(Author's Note: This is a relatively short chapter; expect shorter ones on weekdays.)

(Albert's Note: I am no the Author^. All writing credit goes to my friend Aubergine.)

Chapter 4

The door flew open, a grey blur flitting around the room. Sunlight streamed through the window, irritating Dr. Whooves’ eyes. He woke on his back, propping himself up on his good front leg. The grey blur that was flitting around the room was now clearly an owl, perched across from him on the bed post. Twilight walked in, magically carrying his breakfast with a grin on her face. The owl stared across at him, jerking its head around at weird angles. Suddenly Dr. Whooves noticed the weirdest smell emanating from somewhere in the room. Was it Cheddar? Pumpkin? He tossed aside the thought, there was a Celestia damn owl in his room.

“Hooo, hoo.”, hooed the owl.

“Morning, Mr. Whooves.”, said Twilight in a tender voice. “I’m terribly sorry about last night, sometimes I just get so riled up. Oh, and I haven’t even cleaned up your spill. Is there any chance you can forgive me?”

“Think nothing of it, Twilight. We all need to let off a little steam now and then.” Mr. Whooves said, in his most (secretly insincere) forgiving tone. “I was wrong, anyway.”

“Oh, Dr, thank Celestia you’ve finally seen the way.” Said Twilight Sparkle, setting the tray of food on his chest, “I was beginning to think that you were a lost cause!”

“Oh, I’d like to think I’m not.” He said, smiling.To deal with a mare like Twilight, he now realized, he had to play it cool. He didn’t know what could set her off, but her sure as hell didn’t want to find out.

“Not like that, Mr. Whooves. You’re such an inspiration. Recently I’ve just been.. swamped with all the work that’s come from my job. Your books are just so refreshing to someone like me. I couldn’t live without them! Of course, I used to bury myself in my work, and I was amazing at it. Top of the class! But when I got my first signed copy of ‘Daring Doo and the Sapphire Stone, I finally had a purpose!” Her eyes were now looking up, and her smile was that of an absent-minded horse. Twilight certainly was prone to rambling, Mr. Whooves had noticed.She was remembering all the wonderful times she’s had in her life, all the memories. She could show Dr. Whooves one day. One day, but not today.

“Well I notice you seem to have a pet owl? Or is this also a gift from Celestia?” He asked, his head tilted, questioningly.

“Oh, you fooler, you! That’s just my favorite beast in the world”, she said while scruffling her pet’s feathers, “My owl, Darling Doo!”

“Darling Doo?” He said.

“I told you I was your biggest fan! Oh, come back here!” She ended the last sentence chasing her owl through the doorway, making, ‘hoo’, sounds.

“Hoooo hoo!”, the sounds playfully left her mouth, in a childish way. She turned back towards the Dr, “Hoo!”, she said, and then went back to chasing her owl.She was, in a sense, a child at heart. A disturbed, scary child. Maybe she would like the ending to his new book. He hoped she would. Because if she didn’t, there wasn’t much of a chance he would get out alive. He stopped muddling his mind with scary thoughts and ate his breakfast, the smell still lingering of the spill she still hadn’t cleaned.

********************************

“Well was he in there?” asked Cheerilee, her hooves hanging out of the passenger side of the carriage.

“If he was, would I look like this?” Big Mac said, pointing a hoof towards his gloomy face.

“I suppose not. But would it kill ya to say that again without sarcasm?” Said Cheerilee, her face crumpled up with disappointment.

Big Mac let out a large sigh, facing the ground. He looked back at her, a huge, fake smile on his face.“If he vuz, vould vy vace vook ike is?” He said, through a constant smile.

“You know its this kind of spice that keeps our marriage together.” Cheerilee said, smiling coyly.

“And what would keep it apart?” He said.

“You.” She started laughing and trying to control herself. “Alright, hehe, alright get in the cart, honeybuns.”

“I thought we were done with that.” He said, stepping into the carriage.

“We were done, after you stopped calling me, ‘schwoopy-doppy, sweetie-weetie, pony pie.’” she said, smiling even wider.

“You, hush up.”, he said, pointing a hoof in her face. “C’mon now boys.”

The two stallions started trotting off, down the road that Mr. Whooves would have gone, provided he left. Cheerilee and Big Mac had been living together, happily married in the town of Hoof Creek for near 15 years. A small community with a population of 100 or 200, depending on who came during a Family Reunion. Being the Deputy of the town wasn’t a stressful job in general, but when it was, Cheerilee was always there to help. With all of her, “helping”, they were surprised they hadn’t ever had a filly of their own.

“There! Stop! Stop here!” Big Mac, extending his hoof towards a broken tree off the side of the road. His eyes were now wide with excitement, he thought he may have been on to something. “Cheerilee, come look.”

They stepped out swiftly, Big Mac hastily jogging towards the tree sapling, which had been snapped at the center.

“Macintosh, its just a tree.” Cheerilee said, jokingly.

“Maybe, but why would this kinda tree snap? They’re too flexible in the wind, couldn’t break in a blizzard.” Said Big Mac, examining the sapling.

“Big Mac, it could be several things. The weight of the snow, a stumbling bear--” Big Mac interrupted her.

“A runaway carriage?”, He said, in a suggestive manner.

“Oh, Tosh, you haven’t found anything.”, said Cheerilee.

“Well, it just.. shoot. you’re probably right.” Big Mac let out a sigh and walked away, head hung low.“Let’s go home, boys. We’ll keep lookin’”.

Cheerilee and her husband left, unaware of the wreckage and snow tracks just 60 feet below, to be covered by a layer of snow that night..

************************************************

Dr. Whooves had noticed nothing out of the ordinary with Twilight today, she seemed to have finally forgiven herself for her little outburst. She introduced him to his wheelchair, which she would use to carry him to and from the bathroom mid-day. Starting today, she would start washing him regularly.

Today, though, she seemed giddy in a secretive way. He figured he would ask about her mood later, how her day was. Mares loved that.

“Goodnight, Mr. Whooves! And another day’s gone by that I won’t get back. At least I’ve spent it with my hero.” She smile shyly.

“One thing before you go to bed, Twilight.” He was able to get his comment in just moments before she would leave.

“Yes?”

“Is there.. anything you want to tell me about today?”, he gestured a slow circle with his good hoof, “Anything at all?”

"Honestly.. Yes! Yes! Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!” she started hopping around the room, emphasizing every ‘Yes’ more than the last.

“Ahaha, and what might that be?” He asked.

“Your book! My reserved copy came in the mail today! I’m already on page 200, you magnificent stallion, you!” She said, scrunching her face in a way a mother scrunches her face when trying to entertain her baby.

“Well I’m certainly glad you like it so far.” He said with a large, beaming smile.

“Oh how could I not? But I have to go, must finish, BYE BYE!”, she left out the door.
Dr. Whooves certainly knew she was ecstatic about her book, and he would be too. Perhaps she would let him read it after she was done. There was nothing more satisfying than reading your very own well-reviewed literature.

**************************************************

“You tardy-artie.”

(Editors Note: I had everything spaced that I could..... I like spaces....)