Fallen Eagle

Chapter 49: Unexpected

Hello all my faithful readers out there! I'm here to bring you the final chapter in the Hearts and Whooves Daysaster arc.

I got to see Batman Vs. Superman over the weekend; it was uh okay. And YES, I did watch the Season 6 premier. If you want to know my opinion, periodically check my YouTube channel; I'm still a novice at video editing, but I'm working to get better.

OBSERVER01: I can't even begin to tell you how happy I was to see everyone's reaction to Etherea's return.

Dixie Darlin: Honestly, I'd LOVE an episode where either Celestia or Luna has to watch Pound and Pumpkin or the CMC. And I KNEW the FlutterCord moment would make YOU squee. I MIGHT have a few of those later on, but who knows? Even though it's not good to just attack someone, some people really need an attitude adjustment, and sometimes a good old fashioned ass kicking is the only cure.

Sassymouse: The thing about Luna and Ivan is I've stated in the story numerous times that they are friends, but they haven't really shown it that much. And as usual, I love writing Discord so much. The randomness factor is really endless!

Guest: YEEEEESSSS! I am SO glad someone caught that joke! I thought Pinkie would be the perfect one to reference Spaceballs

SkullCrusher550: Thank you very much!

headreviewer mk2: And I don't think anyone would blame you. As for the Fourth of July, I've got something special planned for when the story reaches that date. I think other authors don't touch upon it because the human is in another dimension, and it'd be kinda pointless to celebrate that holiday since Equestria doesn't have their own version of it.

Srey: You should starve your grammar Nazi for complaining about a little baby mispronouncing a name. As for the FlutterCord thing, I want to mention that Fluttershy admitted to Ivan back on his birthday that she found Discord cute with all his mismatched body parts. As for his jealousy, after 'Make New Friends but Keep Discord', I wanted to pursue that jealousy again.

dragonsofthe8elements: O_o, um thanks... and no, I won't be doing that

SquirtlePWN: T-two reviews for one chapter?! WHAT KIND OF SORCERY IS THIS!? Anyway, for Etherea, back in Las Pegasus she HATES Ivan with a burning passion, and since the royal sisters and the Mane 6 support him, she in turn doesn't like them anymore. Also, she'll be coming back again where we are also revealed more information about her. And for the FlutterCord moment, I really find their relationship intriguing and fun to explore. I can assure you that I'm going to keep up with them, but I won't just have them making out anytime soon. Like with CouJack, FlutterCord is going to develop naturally.

Before we get to the chapter, two things. 1) With FlutterCord now officially hinted at in the story, I promise you all I will treat it like CouJack and have it happen naturally over time. I also want to mention that the story will NOT just become all about couples. They'll be mentioned here and there, but they won't dominate the story. 2) As for everyone's theories, no, Etherea is neither Starlight Glimmer nor Chrysalis in disguise. She's my own villain OC that I created, but I am glad to see her getting responses I like. I can promise you that there is something else to her character that will be explained later on in the story.

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(Ivan's POV; Sweet Apple Acres; The Next Morning)

My left eye fluttered open several times as the light from Celestia's golden sun burst into Applejack's bedroom window. It didn't bother me too much as I had slept rather well the night before, and it was just about time to wake up anyway. Before it got too annoying, Fawkes yawned and quickly snagged the bottom half of the window blinds and pulled them down before flying back to his perch. I rubbed the sleep from my eye and popped all the muscles in my body to begin a new day. I had to peek my left eye out since I had a face full of AJ's golden mane, and my right eye was practically buried in it.

I quickly stole a sniff from Applejack's mane, taking in the ever familiar apple and cinnamon scent she wore. My arms were wrapped around her protectively, only further painting the picture that we were a little more than cuddling, we were spooning. Although I distinctly remember she was facing me when we went to sleep last night, I wasn't complaining about the situation we were in. "Hey, Applejack," I said softly, raising my left hand up and caressing her orange cheek. "Come on, let's get some breakfast," I whispered in her twitching ear, urging her to get up mainly so I wouldn't let my right arm go numb.

"Hmm?" Applejack mumbled in her sleep, still snoring softly. I gently pulled the part of her mane that was covering her face back so I could kiss her cheek. When she still didn't wake up, I had to use my last resort. I quickly moved my mouth over to her ear and, "Ooooh, Ivan!" Applejack moaned as I saw her eyes open whilst I nibbled on her ear. She giggled and moaned simultaneously as I continued to tease her awake. "Isn't it a little early ta be foolin' around, Sugarcube?"

"Well, I'm not sure you'd appreciate being woken up with a bucket of cold water, AJ," I said as she flipped over and connected our lips together. We stayed connected like that for a good ten seconds before we parted and just hugged each other with AJ laying her head against my bare chest.

"Smart thinkin' there, buster," she joked as she gave my pecs a teasing lick. I wanted to stay like this all day, but the gurgling of one of our stomachs quelled that idea right away. Applejack blushed as she pulled away and put a hoof to her hungry tummy. "Hehe," she chuckled, "Are ya feelin' hungry, Ivan?" she questioned as we pushed away from each other, got out of bed, and quickly fixed the sheets and blanket.

"Meh, I guess I could eat," I winked, pulling on a fresh shirt and pair of pants. "Should we make enough for the family, or enough for the whole Equestrian Army?" I asked, teasing her about her appetite. I was immediately met with a pillow to the face from my girlfriend.

"Very funny, hun," she rolled her eyes as she tied her mane back up and put on her stetson. Chuckling, I tossed the pillow onto her bed and held the door open before following her downstairs to get started on breakfast. Since harvest season was still about three months away, and it was a Saturday which meant no school, everyone was still sleeping in a little later than usual. "How does buttermilk pancakes, oatmeal, biscuits, 'n scrambled eggs sound fer breakfast?" Applejack suggested when we entered the kitchen.

"As long as you have a hand in cooking it, it'll be perfect," I smirked and opened the fridge to grab a quick drink of OJ. Applejack snorted playfully in response while digging the pancake mix and oatmeal mix out of the pantry. "What's so funny?" I asked, tossing the now empty bottle of orange juice into the trash before grabbing the large carton of eggs and a few tubes of biscuits.

"You, Sugarcube," she chuckled and placed the pancake and oatmeal mixes on the counter. "Ah just love how you talk ta me like that without soundin' too mushy," AJ ripped the pancake mix open and poured it into a large bowl.

"I figured you'd prefer a little cheese to a little mush," I grinned as I cracked a few eggs into a mixing bowl of my own and began to whisk the yolks. After a few minutes of preparation, we had eighteen biscuits in the oven which was enough for everyone to have three a piece, a large pan of scrambled eggs on one side of the stove that I was manning, another pan of buttermilk pancakes in the middle of the stove that both AJ and I were watching, and a large pot of oatmeal that AJ was continuously stirring.

"Ivan, could ya get me the jug 'o milk again?" Applejack requested sweetly. "Ah think the oatmeal needs ta be a little creamier," she explained as I went over to the fridge and got what she asked for. She poured a little bit into the pot and gave me the jug back which I promptly placed back into the fridge. "There, Ah think that should do it until it's cooked," she exclaimed happily. I was letting the eggs rest after I had stirred them for a good while, and the pancakes weren't due to flip yet, so I had nothing to do for the time being. I decided to go back and keep a closer eye on the eggs, and mainly to stay close to AJ when an idea popped into my head.

As quietly as I possibly could, I tiptoed back over to the other side of the kitchen where AJ and the stove was. The country mare was busy standing on her hind legs stirring the oatmeal, not paying too much attention to what I was doing. Thankfully she stopped stirring to give the oatmeal a rest, so there was no risk of her accidentally getting burned. I stopped directly behind her and as gently and quickly as I could, I slipped my arms around the mare. She gasped in surprise and went as stiff as plywood from the sudden contact. "I-Ivan!" She exclaimed. I squeezed her gently and rested my chin on her shoulder, taking in her aroma.

"Hey," was all I managed to say, just wanting to be as close to her as possible. Applejack placed her front hooves on the front of the oven where she wouldn't burn herself.

"D-don't scare me like that again," she tried to sound tough, but came off as more content. Applejack managed to move her head out of the way of my face and turned to look at me.

"Sorry, I just like having some time alone like this," I gingerly pecked her neck, causing her to moan slightly. I wasn't looking to be ultra romantic or anything of that nature, I just truly wanted to be close to her and show her how much I loved her.

"Well, Ah do too, Sugarcube," Applejack rubbed her cheek against mine, "but maybe y'all should hold off until Ah'm doin' somethin' that can't burn me," she advised. I whispered into her ear that I'd be more careful in the future, but continued to hold her like that as she went back to stirring the oatmeal with the wooden spoon in her mouth.

"AJ, can I ask you something?" I requested, removing my right arm from her torso so I could stir the scrambled eggs. She gave me permission with a chuckle, but I still approached as careful as a bomb squad agent. "Do you think we should gather everyone to check on Twilight right after breakfast, or how long should we wait?"

"Uhhh," Applejack could only utter that particular word, completely ceasing her stirring. Twilight was still on my mind even when I woke up; she was still a complete wreck the last time we all saw her. Suffice to say, myself, AJ, Rarity, Fluttershy, Discord, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash all caved last night and went to try to lift Twilight's spirits after dinner last night. Unfortunately, she was even worse than when I saw her after she tried to force the truth out of me on Hearth's Warming Eve. She had locked herself in her room, but cast a certain spell that allowed only Spike and Owlowicious inside. Even without his crazy magic, Discord tried his best to enter the room, but no matter how much he tried to sweet talk Twilight or find other ways into the room, he'd always bounce back from the spell. At least Fluttershy caught him every time so he wouldn't get hurt.

Luckily Spike was on our side and wanted us to help him help his mom. He even came up with an idea to have Rarity and Fluttershy enter Twilight's room simultaneously with him, but the spell kicked them out once they got inside. After that whole morning coupled with what Etherea had the balls to say, no one could fault Twilight for wanting to see no one but her son. Some of us talked about camping out at the castle to see how long Twilight could last before granting us entrance into her room, but we all went back to our original agreement of coming back the next day to talk to her. Nearly 24 hours should be enough time for her to decompress a little.

"I figured once everyone had a good breakfast, we should be ready to go talk to her," I explained to Applejack. "I mean, I think we should give her enough time, but I don't want to wait too long," I added, squeezing AJ softly once again. She sighed sadly, pushing the spoon to the other side of the oatmeal pot.

"That ain't easy ta answer, Ivan," she sputtered, not trying to wriggle out of my soft grip. "Who knows how long will be long enough?" Applejack questioned rhetorically. "Everyone wants ta put yesterday away, but Ah've a feelin' this'll stick with Twilight fer some time."

"You have no idea what she was like on Hearth's Warming," I muttered, feeling quite a bit ill at having to pull that memory back from the gutter. I was happy to have brought her out of her sad funk, but having to see her that depressed and emotionally wrecked haunted me. "Even if we manage to talk to her, she might not be very social afterwards," I agreed with what Applejack mentioned.

"Well, hun, what do you think we should do?" Applejack laid the top of her head into my chest, staring with her emerald eyes into my pale baby blues. "Ah wanna help my friend as soon as possible, but at the same time, has she had enough time ta decompress 'n talk about it?"

"I-I don't know," I admitted, sounding like a fool for bringing this up without an idea. "You've been friends with her longer than I have," I pointed out, "what do you think we should do?" Applejack blinked several times, looked away for a brief second before returning her gaze to mine. It was clear to me that I may have put too much pressure on her.

"Hmm, well Ah'd rather seem too eager ta talk ta her than wait too long 'n make her think we don't care," Applejack confessed, biting her lower lip. Her stomach then growled loudly, making me squeeze her a little tighter as my body sort of jumped. The little moment lightened our attitudes enough to make us chuckle.

"Well, I guess we should eat first and then gather everyone else up?" I suggested, lowering my head to kiss my girlfriend. "Fluttershy can get Rainbow, right?" I asked, pausing briefly as our lips were about to connect.

"Mhmm," AJ nodded, trying to lean back further. I bent closer and connected our lips. It was sweet and simple, just a quick closed mouth smooch, but it made the both of us feel so much at peace that we didn't hear the hooves trotting into the kitchen. That is, until the pony cleared their throat.

"Ahem, havin' a little dessert fer breakfast are we?" Big Mac's booming voice questioned. He seemed to be holding back a teasing snort at the end of his question. AJ and I both yelped as we disconnected and went back to our breakfast making duties, failing to look as if nothing had happened. We didn't mind having others know of our relationship, but we weren't the kind of couple that rudely has make-out sessions willingly in front of others.

"Morning, big brother!" Applejack tried to hide her blushing cheeks under her stetson, but it was a little late. The red stallion had a smirk on his face as he walked past us and flipped on the coffee pot on the counter next to the pantry.

"Smells good, AJ, Cougar," he chuckled as he took a few whiffs whilst passing by us. AJ and I looked at each other, hearts still racing from the sudden interruption. We heard the front door slam shut, followed by the sound of Big Mac's trotting hooves as he approached the kitchen. "The family 'n Cheerilee should be down any minute," he remarked and sat down at the table with a newspaper tucked under one of his forelegs. The stallion opened it up and began reading, though I had a suspicion he was secretly watching us. Cheerilee had begun to sleep over here on Fridays, weekends, and other days that school wasn't in session. Just as the timer for the oven dinged and we finished stirring the eggs, oatmeal, and flipping the pancakes, I heard the recognizable sound of Applebloom's hooves bounding down the stairs.

"Hey, shrimpy," I said once the yellow filly trotted happily into the kitchen. She licked her lips and sniffed the air as the scent of breakfast wafted around the room.

"Mornin' everypony!" She cheered and quickly galloped over, squeezing AJ's hind legs and my legs at the same time tightly. "Boy, Ah'm starvin'!" Applebloom opened the fridge and took out a small bottle of milk, taking it over to the table, and parked next to Big Mac. "Hey big brother!" Applebloom hugged against his foreleg. Big Mac chuckled and ruffled her red mane with his hoof.

"Good thing you're starving, Bloom," I turned to smirk at her, "breakfast is ready!" I declared. Applejack and I got plates out of the cupboards and slid all of the breakfast foods onto them before bringing them over to the table, feeling a little less flustered from Big Mac's surprise entrance. Cheerilee and Granny Smith appeared in the entry way to the kitchen. The elderly pony was muttering about coffee over and over again, just barely able to say hello as she trudged through the kitchen.

Applebloom let go of Big Mac's foreleg as he put down his newspaper to quickly peck Cheerilee on the cheek. While this happened, AJ and I took our seats opposite of Big Mac, Applebloom, and Cheerilee, setting our plates down and inhaling the delicious aromas. "Hey Ivan," Applejack nudged my ribs with her elbow. "Does that headline say what Ah think it says?" I looked over at the newspaper that Big Mac had set down. I shouldn't have done it without asking, but I quickly snatched the paper and flipped it around so AJ and I could get a good look at it.

"Well, I'll be," I could feel a victorious smile spreading across my face. "A little bit of good news to counteract the crap from yesterday." Applejack slid the paper over to herself to get a better look. A smile appeared on her face as well. The headline of the paper and the coinciding article stated that after meeting with the mayor, Celestia and Luna had decided upon a new set of laws for newspaper and magazine publications. Tabloid articles like the ones found in yesterday's paper were now strictly forbidden, and any lawbreakers could face a hefty fine of 5,000 bits should they disobey. The only articles remotely close that were allowed were thought pieces, whatever that meant.

"Lookie here," the orange mare tapped a smaller article below the headline article. "Mr. Tab even printed an apology letter. At least we know he's an honest stallion. Even if it wasn't his fault that the articles were printed in the first place," she added just as Big Mac took back his newspaper albeit with an eye roll rather than a death glare. However, the stallion just slid the paper next to his plate as he grabbed a coffee mug in his other hoof and sipped the hot beverage. With his motion of drinking the coffee, it was pretty much a signal for us to start chowing down. The sounds of silverware clanking against plates, and mugs thumping against the wooden table filled the air. Granny Smith even perked right up after sipping her own mug of coffee.

"Good mornin' everypony!" She declared, seeming to beam now that she was fully awake. Even though she was usually the first one up every day, apparently she missed one of her naps yesterday; that was why she slept in today. "You 'n my granddaughter cook up a mean breakfast there, Cougar!" Granny Smith added, adjusting her dentures.

"Thanks, Granny," I swallowed my bite of biscuit and gave her a smile.

"Did you finish your homework last night so you can enjoy your weekend, Applebloom?" Cheerilee questioned as she buttered up one of her biscuits. The yellow filly burped quietly and set down her bottle of milk, nodding proudly. Applejack giggled as there was a milk mustache on Applebloom's muzzle. She motioned to her little sister about it, who promptly licked it away with a sheepish smile. "Good," Cheerilee added, taking a bite out of her biscuit before placing her free hoof on top of Big Mac's free hoof.

"Hey Bloom?" I called out. Her orange eyes shifted over to me, curiously waiting for what I wanted. "Since your teacher is, uh, courting your big brother, do any of your classmates ever think that Cheerilee gives you special treatment?" Applebloom, Cheerilee, and Big Macintosh all looked from each other over to me.

"Courtin'?" Applebloom scratched the side of her head.

"I didn't think you used the word 'dating'," I explained, resting my chin onto my hand. Applebloom shrugged in response.

"It's actually never come up, Cougar," she pondered, pouting her lower lip as she thought.

"As a matter of fact, no student has come forward and asked me," Cheerilee chimed in, shaking her head. "Besides, even if I am in a relationship with Big Macintosh, nothing would ever make me favor Applebloom. I treat all my students the same and never with special treatment," she explained, tapping her hoof on top of Big Mac's. The stallion looked over at the maroon mare and gave her a slight smile. I shrugged and went back to my breakfast, enjoying the smooth and creamy oatmeal Applejack had made.

"Oatmeal is perfect, AJ," I whispered over to her. The mare thanked me by quickly nuzzling my neck with her muzzle, giving it a slight kiss. I figured that was okay since no one, not even me, objected to it.

"So Applebloom," Applejack removed her muzzle from my neck, "didja have a good Friday at school?" She asked, polishing off her second biscuit.

"Eeyup!" The little pony remarked like her big brother. "Ah loved openin' up all the Hearts 'N Hooves Day cards from my classmates. It was almost like a second Nightmare Night with all the little chocolates 'n heart shaped candies," she smiled. I shuddered at the mere mention of the stupid cards, having flashbacks of miserable days in elementary school. "Featherweight made a card fer me himself; even drew a picture of me," Applebloom blushed as she revealed that piece of information.

"Hoofmade cards are the best!" Cheerilee exclaimed, smirking at Applebloom for the giant heart shaped present she, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo gave her a few years back. Applebloom took a brief vow of silence by downing the last of her milk and stuffing some eggs into her mouth.

Knock, knock, knock

All of us ceased making noise as there was a light rapping on the house's front door. We could even hear the faintest sound of humming coming from behind the door. "Derpy?" I asked Applejack. She shook her head.

"Naw, mail doesn't come 'til later on Saturdays, Ivan," she reminded me.

"Maybe it's Rainbow Dash?" I suggested as Applejack stood up from the table. When she didn't respond, I stood up as well and followed her through the living room to the front entrance. Through the window of the door, I could make out a lightly tanned colored earth pony stallion patiently awaiting for someone to answer his knocking. The stallion also had a light brown and somewhat messy mane, blue eyes, an hourglass cutie mark, a saddlebag on his back and, for some reason, a white shirt collar with a green tie.

"Howdy there Dr. Whooves!" Applejack greeted heartily, swinging the door open for the stallion. He grinned happily upon Applejack's greeting and strolled in.

"Ah, good morning Ms. Applejack, and hello Mr. Cougar!" He spoke with a refined English accent, or whatever the pony version of England was. Dr. Whooves stuck out one of his forelegs, attempting to shake my hand. "I've always wanted to meet you!" He bellowed happily. "A strange yet intriguing creature you are, sir!" I raised my eyebrow, having never been referred in that way in Equestria before, but grasped his hoof politely.

"Uh, thanks?" I skeptically shook his hoof. Applejack led him to the sitting room where he gladly sat down, setting his saddlebag next to him on the couch. The stallion looked as if he was about to correct himself before his nose scrunched against his muzzle.

"Oh my, I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Dr. Whooves asked worriedly after sniffing the air. He quickly adjusted his tie, probably thinking that either of us might not be too happy that he had arrived during breakfast.

"We were just in the middle 'o breakfast, Doc," AJ explained, still putting on her friendly and welcoming Apple family charm. "It's no big deal." Dr. Whooves shook his head and stood up, reaching for his saddle bag.

"No; it's impolite to disrupt a family meal," he stated firmly. "I apologize, but I shall return at a more proper time."

"Hey, we can spare a few minutes, right AJ?" I asked, standing up as well. Applejack nodded and jumped in front of the doctor. I didn't really know him all too well; I had met him during the Tantalus incident in the dreamscape, but Applejack seemed to trust him, and I've heard Spike mention that Twilight loaned him a few beakers that she never saw again.

"'Course we can," Applejack agreed. "Do ya need help with anythin', Dr. Whooves? Did somepony break into yer lab or whatever it is?" Still looking a bit worried that he was imposing, the stallion shook his head and set his saddle bag back down onto the couch.

"It isn't anything of that nature, Ms. Applejack," he chuckled slightly, "but thank you for your concern in that area," he added. "The true reason for my presence here is to talk to you, Mr. Cougar is it?" He pointed to me. I was instantly taken aback; I've spoken to this stallion only once before, but why would he want to speak to me? Unless he was exactly like Moondancer and wanted to 'study' me. I nodded slowly, still trying to figure out what he wanted from me. "Ah good," he turned to Applejack, "and you are okay if I speak with your um….." Dr. Whooves trailed off.

"Mate," Applejack said for the good doctor. Needless to say I was caught off guard a bit; I'd expected her to say coltfriend like usual, but pony logic I guess.

"Ah, mate," he rubbed his chin. "Romantic relationships have always baffled me." Applejack and I shrugged towards one another.

"An' 'o course Ah'm fine with it, Doc. Don't know why Ah wouldn't be," Applejack replied.

"Good, good!" Dr. Whooves cheered. "Sorry, I'm still a little weary about taking time away from your breakfast," he reached into and rummaged through his saddle bag. My jaw slowly dropped at what he produced from the bag. While he grinned at what he was holding, I couldn't believe my eyes. In his hooves was the emergency CB radio that was in my F-15's survival duffel bag. It was gone after I had waken up in Celestia and Luna's infirmary and looked through the duffel bag. When I was feeling a little freaked out, Applejack had explained to me that some big black box had fallen out of the bag and was pretty much destroyed. I pieced together that from my flat spin, it must have literally shattered under pressure and was about as fragile as an egg, only to break apart completely from hitting the ground.

"Where did you get that?" I reached out and felt it, making sure this was real. It was probably beyond useless here; I was more intrigued on how the hell Dr. Whooves had repaired it. "AJ told me it was destroyed," I looked up at the stallion.

"Ah, but it was!" The doctor chuckled to himself. "I discovered it on the shores of the Ponyville Lake mere hours after your, ahem, unannounced arrival, good sir," he grinned.

"And y'all just took home a busted up piece 'o junk?" Applejack cocked her head to the side. She immediately shot me a look of apology, but I shrugged it off, still amazed that it was able to be repaired.

"Precisely! It was a somewhat alien object, and nopony tried to quarantine it nor take it away, so I took it home with me to study and rebuild it," he explained. "I would've finished it sooner, but it was more of a side project to my main experiments."

"Okay, so you fixed it," I took my eyes off the radio and looked up into Dr. Whooves' eyes. "Were you planning on giving back to me?" I asked curiously. "Because I really don't have a use for it here." The stallion shook his head fervently back and forth.

"No, no," he waved his hoof around, "it's not the reason why I've brought it here to show you, though it had crossed my mind that you may want it back." I could only shrug and shake my head before telling him he could keep it for however long he wanted. A small sigh of relief escaped his muzzle.

"So then, why did y'all bring it ta him, Doc?" Applejack asked politely. She was just about as curious as I was, maybe even a little anxious for whatever reason. He quickly ran his tongue across his lips, thinking of how to explain. "Do ya need him ta show ya how it works?"

"Oh no, I've figured that out already, Ms. Applejack," Dr. Whooves chortled. "I wanted to show you that it was indeed as good as new, but I have a bit of an odd request, sir. You see, this radio technology is much more sophisticated than our own," he began just like a college instructor. "We have our own two-way radios, but the technology is lacking, and the ranges are very weak. While the mail system is somewhat efficient, sending a plea for help or to just ask a fellow colleague for some assistance takes much longer than needed using traditional methods. The capabilities of this equipment could leap us decades ahead of our time for communication." That part seriously freaked me out just a bit. The human race was always looking to advance technology 'decades ahead of its time', but not always for peaceful or everyday reasons.

"Dr. Whooves?" I asked, standing up. He didn't even miss a beat as he continued with his request.

"I know of your flying machine that crash landed here around ten months ago; since it is yours, I would like your permission to study it," he requested politely, standing proudly before me.

"No," I stated firmly, folding my arms across my chest.

"Ivan!" Applejack exclaimed, a little upset that I had spoken with a rude tone. The Doc wasn't expecting that blunt of an answer; his ears folded back on top of his head in surprise.

"Oh…..well this is a bit awkward then," he loosened his tie just a bit more. I sighed, feeling guilty about sounding like a jerk.

"Look, Dr. Whooves, the weapons on that jet are centuries, hell, maybe even a millennia ahead of your time. I've wielded those weapons and have seen firsthand what they can do. I don't want that technology in this society's hands or else you could find yourselves in a form of war higher than you could ever dream of." I warned him point blank. His reaction was truly out of the blue. He began to chuckle before placing a hoof on my shoulder.

"My good sir, I have no use to study the weapons or how they work on your flying machine," he assured me.

"Oh," I felt my cheeks heating up, feeling like an ass for assuming the worst. I shot my gaze over to Applejack who had a disappointed look on her face.

"No, I merely wanted to study the radio system of your, erm, jet did you call it?" I nodded that he was correct. "I already understand how this simple portable system works, but if I could just remove the radio system from your jet, I could study it, test both systems, and then I can distribute it for all of Equestria to use. I could even draw up designs for an in ear version for guards to use on missions away from Canterlot or if they're in different parts of a castle or city!" He declared triumphantly.

"I have no problem with that," I agreed to what he needed. "Although, while it is still my jet, it's resting in pieces in the Canterlot Dungeons," I revealed to the stallion. "You might have to ask Luna and Celestia permission to go down there to do whatever is you need to do," I explained, knowing he'd feel a little discouraged.

"Right," he clicked his tongue. "And the royal sisters are indeed busy mares."

"Y'all could probably ask Twilight if she could ask Princess Celestia herself," Applejack chimed in before remembering Twilight's state. "Uhh."

"That may not be an option right now either," I replied solemnly.

"Oh of course. I cannot believe the nasty things the newspaper printed about our village's humble princess," Dr. Whooves sneered. "I can tell you as a fellow student of science, that I hope she can spring back from this. I can't be selfish and ask her for a personal favor in her state; this can wait until she recovers," he exhaled sharply and stuffed the CB radio into his saddlebag.

"Well, ironically we were going to check on her with our friends after breakfast," I said quietly, sitting back down on the couch.

"Hmm," the Doc rubbed his chin. "Well, when she does recover back to her old self, I do have some beakers and test tubes to return to her. You needn't say anything to her, but could one of you keep me up to date on how she is doing so I can return some borrowed equipment to her?"

"Will do, Doc," Applejack nodded happily.

"Well then, I'll just be on my way. Thank you for your time, Ms. Applejack and Mr. Cougar," Dr. Whooves slid his saddlebag over his back before showing himself out the door. He didn't have as much pep in his step as when he'd arrived. I watched him as he trotted his way off the farm before turning to look back at Applejack. The mare seemed to have trouble keeping her head up after talking about Twilight again. Biting my lip, I approached her and gently stuck my thumb and index finger under her chin, lifting her head up.

"AJ, what do you think we should do?" I asked, cupping her chin with my whole hand. She could only stare at me with her emerald eyes, rotating her head around so she could rub her cheek against my fingers and palm. She sighed contently and gave me a small smirk.

"Ah think we need ta pay our friend a visit, Sugarcube," Applejack lifted her head up. I nodded slowly in agreement, retreating my hand back to my side.

(Twilight's Castle; Ivan's POV)

After giving a quick explanation to the family of why we were ditching on breakfast so early, Applejack and I quickly rounded up everyone else to keep our promise to Twilight. I thought Discord would be the hardest one to get, but it turned out that he couldn't really return to his house because he still had a few hours left of his 'no powers punishment.' So he ended up staying on Fluttershy's couch for the night. And even though it was still pretty early in the morning, everyone, even Rainbow, was fully determined to do this. "So, who should do the honors?" Discord questioned while we were all huddled around the castle's front door. We were determined, but having not a clue of what exactly we would be met with made it a challenge to just knock on the door.

"Uh," Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head, "who was closest to her?"

"Spike," the rest of us said simultaneously.

"Well gee, that doesn't really help since he's already inside!" The Wonderbolt snapped.

"What about Fluttershy?" Pinkie suggested. "Nopony can deny her sweetness, and sweetness is just what our poor little Twilight needs!" The pink mare then grabbed Fluttershy by her rear and shoved her forward before zooming back to the rest of us.

"Oh-oh my!" Fluttershy shook, sitting down on her haunches and gulping. "B-but, what if Twilight doesn't want to be disturbed?" She snapped her head around to look at us. No one could give her a straight answer whatsoever. I suddenly felt a tapping at my side.

"Ahem, Cougar," Rarity cleared her throat. "You've dealt with Twilight like this when nopony else could, do you think maybe you should start things off for us?" the seamstress asked politely, finishing off with a bat of her eyelashes. I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

"Heh, you can try that until your mane turns grey Rarity, and it won't work on me," I refused as the mare gasped loudly, clutching her purple hair for dear life. "But this," I motioned to the castle, "this isn't the same as on Hearth's Warming. Twilight made a pretty bad mistake; someone else hurt her this time. And I just wanted to let her know I forgave her last time," I explained. My response wasn't taken too kindly by Rainbow Dash.

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" Rainbow groaned, holding her head in her hooves. "Twilight wouldn't sit back and bicker with us if one of us was in her state!" The pegasus then flew toward the castle door so fast that Fluttershy fell over onto her side from the strength of the wind gusts.

"Wait! Ya can't approach this too fast, Rainbow!" Applejack called out as Rainbow pounded on the castle door hard. We all fell silent as Rainbow's knocking seemed to echo back as if the castle was empty.

"There, like ripping off a band-aid," Rainbow said smugly, tapping one of her hooves impatiently.

"Uh, you don't plan to tell Twilight to snap out of it, do you?" Discord asked the cyan pony. "Because according to Fluttershy and Rarity, that would be cruel if we don't approach Twilight with care and patience," he smirked.

"Of course not, Dipcord," Rainbow stuck her tongue out, "this waiting was just getting on my nerves. Once we get inside, I'll let Applejack or Rarity or whoever lead the way to get Twilight back to her old self!"

Creak

The castle door slowly opened to reveal Spike standing in the doorway. "Spikey!" Rarity cheered as the dragon shielded his eyes from the brightness of Celestia's sun. His spines were crushed and messy. If I had to guess, the drake didn't even bathe last night. And he didn't look like he slept very well if at all.

"Guys…." he exhaled and trailed off, leaning against the door for support. He looked utterly drained, not exhausted. Kind of emotionally drained. All of our jaws, even Discord's, dropped when Spike didn't react in anyway to the warm hug Rarity had given him. She was shocked as well and pulled away to look the dragon in the face.

"Sp-Spike, are you okay?" Rarity questioned. "Is Twilight okay?"

"You guys should just come inside," Spike mumbled, rubbing his eyes with his hand. Rarity let him go, and he stepped aside to allow all of us to enter. My heart stopped when I realized that even though Twilight's circumstances were different, this was eerily similar to Hearth's Warming. The castle was dark and if not for Spike's presence, it would've felt empty. But with multiple creatures walking inside, it felt like we were in a funeral march.

"Spike, did somethin' else happen after we left last night?" Applejack asked, taking a good note of the dragon's attitude. He was much more lively last night, running around and trying to think of ways to get Twilight to talk to any of us. Pinkie suddenly took a loud sniff of the air before gasping loudly.

"Nopony has made breakfast," she bit her lip as it quivered. "Spike, did something happen to you too?" Pinkie grabbed the dragon by his shoulders, staring deep into his eyes.

"Well, no Pinkie," Spike looked away and toward Twilight's bedroom door. "But she left about an hour after you guys did last night, Applejack," he answered AJ's question before looking over to Rarity who was sticking close to him.

"She wouldn't talk to us but she just left?" I asked, not feeling angry at Twilight at all, just confused beyond all reason why she did that. "Oh Christ, please tell me she didn't go to a bar, Spike," I knew full well that some people drank to quell their sorrows, but I didn't want Twilight to turn to that.

"I DON'T KNOW!" He suddenly burst into tears. Pinkie fell onto her back from his outburst. The dragon then lost his footing and fell forward into Rarity's chest, wrapping his arms around her forelegs.

"Spike!" She exclaimed, helping prop him up. All of us ran forward and dropped to our knees around the dragon to see what we could do to help. The dragon continued sobbing, burying his face into the seamstress's chest. Rarity, the ever so generous mare, curled one foreleg around the purple dragon and held him close, resting her head on top of his. He was laying completely on the floor with only his head propped up against the unicorn mare. Seeing him so vulnerable and downtrodden like this hurt. "Shh," Rarity cooed, "Spike, please tell us what happened, sweetie," she requested softly. Still sobbing, Spike pulled his head away from Rarity's now matted chest from his tears, and sniffled.

"Sh-she l-left right out o-of the blue. She didn't e-even tell m-me wh-why sh-she we-went to Canterlot!" He said in between sobs. "A-all she s-said w-was that she was g-going t-to Canterlo, a-and th-that I n-needed to st-stay here."

"Did you try to follow her, Spike?" Fluttershy scooted closer and began to pet his head gently.

"Of course I did!" He wailed. "But she refused to let me go and teleported away!" Fluttershy shrank back at his exclamation, but wasn't afraid of him. "I stayed by the front door for another hour until she teleported back here." He wiped his nose with a handkerchief that Rarity produced, having calmed down just a bit.

"And…." Discord trailed off. I could really tell he was genuinely concerned for both Spike and Twilight, but was uncertain of what to ask. Since he was sarcastic most of the time, it couldn't have been easy for him. "What was that outcome, Spike?"

"W-worse," Spike choked out, trying to suppress his tears. "I tried to get an answer from her, but she ran to her room and cried herself to sleep," Spike began to softly sob, returning his face to Rarity's chest. His body continuously shook as he sobbed. "I-I stayed with her all night, b-but," he couldn't say it. "Please guys, you've gotta help me," Spike begged "I-I can't stand to see my mom like this, and I can't stand to not be able to comfort her!"

"It's okay, Spikey," Rarity massaged his back. "Is Twilight still in her room?" The dragon breathed heavily and nodded, wiping his nose once again with Rarity's handkerchief.

"She hasn't left since she came back last night," he handed the cloth back to Rarity. With help from Rainbow Dash, Rarity was able to stand Spike up on his legs as both mares slid under his arms to support him.

"Hey Spike, you don't have to come if you don't want to," Rainbow tried to reassure him. "I think you've done more than anypony could've asked of you, right guys?" She turned to look at the rest of us. We all nodded simultaneously, feeling proud for Spike's admiration to console his mother, but saddened at the same time for the pair. Spike didn't deserve to beat himself up like this for feeling like a failure again.

"No, I'm not gonna stand by and do nothing," Spike sucked back his tears and growled at Rainbow. "Mom wouldn't stand by to let somepony console me, and I won't do that to her." With nothing left to say, and with Rarity and Rainbow helping him, Spike led us down the hall and towards Twilight's bedroom door which was cracked open slightly, but no light source came from within.

"Ivan," Applejack lightly rubbed her cheek against my hand as we walked, taking the rear end of the pack. "What exactly are ya gonna say ta Twilight?"

"I can't tell you AJ," I replied, placing my hand on the back of her neck and scratching it lovingly. "I used up all of my stuff on Hearth's Warming when I talked to her. And this is different; she didn't do anything wrong this time. Etherea just got to her," I explained.

"Well, Ah know that, but what ya did last time with her was amazin'. Ah just thought ya might have somethin' else planned," she admitted, nuzzling closer to me. 'Maybe,' I thought. No one else said a word as we reached the door and Spike gently shoved it open.

"You guys may not like what you find," Spike said quietly, possibly so he wouldn't surprise Twilight. "And she deactivated the spell after you guys left last night," he added. Indeed, as he, Rarity, and Rainbow crossed the threshold into Twilight's room, neither mare was blocked by an invisible force field.

"Oh my," Rarity gasped. I poked my head in and soon realized she truly was worse than on Hearth's Warming. Her bed was completely covered with crumpled up tissues that also spilled out onto the floor. Her wastebasket was overfilled with the tissues as well. The purple lump that was Twilight's body was face down on her pillow, slowly moving up and down as she breathed. With a quick flash of her blue magic, Rarity evaporated every used tissue, effectively cleaning Twilight's room for her.

"Um, Fluttershy?" Discord bit one of is eagle talons. "Where do we begin?" Fluttershy could only shrug as she covered her mouth with her hoof.

"Mom?" Spike removed his arms from around Rarity and Rainbow Dash, moving quicker than before until he slid onto his knees right next to Twilight's bed. "Mom, please wake up," he begged. "Everyone's here for you." I hate admitting, but my heart almost burst when Spike lightly pecked Twilight's cheek, trying to get a reaction out of her. The mare stirred slightly, making a noise that was some sort of cross between a whine and a moan.

"Wha?" She exclaimed as she lifted her head up tiredly. Her pillow, for whatever reason, stuck to her face as she turned her head toward the drake kneeling beside her. It then slowly peeled off her cheeks, revealing her puffy red eyes and tear stained cheeks. There were no other words to describe her; she looked like Hell. As she then realized what was going on, Twilight cowered back at the sight of us as Spike calmly stroked her side, never moving away from her. "What are you guys doing here?" Her voice was hoarse, no pun intended.

"We, we came to check on you, Twilight," Fluttershy replied.

"Just like we promised," Pinkie Pie added. I was expecting her to say 'silly' at the end of her sentence, but she held off from that.

"We're here fer ya, Sugarcube," Applejack chimed in sweetly, taking a tiny step forward. "Whatever ya need." Twilight bowed her head and looked at the ground from side to side, opening and closing her mouth several times. Spike removed his hand from her side, yet still remained in his spot as Twilight propped herself up on her haunches. Even her wings drooped down her sides.

"I uh, I'm sorry for just running off like that," she swallowed roughly, staring at the floor. Spike moved over in front of Twilight, placing his claws on her hooves.

"Come on, Mom. Nopony can blame you for that," he said sweetly as he rubbed his thumbs on her hooves.

"Too right, Spike," Rarity agreed, stepping forward with AJ. "After how emotionally traumatized from the articles you were, having that Etherea," she spat, "degrade you further, why anypony would want to get as far away as possible," she smiled. That smile, however, turned into a frown as Twilight shook her head.

"No, as a leader to most ponies, I shouldn't be beaten down so easily, especially by just words," Twilight groaned, barely lifting her head up. "But Rarity, where do you know her from? The minute you saw her, you knew she'd be trouble," Twilight asked. Rarity sighed and ever so cautiously approached the alicorn.

"I kept this from everypony because I thought it was only a one-time occurrence, Twilight. Sweetie Belle and I ran into her and a friend of hers in Las Pegasus during our trip. She's a speciesist if I ever saw one. Etherea believes you to be dangerous to Equestria for raising a dragon and then believing him to be your son. She sees dragons as nothing more than violent animals," Rarity explained. "She also believes Celestia is unfit to rule because she allows Cougar to walk amongst us."

"What?" Applejack and Twilight asked at the same time as everyone else gasped. I could only glare into space, thinking about what was wrong with Etherea.

"Etherea told me that Cougar should have been either locked up in the Canterlot Zoo or…." she trailed off, getting more and more upset as she recalled her first meeting with the mare from Hell. "It doesn't matter; Etherea is a plague," she exclaimed.

"Forget what Etherea thinks," Discord butted in. "It doesn't matter what goes on her head, dear Twilight. I understand your pain from what she said to you, but words can bring down anypony. I'm certain Celestia never told you that after she banished Luna to the moon, she would stroll about her private gardens to weep where nopony else could see her every time Luna's name was drug through the mud. We all have our limits," he surprisingly had the balls to not only approach Twilight, but sit down next to her as well.

"Th-that's not it," Twilight shook her head, reacting much differently than I, or anyone, expected her to after Discord spilled a little secret about her former teacher. "I'm such a bucking screw-up!" She whined, covering her eyes with her hooves. Spike, Discord, and the rest of the ponies gasped for Twilight using a swear word. It surprised me too, but it didn't faze me too much.

"Hey," I stated firmly, "you're not a screw-up Twilight. Holding your composure against someone like that is something only a handful of people can do. That little bitch was just messing with your mind; she was messing with all of our minds, and she almost succeeded," I explained to her, stopping myself before revealing how I almost punched Etherea's lights out. "You handled it a lot better than I did, believe me," I shuttered, again feeling fearful of how close I could've come to ruining everything I'd worked hard for in Equestria to forget my past.

"Well you don't know what came over me after you all left last night!" Twilight suddenly shouted, shooting off magenta sparks from her horn. She was crying and angry at the same time, fuck. "I let Etherea's words get to me; that's why I'm upset at myself! I don't even care what she said to me anymore…" she seemed to calm down, trailing off. "I'm disgusted that I let her get to me," she added.

"Spike said you went to Canterlot," Rainbow tip-toed around her words. "Hey, if you wanted to see Celestia for comfort or something, or to ask her for advice-"

"FLASH BROKE UP WITH ME!" Twilight suddenly shrieked. Even the ticking of her room's clock was drowned out by the silence. The purple alicorn was now breathing heavily; the pain from last night was starting to resurface. She was right, she didn't care what Etherea said anymore. "The only stallion that will ever care about me in that way, and I ruined it!" She wailed, grasping the pillow behind her with her magic and stuffing it into her face so she could cry. Understandably so, Discord sat up from the bed and retreated back next to Fluttershy. No one expected him to be able to console her about this.

"Mom!" Spike yelled, jumping on the bed, taking Discord's empty spot. He threw his scaly arms around the mare and squeezed her tightly.

"Well," Pinkie's mane deflated, "this isn't a very nice twist," she pouted her lip and wiped her eyes.

"Wh-what's wrong with me?!" Twilight pulled the pillow away to breathe. "Why am I screwing things up lately?! Simple things that I shouldn't mess up!" Before she could bury her face in the pillow again, Spike blocked it with his hand, causing Twilight to look at him.

"Mom, what are you talking about screwing things up lately?" He asked. "And what happened with Flash?"

"I-I-I t-tried to g-give Cougar a t-truth s-serum o-on Hearth's W-Warming Eve," Twilight reminded him as she sobbed. "R-ruining a f-friend's tr-trust!" She explained.

"That was nearly two months ago," I pointed out, only to have AJ elbow me in the ribs. She shot me a look that was pretty much the epitome of 'shut up.' I could only guess she wanted to see Spike handle this; we apparently were backup at this point.

"Please," Spike removed his hand from the pillow and placed it on Twilight's shoulder. "Mom, what happened with Flash?" He asked. Though tears were still steadily streaming out of her eyes, Twilight stopped sobbing enough to get words out without stuttering.

"I just wasn't thinking clearly," Twilight swallowed, shifting her gaze from the floor to her son. "After everyone left, I…I realized that I was about to miss my prior engagement with Flash Sentry for Hearts and Hooves Day dinner," she explained.

"Wait," Rarity interrupted as kindly as possible, "you went to Canterlot so you could have dinner with Flash Sentry in your condition?"

"Well, I know it sounds absurd, but I didn't want to make him feel like I blew him off after Princess Celestia gave him her word that I would be in Canterlot for dinner," Twilight said. "And while worrying about that, I also thought it may take my mind off what happened earlier in the day, I could have fun during dinner with Flash, and then I could come home and spend more time with Spike," she gave a sad smile to us before looking back at the drake that still hugged her. She paused for a brief moment, allowing Spike to wipe some of her tears away with his thumb.

"So what happened?" Pinkie questioned. "Flash didn't know about…." she trailed off as Twilight shook her head.

"No, at least not until I had to explain why I'd been crying," she replied. "He understood that it was nothing but an awful lie and that Etherea was talking out of her rear end. Flash wanted to help me take my mind off it at dinner, but right before we left his quarters at the castle, he mentioned that he thought I was a good mother to Spike."

"Aw, that was sweet of him," Fluttershy smiled, hoping that it would elevate Twilight's spirits. The alicorn exhaled sharply before clenching her eyes tightly and plopping her head on Spike's shoulder.

"Yeah, until I got the worst idea I've ever come up with!" Twilight began to sob again. Spike patted her shoulder lightly and began to rock back and forth. It was odd to me to see a son consoling his mother by rocking back and forth, but Spike apparently knew what he was doing. "When Flash mentioned that," her voice was coming out more and more like a croak, "I suddenly asked him if he wanted to test it," Twilight explained.

"What do you mean, test it, Twilight?" I asked her. If Flash already complimented her on her role as Spike's mom, then what would she need to test?

"Well, I then told him I thought he'd make a good father. He laughed and said he never really thought about it before, and then I asked him if he wanted to test out us as parents," Twilight explained. Oh crap, I was starting to understand what she asked him. I couldn't tell if anyone else was catching on, but I kept my mouth shut, hoping I was wrong. "It caught him completely off guard, but he asked if I was just asking him to move in to my castle and be sort like a father figure to Spike. He didn't sound repulsed or put off by the idea, but I just had to explain what I was getting at. I told him if we both believed we'd make a great mother and father, then he should move in with me and Spike and we should," Twilight bit her lip and began hyperventilating.

"Mom?" Spike tried to calm her down. "Rainbow, can you go to the kitchen and get a paper bag?" Spike asked. Rainbow quickly saluted us, left, and was back in about seven seconds. Spike thanked her and handed Twilight the bag. She rapidly breathed in and out of the bag until it popped loudly, making everyone but her jump.

"I told him we should live together and try to have a foal of our own to prove we can be good parents!" Twilight wailed loudly. Oh shit, I was right. Just the weight of that situation made me feel uneasy. I had to hold my head in my hand for a moment. I was really more concerned for Spike at this point. What if he felt like Twilight was trying to replace him? "He couldn't believe what I was asking, and asked me to say it again so he heard me right. So, me being the stupid idiot I am, I retold him my idea and even added that it would strengthen our relationship, bring us closer by us having a child of our own, and Spike would have a younger sibling to play and bond with which would make our whole family strong!"

"Twilight," I managed to mutter while holding my head. Applejack looked toward me with a concerned expression and wrapped her foreleg around my torso. "I'm okay," I whispered.

"He asked me if I was feeling okay, and I said I was," Twilight continued. "Flash then sat me down on his bed and gently told me that I was letting what Etherea told me get to me. He said that while it's an interesting thought, I was rushing our relationship way too fast and that we weren't even close to being married yet. I told him I didn't care about that and just wanted to be bonded closer to him."

"He didn't start yelling, did he?" Rainbow Dash grimaced.

"Flash never rose his voice to me the entire time we were there," Twilight sniffled into Spike's shoulder. "He asked me to not bring this up again until our relationship made it to the engagement level, but I kept begging him. I wanted me, him, and Spike to be more of a family and then Flash and I could conceive a child of our own. I pleaded with him several times until he asked me to leave. I asked him how long to wait to go to dinner, but he said he didn't want to go to dinner with me anymore.

"Well, what exactly did he say?" Applejack questioned.

"Flash said, 'Twilight, you're an amazing mare that's done more for Equestria than most ponies could ever dream of, and I was hoping to build our relationship up, but this? I can't just rush into having a foal with you, especially not before we're married. I had true feelings for you and not just because you're a princess. But if all you want from me is to just father your foal, then I just can't be with you anymore. I'm truly sorry, Twilight Sparkle, but it's over.'" Twilight whined before saying one last thing to us. "H-he ga-gave me o-one last k-kiss b-before gently cl-closing the door. I tried to plead with him that I'd drop it, but deep down I knew I'd bucked this up worse than anything else, so I ran down the hall and teleported back here. And he was right! I was only selfishly thinking of showing up Etherea instead of really thinking about my future with Flash!" Twilight concluded.

None of us really knew how to respond to this. Even Spike just sat next to Twilight with his arms still around her. "I'm just, so angry at myself for ruining a relationship and forcing Flash to make that decision!" Twilight burst when none of us responded.

"Mom, it's okay," Spike tried to convince her.

"I'm not angry at Flash in any way; I deserved to have that happen for being so stupid!" The alicorn scolded herself. "I just want to forget yesterday," she bowed her head and let her tears fall to the floor. "I just want to forget," she repeated. I can't explain why we all did what we did at the same time; all I can say is it happened. We all, even Discord, crowded around the poor alicorn and hugged her tight, forming a protective barrier of friendship around her as she said again, "I just want to forget."

"Whatever ya need, Sugarcube," I felt Applejack gulp hard, "we're here fer ya." I admit I'm not an expert at helping people get over situations like this, and I'm still shocked that I was able to help Twilight back on Christmas, but since she and I were friends now because of that incident, I would do my part too as I know she'd do the same for us. None of us knew how long it would take; but what we did know is that Twilight accepted that she made a huge mistake and wanted to move on. I was positive Flash would forgive her if she met up with him, but I was also positive that there was no hope for them to get back together as mean as that sounds.

"I just want to forget," Twilight repeated one last time as Spike nuzzled his cheek against hers as his own tears rolled down his cheeks. Her words hit me harder than anyone else in the room. Twilight and I now had something else, something vastly deep in common, and I wanted to help her forget as much as she's helped me forget. Maybe, just maybe, if I helped her, it could in turn bring us even closer as friends.

End Chapter 49

---

A couple of things I'd like to point out. Yes, I know the scene with Twilight really got to the point quicker than when Ivan had to deal with her, but seeing as how you guys already went through that, I felt you didn't want it to be as long.

Also, while yes the website does in fact say this is the fiftieth chapter, the first chapter is a prologue, meaning that the NEXT chapter to me is Chapter Fifty. As most of you already know, I've never written a story that's even come close to fifty chapters, and I right now just wanted to thank everyone who's stuck by as long as they have.

Another thing, with next chapter being Chapter 50, I can give you a little hint at what happens. The next chapter takes place directly in a Season 5 episode; it's up to you all to try and guess which one after reading this chapter. All I can say is it's one of my favorite Season 5 episodes and this begins an arc I've been DYING to write for the longest time. This chapter is also the last dramatic chapter for awhile as we move into a more action and gritty arc.

Final note, I really hope no one is mad at Flash; in my honest opinion, he had a pretty good right to break things off with Twilight. How would you guys react if your significant other just brought up out of the blue that they wanted a child with you and continuously begged you about it? And don't worry, this little incident is NOT, I repeat NOT just so I can pair up Twilight with someone else. I'm really still thinking about WHO I could pair her up with and how to do it naturally and slowly.

Again, thank you guys for reading!