A Single Spark

by Star Grazer

Reassessment

Another of these is far more profound,
And we take steps to understand where it will entail.

---

Now, I just have to give this bolt a quarter turn and... Oh, for Celestia's sake, not again! "Spike! I need you to bring down a crescent wrench!" The purple mare put her hooves to the ground, scooching out from underneath the contraption she was working on. Eventually, her assistant came down the steps, a crescent wrench held in one of his claws.

He was barely halfway down by the time the object he held took on a purple hue, tugging itself away from his grasp, and over to where his long-time companion was, only partially visible from under her device. The dragon soon came the rest of the way down, looking with perplexed eyes at the machine in front of him. "Uh, Twilight? What exactly is this supposed to be again?"

"Isn't it obvious, Spike? This is a miniature steam-based generator! I at least thought the release system would tip you off." Twilight shoved herself back underneath the generator, scanning the bottom to find the bolt she was working on earlier. "With it, I won't have to rely so much on Ponyville's power system for my experiments." Back to work then. Just a quarter turn... the wrench fit itself around the bolt, Twilight slowly turning it with her magic to get the configuration absolutely perfect.

"But where are you gonna get the steam for this thing?" The question was voiced at such a close distance that the mare flicked her head up in mild shock, banging it against the bottom of her machine, her wrench spinning wildly before grating to a halt as the bolt refused to turn any further.

There goes that attempt. Outwardly, she sighed and shot a look at Spike, who had stuck his head underneath the generator to look at her before speaking. "It doesn't run on steam, Spike. It heats water enough to make steam, building up pressure in a container in doing so, so when released the steam can push pistons, making energy. I'll be drawing from the water reservoir by the dam. I've already gotten permission from the mayor to attach it to the piping system under the library." She turned her attention back to the bolt, glaring at it before twisting the wrench the other way to loosen the confounding piece of metal.

"If you say so. I'm not going to mess with this thing." Spike stuck a claw in the general direction of the machine. With that, he pulled his head out from under said machine, and moved away. Twilight kept her attention riveted to her work, hardly noticing as the young dragon replied.

All right, let's see if I can get this right this time around... It took her nearly another half hour of work, but she finally managed to get the bolt on correctly. Satisfied, the mare shifted, finding another bolt to work on. Just as she brought the wrench up, however, her stomach growled, reminding her of just how long she had been working.

You've got to be kidding me... I've barely got anything done on this thing! Her stomach remained adamant, and she gave up, scooting her way out from underneath her work. As an afterthought, she laid the wrench down on the floor where she was sure that she could find it later. A quick trot up the stairs of her library, and a short distance across the main room later, she entered the makeshift kitchen that had come with the library she inherited.

Twilight opened up one of the cupboards, trying to find something that would allow her to continue working back down in the basement. After the perusal of her stores, however, she frowned. Great. Nothing's in here. "Spike! Can you go down to the marketplace for me and buy some food supplies?"

On the edge of her hearing, a sigh was heard, its source rather obvious. The individual in question popped his head into the room, Twilight turning around to face him. "I can't, remember? Today's Wednesday, and you're having me reorganize the library. Just like every other Wednesday." Twilight stared at him for a few seconds, before sighing herself.

"Fine, I'll just go out myself then." And rummage around the place to find my standard shopping list. Twilight hurried past Spike, barely giving him time to get out of the way. After a few minutes of rooting around the library, Twilight finally found a rather tattered piece of parchment, and unrolled it, glancing briefly at the dulled writing to confirm that it was what she wanted.

This looks about right. Don't know where else I'm going to see a list of "daffodils, daisies, and dandelions" around here. She looked around for a moment, before her magic came alive, floating over her saddlebags and placing the paper inside of it, rolled up to keep it from spilling out. After checking the other side of the saddlebag for her bit purse, she was on her way to the door. As she opened it, she turned her head around. "I'll see you later, Spike!" With that, she shut the door, and began her walk to the marketplace.

---

Well, that prank fell flat. Dash sighed as she fell onto the cloud, drooping her hooves over its edges and staring up into the sky. Never should have brought Pinks along. If she had stayed still... The mare rolled her eyes, flipping over to free her wings, giving a soft flap to push the cloud in the general direction of the center of Ponyville. After a while of drifting, she groaned, burying her head in the cloud. Sheesh, why does Ponyville have to be so boring half of the time? After a moment of watching the ground below, she slowly spun her cloud, drifting lazily towards the marketplace.

She let herself continue on this course, looking for something that was exciting enough to pull her down from her resting position. Eventually, she hovered over a large group of tents and stands, the noise of the marketplace reaching her ears. She scanned the ground, before she finally caught sight of two ponies she knew. Off to the side, both with filled saddlebags, were Fluttershy and Twilight, chatting with each other as they trotted away from their shopping trips.

Dash watched them for a few minutes, to make sure she wasn't noticed by either of them. Oh, this is just too perfect... The pegasus grinned, and slowly pushed her cloud lower.

---

"-and they even had the crisp lettuce that Angel bunny likes." Fluttershy paid no attention to the skies above, smiling gently at the mare at her side, who gave a nod in response to her question, a smile on her own muzzle.

"That's great Fluttershy! Hopefully he accepts it. We don't need another fiasco with Iron Will." Fluttershy's smile fell with that, along with her ears, prompting Twilight to wave a hoof slightly. "Don't worry about it, Fluttershy. We got past it, and I'm sure that Angel learned his lesson." At least, I hope he has. He'll be getting more than a firm talking to if not.

Even with the reassurance, Fluttershy still held her frown. "Oh, I'm not talking to anypony like Iron Will again. I don't want to be a monster ever again..." The mare gave a shudder, stopping as Twilight pulled her into a brief hug, waiting for her friend to continue walking before trotting alongside her.

"It won't happen again, Fluttershy. We'll all make sure of that."

"Or will it!" In front of them, the blue mare that had floated above them in waiting popped her head through the bottom of the cloud, her nose almost bumping with Fluttershy's, until the more timid of the two squeaked and jumped back, hiding her face behind her mane before recognizing the pegasus in front of her as Rainbow Dash. The mare in question had fallen from her perch, now on the ground and rolling on her back, racked with laughter.

Twilight huffed in response to the prank. "You just had to go and do that, didn't you, Dash? You could have, you know, said hi first like everypony else?" And swear never to fly again, I presume. Rainbow simply rolled her eyes as best she could as she laughed, finally calming down enough to actually answer.

"Oh, come on! that was just too perfect to pass up! Besides, Shy know's I'm only joking, right?" Dash turned her gaze back to Fluttershy, who nodded after a moment of hesitation.

"Um... I guess that I-"

"Great! See, Twi? Even Fluttershy's down with a good prank!" Rainbow puffed her chest proudly as Twilight simply stared at her. Finally, the purple mare sighed, bowing her head.

"Good for her, I guess." At least she didn't freak out too badly. Twilight lifted her head back up, smiling at the both of them. "Now, what were we talking about before Dash came in and interrupted?"

"Oh, um, it was about Angel Bunny." The shy pegasus turned away from them, beginning to trot towards her cottage, moving her attention back to them to make sure the two were following. "I hope you don't mind..." She frowned, slowing down just a bit as she lowered her head, casting her eyes downwards. "...but I have to go feed the animals now... Sorry..."

With a chuckle, Twilight waved a hoof as she stopped. "Oh, don't worry about it, Fluttershy. I should be getting back to the library anyways." Fluttershy nodded, giving a wave in return before flitting off slowly. "You know, I haven't asked in a while, Dash; how's Tank doing nowadays?" Twilight had her attention on the cyan pegasus beside her by the time Fluttershy had left their view, and she had adjusted her direction so that she was heading for the library, with Rainbow keeping alongside her.

"Him? He's doing fine. Broke his flyer-thingy last week when he crashed in a tree though." With that, Dash looked at Twilight, an eyebrow raised. "Mind fixing it for me? I don't think he likes being stuck on a cloud."

Twilight chuckled, and nodded, giving her friend a grin in return. "Of course! I made the thing in the first place, after all." After a moment, something came to her head, and she blinked. "Oh! Before I forget, Dash, the new Daring Do book came in a few days ago."

"What!?" Dash shot down, landing in front of the unicorn and gaping at her. "Why didn't you tell me!? That's like half the reason I even go to the library!" Twilight laughed, going around her friend and continuing on her way, the pegasus quickly following.

"Because I forgot, Dash, that's all. You know, if you came to the library more often, you'd have found out sooner." Behind her, Dash groaned, presumably burying her head in her hooves.

"But there's nothing to do there! I don't read any other books!" Twilight turned her head at that, raising an eyebrow, waiting for Dash to continue. "Oh, um, and hanging with you is fun too, when you're actually doing something other than reading." Rainbow chuckled with that, and Twilight rolled her eyes in response.

"Hmm. Tell you what, Dash. You visit me at the library more often to hang out and do stuff, and I'll make sure I'll put aside my reading and take notice. That way you have more to do than read the one and only series of book that you have interest in." With a grin, Twilight returned her attention back to where she was heading, not bothering to see Dash's reaction.

"Fine! But only if you let me know first time you see me about the new books, all right?" Twilight gave a nod, and Dash beamed, maneuvering herself back in front of Twilight. "Sweet! Now, how about that book?"

---

"See you later, Dash!" Twilight smiled, watching as the pegasus gave her a wave in response, the most recent in the Daring Do series held tightly against her chest as she zipped away. Twilight continued to watch her go, finally turning around and heading off to her kitchen to put her things away.

It's a good thing I convinced Dash to hang out more. I hardly ever get to see her, and it'll be a good way to get her to read more. She chuckled, her magic coming alive to help putting things away. After all, she'll get tired of Daring Do eventually.

Once finished that, she immediately turned back around, absently glancing out a window that happened to look out in the general direction of the cyan pegasus' house. It's not like I can go over to her place, after all. With a chuckle and a grin, she moved to the basement, back to the generator she had been working on earlier. Now, where'd that wrench go?

She took a step forward, before her hoof thudded against something unexpected. With a cry, Twilight fell to the floor, her eyes closed for a moment as she let the shock and adrenaline leave her system. Once she had calmed down, she opened her eyes, and stared blankly at what was in front of her. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me..."

Her eye twitched, and she continued to glare at the offending object before sighing in exasperation, and jumping to her hooves. "Forget it! I'm done for the night!" She stormed out of the basement, stopping to kick the wrench she had Spike bring down out of the way, the tool spinning off and clanking against a far wall.

However, barely out of the light and underneath a table, lay the crescent wrench Twilight had lost earlier, just the smallest sliver of its metal catching in the faint lighting of the basement, before even that went away as the irritated unicorn shut off the lights, slamming the door closed as she went to bed.

---

Author's Notes

This took way too long to write, and I deeply apologize for its lateness. I had planned to be done far earlier, but at least its out, right? I had a lot of stuff going on, and still do, so finding time between all of that and my own procrastination made writing this happen very far and few between.

Moving on, internal monologues! Actually had a chance to explore that, since I never really did that when there were multiple speakers, seeing as juggling the two isn't really my forte. But hopefully I did well, so feedback is appreciated!

As well, finally setting things up for TwiDash to really begin. With the two agreeing to do stuff more often without the interference of their friends, things'll be moving a little bit faster, albeit not by much.

Next on the list is reaching out more to you all. I'm sure many have you have noticed, but I'm not the greatest self-checker, and I'd really appreciate getting help with it, if any of you are willing. Just go ahead and shoot me a message saying you'd like to help, and run the new chapters by you for checking! Doesn't mean I won't go over it both before and after the checks, but it'll really help. Thanks!

But you all didn't seem to mind my lack of editing skills all too much, because I've hit over 100 likes! As well, I have nearly two hundred favorites on it! Thank you all for reading, and if you keep enjoying it, be sure to check in!

Comments

[Jarlax]

Good chapter! And I didn't notice any glaring editing mistakes, so your self-checking can't be all that bad.

[Tyek]

Good writing. I don't mind things progressing slowly. It makes their relationship feel more natural.

[Inane Antics]

1775115
I second this, also the fact that you're starting the story off with them having a platonic relationship. Most of the Mane 6 ships that I've read always start with one or both parties already having feelings for the other, or even if they start off platonic, it immediately jumps into their relationship. Keep up the good work!

[Ornby]

This is great, most stories progress way to fast without any real build up, but you seem to be doing things in a more realistic tempo
Wouldn't mind more frequent updates though (not complaining only hoping).

[SomeponyTheVectorer]

Definitely tracking this one! It's great so far.

[djthomp]

Silly Spike, you forgot to ask her how she intends to heat up the water. As the only resident fire breathing dragon that is probably something you're going to want to know about.

[Skeeter The Lurker]

Ahhhh.... The ol' reading at the library card. A tried and true TwiDash tactic. That and 'fixit' and so on.

Still appalled I forgot to fave this back then.

~Skeeter The Lurker