//------------------------------// // But, How Can I... // Story: Spike The Dog // by bakersong //------------------------------// "...you sure he's alright?" He heard the familiar voice ask, and another familiar voice answer. "Well, before he fainted he said something about understanding." The other voice said. "Understanding, understanding what?" He could now identify that the first voice was Twilight, which confirmed that the second voice must have been Fluttershy. "I don't know, all I know is I let Winona in so I could give her a checkup for fleas. But when I did, she jumped on Spike and started to say hi to him, and after I got her off that's when he fainted." Fluttershy responded. "Hmm, I wonder if it's possible if he can now understand other animals?" Twilight asked, putting a hoof up to her chin in concentration. "That's what happened!" He said, gaining both mares attention. "Oh, Spike your awake!" Twilight said, running over and giving him a hug. "But what happened?" "If you don't mind telling us," Fluttershy said, coming up behind Twilight. "I could understand Winona, and that's also why I fainted the first time too. I could understand Owlowiscious!" He explained. "But how is that possible, Twilight?" "Well, in the other world could you understand the animals there?" Fluttershy asked. "No, I couldn't understand them until we came back." He answered, and he looked at Twilight with a look of hope. "I'm not entirely sure, but it could be because of the portal," Twilight said, giving him a comforting look. "But how would it do that?" Fluttershy was the one who asked before he could. "Yeah, I don't understand." He said. "Well, think about it. The portal turned you into a dog, but when we got back it didn't have enough power to turn you back into a dragon.' Twilight replied. "Still not understanding here Twilight, could you maybe get to the point?" He asked, a little impatient. "Okay, well I think the portal gave you the ability to communicate with other animals. In a way it makes sense, it replaced your other fire breathing ability with one that's better suited to your new form." Twilight answered. "So, what you mean Twilight is that when he went into the portal because it didn't have enough magic to turn him back it allowed him to communicate with other animals in replacing his fire breath?" Fluttershy asked, a little confused. "Yeah, that's pretty much what I think is going on. So it looks like you have even more to get used to now Spike, and now that we have an idea of what's going on I hope you aren't going to faint next time." Twilight said, giving him a pat on the head. "Hey, the only reason why I fainted was that it took me by surprise. I mean how would you like it if all of a sudden you could talk to animals?" He asked, slapping her hoof away. "Well, I don't think I would pass out from it that's for sure," Twilight said, giving him a slight smirk. "It's so nice to see you two still act like a brother and sister," Fluttershy said, making both of them look at her. "Oh, d-did I say that out loud?" "Yeah, you did and I'm glad you said that," Twilight said, that making Fluttershy hide in her mane. "Why would you be glad I said that though?" Fluttershy asked, a slight blush forming. "Because no matter what I want other's to always see Spike and me like family," Twilight answered, giving Fluttershy a kind smile. "Hey, I think I'll go check out the toy room you mentions earlier Fluttershy." He said, hopping down from his spot on the couch. "Oh, you don't have to go, Spike," Fluttershy said, and he just waved hid paw. "It's fine since I'm gonna be a dog for the next two years might as well act like one every now and again." He said and started walking towards the toy room. "Oh, and be careful, Winona is still here, and she can get a little ruff when she plays," Fluttershy called. "Was that a joke that I heard?" He asked, turning his head raising an eyebrow. "Spike, just go play if that's what you want to do right now," Twilight said, giving him a grateful smile at the alone time. "Fine, but no dog jokes alright?" He asked, making both mares giggle. "Alright, but you better not ruff house it in there," Twilight said, again making them both giggle and making him roll his eyes and let out a groan. "Guess I better get used to it...AHH!" He yelled in surprise, as he was tackled to the ground by another fluffy body. Winona asked, cocking her head to the side. "Oh, um, y-yeah I guess I can." He replied. "But, do you think you could get off of me?" She said, moving off of him. A voice called, and as he got up he looked around to see Owlowiscious on a perch looking at him. "Oh, yeah and sorry about what happened." He said with a slight blush. Owlowiscious replied. She asked, her tail wagging like crazy. "Um, let's see..." He said, giving the room a look around and saw different kind of animal toys laying around. "How about we play some ball?" She said. Owlowiscious said, raising an eyebrow at her. She said, and he could have sworn he saw a glare from her. Owlowiscious said, as he started to fly away. "Yeah, don't remind me and thanks." He said, waving at the owl before he left. She asked, giving him a nudge towards where it looked like a pile of balls were piled up. "Oh, yeah sure." He said and started to walk over to the pile. "Hmm, let's see here." He started to rummage through the balls, and couldn't believe the different kinds of balls that Fluttershy had. There were, of course, squeaky balls, tennis balls, tennis balls attached by rope to other tennis balls, baseballs, even a basketball. And as he was sure he found one he liked, he suddenly felt something behind him and he could also hear what sounded like sniffing. "Um, what are you doing?" He asked in surprise when he looked back to see Winona sniffing his butt. She said, her eyes darting around. "Really, so you weren't just sniffing my butt?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. She suddenly says, and he looked at the ball he was holding and noticed it had an apple design on the side. "Huh, well maybe it is yours. I mean I really don't know anypony else that might have a baseball with an apple on it besides the Apple family. So, you wanna play catch?" He asked, completely forgetting what they were talking about. --- "So, um, do you want some tea Twilight?" Fluttershy asked, feeling a little nervous about being alone with her for some reason. "That sounds great Fluttershy, why don't I help you?" Twilight asked, giving her a smile. "Oh, no your my guest and I should be the one who makes it," Fluttershy said. "Are you sure, because I really don't mind helping out Fluttershy?" Twilight asked. "No, I'm sure but thank you though. I'll be right back, and would you also like to have a snack?" Fluttershy asked as she walks into the kitchen. "Um, no thank you Fluttershy," Twilight replied. "Okay, the tea will probably take a few minutes so you can sit back and relax a little if you want," Fluttershy said, and she finally went all the way into the kitchen, and once Twilight knew that for sure she let out a sigh. "Okay Twilight, you can do this." She said to herself. "Um, are you talking to yourself?" Twilight let out a surprised yell and looked to see Fluttershy standing there. "And you can do what?" "Oh, um, yeah I was just trying to uh, build my confidence to uh, um..." She started to get hot, and her eyes starting to look everywhere and nowhere. "Are you okay Twilight? I mean you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Fluttershy said, giving the nervous mare a kind smile. "Well, it's just that I...I.." Twilight was at a loss of words at the moment, she really had tried to mentally prepare herself for this but that seemed to not help. "Well, if you don't mind, but can I take a guess?" Fluttershy asked. "Uh, sure," she replied. "Hmm, well my guess is that you have a crush on somepony!" Fluttershy exclaimed, and she was wearing a big smile. "Am I right?" "But how did you know?" Twilight asked, blushing like crazy and she could swear she was going to pass out from the heat. "Well, I may not be Rarity but I do know a few things about what a pony looks like when they have a crush on somepony. So who is it? Is it somepony that we know?" Fluttershy asked, her excitement not being held back. "Um, well y-yes it is somepony we know very well," Twilight answered, her ears folding back and she was now fidgeting very nervously. "Oh, so it's one of us?" Fluttershy asked, getting closer to her. "Um, uh y-yes it's one of us, out of our group of close friends," Twilight replied, though it came out more of a squeak. "Can I take a guess who it is?" Fluttershy asked, getting even closer. "I-if y-you want," she answered. "Is it Pinkie?" Fluttershy asked pretty much muzzle to muzzle. "W-why would you think it would be Pinkie?" She asked, trying to take a step back but she didn't realize that they were already at a wall. "Well, because I had my suspicion that you have liked like her for a while, and I know she has feelings towards you too," Fluttershy answered. "S-she does, but how do you know?" She asked, trying to remember if she knew a shrinking spell. "Well, because she told me and made me Pinkie Promise until I knew you had feelings for her that I wouldn't tell," Fluttershy explained. "So, am I right?" "Um, uh, well I-I..." She tried to say something else, but she was too confused at the moment and she didn't know what to think. "It's okay, you don't have to say it. But I think you should ask her out, it would mean a lot to her. Oh, I think the tea's done." Just then the kettle went off, and Fluttershy went back into the kitchen. "Pinkie likes likes me?" I-I don't believe it." She mumbled to herself, her heart starting to feel heavy from the news. After all, it wasn't Pinkie her heart was after but with the news she just received just made her already confused emotions more confused. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but this just made things even more complicated. Though she wished she could talk to Cadence about this, it was her who actually helped her at least to know what she was feeling. But one thing was for sure now, before she made her move she would spend a little more time with the pink mare just to be sure if she really did have feelings for her.