//------------------------------// // 7 - Friendship is sickening // Story: Living where the crossing life leads // by Warioexpert //------------------------------// “Hmmm,” Twilight hummed happily as she looked through her new telescope, peering out a window Jack had recently installed into the attic for her. Fascinating. The constellations here are marked by actual lines, she thought while jotting the new discovery in her notebook. So enthralled in her study of the alien constellations, Twilight gave a slight jump when she heard Jack speak up behind her. “Still staring at the stars?” “Yes and I’d thank-you to not sneak up on me,” Twilight said, turning on him with an angry pout. “One of these days you’re going to get a kick to the chest.” “Maybe I’ll just eat these all by myself then if you’re going to be so grouchy.” Jack said as he waved a plate, full of triangular shaped rice balls, enticingly. “Onigiri!” Twilight exclaimed as she broke away from telescope, and snatched up one of the tasty morsels of fish and rice. She sat on the edge of her bed as she happily indulged herself in her personal favorite of Smashville cuisine, not caring that a few grains of rice stuck messily on the fur around her muzzle. Jack watched with a chuckle as he sat down on a stool Twilight had added to her room. “Hmph,” he smirked, “I thought you would like it when I first made these for you, but not this much. You do know those are stuffed with fish right?” Twilight took a moment to swallow before wiping a few pieces of stray rice into her mouth. “I know. I never actually gave myself the chance to taste fish, but these are just so good~.” She then proceeded to take another bite, giving an odd purr of satisfaction. “Yeah, I know what you mean. First time my mom showed me how to make them, I couldn’t get enough.” Jack said with a surprisingly happy chuckle.. “You never mentioned about your family like that before. What are they like?” she asked before regretting it. Upon hearing the question, Jack’s joyful eyes took on a somber tone as the corners of his mouth slowly turned to a thin line. “O-Oh... I’m sorry. Did something happen to them?” she asked tentatively. Flinching as Jack’s arm flew from his side, she felt slight relief when it grabbed hold of an onigiri and not her. He then proceeded to force the whole thing into his mouth, making a show of chewing it thoroughly. “Don't know, don't care...,” he said after swallowing. “Hey! That was mine!” Twilight scowled at Jack, hiding the nearly empty plate behind her back. “Quit whining, I can always make you more.” Jack said as he got off the bed, he then looked around at her redecorating. Twilight looked at him quizzically as he did. Jack began to rub his chin as he kept looking around. Twilights room looked stylish despite the small space, the wooden floor had a grass colored carpet laid out, which went well with the star studded wallpaper she had on the walls, Her telescope was set up right across from her bed, and a desk that seemed to have a constellation map spread out on it. “You’ve really managed to spruce this room up in such little time,” Jack commented, “it kind of looks like Celeste’s observatory.” Twilights ears perked up at the sound of ‘observatory’. “What!? Where is it!? Tell me, tell me, tell me!” she asked excitedly, her arms flailing up and down wildly. “You mean you didn't see it already? It's on the museum's second floor?” “Oh,” Twilight mouthed, remembering she’d ditched Blathers, mid-tour, back at the same museum. I’ll have to apologize before checking it out, she thought sheepishly to herself. Jack nodded before eyeing her forehead. “How’s your horn by the way?” Surprised by his sudden interest, she took a moment to compose her thoughts before taking off her bow. “You bandaged my horn up pretty well. It’s healing so quickly I was able to lift an apple with my magic this morning,” she said with a smile. Jack's quick retort of, “that's it," ruined her mood as she visualized slapping him. "Sorry I can't lift more with my broken horn. Next time I'll do more tricks for your entertainment," Twilight said. She wasn't sure if she wanted his company anymore, even if it meant more delicious rice and fish snacks. “Not what I meant," Jack said, hearing the edge in her voice, "I was hoping your horn was fixed already so you could get your butt out of my attic.” “Hmph!” Twilight crossed her arms, “A unicorn's horn doesn't heal up as quickly as a common injury Jack,” she explained with a scowl. “Without any help from a healing spell, it could take about a year for full recovery.” A whole year. With her. Jack thought with a visible grimace. Fudge! “Well... let’s see this so called magic then,” he said, taking a seat and crossing his arms. Wanting to put him in his place, she got up before placing the plate of rice balls on a stool next to her. Closing her eyes as she concentrated, small sparks jumped from her horn before emanating a weak violet glow. The same violet glow began to envelope one of the onigiri, lifting it off the plate so it wobbled in mid-air. “Whoa!” Jack exclaimed before catching himself. “I-Um... I mean cool. At least now I won't have to get up whenever I want a soda,” he chuckled before the rice ball flew into Jack’s mouth, shutting him up like an edible gag. Twilight giggled, feeling better with the small act of revenge. “Serves you right,” she said with a grin. Jack growled at her as he chewed the food stuffed in his mouth. Swallowing, he wiped the rest of the rice off his face with a napkin. “Oops, looks like you missed one,” Twilight said as a single grain of rice floated off Jack’s face. The tip of her tongue stuck out of her mouth as she guided the small grain onto it. Jack stared at her quietly as she licked it into her mouth with an audible, "mmm." It took a few moments for his brain to start processing after what he'd seen. It resulted in vacant stare that apparently was freaking Twilight out. “Jack...” she said nervously before waving her hand in front of his face, “are you alright?” Quickly shaking his head, Jack tried to hide the growing blush as he faced the stairway. “I’m fine!” he answered while awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. “Justtiredgoingtobed. Good night!" While Twilight tried to puzzle out the muttered word before watching him get up and run down the stairs. “But it's only," she started to call before hearing a door slam somewhere below her, "... six in the afternoon...” Grabbing the last rice ball, her gaze kept gravitating to the stairs. Nibbling on the treat, she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd done something wrong. The next morning, Jack casually walked out of the shower with a towel around his waist, he gave a relaxed sigh as he stretched out his legs and flexed his arms. “Yeah~! Nothing like a hot shower to start the day,” he said ecstatically while changing into the clothes he'd placed on his bed. Opening the door to his room, and being sure to close it carefully, he made his way upstairs. “Twilight! Come on it's time to get up!” Jack hollered as he walked up the stairs, each step creaking under his feet. “Twilight~ you better be sick or dying in there?” he chimed, sticking his head into her room to see the lump in her bed move. Pulling the cover to expose her face, Twilight blinked a few times as she looked over at Jack. “Mmm... Jack... is that you?...” Twilight groaned in a raspy voice, “...is it... time for me to get up?” Jack tilted his head as he noticed the sweat beading on her forehead. “Hold on..., ” he said while placing a hand to her forehead. It didn't take a doctor to know what the burning warmth meant. “Wha...What's wrong?” Twilight asked deliriously as she noticed Jack scrunch-up his face, “did the mailpony bring pickles?” “No it’s even better... you're sick Twilight, very-” Jack started to say before Twilight interrupted. “Oh no!” she said, “now I'm stuck in another dimension. With a creature from another dimension. Slowly dying of a sickness from another dimension.” “You're not dying, drama queen, although the flu can make it seem that way.” Jack said while rummaging through one of Twilight's cupboards. “What are you doing?” Twilight said, trying to get up again as Jack pulled out a small white bag with a blue label from a cupboard. Seeing the bed sheets start to slip, he dropped the bag before pushing her back into a lying position before it could expose anything. “Stay down Twilight, I 'really' don't want to see you out of bed while you're sick. Especially if you don't even have clothes on,” he said. Retrieving the dropped bag, he snatched a blue and red colored pill out before turning back to see a silly grin on the delirious unicorn's muzzle. It eerily reminded him of a certain honey bear. “Well... I don't mind. Clothes just make my coat all sticky with sweat and make me super hot in the sun.” Twilight said before sticking her tongue out and giggling devilishly as she fidgeted with the covers. “Just swallow this, and leave those alone!” Jack quickly said, pinning the feverish mare’s hands as he tried to give her the medicine. Twilight had different plans as she kept turning her head to avoid the pill, her mouth shut in a pout. This continued for some time until Jack’s eye started to twitch in annoyance. “You're going to open your pie-hole and take your medicine or so help me, I’ll take away your telescope.” That seemed to hit the mark as he saw her eyes widen. “Ugh, sorry Jack... Just a little out of it.” Twilight sheepishly said before, stopping her struggling. “Is that so...” Jack huffed before popping the pill in her mouth and handing her a glass of water from the nightstand. “Great. First I have a mare living in my house, now I have to tend to her hand and foot while she’s sick in bed! What's next? Breakfast in bed?!” he grumbled aloud. “Uhhh Jack? You're talking to yourself again,” she groggily said before giving him another odd grin, “and breakfast in bed sounds good...” Jack slapped his forehead with an annoyed groan, knowing he’d set himself up for that remark. “Fine,” he said before marching downstairs. To add insult to injury, he heard Twilight giggle as he walked down the steps. “... Just go with it Jack,” he said walking into his kitchen. Donning a white apron, Jack got to work making a suitable breakfast for his sick guest. He started by chopping up some tomatoes and fresh herbs for tomato soup, while putting some butter in a frying pan on the stove. Leaving it to melt, he brought out a sauce pot before tossing the soup ingredients in and adding enough water to cover the tomatoes. Turning the burner to medium heat, he left the soup to simmer as he turned his attention back to the sandwich. Turning the burner,under the pan to low, He cut a few thick slices of fresh bread, and some slices of tomato and cheese. Buttering the outsides, he made two grilled tomato and cheese sandwiches before placing them in the pan with a satisfying sizzle. Turning them twice, to ensure a golden brown, he then placed them to the side to cool before turning back to the soup. Scooping the stewed tomatoes and herbs out, he placed them in a blender and pureed them while slowly adding the tomato water. Reaching the desired thickness, he tossed the remaining water down the drain before seasoning the soup with some salt and pepper. “Hmm... now it needs a little more kick,” he gave off a menacing grin as he reached up on the highest shelf in the kitchen, plucking out a small pepper from a basket. “This Moruga scorpion pepper should do it” he said as he chopped up the whole thing and tossed it in, looking forward to the look on Twi’s face when he got his spicy revenge. “Alright then, this should do it...” Jack finally said after adding a cup of tea and one of sandwiches to the tray. Picking it up, and already imagining Twilight chugging water from her bedside flower pot, he was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing. “Gah, who could that be?” he grumbled while putting down the tray. Stomping over to the phone, he grabbed it up and answered with a cheerful, “Aloha?” “Hey Twilight! What's up?” Alfonso’s cheerful voice answered. “I’m sorry, this is Jack’s house and scaly crocs won’t be allowed over if they forget that,” Jack replied as his tone made a one-eighty. “Ah! J-Jack! I’m sorry I didn't know it was you,” Alfonso answered nervously. “Course you didn't,” Jack said while scratching the back of his head, “If you're looking to talk to Twilight, she’s sick in bed right now.” “Sick!?” Alfonso exclaimed. “Yeah, she’s come down with a nasty fever and-,” Jack quickly stopped talking as he heard the sound of the line being hung up. He listened to the dial tone for a few seconds before looking at the receiver. “...Huh... must have left something in the oven...” Jack said to himself before putting the phone down. Not two seconds before he was about to walk upstairs with the tray again, he heard an urgent knocking on his door. “The fudge?” Jack blurted out while making his way to the door, “who could that be?” As soon as Jack opened the door, a blur of orange and red pushed past him, making him spin in place. “Where’s Twilight?! I came here as soon as I could!” Alfonso shouted, looking around desperately with his arms full of medicine bags. “Twili-mfff!” Alfonso muffled out before Jack clamped his mouth shut and slammed him onto the hardwood floor, the medicine bags scattered all over the floor. “Shhh!” Jack hissed to the gator’s face, with his teeth clenched angrily, “she’s in bed you scaly twit!” The intimidating look in his face still carried the message through Alfonso’s head even though his voice was toned down. With a scared look in his eyes he nodded his head while muffling a, “sorry Jack,” before he was let go. “Look, if you want to see Twilight so badly she’s upstairs. Just keep your maw shut,” Jack said as he jabbed a thumb in the stairs’ direction. “Okay!” Alfonso said with a salute after he sprang up on his two feet, “I-I mean. okay.” He quickly repeated with his voice turned down as Jack glared at him. “Ugh...” Twilight groaned, tossing and turning in bed as Alfonso and Jack both looked at her from the bedside. “She looks really bad...” “Yeah, her fever got worse in a matter of minutes,” Jack replied while rubbing his chin. Alfonso slowly stepped closer to the bed, placing his hand on her forehead. It sounded like bacon touching a hot skillet, when his claw made contact with her forehead. “Yeeow!” Alfonso shouted before shaking his claw in the air. He did an odd dance around the room as he scrambled for water. “Holy fudge, at least I know not to do that now.” Jack exclaimed as he grabbed Alfonso’s claw and dunked it into the pitcher of water on Twilights night stand. Alfonso quickly gave a relieved sigh as his hand cooled down, “Thanks...” “Oh...” Twilight groaned again, grabbing the attention of the two. “Rainbow.... Pinky.... F-Fluttershy...” She blurted out still turning in bed, “Rarity... Applejack...” “Who?” Alfonso said tilting his head and looking at Jack. Jack blinked for a moment, cupping his chin in the palm of his hand with a thoughtful look, “Those are Twilight’s old friends...” Jack said. “Woah...” Alfonso said with a sad look on his face, “she must be homesick.” “Don't be ridiculous Alfonso.” Jack snapped at him, “this is a matter of medicine. Being homesick has nothing to do with it.” “Yes it does!” Alfonso snapped back, “if you were stuck in another dimension, wouldn't you feel the same?” “Course not! In fact that would make quite the adventure.” Jack continued rubbing his chin. Meanwhile, Alfonso stumbled back, having been caught off guard by his answer. “W-well we can't just sit around like this, Twilight needs our help!” As if to strengthen Alfonso’s point, Twilight groan aloud next to them again. Jack sighed before glancing at Alfonso. “So what do you think we should do, genius?” “Hmm...” Alfonso hummed as he tilted his head sideways, “well... Twilight is homesick... so maybe we should get her something to make her feel closer at home?” “Okay then I’ll just jump into my magical teleporter that lets me jump between dimension’s,” Jack said sarcastically, “or maybe I’ll find the answer in my answer-all machine...” Alfonso looked at him incredulously after he was done, making Jack feel slightly guilty. “You actually can do that!” Nevermind, Jack’s apology quickly turned to a swat on Alfonso’s nose followed by him being called, “leatherhead.” Nursing his sore muzzle, Alfonso’s eyes brightened before he snapped his claws. “Oh! Maybe you won't have to!” Alfonso said placing his claws on Jack’s shoulders. “You remember Twilight mentioning something about a suitcase... or was it a briefcase?.. nevermind. Whatever it was, she mentioned it when she woke-up.” “Uh, yeah I remember,” Jack rubbed his chin in thought before Alfonso shook him slightly. “Maybe thats what we need! We have to go back to Seismos Cave and get her briefcase back!” Alfonso exclaimed as his face lit up with hope, before Jack pushed him off. “Sounds like a plan,” Jack said with a shrug, “I’ll roll with it.” “Great! Lets get back to adventure!” Alfonso shouted excitedly before running down the stairs. Jack stood behind for a moment, before he took his first step down the stars he looked over at Twilight. “...You’d better not be dead when I get back,” Jack said before he made his way down. After a good hike, they finally arrived at the south-west corner of town where Jack and Alfonso found themselves facing Seismos cave. “It’s just as we left it the other day,” Alfonso stated to Jack as he looked up the hill. “Yeah, the pain of having to drag that unicorn’s butt out of that hole is still fresh in my mind,” Jack huffed at the thought. “You mean after you were done screaming in embarrassment cause you saw her naked?” Alfonso snidely remarked with a grin. Jack growled at Alfonso while raising his fist, “why you scally son of a-!” Just before Jack was about to finish his sentence the ground exploded beneath them, sending the both of them flipping in the air. “Gah!” “Fudge!” They both screamed before they hit the ground, Jack yelped as he landed on his backside while Alfonso landed on his head. “Punks!” a familiar voice barked as the dust cleared, “I caught you both red handed!” Bellowed Resetti while pointing his pickaxe at them. “Hey! What's the big idea ya overgrown potato!?” Jack shouted glaring daggers at the mole, while Alfonso rolled over on his back; his head still spinning from the landing. “Don't make it like you don't know! Seismos Cave is off-limits!” Resetti stated crossing his arms. “Since when?” Jack challenged while getting on his feet and dusting himself off, Alfonso following suit. With a loud thunk Resetti slammed a ‘Keep Out’ sign next to him. “Since just now” Jack scowled as a vein popped on his forehead. “That’s bullfudge!” he shouted pointing his finger accusingly at the mole. “Yeah! This place has never been off-limits before! Are you doing this just to spite us?” Alfonso added while trying not to raise his voice too loud. Resetti paused for a moment before scratching the back of his neck as a sheepish look crossed his face. “Well... Actually this place was suppose to be closed a couple of years ago, I just kept forgetting to put this sign here...” “D’oh!” the two blurted out incredulously as they simultaneously plopped on their backs with their legs in the air. “Ohhh....” Twilight groaned deliriously, opening her eyes individually. “Owww... my head...,” she moaned while slowly pulling the sheets off herself. Twilight looked around as she slowly made her way down the stairs, using the railing for support. “Jack?” she called out. “Owww....” she groaned as another headache made stars go off in her head. She took a small breather as she waited for the room to stop spinning. Where is he? Twilight thought to herself as she wandered through the living room, and soon find herself walking down another flight of stairs. Without much thought, she continued down the stairs, not caring that the sunlight didn’t disperse much of the darkness near the bottom of the steps. “Jaaaaack?” Twilight called again, keeping one hand on the banister as the other was held in front of her so she didn’t hit anything. “Oh yeah... I can use magic, Twilight you Ditzy Doo,” she said facepalming herself before she concentrated on her magic, which seemed to make her headache worsen. She grimaced in pain as a weak purple light sparked out of her horn, though it only had the luminosity of a small candle, it was just enough to see that she was standing in front of a door. “Huh?... now who put that there?” and what does that sign say she finished silently in her head, feeling like she was trying to break into the Star Swirl the Bearded wing again. “Guh, I can't even read this messy writing,” she said with exasperation as she looked at the odd text. “Buck it!” she finally blurted out, before grabbing the door knob. While turning the knob, she burst into a fit of delirious laughter. “Hah, I said a swear.” Walking into the room, she felt a cold breeze pass over her thin coat of fur. “Brrrr, why is it so cold in here?” she said aloud, rubbing her shoulders for warmth as she continued to plod inside with her horn dimly lit the way. The room she was in seemed big, as she found herself walking for a minute or two. Occasionally she would try to follow the pattern of black and white tiles on the floor; stepping only on one shade, then the next. “What is this place?” Twilight finally said before looking up, to lock stares with the eyes of someone, or something. “Uh... Hello?” she squeaked frightfully to the fiery orange eyes as their piercing green irises stared down at her. “Ummm...” she paused for a few moments, mustering her magic and courage to brighten her light to reveal more of the strange entity. “Oh!... Heh... it's just a mask...” Twilight sighed in relief. It was a purple mask with colorful spikes coming out from the edges, its eyes still seemed to stare directly at her in an eerie manner. Upon further inspection the mask seemed to be in a glass case, placed on a table for display. Twilight looked to her left, seeing a dusty white hat sitting next to the mask. It appeared to be some kind of chef’s hat, and as she tilted her head for a better look, a small glow caught her eye. “Hmm...” she walked to it, as her light lit the wall she could see a light switch. “Oh! a switch, finally,” she said flipping it, she then powered down her horn as the lights quickly flickered on. What she saw next could only be summed up by her surprised expression “....Woah...”