To be Human: An Equestria Girls reimagining

[Twilight Perspective]

Spike stared down the black pony shaped game piece in my hand, a single bead of sweat running agonizingly down the side of his face, his lips in a ridiculously deep frown and his cheeks twitching at random intervals.

“Knight to E3. Checkmate.”

Straightaway, he scratched his head violently and gritting his teeth with enough force to make it audible. Then after exactly five seconds, he slammed his head into his lap, a sigh of surrender coming from his limp body. “That’s fifteen games in a row we’ve played and I haven’t got close to winning a single one. And to add insult to injury, all of them were less than eighteen minutes long.”

“I’m sorry, Spike, but if you want a win, you’re going to have to earn it.”

He raised his head from his lap, his pupils large and his lips in a drooping pout.

At that, my eyebrows and lips went flat. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to see if I can make you reconsider,” he answered, increasing the moisture in his eyes without actually letting it run.

“That’s cute, Spike, but I don’t think that’s not gonna work,” I said in a playful tone. “For one, when it comes to chess, I’m just too competitive to give away wins. Two, you weren’t able to save the packed lunch.”

“How is that my fault?!”

“Let me finish,” I answered back. “And three… you forgot about your casserole.”

Immediately his eyes widen and like lightning he took off towards the kitchen. I had to stifle my laugh as he hassled to put on his apron and mittens. Although I had to admit, he really did look adorable.

I heard the door’s locks moving and I turned to see May passing through the threshold.

“Welcome home, May. How was school?”

“Oh. Hi, Tara. Same as always, hectic,” she answered as she took off her socks and shoes. “Is Daniel here?”

“Present and accounted for,” Spike said as he came out of the kitchen, drying his hands with a towel. “Oh, and good news, the casserole made it! Although as its chef, I must advise that under no circumstance that it not see any visitors until dinner time.”

“Hello Daniel!” May said in a rushed tone. She then looked away for a moment and then sneaked a glance at me before looking back at Spike. “Umm. Do you mind if I talk with you for a moment, Daniel?”

“Uh, sure. Fire away.”

I turned towards May, waiting for what she wanted to say. However, I had to cock an eyebrow after she still stayed silent for more than a second. Even more so after she stole a second glance at me.

“Is… anything wrong?” Spike asked.

“Uh… I was hoping to talk to you in private.”

“Oh. OHHH…” he replied with curiosity invoking emphasis.

He immediately rose from his seat and took her by the hand and led her to the kitchen, not noticing that she was still barefoot. Before they passed the threshold, Spike turned to me with an awkward smile and his index finger extended to the ceiling. “Excuse us.”

I felt my lips and eyebrows droop as they entered the kitchen. I heard their murmurs from behind the kitchen walls. Sadly, they were only just that, murmurs. I reached out for one of the books under the coffee table, hoping that I could take my concentration away from the duo. However, the printed words were not enough to stop my eyes from looking back at the kitchen. Not a moment sooner did I hear footsteps and see a shadow approach the threshold and immediately turned my eyes back to the book. Slowly I looked back at saw May rushing for her indoor sandals and going into her room. Soon after, Spike also slowly walked back into the living room, one hand to his hip, the other to the nape of his neck, and a disappointed frown on his lips.

“What’s the matter, Spike?”

“Nothing, just… plans not panning out.” He looked at me then turned his frown into a reassuring smile. “Forget about it. Come on and help me set the table, the casserole should have cooled enough by now, we still have a patrol to do. Oh and where do you think we should go tonight?”

I bit my lower lip, tapping my chin before regarding him again. “How about Market Square?”

“Sounds good,” he said as he walked back into the kitchen.

The road was silent and barren. Spike lead by a few steps while I followed close behind. The dimly lit streets and chilly winds serving as omens for another fruitless attempt. We’ve been walking for already twenty eight minutes and sadly, every step served to only eat away at my hopes of progress.

“Spike?”

“Huh?” he said, turning my way.

“I know you’ve told me many times before to not let this whole situation get to me, but… have you ever thought that maybe these reconnaissance walks aren’t really helping?” I asked, eagerly watching his possible reaction.

He didn’t stop walking, only slightly turned his head to glimpse at me before turning back to where he was walking.

My head lowered itself, thinking I might have gone a bit too far with my inquiry. However, after a few seconds of silence Spike let out a sigh.

“I have, and… no, I don't think it’s getting us anywhere,” he started before stopping and turning towards me, his expression not frowning, but not smiling either. “But it’s the only thing we can actively do in our situation. It’s the only card we have.”

“But isn’t there something else we can do?”

He shrugged. “Not unless you don’t mind interviewing people.”

“Well… can’t we?”

He cocked an eyebrow at that. “… You’re not seriously suggesting we actually interview people.”

“Why not?”

He eyed me for a few seconds before shaking his head, chuckling sardonically.

However, before I could ask what was funny he flattened out his smirk and cleared his throat. “Excuse me miss, but might you grant me the honor of your time? I just wish to ask some questions,” he started, speaking in a light posh aristocratic accent.

I had to cock my eyebrow at him again. It was obvious he was up to something though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was. However, thinking it was better to simply let him do whatever it was he wanted, I held my tongue and nod at him to continue.

“Thank you. You see, though I may look like a dashingly handsome young man, believe it or not, I’m actually a formidable dragon from another dimension. I am in your world because one of my worlds’ most prized possessions – a mystical magic crown called the ‘Element of Magic’ – was stolen by a unicorn and has escaped here, to Earth. I am here to retrieve said artifact and bring the thief to justice. If you have any information that can point to this unicorn, it would be such a tremendous help if you can share them with me. Oh and there’s the fact that like me, she turned human and I have no clue what she might look like.”

I stood, my mouth ajar at what he just pulled… I did not see that coming.

I had to admit; even when I knew that what he said was the absolute truth, absurd was still the primary adjective that came to mind. I tried to take a moment to grasp any possible rebuttals, but each one only exploded like overfilled water balloons in my head.

I sighed then shook my head with an upward curl on one of the corners of my lips. “Alright, alright, you’ve made your point.”

“Good. ‘Coz if I hadn't yet, I’d have to act out the part where they call in a mental institute on me.”

I simply had to roll my eyes at that. “That’s a pity, I would’ve liked to have seen that,” I replied, flashing him a pouting expression, to which he let out a few chuckles. “That was a nice accent by the way, wasn’t that the accent you used during Hearth’s Warming Eve.”

“Thanks. I’ve been practicing.”

“It sounds good. But did you really have to blow your own horn?”

He turned to me for a moment, then turned away before shrugging. “Why? Do you think it’s a contestable fact?”

“Actually, I…” I trailed off when my mind processed what I saw from the corner of my eye. I turned my head and indeed to my side was a familiar two story building with a half faded sign that read the words ‘Diamonds and Pearls Boutique’.

“Twilight, is anything wrong?” He said from a few steps ahead of me, snapping me out me out of it. I took a second glance of the shop and then turned to Spike.

“… It’s nothing. Come on, it’s getting late. We still have a few more blocks to cover,” I replied, restarting my walk with a brisk pace, not looking directly at Spike even after I passed him.

After an hour of predictably unfruitful searching, we decided to cut our losses and head home for some rest.

Feeling a bit sticky from the sweat of the walk, I decided to talk a short bath. Spike on the other hand was much more tired than I was, and just changed his clothes before falling onto the sofa, snoring on impact.

The warm water felt soothing and comfortable on my body, removing all the stress and tension. Though even then, I was far from relaxed.

Images of Spike and May’s hands clasp together kept occupying my mind, a heavy frown taking my lips every time it reappears. I submerged entirely for a second, hoping to clear myself of my thoughts, even if just for a while. Reemerging, I hugged my knees to my chest, just letting the silent atmosphere of the tiled walls and the warm water clear my mind.

"Why does it even bothering me that they held hands!" I shouted out loud before slamming my face into the water.  Something I regretted instantly.

Bathing for longer than I would’ve wanted, I rose from the tub and dried myself. Putting on my pre-prepared bathrobe, I walked through the living room to reach my bedroom when I heard Spike mumble in his sleep. I had to stifle a chuckle at that. Though I wasn’t able to make out most of what he spoke, I was able to hear the words; Ice cream, mountains, vanilla and strawberry. Suffice to say those words were enough to give me a clue about what he was dreaming off.

“Aren’t you too old for ice cream?” I unintentionally said out loud.

Immediately, Spike’s body moved, rolling to lie on his back. I thought that I had waked him, but due to his closed eyelids and soft snores that emanated from his open mouth, it seemed he was still very much asleep.

I tipped-toed the rest of the way to my room and made sure to not make any noise opening the door. However, once inside, I heard Spike mumble once more.

“Twilight… no one’s… too old for ice… cream.”

****

It was quiet inside the city library, empty with only myself as the only breathing thing in the building. It was still the relatively early hours of nine and I didn’t have any job in queue since I managed to finish most of them yesterday, and I guess I have Spike’s fritters to thank for that.

If it wasn’t for him, I would’ve probably fainted yesterday, much less never finished my work. He would always look out for me, always looking to make things easier and more comfortable. He’s done so much but received so little. I’m just glad they gave him two days off.

‘I really need to start showing my appreciation for Spike more. Maybe I could at least let him win a game of chess against me.’

My musing was interrupted when I felt a heavy feeling that fell upon me and heard someone going up the entrance stairs. I stood up at attention, for experience told me that the sensation meant to expect Miss Azenath, the chairwoman, to enter. To my surprise however, a different woman – or girl in this case – entered the threshold, one of the very first I saw when I entered earth.

“I… remember you,” said the girl, her eyes equally as wide as mine.

I had to smile at that. “Yes, and me, you. You’re the daughter of Joey Allen, correct? It’s been awhile hasn’t it, more than a month I believe.”

“Yeah,” She answered as she approached the front desk. “I didn’t know you worked here miss… Ugh…”

“It’s Tara.” I chuckled. “And don’t worry, we never really got each other’s names the first time, so there’s no need to be embarrassed.”

“Oh sorry,” she answered, scratching the back of her head with a goofy yet adorable grin on her face. “I’m Janice, but my friends just call me Jane.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Janice, would it be ok if I call you Jane too?”

“Of course!” She beamed. “How about you Miss Tara? Do you have a nickname that people call you?”

“Well, my best friend does call me Twilight, if that’s what you’re asking,” I answered.

To my surprise however, her face took a turn for the skeptical. “I think you’re making that up.”

This intrigued me. I’ve always noticed people giving Spike and I looks whenever he call me my real name. And even after I’ve tried to educate myself with human cultures and ticks, I’ve yet to find an answer.

“Why do you say that?”

“Twilight just sounds too good of a nickname.”

“Really?” I asked, actually intrigued.

“Yeah.”

“Well then, I guess I’m awfully lucky to have a best friend who would call me that,” I said with a smile. I found myself doing a double take however when I finished my sentence.

‘… lucky… to… have Spike.’

“Miss Tara, are you alright?” said Jane loudly, pulling me back. Luckily, we were the only ones in the building so I didn’t have to shush her.

“Ye-yeah. Anyway, what are you doing here? Do you have a school project you need done?”

“Yeah. Though, I’m kind of having trouble finding what I need. I tried to do it by myself, but all I got was  a bin full of crumpled paper. I tried the internet, but I suck at that too,” she said, looking down on the ground, a small frown taking her face.

I walked out of my station and bent down to eye level of her. “Well don’t worry one bit, alright? Because Miss Tara is free and she’d be glad to help you with what you need.” I assured her as I gave her a cheery smile, one that infected her the moment she look up.

“Thanks, Miss Tara.”

We immediately went to work and in just a few minute we managed to get something proper going. Sure our stack of book and the number of browser tabs open was getting… hefty, but that just meant we were getting the best of the best, and in an hour, we finished the whole thing.

“Are you sure I’m not gonna get in trouble for this, Miss Tara? I kinda think we over did it,” she said with a worried smile as she gazed on the fruits of our work.

“Well Jane, that depends, did you learn anything while we studied?”

At that her hesitation vanished, replaced by an offended yet cute scowl. “Of course I did!”

“Then, you have nothing to worry about. You know why?”

“… Why?”

“Because I saw you enjoy yourself while you were learning. And when you enjoy something, you don’t easily forget it. So when you pass your paper, just be confident. Ok?”

“… Ok.” she answered meekly, a small smile showing on her face. Then a blush showed itself on her cheeks. “Umm… Miss Tara, do you mind if I just stay here a bit longer? You know, just hang around? I don’t really have anything to do and I didn’t think we’d finish so soon.”

“I don’t see why not. I’m by myself anyway so company is always nice. Though if we get some visitors, you’re going to have to be quiet, alright?”

She held out her right hand straight in a pledging pose. “I promise.”

I chuckled at that. “So, how’s your father?” I asked. I immediately covered my mouth however when I thought about the appropriateness of my words.

“Pretty good actually.” she answered nonchalantly to my surprise. “Ever since that night you guys brought him home, I’ve hardly ever seen him drunk. He still drinks as far as I know, but he’s doing it less and less now, so I guess it’s tapering off. It’s kinda amazing really.” She grinned.

I had to smile myself. “How old are you, Jane? I want to know because, for someone as young as you are, you sound like you know a lot about alcoholism.”

“I’m fourteen, and I kinda have to know about it with the kind of routine I live with.”

“I see, but where’s your mother in all of this?”

She went silent at that, her expression lost most of its luster the moment I completed my sentence. At that, I instantly understood that I might have overstepped my bounds. “Oh! Sorry! Sorry, I didn't know. It's fine if you don't want to talk about it. Really!”

She shook her head. “It’s fine, Miss Tara. Like you said, you didn't know. Really it's my fault; all this time I would've thought I've been over it.”

I placed a hand on the girl's shoulders as I looked at her moistening eyes. “We don't have to talk about it if you don't have to.”

“It's okay. Really. Besides, I think talking about it would do me some good."

"Would you find it weird if I told you my dad’s a fisherman?” She asked, to which I only shook my head. “What about if I told you my mom was an on-stage magician for a traveling circus?”

With that, she got my attention. “A magician?”

“Yeah, and she was very good one too. At least that’s what I’m told,” she said with a melancholic tone. “She was definitely not one of those kiddy parlor tricks types. She used tricks like making things float in between her hands, swapping things meters apart within a blink of an eye, those kinds of stuff.”

“She sounds amazing.”

She sighed, her eyes towards nothing in particular. “… She was.”

“My dad told me things were hard back then, that the town wasn't what it is now. He said that it was hardest thirteen years ago and it stayed that way for around half a decade. I didn’t exactly know the details since I was only a baby back in those days, but they said that things we so bad that even fishing wasn’t enough to feed a person two times a day,” she said as I remained sat down on my seat, my attention completely on her words and expression.

I remembered reading something about this before in some of the town archives, so I wasn’t as surprised. Still, it was something to hear it from experience.

“My mom retired from the circus after she married my father and got pregnant with me, leaving my dad to be our only breadwinner. You could guess what that meant. I don’t blame her, I understand why, I just thought they would’ve thought out a plan,” she said before giving off an indifferent snicker.

“My dad said that when I was three, my mom left home to try and fix our fortunes, and that she failed… That’s all that he’d say about it. He wouldn’t tell me any specifics no matter how much I pushed.” She snorted then wiped the wetness from her eyes. “I learned from my extended family that she went and joined some kind of local group or religion to do what she told my dad. Things apparently did turn good for a while, but then there was a fire in one of their meeting places.  Apparently my mother was in there when it collapsed.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. It must be hard for you.”

“Yeah, but sometimes you just have to muscle through, you know? Sorry you had to see me like that,” she said as she wiped the remaining wetness from her eyes. She then snorted as she look down to the table. “There’s also the fact that I kinda feel you at least needed to know after what my dad did to your friend.”

“Wait, he told you?!” I shouted, despite myself. Immediately I looked around, and thankfully the two of us were still the only ones in the building.

“Yeah. He only remembers snippets, but it was enough for him to put two and two together. He was very embarrassed and sorry about it,” she said matter-of-factly.

“He was embarrassed, huh?”

“Oh big time,” she answered with a grin, her lethargy from moments ago almost undetectable. “My dad is an alcoholic, that's a fact, or at least now it's thankfully a maybe. And though I still think it's a very stupid way to go about forgetting, I can't entirely blame him.”

“And he’s very lucky to have someone like you for a daughter,” I said as I gave her a shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Anyway, I think that’s enough about that topic for today, don’t you think?”

“I guess.” She snickered. “I can only show so much emotion in a day. What about you, Miss Tara? Where are your parents?” she asked.

“They’re far away, not because we have problems, but more because now I have responsibilities of my own, more specifically some business I need to attend to here in Pinnsmith,” I said.

“Are you in good terms?”

“We are. And if things go well, I’m more than probably going to visit them after two months.”

“Well that’s good,” she answered plainly. “Will your boyfriend go with you?”

Instantly, I felt heat on my face as my heart pumped like a turbine in a hurricane. “B-boyfriend?”

She cocked her brows at that. “Isn’t that guy with green hair your boyfriend?”

All I could do was look at her with wide eyes. I didn’t quite understand how she could make that assumption, and I was most assuredly caught off guard by it. Though I knew it wasn’t the case, something in me was stopping me from deny it entirely, leaving me to awkwardly stare at the girl besides me.

“N-n-no, he’s… not my boyfriend,” I said, my voice cracking at one point and weakening towards the end.

“Really?” She gasped. “Sorry. I thought you guys were a couple. It’s just that when I saw you guys, you were so close and looking at each other.”

I looked down, not helping the frown that started to grow on my lips. “I guess that doesn’t surprise me, we’re childhood friends after all... We’ve literally known each other all our lives. Whenever we needed help, whenever we needed guidance, whenever we needed each other’s company, we had each other… He’s my best friend.”

Though I wasn’t looking at her, I could feel her eyes on me. I couldn’t bring myself to look back.

“… Do you like him?”

I simply didn’t know how to answer that. Or rather, I didn’t know if I wanted to answer. Yet I knew that I couldn’t leave her without a response. However, before I could, a loud thud from in front of us stole our attention, the source being the town’s chairwoman.

“M-Madam Azenath,” I stuttered. “I-I-I didn’t hear you come in.”

“I am sure you did not,” she said flatly. “And please remember to NOT call me by my first name, Miss Sparks. We are not friends.”

“Forgive me, Madam Lane.” I bowed.

Ms. Lane was a fair skinned woman of decent height. She had long black hair, green eyes, and lips that seemed to be defaulted as a straight line.

She turned her face to look at Jane. I did not know why, but I saw something in the politician’s eyes as she stared at Jane; it was something aggressive… maligned… predatory.

I felt uncomfortable seeing such a look from the older woman, but if that wasn’t uncomfortable enough, I saw Jane giving Madam Azenath an attacking stare with equal intensity.

The heavy atmosphere grew exponentially every second to the point palpability, and it hurt my case even more that I no clue to what was happening or why.

“Uh… forgive me for asking, Madam. But I thought we were done with Library inspections? Is this a surprise one?”

She returned her eyes towards me, accompanied by a deep frown. “As much as I would like to make such thoughts a reality, Miss Sparks; I would have to say no.”

Miss Azenath snapped her fingers and instantly a pair of tall pale men entered the library, their faces obscured by either a worn hoodie or a baseball cap. The both of them walked in an eerie lumbering shamble, making their way to the public records corner. Once there, they immediately took down the papers and clippings from their shelves, stacking – if you can use such a word – all of them on the floor, leaving me gawking at the sight.

“I was informed that the town’s most… recognized elite… was having some important state visitors over. And knowing Miss Wilson, they are most probably investors. I am here to prepare for their arrival.”

At that, my eyes could only widened even more than they already have. “But-but-but… WHAT ARE THEY DOING?!”

“Tone, Miss Sparks. Tone,” she replied flatly, her expression showing the same as she held an index finger towards me. “They are here to collect public record files and bring it in for sorting.”

“But the records were already sorted. And shouldn’t that be my job?”

One of the men picked up one of the stacks of papers and slowly lumbered out of the library, the other following shortly after.

“Yes, under normal circumstances, it would be your job. But this case is special,” she started. “If you can well imagine, every town has parts of their history that is… less than desirable, questionable. Pinnsmith is no exception. Having such information open in public display could prove detrimental to our town future. And if Miss Wilson’s visitors are indeed international investors, well, it was her blunder to not inform me earlier. I will personally be the one to conduct this project, which is why I am having them moved to my office.”

“I… see…” was the only thing I could answer as I saw the last stack of papers from the now emptied shelf get carried out of the library. “But, shouldn’t there be paperwork to do this kind of thing?” I asked.

At that, she just smirked before producing a folder with the very papers I spoke of. “Don't worry yourself, Miss Sparks, you do not have to lift a finger. We’ll be the ones to do the work, your bookshelf will be filled before you come in tomorrow morning.”

She started to walk away. However, as she turned away, I noticed for the first time the silver broach on her coat lapel.

‘I think I’ve seen that before,’ I thought to myself. However, before I could call to her, she was already outside the library, leaving me to stare at an empty threshold.

“I don’t like her,” Jane said, her aggressive expression still full on her face.

“Yeah, what was that just now? Do you two know each other?”

She turned to me and immediately her expression softened. “Not really. I’ve seen her once or twice, but this is my first time meeting her up close.”

“Then why were you staring at her like that? She’s older than you, not to mention town chairwoman!”

“Well she did it first!” Jane rebutted. “I’m not the type to bow down Miss Tara, even against a politicians. Now that I think about it, I can’t remember her campaigning during Election Day.”

“But still,” I insisted, thinking that maybe the chairwoman was giving her that look because of the situation she caught us in. But at that, I had to wonder. Why was Jane the only one she gave such a look to?

“Anyway, don’t do it next time, ok?”

At that she only crossed her arms and pouted.

“Oh please, don’t be mad. It’s not that I’m siding with Miss Azenath, it’s just that it wasn’t a very nice thing to do, even if she was in the wrong.”

She looked at me without turning her head and smirked. “Really? I thought you were gonna say that it might’ve gotten you in trouble.”

“Well, that too. But my point still stands.”

To my surprise, she covered her mouth and started laughing, something I found rude.

“I’m sorry for laughing, Miss Tara,” she started, her sentence interrupted by fits of laughter. “But I need to ask, has anyone told you you’re too kind?”

“… Yes. Why? Is there anything wrong with being kind?”

She recovered from her laughter, though moisture was still visible in the pockets of her eyes. “Kind is ok, but too kind can lead to trouble. That’s a lesson every person should know.”

“I disagree to a point,” I answered back with a soft voice that contained a surprisingly disproportionate amount of conviction. “I understand that there are people who would take advantage of other people. But that shouldn’t stop you from doing kindness to others. After all, if we were afraid to do kindness, your father would have slept in the alley-way that night.”

Jane could only look at me dumbfounded at that before letting out a single chuckle. “I guess I can concede that point.”

Besides Miss Azenath’s surprise visit, there was no other visitors to the library. Jane stayed with me in the library for another hour before she left, but not before asking for my contact info.

I spent the remaining hour of work cleaning up the mess left behind by the chairwoman’s men.  As large as they were, their bodies didn’t carry a single ounce of grace or cleanliness. Thankfully, the mess in itself wasn’t really all that severe. And before I knew it, work hours were done. And all that’s left was to close down the library.

Following protocol, I gave each aisle a final sweep for anything off, though I was fairly certain there was nothing there. After that, I grabbed my purse from my table and made my way towards the gates.

However, as I walked, I felt movement inside the outer pocket of my purse and immediately took out my phone. On the screen read Spike’s name and number.

“Hello?” I answered.

I heard a few crackles on the other line before I heard his voice. “Yo, Twilight! Are you finishing up with work?”

“Yeah, I’m closing up as we speak. Why did you call?”

“Eh, I got bored,” He answered plainly.

“Why? I thought you had a show you wanted to watch? Was it bad?”

“It hasn’t started yet, and didn’t I tell you that both of us are supposed to watch it?”

“Oh yeah. You did, didn’t you? Well, you better make sure it’s good. Because if it isn’t, you owe me.” I answered him as I locked the library’s giant double doors.

“… Alright, I’m confident enough to take that wager. But what if I win? What then?”

“Hmmm. Same thing, I would owe you.” I answered.

“… Deal,” he said with a tone full of confidence. Something I wasn’t sure if I liked. “We have a good hour and a half before it starts, but I’d rather we don’t miss it. Hurry up and meet me in front of the library. I can only wait for you for so long.”

I did a double take at that. “You’re here?! You should have told me!”

“Yeah. I guess I should’ve told you. But then again where’s the fun in that?”

“You’ve been doing this a lot lately, you know,” I said, standing at the top of the library stairs, feeling the cooling breeze that keeps blowing by. 'Now, I kind of regret not bringing my thicker jacket.'

“Yeah… I kinda think it’s becoming a habit,” he answered before snickering. “Then again, that’s really a bad thing, right?”

“… No,” I chuckled. “I guess not.”

I immediately swept my surroundings, taking full advantage of the high ground. Sure enough, I saw a green fluff atop a black coated figure approaching the library amongst the browns, yellows, and the black.

I hurried down the steps, not running but also not taking my time. I slowed down once I was on the ground, my eyes constantly on my friend who was just standing there smiling at me, a childlike excitement to his grin.

“You’re planning something, aren’t you, Spike?” I said with a playful tone, shaking my head as I walked.

His grin only got wider at that. “Is it that obvious?”

“Yes. Although I’m not completely sure I what to feel about it.”

“Would you go along with it more easily if I say yes?”

“Hmm… maybe,” I answered, smiling slyly back at him.

He shrugged.

“Fair enough,” he said plainly. He then took a straight, posh stance, like those of a butler. “Yes, my dear lady, I have something planned. And I can answer with complete confidence that you’ll enjoy it very much.” he finish before taking a small bow.

I couldn’t help but chuckle loudly, thought he didn’t seem to mind. It just like him to act do something like this. Yes, it is kind of immature and over the top. However at the same, I would never call it useless.

“Very well then, Sir Knight. You may lead the way,” I said, taking the corners of my skirt and performing a curtsy. He only chuckled before turning his back towards me.

I was ready to follow him, but when he didn’t move soon after, I had to wonder. I turned to look at him with a questioning look and found the same expression on his. He didn’t say anything but kept on gesturing with his eyes downward to the right side of him – the side I was standing on.  At first I couldn’t understand what he was pointing at, but when I looked at his torso and saw that he had his arm bent like a hook. I understood he was offering me his arm. At that, I instantly stiffened and a certain heat began to take my face.

“Anything the matter, Twilight?” Spike asked, his face changing into a worried look.

“N... nothing,” I answered with a shake before locking my arm to his with – despite great effort – a very visible shakiness.

Unsurprisingly, his worry did not completely subside. I thought to smile and nod at him, and thankfully, he understood and left it at that.

I had to admit, having him close like this felt nice. His arm proved to be a very comfortable to cling to. I would have imagined it would have suffered a bit with the physique that he has, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Now that I think about it, he seems leaner up close than I first thought. I guess having him close like this also helps keep the cold at bay.

I was confused when we stopped by the open parking lot close to the park. I turned to him with furrowed questioning eyebrows. However when he turned to me, he had the same childlike excited grin on him like before. He then gently removed himself from me and walked inside the parking lot.

“Uh… What are we doing here, Spike? I thought we were heading home,” I asked.

“I never said we were heading home, I never even said were watching it on the TV.” He then stood by one of the parked scooters with the black Pegasus logo of the Lynge Gym stickered to the front of it. “We’re going to one of the hills outside of the town.”

“What are we going to do there? Also, wouldn’t that be too far? Aren’t the hills ten kilometers away?”

“Twelve kilometers to be specific. And yes, it’s going to take forever to walk that distance.” He pulled out a set of keys from his left trouser pocket and starting the engine. “Good thing we’re not doing that,” he said before twisting the rev.

I could only stand there with my jaw wide open. “Y… y… you know how to drive?!”

“Yeah! Or at least that’s what this envelops contents say,” he said, producing a small purple envelope and handing it over to me.

The envelope was already opened, the adhesive already worn and forced, and inside was a card colored the same as the envelope, a picture and details of Spike’s cover name printed onto it, and the words Driver’s License printed on the top left corner of the front of the card.

I felt myself stiffen slowly as the cogs in my head began to turn. “Thi… this is a driver’s license. Then that means… you…”

“Used the documents, yes,” he interrupted.

At that moment something dawned on me. Spike seemed to have noticed since his frown vanished the moment my expression started to change. “Wait… if you managed to get a license with those documents… then…”

“They were authentic.” He gave me a smirk as he gently reached out for the card and took it from my dumbfounded form. “Which also means, we have an ally, or allies, powerful ones.”

“What does that mean for us?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know who they are, but they definitely know who we are. All I can say for sure is that things just got more complicated.”

I had to look down at that. Our current situation was hard enough; the thought that it could be more complicated was just unfathomable. I then felt a hand land on my shoulder and immediately I looked up and saw Spike giving me a comforting look.

“This is also one of the reasons why I didn’t inform you about my move. I was afraid of how you’d take that information. But after what I’ve seen during the last few days, those worries kinda… vanished. I just hope you don’t prove me wrong.” He said with a snigger as he retracted his hand.

I felt a bit of weight lift from me and I had to smile back.

He then pulled out a yellow motorcycle helmet from his back and presented it to me, his lips no longer a soft smile, but now an unabashedly wide grin. “But for the rest of today, all of that is neither here nor there. Because, right now, we are going for a ride.”

I felt a sweat bead slide down the side of my face when I hesitantly took the helmet from his hands. I stole multiple glances at spike, each time I did, the beads on my forehead continued to gather.

Spike’s grin dropped for a moment when he noticed before sighing then turning back to that same kind smile of before. “Twilight, I understand if you’re afraid. Gonna be honest, I was pretty terrified when I first trying to learn this damn thing. But once you get the hang of it, it’s really quite fun!” he said, giving the scooter’s seat a few taps. “As far as safety goes, I have gear for both of us and a lot practice driving with a passenger, so I’m fairly confident.”

He leaned on the scooter, smiling softly as he played with its rev. “We don’t really have much option but to take the scooter to get there. If we walked all the way, we would arrive too late and we’d miss the reason why we’re going there anyway. Of course, there’s also the option of not going. I would really like it if we went…” he paused before looking away, his expression dropping for just a second before turning back, smiling. “But whatever your decision is, I’ll respect it.”

I felt a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach seeing his reaction. It was very easy to tell that he’s put a lot of effort into this, probably days of work’s worth. And although he said ‘not going’ was an option, I did not feel like disappointing him. Yet even, I still couldn’t get myself to disregard my hesitation completely.

“I know you want to keep this a secret until we get there, but I feel like I can’t really go without knowing more. At least enough to be calm me down.”

He mulled over it for a second before sighing and turning back to his usual lax self. “… Alright, I guess that’s better than cancelling this whole thing.”

“We’re going to the hills outside of town because there’s going to be a meteor shower tonight at eight forty two.”

I could practically feel my phantom pony ears perk, when I heard those two words.

Spike only smirked at that. “When I was still in the city, Alex told me that there was going to be a meteor shower this week. I was kinda skeptical and I just laughed. Didn’t really expect the news to back him up three days later.”

“So there really is a meteor shower happening tonight? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?!” I exclaimed.

“I just did! This was supposed to be a surprise, remember?”

“Still though…” I mumbled before returning my gaze towards vehicle, a little apprehension still visible as I bit my lip nervously.

I pulled out my phone and saw the time to be a quarter past six. “Aren’t we going to be a bit early if we go now?”

He shrugged. “Normally, yeah. But we’re also supposed to have dinner there.”

“Dinner?” I asked.

“Yeah. I’ve already transported and prepped everything. Again, surprise.”

I couldn’t help but feel heat rise again to my face as his words began to turn the cogs in my head. “… ye…yeah. But… just the two of us?”

“Yeah, but it wasn’t originally. May and Alex were supposed to join us, but the both of them had to bail. So, there’s that.”

“I… see.” I looked down on the helmet in my hands, trying to calm myself, all the while turning back towards the scooter.

I saw Spike from my peripheral vision tapping the ground with his foot before sitting down on the seat of the scooter, looking down on the ground. I had to sigh at that.

“Alright Spike, you win. We can go. Just…” I paused, my eyes still warily set on the scooter as I fastened the helmet. “Please promise me you’ll be gentle.”

He smiled. “Twilight, I shouldn’t have to tell you I would never want to have anything bad happen to you… But if it makes you feel any better, I promise.”

Spike and I mounted the scooter and even before Spike could the engine, I found myself already shaking heavily, clinging to Spike as if I was about to fall ten stories high. Spike was shaking too, though he was doing so for an opposite reason entirely. At that, I could only feel my embarrassment return.

I slapped Spike on his right arm, though it only ended up being very feeble, probably hurting me more than him.

“Don’t laugh Spike! I’m already embarrassed as it is.”

“I’m not laughing because it’s funny! Well, ok, maybe a little. But I’m laughing mostly because you remind me of me during my first time riding this thing,” he said still giggling. “Just hold on, alright? We’ll take this nice and slow.”

Following his words, we left the parking lot as gently as possible, stopping our acceleration at a modest speed, or at least that’s how I felt it since I kept my eyes closed the moment the wheels started spinning. I could feel the wind flow around my body, my hair flailing by its own whim and its roar filling my ears. Despite being annoying at first, I had to admit, it felt nice. The ride didn’t take much longer and after a few minutes of minor off-roading, we arrived at the foot of one of the many small hills outside of town. The sun was already gone, replaced by a crescent moon and the collection of millions of stars, forming a wide strip that stretched from horizon to horizon behind beautiful black velvet. My eyes couldn’t help but water.

I started to shiver faintly as I stood there. I didn’t think my uniform’s coat wouldn’t be able to contend. Then again, I never imagined I’d be riding an open vehicle. Then, I felt a soft but heavy cloth slowly wrap and descend on my shoulder. I turned around and saw Spike gently smiling at me as he gave me his coat.

“You’re shivering.”

“Uh, thank you, Spike. But what about you? ”

“I’m good. Trust me I can handle the cold more easily than most people. I’m just sorry I never thought of getting you a jacket,” he said as he removed his helmet. “Now, give me your helmet so we can start climbing.”

“Oh, sure,” I said back, finally notice I still had my helmet on. “By the way, are you sure the scooter’s going to be fine down here?”

“It should be, or at least that what Alex tells me.”

“Alex?” I asked, handing him the helmet.

He hanged the helmet on the scooter. “Yeah, he’s the one that lead me to this location. This is his own personal resting spot away from town apparently. He helped me transport the stuff and everything. The reason why he had to bail was because his family needed him to fetch them or something like that. Anyway, I trust him saying this place is secure because he gave me a guarantee, if any of the two expensive things here gets stolen, he’ll pay for it.”

I had raise an eyebrow at that. “Two?”

He only let out a snort. “You’ll see.”

I felt the wind get colder as we went up the hill. It wasn’t incredibly high or steep. I guess it was just winter starting to set in. – It kind of makes me envious that earth has its seasons automated. – Finally, the horizon started to give way and large oak tree visually grew from behind it. Once at the peak, a red picnic blanket with different fruits and pastries on top of it was laid out neatly in front of me, all perfectly set under a jaw dropping view of the night sky.

I could only shake my head, smiling. “You really out did yourself, Spike. This must have taken you a lot to get done. Thank you.”

“Meh, I had help. Alex bailed out at the last minute, but still managed to help with transport.” He then walked past me, then facing me with a mischievous grin. “And don’t thank me just yet, there’s still a bit more that I wanna show you. But before I can, I’m gonna have to ask you to close your eyes.”

“Close my eyes?” I replied with a bit of slyness in my tone, and a single raised eyebrow.

He laughed at that. “Humor me. I already told you about the meteor shower, at least let me have this.”

“Alright, alright. But really we don’t need to do this, you’ve surprised me enough.”

“Again, humor me.”

I chuckled before closing my eyes.

I could hear the rustling of grass and something else as my eyes remained closed. It sounded like multiple parts composed of plastic and metal clicking at each other while being moved. I was tempted to open eyes at that. Yet as I was contemplating the thought, I felt Spike gently take my hand and lead me to the direction of where the sound stopped. When we stopped moving, he let go of my hand and placed his own on my shoulder. “You can open your eyes now.”

An image of a blue, expensive-looking optical telescope met me, prepped and ready for use. Towards the eyepiece, a tag was tied, it read; “Sorry for not being here during your birthday. Here’s your present. –Spike”

I turned to him and he was smiling at me as he handed me two books. One of them was a violet notebook while the other was a manual titled ‘Astronomy for Dummies’.

“Belated happy birthday, Twi,” he said solemnly.

“Sorry about the book, I really wanted to get you something more professional but that’s the only title I could get with the budget I had left.” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, my eyes still set on him. “Boy, some Number One Assistant I am. At least, I didn't burn it this time.”

A certain warmed began to engulf me from the inside. I should have expected Spike to do something. I personally disregarded my birthday, thinking there was really no time for it. This was the reason why he was hesitant to go to the city initially; why he went home earlier when he didn’t have to. I could not get myself to smile. Not because I was overwhelmed with happiness, but because… I felt… ashamed.

My mind was buzzing with memories; memories of an empty bed basket, of a library with only Owlowiscious with in it, and a giant green dragon rampaging within the everfree forest. These were memories I knew all too well. Yet, something was wrong. For in all of my memories of that day, the purple baby dragon in all of them is now blurred out.

“Twilight? Are you ok?” he asked when he saw my eyes start to water.

At that, I buried my face into his chest as I started to ball.

“Wha… why are you crying, Twilight?” He asked, placing his hands on my shoulders as I continued to sob, my face still very much buried on his chest.

I could only continue to sniffle harder and harder as the memory of that night replayed in my mind in every agonizing detail.

“Come on, Twi. Speak to me, you’re starting to scare me,” he said again, this time giving me a little shake.

“I’m… so… s…so...erry…” I managed to mumble weakly in between my sobs.

“Sorry? For what?” He asked, chuckling to hide his confusion.

Despite my hard sniffling, I tried to speak. “I’m s… sorre…ey. I… I… made you… run awa…ey.”

“Runaway? Twilight, what are you talking about? I never… ran… oh crap.”

“I ma…ade you thi… ink that I… was replacing… you, and you ran… a… away.”

“Yeah, apparently I was unconsciously blocking that part of the memory out,” he said wincing and shivering before sighing, but only after slapping his forehead. “Listen, Twi. Yes, I did do a lot of stupid mistakes throughout the years, but you should never think that you’re responsible for any of them. In fact, you’re the one who always steps up to help me see my mistakes, even if it means having to hurt me to do so.”

He paused and gently guided us both to sit down, my face still very much buried onto his chest, still sobbing and sniffling.

He then started brushing my hair with his fingers. “My mistakes mine and mine alone. The last thing I want is for people besides myself to feel responsible for them. And that goes especially double for you. It was really stupid for me to feel threatened by Owlowiscious, it was very stupid to try and frame him with a stuffed toy rat! Personally, now that I think about it now, I can’t even imagine what the bIoody hell was thinking. Point is, people do stupid things when it’s their purpose that they think they might lose. And for me, that purpose is being your number one assistant. I know that sounds cyclical, and really it is, but that’s just how it goes. Then again, clashing personalities and child hormones sure don’t help.”

My sobbing was now calmed, though my eyes still watered. My head was still resting on his chest, yet now my face wasn’t buried into it, facing to the side, looking at nothing in particular as my arms remained around him, listening to his heartbeat as he continued to comb my hair with his fingers. His words sank in deep, his touch driving them even deeper. I know of this comfort well, yet this instance seems to leave all other past instances behind. It made me wonder if I could stay like that. Something inside me told me that should I need it, he would happily obliged.

“Feeling better?” he asked after missing the top of my head.

I nodded then raised my head to look at him, letting out a sniffle. “Yeah. I’m sorry for being such a hassle. I must look like a mess right now, don’t I?”

He only chuckled then wiped the remaining wetness from my left eye with his thumb. “Nonsense. In fact, you look quite dashing in my coat. Sad for you though, I’m gonna want to have that back,” he joked, getting a chuckle out of me. “Now enough of this mushy stuff, we’re here for a cosmic show, we can ridicule our past actions another day.”

I had to chuckle again at that. “Ok, remind me to make a checklist.”

“No promises,” he replied slyly. Then he pulled out his phone and began dialing, putting it on speakers the moment the phone started ringing. “Anyway, though this jerk had to bail, I think he’d still want to greet you, even if it’s just through voice.”

“Yo!” Greeted the phone with Alex’s voice.

Spike simply pointed the mic of his phone at me then waved at me to speak.

“Hello? Alex?”

“Yo! Belated happy birthday, Princess!  Sorry I couldn’t be there in person. Hope you understand, when The One Ring calls, the other must follow.”

“The one ring?” I asked, looking at Spike.

To which he answered smiling. “He means his wife.”

“Oh, ok. Thank you, Alex. Yeah, it’s a bit of a shame. But don’t worry, I understand.”

“So, how do you like your gifts?” he answered back with an upbeat tone.

“I love them, thank you."

"Good to hear. But really, you should be thanking that bastard next to you. He was the one who did most of the work, I only helped with location and transportation. Then again, he did borrow most of the cash he used from me. Then again, again, I do plan to bleed him dry.” he said jokingly, giving out a comedic cackle afterwards.

I had to chuckle a little, though Spike only rolled his eyes. "I guess that's only fair. But, if it's ok with you, do you mind if I ask you to go a bit easy on him, please? Just for me?"

"For you, Tara, I'll try. But I'll have to disclaim this now... No promises."

"Why?"

"Because... apparently you can make charcoal out of cupcake batter."

“Hey! I already told you I was under pressure! Besides, I already said sorry, didn’t I?!” Spike rebutted, “Also, if you’d just told me you’d be bailing, I’d probably wouldn’t have made that many.”

"Yes well, if you hadn't screwed up, it still wouldn't matter, now would it?" Alex rebutted back. "You're just lucky I knew someone who can hand-bake a few dozen fresh pastries in a minute."

At that, I had to raise an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound too possible."

He merely chuckled. "Trust me, Tara, I know people. Speaking of knowing people; Daniel, get a suit, we're going to meet some elites. And I mean a proper one, not a half-assed, standalone coat. Diana and Nati thought that … well, mostly Nati, having a high profile party to boost Diana’s sponsor and advertiser numbers was something worth doing.”

“Something like a gala?” Spike asked.

“... I guess that’s one way to put it, Yeah, let's go with that. Tara, you’re welcome to come of course.”

I felt myself smile at the thought, I then looked at Spike and saw skeptical look on him, to glanced at me me for a moment, not turning his head before turning back to his phone.“When will it happen?”

“That, you won’t have a problem with. They told me that they’d probably gonna have it two, two and a half months from now? They’re still clearing out the kink, but it should be along those lines”

At that, my smile faded while Spike’s visage dropped even more, not directly because of the news, but because of how I reacted. “Ye..yeah, sorry but there’s a large chance me and Tara might not be able to go.”

“Wait, what?! Why not?!” He responded loudly.

Spike and I could only look at each other, each of us looking for answers from the other.  “I...t's complicated.”

“... Well that's bullshit," he deadpanned. "Ah whatever, at least keep me posted if you can go so I know what to tell to Nati and Di. Alright, I need to go. You guys enjoy the show. And again, happy birthday, Princess Twilight.”

"Will do. Take care man," he said before ending the call and pocketing his phone. “Well, that’ gala thing caught me off-guard. How about you, Twi?”

I couldn’t answer him however, as my mind was still stuck on the last two words of Alex’s farewell. “Did Alex... just call me Princess Twilight?”

“Y-yeah, I guess he did. Why do you seem so surprised?” He said plainly.

My eyes only widened at that. “Why aren’t you?!”

“Occam’s Razor, Twilight. For one, Alex is the kind of guy to call girls a certain age younger than him princess. Two, he’s heard me call you ‘Twilight’ multiple times. And three... he’s probably doing it to spite me.”

“Why would he want to spite you?” I asked.

“He’s a jackass that way,” he answered, a competitive smile across his lips.

We ate and talked after that, just going back at our lives, pulling out happy, sad, and embarrassing memories alike. In each one of them, a familiar child-like expression would always find itself on him, of awe, of happiness, of content. And of that, I had to wonder; how long have I been ignorant?

We took pictures as well, though most of them were what humans called 'Wacky.' I tried the telescope and I was at awe at the sheer detail it was capable of. When the time for the shower arrived, we just laid on the large oak tree and allowed our eyes to widen at the dance of lights. Needless to say, the sight was something to behold. Though it was exactly the same as the ones in Equestria, that didn’t steal from their beauty. Yet as the shower continued, I felt a weight drop onto my shoulder. I turned and found Spike fast asleep on my shoulder.

Instantly I looked away, careful to not move my shoulder and cause him to fall. I felt my heart race and my face heat up as I felt his body heat on me, is breathing sounding like gentle snores at this distance.  Slowly, I turned my head back to him, still careful to not let his head slip from my shoulder.

‘Poor thing. He must have worked himself to the bone,’ I thought to myself.

I brushed his bangs off his face and saw clearly a peaceful, content expression, breathing rhythmically without a care about the waking world. I had to admit, even though I'm not a fan of his long hair, I couldn't deny the youthful air it gave him.

I twiddled his hair with my fingers, the softness fascinating me. He began to move and immediately I pulled my hand away. He did not wake however and instead he snuggled himself deeper into my shoulder, returning to his quiet snoring once he was comfortable.

I felt my heart race once more, and I found myself softly caressing Spike's cheek with the back of my hands. Again I was made to pull back my hand a short distance. Not because Spike was moving, but because something clicked in my mind, a hesitation and at the same time, a hope.