MLP: Living with Equestrians

"So, what exactly are we getting here?" Spike asked as he, Sunset, and Starlight entered the local mall.

"Well, food for starters, but Star and I are covering that." Sunset answered, before handing Spike a small list. "I need you to grab everything here, if you please."

Spike quirked an eyebrow as he read the list.

"2 bottles of conditioner/shampoo, three rolls of paper towel, one box of disposable gallon bags, one copy of the movie "Die Hard"....really?"

"What? I heard it was good." Sunset defended, her cheeks glowing lightly.

"Well, it is, but that's besides the point! I was expecting something a bit...bigger?"

"Spike, I really hate to quote the princess, but you need to take it slow." Sunset insisted, crossing her arms. "Seriously, I-er, I mean, WE don't want to see you get hurt because you overestimated yourself."

Spike sighed, and nodded slowly, rubbing his neck sheepishly.

"Yeah, I guess you're right...sorry about being difficult about it."

"It's fine, Spike." Starlight said, smiling warmly at her friend. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to be useful. Just take it easy, and you'll be just fine."

"Yeah, I know." Spike replied, before shrugging his shoulders. "Well, I'm gonna get started on my list. See you girls in a few?"

"Sure, see you then Spike."

With that, Spike made his way over to the store, while Sunset and Starlight headed for the market section of the mall. As Sunset grabbed a cart, she noticed her fellow guard staring at her.

"Alright, what is it? What have I done now?" She asked, turning to face her friend, who raised her hands defensively.

"Nothing, I've just noticed that you've been extra friendly with Spike lately."

"I've always been friendly with Spike, Star. I had to deal with the guy since I was assigned to Twi's guard unit, so I learned to like him." Sunset said, crossing her arms once more. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Of course not, we already talked about how we feel about him." Starlight replied. "It's just...you were kinda passive with him before, now you're actively telling him how much you care about him."

Sunset paused, before she pulled her friend back to the cart station and took of her sunglasses, displaying her sharp blue eyes in an angry glare.

"Star. Spike died in my arms."

In that moment, the world suddenly felt much, much smaller to Starlight as she realized how deep an impact the attack on the Festival and Spike's injury left on her.

"Thirty-two seconds, that's how long he was gone Star. I felt the life leave him. And then we got lucky, and the resilient bastard pulled through, but for those thirty-two seconds, I've never felt such pain in my life. I would have taken that bullet a thousand times over just to prevent seeing him like that, and...a-and losing him..."

For a moment, Sunset got choked up, barley holding back tears. Starlight wrapped her friend in a comforting hug, and the two stayed there for a minute. Eventually, Sunset composed herself and let out a shaky chuckle as she disengaged from the hug.

"Jeez, look at me gettin' all sappy. Heh, guess that dork really has changed me, huh?"

"Seems like it, Sunny." Starlight quipped, earning another laugh.

"Well, enough of my emotional bitching. We should grab food for the week." Sunset mused, and with that, they entered the store.

Line Break

"Twiiiiiiiiiilight!" Pinkie called, peaking into one of the many rooms of the mansion she hadn't gotten to exploring yet. This one looked like a library, and a huge one at that! "You in here, Twilie?"

"Over here, Pinkie!" The princess responded from deeper within the maze of bookshelves. Pinkie advanced into the room, coming across Twilight at a table with several stacks of books surrounding her.

"Wowie, what is all of this?" Pinkie asked, picking up one book and cocking her head to the side in curiosity.

"Well, since I'm waiting until Spike is fully recovered to start back up on my main project, I've decided to take up something to keep me occupied." Twilight explained, shifting through one of the books she was holding before putting it down.

"Um...reading?" Pinkie guessed, placing the book back onto Twilight's pile. Twilight rolled her eyes, but offered the pink equestrian a smile.

"Technically, yes, reading is part of it, Pinkie." She admitted, before lacing her hands together. "However, I was hoping to learn about the more...intimate sides of human culture."

"Ooooooooh!" Pinkie exclaimed, her eyes lighting up in realization. "You wanna know what get Spikey in the mood!"

Twilight promptly went red, and sputtered in surprise before composing herself.

"P-PINKIE! WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?!"

"Because that's why you're interested, duh." Pinkie explained, as if it was the most obvious fact in the world. Before Twilight could retort, her friend continued. "Dashie has already been looking into it, you're kinda late to the party."

"Damn right I have been!"

Twilight turned in her seat and gawked at Rainbow Dash, who had not only entered the library without her noticing, but had collected her own stack of books, of a more...lewd variety.

"RAINBOW DASH!"

"Yeah?" The speedster answered, smirking at the egghead as Pinkie perused the new collection of pornographic materials. "Look, we agreed that we'd confess together, but I'm gonna make sure that I know how to blow our stud's mind."

Twilight stared at Rainbow Dash in a mixture of shock and embarrassment, before sighing, rubbing her eyes in frustration, and walking over to the cyan Pegasus's table.

"Fine. Let's see what you have so far."