//------------------------------//
// Grudges and Obsessions 
// Story: Earning Freedom 
// by Daxisle 
//------------------------------//

 Mac sat at the table in the kitchen, his face stoic and unwavering as his eldest sister ran back and forth, checking to make sure that every vase was perfectly centered, continuously taking a few moments to fix her typically ragged and let down mane, which was styled by Ponyvilles very own Carisel Botique Owner into a set of three braids for the occasion in which caused him so much annoyance.

"Y'all need tah calm down there, missy!" Granny called, swirling a delicious smelling pot of her special hay stew. Had it been under any other circumstance, Mac would have been twice happy. One for the special event that it would take to bring such a dish to the table, and again for the fact he'd be dining on a dish that would make the five star restaurants in Canterlot green with envy. In his opinion, at least.

"Sorry, granny." Applejack dismissed while making sure a fork was placed ever so appropriatly by it's plate. "It's jes tha' Ah wan' ev'rythin' ta be perfect tonight."

'Wow' Mac's inner voice piped up. 'She must really like this stallion if she's going through all this trouble.'

Mac shook his head at the absurdity of the whole situation. Not only was his sister bringing a date home, not only was said date a stallion whom physically assaulted him and laid threats for the worst possible repercussions the law had to offer, but she herself was acting as out of character as she possibly could. Here, his sister; the typically dirt loving and easy going mare that she was; in a whirlwind of perfectionism and stress.

It wouldn't have been nearly as bad had she not attempted to make her brother brush his mane.

There were things he was willing to put up with, and then there were things that he'd bite ponies over... the fading red mark on his sisters foreleg evidence to that.

"Uh, Sis?" Applebloom pipped up. "Ah think mah fork was perfect a millimeter to the left." She added with no small trace of sarcasm. 

The Element of honesty stepped back and took a breath. "Sorry Applebloom." She took another breath. "Guess Ah'm just a bit nervous."

"A bit? Child yeh managed tah straighten up every picture, vase n' piece of furniture in this house faster than a cyote chasin' a road runner!" Granny chuckled taking the stew from the oven. If Mac could find any solace in the situation, it's that Granny was also disapproving of his sister's choice in a stallion. Though, her reasons being a bit more bigoted than his own. "Now get ahold of yerself missy, our guests'll be arrive'n any-"

Three knocks at the front door cut the elder pony off.

Applejack froze mid step on her way to the living room, her balance comedic-ally wavering slightly as her retina's constricted. Her brother's eyes only narrowed as they found their way past the living room to the front door. Small voices and hoof to wood shuffling now audiable. 

AJ took a breath. "Alright, now let's show them a bright Apple family welcome." Her eyes rested on her brother. "All of us."

Mac just quirked a brow in response as the two's emerald eyes held contact. A few seconds was all it took for his sister to give and head to the door to give welcome to the only pony in the world who he truly loathed.

'You know, you could always leave if it upsets you that much.'

True, but Mac felt his place was where he was tonight, He wanted to face Soarin head on.

The sound of the door opening echoed from the living room and greeting's were exchanged from a familiar voice.

Mac took a breath and put on a smile. Just because he didn't like one of the three ponies coming to visit didn't give him the right to be impolite to the other two.

Then, as his eyes made contact with her, his smile disappeared almost instantaneously. Dark, emerald blue eyes, windowed perfectly by a mane dark brown braided down her back, only slightly covering her buttermilk coat and gorgeous form.

But what had set him into an almost catatonic state was to hear her voice. 

"Oh, it's you!" She smiled brightly, if a little mischievous. 

The voice of milk and honey.







Spike sighed as he stared up to the library ceiling from the couch. 

The day's events had taken enough out of his surgot mother that she decided to turn in early and requested he do the same. But here he lay, his mind caught in that annoying place of to tired to get up but not tired enough to fall asleep.

Well, that and trying to figure out what it meant to "grow up", exactly.

The drake turned over and tucked the covers under his chin, but it did little to stop the questions from assaulting his mind.

Why was it that he found delight in Mac's suffering? Was it because he was a bad person? Or maybe he just had growing up to do, but what did that mean? What did it mean to be "mature" anyway? Was it to lack emotions? No, Twilight was very emotional, but she was mature, right?

Oh yes, because having a stuffed doll is the epitome of 'mature', now isn't it?

He sighed and sat up, running a claw through his scales. A small chuckle escaped as his eyes scanned the contents of the library. "Don't suppose there's a book about it." He whispered to no one in particular.

"Who." Came a reply from the darkness. 

Sighing again, this time in frustration, Spike leveled his eyes at an owl perched atop on of the lower book shelved. The chocolate colored avin staring blankly at him with black beady eyes.

"Not who, it's more of a what." Spike replied, knowing the conversation would only end with-

"Who."

Yea, and it would all be down hill from there. Instead of the typical indulgence of banter, the dragon lifted himself from the couch and began searching through the books for something interesting to read. His main interest lying in the realms of responsibility and maturity.

Unable to find any book in particular about the subject, Spike settled for a manifesto on Princess Celestia.

He may not have found a book about how to be mature, but sun goddess was the most mature and oldest pony in the world, surely he could learn something from her life story.

He opened the book and skimmed through the pro-log, noting a few instances where she mentioned how the events in her life helped her to "grow as an individual as well as a leader". Well, at least there was something for him to go off of.

He silently produced cup of tea for himself and lost himself in the book, the first chapter dealing with her earliest memories. Parents, Luna's birth and how it affected her relationship with them, growing up with Luna and apparently she knew Discord back then too. Go figure.

But just as he was getting to an interesting event involving the Princess's parents leaving, Twilight's voice rang out from above. "Spike?" She called groggily. "What are you still doing up this late?"

Spike quirked a brow and looked up from his book. "Hey Twi', just some late night reading."

The unicorn slowly descended the stairs and sat opposite her former assistant. "The Biography of a Princess?" Twilight questioned with a small chuckle. "That's an interesting read for you."

"Yea, well. I'm trying to figure out how to be grown up and mature, but we didn't have any books on that." Spike explained rubbing his claw over his eyes, sleep slowly creeping upon him.

"Wait, you're reading this to try to be mature?" The Twilight questioned with her head cocked to the side.

Spike gave a thoughtful grimace. "Not exactly, but that's the basic idea."

Twilight brought a hoof up to her mouth and gave a thoughtful 'hmm' to the idea. After a few moments of deliberating, she nodded and gave another pleasant smile. "Alright, if you have any questions about anything, I'm always here to help."

'Yea, because you're the definition of maturity, aren't you? Pretentious tramp.'

Woah, what in Tatarus?

'What? You know it's true! She's been talking down to and condescending you for years and has break downs over the approval of others, does she really seem to be the type to take advice from on matters such as this? Not to mention the only reason she's not telling you to go to bed right now is because she's afraid of you.'

...

I'm beginning to think I might have mother issues with Twilight.

'Ya think?'

And Psychological issues in general.

'Now let's not go overboard.'

"Thanks Twi." Spike smiled as he closed the book. "But, I think that's enough reading for one night. See you tomorrow."

The lavender unicorn stood from her seat and spoke with a kind, maternal tone."Alright, Spike. I love you."

Spike's heart skipped a beat as the words sunk in. For the first time in a long time, his mind went utterly blank. He hadn't heard those words in almost a year, he had practically forgot how powerful they could be. And if his shock wasn't bad enough already, his heart almost exploded from the hug and kiss on the forehead that he received almost immediately after.

Typically, he'd dismiss the affection as just another of the day's hassles, but tonight was different. Tonight, his body lit up with a warm fuzziness that he hadn't noticed missing for months. As if an amber gold comforting wave of heat slowly coarsed through out every bone and vain in his body, easing his mind, muscles and soul; and making the reptile remember why he wanted to come back and stay in Ponyville.

Though he and Twilight may not see eye to eye and though she may treat him as if he were younger than he was, she offered him something few else could and he could offer to even fewer. Love.

Tenderness, Carefulness, Acceptance and Compassion.

After a moment, the drake broke from his stupor and smiled sheepishly. "I, uh, love you too, Twilight."

The mare bid him another good night and went off to bed. Spike quickly cleaned up the candles he was using for light and found himself back on the couch, his mind calmer for the experience.

The voice in the back of his mind made no comment, and his almost obsession with maturing had dulled down to a slight curiosity. Sleep wouldn't be hard to come by now.