"What?!" Spike coughed, spraying bits of sapphire across the breakfast table. Shooting a look of disbelief at Twilight, he continued, "You want to do more research on the Want it, Need it Spell? Last time you cast that spell you caused all of Ponyville to riot!" Spike practically shouted at Twilight.
"Exactly Spike," Twilight replied, waving a hoof as if to brush away Spike's concerns. "That spell isn't designed to work like that and I want to figure out what went wrong."
"Uh-uh, no way. I don't want to end up as a love crazed zombie." Spike shook his head adamantly.
"Well how about this? I cast an anti-magic spell on you first so you'll be immune and that way you can supervise and make sure things don't get out of hand." Twilight offered
"I don't know Twilight, it still seems like a bad idea."
"Pleeeeease Spike." Twilight's eyes watered up with fake tears and her lip began to wobble.
"Fine, fine. But one more condition! We tell Princess Celestia what we're doing first, so she can keep an eye on things in case I can't handle it."
"Alright Spike, take a note.”
Twilight quickly dictated her plans for her new project to her assistant.
"Your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle
Ok Spike send it, and start grabbing books. Lets start with Clover's Compendium of Classic Castings."
Twilight hummed in contentment as she finished reading the last page of the book. Getting up she stretched to work out some of the kinks of staying still for so long. Two weeks of studying had wreaked havoc on her posture.
"Spike? Spiiiike?" She called
"Yes Twilight, what is it?" Spike replied hurrying over from where he was sorting his gem collection
"I've figured out what I did wrong last time!" Twilight said humming some more and doing a little victory dance. Spike couldn't help but smile at her antics.
"So what did you find out?" Spike asked after a few moments.
"Oh right! I figured out that last time I cast the spell I did everything right, except that I used a little bit too much power." Twilight said coming back down to reality.
"How much more power?"
"......."
"Sorry what was that?"
"About a hundred times too much." Twilight admitted sheepishly "The spell is only meant to make the selected ponies love whatever the target of the spell is, not turn them into love crazed zombies."
"So you mean you've always been casting that spell wrong but last time was particularly bad? How are they supposed to act?"
"Apparently completely normally, just as if they had naturally fallen in love. Its all supposed to be very subtle."
".... For some reason that actually seems scarier then the love crazed zombies," Spike's scales clicked as he shuddered.
"Oh Spike you worry too much" Twilight rubbed his head affectionately. "Everything is going to be fine, I just need to cast the spell as a trial and we can study something else. All I need now is a test subject."
"What's this about a test subject? Why would you want to test somepony? Tests are Bor-ing! I mean I-"
"Ah! Pinkie Pie! Where did you come from?" Twilight shouted, turning around in surprise.
"Sugarcube Corner, duh. I mean where else would I come from? What a silly question Twilight you already know where I live. So maybe you meant where I came from originally? Well when a mare and a stallion love each other really much-"
"N-nevermind Pinkie! Just what do you want?" Twilight reeled back, a little stunned by the sheer velocity of Pinkie's speech.
"I'm throwing a party and you have to be there! And no buts Twilight, you've spent the last two weeks working on this project of yours and we have barely seen you at all. Besides you have to come! Me and Applejack have finally created Sweet Apple Cider Cupcakes! It has almonds in it Twilight! Almonds!" Pinkie's eyes bugged out a little as she pressed her face up to Twilight's for a second. "Anyways its the first official testing and I want my bestest friends to all be there! Though spoiler alert; the cupcakes are delicious." Pinkie started to bounce around Twilight as she kept talking.
"Applejack and I," Twilight corrected automatically before her brain caught up with Pinkie, "An Apple Cider Cupcake? That sounds pretty good, and I've finished the book research anyways, I just need to test the spell. So yes I'll be there Pinkie!" Twilight said with her stomach slightly grumbling.
"Great, see ya at eight!" And with that Pinkie bounced back out of the library.
Pinkie's party was a smashing success as always. The music was a perfect blend of classic and modern hits, even featuring the latest hit from OctaviaxScratch Productions. 'Guppy's Pick' Punch was as tasty as ever and this time with 100% less gator! But the real hit of the party were the Apple Cider Cupcakes. Pinkie had thought ahead and baked them in such large amounts that they initially had formed a miniature Ponyville in the middle of Surgarcube Corner. Initially, because as soon as the party began Rainbow Dash had begun devouring them. She had already polished her own home off as well as Town Hall and now was working her way through the cupcake bounty of Sweet Apple Acres. The others had eaten their fair share of the cupcake town and were now simply having a good time, either on the dance floor or just talking to each other.
"So what have ya been working on these last few weeks sugarcube?" Applejack asked with a cup of punch balanced on her hat.
"Well remember that Want it Need it spell? I've figured out why it went so horribly wrong last time." Twilight replied.
"An' what's that?"
"I simply used far too much power. Now I'd like to cast it again to see what the effects are when it's working properly. But Spike's already said no and I doubt anypony is willing to let me even try!" Twilight complained.
"Well shucks, can ya blame em? Nopony wants to be a love crazed zombie." Applejack said.
"The spell isn't supposed to do that! It's apparently much more subtle but I don't know what that means." Twilight explained hanging her head low in weariness.
Applejack just stared at Twilight. On one hoof she felt bad for the purple mare. On the other hoof, she didn't exactly want to be a love crazed zombie. But if Twilight got too frustrated she might take it in her head to just cast the spell on some unwitting pony. It was Applejack's duty, no her privilege to bite the bullet for all of Ponyville.
"Shoot, Ah think Ah'll regret this but Ah reckon you can cast the spell on me." Applejack volunteered with a gulp.
"Really?!" Twilight beamed at Applejack
"But you promise me right now that if Ah'm actin the least bit odd you'll stop the spell immediately, got it?" Applejack added quickly.
"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye! Thank you Applejack! I promise nothing bad will happen." Twilight practically sang.
Suddenly Pinkie Pie rushed over
"Hi girls! Whatcha talking about? Twilight's smiling so it must be funny or good news! Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!" She said.
"Applejack volunteered to help me test the new improved Want it Need it Spell. " Twilight explained.
Now all of their friends were crowded around them, talking excitedly.
"Darling are you sure about this? Hearts aren't something you should be trifling with."
"I can't wait! This is going to be so awesome! Seeing Applejack mooning over some object is going to be so funny."
"Good luck, Twilight. Um, do you mind if I watch as well. I-if you don't mind that is." Fluttershy whispered.
"This is going to be so much fun! So when are you casting the spell?"
Applejack just facehooved at the attention. Her little favor to Twilight just got turned into a spectacle for all of their friends. At least Applebloom and Big Mac won't be there. She consoled herself.
"I don't see why not. I was thinking of beginning testing first thing tomorrow morning, if that's alright with you Applejack?" Twilight asked.
"Sure, might as well get this over with quickly." Applejack replied, her voice muffled by her hoof.
The girls chatted some more, excited about what the morning would bring. Nopony was paying attention to Spike who decided to sneak out and write an emergency letter to the Princess.
The sun was just beginning to rise as the Elements of Harmony plus Spike made their way outside of Ponyville. Applejack was dragging her "Thanks for saving Ponyville" award. The award was nearly a foot taller then her and made from solid brass. After reaching the lake they stopped walking and Applejack spit the reward from her mouth. Amazing the award stayed up right.
"Alright Twi, mind tellin me what you wanted with mah award?"
"Well I figured that if anything does go wrong then you'll all fall in love with something that is too big to carry easily. That's also why we are all the way out here so no other pony could be caught by the spell." Twilight replied.
"Well why are we out here so early? I mean the sun isn't even up yet!" Rainbow Dash complained.
"Ah didn't ask you to come Rainbow. You could have just slept in!" Applejack retorted.
"Ha! Fat chance AJ! I wouldn't miss this for season tickets to the Wonderbolts." Rainbow Dash grinned at her friend.
"Well lets just get this over with. Ah'd rather not spend all day under this spell."
"Alright, Applejack I want you to focus on the trophy as much as you can, everypony else close your eyes so you don't get caught in the spell."
Twilight bent her head till her horn was only a micron away from actually touching the trophy. She felt the magic well up in her and began weaving the spell. She was taking extraordinary care in making sure that everything was right. After all not only was Applejack trusting her, she'd never live it down if she messed up this spell again. She was just finishing up the very last part of the spell when Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice hit her from behind at point blank range.
"GREETINGS TWILIGHT SPARKLE! WE ARE PLEASED TO ONCE AGAIN MEET WITH YOU!"
And then everything blew up.