A Rare Gemby LuxChaptersMoving InAt First SightAn Accidental MeetingEnter RarityPizza and PossibilitiesMoving InA Rare Gem (By Lux) Chapter 1 – Moving Day You drove down the unfamiliar city streets in the car packed with the last your stuff, alternating your gaze between a print out of the directions and the road while hoping that you didn’t miss a crucial turn or worse hit someone or something. It was bad enough that you mind was swimming with the past week’s events that you could barely hold a thought in your mind. Now you felt like you were in a maze navigating the city, trying to find your destination while wondering if the only thing you could do is get lost. No matter how many times you’ve been here with your parents or by yourself, finding your way around has always been a challenge. Maybe it was because you were so focused on other things those times that you didn’t stop to see where you were going. It was a surreal feeling having all that you owned now packed up neatly in boxes and placed into the car you now drove. You had no regrets though for what you are doing, mainly because the decision was your own. You wanted to start a new life, one that was driven by your decisions and not someone else. This was not something you just woke up one day and decided to do, nor was it just one thing that made up your mind. It was though a longing that started right after graduating from college and increasing through time. You pondered the options of following this path and risking everything or staying where you were and being in a state of comfort and yet not experiencing the world. Your mind quickly jumps back to reality as your car approaches an all too familiar street in an otherwise strange city. As he parked the car and stepped out, you looked at the bookstore that stood out among the shops and other businesses. It was a small place, filled wall to wall with shelves like a giant maze inside and stacked floor to ceiling with books. You wondered how it could survive or any of the small stores in the city for that matter considering all the bigger stores that cropped up. But that place brought up wonderful memories with a certain person that you don’t know what you’d do without her. Next to the bookstore an ordinary looking red door opened up as a familiar person stepped out. She was just like the last time you saw her, which admittedly was only a few days ago but it felt like an eternity somehow. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a purple shirt, as for whatever reason it was always something purple she wore perhaps to compliment her purple eyes. You weren’t one to judge as purple and green were strangely your colors of choice no matter how others tried to change you. Her long flowing straight dark blue hair with a streak of pink and purple, another fashion choice that she continued to do, floated in the breeze as she ran to you and embraced you with a hug. “Twilight,” you said caught off guard by her hug that almost bowled you over. “Hello Spike,” she said, “I’m glad to see you made it. For a moment there I thought you got lost.” “I did a couple of times, some places that I don’t want to go back to,” you said with a chill. “Well, you’re here now,” she said with a reassuring smile, “Do you have much to bring in?” “Just a few more boxes,” you said pointing to the trunk, “should take one trip.” “Alright then,” she replied as you opened the trunk and she grabbed a few computer boxes, making a rough tower. You grabbed the last of what was stored and closing the trunk followed her to the door. Luckily she had the presence of mind to keep the door open avoiding having to fumble with the keys and keeping the door opened while juggling boxes. With the first hurdle cleared you followed her up the stairs, carefully watching so you didn’t trip or bump into her. After much time and effort you reached the door to her apartment. “See, that wasn’t so bad,” Twilight said as she closed the door behind her with her foot and set down the boxes. “Yeah, not bad at all. Thanks for letting me stay here until I get things together.” “Now how could I pass up helping my little brother?” she said. You cringed at the mentioning of “little brother.” You weren’t little at all, taller than even Twilight was, and as for age you were only a few years younger than she was. You remembered how when you were adopted into the family Twilight loved you at first sight and from that moment on you two were inseparable. She at times was like a second mother, caring for you when your adopted parents were out. Being the egghead she was she loved teaching you what she learned that day, turning your house into a virtual school. In exchange you helped her out by fetching books for her studies or helping her stay focused. She would always call you her Faithful Assistant, a title that you took with pride. You remembered that fateful day when Twilight left for college. It was a sad time not seeing her when you returned home from high school. But she never forgot you and often invited you to the campus to hang out. It was clear that your relationship would last no matter what happened. “Oh, sorry about the mess with everything I brought,” you said looking around the apartment. The place consisted of a long room that acted as a dining room and living room. There was also a kitchen, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms. There was no uncertainty in the fact that Twilight loved her books as her apartment looked more like a mini library with tons of bookshelves filled with every manner of subject as well as curious objects that made you think of far away and exotic places. But if there was one thing that you could say about the place was that it was always super organized, well, except for the occasional piles of books that hadn’t found their home back on the shelves after a late night reading time. “Oh no need to worry,” Twilight said, “I didn’t expect everything to be moved in where it should be today. Thanks to mom and dad, I was able to get your bed set up. I hope you don’t mind that I still have some magic things in the room that I need to move into my bedroom.” That was another curious thing that your sister had about her besides being an avid reader. You don’t know exactly when Twilight got into practicing magic, but you remembered once seeing her enchanting some crystal she had. When she caught you spying, she made you swear not to tell your parents for fear of them being scared. Admittedly you were a little creeped out by her new interest, but over time you realized that she was still the same sister you grew up with. And having magic actually came in handy especially when you and her got attacked by some robbers while returning from the movies. You still pictured the look on their faces when Twilight picked up the one thug with her magic and tossed him, causing all of them to flee. “That’s no problem being with the magic stuff. Anyway, it’s better than sleeping on the couch.” “Well how about we eat now. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving! I can order pizza if you’d like. It’ll be like a welcome home party.” “Pizza sounds great.” “Great, and while we eat we can talk more. Then if you want we can try to unpack more of your things. Oh, I’m so excited having my little brother here staying with me. We’re going to have so much fun.” “I’m sure we are,” you said as you sat on the couch while Twilight called the pizza place, your mind focused on the future and its endless possibilities. At First SightChapter 3 – At First Sight “Spike, time to get up,” a familiar voice said to you in the darkness of your sleep. You ignored the sound as if it were just some random noise like a dog barking or a siren outside the apartment. “Come on sleepy head, wake up,” the female voice urged on, one that you clearly could tell was Twilight’s, “It’s already nine.” You groaned and rolled to other side, desperately trying to bury yourself deeper in the sheets and pillows in a vain attempt to capture the last few minutes of happiness. You heard your older sister sigh and her footsteps leaving your bedroom, thinking that you had won the battle. You were about to settle in when suddenly you heard a loud slam. “Whaaa!” you screamed as you sat bolt upright at the sound. Your eyes then met Twilight’s face who looked a little annoyed at you with her arms crossed, “What was that? Did something fall?” “Well good morning to you too. I was wondering when you’d wake up, so I had to take drastic measures.” With that a large dictionary levitated from the floor right next to your bed and into her arms. “Now are you getting up or do I have to wait for you?” “Sheesh,” you said in a grumble as you got out of bed slowly, “Ok fine I’m up. You’re starting to sound like mom.” “I’m sorry,” Twilight said, “but this is the first full day that I get to spend with you Spike, and I want to show you as much as I can. But I can’t do that if you’re sleeping.” “I know. It’s just that last night took a lot out of me moving in and unpacking that’s all. I’m glad it’s almost done though. But how exactly are you so perky when I’m so tired?” “Oh that’s because of coffee.” “Coffee?” “Yeah, I never really liked it at first but then I tried some and it’s amazing how much I can get done in a day! And don’t get me started about late night study sessions.” “And how many cups do you drink a day?” “Oh about six cups. Why?” “I think you need to not drink so many. You’re starting to sound like some kind of hyperactive cartoon character.” “I’ll keep that in mind. Now get dressed and I’ll wait for you for breakfast.” As you got ready and sat down to breakfast, you conversation with Twilight was just like you picked up from where you left last time you met which for some reason felt like ages ago. It was a dance of idle conversation between the two of you, focusing on everything and nothing at the same time. Topics moved in rapid succession from things watched on TV to movies watched, to personal favorite topic of books. Yet the more that you and your sister talked, the stronger your bonds became. “Oh my gosh Spike, we have to get going. It’s almost noon and I want to show you as much as I can today.” “Lead the way sis,” you said giving her a smart salute whenever she went into full on leader mode. This was something that you always loved about your sister when she seemed to take control of situations, especially those that seemed out of control. You followed her out of the apartment down those familiar stairs as you start on your journey through the maze like city that is now your home. “So here is where I work and spend my time at,” Twilight said as she pointed to the bookstore that sat conveniently below her apartment. You couldn’t help but snicker at the fact of mentioning this ironic twist of fate. “What’s so funny?” “Only an egghead would have the luck of living above a bookstore.” “What’s with you calling me an egghead again? And as for living a bookstore, why did you think I chose this place in the first place?” “Egghead,” you said while faking a cough to which Twilight flashed you a glare. You knew that living with her was wonderful and yet there was the consequence of her knowing exactly where you would return to when the day was over, making her possibility of exacting and revenge she saw fit from being teased certain. The fact that now your sister had a firm grasp on magic made matters even more severe, and you knew when to back off when getting the glare of doom from her. You began to walk in the direction that you thought Twilight was taking you, until you realized that something was off, like you were missing something. You turned to see that Twilight had gone missing! Although you had a momentary feeling of panic, you knew that Twilight wouldn’t just abandon you in an unfamiliar city like that and that she couldn’t have gone far if she did leave. You had a hunch that she didn’t return to the apartment without letting you know, so you had an idea of one other place she could be. Entering the bookstore, you couldn’t help but chuckle seeing Twilight searching a shelf of books with an unwavering sense of focus while balancing a small stack already in her hands. The fact that she had left you or that you were now standing there mattered little to the dark blue haired girl. “Ahem,” you said hoping to get her attention to which she looked up to see you standing there. “Oh Spike, I realized that there is a new book I’ve been waiting for here and I guess I lost track of time. “You also lost me,” you said folding your arms, “I turn around and you ducked into the store. Sheesh, are you that obsessed with books that you can’t even pass by a store and not go inside? Wasn’t today supposed to be you showing me around the city instead of shopping?” “You’re right,” Twilight said realizing her error, “I’m sorry. Guess I got carried away. Let me pay for these and I promise we’ll get going, ok?” “Alright, but I’m watching you,” you said to her as she proceeded to the checkout. True to her word she didn’t spend any more time looking at books even though you knew that she could spend a whole day in a store like this. With a bag full of books you and her exited the store returning to what your first attended to doing. You followed by her closely as she acted as the impromptu tour guide, pointing things that were nearby where the apartment you shared with her lay. At first you wondered if where Twilight was would be somewhere you wouldn’t be caught dead walking through at night. The more you journeyed through the urban landscape the more you realized that this place was actually very nice, containing a mix of big businesses, apartments, and quaint shops. Twilight pointed out the choice places that would peak your interest, most of them restaurants but some shops as well. Naturally the dark blue haired companion had an innate ability to find every bookstore within a several block radius around the apartment, but luckily she reserved the desire to go into them knowing that there was more to see. “So what do you think about the city?” Twilight asked you as you paused to relax. “I never knew there was so much here. I guess you know your way around here.” “Was there any doubt?” “Well, I don’t know. I guess that you…” “Stayed home the whole time and read books?” she said looking a little perturbed at you. “Yeah, I guess,” you said sheepishly. “Oh Spike, you know I have a life beyond books. I’m not that much of a hermit.” Before you could reply you happened to look around the sea of people moving from one place to the next. It was then that amongst the sea of faces that you saw… her. It was like a spotlight shown upon her as you watched her pass by. She was a living breathing goddess, the perfect example of beauty and grace. Her body was lees like that you have seen from normal girls and more from a super model or a girl from a clothing commercial that graced the TV in between a show you would watch. Her form was complimented by those big blue eyes and that even bigger hair that cascaded down her form like a purple drape. The purple skirt studded by three blue gems and white dress only added to her beauty, although she could have worn anything and could have had just as much of an impact on you. While some did not know about the full potential of their talents, physically or otherwise, the girl before you seemed to have a firm grasp on what she had. She carried herself like a queen with poise and grace, showing off every part of her while still keeping classy. Although you didn’t know why, there was something about her that you never felt the same way about to other, not even towards your family. It was different and beautiful. The mysterious girl passed by you, her eyes meeting yours for only a brief moment that seemed to last forever. As you gazed into each other’s vision, it was like the two of you were saying much without really saying anything, your souls doing all the talking. Around you the world seemed to slow down, like a scene from a movie as both of you passed by each other. “Spike,” a voice suddenly said returning you to reality as fast as slamming into a wall. “Huh?” you said looking for the source of the voice and seeing Twilight standing there with a worried look, “Did you see her?” “Who?” “Her,” you said as you turned back thinking the mysterious girl was there, only to find a void where she had been. The memory though still lingered despite her absence. “What are you talking about?” your sister asked. “Um… never mind,” you said feeling silly reacting to a total stranger that for all you know you’d never see again in such big of a city, “So want to get lunch somewhere?” “That’s what I was thinking,” Twilight said before giving another of her quizzical looks, “Are you sure you’re ok?” “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little hungry.” “Well, I have a place not far away from here that you’d like. Follow me.” You continue your journey as the memory of the beautiful and mysterious girl in your mind, giving hope of perhaps seeing her again and forcing you to not forget the chance encounter. An Accidental MeetingChapter 4 – Accidental Meeting You sat at the booth in the little café that your sister took you to, but your mind to be somewhere else. It was as if there was some disconnect from reality, that the world was moving around you but you were standing still. Twilight talked on about some book she recently read, a topic you were all too familiar with, as you vainly faked being interested by a nod or a brief “yes” or “no.” It wasn’t that what your sister said was uninteresting especially considering that having a smart magical girl as one made life far from boring. It was like though that what she spoke of was not registering with your mind. “Spike!” Twilight suddenly said loudly, snapping you out of your mental fog and causing a few patrons even to turn their heads before going back to their respective lunches and conversations. “Huh?” You said looking to see who called your name before seeing Twilight’s concerned look on her face across from you, “Oh hi Twilight. Err… are you enjoying your lunch?” “You didn’t hear a single thing I said about my research into chakra alignment, did you?” “Um… sure I did.” “Ok then, prove it. Where color did I say does the third eye chakra represent?” “Um… brown?” “No, it’s indigo Spike. What’s going on with you? One minute you were talking to me like normal and the next you are acting like a zombie. You’re not feeling sick or anything, are you?” “No, I’m not sick. I guess my mind is on something else.” “What?” “I guess it’s you know, the big move into your apartment and getting a job. Big changes like that.” In reality you only half told the truth as to your strange behavior. The main reason was her, that beauty that you saw in the streets that passed by you. Even though you thought it was insane thinking so much about a girl you didn’t even say hello to, and yet every time you tried to think of something else that memory kept playing back like a video on repeat. Every detail of the way she looked and moved was captured in the finest of detail. Her smile though was the one that really caught your eye as that moment when she turned and for a brief second looked at you was always slowed down like those love sequences in a movie where everything slows down. But this wasn’t love at first sight. That was something only found in sappy romance novels, right? “I know how you feel brother,” Twilight said, “I felt the same way myself when I moved out after college, and I’m sure Shining Armor felt the same way when he moved out. But you are not alone in this as I’m here for you if you need any help. Siblings have to stick together, right?” “Right,” you said as you finished your soda, “So what’s next on your tour of the city?” “Well, there are a few more places that we can see on our way back.” “Are they something other than bookstores?’ you said slyly. “Now we didn’t go to every bookstore did we?” “Almost every one. I counted at least half a dozen.” “Well you didn’t hear me complaining when you wanted to go into that comic shop. I even bought you that new Power Pals comic remember?” “Fine, you win.” “Well, next we’re going to go to one of my favorite shops, and it’s not a bookstore. It’s a magic shop.” “As long as you don’t turn me into a newt while we’re there. A dragon would be cool as I can breathe fire and fly.” “Spike the dragon,” Twilight said thoughtfully as she pulled out the money for both lunches, “Has a nice ring to it.” After paying the two of you made your way down the sidewalk, past the other people making their way around town, as you headed to your next destination. The two of you were about to turn the corner when you suddenly heard a buzzing sound. “Coming through,” a voice suddenly shouted from behind you. Both of you turned in time to see a girl with short rainbow hair suddenly barreling through the crowd on a bike, headed straight towards you! Instinctively, you pushed Twilight out of the way of the speeding bicyclist. Unfortunately your brave effort caused the two of you to fall off the curb and into a large puddle with a splash. “Ugh, what happened?’ Twilight said, “And why am I all wet and muddy?” “Oops sorry about that,” the rainbow haired girl said as she skidded to a stop, “I was kind of in a rush. Here, let me help you up.” She quickly grabbed Twilight by the hand and pulled the confused girl up to her feet as you got up. “Twilight, are you ok?” you said as you quickly rose to your feet. “Yeah I’m fine,” she said as she then glared at the girl, “Rainbow Dash, why are you riding your bike on the sidewalk? You could have got someone or yourself hurt!” “Sorry Twilight, I have a really important package to deliver and it’s way too slow driving in the street around those cars. Ugh, sometimes I wish I had wings so I can fly where I’m going. I’d get these packages to customers in ten seconds flat!” She then glanced Twilight who was now soaking wet and dirt with her normally straight hair a tangled mess. “Bwahaha!” Rainbow Dash said looking at her messed form. “Rainbow, that’s not funny.” “Relax Twilight. It’s not that bad… well it kind kind of. Oh who is this guy with you? Is he your boyfriend or something?” “Eew, Rainbow, that’s my younger brother Spike. Spike this is Rainbow Dash.” “Oh… oops, guess I didn’t know you had a younger brother Twilight,” she said before shaking your hand, “Nice to meet you though. Anyone who’s a friend, or in your case a brother to Twilight, is cool with me, and I never leave them hanging.” Rainbow Dash then glanced at her watch with a surprise saying, “Oh my gosh! I have to be at the other side of the city in fifteen minutes! Sorry to cut things short Twilight, but I have to get going. Nice to meet you Spike. Maybe we can hang out sometime later. Until then catch you around.” With that Rainbow Dash got back on her bike and sped away in a rainbow blur, leaving both you and Twilight’s heads spinning. “So that was your friend Twilight?” “Yeah, I met her when she was delivering something at the bookstore I worked. I got her hooked on the Daring Do series and we’ve been friends ever since. She can be a little…” “Fast and reckless?” “Yeah, but she’s really nice once you get to know her,” she said looking down at her muddy shirt and shorts, “Oh, but I’m a mess now! Do I look as bad as I think I do?” “Do you want to go home and get cleaned up and changed?” “No, I want to continue showing you around the city. Besides, I don’t look that bad, do I?” “Um… I guess you’re ok?” “Then let’s go,” you sister said as she made her way down the street, sacrificing her dignity for your fun. You could only hope that she didn’t feel too bad with the way she looked. If only there was someplace where you could treat her, a place to make her look and feel better. Little did you know you would soon find that place and a familiar face in your travels. Enter RarityChapter 5 – Enter Rarity As you continued your tour of the city with your older sister, you couldn’t help but notice that Twilight’s mood was soured after her unfortunate accident with Rainbow Dash. Even though she tried to keep a smile and would still show you around, you knew deep down she was upset. Granted Twilight was never a fashion obsessed person, barely setting foot in a mall unless absolutely necessary and preferring something more comfortable rather than pretty. In her mind, beauty wasn’t a top priority compared to her knowledge or the character of a person. It was no wonder that in school when you were little how you heard that she wasn’t very popular in a place where looks were the thing that made or broke someone’s popularity. Still you noticed that even with this fact, Twilight did feel self-conscious. Having the front of her covered in water and mud and her hair messed up, you couldn’t help but see that she wasn’t doing well. She would try to cover up her flaws while hiding amongst the crowd. There were even places that she wanted to show you, like the magic shop, that she avoided for no other reason than her look. Even behind her smile, which knowing her for all those years you could tell was fake, you knew that deep down she felt bad and yet refused to let her feelings get in the way of your fun. You were about to stop the fun and call it a day for the sake of your sister, maybe making an excuse that you were tired or feeling sick to redirect it to you, when suddenly you saw… her again. Like a stream being parted by a rock, it seemed the crowd of people literally parted to allow her to pass. She gracefully made her way, every step to you being as agile as if she was walking on air. Every move of her body and every smile on her face felt like you were seeing a living breathing goddess. The more you watched her like an actress on stage, the more you felt enchanted, wanting to know more about this beautiful and mysterious creature. She turns toward your direction, your eyes and hers locking for a moment frozen in time. And for that eternal moment it was as if the two of you were staring past your appearance and delving deep into each other’s souls, reading the other’s hopes, fears, and desires. But then a change happened as you saw her look differently, not at you as you imagined she did but near you. It was then her pleasant face contorted into something of utter fear, like this girl just saw the worst possible thing. Before you could turn around to see what the matter was, the purple haired girl suddenly ran towards you with a surprising burst of speed especially considering that she was wearing high heels, something that your sister refused to wear due to possibly falling on her face or worse twisting an ankle. For a moment you thought that she was running towards you, but she literally passed by you and straight to Twilight. “Oh my darling,” the girl said in a faux British accent that while a concerned tone was the most beautiful sound you ever heard, “What happened to you? Your clothes are all muddy. And what happened to your coiffeur?” “Oh you mean my hair?” Twilight said at the sudden appearance of the girl, surprised at the outpouring of concern and a little embarrassed. “Well you see she fell,” you said trying to take the pressure off of your clearly stunned sister while trying to introduce yourself to the charming lady. “She fell?” the purple haired girl said before her face changed to a scowl as she approached you like a mother lion protecting a cub, “Sir, I will not stand for you pushing a lady. If you so as lay a hand upon her you ruffian I will report you directly to the authorities!” “Wait,” Twilight said getting between you and the lady who appeared about to tackle you, “He didn’t tackle me Rarity.” Rarity. The name was beautiful, one that equally matched the lady’s beauty. You were surprised that Twilight knew such a classy lady not because you thought your sister was not classy but because of the sheer coincidence of meeting all these seemingly random people and learning that she knew them. But this was not something you dwelt upon too much as you gazed upon Rarity while hoping that she didn’t attack you. “He didn’t?” Rarity answered. “No. This is my brother Spike. Spike this is Rarity.” “Um… hi?” you said weakly. Great, you did the worst introduction possible. What a way to make a first impression! Now she probably thinks you’re some shy thing that barely leaves his house. “Oh pleased to meet you Spike. I am terribly sorry that I accused you the way I did. It must have made me seem very uncouth spreading slander.” “Oh no worries,” you said again struggling to get out something over a few words to the gorgeous lady before you. “But then did you fall on accident Twilight?” Rarity said still analyzing the extent to how bad your sister looked, “Those high curbs can be quite a challenge to navigate, especially if one is in high heels. I would hope no one caused you to fall.” “Well, actually I was walking down the street when Rainbow Dash came flying down the sidewalk on her bike. Spike pushed me out of the way so I didn’t get hit but I fell into a puddle.” “Oh that Rainbow Dash. As much as I love what she does with her hair I abhor the way she goes flying around town without a shred of thought in her head. But I must admire your heroic act Spike. Although the results were not to Twilight’s liking, you acted like a knight in shining armor.” “It was nothing,” you replied sheepishly, wondering why it was so hard to take a compliment. “Anyway, I do think you should come with me Twilight,” Rarity said, “A chance to get cleaned up and a new set of clothes will lift your spirits and maybe even turn a few heads.” You looked towards Twilight, hoping your sister agreed to the plan if nothing more than to allow you to spend more time with Rarity. “That’s ok,” Twilight said as your thoughts deflated like a balloon, “We’re almost home and I look fine enough to get there.” “Nonsense, I insist that you come with me Twilight, and of course you can come too Spike.” Before your sister could protest, Rarity grabbed her by the hand and whisked her off through the crowd like someone pulling their child from a toy department. “Hey, wait for me,” you shouted while running to where Twilight and Rarity disappeared, hoping that you didn’t lose them or worse get lost in the city. Pizza and PossibilitiesChapter 2 – Pizza and Possibilities While you were waiting for the pizza, you sat on the couch looking around at your new surroundings. It was familiar being here after all those times meeting Twilight, and yet now it felt like you stepped into the place for the first time. Now this wasn’t just you visiting for a short while your sister before making the journey back home. This now was your home, at least for now. You had no illusion of staying in your sister’s apartment as this was a temporary situation to a permanent problem of finding a job and finally being able to live on your own. Your wait for the pizza took less time than you thought as a sudden ring of the doorbell signaled the arrival of your dinner. “Oh the pizza’s here,” Twilight said, “Can you get the soda, paper plates and two glasses out?” “Sure,” you said with a little salute as you made your way into the kitchen, collecting the necessary items. You couldn’t help but chuckle as you noticed how even the food in the fridge was neatly organized like it was never meant to be eaten but put on display. “Same Twilight,” you said as you grabbed the soda and returned to the kitchen table as your sister returned carrying the pizza box. The smell from beyond the cardboard was intoxicating as she set it down on the table and took a seat, like it was the first time you ever had a pizza. “So I have to ask you something,” she said as she took a slice from the box and set it on her plate, “What made you decide to leave home? I mean, don’t me wrong, I love hanging out with you and having my brother as a roommate is great, but you know, I just was interested.” “Well, my parents have been on me about finding a job after college. I just thought it was time to start a life on my own and hope to find something along the way. Speaking of family, how is Shining?” “Oh he’s fine. I don’t see him nearly enough that I want to ever since he went into the military and then married Cadence. Who would have thought that my big brother would fall in love with the same person that used to babysit me and you?” “Yeah, that was a shock,” you said thinking about your memories with Shining . He was always the protector of the family, making sure you and Twilight were safe in school. Even in high school and college, he always took the time out of sports and his social life to be with his two younger siblings. It was a sad day that he went into the military academy, and you were worried every time he went to war if he would be ok, but he seemed to manage to be safe while keeping others safe. You memories of him were suddenly shattered by the sound of a belch that came from your sister who tried to cover up the social slip despite you knowing who it was. “What,” she said seeing your goofy look, “Oh like you’re the perfect gentleman!” “Well, you’re no princess either,” you said with a chuckle, “Except maybe the princess of eggheads or creepy magic.” “I’m not an egghead,” Twilight said knowing you and her have been having the same conversation before, now playing back like a song on repeat. “Oh don’t deny it. Look at you. You live above a bookstore, work in the same bookstore, volunteer at the library every night.” “Just on a Saturday,” Twilight interjected to set the record straight, which still didn’t convince you. “And don’t get me started about how your apartment looks more like a library than a place you live in. I mean really, do you have a life other than book related?” “Of course I have. I hang out with friends, go to movies, stuff like that. I just like books as my main hobby that’s all.” “Egghead,” you say while mimicking coughing, something that Twilight sees right through and gives you one of her deathly glares. “Alright then, what are you interested in other than video games and blaring your music so that everyone around in a one mile radius can hear?” “Well… um… I do… other stuff.” “Really,” Twilight said slyly, “What kind of stuff?” “Well… um…stuff?’ stuff you said as your mask of being the cool social guy quickly started to fall apart. “Yeah, sure Spike,” she said rolling her eyes as she started on another slice. “Hey, I’ll be doing more,” you said trying to recover your dignity with your sister, “I just moved here what like an hour ago. I want to see what this city has to offer. You know, with places to go, things to do.” “Girlfriends to meet?” Twilight interjected which made you red in the face knowing exactly what she meant. “I thought you weren’t going to bring that up,” you said coldly. “Oh Spike, I’m not trying to make fun of you. I’m just saying that it’s been a while since your last girlfriend, what was her name?” “Sherri,” you said hoping to appease your sister enough so she would drop the bad memory. “Right, you two split a long time ago. You need to get back on the horse and meet someone. It isn’t like you’re going to meet your next girlfriend on the street without talking to her, right?” “Yeah you’re right,” you replied knowing that Twilight always seemed like the voice of reason. “I’ll tell you what,” your sister said, “Why don’t I give you a little tour of the city, to some places I like to go. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something or someone you like.” “I guess it’s worth a try.” “That’s the spirit,” Twilight said, “Now let’s get this table cleaned up so we can start unpacking more of your things. Oh, that reminds me. Watch this!” Twilight then focused on a box you had sitting on the floor, staring at it with a strange intensity. Then she placed her hands out in front of her and lifted them as if lifting an invisible object. “Uh… sis? What are you doing?” She didn’t respond but kept focusing on her target when to your surprise the box started to vibrate like something was bumping it. Then it slowly began to levitate it into the air. “Twilight, you’re moving the box!” “Actually it’s called telekinesis, something I’ve been working on. You didn’t think that all those magic books were just for reading, did you?” “Well no, but this is whoa!” “Yeah, isn’t it great,” she said giggling with glee, “Stick with me and we’ll get your room set up in no time!”
Moving InA Rare Gem (By Lux) Chapter 1 – Moving Day You drove down the unfamiliar city streets in the car packed with the last your stuff, alternating your gaze between a print out of the directions and the road while hoping that you didn’t miss a crucial turn or worse hit someone or something. It was bad enough that you mind was swimming with the past week’s events that you could barely hold a thought in your mind. Now you felt like you were in a maze navigating the city, trying to find your destination while wondering if the only thing you could do is get lost. No matter how many times you’ve been here with your parents or by yourself, finding your way around has always been a challenge. Maybe it was because you were so focused on other things those times that you didn’t stop to see where you were going. It was a surreal feeling having all that you owned now packed up neatly in boxes and placed into the car you now drove. You had no regrets though for what you are doing, mainly because the decision was your own. You wanted to start a new life, one that was driven by your decisions and not someone else. This was not something you just woke up one day and decided to do, nor was it just one thing that made up your mind. It was though a longing that started right after graduating from college and increasing through time. You pondered the options of following this path and risking everything or staying where you were and being in a state of comfort and yet not experiencing the world. Your mind quickly jumps back to reality as your car approaches an all too familiar street in an otherwise strange city. As he parked the car and stepped out, you looked at the bookstore that stood out among the shops and other businesses. It was a small place, filled wall to wall with shelves like a giant maze inside and stacked floor to ceiling with books. You wondered how it could survive or any of the small stores in the city for that matter considering all the bigger stores that cropped up. But that place brought up wonderful memories with a certain person that you don’t know what you’d do without her. Next to the bookstore an ordinary looking red door opened up as a familiar person stepped out. She was just like the last time you saw her, which admittedly was only a few days ago but it felt like an eternity somehow. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a purple shirt, as for whatever reason it was always something purple she wore perhaps to compliment her purple eyes. You weren’t one to judge as purple and green were strangely your colors of choice no matter how others tried to change you. Her long flowing straight dark blue hair with a streak of pink and purple, another fashion choice that she continued to do, floated in the breeze as she ran to you and embraced you with a hug. “Twilight,” you said caught off guard by her hug that almost bowled you over. “Hello Spike,” she said, “I’m glad to see you made it. For a moment there I thought you got lost.” “I did a couple of times, some places that I don’t want to go back to,” you said with a chill. “Well, you’re here now,” she said with a reassuring smile, “Do you have much to bring in?” “Just a few more boxes,” you said pointing to the trunk, “should take one trip.” “Alright then,” she replied as you opened the trunk and she grabbed a few computer boxes, making a rough tower. You grabbed the last of what was stored and closing the trunk followed her to the door. Luckily she had the presence of mind to keep the door open avoiding having to fumble with the keys and keeping the door opened while juggling boxes. With the first hurdle cleared you followed her up the stairs, carefully watching so you didn’t trip or bump into her. After much time and effort you reached the door to her apartment. “See, that wasn’t so bad,” Twilight said as she closed the door behind her with her foot and set down the boxes. “Yeah, not bad at all. Thanks for letting me stay here until I get things together.” “Now how could I pass up helping my little brother?” she said. You cringed at the mentioning of “little brother.” You weren’t little at all, taller than even Twilight was, and as for age you were only a few years younger than she was. You remembered how when you were adopted into the family Twilight loved you at first sight and from that moment on you two were inseparable. She at times was like a second mother, caring for you when your adopted parents were out. Being the egghead she was she loved teaching you what she learned that day, turning your house into a virtual school. In exchange you helped her out by fetching books for her studies or helping her stay focused. She would always call you her Faithful Assistant, a title that you took with pride. You remembered that fateful day when Twilight left for college. It was a sad time not seeing her when you returned home from high school. But she never forgot you and often invited you to the campus to hang out. It was clear that your relationship would last no matter what happened. “Oh, sorry about the mess with everything I brought,” you said looking around the apartment. The place consisted of a long room that acted as a dining room and living room. There was also a kitchen, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms. There was no uncertainty in the fact that Twilight loved her books as her apartment looked more like a mini library with tons of bookshelves filled with every manner of subject as well as curious objects that made you think of far away and exotic places. But if there was one thing that you could say about the place was that it was always super organized, well, except for the occasional piles of books that hadn’t found their home back on the shelves after a late night reading time. “Oh no need to worry,” Twilight said, “I didn’t expect everything to be moved in where it should be today. Thanks to mom and dad, I was able to get your bed set up. I hope you don’t mind that I still have some magic things in the room that I need to move into my bedroom.” That was another curious thing that your sister had about her besides being an avid reader. You don’t know exactly when Twilight got into practicing magic, but you remembered once seeing her enchanting some crystal she had. When she caught you spying, she made you swear not to tell your parents for fear of them being scared. Admittedly you were a little creeped out by her new interest, but over time you realized that she was still the same sister you grew up with. And having magic actually came in handy especially when you and her got attacked by some robbers while returning from the movies. You still pictured the look on their faces when Twilight picked up the one thug with her magic and tossed him, causing all of them to flee. “That’s no problem being with the magic stuff. Anyway, it’s better than sleeping on the couch.” “Well how about we eat now. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving! I can order pizza if you’d like. It’ll be like a welcome home party.” “Pizza sounds great.” “Great, and while we eat we can talk more. Then if you want we can try to unpack more of your things. Oh, I’m so excited having my little brother here staying with me. We’re going to have so much fun.” “I’m sure we are,” you said as you sat on the couch while Twilight called the pizza place, your mind focused on the future and its endless possibilities.
At First SightChapter 3 – At First Sight “Spike, time to get up,” a familiar voice said to you in the darkness of your sleep. You ignored the sound as if it were just some random noise like a dog barking or a siren outside the apartment. “Come on sleepy head, wake up,” the female voice urged on, one that you clearly could tell was Twilight’s, “It’s already nine.” You groaned and rolled to other side, desperately trying to bury yourself deeper in the sheets and pillows in a vain attempt to capture the last few minutes of happiness. You heard your older sister sigh and her footsteps leaving your bedroom, thinking that you had won the battle. You were about to settle in when suddenly you heard a loud slam. “Whaaa!” you screamed as you sat bolt upright at the sound. Your eyes then met Twilight’s face who looked a little annoyed at you with her arms crossed, “What was that? Did something fall?” “Well good morning to you too. I was wondering when you’d wake up, so I had to take drastic measures.” With that a large dictionary levitated from the floor right next to your bed and into her arms. “Now are you getting up or do I have to wait for you?” “Sheesh,” you said in a grumble as you got out of bed slowly, “Ok fine I’m up. You’re starting to sound like mom.” “I’m sorry,” Twilight said, “but this is the first full day that I get to spend with you Spike, and I want to show you as much as I can. But I can’t do that if you’re sleeping.” “I know. It’s just that last night took a lot out of me moving in and unpacking that’s all. I’m glad it’s almost done though. But how exactly are you so perky when I’m so tired?” “Oh that’s because of coffee.” “Coffee?” “Yeah, I never really liked it at first but then I tried some and it’s amazing how much I can get done in a day! And don’t get me started about late night study sessions.” “And how many cups do you drink a day?” “Oh about six cups. Why?” “I think you need to not drink so many. You’re starting to sound like some kind of hyperactive cartoon character.” “I’ll keep that in mind. Now get dressed and I’ll wait for you for breakfast.” As you got ready and sat down to breakfast, you conversation with Twilight was just like you picked up from where you left last time you met which for some reason felt like ages ago. It was a dance of idle conversation between the two of you, focusing on everything and nothing at the same time. Topics moved in rapid succession from things watched on TV to movies watched, to personal favorite topic of books. Yet the more that you and your sister talked, the stronger your bonds became. “Oh my gosh Spike, we have to get going. It’s almost noon and I want to show you as much as I can today.” “Lead the way sis,” you said giving her a smart salute whenever she went into full on leader mode. This was something that you always loved about your sister when she seemed to take control of situations, especially those that seemed out of control. You followed her out of the apartment down those familiar stairs as you start on your journey through the maze like city that is now your home. “So here is where I work and spend my time at,” Twilight said as she pointed to the bookstore that sat conveniently below her apartment. You couldn’t help but snicker at the fact of mentioning this ironic twist of fate. “What’s so funny?” “Only an egghead would have the luck of living above a bookstore.” “What’s with you calling me an egghead again? And as for living a bookstore, why did you think I chose this place in the first place?” “Egghead,” you said while faking a cough to which Twilight flashed you a glare. You knew that living with her was wonderful and yet there was the consequence of her knowing exactly where you would return to when the day was over, making her possibility of exacting and revenge she saw fit from being teased certain. The fact that now your sister had a firm grasp on magic made matters even more severe, and you knew when to back off when getting the glare of doom from her. You began to walk in the direction that you thought Twilight was taking you, until you realized that something was off, like you were missing something. You turned to see that Twilight had gone missing! Although you had a momentary feeling of panic, you knew that Twilight wouldn’t just abandon you in an unfamiliar city like that and that she couldn’t have gone far if she did leave. You had a hunch that she didn’t return to the apartment without letting you know, so you had an idea of one other place she could be. Entering the bookstore, you couldn’t help but chuckle seeing Twilight searching a shelf of books with an unwavering sense of focus while balancing a small stack already in her hands. The fact that she had left you or that you were now standing there mattered little to the dark blue haired girl. “Ahem,” you said hoping to get her attention to which she looked up to see you standing there. “Oh Spike, I realized that there is a new book I’ve been waiting for here and I guess I lost track of time. “You also lost me,” you said folding your arms, “I turn around and you ducked into the store. Sheesh, are you that obsessed with books that you can’t even pass by a store and not go inside? Wasn’t today supposed to be you showing me around the city instead of shopping?” “You’re right,” Twilight said realizing her error, “I’m sorry. Guess I got carried away. Let me pay for these and I promise we’ll get going, ok?” “Alright, but I’m watching you,” you said to her as she proceeded to the checkout. True to her word she didn’t spend any more time looking at books even though you knew that she could spend a whole day in a store like this. With a bag full of books you and her exited the store returning to what your first attended to doing. You followed by her closely as she acted as the impromptu tour guide, pointing things that were nearby where the apartment you shared with her lay. At first you wondered if where Twilight was would be somewhere you wouldn’t be caught dead walking through at night. The more you journeyed through the urban landscape the more you realized that this place was actually very nice, containing a mix of big businesses, apartments, and quaint shops. Twilight pointed out the choice places that would peak your interest, most of them restaurants but some shops as well. Naturally the dark blue haired companion had an innate ability to find every bookstore within a several block radius around the apartment, but luckily she reserved the desire to go into them knowing that there was more to see. “So what do you think about the city?” Twilight asked you as you paused to relax. “I never knew there was so much here. I guess you know your way around here.” “Was there any doubt?” “Well, I don’t know. I guess that you…” “Stayed home the whole time and read books?” she said looking a little perturbed at you. “Yeah, I guess,” you said sheepishly. “Oh Spike, you know I have a life beyond books. I’m not that much of a hermit.” Before you could reply you happened to look around the sea of people moving from one place to the next. It was then that amongst the sea of faces that you saw… her. It was like a spotlight shown upon her as you watched her pass by. She was a living breathing goddess, the perfect example of beauty and grace. Her body was lees like that you have seen from normal girls and more from a super model or a girl from a clothing commercial that graced the TV in between a show you would watch. Her form was complimented by those big blue eyes and that even bigger hair that cascaded down her form like a purple drape. The purple skirt studded by three blue gems and white dress only added to her beauty, although she could have worn anything and could have had just as much of an impact on you. While some did not know about the full potential of their talents, physically or otherwise, the girl before you seemed to have a firm grasp on what she had. She carried herself like a queen with poise and grace, showing off every part of her while still keeping classy. Although you didn’t know why, there was something about her that you never felt the same way about to other, not even towards your family. It was different and beautiful. The mysterious girl passed by you, her eyes meeting yours for only a brief moment that seemed to last forever. As you gazed into each other’s vision, it was like the two of you were saying much without really saying anything, your souls doing all the talking. Around you the world seemed to slow down, like a scene from a movie as both of you passed by each other. “Spike,” a voice suddenly said returning you to reality as fast as slamming into a wall. “Huh?” you said looking for the source of the voice and seeing Twilight standing there with a worried look, “Did you see her?” “Who?” “Her,” you said as you turned back thinking the mysterious girl was there, only to find a void where she had been. The memory though still lingered despite her absence. “What are you talking about?” your sister asked. “Um… never mind,” you said feeling silly reacting to a total stranger that for all you know you’d never see again in such big of a city, “So want to get lunch somewhere?” “That’s what I was thinking,” Twilight said before giving another of her quizzical looks, “Are you sure you’re ok?” “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little hungry.” “Well, I have a place not far away from here that you’d like. Follow me.” You continue your journey as the memory of the beautiful and mysterious girl in your mind, giving hope of perhaps seeing her again and forcing you to not forget the chance encounter.
An Accidental MeetingChapter 4 – Accidental Meeting You sat at the booth in the little café that your sister took you to, but your mind to be somewhere else. It was as if there was some disconnect from reality, that the world was moving around you but you were standing still. Twilight talked on about some book she recently read, a topic you were all too familiar with, as you vainly faked being interested by a nod or a brief “yes” or “no.” It wasn’t that what your sister said was uninteresting especially considering that having a smart magical girl as one made life far from boring. It was like though that what she spoke of was not registering with your mind. “Spike!” Twilight suddenly said loudly, snapping you out of your mental fog and causing a few patrons even to turn their heads before going back to their respective lunches and conversations. “Huh?” You said looking to see who called your name before seeing Twilight’s concerned look on her face across from you, “Oh hi Twilight. Err… are you enjoying your lunch?” “You didn’t hear a single thing I said about my research into chakra alignment, did you?” “Um… sure I did.” “Ok then, prove it. Where color did I say does the third eye chakra represent?” “Um… brown?” “No, it’s indigo Spike. What’s going on with you? One minute you were talking to me like normal and the next you are acting like a zombie. You’re not feeling sick or anything, are you?” “No, I’m not sick. I guess my mind is on something else.” “What?” “I guess it’s you know, the big move into your apartment and getting a job. Big changes like that.” In reality you only half told the truth as to your strange behavior. The main reason was her, that beauty that you saw in the streets that passed by you. Even though you thought it was insane thinking so much about a girl you didn’t even say hello to, and yet every time you tried to think of something else that memory kept playing back like a video on repeat. Every detail of the way she looked and moved was captured in the finest of detail. Her smile though was the one that really caught your eye as that moment when she turned and for a brief second looked at you was always slowed down like those love sequences in a movie where everything slows down. But this wasn’t love at first sight. That was something only found in sappy romance novels, right? “I know how you feel brother,” Twilight said, “I felt the same way myself when I moved out after college, and I’m sure Shining Armor felt the same way when he moved out. But you are not alone in this as I’m here for you if you need any help. Siblings have to stick together, right?” “Right,” you said as you finished your soda, “So what’s next on your tour of the city?” “Well, there are a few more places that we can see on our way back.” “Are they something other than bookstores?’ you said slyly. “Now we didn’t go to every bookstore did we?” “Almost every one. I counted at least half a dozen.” “Well you didn’t hear me complaining when you wanted to go into that comic shop. I even bought you that new Power Pals comic remember?” “Fine, you win.” “Well, next we’re going to go to one of my favorite shops, and it’s not a bookstore. It’s a magic shop.” “As long as you don’t turn me into a newt while we’re there. A dragon would be cool as I can breathe fire and fly.” “Spike the dragon,” Twilight said thoughtfully as she pulled out the money for both lunches, “Has a nice ring to it.” After paying the two of you made your way down the sidewalk, past the other people making their way around town, as you headed to your next destination. The two of you were about to turn the corner when you suddenly heard a buzzing sound. “Coming through,” a voice suddenly shouted from behind you. Both of you turned in time to see a girl with short rainbow hair suddenly barreling through the crowd on a bike, headed straight towards you! Instinctively, you pushed Twilight out of the way of the speeding bicyclist. Unfortunately your brave effort caused the two of you to fall off the curb and into a large puddle with a splash. “Ugh, what happened?’ Twilight said, “And why am I all wet and muddy?” “Oops sorry about that,” the rainbow haired girl said as she skidded to a stop, “I was kind of in a rush. Here, let me help you up.” She quickly grabbed Twilight by the hand and pulled the confused girl up to her feet as you got up. “Twilight, are you ok?” you said as you quickly rose to your feet. “Yeah I’m fine,” she said as she then glared at the girl, “Rainbow Dash, why are you riding your bike on the sidewalk? You could have got someone or yourself hurt!” “Sorry Twilight, I have a really important package to deliver and it’s way too slow driving in the street around those cars. Ugh, sometimes I wish I had wings so I can fly where I’m going. I’d get these packages to customers in ten seconds flat!” She then glanced Twilight who was now soaking wet and dirt with her normally straight hair a tangled mess. “Bwahaha!” Rainbow Dash said looking at her messed form. “Rainbow, that’s not funny.” “Relax Twilight. It’s not that bad… well it kind kind of. Oh who is this guy with you? Is he your boyfriend or something?” “Eew, Rainbow, that’s my younger brother Spike. Spike this is Rainbow Dash.” “Oh… oops, guess I didn’t know you had a younger brother Twilight,” she said before shaking your hand, “Nice to meet you though. Anyone who’s a friend, or in your case a brother to Twilight, is cool with me, and I never leave them hanging.” Rainbow Dash then glanced at her watch with a surprise saying, “Oh my gosh! I have to be at the other side of the city in fifteen minutes! Sorry to cut things short Twilight, but I have to get going. Nice to meet you Spike. Maybe we can hang out sometime later. Until then catch you around.” With that Rainbow Dash got back on her bike and sped away in a rainbow blur, leaving both you and Twilight’s heads spinning. “So that was your friend Twilight?” “Yeah, I met her when she was delivering something at the bookstore I worked. I got her hooked on the Daring Do series and we’ve been friends ever since. She can be a little…” “Fast and reckless?” “Yeah, but she’s really nice once you get to know her,” she said looking down at her muddy shirt and shorts, “Oh, but I’m a mess now! Do I look as bad as I think I do?” “Do you want to go home and get cleaned up and changed?” “No, I want to continue showing you around the city. Besides, I don’t look that bad, do I?” “Um… I guess you’re ok?” “Then let’s go,” you sister said as she made her way down the street, sacrificing her dignity for your fun. You could only hope that she didn’t feel too bad with the way she looked. If only there was someplace where you could treat her, a place to make her look and feel better. Little did you know you would soon find that place and a familiar face in your travels.
Enter RarityChapter 5 – Enter Rarity As you continued your tour of the city with your older sister, you couldn’t help but notice that Twilight’s mood was soured after her unfortunate accident with Rainbow Dash. Even though she tried to keep a smile and would still show you around, you knew deep down she was upset. Granted Twilight was never a fashion obsessed person, barely setting foot in a mall unless absolutely necessary and preferring something more comfortable rather than pretty. In her mind, beauty wasn’t a top priority compared to her knowledge or the character of a person. It was no wonder that in school when you were little how you heard that she wasn’t very popular in a place where looks were the thing that made or broke someone’s popularity. Still you noticed that even with this fact, Twilight did feel self-conscious. Having the front of her covered in water and mud and her hair messed up, you couldn’t help but see that she wasn’t doing well. She would try to cover up her flaws while hiding amongst the crowd. There were even places that she wanted to show you, like the magic shop, that she avoided for no other reason than her look. Even behind her smile, which knowing her for all those years you could tell was fake, you knew that deep down she felt bad and yet refused to let her feelings get in the way of your fun. You were about to stop the fun and call it a day for the sake of your sister, maybe making an excuse that you were tired or feeling sick to redirect it to you, when suddenly you saw… her again. Like a stream being parted by a rock, it seemed the crowd of people literally parted to allow her to pass. She gracefully made her way, every step to you being as agile as if she was walking on air. Every move of her body and every smile on her face felt like you were seeing a living breathing goddess. The more you watched her like an actress on stage, the more you felt enchanted, wanting to know more about this beautiful and mysterious creature. She turns toward your direction, your eyes and hers locking for a moment frozen in time. And for that eternal moment it was as if the two of you were staring past your appearance and delving deep into each other’s souls, reading the other’s hopes, fears, and desires. But then a change happened as you saw her look differently, not at you as you imagined she did but near you. It was then her pleasant face contorted into something of utter fear, like this girl just saw the worst possible thing. Before you could turn around to see what the matter was, the purple haired girl suddenly ran towards you with a surprising burst of speed especially considering that she was wearing high heels, something that your sister refused to wear due to possibly falling on her face or worse twisting an ankle. For a moment you thought that she was running towards you, but she literally passed by you and straight to Twilight. “Oh my darling,” the girl said in a faux British accent that while a concerned tone was the most beautiful sound you ever heard, “What happened to you? Your clothes are all muddy. And what happened to your coiffeur?” “Oh you mean my hair?” Twilight said at the sudden appearance of the girl, surprised at the outpouring of concern and a little embarrassed. “Well you see she fell,” you said trying to take the pressure off of your clearly stunned sister while trying to introduce yourself to the charming lady. “She fell?” the purple haired girl said before her face changed to a scowl as she approached you like a mother lion protecting a cub, “Sir, I will not stand for you pushing a lady. If you so as lay a hand upon her you ruffian I will report you directly to the authorities!” “Wait,” Twilight said getting between you and the lady who appeared about to tackle you, “He didn’t tackle me Rarity.” Rarity. The name was beautiful, one that equally matched the lady’s beauty. You were surprised that Twilight knew such a classy lady not because you thought your sister was not classy but because of the sheer coincidence of meeting all these seemingly random people and learning that she knew them. But this was not something you dwelt upon too much as you gazed upon Rarity while hoping that she didn’t attack you. “He didn’t?” Rarity answered. “No. This is my brother Spike. Spike this is Rarity.” “Um… hi?” you said weakly. Great, you did the worst introduction possible. What a way to make a first impression! Now she probably thinks you’re some shy thing that barely leaves his house. “Oh pleased to meet you Spike. I am terribly sorry that I accused you the way I did. It must have made me seem very uncouth spreading slander.” “Oh no worries,” you said again struggling to get out something over a few words to the gorgeous lady before you. “But then did you fall on accident Twilight?” Rarity said still analyzing the extent to how bad your sister looked, “Those high curbs can be quite a challenge to navigate, especially if one is in high heels. I would hope no one caused you to fall.” “Well, actually I was walking down the street when Rainbow Dash came flying down the sidewalk on her bike. Spike pushed me out of the way so I didn’t get hit but I fell into a puddle.” “Oh that Rainbow Dash. As much as I love what she does with her hair I abhor the way she goes flying around town without a shred of thought in her head. But I must admire your heroic act Spike. Although the results were not to Twilight’s liking, you acted like a knight in shining armor.” “It was nothing,” you replied sheepishly, wondering why it was so hard to take a compliment. “Anyway, I do think you should come with me Twilight,” Rarity said, “A chance to get cleaned up and a new set of clothes will lift your spirits and maybe even turn a few heads.” You looked towards Twilight, hoping your sister agreed to the plan if nothing more than to allow you to spend more time with Rarity. “That’s ok,” Twilight said as your thoughts deflated like a balloon, “We’re almost home and I look fine enough to get there.” “Nonsense, I insist that you come with me Twilight, and of course you can come too Spike.” Before your sister could protest, Rarity grabbed her by the hand and whisked her off through the crowd like someone pulling their child from a toy department. “Hey, wait for me,” you shouted while running to where Twilight and Rarity disappeared, hoping that you didn’t lose them or worse get lost in the city.
Pizza and PossibilitiesChapter 2 – Pizza and Possibilities While you were waiting for the pizza, you sat on the couch looking around at your new surroundings. It was familiar being here after all those times meeting Twilight, and yet now it felt like you stepped into the place for the first time. Now this wasn’t just you visiting for a short while your sister before making the journey back home. This now was your home, at least for now. You had no illusion of staying in your sister’s apartment as this was a temporary situation to a permanent problem of finding a job and finally being able to live on your own. Your wait for the pizza took less time than you thought as a sudden ring of the doorbell signaled the arrival of your dinner. “Oh the pizza’s here,” Twilight said, “Can you get the soda, paper plates and two glasses out?” “Sure,” you said with a little salute as you made your way into the kitchen, collecting the necessary items. You couldn’t help but chuckle as you noticed how even the food in the fridge was neatly organized like it was never meant to be eaten but put on display. “Same Twilight,” you said as you grabbed the soda and returned to the kitchen table as your sister returned carrying the pizza box. The smell from beyond the cardboard was intoxicating as she set it down on the table and took a seat, like it was the first time you ever had a pizza. “So I have to ask you something,” she said as she took a slice from the box and set it on her plate, “What made you decide to leave home? I mean, don’t me wrong, I love hanging out with you and having my brother as a roommate is great, but you know, I just was interested.” “Well, my parents have been on me about finding a job after college. I just thought it was time to start a life on my own and hope to find something along the way. Speaking of family, how is Shining?” “Oh he’s fine. I don’t see him nearly enough that I want to ever since he went into the military and then married Cadence. Who would have thought that my big brother would fall in love with the same person that used to babysit me and you?” “Yeah, that was a shock,” you said thinking about your memories with Shining . He was always the protector of the family, making sure you and Twilight were safe in school. Even in high school and college, he always took the time out of sports and his social life to be with his two younger siblings. It was a sad day that he went into the military academy, and you were worried every time he went to war if he would be ok, but he seemed to manage to be safe while keeping others safe. You memories of him were suddenly shattered by the sound of a belch that came from your sister who tried to cover up the social slip despite you knowing who it was. “What,” she said seeing your goofy look, “Oh like you’re the perfect gentleman!” “Well, you’re no princess either,” you said with a chuckle, “Except maybe the princess of eggheads or creepy magic.” “I’m not an egghead,” Twilight said knowing you and her have been having the same conversation before, now playing back like a song on repeat. “Oh don’t deny it. Look at you. You live above a bookstore, work in the same bookstore, volunteer at the library every night.” “Just on a Saturday,” Twilight interjected to set the record straight, which still didn’t convince you. “And don’t get me started about how your apartment looks more like a library than a place you live in. I mean really, do you have a life other than book related?” “Of course I have. I hang out with friends, go to movies, stuff like that. I just like books as my main hobby that’s all.” “Egghead,” you say while mimicking coughing, something that Twilight sees right through and gives you one of her deathly glares. “Alright then, what are you interested in other than video games and blaring your music so that everyone around in a one mile radius can hear?” “Well… um… I do… other stuff.” “Really,” Twilight said slyly, “What kind of stuff?” “Well… um…stuff?’ stuff you said as your mask of being the cool social guy quickly started to fall apart. “Yeah, sure Spike,” she said rolling her eyes as she started on another slice. “Hey, I’ll be doing more,” you said trying to recover your dignity with your sister, “I just moved here what like an hour ago. I want to see what this city has to offer. You know, with places to go, things to do.” “Girlfriends to meet?” Twilight interjected which made you red in the face knowing exactly what she meant. “I thought you weren’t going to bring that up,” you said coldly. “Oh Spike, I’m not trying to make fun of you. I’m just saying that it’s been a while since your last girlfriend, what was her name?” “Sherri,” you said hoping to appease your sister enough so she would drop the bad memory. “Right, you two split a long time ago. You need to get back on the horse and meet someone. It isn’t like you’re going to meet your next girlfriend on the street without talking to her, right?” “Yeah you’re right,” you replied knowing that Twilight always seemed like the voice of reason. “I’ll tell you what,” your sister said, “Why don’t I give you a little tour of the city, to some places I like to go. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something or someone you like.” “I guess it’s worth a try.” “That’s the spirit,” Twilight said, “Now let’s get this table cleaned up so we can start unpacking more of your things. Oh, that reminds me. Watch this!” Twilight then focused on a box you had sitting on the floor, staring at it with a strange intensity. Then she placed her hands out in front of her and lifted them as if lifting an invisible object. “Uh… sis? What are you doing?” She didn’t respond but kept focusing on her target when to your surprise the box started to vibrate like something was bumping it. Then it slowly began to levitate it into the air. “Twilight, you’re moving the box!” “Actually it’s called telekinesis, something I’ve been working on. You didn’t think that all those magic books were just for reading, did you?” “Well no, but this is whoa!” “Yeah, isn’t it great,” she said giggling with glee, “Stick with me and we’ll get your room set up in no time!”
