A lively tune emanated from behind the door of Twilight Sparkle's bedroom. Her humming filled the room as she readied herself for a short-notice and, as she assured her parents, completely platonic walk in the park with her oldest friend. Twilight gingerly brushed a few strands of frizzy hair back into place with a small lavender comb, looking at herself in the mirror with an impossible-to-contain smile etched on her face.

"I think that'll do."

She gave her outfit another once-over; it was summer, so a familiar blue polo and a cute but functional pair of purple cargo shorts would have to do for the impromptu walk. She didn't bother with much makeup outside of some eyeliner and grape-flavored lip gloss courtesy of Rarity—not that Spike would have minded either way, she figured.

She smiled. Spike. Her number one assistant and best friend since before even their days at Crystal Prep. They had met years ago at a park by mere happenstance—she couldn't have been much older than seven at the time—and became fast friends, a friendship that only grew stronger with every passing year. Some people even mistook them for family with how often they were around each other!

As she turned to leave, her mood dulled at the remembrance of some of the recent developments in their relationship. Since meeting her new friends at Canterlot High, they had been spending less time together outside of her experiments. Spike similarly found his own personal niche in CHS' social economy; something she didn't begrudge him for at all, but time spent with his other friends was time spent away from her nonetheless. When his call came through earlier in the morning, she was absolutely ecstatic at the prospect of getting to be with him free of any work or the presence of anyone else.

As she made her way down the stairs, she couldn't help but giggle at the interesting group dynamic Spike had with her friends. He was the only boy in their close-knit circle—something she was sure he didn't mind, even if he feigned otherwise at times. No, the really funny part was how clingy some of them could be towards their junior.

"Spike, can you give me a piggy back ride? Pretty please!"

"Hey green boy, there's this kink in my right calf that won't go away... think you could help with that?"

"Spike, I was wondering if maybe you might want to come volunteer at the animal shelter next weekend. We could really use someone as tall and, uh, strong as you to move and lift things."

"Hey partner, up for some apple picking tomorrow? I'll even let you take some home if you want!"

"Did you see any of the rumors that they're gonna drop a new trailer for the Ogres and Oubliettes video game at E4 this year? Wanna come by my place after school and watch the show?"

"Darling, I've been meaning to get back into men's formal wear. Would you care to fancy a try as my personal model for the day sometime next week?"

It was always a joy to see her friend get the appreciation and love he deserved, especially when he got all flustered and shy with all the physical affection her friends liked to shower him with. He was absolutely adorable! His red face, stammer, spiky green bangs—it was the complete package of boyish cuteness, if there ever was one. Not that she thought he was attractive, of course.

Twilight was well on her way to the park by the time she realized she had been coasting on autopilot, with thoughts of running her hands through spiky but inexplicably floofy green locks occupying her mental bandwidth. She instinctively looked around, face flushed red and fear in her eyes, as if her imagination had been laid bare to the world around her. She shook her head, letting out a sigh of relief as reality focused back into place.

The park was almost within reach, only about a hundred feet away. The redness in her cheeks returned, "Gosh, how long was I..."

Her embarrassment faded as the faint outline of a figure topped with green hair came into view. The person's back was turned, standing near the entrance of the park's north side. As she approached, the once indistinct form of her best friend became clearer, swaying slightly where he stood. Her pace quickened, excitement pushing her into a near sprint to bridge the several yards between them.

The boy turned around, amusement evident on his face at the sight of his oldest friend. Before he could even greet her verbally, the girl crashed into his arms with a force that nearly pushed both of them to the ground. He planted himself firmly into the earth to support their combined weight, a task made easier by the girl's relatively diminutive frame — she couldn't have weighed more than one hundred twenty pounds soaking wet, he estimated.

"Not that I don't want to hug you Twi, but can you give a guy a warning before doing your best heat-seeking missile impression on him?" He spoke, still holding onto her as she pressed her face into his chest.

"Sorry, Spike. It's been ages since we've gone for a walk in the park together. Just you and me, like old times!" The girl slowly extracted herself from Spike's firm grasp, basking in his unique scent and warmth as she did so. The boy's lanky arms felt so right around her, but she forced her desire to remain in his embrace to go away as they began to walk side by side.

"Yeah, I know! It's been forever since we hung out one on one, Twi. I had nothing going on today, so I figured it couldn't hurt to see if you wanted to do something too!" Spike finished, taking in the familiar surrounds of the park they had been visiting for most of their lives.

"Tell me about it! Between schoolwork, the girls, and Timber, I feel like I never have time for anything anymore!" She paused to adjust her glasses. "I feel terrible for not inviting you over more often, Spike. Mom and Dad miss you a ton!"

A sad smile found its way onto the boy's face at the thought of Twilight's family. ''Aw, I miss them too! But don't stress it, Twilight. I'm not exactly hounding you to hang out all the time either.'"

Twilight nodded. She knew it would have been unreasonable to expect their relationship to remain the same as it was when they were just two elementary kids without a care in the world, but life just didn't feel right without Spike in her daily rhythm. She couldn't quite place her finger on why, but she knew she felt empty without him by her side.
She turned away from the path in front of them to look up at the taller boy. "Well, if you're not busy next weekend, maybe you could... stay over at the house."

Spike rubbed his neck, uncertainty racking his mind as he contemplated the request. "For as smart as Twilight is, she really doesn't get how weird she sounds sometimes." He kicked a small rock out of the way. "I guess, Twilight, if your parents are cool with it?"

The girl beamed at him.

"They'll be gone for the entire week! It'll just be you and me, I swear!"

Spike's face burned as he imagined sharing a living space alone with Twilight for two days. He shook his head, unable to even look in the girl's direction anymore. "I don't know if that's a..." His voice trailed off as he already felt the disappointment emanating from her. The boy sighed. "Sure thing, Twi. I doubt Sludge will mind."

Twilight merely hummed in response. They continued walking in silence, enjoying the midday Canterlot breeze. The girl stole another glance at her companion, taking a moment to fully appreciate his choice of attire for their stroll. She smiled. "Glad he ditched the whole 'Mr. Stormy-and-Mysterious-all-the-time' thing today." He had swapped his usual black-on-black hoodie and jeans combo for green shorts and a light purple T-shirt. "He should wear purple more often..."

"You're looking pretty dapper today, Spike! Very... retro."
Spike flashed a toothy grin in her direction. "It's too warm for a hoodie, but thanks anyway." He gave her a quick once-over as well. "You're not looking too shabby either, Twi. You look really cute!"

Spike felt like shoving a fist down his throat as he registered the words that had just left his mouth. "Cute?"

"Uh, I mean, uh, you look—"

The sound of feminine giggling resounded through the air.

"Thanks, Spike! You're too kind."

Spike stared at her in silent shock, abject horror still flooding through his mind at his slip of the tongue. He balled his fists in frustration. "You big idiot, Spike. Twilight totally isn't cute... right?"

"So, whatcha been up to, big guy?"

Spike shook his head, frustration evident on his face. He let out a sigh, "Eh, nothing much. Just..." He paused, grimacing.

Twilight raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"Ember. She's kind of been yanking my chain around, y'know? One day, she thinks I'm the best thing since punk rock; the next, I'm garbage." He tucked his hands in his pockets, eyes locked firmly on the gravel path beneath their feet.

Twilight ignored the slight stabbing sensation in her heart at the mention of his would-be paramour and reached out to place a hand on her friend's shoulder. She patted it, offering him a comforting smile, "She doesn't know what she's missing! You're a catch, Spike."

Spike regarded Twilight with a smirk, "I know." His body visibly faltered, "Well, except according to her...and Smolder." He held up a hand, cutting his companion off before she could start, "Don't ask."

Twilight sighed, "They don't know you like I do, I guess. If any girl knew what you had to put up with working alongside me, I think they'd quickly realize what a dependable guy you are."

Spike's grin returned, "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Twi. Just hard to take what you're saying with more than a grain of salt considering I'm pretty much your stray."

"Oh, please. You've proven your character more than a few times, Spike. You've never needed me to do the right thing."

"Right. Like that time I saved you from a transdimensional magical demon possession."

Twilight shot a glare at the boy, who was quick to step a foot or two away from her. He held up his hands, an apologetic smile gracing his lips, "S-Sorry, Twi. Sensitive topic. I get it."

Twilight rolled her eyes, "It's fine. Just don't...sell yourself short, Spike. You're smart, relatively speaking—"

"Ouch."

She ignored the exaggerated hurt look he was nursing, "Loyal. Kind to a fault. And, unfortunately, pretty funny. And..." She turned an admiring eye toward him, "You're pretty cute yourself, Spike."

Spike stared at her, unbelief etched on his face.

Twilight felt like slapping herself. Hard. Repeatedly. Her entire body burned.

"He's kinda cute, like hot cute, but s-so what? It's not wrong to just appreciate it, right?"

"O-Objectively speaking, of course." Twilight let out, her voice several octaves higher than it normally was.

Spike nodded, his face burning, "Y-Yeah."

Their footsteps crunched along with the ambiance of the park.

"Twilight thinks I'm cute?"

"I'm such an idiot! Cute? Why does he have to be so, so...ugh." Twilight looked around, trying to find any escape from the silence engulfing them.

"Look, Spike!" His bout of internal questioning came to a sudden halt as Twilight drew his attention to a larger-than-average oak tree farther into the park. She was already changing course and taking him by the hand before he could even fully appreciate the significance of what they were looking at in the distance.

"Gah! Twilight, c-calm down!"

Twilight savored the feeling of their interlocked hands as they made their way to the tree. She missed holding hands with him; it had always made her feel so relaxed and safe when he'd walk her back to the house in the evenings. "His hand is so warm and soft..."

Spike's eyes widened in panic as they traversed the grassy path. The feeling of Twilight's dainty hand in his made his body tingle with warmth, but he was too concerned with any prying eyes to fully register their contact. He nervously peered around, searching for any onlookers who might see their oddly intimate position. "T-Twi, did you really need to g-grab me like that? What if someone sees us like t-this?"

"Oh, stop complaining; it's not like we've never held hands before, Spike." The girl grinned as she turned to address him, still pulling the boy along as they neared their destination. "Besides, who cares what anyone else thinks? If holding your best friend's hand is off limits because of what other people might say, Sunset and I would have never stood a chance."

Spike nodded along, not fully buying her rationalization, but no longer protesting it either. The redness in his face dulled, and he silently enjoyed the feeling of her soft hand in his for the little while they still had. Memories of being led around by Twilight when they were younger brought a small smile to his face, even despite the sadness that came with knowing their childhood play dates were a thing of the past.

"And...we're...here!" Twilight just about shouted as they reached their short journey's end. She ran a hand over the cracked, brown bark of the tree, memories abounding for her at the sight of the large oak.

Spike released himself from Twilight's grasp, stepping forward to meet her shoulder with his as they mutually gazed upon the tree.

"Say, Twilight, is this the tree where we-"

"Met?"

"Yeah."

"I think so, but it's been so long..."

He looked at the girl to his right, studying her features. She had a hazy look in her eyes, accompanied by a little smile. "Wow, Twilight's so gorgeous..." The breeze tousled her wavy bangs as they fluttered in the wind, and a hint of lavender wafted towards him; the entire world seemed to fade around them. His body felt weightless, but little bolts of electricity shot through him with every brush of skin brought on by Twilight's slight fidgeting. "We're so close..." His arm twitched; from the depths of his mind, the urge to wrap an arm around his old friend called out to him. He shook his head, trying to break free from these dangerous thoughts. "What's wrong with me? Twilight's just my friend, and she's already got a boyfriend! Why am I... why am I feeling like this?"

"You remember the first time we met, Spike?"

Spike blinked. He quickly turned to face the tree, silently hoping the warmth in his cheeks would fade before Twilight noticed. He coughed.

"Uh, yeah. I think I was, uh, sitting on that side playing with some sticks or something. Pretending to mine for gemstones, I think..."

Twilight chuckled, "Yeah, I remember seeing you over here sitting by yourself and thinking you looked a little lonely. I think I brought Smarty Pants over; asked if you wanted to play with me..." Her voice trailed off, the faint impression of their first meeting replaying in her mind. It had been so long ago, but the memory of them running together in the grassy field side by side brought a small smile to her face.

She continued, "I thought you looked lonely, but honestly, I was happy to finally make a friend besides Shining myself." She lightly nudged the taller boy to her left. "Even if they were a little younger than me."

Spike similarly laughed, "What can I say? I'm awesome. Everybody wants to be friends with Spike the Brave and Glorious."

Twilight rolled her eyes, unable to suppress a grin. "Is that what you call hiding behind me from bullies twice my size?"

Spike snorted, barely able to contain a fit of laughter. "Yeah, not one of my finer moments, but you sure did give Garble one heck of a verbal shredding! It was awesome!"

The boy made to sit down, back pressed up against the tree. He patted the empty space next to him, aiming an expectant glance at the senior girl. The two sat, taking a moment to enjoy the feel of the soft grass beneath them. Spike sighed in content; the natural greenery was a welcome change of pace from the usual leather couches and hard plastic chairs he was used to. He nudged Twilight, breaking the peaceful silence once more, "To be fair, you're the one who started calling me that 'O Princess of the Everfree'."

Twilight brought both of her hands behind her neck for a makeshift headrest. "Well, my mostly valiant knight in cardboard armor did need a fitting title. Give yourself a little credit, Spike - facing down dragons was no easy feat."

"Anything for my dear princess, Twi."

Twilight closed her eyes, imagining herself as a princess trapped in a large tower guarded by a fearsome dragon. In her mindscape, a boy with spiky green bangs appeared in the distance, possessing a lean but tall figure garbed in a light green cloak and black pants. He wielded a sword and shield, mounted on a white steed, swiftly dispatching her beastly captor. As he approached her, he looked even younger than she imagined from her perch atop the battlefield.

"Princess, I'm here to rescue you. Are you okay? Did that foul beast harm you in any way?"

His emerald eyes bore into hers, sincerity radiating through them. She blushed, feeling weak in the knees. "N-No, my dear knight. Worry not, I am physically quite fine." She noticed a small gash across his right cheek. "It is you who needs medical assistance, knight." She produced a white handkerchief from her pocket and gently dabbed at the cut. "You should consider yourself lucky a cut is all you sustained, sir."

They peered into each other's eyes, trading shy smiles as the princess finished tending to his wound. She studied the boy in front of her, a sense of familiarity rushing over her. "Do tell, brave knight - what is your name? And how did you know to find me here?"

"Princess Twilight, my name is Spike. Spike of Canterlot. Your family called upon my services once they learned that fiend Sombra had captured you during your visit to the neighboring Crystal Empire."

She lifted a hand to press against his uninjured cheek. "I see. Well, I'm sure my parents have prepared a great reward for my return, but as a token of my gratitude, I offer you..."

She leaned forward, eyes closed, as the green-haired knight stared in awe. Her lips met his for the briefest of moments, leaving before the hero could even think about reciprocating.

She brushed past the knight, looking over her shoulder at where he remained frozen in place. "C'mon, Spike - we have a home to return to!"

Before her fantasy could continue, a voice called out to her, concern lacing its tone. "Hey, Twi...are you okay?"

Twilight's eyes shot open. No more castles or dragons, just a tree and one concerned friend lying next to her.

She mentally scrambled for a reply. "U-Uh, yeah, of course, Spike! Sorry, I'm just a little sleepy." Her entire body burned with embarrassment. The proximity to her assistant was overwhelming; she could barely bring herself to look at him, not with those beautiful emerald eyes from her dreams staring back at her inches away from her face.

"Get a grip, Twilight. What's going on up there? Has Spike always been been so... cute, and handsome, and beautiful..." Her mind's eye wandered off, picturing the junior holding her in his strong arms as he carried her home. Not Timber, or Flash, or any of the other cute guys at CHS or Crystal Prep; it was him. She stared into the distance, ignoring the feeling of her heart pounding away in her chest like a freight engine.

"Spike. The dork supreme. My best friend. The most loyal but stubborn person I know. This can't... this can't be real."

"Er, Twilight, I have a question..."

Twilight turned to her friend, breaking her inner thoughts at the sound of the trepidation in his voice. She glanced at him, her eyebrow raised. "Sure..." She frowned, noting how pale the boy had suddenly become.

Spike bobbed his head back and forth, seemingly gathering the courage to continue. "Do you remember that one time your parents let us stay out late? I think we were in junior high, just walking around and stuff."

Twilight's eyes lit up as the hazy memory began to return to her. She nodded, "I think so, I was...12, I think."

Spike cringed, recalling his tween years, "Yeah, I must've been, like, 10 or 11 then. I remember..."

He thought back to that night, trying to recall everything he could...

It had been a Friday night; he had invited Twilight out for a movie after school, even using his birthday money to pay. They had grabbed ice cream for dinner after leaving the theater—no parents, no complaints, after all. They ended up at the park, enjoying their dessert with a nighttime stroll; if he remembered correctly, that part was her suggestion.

He remembered how excited he had felt staying out so late - he felt like a proper adult, and it felt so right walking hand in hand with his friend. He even lent her his jacket just to keep her warm; it had gotten a little chilly, and he wanted to be a gentleman.

They found their way to the center of the park, near the exact tree where they were now sitting. He recalled still having to look slightly up at Twilight, peering into those large purple-colored eyes of hers through the lenses of her glasses...

"Spike, you're, like, my boyfriend now. That's what Shining and Cadence told me when I left the house earlier."

He felt confused. Wasn't he already her boyfriend? He was her friend, and last he checked, he was certainly a boy.

"I guess?"

Twilight shook with excitement as she grabbed the younger boy by his shoulders. "If you're my boyfriend, that means I have to kiss you now..."

"On the mouth?"

"No, silly. That's for grown-ups! I mean, like, on your cheek!"

"Oh, my aunts kiss me like that."

"I'm not like your aunt; I'm your girlfriend, silly!"

"Twilight, what does that mean?"

Twilight stared at him. Silence.

"Y'know, I...I don't know. We're already friends, right?"

Spike nodded.

Twilight nervously adjusted her glasses. "But, uh, maybe it'll be good if I just..." She closed her eyes, and faster than he could react, his friend had already leaned in to plant a kiss on his right cheek. She pulled back, giggling to herself. "For practice when we're married. Wives are supposed to kiss their husbands, right?"

Spike gingerly touched the spot where Twilight's lips had been, feeling both the heat from his cheeks and a small amount of stickiness from the residue of her ice cream. "We're gonna get married?

Twilight fixed him with a deadpan stare.

"Obviously! You're the only boy I know who likes me besides Shiny and Dad, and I can't marry them!" She reached to grab his hand, beginning to pull them away from the tree. "When we're married, we never have to leave each other ever again! Doesn't that sound awesome!?"

Spike beamed at the girl. "It's like a sleepover...that never ends!"

As the memory of that night faded back into the recesses of his mind, he turned toward the girl, still searching for the right words.

"Twi... do you remember what we did that night?"

Twilight lay motionless. She looked up at the gangly branches shading them, silently observing the way they moved to the beck and call of the wind. She slowly turned to meet Spike's gaze. "Yeah. I do."

The girl pushed herself into a sitting position to level with her friend, keeping her gaze firmly locked on his. "We kissed." She looked away, half-heartedly taking in the busy traffic in the distance. "Spike... we should talk."

"You said I was your boyfriend..."

"Spike."

The boy ignored the pleading look on her face as he continued, "And you said we'd get married and, um..."

"Spike!"

Spike's color had returned in full force, and his eyes closed. "I know we were kids and everything, but maybe that wouldn't be so bad!?"

Twilight facepalmed and shook her head in frustration. "Boys. They just don't listen."

Spike shifted away from Twilight, already starting to stand back up to put distance between him and the girl. "Just forget it. Sorry I even asked. I know you're with, um, that one guy from camp. I gotta go, Twilight."

As the boy began to scamper away in defeat, Twilight moved to stop him before she even realized what she was doing. Her body collided with his as she leaped at the much taller boy, hard enough to bring them crashing back down to earth. The soft grass and dirt cushioned their impact, with Spike taking the brunt as Twilight landed on top of him.

The older girl straddled her friend. He stared up at her, eyes wide with fear and lips beginning to quiver. Twilight wanted to cringe at the sight, knowing full well how insecure her friend could be, but resolve overtook her as she steadied herself.

"Spike! You need to calm down. I just want to talk, I swear! You've done nothing wrong. Just hear me out, please."

She looked down at him, pleading with her eyes for him to stay and listen. She felt his body tremble underneath her, but he gave her a weak nod in acknowledgment of the request.

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "I think I heard what you were saying about us being together, and I..."

Spike's breath hitched as the girl found her words on top of him.

"I... I like you too, Spike. I..."

She wanted to say more, but the words escaped her. Silence reigned once more. Twilight's confidence faltered, and she could no longer hold eye contact with him. All the while Spike and his body were starting to reckon with the fact that a very attractive older girl was currently seated on top of him...

The boy awkwardly shifted beneath her weight, trying to create some space between them before any regrettable bodily mishaps befell him. The whirlwind of emotions that were currently running through his mind made speaking difficult. Finally, he cleared his throat to address her the best he could, "Twi, can you get off of me please?"

Twilight offered a sheepish smile before simply moving to lie beside him. They lay together, their faces centimeters apart. Purple and emerald reflected off each other as they exchanged curious glances on the grassy floor.

"Sorry, guess I got a bit carried away there..."

"It's okay, Twi. I think it was my fault we fell anyway."

The duo laughed, basking in the serenity of the moment. But Twilight's gaze sharpened once more. She bit her lip, hoping the fear would give way to courage as she pushed forward into the unknown, "I like you a lot, Spike. I think I have for a while, but it's only just come into focus for me. You're... really cute, Spike."
Spike's signature toothy grin returned in full force. "I'm not surprised; you're looking at Canterlot's biggest heartbreaker! The ladies can't get enough of me, what can I say?"

Twilight shook her head in exasperation. "Why do I suddenly feel like not kissing you anymore?"

Spike closed his eyes as he nuzzled their foreheads together. "I'm just kidding, Twi. I'll never break your heart, ever. And I swear upon my, um, code of honor to be the best boyfriend in the entire world!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "I take it that's a yes, then?"

"You betcha."

In one swift motion, Twilight pushed herself onto the boy's lean but firm frame again, this time with more grace than the last. Spike wrapped an arm around Twilight's smaller, feminine form, savoring the way she felt pressed up against him. Their noses touched, and her long purple hair cascaded around them, serving to shield them from any would-be onlookers and their prying eyes.

In one magical instant, Twilight closed the short gap between their lips and planted a chaste kiss on the boy below her. She leaned back, admiring his peaceful expression as their lips disconnected. Before she could continue her kissing barrage, the peace was quick to dissipate as his eyes shot open in panic. "Ah, what the heck, Twilight! What about that Timber dude? Aren't you guys still dating?"

Twilight squinted down at him, "Do you think I'd be kissing you if we were?"

"But when did you guys break up?"

"Give or take two months ago."

"Gosh, we really haven't been hanging out much at all recently, have we?"

"Well, that's going to be changing a lot now, thankfully. Now we have a reason to be together."

The boy's face took on a contemplative look, "And we're gonna have to tell the girls, and your family. I wonder how they'll take it?"

Twilight leaned forward, taking a moment to enjoy the smell of Spike's cologne mixed with a vaguely fruity scent, presumably from his shampoo. She sagely nodded her head, picturing their responses, "I think they'll take it just fine. I'm sure mom and dad will love it, but Shining might want to talk to you."

"Oh, really? I thought Shining and I were cool!"

She began to run a hand through his green locks, much to both of their mutual enjoyment, "Oh, he likes you too, but he gets like that sometimes; Timber didn't want to be in the house for months after Shining left his patrol gun on the table during their talk."

Spike rolled his eyes, "Gosh, I hope he knows I'd never hurt you - never in a million years."

"What matters is that I know, Spike." Twilight planted another kiss on his forehead before adjusting her position to lay right beside him. She tucked herself beneath his arm, which he gladly accepted. She nuzzled her face into his purple-clad chest and ran a hand over his abdomen, enjoying the hint of muscle beneath his shirt, "Now's the time for snuggles. We can talk more later. Snuggle now."

For his part, Spike couldn't complain.

Author's Note

I think this story, in large part, stems from my various thought experiments about how a human Spike would have worked in EqG. If you think about it, it's not a very straightforward task to adapt the Pony Twi-Spike relationship if both are humans living relatively normal lives. One way to do it would be to make them siblings (step siblings?), another (better) way would be the route I've chosen to explore: lifelong friends. That obviously has a lot of romantic potential; hence this story.

As for this particular story itself, it's a little something I cooked up after browsing FiM while listening to Taylor Swift. I've also been in a very TwiSpike mood lately.

Side note for anyone who might care: this story is not supposed to be canon to my other story, Slumber Party.

Hopefully you guys found some enjoyment in reading it. Thank you for stopping buy!