Chapter 59: Plans...
Spike startled when Twilight finished her impassioned speech, and realization dawned on him.
"...Say that again but slower."
He couldn't see her expression given his focus, but he had to imagine it was half-confusion half-bemusement. Befusion?
"Um. This is an advancement that po-"
He started swiping through his character sheet, looking for the information he was thinking of while waving at Twilight with his other claw.
"The bit before that! Sorry."
"Oh! The two of you helped me achieve a lifelong goal?"
There it was. The dropdown with his Title option. Option singular, apart from just being The Gamer.
[Number One Assistant]
You gain a special sense of what others need to achieve their goals.
All benefits of your aid and assistance are increased significantly.
WARNING: Simple acts of kindness can have far-reaching repercussions.
He could have stressed over this internally before telling anypony else about it, but... Why? He had a pair of friends right here, and two more heads meant two more sources of insight. It wasn't like hiding it would really help him any.
So Spike explained both what he found, and his theory as to what happened: His title wasn't just giving him passive benefits all the time. It had activated in some way, likely impacting his ideas on what the best gems to pair with the food would be.
"Well hold on now, that's not the right way to think about it."
"Do tell! I mean, we're all pretty equally in the dark here. But maybe you're seeing a section of the room that's not lit up for me?"
Twilight rolled her eyes at his choice in metaphor before carrying on regardless.
"I doubt it changed your ideas or your thoughts. It seems significantly more probable that it just changed the association between the gem and the food! Nothing I've been able to find implies that your ‘Dragon's Kitchen’ is drawing from known magical correspondences for these stones. So if your engine is making it all up as it goes? What's to stop it from making it up on the fly, in accordance with other abilities like your titles? It helped me achieve a personal goal, after all..."
"Helping us achieve two goals, actually! I really super-duper wanted this new dessert to impress you both, so I deffo wouldn't be surprised if it counted me too."
"And if the effect was working twice, that would explain the severity! And not just the severity of the magical implications. Seriously, that was easily one of the best desserts I've ever eaten in my life. And since I've known Pinkie for four years now, and spent most of my life before that as Celestia's student in Canterlot..."
"Compliment taken with gustatory gusto, Twily!"
The questionably-titular mare in question went pale.
"Please no. It's bad enough Shining keeps calling me that, we've got to put a moratorium on the nicknames before they get out of control."
"I think what we really need to worry about controlling is the 'far-reaching repercussions' I'm being warned about here. I mean the nicknames thing too, that's a slippery slope, but in terms of urgency... Maybe this is a bigger issue?"
Pinkie bounced over to him on her hoof-tips and slung a foreleg around his shoulder.
"Maybe not! Trust me Spike: Pretty much any act of kindness can have 'far-reaching repercussions', even ones that aren't backed by weird Gamer magic. And if anypony would know, it'd be me!"
He leaned into her half-hug and thought about that for a minute.
"...You know what? You're right. There's no more harm in leaving it on than taking it off: Either I might have my kind acts come back to bite me at extra strength, or I give up the ability to help somepony I otherwise couldn't. I'll take the chance of consequences over the risk of failure."
Twilight looked over the two of them with a smile.
"Does that mean we can get back on schedule?"
"Sure, sure: Game party first, or party party?"
"The second one: It's mostly just going to be logistics and preparation, list-making. The actual mechanical Party is going to be the bigger deal in its way, and we've got all afternoon ahead of us."
"Woohoo! So what's the occasion?"
His (*word) was wearing a faint blush, but apart from a bit of pacing she kept her composure.
"I'd prefer not to say at the moment: Just think of it as one of our normal weekly get-togethers with the girls, but moreso!"
"Awww, so it's not gonna be a party to celebrate you and Celestia boinking?"
Aaaaand there went the composure! She hadn't even been at a light canter when Pinkie replied, but she still managed a perfect ninety-degree faceplant. Twilight went straight into the floor as if she'd been running at top speed. Before she even started recovering she was already blushing.
"P-pinkie! What. WHAT. No, I-"
"Oh come on Twilight, I know you were probably trying to save it for a surprise but... Pinkie Sense is still very much a thing! I got a lot of twitch-a-twitches yesterday that meant a good friend was getting laid. A bunch of times. And the timing didn't line up for anypony else I'm close with, so... I just sort of did the mental math!"
At this point Twilight had managed to get back up onto her haunches, and Spike had already pulled away from the not-a-hug to check that she wasn't hurt. All clear there: Ponies were remarkably squishy when it came down to it. That meant these slapstick injuries never seemed to, well, stick.
"...Assuming I believe you have a dedicated Sense combo for that, why would you kno- I mean, think it was Celestia?"
The excitable earth pony rolled her eyes at that.
"It's super duper obvious that you've been crushing on her for forever! You couldn't be any hotter for teacher unless you burst into flames. Again. And hay, you never did tell me how you did that!"
Twilight brushed Spike away so she could bury her face in her hooves uninterrupted, clearly making an effort not to freak out too hard. He kept the claw on her back, rubbing in little circles until her breathing levelled out: You got used to this kind of thing growing up in the Sparkle household.
"A-alright. OK. It's fine! You know already and that's fine: Great even! This just means we can plan the party without me trying to coyly talk around the specific details, right? Right."
Pinkie looked a little abashed, but it was pretty clear to her and Spike alike that Twilight was just... going a little above and beyond, right now: Nothing to be worried about. Just worry for worry's sake.
"Exaaaactly~! And nopony else needs to know until you're ready to tell them: I didn't say anything to Spike yesterday because I couldn't spoil the surprise for him! So I super-duper Pinkie Promise I won't allow for even a tiny bit of bean spillage between now and... When are we doing this?"
Twilight straightened up and cleared her throat.
"I was thinking we could... overlap it with our usual weekly hangout? Short notice and all that, try not to disrupt schedules too badly."
"I dunno, this seems like a perfect opportunity for a little disruption!"
"Pinkie, most of the time when I have to interrupt you girls' schedule it involves the impending destruction of Equestria."
"...Point!"
Spike took the opportunity to butt in with his own (admittedly biased) perspective.
"If we wait for the get-together, I can make time to tell all the others about the whole Gamer thing earlier in the week. That way, we can dedicate the whole party to delivering your big news without me weirding anypony out beforehand! Which will also mean I'd probably have time to come up with a full course of gem-infused food to celebrate..."
Twilight and Pinkie were both clearly thinking back to the quality of their lunch (and in Twilight's case, breakfast) before they nodded.
"Deal. Pinkie, I don't say this lightly... I want to be surprised."
There was a lot of blinking all around at that declaration.
"What I mean is, I'm going to leave the actual party preparation entirely in your capable hooves. I'll make sure the main floor of the Library is cleaned, available, and closed early in time for you to come over day-of. And it sounds like Spike will be handling the refreshments."
Pinkie's smile went wide as a mile at that, and she nodded rapidly.
"Okie doki loki! Sounds like a plausible prep plan pursuant to a purple pony party par perfection!"
Twilight got back up on her own four hooves and shook off the flurry of alliteration before heading downstairs. Given the chance alone with Pinkie, Spike just had one thing on his mind...
"Should I even ask what the Pinkie Sense combo was for... uh, the way you found out?"
"Mane tug, hoof jiggle, tail lift, wink, wink!"
"You only winked once just now."
Her eyelids dipped low and she looked at him with a salacious smile.
"Did I? Or did I?"
She bounded down the stairs giggling, and Spike tried very hard not to watch as she went.
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Oh my...
If it wasn't obvious before that Pinkie was trying to flirt with Spike...
Oh Crud. Spikes got Taxis Ability.
What was that distribute stats etc to teh game party?. He gains it from tutoring, lecture or otherwise training another to work or help in a supervisory way in themselves? What would this imply if he managed to get Angel to agree to help him with the Pet Sitting?
Pinkie and Twilight are two different viewpoints, giving reinforcing exponential? Would that suggest that groupe learning the same solution to a problem would be linear or even log? Wonder just how many different problems can be solved with teh same single solution, and just how big a Boom that would lead to?
Well, I have a solution that I dont know what problem it fixes sir, but Im pretty sure in the future you will be able to tax it. I call it electricity.
That ending... wow.
Also, that was a good reminder of his title. I had forgotten about it entirely. Besides being the Master of Jack of All Trades, Spike is really starting to look like a powerhouse support build. He's got buffs for days.
its a new and never seen before (for me) shipping, i strangely want this ship to sail. great work as usual, even better i think, i don't know why but this chapter was a breath of fresh air in my day. ^^
Seems to be missing a word describing Twilight here...
This chapter amazing as always, every way the characters act is awesome and so fleshed our I love it
10372731
yes... Spike hasn't decided on one yet
10372731
It's a running gag that Equish itself is missing the word.
Since the tail lift came right before the winks, I think we can conclude that the first wink is the one Spike didn't see. One from each end, and with her tail subconsciously being raised like that and following with that...special kind of wink equine females have and what it's associated with, best hope no stallions saw it. They'd get the wrong idea and then Pinkie would start getting offers to 'scratch her itch' for hee.
This is honestly a great read and better than most of the gamer fics I've read. Pretty unique and enjoyable for a concept that's beaten into the ground by several edgy teens. Also all the ponies seem to be pretty "in character". Really love the subtle(?) hint at possible Spike x Pinkie
No she didn't.
Green light, GREEN LIGHT! Go, Spike, GO! You get that pretty, pink, pony!!!
Great chapter!
Well if it wasn’t obvious before, it is now. Spike has definitely fallen for the pink party pony, I honestly say I can ship it, more so as it seems mutual.
10373207
INQUISITOR, THE MEN REQUIRE A PRAYER SESSION.
wait, so this entire exchange, up to Twilight's faceplant
I am confused as to who is speaking.
...If I ever get sent to Equestria, should I just avoid Pinkie altogether?
Took me a second to figure out that wasn't something somehow left over from editing.
Also, Pinkie flirting HARD with Spike. Love it.
It took a second, but i got that joke at the end. Hoo man! (And nothing more will be said on the topic)
Very nice chapter, a good slice of life, planning, and moment of reprieve.
I look forward to the next.
10373408
The first line is tagged as Twilight speaking.
The second line is the only even remotely unclear one, and is Spike speaking: After all, he's the only one with any authority related to forming Parties using the system.
The third line is clearly Twilight from content, context (since it's directly responding to the second line, which was aimed at Twlight), and speech patterns: It could theoretically be Spike but he has no reason to reply to himself, and it makes no sense for it to be Pinkie.
Speaking of which, the final line is extremely obviously Pinkie: Neither Spike nor Twilight is exactly the "woohoo" type.
10373810
Got it, thanks. I am very used to the old adage of there generally being two characters doing a back and forth if there's no dialogue tags, and wasn't sure when the switch happened.
10373540
that entirely depends on your level of sanity/self confidence/ perspective of the multiverse as a whole
10373540
Short of avoiding Ponyville, that's probably impossible. Of course, unless you're okay with constant monster attacks, you were probably avoiding Ponyville anyway.
This expanded explanation for what Number One Assistant can potentially do is interesting. Depending on the scope what we're working with, I could see an argument for farming Spike out as an lab assistant for people working on important potential research breakthroughs. Or go wild with it, have him go work with some crackpot who's working on cold fusion.
Then again, all of the above could still be Twilight.
Absolut badass end for Pinkie Pie ♡
sweet mommas monkies
...pinkie be HAWT!
10372564
I'd say her flirting increased due to her interest in Spike actually actively grew during the previous and this day. At the start of the book it was barely anything above the close friendship, but when she saw his mature form later that day that affection started to leaning toward infatuation and infatuation awoke the desire now. Well, at the bare minimum considering all this took a single day, but it did.
SHIP!
10490116
I actually think it's been going on for quite a bit longer. She did have a blush when Spike offered to give her the Ticket, for one. There's also the reaction she had when Spike mentioned his talk with Rarity... she tried to hide it, but it showed anyway. I think she's been crushing on Spike for a good while now.
She's openly flirting with him now because she's now aware that the coast is clear. As long as there was a chance Rarity or Spike might be interested in each other that way - she wouldn't interfere with her friends, because she's the kind of pony that (as put in another story) is "good with silent unhappy". But now?
And I want to see more and more of this romance develop, because I have a feeling that Pinkie happily working to make someone that important to her happy would probably be a thing to behold... We already know that she's made of heart when it comes to helping others, and even more so when it comes to friends (and this is debatable, since I'd wager she considers everyone her friend - some she just haven't met yet)... How far would she go for a lover?
Winking without blinking