''Good Morning Spike !'' shouted Twilight loudly.
Or maybe I perceived such a high volume because I'm still tired, dammit.
''Hi Twilight, what time is it ?''
''It's ten a.m. Sorry if I woke you up, but I just wanted to say that I'm going to the meeting with the mayor now.''
''What ! Why didn't you wake me up sooner ?! I need to prepare myself for the meeting.''
''The thing is, you don't have to come, actually. It's gonna be pretty boring, anyway. So I thought about leaving you free for today, you can do whatever you want.''
Crap, I was not expecting such a thing. Where's the catch ? Tell me right now.
''Are you serious ?''
''Yup.''
''Oh, that's great, thank you Twilight !''
''Don't worry, you're welcome. I have to go now, bye !''
''Bye bye, Twilight !''
Well, I now have a castle all for me and I can do whatever I want. Might as well go back to bed, because why not ?
I try and try to fall asleep, but because of Twilight I am awake. I can't do jack shit except roll in my bed and watch the ceiling.
Riveting.
I stay there for like ten minutes. The blanket's warm embrace is becoming annoying, just an itch at the end of my tail that I can't scratch properly. But the worst thing is maybe the light coming from the glasses. The bitch keeps ketting into my eyes even if they are shut.
I finally surrender and definitely wake up. Walking in the empty castle feels rather creepy without Twilight or the others inside. Man, if only I had other friends I could throw a big-ass party here and she wouldn't notice. Also I can't find Owlicious anywhere, the lazy bird might be sleeping again. I go into the kitchen, I might as well have breakfast, and I desperately want a cup of coffee. I need to wake up for good, even if I have nothing to do in the next hours.
''Let's see here ...'' I say opening the drawers.
It's not like anybody is here to listen to my ramblings while I struggle to find the coffee. After a full twenty minutes of searching I finally give up. Goddammit, Twilight could at least have told me about what was over in the kitchen, so I would have bought it ! I mean, really, for a control freak like her, this seems odd.
I finally decide to ship my scaly ass outside and go get some coffee at Sugarcube Corner. I know that there are other bars around, but the coffee they make at Sugarcube Corner is something else, it's so good that I can't even think of a proper way to describe it, it's that good.
I close the door behind me and the Sun raised by Celestia hits me in the eyes : the warmness is invigorating, though the light has its level of annoyance. I wander through the streets, looking at numerous ponies passing by. Each one is gonna live his life at its full potential today, probably. Each one of them is gonna have their own little adventure, it being working in a shop or planting a tree, who knows what's gonna happen.
I lived all my life along some of the most important ponies in all of Equestria, I've seen the high society in Canterlot, fought against many dangerous creatures and all sorts of powerful beings. I've seen enough shit already for someone of my age. Sometimes I feel like I might just need a simple adventure to live on my own; no timber wolves, destruction or special events, no animals to keep or things like that. A simple event of every-day life to call a ''peculiar adventure'', nothing more and nothing less.
I keep walking in the streets, passing the quills, sofas and beds shop. The sounds and the cheers coming from the local market awake my ears. I hear ponies scream about the delicacies they're selling, the low prices of their cherries, and I hear with disgust someone selling ''the best and fartiest cauliflowers in all of Equestria''. After a few hundred metres I finally arrive at Sugarcube Corner.
''Good morning Spike ! How are you today ?'' asks Mr. Cake gently.
I love this guy's dedication to his job, and I'm glad that he's the one serving my coffee, since Pinkie can't even touch coffee anymore.
It's a long, crazy story that involves bad trips and many legal charges for excessive nocturnal noises, or something like that.
''Good Morning Mr. Cake, a bit tired, but nothing that a cup of coffee won't solve, eh ?''.
We both laugh at the basic joke. The ice is broken. For today, this might be the most interesting conversation I have with this pony.
''No but seriosly, can I have a double espresso and a pack of Everfree Roasted Roar Black please ?''
''Sure, hold on a second.'' he says, giving me a dark green bag of coffee with a manticore drawn on.
He then starts preparing my coffee. The smell of the hot drink pollutes the atmosphere with its warming perfume, and I already taste its enticing aroma on my tongue buds, ready to wake me up like a sudden loud noise might do with a cat.
''There you go Spike.'' says Mr. Cake, handing me my coffee. ''That would be 12 bits''. I give him the bits.
''Thank you, you're welcome any time you want, have a nice day !''
''Thanks, you too !'' I say while looking for a free seat. Transitions have ended, and so have the conversations. I finaly found a free table near a window, and I sit on the chair, sipping my coffee little by little, tasting every single drop of that liquid wonder. Slowly I feel the caffeine rise inside my body, climbing all the way in my brain, and finally giving it the proper wake up it deserves.
As I am about to look outside the window, I recognize a couple passing by the shop, it's Big Mac and Cherilee. I heard Applejack say that they started hanging out together often, to Applebloom's absolute discontent. I immediately think about my situation : about Rarity, every moment we passed, how I've helped her out, even if in my own manner ... I mean, I do realize that our relationship wouldn't work, it's a one-sided crush that would not go anywhere, especially considering the impenetrable age gap that separates us. And yet, I would like a little relationship, even the thought of being loved by someone not in a familiar way, or even in a platonic manner. I mean, I do realize that I need to live my life at its fullest, with the innocence that is distinct of the years on my back, I need to concentrate on my duties as an assistant, maybe cultivate my talents. After all, I got many of them.
Come to think of it ... I may be able to do everything. I write letters of every kind, I can work in a crowded environment, I play various musical instruments, and many other things. I don't have the limitations of a Cutie Mark. I might become a jack of all trades, given some time to practice.
And yet I'm here, drinking a coffee that is getting colder and colder as time goes by, thinking of things that in retrospect are just cramming into my brain, clashing with other, much more important thoughts. I fight them, living my innocence and hoping not to end like this, with my pondering mind dancing around the fire that she once believed in.
And I'll still be there. Pouring gasoline on the fucking thing.
I finally end my coffee, I feel the black drink going in my stomach and the energy of the caffeine waking every neuron in my brain. I watch the empty cup, maybe clinging to the hope of finding any remaining drop and sip it with strenght, but I don't find anything like that.
''Goodbye Mr. Cake, have a nice day !'' I say while leaving the shop and throwing away the cup.
''Goodbye Spike !'' he shouths happily.
I look at the sky. The pegasus ponies are clearing it of every remanining clouds, and just like that, I finally realize : I have plenty of years to think about myself, about my problems or lack thereof. I may just leave them behind, like the clouds are disappearing from the sky.
Morning in Ponyville shimmers.
Morning in Ponyville shines.
And I kow for absolute certain that everything is going to be fine.
But I would rather drink another cup of coffee.