//------------------------------// // Cures for Many a Thing // Story: Destiny Sparkle // by Spirit Guide //------------------------------// I trudged up my street and took the main road into town. The sun beat down intensely, as if eager to shed as much light as possible now that Twilight was somewhat in the open. The work day was ending and parents were walking their kids home from school, asking about how their day went, not so unlike the way Twilight would inquire about my work day. Which she didn’t today, which is partly why we’re out here to begin with. Increasing my pace, I sped up the streets and around the corners, hoping to reach my goal and return home before nightfall. I stopped though, almost instinctively, outside a building I vaguely recognized. What helped me the most in identifying it were the sounds coming from within: a cacophony of barks, meows, tweets, squeaks and a couple others. “The veterinary clinic.” That it was. Personally, I never had reason to go inside, having never owned a pet before. Yet for some reason, today I felt more than curious to enter and see what it was like. Is it some aftereffect of my magic, being more inclined towards animals? I dismissed this thought quickly as I heard footsteps coming from the other side of the clinic door. I took a step back, allowing a tall, familiar figure to exit the clinic, whereupon he looked up at the sun and inhaled deeply. It was Tranquil Touch, one of the bronies from last night’s meetup. Wearing his yellow shirt patterned with pink butterflies. The sight was so extraordinary in my eyes, so freaking amazing; I could only look on as Tranquil took several deep breaths and some intensely focused blinks. Then I noticed the white scrubs and stethoscope around his neck. He said he runs a veterinary clinic, and here he is outside of the local one. There remained only one thing now. “Celestia smiles upon you.” Tranquil looked up with a lazy smile of his own. He eyes brightened when he saw who it was that gave him such a blessing. “Steven! Good afternoon.” He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Out for a walk?” “Not quite,” I replied, carefully readjusting the shoulder straps on Twilight’s back. “Got a shopping trip planned. It’s been a while since I saw some of the town.” “Ah, that’s good too.” Tranquil wrung his hands together. “You know, I don’t recall you ever visiting the clinic.” “I never had someone in need of extensive animal care.” Until recently. The other brony raised an eyebrow at this. “Well, if you’ve got time, why don’t you come on in and see what goes on? I was just getting some air before a vaccine procedure. You could join and watch, to see what I do.” I gave a hurried glance at the sun, its light beaming down on us and displaying our medium-length shadows. I was hoping to go to the store, get the things for Twilight and hurry right back. Detouring at the vet’s was not quite what I had in mind. But Tranquil’s a friend, some colorful part of me declared. You only know so much about him from the meetup, and here he is offering you a chance to see his profession. What kind of a friend would turn down a friendly offer? One who has somewhere else to be, another part of me insisted. What would Twilight say? That one little sentence silenced the other voice inside, and I thought on it too. Twilight was very caring, even concerned, about my social life, to the point where she’d stay at home alone where we would normally spend the evening together. Were she beside me now, I could imagine her practically pulling me in after Tranquil. “I guess I can change my schedule a bit.” Tranquil beamed and I half expected a squee to sound. “Brilliant!” He looked up at the sun once more, then opened the clinic door. “Come on in.” I stepped past my tall friend and entered the clinic. Like a hospital, it was white and clean. Patients sat with their owners on seats arranged against the wall. I saw two dogs, several cages of rabbits and gerbils, an eclectus parrot and a snake. Upon sighting the serpent, I gripped my bag tightly. If old Slinky there tries anything, I will flatten his neck into a cobra hood. The walls were decorated with all sorts of inspiring animal posters, but one of them blew me away. It was a poster of Fluttershy surrounded by her animal friends, with the words Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you on it. That’s a brave choice of décor right there, I decided. Indeed, I’d always thought that displaying your pony pride was risky, as a passer-by could easily be of the sort who has no problem poking fun and scorning. But Tranquil had it, bright and obvious, right at work, and he seemed fine. “Come on, Steven,” Tranquil called from the other end of the waiting room. “We’re just about to begin.” I followed my herdmate into the next room. This one resembled a dentist’s office, with a table instead of the chair. On said table sat a tortoise with a half foot-long shell. A young, concerned-looking girl stood beside it, stroking the reptile’s head. “Doctor, is Salmonella going to be okay?” the girl asked Tranquil when we walked in. The tortoise’s name is Salmonella?! That word only rang a bell for me because I remembering hearing it when I once visited a petting zoo years ago; Salmonella is a type of food poisoning. She either doesn’t know what it means or it’s an ironic pun. “She’ll be fine, Grace. She just needs a fluid injection,” Tranquil told her. Grace nodded, then looked at me. “Who is he, Doctor?” “Don’t worry. He’s a friend of mine.” Once he was sure Grace had understood, Tranquil turned to me and said, “Salmonella here is suffering from ‘Runny nose syndrome’. I’ve had a look at her and prescribed an appropriate antibiotic drop for her that has to be instilled in each of the nostrils daily. I had Grace come here with Salmonella so I might demonstrate how she can administer the drops herself over the next few weeks. Hopefully, it’ll work.” “Wow,” I exclaimed from the side. “That’s surprisingly amazing and informative.” “That’s my job.” Tranquil pulled out a bottle and a clear dropper. He heaved an inclined triangle structure of wood onto the table, and then gently lifted Salmonella onto it, securing her legs so that the tortoise didn’t slip. “She has to be in this position so that the drop will go in well,” Tranquil explained. He slid two fingers on the sides of Salmonella’s neck to keep her from pulling in her head. “Now come closer, Grace. This is the important part.” Grace drew nearer, as did I, and Tranquil filled the dropper with a small amount of the bottle’s contents. With a steady hand, he pushed his pinky underneath Salmonella’s jaw, held the end of the dropper over her snout and gently squeezed, releasing a small shower over the nostrils. “Now she can breathe that all in,” Tranquil said, still holding the tortoise in place. He held the position for a minute more, then let Salmonella off the wood structure and back onto the table, where she flexed her sturdy tortoise legs comfortably. “She looks better already,” Grace said happily, fondly stroking the tortoise’s shell. “Don’t let’s get ahead of ourselves,” Tranquil cautioned her, gently lifting Salmonella into a large cardboard box lined with newspaper. He put the antibiotic in a bag and gave it to Grace. “Let’s do it for the two weeks. I’m highly confident it’ll work, though.” “Thank you, Doctor!” Tranquil smiled. “It was my pleasure.” A minute later, Tranquil and I stood outside the clinic, watching as Grace met up with her mother and loaded Salmonella's box into their car. I couldn’t help but notice the super, beyond-average content look Tranquil was wearing, and it wasn’t just his shirt. He seemed to genuinely gain pleasure and joy from helping to cure and take care of other people’s pets. It was admirable. “Your job is pretty awesome," I said, watching the car drive off. Tranquil took a deep breathe. “Yeah. It wasn’t always like that, though. It took me a long time to get where I am. My parents didn’t even want me to be a veterinarian; they wanted me to be a lawyer. But my heart cried out for the various sounds of the animal kingdom, the touch of fur and scales, and the happy faces of owners. “I had already started small when MLP came into my life by chance, when a patient’s young owner came in holding a Fluttershy doll for comfort. Later, I looked up what little I knew and chanced upon the miracle that sealed my career. Since then, my profession has become a joy. Nothing makes me feel happier than helping another person with their pets.” Tranquil’s short but sweet backstory left me feeling warm and happy to know him. His was a scenario out of a fanfiction: trying to find a place in the world and getting assistance in the form of technicolor talking horses. Here was a man who found his way thanks to the show. That would have practically earned him a cutie mark. “So, Steven, what did you think?” What? The question was unexpected, not to mention rather vague, and my answer was slow to come. “Well, you… your work is very good and, um uh… you’ve got tasteful interior design.” “Oh yeah.” Tranquil grinned good naturedly. “On a bad day, I may spend a minute shivering in fear of what some stranger might do should he set eyes upon Fluttershy. Every other day, I have no regrets and feel pride at my decision, at my stating the support and love I have for the show openly.” “It really is inspiring,” I said earnestly. “All the things you do, bringing your own corner of Equestria into your everyday life.” “'Own corner of Equestria'?” Tranquil mused. “The way you put it, it seems so…. so right. I wonder how true we can make it.” My own corner is somewhat more lively than any other brony’s could possibly ever be. Speaking of which… “It was great seeing you at work, Tranquil, but I’ve got an errand to run now.” “Of course. Sorry for keeping you in for so long.” “That’s what friends are for, right? Hearing them out when they ask for your attention and fulfilling their least wishes.” “Most of that sounds right to me,” Tranquil said with a nod. Looks like I’m getting friendship figured out. Wonderful. “Keep it up, Tranquil.” I held up my fist expectantly. Tranquil replied, bumping his own fist against mine. “Stay strong, Steven. If ever one of us is in need, we will all come together in harmony, guided by the magic of friendship.” I nodded sincerely to this. “The magic of friendship.” With that, I returned to the road and Tranquil reentered the clinic, accompanied by several dog barks. That small section of the day had left me with many new thoughts, thoughts that needed to be shared and discussed. So, after a quick scan of the immediate vicinity, I ducked into the park, sat down behind the dense shrubbery and laid the backpack in my lap. Twilight must have sensed what was going on and figured out my intentions. The moment I lowered the bag, the zipper slid open and my friend poked her miniature head out, looking very smug. “Soooo,” she warbled, laying her head on her hoof, “how was it?” “You know, when you say it, one would think it was more than just seeing a new friend.” She giggled at that. “So how was it?” I took the time to construct a proper answer. “It was…. different. I've never bumped into a friend before, at least not a proper one. The experience, it’s leaving me feeling….” “More complete?” “Yeah.” “Well then.” Twilight shuffled her hooves on the zipper flap. “This brief encounter is sure to add to your character. You’re gaining social experience, Steven, and you’re sure to get a lot more. It’s a good thing, healthy even.” “Social experience.” I looked up at the sky, the sun starting to sink in the distance. “Even being with a friend — especially a new friend —for a short time, it’s making me confident. I've always had trouble approaching new people, but I’m beginning to feel surer of myself.” “That’s what I like to hear,” Twilight said, gesticulating with a dramatic wave. Several seconds of silence passed, the two of us just sitting there. Unable to control myself, I put a finger underneath Twilight’s tiny chin and gave a gentle rub. Twilight shivered under my touch, almost losing her grip on the backpack flap. As I scratched her chin, she wormed her way out of the bag and lay down on top of it, leaving her B-spot exposed. My fingers descended on the little purple pony belly and slowly moved back and forth in the now familiar motion. Twilight wriggled and sighed, her voice not as loud as it would have been due to her diminutive size. She smiled lazily and looked up at me with her large bright eyes. “Come on, Steven. Where are we going?” “Uh uh uh,” I teased, swirling my finger over her legs in a tickling manner. “No spoilers.” Twilight pouted, her face transforming into the classic mask of adorable sadness. But I saw right through the act. “No.” I booped her gently. Throwing her hooves in the air, Twilight blew mane out of her eyes and grinned. “Let’s get this over with. I bet you don’t even have a surprise.” “How much money did you have in Equestria again?” I asked, giving her a sneaky sideways look. Her cheery expression was swapped for a seductive one. “Wouldn’t you like to know.” With that, Twilight dove back into the bag. A decent amount of snickering floated up out of it. Maybe later, then. Zipping the bag closed, I shouldered it and returned to the road, partly hoping the rest of this trip would remain uneventful. Though how I thought I could truly wish for such a thing when there was a unicorn in my backpack, I didn’t know. * The Lootbox was pretty much like any other toy store, with everything from cars and trucks to dolls and figurines to video and board games. The whole place was designed in a pirate theme and though it seemed odd to some folks, it was a great place for last-minute gifts and good deals, even some exotic merchandise. As I stepped through the sliding doors into the Lootbox, I recalled something like a triggered memory. I’d been here before with my parents, eager to find anything in the latest action figure wave. Back then, I went straight for the action figures. But today, my target was in the 'pink' zone. From the entrance, I walked past the counter and into the brightly-stocked aisle, flanked by shelves flooded with Barbies and princesses. Keeping my head straight, I rolled my eyes back and forth, hoping to find my quarry. Halfway down, I struck pirate gold. Rows of brushables, a herd of Funko figures, small bundles of blindbags and even a set of costume ears sat huddled together in the middle of the 'girly' aisle. I grinned at the sight of the merchandise, but inside I knew these wouldn’t do the trick. What I need is something that resembles them as much as possible, using every craft skill in the book to give a lifelike homey feeling. I let out a sigh. These won’t do at all. “Welcome to the Lootbox. Can I help you?” Judging by my shaking backpack, I wasn’t the only one surprised. For the second time that day, I turned to find myself staring at a familiar face. Young, eager and garbed in the Lootbox hat and vest, Rainbow Sprint stood beside me with one arm hanging and the other on her hip, her eyes half-lidded in semi-boredom. “I didn’t know you worked at the Lootbox, Sprint,” I said, deciding to forego a normal introduction, feeling we were well-acquainted enough forever. “Life of an athlete, I would think.” Rainbow looked around the building, her expression never changing. “Yeah, well, until scientists come up with a way to A) Make the weather industry less boring, and B) Make it possible to control weather, I’m going to play my cards behind the desk.” She was, of course, referencing Rainbow Dash’s career in the Equestrian weather industry, where the pegasus had a job in making Ponyville’s weather. As Sprint said, fans inclined to the 20% cooler main character would have a hard time living like their favorite pony until science said so. “I suppose so. But why the Lootbox?” “Hey, MLP was originally all about selling stuff. It’s appropriate.” Hard logic. Can’t argue there. “Sure is.” I gazed once more at the plastic figurines. “You can probably guess why I’m here.” “You want a pony,” Rainbow Sprint said instantly. Already have one, I thought to myself. Aloud, I confirmed, “Yes. I've decided I’m ready and looking for a pony, but of the plushie variety. I can’t seem to find what I’m looking for, though.” Rainbow listened, her eyes straying between me and the shelves. “I can understand your concern. Funkos aren’t really something you wanna cuddle up with in bed, neither in feel nor shape.” As mentioned above, I’ve got cuddling down. “Does the Lootbox not have what I’m after?” I inquired, putting a little attitude in my voice. “The Lootbox has everything,” Rainbow Sprint guaranteed, picking up on my tone and replying with equal glee. “Short of pets, that is. Thing is you have to know where to look.” Sprint turned on a leg and walked down the aisle to the far end. I followed her, quickly realizing that even without an athletic career, Rainbow managed to live up to her favorite pony: her stride was perfect and far outstripped my own speed-walking. At the end of the aisle were shelves bearing plush toys, and the ones nearest the our aisle were loaded with ponies: two and a half inch Pinkies on keychains; six inch Raritys and Applejacks with glittery hair; and ten inch Doctors and Fluttershys dominated the shelves, all sizes tending to revolve around the Mane Six but occasionally showing background and side characters. I let my gaze wander over the heavenly stable of plush ponies. I’d never seen so many in one place in person and the fact that they were all here astounded me. My little connection to the world had left me fearful that some people acted almost as if they were at war with bronies and would harass us violently should we meet face to face. Yet this soft corner of the Lootbox stood like a shrine, promising peace to us horse lovers. However pleasing this is to my sentimentality, it won’t do for Twilight. They lack the pure shape and expression of the characters, the thing that for some is one of the reasons they watch the show. These mass-produced plushies are all about the money, not caring about the thoughts and feelings that go with the character. What Twilight needs are perfect, flawless, one hundred percent plushie replicas, albeit at a manageable size. Otherwise, it’ll be all for naught. “So,” Rainbow Sprint said, “have you made your choice? Maybe a bookhorse or three? I know how Twilight is your favorite.” I shook my head slowly. “Sorry, Sprint. These ponies won’t do it. They’re either stocky, spindly or derpy, no offense to the muffin mare. I need something… something more alive, something more accurate.” “I need fan work.” Rainbow studied my serious expression, looking up and down unnecessarily. She was silent for a minute, then raised a halting finger. “Wait right there.” She turned away from me, walked halfway down the end aisle and spun through the staff door. I waited until she returned, her arms laden with technicolor miracles. In her arms she held the entire main cast, consisting of Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and even Spike. One glance told me that this was what I was after. These were the solution to my friend Twilight’s solitude. “These were a butt to get a hold of,” Sprint declared, laying them on a table usually used for displaying Lego sets. “They’re the very finest of semi-massed produced plushies. The way I understood it, a team of plush makers work together on these, their combined efforts letting them increase production and, biggest and most welcome surprise of all, lower prices.” I reached over and picked up the Twilight plushie, checking it all over. The detail was amazing and the proportions accurate. The scale was maybe two-fifths the size of the real Twilight, and was incredibly soft. I went through the cast one by one, taking pleasure in finding no problems to my mind. The Spike plush even had a slight plastic feel to it, giving it the top texture of reptile scales but still keeping it soft. “It’s amazing.” Rainbow Sprint smiled. “Do you think this is what you were looking for the whole time?” I nodded. “Yes. Yes, this is it.” “Then let’s check in and check you out.” Together, Sprint and I carried the seven plushies to the counter, where their barcodes were scanned and prices added up. “Aren’t you a clever one?” Sprint said comically as she swiped Pinkie Pie under the scanner. “In buying all these plushies, you get the Harmony discount!” She typed something up and I watched the price drop. I was amazed by the new total. “Who made that a thing?” I asked. “My boss, after I did a little convincing. He liked the idea.” Then Rainbow leaned over the counter and whispered, “I think he might be one of us, just secretly. He knows I am, though.” “Gotcha.” I looked at the price again and pulled out the money I’d brought along, selecting the appropriate bills while Sprint bagged the plushies. “Thanks for all the help, Rainbow.” “It’s my job,” she replied modestly, a trait which I was surprised and glad to hear. “By the way, I got a text from Tranquil some time before you arrived. Said you had stopped by the clinic earlier.” I placed the bills on the table. “That was fast,” I said simply. “Big news, brony,” she replied, taking the money and placing it in the till. “You’re the newest horse person on the scene and we’re going to follow your every move until you’re trotting with the rest of us.” “I’m not sure if I want such a watchful eye, nor do I know what stride you’re talking about. Just whatever you do, don’t let it get in the way of your own life.” Rainbow chuckled as she slammed the till closed. “Yeah yeah, don’t you worry your pretty flank about it, I’m just joshing you.” One can never tell with a Dash fan, I thought all-too quickly. I took the bulging bags, making sure my own pack was straight, and looked once more over the counter at my friend. “Thank you, Sprint. For all your help.” “Always a pleasure to help a friend,” she replied, leaning up against the counter in a familiarly equine way. Sprint held up a fist. “Brohoof?” “Brohoof.” Bump With a smile mirrored on Sprint’s face, I walked out of the Lootbox with my arms full of bagged pony and dragon plushies. My heart beat with joy as I walked home, the sun already setting beyond the horizon as I did. Twilight, I hope you like them as much as I do. * “That was intense!” Twilight’s shout was muffled by the zipped-shut backpack. I quickly put down the Lootbox bags and put the backpack on the table. The zipper flew over its path, guided by a purple glow, and my lavender bestie made a flying leap out of the pocket and straight onto my shoulder, making a perfect landing. “Two bronies in one day,” she declared, continuing from her previous statement. “What were the chances?” “A good five in six-hundred thousand,” I offered, going to the fridge and getting us both water. With a straw for Twilight’s glass, we sat down at the table and recuperated from the shopping trip, though Twilight’s smile never dipped even as she drank. “I can’t see Rainbow Dash working in a store,” Twilight said, after taking a careful sip. “But Fluttershy would make a wonderful and willing vet,” I responded. “Mmm. There’s just such an uncanny resemblance between the six of us and you bronies: Iron Buck is hard-working, Tranquil works well with animals and Sprint….” Twilight brow furrowed as she struggled to continue. “Sprint, she….. um….” “Likes helping her friends?” I offered. Twilight shrugged. “Don’t we all?” I drained my glass. “I’m sure you’ll get a chance to make a perfect likenesses chart for us all eventually. You clearly enjoyed the trip, though.” A dreamy look stole across the tiny unicorn’s face. “Time spent with your friends should be treasured and remembered, especially in your case, Steven. After going so long with nopony as your side, you’ve become secluded and somber. You made a big step, encountering Tranquil and Sprint today.” “It did feel good,” I admitted, putting away the glasses even though Twilight had barely drunk half of hers. “More so, I hope the trip spells good as much for you as it did for me.” Twilight caught on instantly. “So what did you get?” she asked, running over and pushing up against my arm. “Tell me, tell me!” I gave her a gentle pat on the back. “You’ll see, but first you’re going to take a bath. You’ll appreciate it more when you’re normal size, and—“ I ran a finger through the inside of the bag and pulled out a great many crumbs “—you should get all that cookie out of your coat. It’s like you weren’t even trying to eat it.” A pink blush appeared on her face as Twilight looked away, her smile rather mischievous. “Race you!” In a flash of purple, Twilight disappeared from the tabletop and reappeared at the bottom of the stairs. From there, she teleported up the stairs and out of sight. Chuckling, I followed her up and ran her a bath. Ten warm and soapy minutes later we were sitting on my bed, Twilight back to her normal four-foot height and wrapped in a towel. Her excited expression hadn’t changed all through her bath. “I’m done!” she sang out, shedding the towel from her head, revealing a glossy damp mane. I felt the usual urge to touch it. “So are you gonna show it to me now?” Reaching up, I gave her right ear a scratch, to which she succumbed quickly and lay prone in my lap, humming contentedly. “You’ll see it,” I told her gently, taking up the hairbrush and running it through her mane. “I promise. Patience is a virtue, Twilight.” “I know, Steven, I know. It’s just…. I’m so excited. All your hinting has left me excited and more curious then I ever remember being. I haven’t the slightest inkling what you got and you refuse to give me a hint. I could only hear so much from inside the backpack while you were in whichever store it was.” I couldn’t help but grin at Twilight’s convincing talk, but no convincing was necessary now. “It’s okay, Twilight. The secrets are done.” Her tail brushed to human perfection, I put down the brush and picked her up in my arms like one would any medium-sized animal, albeit a slightly heavier and much smarter one. “Let’s go see.” Sniggering like a little girl, Twilight snuggled up against me while I carried her downstairs. I put her down on the sofa bed and had her cover her eyes while I retrieved the bags. I sat down opposite her with the bags at my feet, ready to start to surprise. I reached into the bag and pulled out all the plushies except for the Twilight one. “Are you ready?” I asked her. “Mhm.” “Come look.” Twilight lowered her hooves from her eyes and I watched as her pupils and irises widened to immense sizes. Even as her eyes returned to normal moments later, her mouth remained a small, happy line as she gazed longingly and lovingly at the six soft replicas between us. With shaky hooves, Twilight reached out and picked up the Spike plushie. She looked at his spines and tail, examined his texture with increasing emotion, finally bringing it close to her heart and hugging Spike. She proceeded thus until all six plushies of her friends were in her embrace, the heart-melting sight reminiscent of a mother and her children. While Twilight’s attention was given up to the bulk of my purchase, I pulled out the plushie of her and sat it on my knee, one arm over its stitched back. I waited until Twilight reopened her eyes and looked at me, her expression thankful beyond what I knew. “I don’t want you to ever be alone, Twilight. And you’re not. I only hope that these will be able to make up, at least in part, for the hours I have to spend out. If you don’t think it’ll help, I can—” Whatever I had planned to say, which was going to be horribly improvised, was pushed aside as Twilight leaped over the seven plushies and landed on my chest, pinning me down on the bed. Her muzzle was barely an inch from my face and I could feel her heavy breathing. The tiniest drops of moisture glinted in the corners of her eyes. “Stop talking, pony boy.” And she forced her lips against mine. The feeling was peculiarly similar to that which I felt in the eye of the storm weeks ago, in which we shared a trio of kisses. Yet the contact shared by our lips at that moment was so strong, I was sure the Fire of Friendship would ignite itself overhead. We held the kiss, the two of us lying down on the bed together, and I started to realize something from it all. For as long as we’ve been together I’ve treated Twilight like a friend and semi-permanent houseguest, whereas she had started out as shy and careful while she tried to make sense of her surroundings. And around me, when not under the effects of a belly rub or some other touch, she had always been curious and friendly. But now, now she was different, whether for good or bad remained unseen. Because now, Twilight had developed new feelings toward me, more than just affection for a friend or host: they were feelings of attraction, of romance. Uh uh. I’m not ready to be shipped. Though as the jokester notion passed me by, I stopped and gave this revelation serious thought. With Twilight’s new feelings, would her expectations of me change as well? Would she expect me to return the affection, maybe feel the same attraction as she? But these thoughts merely provoked new questions. Could I love her back? Did I love her in that sense? Would a relationship between us work? What would it be like to love, to really love a pony? Shut up and enjoy the kiss, stupid, a part of me piped up, the part which I seem to recall turning down Tranquil’s invitation. I was enjoying the kiss but I would always wonder why, no matter what a voice told me. So with the thoughts of possible love temporarily shelved, I returned my attention to snogging the unicorn on top of me. Eventually, the strength of our connection faded as we slowly pulled apart. I kept one hand behind Twilight’s head and the other over her hoof, gripping it fervently. Her expression was comparable to the face she made when getting rubbed, but with more control. “Thank you,” she whispered, her eyes somewhat glazed over. I nodded, ever so slowly. “Always.” We eased ourselves up from our shared prone position. Twilight reached over and picked up the Spike plush. “I really do appreciate this, Steven,” she said, her voice hiding nothing. “Sure, it’ll never replace my friends in flesh and blood, but these plushies, along with your motives… those are sure to sooth my solitude.” “I’m glad.” Twilight smiled wide, then she craned her neck over the bed to find the last, unintroduced plush at its foot. “Steven, what’s that?” She must have not seen it when she tackle-snogged me. Grinning sheepishly, I reached down and pulled up the purple unicorn plush. Twilight’s eyes grew again as she beheld it. “I thought if I was already getting the rest of them, I may as well get the full set,” I explained, holding the plush between us. “And a good thing too. Sprint somehow convinced her boss getting all seven lets you buy it at a discount.” “A wise individual might see that as suggesting ‘friendship costs nothing’,” Twilight said. “I guess so. Or, at the very least, cost less.” Twilight proceeded to examine her plush form intently. “It’s a good likeness,” she informed, “though I’m still not sure why you got it. I can hardly see a discount be the reason, especially as you likely never heard about it beforehand.” She’s got me there. Guess there’s no point denying further. “A number of us fans have at least one plushie, which some take to bed with them. The idea appealed to me so I figured it was time I joined that branch.” “Aww.” Twilight shuffled over and hugged me, squeezing the purple doll between us. “You could always ask me to join you. I wouldn’t mind sharing a bed, on a cold night maybe.” Does she not know stranger privacy, or is infatuation doing Tartarus with her brain? I comforted myself with that stupid question, returning Twilight’s hug, but I knew that she was being earnest. She would come into my bed if I had asked…. “It’s been a long day,” I muttered, my shoulders slumping forward as I relinquished my hold on Twilight. “You may have gotten your fractioned weight carried around, but I’ve been lugging blocks of stone and piles of planks all over a building site and am in need of a rest.” Twilight nodded in understanding. “I’ll make dinner?” “Sure.” The rest of the evening proceeded as normal. Well, as normal as one could be when spent with a purple unicorn sorceress. After several hours of food, TV and cuddling, Twilight began showing her habitual signs of exhaustion: big gaping pony yawns. I was quick to deliver the verdict. “Bed.” The sleep order was met with no resistance, perhaps even with excitement. Twilight rushed off to prepare herself for the night and was already under the covers by the time I had finished brushing. She bundled up her six plushie friends on either side of her, a content expression on her face. “Think you’ll sleep well tonight?” I asked gently, easing myself onto the bed. Twilight nodded. “Mhm. And tomorrow will be easier on me too. I just know it.” She gave Applejack a little squeeze. “I know it will.” As I started tucking her in, Twilight looked at the flickering fireplace, then said, “Steven, sing something for me please.” I could hardly understand where this was coming from. Perhaps her still-small knowledge of my world made her feel younger than she was, seeing me as a parent in this scenario. Or maybe she just wanted to be sung to sleep that night. Whatever the reason though, I would certainly oblige. What remained was to choose a song to sing for Twilight. My voice was average in the music department, nothing special and not awful, but I never really managed to pick a preferred tune or even genre. Surely, something to do with Equestria or the show could work, but what? The opening theme was hardly lullaby material, and the only canon lullaby was too short and the longer version too loud. I found that I would do well to compose something new. Something meaningful and peaceful. And so, in a voice as gently as I could muster, I let my heart sing its song. What a wonderful thing, what a wonderful sight When friends come together and don’t ever fight They hug and they play, they sing and they shout And that’s what MLPFIM’s abo-ou-out Friendship is peace, and friendship’s the way Pursuers of friendship seek peace every day They always are quick to forget and forgive And that’s how all ponies and people should live. I didn’t consider it to be great work or something awesome, but Twilight’s eyes sparkled with pleasure as she heard it. Her ears flicked and I was sure I felt her tail swish beneath the covers. She looked to be in absolute bliss at my song. Her head tilted back and forth as I repeated the second part. When I finished, she looked up at me with her huge eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered, holding up her hooves for a hug. I complied, leaning over and embracing my little pony friend. We remained in that position, relaxed and happy. When I pulled away, Twilight sank beneath her sheets, buried between cuddly versions of her friends. I actually felt my heart beat out of order. With a hand over my chest, I dragged myself upstairs and lay down in my bed, aimlessly scanning the familiar dark ceiling until I remembered the newest addition to my room. I held the purple plush over my chest. In the dark, I could barely make out the differences between it and Twilight, which left me feeling content. Turning on my side, I held the unicorn doll close to me and let exhaustion reel me out of the waking world and into a restful slumber.