I stepped in the library to see some ponies browsing for books. A reminder that the library did fulfill its goal. I walked past them and spotted Twilight behind her desk. "Hey there."

"Hello." She at up, watching me. "You are filthy. Every time you let Maud take you away, you return the same." She pointed off to the bathroom. "If you'd like to wash off?"

That felt like a decent idea. "I'll bring my own hot water."

"How, oh." She snorted gently, almost a laugh. "I suppose you do bring all the hot water you desire, assuming colder water is present. How did the trip with Maud go?"

Right! No delay there. "She seems interested, but we need to talk. I've chatted with Spike, but not you, and you're super part of this."

"Hm?" She leaned forward onto her clasped hooves. "I was wondering how long until you remembered that."

"Sorry." I flashed an unsure smile at her. "I've come into your world and your place, and left a real mess."

"A comple mess." She held out a hoof, and I pressed my nose to it. She seemed to be alright there, holding my face. "And now you throw yourself before me, ready to endure whatever barbs I have prepared. Sorry, but I don't have any. To be perfectly honest... You are a curiosity. Magically. Physically. I'm not opposed to what Spike has done, or I would have stopped it. He is my familiar, not the other way around. My word is the final word."

I stood there, snout to her hoof, breathing in the gentle scent of Twilight.

"You seem to understand." She drew her hoof back. "You are mine, and I don't think you even mind that."

"Not really?" I sank to my haunches. "Be nice?"

"I try." She smiled at that. "Which starts with sending you to bathe."

"Yes ma'am." I took a step, but no further. "About Maud..."

"What about her? No, really, what about her? Does she interest you?"

"Yes."

Twilight's eyes widened a moment. "Such honesty... I appreciate it. But I don't understand them. What about Maud is so interesting? Do you need an earth mentor that badly? I can teach you about earth spells. You are compatible with my methods. We've already confirmed this."

"It's not about that." I whirled in place to face Twilight, tail lashing agitatedly. "You are nice, lovely... But you aren't that. She reflects a part of me..."

"A part of you?"

"The quiet part." I put a hoof at my chest. "The stoic part. It's hard to read me, right?"

"Sometimes." Twilight smiled gently. "You're being loud right now."

"And it takes effort." I took a step towards her. "She is my quiet side, and it pulls at me. What do you think of her?"

I scuffed a hoof anxiously awaiting Twilight's assessment of reticent Maud. My halting efforts explaining connections between the stoic earth pony and I felt clumsy at best.

Twilight tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Honestly, before recent events, I barely thought of her one way or the other much at all. She seemed pleasant if reserved during occasional get-togethers."

She sighed leaning back. "But if introverted aspects truly speak to you so strongly perhaps I underestimated compatibility."

I started to relax as judgement seemed withheld for now. But Twilight raised a cautioning hoof stalling premature relief. "However, Spike made intentions towards you quite plain first, yes?"

My ears folded back shamefully realizing where this headed. "...yes. Yes he did. But... We are dating, without promises. This is the time to consider those future promises."

She inclined her head. "And you came to me, and not him..." She hummed gently, drawing a book off a shelf to float towards her. "You are wise, or foalish, and I'm not entirely sure which applies. Little kirin of strange origin... You really want my opinion?"

"Yes?"

She smiled as the book folded open gently. "So direct. I think, were I to accept Maud, her attention would largely rest on you. I don't think she has much interest in me. I don't read nearly enough minerology books for her, nor does Spike." She could see me wilt faintly. "But..." I perked subtly. "She would make you happy, and you happiness does have a value. The real question is if Spike or I would become jealous or feel left out, to see you and Maud together, where we are not as explicitly invited."

I digested Twilight's insightful perspectives somberly, envisioning scenarios playing out across her prompts. If Maud joined this tangled relationship web, would her taciturn focus on me isolate others by default? What damages might envy or neglect leave if affection flowed lopsidedly?

I stirred restlessly. "If Maud struggled connecting deeply with you both, that's already a mark against the match regardless of other pulls..."

Twilight smiled gently. "Not necessarily. Completely equal bonds between all members aren't essential for polycules thriving long-term." She levitated a quill scribbling triangle diagrams. "It simply means more self-work ensuring everyone's needs are heard and met compassionately."

The quill tapped indicating two lower corners. "As long as these connections remain robust communication conduits." It hovered over the third apex before returning back to the first two. "Gaps here needn't cripple the whole structure."

I studied the network symbol thoughtfully as she concluded.

"Healthy relationships assume many forms." Twilight rolled up the parchment setting it aside. "This merely requires more proactive nurturing is all. But the rewards can be tremendous."

I met her confident gaze with building excitement. I stood a bit taller. "Well, guess I've got a busy evening ahead chatting up certain dragons and stoics!" Determination glinted ready to explore pathways less traveled by.

Twilight laughed approval at my boldness. "Indeed! But first..." Her horn flashed sucking away the mineral grime coating my hide post-mines. "...a bath may ease subsequent discussions!"

Such magic, it reminded me of the one cleaning spell I knew. I soon had magic scrubbing at my teeth as I trotted along to the bathroom, confident things were settled, at least with Twilight. There was a single spigot leading to the tub. Turning it released room-temperature water into it.

I climbed into the tub and focused on the fire inside me. "Nirik, Nirik, come on out," I sang as the water warmed around me. "Nirik, Nirik, play with me." With soft bubbles, the water reached about the boiling point as I let it go. The heat seemed incapable of harming me, but was quite good at helping scrub away the dirt left on me as I hooved at it and wriggled about in the tub.

Cleaned in my mouth and across my furry and scaled form, I climbed out of the tub and considered the various ways of drying before me. "Nirik, Nirik, show your moves. Heat up everything there'll be none soon," I sang in random melodic noises, encouraging the heat higher and higher. I casually burst into flames, the water burning right off me. With a shake, I sent bits of ash that had been created off.

With a soft puff, I was returned to a kirin form, clean and happy. "I'm liking this..." There were far worse things to be than a kirin, at least I had decided. I emerged from the bathroom with a whistle on my lips and headed to my room to check on things.

I slipped my hooves into my keyboard and checked my email. My brother had sent a few. He sounded upset. He wanted to see me. That was impossible.

He had a lot of impossible requests.

How impossible was it, actually?

I flipped over to Discord and opened a voice channel. "Does this go through?" My little activity meter flashed, and I nodded. I had spoken to people before. That wasn't a test in need. Was there enough bandwidth for video was the question.

I moved to check my funds and moved them around. I made another payment on the house, got a game compiling, did my words of the day... There, obligations met.

I tried running a bandwidth test.

It ran, already a point there. It wobbled wildly up and down, unsure of itself. In the end, 90 kilobits per second. That wasn't great. Enough for voice. Video was an awful idea.

My dreams of enjoying some Youtube, dashed.

I wasn't actually worried about Youtube. But it did mean my brother was out of luck. I drew my hooves free and nudged the keyboard away with my magic.

I emerged from my room and spotted movement to the right. I whirled to see Spike busy in the kitchen with something. I wandered off in that direction to watch him quietly as he cooked.

"Hey." He flipped whatever it was over with a toss of the pan. "How'd it go?"

"What do you think of Maud?"

Spike inclined his head at that. "Right to the point, wow..." He poured some kind of oil over his creation, inviting a chorus of bubbles. "I think she's a bit wierd. Intense! Normally, that intensity is aimed at not-me, except when it comes to gems. She likes them about as much as I do, so there's that?" He shook the pan gently. "What about her?"

I watched Spike deftly handling dinner preparations, the sizzling pan punctuating pauses gathering courage broaching awkward topics. Best be transparent, however messy it got.

Clearing my throat, I began: "Maud was pretty blunt about her interest after our little mining expedition earlier." Spike's motions slowed, listening closely though eyes stayed on his cooking.

"And, well, I can't pretend I don't feel some magnetism too." I scuffed the floor with a hoof, nerves jangling. "You and Twilight come first, absolutely! But Maud intrigues me so..." I trailed off fumbling for proper phrasing that wouldn't ignite jealousies already smoldering since our possessiveness spat days before.

Spike set his tools down facing me directly, expression unreadable. "So you wanna bring Maud into...all this too, yeah?" One claw idly stirred the pan as he processed internally. "Another partner poking at Twilight's set up here, hm."

He shrugged massaging tense shoulders. "Not like I wasn't messing things up on my end already I guess." Rueful laughter escaped smoke wisping skywards. "Quite the batch of overeager goofs stumbling into poly pitfalls quick, ain't we?"

Suddenly solemn Spike met my nervous smile. "Just no secrets, right? however this goes?" He held up a claw. "We talk, Twilight listens and pretends she doesn't have fifteen contingency plans...and we figure it somehow." Confidence built shaky but determined. "Dealt with worse disasters - bring it on!"

The response confused me. "You're alright then?"

Spike snorted out smoke. "No. I want you all to myself. I'd sit on you and proclaim you my hoard if that was an option." He spilled his creation onto a plate and got working on the next. "But it isn't... And maybe it shouldn't... What you want matters as much as what I want."

I was quiet for a time, letting him cook, but not leaving. "I think you're pretty amazing."

"Thanks." He reached a free hand to ruffle over my head and ornate horn. "I think the same, or we wouldn't be having this chat." He tickled over a long ear. "You're a lot of trouble, but here I am." He returned his attention more squarely on the food. "So, anyway... If you want to do gross breeding stuff with Maud, well, you got the parts, and so does she. I do not, so..." He shrugged. "Have at it."

"Don't say it like that." I pawed at his sides. "I like the not breeding stuff too. You both give pretty great hugs... Oh! By the way, oh great dragon, why don't you come with me next time?"

Spike cocked a brow at that. "Don't got the parts, just went over that."

"Not that. To mine." I made swimming motions in the air. "Your claws are great for digging, I bet. Mine with us, find gems. You like those, so does she. Share, it'll be fun."

"Huh..." He doused the next load with fresh oil. "Worth a shot."

Author's Note

Dig with us, Spike! Dig! Would you go mining with Spike?

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