Trixie entered the main hall and walked towards the hospital secretary.
"I would like to check out" she told the secreta.The dark blue pegasus pony gestured her to wait. Trixie was starting to get impatient but didn't say anything.
After a couple of minutes the pegasus let out a sigh and lifted her head up
"What were you asking again?"
"I want to check out" Trixie answered with the slightest bit of anger in her voice.
"Certainly, you just need to sign here" the pegasus held up a sheet of paper.
Trixie flew over it real quick
"That's it?" she asked while signing it.
"Yep, that's it" the secretary responded
"I don't need to pay anything?"
The pegasus gave her a confused look "The white unicorn that brought you and your other two friends paid for everything in beforehand" she replied before continuing her work.
"Is that so..." Trixie murmured to herself while walking outside.
"That unicorn paid for everything?" she thought while heading to the local library.
=====
Spike let out a groan when he was finally finished with clearing up all the books Twilight had used to search a spell for Fluttershy. Satisfied with his work he made his way into the kitchen to start making dinner. Twilight hadn't come out of her room since she arrived, but that was nothing unusual for her. Once she sets something in her mind that girl wouldn't stop until she finds what she was searching for. He poured some water into a pan and added some celery's; he exhaled a little bit of his fire to make it boil. "Celery soup" he thought "that was Twilight's favourite, it will lighten up her mood for sure!" It was not much, but it was all the dragon could do currently for her. He started to make the table ready for dinner, when the door suddenly rang. "Who could that be" he thought while opening up the front door.
"Trixie?" he said in disbelief.
Walking inside the library the unicorn asked "Does Trixie know you?"
"Yes you do! I'm one of Twilight's friends and we w-"
"Oh so you are a servant? Be a dear and prepare a hot bath for Trixie, will you?"
"What is that unicorn thinking? I'm not a servant! But she looks different from last time, without her cape and hat, not hiding her beautiful, gorgeous mane..." Spike started to get lost in his thoughts, similar to what happens when Rarity is around him. Before he realized what was going on he was already in the bathroom, making the bathtub ready as Trixie demanded.
After a short time Trixie trotted inside. "Where is Twilight, by the way?" Trixie asked him casually.
"She is studying some notes the princess sent her." Spike replied with a nervous grin.
"Is that so? Well then, Trixie awaits her dinner to be ready when she is finished with her bath." Trixie said before sinking into the hot water. Just before Spike left the bathroom Trixie´s voice was heard again "Oh, and could you scrub my back?" she asked him. She could use magic to do it, but she wanted to relax and not have to concentrate on scrubbing her own back.
Spike couldn't believe what he just heard. He took a deep breath before turning around. Picking up the scrubber he slowly approached Trixie.
'Ok calm down, ponies are always naked, this is nothing new for you, you always see them like this.' He thought to calm himself down. When he was right before the tub Trixie turned around, her back was now facing the small dragon. He held up the scrubber with both of his hands and wanted to start scrubbing when suddenly his nose began to bleed. "Waaah!" He screamed and ran out of the bathroom, leaving a confused Trixie behind.
"I guess he couldn't handle that much awesomeness," she said to nopony in particular.
Half an hour had passed before Trixie walked out of the bathroom, feeling much better than before. She stretched herself a bit before trotting to the main hall, where her dinner was already served. "Twilight found her a good servant," she thought while sitting down onto a chair and started sipping her soup.
Meanwhile, directly above Trixie, another unicorn desperately tried to figure out a spell.
"Why isn't this working" Twilight was losing her temper. She tried to get this spell right since hours, but it was no good. It was too difficult for her, but she had to. She promised it to Rarity. She had to get this spell right.
Twilight slowly got up on her hooves again, picking up a knife she cut her hoof slightly and drew a circle on the ground. She bowed down her head until her horn touched it. A burst of magic was send through her horn. She tried her best to contain it, but it was too unstable and the spell imploded right in front of her like so many times before.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" The unicorn was heavily panting now. She began to realize how exhausted she was. Closing her eyes she rested for a bit, or at least she tried. But then Dash's and Rarity's despairing expressions came into her mind. She slowly got on her hooves again, continuing to try what she had been trying for hours.
The moon was now starting to take over, and Spike was began to worry about Twilight. He made his way up to her room. "Twilight?" he called while opening the door to her room. The room was dark; the only source of light came from the moon which shined through the window. The whole ground was covered in circles drawn with a scarlet red liquid. The thick air made it difficult for him to breath and the merest scent of sweat was to be smelled.
Twilight was sitting in the middle of her room. She seemed miles away. Her eyes were empty; it was like she is looking right through Spike. The unicorn was also murmuring something but he was not able to understand what. "Twilight?" the dragon called again, but no answer was given; he doubted that she was even aware of his presence. Shocked, he slowly approached the purple pony. "Is everything alright?" he asked with an unsteady voice. Again Twilight didn't answer, nor did she acknowledge him. Spike was now really concerned about her "You wait here, I'll go and call help!" he exclaimed on his way out of the library.
Twilight however didn't even witness what had just happened. She was trapped inside of her own mind, not being aware of her surroundings anymore. A thousand thoughts drifted through her brain. What is she going to do now? Had she failed her friends? Did she even deserve any friends if she can't even cast a single spell to save one of them? She sat there thinking about what she is going to do know, without realizing how much time flew by.
===========
A couple of minutes passed in which the library was in a total silence. Suddenly the front door burst open.
"Where is she?" Dash asked while flying inside.
"In the upper floor inside of her room" Spike replied
Quickly dashing through the entrance hall, Dash arrived there in a matter of seconds. She hesitated for a brief moment before opening the door of Twilight's room. Her eyes dilated at the sight in front of her. "Twilight!" Dash screeched with a shaky voice. Like with Spike, Twilight did not respond or even acknowledged the pegasus.
Dash slowly approached her friend. She shook her slightly to snap her back into reality.
"Hey Twi, what happened?" Again no answer was given. She looked down and saw that the ground underneath Twilight was covered in a tiny sanguine pool and recognized a cut which Twilight had across her hoof. Dash raised the head of the unicorn until their eyes meet. She tried to shake her again, this time more rough. It seemed to work. Twilight slowly returned into reality, she looked around the room before gazing at the pegasus with her empty eyes.
"I can't do it, Dash" Twilight conceded and bowed her head again.
"What was that?" Dash asked
"I'm sorry I can't get this spell right, it's too difficult. Please don't hate me" Twilight replied while shredding a tear.
"Why would she think I hate her? Did I put her under so much pressure? Damn, I didn't want this....
"There is nothing to feel sorry about, Twilight. It's my fault for pressuring you that much" Dash apologized before she continued "You do not have to do everything yourself, just tell us if there is anything we can help you with"
"I don't think it works that way Dash. You can't help me with learning a spell" Twilight answered with a sad tone.
"I beg to differ" another voice from across the room claimed
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"I happen to know a spell which can combine the minds of various ponies. That way they can help you cast the spell" Trixie replied.
"Oh! That's wo-" Twilight's words were cut off.
"However, for the time you are linked your other friends cannot control how much of their energy they borrow you. Which means if you use too much of their energy it can have lethal consequences" Trixie said with a harsh voice.
With those words being sad, Trixie walked out of Twilight's room again. "It's your decision if you want to take use of this. Trixie will be ready to cast it on you and your friends whenever you are ready."
Twilight and Dash looked at each other, no one willing to say what their opinion on this change of events is. After a couple of minutes Dash broke the silence. "We should do it," she suggested with a confident voice.
"But- but what if I-"
"That's not going to happen Twilight. I'm 100- no, I'm 120% sure that you are going to pull it off without any flaws."
"... I don't know Dash."
"Then tell me, which unicorn was gifted enough to impress the Princess herself?"
"Me..."
"Right, and who was able to defeat an Ursa Minor?"
"Me..."
"And who spends an unhealthy amount of time studying these boring books?"
"That would b - HEY!"
They both shared a short giggle before Twilight nodded with confidence "Your right, I can do this!"