Big Brother Best Friend. Forever.

Twilight slowly opened the door to find 5 other ponies standing there, each wearing a confused and wary expression on their face.

“Evenin’, Twilight. Brought ya something‘,” Applejack said, sounding a little less than pleased, brandishing ¾ of the cake she and Rarity had eaten earlier.

“Yeah…we thought we’d come say hi and you could take a break. Like, a REAL long one,” Rainbow Dash added, pulling out a container of carrot sticks from her saddle bag.

“Yes, darling, you’ve obviously been working MUCH too hard…” Rarity tried to sound sweet, but the wariness and disappointment in her voice was all too evident.

“Twilight, I also think you may have been working too hard, if you don’t mind me saying,” Fluttershy’s small voice piped up from the back of the group.

Pinkie Pie, who was near the front of the group holding a couple balloons, remained silent, looking more stern than Twilight had ever seen her. A small, purple dinosaur peeked out from behind her front leg. Spike’s face was tear-stained and he was sniffling softly.

“What is this all about, girls? You know I’m very busy.“ Twilight ushered Spike inside the house a bit rougher than she meant to and sent him to his room, slightly embarrassed that the girls had found him that way before she had.

“It’s exactly that, Twi. Ya’ve been workin’ too hard and ya need to take a break. Ya made poor Spike CRY, for Celestia’s sake,” Applejack said, making her way into the house. The other ponies followed until they were all circled aroundTwilight.

“Has something gone wrong, dear?” Rarity asked her, a bit of worry in her voice now. “I’ve never known you to act this way, even when you’re stressed.”

“We’re just very worried about your health,” Fluttershy said softly, coming in closer to Twilight.

“I- um, I just- You know, things are difficult and I-” Twilight tried to explain, but the other ponies had followed Fluttershy’s lead and were all closing in on her slowly, each offering their help and compassion.

Get rid of them! Get rid of them NOW. No one must ruin this for us!

Twilight tried once again to explain, but all the other ponies’ chattering made it hard to concentrate. She backed away into a corner. “I’m FINE! Really, I-” But she was cut off. They were all in her face, Rainbow offering to take over the entertainment, Pinkie assuring her that the party would run smoothly, Applejack apologizing for not being more help. It was too much.

“IT ISN’T ABOUT THE PARTY, GOD DAMN IT!” Twilight screamed. In his room, Spike cowered under the covers and cried once more.

All the other ponies froze at that moment, confused, hurt, and surprised. Pinkie Pie opened her mouth to say something, but even the happy, party pony couldn’t think of anything to say that would explain away this situation.

It was as if a stun grenade had exploded in Twilight’s face. She couldn’t think straight and had no real idea what just happened. She merely stood there with her brow furrowed, her mouth furiously trying to make words. She gave up after a few seconds and everypony just stood there, staring at one another.

Finally, after a full minute of silence, Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof and flew out the front door. Applejack slowly followed suit, looking over her shoulder and shaking her head before she walked out. Rarity and Pinkie Pie left together, whispering to one another and shooting accusing glances at Twilight. Only Fluttershy was left. It was as if she was glued to the floor. Her expression had hardly changed since the outburst, but she looked like she wanted to say something.

“Look, Fluttershy, I-” Twilight began, but at her first syllable, Fluttershy squeaked in fear and flew out the door faster than Twilight Sparkle had ever seen her fly before. Once she was gone Twilight fell to the floor in a sad heap and began to cry.

“I just don’t know what went wrong!” she yelled at herself. The girls said they had never known her to be like this and Twilight could agree that she had never known herself to be this way either. She had never felt quite like she did right now. Her soul was burning with conflict as she thought about Shining Armor and the party taking place in just one day. She knew deep down what she had to do for her own sanity, but she also knew that it was wrong. Very wrong. But if she kept herself in line and just did what she planned to do-

In line? You want to control the love you have for your brother!? YOU WANT TO HARNESS IT!? That’s preposterous! You have to let this power run free…you have to let it take you.

“No! I can’t! I just have to make him fall out of love with her. I can’t just-”

Listen to me… The voice was crooning to her now, comforting her broken thoughts. Piecing them back together the way it wanted to.

Now think. You can completely control him. You can do it if you really try, if you let this feeling consume you…

“I just don’t want to hurt anybody,” Twilight whimpered to herself.

OF COURSE YOU DO! It was screaming in her head again. You want to hurt heeeerrrr…

“I…want to hurt…her…” Twilight’s eyes grew bigger in a trance of false understanding.

Exactly. She stole what is rightfully yours. He should belong to you. Forever.

“Forever…” With that last statement, Twilight smiled and walked up the stairs to Spike’s room. She opened the door to find him whimpering under his covers at the sound of her hoof falls. She pulled the covers back and kissed him on the forehead without a word. He trembled a little at her touch at first, but then saw she was smiling a normal, comforting “Twilight” smile. As she turned to leave, he spoke.

“Twilight…?”

“Yes, Spike?” She didn’t turn around, but rather cocked an ear back in his direction a little.

“Everything is going to be okay now…right?”

“Of course. Everything is going to be…perfect.” She walked out and shut the door without another word, intent on climbing into her own bed to have sweet dreams of the handsome pony that would be hers in just a little over a day.