1. Friendship Report
Twilight yawned and took another sip of coffee as she wrote another line on the parchment in front of her. “Hmm, what do you think Spike? Would it be easier to justify friendship as a fundamental need if I quote the work done by Maslow Longmane? It’s a little dated, but so much more approachable.”
She began to chew on the end of the feather she was writing with, breaking the spine in the process. Spike was used to listening to Twilight talk to herself as she worked, and knew that the question was rhetorical. He pulled out another quill and walked over to the desk, holding it up for her out of habit. Her aura grabbed the quill without thinking as she got back to writing.
The desk was covered in layers of parchment and reference materials. Two candles had already melted down to the base, with a third nearly burnt out. Puffy sacks had formed under Twilight’s eyes as she strained to continue reading and writing in the dim light.
“Thank you, Spike.” Twilight crossed out a line and blew on the ink to help it dry more quickly. She resumed her writing while flipping through a book in search of just the right analogy to use.
He watched her work, recognizing the book she held open in the air. He had read it a couple of months ago while Twilight and her friends were off having an adventure. Spike had always taken his role as her assistant seriously, and wanted to be up to date in case the day came where Twilight’s questions began to be of a less rhetorical nature.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine, Twilight! After all, isn’t this like your tenth draft of the report?” Spike asked.
“Actually it’s my fifthteenth, this report is going to the leaders of all our neighboring kingdoms to express the importance of friendship and cooperation! It has to be perfect Spike!”
Spike began to read his comic again, following along with the adventures of his favorite super heroes. He couldn’t help but wonder if the Power Ponies had basic needs, or if the writers were content for them to be nothing more but masked vigilantes whose only desire was to stop the villain of the week every issue.
The scratching noise of quill along parchment began to slow down, catching Spike’s attention. He put a claw between the pages of his comics and closed it, intently watching the pony write. It was late at night, the moon already approaching the horizon to set. At about this time every night that Twilight tried to cram in a little more work, she would pass out at the desk.
It was another part of the duo’s routine, a part Twilight didn’t know about. As her quill stopped moving it fell silently to the desk, followed with a soft thud as Twilight passed out on top of the letter. She began to snore softly and drool onto the parchment, smearing the wet ink.
Spike smiled and got up, ready to do his part as her number one assistant. He got a fresh candle out, a few extra quills, and a little coffee for himself. Once he had set it all up on the desk he pulled a few books over to sit on.
“Hmm, Maslow’s hierarchy? That could work,” Spike mused. He began writing the report for Twilight, starting at the page she had left off on. He had gotten very good at mimicking the quill strokes and style of Twilight’s writing over the years.
Her drool was slowly seeping into the paper, so he quickly copied everything Twilight had written. Spike then began to go off on his own, explaining how friendship was the cornerstone of the fundamental 3rd step in the hierarchy.
“Yes, that works. Without friendship, there is no foundation for self-esteem—” Spike froze as Twilight twitched and stopped snoring. She didn’t wake up, instead scratching at an ear before going back into a steady rhythm of snoring.
Spike resumed his writing, making his way through several pages as he addressed concerns that had been raised by various diplomats from the other kingdoms. He lost track of time, only realizing his candle had burned out when the streaming rays of sunshine from the window began to get in his eyes. He finished up the paper with a compelling conclusion, leaving space for Twilight to sign at the end of the page.
He stood up, joints popping and cracking as he stretched. Spike straightened up the papers and cleaned up his mess, leaving the completed report on friendship next to Twilight, but far enough away to avoid the puddle of drool.
“There we go, another friendship disaster averted.” Spike jumped off the table, ignoring the comics strewn about his bed from when he was reading earlier. It made Spike feel great to have helped out, even if Twilight never realized it. He climbed into his basket and was out like a light.
Twilight heard a knocking noise, and jerked awake. “Who’s there?” she mumbled. A loud yawn escaped as she flexed her legs and wings, reaching with her magic and fumbling with the door handle until it opened.
Starlight Glimmer walked in. “Good morning, Twilight. I hope you don’t mind, but I didn’t see Spike this morning so I brought you some coffee. Don’t you have to deliver a report soon? Wouldn’t want you over-sleeping!”
She got out of her chair and walked towards Starlight, taking the coffee in her magic and quickly emptying the cup. She was feeling much better already before the caffeine had even taken effect. “Ah, thanks Starlight.” She looked over at Spike. “I guess he was up late reading comics again and couldn’t start the coffee this morning.”
Twilight levitated the stack of papers from the desk over and quickly glanced over them. A quill soon joined the parchments in mid-air, and she signed the last page. “Thank Celestia I was able to finish my report before I passed out last night.”
“You always seem to be barely finishing reports, maybe I could help?” Starlight asked.
“Oh, thank you, but me and Spike have a system. He really likes to stay up and help while I write,” Twilight responded. “It sure does tucker him out though, so we’ll let him sleep in.”
Starlight opened the door and let Twilight walk through, glancing back at Spike. There was something in his bed with him. Starlight picked it up with her magic, recognizing the quill and the dried ink on the tip. She floated it over and dropped it in the jar on the desk, then walked out and closed the door.
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Desks are terrible pillows.
8847614
but are more comfortable than keyboards
That is adorable!
A very cute story that I don't really have a hard time imagening to actually happened between the two of them.
This gives me an explanation for how half Twilight's things are just on time.
Adorable! I love the idea of Spike helping Twilight.
I like this. I wanted to start with that, so I don't give the wrong impression. I'm a huge fan of Spike's and Twilight's relationship, and this was a nice, well written and edited example of that.
However, it does fall into one of the extremes that I often see in writing about Spike. Stories either have Spike as this amazing character who's great at everything, or they portray him as a complete joke (or ignore him entirely). While this is far, FAR, from the worst example I've ever seen of the former, it does fall into that trap.
Again, I liked the story. I'm a sucker for stuff like this. But I don't feel that Spike would really be able to write a report like that.
Kid's got a bright future. Good job, I enjoyed this.
This is a very good one-shot. I am glad that Spike takes care of Twilight.
That’s a nice twist to their relationship. I found this quite delightful
Good premise, but isn't Spike also the one who doesn't know how to spell "precipice", "threshold", and "imperative"?
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Thanks, I wanted to write something based off a thought I had that there could be more to their relationship than even Twilight realizes.
8847737
I agree, when I get around to working on a longer story I'd like to explore their relationship in a more feasible way, where he's neither useless or unbelievably useful. I think everyone can relate to helping out and doing the right thing and never getting recognized, and that seems to be how Spike's usually handled. I like the idea of Spike learning to draw satisfaction from the acts and not the rewards of helping out.
8847713
And a reason why Twilight hasn't gone Lesson Zero again, Spike is always a voice of reason in the show when Twilight imagines a catastrophe resulting from every tiny thing she doesn't do "perfect".
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Thanks!
8847614
And pillows are terrible desks.
8847645
Anything is a bed if you're tired enough.
8847897
All an elaborate act to throw Twilight off so she can save face in front of the other Princess's
What if Spike goes Graffiti painting?
8847937
Spike the graffiti artist strikes again, a national terror to Equestria... who paints hyper-realistic human nudes on buildings at night.
Poor guy doesn't even get the credit and he's still happy with it.
Element of Humility. That's my boy.
Spike is the real MVP!
Good story!
It's good to see Spike's hard work appreciated for once.
(But maybe this cover would look a bit better... and it's bigger, too.)
By the way: You are currently second place in the feature box while having 95 likes and 0 dislikes.
Sounds like you did everything right.
Edit: You got your first dislike, but now you are even at the top of the feature list.
Imagine when Twilight finally becomes a Princess with real political power, Spike will be next to her, redacting decrees as the (benevolent) power behind the throne, shaping Equestria's destiny....
...and nopony besides Starlight Glimmer will ever know it
8847993
Or spray-paint a certain pony's house who a speciest about having a school with all creatures.
But . . .
SHE'LL NEVER KNOW!
I tend to think of Spike as the sort of character that gives 100% when he's helping a friend regardless of whether or not he receives any appreciation or credit. This story somewhat captures that image. However, the idea that Spike, on a regular basis, waits until after Twilight exhausts herself to the point of collapse to step in and demonstrate a greater effort comes off as a little disingenuous.
That said, this was well written, and got me thinking on the nature of Twilight and Spike's relationship far more than most of the one shot Spike themed stories I've seen (and far more than is probably healthy).
A nice little story to start off a Saturday. 👍 Though, perhaps sometime Twilight will learn how much Spike does for her? PLZ? She always seems to take him for granted.
Dreadnought
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A bright future as a ghostwriter! Really, how many of those books by celebrities and politicians these days are actually written by them?
Dreadnought
obs.line-scdn.net/0m019ad3261b6d0130606e7a447a2c37243d65666976137f1b137b3d392b796a396962613673303c0f3f7d66356a/w644
I like the idea of Spike finishing Twilights work when she passes out. Would love to see how she would react if she woke up and saw that happening though. Either way, I like this story.
Edit: Though now that I think about it, you think Twilight would realize that some of that stuff that is on the paper she didn't write. Though I guess you do forget stuff when you are extremely tired like that. I know I have.
8848630
Probably not though, probably something a lot happier for everypony.
That would take so much effort to constantly do that for Twilight and not get caught.
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Princess Spike, the real ruler of Equestria. Has a nice ring to it.
8848604
That pony was such a dick. He doesn't even get reformed he just makes racist threats to the rulers of Equestria and leaves. And that's the pony they let run the entire Equestrian school system.
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It'd be interesting to decide what she'd do if she found out. Maybe she knew all along and lets him do it to teach him altruism? Or she's actually a big fat phony and Spike is real Princess of Friendship.
Aha! So cute and adorable. Spike is definitely still her #1 assistant. Of course, this would imply that he can forge Twilight's signature just about anywhere! Uh oh
You can always count on Spike.
Good story.
8849212
OIL
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You're forgetting that Twilight has already appointed him the new Element of Loyalty!
Dreadnought
This wasn'T as emotional as I expected and that was the only thing I thought would be good in that short one-shot.
It maybe isn't bad but also nothing special to me sorry.
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You'll notice that her signature was the one thing Spike didn't put on that report...
Wonderful
Spike, the surprisingly well-educated dragon!
orig00.deviantart.net/a30d/f/2017/055/2/7/fashionably_resting_by_hillbe-db0abdt.jpg
Cute. I like this new headcanon!
I can tell there's a little rust, but it's still a really nice read.
Nice, short and sweet. But we now need a squeal where Twilight realizes what Spike did, like when he's not around or something.
Love
This was really sweet, I like that Spike seems to think of Twilight's work as a team effort. He relaxes and passes her the occasional quill or whatever and when she can't continue Spike picks up the baton and finishes the race, so to speak.
May I have permission to do a reading of your story?
Good, but could be better.
8853355
Yes that's fine.
Aww... this was cute in so many ways. I approve, especially of Spike the number one assistant!
Gosh, Twilight, why are you so oblivious? All Starlight had to do was look in Spike's direction to see the quill.
Ah, well. It was cute and fuzzy. I will give you one like.
A really solid fic, if a bit telly. I love the way you pictured Twilight and Spike's relationship.
Kaiden, even her B material beats most of the site's short fics
This was short and sweet
Nice short and sweet. I gotta say this was really good and fun to read. I am a huge lover of Twilight’s and Spike‘s Relationship with each other. And I think this captured that perfectly. Loved it