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// Time to rest 
// Story: Very different beneath the surface 
// by Slick Dash 
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The usually angry Pegasus came to the centre of the room, and addressing the floor, she began to speak miserably. “I’m sorry for my attitude, it was out of line, and uncalled for. I’m sorry if I insulted you...” She seemed to struggle for a moment with a word. “F-Fluttershy. I don’t want to impose, but could you please allow me to stay with you for the night.” She stopped, but was quickly prompted by an over the top cough from the other Pinkie Pie. The yellow pony looked angrily at the scarred eye before continuing begrudgingly. “And... Just call me Flutt. I... yeah...” She finished, leaving the gathering silent again.

Fluttershy approached her slowly, no one stopped her, no one even breathed. Flutt looked up to see her approaching, she frowned and back away slightly, unsure what she was doing. Fluttershy stopped at the sight of her double’s retreat. She stopped and tilted her head to one side and smiled at her. “You wouldn’t be imposing at all! I’d be happy to let you stay.” And with that, the tension in the room vanished letting everypony relax. 

From the sofa, Dashie let out a stifled yawn that didn’t go unnoticed. Rarity fought the urge to stretch her mouth as well, and addressed the group. “Well I do think that’s enough excitement for one night don’t you?” Twilight nodded and looked down at her own copy still fast asleep on the sofa. 
“Yeah, I think it’s best if we got some rest. She’ll be fine with me I promise, should we say we meat up at the cafe for breakfast?” The other ponies nodded with warm smiles of agreement. Even the alternate ones seemed to like the idea! How long must it have been since they’d had a real meal? Twilight didn’t even dare guess. She simply said “Ok then, well I’ll see you all tomorrow then!” 

With that, each couple left slowly. First the Applejack’s left, both nodding to Twilight just as Big Mac had, they looked to each other as they did so, and suppressed fits of laughter at their mirror like actions. Twilight smirked, and watched as the two Rainbow coloured Pegasy were the next to leave. Though Rainbow flew slowly through the air Dashie simply walked across the room and out through the door. She wasn’t sure, but Twilight could swear she heard a meek and quiet “Thank you” pass from the sad walking Pegasus. Rainbow looked down from above, a little confused as to why her other self wasn’t flying like she was. The two left and Rainbow shouted a quick “Bye Guys!” before they headed off for Rainbow Dash’s cloud house.

Fluttershy and Flutt left next. The new pony didn’t say a word as she left the library, but quiet old Fluttershy stopped by the door. “Thank you Twilight, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She looked after the fast disappearing copy of herself. “Actually, I think you may see me sooner...she’s a bit... scary!” Twilight couldn’t help but giggle. 
“Fluttershy, she’s fine, she’s just been through a lot. I’m sure if you talk to her, you’ll find out you have tones in common with her!”
“You really think so?” The Pegasus asked nervously.
“Well yeah!” Smiled the purple unicorn. “She is YOU after all!” Fluttershy smiled, filled with new found confidence. She turned and trotted to catch up with the other yellow pony.

And now for the Pinkie’s. The real Pinkie was having a fast one sided convocation with the other as they passed Twilight and headed for the door. “Oh and I can show you the bakery! All the ovens, the fire’s, the trays, the cups, the plates, the pans, the bowels, the bags, the- BYE TWILIGHT!-The cupcakes, the layer cakes, the brownies, the cookies. What do you think...” She gasped and froze on the spot staring at her doppelganger, who starred in astonishment with her apparent lack of need for breathing.  “I STILL DON’T KNOW WHAT TO CALL YOU!” She squeaked! “Maaaayyyybe, Pinkie? Oh hehe that’s me... Pinko? Pinkeye? Pink”-

“Let’s... just go with that, just call me Pink. Sound good?” Asked the scarred pony. Pinkie resumed her walk towards the door. 
“No it doesn’t sound good, it sounds GREAT! Pink, pink, pink, pinkie pink, pink pinkie, pinkedy pinkie pinkie pink...” The random party pony continued on and on as she left the house and headed for the bakery in the distance. Pink stopped just shy of the threshold and looked back at her sleeping friend, she then looked to Twilight, and smiled.
“Thank you, for helping us. We... let’s just say we’re not quite used to this amount of kindness, so... yeah...” She was unsure how to finish, so she left it. She took one last glance at their sleeping saviour. The one who had gotten them out of hell, though she addressed the real Twilight she didn’t look away from the sleeping one. “She likes to be called Twi, when she wakes up... just call her that. She won’t mind. 

She gave a nod and left the library, leaving only the two Twilight’s, Spike and Rarity. Almost on the instant they were alone, Rarity began to speak. 
“Twilight dear, you know I would never question your judgement, but why did you bring them here?!” She looked frantic. “I had no chance t stop you when she fainted,” she gestured to the covered unicorn. “and now you’ve let them stay with our friends?! Forgive me dear, but I find it quite... unsettling.” Her brow was creased into a frown. 

Twilight shrugged, “They seem nice enough to me Rarity.” 
“Yes dear, they SEEM nice, but are you forgetting what they did to us when they got here?!” Rarity could almost hear the high pitched squeal again. Spike placed a consoling hand on her back trying to calm her down. 
“Rarity, this is silly, they haven’t tried to hurt any of us. So don’t judge them yet, let’s get to know them before we jump to conclusions huh?” He begged soothingly. Rarity sighed with obvious exhaustion. 
“I-I’m sorry Twilight, I... I guess I’m just tired after everything that’s happened.” At her words Twilight felt the dark hands of drowsiness grab her suddenly sapping her of all strength. She teetered for a moment, and then regained her balance. 

“I understand Rarity, I’m just the same!” The magenta unicorn looked down at her filthy coat; still matted with sick and bile and grimaced with disgust. The two guests stood for a moment, then with a little nudge from the dragon, Rarity made her way to the door. “Goodnight Twilight.” They both called, before shutting the door behind them and allowed Twilight to clean herself up before retiring for the night.

The two made their way through the town slowly, the tiredness from being disturbed from their sleep and everything that had followed had finally caught up with them. They passed the houses that lined the street to Rarity’s boutique, and as they came to the home stretch, Rarity rested her head on Spike’s arm as they walked. She nuzzled into his warm scales, taking a deep breath filled with his scent. The smell melted away all her anxiety, all her worries about the others. 

Surely they hadn’t meant to cause Rarity and Twilight any pain! They had almost lost one of their own, so it surely wasn’t planned. Rarity was just worrying for nothing. They reached the front door, which Spike opened clumsily. The two made their way in, and without pause they made their way back upstairs towards their room. 

They reached the landing, and Spike paused. Rarity looked at him questioningly. “I’ll be there in a sec’ I’ll just go check on Sweetie Belle.” Rarity smiled appreciatively and headed for their room, leaving the dragon to head in the opposite direction.

The house was silent, not a sound escaped the walls or doors. Not even the sound of Sweetie Belles deep breathing could be heard as Spike approached her room. Her door was open, which was odd! She always had it closed and used a nightlight when she slept. He leant forward leaning into the room and peering around. The floorboards beneath his scaly foot creaked loudly against the silence of the house. He could see the bed, its sheets where scrunched at the bottom of the mattress leaving the rest bare. Sweetie Belle wasn’t in her room. 

Before Spike could even think, an earth shattering, soul crushing scream emitted from his and Rarity’s room. “SPIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!” It was Rarity, without a moment’s thought her turned around and tore through the hallway, his clawed feet slipping on the polished floor as her did. He grabbed hold of the door frame to their room, and swung himself in as quick as possible. Only to stop dead, and stare dumbstruck at the sight before him.

Sweetie Belle was lying unconscious on the floor; dried blood clung to her face. She lay in a pool of congealing blood surrounding her head, her nose had been bleeding. A LOT! Now Rarity knelt above her, cradling her sister’s head delicately. “Sweetie?... Sweetie wake up please!” Slowly, the small crusader stirred in her sister’s arms. She opened her eyes groggily and stared up at her worried sibling. 

“Sis...” She groaned, “I don’t feel so good! I could... smell something...like burning... and then I...” her voice faded into silence once again as she fell back into darkness, her breathing harsh and distorted by her clogged up nose. 
“How did she...?!?!” Asked Rarity furiously. “She didn’t know about it! Surely she couldn’t have overdosed without...” her gaze fell upon the unfurled roll of parchment on the floor a few feet away.

She turned horrified, gazing up at Spike who still stood dumbstruck in the hallway. “You left it here?” She whispered, rage seethed through every letter that escaped her mouth. Spike just wished she would yell, it would be a thousand times better than this quiet fury that burned in his beloved’s eyes. “You left it here, in plain view for Sweetie to find?” 
“I-I...” Spike spluttered, unable to think straight. He still couldn’t think straight, he had left the letter on the floor; he had left the door open. He had pretty much invited Sweetie Belle to read it after he’d rushed out with her sister. 

This was his fault, the filly had bled profusely, lost consciousness, and very probably almost died... because of him.

Rarity seemed to come to the exact same conclusion as Spike. “Get out.” She muttered, returning her attention to her little sister. 
“Rarity... I”-
“GET OUT!” She screamed, her head snapped towards him and glared him down. Immediately he obeyed and fled from the house and into the night. Leaving Rarity to tend to her weak little sister alone. 

Spike wandered through the quiet town. Enveloped by his guilt and disgust. How could he have rushed out so carelessly? Sweetie must have been terrified by what was happening before he had left for Twilight’s house. How could he be so stupid?! The site of the dried blood swam across his vision yet again; he shuddered in disgust with himself. That had all been his fault! 

His heart was heavy with regret, it gave a terrible pang as he remembered Rarity’s distorted scream, her furious face. Her last words rang out through his skull, making his insides squirm and writhe.  A solitary tear ran down the dragon’s cheek, he reached up and swatted it away, trying to keep a hold of himself as he trudged into the shadows that surrounded the outskirts of the town. Slowly Spike made his way from the town, into the out skirting fields devoid of all light under the cloudy night sky.