Diamonds are a girl's worst enemy

by Rarity Belle

Act 3 chapter 8

The doctor had left the room and Spike had moved himself out of the chair. He walked towards the bed of Twilight. The dragon never left his guard down near her and calmly stroked over her other forehoof. It may not have seemed like much, but the head of the mare had turned itself into his direction. To him it was a sign that she actually had enough knowledge of the world to know that Spike was close to her. It was something that truly comforted the dragon as he released a smile of joy and never stopped his motions.

Hours he would have sat there while stroking the hoof of Twilight. Just to have her fur going through his talons was a feeling that couldn't be matched by much in the world. His mother laid there, the very mare who had raised and educated him. He was a teen-aged dragon and could be pain in the ass sometimes, but his heart still remained on the right place. As it always had been.

The scene was calm and oddly pleasant for the dragon. He had even moved a chair near the bed to place himself in before slowly losing a grip of the world itself. The dragon himself leaned against his mother’s head and they gently touched one another. Sweet words and memories were whispered in by Spike which sometimes actually caused him to chuckle softly before a shake was given with his head. It were genuine moments of both happiness as well as comfort. It was odd for Spike actually, but he liked it a lot more than he thought he would have.

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In the meantime and back in Ponyville had Sweetie Belle come back home from school. She dropped her saddlebags in the hallway just like any other day. “Mom, you seen Rarity today?” the young mare asked to her mother. Pearl was busy in the kitchen when she heard the question. It was something that caused her to raise an eyebrow at first. She hadn’t expected the question at all.

Yet then there was a little realization that went through her mind. Everything was dropped or put away for a moment. She then made over to the hallway. The sheer bafflement upon her face was something that Sweetie Belle hadn't seen in a very long time. “Something wrong, mom?” she dared to ask. Somehow the young mare knew that it would be trouble that laid upon the horizon and she could only pray it wasn't her doing. Or perhaps Rarity had gone on yet another trip of hers? She just didn't knew.

“It’s odd, I haven’t seen her either actually. Usually she comes by for whatever reason, but I haven’t seen her,” commented Pearl. Then her eyes assumed a gaze of infinity within them. “Perhaps she had to leave for another trip of hers, you know things are going within the fashion world right?”

Sweetie knew how harsh and late the world of fashion could have been. All thanks to the words her sister spilled upon the matter, but that soon after a trip, she just couldn't believe it. That, or she didn't wanted to believe it. “Don’t mind it too much Sweetie, I’m certain she will be back in a couple of days.” Pearl tried to reassure her youngest daughter the best she could. Then she gave her daughter a small ruffle through the mane and a warm smile.

The young mare giggled softly before she hurried herself up to her room in order to begin upon the assigned homework and close the day off. A thing that many more ponies would be doing. Though perhaps the truth hidden from the family was a lot better than knowing the madness in which their older daughter and sister had fallen into.

Then again, the knife is known to slice on more than just one side.

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Back in Canterlot had Spike almost fallen asleep next to Twilight when the door finally opened up again. His eyes sprung open and darted all over the place before they finally found the right spot. In the door opening itself stood the figure that would be making the final decision. Nopony else then the mentor of Twilight herself had arrived: princess Celestia herself.

Spike smiled a little bit before he spoke his words in whispers. “I’m glad that you could have come, princess.” The princess herself appeared without any of her royal attire nor was her mane or tail flowing with essence. It was one of those few times in which she just was casual. And casual was just about what was needed in the situation.

The mare closed the door behind her. She walked over to the bed and calmly signaled Spike to stop his stroking. The two of them had words to exchange and they perhaps wouldn't have been the easiest to explain. Spike himself stood up from the chair after having given Twilight a small kiss upon the forehead.

“The call seemed urgent but I also happened to be in a meeting I couldn't get out of, which explains my delay. Spike, could you tell me the exact reason of why you called me here, your note was… poorly written,” said Celestia to him. She pulled a bit of an odd face towards the dragon. Clearly she wasn't used to see him writing that poorly as he did in that letter.

“It’s, it’s easy explained. I had to write it while holding the parchment in my hand,” explained Spike. All of the sudden did of the puzzle pieces fell upon the right places for Celestia. “But, the thing is that, the doctors here want to amputate Twilight’s leg and replace it with a gem prosthetic. You can already see, where the problems arise.”

It was a matter that only deepened the mental strain on the princess her thoughts. But she still had to be completely honest in the matter. “I do see where it is able to lead to I’m afraid. Perhaps it’s something that can be worked around with though. You…”

Before she could speak any further word, Spike interrupted her with a nod. “I can kick myself off of those gems to prevent any harm from happening,” he said. Then they both looked over to the body of the mare. Twilight laid there so peacefully, so unaware of the world itself.

“Do you have any idea as to how this possibly could have ever happened?” Celestia then asked of him. It was the question that needed to be answered at one point in time for certain yet also happened to be the one question in which Spike didn't have any form of answer to.

The dragon hung his head before he gently shook it with closed eyes. “I wish I knew it, princess. But when I found her, there was nothing that I could have done, nor was there anything I saw that could have caused it, outside of a busted door. Maybe she stumbled, but I don’t think that.”

“No, Twilight stumbling down the stairs, I don’t see that happening either, not at this age at least. But I presume you want me to take the final decision on the matter? Whether or not it should be done?” Celestia then spoke to him. Her tone was one filled with sympathy. She knew the massive decision that Spike stood for and she began even to question herself if she could do it in his shoes.

Spike simply gave a nod without a sound before the moral debate opened up within the princess. Silence had taken the both of them over for the time being. They both thought about what was the best thing for Twilight, although they both did knew exactly what the answer would be.

“Spike, would be so kind to inform the doctor’s to prepare an operation room? The procedure shall be done.” It felt like a nail was being struck into the wood of a coffin for the dragon, but if it was the only way, so it had to be done. He left the room for what it was and it gave Celestia the time to do something rather unorthodox. Looking straight into the memories of her protégé. Or at least, that was the thing she actually considered doing.

“Whatever must have happened to you, my sparkling star?” Celestia questioned her student.