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Morphic Magic3,742 words
His "Brother"3,945 words
Things get complicated.3,118 words
Don't do it, bro!!1,339 words
Step one: Ask her out644 words
Step two: Take her out2,324 words
Milkshake2,239 words
New Plan1,827 words
It doesn't have to end here.1,689 words
BONUS CHAPTER: Three thousand years later.560 words
Idle thoughts1,749 words
Slip up3,333 words
Love and Lies2,142 words
Intervention2,836 words

His "Brother"

Sweetie Belle knocked on the door of the library again, slightly harder than she had before. Normally she would just walk inside but the mailbox, Hapless, had suggested to knock for some reason. Something about a sense of foreboding. The young unicorn was about to knock again but the door was opened before her hoof could make contact. Twilight began speaking before the door was fully open. "Hello, how can I-" Twilight paused when she saw the filly in front of her. "Oh, hello Sweetie Belle. What brings you here?"

"Hey, Twilight. I just wanted to ask you something." Sweetie Belle replied. "You see, the girls and I are having a sleepover at the boutique and-"

"A sleepover?" Twilight interrupted. "But Rarity is leaving for Manehatten. Who is going to supervise you fillies?"

"Oh that? Well Rarity said it was okay? She is a wonderful sister after all." The younger unicorn lied with a smile. Twilight looked Sweetie Belle over, not entirely believing her.

"So you wouldn't mind if I sent a letter to Rarity to confirm your story?" Twilight could see the alabaster unicorn stiffen at these words but she quickly relaxed and put on an expression of calm, which was eerily similar to Rarity's.

"Sure, go ahead. She'll say exactly what I said." Sweetie claimed. While she looked calm on the outside, Sweetie was freaking out. If Twilight actually did send a letter to her sister, she would be totally screwed. A few beads of sweat appeared on Sweetie Belle's forehead but fortunately Twilight hadn't noticed.

Twilight didn't break eye contact with Sweetie for several seconds but eventually lowered her head with a sigh. "I'm not a fan of leaving you fillies unsupervised but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt this time. Just so you know, I will be asking Rarity about this when she gets back." Sweetie relaxed slightly at this.

"So you're not going to send a letter?"

"Normally I would but Spike just left, so I can't."

"Oh, that's actually what I wanted to ask you about. Do you know when Spike will be back in Ponyville?"

"I just told you, he left." Twilight reminded her. "He'll probably be back later tonight."

"No, not Spike. I mean your cousin. The pony Spike, not the dragon Spike." Sweetie made some odd gesture that Twilight didn't recognise.

"I have a cousin?!" The alicorn said confused.

"Uh, yeah." Sweetie looked slightly puzzled. Twilight wasn't normally one to forget things. "Your cousin, Spike. Remember? I met him last month." Twilight tried to recall the event in question but she was coming up blank. She didn't think her parents had any siblings either so how could she possibly have a cousin. The alicorn normally had an amazing memory so why couldn't she remember something so recent? Twilight was sure she would remember having a cousin, especially if he had the same name as her number one assistant.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie. You must have the wrong po-" Twilight paused as something clicked in her mind. "Just out of curiosity, when exactly did you meet this cousin of mine?" She couldn't be sure but she had an inkling of who Sweetie might be talking about.

"Around a month ago. Just before you went of to Canterlot to deal with another catastrophe of some sort." The filly replied casually. World ending calamities seemed to happen so often these days. "Guessing it went well since we're all still here."

"Did this cousin of mine happen to have a purple coat and a green mane?"

"Shesh, Twilight. You're acting as if you never met your cousin before." Sweetie joked.

"Yeah, about that. The thing is the Spike you're talking about is actually..." Twilight tried to think of what to say next, but couldn't really think of anything. If Celestia found out she was using changeling magic unsupervised she would get in so much trouble, so she couldn't tell anyone the truth.

"Spike is actually what? He is your cousin right?" Sweetie interrupted Twilight's thoughts.

"Of course he is. I was going to say he actually is..." Twilight knew she was going to regret this but she couldn't think of anything else. "Actual in town again."

"He is!" Sweetie shouted excitedly. She quickly cleared her throat and spoke again calmly. "You wouldn't happen to know where he is... would you?" The filly asked hopefully.

"Sorry, but I don't. He just left and didn't tell me where he was going." Twilight confessed. "He could be anywhere."

"Oh, I see." Sweetie sighed, clearly disappointed. Twilight felt a little sorry for her part-time student.

"You know, if you you want, I could pass on a message for you." She offered, hoping to cheer Sweetie up.

"Nah, it's okay. I have to go anyways. The girls are probably waiting for me."

"Well, I won't keep you. Have fun with the sleepover, Sweetie, and don't worry. I won't tell Rarity." Twilight gave Sweetie a wink. "Just promise me you'll work extra hard on your magic for next week's lesson."

Sweetie nodded happily at Twilight. "Thank you Princess Twilight. I'll study hard, I promise."

"I'll hold you to it." Twilight flinched slightly at the word 'princess'. She didn't understand why everypony felt the need to use her title. "Now run along."

Sweetie Belle obeyed and ran in the direction of Sugarcube Corner, eager to meet back up with her friend. She didn't have to run far since Ponyville was a relatively small town and within minutes she was at the front of Sugarcube corner. Sweetie rushed inside and what she saw somehow didn't surprise her.

At the counter were her friends, buried beneath a monolithic pile of confectionary and savoury snacks. Pinkie Pie, the town's party pony, was zipping from various parts of the store collecting items to add to the pile, all the while listing off all the necessities for a sleepover. Sweetie Belle looked to Scootaloo, who was currently drowning in sugary goodness.

"What is it this time?" She droned, mostly used to the way Pinkie acted. "Did she challenge you to a sugar pile competition?" Scootaloo tried to dig her way out of the candy pile but with every hoof full of lollies she moved a bucket load would take its place. The trapped filly quickly gave up and groaned in frustration.

"How the heck does this town even have this much candy in it!?" She growled. "Where does she even keep it?" Pinkie stopped dropping candy onto the pile and looked between the mountain of sugar and Sweetie Belle.

"You know, she has a point. I've kinda been pulling all this out of nowhere. Where the hay am I supposed to put it all?" Pinkie waved her hooves around, gesturing to the shop in general. "There aren't enough containers!"

"Why are you making a pile in the first place?" Sweetie inquired.

"Well Scootaloo said you girls were having a sleepover and needed some yummy, delicious, fantastic, super-"

"She said all that?" The alabaster filly interrupted.

"I'm paraphrasing. Now where was I? Oh yes!" Pinkie bit a chunk out of the pile and swallowed it whole, wrappers included, before continuing. "-Tasty treats. She was like, 'We only have twenty-one bits. Got any suggestions?' and I was like, 'Let's see what we got' and she was like, 'Pinkie, stop! We're being crushed'. Those were the good old days." Pinkie sighed and looked out into the distance.

"That was literally five minutes ago!" Apple Bloom yelled from somewhere underneath Toffee Town, as previously named by Pinkie.

"I remember it like it was five minutes ago." The pink menace said wistfully before snapping back to reality. With a single hop she landed behind the counter and revealed her usual joyous grin. "So have you decided what you wanted?"

"I want out!" Scootaloo yelled in desperation which was accompanied by a groan of agreement from somewhere beneath Toffee Town which caused a candy quake. The town was decimated.

"Out? Never heard of that candy before..." Pinkie mumbled as she tapped her chin in thought as she tried to imaging what 'Out' would taste like.

"I think she means she wants to get out of the pile." Sweetie interrupted the allegedly insane mare.

"Well why didn't she say so~" Pinkie sung before she dived into the sugary mass. The pile wobbled like for several seconds as if made of jelly and from the remains of Toffee Town burst Pinkie holding one filly in each hoof. "Behold! I bear a gift for thee, my lord." Pinkie recited as she ceremoniously placed the two girls at in front of Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shook themselves off to remove whatever candy had stuck to them. Sweetie giggled at how much the action reminded of her of Winona, Applejack's dog, after a bath. Once all remains of sugar were gone from their coats Apple Bloom and Scootaloo turned to the mare that had trapped them, each sending her their own blank stare. Pinkie just stared back at them with an innocent smiled.

"So have you decided what you wanted?" Pinkie repeated.

"Ah don't think I want candy anymore." Apple Bloom answered.

"Yeah, I'm kind of reconsidering that diet thing." Scootaloo looked to the pile and shivered. "I'm gonna have to pass on the candy."

As these words left her lips the room suddenly grew darker. The shadows grew in size and the air became cold. Pinkie Pie had also changed. Her hair was now hanging limply and her eyes were cold as ice betraying no emotion at all. The three fillies looked to each other in concern having never seen Pinkie so stoic before. The three fillies felt a collective shiver run down their spines. They were so nervous that when Pinkie finally did speak they practically jumped out of their fur.

"Pass?" Her voice was flat and unusually grisly, betraying no emotion. "One does not simply pass on candy. No mare or colt has ever left this Temple of Taste without partaking of the food we provide. Do you dare to be the first, child?" She directed the question to Scootaloo.

"N-no..." She shook in fear. Since when did Pinkie become so sinister. The mare in question leaned forwards until she was only inches from the Scootaloo's face.

"Great! I'll pack your order." Pinkie change back to her former self so fast that when her hair curled it cracked like a whip. The room also returned to it's previous state as if someone had flipped a switch. Pinkie bounced behind the counter as if nothing had happened. "I don't really have anywhere to put all this, so I'll sell you it all for one cheap price. That'll be twenty-one bits. I'll deliver the pile after I'm done with work. Okay?"

The three fillies looked between each other with concern but ultimately they all came to the conclusion that every other pony did. It's Pinkie Pie. After quickly paying Pinkie for the food the cutie mark crusaders trotted towards the carousel boutique, eager to forget everything that had happened.

Spike kept looking behind him but whenever he would, they would quickly look away. He did know why but practically every mare in town kept staring at him. Normally he would appreciate the attention but this just felt weird. He could see them looking at him out the corner of his eyes but every time he went to look at them they would suddenly be busy with something else. One mare started sweeping the road in an attempt to look preoccupied. Who sweeps a dirt road!? At first he thought it was a coincidence but it was happening everywhere he went. Did they somehow know he wasn't an actual pony?!

Spike was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't even notice the mare coming up right behind him. Spike felt a light tap on his shoulder accompanied by a soft sounding voice.

"Excuse me, um, sir?" The voiced was high pitch and seemed quite nervous. Spike stopped walking and turned towards the voice. He didn't recognize the mare but he had recalled seeing her around town on occasion. She had a pale yellow coat and a raspberry mane with light raspberry streaks. Her mane was mildly unkempt but nowhere near as much as Rainbow's. Spike noticed her cutie mark was a rose.

"Can I help you?" Spike still hadn't gotten used to his new voice and was momentarily surprised by it.

"No-I mean yes, sorry. I-well the thing is, my friend over there." She pointed over to another mare who was hiding behind a menu at the local cafe across the road. He could see greyish blue fur and part of a aqua mane with what looked like a pink bow but he couldn't see the mare's face. "Well, she was just curious as to if you're busy tonight or something." The mare was slowly becoming more and more embarrassed and was slowly but surely turning redder and redder. "She thinks you're super cute."

"Oh..." Spike had not been expecting that. He wasn't really sure how to respond. This was definitely a new experience for him. "I'm kinda on the way t-" The mare sensing his answer quickly interrupted.

"Please! She kinda needs cheering up right now. Just have a chat to her and you'll see. She's super nice and lots of fun." Spike didn't want to waste time he could be spending hanging out with Rarity but he was really bad a rejecting ponies, especially if they were upset. Spike sighed internally. Curse my kind nature.

"I guess I could talk to her but I'm sort of in a hurry." The mare beamed and grabbed him by his hoof, all but pulling him over to her friend. Spike felt rather embarrassed about being dragged across the street and felt his cheeks redden.

The Ponyville cafe was much like the other building in Ponyville except for the fact that it's timbers were painted green. Outside it had tables shaped to look like mushrooms with hay bales for seats. The table Spike was being dragged to had three bales with two on one side and one on the opposite side. The mare leg go of his hoof and jumped in the chair next to her friend and gestured to the seat across from them. Spike smiled and sat down.

The mare behind the menu slowly lowered her paper shield and gave Spike a small smile but quickly looked away and blushed. The pony that dragged him there rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I guess I'm doing the introductions. My name is Roseluck. This here," She tapped her friend on the withers. "is Flitter. She's not normally this shy so just bear with her for now. Flitter, this is... I'm sorry, I don't think I grabbed you name."

"My name's Spike. Nice to meet you two." Spike nodded to each of them in turn.

"So Spike." Flitter mumbled. "You're a new pony in town, aren't you?"

"H-how did you know that?!" Spike gasped. She was on to him. Game over, bro!

"Because Pinkie hasn't thrown a party for you yet." Roseluck replied casually. "She's the town's resident party planner in case you didn't know. Although I find it hard to believe she hasn't found you yet." Flitter nudged Rose's foreleg and hissed something in her ear. "Why can't you ask him?!" Roseluck protested.

"Why do I have to ask him?" Flitter spoke is a harsh whisper.

"Because you're the one who wants it!" Rose argued.

"Listen, girls. I'm in a really big hurry. I'll talk to you later." Spike slowly got up from his seat and walked away. The two mares were too busy arguing that they didn't even see him leave.

"But you're better with talking than me." Flitter whined.

"I've already got a stallion for estrus, you need to get one yourself... where'd he go?" Rose froze. She quickly scanned the cafe but Spike was nowhere to be seen. "See! Now you took too long and he freaked out!"

"So when do you think she will bring the candy over?" Sweetie squeaked in excitement.

"I don't know and I don't care, I'm not having candy for at least a week." Scootaloo growled. Apple Bloom nodded her agreement. As far as she was concerned, her diet was starting that day.

"You say that now but I bet you that when it actually gets here you'll both change your minds." Sweetie predicted.

"Says you. You try being buried under a tonne of sugar." Scootaloo huffed through Sweetie Belle's pillow. The three fillies were lounging in Sweetie's room with Scootaloo having taken up the bed and Apple Bloom lying across her desk leaving Sweetie Belle to rest on the floor.

"Not to ruin the mood or anything but what exactly do you do at a sleepover?" Scootaloo rolled over so that she was on her back and stretched her wings, sighing in relief as her joints popped.

"Well, when Applejack had a sleepover with Twi they did makeovers and stuff. We could try doing that." Apple Bloom Proposed.

"Seriously? You know who you're talking to right? I can't have a makeover if I'm trying to be like Rainbow Dash." The young pegasus threw her hooves in the air. "What if she found out I wasn't totally awesome like her?"

"You do know that Rainbow goes to the spa regularly, right? Practically everypony knows." Sweetie Belle pointed out. "There's nothing wrong with relaxing."

"S-she goes to the spa?!" Scootaloo's jaw dropped at the revelation. "B-b-but Rainbow only does cool stuff... Wow she goes to the spa... Maybe the spa isn't so lame after all." Both her friends rolled her eyes at Scootaloo.

"You are such a confo... comfrom. Darn ah forgot the word." Apple Bloom slapped the ground with her right hoof.

"Conformist." Sweetie reminded her friend.

"Yeah, that! I thought a fangirl like you would have known. You practically stalk her as it is." Apple Bloom said.

"Hey, it's harder than you think to follow her. Especially with these wings." The orange pegasus fluttered her stunted wings to emphasise.

"There's nothing wrong with your wings, Scoots. Twilight just said you're developing late, remember. Just give it time. I'll probably get my magic working properly at the same time." Sweetie smiled to her pegasus friend.

"Yeah, you're probably right. I-" Scootaloo paused when she heard the front door's bell ring. "Didn't you close the door?"

"Nah. I left it unlocked for Pinkie." Sweetie jumped to her hooves and went to the door. "I'll just tell her to dump it in the foyer. You girls wait here."

"Way ahead of you." Scootaloo yawned as she dropped her head heavily onto the pillows. Apple Bloom mimicked her but forgot she lacked any cushioning and smacked her head into the floorboards. The unicorn filly remained silent for a few moments before groaning in pain.

Sweetie skipped out of the room, not bothering to close the door. Sweetie quickly trotted down the stairs, eager to feast on the candy they had bought but stopped when she saw somepony she didn't recognise. Or did she? She couldn't remember but the pony looked oddly familiar. A purple stallion with a green untidy mane was looking at some of the outfits fitted onto the ponyquins Rarity had placed around the shop. He was currently inspecting a dress that Rarity has completed the day before which was placed next to the shops window, so his back was to her.

"Hello? Can I help you?" Sweetie said.

"Oh hey, Sweetie. I'm just looking for Rarity." The stallion didn't turn to face her but kept on looking at the dress. The voice sounded oddly familiar for some reason.

"My sister isn't here right now. She's off in Manehatten but you can leave any orders or questions with me." Sweetie recited what her sister had taught her to say for when she wasn't around. It was annoying to have to remember the line but at least she didn't have to do any actual work. The stallion turned to face her and frowned.

"Oh, that sucks. When will she be back?" She noticed the stallion had two small fangs sticking out of his mouth, one on each side. It kind of make him look like a vampony.

"I'm not sure. Why? Do you have business with her?" Sweetie inquired, curious as to who this pony was.

"Not really. I just wanted to say hi. Anyway, thanks for your time." The stallion turned to leave but something caught Sweetie's attention.

"Wait!" She blurted out before she could stop herself. The stallion froze in his tracks, surprised by the sudden outburst. "Your cutie mark." The stallion twisted his head and looked at his rear. He hadn't really paid it much attention. Emblazoned on his flank was a scrolled being enveloped in emerald flames.

"What about it?" He looked back to her with a mildly confused expression.

"I've seen somepony with the exact same one." Sweetie took a few small steps towards the pony. "He looked just like you, too." The stallion looked around nervously, avoiding the advancing filly's gaze.

"I'm sure you're mistaken."

"No I am not! I never forget a cutie mark. I remember seeing his and it looks just like this one." The stallion took a step back, accidentally knocking over the ponyquin he had been looking at. "How come you have Spike's cutiemark?"

"Oh that? Well-" Spike began.

"You also look just like him too?" Sweetie looked the stallion over. "Are you his dad?"

"What?! No. Of course I'm not his dad." Spike recoiled. Mostly out of surprise. Him being his own dad? That was out of the question... and imposible.

"So what, are you his brother or something? Why else would you look exactly like Spike." Spike couldn't think of any excuses or way out of this. Either Celestia had it out for him or he had the worst luck in Equestria. Wait, Brother? Could that work? Spike went over the options he had. He could either run and look like a total weirdo or pretend to be his own brother...

"Um... yes?" Spike responded, sounded confused at his own answer.

"So you're Spike's brother?" Sweetie looked unconvinced. "That would explain your looks but how the hay do you have his cutie mark."

"Just lucky I guess." Spike shrugged, all but giving up on thinking of excuses. "It's not impossible. You and your friends got the same cutie mark." The stallion pointed out.

Sweetie gave her flank a quick glance before returning her attention to the stallion. "Point taken." The young mare admitted. "So if you're here, then where is your brother?" Sweetie looked behind the stallion from both sides, somehow expecting the young colt to be behind him.

"He isn't here." Spike announced the obvious.

"I can see that. Where in town is he?" Sweetie rephrased.

"I'm already regretting this." Spike groaned under his breath. "I already told you, he isn't here. At all."

"But Twilight said he left the library not long ago. Spike must be somewhere in town if she said that."

"My name is Spike." Spike could practically see the gears turning in Sweetie's head as she tried to think about what he had said.

"Your parents gave you both the same name! Why the hay would they do that?" She had been expecting the cute colt from last month. Why did the universe have to smash her hopes in the dirt.

"I don't really have time to explai-" The sound of the door's bell interupted him followed by an arristocratic voice.

"Sweetie Belle! I'm home~" Rarity sung out.

Author's Note:

I'm going to be completely honest. I forgot about the story for a few days. That's why it took a bit too upload.
Well, for some reason Rarity is home early! MUAHAHAHAHA!!
How shall I torment these ponies next?
This chapter was surprisingly random. I apologize for nothing.