A Walk in Her Shoes
Prologue
“SPIIIIIKE! Just hold still!” Twilight shouted as she chased the stubborn dragon around the library. “Gotcha’. Now this won’t hurt a bit,” She said as she tackled him.
“Yea right! That’s what you said when you wanted to see if that wing spell you used on Rarity would give me my wings. My back was sore for a week. It still hurts to twist,” Spike said all the while trying to wriggle out from under her.
“You’re the one who wanted to see if it would work, and it would have if you hadn't broken my concentration,” Twilight retorted. “Now hold still.”
“I felt something moving on my back.”
“They were your wings, you ignoramus!”
“It still felt weird.” Spike muttered under his breath as he gave in to Twilight’s demands.
“Now this should only take a moment.” Twilight’s horn then began to glow magenta, quickly followed by spike’s head glowing the same color. A look of exertion appeared on the unicorn’s face for a brief moment before both her horn and spike’s head cease to glow.
“What was supposed to happen? What did happen? Why did I agree to be a test dummy before knowing the spell,” Spike thought to himself. He was soon answered by Twilight.
“Because I made you. The spell went exactly as planned.” Spike breathed a sigh of relief before noticing one little detail. Twilight’s lips weren't moving.
“Um, Twilight. What kind of spell was that?” He said out loud.
“It was a mind link spell. It links two ponies’ minds’ so that they can hear what the other is thinking. I was wondering if it could link to a dragon’s mind as well. It appears I was right. Now I don’t have to yell for you to get something for me,” Twilight thought with a smirk.
“Two things. First; you don’t need to yell. I’m usually less than ten feet away. Second; I DON’T WANT YOU IN MY HEAD! I HAVE PRIVATE THINGS IN THERE!” Spike screamed with fire coming out of his nostrils.
“You mean like your feelings for Rarity. That’s hardly private. Everypony knows that you like her. If you’re talking about what you do in the shower, that does not bother me; we share a room for Celestia’s sake. You have to do that somewhere. Just make sure to clean it up. It’s disgusting having to see all that, knowing where it came from.” Twilight was now sitting on Spike’s chest looking into his emerald eyes. To Spike it felt like she was looking into his soul. He made it clear that he was uncomfortable the way his eyes continued to shift refusing to return Twilight’s gaze.
“That’s not it. Someponies just don’t want everypony knowing their every thought. I’m sure you don’t want me knowing what happened that night you, Rarity, and Applejack had a sleepover. Or maybe, you do.” He finally held her gaze and it was her turn to be uncomfortable. “Now do you see why I don’t want you in my head? You girls may be close enough that these things don’t bother you, but I’m a guy. We don’t tell you what we’re thinking for a reason. Now do you mind?”
A look of understanding made its way across Twilight face. “Perhaps your right, Spike,” She spoke aloud, “Privacy is just one thing friends should let friends have. Take a letter. ‘Dear Princess Celestia. Today I learned-’”
“Twilight, before you start your whole ‘This week I learned’ thing can you do me a favor?” Spike interrupted.
“Sure, what is it?”
“One, reverse the spell, and two GET OFF OF ME!”
“Oh, sorry.” Her horn glowed for just a moment before she returned to her hooves and helped spike up. “Better?” She asked with a slight shade of pink barely visible on her purple fur.
“Can you still hear me?” Spike thought. “Can I still hear her?” After sitting in silence for nearly a minute, he responded, “Better.”
“Good, now can you go get the girls? I just had an idea,” Twilight said whilst turning around to find a book she remembered reading a few weeks ago. It spoke of expanding spells beyond their point of purpose. She wondered if she could link all the girls mind together so that they could all hear each other. This would be useful for when the princess sent them on another mission. She hardly even noticed when Spike left.
Almost an hour later, Spike returned with five girls in tow. “Now Spike, what was so important that y'all’ had to drag us away from our responsibilities?” questioned Applejack.
“Yeah, some of us don’t have time for this,” Rainbow Dash added.
“You mean yours and Rainbow Dash’s responsibility to nap under Bloomberg, while Pinkie just bounces around Sugarcube Corner?” Spike countered. That shut them up.
Pinkie continued zooming around him, looking like a pink blur. “I was trying to entertain the twins. They love seeing me jump and bounce all over the place.”
Rarity attempted to quiet the blur down. “Darling, the Cakes took the twins to Phillydelphia for the long weekend. You told us that yesterday. I believe you were trying to relieve some of your boredom. I for one just finished quite a relaxing day at the spa with Fluttershy and was on my way to see how my ‘Spikey-Wikey’s’ new clothes were fairing. I’d say a bit dusty and wrinkled but nothing a quick dry cleaning spell won’t fix.”
“Um, Spike, not that it bothers me, but um, why are you wearing clothes? If you don’t want to answer, that’s fine,” muttered Fluttershy. If it wasn't for his dragon hearing, he wouldn't have heard her.
“No, that’s fine, Fluttershy. Rarity thought I could use some clothes and I’m not one to question her,” Spike politely answered.
Finally arriving at the library, being a gentle-drake, Spike opened the door and gave a bow using his arm to gesture inside allowing the girls to enter first. Before he could enter himself, he heard a uniform gasp.
Upon entering the library, Spike saw what startled the girls so. Twilight had turned the library upside down looking for something. “Twilight, what happened? I was gone for an hour and you practically destroyed the place,” Spike asked.
“Spike, there you are! Have you seen that book I was reading the other day?” Twilight interrogated. For having such a high IQ, she had a nasty habit of forgetting where she placed things.
“Which one of the thirty?” He questioned.
“An Expander’s Guide to the Galaxy,” Twilight responded while continuing to frantically search through the pile of books she now had in the middle of the floor.
“Where did you last have it?” Spike sighed. He grew tired of this routine. He and Twilight went through it at least twice a week. Twilight should have figured it out at this point.
“I took it upstairs for a bit of late night reading,” Twilight stated.
“Did you look up there?” Spike probed.
Twilight gave him a quizzical look, “No. Why would it be up th... –OH?” Twilight dashed up the stairs, practically flying. “FOUND IT!” she yelled.
“She never learns,” Spike said aloud to no pony in particular. Suddenly he remembered that they had company. “I’m sorry for that. Sometimes Twilight gets so wrapped up in her work that she forgets her manners.”
“That’s alright, Sugarcube. We’d all be worried if she didn't act like that,” Applejack said as she made herself comfortable, pulling out a chair and plopping her hooves on the dining room table.
“Yeah, Twilights much more fun when she’s not so down to earth and calm,” Pinkie Pie agreed in her high pitch voice, never settling down for more than a second. Meanwhile Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Rarity found a place to rest while waiting for Twilight.
Twilight soon came downstairs in a much calmer state. “Oh good, you came girls. I have a new spell I wanted to show you. It will link all our minds so we can communicate even when we’re split up while doing something important.”
“Yeah, she tells them what it does before casting it,” Spike thought as he rolled his eyes.
“I've modified it slightly so that we can only hear what others hear what we want them to, giving us a little privacy,” Twilight added, confidently strolling to the center of the room. “Now, if you girls would be so kind as to circle around me.”
“Oh boy, this sounds like fun!” Pinkie bubbles as she takes her place in the circle.
“It does sound like quite a fascinating experience,” chimed Rarity as she joined Pinkie.
“Sounds cool to me,” shrugged Rainbow Dash.
“Ah’ reckon it couldn't hurt nuthin’,” said Applejack.
Fluttershy was the last one to take her place. “Um, it won’t hurt, will it?”
“Everything will be fine, girls, as long as you don’t move or break my concentration. Here goes nothing.” Twilight then began to charge the spell. A small glow began emanating from her horn but slowly got brighter and brighter.
Unbeknownst to Spike and the six mares, three pairs of eyes had glued themselves to the window looking into the living room of the library.
“What do you think is going on in there?” questioned the pair of green eyes.
“Ah’ reckon Twilight is trying a new spell,” answered the scarlet eyes.
“I bet it will let Rainbow Dash do a triple rain-boom!” added the purple eyes excitedly.
All three pairs pulled away from the window revealing their owners to be the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo. “Ah’ don’t think so. It appear ta’ be affectin’ all of ‘em,” Apple Bloom corrected her.
“I guess you’re right, Apple Bloom, but that would be pretty cool,” replied Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle then brought their attention back to what was happening inside the library. “Look, it’s gotten a whole lot brighter!” True to her word, the glow that had originated from twilight now swallowed the entire room. The crusaders could no longer see the dragon and mares.
“I've almost got it, just a few more seconds,” thought Twilight as she focused all her power into her horn. “It shouldn't take this much time or power.” Just then a flash, that seemed to come from not only her horn but the other five mares as well, blinded her causing her to lose the focus needed to keep the spell charged. The flash also stunned everypony else in the room, not to mention the three fillies that remained unnoticed.
“Ow, my head feels like I just did a sonic rain-boom into the ground,” grumbled Rainbow Dash as she rubbed her head and attempted to stand. The other ponies groaned and moaned as they too returned to their hooves.
“What happened, Twilight? I’m just a little dazed from the flash but my head seems to be just fine,” Spike asked.
“My calculations seem to be a little off. Your head probably doesn't feel like Derpy dropped a piano on your head, again, since I wasn't casting the spell on you. Everypony else, try not to move around too much. I’ll have to examine you all to make sure that no damage was done,” groaned Twilight.
After being given the all clear by Twilight, everypony returned to their own home to sleep off their headaches and relax a little bit after such a stressful ordeal. Soon Twilight and Spike were up in their room as well. Twilight was pacing like mad in front of her bed, racking her brain to make sense of what happened. Spike was settling in for a good night’s rest that he felt he deserved but could not sleep with Twilight pacing echoing through the room. “Twilight, just get some rest. It will help you think better, and who knows, maybe the answer will come to you in a dream.”
“Your right, Spike. I just need to relax and get some sleep. I’ll begin work on the problem tomorrow. Good night, Spike,” said Twilight, but he was already out for the night. She turned out the light and fell asleep before her head even hit the pillow.
Twilight awoke the next morning feeling much better despite the lack of peaceful sleep she got. Her dreams kept her tossing and turning all night. She decided to lie in bed for a few more minutes before getting ready for the day.
Twilight was suddenly awoken by a prodding at her shoulder. She didn't even remember falling back asleep. Then she realized there was a voice accompanying the prodding. It was Spike’s voice.
“Rarity what are you doing here? I thought you left last night, and why are you in Twilight’s bed? Speaking of which, where is she?” Spike asked as he poked and prodded the white mare, attempting to wake her.
“Spike, what are you talking about? I’m right here. Rarity did go home last night.” Twilight mumbled as she tried to shoo him away.
Spike was beyond confused now. That was Twilight’s voice alright. It had that sound of knowledge and not the finesse that came with Rarity’s voice. However, this mare had Rarity’s white coat, her lovely purple mane, even her cutie mark. It was then that Spike made an astounding discovery. Where there should have been three blue diamonds, instead was a big, pink star surrounded by small, white stars. It was Twilight’s cutie mark.
“Twilight, you have to get up right now! I think your spell worked, just not as you planned!” Spike exclaimed.
Eager to see what Spike was ranting about, Twilight jumped out of bed. She turned to face him and found herself with a face full of purple locks of hair. “What happened to my mane?” Twilight yelled as she rushed over to the mirror on the door. What she saw shocked her. Staring back at her was Rarity. “Oh, this can’t be good.”