//------------------------------//
// Hospital Stay - Part Three 
// Story: Geoverse Part One: To Friend Is Human 
// by GeodesicDragon 
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	My final month in the hospital was spent debating with myself. Having realised that I felt some kind of attraction towards Twilight, I was trying to convince myself that it was something good. I went through the whole 'she isn't human' phase; that was quickly solved by the 'she may not be human, but she is sentient, you dope' argument. And so I decided to see just what it was I liked about her that would make me feel like this.

Well she is cute, for a start, I thought. I wasn't just thinking up random words that day the Crusaders came to visit. I especially like the way she scrunches her face up when she's taking notes or thinking, with her tongue poking out one side of her mouth.

I chuckled. I also like her mane, and I've lost count of the times I've found myself lost in those beautiful eyes of hers. I sighed and slapped myself. But it's not all about her physical appearance — her personality also plays a vital role in how I feel.

For a start, there's the fact that she saved my life. Sure, it was Rainbow Dash who found me and took me to the others, but it was Twilight who summoned the strength to carry me to the hospital when I collapsed again. Plus, she's the only one of the six of them who has actually visited me. I don't know why the others haven't, but they could have at least made an effort.

If Twilight hadn't have taken the initiative to carry me then Rainbow Dash and Applejack would have spent ages trying to pick me up, and I probably would have bled to death. I shuddered. So that's another reason why I like her — she's tenacious, and not one to give up so easily. If there's a problem, then she'll find a solution.

The door to my room opened, snapping me out of my trance, and the mare of the moment entered with a large smile on her face. "Hi, Geo!" she said eagerly. "Doctor Haywick tells me that he'll be discharging you soon — I bet you can't wait!"

"You're not wrong there, Twi," I replied. "I can't wait to finally leave this place and get a change of scene—"

"I'm sorry, but did you just call me 'Twi?'" Twilight interrupted. I groaned and facepalmed, only for her to giggle in response. "Don't be so worried, Geo; I was actually wondering when you were going to start calling me that, because all of my friends do."

"Really?" I asked, to which she nodded. "All right then, Twi, I'll start calling you that if you want. I won't do it too often, though, otherwise it'll just feel bland and meaningless, like a politician's promises." There was a brief moment of silence before I spoke again. "So... you consider me to be one of your friends?"

Twilight nodded. "Of course I do," she replied. "I like to think there is more to our relationship than me simply asking you questions about your species. You're quite good to talk to, and you don't bore easily — unlike a certain rainbow-maned pegasus I could mention."

I chuckled. "I like to learn," I shrugged. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, right?"

"Not at all," Twilight said. "Not at all." She sat there for a moment with a large smile on her face, then gasped suddenly. "Silly me, I nearly forgot why I came here." She giggled sheepishly. "Your new room at the library is all set up, and I'll be giving you the grand tour of Ponyville as soon as you are discharged. Please don't tell me that you've forgotten how to walk."

I shook my head. "Contrary to what you might think, Twilight, this bed is not welded to my arse," I replied. "I have been walking laps around the room since Haywick gave me the all-clear to do so."

"Good," she replied. "Carrying you was bad enough, I'd hate to have to push you around Ponyville in a wheelchair." I chuckled and stuck my tongue out at her, and she stuck hers out at me in response. "See, Geo, this is another reason why I think you're such a great friend. You've got a sense of humour."

"That is true," I said. "I learned long ago that if you don't develop both a sense of humour and a thick skin, life tends to be hard." I looked at her. "Now, about the tour... can we go to the place with the cupcake on the roof first?" I licked my lips involuntarily

"Sugarcube Corner?" Twilight asked. "Sure, we can go there. That's where Pinkie Pie works and lives — and I'm pretty sure she'll want to see you about your party as well."

"P-party?" I coughed and rubbed the back of my head with my hand. "I'm... I'm not really sure about that, Twilight."

"Why not?" she asked.

"Well, you see..." I paused while I looked for the right words. "I never was any good at making friends back on Earth. I'd always do something to embarrass myself, or anger the person I was talking to. It kinda put a dampener on my social life."

Twilight's face turned into a small frown. "Well I wasn't any good at making friends either," she said, pointing at herself. "But then Princess Celestia sent me here to Ponyville, and now I have many ponies whom I could call my friends." She tapped her chin with a forehoof. "Also, for the record, you didn't seem to have any problems making friends with me."

"Well you did save my life, Twilight, so of course I'd find it easier to trust you," I replied. "But I'm on about meeting new people, or ponies in this case, for the first time. These parties... how many invites does Pinkie usually send out?"

"Well this is a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party," Twilight said. "When it comes to those, she usually invites the whole town — which, before you ask, is about three hundred ponies."

I visibly paled. "And of those three hundred ponies, only twelve of them – you and your friends, Haywick and his team and the Cutie Mark Crusaders – have any idea of what I look like. The other two hundred and eighty-eight will be seeing me for the first time ever."

Twilight sighed. "I see what you mean," she replied. "You're skittish about meeting ponies for the first time, yet you'll get used to them after you've spent some time in their presence."

"It's gonna take me a long time to get to know two hundred and eighty-eight ponies," I grumbled. "I'm just... I don't know, Twi, I guess I'm just afraid of what they'll think of me."

Twilight looked me straight in the eyes. "Do you want to know what I think?" she asked, to which I nodded. "I think that you are a brilliant person with a heart of gold. And the way the Crusaders have been talking about you, the whole town seems to agree. They just want to meet the man who has touched the lives of so many in such a short time." She giggled. "Sorry, I still can't get the image of the Crusaders sleeping on you out of my head — it really was the most adorable thing I've ever seen."

"I'm sure it was," I replied. "But I'm still not sure about this party." I looked around the room, avoiding looking at Twilight before she got up on her hind legs and put her forehooves on my shoulders.

"Pinkie is not going to take no for an answer," she said. "Trust me, I found that out the very first day I got here. Just go to the party, Geo, please? You'll have fun, I promise, and I'll be there with you in case anything goes wrong."

She smiled at me as she got back on all fours, while I rubbed the back of my head and sighed. "All right, Twilight, I'll go," I replied. "But not for Pinkie, or anypony else... I'm going for you."

"Thank you," she said softly. "I really appreciate it, Geo, but you don't need to be so worried. Ponyville is a genuinely friendly and welcoming place, and a Pinkie Pie party is a good way for you to fully immerse yourself in the town life."

I nodded slightly, though I was still dreading what lay ahead. "Time to change the subject," I said flatly. "Tell me about your friend and assistant, Spike. What kind of stallion is he?"

Twilight shook her head. "Spike isn't a stallion," she replied. "He's not even a pony. He's a—" She cut herself off abruptly and looked around the room. "Oh, shoot, I forgot that I invited him along! I asked him to wait outside while I spoke to you." She looked back at the door. "Spike, you can come in now!" There was no response, and Twilight developed a nervous tic in her eye. "Spike? Spike?! Darn it, I bet he fell asleep." She turned around and left the room. "I'll be right back." She said sweetly.

I heard Twilight speaking to someone out in the corridor, followed by someone else grumbling something incoherent. But eventually, Twilight entered the room with Spike in tow. He certainly wasn't a pony, that much I knew, and appeared to be reptilian in nature. He rubbed his eyes sleepily, but stopped in his tracks upon seeing me. We stared at each other for a moment before Twilight broke the resulting awkward silence. "Geo, this is Spike," she said. "Spike, this is Geo — he's the human I told you about."

"Gotcha," Spike replied as he walked over to me and held out a hand, which had claws protruding from the end of it. "I'm Spike, Twilight's friend and Number One Assistant. I'm also the best dragon in Ponyville, but I don't like to brag."

"A dragon?" I asked, shaking his hand. "No offence, but you're smaller than I expected. However, any friend of Twilight's is a friend of mine, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Spike rolled his eyes. "I'm still a baby dragon," he said. "But I've already had a taste of what I'll be like when I've grown up... and quite frankly, I'd rather stay like this for the rest of my life." He noticed the blank expression on my face. "Trust me, Geo, you really don't want to know what happened. Let's just say I was a bit of a jerk and leave it at that, all right?"

"Fine by me," I chuckled. "I won't pressure you to talk about something if you don't want to, so let's change the subject... again. Twilight tells me that I am to help you help her around the library?"

Spike nodded eagerly. "Yeah, you're going to be my assistant," he said, a tinge of malevolence in his voice. "I can't wait for you to get out of here so we can get started, because I have got a whole ton of things for you to do on your first day." He laughed.

Twilight leaned in closer to me. "Sorry," she whispered. "I kinda had to promise him he'd be in charge in order to get him to agree to you moving in. I hope that's all right."

"It's fine," I whispered back. "I'm sure it won't be all that bad... right?" She looked away from me, hiding a smile. "Well, shit."

Spike rubbed his hands together. "Come on, Twilight," he said. "Let's go and ask Doctor Haywick how long it is before he thinks Geo is ready to be discharged." He marched out of the room, not giving Twilight a chance to answer.

"I'd better go after him," she said, giggling adorably. "He doesn't even know what Doctor Haywick looks like, so he's probably going to end up antagonising half the staff. I'll see you later, Geo, okay?"

"Sure thing, Twi," I replied. "I'll see you later."

She left the room, rather hurriedly, and left me once again to my thoughts — which I picked up from where I left off.

This is all happening too fast. I shouldn't be having these feelings for her so soon. Three months is not enough time to determine whether or not you get attracted to somepony... or is it?

Then again, could this even be called being attracted to her? After all, I'm pretty sure that would imply I'm in love with her. I sat in silence for a moment before I finally made a decision.

I am. I'm in love with Twilight Sparkle.