His Vector Grey

by Darkryt Orbinautz

Dragon's Breath: Extinguishing

“Well.” Twilight said, draping a hoof around both Pinkie's and Spike's shoulders. “It's late. We should get to bed.”

“We should.” Pinkie agreed.

They all went up to their bedroom, and for the first time, after so long of waiting and wanting, Twilight had Pinkie sleep in her bed . . . not as a friend, but as a lover. As a member of her family. And she didn't have to hide it from Spike anymore. Not that she needed to in the first place, but Pinkie and Spike had finally convinced her of that.

“Sweet dreams, Spike.” Twilight wished as she held the blanket for Pinkie to crawl in.

“Good night, Twilight.” Spike muttered as he buried himself in his basket. He yawned. “Ooh, between everything you and Pinkie have been doing and me getting you girls back together, I'm swamped . . .” He pulled his blanket down hard over his eyes, too tired to even give Pinkie Pie a proper goodnight.

Twilight and Pinkie giggled at him. They looked to each other. Twilight cupped Pinkie's cheek. “Good night to you too, my sweet princess.”

Pinkie gave an Eskimo kiss in return. “And sweet dreams to you too, my ook-squirmy-book-wormy!”

“”Ook-squirmy?” That's not a real word. Pinkie, are you even trying . . . oh, never mind. Good night!” Twilight insisted and rolled around until she deep under the covers.

Spike wasn't asleep for very long before he was roused awake by the click of hooves on wood. “Hmm?” Popping out of his covers like a gopher from its hole, Spike turned to see Pinkie trying to make her way out of Twilight's bed. His eyes widened.

Pinkie's eyes widened, too, when she saw that Spike had noticed her. Pinkie made a shush gesture at him, covering her lips with her hoof. “Shhh!”

Spike nodded, and Pinkie slowly made her way to him. She stopped constantly, checking over her shoulder to makes sure Twilight was still in her bed. The blanket heaved up and down with the sound of Twilight's content snores.

“Hey, Spike.” Pinkie whispered in a quiet, hoarse voice.

“What are you doing!?” Spike whispered back in a snapping tone. “Was everything I did not enough!? Are you still leaving Twilight?”

“Ssh.” Pinkie put her hoof to Spike's mouth to silence. “I've been thinking . . . I . . . hurt Twilight really bad after what I said and not trusting her. And then you came and told me she was telling the truth. I'm . . . just going to find something to make it up to her, okay?” She smiled reassuringly.

“Okay . . .” Spike answered nervously, going back to his position. “But what if Twilight wakes up before you're back?”

“Tell her I went down to get a glass of water.” Pinkie told him. “I want this to be a surprise, so the less she knows the better.”

“Ugh. Fine.” Spike pulled his blanket over him.

“Thank you, Spike.” Spike watched as Pinkie Pie descended down the stairs, watching as the pink bush that was her tail sunk into the lower floor. Spike rolled around, eager to get comfy and go to sleep after the long night he'd been having.

Sadly, although he got to sleep, he was just as soon awoken by the sound of something hitting a soft something.

“Uugh!” He groaned, throwing his blanket down and standing up his basket. “What now?” He scanned the room, only finding the source of the noise when he saw Twilight whimpering in her sleep and patting the empty space where Pinkie Pie was. It seemed that even when she wasn't conscious, she could still sense whether Pinkie Pie was or was not with her. Spike pursed his lips. If he didn't do something, Twilight couldn't get back to sleep.

Spike literally tapped his head for ideas, knocking on his noggin. Sighing, he climbed onto Twilight's bed and got himself under Twilight's leg. Twilight, mistaking his mass for Pinkie Pie's (as Spike fully expected she would) curled her leg around his body and pulled him tight. Twilight made a noise of contentment.

Spike exhaled sharply, relieved he wouldn't have to put up with more nonsense. As long as Pinkie was back before Twilight woke up, it would all be fine.

Twilight purred a bit and cuddled up against, eventually nuzzling their noses together. Spike broke into a cold sweat.

“Hmm?” Twilight questioned, brushing her nose up and down his face. “Hmm?”

Oh, brother. Spike thought. Here we go again.

Twilight's eyes opened wide. She looked at Spike plainly. “You're not Pinkie Pie.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “No. No, I am not.”

Twilight threw her blanket off and glared at him. “Where's Pinkie Pie, Spike?”

“I don't know.” Spike answered . “She told me to tell you she was getting a glass of water.”

“Well, go find her!” Twilight barked, pointing at the stairs. She curled her hooves upon her chest and became less agitated and more worried. “I can't sleep if I don't know where my Pinkie Pie is!”

“Calm down, calm down.” Spike hopped off the bed and went to downstairs. “I'll go find her.”

“Thank you, Spike.” Twilight told him, wrapping her blanket up to her chest and sounding like a scared child. “But make it quick!” She yelled at him.

“Ugh.” Spike muttered, the floorboards creaking beneath him in the silence of the night. “Dissociative personality disorder much?” He quipped to himself.

He knew he wouldn't find Pinkie Pie in the library. Aiming for practicality, He went to the middle of the foyer and barely looked around, pretending to search the room. He turned around and yelled at upstairs. “She's down here, getting a glass of water like I said!”

“Are you sure?” Twilight yelled back with uncertainty.

“Yes, I'm sure!” Spike yelled back, blinking his sleepy eyes. “She'll be back up in a minute!” Spike whipped around to climb back up the stairs, only to collide facefirst with Twilight's chest.

“Gosh, Spike, are you really sure?” Twilight asked him, tapping her chin. “Because I was just in the kitchen, and you know what wasn't in there?”

Spike sighed. “Pinkie Pie getting a glass of water?”

“Very good, Spike!” Twilight told him cheerily. “Remind me to give you a treat later for getting that right on the first try! But for now . . .” Twilight got in his face, touching their noses again and she glared. “I'm going to punish you for SOMEHOW LOSING MY PINKIE!”

“Buh.” Spike moaned. He wasn't in the mood for this. He just wanted to go to sleep and get some rest. If he could just do that, he'd put up whatever insane punishment Twilight wanted to put him through (which he was sure made perfect sense in her mind) TOMORROW. But right now, he just wanted to go to bed!

“Yes, yes. Okay, fine, whatever, I lost your Pinkie.” Spike agreed. “Can I go back to bed now?”

“That's right!” Twilight snapped, pulling away. “You lost my Pinkie and – wait, what did you say?”

“I said I lost your Pinkie because I just want to go to bed!” Spike snapped, hopping in the air. Twilight stuttered, waving her hoof like she was a malfunctioning robot. It didn't take long for Spike to figure out that her problem was that she didn't know how to process the fact that he was agreeing to her incomprehensible, often contradictory Pinkie-lust fueled logic.

“Uh, buh, but, buh . . . “ Twilight stammered.

Spike continued up the stairs, stopping when he heard a thump. Twilight had curled up on the floor.

“Oh, Pinkie Pie, where are you?”

Spike watched her stroke her tail for comfort before shaking his head and resuming his pace up the stairs. Pinkie had told him to to keep a secret, and he blew it, so now he was going to go to bed. . . .

Actually, nuts to this. This kind of Orthus-faced secret-keeping was the exact reason for the debacle that happened tonight. He had been suffering for Twilight's insecurities for this entire week, and then he went through tonight and he went got them back together after their relationship imploded! He had served his role as the hero of the story! He should get his rest by now, going and collapsing into his basket. Meanwhile the narration would turn the page and move on to an epilogue of their relationship, forgetting about him . . . and in the process, letting him rest easy and get back to his normal routine.

Spike climbed down to the bottom of the stairs, sliding his hand on the rail. “Twilight?”

“Yes?”

“Pinkie Pie left earlier. She told me she was going to get you a surprise because she felt bad about not believing you when you told her we left each other on good terms. If you woke up before you got back, she told me to just tell you she was getting a glass of water. I don't know where she is, where she went, or what she's doing.”

Twilight gasped, putting her hooves to her cheeks in horror. “Oh no! My poor Pinkie Pie! She could be out there, alone in the cold, dark night! Spike, we have to find her before she gets hurt!”

Spike, fed up, stomped his foot. “No. No, what you mean, Twilight is “poor you,” and “stallions might be able to hit on Pinkie Pie if you don't have an eye on twenty-four seven,” and “we have to find her before she finds another potential mate because I'm not secure enough in my own ability to maintain a relationship!””

Twilight sat there open-mouthed. “But . . . but-”

“No buts, Twilight!” Spike swiped his claw through the air. “I don't care! I'm not suffering anymore just because of your own emotional insecurities! You want to know where Pinkie Pie is, go find herself! But right now, I am GOING . . . TO BED. I've had a long day, a long week, and I just want to rest a little bit. I''ll . . . make pancakes or something for us in the morning, but for right now. . . . BED.” Spike pointed upwards and marched up to bed.

Twilight sat there, dumbfounded. After regaining her senses, she trotted to the kitchen and pulled out a spoon from the silverware drawer. She held it high in the air with her magic, just so she could gaze into it and see her reflection while she reflected over what Spike said.

---

The door to the Carousel Boutique opened slowly with a CREEEAK like a movie. Pinkie Pie made her way inside, gently pushing the door shut with her hind leg. She looked around for signs of Rarity. She heard muttering coming from the kitchen and went in there.

Rarity was crouched under her dining room table, levitating a roll of duct tape. The table itself had been duct taped straight down the middle, right where Twilight had cracked it earlier.

“Mm, yes, well, not perfect, I suppose.” Rarity mumbled, rapping on the table to gauge its sturdiness. “But it'll have to do until tomorrow. Where I am going to get a repairmare during this time of night?”

“Rarity?”

“Oh!” Rarity yelped, caught by surprise. She banged her head on the table. “Ow!” Ignoring it, she got out to see Pinkie. “Pinkie Pie? Why, whatever are you doing at this late hour?”

Pinkie looked down. “Well, um . . . you remember me telling you about my . . . boyfriend awhile back?”

“Why, of course!” Rarity answered, becoming concerned. “What's wrong? Having relationship trouble?”

“You . . . could say that.” Pinkie mumbled. “I've been trying to get . . . him to do something for awhile now . . . and just today, when he told he finally did it . . . I . . I didn't believe him. We . . . nearly broke up because of it.”

“Ooh.” Rarity cooed. She used her magic to pull Pinkie Pie close to her. “Tell me all about it."

“Well, actually . . .” Pinkie brightened up a little. “We worked everything out, but . . . I didn't believe him when it really mattered, and I . . . I want to apologize for that. But I can't just throw a party like I normally do when I'm stuck for ideas! It needs to be something special! Something I can do that nopony else can give him! Any ideas?”

Rarity tapped her chin, lips puffed and eyelids lowered in thought. She swiftly made a smile. “I have just the thing! Do you remember about a week or so ago when you came in to ask about your boyfriend, and you didn't know what I meant when I talked about “the bedroom”?”

Pinkie was confused. “Well, yeah, but what does that -”

“Come with me.” Rarity gestured, making a dash for her stairs. “I am going to show what I was talking about.”

Pinkie Pie did not share Rarity's enthusiasm.

“Come on!” Rarity encouraged before going up the stairs. Pinkie braced herself and followed. Rarity was able to use the lead time she had on Pinkie to get her room first, and Pinkie found herself greeted by a closed door.

“Just a minute . . . I need to set the mood, as it were!” Rarity called. “Okay . . .now!”

Pinkie pushed the door open, and what she saw wasn't particularly clear. Rarity was on her bed, wearing a maroon bathrobe. Candles were lit up on her nightdesk, giving an aura about the room.

“Uhh . . . Rarity?” Pinkie questioned.

“Come, come.” Rarity gestured, patting the empty space next to her.

Pinkie Pie started sweating. “We're . . . not going to do anything to each other, are we? Because I think my . . . boyfriend might have a problem with that!”

“What? Oh, no, no, darling!” Rarity held her hooves. “While it's best to learn from experience, we're not going to be doing to each other because we . . .” her horn lit up, and a swarm of books flew out from under her bed. “Are going to have these between us! You, Pinkie Pie, will be learning from the masters of their craft!”

Pinkie blinked. “Your trashy romance novels?” Pinkie didn't really have an opinion on Rarity's romance novels, but she had heard Applejack calling them “trashy” more than once, so she just blurted it out. Twilight had also told her that they “were barely literature, using sexually-charged situations and descriptions to mask its utterly generic characters and lack of plot.”

Whatever that meant. Pinkie wasn't a book critic.

“Trashy!?” Rarity screeched.

Pinkie smiled nervously. “Um, um, I didn't mean it! It's just, I heard Applejack calling them that and -”

Rarity glared. “Do you want my help or not?”

“No no no no!” Pinkie stammered. “I want it!”

“Then come over here . . .” Rarity pointed at her bed. “Lay down, and read these “trashy” romance novels.” Pinkie Pie did as instructed, hopping onto the bed and taking one of the books off its magically-conducted shelf of air.

“Ooh! Good choice. Go ahead and skip to . . . about page 247, darling.”

“Okay.” Pinkie did just that. As she read the page, a blush crossed her cheeks. “Oh my.”

“Yes. Steamy, isn't it?

“Can you . . .” Pinkie put a hoof on one passage and held the book towards Rarity. “Can you really do that?”

“I imagine so, with the right tools . . .”

“And then this part!” Pinkie stammered. “That's – oof!”

“I know! Isn't it fabulous!”

One thing became clear to Pinkie; she was going to be learning a lot of things like this during the night . . .

---

As promised, the next morning Spike was up making pancakes. He knew what he said last night to Twilight had been out of line, coming from child to parent. Even though it was something that needed to be said, coming from “sane person” to “person who had been reduced to a schizophrenic, psychotic wreck from their lust.”

“Alley-oop!” Spike exclaimed to himself, flipping a pancake up in the air. With the pancake done, he lifted the skillet and plopped it onto the plate. “Keep 'em coming, Owloyicous!”

“Hoo!” The owl responded affirmatively.

Over the sizzle of the cooking mix, Spike could hear footsteps. He saw Twilight come down from the stairs and enter the room.

“Hey.” Twilight greeted, looking sullen.

“Good morning to you, too!” Spike half-sarcastically replied. But only half. “Did you get a good sleep last night?”

“Not really.” Twilight answered, taking a seat at the table. She put her hooves on her cheek. “I thought about what you said last night. About me . . . about my insecurities.”

Spike sighed. Turning to her, he took off his chef's hat and held it over his chest. “Okay, Twilight, I know you probably want to tell me all about how it was out-of-line for me to yell at you like that -

“You were right.”

“But you need to understand something about how I've been feeling-”

“Spike, I SAID you were right!”

“-these last few days and – wait, what?” Spike adopted a confused face.

“You were absolutely right.” Twilight admitted, looking down at the table instead of facing him. “Almost everything that's gone wrong was because of my insecurities. Because I can't stand to let Pinkie Pie away from me for any more than a second. And I know it's wrong. And I know I need . . . to fix it . . .” Twilight started to cry and blubber. “But I just can't!” She slammed her face into the table, covering her head with her legs.

“It's so hard! I've wanted her for so long, Spike! And now that I finally have her, after so many weeks of wanting her, I can't let her go! I can't let be somewhere where she might, just MIGHT find somepony else! Somepony whose . . . . strong and patient, and isn't a deranged, crazy love-FREAK like I am!”

She pulled her face up, letting Spike see the thick, cerulean tears down her face. “I've never . . . I've never felt this way about anypony before, Spike. And if she left me . . .if she found somepony else, I don't think I could again! NOW do you see why I'm so paranoid!? She's . . . everything to me. She's that one, unsolvable mystery that tells me being a scientist is worthwhile, because I could solve every scientific mystery in Equestria . . . and still have one left over, in her . . . and you . . . all the abuse you had to put up with recently . . . I just - it– I'm sorry!”

Twilight reburied her head in her legs, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Woof.” Spike muttered to himself, turning back to the skillet. “I thought I had it rough.” Moving quietly, he carefully fit some of the pancakes on a plate and scooted the plate to Twilight until it bumped her knee.

“Hm?” Twilight stopped crying and pulled up to see the pancakes in front of her. The aroma of freshly-baked dough was powerful enough to get her to forgot her troubles. “Thank you, Spike.” She reached over and rubbed Spike's chest. “You're an excellent Number One Assistant.”

“Yeah, well . . . I couldn't have done without my number one assistant.” Spike pointed to the mixing bowl, where Owloyicous was perched with an egg in his beak and chef's hat on his head.

“Hoof.” His hoot sounded different through the egg. Lifting up slightly, he dropped the egg from his beak into his talons, then used his talons to pry it apart, dropping the yolk in.

Twilight giggled. “It's good to see you two getting along.”

They heard the creak of the main foyer's door open. Twilight's first instinct was to throw her fork down and bolt to see if it was Pinkie, but she caught sight of Spike glaring at her disapprovingly. After a moment of awkwardness, she sat still and twiddled her fork into the pancakes like a child that had just been caught in the cookie jar.

“Hey, guys.” Pinkie waved as she stepped into the room. “I'm back. What's goin' on?”

“Spike and Owloyicous made pancakes.” Twilight pointed the fork at her two chefs.

Pinkie nodded. “Oh, is that right? Hmm-hmm. Well, that's nice.” She seemed very skittish today. Almost bashful, even, and that wasn't right. Pinkie Pie had no sense of shame when it came to things that Twilight and Rarity would die of embarrassment from. She never got bashful.

“Pinkie?” Twilight asked. “Is everything all right?”

“Oh, yeah! Everything's just super-duper dory! Say, Spike? Could I get a plate of those pancakes?”

“Coming right up!” Spike tossed his spatula into the air to show off. He made Pinkie's plate, and Pinkie began to wolf down the food. Not in her usual, “Pinkie has a black hole for a stomach and a vacuum for a mouth” way, but in a hurried, rushed, “I really have somewhere I need to be” way.

“Are you sure everything's okay, Pinkie?” Twilight asked. “You're eating . . . well, not like Pinkie."

“Yeah, sure, absolutely!” Pinkie assured them between bites. That also wasn't right. Normally, she'd just talk with her mouth full.

“Pinkie, are you sure -” Twilight started to ask again, but Pinkie finished her food and jumped from her chair. She grabbed Twilight's hoof and dragged her out of the room.

“Hmm. Well, that was weird.” Spike observed, but he merrily went back to making more pancakes.

“Pinkie, where are we going?” Twilight questioned, as Pinkie steered them into their extra bedroom that they used for cuddling and other romantic stuff. Pinkie swung Twilight around and hurled her onto the bed. Twilight landed face-first into the pillow. She pushed herself up and rolled over.

“Pinkie?” Twilight questioned,

“I was over at Rarity's last night.” Pinkie answered, like that explained anything. “We read a bunch of books, and I learned lots of things I could do to make it up to you for not believing you last night.” Pinkie crawled onto the bed, climbing over Twilight like a reptilian predator.

Twilight blushed. “Oh, Pinkie, you don't have to do that . . . besides, if we suffer as much as we did this week, largely because of me, as Spike so wonderfully made me realize, and I get what I want from the whole thing anyways . . . how I am supposed to learn my lesson?”

“Well, that's just it, Sparkly!” Pinkie chirped. “In my mind, you have learned your lesson, so you deserve a treat . . . and something to make up for the way I treated you last night.”

“You really don't need to do that.” Twilight urged. “After everything I said and did, I couldn't have given you less reason to believe me. And besides, Spike had to do a lot. He deserves a reward, not me.”

“We'll get to him.” Pinkie assured her with a pat on the chest. “But for right now, I'm making things up to you.”

“Pinkie Pie, you don't - “

Pinkie Pie shut her up by curling around and exhaling hot breath onto the back of Twilight's neck.

“Oooh . . .” Twilight moaned. “Pinkie, I still don't . . I mean, I want it, sure, but do I really deserve it?” Pinkie nibbled Twilight's ear and curled her tail around Twilight's hind leg, slithering her poofy tail up Twilight's hind leg like a snake after its prey. “And – and you know I freeze up when you kiss me. What's going to happen if we get . . . intimate?”

In the other room, Spike was humming to himself as he finished off the last batch of pancakes. He, like any good chef, saved the best for last. In this case, that meant the sapphire-infused pancakes were the last batch to be done.

“PINKIEMENIA DIANE PIE, YOU GET YOUR TAIL OUT OF – ooooh . . . ooooooh, that feels good . . .”

Spike stopped. He hopped off his stool and waddled to where he heard the scream come from.

“Hmm. That's strange.” Spike noticed. On the extra bedroom, there was a horseshoe hanging from the door, tied up with a piece of black string.

“Oooh, oooh . . .” Twilight moaned audibly.

“Uuh . . .” Spike knocked on the door. “Is everything all right in there?”

“No!” Twilight shouted. “I mean, yes! Everything's fine! Don't come in! Oooh, oooh MY, Pinkie Pie . . .”

“Are you sure you don't need me to come in?” Spike asked, putting his claw on the doorknob. He never heard Twilight make those sounds before.

“SPIKE THE DRAGON, DO NOT ENTER THROUGH THAT DOOR AT THIS TIME!” Twilight yelled.

“We'll call you!” Pinkie added.

“Okay then.” Spike returned to the kitchen to enjoy his sapphire pancakes.

His eating was interrupted by Twilight letting out a particularly loud, piercing scream/

“Okay, Spike!” Pinkie yelled. “You can come back now!”

Spike scarfed a few more bites of his pancakes, then went to the room and opened the door. Pinkie and Twilight were lying next to each other, Pinkie breathing heavily while Twilight was on her back, legs hung up in the air like a surrendering goat.

“Is everything okay?” Spike asked, confused.

“Everything is just fine.” Pinkie assured him, giving Twilight a romantic look. “Isn't that right, Twilight?”

Twilight made no answer, remaining motionless.

“Wow.” Pinkie muttered, flattering herself. “I didn't think I was that good. I mean, it was my first time after all . . .”

Twilight continued to remain still.

Spike bit his lip.

Pinkie raised her brow. “Uh, Twilight? You can stop now. The joke stopped being funny now.”

Spike tapped his fingers nervously. “Uh, Pinkie Pie? I don't think she's playing a joke . . .”

“Twilight, you can really stop now.” Pinkie insisted. Pinkie pushed her hoof into Twilight's rib, making Twilight rock back and forth like a rocking chair. “Twilight?”

Pinkie grabbed Twilight's shoulders and shook her vigorously.

“TWILIGHT!”

---

“Well, we've run a few preliminary test.” The doctor who worked at the hospital reported to Pinkie and Spike in the white and blue waiting room.

“And?” Pinkie asked, biting her hooves nervously.

“We couldn't find anything wrong with her physiologically, so Miss Sparkle's problem seems to be psychosomatic.” The doctor answered.

“Well, what does that mean!?” Spike yelled. “It is fixable? Is there a cure?”

“Calm down.” The doctor said. “”Psychosomatic” means there is a physical problem produced by the psyche. Hence, “psychosomatic.” Now, according to our tests,” the doctor flipped a page on his clipboard, “the result of this problem comes from some intense, sexual-romantic attraction Miss Sparkle appears to have. You two wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?”

Pinkie and Spike looked to each other.

“Eeer, no.” Pinkie fibbed, too embarrassed to admit anything. Surely she could work something out later with Spike in secret to fix Twilight themselves?

“Now, as to whether or not there's a cure . . . we have three options. First, I could give her some pills . . .”

“My parents put me on some pills once.” Pinkie said spaciously. “I spent the whole day in bed, muttering about how Princess Celestia was a cruel despot and that Equestria was a horrible, horrible place. Then they took me off them.”

The doctor regarded Pinkie curiously for a moment. “No pills.” He said, scribbling something onto his clipboard. “Option two is that I could smack her upside the head and tell her to just get over whatever's bothering her and hope that works.”

Pinkie grimaced. “Could we try something that sounds less . . . hurty?”

“Or,” the doctor, rolling his eyes. He was clearly tired of answering their questions. “We could just let her stay in bed and hope she's able to work it our herself somehow.”

“Hmm. Okay. Thank you, doctor. Can we see her?” Pinkie asked.

“Sure. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other patients.” The doctor left them, and they went into the room where Twilight was.

There she was, under a bed-cover, in the same position she was when Pinkie called Spike to their room. Her locked-up still hooves poked through the blanket, suspending it in mid-air and preventing it from covering her completely.

“Oh, Twilight . . .” Pinkie moaned, saddened by her friend's loss of motion. She and Spike went up to the bed, where Pinkie patted Twilight's stomach affectionately.

“This is all my fault.” Pinkie whined. “She tried to tell me that getting intimate could do something like this to her!” Pinkie banged her head on the protective railings on the side of the bed.

“Hey now.” Spike tried to console her. “You couldn't have known.”

“Couldn't have I?” Pinkie was on the verge of crying. “She was trying to tell me before we started on the bed . . . reminding how every time I kissed her or cuddled her, she froze up . . . and now, she's frozen for good!”

“You don't know that!” Spike assured her. “Say, what were you two doing anyhow?”

Pinkie's cheeks turned a bright red. “Oh, um . . .you're . . . really not old enough to know that, Spike.”

Spike humphed. “Like I wasn't old enough to know you and Twilight were dating?”

“No, no!” Pinkie told him. “Like, you're really not actually old enough to know about this yet.”

“Hmmp.” Spike looked away, but his attention was caught by the sound of the door creaking open. It was Applejack.

“Hey, y'all.” Applejack greeted. “Came as soon as the doctors lemme know wut happened. Tha' others will be on their way.”

“That's fine.” Pinkie told her.

“So, this is Twilight, huh?” Applejack asked, trotting to the other side of the bed. “Doc say how long it'll be before she gets better?”

Pinkie looked at her. “Eeerr . . . no.”

“Shewt. That ain't a good sign when the docs don't have no estimate.” Applejack noticed Spike. “Hey, Spike. Seeing Twi like this got ya down?”

“Yeah . . .”

“Think y'all need another party at Fluttershy's?” Applejack chuckled.

“Nah, that's okay.”

Applejack brought her hat over her chest, gazing solemnly at Twilight's body. “Well, Ah gotta git back to tha' farm, but everypony will visit when they can, 'kay?”

“Okay.” Spike and Pinkie waved Applejack goodbye.

Pinkie put her legs over the bed's rails. She looked down sadly. “I should probably go, too . . . tell the Cakes what happened. Will you be okay by yourself, Spike?”

“Yeah, yeah, sure.” Spike nodded, still sad.

The door opened again, and this time Rainbow Dash and that raggedy, hat-wearing teen colt she got that guitar from stepped through.

“Hey.” They both said. Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and hovered towards the bed. “Is she doing all right?”

“She's fine as she can be, for now . . .” Pinkie murmured, going into a slump. “The doctor said there wasn't anything to do except let her rest and hope she's get better.”

“Hey!” Dash snapped, going up and smacking Pinkie's cheek. “That's quitter talk!” She cupped Pinkie's cheeks and forced Pinkie to look her in the eye. “Say with it me: “nothing to do except let her rest and wait for her to get better. Because she will get better, okay?”

Pinkie nodded. “Nothing to do except for wait for her to get better.”

“Good.” Dash let Pinkie go and resumed floating above the bed.

The colt put his hooves on Spike's shoulder. “Hey there, little dude.” Spike gave him an obligatory wave, focusing more on Twilight. “Listen,” the colt continued, “I know it can be kinda hard to see your mother in the in hospital like this -”

“She's not my mother!” Spike interjected.

“Uh-huh. I think she is. You know how I know? I had the same look on my face when I watch my mother trip and fall once. Anyways, you just have to hang in there and wait, okay?”

“Okay . . .” Spike droned. He was in no mood for the colt's condolences.

“Come on.” Dash jerked her head towards the door. “We should wait outside. You'll come get me if there's an update, right, Pinks?”

“I'm sure Spike will. I'm going to go tell the Cakes soon.”

“Kay.” Dash and her buddy left the room, leaving Pinkie and Spike alone again.

“Well . . . bye.” Pinkie waved to Spike. “Be good for Twilight.”

“I will.” Spike assured her, taking her hoof into his hands. “I'll be on my best behavior.” Spike saluted, which made Pinkie giggle.

“All right . . . “ Pinkie mumbled as she headed towards the door. Just as she was reaching her hoof for the doorknob, the door swung open, throwing Pinkie Pie onto her flanks. “Ow!”

“Is she all right?” Rarity screeched, galloping to Twilight's bed. “Will she be okay? What happened? Is there somepony at fault? Because if there is, I shall make them pay most dearly!”

“Nopony's at fault.” Pinkie answered, standing up and rubbing her sore head. “Except maybe you for my head . . .” She mumbled, still smarting from the injury.

“Oh, poor Twilight . . .” Rarity cooed, running her hoof over Twilight's head. “She looks like she's seen a cockatrice! But she would be stone if that were the case, wouldn't she?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” Pinkie mumbled.

Rarity noticed Spike. “Oh. Spike.” Rarity patted his head affectionately. “How are you holding up, darling?”

“I'm okay . . .”

“Hmm.” Rarity looked to Twilight, then back to Pinkie and Spike. “If there's anything I can do, anything at all, you let me know post-haste!” She gave Twilight another pitying rub. “Oh, and by the way . . . Pinkie Pie? How did things go with your boyfriend last night?”

Pinkie flushed. “Oh, um, my boyfriend! That's right! Because I have . . . a boyfriend.”

“A boyfriend?” Spike asked, putting his claws on his and glaring disapprovingly. Pinkie started to sweat nervously.

“Uh, yeah!” Pinkie answered. “Things with my boyfriend . . .”

“Did any of the “tricks” I taught you last night help?” Rarity winked.

“Oh, yes. A lot . . .”

“Excellent! Well now, I'll be off. I'll get some lunch in the cafeteria and join Rainbow Dash.”

“Bye!” Spike put on a cheery air and held the door open for Rarity. He watched to make sure she was gone, then slammed the door. “How could you!?”

“Wha?” Pinkie stepped back.

“All this time, you had a boyfriend!?” Spike yelled, jumping up and down with righteous fury. “What, was dating one pony not good enough for you?”

“Spike -”

“No, I don't wanna hear it!” Spike growled. “Maybe Twilight was right to be so paranoid! And after all that work I did to get you two back to-”

“SPIKE!” Pinkie yelled, shoving her hoof into Spike's mouth. “I called Twilight my boyfriend when talking to Rarity so I could keep the relationship a secret like, oh, I don't know, Twilight wanted?”

Spike blinked. He nodded to show he understood, as Pinkie's hoof was still in his mouth.

“Good.” Pinkie took her hoof out and rubbed her temples. “Uggh. This is all way too much for me. I'm going to the Cakes before something else happens.” Pinkie hurriedly left the room, leaving Spike alone with Twilight's still body.

Spike went over and sat in the chair of the room, holding his head his claws. He sighed. He wished he knew how he could make Twilight fell better. If she could just learn to let go of Pinkie Pie, maybe this wouldn't have happened.

Wait a minute . . . that was it! Oh, joy of joys! He just hatched a brilliant idea! If only Pinkie Pie hadn't just left. Maybe if he left now, he could still catch up with her and – wait, no, no. Twilight would have to be up and moving for this plan to work.

He sighed again.

The door opened again, and this time, a yellow hoof nervously curled around the door. “H-hello?”

“Come on in, Fluttershy!” Spike gestured his arm for her to come in, even though she was on the other side.

“Oh, hello!” Fluttershy came into the room . . . with Angel following close behind her. Angel's eyes locked onto Spike, glaring at him with a pure hatred. Spike returned the favor. “I hope Twilight gets better soon . . .” Fluttershy reached around her body and pulled out a basket with fruits, candies, and “get well soon” cards. “I brought this for her for when she wakes up.”

“Go ahead and just leave it on the bed.” Spike said. Fluttershy did so, gently nesting next to Twilight's body.

“Oh, you poor dear.” Fluttershy mumbled, taking Twilight's hoof. “I hope you feel better soon! Angel and I will write every day until you get better. Isn't that right, Angel?”

Angel nodded, though he didn't take his gaze off Spike, keeping him engaged in an intense staredown.

“I think I'll go wait outside with the others.” Fluttershy said. “If-if you think you'll be okay by yourself, Spike. Why don't you come join us?”

“Nah. I've been fine in here so far.” Spike was still paying more attention to Angel than to Fluttershy.

“Come on, Angel.” Fluttershy instructed as she daintily moved to the door. She paused, realizing Angel wasn't following her. “Angel, aren't you coming?”

Angel shook his head no. He gestured with his little bunny paw for Fluttershy to come down. Fluttershy bent over and listened as Angel whispered into her ear.

“Oh, you want to stay in here with Spike?” Angel nodded, while Spike grimaced. “Well, I'm sure he would be fine with that, wouldn't you, Spike?”

Spike wanted to say “Absolutely not! Are you out of your mind?” with probably a few more profanities and comparisons between Angel and various monsters of the Everfree. But Fluttershy was looking at him so happily, he couldn't bring himself to say no to her sweet, innocent face.

“Yes, that would be fine.” Spike answered, even though it was the biggest lie he had ever told. Forgot anything he had told Twilight or Pinkie or Rarity this last week, or last month, or anything he had ever said in his short life thus far: that was the biggest lie he ever said.

“Oh, good.” Fluttershy left the room. Spike resumed a glare with Angel.

“All right, bunny.” Spike growled, pointing at the ground. “Let's lay down some ground rules. I don't like you, and you don't like me, so – wait . . .” Spike was confident in his ability to put the rabbit in his place, but now he noticed that the ironically-named bunny was smirking. “What are you smiling about?”

Angel pulled out a red monkey wrench, a water balloon, and a miniature chalkboard with drawings on it. Spike was confused. Angel set the other tools aside and held the chalkboard up, tapping his paw on one aspect of it.

Spike came closer, and scrutinized the board. It appeared to have chalk drawings of himself, Angel, Twilight, Twilight's hospital bed, wires, and the hospital door, as well as the wrench and balloon.

“You're gonna . . .” Spike muttered. Angel traced the drawings in a distinct order, allowing Spike to puzzle together what it was. “Sabotage the hospital equipment with the wrench and balloon . . . . sabotage Twilight's bed . . .” Angel nodded at Spike's progress. “ . . And then get me thrown of the hospital for throwing you in the river earlier this week!”

Angel gave an evil, evil grin and nodded, rubbing his bunny paws together like an old cartoon villain.

"Ooh," Spike groaned, putting his claws together. "Please don't! You can get revenge on me later, but I really, really need to stay with Twilight right now!"

Angel shrugged as if to say "Sorry!" even though there was no way he was sorry about it at all.

Spike bit his nails as Angel picked the wrench back up. The wrench glowed purple, and was lifted out Angel's paws. It was then swung around and used to smack Angel on the head. The balloon was lifted up and thrown at the bunny. Angel put his paws on his head, now suffering from head pains. His own body was enveloped in the same magical glow and made to smash against the floor, repeatedly. Then a laser beam came from nowhere and blasted him out of the room. Spike heard a solid “THUNK” from the other room and some skidding.

“Oh my goodness!” Fluttershy's voice carried over from the other room. “Angel, what happened!?”

Spike peeked through the door, then looked around the room. Twilight's forelegs were wobbling around the bed's rails like worms. She pushed herself up, shaking groggily. She looked like a drunken vampire stumbling out of its coffin. Her horn was smoking.

“I don't know what Fluttershy sees in him.” Twilight mumbled, rubbing her horn.

“Twilight!” Spike exclaimed. He hopped onto his bed and embraced her tightly. “You're okay.”

“Yes, Spike.” Twilight smiled. “I'm fine. I normally freeze up when Pinkie kisses me, and . . . “ Twilight rubbed his back comfortingly. “We got a lot more . . . intimate this time, so the “unfreezing” part took a lot longer.”

“What's that mean?” Spike asked. “Intimate?”

Twilight bit her lip. “I'll explain when you're older.”

Spike twiddled his fingers. “Could you . . . hear anything while you were stuck?”

“I heard some of it, yeah.” Twilight answered. “I heard you yelling at Pinkie, Pinkie blaming herself, and you begging Angel not to do . . . something, but knowing that bunny, it couldn't have been good. Oh, and Fluttershy's gift basket.” Twilight levitated out a candy from the basket. “Want a chocolate?”

“Sure!” Spike started to unwrap the chocolate, but that was when he remembered the plan he thought of. “Oh man! My plan!”

“Plan?”

“Wait right here!” Spike jumped off the bed, dropping his chocolate. “Gotta get Pinkie Pie! Hope she's still here!”

“Spike, where are you going?”

“No time to explain!” Spike shouted as he ran out the room. He was able to get to the waiting room and find Rainbow Dash, and after explaining that he needed Pinkie for something, Dash was out of the building like a flash. Rainbow Dash returned with Pinkie in her hooves just as quickly.

“Spike?” Pinkie asked as Dash dropped her. “What's going on? Is Twilight better?”

“Come on!” Spike grabbed Pinkie's hoof and dragged her to Twilight's room, closing and locking the door behind him.

“Twilight!” Pinkie cried with relief. Pinkie jumped on the bed and embraced Twilight tightly.

“Pinkie?” Twilight asked. “What are you doing back here so soon?”

“Spike sent Rainbow Dash to get me as soon as he could!” Pinkie exclaimed, wrapping her legs around Twilight tightly. “Oh, my poor Sparkly . . . I'm so sorry! I should have listened to you when you talked about how you froze . . .”

“It's . . . it's okay, Pinkie Pie.” Twilight nuzzled her. “Really. I'm fine now.”

“Yeah, um, about that.” Spike interrupted. Pinkie and Twilight turned towards him, without separating.

“Now, Twilight . . . I know you find it hard to let Pinkie go at night . . .”

“Mh-hmm. Every moment, every kiss, every touch is like a moment of pure bliss.” Twilight muttered dreamily.

“But I,” Spike gloated, “as an outside observer, can see something you two don't.”

“Oh really?” Twilight asked skeptically.

“Oh?” Pinkie added, more curious than skeptical.

“Pinkie Pie . . . “ Spike said quietly. “You've been enabling Twilight.”

“What!?”

“Yeah, it's true.” Spike nodded. “You're too . . . soft on her, Pinkie Pie. You let her get away with things you shouldn't, you reassure her you're going to come back instead of telling her to pony up and deal with the fact you can't be near her all the time, and you let her sweet-talk you into hiding your relationship for me for who-knows-how long instead of getting her to tell me!”

Pinkie looked down shamefully. “Well, Spike, it's a lot more complicated than that -”

“No.” Twilight shushed Pinkie. “No, he's right. If you were just a bit stricter on me, and if I was just a little less . . . obsessed with you, maybe the rest of the week could have gone better.”

“Right!” Spike agreed. He beat his chest. “And since Twilight doesn't want anypony else to know about your relationship yet, I'm going to be your couples' counselor!”

Twilight and Pinkie gave him odd looks.

“Really.” Twilight was doubtful.

“Really!” Spike answered. “I even have my first exercise for you! Twilight, you need to learn to let Pinkie go.” Spike waved his claw. “Go on. Try it. Let Pinkie Pie go.” It was mostly a symbolic exercise: If Twilight could learn to learn to let Pinkie Pie go physically, then it was just a hop, skip and a jump away from learning to let Pinkie Pie go emotionally and mentally as well.

“Mnnn.” Twilight attempted to take her legs off Pinkie Pie, but her body wouldn't budge, infatuated as it was with the pink flesh.

“Here. I'll help you.” Pinkie offered, moving to pry Twilight's legs off herself.

“No, no!” Spike yelled, waving his claws. “Twilight has to learn how to do it herself, without your help.”

“Mmm.” Twilight whined. She knew Spike was right, but it was so hard. What if something happened to Pinkie? What if . . .

“Come on, Twilight!” Spike encouraged. “You can do it!”

“Mmmh.” Twilight scrunched her eyes shut. “I'm . . . I'm not sure I can, Spike!”

“Come on!” Spike continued to cheer. “You can do it!”

“Uuhh . . . uuuhhh . . . but . . . oh, my Pinkie Pie . . . so soft . . . and pink.” Twilight started to cry.

Pinkie joined in the cheering. “C'mon, Twi! You can do it! You have to!”

“You can do it! It'll all be okay!”

“Just think of how miserable Spike was all week! How miserable WE were this week, having to hide from Spike and our friends! We can avoid that, Sparkly, if you just . . . let . . . go!”

“Hhhhn . . . . nnnn . . . .NYAAAH!” With a tremendous grunt of effort, Twilight was finally able to remove herself from Pinkie Pie's body. She fell backwards with an obnoxiously loud pop and collapsing against the bed, breathing heavily like she had just run a marathon.

Pinkie approached her with some unceratiny, standing over her. “Twilight?”

“Huff . . . huf . . . huf.” Twilight panted. After taking a moment to catch her breath, she stared wide-eyed at the ceiling? “You know what? I feel better . . . I feel better! I had my doubts, but somehow, Spike, your crazy idea worked!”

Spike blew air onto his knuckles, taking it in stride. “It's what I do.”

Pinkie switched back and forth between looking at Spike and at Twilight. “So . . . “

“Pinkie?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie put her hooves together nervously.

Twilight smacked her lips. “Why don't you go home for now? We'll schedule a date later.”

Pinkie was on the verge of tearing up. “Y-you mean it?”

“Yeah.” Twilight smiled. “I'll . . . I'll be fine.”

“Are you sure? I mean, are you sure you stand watching me go -”

“Pinkie. Go.”

Pinkie crawled off the bed, then moved towards the door. She pointed at it. Twilight smiled and nodded, assuring her it was okay and she felt better. Pinkie inched closer to the door.

“Go already!” Twilight snapped.

“Okay . . . see you around, I guess.” Pinkie went through the door, inching it slowly.

“Wait! One more thing, Pinkie. I love you.”

Pinkie paused, staring with bright, wide blue eyes.

“I love you too, Twilight.” Pinkie closed the door.

Spike turned to Twilight. “Well? Anything?”

“N-no.” Twilight answered. “Nothing. No overwhelming desire to chase her, no existential dread without her touch . . . her lovely, soft, pink touch . . .”

“Hey, hey, stop that!” Spike insisted before that train of thought went out of control and undid all his work. They sat in contemplative silence for a few minutes before Twilight spoke again.

“Spike? Would you come over here?”

“Sure.” Spike waddled to her bed. “What'cha ya need?”

Twilight seized him with her telekinesis, then levitated him onto the bed with her. She sat up and scooped him into a deathly tight bearhug.

“While I was frozen, I did a lot of thinking.” Twilight explained, burying her nuzzle into his shoulder. “And I thought about all the times I told Pinkie I loved her, or let her know how much I cared about you, or about how I'd never be able to replace her if she went away.”

“Uh-huh.” Spike nodded. He'd been over this with Twilight already. “And?”

“And it got me thinking . . . I realized that I haven't been telling you any of those things lately.”

“What?”

Twilight took her snout out from his shoulder. “I care about you, Spike. You're like a son to me. And . . . you were basically the first real friend I ever really had. If I lost you . . . if you moved away . . . nopony or nothing would be able to fill the hole in my heart that you would leave behind. When I make a mess in the library, who cleans it up? When I need a book, who fetches it for me? Who calms me down when I start to stress out about Celestia's assignments?”

“Aww.” Spike teared up. “You mean it?”

“Absolutely.” Twilight pulled him into an even tighter hug.

“I love you, Spike.”

“I . . . I love you, too, Twilight.” Spike stammered as he burst into joyful tears.

Author's Note:

Well, gaaaawlie, it's been a long time coming, hasn't it?
An Orthus is a two-headed dog from mythology. Get it? Not usually as well know as Cerberus.

I would just like to point out that its kinda ridiculous that this story started around the time of the season 3 finale, and then didn't finish until AFTER the SEASON 4 FINALE. GAW.

Now, I may have said this already, but between the update schedule, forgive me if I forgot. One plot idea I had, then abandoned was the idea of “the voices” from Her Void Pink leaping from Pinkie's head to Spike's head, as they were originally from Twilight's head and stopped messing with Twilight when Twilight resolved the issue that was bugging her. They would have lied to Spike and made him suspicious and distrustful of Pinkie and Twilight for kicks and giggles.

I decided, of course, not to do that as it would a) turn the story from an emotional drama to a “we need to save our friends from the demons!” and b) it would have undercut the severity of Twilight's mental state in HVP if it turned out the voices were independent agents with their own agenda instead of products of Twilight's delusion (who were somehow able to transfer to Pinkie . . .)

Yeah . . . back in January, I was getting a pretty good steam rolling on this story . . . did Part 1 and Part 2 of the Finale, then to keep myself from running out of steam, I went to go work on “Unto This White Poison.” My plan was to get back to this story after “Unto,” but before I could get back to this story, my . . . life . . . kinda-sorta *imploded it on itself.*

You know, just a little bit. So I really couldn't work on stories for awhile. I fell sooo far behind on college work, its amazing I got through the semester without a complete F on everything.

But now! Now I'm on Summer Break and have the time for writing stories! And this one is complete! YAY!

Comments

[The Random Lord]

I love Twilight and Pinkie pairings its always cute
bravo good sir bravo

[Indeliblink]

It took me way too long to get around to reading this last chapter.

Another great story from you, and a very worthy sequel. Awesome work.

[Darkryt Orbinautz]

4591865

Well, she is shallow, although perhaps I may have taken it to an extreme.

All for the story, of course. And the story is (mostly) about Spike being miserable, and Rarity not forgiving him for a mistake makes him miserable, so I put two and two together and made ... fish!

[Darkryt Orbinautz]

7216211

There isn't one, really, but you know how Twilight gets. She doesn't want her relationship with Pinkie to go public just yet, and she thinks Spike's not mature enough to handle both secret-keeping and the fact that she's part of a same-sex couple.