Friendship is Equal to or Greater than Magic

by Fanon Canon

Chapters

Chapter 1
Berry, Belle and Bomb
Fluttering Apple Scotch
Wondering Dragon
Pink and Circumstance
On Stranger Tides
Ditzy Doolally
More Like Scarcity
Exposition Time
Alligator Dundee
Supermarine Spitfire
Angel Takes Manehatten
Strawberry Panic
Dumb It Down
The City of Queens
Liar Liar
The Great and General
Powder Dasher
Cadance or Candence
Woeful Cello Lows
Dead Phoenix Sketch
A Long Time Coming
Simple Spellbinding
A Sunny Spell
Meet the Parents
Mirror Mare
Lucid Luna
Dashy's Dilemma
Flowers for a Phony
What's Opera, Doctor?
DJ Elegence

Chapter 1

"You are!"

"Hoot"

"You are!"

"Hoot."

"You are!"

"Hoot."

"Oh I give up." Spike accepted bitterly, why did he even bother to try and get through to that owl, he will never know.

"Hoot." Owlowiscious continued.

"Will you cut it out?" Spike pleaded with the bird, but he could see that even if the bird had the emotional range of a plate, it was taking great pleasure in irritating Spike to no end.

The little green dragon left the bird there, now plain irritated with how much of a waste of time it had been trying to engage in conversation with him. Still their relationship had improved considerably after the affair when the owl first showed up, and Spike knew that no matter what feats the little bird was capable of performing, it could never replicate his vital skills of the sacred magic fire breath, or at least, he hoped the owl wasn't capable of that.

But even if it was, their humble master wouldn't think any less of Spike, though he had to admit, there were times when she would write up a Friendship Report and he would send it off, then she would worry about any typos she had made and he would have to send off another one, it could really stretch him thin with the constant worrying she was so very well known for.

Come to think of it, Spike hadn't seen much of his master as of late, nothing to bother about, and he only really noticed when she was absent because he would get a very noticeable hunger from all the gemstones she wasn't gifting him, and he wasn't eating. Simply the though of not eating was enough for his stomach to rumble, and so Spike decided a meal was in order, and he sought out his cache of shiny treats, but was overcome with disappointment when he discovered he only had one big red ruby left, something he was saving for a special occasion, but the mere sight of it was making his stomach growl fiercely and he decided that that special occasion would have to be this very moment.

"Hoot." Owlowiscious rudely interrupted him, as he was about to down the ruby in one.

Spike managed to stifle the groan and he turned to the owl. "What is it now?"

"Hoot." The owl simply uttered, Spike reminding himself that it would be some miracle if it said anything else, but he understood what he was trying to say.

"Why not, I've earned it, haven't I?" He defended himself from the owl's disapproving hoots.

"Hoot." It went on.

"Well that's for future Spike to worry about." Spike replied, though bitterly reminded himself of the last time he relied on Future Spike to handle his hunger.

"Hoot." Owlowiscious persisted.

"If it stops me from having to listen to you, I think I'll take my chances." Spike said, and was just about to eat the ruby, when a familiar snapped him out of it.

"Spike? Spike!" The usual anxious voice of his master called out to him from somewhere in the library.

"Coming Twi!" He called back, and laid the ruby back down, scolding Owlowiscious for interrupting him and made his way downstairs to deal with whatever problem she no doubt had for him to worry about, doing his best to ignore the growing hunger in his stomach.

"Spike! Spike!" Twilight Sparkle shouted, anxiety building in her voice.

"I'm right here." Spike said quite calmly, confused with the plain panic he could sense in her tone.

"Oh there you are!" Twilight said relieved, as if this was the first time she had seen him in years. "I haven't distracted you from anything, have I?" She asked now with concern.

"Nothing important." Spike grumbled, ignoring his hunger, a sudden excitement building in him, for she may have gemstones for him.

"Oh perfect!" Twilight exclaimed, slightly shocking Spike, but it was a familiar tone to him now, no doubt she had made some new kind of discovery and was eager to share it with him. "Then you wouldn't mind assisting me in this brand new field of research." She recited.

"I guess." He said quietly, he was hardly in a position to say no, being her number one assistant and all, but there was something about this new research that sounded risky to him, it was the kind where Twilight would display nothing but bizarre enthusiasm, blind to any hazards associated with whatever new discovery she had made.

"Perfect, perfect!" She repeated, making a move past Spike and delving further into the library, towards her area where she regularly made practices with magic and the sort.

It was when she brushed past Spike that he felt a sudden jolt, making him jump back in surprise. Twilight paid him no heed of course; too involved in getting to where her books were as soon as possible.

Spike followed her, suddenly noticing that the unicorn horn on her head, the source of all her might and magic was glowing in a very irregular way, and for the first time, was slightly emitting static electricity, and a certain feeling of anxiety grew in Spike, and while Twilight had her fair share of eccentric spells, something about this seemed a little dangerous.

"I can't believe I haven't come across this earlier, probably because it was so obscure, but now I have found it, and it is no longer obscure." She recited in a eccentric fast pace.

"Right." Spike said, cautious as to where this would lead them.

"Why, I could spend all day explaining this to you." Twilight said. "But I think it's best if I just show you." She finished, with a sinister hint to her tone.

"Umm." Spike said, but before he could express his concerns she went on.

"I will need to test out this little spell on you of course." She informed him.

"What." He said quietly before the realisation kicked in. "What kind of spell."

"Oh a very important spell." She replied. "But a completely safe spell, completely safe spell, yeah."

"Are you sure about this?" He questioned with obvious concern.

"Hey." Twilight said, her voice suddenly becoming very more like the calm and rational Twilight he knew. "Would I do something so unsafe and hazardous to you?" She asked sincerely.

"Well no." He admitted, it wasn't like she had never intentionally put him in harm's way for her own sake.

"Thank you." She replied compassionately. "If you would just stand in the middle there." She gestured to the centre of the room with a hoof, Spike obliging her.

After a minute or so of Twilight going over some notes and prepping her horn for the spell, she was finally ready.

"So Twi, you sure about this?" He asked, hoping to be assured.

"Heh." Twilight muttered. "I have no idea." In a manner that was similar to one of their pink-coloured friends, and shot out a stream of magic in his general direction.

In an instant, a swirl of colours swarmed around Spike, blinding everything from view. It was quite a show, but Spike couldn't feel anything different about him, maybe the effects of the spell had yet to kick in. But on it went, a multitude of colours about him, and yet he still felt indifferent to it all.

Finally it stopped and Spike could make out his surroundings again. Twilight came into focus and Spike could make out a delight look on her face.

"What that it?" He asked dully.

"Of course that was it!" She exclaimed in delight. "Why it's worked even better then I could have ever imagined." She continued still in glee.

"I don't get it." Spike said, confused with why she was so happy, he hadn't felt anything unusual about him, and every experiment Twilight had ever done had always had some kind of effect on him.

"Oh but now comes the best part!" She cried in enjoyment. "Now I have a task for you, Spike."

"What kind of task." He asked, concern growing again.

"Oh the best, he most appropriate for my number one assistant." She started. "You see, I want you to go out and… mingle."

"Mingle?"

"Yeah, mingle, with all the ponies around here, talk to them, interact with them, learn their secrets, for they should be more then willing to engage you, now that I've cast that little spell on you." Twilight explained.

"Uh-huh." Spike uttered. "And what's the point of that?" He asked.

"All those different perspectives and opinions and outlooks will be collected and will grant me wisdom beyond all that I have seen and share in all my years." She recited, buzzing with excitement.

"Doesn't that seem a little err." Spike did his best to explain. "Rude."

"Not at all." She countered. "This spell should allow to you have a pleasant conversation with just about anypony. And if you talk to a whole bunch of ponies."

Twilight reached into the knapsack slung across her back, and allowed to Spike to see it's contents, and what he saw infused him with exhilaration, for a whole colourful assortment of gems greeted him, rubies and emeralds in particular driving him giddy with the mere sight of them.

"I don't know how to dig them all out like that, it took ages." Twilight reasoned, having no fond memories of what it took for her to get those gemstones.

She allowed Spike one emerald, which he devoured with immense pleasure and satisfaction, savouring every shiny bit. But after that, she denied him any further treats.

"Only when you get out there and mingle!" She demanded. "I'd start with the usual gang, but don't stop there, there's a whole bunch of ponies to talk to, so get out there!"

"Sure thing, Twi!" Spike accepted, his lust for further gemstones holding sway over any reasons, and with that he made his exit, taking to the streets of Ponyville in search of his pony friends.

Just another typical day in Ponyville, Spike noted. The weather was at it's usual best, barely a cloud in sight and the sun baring down on the young dragon, but he didn't have too long to dwell on it, when a sudden blur of colour drew his attention, it seemed to be coming straight at him, almost at alarming speeds, and Spike was sure he could recognise the distinct array of colours in its wake. But at the moment, the flash was getting closer at an alarming rate, and so Spike doing something he wasn't used to, made a sharp dive to the left, something he didn't need to do as the flash crashed down quite close to him, but it would have pasted by him if he'd simply stay put, and now Spike could make out the Pegasus to which the flash of colour belonged to.

Rainbow Dash was in daze after her little stunt, but soon regained her perception and quickly surveyed her surroundings before hitting herself on the head with one of her hooves, cursing herself for her recklessness. Spike simply observed her, wondering inside whether this had something to do with the spell Twilight had cast on him, but also praised his luck that he ran into a familiar face so soon.

"Hiya Dash!" He greeted her cheerily; also glad to be talking to someone who wasn't Twilight.

"Oh Spike, Spike, I am so sorry, I could have sent you flying a mile, and then two miles after that, and then another mile just to round it out." She mused in a manner that was very unlike the one he was familiar with.

"Err, sure." He said at a loss for words. "What were you doing, exactly?" He asked her.

"Why." Rainbow Dash exclaimed, flying up into the air above the little dragon. "Rainbow Dash was doing what she does best, Spike!" She boasted.

"What?" He smirked. "Crashing."

"No!" She shouted in defiance. "The part before crashing, usually the part that determines whether of not you end up crashing. Flying!" She finished in the usual proud manner.

"Yeah, yeah." Spike agreed. It was no surprise to virtually anyone that Rainbow Dash spent her free time flying, what with her being the fastest Pegasus in the land, though that was an unofficial title.

"Why, how else am I suppose to get into the Wonderbolts if I don't dedicate as much time as I can to perfecting this delicate art of flying." She reasoned.

"Y'know, Dash." Spike said suddenly. "Do you actually need the Wonderbolts?"

"What!" Dash exclaimed taken aback.

"I mean." He started to explain. "You're the fastest flyer there is, like ever."

"True enough." She reasoned.

"Well, why are you wasting your time on trying to get into a club that's full of Pegasus's that can't even match your speeds." Spike continued.

Rainbow Dash hovered on the spot for a while going through the thought in her mind, but in an instant she decided that she would be having none of it.

"Spike!" She scolded. "What a nasty thing to say, sometimes it isn't a question of speed, but of comradeship, and the Wonderbolts are the bets comrades I know, and with me being the Element of Loyalty, there are some things that don't have anything to do with how fast you can fly."

"Yeah, yeah okay." Spike reasoned, berating himself for trying to give his own take on the Element of Loyalty.

"Still." Dash said. "Thanks for giving me the thought, but now I don't flying like flying anymore. And when Rainbow Dash doesn't feel like flying she instead… works."

"Works." Spike said puzzled. "Oh, at the Rainbow Factory!"

"Spike, please!" Dash scolded him again, now with notable disgust. "Refer to it by it's proper name: The Cloudsdale Optical and Meteorological Multicoloured Arc Phenomenon Productions Facility." She recited proudly.

"The what?" He simply asked in bewilderment.

"Much better name, sticks with you, y'know." Dash explained. "Raises awareness and increases granite precipitation by approximately one fifth; it is literally twenty percent cooler." She finished.

"Umm, okay." Spike said with faint awe.

"Anyway, this has been fun, but now Rainbow Dash has got to go to… works." The multicoloured Pegasus announced, before rising high into the air, giving Spike a wave, and zooming off in the direction of Cloudsdale.

For the little green and purple dragon, he was simply left in bewilderment; that was a very strange little chat he had with Dash, nothing like what they usually were like. Could that be a result of the spell he was under? If so, Spike was unsure as to whether he wanted to continue having more chats with several other ponies.

Berry, Belle and Bomb

Now Spike had a moment to go over her encounter with Rainbow Dash, his little mind returned to the task Twilight had appointed him. But where to go first, the little dragon wondered, if he could suddenly engage just about anypony in conversation, and they'd be willing, why, the possibilities were practically endless. Twilight had said to start with the usual gang, well he had already been through her and Rainbow Dash, but out of all of them there was one pony in particular that Spike really wanted to talk to, if she was willing. And that would mean heading to one of his most favorite places in Ponyville: the Carousel Boutique, though it was only one of his favorites because that's where she spent her time.

Armed with that thought in his mind, Spike was just about to head for the Carousel Boutique when he walked straight into another pony, or maybe they both walked into each other. Getting to his feet, Spike managed to get a good look of the clumsy pony.

It wasn't a pony he knew, but there were a lot of those, this mare had a strong purple pink look about her, her mane in a deep dark hue, with a cutie mark consisting of a bunch of grapes and a strawberry.

"Oh so sorry." The pony spoke rather sheepishly at Spike, while still struggling to get to her feet herself.

"It's okay." Spike replied, noticing how much trouble the mare was having getting to her feet. "Berry Punch." He suddenly said aloud, not knowing from where that knowledge came from.

"Oh is that my name." She slurred tipsily. "Sorry, I'm having trouble trying to remember things like that right now."

Berry Punch certainly seemed to be having trouble simply keeping on her feet at the moment, and before Spike could speak further she suddenly let out a hushed cry, as if she saw him for the first time.

"Oh my!" She exclaimed. "A dragoon!"

"Uh, dragon." Spike attempted to correct her.

"Wait a sec." Berry Punch uttered, closing her eyes in deep concentration before opening them again. "Wow, your really there."

"Yeah I'm right here." He said, slightly impatient.

"Oh, I don't owe you any bits do I?" Berry asked, worryingly.

"What!" Spike cried, surprised. "No."

"Oh thank Celestial!" Berry said, relieved.

"Don't you mean Celestia?" Spike attempted to correct her.

"Celestia. Gotcha." She replied assured.

"Right." Spike said quietly, not sure what to make of the situation.

"So you're a dragon." Berry asked inquisitively.

"Sure thing." Spike said, still in confusion.

"So wait a sec." She began, closing her eyes again. "Did you see that multi-coloured Pegasus fly off just now?"

"Oh you mean Rainbow Dash, yeah I saw her." He replied, unsure as to why she asked that.

"Oh thank Celestial." Berry repeated in second relief. "I thought for a moment I might have had too much punch there for a minute."

"Uh-huh." He reasoned, the mare was practically talking to herself at this point.

"Well little dragoon, this was nice." Berry announced. "But I gotta go have a nap now, I still don't know if you're really there yet."

"Okay." Spike said. "Well, goodbye Berry Punch, I guess."

"Berry Punch. Is that my name? Doesn't feel like what I've would have picked for myself." The mare muttered to herself, brushing past Spike, seemingly forgetting him instantly.

As for the little dragon, he was once again left in immense confusion. He didn't have many conversations with the other pony residents, him being a dragon, but that instance right there felt like the effects of the spell again, and if he was going to have the same effect on every other pony he bumped into, well, that it might take him all day to get to the Carousel Boutique, which he was reminded of again, and set off, making sure to look where he was going this time.

Ah, the Carousel Boutique, a strange mixture of excitement was brewing in Spike's little dragon form. There was also a deep sense of nervousness in the mix as well, Spike almost felt like he was intruding, but Twilight had insisted, and there was no other place he'd rather be. So taking a deep breath Spike was just about to knock on the door, when it suddenly flew open of it's own account.

The pony that had opened it was not the pony of his dreams, but rather her younger filly sister, and from what Spike could tell, she was in quite the temper.

"Ah, it's the dumb dragon. Why your dumb self here?" She snapped at Spike, taking him completely by surprise.

"Oh hi." Spike said, before pausing slightly. "Sweetie Belle." He remembered just in time.

"Sweetie Belle, well I don't dumb well feel like dumb Sweetie Belle at the moment." Sweetie Belle groaned in response. "Here I am so dumb bored, when I get the strange dumb feeling to go and open the big dumb door, hoping maybe it's my big dumb sister, but no it's just some dumb dragon."

"Okay." Spike replied quietly, still in shock. "Well then Sweetie Belle, where is big dumb sister?"

His attempts at engaging the little filly one on one weren't going so well, she showed no inclination of adjusting her current mood.

"Oh sure." She said. "Don't you dumb worry about little dumb Sweetie Belle, she'll be just dumb fine, no it's always the big dumb sister they want."

"Sorry, I guess." Spike did his best to apologise. "Have I come at a wrong time?"

"Wrong time." Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "What gave you that dumb impression? It's the right time; all of a sudden I have this strange dumb urge to go get my dumb Crusader friends and give them a piece of my big dumb mind."

And without further prompt, she waltzed right past Spike, who closed the door she had forgotten about, and then raced up to her.

"Before you do that." He was trying to say, doing his best to keep up with the filly. "Do you know where I can find your sister?"

"Of course I know where that dumb pony is what kind of little dumb sister do you think I am." Sweetie Belle barked back. "She went on one little dumb journey, to one of her big dumb pony friends."

"Which big dumb pony friends?" Spike asked.

"Y'know." She said. "That big dumb yellow Pegasus who lives near that dumb forest. With all those little dumb animals."

"Thanks." He replied, quite surprised at how forthcoming she was with that information in her current state.

"Now if you don't dumb mind." Sweetie Belle retorted. "I have some dumb fillies to tell off, why when I'm dumb through with their dumb selves, their gonna dumb wish they were never dumb born."

Spike stopped in his tracks, panting from keeping up with her, and watched the young filly storm off, not wanting to be two certain other dumb fillies right about now.

Returning his mind to the task at hand, Spike was curious about his interactions so far. He wondered what exactly Twilight would be getting out of him talking to a bunch of ponies, but then, he was not expert on magic like she was. But what also nagged in his little mind was how his interactions had gone, only Rainbow Dash had he been really familiar with, and her formal tone had surprised him considerably, and a certain anxiety took hold of him. He worried about what conversations were to come, and the thought of the pony of his dreams talking in a manner that he wasn't used to was scary, to say nothing of any other ponies.

All these thoughts going through Spike's mind were enough to make his stomach rumble in concern, suddenly reminding him of why he was on this mission. So he managed to keep a lid on his concerns for now, and took off in the direction of the cottage he had been directed to, hungry thoughts of those gemstones keeping him content for now.

On Spike walked, all through Ponyville towards the forest that resided outside its borders. The mere sight of that forest was enough to make his little dragon legs wobble and his head go light, but if that was where she was going, then that would be where he was going. On the way, Spike spared thought to the pony that resided near the forest, and cared for all those animals, he couldn't quite wrap his mind around the thought process as to why his pony friend would chose such a place, he was simply glad she was the kind and benevolent pony that didn't keep dragons as pet.

On he went, until for about the umpteenth time today, his mind was distracted once again. This time it was from a conversation that he was overhearing, between two ponies standing outside a café, near one of the tables. One of the ponies, a unicorn coloured a light green all over, appeared to be administering advice to her friend, an earth pony with a beige coat and blue and pink mane, who was trying out a variety of sweets laid out on the table.

"How about this one?" The unicorn gestured to one pink coloured pastry.

"I've already tried that one." The earth pony replied in a surprisingly husky voice, shocking Spike when he heard it. "It gives me that snobby regal voice, you know I hate that."

A strange feeling in Spike decided this was a good opportunity to flex his conversation muscles, and utilize his spell again, so he made his way up to the pair and announced his presence.

"Hey, it's the dragon!" The earth pony said in her strong masculine voice when he was close.

"Whoa, whoa!" The unicorn said. "How do you know dragons, you been seeing one behind my back."

"Wait, come on you know him." Her friend defended cheerily.

"Yeah I know you." Spike said, the names coming to him. "You're Lyra Lyra and Bon."

"Lyra Lyra and Bon?!" The earth pony said in shock. "Nah, it's Bon Bon and Lyra."

"Whoa who says it has to be that way." The unicorn exclaimed in anger. "Why can't it be Lyra and Bon Bon?"

"That doesn't fit." The earth pony Spike guessed was Bon Bon said, turning to Lyra. "It's not alphabetical."

"Oh shove a cake in it." Lyra snapped back.

"Gladly." Bon Bon replied and swallowed a green and blue pastry on the table. "There, that better?" She asked.

To Spike, it definitely was not better, for now her voice lost it's strong huskiness and became incredibly high-pitched.

Spike and Lyra made their disgust at her new voice known immediately, and Bon Bon simply ate a different pasty, this one coloured a strong red.

"Da, this will work!" She announced, but to Spike and Lyra, they were still in disagreement, for now her voice became deep and guttural, as if she came from a distant faraway land.

"What's the matter with you?" Bon Bon said in disbelief. "This is good voice. Moist and delicious."

"You sound like a stallion!" Lyra responded in equal disbelief.

"Oh, well it is good day to sound like a stallion." Bon Bon responded.

"I don't know." Was all that Spike could say when he heard that male sounding voice coming from the mare.

"Very well." Bon Bon reasoned optimistically and chose a different pasty, settling on a light blue and white one.

It took her a moment to disgust the whole thing, while Lyra and Spike looked on with baited breath.

"Well?" Lyra asked.

"Ich bin ein Berliner!" Bon Bon shouted, in a very weird accent, as if she trying to replicate someone else's voice. Lyra simply let out a groan, while Spike stood with his mouth wide open. Bon Bon understood and selected an orange pasty from the table.

She took a moment, as if there was a fire in her heart, bowing her head, before she looked up, turned to the duo and spoke.

"Sic semper tyrannis." She said quite regally in a distinct tone.

"Umm." Spike let out.

"I think we're gonna be here a while." Lyra groaned.

Bon Bon heard that and drew her face right up close to Lyra's.

"Adde parvum parvo magnus acervus erit." She said in that strange language, as if defending herself.

"Yeah okay." Lyra simply accepted, and simply picked up a black and yellow pasty and shoved it in Bon Bon's mouth in an attempt to silence her.

Bon Bon ate the thing whole, and suddenly yelled:

"Wenn ist das Nunnstück git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!" Inducing stunned looks on Lyra and Spike's faces again.

Immediately after saying that, Bon Bon roared with laughter, as if she had just been read the funniest joke in Equestria. In fact, she roared so much with laughter that the pair started to worry that she might simply past out from lack of breathing. But she eventually calmed down; taking a moment to settle herself, before she took the last pasty left on the table, this one a light and dark purple colour.

"I think that's it for today." Bon Bon said calmly in her new voice.

"Agreed." Lyra assured herself, weary from those antics.

But Spike was taken aback all over again, for her new voice was an exact copy of Twilight Sparkle's!

"Well, I think I should be going now." He announced to the pair.

"Goodbye little dragon." Lyra said perkily.

"Avoir madame." Bon Bon smirked coyly, watching Spike take his leave.

Now that his curiosity for a another conversation had been sated, Spike felt in no mood to have another, and made his way towards the forest again, surprised at how speechless he still was.

Fluttering Apple Scotch

At last Spike came to the edge of Ponyville, near the forest he was so anxious about, but much more importantly, he was near the cottage where hopefully, two of his pony friends resided. Upon coming within sight of the place, Spike noticed the ensemble of animals this pony friend kept, and for a moment he wondered if the spell Twilight had cast on him was having any effect on them, for they all appeared to sitting silent, simply eying the dragon with faint suspicion that he imagined wouldn't be there if he wasn't under the spell's influence.

Stepping up to the door, and giving a sharp knock, Spike was slightly alarmed when it flew open much more swiftly then he was used to. And the pony that had opened it was not the pony he wanted to see, but rather the pony that resided there: Fluttershy. But then Spike had to remind himself that it was most likely that the pony resident would open the door, yet inside he had a nagging little feeling that the pony he sought had already gone and left.

"Spike!" Fluttershy exclaimed in joy. "Spike, welcome! What's brings you here?"

"Hey Fluttershy." Spike said, slightly surprised by her forthcoming attitude but considering his interactions today, he was slowly getting used to it.

She allowed him entrance into her cottage without waiting for a reply. Spike then had another thought concerning the spell, and whether it had some kind of range.

"Please, Spike, do tell me what brings you here, it obviously can't be because of little old me." She announced.

"Well no." Spike admitted.

"Of course, of course." Fluttershy assured herself. "Not that I don't mind, you see. It's not like I'm the most popular pony in town, hey I don't really live in town y'know."

"Yeah." Spike replied trying to appear as formal as possible. "I don't suppose you've seen..." He was about to ask.

"Wait a minute, I think I know what this is about." She discerned. "You are obviously after my most recent visitor yes."

"Yes. Have you seen her?" Spike asked eagerly.

"Well of course I've seen her, silly, how else would I have been able to deduct that you are clearly interested in seeing her today." The pony informed him. "But don't you want to know what we had to talk about first, before I divulge her fate."

"Fine, whatever." Spike groaned, while finding the term "fate" a little strange.

"Well now." Fluttershy began. "I'm afraid to say that we had quite the, how you say, argument, regrettably. You see, she came round here not two hours ago, on some kind of quest for a particular gemstone of a kind, and for some reason had this nagging feeling that the Everfree Forest would hold something to suit her liking."

"Uh-huh." Spike uttered, taking it all in. "Go on."

"Well, needless to say, she came to me hoping that I would have some kind of guide or indication as to the location of such a stone." Fluttershy informed him, still in that formal tone that was very unlike her. "But, sad to say, we got into quite the argument regarding our own preferences. I was of the impression that she would be partial to listening to my advice, considering my experiences with the forest, and we did collide regarding our opinions. You understand?"

"Umm, I think so." Spike replied.

"Needless to say, we had quite the conflict, she said some rather brash things, and I did some rather nasty things. In fact, if she wasn't dead, it'd be very hard to mend our relationship."

"Yes." Spike replied, before properly digesting what she had said. "Umm, what?"

"Yes." Fluttershy said. "It would be very hard to repair out relationship."

"No, no no. What was the part before that?" Spike pleaded in panic.

"Oh, you mean the fact that she's dead." The pony said in a very formal manner. "Yes, it's quite regrettably, but the deed's been done, I'm afraid."

"What… how… why?" The little dragon was now spurting in sheer terror.

"Yes, one minute she's angrily arguing and yelling her mouth off. And the next she's lying on the floor looking pretty unresponsive, I really don't know why this is so hard on you." Fluttershy explained, still ignorant of what she was saying.

"But, how did she die?" Spike managed to get out in his state.

"I don't see how that's relevant." She replied. "But on another note, in order to bury her, I've had to remove the chicken coup in order to make room."

"Oh that's… that's… horrible." Spike uttered, not wanting to hear any more.

"Yes it is horrible. Or at least it would be… if it were true." Fluttershy chuckled to herself.

"What?" Spike responded, a different feeling about him now.

Fluttershy gave another chuckle, which turned into a contained laugh.

"Heh heh, oh I'm sorry, Spike. I've been joking with you." She confessed, bringing some feeling back into the terrified little dragon.

"You've been… joking?" He cried out.

"Yes yes, I do apologise for my… macabre sense of humour, I really don't know what came over me." She explained, chuckling again.

"Oh, that's…" Spike began but the relief was too much for him.

"I didn't have to remove the chicken coup to bury her." Fluttershy added.

"What!" Spike shouted.

She simply laughed again, enjoying the effect she was having a little too much.

"Just another little joke there, little Spike." She explained, Spike feeling relieved all over again. "But if you really are concerned with her whereabouts, you needn't worry. She simply took a little trip into the Everfree Forest to our certain zebra friend."

"Thanks." Spike said in a little of an understatement.

"Anyway, you'd better be of then." Fluttershy announced to the dragon. "If you still want to find her, don't let me impede you."

Spike agreed, he felt a longing to get out now, lest Fluttershy rely any more of her little jokes on him. Taking his leave, Spike noticed as he left that that she was still chuckling to herself, not a very reassuring sight, but now he had a new destination to head to, hoping that the pony he sought was there for sure this time.

Even before he was told to go there, Spike had a strange foreboding sense that he would eventually have to delve into the Everfree Forest, and he was understandable nervous, especially considering the way Fluttershy had her little joke with him. Still, it was not of him to back down to a challenge when there was sufficient reward waiting for him at the end, and this included both delicious gemstones and a chance to speak with the pony of his dreams. And Spike couldn't quite place the fact that he knew exactly what kind of zebra he had been directed to even though he never recalled any previous meetings with her, perhaps a result of the spell making him more then familiar with all Ponyville residents' names.

His trail of thought was brought to an abrupt end yet again, something he was gradually getting used to, when a tree off the pathway he was walking suddenly came crashing down, narrowly missing the little dragon, who was understandably taken aback. As he was recovering from his shock, he noticed a small shape hop onto the tree, and it was face he recognised. It was the little filly sister of one of his earth pony friends; only she looked like she was missing a key component of her.

"Dang it, dang it, dang it, dang it, dang it! Where is it?" She shouted a little more then Spike was comfortable, considering their surroundings.

"Hey Apple Bloom." Spike attempted to calm her down.

"Don't you dang Apple Bloom me, yah little dang dragon, I have lost my dang precious bow." She snapped irritably, rushing past Spike to continue her search.

That must have been what Spike felt was off about her, he couldn't recall any instances where she wasn't wearing that big red bow. His thoughts were interrupted when she buck kicked another tree, sending it crashing to the ground in one fell swoop, stunning Spike, who had never seen a filly exhibit so much strength before.

"Dang it, why isn't it here, how could I leave that dang thing behind like that." She said bitterly.

Now Spike was overcome with another strange feeling, he couldn't be sure, but there was something in him that could tell where her missing bow was, his head turning to the left direction, as if there was something calling to him from beyond. Heedless of the worrisome filly, Spike turned to investigate the feeling that was coaxing him there, and found another tree, and from its base he could tell that there was something trapped there, some kind of accessory buried in the soil.

"Hey Apple Bloom!" He called to her, her attention turning to him for the faintest moment. "Why don't you try under this tree."

The distraught little filly came over.

"Well I don't see why dang not, but if this is some dang joke, you're gonna be so dang sorry." She added cautiously before laying her assault upon the tree, causing it to crash to the ground.

Underneath all the soil and roots it had left behind, sure enough was the dirty tattered little red bow Apple Bloom sought, and upon the sight of it, she immediately burst into joy, bouncing up and down in the air. Spike simply stood proud of his discovery abilities, until he noticed something else buried with the bow. It was a small diamond, shining bright and powerful despite it's earthly surroundings, and Spike was overcome with an immense impression about him. Maybe it was that that he was drawn to uncover instead of the bow.

"You ain't such a bad little dang dragon after." Apple Bloom remarked, before retrieving her bow, brushing it off and fixing it on the back of her little head. "What's this dang thing?" She suddenly had noticed the diamond, but didn't seem half as impressed as Spike was.

"It's a diamond." He informed her, deciding to pick it up thinking it looked lonely and out of place buried there.

"Dang diamonds, what's the dang use for them?" Apple Bloom remarked disappointingly, heedless of Spike's fascination with the little stone.

Spike didn't have an answer for her, as he simply held it with quite awe.

"Well, your dang self better get on then." Apple Bloom informed him with a hint of wisdom to her voice despite it's juvenile sound.

"Umm yeah thanks." Spike simply uttered in response.

Before he could properly ask the little filly a coherent question about her presence there, she had already taken off for the forest exit, muttering something about "dang poison joke."

It was then that Spike remembered that he had seen her before in a group of three other fillies, one of which he noted was Sweetie Belle, and was overcome with puzzlement.

When Spike knocked on the door of Zecora's hut, he sincerely hoped that this would signal fruition in his quest, but despite such a positive feeling, there were still nagging feelings that suggested that the pony he sought had already left. Knocking on the door quite boldly considering his surroundings, the little dragon felt that the spell he was under the influence of would no doubt protect him from appearing immodest or intrusive, though he suddenly remembered that Zecora was no pony, but and zebra, and he wondered if that would have any bearings on their conversation. He received no reply from within, but inside the door simply swung open, and Spike practically waltzed in, not waiting to see if it was the right thing to do.

Inside he got a good sense of the type of zebra that Zecora was, he barely had memories of the last time he was here, but he was in a very different state at the time and had no fond memories of the time. He was pulled from thought when he noticed the zebra in question learning over a large cauldron in the middle of the room, not paying him any attention until he was closer, and then she turned around at an alarming rate, frightening him and making him wonder if the spell had no effect on zebras.

But when she opened her mouth, that thought was quickly dashed.

"Lo little dragon, have you think of me, as a novice in the art of alchemy?" She posed to Spike, ignoring any formalities that usually come with a stranger appearing uninvited in her home.

"Alche-what?" He asked her in return.

"Absolutely not in alchemy!" She exclaimed to herself. "I am a master in the art, see?"

"Yeah you sure are." Spike reasoned, going along with whatever she was going on about.

"Just gaze upon this concoction." She gestured for him to look upon what was brewing in the cauldron. "I shall name it an agent of… reduction."

"Is that a proper rhyme?" Spike pointed out.

Just then, the creation brewing in the cauldron emitted a bubble, which promptly burst in front of the two filling Spike with a strange unpleasant intoxicating sensation that quickly dispersed.

Zecora dipped her head just above the mixture and took a quick taste. That was enough to make he stumble about on the spot before she turned to Spike, looking suddenly grief-stricken.

"I am relic, little dragon. I got a wonky tongue. I am a bloody foreigner." She recited in a tone that definitely did not suit her. "They got more howitzers in the great emerald empire then they got the likes of me."

Spike made a noted to stay away from whatever Zecora had brewed, for it didn't seem all too appetizing, but he the remembered his business here, and made an attempt to get information out of the zebra.

"Say do you anything about this?" He asked her showing her the diamond he had found.

"Great Scott!" Zecora shouted, snapped out of her stupor. "This could very well be the same stone she sought."

Spike made a guess as to who "she" was and pressed on.

"Do you know where she is?" He asked eagerly.

"Aye that I do." Zecora responded. "What do you take me for, some kind of… fool."

"Right."

"She was right here, just a few moments ago." The zebra explained. "Looking for a way to make it so."

"Make what so?" Spike asked.

"Something to do with gemstones, perhaps seeking something she could loan." Zecora went on. "I was just about to suggest an escort, when all of a sudden she did… teleport!" She finished in a hushed tone.

"Teleport?" Spike repeated starting to worry.

"Yes, disappear into thin air she did, completely wiped off the grid." She went on.

"Well, do you know where she could have gone to?" The worried dragon asked.

"To whence she departed I have no clue. Perhaps the deed was done… by a friend of you." She posed.

"What, you mean Twilight?" Spike said.

"Could be, could be, it wouldn't be the first time, see." Zecora replied.

"Oh, well thanks for the heads up I guess." Spike reasoned.

"Now be off with you, least the same thing happen… to you." The zebra exclaimed, and Spike decided that his business there was concluded, so bidding her a farewell he made his exit, hoping the end of his little quest was in sight.

As he as he had closed the door behind him, Zecora turned back to the mixture in the cauldron. Without further prompting, she took a gracious mouthful of it. As soon as she raised her head, the surroundings of her hut darkened and a strong mist erupted from the cauldron.

"So! Have at you, you bloody little dandies!" She yelled at the mist, apparitions forming in front of her, of great wars and alicorns.

"So superior, so arrogant, prancing about with your speech full of coherency. Come and get me, I say, I am waiting, yah blighters!" She went on in her trance. " I'm a grin bloody parable with the unhappiest of endings!"

As soon as she was done, the apparitions erupted all around, and the room lightened up again, the cauldron returning to normal.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Zecora laughed at her concoction. "Look's like they'll be stiching you back together… IN TARTARUS!"

Wondering Dragon

When Spike had finally made his way out of the Everfree Forest and back into Ponyville, he suddenly noticed how hungry the experiences of the day had made him. His hunger was strong enough that he felt that he was owed more then one or two of those gemstones Twilight had promised him, so he decided head on back to the library and help himself to a well-deserved reward, when all of a sudden, something happened that made his trip back home redundant.

A strange feeling, followed by a quick flash of colour and a pair of gorgeous looking rubies manifested straight in front of Spike's eyes, infusing him with a great lust as soon as he laid eyes upon them. It wasn't until he had completely devoured them that he pondered the reason of them being there. As with all strange things happening today, he reasoned that it must have had something to do with the spell upon him, but he wasn't sure how it exactly made it work like that. Maybe Twilight had made certain modifications when she cast it upon him that had picked up on his hunger and rewarded him for all the ponies he had spoken to.

But if there was one reward Spike felt that he was more then entitles to, would simply be to have just a few words with the special pony he had been pursuing all day. He suddenly realised how pointless for those snacks to be delivered to him there on the spot, for the library was the place he had been directed to next. As he sat and wondered what to do, something happened to the dragon that made sure he wouldn't be going back to the library yet.

He felt another sensation brewing within him, but this one he knew exactly what this one meant, and prepared himself accordingly, rearing up and taking a deep breath emitted a blast of green fire from his mouth that formed into a scrolled up letter. Intrigued by this sudden turn of events, Spike opened up the letter and began to read its contents.

Dear Spike.

My my, you have been busy haven't you. You would not believe what's been going on back here. I've been getting all sorts of feelings from our little spell, all feeding into some kind of collective conscious, it's all very interesting, but I wouldn't want to bore you with the little details.

These feelings are unlike anything I've ever felt before; there's a whole range I can only guess at the amount of ponies you've been talking to, there's this weird urge to go work after a long day of exercising, some mess of rambling incoherency involving punch, a strange dumb feeling, indifference over vocal proficiency, a very morbid sense of humour, a dang feeling of loss, and what I can only describe as tasting like cider.

I hope you've been enjoying it, but the fun doesn't stop here. Now based on what all this research is telling me, you are now likely going to be heading on your way back here, well I got news for you; please don't, there's still other ponies you've haven't spoken to yet. Now I understand you don't want to go and talk to the whole of Ponyville, that be pretty tired, I know, but where you should go next is Sugarcube Corner, have a nice chat with our friend there, then head on to Sweet Apple Acres and talk to the gang there. After you've done that (and don't be afraid to have more nice chats with anypony you happen to run into along the way), then you have permission to come on home, a certain somepony's here, we're gonna have a big meeting, discuss all these strange new feelings everypony's feelings. I know it all seems so daunting, but chin up, all these new feelings are making me really excited, which means there'll be more gemstones in it for you, why you cannot tell how hard it to write all this down in an orderly manner, just keeping my hooves straight is hard enough.

Anyway, look forward to getting more of these feelings from you, so don't let me down now, okay soldier.

Yours' faithfully.

T. S. Eliot

Rolling up the letter, Spike now had a lot to think about. If he wasn't so interested in maintaining his position as her number one assistant, he might have marched straight back to the library and given her a piece of his mind, especially since the pony he sought was now there. But then was another strange determination within his little dragon form that wanted to proceed with the task anointed upon him, after all the gemstones had settled his stomach for now.

As for Sugarcube Corner, the pony that resided there was known to be incredibly eccentric by many standards, but this spell he was under had made more then a few familiar ponies just as eccentric. And Sweet Apple Acres, well he had already spoken to Apple Bloom but there were a lot more apples then her, and considering likely other pony encounters he would run into, the little dragon did the math and reckoned that he had at least ten more eccentric conversations to have with ten more eccentric ponies. And when all was done, the only pony he really wanted to talk to would be the last one on the list, making him curse the ironic luck bestowed on him.

But not in the mood to call it quits now, Spike made the hard decision to do as instructed and get on with his task, thinking eagerly of the rewards at the end. So, discarding the letter in a fiery breath of magic, he turned and went in the direction of Sugarcube Corner, a small eagerness building in him at the effect the spell would have on the pony who resided there.

Spike imagined that he would be running into some pony he didn't know between here and Sugarcube Corner. He had become pretty good at this by now, but his hunch turned out to be wrong, for he didn't end up running into one random pony, but two. There were two Pegasi, and they stood out particularly well, even if the spell Spike was under hadn't forced him upon them. Seeing two ponies as a plus, he decided to make an introduction, but before he could one of them, a colt already brought him into the conversation.

"Hey that's the dragon right there." He exclaimed and was upon Spike in a flash.

"Um, hi." Spike said, not expecting this at all, unless the spell was getting cleverer.

"Settle down Soarin', ya blighter." The mare scolded him off.

"Settle down, I can't do that." Soarin' barked back. "Spitfire, this is the one who gave her the idea, I know it is."

Spitfire took a moment to analyse Spike's appearance, and from the way Soarin' was keeping a close eye on him, he reckoned this may have had something to do with his earlier conversation with Rainbow Dash.

"Well then, if it is him." She finally said. "I have to say… thank you." And with that the Pegasus offered Spike a hoof, which he did his best to shake.

"What Spitfire, why are you taking her side on this." Soarin' pleaded at their action.

"Because, private!" Hr eyes left Spike and were upon her companion immediately. "I wouldn't be seen dead flying alongside some unheathen little mare such as… Rainbow Dash." She uttered Spike's friend with bitter loathing in her voice.

"Hey." Spike said getting defensive. "What've you got against Rainbow Dash?"

"What have I got against that tramp?" Spitfire yelled at Spike now, forgetting her previous action. "You would be too if you headed the toughest flying squad in Equestria, and some young little upstart decided they don't see you as worthy competition."

Now Spike was feeling slightly remorseful, he imagined that what he said to Rainbow Dash must have stuck.

"I was under the impression I had you to thank for telling her the Wonderbolts were not for her. And something you said must have stuck, but now she simply refuses to acknowledge us as anything more then low-class slowpokes." She replied deep in anger.

"Oh I better have another talk with her." Spike mentioned to himself, though with the all the business he had before him, would he even have time.

"Don't you bother, little dragon." Spike assured him. "This is a personal thing we got here. I'll show the Element of Loyalty how to properly conduct itself."

"Are you supposed to know that?" Spike asked concerned.

"If your impressions of me are any lower." Spitfire said sinisterly. "You're going to be finding yourself down there with them. Understand?"

"Yes." Spike uttered gulping and his tiny form shaking.

"Good." She said, before moving back quite a distance from him. "Now come on Soarin', we've got… works to do."

Soarin' understood her, so giving a half-hearted farewell to the dragon, he joined her, and the two launched into the sky, becoming mere flicks in the distance almost as soon as Spike looked up.

The still shaking dragon managed to recover from his bout of worry, and sincerely hoped that he hadn't got his fellow Pegasus friend into any trouble. But pushing the thought far from his mind, he returned to the task he had yet to do, before another thought of Twilight finding out about his conversation with the Wonderbolts and he decided to pick up the pace in his step, hoping the next pony he spoke with wouldn't be so intimidating.

At last Spike came to Sugarcube Corner, and the simple look of it was enough to make him realise that he was in desperate need of something other than gemstones to eat, and maybe something cool to drink. Now he felt like he was he could finally use this spell to earn himself something along those lines, a little selfish thought but after all that he had been through today he didn't feel particular rewarded yet. Hopefully his next pony friend would be more than happy to provide for him, from what experiences Spike had with her, she was quite the playful pony, a little eccentric but always in the mood for fun and merriment. A sudden thought then struck Spike, he sincerely hoped this spell wouldn't change her mood too much; she could be quite the oddity when in any other mood other than her default playfulness.

Thinking nothing more of it, Spike simply strolled into the small shop, instantly a fine smell of sugary treats scenting his vision. The pony he sought was not present at the counter, instead one half of the dual ownership of the shop, Mrs Cake. Spike hadn't any previous interactions with the Cakes and was a little foreboding about where this would end up.

"Oh a dragon, what a stroke of luck!" She called out as he approached the counter. "Wait wait wait, let me guess your name."

"Err it's…" Spike tried to get through.

"No don't tell me." Mrs Cake insisted. "Is it… Norbert?"

"No." Spike groaned imagining this would go on for a while.

"Saphira?"

"No, could I." Spike made another attempt to get through.

"No!" Mrs Cake yelled this time. "How about Draco?"

"Still no."

"Ghidorah?"

"No."

"Mecha Ghidorah?"

"I don't think you're gonna get it." Spike was getting quite impatient now.

"Yes I can I just know it!" She snapped back. "Alduin?"

"Nope."

"Mushu?"

"Still no." Now Spike was worrying about the number of dragon names she had left.

"Smaug?"

"No." Spike said another, though there was a part inside of him that wished he was named Smaug.

"Spyro?"

"Close." Spike replied eagerly, hoping she would correct those last letters.

"Whales!" Mrs Cake shouted cheerily.

"What! No!" Spike simply yelled back in shock. "Spike! Spike!"

"Oh Spike, Twilight's friend, well that would have been my last guess." Mrs Cake simply remarked. "Say what's that old unicorn up to nowadays, wished she stopped by and visit her friend."

"Well actually." Spike began. "She sent me to visit her friend."

"Oh really." Mrs Cake said slightly surprised. "Well that's, umm good. I think."

"Why." Spike was starting to worry. "Is something wrong with her?"

"Well." She said hesitantly. "Not really wrong, see. Just different, y'know."

"Where is she?" Spike asked cautiously.

"Oh she's in the bakery, making cupcakes." Mrs Cake replied cheerily.

"Well that doesn't sound too bad." Spike said, though there was a part of him that said otherwise.

"Yeah I know right, we do it all the time, but her attitude today is just… really strange." The mare went on.

"Exactly what kind of strange is it?" Spike pressed her.

"Well we had a nice chat this morning, business as usual. The only thing was it took me a good long time to try and understand what the hay she was going on about." Mrs Cake informed him.

"What is she like." Spike began scrounging for ideas. "Talking in like another language."

"Well it certainly felt like another language." She informed him. "But I could understand it alright; it's just there was so much of it."

"Okay then." Spike simply replied. "How about I go and have a talk to her."

"Isn't that what you were her for?" Mrs Cake reminded him.

"Oh yeah." Spike was reminded.

"By all means go ahead, but if you do, you're gonna be here for a while." She added cautiously.

"Okay." Spike added, before being guided by Mrs Cake into the shop, coming to the door that led into the bakery, an even stronger scent almost overwhelming the little dragon's little form.

"Well, just through here." She said. "Do excuse me, but frankly I'm not in the mood to having a chat with her right now."

"I'll manage." Spike replied and Mrs Cake made her leave, returning to the counter.

Spike lingered there for a moment, taking some time to enjoy the scent but managing to put aside the growing hunger in his stomach to concentrate his thoughts. Whatever had made the pony beyond this door more eccentric then usual had to be because of Twilight's spell, and frankly Spike could make up his mind whether to feel anxious or not. But finally he managed to get up the courage to place his little clawed hand on the knob, turning it slowly and making his way into the bakery.

Pink and Circumstance

To Spike it looked pretty much like a bakery should look like, if he couldn't make out any signs of life. The strong scent that was driving his appetite mad was in full force here and he almost forgot why he was there, so he was just about to properly investigate his surroundings better, until…

"Greetings and salutations, my fine friend of mythological origin and diminutive stature, I must inquire as to what is the purpose of your unexpected but appreciated visit today." A very strange monotone voice made Spike jump, as he turned to see the stallion to whom it belonged to.

But it was no elderly colt that greeted him, but instead the very pony that he was looking for. But it took Spike a little longer to register that little fact.

"Your posture and sudden silence as to my presence suggests that you are indeed confused and bewildered by my sudden change in vocal proficiency. This is an understandable reaction, as I have not displayed any similar impressions in any of our previous interactions." Pinkie Pie explained, but Spike was still trying to wrap his little dragon head around the voice that was coming out of her mouth.

He really, really, really wasn't expecting this at all. He did his best beforehand to brace himself for whatever effects the spell would likely have on the raspberry earth pony, but this was just too much for him, but finally he managed to get some words out.

"Umm, Pinkie?" Was all he could manage, a short display of words that paled in comparison to what she had to say.

"Your short and faltered sense of speech indeed confirms what your body tone has made clear beforehand." She went off again. "If you will forgive me for my use of repetition, but that is once again a very understandable response, as anything else would indicate some prior knowledge as to my sudden expansive vocabulary and lexicon."

"Err." Spike was now desperately trying to understand what she was saying; it wasn't quite like she was talking in an entirely different language, but maybe that would have been preferable.

"Considering the extensive cavity in both our vocal patterns." She once again started; he had no idea how she managed to say the words in perfect clarity without stuttering. "Perhaps it would be a preferred outcome if I was to give you adequate time to properly fluctuate a sentence without constant interruption."

"Okay." Spike could understand parts of what she was saying there, though with immense difficult. "So you want to know why I am here, right." He guessed.

"Your half-hearted conjecture has proven truthful, for that is indeed the subject of my previous query, to which I am now awaiting the answer with immense eagerness." Pinkie Pie replied, and Spike was just about getting the hang of understanding her.

"Well, Twilight send me to talk to you, and I guess Mrs Cake as well." He informed her.

"In regards to the latter, I can form some understanding as to why my proprietor and employer would present some alarm at my current state. As for the former, I can only make a half-hearted assumption that she either was informed of my verbal aliment and proved too eventful to find time to investigate herself and instead, looking upon her mythological companion and assistant saw fit to send you in her place. Are any of my assumptions well placed, dearest friend who I shall now grant the courtesy by addressing him by his proper name as Spike?" She said.

"Well." Spike would have asked her to repeat herself by he doubted he had the time to go through that again. "No, not really. She just sort of wanted us to chat, y'know."

"I say!" Pinkie Pie suddenly exclaimed. "So my dear friend and associate has not had any knowledge as to my current state and instead simply sent you along to indulge in a pleasant conversation out of the goodness in her heart. I am unsure as to whether this is a positive or negative outcome to the minute conundrum presented here." She mused.

"Well actually." Spike cut in a little slower then he would with most ponies considering her speech. "After we're had our chat, she said to come on back to her place for a meeting with the rest of the gang."

"Indeed. So there is certainly some form of purpose as to your visit then. Very well, I shall be more than happy to oblige you and attend my fellow legendary anthropomorphic animal that originates from European folklore and mirrors any mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae such as myself, save for the addition of a singular, pointed, spiralling horn that protrudes from its forehead's meeting. However, there is but one small task in mind that I must attend to here, for it would be discourteous of me to simply leave this fine delicacy producing establishment in such a state, without first creating at least one singular diminutive treat typically seen as a much smaller form of cake, only capable of serving one person." The pony explained without so much as a single stutter.

"So?" Spike really needed a long time to himself to understand what she had just told him, now feeling like he was trying to communicate with a pony talking in a completely different language. "You want… to make a cupcake, and then you'll come along."

"That is indeed the challenge that I currently face as of the moment, I must praise you my fellow mythological friend for such a deduction." Pinkie Pie said sincerely, and before Spike knew what he was doing he was suddenly helping her make cupcakes.

Not the easiest thing Spike had done today, whereas the Pinkie Pie he was used to treated everything with a lovingly air of playfulness, stepping over any hiccups along the way in her juvenile self, this Pinkie Pie was much, much more formal about the whole procedure. He wasn't sure if she was getting the job done faster, especially when it came for her to relay baking instructions to him, often forgetting that there was a time factor involved, and they ended up ruining many batches, but eventually after many attempts they produced exactly one cupcake that looked healthy enough to eat.

"I am forced to admit that the result of the process we have just experienced has proven fortuitous to us both, as we have at long last managed to produce one miniature delicacy capable enough so that it may be ingested without the consumer suffering any negative afflictions upon their well-being." Pinkie Pie exclaimed as they gazed upon their creation, Spike simply glad it was all over.

"Now that this preliminary assignment has been completed to a satisfactory level, I am only complied to restore this area into its original unspoiled state." She continued and went about the task without waiting for Spike to offer a hand.

Now with the bakery in an organised state once again, Spike and Pinkie Pie left Sugarcube Corner, Mrs Cake seeing them off with some worry as to what Pinkie would get up to out in the open.

"Well now Spike." The raspberry coloured pony announced. "I assure you that you needn't burden yourself with the process of supervisory guiding me to the library where our mutual acquaintance resides. In fact, as a gesture of good will, please help yourself to the fruits of our joint labour." She finished, offering him the cupcake.

"Thanks Pinkie." He replied with gratitude and wasted no time in helping himself to the sugary treat.

The duo made their farewell, Pinkie Pie setting off in one direction at a ceremonial pace whilst Spike dashed off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, realising how tired he was, both with making cupcakes and through talking to the pony, and he imagined that Twilight would be in for quite the surprise when Pinkie Pie turned up on her door.

On Stranger Tides

Spike continued on to Sweet Apple Acres, but couldn't help shake the feelings of hunger and thirst that threatened to completely overwhelm him. As it turns out, the events of the day were starting to take their toll on the little dragon, and right now he needed something refreshing and fulfilling at the same time. But as Spike remembered, there were many juicy apples to be found at Sweet Apple Acres and it wouldn't be so hard for him to get something out of them, though he was unsure what kind of effect his spell would have on its inhabitants.

Though he was on his way there now, it turned out that Sweet Apple Acres would be in fact coming to him, as he suddenly caught a scent of something refreshing that caused Spike to detour slightly from his course. What he found was one slightly familiar giant red stallion, the brother of the pony friend he sought; towering over Spike with two big baskets slung over his back filled to the brim with... strawberries.

"Howdy partner, care to vhet your vhistle with ze leckere Erdberren."

The stallion said in an alien voice though Spike couldn't recall him talking before so maybe this was how he regularly spoke, but that was highly doubtable.

"Big Mac?" Spike was intrepid to ask.

"Ja, I am Big Macintosh." The stallion replied. "Sure I cannot tempt you with one strawberry."

Now Spike had to admit he needed something quite like strawberries right now. But before he could indulge, he had to remind himself that Sweet Apple Acres was an apple farm, not a strawberry farm.

"Strawberries. Not apples?" He asked.

"Nein ve still have apples." Big Mac responded in his strange dialect. "But Äpfel can be so boring sometimes, and ve felt that it was about time to expand, Herr Dragon."

"Right." Spike simply replied. In truth he didn't get the impression that this was how Big Macintosh usually spoke with others, and understanding him proved tricky. But after Pinkie, anypony was frankly a breath of fresh air.

"Well I am kind really hungry." He noted. "But I haven't got any bits."

"Oh don't worry about that little thing, consider this on ze barn for now." Big Mac simply replied, before lowering one of the baskets on his back, almost as tall as Spike, who gratefully picked out the biggest and juiciest one he could find.

Making his selection, Spike did his best to savour the feeling as best he could, and the strawberry proved to be the tastiest thing he had all day.

"Is it not Aphrodite fleischgewordene, Ja?" Big Mac mused to himself.

Spike couldn't find the words to form a proper reply in his mind, as the immense satisfaction he had left over from the strawberry proved too much to bother wondering whatever Big Mac meant by that. At last he managed to find the words to properly show his gratitude.

"Whoa, that was delicious." He exclaimed. "Where did you get these from?"

"Importation, Herr Dragon. I guess you could say ve are branching out." The stallion replied allowing himself a chuckle at his little joke, whilst Spike was too preoccupied with thoughts of more strawberries to pay much attention.

"Well." Now that Spike's stomach had been sated, his mind returned to the task at hand. "How is the old family down at the acres?"

"Oh that." Big Mac said, suddenly with a hint of unpleasantness. "Forgive me again for ze little joke, but it is something of a, how you say… mixed batch."

Of course, now that Spike's stomach was at ease, he had far more time to notice how odd Big Mac was sounding, almost as odd as Pinkie Pie.

"Well, I've seen Apple Bloom." He noted.

"You have seen ze kleine schwester?" The stallion replied with some eagerness. "Well then you have seen what a mouth she has on her, vhat a disgrace, though thankfully not as foul as our sister."

"Yeah I was going to see her." Spike now had time to wonder what kind of effect the spell would have on the pony he would be seeing next.

"Oh well good luck, Herr Dragon. But as for me, I think I will take my chances out here away from that lot." Big Mac replied and Spike guessed that would be the end of their conversation.

"Okay then." He said and before he knew he spoke again. "Ich danke Ihnen für die Erdbeereich."

"Ha Herr Dragon, now you are getting it." Big Mac replied cheerily, whilst Spike couldn't quite remember what he had just said.

But before he could reply in his own tongue, the giant red stallion had already set off in the opposition direction. Spike briefly pondered whether he himself was starting to feel the effects of the spell, but decided to put it out of his mind to concentrate on his task, and so set off again for Sweet Apple Acres before anymore hunger settled in again.

Finally, Spike had arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, the last leg of his journey, and a little too sooner than he had imagined. All that he had to do now was to have one little conversation with the middle member of the Apple family that resided here, and then he would hopefully earn himself a rest, and considerable praise from Twilight for his work today. Of course, Spike was starting to realise how adapted he was becoming to the whole ordeal, true it had been quite scary in the initial chats he had, but after Pinkie Pie, the little dragon felt like there was no longer any more sudden surprises in store for him, and whatever signs the pony here would be showing in response to the spell, he felt confident that he could deal with her in no time.

Well he was half right and half wrong…

He didn't need to look far when he arrived on the scene unfolding in front of the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres. A large cluster of ponies were all crowded round, Spike's little form denied him a chance to see what they were all looking at, but it didn't take him long to make his way to the front of the thicket, the many mares and colts more than willing to part to help him get through, no doubt because of the spell. When he got right up close, Spike found the recipient of the many eyes from the crowd.

It was the pony he sought; Applejack, he'd recognise her anywhere, standing at the front of a big stage and addressing the crowd, and allowing Spike to hear what it was she had to say.

"My fellow ponies, wide and far are you spread, and long have your journeys been. As you all know, I am Applejack, chief farmer of the Ponyville clan of the Apple family, and I am here to ask you a question." She announced to the crowd, and Spike could make out that most of the ponies standing around him he recognised from long ago as members of the impossibly gargantuan Apple family. His attention was brought back to the stage as Applejack continued her speech.

"Is it not that everypony is entitled to the fruits of their labour, to sit back after a long day's work on the field and help themselves to a fresh glass of their chosen refreshment?" She asked the crowd, which murmured back in a positive manner.

"Of course it is!" She continued. "But is anypony also entitled to reap the rewards of their toil, to munch on every apple they produce, to suckle on every strawberry their dig from the soil with their bare hooves?"

Another murmur responded to her, similar to the first.

"Well said my kin." She replied. "But it seems not everypony shares our outlook. The colt in the town hall expects to dine on the produce of the colt on the farm, the mare that heads the market can hold hostage the plants of the mare in the floristry. Is this a just system where one holds such sway over the many?"

The crowd barked back in denial, now much more than a murmur, and Spike was starting to worry about where Applejack was taking this newfound idealism.

"I for one choose to break free of the restraints and demands placed upon me by those in power, I chose to reject the claims that the many must have what only one had earned, where one must reply to the many when one's actions only affect one's self, where the many threatens with censorship if one speaks aloud. What does the many do when one keeps to one's self; it destroys one!" She passionately cried to her audience, who passionately cried back in return.

"I propose something different. Where once the many expected, now they must plead, I am transforming Sweet Apple Acres into one self-sufficient community; if the many expect produce, the many will be allowed only what the many had earned. And as for the one, one is free to do as one pleases, for one will never fear repercussions for the fruits of one's labour." And with that the Apple crowd all cheered and applauded Applejack, who immediately sent off on their way and stepped down from the stage, her attention now drawn to Spike, who was feeling very anxious about what he had just heard.

"Greetings Spike, come to wish me well on my endeavour and offer a place as the one?" She addressed the nervous dragon now that the crowd was thinning out.

"Umm, well actually." He stammered to himself. "Twilight kind of sent me to… ask you to err…" He was now shaking to himself, worried about how she might react.

"Come on, spit it out, partner." Applejack simply demanded of him impatiently.

"Well she kind of wants you to attend a meeting to figure out what all these new feelings are." Spike rattled off in a blur, running short of air just as he stopped.

Applejack took a long while of thinking to herself, not uttering a word and leaving Spike in his strange state of bewilderment and nervousness.

"Well, one of the many now requests my humble presence, why this almost feels like a ploy to draw me away from my work allowing the parasites to sabotage what I would achieve here." She at last said cautiously.

Spike found that there was nothing coming out of her mouth so far that he had agreed with, it all sounded really suspicious to him.

"But then again." She continued. "This is my dear friend Twilight we are talking about, and let it be known that Applejack is not one to forsake her many friends, but I can only stay for so long, before I am needed here."

"Oh thanks for that." Spike said relieved that she wasn't completely outlandish to him.

"Give me a moment to attend to get my affairs in order here, and then I will make my way there." Applejack stated.

"Guess I'm walking huh." Spike bleakly uttered to himself.

"Of course, it would be too dangerous for us to travel together; it would give them an opportunity of assassination, and we cannot have that now, can we?" She added vigilantly.

"Sure I guess." Spike said, having no idea what assassination was, and made his farewells to Applejack before he was off once again.

Now the little dragon had the boldness to think to himself that he had truly seen everything today. Twilight would certainly be impressed; he had given her all manner of feelings, if only there wasn't some nagging feeling building in him that somewhere in Ponyville, there was a very special pony that he sought, and what would she be like when under the effects of this particular spell.

Spike was finding himself in quite a tired state when he remerged in the village of Ponyville proper, having seen Applejack zoom off for the library as if she was scared of tackled to the ground by an imaginary mob if she stood in the same place for a second. In truth eh was quite worried from their conversation, it was far too full of things Spike couldn't wrap his mind around, and what the dragon couldn't understand he was frightened of. Frankly he wasn't entirely sure if he still wanted to head on back to the library, with all the bizarre personalities under one roof, it could very well drive him mad in confusion. But he had to also remind himself that he couldn't possibly give up now, so bracing himself for what would come, Spike set off home.

He didn't get far before the very familiar feeling of having his attention drawn completely to something else caught up to him. This time it was by a blur of a filly flying past him on a scooter, before coming to what looked like a painful stop courtesy of a fruit stand scaring the pony who occupied it.

Now that the blur had ceased to be just that, Spike had time to figure out the filly now sprawled out amongst the wreckage. She was a small Pegasus pony with a strong hued purple mane and a coat but what did stand out about her was her absence of a Cutie Mark, and suddenly Spike recognised that it was Scootaloo who had interrupted his trial of thought. And then another thought dwelled in his mind; he had seen Scootaloo often alongside her fellow fillies Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, and remembering his interactions with them, he made a fair guess as to what words would come out of her mouth, when she regained speech.

"Aww darn it! I was doing so darn well!" Scootaloo exclaimed examining her handiwork.

Somehow, her brash and irritable tone didn't surprise Spike in the slightest, in fact it seemed all the more appropriate.

"Hiya Scoots." He announced in an attempt to appear informal.

"Oh darn, I must be dreaming again if I'm seeing darn dragons." The filly said woefully.

"No, I'm really here." Spike clarified to the confused filly, but understanding why she would think otherwise for there were no dragons other than him around Ponyville.

"Whoa, a darn dragon is talking to my darn self, have I done something wrong?" She asked cautiously, while Spike simply reminded her of the mess she had made with her scooter, which put her in an even more worried state of regret as she did her best to help her pony victim reassemble her stand.

"Say what were you trying to do just then?" Spike asked the filly once she had cleaned up her mess.

"What was I trying to do just then?" She parroted back in disbelief. "Well darn dragon, I was only trying to perform the very best and very great scooter marathon ever! All around darn Ponyville it would have taken me, until I darn crashed."

"Neat." Spike said honestly.

"Y'know now that I think about that it, it was only because of darn you that I ended up darn crashing." Scootaloo said with sudden suspicion, eyeing Spike.

"Oh sorry." He replied trying to sound apologetic.

"You bet your darn dragon hide you are." She snapped. "Still, lucky you darn slipped me up just as I was darn starting out. If I was close to the finish line and bumped into you, you would be darn sorry."

"Again sorry." Spike did his best when confronted with the filly's wide greyish purple stare. "Anyway, what's the point of this marathon?" He questioned in an attempt to move the conversation swiftly onwards.

"What's the point?" Scootaloo parroted once again. "The darn point, is that this is going be such a big darn impressive feat that it's going to get me in the darn good books with my darn idol."

"What idol?" the dragon asked in puzzlement.

"What idol? You know who." The filly pleaded.

"Who?"

"Who? Rainbow Dash! That's darn who!" Scootaloo exclaimed in complete bewilderment at Spike's ignorance.

"Oh." He simply uttered taken aback. "Right."

"You're darn right, right!" She continued and was once again eyeing the dragon with suspicion.

Now for once, it was Spike who felt like ending the conversation prematurely.

"Well, good luck with that." He bravely spoke. "If you don't mind, there's stuff I gotta do."

"Well don't let me darn catch you again." Scootaloo warned him, before mounting her scooter again, and using the small wings on her back, zoomed off at an alarming speed, giving Spike more incentive to continue on himself in the direction of the Ponyville library.

Little did Spike know, that waiting around just around the corner, was yet another conversation prospector. And this time, it wasn't because of the spell that they felt so inclined to engage him.

Ditzy Doolally

"Incoming!" A certain Pegasus with a light grey coat with a bright yellow mane yelled down below her to a certain unicorn with a bright white coat and dark purple mane.

The unicorn looked up at the large object rapidly coming her way and moved to the side, fully aware of the mess a crashing Pegasus could do to her brilliantly coloured coat. However, to the surprise of both ponies, the grey Pegasus landed in an orderly fashion, coming to halt right in front of the unicorn without so much as a leaf or feather rustled, in a manner that was very unlike her, which amused her but made the unicorn awfully irritated.

"Nevermind, eh?" She asked sarcastically of the Pegasus.

"I just don't know what went right." The Pegasus replied in silent shock.

"Good for you then." The unicorn responded. "Now if you don't mind." She made way to past the Pegasus by for in her eyes, their little interaction was concluded. The Pegasus however didn't seem to think so and thus interrupted her as she went about her way.

"Hey wait a sec." The winged mare pleaded, only serving to further irritate the unicorn.

"Yes." She replied in an attempt to remain calm.

"Where you going?" The Pegasus asked in a cheerful manner of bliss.

"Why would you want to know?" The unicorn asked in return.

"Because I think I can guess where it is." The Pegasus answered, again with a strange tone of perkiness to her.

"Well, if you can do that." The unicorn began. "Then why did you need to ask me?"

"Because." The Pegasus explained. "I needed to see if I've got the right mare."

"Okay then." The unicorn challenged. "Prove I'm the right mare then."

"Ahem." The Pegasus cleared her throat in response to the unicorn's challenge. "You are going to… Town Hall, correct?"

"Correct." The unicorn admitted, but found nothing remotely special about the Pegasus yet.

"And your name is… Rarity." The Pegasus continued.

"Yes." Rarity declared, now a little more intrigued now. "And you, I wanna say… Derpy, or Ditzy." For some reason she had many names for the mare she had never met before.

"Oh please." The Pegasus pleaded of Rarity. "Feel free to call me whatever strikes your fancy, it's not like I actually have a name anyway."

"Okay." Rarity spoke suspiciously. "What do you suggest, then?"

"Well I always like to be called by whatever profession I'm currently in at the moment." The still nameless Pegasus replied.

"So what profession are you in at the moment, then?" Rarity asked slight frustration rising in her at how much of her time this Pegasus was wasting.

"Well right now, I have the honorary position of mailmare." The Pegasus replied. "But soon, I'll be moving onto ambassador."

"Okay fine then, Mailmare it is." Rarity spoke, not wanting to think of the representation of Ponyville this Pegasus would give as ambassador. "Now what is it you want?"

"Ahem." The Mailmare announced, before pulling out a letter from the courier bag slung across her back, rolling it up and reading it to Rarity. "Dearest Rarity, Fashion Designer, Storeowner and Seamstress. Your presence is requested of the upmost urgency, at the Ponyville Town Hall. One of your dear friends, a dragon by the name of Spike has recently visited courtesy of one Dr Time Turner MD Ph.D. MAcc DT DMM DC. It is of the upmost urgency that you present yourself at Town Hall to retrieve your friend immediately. Yours faithfully, student to Her Royal Ruler of Equestria Princess Celestia and Librarian of Ponyville Library Twilight Sparkle."

The Mailmare finished her address to Rarity, expecting to find a look of urgency on her face as she gave hurried thanks and rushed off to Town Hall. But instead, a very different look of utter bewilderment and resentment appeared on Rarity's face, contort in frustration.

"Is something wrong?" The Mailmare asked eagerly.

"Is this a joke?" Rarity uttered voice thick with disbelief.

"I don't think so." The Mailmare replied. "But if it is, then ha ha ha…"

Her brief attempt at humour was lost on the unicorn, who was still looking very frustrated.

"I already know that!" She finally yelled, stunning the Mailmare.

"You do." The Mailmare replied quietly.

"Yes I do! That's exactly what Twilight just sent me to do, what did you thought I was going to Town Hall, for?" Rarity yelled irritably.

"Well, all I was asked to do was deliver a letter to one Rarity going to Town Hall." The Mailmare did her best to reply confidently.

"Well good for you then." Rarity retorted full of sarcasm in her voice. "Now if there isn't anything else…"

"Wait actually there is!" The Mailmare was suddenly reminded of something and delved into her courier bag once again to retrieve another letter.

"Ahem." She announced once again opening it and beginning." Dear-oh."

"The same letter." Rarity took a half-hearted guess.

"No actually." The Mailmare replied. "It's just; well I'm not sure if I can read it."

"Well give it here and let me have a look." Rarity requested.

"I cannot do that, it's against protocols." The Mailmare pleaded in disbelief.

"If it's addressed to me, then by rights it's really mine to read." Rarity explained.

The Mailmare was silent at her proposal.

"Oh yeah." She finally said. "Here you go."

"Thank you." Rarity replied, again with deep sarcasm.

Using her horn to magically levitate in front of her she began to read.

Dear Big Dumb Sister,

I just can't believe your big dumb self, first you go off on some dumb quest to find some dumb diamond, then you go and dumb teleport like you're some kind of dumb alicorn, then your dumb dragon friend comes looking for your dumb self and now apparently your dumb friends the dumb cause of whatever'a causing all the dumb ponies round here to dumb act up. You better dumb run because when I catch up with your dumb self I am going to be so dumb mad!

Your Little Dumb Sister.

"Well's if there's nothing else." The Mailmare began. "I think I'll be off then." Rarity could detect a hint of awkwardness in the way she spoke, before she spread her wings and took off for the skies again, a few loose letters from her courier bag scattering in the wind in her wake.

"Dummy." Rarity mused to herself, before burning the letter hovering in front of her to a crisp, and resuming her course for Town Hall once again.

More Like Scarcity

"Spike, oh Spike!" Rarity exclaimed in delight when her eyes found the diminutive dragon in question, being escorted by Time Turner to the front desk, and before he could respond, she had brought her front hooves around him in a very comforting but slightly possessive embrace.

"I'm fine, Rarity." The shocked little dragon managed to call out, whilst inside he was immensely grateful to at last lay eyes upon her.

"You're dumb right you're fine!" Rarity exclaimed in response to his causal statement. "After all those things I head from Twilight about that spell she cast on you I assumed the worst. Don't you put a dear friend through something like that again, okay?"

"Okay." The little dragon admitted, before having one or two things to say himself. "Y'know, I was looking all over for you."

"Yes I know." The unicorn replied. "But we can talk about that later, I absolutely must thank this stallion first for getting you safe, mister err?"

"Dr actually." Time Turner replied and Spike could see where he was going and made a quick interruption.

"Just Dr Time Turner." He cut in just as the doctor was about to list his achievements. "And I wasn't in any danger anyway."

"Now how can you be sure about that Spike, who knows when you might have run into some nasty pony, and with that spell of yours, it's amazing you've managed to get this far." Rarity replied with much cautiousness to her tone.

"If I might cut in for a moment." Time Turner said, drawing her gaze to him again. "But if you mind, could I have a closer look at you, just to check something."

"What?" Rarity said taken back, but Spike could see the reason behind his query.

"It'll only take a moment." The doctor pleaded, though Spike doubted that for obvious reasons.

"Umm… go on then." Rarity accepted, and before she knew it Time Turner was suddenly looking deep into her eyes with a quizzical expression about him.

"Hmm, makes sense, okay I've come to a conclusion." He said shortly after, and Spike picked up much quicker than Rarity did.

"What kind?" He asked curiously.

"You." Time Turner addressed Rarity. "Are not under the effects of the spell."

"Spell? You mean Twilight's?" Rarity responded quite slowly.

"Of course, you have retained your usual composure and mannerisms, unlike any other pony that has come in contact with Spike. You must be some special pony, heh." Time Turner causally retorted.

Spike would have asked more of him, but the doctor beat him to it.

"Now I know you've probably got a load of questions." Time Turner quickly stated. "But I'm sure your Twilight teacher should be more than capable of answering you, and I've got some important business to attend to, so if you don't mind."

And with that he bid the duo farewell and made his way back into Town Hall, leaving them just a little speechless.

"What a smart pony." Rarity exclaimed in silent awe.

"You have no idea." Spike simply replied.

"Well we should probably head on back to Twilight's at any rate." The unicorn mused, Spike agreeing and the two made their way out of the building and onto the Ponyville streets, not too far away from the library.

"Y'know I've had quite the day." Spike said aloud, hoping Rarity would prove the conversation he had hoped for all day.

"I know." She replied. "Twilight's been all over the place with all these feelings you've been getting her."

"Neat." Spike pondered, thinking to himself of all the gemstones he surely would have earned by now.

"Course, it's given me plenty to worry about." Rarity continued.

"I know that." He replied. "What kinds of things are making you worry?" He asked sincerely.

"Well our friends of course." She replied.

"Oh yeah." He acknowledged for he could share her concern.

"I mean." Rarity started. "Just look at poor Fluttershy, Twilight's been telling all sorts of things that don't sound very Fluttershy-like to me."

"Yeah." Spike simply said, fully aware of his conversation with Fluttershy.

"And Rainbow Dash." Rarity continued. "I'm not too sure about her, but it looks like she's lost her excitement for sports."

"I may have had something to do with that." Spike admitted.

"Well of course you do." The unicorn retorted. "But I don't blame you, you weren't aware of what you were under."

Rarity's caring manner was becoming far too much for Spike, considering what he had been through today, but he could understand why she would act that way.

"And how about…" He began. "Pinkie?"

"Pinkie?" Rarity repeated. "Can't say I'm familiar with what she's like, I didn't bump into her, and she must be taking her time."

"You could say that." Spike noted, suddenly looking forward to the reaction Rarity would give upon meeting Pinkie Pie.

"But as for Applejack." Rarity continued with a notable shudder to her. "I do not like the direction she's going in."

"Yeah." Spike continued his short replies, his mind far too busy in thought about his pony friends to formulate a more appropriate response.

"But on the bright side." The unicorn continued, regardless of whether Spike had replied to her in any way. "At least I'm the still same old Rarity."

"Yep." Spike confessed.

"Wonder why that is, maybe the spell doesn't affect unicorns." She mused. "Though I'm not entirely certain about Twilight now that I think about it."

"Really what's she been up to?" Spike now asked with newfound curiosity.

"Well her usual self, just much more bigger." Rarity stated, and Spike wasn't sure whether that was good news or not.

"Must have been quite the day for her, then." He causally said.

"It's been quite the day for you as well." She responded. "Never done so much chatting with so many ponies myself."

"You can say that again." Spike said, letting out a yawn.

"Never done so much chatting with so many ponies myself." Rarity repeated, before catching Spike's disapproving eye. "Oh."

The unicorn went quite after that, thinking of the events of the day and what lay ahead for her little dragon friend. Spike on the other hand was growing quite weary, having done much thinking and was looking forward to the opportunity to lay his feet up and not have to utter another word for the night.

Eventually they came to the library, a sight for sore eyes in Spike's case, though the thought of all those ponies with their eccentric attitudes in one room did cause some understandable trepidation in the little dragon's form.

"Well now Spike." Rarity addressed him. "Ready for one last talk?"

"I guess so." He duly noted, and bracing himself for what would come next, he knocked on the door.

Exposition Time

"There he is!" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed upon opening the door to the duo of Rarity and Spike. "There's my number one assistant, the hero of the hour, the centre of all the admirations and all the respect and esteem I could possibly think of."

"You finished." Spike interrupted sleepily.

"For the moment." The purple unicorn replied without losing all the vigour in her voice, welcoming the pair into the library.

Moving a few steps in, Spike could detect a very strange aura about the place, as if all the contrasting perspectives under the roof were vibrating off the walls. Soon they came upon the centre room where Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie and gathered, all in the middle of something resembling both a pleasant exchange of dialogue to an extreme opinions based argument.

"I do have to applaud you Applejack." Fluttershy was saying. "These fun new ideas you have seem like a real win if you were to run for mayor someday."

"No you mongrel." Applejack snapped back. "I seek not a society where one must govern the many. My society would be one where any such mare or stallion has it within their means to become whatever authority figure they chose to be, to have so much power over many in the hands of one unchecked is the bane of every self-conscious society."

"Your newfound traits and ideals suggest some emotional alteration of profound measurement." Pinkie Pie stated. "Indeed, your current expressive pre-set contrast your previous incarnation so sharply that save for appearance, you could be mistaken for another steed altogether."

"Oh I'm different am I?" Applejack replied getting defensive, and Spike could see she had picked up on Pinkie Pie's elongated lexicon much faster than he had. "I hope you have taken a good look at yourself, Pinkie!"

"I am basing your query on figurative terms and not physical, though that should be apparent to us both." Pinkie Pie replied, and Spike could only assume she was getting defensive herself, thought it was hard to tell through her monotone voice. "I have indeed fully understood the radical reconstruction in my language and terminology. But based on my predisposition towards you and your equally radical developments, I would make the bold hypothesis that your change, in a manner of beliefs and ideals is far more contrasting to your former temperament of honesty and reliability, then my current outlook of methodical verbal assortment in comparison to my previous state of elation and gaiety."

Applejack paused in her arguing, clearly stunned and speechless by Pinkie Pie's swift analysis of her. And she was not the only one, for Rarity, having seen fully what had become of Pinkie Pie, was in a similar state, but managed to get out a word before anyone else could.

"Umm, Pinkie?" She asked quietly.

"Ahh greetings my legendary creature known as the unicorn in good standing. I take it you have evidently not spared thought to anticipating what modification to my persona this incantation of ours would have, and judging from your posture and vocal patterns of timidity, I would make the assumption that I am indeed correct in my deduction." The raspberry earth pony retorted almost instantly the second Rarity asked.

Rarity like Applejack was now in another state of speechlessness.

"Oh how fun!" Fluttershy excitedly cried out.

"Well if we've all made our introductions." Twilight spoke, feeling like she hadn't contributed much. "We should be ready to begin."

Gathering round the ponies and Spike in the centre of the room, Twilight hopped up onto a heightened stage where she made her address.

"Now then." She began. "If we would…"

"Wait a sec, Twilight." Rarity suddenly said in alarm. "We've forgotten Rainbow Dash."

The ensemble looked about and true enough they had completely forgotten about their fellow Pegasus, and Spike groaned in fear of the possibly journey it would take to fetch her.

"Fear not my fellow mares of good breeding and social stature." Pinkie Pie suddenly announced. "Utilising the reality distorting influences bestowed upon me by the writers in question that determined my character in the early days of its formation; I shall go forth and retrieve our winged companion in a simple matter of seconds, for this is a much preferable alternative to the likely long, tedious and ultimately unnecessary journey by foot or wing."

And with that, she zoomed out of the front door in a fats single pink blur, returning seconds later with the missing pony they sought.

"Do you mind I'm trying to work here?" Rainbow Dash pleaded, but upon further analysing her surroundings she realised the irrelevance in caring about that anymore.

"Okay guys." She said disapprovingly. "What is all this?"

"Ahh, Rainbow Dash, just in time for the group meeting did you not get the memo?" Twilight cheerily asked.

"Obviously not." Rainbow Dash snarled back.

"Well would you kindly take a seat please and let us get on with this." Applejack snapped irritably. "This is holding me up big time."

Rainbow Dash, normally one to plead and argue her case for leaving decided that she better oblige her fellow friends, if only for now.

Now that the whole gang was present, Twilight felt confident in continuing her lecture.

"Now then gentlemares." She addressed the group of seven. "I trust most of you at least know why we are all here, but for those that don't let me clarify."

The group was silent, eagerly waiting for where she was going.

"Sometime last night, I cast a spell." She began. "I very select spell, one that could have proven a great many potential outcomes, all of this relevant to my studies of friendship and the like. The effects of this spell seemed unlimited, widespread and completely unpredictable, but in order for them to properly manifest themselves, I required a willing catalyst to properly engage and activate them, and that is where our little dragon friend come into place."

She gestured to Spike, who now had a great deal to think about, and was slightly irritated with her for not providing him with all the details before she sent him out on his quest.

"Now I will now point out the obvious." Twilight continued. "Since yesterday, you have no doubt been feeling very different ever since yesterday, correct?"

"Obviously." Fluttershy noted.

"Evidently." Applejack replied.

"Our conjecture has proven precise." Pinkie stated.

"I don't feel any different." Rainbow said with some puzzlement.

"Well the effects all present themselves differently." Twilight went on. "And from I've gathered, I can only document and measure all the different contrasting feelings from the ponies that Spike had spoken with, and let me tell you it has been quite the experience. But what else I've learnt is that the effects of this spell are not simply limited to whoever interacts with the catalyst, and there do appear to be some ponies that show no difference in personality, such as out Rarity here."

"Oh, how you much envy me." Fluttershy said giddily turning to Rarity.

"I on the other hand am displaying some measurement of jealousy towards my fellow unicorn, for I would be appreciative to be exempted from the notions of this particular enchantment." Pinkie Pie affirmed, whilst Rarity simply remained quiet, eager to hear more from Twilight.

"But anyway." The unicorn continued her speech. "I believe that the effects of this spell are not permanent, and can potentially be undone."

"You would seek to free me of these ideals." Applejack retorted in disbelief. "That sounds an awful lot like a means to covertly indoctrinate me to the many beliefs."

"Let me finish Applejack." Twilight pleaded, and Applejack settled down and allowed her to continue. "Whether any of you want to be free from these effects is not up to me, in fact I believe it is something no pony can do at this stage. In order for such a thing to work, you must all undergo some extreme experiences that should negate the effects and return you to your old selves."

"Whoa now, I think I kind of like this new outlook." Fluttershy said in slight defence.

"This is the only outlook I want." Applejack said defiantly.

"Can I go now?" Rainbow simply asked, already growing tired of staying in the same spot.

"Well now." Twilight announced. "I believe that is all the information I have with me at the moment, if you would like to make your departure feel free to do so, but consider yourselves warned; I do not know where the effects of this spell will take us, but I know something's going to come out of it, and there'll be challenges for us all."

The group showed some signs of distress at her foreboding, but Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were soon on their feet making plans to leave.

"Goodbye old Twilight, this had been quite the experience, but the animals call to me, don't want any of them dying on me now do I?" The yellow Pegasus said of her friend, giving a brief chuckle at the possibility.

"Yes this has been most fulfilling." Applejack continued.

"Yeah whatever I'm going now, those works aren't gonna work themselves now." Rainbow Dahs made a hasty farewell before she flew out the front door.

"Now that I have the appropriate time to consolidate my options I have realised how our fellow companion belonging to the species of mythological winged creatures of divine origin whom was so caught up in returning to the labour that awaited her back at the workplace amongst the clouds that she did not pause to spare thought to my sudden change in vocabulary. This is satisfying to me as it represents a fresh break in the constant string of reactions that most of my kin have greeted me with upon our first interaction." Pinkie Pie mused to herself.

"Yes well goodbye then." Twilight replied rather clumsily before the remaining trio made their departure leaving Twilight alone with Spike and Rarity.

"Now there's something I don't get here Twilight?" Rarity asked now that they were alone. "You seemed all too excited to get all these new feelings from this spell, but now you're talking about ending the effects."

"Oh don't be silly Rarity." Twilight casually retorted. "I'm only presenting the idea of any potential reversal of these effects, doesn't mean I want to end all this. At any rate I've got all I need from the ponies that Spike has spoken to, so it's really just impractical for them to continue going on living that way."

"But you're not concerned about what they may get up to?" Rarity asked with obvious concern.

"Like I said if they are to free themselves from the effects of this spells, it will have to be done on their own, and since their off living in their own minds I'm afraid there's very little we can do to help them." Twilight reasoned, showing very little concern herself. "Anyway, you should probably get on home yourself, if I'm right I imagine your sisters getting up to all sorts of dumb things."

"Right." Rarity replied, surpassing a light hint of sarcasm, before she too made her farewells to the pair and departed.

"Spike you've been awfully quiet." Twilight said of her little dragon assistant. "Is there something on your mind?"

"Only one thing." Spike finally spoke. "What happens now?"

"Now?" Twilight echoed in a little obliviousness. "Now you should get some sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow."

"What's going to happen tomorrow?" Spike was almost afraid to ask.

"Tomorrow, we are off to Canterlot, plenty of ponies to meet and greet there, and I must consult the Princess on this." His purple unicorn explained.

"Are you sure about that?" Spike continued with obvious concern.

"Well we can't just simply leave this spell lying around like this, how knows where it will end up." Twilight clarified.

"Okay then." Spike admitted, for the events of the day were starting to bear down on him, and he suddenly had an appreciative feeling for a place to lay his head.

As he made his way past Twilight in search of his bed, the unicorn was deep in thought herself, an exciting feeling of thrill and anticipation for where this spell would lead them.

"Yes." She muttered. "It's going to be quite the ride."

Alligator Dundee

Gummy the Alligator sat in the middle of the empty room, his eyes wide open and staring at a piece of the wall in front of him, not looking at anything in particular but with the little alligators rather limited emotional range, there was very little for him to be particular excited about. Not even when his owner exhibited a drastic mood swing did he feel the least bit disturbed; maybe he would have if he was something other than a simply alligator he may have displayed something more meaningful but as he was, his owner didn't seem to mind at all what kind of pet she kept.

"My miniature crocodilian that I keep in my household purely for the sake of companionship, I am pleased to announce my immediate return to this domicile where we call home." The voice of his owner suddenly sounded as the front door swung open, and Pinkie Pie trotted into the room.

Gummy the Alligator simply made a swift gesture to turn his head to face the much larger raspberry coloured pony as she slowly stopped just above him.

"Your customary posture and contemplation displays that you have indeed appropriately adjusted yourself to my change in conduct and demeanour." She recited yet again.

Suddenly Gummy jumped up and attached his mouth to closest pink foreleg in front of him, in an attempt to cause some harm to his owner.

"Your efforts in which to cause me injury are severely hindered by the simple fact that you lack the appropriate small calcified structures found in the jaws that would cause me some measure of injury." Pinkie Pie simply pointed out in the false attempt on her life.

Still, Gummy did not cease his assault, jumping up some more and biting what he could of the pink pony, despite his lack of teeth proving it a fruitless effort.

"Your continued labours to cause me harm are already growing outside their amusement limits and present some newfound determination that makes the incredibly dubious suggestion that you indeed bare some ill will towards me and are undeniably putting forth all your physical strength with some livid incentive to inflict as much agony upon myself as possible within your means." Pinkie Pie now stated, some concern growing in her as to Gummy motivations.

All her little alligator pet did was simply continuing his attempt on her life, his lack of teeth did not seem an appropriate reason for him to give up.

"Your actions have now reached the very highest threshold to which I can tolerate them, and I am now forced to take action myself in an attempt to terminate your assault." Pinkie Pie announced, before she grasped her pet in a hoof, immediately ceasing his attack and laid him down on the floor again.

Gummy simply stood there, accepting the new fate bestowed upon him and starting to stare at a wall again, not at his owner.

"I have made the deduction that this recent behavioural alteration in your personality and mannerisms suggests that there is some issue that is indeed perturbing you, my companion, and since there is a lacking of any other potential influences for this sudden change, I am confident that the only possible answer would be that my previous inquiry about you being suited to my change in conduct was in fact a false one, and my new mind set is indeed causing you some measure of discomfort." Pinkie Pie explained.

Even if the little Alligator possessed the vocal requirements to answer, she doubted that he would be willing to provide her with an answer. Gummy simply stared stoically at the wall, showing no inclination that he had heard what she had said.

"It is with great regret that I announce that I too share your concerns." Pinkie Pie said to herself. "I strongly doubt that any of the acquaintances I have the pleasure of calling friends expected this change from me. I would be more than happy to discover some scheme to free me from this vocally restrictive manner and return me to my previous one of fun and merriment. But alas, the methods to do so have regrettably eluded me, and I see no potential outcomes that would ensure such a solution."

Again Gummy simply sat in his big stare, paying her no heed, and Pinkie could feel a sense some feelings of grief buried beneath all her vocal intellect.

"I have now noticed that the night is getting late." She began again. "It is time for us both to rest in slumber and recuperate our vigour and drive for the next day. I now make the half-hearted optimistic proposal that I shall be alleviated of this vocal infliction when I arise, though is it with great sorrow that I realise the futility in such a likelihood."

And with that, she strolled past her pet, still paying her no attention and got ready to go to sleep. Pausing in one step, she turned to Gummy for the last time tonight.

"Good Night." She said quietly before leaving the room.

Supermarine Spitfire

Rainbow Dash was halfway to Cloudsdale in short space of time when she left the library. In her old self this would have been a simple test of her exceptional flying skills, but in her current state it was merely a means of getting to her workplace as fast as her Pegasus form would take her. Unlike her more wide minded friends, there was little pause in her head as she raced through the skies, not out of a lack of knowledge but rather because of a lack of obligation, already the events of the meeting in the library were soundly fading from her mind as the thought of all that workload that awaited her back at base resonated within her head.

Never before had Rainbow Dash been so concerned with thoughts of work, and neither did she care that she was thinking these thoughts all of a sudden. All that she knew was that she was really looking forward to all those rainbows that had yet to be formed.

"Sorry Rainbow Dash no more." The work Pegasus informed her when she showed up again at the productions facility.

"What!" The multi-coloured Pegasus exclaimed in disbelief. "Why?"

"That's it for today." The work Pegasus affirmed themselves. "You've done so much, go home."

"But what am I supposed to do in the meanwhile?" Rainbow Dash pleaded.

"I don't know, go fly or something." The Pegasus suggested.

She would have attempted to plead some more, but the work Pegasus was having no of it, and thus sent her on her way.

Now without any incentive to continue the day, Rainbow Dash quickly succumbed to boredom within mere seconds. She was suddenly remembering a strange fondness for flying but when she took to the skies again in an attempt to enjoy it in a leisurely fashion; she found that there was very little fun to get out of it. So she landed once again, deciding to set off for home and hope that a good book was all she needed right now when she suddenly ran into the familiar faces of Soarin' and Spitfire.

"Well if it isn't the superior specimen." Spitfire noted when the Pegasus of her insult was mere inches away.

Instead of getting all riled up as she most likely would have done in the past, Rainbow Dash simply collected her thoughts and countered almost immediately.

"Please." She began in mock politeness. "It's not a question of whether I'm superior or not. It's just that my actions and feast have clearly spoken for themselves."

"Oh, care to enlighten us?" Spitfire asked eagerly.

"Well. When did you last preform a Sonic Rainboom, huh?" She inquired. "And when were you last referred to as the fastest flyer in all of Equestria."

Spitfire didn't have time to respond over the fury building in her.

"Y'know something." Rainbow Dash continued. "When Princess Celestia herself says you're the fastest flyer, then you probably don't need to join a club."

"So if you're such a crack flyer." Spitfire countered. "Why is it so unappealing anymore, huh?"

Rainbow Dash was suddenly taken aback by her retort, but soon managed to form a response.

"I don't know." She replied with some hint of despair to her voice.

"Is there something wrong?" Soarin' decided to make his entrance into the conversation.

"I don't know." Rainbow Dash repeated, not sure of how honest she wanted to be with the pair she had just insulted.

"Maybe." Spitfire began again. "Maybe you're old. All that flying had lost it appeal and now you want to settle down."

Suddenly those words triggered some kind of fire within Rainbow Dash's heart.

"I am not growing old and I will prove it to you!" She exclaimed and in a few brief seconds, raised her wings and shot off, heedless of any discomfort she may have been feeling but simply possessed to put on a good show to prove Spitfire wrong.

Seeing the small trace that was Rainbow Dash disappear into the distance, the pair of Wonderbolts were left in some measure of shock.

"Well that escalated quickly." Soarin' noted.

Angel Takes Manehatten

Angel sat patiently awaiting the return of his owner. He was well known for having quite the temper when the mood took him. And right now he was having just one of those moods. True enough he had noticed a change in the manner and tone of his owner, perhaps enough to cause some concern, but his need for the care of affection she would shower upon him was enough to override all other concerns and simply put the little rabbit in the mood that he currently found himself in. So there he sat patiently on the doorstep tapping his little rabbit feet in impatience, for his owner had neglected to mention where it was she was setting off for or what business she would attend there.

Just as thoughts of boredom were beginning to creep into his little rabbit mind, Angel heard a voice singing off in the distance.

"Oh ye Fluttershy is a merry pony Pale pink her mane is And her coat is yellow."

Sure enough, soon as that faint sing song voice made it way to Angel's ears, Fluttershy pranced over the bend and came upon her little cottage. In an instant, there was a mass gathering of animals converging on the mare. Fluttershy may not have been the centre of attention amongst ponies, but when it came to animals; there was no one else they would have preferred. Even on the state she was in, Fluttershy did her best to make sure the assortment of beasts that had gathered in front of her were all worthy of her time.

"Birds, chickens, squirrels, lend me your ears," She began. "I have some important things to say."

The crowd of creatures all did their best to remain quiet, though the various flocks of birds were having sons trouble to do so whilst still remaining airborne. Angel on the other hand simply remained in his spot on the doorstep, observing from a distance and waiting for the conversation he would be having with Fluttershy in private.

"I've developed some very strong feelings over the past day, as perhaps some of you already knew." She announced.

A certain group of chickens in the mass shuddered to themselves in private, remembering the ordeal Fluttershy had displayed in the morning regarding the breaking of some eggs that she was unsure as to whether they contained chicks or not.

"But I plead of you." She continued. "Fear not. This is a change for sure, but whether for good or bad remains to be seen. I am still the same old Fluttershy you have come to love and respect in your short, frail lives."

Something about that last sentence stirred up feelings if uneasiness in Angel's little rabbit form.

"Now I have grown tired of indulging you further, attend to your business." Fluttershy ended her speech abruptly, causing the crowd gathered to break up and spread over the grounds surrounding her cottage.

Arriving at the door to her home, and finding her rabbit pet sitting in a posture that presented his irritated mood clearly, Fluttershy wasted no time in engaging Angel.

"You seem troubled my pet." She began. "Is all well?"

For Angel, all was not well, for he felt an immense hunger overcoming him, and was disturbed at her seemingly negligence.

"Ah." Fluttershy guessed. "Hungry is it? Unlike your brethren, you always were the dependent on others one."

Now Angel felt quite insulted, for Fluttershy was never one to behave in such a manner to her pets, and for a moment, the little rabbit's hunger was subsided and his mind drawn to her words about her change in manner. And he started to feel quite anxious.

"Never mind then, let's go and have a snack shall we?" Fluttershy said and opened the cottage door for them to enter. Angel excepted some kind of big treat from his owner to make up for her conduct. But instead, all he got was a small cherry topped cake and a carrot, much to his shock but he was hardly going to try and persuade her otherwise, and his hunger was too overwhelming to refuse this small treat, so the little rabbit begrudgingly took his snack.

Fluttershy, on the other hand was far too busy with other matters to concern herself with thoughts of food. Instead, she busied herself with scrounging through the cupboards and drawers, searching for something Angel couldn't determine.

"Angel bunny?" Fluttershy asked after a while. "Do we have anymore members of the family Nymphaeaceae?"

Angel looked up from his already half eaten snack to give Fluttershy a dumbfounded look.

"Oh I'm sorry." She caught herself. "Do we have any waterlilies left?"

Though that was a much clearer query, the little rabbit was oblivious to an answer.

"Of course we don't, why am I bothering asking you." Fluttershy remarked with sarcasm, before continuing her search nonetheless.

As she busied herself again, Angel was left with one question: What did she want waterlilies for?

He couldn't think of amy cause his owner would have for any plants at this time. His trail of thought was interrupted when a shrill cry from Fluttershy shocked him, and he turned to investigate.

"Foul demon! Destroyer! Usurper! Hellspawn, begone from this place!"

In a flash, Fluttershy had rushed to the front door, bolted straight through, and left Angel in silence to wonder what it was that had provoked his owner's wrath. He didn't have to look far when Fluttershy returned, walking through quite calmly considering her previous actions.

Strolling casually up to the cupboard where she had found the item, she closed it swiftly, before moving back to the front door, closing it too in a calm manner before turning to the room and standing on the spot,as if in deep thought. Angel took this opportunity to rush up to her, looking up at her face with deep curiosity. Fluttershy noticed her pet rabbit looking before she drew her gaze to meet his, uttering a few words filled with barely contained anger.

"Parasprites. I hate Parasprites."

Strawberry Panic

"Was für ein Tag" Big Macintosh exclaimed in his strange new tongue when he returned at last to Sweet Apple Acres.

Though he had often worked himself to such extremes in the past, there was something about today that had strained on him more then usual. It didn't take the giant of a stallion to come to a conclusion as to why thus was so.

He was almost completed positive that it had something to do with his interactions today, of which there had been far too many then what he was usually accustomed to. He would have felt daunted by the prospect, but for some reason there was a very peculiar excitement to all this. Probably had something to do with this strange new tongue that he had woken up with, completely fluent as if he had spoke it all his life.

Unhinging himself of the heavy load of strawberries on his back, the stallion was overcome with a slight hinge of regret as the number of strawberries was relatively the same since he had left, only succeeding in selling a few. Maybe Ponyville wasn't ready for such an exotic fruit yet. But all that boring old Apful, well for some reason, even though he had spent all his life around the fruit and came from a family dedicated to the stuff, now he couldn't stand the thought of having anything with it anymore.

Suddenly thoughts of appearing like a hypocrite dawned in his mind. He couldn't consider himself of the Apple clan and yet come to love a very different fruit, yet he could not come to love the delicious Erdbeere and have the flesh and blood of the stale Apful. Maybe a change in profession was needed. But could he face the prospect of leaving behind his family to begin anew, those old blood ties certainly seemed enough to override the feelings of abandonment. Yet after seeing what had become of his dear sister Applejack, and all her talks of independent gain of the one, maybe she would endorse his vision.

Deciding to think about it later, Big Macintosh strolled into the Apple family household and sat himself down, content to put his hooves up and rest. He didn't get a good share of peace before he was interrupted by the youngest member of the clan, Apple Bloom came rushing in with obvious angst in her voice.

"Dang it, dang it, dang it, dang it, I done lost it again!" She exclaimed pitifully. Big Macintosh could immediately figure out what she had lost, for the little filly looked awfully different without her usual bow adorned to the back of her mane.

"Oh verdammt." Big Macintosh uttered under his breath.

"Third dang time today!" Apple Bloom continued, heedless of any input her brother had.

Before the distraught filly could wail on any further, the pair of siblings were distracted again, this time by Applejack herself standing stoically at the open door.

"Younger." She announced, before presenting Apple Bloom's missing accessary with her hooves.

"Hey you ain't such a big dang sissy after all." Apple Bloom remarked before gratefully accepting the bow, before prancing off out of the room, Big Macintosh briefly wondering how long it would be before she lost it again.

"Was für ein Mund!" The stallion exclaimed in regards to the new abrasive tone of his younger sister.

"You disapprove?" Applejack replied with notable concern that put him at unease.

"She is just a little filly, Ja?" He countered.

"That is no excuse for you to have authority over her." Applejack snapped back with suspicion.

"What are you on about?" He replied with equal suspicion.

"To each her own, as the code dictates." The mare mused, and Bic Macintosh could see where this was going.

"That tone is very unbecoming of you schwester." He noted.

"I could easily say the same of you, dearest brother." Applejack countered.

"Sure." The stallion retorted. "But it is not like this manner of mine is effecting the ponies around me. I mean, if you were in your old self and you heard our sister talking like that, you would have had one or two things to say. But now, it's like you don't even care or something.''

He hadn't intended on going on for as long as he did, and Big Macintosh went silent for a good long while after that. He was not used to speaking anymore then one full sentence at a time.

His little outburst had stunned Applejack too. She could detect a good measure of concern for Apple Bloom, and Big Macintosh's voice seemed to quiver a little, through which she could sense the old stallion who only spoke a few syllables at a time. But she soon regained her tone and was able to counter him in no time.

"Well thank you for you enlightenment there." She began. "But my concerns are far too filled with visions that go far beyond the well being of one little filly, even if that filly is my own kin. Now if you will excuse me, this old bones have grown weary of listening to you talk, and I must gather my strength for the beginnings of the Great Rope."

And with that, she got up, strolled past an increasingly worrying Big Macintosh, and our of the room to bid the night farewell. She hadn't even bid him good night, the stallion thought.

"Oh verdammt." He repeated.

Dumb It Down

Rarity was in a particular hungry mood as she trotted back through the streets of Ponyville towards the Carousel Boutique. And for some odd reason she could not identify what she was in the mood for, all she had to go on was an immense craving for something meaty, something full of lots of other little things inside that would prove satisfying.

What could have prompted such a reaction in the unicorn, it certainly couldn't have been the spell, despite how it suddenly seemed to have a presence in everything going on today. But she could consider herself exempt to it's effects, whether that would turn into a good thing she was unsure of. Maybe she would have preferred to be utterly receptive to it's effects, or maybe she already was under it, but the effects had yet to manifest themselves.

Thinking such thoughts was enough to make the unicorn quite dizzy in the head at all the possibilities. And thoughts like that only served to increase the oddity of a hunger she now felt biting at her from the pits of her stomach. So the unicorn made the conscious decision to stop thinking and pick up the pace in her trot. Arriving at her shop, a sense of gratitude and comfort for what lay behind the front door was all about Rarity.

Getting in quick and closing the door behind her, one sharp irritant voice made her suddenly think longingly of being anywhere but here right now.

"Well you took your dumb time, didn't you." Rarity briefly reflected painfully on the amount of times today she had heard one of those particular words, before turning around to find herself face to face with Sweetie Belle.

"Nice to see you too, sis." She did her beat to respond in an upbeat tone, but could sense that her younger sister was going to have none of it.

"Nice to see you too, she dumb says." The little unicorn filly began predictably. "You dumb know how dumb hard I'm trying right dumb now to remain dumb calm."

If this was Sweetie Belle restraining from anger, then Rarity shuddered to herself at the thought of how her little sister would be like in proper rage.

"Sweetie Belle." She countered suddenly in an upbeat tone. "Why are you acting like this?" She wasn't too sure about the motivations behind this approach. Maybe through this she could reason with her sister and get through to the spell that held sway over her.

"Why do you dumb think?" Her sister mocked her unconvinced by her polite query. "Something's dumb happened and I dumb know it has something to dumb do with you and your dumb friends!"

"Very good." Rarity commented, still in her attempt at civilised conversation.

"Very good!" Sweetie Belle parroted back. "Is this some dumb kind of dumb joke to you, you think I dumb like talking like this!"

"No you're right, I'm sorry." Rarity apologised. "But as you're big dumb sister, I am only looking out for your wellbeing."

"Well thank you dumb self kindly." The little filly replied. Despite all her efforts, Rarity didn't feel like she was talking to her sister, but rather some irritated manifestation of the spell that was holding the real Sweetie Belle hostage.

"Why don't I explain everything then?" Rarity suggested.

"Why dumb don't you?" Her sister retorted.

And so Rarity did. She explained everything she could, but was sorely limited by the range of her knowledge. For once, as she told her little sister everything she knew, Sweetie Belle sat and listened intently, underneath all that impatience, she could sense some longing curiosity that demanded an answer to her affliction.

"So there's no dumb cure then?" The young filly remarked once her sister had finished, the snappiness in her voice present again.

"It's not really a matter of curing per say." Rarity did her best to explain. "And the effects appear to be unique to each pony."

"Well ain't that dumb and dandy." Sweetie Belle remarked. "

Hey I want to help you." Rarity explained. "Know of anything personal that might help us out here, maybe your singing talents?"

"Oh don't you dumb talk to me about dumb singing." Sweetie Belle said, temper increasing. "Do I dumb look like I could dumb sing right dumb now?"

"Okay bad move." Rarity exclaimed. "How about those friends of yours, y'know Apple Bloom and Scootaloo?"

"Well that sounds like a dumb good idea." Sweetie Belle started. "If I could find their dumb selves."

"Well it's a start." Rarity noted with a measure of optimism.

"Well it's a..." Sweetie Belle began to mock her again, but suddenly found herself yawning an immense yawn.

"Well I think that about does it for today." Rarity remarked, and Sweetie Belle couldn't help but agree.

So the two sisters bid each other good night before taking to bed. As Rarity did her best to ease herself to sleep, she couldn't help but think of what lay ahead. Not just for herself and her sister, but for her friends, and for Ponyville, heck maybe even for the whole of Equestria. There was a great many ponies and other creatures, and this spell showed no signs of relenting. And Twilight was in favour of letting it run amok. Well, Rarity wasn't really sure what to think of that. Maybe her friend had good intentions at heart, and maybe every pony would come out of this with a brand new outlook on life, having learnt a great many things regarding friendship and magic.

Maybe... *Sniff*...Maybe.

The City of Queens

"Wakey Wakey! Life's at staky!" An eccentric but all the more familiar voice pulled Spike out of his slumber.

Twilight Sparkle towered over her little dragon assistant, kindly waiting for him to get up on his own strength. But for some reason that was proving difficult right about now, as Spike grumbled and moaned and did his best to return to the comforts of his dreamland.

"Ah... five minutes." He groaned in her general direction whilst keeping his eyes firmly shut and attempting to drift off.

Twilight could understand that after all the work her little dragon had done the previous day, that he might be entitled to a bit of a lie in. But she found herself in too much of a pepperly mood to simply wait around for him to rise, she had barely caught some sleep herself, the excitement providing all the energy she needed.

But she did end up waiting five more minutes regardless, simply standing on the spot staring at the sleeping Spike in anticipation. If he knew she was watching him like this, he probably would have felt discomfort.

"Five minutes gone now!" She remarked impatiently.

All he did was simply continued his slumber undisturbed.

Now she really couldn't bare the prospect of waiting any further. Spike was going to get out of bed and be her number one assistant if he wanted to or not.

"Spike." Twilight began calmly. "Do I have to use magic to get you up?"

The moment the last syllable had left her mouth, the little dragon shot out of bed, fully wide awake and ready for whatever the day held for the two of them.

"No Ma'am." He hastily exclaimed.

"Good." She replied. "Now get ready, we're off to Canterlot remember?"

"How could I forget?" The little dragon remarked rhetorically.

Spike wasted no time in helping himself to a nice healthy breakfast of gemstones. For such a limited variety of food selection to chose from, he didn't really have anything to complain about. As he sat and ate, he realised that not even a full twenty four hours had past since Twilight had cast the spell on him.

The spell, huh? He didn't have a good memory in the best of times, but he could practically recount every single thing that had happened the previous day in it's entirety, for there was nothing at all that made him think of a limited selection in the number of interactions. And now they were going off to Canterlot to do it all again.

Well that was what Twilight had in mind anyway. Did she even have a plan, or was all this just going along to see where it would lead them. And what would the Princess think about all of this?

Well Spike didn't have the time to ponder that particular prospect yet, as Twilight returned to the room, a harness with her usual equipment bag fastened to her back.

"All set?" She asked eagerly.

"Almost." Spike replied, before finishing up, doing all the procedures he would before going out (which he had forgotten to do the previous day) before the pair left for the train station.

"Twilight can I ask you something?" Spike asked innocently as the train rolled through the countryside for the capital.

"Go ahead." The purple unicorn responded calmly.

"Why are we doing all this?" He asked innocently.

"Why?" Twilight exclaimed, turning to face the little dragon. "Why why why? Why not! Why the hay not?!"

Spike may have expressed some concern at the alarming swings in Twilight's mood, but after all the ponies he was already concerned about, he didn't feel like it would make much of a difference.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten already?" He pressed her.

"Forgotten, forgotten? Twilight Sparkle doesn't know the meaning of the word forgotten. I think I did in the past, but I can't quite recall it anymore." She recited, as if talking to herself. "It's all about the wisdom."

"Right." Spike replied simply. "And what is the point of all this wisdom?"

"Why its gonna make me wise." She remarked childishly.

"And what's going to happen after that?" The dragon continued.

"Well I'll be wise, wise beyond all my years, haven't we been already this?" Twilight said with impatience.

"And that's all a good thing?" Spike pressed on.

"Well of course it is, dummy!" Twilight proclaimed proudly. "What other unicorn could have pulled off something like this, huh?"

"But aren't you worried something bad might come out of it?" Spike asked with concern.

"Something bad, something bad?!" The eccentricity rising in Twilight's tone. "Well that doesn't sound like the voice of faith from my number one assistant. Besides if something bad did come out of it, I assure you we wouldn't be affected by it."

"How's that?" He asked curiously.

"Well because." Twilight started to explain. "Because it would be personal to the pony that it came from, and they'd probably resolve it pretty snappy too, hardly something for us to be concerned about."

"So what you're saying." Spike did his best to understand. "Is that there's no chance of something really big happening, right?"

"No chance." She replied optimistically.

Somehow, Spike had a hard time trying to match her confident tone...

At last the train pulled into Canterlot station. Spike briefly recalled the last time he had been here, and was grateful for how nice the place looked without the huge purple force field surrounding it and the lack of a thick presence of guards.

Though with the circumstances they now faced with the spell looming over them all, he wasn't sure if the absence was a good thing. Still, it wasn't like they were about to have a repeat of what had happened last time, that was a comforting thought at least. But if the spell proved to be more trouble than Spike was imagining it to be, well...

"Ahh Canterlot." Twilight remarked with fond nostalgia at the sight. "My home away from home."

"Weren't you born here?" Spike remarked.

"Okay." She replied. "So it's my home away from home away from home then."

"Right." Spike repeated. "So what's the plan, then?"

"Plan?" Twilight mused to herself. "Oh yes a plan. Well I suggest we split up."

"Eww!" Spike shuddered to himself. "That'd be messy."

"Not like that." Twilight reminded him. "I mean you go one way, I go the other. We simply must see the Princess, but there's a whole lot of other ponies around here first."

"So, just the same as yesterday, right?" Spike grumbled.

"Yes that's right." She replied merrily.

Inside, Spike was grumbling further at the thought of all the more walking and talking he would have to be doing, but at this stage, he just had to go with it.

"Wait a second." He was suddenly reminded. "I am still under this spell?"

"Oh you don't have to worry about that little old thing." Twilight replied. "Its spread far and wide now, completely redundant to have you as a host anymore."

"Oh okay." He said casually, before proper concern took him. "Wait what do you mean by that?"

"What I mean." The unicorn explained irritable. "Is that after all your little interactions yesterday, the spell decided it was no longer in the mood to be tied to one slow poke dragon and took off, far and wide to all four corners of Equestria."

"So it's a sentient spell?" He asked with alarm.

"Yeah that's about right." She replied, heedless of any possible risks associated with a sentient spell. "Anyway, gotta dash now, don't you follow me."

And with that, Twilight took off without so much as a goodbye or a good luck, leaving the dragon there.

Never before had he seen her act with such carelessness. A sentient spell? That was bound to be cause for some concern for the Twilight he was familiar with, but no, not this one it seemed.

And she was so confident that nothing bad was going to come out of this. Nothing at all? It suddenly dawned on him that he hadn't asked her if she herself was perhaps under its effects, though it didn't seem too much of a surprise if she was.

"Here we go again." He simply said to himself, before picking up the pace and heading off into the streets of Canterlot, ready to mingle once again.

Liar Liar

Canterlot, royal capital of Equestria, home of the princesses and as of late, Spike's metaphorical new playground. Was he looking forward to the many conversations that awaited him, was there an adventure hidden here, lurking under all the manners and civilised mares and colts here. Im truth it all seemed like a lot of hard work, to be frank, Spike was never the one for all this walking and talking, he was more used to walking and talking alongside Twilight.

But now she had bolted off for wherever. It just then occurred to the little dragon that he hadn't the faintest idea of the layout of Canterlot. It was no Ponyville, he didn't live her or visit often, so all Twilight's talk of reaching the palace seemed a little far fetched at the moment But then again, he didn't have to worry about that just yet, he was here to have pleasant conversations with the pony folks all around the capital. So off he went with no clear sense of where exactly he was going. But then, Canterlot wasn't Ponyville, and Spike didn't know anyone here. It was bound to prove the challenge for sure, but then again after everything he had already been through, it really shouldn't be too hard.

What luck Spike had at the moment, as not too long after he had set off, what followed was one prime conversation with one slightly familiar unicorn. And how did Spike come across this particular mare; the usual way.

"Hey! Hey little dragon hey!" A voice interrupted his trail of thought.

Spike turned to investigate the source, he was hardly going to be mistaken for another dragon, when the unicorn in question was upon him in an instant. It took him a good moment to figure out where she had come from, but it soon dawned upon him where he had seen this light green mare with a silvery mane.

"Lyra Lyra." He exclaimed eagerly.

"No no no, little dragon. Just Lyra." The mare stated slightly annoyed.

"Oh okay then, Just Lyra." Spike replied cheekily.

"Very funny." Lyra said, but quickly moved the conversation on. "Fancy seeing you here, what brings you to Canterlot?"

"I could ask you the same thing." He retorted.

"Yeah." She acknowledged. "But I asked you first.

"Okay then." Spike admitted. "Well. I really just came to have a chat."

"Have a chat?" Lyra repeated in disbelief. "Have a chat with who?"

"Err... anypony really." Spike stuttered to himself, quite puzzled himself by the simplicity of his being here.

"Right." Lyra replied unconvinced.

"How about you?" Spike said with sone eagerness. "Oh." She exclaimed surprised. "Well it's kinda... special business y'know."

Special business sounded like suspicious business to Spike. A crazy thought popped into his mind that it might be something to do with his business, but what were the chances of somepony like Lyra being involved.

"Does it have something to do with your friend?" He pressed her.

"Bon Bon?" Lyra replied with slight surprise. "Yes and no."

"Yes and no?"

"Well." She began. "Yes, we are involved in it. No does not have to do with us."

"Right." Spike replied unconvinced. "Well what is it?"

"Oh I cannot tell you that." Lyra exclaimed. "It's top secret, what do they call it. Con... Con... Confi...?"

"Confidential?" Spike suggested. "Yeah thats it!" The unicorn exclaimed. "Still, my lips are sealed."

"What are lips?" Spike asked confused.

"Oh, um... I don't know." Lyra quickly retorted, her voice shaking. "Yeah I don't... don't what those are, heh. Just popped into my head that, hehe. Anyway my han- hooves, hooves are tied, y'know, heh."

Beads of sweet were trailing down her forehead, as her eyes darted here and there, as if searching for anypony that may have heard her.

"Okay." Spike admitted. "Anyway this secret business. Can I make a few guesses?"

"Wha-" Lyra said distracted. " Oh sure, of you want."

"Okay." Spike said before saying what was on his mind. "Does it have anything to do with... spells?"

"Spells?" The unicorn responded "Maybe."

Well that wasn't very reassuring, bit it wasn't all Spike could get out of her.

"Okay how about." He continued, thinking. "Does it have anything to do with Ponyville?"

"No actually." She replied. "It's to do with foreigners."

What foreigners did Spike know. Maybe dragons, but that was unlikely.

"Yeah we're going places we are." Lyra exclaimed proudly. "Me, Bon Bon, and a lot of other important peo- lot of other important ponies, heh."

There was something about the way she pronounced ponies that struck Spike as suspicious. But then again, something about everypony struck him as suspicious so he didn't think about it any further.

"I see." He reflected. "Well good luck with that then."

"Thank you little dragon." Lyra replied. "Now, if you will excuse me."

The light green unicorn trotted past Spike, and off into the crowd, passing from his eyes within seconds. Hmm, important business. Hmm, possibly to do with spells. Hmm, something to do with foreigners. Well the little dragon didn't need any to do any further guesswork to come to the conclusion that it might just have something to do with a certain sentient spell he was aware of. What the hay had Twilight gotten him into, he wondered.

Speaking of Twilight...

The Great and General

The purple unicorn slowed her gallop down to a trot. She may have gotten a little carried away back there, a little hasty and absent minded, but she reckoned Spike had got the message. He was a smart dragon as of late, and didn't need her doting on him, dictating him anymore then she already had.

Now that she had time to think, what exactly was she here to do again. Ah to see the princess of course, but between her and the palace, she wouldn't mind trying her hoof at that conservation business her lite dragon assistant had become so very adept at as of late. So off she went to see if she could get the hang of this little talking game. She wasn't really the mare to partake in this sort of activity, but if there was to be wisdom involved that would make her wise then that was something she could endure for now.

Of course the particular fellow unicorn she ran into with the light blue coat and silvery mane was somepony Twilight simply couldn't endure. Clashing heads and horns, the duo made brief attempts to apologise before properly recognising each other and their tones turned to wrath pretty quickly.

"Is this a dream?" Twilight pleaded hopefully, wishing to be anywhere else but facing this mare.

"If it is, could you wake up, because its sickening for you to be dreaming of me." Trixie replied.

Oh Trixie. What had Twilight gotten herself into now, even with whatever effect this spell would have over her nemesis, it was hardly going to be an improvement. Taking a moment to take in her appearance, there was definitely something different about her. Her signature purple witch hat and cape were instead replaced by a white shirt with a black tie under and dark navy green jacket decorated with... medals? What had she been up to in the days since being a lowly show pony doing tricks to substitute for proper magic.

"What have you been up to Lulamoon?" Twilight asked upon taking her in.

"How you know that?" Trixie snapped back with suspicion.

"Quick background check spell." Twilight replied hasty.

"There's no such thing!" Trixie was quick to add.

"You would know, would you." Twilight added not a moment later.

"Hmmph." Trixie grumbled to herself. "Anyway, it's Trixidson now."

"Trixidson?" Twilight parroted back in disbelief.

"That's right." Trixie replied before clearing her throat. "Ahem, General van Trixidson of the One Hundred Percent Bona Fide Equestrian Army."

"Umm." Twilight said, completely baffled by her speech, but regaining her voice soon after. "Equestria has an army?"

"Of course it does." Trixie barked back. "And, in addition to acting as General of the Western branch, I am also acting as Chief Advisor to the Emergency President Elected on Short Notice."

"Equestria has a President?" Twilight back in utter bewilderment.

"Well." Trixie replied, faltering a little. "Not yet, but when such an emergency arises, one can be sure that one certain mare or colt be elected, then I will occupy the illustrious position as Chief Advisor, and judging from recent developments, a particular crisis may not be too far away."

Twilight got the impression that Trixie probably wasn't supposed to say that, but pride too the best of her and she simply couldn't resist rubbing Twilight's snout in it.

"Okay then." She replied. "What kind of crisis we talking here."

Trixie was all the more delighted to enlighten her. "Only one of the upmost national security." She recited proudly. "One that may very well allow our beloved ponyland to bare itself vulnerable to invasion by those wretched... Greycoats."

She uttered that last word with bitter loathing, though Twilight was oblivious to any indication as to why.

"All righty then." She replied. "Now if you don't mind."

"General van Trixidson has other more important affairs anyway." The General stated before trotting off at a slight march.

Damn, she had come along way, Twilight thought to herself. She could feel the creeping if jealousy store within her. But then again, she was doing some important business herself, so she could still attempt to make herself feel, why, maybe even her little spell was somewhat responsible for the illustrious position Trixie found herself in.

But what exactly would that lead to...

Powder Dasher

Spike kept up a decent pace, milling about the streets of Canterlot with no particular idea of where he wanted to go, only with the single goal of the palace in mind. Trying to balance that objective in mind as well as try and engage ponies in conversation was proving to be quite a challenge for the little dragon indeed. And when Spike grew stressed at a large amount of work, he grew hungry in his stomach. A rather bad reaction that certainly didn't help his situation at all, for it was hard to maintain conversations on a restless stomach, and after all he had been through the day before, he was growing worried that he might succumb to greed and abandon all thought and start regressing into his old dragon ways.

A frightening prospect he shuddered to think of. So Spike decided he needed a break from all the thinking, and usually when he wasn't thinking he was either sleeping, eating, drinking or talking. Well talking was becoming just as common as breathing as of late, so it looked like what he needed right now was another pony to talk to, but as he found out, it was quite easy to bump into somepony when he was thinking to himself. Quite the conundrum, but he might as well engage this oddly repetitive behaviour, so the little dragon stood on the spot and thought a good thought.

And sure enough...

A flash of random, yet predicted events brought him back to it. Not too far to his right, a certain Pegasus had crashed into the ground, causing quite the commotion amongst the crowd of ponies. Getting over it himself, Spike had time to get a good look at the new conversation prospector, and was pleasantly surprised when he recognised the hapless Pegasus.

Rainbow Dash lay disorientated in the middle of the ground, her wings bent foppishly from their little stunt, and her multicoloured mane a mess. Spike briefly thought of how odd it was that this was how she had met him before, but considered himself a lucky dragon that he found himself another familiar face in this unfamiliar town.

"Hiya Dash." He said cheerily. "Doing what you do best again."

"Spike, fancy running into you here." The Pegasus was quick to get over her daze once she found a friendly face.

Spike could make out something strange in her voice, more so then all the strangeness he had been witness to over the past day. She sounded quite worn out, something to expect from a crash like that, but some kind of feeling between surprise, distress and embarrassment. Taking on a much more curious tone, he further pressed her.

"What exactly have you been up to?" He asked with concern.

"Oh Spike, it's been a nightmare." Rainbow Dash replied with alarm. "I've been flying all night."

"All night?!" Spike exclaimed in shock.

It was like Rainbow Dash to spend a great deal in the air, but not at the cost of sleep, something she was known to preform equally. For some reason, Spike couldn't help but feel partially responsible for her to be so reckless, recalling his earlier interactions with her and the Wonderbolts.

"Why would you do something like that?" He asked with much more notable concern.

"I haven't got a clue." Rainbow replied worriedly. "I remember feeling angry for some reason, but no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to find it to enjoy flying anymore."

Now Spike was starting to feel remorse for some strange reason. Even if the odds were very unlikely, he couldn't help but feel that he definitely had some burden here. Something about their little talk the previous day must have really stuck with her.

"Does it have anything to do with those Wonderbolts?" He asked.

Rainbow Dash turned her head away from the little dragon, like she was unsure of how to respond. But eventually she found her voice.

"Yeah I think so." She began. "But now that I think about it, there's something about something Twilight did yesterday that turns me the wrong way."

"Oh, that would be the spell." Spike replied.

"Spell?" Rainbow Dash replied cluelessly.

"Yes the spell." Spike did his best to explain. "Don't you remember that big discussion we had yesterday."

"Big discussion?" The Pegasus replied, still I'm confusion.

Wow, now Rainbow Dash was known for being quite absent mind but this was... well actually it was pretty much how Rainbow Dash usually was, but still.

"You know." Spike did his best to explain. "We talked a lot about how everyponys not feeling like themselves."

"And I'm not feeling like myself." Rainbow Dash recited back as if hearing it all for the first time.

"And then when we were done." Spike continued. "You just zoomed off to go do, I don't know, work."

"Yes I did." Rainbow followed him, before a sudden wave of thought swept over her.

"Oh no! I gotta go work." And like a mare possessed she spread her wings, stood upright and took to the skies in a flash, zooming off high above the streets before she shot straight through a cloud and was gone.

Shame, he was just getting started.

As Spike stood there and came to grips with Rainbow Dash's sudden departure, it suddenly struck him that since arriving in Canterlot, he had just spoken with two mares that he already knew. A pretty simplistic thing since he had already reflected on it, but now he got the very strange impression that Canterlot seemed awfully smaller then it looked, like a sudden fear of running out of ponies to talk to.

But that was just nitpicking the whole thing. There were plenty of ponies around him, each a prospering conversation for him to get really dug in. But even glad he strolled about the place, he couldn't help but think it rude of him to just engage total strangers in discussion. So what he going to do? Just wander about until somepony interrupted him. Who would it be this time that he didn't know: Pinkie Pie, Scootaloo, Time Turner, Big Macintosh?

How about Octavia.

Cadance or Candence

Mare, Twilight could get the hang of this whole walking and talking business. As she trotted to and fro, milling around the streets of her once hometown, she realised how different it was to do something like this than when she was a little filly. Back then, it was a distant second affair what every other pony was getting up to, always she had her head in front of a book, the first and foremost object in her life. But now she couldn't keep her head in one place, always darting her eyes over the many mares and colts, filled with an immense curiosity as to what adventure they were up to, and whether it was as important as the one she had in mind.

Strolling along at a decent pace, the unicorn had to be grateful to the one stallion that had properly introduced her to the whole wide world: her dear brother, Shining Armor, or was it Armour. To be fair, she had barely paid him any attention ever since she had arrived in Ponyville, and when a letter came bearing an invitation to his wedding, it was just as much of a shock to hear from him in so long. He was the biggest pony in her life prior to her arrival, well, except from a certain dragon wandering about Canterlot as well.

So it came as quite the pleasant surprise when, turning a corner, Twilight found one particular pony standing at a cafe table, not her brother, but in fact his newly wed wife, the one and only Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Twilight considered herself quite the lucky mare to find such a mare, for the sight of her sister-in-law was enough to be met with enthusiasm. Except it wasn't. Maybe it had something to do with the unusual circumstances placed upon her, but Twilight suddenly felt that some of her previous comments of praise about Cadence may have been somewhat bias and exaggerated. Such as her claim of being the greatest "foalsitter in the history of foalsitters" which may have been a slight misaimed representation since she was Twilight's only ever foalsitter. But still, there was no reason for Twilight to pass up the chance to speak with a dear friend, in-law, foalsitter. So up she trotted and engaged her conversation gears.

"Cadence!" She exclaimed once she was close enough.

"Sssh!" The princess silently hushed her upon getting over the shock of her appearance.

Twilight was naturally taken back by her snappy tone, but when she noticed the pair of binoculars around Cadence's neck and her eyes darting to and fro suspiciously, she decided to play along.

"Oh right I get it. Sneaky sneaky." She replied at a much lower tone.

"Mare oh mare, can't a princess preform some undercover detective work around here." Cadence barked back irritable but quietly.

"Oh I'm good at this sneaky stuff." Twilight proclaimed in a manner that didn't suit the situation.

"Right." Cadence replied before scoping through the binoculars again.

"Whatcha up to?" Twilight said eagerly.

"Trying to track down my heritage," Cadence replied quickly, still examining the scene through her scopes.

"Oh how fun." The excited unicorn replied.

Taking note of what Cadence was doing, she too examined the crowd, and throughout them, she could make out one unicorn in particular. One with a light amber mane over a light grey coat, trotting about at a stiff pace. For some reason, he looked familiar.

"Do I know that colt from somewhere?" She asked the princess.

"It's Prince Blueblood." Cadence replied, taking note, for it was him she was discreetly observing.

"What's he got to do with you?" Twilight asked curiously.

Prince Blueblood trotted into a shop, making Cadence curse a little but giving her time to focus on Twilight.

"Well he's my cousin for starters." She replied.

"Wow, I did not know that." Twilight exclaimed excitedly.

"Neither did I, I was under the impression that he was my brother or something." Cadence said. "But that's whats so strange about the whole thing."

"Why's that?" Twilight asked.

"Well." Cadence started. "You know he's the nephew of Princess Celestia, right."

"Right."

"And you know I'm the niece of Princess Celestia, right?"

"Right."

"So?" Cadence asked her.

"So what?" Twilight said puzzled.

"Well isn't that just the least bit suspicious to you?" Cadence asked. "I mean, Celestia herself doesn't have any children herself. Neither does Luna, been stuck on the moon for all those years, right?"

"Right." Twilight slowly followed her.

"Well, I can't remember my parents." Cadence explained. "And since Blueblood isn't a sibling, I can only assume he has different parents then I."

" So?" Twilight was unsure where she was taking this.

"So!" Cadence explained. "So, there's at least two separate siblings to Luna and Celestia, not to mention another two spouses."

"I see." Twilight said simply. "Interesting. Very interesting."

"More like suspicious." Cadence added. "Not to mention the issue of me being a Pegasus Unicorn, while Blueblood's just a plain old unicorn.

"Yeah." Twilight agreed. "Say does your beau know about any of this?"

"Shining Armor?" Cadence replied suddenly. "Oh, haven't seen him in a while, he's off on important business."

"Really, what kind if business?" Twilight asked with done concern.

"I don't know." Cadence said. "Said it was top secret, confidential, well aside from having something to do with foreigners."

"You don't say!" Twilight exclaimed, quite surprised.

"I do." Cadence replied.

It was just then that Prince Blueblood had left the shop she was monitoring. Now with her target in sight again, Cadence couldn't waste any more time indulging the purple unicorn.

"Well Twilight, this has been fun." She said. "But if you don't mind." She finished, urging the unicorn away from her.

"Yeah yeah, goodbye then." Twilight said before taking her leave.

Well that was enlightening to say the least, Twilight thought to herself ad she made her way through the Canterlot streets. Certainly put her image of Celestia in a very different light. And speaking of the princess, Twilight was now not too far off from the palace. Imagining the many answers to be found there, she picked up the pace, Celestia now almost within her grasp.

But first, a little music...

Woeful Cello Lows

"Invisible cellos! Invisible cellos, fun for the whole family." A certain mare was calling out to the Canterlot crowd, of which Spike was a part of.

The mare in question couldn't help but draw Spike's attention, even if it was not within his nature to find and chat with as many ponies as he could, he felt that he would have been compelled to speak to this mare regardless.

She had a dark grey mane over a lighter grey coat, but that wasn't what was so peculiar about her. It would have either been the fact that she was standing on her hind legs, with her front hooves arranged as if she was playing some kind of...

"Invisible cellos, come on." She further exclaimed irritated.

Well Spike was practically compelled to speak to this mare now, before he ran into another familiar face.

"Invisible cellos? What are you on about?" He questioned her.

"So sorry little dragon." The mare replied. "But dragons do not possess the necessary dexterity to handle playing an invisible cello."

The mare had a very noticeable prim and proper conduct to her speech, which made it hard for Spike to determine if she was being sincere with him or not.

"But there's no cello there." He pointed out.

""Well of course there's no cello here." The mare replied. "But there are invisible cellos here."

"Invisible cellos?" Spike said unconvinced. "Prove it."

"Very well." The mare replied.

She took a deep breath, honed her gaze and corrected her posture. Taking one hoof now, she drew it across her shoulder, where the "invisible cello" would be. And to the utter surprise of Spike, one low note could be heard, like she was actually plucking a string, only if it were invisible.

"Convinced?" She asked dryly.

"How did you do that?" Spike asked completely baffled.

"Magic." The mare answered.

It must have been some strange magic then, for she was in fact an earth pony. But given the level of magic Spike had come across, this was a trivial thing.

"Wow, I'm impressed." He said at a slight loss. "Oh I'm Spike."

"Octavia." The mare replied.

Octavia seemed like a civil mare enough. Maybe with all the eccentric manners Spike had come across, it was refreshing enough to find somepony who seemed civil enough. There was the odd thought that maybe this civilty was the result of the spell, and the real Octavia was by far a very different pony altogether. But somehow, he didn't get that impression, this was a stoic enough mare that something like a sentient spell would be a little matter for her to worry about. Yet still, he couldn't help but feel that there was something underneath all that refinement was something still pestering her nonetheless.

"Hey I hope you don't mind me asking." He started. " But is there something or somepony bothering you?"

"What are you some kind of physic?" Octavia asked disbelievingly. "That's exactly what's bothering me. How do you know that?"

"Magic." Spike smirked back."So what is it?"

"Oh, it's every pony." Octavia began. "Everypony's acting so darn out of the ordinary. First it was kind of amusing, but now it's quite insufferable. Though there's this one in particular."

"Who's that?" Spike asked.

Octavia eyed him with obvious suspicion.

"Tell me, Spike." She began. "Do you know any other dragons?"

"Well no." Spike answered.

"Do you live with anypony?" She continued.

"Yeah." He said.

"Do you like this pony?"

"Yeah."

"Is she like you?" "Well." Spike stuttered. "No."

"Do you appreciate her being different from you?" Octavia asked.

"Well yeah I guess." Spike responded. "Not sure where you're going with this."

"If, for instance." Octavia continued, heedless of his confusion. "Your pony friend were to suddenly take on your hobbies and interest, would that irritate you?"

"Um, I don't think so." Spike uttered. "Why?"

"Because it does me!" Octavia exclaimed suddenly, loosing her charm and elegance. "Its downright intrusive, is what it is, I can't believe how so damn uncanny she is to me now, it's utterly unbelievable..."

Spike could sense how deeply Octavia could take whatever issue was on her mind right now, abs frankly, he didn't want to be a part of that.

"Well that's all very interesting." He began. "But there's this thing I gotta get to, so if you don't mind."

And with that he left Octavia there who looked like she was beginning to commence a mighty rant, headed instead for the palace, which was now not too far off.

Elsewhere, the mare in question that Octavia was so infuriated with, would soon be coming across Twilight Sparkle, trotting in another street of Canterlot.

Dead Phoenix Sketch

Finally Spike had arrived at the Royal Palace of Canterlot, capital of the capital, though he couldn't help that maybe, he has gotten here a little quicker then he probably should have. Sure he had had the odd chat with an occasional mare or colt here and there, well actually just mares. But compared to the last day in Ponyville, the conversations had been short, sort of enlightening, short, pretty eccentric, slightly familiar, and short.

Still, as he came in view of the gates, there was something strange stirring within the little dragons form. A certain sense of something coming to an end, and that surprised him. It was like, like going over all the conversations he had had; with his pony friends, total strangers, and a pleasant mixture of everything in-between.

What was that, he was feeling? Was it a longing sense for the variety of oddities in all the different ponies he had chatted to. And that as he strolled up to the gates, the little dragon couldn't help but feel that, what ever awaited him and Twilight would put an end to these little discussions, conversations and... discusations.

"I am the personal student of Princess Celestia herself, I demand an immediate audience with the Princess at once!" Twilight Sparkle was quite loudly and very unbecoming of her proclaiming to the slightly filled hall.

"And I'm telling you, Miss!" The receptionist was matching her tone. "We have had many ponies in here, with just as much authority as yourself. Please take a ticket and join the line and you can wait for an audience if your so inclined."

"Now look here missy!" Twilight continued regardless. "If you understood just a fraction of the business that has brought me here, then you will completely grant me the simple request of an personal audience right this instance!"

"Sorry no can do." The receptionist replied in a formal tone. "Join the queue and wait your tone."

Twilight would have continued, but some part of her felt defeated by the orderly tone and she simply trotted through the door to join the hopefully short queue. Strolling up to the desk, the pony receptionist greeted Spike very differently then the purple unicorn.

"Ah, Mister Spike, just the person we've been waiting to see. Take a ticket and join the queue, the princess will see you shortly." She greeted him warmly.

"Err, thanks." He replied, before obliging and following in the hoofsteps of Twilight.

Going though a door, Spike found himself at the tail end of a large queue that stretched right up to the throne where he imagined the princess was holding court. But the live of ponies was far too long for such a little dragon to get a good look. And right in front of him, pacing awkwardly on the spot was the same unicorn who had caused such a stir in the reception hall.

"Hey Twilight." He casually remarked, causing her to jump on the spot, but she soon got over it.

"Is that how you normally greet everypony." She asked irritated.

"Just you." Spike replied cheekily.

"Well at least you found the place okay." She said with some measure of relief.

"Yeah no thanks to you." He replied with some measure of annoyance.

"Well doesn't it just stand to your skills of pathfinding." She defended herself.

"Sure." Spike said unconvinced. It didn't feel like he had sought the palace out, more like he was driven there by some otherworldly force, probably the spell or some such.

"Well anyway." Twilight continued. "If you could have seen the way this darn receptionist pony talked to me..."

"Actually I saw that." Spike admitted.

"What!" Twilight exclaimed. "You saw me all flustered and didn't try to intervene."

"I think you had it under control." He responded, knowing full too well what it was like to be on the receiving end of Twilight's temper.

"Oh forget it." She said, turning to see if the queue had made any progress.

The line of ponies all waiting for an audience with their ruler. Though Spike was comfortable with the pace it was going at, Twilight couldn't keep still for one second, always reaching up on all her hind legs to look over the crowd.

Eventually the line grew short and the pair of unicorn and dragon found themselves behind one earth pony, holding a cage with something Spike couldn't make out.

And there on her throne sat Princess Celestia, star mane flowing elegantly yet the mighty alicorn herself seemed slouched on her throne, likely from all the formalities she had been forces to go through.

"Next." She announced with barely any effort.

As the last pony trotted forward, Spike grew curious about something. This spell Twilight had cast had certainly proven to be quite the adept at making everypony behave so odd, so eccentric. But if it had managed to worm it's way into the mind of the reigning ruler of all Equestria, well, that would prove quite the feat.

Bur surely not...

"Hello, I wish to register a complaint." The earth pony announced as he approached the mighty alicorn on the mighty throne.

"Go on." Celestia responded drearily.

"Its about this phoenix I bought from a Ponyville pet shop endorsed officially by you." The earth pony began. "I bought it home, only to discover that there was something wrong with it."

"Yeah, what's wrong with it?" Celestia asked.

"Oh I'll tell you whats wrong with it." The pony began. "It's dead, that's what wrong with it."

He placed the cage down in front of his hooves, and sure enough, the head of an unresponsive phoenix could be seen poking out at a stiff angle.

Celestia examined the cave with the dead phoenix, and Spike could have sworn he detected a faint trace of a smirk on her face, before it quickly vanished and the princess spoke.

"Nah, it's resting look." She proclaimed to the pony.

"Look here my lass." The pony began, not willing to entertain her, it seemed. "I know a dead phoenix when I look at one, and I'm looking at a dead phoenix right now."

"Nah, it's resting." Celestia affirmed to the astonishment of more then one pony.

"Resting?" The pony parroted back, bewildered.

"Yeah resting." Celestia repeated unbelievably. "Remarkable bird, the phoenix. Beautiful plumage."

"The plumage don't factor into any if this." The pony replied. "It's stone dead."

"Nah it resting." Celestia reaffirmed herself.

"Alright then of it's resting." The pony replied, turning to the cage. "I'll wake it up."

He removed the phoenix from it's cage completely unresponsive to his grasp.

"Hello pheeny! Wakey Wakey!" He, bashing the stiff phoenix against the floor with his hoof.

Just then, a bright aura of green magic surrounded the phoenix, causing it to awkwardly jolt in it's owners hoof.

"There he moved!" Celestia exclaimed.

"No he didn't, that was you using your horn!" The pony called her out.

"I didn't." Celestia said defensively, despite her horn still glowing slightly.

"Yes you did!" The pony replied before turning back to the bird. "Hello pheeny phoenix! Wakey Wakey!"

He continued to bash the phoenix against the floor, causing a few feathers to fly.

"Rise and shine!" He continued. "This is your nine o'clock alarm call!"

He bashed it against the floor once more, before throwing it into the air, where it hovered for a bit before settling itself down in front of the throne, still completely unresponsive.

"Now that's what I call a dead phoenix." The pony stated observing the bird lying stiff.

"Nah it's stunned!" Celestia exclaimed to the utter bewilderment of all again.

"Stunned?" The pony called her out, not convinced in the slightest.

"Yeah you stunned him just ad he was waking up. Phoenixes stun easily." Celestia continued her increasingly bizarre defence.

"Oh for the love of- I have had quite enough of this." The pony groaned. "That phoenix is definitely deceased. In fact when I bought it from that pet shop, the only reason they said it wasn't moving in the slightest, was that it was completely worn out after a long squawk."

"Well it's... pining for the fjords." The princess said with slight panic.

"Pining for the fjords?!" The pony parroted back once again. "What kind of no nonsense country talk is that, it fell flat on it's back as soon as I got it home."

"Ah well the phoenix prefers to keep on it's back, beautiful plumage." Celestia continued to insist the phoenix was in fact intact.

"I took the liberty of examining that phoenix." He continued. "And I discovered the only reason that it was sitting on it's perch was that it had been fastened there...with glue."

"Oh well of course." She replied. "I mean if it wasn't, it would have waltzed right up to those bars, and blamo!"

"Look here lass." The pony continued, picking up his stiff pet. "This Phoenix wouldn't move if you set it on fire. It's past on."

"Nah it's pining." Celestia pleaded.

"It's not pining. It's past on." He insisted. "This phoenix is no more, it had ceased to be. Its expired and gone to meet it's maker, this is a late phoenix. Its a stiff, devoid of life, it rests in peace, if it wasn't fastened to that perch it would be pushing up the daises. Its gone down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This. Is an ex... phoenix!"

He lay the stiff phoenix on the floor in front of the throne. Celestia rose from her seat, and bent down to examine the bird, looking almost defeated.

"Well then." She said. "You better get it replaced then. Here you are , a personal reference from me explaining your situation."

She handed the pony a forum of paper, and before he could properly reply, she had sent him on his way, a royal guard swooping up the phoenix in a dustpan and brush.

The Princess returned to her throne, and while she did Spike could have sworn he remembered something about some certain business the Princess had with a dead phoenix before. Yet for the life of him he just couldn't remember what it was exactly, but what he could guess at was that it didn't end with a dustpan and brush. Ah well.

"Next." Celestia called out once she had settled herself back down on the throne.

A Long Time Coming

“Princess Celestia! Celestia!” Twilight cried out in barely contained glee, rushing towards the throne just as soon as the prior pony with the phoenix had left.

“Don’t you “Princess Celestia” me, missy!” The Princess snapped back quite dismissively.

“Here we go…” Spike muttered to himself, clearing seeing where this was going.

“Oh.” Twilight uttered, much less ecstatically. “Sorry… Your Majesty.”

“Don’t you think “Your Majesty” going to make up for tardiness, too.” The Princess continued, quite disappointed. “Why I ought to…”

“Oh, Celestia.” Twilight cried out in dismay, dropping to clutch her mentor’s hooves. “I’m so sorry. I never should have dabbled in unknown magics. I mean, it seemed like a good idea at the time. But this spell’s proven to be quite out…”

“Spell?” The Princess parroted, sounding confused for the first time. “What on Earth are you on about, dear student?”

“Earth?” Spike repeated in his own private confusion.

“Umm, well I…” Twilight began. “I mean, it’s because of this spell that you’d be mad with what’s been going on around Equestria.”

“Spell. I am not mad at you for casting some spell.” The Princess insisted. “No, what I am mad at you… is for your complete tardiness.”

“My… tardiness?” Twilight asked to herself. “I don’t understand.”

“That makes three of us.” Spike muttered again to himself.

“Don’t be coy with me, young lady.” Celestia remarked irritably. “Do you have any idea? Any idea? How long you’ve been standing there for?”

“Standing… where?” Twilight asked.

“There!” Her mentor exclaimed, pointing to the spot where the two had been standing behind the pony with the phoenix. “Do you know just how long it’s been since you’ve been standing there for, hmm?”

“Umm.” Twilight began. “Right there? About a couple minutes…”

“A couple minutes!” Celestia shouted, so furiously that the glass panels along the mighty throne room’s wall rattled. “It! Has! Been! Almost! Three! Months!”

“Almost… three months?” Twilight repeated, completely lost. “Are you sure?”

“Am I sure. Of course I am sure!” Celestia continued. “I know when almost three months has past, and three months have almost past! What the hay were you doing all that time, huh?”

“Umm.” Twilight continued. “Are you sure it’s been three months?”

“Twilight, do you insist on repeating everything I say?” Celestia asked her. “It is getting quite irritating.”

“Err, Princess if I may.” Spike decided to intervene, seeing how this conversation was in danger of becoming quite recursive.

“Spike, you cannot…” Twilight pleaded.

“Ah, Spike!” The Princess exclaimed elated. “Just the dragon I was hoping to see. Tell me, how was your journey, I imagine it might have been quite the ordeal.”

“You have no idea.” Spike replied, quite grateful to be speaking to somepony who understood.

“Umm, if I may…” Twilight tried to interject.

“Ahem, Sparky.” Celestia snapped to her. “Do you mind? We’re trying to have a conversation.”

“Ex… excuse me?” Twilight uttered, quite taken aback by that particular address.

“In fact, why don’t you just wait outside?” The Princess demanded, and before Twilight knew it, two Royal Guards had flanked her and escorted her right outside the throne room.

“That was a bit harsh, don’t you think?” Spike remarked, taken aback.

“Think? I never think.” Celestia retorted, settling herself back into her throne. “Now then Spike. Tell me. What’s been going on with my subjects?”

“Oh… oh that!” Spike was reminded, quickly clearing his throat to explain. “Okay, listen up because this is pretty heavy. It basically began with something Twilight did a couple nights ago…”

Celestia and her guards did not interrupt Spike until he was finished. They all listened intently, taking in every single word that said. And Spike had more than a few words to tell them, for he told them every little thing had occurred to him over the past two days, along with everything he had heard from Twilight, Time Turner, and even what little the unicorn he knew as Lyra had partially revealed.

“I see…” The Princess said at long last, after he concluded his tale. “That is… quite disturbing to say the least.”

“That’s what I thought too.” Spike concurred.

“And you say no mare or stallion is immune to the effects of this… incantation?”

“Only me, old doc Time Turner and Rarity, at least as far as I know.” Spike said.

“Not even… me?” The Princess added with a subdued tone of fear.

“Well I don’t know about that.” Spike replied. “I mean, err. You don’t seem any different, at least you me.”

“Right.” Celestia muttered to herself. “And you say, there is no solid cure?”

“The only solution Twilight told me.” Spike continued. “Is that the only way for a pony to overcome this spell, is for them to do it all by themselves.”

“But how?” Celestia queried fearfully. “If we do not have any solid means of even identifying what it is that exactly causing this, then what chance do we have of ever stopping this?”

“Well… I don’t really know.” Spike reluctantly admitted. “But… maybe one thing could work?”

“I’m all ears.” Celestia said, leaning in to hear his suggestion.

“Why don’t we just…” Spike began, swallowing hard. “Do nothing.”

“Do nothing?” Twilight parroted back in confusion.

“Hear me out.” Spike pleaded. “Maybe… if we wait, all the ponies effected by this spell will just overcome it on their own.”

“Hmm.” The Princess mused to herself. “There is wisdom there. But wait, you mentioned this spell was sentient. What if it only grows in power should we choose to ignore it?”

“I don’t know, Your Majesty. I’m just a dragon.” Spike said almost apologetically.

“That you are.” Celestia noted. “Just a frail, mortal dragon. Fine fine, whatever. I’ll have to take the night to think about this turn of events. You should stick around Canterlot in the meantime. Maybe you and Twilight could stay with her parents, I hear they’re still in town.”

“That sounds… wonderful?” Spike commented with much concern.

“Now away with you.” Celestia demanded, and the little dragon found himself being escorted by two Royal Guards out of the throne room quite forcefully.

As for the Princess, she had decided that she had seen enough for the day. Dismissing her entourage, she retreated back into her private quarters for a long night of deep thinking.

“Me? Effected?” She muttered to herself. “Impossible! Right…?”

Author's Note

Remember me? Yeah you don't!

Simple Spellbinding

The Royal Palace was quiet that eve. Come to think of it, it was quiet pretty much all the time, and as far as anypony knew, this spell had not yet reached that level of power that it was capable of inflicting its personality warping tricks upon buildings themselves. That would be quite the feat, for buildings do not possess any sort of personality to change about in the first place. Still, with everything else this mysterious miasma was getting its nonexistent talons into, it did not seem an entirely unlikelihood that it would be capable of extending its long reach to the very matter of Equestria that was not burdened by such organic and mental compulsions.

The point was, the Royal Palace of Canterlot was noticeably quieter than usual on this night of all nights. Perhaps it had something to do with the current state of its Princess, who had locked herself away in her chambers with only the wide web of thoughts to occupy her. This was not something she had ever imagined would get to her in such a way before, always whenever Equestria was under attack from some foreign intruder with malicious intent, it did not take too long for her prize student and her cadre of exceptional friends to deal with it in due haste, end the threat before it had any chance of really starting.

But this: this was something not so easily transparent. Princess Celestia was not one to usually lose her composition so easily, but this spell that seemed to be anywhere and nowhere was causing her just a small sliver of discomfort. And if it was causing the mighty ruler with god like potential of Equestria discomfort, then it just had to be a force to be reckoned with, right?

Celestia looked up from her balcony to the moon above. The one who had raised it would soon be returning to the Royal Palace after a night well down. How to break the news to her, Celestia wondered...

"How to break the news to her, indeed." A voice went.

Celestia agreed. That is, until she realized that at no point did she remember any other pony in the room with her, and thus promptly jumped in alarm, turning around to the empty room.

"Who said that?" She asked to the chamber, devoid of any life other than her own.

"Ha! Like all great mares, you hear, but you do not listen..." The voice went again.

"Show yourself!" Celestia demanded to the still empty room.

"Or what?" The unseen dared to ask.

"Or I will..." The Princess remarked, showing the full might of her regal tone.

"You go ahead and do that." The voice went again, sounding somewhat lazy.

Celestia wasted no time in showing who the real authority around here was. Lighting up her horn in a very rare instance of royal magic, she cast out several beams of light that swung out far and wide all around the chamber. It was with some anger then, that the Princess did not find what she was looking for, the room remaining empty as empty could be.

"Quite the display that..." The voice went again. "Such a shame I am not bound by such petty organic restraints."

Celestia was starting to grow thick with fury. Whomever this voice belonged to, they better have some trick up their sleeve else they face the full wrath of an anger alicorn.

"If you know what's good for you, you will show yourself!" She demanded, keeping back the barely contained fury in her trembling voice.

"Far enough, you win. I'll come peacefully." The voice replied. "Only excuse me here. I've never actually tried to manifest into something physical before."

A short series of magical crackles and snaps followed that statement. Celestia watched with bated breath as a cloud of thick fog appeared in the middle of the chamber. Dark orbs of magic emerged from the sight, all eventually joining together to create some kind of shape. This shape soon grew into the figure of a pony, shrouded in fog, until it reared its head from the clouds, stepping forwards. Celestia looked on, and then gasped... as Twilight Sparkle manifested before her very eyes.

"Twilight?" She uttered in disbelief. "But how..."

"How indeed?" "Twilight" asked back, shocking the Princess again, for the voice that left her lips was not the voice of her student.

"Who are you?" Celestia asked, her anger subsiding to fear.

"Who?" "Twilight" asked back. "Who implies a persona, and that is something I appear to be lacking, would you not agree."

"Umm." The Princess uttered.

"Perhaps a more accurate question would be: what are you?" The mare in front of her retorted. "But on such a bewitched night, such as tonight, would you, in lieu of simply demanding my identity, permit me to assign a persona, or perhaps more accurately a character, to this lacking body you see before you?"

Celestia simply stared down her student with a look of immense confusion.

"I'll take that as a yes." The unicorn remarked. "But first, let's get to eye level here."

"Twilight" scrunched up her eyes in concentration, and to Celestia's shock yet again, she found the mare growing in size, only stopping when she was eye level with the Princess.

"Now then." The unicorn began. "In surveillance, a simple mare of sincere stock, seen by some as both saint and sinner, a sight supported by a subtle shift in the sequence of their secluded selfdom. This specimen, no simple semblance of superciliousness, is in fact a servant of the supernatural powers that saunter amongst the shrouded spaces of this world. Contrary, this sampling of spellbound significance stands splendorous! And now strives to safeguard the satisfactory strengths of its servitude against the scornful and sinful sovereign supervisor who would scheme to stop the survival of this specific singleton and seek to subdue and subjugate those stricken by this subliminal scourge to its suborned sway of supremacy…”

The unicorn raised a mighty hoof and cast out a blast of fire from its horn. Celestia ducked but there was no need to, as the bolt shot into at one of the curtains and burned a brightly colored S into the fabric.

“…The only solution is silence.” “Twilight” continued. “Strike at the soul of this solidarity and see all become subjacent.”

The unicorn brought its eyes to look in the eyes of Celestia. For a moment there was a brief moment of silence, before it let out a childish chuckle.

“Surely, this salmagundi of speech seems sufficiently sonorous.” It remarked. “So why don’t I say simple that it is an honor to make your acquaintance and you may…”

“You’re the spell.” Celestia cried out. “Aren’t you?”

“Oh.” It went. “Was that straightforward enough for you?”

A Sunny Spell

Celestia was silent, observing the... Spell with a feeling she could not quite decipher.

"Well?" The Spell asked, it's strange masculine voice through the image of a disproportionate Twilight was one of the likely causes for her state of quiet awe.

Celestia blinked several times, trying to find the proper words to say to a sentient spell.

"Umm... you're, you..." She muttered, not quite conducting herself yet.

"You know something." The Spell said. "I might not know an awful lot about pony customs, what with my origins being so... un-pony like. But I think this state that appears to have befallen you has gone on for long enough. Would you not agree?"

"That's... one way of putting it." Celestia found herself agreeing with the Spell.

"Oh, one of several." It replied. "But, on to business, I imagine you have a few questions to query this humble sentient spell."

"Just the one." Celestia replied. "Why Twilight?"

"Why, why Twilight?" The Spell asked. "I'm going to assume you mean why have I chosen the form of your student to manifest in this little dealing of ours, correct?"

"Yes." Celestia replied, getting quite impatient with the Spell.

"Well, why not?" It replied. "Why shouldn't I take on the image of my progenitor."

"You're... progenitor?" Celestia repeated confused.

"But of course." The Spell replied. "Was it not she that rose me from the vast emotionless expanse of shrouded magics, give me form, and tell me to go out and spread my influence far and wide. I am practically owed to create myself in her likeness, though whether she would approve of such a gesture, I cannot say."

"Uh-huh." The Princess responded dully.

"Ah, listen to me rambling on like this." The Spell replied, casting a dismissive hoof of Twilight's. "I didn't go to all the effort of approaching the mighty ruler of Equestria only to talk about the progenitor. See, the reason I came to you was to, well... talk to you."

"That much is obvious." Celestia remarked.

"Ain't it just." The Spell said merrily. "Now, if my winding lexicon doesn't decide to wander off again, I believe there is business to discuss."

"Yes, just what are you doing here?" Celestia asked.

"Well, I'll tell you." The Spell began. "No doubt you have come to the comprehension that I, an all present, all powerful spell, have weaved and woven my way into the very minds of almost all of your illustrious subjects. No doubt you seek a way to remedy this magical chain of events."

"No doubt." Celestia parroted back.

"Well, that is just an admirable position, it really is." The Spell went on. "But, you cannot really expect that I, being not just a simple semblance of superciliousness, would ever grant my consent to your little endeavours."

"You don't say." Celestia remarked.

"Evidently." The Spell said. "If I was in your position, I would feel the exact same way, no spell would ever infect the minds of my subjects, not on my watch. Unfortunately for us both, I am not in that position, which means that whatever you attempt to do to prevent me from further expanding my disproportionately long, or indeed, put an end to this... perceived pandemonium, I simply cannot abide by, for as long as I remain in existence."

"Is that right?" Celestia responded quite boldly. "Well let me tell you something, spell."

"I am all ears, though I really don't need them." The Spell replied quite heedless of her tone.

"You may think yourself all-powerful." She began. "You may think that there is no chance of any one of the mares and stallions you have inflicted with your little incantation could ever hope to overcome these burdens you have forced upon them. But I have faith in my, students. In my subjects, and know this. If there is a way to stop you, and there always is, we will attempt it. And I will see your end, you hear..."

"I have no doubt you will try." The Spell retorted, it's tone turning quite serious. "And I have no doubt you will succeed, at least particularly. I am more than aware of what happens to any potential threats to your humble Equestria... Which is why I offer this ultimatum."

"An... ultimatum?" Celestia said, turning back into her confused state.

"Allow me, if you will." The Spell offered. "To spin my little personality affecting infection onto but one more mare."

"Who?" The Princess asked.

"Is it not obvious." The Spell said. "You."

"...Me?" She went."

"But of course!" It exclaimed. "Allow me, for lack of a better term... into your mind. Allow me full access to the mighty alicorn ruler of Equestria, and I promise you, I will let ever last one of all your precious subjects I have had the pleasure of knowing go."

Celestia was silent. That was something she had no idea how to respond to. It all seemed far too good to be true, and if that was the case, then it probably was. Still, it was an incredibly alluring prospect nonetheless.

"How do I know you're being honest." She demanded.

"Well." The Spell went. "You don't."

"Well in thar case." The Princess said. "Thank you for the offer, incantation, but I politely refuse. Now would you kindly show yourself out of my chambers."

"Now is that a very sportsmareship thing to say, is it." The Spell retorted, quite unnerved by being referred to as incantation. "And just how do you know that I cannot simply force myself in there anyway."

"If you were capable if that, you would have done it already." Celestia rebutted.

"That... is a good point." The Spell mused.

"Now would you kindly..." Celestia continued.

The Spell stood silently for a moment, before responding.

"Very well." It began. "I leave you to my machinations. But do not assume me defeated so easily. Just you wait, give it a month and we'll see if you still feel like saying no..."

"I'll keep it in mind, now if you don't mind." The Princess responded impatiently.

"Fine, fine." The Spell said, and in an instant, the same thick cloud of dark fog surrounded it and it soon vanished into nothingness, leaving the chamber a quiet scene.

Now that she had time to herself, Celestia could not help but realize how much her head was hurting...

Meet the Parents

To say that Twilight was a little anxious about meeting her parents for the first time in a while, especially given the climate she faced, would have been something of an understatement. She had only left them for the grand and illustrious pursuit of knowledge and the study of friendship, and now it was magic of her own doing that was now bringing her right back home. But there was hardly anything that could be done about it now, so she simply resigned herself to bravely knocking on their door with her dragon assistant by her side, apprehensive about how they would react under the effects of that lovely, lovely spell everypony kept hearing about nowadays.

“There she is, there’s my little girl, the mare of the hour, of the century even!” The familiar but nevertheless, disturbingly different voice of her father greeted her the moment he lay eyes upon his daughter after opening the door.

“Hiya Dad.” Twilight responded quite bravely.

“And she’s brought her lovely dragon baby, too.” He continued, noticing Spike’s presence.

“Nice to meet you too, sir.” The dragon replied much less enthusiastically in response to being called a baby.

Twilight’s father led them in, the mare feeling a sudden sense of nostalgia upon the sight of her old home, while the dragon found it all quite intriguing. In no time at all, they had come upon the living area, where Twilight’s mother awaited to bring her hooves around her daughter in a much more physical expression of admiration then her husband’s simple words of appraisal.

“Well ain’t this just grand, huh dear.” The father remarked as soon as Twilight was free from her mother.

“Just grand.” His wife parroted back.

“So, umm…” Twilight began. “Anyway, mom and dad. I’ve got kind of an announcement to make.”

“Ah, don’t you worry, girl.” Her father said comfortingly. “We are your parents, we know all about it, don’t we deary.”

“Know all about it.” The wide repeated.

“Of course you do.” Twilight muttered to herself. “Well nevermind about it, then. I’m feeling pretty tired now, do I still have a room?”

“Of course you still have a room.” Her father responded gleefully. “You head on, we’ll keep your baby dragon company.”

“Appreciate it.” She replied. “Spike: stay.”

“Err.” The dragon had time to say, before his unicorn left the room in a hurry, leaving him there with her beaming parents.

“Ain’t it just wonderful” Twilight’s father continued to remark.

“Yeah, just wonderful.” Spike replied.

“I never would have imagined our daughter was capable of such a thing.” He continued heedlessly. “I mean, casting spells is one thing, but to make such a spell that you can actually invite into your home and have a nice with is just nothing short of spectacular.”

“Umm… excuse me?” Spike asked, that last set of words prodding his interest.

“Oh yeah, you just missed him.” Twilight’s father replied. “Truth be told, it was quite shocking, seeing a spell manifest as your own daughter speaking in a strange tongue and start up a conversation as if it’s nothing was quit alarming. But, as soon as he had explained himself, we was completely okay with it, weren’t we dear?”

“Okay with it.” Twilight’s mother repeated after her husband nonchalantly.

“Really?” Spike said, quite pleasantly himself, for he was struggling to understand just what he was hearing. “And err, where is this spell now?”

“Oh he had to dash.” The father explained. “I don’t blame him, when you’re a sentient spell, you’ve got a lot of priorities to deal with.”

“Is that so?” The dragon said. “Excuse me, I need to speak with Twilight.”

“It’s the first on your right after you reach the top of the stairs.” The unicorn informed him.

Spike gave a quick reply of thanks, before making his way out of the living room and up the stairs as fast as his little dragon feet would allow him. Bursting through Twilight's door, her found her carefully examining one of the many books that lay in heaps around the room, the only sort of indication that this room belonged to Twilight in any way.

"Read that. Read that. Read that." The unicorn was casually remarking as she flipper through the various covers that each held little interest. "I can't have read every book in Equestria surely. Or has everypony simply stopped printing them."

"Don't you have other things to worry about then books?" Her assistant asked her, forgetting his reason for being there in the first place.

"Yeah. Sleeping." She remarked, dropping ever book held afloat by her magic in a flash and dropping onto the bed. "Wow, it feels like months since we set off for Canterlot this morning."

For some reason, Spike found himself agreeing with her, though quickly dismissed it in lieu of the more pressing matter.

"Twilight, you know that spell." He began.

"I know several spells." She replied cheekily. "But I think I know which one you're referring to."

"Yeah that one." Spike said. "And remember you said how it was sentient."

"I said many things." Twilight replied, again in cheek. "But yes, I said something along those lines."

"Well." Spike went. "What if sentient meant... manifesting itself in the physical form of you, and talking to your parents."

Twilight did not react as sharply as she had done before. Slowly she raised her head from her bed, eyeing the dragon.

"Spells have done many things." She said. "But nothing quite like what you just described there."

Spike simply stood silent.

"If I'm hearing to right." She began. "What you mean to tell me is that this spell has decided to take on my form, somehow and is now speaking to my parents this very moment?"

"Well, not at this very moment." Spike replied. "It left before we came here. Don't know what it's up to."

"I see." Twilight remarked simply. "Where are my parents now?"

"Err, downstairs." The dragon answered her.

"Go back down there, please." She requested. "Talk to them, keep a close eye on them."

"What? Wh... okay." Spike relented, and subsequently left the room, at a much slower pace then his entrance.

Twilight remained on the bed, deep in thought. Perhaps a little too deep in thought, Spike hadn't exactly gone on at hours length about this strange new state her spell was in. Her eyes glanced over at a mirror in the corner, and the unicorn suddenly felt a compulsion to go ahead and check out her reflection.

Getting off the bed and standing in front of the mirror, Twilight slowly analysed her own reflection. There was nothing particularly mystical about it, it was still her.

She moved a hoof up to brush her mane, her reflection copying her action.

She turned her head to the side, her reflection turned to side as well, as it was supposed to do.

She said: "She sells sea shells by the sea shore, but the sea shells she sells are sea sells for sure."

Her reflection said: "Urgh, is that how I sound?"

Oh... wait.

Mirror Mare

Twilight was silent… as all mares generally would have been in her situation.

"Oh enough with the silent treatment!" Her reflection snapped back through the glass. "Already do I feel like it's getting old."

Twilight could not help but faintly laugh in response.

"Oh there we go, there we go!" Her reflection went. "That is progress. Progress is that!"

"You sound funny." Twilight observed.

That was true enough. Her reflection, though she knew its real identity, had a very distinct snarl, hovering somewhere between masculine and feminine. It would have sounded threatening, but all indications of that were completely lost due to the fact that it was coming out of her mouth. Maybe another pony may have felt intimidated, but Twilight was her own being, and she was hardly about to be bullied by her own reflection.

"Alright you." She said, before the mare in the mirror could get another word out. "I'm ready. Do your worst."

"Ah!" The Twilight said before her. "Straight to the point, I love that. Though it may simply be due to me being completely and utterly infatuated with everything about you. So perhaps I might have the bias opinion here. But I digress…"

"Quit stalling you." The real Twilight snapped impatiently. "What do you want?"

"Well now, that's a really good question." Her reflection continued. "What exactly am I allowed, hmm?"

"What are you on about?" Twilight said, her head starting to spin from all this fast paced talk.

"Oh, nothing in particular." Her aspect expressed. "I just thought I pay a little visit to a very special mare. Did you know that the population of Canterlot is exactly three quarter's unicorn and one quarter everything else. I find that pretty interesting, don't you?"

"Oh for the love of…" Twilight exclaimed. "Stop talking nonsense!"

"Well that's a fine how do you do, isn't it?" The mirror mare replied offended. "Why it's almost enough for me to hop right out of this mirror and give you a good talking to. In fact, I might just do that…"

Twilight stepped back, for her visage that now looked back at her was growing ever so closer. And to her surprise, the unicorn that mimicked her did indeed trot right on out of the mirror, stopping right in front of her and eyeing her with an undiscernible look.

"Ah, ain't that just so much better?" She mused. "Much more personal this way."

Twilight observed her copy standing tall and proud in front of her. She was indeed the spitting image of her, like she really was pulled straight out of a mirror. That is, except for one particular aspect as she looked down.

"Ah!" Twilight exclaimed in shock. "Your hooves!"

"What about my hooves." The duplicate went. "They're really your hooves, aren't they… oh, wait a sec."

Both mares were now looking down to the copy's hooves. There were no mistaking them, for they were not in fact the spitting image of the real Twilight's.

"They're… cloven." Twilight managed to cry out, halfway between fright and disgust. "You got… cloven hooves!"

"That I do." Her copy mused, as if laying eyes upon them for the first time. "Odd that. I could have sworn I got this whole shapeshifting thing down to a tee. Let's see if I can't remedy this little hiccup."

She scrunched up her eyes, deep in thought. A whirl of magic swirled all about her, aiming directly at her imperfect hooves, split down the middle. Yet after the impressive array of magic had subsided, still the cloven hooves remained, looking only more out of place.

"Well now." The copy commented. "Ain't that just the most perplexing thing."

"What are you?" Twilight hushed in a fearful tone.

"Oh, now we're asking what am I, huh!" Her copy barked back, losing the aloft tone for one of disgust. "I think you of all conceivable creatures could comprehend what I am… Mother."

Twilight was silent, like somepony had cast a spell rendering her unable to emote in response to what she had heard. Her duplicate was having none of it, however.

"Again, with the silent treatment!" She exclaimed. "You know, I like you. But if continue to stand there looking all dumb in response to a simple little word, why… that I cannot abide!"

"What did you call me?" Twilight said at last, seemingly heedless of her copy's apparent wrath.

"Oh don't you get all warm and naïve on me, little lady!" The cloven unicorn barked back. "You know full well what I called you. Don't you act like its some big revelation to you?"

"Mother… me." Twilight uttered softly. "I can't be your mother."

"ENOUGH!" The copy bellowed, causing her to shake and cower in fright.

The imperfect stood tall and gaunt above her cowering first. She was fuming profusely, steam issuing forth from her snout and ears. Then, to the real Twilight's horror, she started to grow in size, the room stretching and darkening as the copy rose in stature, until her grotesque cloven hooves were just as tall as Twilight.

"You have confused, exasperated and diminished me to such an extent…" She stated. "That I have forgotten the initial reason I came here for. I hope your happy, Progenitor. Right now, I feel like vanishing to the four winds and finding some unsuspecting young mare's psyche to twist and fondle into new and crude shapes. Farewell, you cretin… You have not heard the last of me!"

And in an instant, the mighty Twilight dissolved completely into thick clouds of smoke. The room creaked, light coming back into it, as the blinding mists soon cleared, revealing the whole place empty, devoid of any life, save for Twilight at its center. Rising to her hooves yet again, she took a deep breath, trying to come to terms with what she had just witnessed, before the appropriate words soon manifested themselves and rolled off her tongue.

"Well that escalated quickly!" She expressed with a tone of immense bewilderment.

Lucid Luna

What's in a dream? More like, what isn't in a dream? Dreams make up a strange semblance of memories within a mare's mind. A peculiar mixture of influences brought on by memories of the real world, mixed in with the downright bizarre and eccentric fabrications that the borderless mind of a soul can create. A vivid display that flees from the mind like running water the moment the dreamer awakes, conflicted and confused, attempting to decipher and discern just what exactly they were dreaming about.

Most of the time, a dream tends to be the loosely stuck together bits of memory from the day's events, jumbled together to form a ill conceived display that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Occasionally however, they may be the type of dream that actually has the faint glimmer of coherency to it, for dreams are but another way of the deep, dark places of the mind to express the troubles of oneself. For when the head ticks itself off for the night; no longer is the mare bound by the rationale of their physical world, for the realm they now inhabit is a realm where rational laws do not apply themselves to, where anything can potentially happen, and where anything can potentially not happen.

For what lingering troubles could an alicorn possibly confront in a world that exists only in the mind...

For Princess could not recall for the life of her, being in such a dream, like the dream she found herself in as she slept on that particular bewitched night.

He dreamt that he was in the beginning, middle and end, of a particular dark forest. He was not too sure if a forest could even have a beginning, middle and end, but regardless, it was a forest he found himself dreaming in. At least, he was sure it was a forest, it wasn't like it could be a large wood, because... well, he did know. In fact, maybe it was a wood, or maybe it was a wood of woods, or a forest containing woods within a wood. Maybe the Princess was losing her mind, losing her mind within her mind? Maybe...

The point being, dreams are kind of weird, and the Princess's dream was no exception. But being the mighty alicorn ruler of Equestria, Celestia had more willpower than most that allowed her a decent level of control over her mind, even within the dream world she found herself. In truth, she rather would not have been dreaming in the first place, she really could have done with the good night's rest, for the events of the day (which felt like they had dragged on for months, somehow) had rendered her in desperate need of a... well, a good night's rest, for lack of alternative words.

Yet somehow, she found herself dreaming a very lifelike dream. The best thing any alicorn can do in a situation like this is to simply wait it out. So she simply sat on the grass within the wooded wood, and tried to collect her thoughts.

When all of a sudden, high in the sky above her, another alicorn descended towards the Princess on the ground. This particular alicorn has been somewhat out of focus, considering the events that had befallen the nation over the past few days. But if there was one thing she was involved in, it would have to be the dreams of others. For Princess Luna, Alicorn of the Night, has a natural affinity for visiting the dreams of all living creatures across Equestria, and her sister was no exception.

"Dearest sister." She announced to the much larger alicorn sitting on the ground. "What troubles you this fine eve?"

"How do you know I'm troubled?" Celestia asked in return.

"You are my sister, are you not?" Luna retorted. "And since it is my royal duty to visit those in their dreams, or nightmares, I would have assumed I could read you like a book, could I not?"

"Well in that case." Celestia began. "You ought to know exactly what's troubling me."

"I suppose I could hazard a guess." Luna replied, settling herself on the grass, next to her sister. "Let me guess. Twilight's done something that's put the entire nation at risk again, hmm?"

"Nopony is at risk. Yet." Celestia declared. "But you are right. Twilight has done something very colossal again."

"She certainly has a knack for doing the big, fancy magic... stuff. Doesn't she?" Luna remarked, losing her elegant tone for a moment. "Such a bright young thing, is she not?"

"Again, true." Celestia agreed.

"Certainly alicorn material, isn't she?" Luna continued her admiration of Celestia's student.

"All in due time, sister." Celestia said. "After we sort out all this business, then can we discuss that."

"Maybe if Twilight resolves this spell, she may earn the right to declare herself an alicorn." Luna went on.

"Maybe she..." Celestia was about to agree, before another matter pressed into her mind. "Hold on. What do you mean: resolves this spell? I thought you had no idea about that?"

"Oh!" Luna exclaimed, caught off guard. "Well, I put two and two together, you understand? You know, reading you like a book, hehe."

"Right." Celestia said, disbelievingly. "Are you feeling alright, sister?"

"Alright?" Luna exclaimed, quite shrilly. "Oh, I am splendid, sister. Simply splendid, sis... oh."

"Simply, splendid." Celestia repeated. "Are you serious?"

"Serious?" "Luna" parroted back. "Serious. SSerious, ssserious. Sssserious. Ha! Funny! Witty remark. SsssSilly anecdote. You one silly, sssssssilly sssssssiter!"

Celestia jumped away from her "sister" in a flash. It was so transparent, but knowing that did not make her feel better.

"Where you going to. Sssister?" The mockery of her sister hissed at her, getting to its hooves in a flash.

"You again!" Celestia exclaimed, angered, yet slightly fearful too. "Oh of course."

"You again? Who again? Me again? You again? Sssshe again?" The alicorn continued her inane hissing, making twitchy movements towards the Princess.

"Enough!" Celestia bellowed, and in an instant, a brilliant flash of light issued from her horn, directly at the image of her sister.

An even brighter flash of light swept the scene where Celestia's beam hit. Her entire vision was blinded by the swirling display of magic, causing her to shut her eyes. Soon, the magic from her horn subsided, followed by the light fading. Celestia opened her eyes, and found the spot where "Luna" had been standing to be completely devoid of any alicorns. The Princess initially felt relieved, but fear soon took her as she heard a laugh echo all around her. A laugh bringing to a voice that belonged to no mare she was aware of.

"You call yourself a Princess?"It went. "Well what power does a Princess have, if her kingdom exists entirely within her mind?"

"Oh you clever spell, you." Celestia found herself complimenting its craftiness.

And before she knew it, she felt the world around her changing. Shapes twisted and turned, changing the once blank forest into a disorientating mixture of colours. Celestia braced herself as best she could, uncertain as to where this would go. The swirling aura of magic surrounded her until all she could see was an immense bright light, growing and growing until it was inside her very head, her very mind...

Celestia opened her eyes. At least she thought she did, for there was a distinct lack of feeling to her head. In fact, there was a distinct lack of feeling about her entire body. She felt conscious, but that was about it; her usual alicorn figure seemed absent, with only her thoughts occupying the empty space she found herself in.

Maybe that was why she felt so ethereal, for there was nothing to perceive. Her only sight, if she could call it that, was composed entirely of an immense blackness on all sides. This strange sense of purgatory seemed to be all around her, and yet all about her at the sane time. She would have called it a rather eccentric feeling, but she had no feelings to feel. The only thing she was aware of, was that she was unaware of everything about her. Just her empty being occupying an empty realm.

When suddenly, directly ahead of her (or as best as her perceptions allowed her), a light shone. Wide and bright, it illuminated the darkness with a newfound shine. And out of the light did a figure emerge. Celestia observed the figure approaching, unable to discern it properly until it stood right in front of her. And then, a dull surprise flashed into her ethereal conscious, for it was the spitting image of her that stood before her, observing her silently until it soon chose to spoke.

"The mind is truly the most bizarre place within all realms, is it not?" It went.

And for a second time, Celestia found herself shocked ever so slightly. For the way this copy of her spoke was not at all like the copy of Twilight had spoken. Where there, it was an uneasy uncanniness to the unicorn, both feminine and masculine with a strong sense of playful arrogance to it. Yet here, there was none of that; rather it spoke with drearily dull, deep masculine groan, like it was barely paying attention to what was coming out of its mouth. And for some reason, this managed to irritate the Princess to no end. She wanted to answer it, but found herself in lacking of a mouth, and so was silent.

"Yet somehow." The copy continued. "There is nothing bizarre at all about this pitch darkness we find ourselves in, wouldn't you agree? It is almost as if we are just too lazy to bother conjuring up anything particularly dreamlike, hmm."

"Nonsense!" Celestia found herself overcoming her speechlessness and yelling. "We were just in the middle of a dream!"

"Huh, were we now." Her duplicate acknowledged. "Funny, I seem to have forgotten. Looks like all this excitement has rendered us a little forgetful. Why are we here, again?"

"Stop... stop, talking gibberish!" The Princess demanded.

She desperately tried to seize control of the situation, trying with all her might to find her horn and get a grip on the magic that eluded her. But just speaking was proving more than a challenge, for her form was still quite nonexistent. Her copy watched her struggle with a dull expression on its face, which only increased the fury Celestia's conscious was feeling.

"For the love of..." She cursed herself. "I am the Princess here! Why can't I cast a simple spell?"

"You know what you are?" The Celestia in front of her went. "Tired. All these things happening to your subjects seems to have taken a toll on you. Why don't you take a nice rest?"

"I'm already sleeping, you... thing!" The Princess barked back, sincerely wishing the copy would stop talking.

"Aren't you just tired of it all?" It continued, paying her no heed. "I know I am. Why don't you just go to sleep for a while. The world will continue on without you."

And then, the ethereal conscious felt something else awaken within her. An immense exhaustion, which could only be sated by sleeping. She imagined her eyes fluttering shut, but through a greatly subdued strength of willpower, she managed to stay alert.

"Stop.. talking." She slouched, finding talking difficult. "You will not cast your spell on me. You will not take my mind. It's mine, my own... mine.."

"Hush now Princess." Her copy went, its voice now an alluring lullaby of sluggishness that only increased the urge to sleep. "Have yourself a nice rest. I think you've more then earned it. Let others take over for a change."

Slowly, one by one, Celestia could feel everything about her drown in a soft sea of sloth, the thought of sleeping seemed an alluring prospect. Yet still, one particularly loud part of her resisted.

"No... I won't, I can't... my subjects, they... they need..." She croaked, barely conscious of what she was saying.

"Sshh..." Her copy went. "Don't worry about a thing. Everything will be just fine."

And with that last bewitching note, the Princess felt completely and utterly to its charms, everything little thing within her psyche all but shut down as sleep took ahold of her and she remembered no more...

The last weary rays of moonlight left in a hurry as dawn... dawned upon the city of Canterlot. The sun would have quickly rose to its place, but that particular action required a certain alicorn to initiate first.

Down upon the balcony that led to the Princesses's royal chamber another alicorn landed. Luna, the real Luna, quickly made her way through to rouse her sister. There she found Celestia, still lying in bed, completely and utterly dead to the world.

"Sister? Sister!" Luna pleaded, shaking the mighty alicorn on the bed in a hurry. "It's time to get up. It's time to rise the sun."

In due time, her sister soon stirred and her eyes slowly fluttered open. It took some time for her to properly register where she was, but when she did, a mighty yawn did she issue from her mouth.

"Sister? Are you okay, sister?" Luna asked, deep with concern, for it was not unlike her to sleep in like she did.

Celestia heard her. Then she saw her. For a moment, she observed her little with a curious glance, like it had been sometime. But soon enough, her look subsided and was replaced by a wide smile.

"Splendid, sister." She said. "Simply splendid..."

To be continued... in the following chapter

Author's Note

Now I can officially call this story on hiatus. Until some point in May.

Dashy's Dilemma

It was a most beautiful day. The sun was shining (though there was little else it could do), the birds were singing, and... to most that was defined a good day. Maybe there were other factors to consider, but one did not have to venture far to get what was considered the perfect day. To most, all that really constituted a beautiful day was the quality of the picture presented before them. In this case, that picture happened to compose of the sight of particularly good sun beams, and a fine melody of various birdsong. Though how the sound of birds singing factored into a picture, one would never know.

The point being, it was considered a good day. A fine day, if one was in the mood for going out and lounging in the sun, soaking up its sizzling but substantial rays, one could. Maybe take a stroll or a trot down to a riverbank somewhere, pull up a lounge chair, snuggle in and take in the pleasant atmosphere. The slight splashing of the water as it ran along the contours of the small pond, or lake or something; contrasted by the humid beams of warmth that descended from above. A quaint little tropical existence of bliss where one was both warm and cool, far from both the extremes, existing in seemingly two states at once.

Needless to say (though in retrospect, very needful), such a pleasant day was lost on one particular pegasus as she strolled throughout the little but busting town of Ponyville. Quite the enigma that a pegasus should chose to stroll on her own four hooves when she was in possession of a good pair of wings. Well for Rainbow Dash, there was a lot about what she was doing that puzzled her that fateful day. But it was far from a concern of hers, for she was in very good spirits. She had just ascended to a very special position. Or so she thought...

"Dash. Hey Dash!" She heard a familiar voice to her.

Rarity was standing by a particular corner, for some reason, having just caught sight of her dear friend.

"Rarity!" Dash mimicked her by calling out her name in return. "Good day, isn't it?"

"Umm, sure." Rarity replied dismissively.

In truth, the state of the day did not concern her one bit. What did concern her however, was the state of her particular friend. Rarity knew a thing or two about the predicament of her ensemble of friends, which was more than enough reason for her to be in a constant state of anxiety about all of them. But she managed to keep her emotions under control for the time being.

"Hey Rarity." Rainbow remarked, closing the gap between exceptionally fast. "You don't sound so happy to see me."

"Well... well that's just it isn't it?" Rarity roundabout-like replied. "I'm not really supposed to see you am I?"

"Rarity?!" Dash began with a note of suspicion. "You're taking in that fancy tongue again. You know that's not my style."

"No what I mean to say is..." Rarity quickly explained. "I am not supposed to see you. Because you usually get everywhere by flying, don't you?"

"I do? I mean, I did." Rainbow replied. "I did, now I use my hooves, hooves are cooler. Plus flying's kind of weird to me now. One minute it's fine, the next I feel like I hate it."

"Yeah yeah, look Rainbow..." Rarity cut to the chase. "Are you okay?"

"Okay?" The pegasus parroted. "I'm fine. Better than okay, finer than fine. I'm grand. You know?"

"Well sure, but..." Rarity said, not so easily swayed. "Dashy darling, you know everypony's being having a rough time. I know I'm not supposed to interfere, but Rainbow..."

"Oh quit it Rarity." Rainbow cut her off. "Do I have to spell it out for you, I'm excellent. I was just on my way to my new job."

"New... job?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah that's right." Rainbow replied proudly. "I hold a very important position. I am now head of the Wonderbolts!"

"Head... of the Wonderbolts, Rainbow?" Rarity slowly repeated. "Rainbow, I'm afraid I don't understand. When did that happen?"

"Why it's been something I've been building towards for months." Rainbow continued to boast, heedless of her friend's concern. "I finally got the letter last night, telling me I've just invited to join the Wonderbolts."

"You've just been... wait a minute, Rainbow." Rarity said, her concern growing immensely now. "You got a letter saying you've been invited to join the Wonderbolts? But you said you were now head of the Wonderbolts?"

"Head of the Wonderbolts? Of course I'm now head of the Wonderbolts!" Rainbow continued. "Like I said, I've been working towards it for months, working my way through the ranks."

"But... but..." Rarity was now getting a little scared. "But you just said you were invited to join the Wonderbolts?"

"Wonderbolts? What Wonderbolts? I haven't been with the Wonderbolts for years now." Rainbow remarked, innocently.

"Oh my... Rainbow?" Rarity uttered, alarm taking hold of her. "Rainbow, I think you might need to see a doctor."

"Doctor!" The pegasus exclaimed in shock. "I can't see a doctor, I've got a wedding to attend!"

"Oh no..." Rarity whispered, her voice eerily shrill. "Rainbow Dash. Darling. Where do you think you're going today?"

"I told you Rarity!" Rainbow announced. "I told you, I'm am head of the Wonderbolts. I just got the invitation to join them last night this is something I've been planning for months and I can't let you... wait a minute."

Rainbow Dash went still. Her eyes went to the ground, a million thoughts that were not her own came flooding through her head. Rarity simply observed her, too cautious to make any sudden moves, for this was something she was not prepared to deal with. Suddenly Rainbow looked up at her, looking the most puzzled she had ever looked in her life.

"Rarity?" She uttered.

"Rainbow." A quiet reply issued from the unicorn.

"I think I need to..." The pegasus remarked.

But what it was she thought she needed to do, Rarity never found out. For at that moment, Rainbow Dash swayed on the spot, before she came crashing down, colliding with the ground at a painful angle, finally resting on her side, her limbs stiff and a ghostly whiteness filling her eyes.

"Oh my... Rainbow Dash!" Rarity cried out, frantically rushing the short gap between them.

Though in actual fact, Rainbow Dash was both a few inches and a million miles away. She existed in two states at once...

Rainbow Dash's eyes snapped open, and upon the sight that greeted her an unpleasant mixture of confusion and anxiety overwhelmed her wounded form. For the sky that she was staring up at was not the sky she remembered looking at longingly when she woke up that morning. No, that sky was a clear blue, a vast ocean that stretched as far the horizon would yield, tempered by the bright ball of light suspended within that was the Sun. She remembered because she spent a good portion of the morning simply staring up at such a simple, yet substantial sight, wondering why of why did she not simply spread her wings and take up into that big bright blue. That was not this sky.

No, this sky was different. She knew that the moment her eyes had opened. This sky was blue as well, but it was different; not a grand old blue, but a... static blue, almost cyan like her coat, but it looked wrong somehow. Rainbow Dash could not quite place it, but the more she stared up at it, the more she felt like she had to look at anything else that did not share its inky hue.

She rolled her eyes over to try and get a better grasp of her surroundings. Immediately, she could feel the ground beneath her form, stretched out. Except, she was not laid out over grass, but rather sand; and to her right, she could see the waves of a vast ocean slosh upon the shore. The water shared the same eerie blue of the sky above, but it was a little more easy on her eyes, perhaps owning to how she had adjusted to the sharp change in scenery by now.

Rainbow did her best to find her hooves and get herself into a standing position. But that was no easy task, as her whole form felt immensely slow and unresponsive. It took a good deal of struggling for her to finally hoist herself and have her four hooves standing upon the sand, an unusually pale white than what she was used to when she to the beach. It was at that moment that Rainbow realised that she was, in fact a pegasus. She tried to spread her wings, but that fatigued her even more than trying to stand on her hooves. They were just as slow as the rest of her, and trying to maintain them wide and open threatened to send her crashing down again, so she reluctantly tucked them back into her sides.

Now she attempted to get a better look at just where she was. This strange beach she found herself on seemed to go on far longer than her eye could see. To her left, stark white cliffs rose high into the sky, blending in well with the sickening blue hue. It wounded her immensely that her wings were unresponsive, or else her first instinct would have been to take flight and see what lay beyond those peaks. The ocean to her right was just as menacing, and she doubted that she had it in her to try and swim. That meant that her only course of action was to take off down this strange beach she found herself in. So that she did.

The air was bitter, as it whipped at her coat, threatening to knock her off balance, but she stood strong. Rainbow Dash embarrassingly trotted up that pearly white and static blue landscape for an undeterminable amount of time. Time; somehow, Rainbow Dash felt that time had no place within in this eerie world. She tried to count, but found it almost impossible to picture anything in her head, a worrying giddiness clouded her head as she tried to think. So she stopped thinking, stopped doing anything, other than walking at her slow pace.

Eventually, the cliffs to her left began descending, as the sandy beach turned into a rocky trail. Rainbow Dash found herself climbing, leaving the ocean behind and up onto what appeared to a grassy plain of sorts. And even here, the grass was blue, an inky blotchy dark blue, looking almost like a sea of silent tentacles swishing and swaying in the cold air.

Rainbow followed the rocky path amongst the grass, and soon enough, she came to a wide opening. The dark blue grass edged around a large circle of dirt, and there the road ended. Rainbow slowly trotted into the circle, and the moment she did, the grass swallowed up the rocky trail she had been following, leaving her stranded within a sea of inky blue as far as the eye could see, under a cold eerie sky. What happened now, she did not know.

"Hello?!" She found her voice in her throat and called out, feeling like it was the first time she had ever done so.

"Hello there Rainbow! Lovely day is it not?" She heard a voice come from seemingly all around her.

Rainbow Dash turned on the spot in every direction, trying to find the source of the voice. When suddenly, right in front of her, a shape manifested from within the sea of grass. She braced herself, trepidation building within her as the figure emerged into the dirt circle to join her. A dark shadow of a pony stood before her, only for a second or two, before its inky form began to drip of, leaving a very identifiable pegasus who she happened to recognise behind.

"Spitfire?!" Rainbow exclaimed in bewilderment. "Is that you?"

"Why yes, it is in fact me, the only and only Spitfire." The mare remarked, her voice heavy in sarcasm.

That voice. That voice sounded very familiar to her. It sounded like...

"You're not Spitfire." Rainbow said.

"No I am not." The mare said. "I am... you."

"You? As in... me?" Rainbow replied.

"Right! Quite right!" The image of Spitfire responded with a good amount of enthusiasm. "I am you. And I have been sent by you. To help you. To sort you out from the many different versions of you. And to get you out of... you."

Spitfire simply smiled at her. Rainbow was confused.

"Come again?" She asked.

"Oh dear, it's a lot worse than I thought. I mean, you thought." The mare remarked. "This may require an explanation. But first, Rainbow Dash: where do you suppose you are?"

"Where?" Rainbow said, naturally turning to briefly observe just where she was. "I have no idea where I am?"

"Would you like to know?" Spitfire asked her.

"Yes! Right now!" Rainbow snapped impatiently.

"Well if you really want to know." The mare said. "You are in... your mind!"

She added a good deal of flair to the answer. Quite unnecessarily, but it had the intended effect upon Rainbow Dash nonetheless.

"Come again?" She asked.

"Your mind!" Spitfire repeated. "Your inside your mind, inside your brain inside your body. Isn't that just fascinating? You should feel lucky to be here. You certainly can't be your body at the moment."

"Then... wait. What am I then? I don't understand." Rainbow asked desperately, starting to feel very dizzy in her... head.

"Let's just say." Spitfire began. "You're something of a... representative of your being. And I'm a representative of your sub-conscious. And I have come to help you."

"Help me? Am I in trouble?" Rainbow continued to question the mare in front of her. She was not sure whether she understood it the more was explained to her.

"Oh yes Rainbow. Oh yes." The image answered with a sudden serious tone. "You. Or us. Are in a bit of a dilemma. Well, not so much of a lemma, more of a... di. You know."

"Just tell me what's happening to me?" Rainbow pleaded.

"Okay Rainbow okay." Spitfire started up once again. "You see, once upon a time, you were just ordinary old Rainbow Dash you, living your Rainbow Dash life. But then... something happened to you. Something very dire. Something that went and messed with your entire psyche, turning everything about you upside down, inside out. Does any of this seem familiar to you?"

"Well..." Rainbow replied. There was some familiarity in her words. "Yes, it does."

"Ah good. You are beginning to understand." Spitfire remarked. "You see, everything about you, everything that has happened, and will happen to Rainbow Dash was taken out of the neat order it belonged in, and mashed together in some messed up pile of inconsistencies and crisscrossing continuities."

Rainbow felt confused. The more she listened, the more it felt like her brain, her essence, was torn and stretched into new, freakish forms. It felt weird.

"Did you not feel like you did not know where you belonged?" Spitfire continued. "Did you not feel like you were an entirely different mare. Well now, you've proven that your body can't take it anymore. So you've come here. And your sub-conscious has sort fit to send me- send you, to help you sort out your messed up mind. Do you get it now?"

"I... think so." Rainbow answered, not really believing herself. "So... how can we fix this."

"I think you mean: how can you fix this." Spitfire replied. "Still, I was waiting for you to say that. Behold!"

She turned away. Rainbow stood in confusion for a moment, before something happened. Out in the sea of inky grass before her a object rose. High and higher into the sky two arches majestically rose; they were a steely white, one that looked comforting to behold. Eventually the met high above the two mares, forming a gargantuan gate that stood as high as the cliffs. And right in between the arches, a pearly whiteness filled the empty space. Rainbow Dash felt intimidated by the grand sight; yet at the same time, a strange sense of comfort and familiarity filled her form.

"Through there." Spitfire turned to face her again. "Is your salvation."

...Go on." Rainbow asked her, her curiosity at a peak.

"If you go through there, you will be faced with three incarnations of Rainbow Dash: past, present and future." She began. "Your mind, your whole psyche is colliding in on itself. What you find through there will make no sense to you, for it will all be out of place. It is your job to sort it out, make sense of it. Do that, and you may fix your broken mind."

"What... will happen if I don't go through there? Or if I mess up?" Rainbow earnestly asked.

"Well in that case." Spitfire said. "Your mind will utterly and irrevocably collapse in on itself, resulting in a utter disaster that will... probably not destroy all of time and space, but will be very bad for you."

"How bad?"

"Oh very bad." She clarified. "Like I said, you are in something of a dilemma."

"Well. Well looks like I don't have a choice." Rainbow reasoned.

"No. You don't." Spitfire said reassuringly.

"Right." Rainbow sighed.

She stepped forward, standing before the mighty gateway that reached into the dark sky. She breathed long and deep, trying to keep a lid on the swell of emotions stirring within her that felt like they were issuing from the gate itself.

"Good luck. You know, for both of us." She heard Spitfire her say.

Rainbow turned to face her. But as she did, the mare had gone, leaving her all alone before the might gateway in the sea of grass.

"Huh. Bring it on!" She cried out to the structure.

And just like that, she took one final breath, and with a sudden burst of energy, galloped right over the threshold and into the blinding light.

Rainbow Dash was a pegasus. That meant that she could fly, and what it did not mean was that she was a unicorn with a good affinity for magic. Yet even now, after being exposed to all kinds of magic by now, she could safely say that this, while looking and feeling very arcane, was not magic. It was something different.

Whiteness, whiteness surrounded her, it was all she could see. Yet that was an enigmatic suggestion in of itself for Rainbow Dash was not entirely convinced that she could see. For to see, one must have eyes, and right now she was not so sure about that. She was not so sure about anything at the moment, in fact it was safe to say that Rainbow Dash had no idea what wad happening to here as she stood, or rather... existed here. The feeling of uncertainly was so prevalent to her it felt as if she could just reach out and touch it. Or she could, if she possessed the required limbs to do so.

But then, that was the whole point of it all, was it not? If what... she said was true, then she existed within her own mind. Everything around her was her, yet what exactly was she then that existed within the middle of... her? It made her head ache to think about it. But then again, Rainbow Dash had no head, for she was already in her head, so just what was it that she was feeling?

Eventually, the shroud of white around her seemed to contort and blend into some strange kinds of shapes. Right in front of whatever it was that she had become, clouds seemed to be forming, a great many of them in fact, forming some kind of platform. A whole arrangement of platforms that suddenly struck her as belonging to her former home of Cloudsdale. It was a near perfect image, and Rainbow Dash could feel a sense of comfort brew within her to finally witness something within her own mind that she actually remembered. Well, it was almost perfect.

The sky was the same. Not the same she remembered from back when she was in the world of the living, but rather the electric, nausea inducing blue that she had first eyes on when she awoke here. It was a bitter contrasting image, the sight of something she remembered do fondly under something she longed to forget. But before she could dwindle on it, Rainbow Dash felt something strange happening to herself. She saw the clouds, getting closer and closer, worrying that her non-corporeal form might be sucked up in that mess of fluffy white.

But to her surprise, she felt her hooves land upon the clouds with a soft bump. Suddenly, she became aware that she now apparently had a body again, and unlike before, she felt energetic and strong.

Well, that meant was that she had properly immersed herself in her thoughts and was now where what... she had referred to as the past. The past, meaning her younger days when she was a little pegasus. Everything seemed to make sense now, or as best as it could, considering just where she was exactly.

Just then, she heard something. A voice of sorts, sounding almost like... herself. Rainbow felt a sudden sense of apprehension as confronting whatever it was that that voice belonged to. Yet, that was why she was here in the first place. So, trying hard to keep a lid on her growing concerns, she made her way to where the voice had come from.

The closer she ventured, the more it became abundantly clear that the voice drawing her near was the very same voice she had used when she was a but a little filly. Yet, here she was a little filly already? Now Rainbow grew curious as just what confrontation awaited her.

"And as you can see." The voice became much clearer now. "The rate at which the water is collected is entirely dependent on the amount of pegasi in the artificially controlled hurricane."

Whatever Rainbow was hearing, it did not sound like anything she had said in her childhood. Soon she came upon an area among the clouds fashioned like a classroom. And at the head of it was... her, in filly.

"Oh hello there." The filly Rainbow Dash spoke to the grown up one. "Care for a seat, the lesson has only just begun."

"You supposed to be..." Rainbow asked puzzled.

"Why, I'm Rainbow Dash, silly." The young pegasus answered. "I'm giving this class a lecture, as you can see."

Rainbow observed the area that resembled a classroom. Yet it was empty; which did not seem to heed her younger self.

"Look here, miss." She turned back to face the filly. "Are you sure you're Rainbow Dash?"

"Why of course I am Rainbow Dash." The filly replied. "Nopony knows me better than me, right."

There was sense there. Rainbow almost wanted to believe it, believe that this little filly in front of her really was the filly she once was. Bur it felt wrong somehow, like it was out of place, out of time, like it made little sense. But how could she correct it?

"Look miss." She began, struggling to take hold of the situation. "How can you be sure you're really Rainbow Dash? Like what really makes Rainbow Dash... well, Rainbow Dash."

"Why, if I know Rainbow Dash. And I should, considering I am her." The little filly said proudly. "The real Rainbow Dash sure loves to teach, for she is an old girl."

Yes, yes she was an old girl. Rainbow found herself agreeing with the young girl... that made sense, did it not?

"No, no no no!" She furiously shook her head. "No that's not what she loves."

"Oh, and how would you know?" The younger filly asked her, sounding quite coldly. "What makes you the expert on Rainbow Dash?"

"Rainbow Dash loves to... loves to..." Rainbow struggled to correct herself. "Oh, why can't I remember?!"

The answer to whatever she felt that Rainbow Dash loved felt like it was on the tip of her tongue. The little filly in front of her giggled at her plight, evidently finding it quite amusing. Somehow, in some way, that actually made sense...

"Yes! That's it!" Rainbow exclaimed ecstatically. "Rainbow Dash can be silly, and she likes to play pranks!"

"Hey... hey that does sound like something I'd do." Her younger self acknowledged, sounding almost impressed. "Got anymore?"

"Err... err." Rainbow stuttered, trying to find out what else she was like.

"I don't know about you, but I prefer teaching." The little cyan pegasus remarked.

"Stop... doing that! That's not right!" The elder pegasus demanded. "You're talking- wait a minute. Wait a minute. Teaching? Teaching? What does that remind you of?

"Err, learning?" The little filly replied.

"No no no. More like... umm..." Rainbow found herself struggling once again.

"Yes?"

"More like..." She repeated, getting desperate.

"Do you need to write it down?"

"No I... wait. Write... write- reading! Yes, that's it, I love a good adventure book!" Rainbow cried out triumphantly once again.

"Oh very good. Very good." Her younger self replied impressed.

Rainbow now felt a strange sensation about her. Somehow, everything seemed a little easier to understand. She felt sure of herself, like she was on the road to recovery..

"Last chance now." The filly said, sounding suddenly sinister. "Anything else about Rainbow Dash I ought to know?"

"... ... ... Let me think." Rainbow managed to say. "Let me think."

She turned away, struggling in vain to put the last piece of her psyche in place.

"Go on. What else makes up... Rainbow Dash?" The filly demanded, sounding less and less like Rainbow Dash and more... like something scarier.

"I know it. I know it." Rainbow Dash said sharply.

"Well what is it?" The filly asked.

"... ... I know this! I know I do!" She cried out pleadingly.

All about her, the boundaries of her mind were starting to grow dim. The clouds she stood on turned a stoic gray, and above the sky seemed to be descending on her, its cold, eerie blue was growing ever more prominent the more she sat there in her pitiful state.

"Well? I'm waiting?" The filly behind her asked yet again.

The sky was bothering her ever so much. Why, Rainbow had half a mind to fly right on up there and give it a piece of her... wait a minute.

"FLYING!" She bellowed. "That is it! I am a terrific flyer!"

Her wings sprung open, she turned round, looked at her younger self for a second before scooping her up in her hooves and zooming up and away into that blue. Not a cold, electric blue, but a bright, cheerful and inviting blue. Far and wide, Rainbow Dash soared throughout the seemingly limitless reaches of her mind, all the while hugging her younger self as tightly as she would let her. A glorious sensation was all about her, for she was literally all about her.

Eventually, the duo settled down on a fluffy knot of clouds. The younger Dash hopped off and sat herself down while the elder felt hovered in the air, feeling like she had just discovered that she was a pegasus, and could very well fly.

"Wait a minute." She said suddenly. "I already knew I could fly. So why was it so hard back there to remember everything?"

She turned to face the filly, but found herself looking at an empty patch of clouds. Before Rainbow could make any sense of it, she felt the world about her rumble. Suddenly, to her left, out in the fields of fluffy white, two pillars rose high above. Rainbow Dash felt puzzled, before it turned to understanding as she once again stood before a mighty gateway to the rest of her inner self.

"Well. Let's get this over with." She remarked, sparing no time in once again trotting herself through herself and into herself...

Submerged in the whiteness of her inner side for the second time, Rainbow Dash had some time to reflect on what she had been, was, and would be experiencing. She almost felt privileged to be in such a position, for it was not everything that a mare had the opportunity to delve into her own conscious and sift through her memories, trying to put the prices together that would fit into the mind and body that was Rainbow Dash. The whole process would be almost exhilarating, if it were not for the fact that she was fighting hard to suppress the overwhelming sense of terror within her. Her other self had been somewhat vague on just what would happen should she fail in this endeavour, but Rainbow got the impression that it would not be a pretty sight.

Those anxieties were once again at the forefront of her mind as her mind about her began to twist into a new form once again. Some immeasurable distance in front of her, Rainbow could make out buildings, buildings that she soon recognised as belonging to Ponyville. She felt herself slowly descending, her thoughts and feelings once again wrapping themselves into a fleshy form as she descended to the inviting grass upon the ground.

Touching down gently, Rainbow tried to get her bearings. Regrettably that was to no avail, as although she could identify her surroundings as Ponyville, everything looked disorientated, like she had been dropped into the middle of a painting that had been out in the rain, meshing all the bright hues together into one incomprehensible clutter of colour. Well, everything except the sky of course, which to her dismay had required that electric blue that she had long since grown to loathe. But there was little to be gained in complaining about that, for she had business here on the ground, not in the sky...

"Oh Spike, Spike, I am so sorry, I could have sent you flying a mile, and then two miles after that, and then another mile just to round it out."

Now that was a voice she recognised well enough.

"Err, sure. What were you doing, exactly?"

And that was another voice she recognised too.

Rainbow naturally made her way towards the pair of voices, and it was not too long before she stood before the pair of her and Spike, conversing somewhat amicably without paying her the slightest bit of attention. This was a conversation that Rainbow remembered, a conversation she that she remembered went smoothly, but to hear herself now, it was obvious that there was something very peculiar about her.

"Anyway, this has been fun, but now Rainbow Dash has got to go to… works."

And just as she remembered, the incarnation of her that was chatting with Spike soon took off into the air, giving him a wave before flying off into the electric blue. Rainbow sat back with Spike seeing her go, before the scene suddenly changed. Spike, and the buildings, and the grass all evaporated into the whiteness of her mind. Rainbow was puzzled, until she caught sight of her recently departure other self, not flying through the sky, but apparently lost within the great white. She took this as an initiative to get to work on herself, and so she approached the mirror mare.

"Wha... what's going on?" The other her cried out anxiously.

"Hey there miss." She initiated quite cheerfully.

"You." Herself turned to face... herself. "You seem familiar. Do I know you?"

Rainbow giggled. "Yes. Yes you do."

"What's going on?" She asked.

"You're kinda in a situation." She replied.

"I know you." The other Rainbow repeated. "I feel funny. Lost, kind of. What is going on?"

"I don't really know." Rainbow remarked. "But I'm trying to fix it."

"Fix it. Fix what, there's nothing to fix. Hello?" The mirror mare rambled incoherently.

Rainbow sighed in frustration. "Look here, I know what you're going through, I've been through it already."

"You know what I'm going through. Sometimes I don't even know myself." Her other self remarked. "Hello?"

Again, frustration brewed with Rainbow. Clearly, she could spend all of however much time she had left discussing with her other self how much nothing made sense to them and they were so very confused. But the time of confusion was over; now was the the time for action. But what kind of action?

"Look here miss." Rainbow said, an idea suddenly springing into her head. "Neither of us has any idea what's going on anymore. But I might know how we can solve this."

The other her suddenly stopped shaking her head about in the whiteness and turned to face her, registering her for the first time. Rainbow extended her hoof to the other Rainbow.

"Take my hoof." She requested.

"Why?" She asked suspiciously. "What's going to happen?"

"Honestly, I have no idea." Rainbow confessed. "I just have a hunch that maybe this will make everything clearer."

"How do you know? How can you be sure?" Her mirror mare demanded. "What if what you think might work out just ends up causing more damage?"

"We are damaged!" Rainbow exclaimed. "We've been damaged ever since something we had no control over went and damaged us. I'm not asking you because I am confident it will work, I'm asking you to have faith."

"Faith? Faith!" Herself went. "How can I have, I don't even know what I am anymore."

"I do." Rainbow replied. "You are loyal. And that means you do have faith. See?"

The other her scoffed at her simplistic answer, but her words did seem to have had an effect.

"Okay you." She said. "Okay, I have faith. I'll trust you."

Slowly, but surely, she reached out with her own hoof and clasped the one Rainbow was offering her. A second or two of nothing occurred. But then, the pair of them felt the whole inner world around them rumble. The white intensified, practically blinding the pair of them; and then they started hovering into what substituted as the sky. Rainbow felt her hoof practically glued to her other self, as they stared into each other's eyes, both alight with fear and excitement.

Suddenly, the bodies of the duo started to blur within the whiteness. Their multicoloured manes burned bright and their bodies became a cyan cyclone, spinning furiously in the air, blending into one as the mind around them intensified in its actions, a brilliant haze of white light surrounding the blazing Rainbow until...

Until...

Rainbow hit the ground hard. Well, that's what she reckoned she hit at any rate; considering just where she was and what she had just experienced, the odds of it being a ground that she had quite painfully crashed into were just as high as the odds of it being something that quite easily substitute for a ground instead... like a floor.

Regardless, the fact that she had managed to discern that she had crashed into something fairly hard and unpleasant was proof that she was once again in what she imagined to be her body, for she could feel her head pressed up uncomfortably against whatever it was if not the ground beneath her. Her wings too, she could feel, apparently stuck up at a most uncomfortable angle. Her mane felt unusually wet for some unusual reason. Maybe she had crashed into another beach; that would not seem so unlikely, for she was in her own mind, so why the hay not?

Struggling immensely, Rainbow Dash finally managed to get her bent form into an appropriate position. Sitting square on the ground (she had indeed managed to discern that it was a ground and not something similar that she had crashed into), the first thing Rainbow Dash felt compelled to do more than anything, was to look up into the sky above her...

And the moment she did that, the pegasus breathed a sigh of relief, before it turned to wonder. For the sky at long last, had since discarded that sickening electric blue, but instead, was now an alluring indigo. Deep and mysterious, yet more than welcoming, it loomed over her, calm and silent. Rainbow spent a good long time staring up at that sky; it had been a long time, and it was very much unlike her to call something beautiful. But after spending what felt like far too long under the eerie static blue yonder, it was not too much of a stretch to say that she would miss such a sight should she succeed in her little endeavour.

"Ah. There you are." A voice said, almost expectantly.

Rainbow shuffled on the ground, drawing her eyes back down to reply to the one that had called her. To her fairly dull surprise, it was a voice she most certainly recognised. But to her most definite surprise, she found it hard to believe that the mare to whom it belonged to was really there.

"Twilight?" She asked. "Is that really you?"

The unicorn sighed in apparent disapproval, and Rainbow could see why. Perhaps she had simply worded it wrongly, but it was obvious that the real Twilight Sparkle was not there, occupying her mind along with her.

"Well it is me." She answered. "To an extent, at least."

Rainbow now properly got herself up into a standing position, so that she was now looking Twilight, or her perception of Twilight, in the eye.

"Well Rainbow Dash." The unicorn asked with a subtle sense of disdain. "Have you found this experience... enlightening?"

"Well Twilight." Rainbow began. "Not really. I don't really know what I've been doing most of the time. It's umm... good to see you again."

Uh-huh." Twilight sighed. "Now I must ask Rainbow. Now that you've spent a good long while rummaging about in your mind, what do you make of it?"

Twilight turned away from Rainbow to observe the peculiar landscape of her mind. To Rainbow, this particular scenery was a refreshing change of pace. Instead of the blinding white hues of her former layers, this one was composed of dark, inky colours, reminiscent of what she had observed when she first awoke within herself. A thick layer of wavy blue grass lay under the indigo sky, looking far more inviting than before.

"Well it's kinda... nice." She remarked.

"Well of course it is." Twilight responded. "You see, when you first awoke here, your mind was in quite the state. Everything felt so strange to you. But now, now that you're so very close to fixing yourself, it all looks more appeasing, does it not?"

"Umm... if you say so." Rainbow replied.

"No no, if you say so." Twilight retorted. "All of this is you, remember?"

"Right, right." Rainbow corrected herself. "So umm... am I alright yet?"

"Almost. Almost." Twilight said. "You still have one last thing to... take in. Do you know what this stage represents?"

"The future, right?" Rainbow guessed.

"Right." The unicorn said. "Now to business. I have to ask you a question, Rainbow Dash."

"Another one?" Rainbow went.

"This one's very important." Twilight said. "Rainbow: what if I told you, that all that has happened to you, is all because of me?"

"Err... that's sounds familiar." Rainbow remarked. "I'm not sure."

"Rainbow." Twilight continued. " I have done something to you. Something that has put you in danger. So much danger that if I had any sense about me I would have never even dreamt about attempting, let alone actually perform. And the absolute worst thing about it is that you're not the only one that I have done this to."

"... Oh Twilight." Rainbow cried pitifully.

"I only ask..." The unicorn said. "Is that when the time comes. Will you forgive me?"

"Yes! Of course I will!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"Err... you will?" Twilight said in obvious bewilderment. "Really?"

"Come on." Rainbow said. "I'm the Element of Loyalty remember?"

"Oh yes." Twilight remarked. "Still. I just hope you keep that promise. Well, I think that's everything."

"So umm... what happens now?" Rainbow asked.

"Now?" Twilight said, laughing slightly. "Now, well. I'll leave that to you to decide."

Rainbow would have questioned her further, but before she could so much as get a word out, Twilight vanished in a splash of purple magic, leaving her alone in the middle of her mind. The pegasus pondered what would happen next, but she did not ponder for long before it soon happened. There was a shrill noise, that of the wind bellowing round her like a mighty hurricane had descended upon her. Then came a rumbling, a sound like that of an avalanche. Rainbow sat right in the middle of this for quite some time, bracing herself, a little nervous but no afraid. Until eventually, out of the sky, two mighty pillars descended, landing directly in front of her before a bright cyan filled the empty space between them, as Rainbow Dash once again stood before a gargantuan gateway. Where this one led, she had her suspicions...

"Now before you go galavanting off through there, there are some things to consider first." Another familiar voice went.

She turned, and out of the sea of grass walked a figure she had seen here before.

"Spitfire." Rainbow said, before remembering. "Does this mean I did everything right. Am I alright now?"

"Only you can answer that." The mare replied. "Fortunately, I am you. So yes, yes you have. Congratulations by the way, I was worried you might mess it all up and doom us all."

"So... what happens now?" Rainbow asked.

"Now you can go through there." Spitfire informed her. "And you probably know where you'll end up."

Rainbow felt a great sense of relief and success wash over her. It was over. It was finally over...

"So... what's the catch." She suddenly asked. "There's got to be a catch."

"Smart." Spitfire remarked. "When you go through there. And you come on out with all your memories in check, you will not remember... anything."

"Anything?" Rainbow asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"Everything that happened after you were inflicted by whatever cursed you to go through this in the first place." The mare explained.

"Oh... my. Gosh." She uttered. "That's a lot of memory. All that I've been through, all that I've learned, gone. Just like that."

"I'm afraid so." Spitfire said. "But somehow, I'm getting the strange feeling that maybe, just maybe they'll be a way to reclaim these memories sometime down the road. Just when that will be, I don't know."

"Whoa. Right." Rainbow remarked.

She bowed her head, trying to take it in that it will soon be taken all out.

"You alright?" Her other self asked her.

"Yeah, give me a minute." She said, struggling with the faint sickness brewing within her.

The gateway still stood before her. It was abundantly clear to her that there was no way around it, other than the very unappealing prospect of remaining within her mind for as long as she would allow herself.

"Okay I'm ready." She said at last, standing directly in front of the great structure.

"Oh and one more thing." Spitfire said for the last time.

"Yes." She said, not taking her eyes of the gateway.

"It's been emotional." She said.

"That it has." She said. "Thanks for everything by the way.

Rainbow Dash heard no response. She took that as a sign that she now stood alone at the gate that would at last lead her from her mind. She cast one last look about, taking in the exceptional indigo sky once more before facing the blue of the gate.

"Well. Here goes nothing..." She announced, bending, stretching her wings and taking flight into that wild blue yonder...

Rainbow Dash looked peaceful enough, Rarity mused to herself as she observed the still body of the pegasus wrapped up beneath a snug layer of the bed she was slumbering in. Peaceful enough, considering that she had taken quite a tumble to the ground, but Rarity knew a slip was the least of her dear friend's worries. Quite frankly, Rarity was quite surprised at herself for keeping herself calm and collected considering everything. It was not every day one saw their friend fall to pieces both physically and mentally before their very eyes.

Though deep down, Rarity felt a state. She had been on tenterhooks ever since Rainbow had slipped from the world; for she knew just what it was that had forced the pegasus into this dire predicament. The thing that gnawed at her the most was that there was practically nothing she could do to remedy Rainbow Dash. She remembered all too well the words of Twilight, so long ago it felt; whatever it was that had claimed Rainbow, it was something that only she herself could overcome. In fact, now that she thought about it, there was a far graver threat here, because Rainbow was not the only one with this particular threat.

The more she pondered, the worse she felt. Rarity had faced dangerous adversaries before, but nothing quite so subtle as this before. Usually, there was a clear objective at hoof, or usually it would be Twilight who would be the one to tackle such a problem head on. But instead, it had been Twilight that had instigated this problem in the first place. And there was practically nothing she could do about it; Rarity knew what feeling helpless felt like, but knowing that there was nothing she could do to help her friends, her own sister. Now that was a bitter feeling if ever there was one.

Almost in defeat, her head dropped to the bed that Rainbow rested upon. She clutched the pegasus' hoof in her own, squeezing it in such a protective embrace that it started twitching in apparent protest. Rarity lessened her grip upon the hoof. But still it twitched, in fact it was starting to move about, fighting against her own hoof.

Rarity withdrew her hoof completely; obviously it was causing Rainbow harm she did not need. Instead she took to observing her face, still peaceful and undisturbed. Well, that is until it started twitching about like the hoof. Rarity was starting to feel nervous, contemplating whether or not she call a doctor, until the eyes of Rainbow Dash finally snapped open.

Now Rarity simply stared into those pupils, alight with activity, darting around the room, until they came to rest on her own. The two mares stared at each; Rarity with a deeply puzzled yet hopeful expression, whilst Rainbow was looking like she was contemplating something very important within her mind.

"Rarity? That is you, isn't it?" She spoke softly.

"... Yes Rainbow... it's me." Rarity replied, still unsure as to Rainbow's condition.

Rainbow cast a look around her surroundings yet again, the confusion in her eyes more than apparent. Slowly, she became aware of the rest of her body, and drew her hooves up to rub her weary face. Then she breathed in and breathed out immensely, as if she was exhaling the last few weeks of her life.

"What's going on, Rarity?" She asked innocently.

"Err... you kind of... umm, had an accident." Rarity explained.

"An accident?" Rainbow parroted back in disbelief. "That's funny. I don't feel hurt."

"How umm... how do you feel, Dash?" Rarity asked, deeply concerned.

"Well I feel..." Rainbow took some time to produce an answer. "I... feel great. I feel great. Exhausted, but great."

Rainbow cast a peculiar look at her friend, and was taken quite off guard to see Rarity burst into tears of joy.

"Oh Rainbow!" She exclaimed, bringing her hooves up to embrace her friend in an immense hug. "You have no idea how much that means to me to hear you say that!"

"Easy Rarity, I'm not that of mare." Rainbow expressed, finding her friend's sporadic change quite alarming.

"Oh sorry. So sorry." Rarity uttered breathlessly, withdrawing from the pegasus to give them both room to breathe. "It's just... you're back! You're finally back!"

"Where exactly did I go, Rarity?" Rainbow asked, concerned. "I can't remember the last thing I was doing."

"Oh it's a long story." Rarity explained. "To tell you the truth, I don't really know most of it myself."

"Well whatever..." Rainbow said dismissively, before yawning an immense yawn. "Wow. I am starving! Can we get out of this place or what?"

"Well I suppose if you really are fine, they'll probably let you go." Rarity suggested.

"Well could you please get a move on, then?!" Rainbow demanded. "Whoa, now I kinda want to see the rest of the gang all of a sudden."

"Ah, yes. That might be a little bit tricky." Rarity said. "It's a long story."

"Looking forward to it." Rainbow remarked wearily. "Now could... whoa! My wings are feeling really stiff, I've got some serious flying to catch up on."

"Yes I bet you do." Rarity noted. "I'll just go and get the doctor."

"You do that." Rainbow said.

"... Okay then. Off I go." Rarity said, making a move for the door. "Oh and one more thing, Rainbow."

"Yes?"

"It's good to have you back." She said, happily.

Rarity left the room in a hurry, leaving Rainbow to ponder just what it was that had happened to her...

Flowers for a Phony

It was the most beautiful day. Well, actually, it had been the most beautiful day; but that was the previous day. Now it was something along the lines of the second most beautiful day, though considering just how many days has past since the founding of the world, and just how many of those days could have been considered beautiful, and how many of those beautiful days had been witnessed by mare, maybe calling every potential beautiful day the most beautiful day of them all might be considered quite the stretch. So for now, it could have been considered a promising day.

"Beautiful day Angel, is it not?" Fluttershy remarked to her pet as she trotted into town.

Angel simply gave her what was his best attempt at a disapproving look. That was really the limit of his silent expressions concerning her. For the alarming shift in Fluttershy's natural personality had been causing him no measure of distress. He was far more accustomed to being her centre of attention, but now she was always concerning herself with... well, herself. More than often, he had been the recipient of her many monologues as the pegasus found herself easily amused by the simplest of things, which naturally caused her to stop and remark upon a random assortment of things.

"You know something, dear Angel?"'Fluttershy said suddenly, demonstrating something he longed to forget. "I never knew the reasoning behind naming me Fluttershy. It seems awfully prophetic does it not? I wonder if that was my parent's intent, by simply giving a foal a name that included the word shy in it, that I would be willed into a life of natural shyness. Perhaps I should track them down and inquire. I'm sure I can remember where it was I buried them..."

That normally would have been a concern for Angel. But this sort of thing was merely routine to him by now.

"I kid of course, my pet." Fluttershy remarked, routinely chuckling at her macabre joke. "Now, to the business at ha... hoof."

She ambled her way into the central marketplace of Ponyville. As was custom, there was the usual bustle of mares and stallions going about there business, dragging carts laden with goods or slinging heavy packs over their bags. The sounds of haggling filled the scene with an uncoordinated clamour that could not be discerned should one care to try. This kind of scene was something that Fluttershy tended to stay out of, or look on from afar. But that was the former Fluttershy, not this new and improved Fluttershy, who was more than willing to give this busy scene a go.

Angel sat on her back as usual. One good thing he could say of his new owner was that she was far more amicable to letting him slouch on her back when she was not casually dismissing him. She would have most likely left him at home, had he not insisted on coming along for her little shopping trip. Angel would have normally loved the peace and quiet that Fluttershy's empty cottage afforded him; but somehow, his little bunny brain could not stand the idea of his owner going off on her own with her peculiar disposition and getting up to who knows what. His insistence at coming along was merely so he could keep an eye on her; quite an unusual tone for the little bunny. Maybe whatever spell his owner was under was rubbing off on him.

"Ah, I believe this is the kind of store we are looking for, wouldn't you agree Angel?" Fluttershy spoke back to him.

Angel noticed the stand that she wad gesturing to. A display of flowers of limited kinds attended to by a bored looking earth pony.

"What do you reckon, Angel. Think we might be able to get us some roses for the garden here?" Fluttershy asked him.

Angel was puzzled as to why she would inquire with him when he had knew just as much as she did in this instance.

"It is a good thing you cannot talk, Angel." She remarked. "Otherwise, who knows what kind of things you could say. You could confess to absolutely hating my guts for taking you away from your bunny family when you were little.. er. Why, I could be utterly blind to inflicting such a cruel misery upon you."

Angel naturally gave her no comment.

"Good, good. I shall let you continue your suffering in peace, shall I?" Fluttershy remarked. "Now, to business. I sure do hope my nerves don't get best of me here. You know what I'm like around other ponies."

Angel knew what the old Fluttershy was like around ponies. The new one, he could not be sure. At any rate, he could sense that she was a little tense when she made her way up to the mare attending the store.

"Hi." She started.

"Can I help you?" The pony went.

"Yeah, can I have a dozen red roses, please?" Fluttershy reeled off.

"Oh hi Fluttershy, I didn't know it was you." The pony replied, reaching behind the counter for her requested flowers. "Here you are."

"That's me." Fluttershy slowly remarked. "How much is it?"

"That'll be eighteen bits." The pony replied.

"Hey you go, keep the change." She said, dumping about twenty or so bits upon the counter, before collecting her roses and hurriedly leaving.

"You're my favourite customer." The pony called out to her.

"Thanks a lot, bye." She called back.

She heard the pony call her goodbye back, by she was well enough away.

"Whew. That wasn't too bad, was it Angel?" Fluttershy spoke back.

The bunny simply sat on her back, quite baffled by the rapid transaction he had just witnessed.

"Now then. That's roses out of the way." Fluttershy announced, apparently to herself. "Now for the rest."

And just like that, she was off once again into the marketplace, Angel on her back and a shopping list in her mind, because she was that good.

"Hi doggie." She said to a dog sitting by the road as she brushed past it...

"Indulge me a moment would you?" Fluttershy said. "I had a dream last night. And in that dream I was standing in front of a mirror, and in that mirror I was looking at a pegasus. For some peculiar reason, I felt that this pegasus was, and was not myself. And she stood in front of a mirror and in that mirror she saw a pegasus that was, and was not herself. I have no doubt that I am Fluttershy. Yet, I have no doubt that I am not Fluttershy. How can this be? Am I an entity that is not Fluttershy, occupying her body. Or am I Fluttershy occupying the body of another, similar pegasus. Or is it the world around me; do I exist within a realm that exists, but is different from the one I belong to. Or, do I belong within a realm that is different to the one I exist within. Is this real life, or is it merely a fantasy setting where I do not belong, mmm?"

The mare behind the counter with her pinkish coat and blond mane took a while to digest what Fluttershy had just said to her. It was much to take in...

"Well I..." She slowly said. "I'm not quite sure I'm exactly qualified to give you an answer there, miss."

"No. Of course you are not. And I should not expect an answer from the you in this world, or any other." Fluttershy explained, dismissively. " But this... state at which I exist within is puzzling me to no end."

"Umm... are you worried that all this is merely you dreaming, is that it?"
The mare made an attempt to enlighten her.

"Yes. And no." Fluttershy answered. "I feel as if I am dreaming. But what exactly am I dreaming about? This world around me feels real, it is real. Whether or not I am real is another matter entirely. I exist here talking to you, so I must be, should I?"

"Do you feel real?" The mare asked her.

"Yes..." She said.

"...And no?" The pony guessed.

"Yes." Fluttershy said. "I feel as if am I the real Fluttershy. But then, I also feel that I am far from what she is like. The most easy thing to guess is that I am the real Fluttershy made different. If that is the case, then why do I feel like am I not her. And that sense, why do I look and sound like her. Where does the real Fluttershy reside. Is she tucked away up in my head. My head that is, and is not the real Fluttershy. Does she exist in another world entirely. Or has she simply been wiped from existence, and I am her empty shell walking and talking in her stead. It is such a mystery, is it not?"

"Yeah it is." The mare said.

"But... it is irrelevant discussing it. Now, on to business. Remind me again, why am I here again?" Fluttershy asked, brushing off her existential crisis quickly.

"Oh umm... I think you were asking me about the flowers?" The mare informed her.

"Ah yes, the flowers." Fluttershy said. "And I believe I was inquiring as to whether you were in possession of daisies, were you not?"

"Yes, I have daisies." The mare informed her, fetching the requested flowers and fastening them into a bouquet for the pegasus.

"Ah these will do nicely." She remarked, upon the pretty sight.

"If I may..." The mare asked. "What exactly are you planning on doing with these flowers?"

"Funny you should ask." Fluttershy said. "The thing is... I do not seem to know for certain."

"You don't know?" She said.

"Yes. No. Yes I do not... know." Fluttershy chuckled to herself as she repeated it. "Sometimes, I feel as if there is a reason for me collecting such a random assortment, but when I stop to think, I find I am unable to recall it."

"Maybe it has something to do with your err... predicament?" The mare suggested.

"Maybe." She remarked. "Maybe, it is me attempting to remedy this internal and external dilemma I find myself in. Maybe when I have gathered enough of these flowers I will find an answer to these thoughts plaguing my mind as to the nature of my existence in this world. But how could such a thing possibly make any sense regarding the logical laws I find myself constricted by?"

"Err, sure. Maybe." The pony said. "Well good luck with that."

"Indeed." Fluttershy replied. "By the way, young miss. What is your name if I may ask?"

"My name. Oh it's Lily." The mare answered. "Sometimes people call me Lily Valley."

"Lily. Lily of the Valley." She mused. "Such a meaningful name, considering your profession. Far more meaningful than Fluttershy, though I recall a time when Fluttershy was so very meaningful as it fitted my apprehensive nature."

"Have you considered changing it to something that suits you more?" Lily suggested.

"That is a possibility." Fluttershy remarked. "But what name could possibly be more fitting of this nature I have adopted?"

"Umm..." Lily struggled to answer.

"Ah. And there lies the problem." She said. "Oh well. Well, good day Lily of the Valley. This has been... enlightening."

"Yeah, you too." Lily replied.

And with that, Fluttershy had paid for her flowers and was off once again on her epic quest to... obtain more flowers... and do something with them.

"Excuse me miss?" Fluttershy asked in her distinct voice to the pony slouched against the counter.

The pony in question, with a fairly ordinary rose coloured mane over a pale yellow coat did her best to acknowledge the pegasus. Some force had taken hold of her however, for she raised her head very slowly off the counter in response, murmured something fairly incomprehensible, and immediately dropped it back down. It was quite safe to say that she apparently considered their business concluded.

"I say, dear girl." Fluttershy said. "But this tardy behaviour seems hardly appropriate for a salesmare, does it not?"

"Well... excuse me... madam I..." The mare mounted an attempt to reply, but could only manage a few loose words before she promptly nodded off once more.

"Deary me, this seems quite dire. quite dire indeed." Fluttershy remarked. "Angel, I believe this mare may be suffering from some measure of exhaustion. Definitely not the appropriate display for a mare running a stall."

The bunny on her back observed the mare in question. Indeed, from the way she was slouched against the counter it was fair to say that she was in fact suffering from some immeasurable sense of exhaustion. Not that a bunny could possibly identify that alone.

"You know something, Angel?" Fluttershy remarked. "I can't help but feel a sense of... kinsmareship towards this particularly poor soul."

All Angel knew that when his owner started up her little speeches and musings, there was little that could be done to stop her. And since Angel was but a bunny incapable of speech, she was practically talking to herself. So at this point, Angel was particularly bored out of his little bunny brain and was simply hoping that whatever Fluttershy was up to, she would get it over with fast. Though he was quite certain that promptness was not a strong suit of this particular pegasus.

"Okay, let me think. You just stay where you are miss. Don't exert yourself anymore than you already are, okay?" She asked of the slumbering mare.

As if that was a requirement. Fluttershy closed the gap between them and placed a hoof upon the mare's mane.

"Ah yes. Yes. There is something at work here. You madam are under some powerful aliment." She said. "I know this because I myself are under the same aliment, but of a different shading then yours. In my case, it is a sense of placement and displacement. I both belong, and do not belong. But in your case, my little mare, it is quite different. Can't you feel this power Angel, my dear?"

The bunny could not feel this. And the sleeping mare made no attempt to respond to the fact that another was prodding her unceremoniously, which made Fluttershy's monologue all the more stranger.

"Let me think." She continued, observing the scene around her. "Let's see. Flowers. Lillies and their varients. But you are no lily salesmare. Your coat and mare betray you. Yellowy and rosy... Ah, now I know..."

Her hoof let the mare, and fished about in her bag slung over her back. She bought out the dozen red roses she had procured earlier, and held them before the slumbering mare.

"Miss?" Fluttershy asked. "I believe I may have something that may interest you here?"

The mare still slumbered away. But slowly, her ears twitched, followed by her head rising up, and her eyes fluttering open. She observed the bouquet of red roses in Fluttershy's grasp for a few seconds, observing them with some peculiar look. Until suddenly, her face contorted from a sleepy pose in one of relief, signified by a particularly prominent smile that filled Fluttershy with a strange of satisfaction.

"What is your name, miss?" She asked the rejuvenated mare.

"Rose. Sometimes Roseluck." She replied.

"Ah of course. I wouldn't have it any other way." Fluttershy replied expectantly. "Well in that case, Rose. I would like to purchase some lilies from you. Waterlilies if you have any..."

Angel was bored. He was also a bunny, but that was fairly irrelevant to his state of mind. The point being, he was bored; but he had been far more bored today. The fact that he was considerably less bored could only mean one thing; that Fluttershy was finally done with her little shopping trip and was heading on back to her private little slice of comfort on the outskirts of Ponyville. Whether this was truly a blessing, Angel was not entirely sure, for he had had quite enough of Fluttershy's monologues and longed for a good long rest, and preferably something to eat. Whether she was amiably to that idea or not was what was deeply concerning him. He certainly did not fancy the idea of being stuck with her in private for hours on end.

"You know something, Angel my dear." She began once again. "How did a mare like me ever afford such a cosy little cottage like this in the first place? That sounds like something I should know; but I don't. If I had to guess, I'd say that I was given it as a means to look after so many animals far away from all the town hassle. Does that ring true to you? Or it is but one of the many of the great mysteries of our past that life has chosen to withhold from us?"

The funny thing was, Angel did in fact know how Fluttershy had come into ownership of her cottage. Such a shame then, that he had no way of communicating that to her.

"Oh well." Fluttershy said indeed.

By now, they had reached the boundaries of her little residence, looking only a little worse for wear than how they had left it. Fluttershy yawned immensely to herself as she opened and crossed the threshold of her home. Angel promptly hopped off her back, fully intent on lounging in his little comfort zone, preferably some distance away her and her little musings.

"Now, what to do with this assortment we have assorted?" Fluttershy began, as she opened her pack and laid out the collection of flowers upon the table, only slightly damaged by the cramped storage.

Angel did not pay her any attention. Or at least, he was attempting to; there was little in the cottage that was safe from her voice.

"Daises, lilies, and roses." She mused. "What does it all mean? Perhaps it is a way of fixing this strange external and internal crisis I am under? But how does collecting random flowers factor into that? And now that I think about it, are this really flowers, or merely plants? And why these in particular, for there are many other flowers, and even many other different kinds of these particular flowers. Oh, why so many questions and so little answer. Or are these even questions, and not merely asinine ramblings of an exceptionally confused soul? Who am I even querying in the first place, myself? Then how can I expect to answer if it is me asking the questions? Perhaps something else other than myself occupies this space? Oh, why is everything so confusing?!"

She sunk to the floor in despair. Angel might have felt a little sorry for her, had he not been driven mad by her ramblings like the conflicted pony she was. The situation looked dire, strange and immensely irritating all at the same time.

Just then, something happened to disrupt their little predicament. Up through the open window a squirrel, of all creatures entered. It took Angel a moment or two to realise there was another in the room, but Fluttershy, too busy mopping in self defeat, did not care to register her furry friend. That is, until it jumped up on the table in front of her and started up its squirrel talk at a frantic pace.

"I say, you furry fiend, can't you see I'm in situation that demands privacy?!" She angrily scolded it.

The squirrel did not register her brushing it off. It obviously had information for her that could not wait.

"Oh fine, I will make an attempt to understand you cretin." Fluttershy relented. "Hmm, you say... something terrible has happened... and naturally you want me to investigate. Well why not?"

Fluttershy stood herself upright, sweeping up her flowers back into the pack and slinging it across her back, for some reason. The squirrel dashed right back out the way it came, while she made a slower exit out the front door. She did not notice that Angel had immediately hopped back on her back as well; whatever this development was, it had troubled and engaged him enough to want to find out more.

The squirrel led the two round the back of the cottage where Fluttershy kept her part-farmhouse, part menagerie of various animals. Instantly, it was clear that the scene had been disturbed. Several specimens were scampering about the scene in distress; squirrels, beavers, rabbits and the like, whilst birds circled overhead like vultures. They investigated a little more, and soon discovered just what had occurred.

The chicken coop was noticeably absent of many chickens. The sight alarmed Angel, but only districts Fluttershy.

"Now what has happened here, while I've been gone?" She remarked, looking about for an answer.

What she could find was a trail of feathers; chicken feathers to be exact, leading off in a disorganised trail right into the Everfree Forest.

"Now that is a development." She said.

Angel found her attitude quite disturbing. That is until Fluttershy stated up a gallop and pelted off into the forest thicket.

The forest was surprisingly well lit considering the number of trees all around them. Angel grew afraid, for the forest was naturally a place he stayed away from. His owner in the other hoof was determined to get to the bottom of this, and simply delved further and further into the twisting and turning pathways, while her bunny held on for dear life.

When suddenly, the pair broke the cover of tress and emerged on a high rise, almost like they had emerged right on the other side of the forest. That could not be; yet they stood at the start of a very wide slope that led right into a valley.

"I knew it!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "Parasprites. Parasprites! How dare they! So they think they can steal my livelihood, can they. Well, we'll just see about that..."

She reared her legs, Angel clutching for neck for dear life. When to his astonishment, Fluttershy let out a neigh far beyond her years; less of a neigh and more of a roar. He imagined it echoing wide and loud all around the forest.

"Angel my dear." Fluttershy began. "Our business is with certain critters tonight. We are going down to the valley. All of us!"

The leaves in the trees behind them rustled. Angel turned around, and before he knew it, a whole host of animals were emerging from the shadowy cover. All the small little farm animals flocked to Fluttershy's hooves; above, flocks of crows and ravens circled ahead. Immense eagles perched themselves on the tops of the trees, awaiting the go. Finally, a gargantuan bear lumbered through the trees, breaking what it could not brush aside.

"Come my friends!" Fluttershy announced to the hordes. "We are marching!"

Angel was not sure what was going on. But as he held on to Fluttershy tight, he got the impression that he was going to enjoy it.

"It is likely that many of us will jot survive the night." Fluttershy spoke gravely. "I may be uncertain if many things, but I know this for certain. I ever so hate Parasprites."

And with that, she marched off, leading her little gathering off down into the valley...

The sky over the Everfree Forest was initially a calm and tranquil blue as the evening was turning into the night. Down in that valley, all was still, a brisk wind filled the scene, but all was well.

That is, until a loud rumble filled the valley. The leaves in the few tress scattered about rustled fiercely in the wind, instantly turning from a merely brisk breeze to a powerful gale. The valley however, was safe from intrusion, for it lay behind a mighty dam of thick wood, containing the forest's many streams and denying entrance to any would be assailants. But then, far above, a thick murder of crows flew right over the wooden dam and circled the valley's perimeter, their cawing creating a sickening symphony that supplemented the fierce wind upon the shaking trees. And then, the might dam started to crack, under attack by some powerful force. The steams that had been blocked off by the wood were starting to leak and spill into the disturbed valley, until finally...

An immense sound, like that of the most powerful explosion shattered the earth and shook the whole valley as a massive hole was blown right through the wooden dam. In an instant the contained streams, now free, poured torrential in all directions, flooding the valley as a horde of various creatures of all sizes poured in, riding the currents right into the breached valley.

From beneath the earth, another tremor trembled, and suddenly, fissures violently cracked all over and swarms of the valley's defendants, the parasitic Parasprites flew out in every direction to combat the aggressors.

"Friends, allies!" The voice of a yellow pegasus with a pink mane called out to her horde. "Destroy these Parasprites!"

And with that, the fighting commenced. It would have been a good contender for the single greatest clash in all of Equestria's history. It was a total anarchic kaleidoscope of chaos; with Fluttershy at the helm, her animals took to the Parasprites with a fury the likes of which had not been seen before or since. She delved right into the swarms of parasitic colours and wasted no time in whacking and smashing with her hooves at whatever they could reach. The Parasrites burst into brilliant flashes of whatever hue they resembled when struck, partially blinding her but she did not care. For Fluttershy was caught up in the swell of battle that all she cared to see were their sickening hues, and all she cared to think about was thoughts of wiping them from the face of the earth.

And her menagerie turned fighting force was more than willing to join in. Her farmyard flocks did their best to swipe at the devious fiends, though they were somewhat restricted by their small size. The scene above was another matter entirely, as the crows, now joined by ravens took to contending with their airborne contenders, creating a hellish racket as the sky was filled with the sounds of their shrieking and filled with the sights of the Parasprites going puff under attack. Eagles flew right up high into the air, and soared down with their talons sharp, enacting ariel dives upon the Parasprites, taking out a great many in a single dive.

But that was just the start of it. While Parasprites were hardly completely capable of spawning an instant copy upon utter destruction, they did have a sense of preservation that can be likened to the act of recycling. For every hooffull of Parasprites that burst into a fluffy mess, at least one Rose from the fluffy ashes, ready to continue the fight. Fluttershy and her kin were fighting an ultimately loosing battle, for they could not beat down the swarm's numbers. The Parasprites were hardly fighting themselves, but they were exhausting the beasts through continued battle. And with the valley filling with more and more water, they would be overrun.

"Angel!" Fluttershy screamed, though that was unnecessary for the terrified little bunny would not dare let go of her back. "We are going underground! We're going to cut off this beast's head."

Very dramatically, she stretched her wings and took flight into the chaotic sky. By now, the surface of the valley was filled with shallow water, still contained by the mostly intact wooden dam, but still coming through, pouring into the open fissures in the earth created by the Parasorites. Fluttershy flew low to avoid the conflict above, swooping low over the ground, until she found one of the particular large holes in the ground that was not completely flooded, before she took a deep breath and plunged right into the earth.

The sky above filled with the battle looked further and further away the more they dived. Water was leaking all around them, but these underground caves were immense, hardly in any danger of being completely submerged underwater. Angel had no idea what they were looking for, but Fluttershy moved with obvious intent in her mind. They saw no signs of any Parasprites, but they knew that something delved down there with them.

Eventually they came upon an exceptionally large cave, at the bottom of which a rocky ground could be seen. Fluttershy docked herself, and held position. Angel remained on her back, maintaining a cautious grip.

Suddenly, they heard a noise. A small noise that they almost missed; it could have been mistaken for the treacle of the streams still subtly falling it, or the creaking of the rook. Fluttershy turned to its source, and found it to be the clucking of chickens. She raced across the cave floor, and sure enough, found the very group of chickens that had been taken from her.

"My chicks! Oh thank the maker!" Fluttershy exclaimed in relief.

But before she could reach them, she heard another noise. A mighty rumble in the rock beneath her, and barely a second had passed before the rock shook and broke. A swarm of Parasprites flew out and were all around her in an instant, denying her access to her chicks.

"You thought you could take what I hold dear?!" She barked to the swarm, her voice thick with wrath and thundering about the cave. "Get out, sprites! You will not keep me from my chicks!"

The swarm did not disperse, but it did not descend upon her either. Instead, it started circling around her; still keeping her from reaching their captives. Then, Fluttershy noticed that the fluffy little bugs were morphing together, squashing themselves into larger hovering orbs of bright vibrant colours. And those larger orbs turned into even large orbs, until they started to form the colossal shape of a fluffy pony. The grotesque figure composed of deceptive bright shades of pink, blue and green stood right between Fluttershy and her chicks. And then, to her shock, it managed to twist the contours of its mockery of a mouth and utter a deepening cry.

"WHat ARE You GOINg TO Do now, PEGAssUSSSSS?"

Fluttershy stood before the gargantuan Parasprite pony, gazing at it gazing at her gazing at it. Angel cowered on her back, evidently he did not possess her fortitude. Fluttershy still stood before the beast, for as it turned out there was no plan in her head. All through this campaign she had been driven by a need to take back what was stolen from her. Never once questioning just how bizarre the whole ordeal had been. But now, she had but one little trick that she sincerely hoped would work.

"Angel my dear?" She began. "I don't suppose you could open that saddlebag there could you?"

The little bunny was initially too overcome with terror to answer her. When he became certain that the giant beast was still patiently waiting for them to act however, he composed himself enough and managed to regain his senses and open the lid of the bags saddled across Fluttershy's back. The pegasus reached in and sure enough, drew out the three sets of flowers they had spent the day collecting. She held them before the giant Parasprite and...

The colossal creature merely laughed a wicked laugh from its fluffy mouth in response. Fluttershy stepped back whilst Angel reaffirmed his tight grip on her mane. The giant pony mockery suddenly let out a mighty, mighty roar; a bellow that shook the ceiling of the underground caverns and sent Fluttershy flying far back and tumbling onto the rocky ground. Angel flew off her and hit the ground painfully too. Fluttershy raised her head and got back into a standing position, but the humungous Parasprite was instantly upon her, roaring wide and this time sending out a swarm of its much smaller brethren that shrouded over Angel, separated from Fluttershy by a small distance.

"Angel!" The pegasus screamed. "You give him back you..."

The mighty beast roared once again, making the whole cavern rumble uncontrollably. The ground beneath Fluttershy started to rock and shake under the pressure, and soon deep cracks that turned into wide fissures began sprouting up. She darted and dived to avoid falling in, as well as the swarms that were freely spewing from the giant's mouth. As if that was not enough, more Parasprites were beginning to fly freely out of the opening cracks in the rock. Fluttershy took to the underground skies and was now desperately trying to avoid virtually everything in the cavern. She suddenly noticed the captive chicks, sitting right in the middle of a rocky edge that was threatening to give way into the black chasms beneath.

Without thinking, Fluttershy dived right at them, landing on the inland, and scooping them up in her hooves. But at that moment of vulnerability, a giant swarm of Parasprites descended on her, managing to lift her larger form into the air, holding her and her chicks hostage.

Fluttershy could do nothing to free herself from the swarm without risking losing the chicks to the swarm. The huge pony swarm stood, or rather hovered before her in the air; the little form of Angel could be seem clutched in its mighty hand, evidently screeching but that was lost beneath the sounds of the swarms and the crashing rocks. Both the little tiny Parasprites and the monstrous pony one were now slowly descending into the sunken cracks beneath them, an abyss of blackness beneath them. Fluttershy struggled but try as she could it was hopeless. A slow realisation suddenly creeped into her head that all of what was happening was her fault; there was nothing she could do now, for she was at rock bottom, both mentally and physically, about to sink even further into total and utter despair. The situation was at its most dire...

When suddenly!

Fluttershy felt something other than the fluffy swarm around her. It was trickle of some kind; darting her head upwards she noticed that a steady stream of water from above had relented through the crumbling ceiling and was splashing the Parasprite swarms. It caused them some distress, but it was little more than a nuisance to them. But if more of the ceiling could be broken away, specifically by loud noise like the roars of the monster that held Angel, it might just be more.

"Listen to me, you monsters!" Fluttershy did her best to shout at the chaos. "Listen to me!"

It was no good, for the giant and the swarms were still descending into the blackness. The steady stream of water was still just that. It made her mad just to think at how she was being ignored, mad enough to give them a piece of her mind, mad enough!

"You big... mean... blue, pink green... fuzzy... little... MEANIES!" She bellowed, an unknown strength within her imbuing the courage within her to shout as loudest as she conceivably could.

Fluttershy's voice bounded all round the great, crumbling chasm. Right down into the deep it went, and finding nothing it came back up, right up to the ceiling. There was a rumble, like that of a great many big rocks turning into medium rocks turning into smaller rocks. And before the Parasprites could register it, the rocky ceiling above completely paved way, sending a great number of stones into the deep below, but more importantly, sending an entire river right behind them. The swarms holding Fluttershy and her chicks was absolutely drenched and scatters by the torrential water cascading down upon them. The pegasus felt it too, but through sheer willpower she managed to stretch her wings and break free of the swarm, her chicks held to her chest tightly with one hoof.

Then she noticed the giant composition of Parasprites, forcefully breaking under the sheer pressure of water. But more importantly, she noticed her little Angel falling free of its grasp, now descending into the darkness at a much faster rate, aided by the rushing water. Like a mare possessed, Fluttershy dived down in his direction, as fast as she could remember flying in her whole life. She stretched out her free hoof, and scooped him right up in it, and like an eagle, she soared right back up. Her wings stretched from point to point, wrecked by the amount of water collapsing on them, but Fluttershy found a strength unlike any she had felt before, and soared up towards the open sky like an angelic being, with her Angel in one hoof and her chicks in the other.

Up and out of the biggest fissure in the earth, the pegasus rose back into the valley. The wooden dam had completely given way, nothing now stood to prevent the streams from flooding the valley as it became like a ocean with small islands where the ground was at its highest, the fluffy remains of the Parasprites that had once made it their lair washing away in the currents. Fluttershy rose as high as she could before she felt the air grow chill. And so, she flew right back down, heading far from the waters of the valley to the borders of the forest where her home resided.

Her animal army awaited her as she descended back down. The instant they saw her, they all erupted into cheering, a gratifying well earned victory cry that warmed her to her core. Fluttershy settled her chicks back down, who were quite composed considering the whole ordeal they had been put through, fiercely shaking themselves to get rid of the immense levels of water drenched into their feathers.

As for Angel, the moment he was free of her protective grasp and had promptly given himself a thorough rinse, he reared back and started to slap her face silly. Fluttershy took it in grace, for his weak and water drenched arms meant there was little he could do to actually harm her. She was just glad that he was in a position to do that.

"Oh my... goodness." She announced to the ensemble. "I don't think I've ever done something quite like that before. Such a shame to lose those flowers."

The sight of her animals, battered and bruised from the battle but no less worse for wear was having a very strange effect on Fluttershy. It warmed her to no end, despite how much she was shivering.

"I have to say." She continued. "I don't think I've ever quite felt this way to you before. The rush of adrenaline as we stormed that valley; the immense fear in front of that giant beast; the hopelessness, the sudden spark of an idea, it's all a bit overwhelming. I don't think I've ever been so sure of something before. I think I might be experiencing... experi... oh my goodness me!"

Suddenly, a blazing light burst from Fluttershy. A dazzling purple and yellow that struck the animals with terror, but none dared to approach. The sight persisted for some time, but finally the lights dimmed, leaving behind the same old pegasus, who promptly crashed to the ground. Angel rushed to his owner's side, a sickening feeling all about him. That feeling soon subsided however, when he saw Fluttershy open her eyes. She looked lost, and when she noticed that she was lying on the ground, she looked more lost; and when she saw the sight in front of her, she looked even more lost.

"Angel?" She said quietly. "Why are you so wet? Why am I so wet? Why are the rest of you so wet?"

Her animals simply observed her in silence. Slowly, Fluttershy got to her hooves, and somehow Angel knew that she was a different mare then when she had formerly stood.

"What happened to you all?" She continued. "Look at you, you're all so scruffy. Whoa... I feel really tired. Do the rest of you feel really tired?"

The ensemble reply in tones of acknowledgement.

"Well. Guess we all better get to bed then, huh?" She suggested.

Her animals all positively replied once again, and all soon started to depart, heading on back to their respective dens. All except for Angel, that was.

"Angel. You look hungry." Fluttershy noted.

The bunny nodded his head very enthusiastically. Something about that warmed the pegasus, but she could not quite place.

"Well, let's get you something, then okay." She said, before stepping over to the door to her cottage.

Angel followed. For the first time in a long while, he knew what was going on. And he was definitely going to enjoy it...

What's Opera, Doctor?

By now Spike was getting the hang of being interrupted, be it from some kind of event or a pony crashing about in front of him, what he had seen today made the little dragon just end up accepting whatever the day threw at him. if he had to talk to a hundred ponies before reaching the library, well, it wouldn't be anything new to him, just as long as he didn't end up getting thirsty or hungry.

So when he was once again interrupted, there wasn't much left for him to get irritated about so he just turned round to get a good look at the next prospector. This time, it was a male earth pony with a mixture of dark grey and amber for his coat and mane, but what Spike could tell was off about him was how ordinary he looked, like there was nothing eccentric or unusual to be found just by looking at him, and when he addressed the dragon, his manner of speech seemed fairly acceptable for Spike.

"Say there little dragon, could I borrow a few moments of your time if that's okay?" The stallion requested in a very polite manner, and Spike was welcome for the change.

"Ur, okay I guess." He simply accepted of the stranger, who didn't waste any seconds in explaining his interest in the dragon.

"Oh perfect, this will only take a moment, but if you don't mind could I make a bold guess about you?" He asked again in the same formal tone.

"What kind of guess?" Spike asked in turn.

"Well." The earth pony began. "This might seem a little strange to you, or it could make quite a lot of sense, but you haven't had any spells cast upon you today, perchance?"

"Well." Spike said quietly, not sure whether to be entirely truthful here. "Maybe one or two, certain spells."

"Ahh that makes a load of sense." The stranger responded, and Spike found a feeling of unfamiliarity and he couldn't place the stranger's name.

"These spells." They continued. "Could you perhaps describe any effects they've might have been showing?"

"Umm." Spike hesitated, for there was much he could go on for many hours talking about the effects of the spell to this stranger. "Well, there's been a wide variety of effects y'know." He did his best to reply.

"And these effects." The stranger continued. "They wouldn't have anything to do with the personalities of any ponies you've encountered today?"

"Umm, well… yes." Spike timidly admitted.

"Ahh that fits perfectly." The stranger replied enthusiastically, before getting to grips with himself and continuing on. "Well Spike, I'm afraid I've been lying to you. It'll take a little more than a moment of your time. I would really like for you to accompany me back to town hall, just to further clarify things, if you would be so kind."

Now Spike needed a moment to think about that proposal. None of the other ponies he had encountered had requested such a thing, and there was something very strange about this particular pony that seemed off to him, the least of all that he knew about the spell. What was Spike's chief concern was who he was, and that was what he wanted to know before he would accept such an invitation.

"Who are you?" He simply addressed.

"Ahh, well that gets a little complicated." The pony replied.

"Why?" Spike asked, though not surprised at all.

"Well if it's names you're after." The pony began. "Folks around here call me Time Turner, though that's really just because of my job."

"Time Turner. Seems simple enough." Spike noted to himself.

"Yes it does." The pony replied. "But there's a lot more to me than just the name, see I'm a doctor."

"Okay, so Dr Time Turner." Spike explained.

"Well if you want." The stranger pleaded. "But just the name Doctor's a little vague; it doesn't really give away what kind of doctor."

"And what kind of doctor are you?" Spike asked.

"Well I got my first degree in medicine." The stallion explained.

"Okay." Spike said before slowing working it out. "So it's Dr Time Turner MD, right?"

"Well yeah, but that's not the only kind of doctor I am." The stranger retorted. "See, in addition to a doctor of medicine, I am also a doctor of philosophy, a doctor of accountancy, a doctor of architecture, a doctor of timekeeping, a doctor of dental surgery, a doctor of magic and a doctor of …well, candy."

"So…" Spike uttered in immense confusion.

"That would be." The doctor responded, before clearing his throat. "Dr Time Turner MD Ph.D. MAcc DT DMM DC." He proudly recited.

Spike couldn't quite wrap his mind around all those titles, simply standing in silence at the many identities of the stranger.

"Oh and I almost forgot." He was suddenly reminded. "Some ponies like to call me by my nickname "Hoof" or "Hooves". So that would be…"

"That must have taken you a long time." Spike was quick to say something to interrupt his ever growing string of titles.

"Oh it did." The stallion replied. "Though I'm pretty good at multitasking."

"How about I just go with Time Turner." Spike suggested.

"Well if you want." The stranger replied a little disheartened. "But anyways, back to the matter at hand, would you kindly accompany me to city hall to conduct some research?"

"Fine I guess, as long as I can get a lift there." The dragon was quick to remind the pony.

"Sure thing Spike, I've often been described as dashy. Or was it splashy." The doctor pondered to himself before letting Spike hop on his back before setting off for town hall.

"And how do you know my name anyway?" Spike was suddenly reminded.

"Oh please I am a doctor. It didn't take too long to deduce the identity of the only dragon in Ponyville." Time Turner reminded Spike as he raced along the streets of Ponyville to their destination.

Time Turner proved to be much more of a rougher ride then Twilight Sparkle ever was, Spike reckoned that the doctor was in one heck of a rush to get to town hall, but was nonetheless appreciative considering how much walking he had done today. It didn't take them long to reach their destination, and Spike was once again grateful since he was now closer to the library.

Dismounting now, the pair went into the hall, the dragon having to run to keep up with the stallion's pace for he was still barely containing another urge to burst into a sprint.

"Eh, Timey, trying to become a vet now, are we?" A fellow stallion snarled at Time Turner as the two past him by.

"Nah wouldn't want to beat you in that department as well, Dave Ross." Time turner simply snarled back, earning a disapproving glare from who Spike imagined was a competitive doctor of sorts.

"Who was…?" He began to ask.

"Dave Ross." Time Turner was quick to reply. "Well, that's not really his name, but it's what I like to call him, makes him act up every time."

Eventually they came to a door leading into a rather cramped office, filled with many clocks and time tracking machines, Spike took a seat whilst the doctor busied himself examining many of the mechanical odds and ends scattered about.

"Ah here it is." He said at last, digging out a very odd looking clock, and laying it on the table for Spike to further analyse it.

In comparison to any other clock Spike had ever laid eyes on, this one had more than two hands, each going about in different directions, as well as certain symbols running parallel to the numbers arranged in satellite fashion around the edge.

"This is a very special clock designed to record and measure notable spells preformed around the day." Time Turner began to explain. "As you can see, the very ritual spells that rise the sun and moon each day are here."

Spike could see the symbols for the sun and moon arranged at the top and bottom ends of the clock, but they were the only ones he could make out.

"In addition." Time Turner continued. "It can also record when certain feats are preformed, like Sonic Rainbooms, but what really struck me was when it went off sometime around last night, and again early this morning."

He gestured to a strange symbol that was correlated to the times he had mentioned, a certain multi-coloured circle that contained many silhouettes of pony heads inside. Spike having looked at it, could see where this was going.

"Now after I preformed my duties as Ponyville's official timekeeper and recorded this changes, I did some research, went poking about to see what was this strange spell. And through certain interactions with select ponies, they all lead me straight to you my friend." Time Turner explained.

Spike would have replied, but Time Turner went on.

"However, I don't believe that you yourself are responsible for whatever spell this is, in fact I don't believe dragons are capable of such a thing anyway." He said. "But what does concern me is that this symbol's also been going off irregularly, and from the magical residue it leaves behind, I can make the fair assumption that it's when you talk to ponies that it goes off."

Spike was simply listening intently, wanting to see how much the doctor had deduced from this clock.

"And if I'm not mistaken, there is another force drawing from the effects that this spells resonates whenever you talk to a pony, and I'm guessing that it's a unicorn where the entire effects end up, am I right?" Time Turner posed to the dragon.

Spike could now see that there was no point in holding back anything now, the doctor had amazed by figuring it all out, and Spike could tell how well-deserved those degrees were.

"Yes." He admitted at last.

"Oh good." Time Turner responded with a hint of satisfaction. "Now, what I don't regrettably know is how to document or properly study the effects this spell is having, all I can do is simply record their occurrences."

"Where are you going with this?" Spike was now eager to know.

"Well, I believe that the unicorn responsible for this spell, and I'm guessing that it is one Twilight Sparkle will be able to succeed where me, a simply earth pony failed. If you would head on back to her, she should provide you with the knowledge that I seek." The doctor explained.

"Okay then." Spike simply admitted, before a sudden curiosity took him. "But doctor, why are you doing all this?"

"Why am I doing this?" Time Turner expressed back. "Well I've seen for myself what this spell is capable of. So far, the results have been pretty much isolated, a pony talking odd there or a pony losing their voice, but since I myself don't appear to be effected, as our conversation appears to be proving, I would sincerely like to find some way of perhaps stopping any negative effects when they show themselves."

"Right." Spike replied, and he himself wondered about any negative effects he may have seen today. "But what do you want me to do?" He asked again.

"Go on back to this Twilight." Time Turner responded. "I've some business to attend to before I' be once again recording the effects of your little spell."

The doctor made his way to leave but the door to the office swung open and another stallion entered.

"Hey Time you don't happen to have a… dragon." He began, faltering when he laid his eyes on Spike.

"Yes sir I do." Time Turner responded. "How exactly did you know that I wonder, hmm?"

"Oh." The stallion got himself together before continuing. "Well it's just he's got a visitor."

"What. Who?" Spike now asked eagerly.

"Some mare, said she's a friend of yours, here to escort you back to some library, goes by the name of Rarity." The stallion informed him…

DJ Elegence

Unlike her little dragon assistant, Twilight hadn't become quite as used to being interrupted. For such a prompt mare, everything was arranged in an orderly fashion, and only just now was she getting the hang of this walking and talking business. So when the purple unicorn's trail of thought was interrupted, she couldn't help but feel slightly irritated.

"Say old sport, got time for a question?" The voice went.

Turning her head to face her verbal intruder, Twilight was quite bewildered by the unicorn's appearance.

"Go on." She said after getting over her fright.

"Oh brilliant." The mare said with enthusiasm. "What do you think of this get up?"

The get up was what was make Twilight's brain all confused. The unicorn had a yellowish white coat that must mostly covered under a dark black jacket. A wicked electric blue mane was in two states, the part that flowed over the unicorn's head seemed to be managed in an orderly trim, but the tail was still an eccentric mess. But it was the overly large top hat fastened to the unicorns head that made her seemed cartoonish, especially since it contradicted the goggles with dark purple lenses over the eyes.

"You want my opinion?" Twilight asked the eccentric unicorn.

"That's what I asked you for, didn't I?" The unicorn said eagerly.

"Well?" Twilight took some time to go over the unicorn's get up, for she had never seen something quite like it.

"Well it's pretty unusual." She said at last.

"Is it the hat, do they clash with the goggles too much?" The unicorn asked concern.

"Kind of." Twilight agreed "Ah, I would get rid of the goggles but I've grown far too used to them to get rid of them now, but I can't rid myself of this brand new identity." The unicorn proudly stated.
"You don't say." Twilight replied dryly.

"I do." The unicorn replied.

"What's your name?" Twilight asked her.

"Err." The mare replied. "Kind of complex that one."

"How so?" Twilight pressed her.

"Well." The unicorn began. "I usually go by my stage name, you may have heard me: DJ Pon-3."

"I may have." Twilight replied, hardly too keen on anything a name like that reminded her of.

"Or maybe Vinyl Scratch, have you heard of that?" The pony with more then one name asked.

"No." Twilight flatly replied.

"Huh." The unicorn replied defeated. "I would have thought I might have made a little more of an impression around these parts. Never mind! I'm sure in a months time you will have heard of me!"

"And why's that?" Twilight asked unconvinced.

"Can't tell you, secret." The still indeterminable unicorn said cheekily.

"Of course." Twilight replied.

Mare, she goes and casts one little sentient spell, and all of a sudden, it seems that everypony suddenly has their own secret business. Well her business was just as important. Hopefully.

"Just you wait." The unicorn said. "No more turntables and beats for me, my name will be up in bright lights on the Manehatten Broadway: Vinyl... err."

"All righty then." Twilight said. "Good luck with that."

And like Cadance and the General before her, she made her departure, leaving the fancy dressed up unicorn to ponder potential names for her big break. Now there would be no more little discussions with these lovely, lovely pony folk. Now the princess herself was within her grasp, and there would be some answers indeed.

Either that or an extreme telling off...