Spike and Twilight Go Out For Ice Cream?
A young, purple alicorn stood next to her desk, her new sketchbook of her latest attempts of drawing laying open for all to see. Inside were drawings of many kinds: ponies; colorful renditions of diagrams; landscapes; and the wonderful blue sky. She drew each because ponies were easy to draw for beginners, diagrams were her bread and butter, landscaping was something she has wanted to start doing ever since Fluttershy, her pegasus friend, showed her how, and the skies above were different and changing every single day, giving something new for Twilight to draw. Drawing wasn't one of her only new developing passions. There was also something else that clouded her mind and made her wonder of things she never sat down to think about. For example, one night, in her warm, cozy library, she sat calmly on her couch while her hooves tapped endlessly on this new contraption they found in the only human's house. He, Fred, had kept it hidden from them for a while; then, when he went delirious and ran into the forest without returning, the bearers of the Element of Harmony had seized his property with the help of Mayor Mare, the mayor of Ponyville.
As they searched the house, they found all different types of commonplace items , but nothing was out of the ordinary until Twilight picked up the best artifact ever. It made a satisfying pinging noise when she opened it and twinkled right before her eyes. It mesmerized her with its colorful background, but intrigued her with its interesting icons and buttons. She had to investigate.
Days had passed since that day and all she had been doing was burying her muzzle into several, large books. Today, however, was different: this was her turn to take a well-deserved break from her studies. As such, she indulged in her passion of drawing, thinking of a new piece to create. She had recently spoken to Celestia about her latest passion in artistry and, apparently, she accepted that this was something Twilight must do. Stress, as a Princess, is hard to overcome when you are first called to duty. Most seem they are just going through the motions and eventually collapse under its fierce grip, while others shy away and discard the title. It was disappointing, in Twilight's eyes, but it was something someponies had to do; it was part of life. She had been trying to balance it as of late, and it has been going well thanks to her willingness to draw.
"Twilight?" a voice from behind her said. "Are you going to draw?"
Twilight turned and faced the direction from where it came. "Of course, Spike!" she began, turning her attention to the decor above her window in front of her desk. "Drawing gives me the opportunity to understand what it's like for artists across Equestria!"
Spike, Twilight's dragon assistant, frowned as he passed her desk. "You're always busy," he muttered.
The words that came from his mouth surprised Twilight. Spike has been her loyal assistant for so long. Heck, she even could call him her brother, they're practically family. Yet, she has never seen this side of him. "Spike, wait; come here," she said.
The disheartened expression of Spike made Twilight's heart crumble. Each step he took made her mind race, and seeing his head hung low made her gulp down the saliva she had been holding.
Spike, on the other hoof, knew his place in this library, with Twilight, and with the rest of Equestria. He was second in everything. Of course, how could he suspect things to be different now, in this setting, with this pony?
Spike came close as Twilight drew him near. "Spike, tell me what's wrong."
Spike hid his grin from his face, showing, instead, his drooping frown. "Why don't we ever go out anymore?" he said with a slight sob. "Twlight, do you remember when we were younger?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes, why?"
"We did so much more together then than we are now!" he exclaimed. "We went around the castle and explored it inside-out about twenty-five thousand, two hundred, and sixty-eight times; went to Cozy Corners for some ice cream once in a while; and we always visited the library," he said, before pausing to see Twilight's reaction. With nothing shown but a face of wonder, he continued, "We lived there, Twilight. We still live in one today," he brought her closer. "Why did everything else have to change?"
Twilight gasped as she took in what he said. Things have changed. For the better? Twilight thought, her mind racing. Spike might be right, there has been a lot of change... She looked down at him, his eyes glimmering in the sunlight. Was it for the better?
Twilight gave him a bright smile and nuzzled his cheek. "How about I do something different for a change?" she said as she pulled away from his cheek. He gazed up at her. "How about we go to Sugarcube Corner?"
"When?" Spike asked with a raised brow. "Because sometimes, I have to nudge you to get you to go anywhere." He paused, pointing at the desk beside them. "Especially when you're drawing."
Twilight frowned momentarily. Did I really neglect him this much? Something had to change. I have to change.
"How about right now?" she offered, looking down at him with a smile.
"Right now?" Spike said excitedly, his eyes widening. "B-but, don't you have to clean up before we go?"
Twilight giggled. "Looks like somepony else needs a different view too," she said as she passed by him, heading straight for the stairs. Suddenly, a thought; much different from her ordinary, sound, think-before-you-really-act thoughts, entered her mind. It made her smile wide, grinning like a filly with an evil plan. With the devious thought, she shouted on the top of her lungs, "Can't catch me!" before she raced down the stairs, hoping for Spike to follow.
The results were what she expected.
"Wait!" he shouted, rushing down the stairs after her friend. He knew Twilight was one of his crazy, best friends; but she has never done something this... immature before as a Princess. He smiled, dismissing the thought. He loved this side of her, heck; let it stay. With joyous laughter, he charged into her, knocking the two friends over in a heap of boots and scarfs. He chuckled loudly, while Twilight giggled softly. They got up, dusted each other off, and picked up their appropriate winter scarfs. The boots were salvaged from Fred's home, which was now being lent to a pony by the name of Octavia, who needed a new place to stay; a different view...
I should be more like Octavia. Twilight thought as a smile weaseled its way on her face.
Turning to see Spike still fiddling with his scar, Twilight stood by the door and cracked it open. "Ready?" she said as she looked at her dragon assistant.
Spike nodded. "Always."
Together, the two walked out into the snowy tundra of Ponyville, where their adventure had begun.
Twilight Discusses What She Knows
It had been cold outside.
For Twilight, the snow was a wet, brown and white blend of a mess that stuck to her hooves while the cold sent pulse after pulse racing down her spine. It made her sniffle, and her insides felt numb to the core, but she had Spike, who was right by her side the entire time. They shared the warmth their bodies provided, walking side by side in order to survive. When they spotted their destination of Sugar and Spice; Twilight and Spike ran and ran and ran until they reached the pink wooden door. They opened it in a desperate attempt to escape the frozen tundra outside. The door swung open and crashed against the frame. Inside, unknowingly to the two customers, stood their best friend, whose fluffy pink mane and bright baby blue eyes shown brightly in the sun. She was behind the counter, staring recollected at the door with a smile of a thousand suns. Twilight knew that she was in for a treat.
"Hello Twilight!" said the pink pony, who suddenly appeared beside the two in a blink of an eye. Spike flinched for a moment, awkwardly sidestepped towards Twilight, and gazed up at the pony. "Oh, I'm sorry Spike!" said she, her eyes meeting his. "I didn't mean to scare you!" Her mane began to deflate. "I..."
Spike's eyes widened, and reached out to her. "Pinkie Pie, it's okay!" he began, pulling her in for a hug. "You just caught me off guard, that's all!" He patted her lightly on the head. "Besides, we're here to get something to eat and—"
In seconds, Pinkie Pie went from dreadfully depressed to fully distressed. "Oh!" she stressed, her mane bouncing back to it's perfect form.
"You sillies! Let's get you situated!" she exclaimed, beckoning them in.
The two nodded and removed their light violet and green scarves respectably. They were set on the rack beside the door, wrapped around the spot or draped languidly over it. Twilight walked before Spike in pursuit of Pinkie Pie, who approached a nearby table, her grin tenfold. "A table for my two bestest of friends!" she said, before disappearing behind the counter.
Twilight stood next to the table, flabbergasted by Pinkie's sudden display. She was a bit more... cheery than usual. Not that the randomness wasn't appealing to her normal antics, but something was amiss.
Meanwhile, Spike observed from afar. He saw Pinkie Pie move away from Twilight and into the darkness of the shop, but he wasn't prepared to see Twilight's picture perfect face of complete and utter confusion. He chuckled heartily, much to the dismay of Twilight, whose brows lowered in response.
Twilight quickly dismissed her previous thought after Spike completely rid of it from her mind. His laughter boomed loudly in her ears, and her eye sight felt like it increased tenfold. She could see the lines of the table, how they waved in a complete, perfect circle; then the intricate colors that lie next to them, bold and confident in their status. The tabletop was light blue with a solid red as the outer ring. Brown was its legs and they reached down to the floor. This sudden attention to unimportant details made her shake her head in hopes of ridding it, unaware of what was important that was approaching the table.
"Twilight?" Spike asked. Seeing Twilight not moving was a bit concerning for him.
Twilight turned to spot her assistant whose gaze bore into her. "Yes, Spike?" she replied.
Spike sighed and sat down opposite from her. "You were spacing out again."
Twilight scratched her mane. "I was?"
"Yes," Spike reaffirmed. "You were just staring at the table like it was something from a museum."
Twilight frowned. "What if I liked the decor?"
"Twilight," he began calmly. "I know that you don't observe things for the decor..." He turned around, looking at the counter; which emitted an odd squeak in response. "That's Rarity's job," he said.
"Doesn't mean I can't..." Twilight murmured to herself, looking out the window in dismay. She faintly sighed and watched as the snow began to dance happily in the wind.
Spike shrugged and turned back to Twilight. "Say, what are you going to have?"
Without turning, she uttered, "Two scoops of vanilla with sunset sprinkles..."
"Sunset sprinkles?" Spike said with a raised brow.
"Not Sunset's sprinkles, Spike," Twilight droned. "Get your mind out of Rarity's gutter."
Spike shook his head. "Rarity doesn't have a gutter."
Twilight snapped her gaze to him for a brief moment, eyeing him up and down; then she turned to the window once again. "Must be some human thing then," she muttered.
Twilight stared outside. The snow was dancing still, but ponies were now out and about. Most dressed for the occasion, adorning different variants of scarfs and other winter apparel, yet; there was one, young filly whose scarf was torn and dropped in the snow. The filly's eyes reminded her of somepony close in Twilight's mind. They shared the same color, but they weren't all too similar...
"Twilight!" chirped the happy-go-lucky Pinkie Pie.
The sudden inclusion of a happy, upbeat voice made Twilight jump. She soared for a brief moment, her wings out in full. She flapped them slowly, while she panted heavily in attempts to recover from the most delayed reaction of her life. Of course, her assistant and Pinkie Pie were laughing at her, rolling on the floor in their own soaring fits. Unamused by the situation, Twilight gently floated to the ground, her hooves clopping onto the solid, teal planks. She waited while the two's chorus of laughter rung in her ears. She sat down, put her hooves to her muzzle, and exhaled unceremoniously.
Spike laughed, and laughed, and laughed some more alongside Pinkie Pie, whose lungs were probably just as exasperated as his. The high of being on life, it was a joyous thing for Spike. Yet, he knew that it wasn't pleasant for Twilight, her bemused glare telling the whole tale. He stopped his laughs, tapped Pinkie Pie on the shoulder, and coughed away from them both.
Pinkie Pie understood his signal and stood upright, her mane unphased from it all. "Well, are you two ready?" she innocently asked.
Spike nodded. "One gem sundae, please."
"And for you, Twilight?"
Twilight took a shot in the dark. "Two scoops of Vanilla Fright, please."
Spike raised an eyebrow at this. "Vanilla Fright?"
Pinkie Pie poked him in the nose. "Silly Spike, Vanilla Fright is for adults," she said, before moseying off into the darkness.
Spike stood, frozen. "Did you understand that at all?"
Twilight giggled. "Very."
The two sat and bickered, while the wait for their delectable treats withered. They talked about all the things they knew and shared: books, exploration, the study of dragons, and...
"So, in the manual, there was some sort of creator?"
Twilight facehooved. "It's called a thread, Spike."
Spike scratched his chin. "Thread?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes, a thread." She took out a notepad from her saddlebag, which sat beside her on an empty seat. "See, let me show you what it is..."
She began to draw.
"Each part of a thread is intricate." She drew a box. "This first box is going to be the main box; this is where our main text is going to be..."
She pointed her hoof to it.
Spike groaned. "Twilight, this isn't going to be a long lecture, is it?"
"Only if you want it to be," she muttered, before returning to her drawing. She made two, short parallel lines on top of the box. She connected their tips together to form a longer rectangle. "Here we have our rows of icons..."
She began to draw some letters, foreign to the eyes of Spike. "They are... odd."
"No kidding," Spike replied, dazed by the oddly shaped erect utters. "Are those standing up?"
Twilight nodded. "It's labeled as bold in the manual."
Spike tilted his head to the side. "Bold?"
"Bold," she began, waving her hoof around as if she was struggling to say something. "For emphasis."
Spike tapped the table with his claw. "Sounds like it'd be for yelling..."
"Oh my GOSH!" a voice shouted from the kitchen.
The two turned to the kitchen. "Are you alright, Pinkie!" shouted Twilight.
"I'm fine!" she replied back. "Just a bit of a jiffy!"
"Whatever that is," Spike muttered. He turned to face Twilight. "So, what's the thing next to the italics?"
"Underline," Twilight replied, her hoof pointing to the U. "It's... used for titles for the most part."
Spike nodded and put his claws on the table. "The color wheel is on here too?"
"It's for those who are more... colorful with their posts," she explained. "It's complicated."
Spike shrugged. "Better to not know than to know..."
Twilight smiled. She finally felt like she was teaching Spike something worthwhile. Other than books, this was a whole new realm that was unexplored. Now, she was teaching somepony else it. She thought she was a worthy scholar that could finally be compared to Star Swirl the Be—
"Twilight, what's that one?" Spike said, pointing to the weird text surrounded by a box. "You... Tube? Is that some sort of weird new paste?"
Twilight shook her head. "No, Spike..." She smiled at him. "It's a website, where you post more threads."
Spike groaned and buried his head in his claws. "This is so confusing..."
"I know, Spike, I know," she replied. "It's new to me too."
The two sighed in harmony.
Thread-making: an art neither pony nor dragon could truly enjoy.
