“Look, I told you, I can’t tell Twilight…”
“You don’t have to tell Twilight, she already knows something is wrong,” the pegasus pointed out. “She’s not going to just forget that something’s bothering you.”
“So, I can just avoid her…”
“No you can’t!” she growled in frustration. “Spike, you both live in the same house, you can’t just keep avoiding her forever!”
“Scoots…” Apple Bloom began, but her friend cut her off.
“No, I’m sick of this! Spike, Twilight can teleport, can’t she? She could get in here at any time! You can’t just hide in here forever!”
Spike’s eyes widened as he realized her point. “I… I…”
“And even if she couldn’t, she’d find some way of talking to you. She’s a genius, remember? You’re an idiot if you think you can just run from her.” With that, she turned around and walked out of the room in a huff.
Spike was visibly shaking.
Sweetie sighed. “Spike… Scootaloo’s right. You can’t hide in here forever. I think you should go talk to Twilight about how you feel. Your gift is at Carousel Boutique when you want it back.” She followed her friend out, casting a last worried look at Spike.
Apple Bloom shuffled awkwardly. “Just… think about it, okay?” she said at last, leaving the room in a fast walk to avoid any more awkwardness.
With her shift over, Pinkie trotted out of Sugarcube Corner. She had thought over her decision and decided to tell at least one of her friends, it was only a question of who.
Twilight and Rainbow Dash were worried about Spike and Scootaloo, respectively. Rarity was busy catching up on her order from Fancypants, and Applejack was grappling with her unrequited love for Twilight.
That left Fluttershy.