//------------------------------// // Showered With Praise // Story: MLP: FML // by Maniac92 //------------------------------// Spike gazed out of the library window at the setting sun outside. “Ok,” he muttered, looking back at the checklist in his hands. “Let’s see here…did my chores for today…did Twilight’s chores for the day…watched the library again because Twilight ran off somewhere…cleaned up the pieces of rope that were on the floor…” Spike frowned and looked up. “You know it is illegal to kidnap fillies, right?” Twilight looked down at him from the bedroom. “It’s not my fault the girls wanted to hear about Cutie Marks. I was doing them a favor by letting them hear my story.” “Please,” said Spike, grabbing a telescope off of an end table, “I’m in the story and even I think it’s boring to listen to.” He set the telescope down on top of a blanket in a wagon. He looked back up at Twilight and asked, “Did you ever find out what the deal was with that gem Rarity gave me?” “You mean after that whole Diamond Dog fiasco?” asked Twilight. Her horn glowed and a sapphire floated in the air in front of her face. The sapphire glowed blue for a few seconds and then stopped. “I don’t know what this thing is. It’s not a normal sapphire, that’s for sure.” “Thanks, Professor,” said Spike, rolling his eyes. “I could’ve figured that one out for myself.” “Hmmm, you didn’t though, did you?" asked Twilight smugly. She turned her gaze to the sapphire and frowned. “I couldn’t find out what this thing was in any of my books. Maybe Zecora knows what it is. She’s more into that whole ‘nature’ thing than I am.” “And by that do you mean, she actually goes outside without getting forced to?” asked Spike. “I go outside!” argued Twilight. The sapphire was pulled back by Twilight’s magic and floated back into the bedroom. “Only when you run out of books,” said Spike. “Or there’s a science-type thing happening like tonight.” “Speaking of which, did you get all the stuff we need to watch the meteor shower?” asked Twilight, as she walked down to where Spike was. “Food, drinks, blankets, telescope…I’ve got it,” said Spike. He checked the clock. “We better get moving, though. It’s about to start.” “Good idea,” said Twilight. “You’re on top of it today, Spike.” “What do you mean, today?” asked Spike. “I’m your number one assistant, remember?” “You’re also my only assistant,” said Twilight. The two of them headed down to the bottom floor of the library. “Before we leave, can you get my astronomy book? It’s that really old blue one.” Spike rolled his eyes and headed into another room. “Why do you even want it?” he asked as he searched. “Are you really going to study during this thing?” “Now that Princess Luna is back, I figured I better brush up on my astronomy,” said Twilight from the other room. “I’m sure she’d appreciate someone recognizing her work.” Meanwhile, in Canterlot: Luna groaned as she laid in her bed, an icepack on her head. “What was I thinking?” she moaned. “Good question,” said Celestia. “I know the nobles are annoying, but did you really have to drink all of our wine? Some of those bottles had been here for centuries.” “Does that explain the horrible hangover?” asked Luna. “Partly,” said Celestia. “It’s also partly due to the fact that you drank fifty bottles in one sitting. You’re going to have a headache for a few weeks, at least. I’ll have to cover for you and make the meteor shower tonight.” “Not so loud, please…” begged Luna, throwing her covers over her face. Back in Ponyville: Spike set a ladder up against the shelves and climbed to the very top. He grabbed a dusty old book and pulled it out in front of him. He blew the dust off the cover and opened the book. “Boy,” Spike said as dust blew all around him, “Good thing this isn’t a cartoon. If it was, all this dust would make me sneeze fire all over this book.” He laughed. “Good thing this is real lif-” Spike sneezed, setting the book on fire. He yelped and quickly patted the flames out. Looking at the book again, he saw that all the pages had burnt away. “…Shit…” he muttered. He cleared his throat and said, “Twilight? How valuable is that book to you?” “It was one of the first books Princess Celestia gave me,” answered Twilight. “So pretty damn valuable. Why do you ask?” “Um…no reason!” Spike answered, stuffing the ruined book back on the shelf. He dropped down from the ladder and quickly walked into the other room. “Where’s the book?” asked Twilight. “The book?” replied Spike nervously. “Which book?” “The astronomy book,” answered Twilight. “You know…the one I told you to get two minutes ago?” “Oh, that book!” said Spike. “Why didn’t you just say it was that book? You should have said it was that book!” “…Yeah. That book,” said Twilight, raising an eyebrow at Spike. “Where is it?” “Um…” faltered Spike. He grinned widely and said, “I figured that, since it was so important to you, it’d be better if we just left it here! We don’t want it to get damaged, do we?” “…No…” said Twilight quietly, her eyes widening in horror. “Of course not!” said Spike. He started pushing Twilight towards the door. “In fact, we better just leave now before we accidently damage a book by…uh…breathing!” “Oh god, c-can that happen?!” asked Twilight. She used her magic to grab the wagon and started moving towards the door. “I had no idea! Thanks for letting me know, Spike. You really are my number one assistant.” “Yeah…” muttered Spike, looking back at the other room. “I guess so…” Spike and Twilight left the library and made their way to the hills outside of Ponyville. Every other pony had found a place to watch the sky, and Twilight spotted her friends sitting together with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Hey guys!” said Twilight as Spike started unloading things from the wagon. “Ready for the shower?” “I’m ready for the food!” said Rainbow Dash, stealing an apple out of the wagon. “I didn’t get to eat anything at Sugarcube Corner.” She took a bite of the apple and thought for a moment. “…Why was I even in there? I didn’t know the girls wanted to hear my story until after I got there.” Scootaloo, who was sporting a black eye, walked over to her. “Pinkie said something about you needing a snack before your nap.” “First off,” said Rainbow, “It is not napping. I just like to rest my eyes.” “And snore!” said Pinkie. “And drool,” added Fluttershy. “And second,” continued Rainbow, ignoring the other two, “Pinkie wouldn’t let me eat anything and I don’t know why!” “Because of that!” said Pinkie, pointing. Rainbow turned around and her jaw dropped. Spike had set up the picnic blanket and put bowls of fruit, plates of cookies and sweets, nachos, fries, burgers, salads, pizzas, pot roasts, a turkey, and a bowl of punch on the blanket. “Damn Spike,” said Applejack, “You went all out!” “Does Spike do all the cooking?” asked Rarity, looking at Twilight. “Yeah,” said Twilight. “He won’t let me use the kitchen after I burnt a meal…or two…or twenty…” “It’s alright, Twilight,” said Spike. “I forgive you. It was just a little burnt food, after all. Friends forgive one another for burning things on accident. Even if that accident involved an old, valuable book!” “Wait…” said Twilight. “What do you-?” “Nothing!” said Spike quickly. He turned to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. “So…how did you two get so hurt?” Apple Bloom, who bandages on her face, said, “Well, we-” Sweetie Belle laughed loudly, cutting her off. “Oh, it was nothing, Spike! Just a girl thing, you know?” She pushed past the other two and stood next to Spike. “Let’s forget all about that and just appreciate this night.” She leaned in close and fluttered her eyelashes at Spike. “It’s not every day that the two of us can have a romantic meal under the stars…alone.” “I mean…” said Spike, pointing at the others. “There are eight other ponies here…” “Just ignore them,” said Sweetie, “They’ll go away eventually.” “I wish I had someone to follow my every order!” said Rainbow Dash. “If only there was someone…” “ME!” yelled Scootaloo, jumping up and down. “ME ME ME!” “…Nope,” said Rainbow with a shrug, “Can’t think of anyone.” “Damn it!” yelled Scootaloo. “I can’t believe how amazing Spike is,” said Rarity. “He cooks, he cleans…” She sighed wistfully. “Why can’t more stallions be like him?” “Why can’t more dragons be like him?” asked Fluttershy. “I wouldn’t have been so scared of the one before if he had been like Spike.” “Yeah!” said Pinkie, rubbing Spike’s head. “Who knew big ferocious dragons started off so cute!” She smirked and turned. “Right, Applejack?” Applejack blushed and turned her head. “He…he’s alright, Ah reckon…” “Is that because he kissed you?” asked Apple Bloom with a smirk, causing her sister to splutter. “Psst!” hissed Sweetie Belle. “Rarity! Give Spike the thing!” “Oh right!” said Rarity. Her horn glowed and a red bow tie with gems decorated all over it floated up in front of her. “Spike, Sweetie Belle and I-” “But mainly me, just so you know,” interrupted Sweetie. “Decided to make you this little bow tie for all your hard work!” finished Rarity. She used her magic to put it on Spike. “Nice!” said Spike. He grinned at Twilight. “Bow ties are cool!” “…Have you been hanging out with Doctor Whooves?” asked Twilight. “I’m sorry?” asked a voice. Everyone turned to see Doctor Whooves staring at them. “Sorry, Doctor,” said Twilight. “I didn’t mean anything by it.” Whooves laughed and waved a dismissive hoof. “It’s alright,” he said, “It’s my future self that wears the bow ties. What an idiot, right?” There was a loud noise and a blue police box dropped out of the sky next to them. The doors opened and another brown-furred stallion wearing a bow tie and a fez stepped out. He stomped over to Doctor Whooves, raised a hoof, and smacked him in the face…only to immediately rub his own jaw afterwards. “Yowza…” he muttered, a pained look on his face. “Didn’t think that through, did you?” asked Doctor Whooves, rubbing his jaw. “Oh shut up,” muttered the other stallion. “You won’t either.” And with that, the other stallion turned around and headed back into the police box, which suddenly disappeared. “...Doc?” asked Applejack. “That was you? Why did you look different?” “Spoilers,” said the Doctor, before he turned and walked away. “Hey!” said Sweetie Belle, pointing to the night sky. “I think the show is starting!” Everyone looked up and watched as meteors streaked across the night sky, trailing light behind them as they fell. “…Those aren’t dangerous, right?” asked Fluttershy. “Don’t worry,” said Twilight. “Most meteors are smaller than a grain of sand and disintegrate in the atmosphere.” The ponies watched as a large hunk of space rock dropped from the sky and hit the field in front of them, leaving a large, smoking crater. Everyone turned and stared at Twilight. “…I said most meteors,” said Twilight. The meteor shower continued for an hour, and everyone chatted and ate while they watched it. “Spike’s food is delicious!” said Pinkie as she finished off a plate of cookies. She swallowed and smacked her lips. “Is there anymore punch?” Twilight turned her head and saw Spike was fast asleep, his head in the punch bowl. “Aw…he must be exhausted,” said Rarity. “He does a lot around the library,” said Twilight. “I’m not surprised he’s so tired.” “Maybe you should do some of the work,” said Fluttershy. “Lighten his load a little.” “Or…” said Twilight, “I could look into getting another assistant to help out…” “…Seems like a lot of effort to go to when you could just do shit around the library,” said Rainbow Dash. “Another assistant it is!” said Twilight, ignoring the pegasus. “I’ll look into it tomorrow. For now, I think I’m going to take Spike and head home.” The others waved goodbye as Twilight grabbed Spike with her magic and walked off with him. “…Did Twilight just leave us to clean up all this garbage?” asked Rarity, gesturing down to the remains of the food. “…Shit,” muttered Applejack. One Walk To The Library Later: Twilight gently dropped Spike into his basket, where he mumbled and curled up in his blankets. “Aw…” said Twilight. “So cute…” Spike’s tongue flopped out of his open mouth and a puddle of drool began forming near his mouth. “No longer cute,” said Twilight. She walked away from Spike and left the bedroom. She walked over to the window, where she began writing on a scroll. “Now hiring…” she muttered to herself as she wrote. “Must be willing to cook and clean and do the laundry and run a library and commit tax fraud and hide a body or two…” There was a creaking noise behind her. Twilight looked around and saw a dark shape by the other window. “Um…hello?” asked Twilight nervously. “Who are you?” The dark shape flew into the air and dove at Twilight, who shrieked in fear.