To be Human: An Equestria Girls reimagining

[Spike’s Perspective]

I wipe the beads on my forehead as I looked down on the spotless gym floor, its shine glaring my eyes but my pride preventing me to look away, a beaming smile unabashedly plastered on my face.

“THE FUCK DIANA!” a voice shouted, ripping me from my basking.

“Why do we have to do all the cleaning? Just give us our damn paychecks!” protested Alex from the other corner of the gym, his grinding teeth out in the open.

Diana glared back at him. “Not until this place is spotless. Now if you want it faster, then get the job done faster,” she answered, waving a white envelope in front of her as she looked away.

Alex's face grew more lines as he deepened his glare, one of his eyebrows dropping. “Are you seriously taking our paychecks hostage for this?”

“Will you just stop nagging and get the job done?!” She turned, baring her teeth.

My muscles tensed as I felt the atmosphere in the room double. I was about ready to run and get Sir Brian, but to my surprise, no punches were thrown, only a sigh from Diana.

“Look, just please humor me. You know just how important this meeting is for my title fight and I’d rather not mess this part up. I know Natasha’s not the type to be bothered by a little dirt, but even so, I’ve already cleaned the whole meeting room alone yesterday. Plus you owe me! Don’t think I’ve already forgotten the bullshit you pulled five days ago.”

“Correction, it’s not bullshit to keep myself seated all throughout a meeting. However, what is bullshit is going berserk and trying to tear a champion’s face off during said meeting,” he said nonchalantly, a long, sharp canine showing itself inside his smirking lips.

“Sure, I could’ve helped Dan and the boss restrain you, but I was too busy enjoying myself with the free show and popcorn. Now having said that, I’m gonna have to agree that the champ and her team were a group of pretentious bitches. I still can't believe they tried to pull a 5 - 95 split on us.”

He then looked down on the floor he was standing on, his eyebrows and lips going flat before sighing. “Alright, fine. I’ll do it. Just get into that cinderblock of a head of yours that I’m doing this for Nati, not for you.”

A beating vein showed itself on her forehead but after a second she only sighed and adopted a smirk of her own. “As long as I can see my face on the tiles, why should I care?”

I had to stifle a laugh. Though I’ve seen this interaction of theirs many times before, it never stops being amusing.

‘I wonder what would happen if I found Equestria’s Alex?’

“What are you laughing at? And why do you look all happy holding that mop? Shouldn't you be on my side of this argument?” Alex said with an annoyed tone.

“I was bored. This at least gives me something to do. I get paid after, and get to have the rest of the day off today and tomorrow. Sounds like a win-win-win if you ask me.” I leaned on the mop in my hands. “Plus I don’t really mind cleaning. I quite enjoy it actually.”

“Just suck it up, Alex.”  Flash joined in as he carried his mop and pail from the other end of the room. “Look at me, I’m mopping the hell out of my quadrant and Diana doesn’t even have anything on me.”

One of Alex’s eyebrows rose at that. “Thanks for the tip. The fuck are you doing here anyway?”

“Natasha’s coming over, why do you need to ask?” Interrupted Diana, a playful smile on her mug.

Despite Alex's reservations, his quadrant did end up being cleaned, surprisingly even outshining my own. Alex and I left the gym minutes later, our paychecks in tow. With noon still a few hours away and not having anywhere really to go, I thought of following Alex to his house since I had business with him anyway. Thankfully, he didn’t find any reason to stop me.

This would be the first time I would be to his house. Normally, whenever I would borrow something from him, he would simply bring it with him to the gym or even deliver it to May's house personally.

Following Alex, we made our way northeastward, passing through the town park. This surprised me since the only things in that direction were the town’s municipal complex and the elite part of town. Soon enough I got my answer for tall structures with wide lots and gilded gates surrounded me from each side, their designs ranging from old classical architectures, to completely mirrored exteriors, to intentionally crooked angular dimensions, all of them in perfect repair.

This is the first time I’ve ever seen this place in broad daylight. The last two times I’ve been in this area was with Twilight during our reconnaissance walks during our first week on earth. We stopped going here though since we thought the chances of Sunset being in this area was very slim given the level of security in the area; it was high enough that Twilight and I were mistaken for thieves. Walking around during midnight with a flashlight and a baseball bat sure didn’t help any.

A few blocks in, we finally stopped in front of a large two story estate with two smaller wooden buildings behind it. Marble armored its surface while antique looking red roof tiles dominated its top, rows of finely detailed pillars holding it all in place; all of it designed in an ancient Greek architecture unique to the neighborhood. On the gate, a bronze plate with the words ‘Milopoulos Residence’ hung in announcement.

“YOU LIVE HERE?!” I cried out, my eyes still set on the plot of land.

I heard him snicker. “Regrettably, yes.”

“REGRETTABLY?! YOU MEAN THIS HOUSE IS NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR YOU?!”

“Actually, it’s too big. I mean have you seen my electricity bill?”

We entered the lot and I couldn’t help my mouth from dropping. His grass looked so healthy and well cut, his bird bath was massive and masterfully crafted, and his granite walkway looked very well set.

“I hope you’re paying your gardener right. This lawn is flawless!”

“Well, my wife pays with hugs and kisses, sometimes a bit of action if she’s in the mood. But in terms of cha-ching, no, my wife doesn’t pay me.”

I exhaled when I heard his last sentence then looked at him with flat eyelids. “So I take it you don’t have a gardener then?”

He shrugged. “No gardener, no cook, no cleaner; basically no helpers, just me, my wife and my daughter. Well, until they come back from the in-laws anyway. Till then, I have the house to myself.”

“But then how do you keep this whole place as clean and tidy as it is? I mean this place is huge!”

He grinned widely. “I’m a boss, that’s how.”

We entered his house and my eyes couldn’t help but bulge at the design and architecture of the interior as Alex led me towards the living room. Much like the outside of the property, the inside made use of a lot of marble and pillars with a few statues and dangling velvet to break the monotony.

“So if this place is that big, why not find a smaller house?”

“As much as I would love to, this is the only place in this town that makes me feel at home, workload included,” he answered, extending a hand toward a decently sized room with a linen sofa and recliner, a glass coffee table with a mini-fridge under it and a eighty inch screen in parallel. “Now stay here, I’m just gonna get a change of clothes.”

I sat down on the sofa and felt the soft cushiness of the material.

‘Who could’ve imagined Alex was this loaded?!’

After a moment, I heard fast footsteps from the hallway and soon enough Alex was back with a brown shirt, still technically topless though both arms were already through the shirt’s sleeves.

This was the first time I’ve ever seen his upper body. (Today is ripe with first times, damn.) Just as expected from him, his torso was a ripple of muscles and sinew, each contour telling a tale of force and balance. His shoulders, neck muscles and pectorals were massive and well defined, indicating his capacity to lift while his abdominal area was much smaller and leaner, with mostly outlines instead of overly bulging abs. As my eyes continued to examine his form, I found myself reeling back when Alex turned the other way, exposing something that made my stomach turn.

It was a large grotesque scar, composed of multiple stab marks that exposed muscle tissue and sinew even after healing and almost took over the upper right side of his abdomen, just below his  pectoral line. What was more disturbing was that the stab marks were more akin to a bullet riddled windshield than flesh.

He looked at me with surprise, and after following my eyes did he relax his expression. He lowered his shirt and casually sat down on the right side of the sofa. “Ugly little bugger, wasn’t it?” he said plainly as he rubbed the place where the scar was.

Opening the small fridge, he took out four bottles of different colors. “I have apple, pineapple, and non-alcoholic versions of the two. Pick your poison.”

“Umm, I’ll take the apple, non-alcoholic.”

I leaned back on the sofa, my eyes towards Alex. “So… uh, how’d that happened?”

At that he instantly turned towards me, his eyes sharp and piercing, his nose flaring and his face full of lines I’ve never seen on him before.

I immediately looked away. “S-sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

However, as I did I heard a few muffled chuckling that instantly became full-fledged bouts of laughter the moment I turned back towards him.

“You should have seen your face!” He said, laughing louder and louder. I could only look at him with a flat expression as he tried desperately to control the volume of his laughs, failing miserably every time. Though it seemed he managed to get me to release a few of my own.

Finally able to stop though still gasping for air, he wiped a tear off his eye and handed me my drink. “Sorry about that. You just looked so tense that I couldn’t help myself,” he said, waving his bottle as he did. “About your question, are you one to enjoy a good prank?”

“Do I really need to answer that?”

“No. I guess not.” He leaned back on the sofa and held his bottle to his face, watching a single bead of water flow down towards the bottom of the bottle.

“I pulled a lot of pranks when I was young." He started, his voice completely unlike before. "I pulled a lot of good ones, let me tell you. I was so good that I people thought of me as a hero, because of them. Shouting my name, singing songs. One day I went too far and did the biggest prank I’ve ever pulled. Let’s just say I did it to the wrong person and divine retribution wasn’t too keen on being merciful.”

A weak ‘Oh’ was the only thing I could manage.

Silence began to take over the living room but even then I didn’t feel too keen on talking without a change of topic. Luckily, I felt my backpack and remembered my original business with him.

I took out my salary, counted it and handed it to Alex. “Here. Sorry I still couldn’t pay in full.”

He smiled and placed the money on the coffee table along with his own. “It’s fine. In fact, just pay me half for now. I know you need your salary for other things. And don’t worry, I’m not charging interest. The telescope is in my study, would you like to see it now?”

“Maybe later. How about the astronomy book?” I said, opening my bottle.

“It’s in my study too, gift wrapped and everything.” Opening his own bottle, he took a chug and sighed. “Now be honest with me here. I know I asked you this before, but are you sure you and Tara really just friends?”

“Of course we are!” I hurriedly answered despite myself, my voice having a bit of a squeak at the end.

He then turned to me slowly, his eyes squinting. “Why are you being defensive all of a sudden?”

“Well... you ask like you’re implying something.”

“Well, can you blame me? I’ve hardly ever come across someone who would buy an expensive telescope just for a friend out of the blue like that. Sure, I understand you don’t go to the city that often, but of all the things to borrow money for, the last I expected was a freakin telescope.”

“Well, that’s because you don’t know her like I do,” I said with a huff. I took a chug on the bottle and allowed myself a breath. “Besides, it’s not out of the blue, it’s her birthday present. Well, belated birthday present anyway. Her birthday was four days ago, we were still on our trip then.” I chuckled. “I kinda expected her to not celebrate, but I didn’t think she’d outright try to block it out. She didn’t even inform May.”

“I still say you care too much,” he replied, resting a cheek on his fist. “But let's be real here for a second, Tara doesn't seem too bad, right? I mean she's a very sweet girl, smart too. A real book worm if I ever saw one. And you have to admit, she's pretty easy on the eyes. Don't take this the wrong way, but if I was much younger and had a vacant ring finger, I'd probably ask her out.”

I felt a lump in my throat when I heard his last sentence and I found myself staring daggers at Alex. Thankfully, it seemed he wasn’t looking. I took a breath and tried to reclaim myself.

“As if she’d give you that chance anyway,” I said, leaning my cheek on my fist and my elbow on the sofa’s armrest. “If I know Tara, she’d probably brush you off and get back to her book.”

“Do you really think that low of me?” he replied, one of his eyebrows rising. I looked away at that.

I could see from the corner of my eye a smirk emerge from his face.

“Before you go there, yeah, no. Like I’ve already said before, there’s nothing between us. We’re just good friends. Besides, I don’t think she’d be into someone like me, she thinks of me more like a brother than anything.”

He looked at me without turning his head. “You think or you know? Coz from where I’m standing, it seems like you’re friend zoning yourself for some reason when there’s clearly no reason to, especially with a girl like Tara.”

“Whatever. I still think you’re reading too much into this,” I answered, not looking directly at him. “You know what, can we just change the subject?”

He shook his head and shrugged. “Have it your way.”

"Back in the gym, you guys kept talking about a girl named Natasha, who is she?”

He gave me a confused look but then relaxed himself after a moment. “Oh that’s right, you haven’t met her yet since you went back to Pinnsmith early,” he said, slamming a fist to his palm. “Anyway, her full name is Natasha Wilson. She’s one of Diana’s first sponsors, though personally I’m more inclined to consider her a patron than a sponsor given what she’s done for her. Actually now that I think about it, you could consider her the patron of the whole town really.”

“Is she really that rich?” I interrupted.

“Oh you have no idea,” he replied with a grin. “You might not know this, but the town was once on the verge of collapse not long ago. It was her father that helped keep this town a float. Hell, we’re more of a city than just a town because of them. You know the municipal complex? They donated that!”

My eyes couldn’t help but widen at his story. If a town as big as Pinnsmith was indeed once on the verge of collapse, it would have been such a feat to not only revive it but to also make it prosper.

“I would have loved to meet old man Wilson, that guy knew his shit. Then again, being good friends with his successor is the next best thing I guess.”

“Wait, if you’re that close to Natasha, doesn’t that mean you should have already met him at least once?”

“A few years ago maybe, but now, even if I pester her as hard as I do Diana, I don’t think she’ll be able to grant that wish. Old man Wilson died five years ago while his wife died a year earlier. As far as I remember she’s the last remaining member of the Wilson family here in Pinnsmith. She did have a cousin. But as far as I’ve heard, he apparently also died three years ago after getting ran over. Personally, I can’t help but feel very sorry for her. I heard she was a wreck for two years when the old man died. Though thankfully, she got back on her feet, managing her family’s businesses like a boss.”

“She seems like a very amazing person.” I commented after taking another gulp of my drink.

“And she’s very good looking too, amazing figure, cute face, kissable lips. She should be about your age, twenty four, twenty five something like that.”

I simply squinted at him at that. “For someone who’s supposed to be very faithful to their partner, you seem to be very vigilant of girls.”

“I consider myself a connoisseur. Also, is it really that bad to admire people’s looks?” He said then chuckled. “So yeah, overruled!”

“Ok then, what do those connoisseur eyes of yours say about Diana?”

“No comment.”

“Why, is it because you’re afraid of her?” I sneered.

“Not really. I’m more afraid of her family to be honest,” he replied with a chuckle. “You might not know this, but the Lynges are actually a military family. Sir Brian’s father fought in the war, while he and his brother were once part of the air force. Diana and Flash also plan to enlist as far as I know. Diana would probably demand to be in the air force.”

“Wait a minute – she plans to join the army? Then why is she a fighter? Doesn’t that screw her chances should she, I’m not hoping for anything bad or anything, you know, get hurt badly?”

He snickered as he turned to look at me. “Trust me, no amount of brain damage is gonna stop her from getting her wings.”

A mental image of a wheel chaired Diana shouting down a quivering recruitment officer emerged from my imagination and my mouth couldn’t help but release the laugher that it caused, Alex joining in not long after. As asinine as that comment was, it definitely sounded accurate.

“So anyway, is tomorrow a go?” Alex asked after recovering his breath.

“Yeah, it should be. Already informed May about it. Anyway, are you sure there’s gonna be a meteor shower tomorrow night?”

“Of course I am! I can just feel it in my bones!” he said, gripping his fist as if in meditation. “That and the news confirmed it just this morning.”

“Good. I’ll just do the groceries tomorrow morning so I can cook fresh. How about you, you think you can handle transporting the scope and book by yourself?”

“Hell yeah! And I know just the place so we’re not that far from town yet still far enough to avoid light pollution,” he bragged, showing a thumbs up.

I stood up from the sofa and extended my hand for a shake. “Alright then, I guess I’ll be off. See you tomorrow?”

“What? You’re going already? The day’s still young! Wanna see my dojo at least? It’s full of ancient weapons and shit. I know! How about we spar first?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and down during his last few sentence.

The handshake forgotten, I reject the idea with a quick wave of my hand. “No thanks. The last time we sparred, I ended up getting tackled to the mat five times, and always face first. Seriously, I could still feel that elbow crush you hit me with a week ago,” I declined as I rolled my right shoulder, a faint but audible creaking emanating from it. “You might not have Diana’s power, but you’re just as vicious.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Anyway, I guess I can’t keep ya. I’ll see tomorrow then,” he stood up and extended his hand first.

“Oh wait, before I forget!” He called before going towards one of the drawers in the living room and taking out a small purple envelope about five inches long.

“Here man, this came in the mail this morning. I still don’t get why you had me address this to my house but whatever. Personally, I still can’t believe you passed with only one try.” He said as he handed me the envelope. It was a flat envelope with hardly any heft to it, though it had a stiffness that didn’t completely derive from the envelope itself.

“Yes well, I’m just that good,” I said as I took the envelope and shook his hand. “Alright then, see ya.”

*****

The sun was still on its way to its zenith and thankfully the heat wasn’t as bad as I dreaded. Though I didn’t plan to do the groceries today, I walked around the market, thinking it would be good to know the available produce so I could plan accordingly. The market was loud and crowded as much as could be expect; with vendors shouting gimmicks to gain attention and patrons running past each other to gain access to their ideal stalls. I looked around and was not disappointed by the diversity and quality of choices in both vegetables and fruits; from shiny tomatoes to crispy green cabbages, they had it all. I felt tempted to just buy some now, though thankfully I was able to keep myself in control.

A few minutes passed and my roaming was disturbed by my rumbling stomach. However, before I could even think of leaving market grounds, I found myself lured by a smell that was sweet and succulent, and for some reason, familiar.

With my stomach not affording me any control, I walked towards the source and found a spread of freshly baked, mouthwatering fritters. The only sad part being they were without their baker.

“Umm, hello?” I called into the stall, trying to aim for the back room.

Inside, a bit of rustling was heard before a voice finally answered.

“Hold your horses now, I'll be right there.”

A few moments later, someone finally came out, walking backwards towards the counter, a stack of crates full of apples in her hands.

She wore an orange plaid shirt over a tank top undershirt and jeans. She was of rather impressive height and build that was akin to Diana, but differentiated by the little bit of grace that her movements managed to carry.

Putting down the crates, she began to wipe the sweat off her forehead. “Pardon for the wait. So, what could I…” she trailed off, her brows furrowing and eyes shrinking a little. “David?”

"Come again?" I reeled back a little, my eyes squinting.

“Oh... I-I’m sorry. I thought ya were… someone else,” she trailed off, her sentence disrupted by a weak but still audible sigh.

"It’s fine. Come on, don't worry about it. I was just caught off guard is all.” I fanned my hand in front of my face. “Anyway, I was just wondering if I buy some of you fritters.”

“I’m sorry. Yes, of course Sir.” She raised her chin up and gave me a soft smile. “It’s a dollar twenty-five per fritter.”

I handed her cash enough for two pieces and she went ahead and began to pack the hot fritters into a brown paper bag, albeit slowly. This however gave me enough time to shake off the initial encounter and ponder on my hostess’ appearance.

Despite her attire, it was clear enough that her build was an athletic one, with slender, well-toned arms and shoulder and an even slender waistline. Her hair was long and blond, reaching well beyond her waist. She had green eyes and fair light pink skin with some freckles around her nose, cheeks and collar bone.

A smile slipped itself onto my lips as an image of a certain pony emerged in my head.

She stood up and handed me the noticeably hot bag. “Thank you kindly for your business. And I’m mighty sorry for confusion earlier. I added an extra fritter for your troubles.”

“You sure?” I asked, indeed seeing the extra fritter in the bag. “Gee, thanks!” My smile turned into a grin. I extended my free hand to her and her face took a confused expression. “Just so there’s no more confusion; the name’s Daniel. David is close, but… ehhh… you know.”

She relaxed, smiled back and grabbed my hand. “Adrienne Jeanne.”

“AJ?!” I shouted in surprise. “I should’ve seen THAT coming.”

She squinted. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Ehhh… no-nothing! I just thought that you looked like… a… AJ,” I shakily answered, smiling sheepishly at her.

She held her gaze, leaning in close and gripping my hand hard that I found myself sweating. Though after a while, a small smirk found its way to her lips and she retreated and took back her hand. “Whatever it was, I guess I could let it slide and just take it as a compliment.”

She then placed the cash into the register. “Are you new in town?”

“Not really. I’ve been here for more than a month now. About forty three days now to be a bit more specific.”

“You keep count?” She snickered as she fixed up her stall.

Before I could answer her, my stomach growled loudly and I found my cheeks heating up as I saw her eyes redirect themselves toward me.

“Looks like you got your lunch just in time. There’s a bench here if you’d like to eat it now.” She chuckled, pointing to the bench to the right of her stall.

I could only scratch the back of my head at that before sitting down on the aforementioned bench.

Surrendering to my stomach, I took out one of the still warm fritters and took a bite. The taste was heavenly in its mixture of sweetness and fruity tang, while its consistency was enough to make it melt in my mouth but not be mushy. Under such bliss, I found myself biting on another, then another, then another, until there was nothing but crumbs left in the bag.

“Well, that's disappointing,” I thought out loud, crumpling the paper bag and shooting it into the nearest trash bin, failing by just half an inch.

"Hoowee! You went through those three fritters in record time!" Adrienne exclaimed as she sat down on her on chair inside the stall.

I shrugged. "What can I say but complements to the chef?"

She snickered and then smiled. "Well, the chef appreciates it."

I simply smiled back at her. 'She truly is Applejack's counterpart.' Then a second thought hit me as I remembered the very first words she said when she saw my face.

I stood up and picked up the crumpled up brown bag and disposed of it properly. “Do you mind if I ask you something Miss Adrienne?”

“Sure. And what's with this Miss Adrienne nonsense? Just call me AJ. It’s not like you haven't already.” She crossing her arms on the counter and resting her chin on them.

“Alright then, AJ it is. Anyway, this David guy you confused me with earlier, do I really look like him?”

She looked down, her lips and eyelids drooping a little.

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I’m sorry for asking,” I said, sitting back down on the bench.

She raised her head and waved at that. “No, no, it’s ok. And yes, you do look an awful lot alike. In fact, it’s kind of scary just how similar you both are. Well… not the awful shaggy green hair anyway. No offense,” she finished returning to her resting position. “But now that I actually get to compare, I have to say you look more like a younger version of him.”

“None taken.” I snorted as I combed my hair with my fingers. “I probably should get it dyed black anyway.”

Though I already understood that most, if not all, ponies in Equestria had to have a human counterpart; it never occurred to me that the concept extended even to me. Just the thought of it was enough to make me grin ear-to-ear as I tried to imagine how the scene would play out should I meet the guy.

“You seem happy,” commented Adrienne, bringing me back to reality.

“Do I?” I scratched the back of my head. “I guess I’m kind of excited by the thought of having a look-a-like that I kind of wanna meet the guy. Do you think we can arrange something?”

Her smile dropped that very instant as she turned away for a moment before turning back to me. “I don’t think that’s really possible sugar cube.”

“How so?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowing. “I would’ve imagined you were in good terms with him. Are you in a fight or something? Or did he move away?”

She looked away again, the same lethargic expression from before showing on her face. She then let out a loud sigh and said something I did not expect. “I’m afraid Mr. David Wilson will never come back.”

At that moment, images of the conversation I just had with Alex rewound themselves in my head. My body began to stiffen and I felt an uneasiness creeping over me, something my new acquaintance definitely noticed.

“Is he by any chance related to a Natasha Wilson?” I asked finding enough self-control to do so.

“Ya know the Wilsons?”

“N-no… I just heard about the Wilsons today…” I answered shakily, still reeling from that tidbit of information.

“Then I’m guessin ya also heard David’s been dead for three years now.”

I felt my forehead crumple and grow lines, a lone sweat bead running down the side of my face. I had to admit, dead counterparts was a contingency I did not at all expect. Lest of all, to have that dead counterpart be mine. I bent down and looked at open hands, my mind began to buzz with ideas, concepts and possibilities of what it could foretell; ‘The Spike of this world is… dead. But he’s older than me, right? What if I’m supposed to end up like him anyway? What if I…’

‘No!’ I told myself, my teeth gritting. ‘I will not let my life be dictated by something I have no control over. Not again! He’s gone, I’m still here. That very fact means what happened in his life has no bearing to mine. And if I’m wrong and… and I’m really meant to die… then so be it.’

I felt a soft but firm hand on my shoulder; ripping me from my thoughts and making me look towards its source. “Are you alright, sugarcube?” said Adrienne with a worried face, now sitting on the bench just foot away from me.

“Y-yeah, I just… I just need a moment.”

“Why do ya seem more affected by this than I thought ya should be? I just said ya two just looked alike.”

I give a nervous chuckle at that. I very much expected her to try and dig into something should I do anything stupid given she’s earth’s Applejack. Luckily, I was not without rebuttal that though wasn't entirely true, wasn't lying either.

I straightened my posture and looked at her directly. “Yes well, I’m kind of a superstitious guy. If David really did look just like me as you make it seem, then a dead doppelganger is no laughing matter to me.”

“I guess… I never thought of it that way,” she replied, scratching the back of her head. “I’m mighty sorry you had to hear it from me.”

“I appreciate the apology, but I appreciate your honesty more. So don’t beat yourself up over it. You just happened to have the misfortune of holding the information when I asked. Lucky for you, I’m not the type that shoots the messenger.”

I stood up from the bench and pulled out my phone from my pocket. The time read twelve fifteen pm.  “I think I need to go. I still have to get to the City Library.”

“What business do you have there?”

“A friend.” I smiled at her. “I think you two would get along very well.”

“Is that so? Well, you should bring her here some time then.” She smiled back, playfully hitting my shoulder.

“I’ll see what I can do. Anyway, I guess I’ll be going,” I said, turning around to leave. However, before I could take a step… “A second thought, could I buy another four fritters before I leave?”

“Why of course you can. Though I have to ask, I know it’s none of my business, but don’t you think you’ve had enough fritters? These go right to your thighs you know. Or maybe that’s what you’re gunning for.”

“Very funny,” I answered back with a sardonic smile on my face. “No, I’ll only be having one of those, the rest are for my friend.”

“Ah well that makes more sense,” she said, handing me a new bag full of hot fritters. “Well then, thank ya for your patronage, Daniel. Don’t be a stranger now, ya hear?”

“If your treats stay the way they are, I don’t think I can stay away.”

I waved good bye and began to walk east, although before I was out of earshot, I heard one last quip from Adrienne that earned her a full blown laugh, relaxing me a bit more from my neurosis.

“I’m serious about those going right to your thighs!”

The noon sun bore down on anything and everything its rays touch, slowly draining whatever liquids it could get from its targets. I was not spared from this for I felt my throat tighten and my shirt moisten as I walked. I quickened my pace and soon enough, the tall looming silhouette of the town library came into view. Yet, as I got closer and closer, I saw something else stood in between me and the library, a familiar something that gave a small smile on my face.

‘To think this thing is a magical gateway that connects two very different worlds. Though I guess right now it won’t be leading anywhere till a few more weeks, so until then, it’s nothing more than a big hunk of marble. I just hope we at least get some leads before then.’

Going passed the marble monument and up the stairs, I entered the library only to find a seat at the front desk that was missing a ‘Twilight’.

I looked around and I couldn’t help but still feel the awe of the building. Though this was no hollowed out tree or grand castle library, I have to admit, it made me feel nostalgic.

I knew I was missing my old life but I didn’t think the libraries would be the thing I’d miss the most. From the quiet that surrounded me to the smell of books and parchment, all of them brought back memories that made me smile and forget about my ill discovery.

Walking further down the main aisle, I found her busy restacking books by one of the many rows of bookshelves.

I would have approached her then and there had I not found myself frozen, my mouth agape as I took in the image of her.

The soft radiance of filtered sunlight bouncing off her slender feminine frame. Her purple eyes full of intelligence we busy at her task, yet still carried peace and happiness. The simple clothing, practical and modest, but still capable of accentuating her figure. Her hair was not let down like usual and was instead kept in a bun, revealing her soft innocent face that was completed by a beautiful content smile.

Her eyes moved towards my direction and finally noticed my presence.

“Spike? When did you get here?” she called. To my misfortune, I was still lost in the image.

“Spike?” she repeated, her eyes furrowing and her smile subsiding when no answer was returned.

“SPIKE!”

“Huh? What? Huh?” I shook my head, then redirecting my eyes back to Twilight’s worried own.

“Are you ok, Spike? And what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” Her eyes still furrowed as she returned the penultimate book on her book cart.

“Ye-yeah… I just… I… I...” I awkwardly scratched the back of my neck, mind still ajar. “You look amazing in a bun!” I blurted out.

Immediately I felt my face warm up and my heart race faster when my conscious mind hit on the ill-conceived sentence I absent-mindedly uttered. I would’ve slapped myself then and there had I had any mental processing power to spare. I braced myself, fully expecting her to laugh out loud and rub it in my face. Yet as seconds passed, she uttered nothing, only looked at me in surprise.

I thought I saw a hint of red spread on her face before lowering her head. She then brushed the loose strands of her hair off her face and tucked them behind her ear, indeed revealing red and a small smile on her lips.

“… Y-you think so? T-thank you.”

I didn’t know what was worse: my inborn stupidity that caused all this, or that I felt my heart race even faster than before.

I shook my head and gave myself a few weak slaps.

“I-I have the rest of the day off,” I managed as I walked towards her and took the last book from her cart. “I didn’t really like going home early so I thought maybe I could visit you at work and maybe help out. You know, just like old times.”

She chuckled for a bit before taking the small but thick book right out of my hands. “Thank you for the offer Spike,” she started, then placed the book into the bookshelf behind us. “But I think I’ve already got everything under control here.”

I did a double take before letting out a dry chuckle. “You wouldn’t even let me put away the last book?”

“Well, technically speaking, you’re not my library assistant, so I don’t think you’re allowed to do that. Also, it’s your day off right? Shouldn’t you be resting?” She smiled softly. “Then again, it’s not like you knew where to put it.” She shrugged as she began to pull the book cart back to its station.

At that, I found my face become dominated by a confident almost exacting grin as I trailed behind her. “Wait, wait… did that sound like a challenge?”

She didn’t answer immediately, only kept pushing on the cart. She turned her head a little to see my expression, it was however enough for me to see hers. “I don’t know, maybe?”

“Whoa wait, now that DEFINITELY sounded like a challenge.” Instantly, I ran in front of her and grabbed the other end of the cart, placing all my weight on it. I stared at her, her eyes wide at my actions. “You think I’m no longer capable of being your assistant, don’t you.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “What? No! I never said that! Now come on Spike, let me put this cart away so we can sit down.”

My stare only got more intense at that. “Name a book.”

“What?” She blurted after blinking.

“Name a book, any book that the library has. You don’t even have to give me specifics. Just name a book and I’ll find it in less than a minute. My only caveat is it shouldn’t be in any other room besides the main library.”

She only stared at me, dumbfounded at my spontaneous proposition. She looked away for a few seconds, her eyebrows furrowing and placing a few fingers on her lips and stealing glances from time to time. I couldn’t exactly guess what was going on in her head, but I could tell that she knew she had no other option but to play.

She turned back to me, her expression blank. “Are you should we couldn’t just sit down and read?”

“No,” I answered, my stare not wavering.

She sighed at that. “… Prometheus Unbound. Author, Percy Bysshe Shelley.”

With that I ran towards the center of the library, at the same time my mind was busy trying to list the attributes of the book by its title and author alone. I was already familiar with the layout of the library, so I went to the corresponding area where I could begin my search. I knew for a fact that with a title like that, it had to be under the categories of ‘mythology, fiction, and drama.’ Using those facts and my knowledge about Twilight, I tried to calculate where specifically she could have placed it. Sure enough, I managed to find it in the drama section of the library. I looked at my watch and couldn’t help but feel a smile creep up on my face. Hurrying towards the usual spot Twilight and I would read during the earlier days of our time here on earth, I immediately showed her the book with a wide grin on my face as I pulled out my phone with its clock app maximized.

“Thirty…eight seconds!” I said, before catching my breath. “Aisle 12, bookshelf 15D, 20th books from the left,” I continued, then took a seat in front of her after.

She smiled softly as she reached out for the book, eyeing the piece of literature before returning her eyes to me. “Good work, Spike.”

“Hey, my pride as an assistant was on the line here. You know I can’t just take that lying down.” I smirked at her, then grinned.

“Well then, I’m sorry if I ever made you feel you needed to prove yourself.”

“It’s fine. Personally, I think I did it more for myself more than anything. It’s been awhile since I’ve done anything like this, and I think I’m getting rusty.” I answered her as I placed both my elbows onto the table and rested my chin on the back of my clasp fingers.

I then looked down on the book in her hands, finally being able to see it with a clear head. “So uh, why did you have me find that book specifically? I would’ve imagined you’d have me find something more… factual.”

Her eyes were no longer set on me and were instead on the book that was now open in her hands. “No specific reason. It was just the first thing that came to mind, maybe because I’ve been so intrigued by Greek mythology.”

“What got your interest anyway?” I cocked my eyebrows. “Personally, I think most of the gods in there are narcissist jerks with superhuman powers who think they have moral superiority over the humans that lived under them. Hypocritical since they’re no better than the humans.”

“I see you’ve been reading about them as well. And well…” she started, her face scrunching up as she tried to think of her answer, but failing miserably. “Yeah, I guess that’s one way to put it.”

“One way to put it? Their leader is a sexual predator and all around jerk! They’d probably put Discord to shame.”

She lifted her eyes from her book and looked at me with crooked eyebrows. “I think you’re over generalizing too much. They aren’t all that bad. What about Athena and Demeter? What about Prometheus?”

I only snorted at that. “I guess. Though that last one was a titan, so I guess he doesn’t count.”

“Now you’re just trying to argue specifics.”

We just sat there talking, just enjoying the relative silence and each other’s company. We would get interrupted here and there, mostly by people from the municipality asking for forms and other such paperwork.

Given I didn’t have any idea about this part of her work; all I could do was sit down and observe. And I have to say, I did not like what I saw.

Twilight looked out of it. Her movements were clumsy, sluggish and weak.  From the looks of the people she talked to, it seemed her mind didn’t fare any better. She would lose track of what she was doing, usually having to shake her head to regain some semblance. Thankfully, she managed to finish her work with only delay as the only negative outcome of her actions.

I kept my eyes on her as she returned to her seat, my mind formulating possibilities for her apparent weakened state.  I didn’t know if she was like this when I entered the library, but now that I had reason to observe her with a more scrutinizing eye, she indeed showed signs of confusion while her skin looked paler than its usual bronze.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you Twilight?”

She did not answer immediately and only looked at me with a look not completely of shame but more of confusion. “…No, not yet. I haven’t really had time. I’ve been kinda busy since the town chairwoman is doing some personal inspections. We just kinda got lucky she hasn’t come back yet.”

“It’s already passed two in the afternoon Twilight. You should have already eaten,” I stated with an expression and tone that commanded authority. I knew it worked since she wouldn’t look me in the eye.

“Don’t worry, Spike; I’m fine. I’ll just eat more during dinner.”

I scratched the back of my head and exhale in disappointed. “You have to eat, Twilight. Just eating a single heavy meal in one day just won’t cut it. If only you can see how pale you look. And it’s not like you had good blood sugar levels to begin with. Wait here; I’ll go get your lunchbox. It should be in the front desk, right?”

I rose from my seat and turned towards the front desk. However, before I could leave, I felt a tug on my right sleeve. I turned around and saw Twilight, head down and twiddling with her fingers.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, turning back to her.

“… You’re not gonna find my lunch there.” She replied with a hesitant voice as she continued to twiddle her fingers.

“What? Why.”

Again she took a moment before answering back, stealing glances as she did. “… I kinda left it at home.” She finally answered before smiling sheepishly.

I did a double take, chuckling before shaking my head and sitting back down. “You’re helpless.”

She only looked down at that, but not before I saw the blush on her cheeks.

“…Shut up.”

I couldn’t help but let out more chuckles, though the action only seemed to irritate her more. I shook my head once more and opened my backpack and pulled out the fritters which amazingly still felt warm and uncrushed.

Regaining her attention, I extended the paper bag towards her. “Lucky for you I brought food. Here.”

She eyed the brown stained bag for a few seconds before actually reaching out for it. She took out one of the fritters and tentatively took a bite. At the very instant, her eyes widened. “These are delicious, Spike!” She exclaimed, taking more bites out of the pastry without any regard to how she looked doing so or the mess she was making. “I don’t remember you making batter. When did you get the time to bake these?”

“I didn’t; I bought them before I came here.” I said, a smirk growing on my face as I waited for her to ask her next question.

“Really? Where?”

“From AJ.” I answered nonchalantly, watching from the corner of my eye for her response. My smirk grew into a grin as I saw her eyebrows furrow and her eyes widen.

“AJ? As in human Applejack?” She asked.

“Yup.” I replied using the same tonality as those of Big Mac. “Her real name is Adrienne Jeanne. She was at the market square selling those fritters and a few of her apples as well.”

She took another fritter and bit down, though still keeping her attention to me. “Really? So this Adrienne is much more comparable to her counterpart then?”

“A perfect match. She looks like her, she dresses just like you’d expect a human AJ would, she even has her accent!” I answered, shouting out the last sentence more than I should have.

“So, that makes…” I trailed off, looking at the ceiling and counting with my fingers. “Three bearers; Rainbow, Fluttershy, and AJ. Rarity and Pinkie are the only ones left. I wonder who we meet first.” I said with enthusiasm. I expected the same expression on Twilight when I looked. However, when I did, I did not see anything of the sort. Instead I found her troubled and indecisive.

“What’s wrong?”

She looked at me for a moment then moved her irises away, hesitation clear within them. Finally she looked back, though her still contained a troubled expression. “… I think… I’ve might have found Rarity.”

I squinted at her for a few more seconds. “But you think you might be wrong.”

She nodded at that. Which in turn made me squint at her and tap my chin.

“Hmm. This is a first,” I said, looking away. “The last three were slam dunks from the get go.”

I repeatedly tapped my chin then turned back to her. “Tell me, who is she?”

She hesitated for a moment, a fear of some sort in her eyes. “Her name is Phoebe. She’s the lady that owns the tailoring boutique by Howard Phillips Street. I met her because one of the people in the municipal hall recommended I talk to her about getting a uniform.” She paused and looked at me with a scrutinizing eye. A look that I returned in kind before gesturing for her to continue.

“As far as her comparisons to Rarity; they’re both very beautiful, though I’ve never seen Phoebe without her makeup. She also has the same skills and flair as her when it comes to sewing and aesthetic taste. As for their mannerism go, they’re pretty much the same, right down to the way they speak.”

She turned back to me again, this time finally getting an expression from me. “Oh… kay. So what’s there to doubt? If she looks like Rarity, talks like Rarity, then shouldn’t that mean she’s her counterpart?”

“That’s what I initially thought too.” She answered, slumping for a moment before addressing me again. “When I was first told about her, they said that she was the tailor to go to. They sang praises about her work and skill. Though when they did, they also warned about her lethargic, distant demeanor. I tried to ignore it, thinking it was just town gossip but after a working with her I had to admit the atmosphere around her was a heavy one. She’s not really the talking type and as far as I’ve heard the most active interaction she’s had is with me. She hardly ever smiles, even when complimented. I did some digging on her and apparently she wasn’t always like this. They say she was once cheerful, was once more… alive.”

Her frown grew larger as she went on. At first I was bothered by the level of concern Twilight had for this person. Yet as I thought about it more, I had to smile for I remembered the kind of friendship Twilight and Rarity shared.

She turned to me, her eyes soft and brimming with sadness. Yet in that sadness, I saw something else, something utterly… Twilight. “I don’t know what happened to her to make the way she is now. But all I know is that she needs to get through it. She’s a good person; she just needs some help…”

I smiled at her and placed a hand on top of hers. “And she will get that help. You know why? Because I believe you’re just the person to give it to her.”

She smiled at me and I found myself in awe of her and couldn’t help but return it. Out of nowhere she lunged at me, wrapping her hand around torso and resting her head on my chest, making me feel her warmth. “Thank you, Spike.”

My mind froze for a second before I found myself smiling at that.

“Don’t mention it,” I said as I returned the hug.

She pulled back, her beautiful smile widening into a grin, her skin returning to its usual vibrant bronze.

“It looks like you got your energy back.”

“Well, it’s all thanks to my number one assistant,” she replied, her face glowing with happiness and mirth.

My eyes widening as a warm feeling and a tug from within began to overwhelm me when I heard her words.

Her lips slowly went flat as my silence stretched on for seconds. “What’s wrong?”

“No-nothing…” I started after shaking my head. “It’s just that, I haven’t heard you call me that in a long while. I guess I missed it.”

It was her turn to do a double take as she just sat there staring at me. “Well… you deserve it,” she said in a meek yet still audible way.

“Thanks.”

Time wore on as Twilight and I continued to talk and reminisce, just enjoying each other’s company. I had to admit that I missed times like these, just the two of us having fun, not caring about anything and just taking what the wind blows at us. The only thing I regret about it was that we might have been too loud.

We mostly talked about random stuff: from Alex’s annoying laugh, to the chairwoman's broach. I also talked more about Adrienne and my conversation with her, minus a few odds and ends. Twilight was eager to meet her for herself, just like I was eager to see her face when she does.

*****

“Thanks for coming by Spike. I’m really sorry about the lunch box, I know how hard you work on those.”

“Don’t mention it, it felt good to work in a library again, even if it was just under the deputy assistant position. Are you sure I can’t just wait for you to time out?”

“Yeah, I’m sure, Spike. I’m probably gonna have to stay for a few extra minutes because of the chairwoman’s visit. Besides, I don’t think it’ll leave a good impression on her if you were here distracting me. Go on and just rest for the rest of the day, and if the lunch you packed isn’t spoiled yet, save it for me please.”

“I guess I am too good looking to not get distracted by, aren’t I,” I said, making a face. Predictable, all it got me a playful jab from Twilight.

“I’ll see you at home, Spike.”

I snickered and I began walking down the stair. Five flights down however, I stopped and remembered the real reason for my visit.

“By the way, Twilight, do you have any plans tomorrow night?”

“Well…” she started. “Aren’t we supposed to do some patrolling tomorrow night?”

“Oh yeah, we are. Do you think we could just skip tomorrow? Or better yet, if you think you up for it, we could do it tonight.”

She took a few seconds for herself before answering. “I guess we can do it tonight. But why do you wanna reschedule?” she asked, giving me a mischievously curious look.

“There’s something I wanna watch with you tomorrow night and I don’t think a recording would be as good as watching it live.”

“Well, what is it you want you watch?”

I turned my back to her and began walking down the stairs. “It’s a surprise.”