The Trip

by cooopercrisp


1

        There was a loud rapping at the door of the Golden Oaks library. Twilight moaned and peeked at the clock on her wall. 3:00 in the morning.

        Who’s knocking on the door at this hour? she wondered as she dragged herself out of bed and down the stairs. The knocking became more incessant the longer it went on. Twilight’s fatigue waned when she started to wonder why the pony knocking was in such an urgent state.

        She opened the door and watched as Rarity collapsed onto the floor. She was giggling uncontrollably and her eyes were bloodshot. Twilight lifted her up with magic and tried to set her down, but Rarity swooned when she was upright, and Twilight had to keep her in her magical hold.

        “Rarity, what’s going on?” Twilight asked urgently.

        “Twilight, it’s...you...I just wanted to see you for a moment,” Rarity slurred. She suddenly panicked and darted her eyes around the room.

        “Spike’s not here, is he?” she stammered.

        “He’s still asleep,” Twilight said, her eyes betraying true worry for her friend.

        “Good. I don’t want him to see me like this…” Rarity started giggling again. “Although, maybe it would be kinda...kinda funny if he did. Oh, Spike!” she suddenly shouted. Before she had a chance to make a louder cry, Twilight cast a spell on the door to her room to muffle the sounds from the outside. She then set Rarity down on the couch and watched in disbelief as she rubbed herself against the fabric.

        “This couch is so soft…” she slurred as she pawed at it like a kitten. “Wherever did you get it? That strange Quill and Sofa place?”

        “Rarity, what’s going on?” Twilight asked, unable to hide the distress in her voice.

        “Oh, well I was at this party, you see, and...was I drinking? I must have been, because my drink tasted funny and the next thing I knew I was floating on air!”

        “Rarity! Somepony must have put something in your drink! What kind of party was this?”

        “Well, it was in Trotterham,” Rarity said, which Twilight took to mean Trottingham, the nearest city to Ponyville. “The music was really loud! My ears are still ringing, but I don’t even care! I was laughing and dancing and there was a cute gentlecolt who I think...I think he was looking to take me home, and I almost took him up on that offer. But then I started to feel really dizzy and then I knocked him to the ground when I stumbled and he must have been offended because he stormed off. And then the rest…” Rarity waved her hooves in the air. “The rest of the night vanished, and all I remember is knocking at your door! Please tell me Spike can’t hear me! Oh, I still can’t decide if I want to see him or not!”

        “Rarity,” Twilight said, her breaths coming faster as a result of the new developments, “I think I should bring you to the hospital.”

        “No!” Rarity bellowed, startling Twilight. “Could you imagine this getting out to all of Ponyville? My reputation would be ruined!”

        Twilight relaxed a bit. If Rarity was still collected enough to be concerned with her social standing, perhaps the situation wasn’t so dire.

        “Twilight, where’s Spike? I think I want to see him now. Or maybe I don’t! Oh, I don’t know what I want!” Rarity hiccuped and started giggling again. “Bring him down here. Yes, bring him down. Bring him down, bring him down! Spikey-Wikey, come on down!”

        Twilight bit her lip, the gears in her head whirring. Perhaps it would make Rarity calmer if she saw Spike, and that if she was calmer she might go to sleep.

        “Okay, Rarity, I’ll go get him,” Twilight said, ready to dash up the stairs. She reconsidered and levitated Rarity to bring her upstairs instead.

        “Wheeeeeeeeeee!” Rarity cheered as Twilight galloped up the stairs. She removed the barrier on the bedroom door and opened it.

        “Spike, wake up!” Twilight called urgently, rushing over and shaking him back and forth with her hoof. Spike mumbled groggily and opened his eyes to see Twilight and Rarity. Spike stared at Rarity in disbelief.

        “What’s wrong with her?” he asked.

        “I don’t know! I think she’s on something, but I can’t tell what it is.”

        “On something? What are you talking about?”

        “I think somepony slipped something into her drink.”

        “Oh, that kind of something?” Spike asked in a panic. “We need to get her to the hospital!”

        “Twilight, put me down!” Rarity demanded. “I want to talk with my little Spikey-Wikey alone.”

        “No way am I leaving you alone with him in your condition,” Twilight said sternly.

        “That’s so unfair!” Rarity said, but then she started giggling again. “No, it’s fine if you see it.”

        “See what?” Twilight asked, butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

        “Just put me down!” Rarity shouted, and Twilight was so spooked that she let her drop. Rarity slowly got up from the floor and stumbled over to Spike.

        “Rarity, what’s going on?” Spike asked, stepping away from her as she slinked closer.

        “You’ve no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this…” she said. Suddenly, inexplicably, she pounced on Spike and kissed him passionately, running her hoof through his scales. Spike’s eyes bugged open in surprise, but Twilight grabbed Rarity with her magic and lifted her away from Spike.

        “Rarity, you’re not in your right mind right now and you need to go to bed!” Twilight declared.

        “But I love him, Twily…” Rarity said with a pout. Spike was still stunned at the sudden kiss.

        “You’re very confused and whatever was in that drink is clouding your judgment! Now I’m going to take you home and you’re going to go right to sleep!”

        “But I want to stay here!” Rarity whined.

        Twilight was done negotiating. She marched out of her room, levitating Rarity behind her as she began her journey to Carousel Boutique.

        “Stay here, Spike, and wait for me to come back,” Twilight said.

        “Um, okay…” Spike replied blankly. Twilight then took Rarity with her out of sight, leaving Spike alone, lost in his own thoughts.