Last chants for the slow dance

There's no more need for tuning or manual control. This morning Twilight’s search with her drill hit the right resonance, ahead of schedule. Now it’s just a matter of time.

With a simple spell she made the drill run automatically, just until it bores through the magical substance and extracts enough essence. Even now it grinds away at the magical source, slowly filling the repository chamber.

At breakfast Big Mac says he needs her today, and as a good head of the house Applejack suggests to help him.

So much to be done, mostly it is moving crates and pulping apples. Then it is moving barrels. After all the farm work she is too tired to prance about town. She hopes they will be on time for cider season.

Her hoof is forced into action. Spike has coughed up a magic scroll.

A vanilla scroll bound with Celestia’s seal. Fluttershy spends most of the afternoon fretting. For a while she just paces in fervor.

Fluttershy has to make a decision. She can either deliver the letter, and by extension Spike, to Twilight or not. But then the princess will just send something by mail for Twilight. And if Twilight finds out Spike was here hiding letters then they’ll both be in trouble. Can she entrust Spike back to Twilight?

She thinks she could send something back and warn the princess, but they are so close. She does not even know what the letter says. Maybe she should just open it first? But then she won’t be able to give it to Twilight at all. Maybe Celestia already knows, or maybe she just won’t believe her.

Fluttershy puts her head in her hooves. She does not like responsibility. Celestia’s seal stares back at her and she wishes she never saw the sunshine.

Since no one is around, Twilight dives into her cake face first, smearing vanilla frosting all over. She’s too giddy to care. She doesn’t even care that vanilla cake is Celestia’s favorite and the memories that brings up. That’s not why she bought the cake, there’s just no better way to celebrate.

Her glee is interrupted as the doorbell rings. She wonders who that would be but is at least glad that somepony remembers there is a doorbell. Twilight hastily wipes up her face.

She opens the door. “Well, Fluttershy! Of course it would be you who remembers the doorbell.”

“Was I not supposed to? Sorry.” The pegasus shrinks in the doorway. Fluttershy has a difficult time looking her in the eye. Moreso than normal. She is wearing saddlebags.

“No, no, it’s just it is clearly there but everypony always knocks. It’s like I’m the only pony with a freethinking mind around here.” She rolls her eyes even though that is what she actually believes. “Anyway, what did you want? I can probably guess.”

“Oh, I’m not here for me… I brought Spike, and a letter from the princess.” Fluttershy reaches out of sight and with difficulty pulls Spike into view. He’s looking pale and wobbly.

“Oh, Spike. I was wondering where you’d gotten off to.” She stares coldly at him as his zipper is undone.

“And a letter,” Fluttershy says holding it up.

“And a letter… from the princess.” Her eyes narrow. “The princess! Well that’s very important and we should always receive the princess promptly and with due respect.” She snatches it.

“But about Spike… um, he isn’t feeling well. He’s been bit by a snake and needs this antidote.” Fluttershy reaches in her bag and pulls out a small bottle. It sloshes with bright pink liquid. “Just give him a cap full every five hours and he should be fine. He will need a lot of rest, too,” she advises.

“Mmhmm, sure.” Spike is standing still trying to look inconspicuous. Twilight does not mistake him for part of the wood frame. She magically picks him up and hauls him inside. “Quit clawing up the door. And thanks Fluttershy for the delivery, that will be all,” Twilight says as the door briskly shuts.

“Please treat him precious!”

Twilight doesn’t think it really matters what he might have told Fluttershy, that wallflower is far too timid to try anything, but she will play it safe.

She levitates the scroll to her face and quickly she unravels it. She looks it over and does not like what she sees. Rainbow Dash incident? Investigation? Possible drug involvement? That prune-brained pegasus. The first thing she thinks of is that they will examine Dash and find her implants, if they have not already. Twilight can’t allow that.

“Spike, you will need to pack my bags. I need to see the princess in Canterlot!” She looks back and sees he is barely standing on his feet and is drooling. He won’t be much help.

Twilight sighs in aggravation and levitates him again, bringing him upstairs with her. She drops him in his little basket with his medicine. He’s grown so much he doesn’t really fit in it anymore but she doesn’t have the money to waste on frivolities. Science is expensive.

She proceeds to pack her bags, making sure to take the scroll as well. Princess Celestia wants to see her first thing tomorrow morning. While she certainly does not hold Celestia in the same reverence of her childhood, answering such a call is still always critical.

That turns her good mood to dread. Twilight swallows. She doesn’t even know how long she is intended to stay but will have to be her best. She just needs to cover up what’s going on and get back. She is so close, it’s eclipsing everything. She can’t allow Celestia’s games to get in the way right at the end.

When she has reality at her disposal, she’ll show Rainbow Dash what a real psychotropic experience is.

Spike doesn’t know what time it is when he wakes up. Everywhere is cold except the bite on his arm.

It’s dark. He’s pretty sure that means Twilight is gone. Gone to Canterlot. Now is his only chance to stop her machine.

He forces himself to his feet. It’s hard and he struggles on his knees but eventually makes it up. His jaw hangs open and drool is spilling out but he doesn’t worry about that. After taking a moment for his stomach to settle, he takes a step and is reassured by its robotic beep.

Spike forgets where he is. Then he remembers. Somehow he makes it downstairs and it’s even colder. He has to find her machine and turn it off. No, that is not enough. He will have to find a way to break it. Twilight will probably be really angry at him. He’ll have to find a way to break it so that she can’t fix it again. At least Fluttershy knows about it and if anything happens to him she will hopefully tell someone.

Spike wobbles over to the basement door. It will be another set of stairs but after that he can catch his breath and figure how to stop the machine.

He grabs the knob, and is blasted back with 4,000 volts of magical electricity.

Spike thinks he remembers Twilight saying not to try touching the door because she put a spell on it. His lungs are charred and that’s funny because he breathes fire.