Re-shelving day, Twilight's favourite day of the year. The books flew off the shelves and floated around the room. In the middle of the organised chaos was the purple alicorn Twilight Sparkle, who was using her magic to move and stack the books. Her dragon Spike was stacking his comic book collection.
"Hey Spike, have you got the hiccups again? This book is covered in black powder." Twilight asked her dragon as a book she found while re-shelving rested on her hoofs. It was covered in black powder, Twilight tried to wipe it off it just grew back. "I don't get it, why won't it come off!"
"It wasn't me! Dragon dust wipes off and doesn't grow back." Spike toke the book from Twilight's hoofs and blew on it. He looked back at his friend and dropped the book. The dust was gripping on her hoofs and making it's way into her. "Twilight, look at your hoofs."
"Spike....try and open the book see what it says about this?" Twilight stared at her black covered hoofs. Spike grabbed the book, as she started to watch his claws, the powder just slipped through his claws. Spike read the book. His face turning into a frown and tears started swelling up in his eyes.......
"It's.....a.........illness!"
Twilight's face fell, "Call help....please."
Spike hesitated. "No, I can't leave you. I'll send the owl. Just don't go." Spike gave Owlicious a note and told him to head straight to the ponyville hospital.
"Spike? Let's just relax and sort this out calmly. Good idea sending Owlicious! I'll make us a cup of tea and we can just talk to the doctor when he gets here. Sound's like a plan right Spike?"
"A PLAN! NO WAY WE ARE GETTING YOU BETTER!" Spike slammed the kettle on the floor and sat Twilight into a chair.
"I over reacted bef....." Twilight stared at the knocking door.
"PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE, ARE YOU IN!.....knock the door down!" Suddenly the door fell of it's hinges and a yellow stallion ran in. As soon as he saw the gobsmacked Twilight he searched for the book. Two nurses followed and whispered in the stallions ear.
"Ah yes. Spike we got you'r message and I'm afraid it it very serious. The book Twilight picked up is affected by darker coat. You see darker coat is a very ancient disease and I'm afraid there's no cure. I'm sorry Princess, I really am." The doctor was obviously trying to put on a professional face on but it wasn't working. His hair was sticking up and he had tears in his eyes. Spike looked too hurt for words.
"I'm sorry." He stuttered. Twilight looked at him and the doctor gave him a worried look. "I'm so so sorry, when I gave you the book I had no idea...." He ran out into the rain. "Twilight's going to die because of me and all I can say to her is
that I'm sorry. Number one assistant, more like number one assassin." He ran towards the Everfree forest. He ran into Zecora's house.
"I killed Twilight..." He yelled and then collapsed out of exhaustion onto the floor. He woke up on Zecora's bed. She was looking at him.
"If you've gone and killed Twilight, then why do you look so bright?"
"You might have a cure! Do you have a cure for darker coat?" Zecora sighed and tried to think of a rhyme.
"For Darker coat I don't have a cure, so maybe it's time to write a note."
"A note, you mean to the princess, I can't I just can't. What would she think of me when she finds out what I have done. Even I don't know what to think of myself. I just gave my best friend a illness that's gonna kill her! Is it contagious?" Spike paused as Zecora nodded sadly. "Then I may as well killed ponyville, and doomed Equestria from a plague of Darker coat. Now excuse me I've got to go we're all bad dragons go." He ran back out to the rain and deep into the everfree forest. At the back there was a pit of water, the water boiling hot.
"Spike no!" Twilight ran towards him.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to stop you."
"But I was the one who put that book in you're hooves. I gave you Darker coat."
"So?"
"I KILLED MY BEST FRIEND!"
"No you haven't! No matter what we face this together, now since it doesn't effect dragons want a hug?"
"Thanks Twilight." He ran towards her and hugged her as tight as he possibly can without hurting her.
"I'm gonna miss you....sister."
"C'mon Spike we don't know if it's that serious or not, who knows I may just end up with this colour coat." she stuck out her back hoofs to show they were changing to a dark purple. Spike watched as it climbed up and latched onto her fur. He hugged her even tighter. "Now my number one assistant. We need to find a cure for this, just in case it is deadly." It was like she was the same pony that bought up Spike. She smiled weakly at him, Zecora stood in the corner. Tears were swelling up in everyone's eyes as Twilight's words repeated themselves in Spike's mine.
just in case it is deadly.......
He knew it was, and he was about to lose Twilight.
Author's Note
Sorry about the grammar, it's terrible still but I tired to fix it. Darker coat is getting explained in the second chapter.
It has been five months since Twilight got darker coat. She sometimes has to get rushed to the hospital, but comes back perfectly fine the next day. Her coat is almost covered in dark purple now, only the tip of her horn is her original lavender colour.
"Twilight, it's winter wrap up day tomorrow, and the mayor asked if you would actually be doing you'r job or staying at home this year? Considering that you are sick after all and we just want you to get better, we think it's better if you just stay home and relax." Spike looked curiously at Twilight, the disease got to her brain and now she can't do much but just stay at home. She has had a lot of visitors lately but with Spike looking after her the library has been a little run down. The books haven't been shelved properly as re-shelving day was cut short, and the place hasn't been clean for the last month.
"This guy's name sounds weird in this book. Starswirl, Starswiiiirrrrrrrrllllllll!" Twilight started spinning on the spot. Spike sighed and stopped her to sit her down for tea.
"Someone order some apple cider?" Applejack's voice boomed across the library, since he's been getting tired lately Spike forgot to lock the door. He ran towards her and gave her a hug and poured Twilight some cider in a sippy cup, for little foals to stop messes.
"Thanks Applejack, I don't know what I would do without you, do you mind babysitting Twilight. I haven't been feeling right ever since I had to quit hibernating." Spike's giving up a lot for Twilight. Including his love for Rarity, but Spike can live in a world without a crush on Rarity he's not going to give up on Twilight though. No matter what it takes she will live through this.
Or will she
Voices kept going through the young dragon's mind. He knew that Twilight probably will die even if he doesn't want to believe it.
"Ah poor Spike, you shouldn't give up being a dragon and all that just for Twilight. We will look after her if your hibernating or somethin' like that." Applejack's voice stopped all the other voices Spike could hear in his head. He sighed with relief and headed back up to bed. On his way he heard Applejack talking to Twilight.
"Now c'mon sugercube, we gotta let Spike sleep and how about we read a book? What about the elements of harmony book maybe that will job you'r memory of the good ol' times." Her voice wavered ash she tried to be brave around Twilight, she gave Twilight her element of harmony as she put it on and giggled. Applejack was trying to get Twilight to remember all the great time they had.
When Spike woke up he heard the door shut. He looked at Twilight's bed. Applejack tucked her in with her element of harmony still on her head. She had Smarty pants tucked in between her dark purple legs. Spike stared at her horn turn completely dark and her element glowed for half a minute until dying down. Maybe just maybe, it was killing of the darker coat, or maybe her time was up. Spike was falling asleep again......
He woke up for the second time with a thump his head hurt from thinking all night. He ran straight to Twilight.
"Hey Twiliy it's winter wrap up day, even if you can't be the organizer I thought we may as well get you out there. Wake up silly filly!"
She lay there, cold and lifeless...
"Twilight...please wake up......please I never got a chance to say, you were never my sister...you are my mother and we need you to wake up!"
.......
"No....NO.....NO PLEASE"
..........................
"No......"
