Twilight opened the front door to her house then closed the door. She walked into the living room. I guess everyone's already out doing their own thing. Oh well. She looked out the sliding-glass window to see Spike chasing squirrels. "Spike!" She called out as she opened the window. "I'm home!"
"Welcome back!" Spike said, wagging his tail as he ran towards her. "How did it go?"
"Wellll...it's a pretty long story." Twilight said, smiling. "But I'm pretty sure you wouldn't mind hearing the whole thing. I should warn you, though, there's going to be a lot to take in."
"I'm all ears!" Spike said.
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"Wow..." Spike said, his eyes wide. "You weren't kidding. That was a lot to take in."
"Indeed." Twilight said, adjusting her glasses. "Here's the picture Sunset made." She said as she reached into her pocket and unfolded a piece of paper, then showed it to Spike.
"Woah." Spike said in awe, his eyes even wider than before. "I've never seen anything like it! How does she do that?"
Twilight smiled. "I know, right? But enough about that. How about you and I hang out like I promised yesterday?" She said, grinning.
Spike grinned in return. "I thought you'd never ask!" He said. "What did you have in mind?"
"How about a little bit of frisbee?" Twilight said, smiling.
"Aw, yeah! I'm ready!" Spike said excitedly.
Twilight ran over to the shed and grabbed a frisbee, then threw it. Spike ran and caught the frisbee, and the two went back and forth for about an hour, then Spike started to slow down.
"Okay...Twilight." Spike said, trying to catch his breath. "I think I'm frisbeed out at the moment."
Twilight giggled. "Okay, fair enough." She cupped her chin in thought. "So what now? Do you have any ideas?"
"I wouldn't mind taking a rest for a few minutes. I think I might be out of shape." Spike said.
Twilight shrugged. "Okay, I guess it's up to me to think of something then." She closed her eyes and concentrated, but ended up thinking back to her date with Timber from the previous night. Thinking about everything she had told him, and how it made her feel. She sighed contentedly.
"Twilight?" Spike said, snapping her out of her daydreaming. "Are you okay? You look kinda funny."
Twilight blushed. "Sorry about that, my mind just sorta drifted off there. Thanks for bringing me back."
Spike smiled. "No problem. You can take your time, we've got plenty of it!"
"Hmm..." Twilight went back to thinking of other things for her and Spike to do. There were so many options, so she whittled down the options on a mental list until she came to one choice. "Aha!" She said excitedly. "Spike, maybe you can help me with something that's been bothering me!"
"Sounds good to me." Spike said. "What's been bothering you?"
"Well, I spent pretty much all night working on an equation that drove me absolutely crazy! I could use an extra pair of eyes." Twilight said.
Spike blinked. "Uh...Twilight? I may be a dog that can talk, but I'm nowhere near as smart as you are. How could I possibly help?"
Twilight smiled. "I'm flattered, Spike, but sometimes even the smartest of us could use a Number One Assistant."
Spike smiled. "Well now I'm flattered. I'll help you in any way that I can."
"Excellent." Twilight said, "To the lab!"
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Twilight brought Spike into her lab, and she took a deep breath then exhaled. "Ahh." She said contently, "I love the smell of science in the morning. It smells like victory!" She grinned widely as she donned goggles.
Spike smiled and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, science is cool." He admitted.
"You're damn right it is." Twilight said as she put goggles on Spike. "Now, we science!" She picked Spike up and directed his eyes to the board with the equation she wrote. "So, what do you make of this?"
Spike stared at the board for a few moments, then sighed. "Just like I thought, Twilight." He said, defeated. "All of that is way over my head."
"Eh." Twilight said with a shrug. "I figured it was at least worth a shot."
"So what do we do now?" Asked Spike.
"Well, I could just do some wet chemistry. That helps clear my head just a bit." Twilight said.
Spike gave the dog equivalent of a shrug. "All right then. Whatever helps." He said.
Twilight ran around her lab, grabbing test tubes and beakers of all sorts, then grabbed random liquids from her fume hood. She put the liquids in the test tubes and beakers and began her work.
Spike backed up a bit. "Wait." He said, feeling nervous. "From what I remember you telling me before I could talk, didn't you say this sort of thing is dangerous?"
Twilight looked at Spike and smiled. "Yes, but not if done correctly or by a professional." She said. "I may not be a professional, but I always take the necessary precautions and I wouldn't dare do this if I wasn't sure of my abilities."
"If you say so..." Spike said, still feeling a bit uneasy.
"Don't worry, Spike." Twilight said, walking over to him. "I assure you I know what I'm doing. Besides, these chemicals aren't life-threatening. I may be confident in myself, but there's no way I'm going to handle something hazardous this close to home."
Spike sighed. "Just...please be careful, okay?"
Twilight gave her dog a hug. "Don't worry. I promise I'll be careful." She said, then broke the hug and went back to her work. Moments had passed, and everything was in full swing.
"Geez, Twilight, what's that smell?!" Spike said, covering his nose.
"Sorry about that, Spike. Wet chemistry doesn't exactly smell like roses." Twilight said, smiling sheepishly.
"You don't say." Spike said sarcastically. He continued to watch Twilight as she went about inspecting the liquids and making notes until she stopped mid-stride. Her jaw dropped along with the pen and clipboard in her hands. She gasped.
"Is everything okay, Twilight?" Spike asked.
"It's better than okay, Spike." Twilight said as she began to smile. "I know what I've been missing in my equation!" She ran over to the board and frantically wrote down numbers.
Spike's ears perked up as he heard a slight rumble. He looked around the lab and noticed one of the beakers shaking violently. "Uh, Twilight..." He said, trying to get her attention. No such luck, she's really in the zone. He ran over to her get her attention when the beaker exploded. "Twilight!" He shouted, running as fast as he could, then jumped in front of her. The explosion startled Twilight, and she turned around to see Spike on the floor limping a little. "Ow. Ow. Ow." Spike said.
Twilight gasped. "Oh my god! Spike, are you okay?" She channeled her geode powers to shut everything off and put everything back where they belonged. When she finished, she leaned down to Spike.
"I...I think so. Ow." Spike said.
Twilight gave Spike a quick once-over and noticed that his left paw was bleeding slightly. She gasped again as she began to fully understand the events that just transpired. "Oh, crap!" She said, putting a hand to her mouth. "We need to get you to the vet, now." Tears were forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry this happened, Spike...I should have listened to you!"
"Twilight, calm down. It's just a scratch." Spike said, then winced.
"No, it's not. I think your left paw has a shard of glass in it. We need to get going!" Twilight said as she picked him up and ran to the car.
Twilight reached her car, then set Spike down on the passenger seat and buckled him in. "Stay there, I'm getting a band-aid!" She said, and hurried over to the bathroom to grab a bandage. She grabbed one, then ran back to the car. "Okay, hold still for a minute." She said, applying the bandage to Spike's injury.
Twilight got into the driver's seat, then revved the engine. "All right, let's book it!" She said, feeling panicked. She tore out of the driveway, creating skid marks on the way out.
"Uh...Twilight?" Spike said as he looked up at her. Twilight's eyes were wide and tear-filled. Her lips were open, revealing her clenched teeth. Sweat droplets were visible on her forehead, and thanks to his sensitive hearing, her could tell she was nearly hyperventilating. "Twilight?" If she heard him, Twilight gave no indication. She was in a full-blown panic.
Goddammit, goddammit, goddammit! This is all my fault! I knew I should have finished that equation the night before, but did I listen to myself? Noooooo! Twilight admonished herself. Because of me, Spike's been injured! I'm never, ever going to do wet chemistry again! She fought back tears. She needed to be focused! She had to get there in time.
Spike sighed, then winced in pain. "Twilight." He tried again, but to no avail. Her eyes were firmly locked on the road in front of her. He'd probably have better luck once they'd reach a stoplight. He decided to wait until then.
Twilight's mind was frantically racing as she hurried to get to the animal hospital, her adrenaline being powered by the guilt she felt. She thought she heard a voice call out her name, but she ignored it. Getting Spike the help he needed was the only priority she had. She thought she heard her name again, but she continued to ignore it as she sped towards her destination. The next sound she heard sent a chill down her spine: A police siren.
Twilight snapped out of her trance and drove over to the shoulder, suddenly understanding the situation she was in. If she wasn't hyperventilating before, she most certainly was now. She stopped the car, but her grip on the steering wheel was that of a vice. She sniffled, realizing that her fight against her tears was now a war of attrition. With great effort, she took her hands off of the steering wheel, then reached into her pocket for her wallet, knowing all too well what was coming.
"License and registration." The police officer said. Twilight wordlessly handed them over, still holding back tears. "You do realize that you were speeding and that you passed a couple of red lights, correct?" Twilight nodded, not willing to face the officer. Sensing something was amiss, the officer asked. "Ma'am? Is everything okay?" In that instant, Twilight lost her inner battle and broke. She laid her head on the steering wheel as she cried out all the fear, the frustration and the guilt that held sway over her. The officer slowly put her hand on Twilight's shoulder in an effort to calm her down.
Surprised, Twilight quickly turned her head, startling the officer. "I'm...I'm sorry. I've had a rough morning. I accidentally injured my dog and I want to get him to the animal hospital." She said between sobs. "I got distracted for one stupid moment, and it's all my fault! And to top it all off, now I'm getting my first speeding ticket!" She continued to sob, hitting her head on the horn which caused the car to honk. The police officer and Spike jumped, startled by the horn. The officer sighed, and waited for Twilight to calm down.
After a few minutes, Twilight finally calmed down. She sighed heavily, then looked at the officer. "I'm sorry you had to see that. Like I said, it's been a rough morning." She made a sputtering noise. "Okay, I'll take the ticket. I was in kind of a panic there."
The officer gave Twilight a sympathetic look. "Well, ma'am, since this is only your first offense, I'm going to let you off with a warning."
Twilight breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Thank you, officer. I'll try to keep my cool next time. I've been so seriously stressed out lately." She smiled sincerely.
"As long as you've learned your lesson and don't make the same mistake. Then I'll have to write you up." The officer said. "Have a good day, ma'am." The officer gave Twilight her license and registration back, then returned to her car.
Twilight wiped a tear from her eyes, then turned to look at Spike. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you sooner. I was just so freaked out, and I feel responsible for your injury." She said, sighing again.
"It's okay, Twilight. I get that you're worried about me, and I totally appreciate it." Spike said, smiling. "Besides, this paw?" He said, raising his injured paw, flinching. "Ow. Okay, probably shouldn't do that again." He said, smiling sheepishly. "Anyway, my point is that it wasn't your fault, and I don't blame you for it. I just did what any of your friends would have done in that situation. I'd rather it be me with the glass in my paw than you with glass anywhere on your body."
Twilight started to tear up again. "Oh, Spike. You're the best dog a girl could ever, ever ask for." She said, hugging him carefully. "When we get home I'm going to give a treat as thanks." She smiled.
"That sounds like a plan to me." Spike said. "Now how about we head on over to the animal hospital? I don't want this shard in my paw forever, you know." He said with a grin, then another wince of pain.
Twilight smiled warmly. "Yeah. Thanks, Spike. I feel much better."
Spike smiled back. "Glad I could help."
"Now let me help you. Twilight said as she started up the engine. "Hang in there, we'll be there soon enough."
Twilight carried Spike into the animal hospital, then got him registered. She sat down and took a deep breath, attempting to clam herself down. Spike looked up at Twilight. "Hey." He said, wincing. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm stable...for now." Twilight said, taking another deep breath. "But forget about me. What about you?" She gave Spike an apprehensive expression.
Spike winced again, then said "Well if I'm being honest, it hurts like a bitch." Twilight's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed into a glare. Spike responded by rolling his eyes. "Oh, come on." He put his good front paw to his forehead in frustration. "It's a dog pun! I'm trying to lighten up the mood here. Besides, you and I both know you've said far worse yourself."
Twilight sighed and lowered her shoulders, forcing herself to relax. "Sorry. I guess I'm still feeling a little tense here."
"I totally understand. I'm not exactly hunky-dory myself, as you've noticed." Spike said. "But don't worry." He gave Twilight a reassuring smile. "This may hurt now, but this isn't the worst thing that could have happened to me. You got me here as fast as you could, and everything's going to be just fine." He licked her hand.
Twilight sighed, and finally calmed down. "Thanks, Spike. I really needed to hear that." She gently pet his head.
Spike winced again. "Glad to help." He smiled.
As she waited for her turn, she yet again had her thoughts drift to Timber and her date...wait, she thought it was a date. Twice? First her actions during the 'hangout', and now this? What on earth has gotten into her?
"Twilight Sparkle?" The receptionist called out, snapping her to attention. "Head over to Dr. Fauna's office. She'll be ready for you shortly."
"Well." Twilight said, picking Spike up. "Time for the moment of truth."
Spike looked up at Twilight and raised an eyebrow. "I think Rarity's starting to rub off on you. That was a bit overdramatic, don't you think?"
Twilight smiled. "Maybe it was, but I just want to get this over with. Shall we?"
"Is there any other option?" Spike said with a smirk.
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Twilight and Spike entered Dr. Fauna's office to wait for the vet.
"So..." Twilight said, trying to keep any silence at bay. "Are you nervous, Spike?"
"Of course I am." Spike said. "But what I said still stands. Everything is going to be okay."
The door opened up to admit Dr. Fauna. "Twilight Sparkle? Spike?" Twilight and Spike looked up at her. "I'm Dr. Fauna." She said, introducing herself. "What seems to be the problem?"
"Well." Twilight said quietly, still ashamed of the accident at the lab. "Spike here was unfortunate enough to be near an...accident involving glass, and he got some stuck in his paw." She gestured to Spike's injured paw.
"I see." Dr. Fauna said. "How long has it been since the accident?" She asked.
Twilight cupped her chin in thought. "Not all that long. As soon as it happened I gave him the bandage and drove straight here."
Dr. Fauna walked over to Spike. "I'm going to need to see the wound." She said.
Twilight frowned. "Hold still, Spike. This might hurt." She counted down from three, then ripped the bandage off, causing Spike to yelp and Twilight to wince out of guilt.
Dr. Fauna examined to cut closely. "Hm." She said. "There may still be time." She grabbed a medium-sized paper cup and filled it partway with water. She grabbed some baking soda from the cabinet and added it to the water.
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Why is there baking soda at an animal hospital?" She asked.
"Well, Twilight, you'd be surprised how often people come in with their pets after an accident involving glass." Dr. Fauna said as she stirred the baking powder and water into a mixture. "You always have to be prepared for this sort of thing." She said with a smile. "Hold still, Spike. This will only hurt for a moment." She applied the mixture to the wound and Spike winced. "Twilight?" She said, gaining her attention. "Could you please get me a bandage?" Twilight went to the first-aid kit and took out a bandage. She handed it over to Dr. Fauna. Dr. Fauna then set the bandage on the baking soda mixture affixed to Spike's injured paw. "There!" Dr. Fauna said. "Just leave that be until tomorrow and the glass should be easy to pick out."
Twilight smiled. "Thank you, Dr. Fauna!" She picked Spike up
Dr. Fauna smiled back. "You're quite welcome, Twilight. Stay safe out there, Spike!" She waved the two goodbye as Spike barked his thanks.
Twilight and Spike exited the building and made their way to the parking lot. Upon reaching her car, Twilight's jaw dropped. She nearly lost her grip on Spike, but quickly tightened it. Her shocked expression slowly morphed into frustration. "Are you fucking kidding me?!" She shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. She glared at the parking ticket that was left on her car's windshield.
Spike looked up at Twilight in amusement, then quickly averted his gaze once he saw the sheer fury in her eyes. As much as I want to say "I told you so" about the whole swearing thing, I value my life more than that. He thought.
Twilight sighed heavily as she took the ticket off of the car's windshield, then pocketed it. She grumbled under her breath as she gently set Spike down onto the passenger seat and buckled him up. She then entered on the driver side and started the engine.
"Uh...Twilight?" Spike asked as she started the engine. "Are you going to be okay?"
Twilight took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "First, you get injured in an accident that was all my fault. Second, I get pulled over for speeding. And now I have a freaking parking ticket!" She said, using her fingers on a free hand to count all that had befallen her so far. "What did I do to deserve all of this?!" She said, exasperated.
"Hey, now." Spike said. "Everybody has one of those days, and they make it out alive."
Twilight sighed. "Great. So you're telling me this is going to be one of those days, huh?" She made a sputtering noise. "I could've told you that." She said bitterly.
"I think you're missing my point here, Twilight." Spike said. "I'm just saying that no matter what else happens today, you'll survive. I mean, how many life-threatening situations have you been in with the girls? Weren't those adventures far worse than what you're going through right now?"
Twilight smiled. "Thanks, Spike. I feel better hearing that. I think I'd be lost without you." She said.
Spike smiled back. "Hey, I'm just happy to help. And thank you for getting me the help I needed."
Twilight used a free hand to gently pet Spike on the head. "You're welcome. It's the least I can do for you, after all." She said, smiling as she got into the driveway. Once she reached the garage, she noticed her parents were home from the neighborhood watch meeting. She got out of the car and unbuckled Spike's seat belt, then gently put him on the ground. She opened the door to reveal her parents.
"Twilight." Night Light said. "Could you explain to me why there's skid marks on the driveway?"
Twilight swallowed nervously, then sighed. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. "Look...Mom. Dad." She said, putting a hand to her forehead. "I've had kind of a crazy day. After I got back from the mall, I played frisbee with Spike. Then I figured 'hey, maybe Spike can help me with the equation from last night that nearly drove me insane!'"
Twilight's mother gave her a skeptical look. "But you're the only one in the family who even has any idea what those equations mean, honey."
"Hey, you never know when a 'Eureka!' moment will hit you, and I thought it'd come sooner with someone else in my lab." Twilight said, then looked away from her parents. "It eventually came, though, but the timing was...less than stellar." She said, her voice small.
Night Light noticed the bandage on Spike's paw as he limped towards him. "Twilight?" He said in surprise, "What happened?"
Twilight continued to look away, her guilt from the accident slowly returning. "I decided to do some wet chemistry to clear my head. That, unfortunately, was when my 'Eureka!' moment decided to strike." She sighed heavily. "I rushed over to the board with the thoughts fresh in my head, then before I knew it..." She trailed off, feeling a lump in her throat. "One of my beakers exploded, and Spike jumped in front of me. Once I realized that some of the glass got stuck in his paw, I shut everything off in my lab, then panicked."
Night Light and Twilight Velvet stared at their daughter in shock. Twilight Sparkle couldn't bring herself to look her parents in the eye. She sniffled, but continued regardless. "I sped over to the animal hospital, which is what caused the skid marks on the driveway. I got so caught up in my freak-out that I didn't realize I was speeding and passing up red lights!"
Before her parents could respond, Twilight continued. "I'm thanking my lucky stars that the police officer that pulled me over let me off with a warning! I made it to the animal hospital in enough time for Dr. Fauna to properly treat Spike." She gestured to the bandage. "It can come off tomorrow, so you don't have to worry too much."
"Twilight." Night Light said.
"Please, dad, let me finish. I really need to get everything off of my chest!" Twilight said, surprising her parents. "So you know what happened when I got to the car?" Both her parents shook their heads. "I was blessed with a freaking parking ticket!" She shouted, flailing her arms and panting once she finished.
"Hey now, sweetie..." Twilight Velvet said, giving her daughter a hug. "That sounds like a rough day."
Twilight returned the hug. "You know, all this freaking out has made me hungry. What's dinner look like tonight?"
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For Twilight Sparkle, dinner and the rest of the evening with her family had been uneventful in comparison with the rest of the day. She had just changed into her pajamas after taking a long, hot shower and yet again reflecting on her hectic day as well as Timber. She sighed heavily and laid in her bed with her glasses still on. She made a sputtering noise and stared up at the ceiling.
Maybe I should just call him to ease my mind. Twilight thought as she grabbed her phone and dialed Timber. She felt her heart beat slightly faster, but that was nothing new. That always happens around him when they're on a date-hangout! She meant hangout! Seriously, what is her deal?
Timber answered the phone, snapping Twilight out of her reverie. "Twilight?" He asked. "What's up?"
Twilight sighed heavily, forcing herself to calm down. "I just had one of the longest days of my life, and I figure talking to you about it would help."
"Well tell me all about it. I'm all ears, Twilight." He said. Twilight felt her face heat up at the sound of his voice.
Twilight took a deep breath. "Well, last night I struggled with an equation I started. I ended up getting frustrated, so I gave up on it in the middle of the night." She sighed. "That decision ended up getting Spike injured, which caused me to get so freaked out that I sped and ran who knows how many red lights! I'm just grateful that the officer that pulled me over was willing to be lenient!"
Timber made a hissing noise through his teeth.
Twilight put her hand to her forehead. "Tell me about it. Thankfully, Spike's okay. I got there in enough time for a proper treatment. But after that, I went back outside to find that I got a parking ticket!" She made a frustrated noise. "Seriously, what did I do to deserve such a crappy day?!"
"Nothing." Timber said. "I'm sorry you had such a rough day, Twilight. But you got out of it okay, and that's all that matters."
Twilight giggled. "I know." She sighed again. "Thanks for listening, I really needed your ears."
"Glad I could help." Timber said. "Anything else?"
Something in Twilight broke once she heard those words. "Yes...actually. You've been on my mind practically all day, not to mention most of the time since I've known you." Her eyes widened as she realized what she was saying, but her mouth kept running. "You're kind, you're funny. You're so incredibly supportive when I need it. I just wanted to hear your voice so very badly tonight. Timber Spruce...I love you." She immediately gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Before Timber could respond, Twilight hung up in a panic, then swiftly sent him a text.
I need some time to think I'll get back to you later - Sent by Twilight Sparkle
Twilight turned off her phone completely, embarrassed out of her mind. She took a deep breath, then screamed into her pillow for as long as she could manage before nearly passing out. Still embarrassed, yet marginally feeling better, Twilight took her glasses off and put them on the nightstand. She stared up at the ceiling until she fell asleep.
Twilight opened her eyes to find herself in her lab. She was in the middle of a very important experiment, and nothing could distract her. Not even that small explosion behind her. Wait...explosion? She looked in the direction from which she heard the explosion. On the floor of her lab, she found Spike lying unconscious in a pool of blood. Twilight shrieked, then picked up Spike's limp body to discover there were several shards of glass stuck in his stomach.
Letting her adrenaline take control, Twilight ran to the garage and strapped Spike in. She sped out of the driveway, causing the tires of her car to make a screeching noise. She didn't care what happened right now, as long as Spike got the treatment he needed. A siren interrupted Twilight's thoughts, and she brought the car over to the shoulder. She began to hyperventilate as the police officer walked up to the car.
"License and registration, ma'am." The officer said. Twilight reluctantly handed them over and sighed. Much to her surprise, the officer returned almost instantly. "Ma'am, you need to step out of the car. Now."
Twilight blinked in surprise, and fear began to strengthen its hold on her. Deciding not to anger the officer, she complied. "W-w-w-w-what did I do?" She asked, her voice trembling.
"You are under arrest for reckless endangerment, animal abuse, and speeding." The officer said with a hint of anger as he slapped a pair of handcuffs on her.
"What?!" Twilight all but screamed. "B-b-b-but I was speeding to get Spike some help!" She said as tears fell from her eyes. She heard a car pull up just behind her.
"We'll get Spike the help he needs." Night Light said as he exited the car. "And after that, we're taking him back to the shelter. You're not fit to take care of him if you're getting him caught in lab accidents!"
Twilight Velvet got of the car, and fixed her daughter with a look of sadness. "I thought you loved Spike, Twilight! How could you do that to him?!" She sniffled. "I thought you knew better than that..." She looked away. "I can't even look you in the eyes right now, Twilight Sparkle!"
"I didn't mean for that to happen, mom!" Twilight Sparkle said, sobbing. "Please! Give me another chance, I never wanted to hurt Spike, it was an accident!"
"Your mother and I don't want to take that chance, Twilight." Night Light said. "Because apparently we care about Spike more than you." He looked to the police officer. "Take her away. Please." He said, tears in his eyes.
As Twilight was taken away, she became inconsolable. Why was this happening to her? She never meant to hurt anybody! She'd always been such a good person, even if she was slightly awkward from time to time. Before she knew it, she found herself in a jail cell and in prison clothes.
Still crying, she buried her head in her pillow. A thought suddenly occurred to her. Her parents may have abandoned her, but she still had her friends!
"Miss Sparkle? You have some visitors." A prison guard said. She was escorted to a room where Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Sunset Shimmer, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were waiting for her.
Twilight's eyes lit up. There was hope! Then her hope was crushed as soon as she noticed that Pinkie's hair was completely flat, and all of her friends had expressions varying from sadness, anger, shame, and disappointment.
Fluttershy was the first to speak up. "Twilight. How could you?" She said, tears in her eyes. "I never thought you were capable of harming someone as sweet and adorable as Spike." She sniffled. "I don't know if I can ever be friends with you anymore..." She burst into tears, then ran out of the room, bawling.
Rainbow Dash banged her fist on the wall, grunting in anger. "What the hell, Twi? Spike has never been anything but awesome to you, and this is how you treat him?! It makes me wonder how you'll treat us at some point." She said, gesturing to the remainder of Twilight's friends in the room. "I just can't believe you..." She said, throwing her hands up in frustration. "I'm going to calm Fluttershy down." She said, then stopped just short of the door. "I hope you rot for what you did." Rainbow Dash slammed the door shut.
Pinkie Pie slowly walked over to Twilight and sighed heavily. "I...I can't even speak to you." She said quietly, then trudged away and left the room.
Rarity walked up to Twilight and glared at her for a moment, then slapped her on the cheek. Hard. "That was for Spike." She said, quaking in fury. She left the room, but not before a sniffle and a sob escaped her mouth.
Applejack simply stared at Twilight, disappointment on her face. She slowly shook her head, then took off her hat and covered her face with it as she left the room.
Sunset Shimmer stood motionless in the center of the room, staring at Twilight in disbelief. Tears began streaming down her face as she approached Twilight. "I don't even know you anymore...and I don't want to. Goodbye, Twilight." She said, then left.
Before Twilight had any time to take in all that had just happened, one more person had entered the room: Timber Spruce.
"T...Timber?" Twilight said, holding back the tears that had welled up from the actions and words of her friends. "Please get me out of here...I...I've done nothing wrong!"
Timber crossed his arms and glared at Twilight. "Twilight...after everything we've been through, how could you lie to me like that? I saw the shape you left Spike in! If that's the way you treat someone you care about, I can only imagine how you'll treat me!" He said angrily.
"But that was an accident, Timber!" Twilight said, on the verge of a breakdown. "I would never hurt Spike, he means too much to me! And I definitely wouldn't hurt you..." She trailed off, then steeled herself. "I wouldn't hurt you because I love you."
Timber continued to glare at Twilight. "Do you? If you truly loved me, you wouldn't have suddenly hung up on me. You would have waited for me to respond! Which, by the way, is this: I could never love you if you act this way to everyone you supposedly care about! We're through, Twilight Sparkle!" He shouted, then slammed the door.
Twilight stood in shock for several moments, then slowly laid down on the floor. She felt empty. Hollow. Her heart had been completely shattered, and she didn't even have the will to cry. She simply existed now, a mere shell of a person. Alone. Just as she had been when she was still a student at Crystal Prep. She was only vaguely aware of six other presences, but nothing mattered anymore. She just closed her eyes, feeling numb...
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Twilight woke up, and the events of the dream caught up with her almost immediately. She ran over to her bedroom door and opened it. With the last bit of willpower she could muster, she called Spike. Several moments later, he appeared at her door.
"Hey, Twilight." Spike said, "What's wro-" Twilight grabbed him, then hugged him tightly and burst into tears as her knees buckled and she collapsed on the floor. Although confused at first, Spike returned the hug. "Hey...hey now, I'm okay." He said in a comforting tone. "I'm okay, and everything's going to be fine, Twilight." He licked Twilight's wrist a couple of times, then stopped and waited for her to calm down.
A few minutes later, Twilight shuddered as she cried the last of her tears. "Thank you, Spike...I love you and I will never, ever hurt you again." She whispered.
"I know you won't." Spike said. "But remember, what happened yesterday was an accident. Speaking of which..." He said, holding up his bandaged paw. Twilight smiled, and removed the bandage. The paste that Dr. Fauna created had extracted the glass shard from Spike's paw. "There." He said. "Good as new."
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. "That's a huge weight off of my chest." She got off of the floor. "Speaking of which..." She said as she walked over to her phone. She turned it on and waited for it to boot up. Her heart began to race again as she remembered the conversation with Timber from the previous night and how it ended. Once her phone had fully started up, Twilight released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She noticed she had two text messages: One from Timber and another from Sunset. She clenched her jaw. Might as well rip another bandage off. She thought. She checked her text from last night.
I need some time to think I'll get back to you later - Sent by Twilight Sparkle
She began feel cold chills of uncertainty, dreading the message Timber Spruce had left her. She took a deep breath, then scrolled down.
I understand. Take all the time you need. - Sent by Timber Spruce
Twilight let out a long, deep sigh of relief. She checked Sunset Shimmer's text, which had three additional texts.
Hey girls, I'm back! - Sent by Sunset Shimmer
Sunset...I need to talk to you. - Sent by Rainbow Dash
Sunset, I need to talk to you and the girls about something. - Sent by Rarity
I just had the roughest night ever. I could really use a big group hug. - Sent by Pinkie Pie
I guess I'm not the only one who's got a lot going on. Twilight thought as she sent a text of her own.
Guys, I just had the day from hell. Spending time with you all is just what I need. - Sent by Twilight Sparkle
Twilight smiled warmly, then Fluttershy and Applejack sent texts. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened.
"Is everything okay?" Spike asked.
Twilight slowly turned to Spike. "No." She said quietly. "No, everything is not okay."
