There was an eerie calm about the town as three days had passed after Spike’s little visit to the Carousel Boutique. He could feel something was on its way, and it threatened to separate him from the friends he was making. He mentally hit himself as he agonised over the thought of leaving them again. This was exactly what he wanted to avoid.
He sat up on the roof of the Apple Family barn and looked down on Ponyville. He’d spent the morning trying to escape Twilight as she’d entered her… season. As a baby, he never had to worry about her going after him, but now he was an adult, certain pheromones from both parties would be as impossible to avoid as the results of being ensnared by each other promised to deliver. He shuddered at the thought. Despite his attempts to do otherwise, he’d re-established his friendship with Twilight and tightened the bond; and sexually pursuing her was a method of reversing the outcome that he shuddered to think about.
Rainbow Dash had been a mistake and he knew it. It was further damaging to find out that those she had claimed to be with denied having had any such relationships with Rainbow Dash. Even Applejack, who couldn’t tell a lie to save her integrity, found the idea offensive. Spike explained their reactions to her and she’d revealed to him that it was all a lie. She’d only ever had sex once before him. She didn’t reveal who with, but Spike had a pretty good idea.
The young dragon smacked his tail against the wooden surface of the roof, feeling the vibrations from the impact through his buttocks. He scanned the sky, hoping they would remain as clear as usual, aside from the odd Pegasus every now and then, one in particular leaving a trail of falling letters as she skimmed across the sky in a rather uncoordinated fashion. Spike took one of the letters that managed to fall towards him. Coincidentally, it was for Twilight; the return address revealed it to be from her parents.
The dragon skimmed his talon across one edge of the envelope and pulled out the contents. He read over the letter and smiled. The answer to Twilight’s suicidal problem may have just fallen into his hand. He placed the letter back in the envelope and ignited it in a green flame, sending it off to his friend.
“Maybe a baby sister will work wonders on her. I can see myself packing her bags in five minutes.” he chuckled to himself as he rose to his feet and hopped off the roof. His wings shot out of his back and he was in the air before he touched the ground.
Twilight was busy in the Library, happily humming to herself as she tidied the place up. She’d rearranged all the books and was half way through dusting the tables when a green flame flashed in front of her and a letter appeared in front of her, already opened.
“Spike, your curiosity astounds me.” she said as she picked up the letter. She looked at the return address and hurriedly opened the note within the envelope.
The ponies who were reading silently in their own areas nearly lost the use of their eardrums as an excited shriek escaped the Librarian’s mouth. Windows would have shattered, had the tree been fitted with any.
“Oh my gosh! I’m going to have a baby sister!” she cried out, hugging Carrot Top who looked up from her gardening book.
“Congrats, Twilight.” she said before the unicorn was running into her room, calling out Spike’s name.
The dragon had just entered the door when he heard his name called out from upstairs.
“Yeah, yeah; I’m reading your mind. I’ll pack your bags in a minute.” he strolled through the Library, his wings retreating back into his body. He stretched himself out afterwards.
“Ooh, that transition was a little off. I’ll have to watch out for those.” he said to himself as he twisted his body, forcing his spine to pop, which felt fantastic. His housemate rushed down the stairs and hurried over to him.
“Isn’t this great, Spike? I’m going to be a ‘big sister’, not just a little sister, but a big one too.” she clopped her hooves together in joy before wrapping them around Spike and giving him a big kiss. Clearly, she hadn’t thought about where she’d kissed him as she trotted away happily.
“Oh… I’m sure you were a big pain to Shining Armour at times.” he muttered as he went off to pack Twilight’s bags.
Twilight, who had been so excited at the news, left the Library to tell her friends. It wasn’t until she’d taken a few steps from the tree that she noticed a familiar sensation tickling her lips. She paused, brought out of her reverie of sisterhood. Bringing her hoof to her lips, she caressed the tingling spot on her mouth and it rushed to her cheeks. It felt like pins and needles in her face. She shook her head madly, trying to get blood flow back into her cheeks, but she just ended up tickling herself with the mild stabbing sensations that came with the symptom of localised blood flow deprivation.
She tried to recall what she’d done prior to getting this strange sensation and it dawned upon her. She’d kissed Spike. And not just a kiss, but a full-on smooch. As this realisation hit her like a sack of bricks, she blushed redder than Big Mac’s coat.
“Oh, Celestia!” she said, running full speed to the only pony she could rely on for advice in the matter that had just crept upon her. And she headed for the Carousel Boutique.
“Oh, darling! Your reaction is symptomatic of the most obvious thing in this world.” Rarity declared as Twilight explained the situation.
“I know what’s wrong with me, Rarity. I came here to ask you for advice on how to proceed with this.”
“Well you can’t ignore it, darling.”
“Why not?” Rarity gave her painfully regal laugh as the replied.
“I used to be a dragon lover, like you. But then I took a talon to the roof.” she extended a hoof to her ceiling which still showed the Rarity-proclaimed battle scars of the fight that occurred three days prior.
“But what do I do?” Twilight urged, becoming hysteric as she thought out scenarios in her mind, but her data was insufficient to return working result.
“I suppose there’s nothing you can do until you discover he shares your feelings,” Rarity paused for a moment. Twilight… are you sure you actually love Spike in this manner, and it isn’t just your seasonal… for lack of a better term, horniness, getting the better of you?” Rarity had a point, and Twilight considered it.
“I’m sure. Because I felt this once before my season started. Which leads me to believe he does feel the same way.”
“So you kissed him today and your lips started tingling, and before that, you woke up with the same tingling? You think Spike kissed you in your sleep?” Rarity asked. Twilight shook her head.
“Maybe he stopped himself at the last second. The first time wasn’t as powerful as this one, which leads me to believe he may have been struggling to resist kissing me that night.” Twilight was working her mind furiously, trying to gather more relevant data for her conclusion.
“Perhaps you should ask him about it. If he acts strange around the subject, then tell him how you feel and wait for his response.” Twilight blushed as she played that thought through her head. She began to jump ahead to the evening activities and she giggled.
“Is the sex starting now? Darling, much as I love pairing two ponies, or in your case a pony and a dragon, if you’re going to start staining my couch, I’m going to have to kill you.” Rarity pointed a mop in Twilight’s direction. Twilight snapped out of her fantasy and giggled sheepishly.
“Sorry, Rarity. I’ll head off then. Got to see a dragon about a kiss.” she teased.
Twilight felt really giddy as she made her way back to her Library. She was mentally psyching herself up to tell him. Maybe I’ll ignore all that and just ask him out on a date. See what he thinks. If he says yes, then perhaps I’ll tell him how I really feel. I can’t lead him on like Rarity did, though.
The unicorn’s thoughts were interrupted as she entered the Library and saw a very familiar figure standing before her, surrounded by other figures.
Spike had finished packing and had gone out to get some lunch before the inevitable trip to Canterlot. He imagined himself being selected to babysit on occasion; a concept that bothered him slightly. Nearly every emotional wall he’d placed up had been destroyed by the Elements of Harmony. His friends had redeemed him and he was feeling mostly good about that. But the lingering doubt that everything would be fine still waned on his mind. He hadn’t been using his magic much, and he felt that he needed to maintain perfect condition of his every ability. “The calm before the storm.” His mind let out.
He sat at a table for two in front of a commonplace take-out restaurant, his usual order of hay fries and burned ‘Caesar Salad’ barely touched. He looked up to the sky and saw that the sun was shining a little more brightly than usual.
So many things plagued his mind, and he wanted them all either answered or gone. One thing in particular ate away at him. It was connected to the second. What if danger struck Ponyville and Twilight was hurt as a result. These two things burned away at his heart and he felt darkness take hold. I’ll destroy any who threaten the peace of Equestria. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, ridding his mind of such thoughts. Dark thoughts hadn’t really reached him since he’d returned to Ponyville, and his attitude was just a remnant of a powerfully dark emotion; desire.
Spike checked the time on the clock inside the restaurant and sighed. It was time to get Twilight ready for Canterlot. He rose to his feet, leaving the barely eaten food at the table. He tossed some bits on the tray and headed out the door.
As he made his way to the Library, he wondered how the train ride would fare for the two of them as Twilight’s season of heat had only just begun. Would he have to protect passing Stallions from her? Would he have to protect himself from her? Would he have to lock her in the cubicle and take up another one altogether? Twilight was unpredictable when it came to these times of the year.
The Library door was within his view and he reached for it.
“Hey Twilight, I thought for dinner we could get your mother to make her special macaroni and…” he was cut off as a choice number of spear blades met his throat, each blade bearing the engraved symbol of Celestia. “…Cheese.” he croaked afterward, eyeing the metal in front of him. He glanced up to see Twilight being treated similarly, Celestia herself standing next to the dishevelled unicorn.
“What is this?” Spike demanded, his irises turning a slight pinky shade as he fought off the darkness that threatened to seep out after seeing Twilight in that situation.
“Hello, Spike. I’m sorry we couldn’t meet again under better circumstances, but I must insist that you come with me immediately. We have a matter of great importance to discuss with you, and Twilight and her friends cannot be involved in this.” Spike heard the Princess’ request and a single thought entered his mind as he foresaw this outcome.
Shit!