Start of March, 1005 A.D. (After Discord)
A single candle lit the main lobby of the large tree library, casting wavering shadows along the walls. A purple maned unicorn sat at the desk on the far wall, hunched over a scroll that grew in length with every scratch of the quill floating in light raspberry haze. Twilight frowned deeply in concentration, eyes shifting back and forth with each new thought.
The library was mostly dark as the evening wore on. The tree house was dark since the lavender unicorn was the only one home at the time. The young drake had gone out for the day and Twilight took the moment of silence to make a list of great importance; almost the most important thing she made since her list on how to be accepted into Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.
The mare of her heart was going to have her birthday in a few weeks and while Pinkie often threw a large birthday bash for herself, inviting the whole town. Twilight wanted to have a special one just for the two of them. Each scribble was a memo, supply needed, or even just an idea for the evening. When planning a party for the party mare, it was hard to find the right combination. It was hard to find the perfect balance of an ‘awesome’ time and a ‘sweet’ evening; the lavender mare had been working on it since the library closed for the day, ignoring the slowly darkening world around her. It was only as it got too dark to see without help that the unicorn paused to light the candle before continuing on.
The sharp sound of the front door opening and closing with a swift slam barely gained a single ear's attention. The lavender ear twitched towards the sound before returning forward. Uneven thuds of a bipedal creature muffled the sound of the scratching. The purple and green dragon wearily trekked across the room, eyes hardly gazing at the darkened surroundings, while tired feet scraped over the wooden floor. Green reptilian eyes shifted to the hunched figure but he couldn't gather enough energy to care about the behavior of his guardian.
It was as a single clawed foot rested on a groaning step that Twilight fully noticed his presence. Jumping up from the crouched position, the unicorn craned her stiff neck to stare at Spike with dazed eyes.
“Spike? Oh, uh hi Spike, did you just get back...?” Purple eyes shifted as the world started to come into focus to find the navy sky outside, proclaiming the late hour. “Spike! Were you out this entire time!?! What in Equestria were you doing?!?”
The young drake sighed while hanging his head; he didn't want to talk about it but could hear by the tone of voice rarely used that the mare wasn't going to let it slide. Spike debated trying to escape to his room anyways but soon lost his chance as the studious mare rose with a grimace to stand beside the youth. She hadn't realized how long she sat, still as a statue and unmoving, and tried to shift her limbs as she waited for the reply.
The two friends stayed silent, Spike refusing to meet curious purple eyes while giving a brief shrug; the non-verbal response drew a furrowed brow from the unicorn. The drake had always gusted over everything the local fashionista did or said; being sulking silent after a supposed full day in her company was highly unusual. Spike tried to finish his trip upstairs but was stopped by a gentle hoof and soft question.
“Spike, what's wrong?” Twilight drew closer to the purple dragon and placed a second hoof on him to turn him around. Even as they faced one another, Spike tried to avoid eye contact as his frame trembled. The older mare sighed lightly, hooves wrapping around the shaking frame and pulling him into soothing embrace.
“Oh Spike... I guess things didn't go so well today huh?” Two sets of claws reached out and gripped the short fur of the unicorn lightly. Spike leaned into the offered hug as he shook even further, the day's events flashing through his mind.
“I... I tried my best...!” The whispered words barely hid the tears that slowly creeped out of tightly closed eyes.
Twilight stiffened minutely as she felt her front slowly matte together with cold tracks making its way towards the ground. After identifying the wetness and the shakes, the unicorn gently breathed out of her nose, leaning over to rest her head on a green spiked one.
“Sometimes your best is all you can do, but still not be enough...” The timid retort was muffled but lavender ears tipped forward enough to catch it.
“I was in my environment! We were-we were gem hunting! It was going great but she just... She just...!” Spike shook his head in the lavender chest, fist clenching as the sob became more pronounced. Twilight rubbed her hoof along his back, unsure what words would help.
“She left around 2pm to check on Applejack! I-I finished helping but I couldn't...!” Spike's growl soon turned into a whimper while he tried to explain. Twilight flinched, her worries confirmed. The youth was finding the pain of an unrequited crush. The somewhat experienced mare searched her vast mental library for reassuring words, finally settling on a realistic view with a dash of optimism.
“I know that it may seem like you were forgotten but your help is appreciated... It's just that, Rarity is allowed to choose and until she proclaims who she wishes to date, you shouldn't give up...” Spike jerked back, wiping his arm across his tear stained face while frowning to the mare in front of him.
“Why shouldn't I?!? Applejack is-she's cheating! Taking my days and spending it with Rarity anyways! She must've planned this-!” Before the drake could continue his argument, there was a solid knock at the front door.
The two friends by the stairs shared surprised glances, not expecting anyone this late at night. They waited to see if it was a random sound and were only mildly surprised when the knocking resumed. Twilight sat up straighter with a curious frown to the door.
“Who is it?”
“It's me, Applejack... Is Spike here?” At the southern tinted call, the dragon clenched both fists at his side and glared at the doorway, spines at attention and back stiff as he stared. This was seen by the lavender mare but she couldn't leave the farmer outside in the dark.
A coating of magic encompassed the door and allowed it to swing open without a sound. The two residences watched, one apprehensive and the other irritated, as the orange earth pony stepped inside with her hat resting low over her eyes. As the apple farmer slowly walked closer to the two, Twilight's horn lit as lights came to life, banishing most of the shadows except for the ones in three pairs of eyes. Applejack stopped a few paces away from the drake who wore a deep scowl.
“Howdy Twilight... Hi Spike.” The quiet greeting hung in the air, the only response was an unsure nod of the unicorn's head and a short huff from the dragon.
“Spike, Ah'm sorry... Ah'm real sorry. Ah told Rarity not tah worry about me an' mah family; Ah knew it was yer day an'... Sorry Spike.” The furious scowl lost its edge as the mournful farmer spoke, turning into a dejected pout at the end along with crossed arms held tightly against a pale-green chest. The silence grew after Applejack's attempt at explaining; Twilight glanced towards the farm mare for a second before leaning to capture watery reptilian eyes.
“Spike?” Jerking back with wide eyes, Spike swiped at his face before trying to glare at the farmer.
“Well, it's not over. She's just so nice that she was worried about you, that's all! I'm not about to give up just yet.” Spike tried to keep the pain from his voice as he watched the blonde sitting mutely nearby. Applejack tipped her hat with weary eyes, nodding her understanding of the drake's determination.
“Yer right, that there unicorn has ah big ol' heart of gold. Ah'll make sure she don't leave ya when it's yer day.” The two combatants shook tensely before the farm mare stood tiredly. Dipping her head to each of the residents Applejack left without another word, her thoughts obviously elsewhere.
Twilight stared worriedly after the wary apple farmer before turning back to her number one assistant who had lost all traces of his 'anger'. His small form crumpled inward as he wrapped his arms around numb feet. His gaze, full of water and unblinking, stared off into nothing as he argued with inner doubts.
The older unicorn barely felt her jaw drop as she rapidly assessed the situation. Even as her academic mind went blank, old habits and instinct reared up and propelled the shocked mare forward. Purple hooves reached out to pull the trembling drake into a comforting embrace. The young dragon remained curled up until his guardian started to make soft soothing assurances. Breaking out of his shell, he leaned forward to sob quietly into the offered form.
“It's-it's not fair...!”
“I know Spike, I know... Sometimes, things just happen whether we want them to or not.” Twilight stared down at the small figure in her hooves before looking for inspiration in the titles around them.
“I wish it was all Applejack's fault...!” Spike shook his head as he hiccuped, pounding a single fist into the furry chest. Twilight sighed as she also shook her head, gazing forlornly to the lad.
“You know that it's not her fault.”
“Yeah... I know...” Purple eyes frantically swept over the room, trying desperately to find something to help. Settling on the scroll nearby, they widened in hope before turning to the drake once again.
“Spike? Would you want to help me with my list?” The two pulled apart slightly while Spike rubbed at his eyes as he stared curiously to the librarian.
“Wha-what's it for this time...?”
“I was trying to think of ways to give a nice surprise for Pinkie. Her birthday is coming up and I wanted to have something special planned for her, especially since she usually just has a large party anyways.” Twilight watched carefully, unsure how it would help the youth from his problems but unsure of what else she could do. Standing with a light tug on his arm to follow along, the lavender mare walked over to the desk. Peeking to the slumped figure, Twilight decided to check one last time.
“Are you going to be ok? Would you want to do something else instead?” The older mare watched anxiously only to relax as Spike slowly nodded.
“I'll be ok... I can help you but I think I'll just head to bed afterwards though...” It wasn't quite what she hoped to hear, but it was better than depression.
Together, the two friends sat at the wooden desk, a purple claw reaching out to hold on to the quill and parchment. For the next few hours, they planned out and theorized some of the better ways to have a special party. It was as they worked that Twilight realized how often she had been leaving the young drake alone lately. With a guilty flush of her face, the librarian soon called it a night. While Spike made his world-weary way up the stairs, Twilight began to make new kinds of plans, ones that centered around a small purple and green assistant. It wasn't much of a plan, considering the hour and how long she had been working, but it was a start. Heading up the stairs not much later, the unicorn frowned thoughtfully as she passed the young assistant's shut door.
(I may have been leaving you alone too much lately Spike, but I'm going to change that. I'll just postpone my schedule for the day and find some way to get his mind off of what happened... Hopefully nothing too horrible happens tomorrow… I wish Pinkie was staying here tonight, she’d know what to say to cheer him up...)
The next morning Twilight woke up early and began to cook herself and Spike breakfast. The young dragon hadn't come back down from his room and the unicorn wanted to take advantage of the silence. She wasn't sure of the best way to cheer up the dejected lad and it was this direction of thought that sent a pang in her heart. The light frown turned deeper as the thoughts of pink fur and bright smiles that hadn't been seen in the last few days. Sugarcube Corner had seen a spike in business since spring fully arrived five days ago and the three bakers were keeping to the grindstone.
It meant that the couple wasn't able to spend much time together and Twilight missed the hyperactive mare. Even as her heart pinched at the thought, her ears twitched hearing the scuffing coming from above. Two feet slowly and wearily made their way down the stairs, drawing the unicorn's attention away from her thoughts and back to the pan where burnt hay-hashbrowns sizzled.
Spike frowned as he slowly entered the kitchen, a single brow raised at the smell that slowly made its way through the first floor. Smoke floated along the top of the room as the cook tried to save the meal. The pan flew through the air towards a set of plates on the table in the center of the room, spatula following close behind as it scrapped at the food stuck along the bottom. Twilight bit her lip as she manipulated the utensils, eyes focused determinedly on her task and not the bemused stare coming from the drake.
“What are you doing Twilight...?” Spike continued to walk in the kitchen and look over the plate. Burnt hay-hashbrown rested next to dark veggies and overly crisp bread. The lavender unicorn shifted in place with a sheepish grin.
“Uhm, I was trying to make us breakfast?” Twilight blushed at the deadpan from the dragon who poked at the 'food'. Sighing gently while hanging her head, the unicorn levitated both sets of plates and threw both of the contents into a nearby trash can. Barely glancing to the youngster who watched with a single brow raised.
“Let's just... Eat out this morning. Where would you like to go to?” Twilight led the way out of the kitchen, peeking to the drake who shrugged at the suggestion.
The unicorn frowned in unease at the dismissive attitude and sorted through the closest restaurants that offered meals in the morning. Finding that the closest restaurant was Sugarcube Corner, she tried to contain her enthusiasm to visit the trio of bakers. Spike followed silently, glancing to the other stories that greeted the duo as they traveled.
“Twilight...? Why are we heading this-” The drake was about to question where they were going but trailed off as the sight of the gingerbread bakery came into view. Spike couldn't help but roll his eyes as he felt the excitement coming from the mare giving him a ride, her hooves picked up their pace with ears tipped forward.
A bell announced their presence as the two walked quickly through the lobby. Ponies rushed to pick up their orders and head back outside to the warm weather. Spike didn't move from his seat, watching with disinterest as they joined the cue line. Twilight tried to act neutral even as her eyes scanned the workers behind the counter and zeroing in on the pink earth pony who rushed back and forth with trays along her back and head.
The chipper party mare paused mid step as she felt her heart race and a special kind of warmth spread from her center to the tips of her hooves. With a bright grin, the pink baker turned in place and waved to her marefriend in line. Twilight sheepishly waved back and watched with a timid smirk as Pinkie turned pleading blue eyes to the older bakers. Rolling their eyes in amusement, the Cakes nodded silently to the request. Pinkie hoofpumped with a gleeful shout and lept over the counter to stand beside the two librarians. Her colors seemed to glow brighter while her eyes sparkled with hidden jokes and laughter. The two trays she carried seemed to find their place on the counter, leaving her to be free to lean closer to the pair.
“Hi guys! Have you had breakfast yet?! We just finished cooking some yummy biscuits!” Pinkie beamed at her marefriend who wore a half-smirk even as the drake on her back rolled his head, answering before the unicorn could.
“Twilight tried to make some this morning but burnt it instead. Could I have a blueberry muffin and some of those biscuits...?” Spike tried to keep his voice energized but just couldn't manage it, finding it flat and tired instead. The party mare noticed this and flashed the mare of her heart a quick look of worry. Spotting an identical gaze on the lavender mare, Pinkie nodded with a small smile to the lad before completely turning to the lavender unicorn.
“Okie dokie lokie! So a blueberry muffin and a pile of biscuits, what would you like Twilight?” The pink mare scanned the area to be sure that they weren't drowning in customers; finding a moment of peace, the baker continued to bask in the unicorn’s presence.
“Hmm, those biscuits do sound good. I'll have a couple of those and some banana bread if you don't mind... But is it ok for you to be helping us? What about the others in line-?” Twilight trailed off as she finally managed to tear her gaze from the earth pony before her to look around the store. The morning rush was winding down and the older bakers were keeping an amused eye on the three in the corner of the store.
Pinkie Pie continued to beam as she waved a hoof to the lavender mare while leading the two to the table nearby. Scuffing a hoof along Spike's head, she leaned down for a moment to look in the eye with an unsure smile.
“Hey Spike? Could I borrow Twilight for a moment? It looks like she needs a special cup of coffee... I'm sorry I couldn't help with her sleeping the last few days, it's been craa-A-aazy over here!” The two peeked over to the curious unicorn with small smiles to assure her curiosity. The young drake looked back to the baker who sat next to him and nodded mutely. Once she got the agreeing nod, Pinkie reached out and pulled Twilight behind her to the kitchen in back.
Out of politeness, the studious unicorn hadn't listened to the private conversation and was mildly surprised when she was quickly led away. With a brief wave to the older bakers, Pinkie continued to pull her marefriend to the back. The lavender mare was situated by the counter while the hyper mare pulled out a coffee maker and began to set it to brew. A single lavender brow rose at the rapid actions before coming down with a bemused smirk when Pinkie stood nearby while cooking some fresh batches for their morning meal.
“Don't you worry about a thing my little star! I'll get to the bottom of this in no time...! Sooooo, what's going on?” The puffy maned mare smiled to the other, grabbing plates and a cup as she watched the unicorn near her. Twilight raised a curious brow at her methods but shook her head in amusement.
“...Spike came back late last night, upset at how his day with Rarity went... I tried to think of ways to cheer him up but so far it isn't working...” The unicorn stared bewildered as Pinkie froze in place, one hoof held in the air while a back hoof was in the air, paused in mid step. A thoughtful frown was etched on the usually chipper face, her head tilted to the right as she thought.
Blinking rapidly, the party mare hopped in place with a bright grin and finished gathering the meal. Placing the large white cup into lavender hooves, Pinkie stood in front of the other mare proudly.
“I can totally help! I know all the best ways to cheer somepony, or in this case, somedragon, right up! First things first, a nice meal to start the day right! Then we'll get him all happy again in no time!” Pinkie walked closely to the unicorn as they returned to the front lobby. Two concerned gazes focused on the hunched figure who rested his head on arms that laid on the table before him. Picking up their pace, the two mares returned to the table and smiled to the drake.
“Hey there Spike! Here's your order!” Pinkie set the plates on to the table and sat in between the dragon and unicorn. Twilight watched the young drake closely while keeping an ear on the hyper mare, unsure of what she had mind. “What are you guys doing today? Gonna have lots of amazing fun?!”
Spike shrugged as he slowly picked at the baked goods set out before him. Twilight frowned in unease at the non-verbal response but Pinkie continued as though nothing was wrong.
“Oh oh oh! What about going to have some ice cream! It's warm so that means it's the perfect time for ice cream! Or what about going to the ice skating park? Or maybe just the regular ol' skating ring?” The pink earth pony bounced as she proposed ways to have fun. Spike stared back confused, unsure what prompted the overboard suggestions.
“Uhm, it's only been a few days since winter was over, isn't it kind of silly to have ice cream or go ice skating?” The purple drake continued to pick at his meal. Twilight perked up as she realized the hyperactive mare's plan and added her own suggestions.
“Oh, yes, uhm, going out! Uhm, let's go out and take the day off.” The unicorn tried to smile brightly as her mind raced with questions. In the past few years, the unicorn had been rather focused on her studies, letting the more social aspects of life slip by. Spike often kept himself amused when he had free time and Twilight was usually absorbed by her studies to notice what he was doing.
The others watched intrigued as the lavender mare shrank in place with a deep blush and flattened ears. The realization that she had allowed her responsibilities to fall behind made the lavender mare's heart to clench with dread. Feeling the reassuring pressure of the pink mare beside her, Twilight sat up again with a grateful smirk. Before she could try for a random suggestion of her own, the hyper mare leaned forward with a toothy smile and loud gasp.
“OOOOH! There's this totally cool carnival going on later today! There'll be ice cream, and prizes, and lots of food and really neat rides!” Pinkie bounced lightly as she excitedly described the Spring has Sprung Carnival. Ponies were often tired of the cold winter and celebrated with a carnival within the week after Winter Wrap-Up. The others were surprised at the sudden enthusiasm, leaning back slightly with curious smirks.
“Oh, yes, that's right. That's a great idea Pinkie, did you want to go, just the two of us Spike?” Twilight smiled warmly to her marefriend before shifting her attention to the dragon. He tilted his head, bewilderment shining in his eyes. The pink mare, however, froze with an unsure smile. Blues eyes watched unblinkingly to the unicorn before smiling warmly once more.
“That sounds like a great plan, Twilight. It will be a great bonding time for you and Spike.” Pinkie twiddled her hooves as she stared at the drake. Noticing this hesitation, Twilight searched through recent actions and words, eyes widening at the possible reason. Leaning over to the earth pony, she whispered into a pink ear.
“Pinkie, I know you probably wanted to go too but I wasn't sure if Spike would be comfortable if all three of us went...” The lavender unicorn watched the pink mare closely, trying to see any sign of being upset. Pinkie relaxed tensed muscles and shrugged with a grin, head tilted towards the mare beside her.
“Don't worry Twilight. The important thing is to cheer up Spike, we can always hang out later.” The two mares whispered quietly to one another. The drake across the way lost interest in their cuddle time and went back to picking at his muffin. Twilight glanced over and saw the slumped figure, head resting on a clenched fist.
“So, Spike, did you want to go?” The two mares watched as the drake lifted his head at the librarian's question and peeked confusedly to the pink mare.
“Wha-what about Pinkie Pie? Did you want to come?” Spike stared at the party mare who shifted in place with a sheepish smile.
“Oh well, uhm, I'd want to-to let you guys have a fun day out! I can go play at a carnival whenever I want! I'd make my own maybe! Ohh, I could set up my own Spring has Sprung party!” Pinkie tapped her chin as she mused, a single brow raised while she stared at the ceiling. The drake tilted his head with a miniscule frown on his face.
“I... I don't mind if you guys want to go to the carnival together.” Spike's eyes widened when both mares sat up with stern frowns of their own.
“No no no no no no! You can totally go on your own with Twilight! This is supposed to be 'cheer up Spike' time, not 'cuddle and date' time!” Pinkie placed both hooves on to the table in between them while she leaned forward, neck stretched to stare closely at the young dragon. Twilight smirked at her marefriend's actions before adding her own comments.
“That's right, if you don't mind Pinkie coming along, that's fine; but this is about making you feel better Spike, not an extra date for us.” The lavender mare watched with shrewd eyes as the drake scrunched his muzzle in thought.
“I don't mind if Pinkie wants to come but why are you trying to 'cheer me up’ so much anyways?” Spike found the sudden evasiveness of the librarian to be suspicious and waited for the 'answer'.
“Oh, uh, well, there's no particular reason. I just, felt like going out and uh, having a bit of fun.” Twilight tried to keep her fidgeting to a minimum and stared directly into disbelieving green eyes. Pacing twitching hooves on top of one another on the pale-pink table, she smiled haltingly to the lad. Spike sighed gently as he recalled why Twilight would suddenly feel the need to cheer him up and crossed both arms with a shake of his head.
“Suurre... Alright Twilight, we can go to the carnival and Pinkie Pie can come too; it wouldn't be the same without you Pinkie.” The last part of the statement was said directly to the pink baker who smiled softly, rubbing the back of her head with her right hoof while her left one was captured by a lavender one. Twilight smiled gratefully to the drake and nudged the mare beside her before reaching to rub the green spiked head.
Spike smirked as he swatted away the hoof. They returned to the breakfast with a lighter air, smirks on their faces and eyes alight with excitement for the day. The two librarians finished quickly, the plan for the day forming in the lavender mare's mind. Standing slowly, Twilight gave a swift kiss to the baker who blushed while rubbing her hooves together in an absent-minded manner.
“I know that you guys are rather busy, so we'll stop by when you get off of work to go to the carnival. Would that be alright?” The unicorn gazed with soft eyes to the baker who seemed more at ease than earlier. Pinkie grinned with rapid nods of her head, sending her mane bouncing with the excessive motion. They could only watch as the energetic mare skipped back to the counter, almost taking off for the ceiling with every step, a joyous call following after her.
“Okie dokie lokie! I'll see you party animals at 3pm sharp! Don't be flat!”
Sharing a bemused smirk at the usual behavior, the two friends made their way to the exit. Twilight levitated a small stack of bits to the counter as they passed by, waving farewell to the older bakers who smiled widely in return. Spike took a running leap, pulling himself onto the lavender back with both claws. He bounced as they left the bakery behind and shifted in place, trying to figure out where they were going.
Houses passed and were eventually replaced with store fronts. The morning crowd grew as they got closer to the town’s bazaar, each one smiling with a wave to the others. The warm-tinted breeze shared the scent of growing things with everyone outside and each breath seemed to brighten the world around them. Spike sagged as their destination came into view, his arms already feeling the burden they were sure to get after spending over ten minutes in the local bookstore. Twilight scrunched her muzzle as she felt the increased weight, feeling the sigh that came when it was clear where they were heading to.
(I don't go to the bookstore that often do I? Perhaps I should start ordering my books to be delivered instead... But this time I won't be getting anything! Even if they do have the latest Daring Do... Yes. Even then. Even if they have the whole biography of Starswirl the Bearded and his apprentice, Clover the Clever!)
The lavender unicorn smirked to herself as she continued her steady pace. Using a brief spurt of magic to open the brown door, they stepped inside and paused for a moment by the doorway; Twilight couldn't help but take a deep breath of the scent that always lingered in bookstores, of parchment and ink. Spike braced himself when she moved forward, passing the biography section and even the dating help, his arms twitching as he prepared for a barrage of facts about one topic or another. He was so zoned out that he didn't notice when they came to a halt in front of a wall, in the back right corner of the store.
“Spike? Are you awake back there?” Twilight's soft question jerked the distracted dragon from his daydreams of him and Rarity working together. Blinking his eyes, he found that he had to rub at them to be sure of what he was seeing.
Before the two friends was a corner of comics, their plastic covers glinting in the overhead lights. Seven shelves climbed to the ceiling, filled with different series and the latest volume sitting proudly in front of each. There were tables that held even more graphic novels, held in a folder format with a tab for each series. The scaled jaw dropped open at the vast collection, eyes wide as they scanned the shelves and taking in each prominent name.
“WOW! I didn't know they had a whole comic section! What did you need from here Twilight? You don't normally like comics, saying how 'they reduce one's ability to imagine the world offered'.” Spike peeked at the mare who sheepishly smiled at the sentence. Scuffing a hoof at the accuracy of the quote, Twilight levitated the dragon off her back to the floor. Poking at him with a teasing hoof, the unicorn turned her gaze to the walls.
“Oh, well I was looking for the latest comic of the Pretentious Ponies? Of maretropolis, wasn't it?” The librarian smirked at the open-mouthed shock that greeted her words. The young dragon put a clawed hand to his eyes while groaning at the name.
“Twiliiight, it's Power Ponies! And it's right here and they have the latest three that the library doesn't have!” Spike almost drooled as he timidly picked up the three comics, trying not to rip the clear plastic with his claws. The older mare watched with a pleased smirk, only to have it fade when the reverend books were placed back onto the shelf with hesitant claws.
“Don't... Don't you want them Spike? Why are you putting them back?” Concerned purple eyes watched with a hint of despair in their depths as doubting thoughts bubbled to the surface; that Spike didn't like it, didn't want it or even worse, thought that Twilight was just going to ignore his longing.
“Sure I'd like to have them, but aren't we here for more books for the library.” Purple ears flattened at this flat statement that came with a confused stare. Spike began to frown at the glum expression and remained still while Twilight sat next to him.
“Spike... We came here so you could get whatever comic books you wanted. That are age appropriate!” She tried to smile at her attempt at humor before continuing with a downcast tilt of her head. “Did you really think I was going to show you this and then make you carry books for the library?”
The dejected words shocked the purple and green dragon who froze in place. Finding himself unable to look at the pained expression of the lavender unicorn, Spike rushed forward to hug her instead. Nuzzling his head into the embrace, the dragon spoke clearly enough that the older mare could hear every word.
“I didn't think that, I was just surprised. I'm really happy, thank you Twilight. I won't go overboard, promise!” Pulling back, the two friends smiled warmly to each other before turning back to the wall of comics. With a warm grin watching over him and his choices, the purple and green dragon pulled out the three Power Ponies comics as well as a new series that promised to be interesting: The adventures of Tim Drake and the Batponies.
Settling on the seven new comics, they went to the cash register to check out. Twilight didn't flinch at the price and merely smirked when Spike held them lovingly in his claws. Climbing back into place, they left the store to drop off their purchase. Choosing the right comics had taken well over two hours and much internal debate. Bag held gingerly in both sets of claws, Spike could already imagine the grand adventures, becoming lost once more to his surroundings as his mind wandered.
The studious unicorn chuckled to herself when she saw how the green gaze lost it's glossy appearance at the scent of frozen treats. The Ice Cream Parlor drew closer with every sure step of the unicorn's. Spike's mouth started to drool while his stomach tried to remind him of the much needed brunch. The quiet chuckling turned louder at the animalistic growl coming from her passenger. With a quick smirk to the dragon who clutched at his loud organ with a light blush, Twilight picked up her pace to enter the chilled parlor.
Holding the bag out of harms way, Spike directed the unicorn to what ice cream he would like to have. Passing the instructions to the earth pony mare behind the counter, who had a rose mane and tail with gold and gamboge streaks, Twilight was soon levitating two cones of mixed flavors: one was a combination of chocolate and vanilla with chocolate chips embedded in it while the other was strawberry and cotton candy. Hoofing over the needed bits, Twilight offered her farewell before turning to leave.
“Thank you Sweatcream Scoops, have a nice day...! So Spike, enjoying yourself?” The unicorn glanced to her rider to find his mouth stuffed with ice cream. The bag of comics were held by his flexible tail and out of the danger zone. Giving a muffled agreement, he managed to use a single hand to give a thumbs up to the mare who's smirk widened at the gleeful grin he wore.
The sounds of munching was barely heard over the echos of hoofsteps of the crowd around them. The lunch time rush had grown while the two friends were out, though it wasn't enough to completely hinder their movements considering the size of the town. Twilight's ears twitched at every sound the drake made, mind forming and reforming plans and different courses of action that would help keep the young assistant happy. The walk passed by in a blur as she thought, giving short waves and smiles to those who noticed them.
Entering the large tree house, Spike leapt off her back without a word. Twilight watched with a single brow raised as he raced to the comic corner and promptly pulled out the newest additions with reverberation. Within seconds the young dragon was trying to get lost to his surroundings, drawn into the realm of superheroes and villains. The lavender mare watched with a warm smile, reminiscing on how the world of literature had always drawn her attention, becoming as real as the land of Equestria.
The two friends spent the rest of their afternoon immersing themselves to the land of imagination. The unicorn cast a spell for an ethernal clock, aligning it with the position of the sun and setting it to go off in three hours. While she wanted to enjoy the day with her young assistant reading, she wanted to be sure of making this day the best one for the dejected drake. And the best way was to go out with a bang, with the carnival being just what was needed.
The sound of wind chimes rang in perfect pitch and in full octave as the blue clock flashed in time with each chime. Glancing up from the exciting tale of a group of friends traveling the world together in search of lost loved ones, Twilight blinked for a moment before realizing why she had set the alarm for 2:45pm. Glancing up with a slightly stiff neck, she found that Spike had only just finished his own reading with a satisfied sigh. Laying the comic on top its brethren, the drake stood with both arms raised over his head and stretched on his toes, reaching for the sky to awaken numb limbs. Twilight began to also stand, shaking each limb before trotting over to the youth with a smirk.
“You can imagine what the alarm is for; ready for an afternoon of roller coaster rides and excitement?” The lavender mare smiled, keen eyes watching for any sign of the sadness of the previous night. Finding only expectant excitement in the green eyes, the mare smiled wider when the drake nodded.
“You bet!” With no other response, the purple dragon jumped for his usual seat on the mare's back, unable to hold back a few small jumps of joy.
Twilight shook her head at the actions but smirked, pleased to know how well the plan was going. Turning to the door, she levitated the books and comics onto shelves while turning the open sign to closed. The door clicked softly behind them while they continued down the street, feeling the warmth of the sun while the light spring breeze rustled Twilight’s purple mane.
The bell chimed only for a second before the duo found themselves faced with a already hyper pink baker standing right beside them, having gone unnoticed while their eyes adjusted to being inside. A wide smile stretched across her muzzle, Pinkie gave the purple maned unicorn a swift peck and rubbed a single hoof on Spike's head.
“Hey guys! You actually shaved off a whole minute from your walk!” A single pink hoof held a time-watch that ticked away before being stopped with a brief touch. Blue eyes shifted from the watch to bemused purple orbs, twinkling with love as Pinkie leaned closer to nuzzle her marefriend. “You guys ready to have a great time!? There's nothing like going to a carnival!”
“Yep! I can't wait!” Spike exclaimed with an undertone of anticipation lacing his words. The two mares shared pleased smiles at how successful their operation was going. Grinning along with Spike, they nodded their agreement to his words.
The three waved to the older bakers before turning in place and walking back out into the sunlight. Scarcely pausing to take a deep breath of the spring air, they keep up a fast pace to travel across town. The carnival had been set up on the outskirts of Ponyville, needing the space and distance for some of the more exotic rides they had to offer. Wanting to be safe from any woodland creatures and away from the oddities of the Everfree Forest, the carnival operators pitched the fair to the north of the small town, using one of the open fields to keep everything central.
The shouts of thrill and fright began to replace the quiet tones of town, with the whooshing of rides soon becoming noticeable as well. Houses became infrequent to stopping altogether, giving way to rolling green grass that had been flattened in a single direction. Rising up into view were tracks that broke the blue sky as carts raced along with ponies screaming in joy and fear, raising fore-hooves to the heavens as they rushed by. Tents became evident, as well as the mass crowd of ponies traveling to and from the various stands, laughing at each turn and having the time of their lives.
Pinkie grew more excited with every step, evolving from shifting one side to the other to bouncing with every step, moving on to losing touch with the ground, gravity having less and less of a hold on her. Twilight and Spike were also growing more excited but felt rather firmly attached to the ground; peeking amused to the hyper earth pony, they picked up their pace to keep up with the enthusiastic party mare. Soon the pink mare was bouncing backwards, staring with a wide infectious smile at the others who laughed at the sight of pink mane bouncing towards them.
Turning around once more, Pinkie went faster with a teasing laugh floating behind her. Spike leaned forward against the purple neck and smirked, urging the unicorn to go faster. Twilight, feeling the change of position, smirked back to him before picking up her own pace, leaning forward with a determined figure. The pink earth pony saw this and laughed a little louder, continuing to go faster while still keeping the spring in her steps.
Soon after the challenge was accepted, both mares raced to the fairgrounds, manes flying behind them as a young drake's encouragement resounded in the air.
“Come on Twilight! Faster!” Beaming at the brimming excitement, the unicorn leaned her head almost parallel to the ground and tried to edge past the other. Pinkie laughed as she bounced rings around the duo, proving her speed and enjoyment of the race.
Sliding to a barely controlled stop in front of a large pale-green archway, the lavender unicorn panted with a disbelieving brow raised. Even as she wanted to question her marefriend's true speed, Twilight couldn't recapture enough breath to try to ask anything. Spike hopped down to help relieve some of the weight on the unicorn and stared blankly to the pink earth pony. Scratching his head with a clawed hand, he asked what both wanted to desperately know.
“Pinkie Pie, how did you keep going so fast? Is it an earth pony thing?” The sounds of pants slowly faded into the background as the two librarians watched the pink baker. Pinkie beamed before rubbing a hoof on her chest and glancing into it's 'reflection' with a smug smirk.
“Super Pinkie Pie Secret Numbah 777. A Pinkie never reveals her secrets!” Total silence met these words before all three broke out in laughter, leaning towards the ground as the strength of the joyous noise sapped their ability to stand.
Wiping a joyful tear from her eye, Twilight stood back up and nudged the others with a mirthful chuckle.
“Come on, let's get the fun started.” The lavender unicorn jerked her head to the ticket counter that stood in the center of the archway. The right side was a line of ponies paying to go inside while the left was nearly empty with only a few ponies exiting the carnival with large smiles and multitudes of prizes sitting on their backs.
Pinkie could feel her body tremble in anticipation at the sight of the toys and rushed forward, reaching the ticket pony before Twilight could and paid for all three of them; half-finished declinations came from the lavender mare who raised a disagreeing hoof but was ignored with a friendly smile. Spike glanced between the two mares before resting his gaze on the uneasy unicorn with a shrug. Giving in, Twilight followed with an uneasy shake of her head. It was supposed to be her mission to cheer up Spike afterall, but she could understand her marefriend's need to bring joy to everyone around her. It was a trait that she always enjoyed watching.
Following the bouncing pink tail, they traveled into the crowds that seemed to be aimlessly traveling from one end of the fair to the other. The roller coaster rides were aligned along the wall of the carnival while food, gift and game stands were set up haphazardly around the center. Pinkie made her way by instinct, eyes zipping around and ingesting every sight that they could. Twilight, being unused to the large crowd after all her time in Ponyville, tried to stay close to their guide while keeping a close eye on the young drake beside her. Purple eyes glanced about with wide eyed fascination; she hadn't gone to very many carnivals and it had been years since the last one she visited.
It was with very little surprise that Twilight found herself and the others standing in front of the largest ride available. It rose well over three stories into the air, going into a tight circle with many loops, twists, turns and even moments of when the carts traveled upside down. Twilight got nauseous just watching the cart take eighty degree turns without slowing down; glancing to the side, she sighed in resignation at the sight of two amazed faces shining with pure excitement.
Spike turned to his guardian with both hands clasped under his chin, wide eyes pleading. Pinkie merely beamed at the unicorn from behind the dragon, attention focused solely on the bemused librarian. Twilight sighed, rolling her eyes with a small smirk before waving a hoof for the others to follow her.
“Alright, alright... Let's get on before the line gets too much longer.” Two shouts of joy came after the quiet words. In moments the three friends were at the back of the rapidly decreasing line, watching every cart come to a stop only to fill with more riders before taking off once more. The entire ride didn't last more than a minute but the sheer hair turns made it all the more exciting for the waiting crowd.
When it came time for the three friends to find their seats, it was to their surprise that the carts could only fit two at a time. With barely a glance to Twilight's unsure face, Pinkie pushed the unicorn and dragon into the first cart, setting them down before hopping into the seat right behind them with another mare who seemed uncertain about the hyper mare's enthusiasm.
Twilight couldn't get a word out about the seating arrangements when the carts jerked forward with a loud clunk. Tiny chain link clinking was the only thing the riders heard as they held their breath for the rapid drop that loomed before them. They paused for only a second at the very top, looking out at the carnival for a moment before the carts took that extra length and allowed gravity to pull it forward at almost breakneck speeds. Twilight gripped the handle bars with booth hooves, mouth open in a scream that was soon left behind as they traveled at speeds that a normal pony couldn't reach on their own power. She could hear the distinctive sound of Pinkie's laughter behind her but couldn't focus on it for long as the first of many turns came to them. The riders jerked to the left when they went to the right, g-forces forcing them to squish against one another before leaning into the other direction when a left turn came. Flipping upside down while heading downwards, everyone's mane bent out of shape as the wind rushed by, pushing their faces back as they went into a loop de loop. Gravity continued to propel them forward and into a series of curves that resulted in another moment of flipping upside down before ending in a miniature loop. Coming out of the loop, the carts traveled up a small incline, causing them to lose velocity before coming to a jarring halt on the platform once again.
Spike chuckled breathlessly as the safety bars rose up, releasing the riders from their seats. Looking to the mare at his side, he found Twilight frozen in shock, hooves still in the shape they had on the bars while her mane was sprayed behind her wildly. Mouth open and wide eyed, the unicorn couldn't stop the sudden trembles that racked her frame. Reaching out a single claw, Spike poked her side as most of the other riders stood from their seats.
“Twi-... Twilight..?” The drake coughed lightly as he used his voice for something other than shouting. Poking the unicorn once more as he called her attention, he noticed Pinkie looking back from the corner of his eye. “Twilight? The ride is over now, you can get up...”
The pink mare made her uneasy way over, peeking at the frozen face with a timid smile. “Twilight? My little star? The other ponies would want to have a turn now, you think you could get up?”
Purple eyes finally blinked as their owner slowly moved stiff limbs and shakily stood from the cart. Walking forward as though the ground would disappear from under her, Twilight unsteadily rose from the ride and down the platform, body twitching as she tried to remain upright. Ears that were pushed back from wind slowly turned to lay flat on her skull. The lavender mare drew to a halt at the bottom of the ramp, leaning against the railing provided and stared at the ground intently, trying to get the world to stop spinning. Even as it had been a long time since she went to a fair, it had been longer still since she rode such a wild ride; life as a librarian and student left her unprepared for the nauseating trip.
The dragon and earth pony shared concerned glances, drawing closer to the sick mare and kept their voices low, unwilling to make things worse. Pinkie hadn't realized that the lavender mare had so little experience with fast-paced rides and felt the guilt all the way to her core, hoping to never seeing the sight of a sick Twilight Sparkle again. Spike, due to his enhanced endurance, didn't have as much trouble with the ride and was mildly amused at the reaction of the unicorn's, until he realized that it wasn't going away yet.
“Twilight, are... are you ok?”
“My star, do you want to sit down? Lean on your very own Sweetheart to a nice calming place of calmness?” Two purple ears twitched at the questions and unusually worded suggestion of Pinkie's. Barely standing once more, Twilight turned to the others with a small smile and weak hoof wave.
“I'll be fine... Don't mind me, you guys go for another ride. I'll just sit this one out.” The unicorn tried to assure the others to continue their fun but could see the anxiety in their eyes. Sighing gently, she straightened completely and glanced slowly to the other rides to find the next one that they would enjoy.
Finding that the other members of their little group wouldn't leave without her, Twilight led the way through the crowds to the next roller coaster over. It reached almost as tall as the one they just rode and seemed to have more loops and turns in a tight space. Turning back to her friends, the unicorn noticed with a frown how they focused on her instead and sighed with a small grin. Pushing them with weak hooves, Twilight tried one last time to assure them of her slow recovery.
“I'll be fine. You guys go ahead and have fun, and I'm sure I'll be much better by the time you get back.” Casting another smile to the two, Twilight watched as they waited in line, glancing back to her with worried frowns.
After seeing her recover as they moved ever upwards, the two friends slowly grew more excited; the screams and shouts of amusement and fright helping their own anticipation build. Twilight continued to watch from the ground, bemused smirk in place as she leaned against the rough wood of the railing. It was yet another quick ride, meaning that they made rapid progress up the stairs to the awaiting green carts. The unicorn watched as Pinkie reached over and grabbed both of Spike's arms and thrust them into the air once they were seated, leaning over to encourage him to enjoy every aspect of the ride.
Barely keeping her eyes on the swiftly moving ride, Twilight waved to the two of them when they passed nearby. She was greatly amused and exasperated to find that Pinkie somehow managed to sit up in her seat to wave back properly while Spike clung to the handles with a manic grin on his face at the speeds they were reaching. When the carts came to a stop on the platform once again, Pinkie's mane had been pushed back by the speeds only to poof back into shape as blue eyes crossed in concentration. Spike laughed at the display and led the way down the other side of the ride, picking up his pace when he saw Twilight waiting for them with a wide smile. Rushing down the last few steps, he flung out his arms to grab the waiting mare and smiled brightly up at her.
“Twilight! Twilight! Did you see us, did you see us? I couldn't wave properly but I think Pinkie did!” Spike stared up as he tugged on her fur, Pinkie coming up in a slower fashion but with just as large of a grin. Twilight peeked at the pleased mare before smirking at the dragon before her.
“Yes, I did. It looks like you guys had a lot of fun, did you want to go on another one?” The lavender mare started to wave a hoof to one of the other rides only to be cut off by a sudden leap of the pink mare and shout.
“Sure! This time you and Spike have to go on one together! And I know just the one, come on!” Grabbing a hold of the slightly surprised dragon and unicorn, Pinkie pulled them further in. Watching with unsure eyes, they couldn't do anything but allow themselves to be pulled along, the pink earth pony having a strong grip they hadn't expected.
The three friends quickly came upon the next ride, a tall tower that rose high above the rest of the carnival that had seats along the four sides. Lights flashed in downward arrows. While the group quickly made their way to the ride, Twilight noticed with unease at how the single row of seats slowly climbed to the top only to drop down suddenly, allowing gravity to take over and giving the riders a feeling of weightlessness before slowing to give them a safe landing.
Pink hooves pushed them forward, keeping them in line for the ride. Twilight wasn't sure of the kind of ride (though it did promise to be over very quickly) but Spike couldn't help but watch wide eyed as they inched closer. Within moments, Pinkie had pushed both of them onto adjoining seats before jumping off the platform to cheer for the riders with enthusiastic waves. The ride was a blur for the lavender mare, remembering only a sudden rush of wind that blew her mane back when the riding platform dropped. Shouting along with the others, Twilight gripped the handlebars even as Spike raised his hands as he yelled in excitement.
When they got off the short but thrilling ride, they found Pinkie waiting with a wide grin and a carbonated drink that offered relief to those who got nauseous easily.
“Here you go Twilight! This should help make your poor tummy feel all better!” With a grateful smirk to her marefriend, Twilight levitated the plastic cup to her and took a quick sip, finding the soothing ginger ale settling her stomach. Spike watched curiously until he noticed the brighting of the librarian and smiled happily, pleased to find that she wasn't as badly stunned as she was for the first ride.
Spying a large circular shape that rested towards the middle of the carnival, the young dragon smirked as he saw a chance to give the two mares their moment alone. Taking his own turn to pull on their hooves, he led the way to the ferris wheel without a word. Pinkie went happily, humming as she skipped along while Twilight gazed at the drake with mild confusion. She was delighted to see the young dragon happy and cheerful but wasn't sure of his plan. Trying to find what had caught his attention, she glanced around and had only settled on a small pink booth with a dark pink curtain that covered the opening when a large gasp sounded from her left.
“Twilight, Twilight! We have to get pictures! You two should definitely get some really cute pictures of the two of you!” Pink hooves tugged at purple ones while blues eyes watched the dragon who looked back in surprise.
Before Twilight could completely understand what her marefriend was talking about, Spike saw the photo booth and smiled at the suggestion. Running forward, he found that the photos only cost two bits. Turning back to the lavender unicorn, he waved them forward with a brilliant grin.
“Yeah, come on Twilight! We have to all get pictures!” The two mares walked up only to be pushed in with the drake. Sliding two bits into the tiny slot, the three gazed towards the tiny viewer and didn't expect the flash that came five seconds later.
Being unprepared, Twilight and Spike appeared shocked while Pinkie held both hooves to her face while dropping her mouth open in a large 'o', tilting towards the left and somehow making her face seem squiggly. They recovered from the unexpected photo, the three friends made silly faces before breaking out in laughter for the third photo. Leaning forward and pulling the others close, they group hugged for a moment before smiling warmly to each other for the last one.
With a short click and soft thump, the five photos dropped in the open slot and was pulled into the air, surrounded by a light raspberry. The group smiled at the silly poses and were about to exit when Spike rushed to put two more bits into the machine and jump out. Twilight watched confused for a moment before hearing a small shout from the drake.
“Now it's your turn!”
The two mares turned to face one another with blushes at the sudden photo opportunity but came to their surroundings when the white flash and click came, announcing a single photo being taken. Turning to the viewpoint, they broke out laughing as a muted click sounded once again. Pinkie began to stick her tongue out and waved her hooves, glancing encouragingly to the mare beside her who smirked before trying to make a silly face of her own, grinning maniacally raising both hooves above her head. Laughing once again, they leaned closer for a hug as their fourth picture. With laughter in both of their eyes, Twilight shifted in place and came closer to the mare beside her who blushed at the closeness. Closing the gap in moments, the unicorn brought the earth pony into a sweet kiss for their last picture; Pinkie couldn't hold back her pleased blush at the kiss before pulling away with a joyful smile just in time for the photos dropped down.
Twilight reached out and smiled at the photos. Looking to the pink earth pony, she raised a brow in question while levitating the five pictures.
“Do you have an extra paper so we can make copies?” The lavender pony watched with a bemused smirk, almost completely trusting in her marefriend's odd ability. With a bright grin and nod, Pinkie reached into her mane to bring out a blank paper just in the right size.
A bright flash later and both mares exited the booth with their own copies of the pictures. Spike waited patiently for them with a warm smirk, happy they were able to get a few pictures together. Turning away quickly, he started walking to his targeted ride once more. The mares laughed at his rapid pace and trotted quickly to keep him in sight among the crowd who continued to move without consistent direction.
Twilight found the pale-pink wheel looming up before them and blushed at an old romantic tip she remembered from her advice books.
(Ah yes, riding the ferris wheel with your partner at sunset, one of the more successful dates... I should keep it in mind for... later... Is Spike heading straight for it?)
Spike didn't pause in his travels, coming to the end of the line and standing there with a smug grin. Pinkie had resumed her excited hopping while Twilight blushed even darker. She watched the wheel turn slowly before stopping for a minute for the ponies on the ride to enjoy a moment with their partners. When it was finally their turn, Spike shoved the two mares in the small car and waved smugly when Twilight stared down in confusion.
“Spike? What are-?”
“Don't worry Twilight, I'll get us some food while you guys hang out.” With a final wave to the mares, he turned around and went to the nearest concession stand, bits being pulled out to help with the purchase.
Twilight turned with a deep blush to the pink mare beside her, unsure smile wavering on her face. Pinkie giggled with a bounce, leaning closer to the lavender mare with a content sigh.
“Well! I wasn't expecting for us to get a ride on the most romantic ride they've ever made! Wellll, the tunnel of love is waaay more romantic but a regular ol' carnival wouldn't have that kind of thing! But I rather like it and -”
“Pinkie, it's ok, I like this too. I think we did a good job today, cheering up Spike. He seems a lot happier now... And we get to have this kind of moment to ourselves too.” Twilight leaned back into the warmth beside her and gave Pinkie's cheek a swift peck. With a contented sigh, Pinkie rest her head on the purple mane with a grin, eyes closing as her heart swelled at feeling the librarian underneath her chin.
“You know me Twilight, I always make others smile.” The mares stared out at the view presented to them, the sun starting to fall down towards the mountains to the west. The rolling grasses merged into the mountains, showing the small town to the left and the city on the mountain on the right.
The two mares didn't get the chance to say much else as the wheel jerked back into motion, circling around back to the ground. Waiting with claws full of popcorn and cotton candy, Spike grinned to the two mares who stepped slowly off the ride.
Together, the group went to try some of the games and treats offered. Twilight tried to play the games without her magic in order to make it more fair and only barely managed to actually win anything. Pinkie showed the most ability in the games, winning the young dragon a large sack of gems and a plushie of his favorite superhero, Radiance. The drake flew on with a grateful smile as he constantly tried to thank the pink baker for getting him the toy.
It was much later that evening when they finally started to go back to the tree library. The purple dragon was practically asleep on his feet and had to be tucked in to his bed. Twilight smiled at the tiny grin he wore even in his sleep as she magicked the blanket over his form. As she closed the door behind her, she found a pink bundle of joy waiting for her with a wide smile. Slinging a hoof around lavender shoulders, Pinkie led the unicorn up the stairs.
“Thanks for your help Pinkie Pie... I think Spike really enjoyed today and it helped with what happened yesterday... I had lots of fun too.” Twilight quietly stated as she began to lay down in her bed, the pink baker pulling up beside her.
“No problem Twilight! I'll always be here for you, ready with a smile and a hug!” Pinkie whispered gently to the unicorn who drifted away to the land of dreams. When Twilight's breathing evened out, the pink earth pony reached out and pulled a leather bound book over and opened it to an empty page inside. Moving carefully as to not disturb the sleeping unicorn, Pinkie placed her copy of the photo inside and closed it with a bright smirk.
“Love you my little star...”