I thought and thought, but I couldn't figure out what Spike meant. I would never hurt her on purpose. Maybe he just didn't know that and wanted to make sure I didn't think about attacking her. Then again, maybe I was hurting her on accident somehow and he was trying to tell me? Gragh... All this thinking isn't getting me anywhere... I could see the Carousel Boutique now. I picked up my pace as if trying to run from my own thoughts. I knocked on the door to the Carousel Boutique and waited for Rarity. After waiting for a few minutes I was about to leave because I thought she'd left, but then I heard her trot up to the door. She opened it and her eyes lit up when she saw me.

"Oh hi Sharky!" She gave me a broad smile. Then she looked at my chest. "Spike burn your clothes again?" I laughed.

"No, I lost my shirt." She looked shocked, but didn't look away from my chest.

"How do you lose a shirt when you only have one?!" I looked down at my chest to see what she found so interesting. I was muscular, I guess, but she's a pony. Why would it matter to her? I put it up to me imagining things again.

"I was trying to use these babies--" I spread my wings. They had started to shrink, but were still fairly large. Rarity gawked at them open-mouthed. "So I had to take off my shirt. I failed to remember where I placed it though, so I couldn't find it afterwards."

"Wherever did you get wings dear? For that matter, where did your horn go?" I sighed. I didn't realize I'd have to explain this to everypony. I walked into her house and took a seat in one of the available chairs. I told Rarity how the magic worked. It took about another half hour for me to explain it all to her. She didn't look like she understood, but nodded anyway.

Man, I wish Twilight wasn't the only one I could talk science with... I thought to myself.

"I suppose you need me to make you a shirt hmm?" I blushed. Was I that obvious already?

"Yeah, I wish we didn't have to keep meeting without all my clothing, but unfortunately we are." Rarity giggled.

"It doesn't bother me dear." Were she human that statement might have meant something to me, but I just assumed it meant not wearing my clothes didn't affect her.

"Thanks Rarity." I sent her a warm smile. "Should we get to measuring?" I asked.

"...Yes, that would be...nice." She said. I sat down with my legs crossed so she could reach my upper body. She started measuring again, still not using magic to hold the measuring tape. I didn't question her or complain about it though.

"So about payment..." I started.

"No, don't even mention it dear. That white diamond you gave me is worth enough to cover quite a few orders."

"You're too generous Rarity." I inwardly laughed at my own joke.

"Well thank you Sharky." She rubbed my back a little when she said thank you. It felt odd.

*POMF*

"Umm Rarity, could you stop that?" I asked.

"Why? You clearly don't mind it." She said indicating my wings.

"Actually I do. It feels weird. Can you please stop?" She didn't stop right away, but she did stop. "Thanks Rarity, I know you were just being friendly, but I can't help my reactions."

"Think nothing of it dear." She said. She continued to measure me.

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"WHERE WERE YOU?!" Four and a half hours later, I had grown a white horn, my wings were gone, Rarity had finished measuring me and was now making a shirt. About twenty seconds ago, Twilight had come in and located me immediately.

"Twilight!" I yelled happily. Totally oblivious to her anger. I ran over and gave her a hug. She relaxed in my arms and hugged me back. Rarity mumbled something. "Good to see you buddy!" When I said that she tensed up again and dropped the hug. Rarity snickered.

"Where were you?" She asked again, more quietly this time. "You were supposed to come back after the horn disappeared!" I let go of her and gave her a skeptical stare. She was acting weird again.

"Well I let the horn disappear, then decided to gather data on the effect of copying pegasus magic." I turned and saw Rarity about to put a ruby on my shirt. "Rarity dear, don't you think a sapphire would compliment my skin tone better?"

"...Oh of course dear, what WAS I thinking. I'll be right back." She trotted into another room. I turned back to Twilight and prepared to give her my data, but then got a really confused look from her.

"What the buck was that?" She asked. "You're suddenly a fashion expert now?" I looked confused right back at her. Then I thought and looked up at my horn. (which of course meant I tilted my head back and only succeded in moving the horn out of my vision again.)

"Problably a side effect of mimicking Rarity's magic." I figured. Twilight seemed to agree.

"You had me scared to death you know." I cringed.

"Why, it's not like I was doing anything dangerous..."

"Well how was I supposed to know?!" She shouted. "And what am I supposed to think when I find this--" She levitated my old shirt off her back. It was torn and ripped all over. "Next to Everfree Forest?!" I gasped in terror. She must have thought I was....

"Oh I'm so sorry Twilight!" I pulled her into another hug. "It won't happen again. I'll come home as promised next time!"

"So...What pegasus were you mimicking?" She asked intently. She was trying to change the subject. I gues she didn't like thinking about me dying...

"Rainbow Dash." Twilight relaxed a little. "I even managed to beat her in a race!" I exclaimed. Twilight looked terrified.

"She didn't hurt you did she?!?" She asked in a panic. She rubbed the small bruise on my cheek. I gave her another confused look.

"No, well she did hit me on the cheek, but I earned it. Why would she hurt me otherwise?" Twilight relaxed a little.

"Well Dash can sometimes be...a sore loser." I thought about that.

"Well she was a bit mad at first, but then she started talking about how I was the first 'pony' to ever beat her in a race. Then she looked at me like she was hungry or something and Invited me over to her house." Twilight then looked very angry and tensed every muscle in her body.

"You didn't go did you?" She hissed through her teeth. I was getting more confused by the minute. Why would it matter if I had?

"Noooo...I wanted to share the data I had gathered with you, so I left. Are you ok Twilight?" She looked less tense since I told her that, but not less angry. I didn't know what to do, so I just pulled her into my lap and hugged her. She let out a deep sigh and hugged me back. I stroked her mane and held her. She shifted a little and started nuzzling my neck. I wasn't sure how to react, but It felt...strange, so I pushed her away. She looked....disappointed, but didn't speak. I wasn't happy with her looking upset, but at least she didn't look mad or tense anymore.

"Here it is~" Rarity sang as she trotted back in with a light blue sapphire. She attached it to the center of the chest of the shirt and magically carried it over to me.

"Thanks Rarity!" I shouted as I grabbed the shirt and hugged her. "You're amazing!" She hugged me back and I heard gritting teeth behind me. I didn't see it, but Rarity stuck out her tounge at Twilight. I did hear Twilight gasp however. I let go of Rarity and turned to Twilight. "Is something wrong?" She looked angry again. "Twilight are you feeling ok?"

"No, no I'm not. would you mind taking me home?" I slipped on my new shirt. I was still concerned about Twilight, but decided not to question her in front of Rarity.

"Not at all!" I said. I picked her up (force of habit I guess) and carried her to the door. "Thanks again Rarity!" I sent another smile her way. She smiled back.

"Think nothing of it dear!" I didn't see it, but on my way out, Twilight stuck her tounge out at Rarity. The sun was going down when I left. I carried Twilight home and took her up to bed again. Spike was already asleep in his little bed. I put Twilight In bed and tucked her in. She started shivering. "Are you cold Twilight?" I asked with concern. She was starting to worry me. She was having odd moods, and now she was shivering! I hope she isn't sick!

"Yeah. It's really cold in here." I didn't feel very cold, but it WAS winter, and she was a lot smaller than me. It would be easy for her to be cold while I wasn't.

"I'll get you another blanket."

"No! Umm, how about you just lay down with me? That would help much more." I thought about that claim for a second. Providing additional body heat would work more than just trapping more of her body heat. She had a point.

"Hmmmm... You're right Twilight." I lifted the covers and squeezed myself into bed with her. It was a small bed, so we had to spoon to fit together. I started blushing a little due to the position. "T-t-this is the only way I can fit in your bed. Are you sure you want me to be here?"

"Yes, this is really nice. I already feel warmer." I felt really...odd, but I was helping Twilight so I didn't move. We just sat like that for a little while and I filled her in on the details of my day. Soon after that she fell asleep. My current horn shrank back down into my head and a new one was starting the growth process. I would've fallen asleep too, but Twilight wiggled and made weird sounds in her sleep. She mumbled my name a few times, but I didn't know what to think about that.. When she strarted wiggling her rear though...The growth of my horn was rapidly accelerated. (oh, did you think I meant the one on my head?) I jumped out of the bed and went to take a cold shower. I just stood in the water for about 20 minutes. I towled myself off and got dressed again. I went over to Spike's bed and put my hand on his side. He was as warm, if not warmer than I was. I picked him up and placed him underneath Twilight's blanket. He would keep her plenty warm. I then walked downstairs and curled up in the corner I had tried to sleep in last night. I laid there and felt terrible for my reaction to that innoccent little pony. Eventually I realized how tired I was from all my flying. Not eating at all certainly didn't help. At least I finally got to that shower. I then settled down and tried to sleep. It didn't come quickly, but I did eventually fall asleep. I tossed and turned all night and had all sorts of dreams.

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Yeah I know it's a shorter chapter, but I'm trying the best I can. I'll make sure to write longer chapters later. I'll still be up for a few hours to respond to any comments, so please feel free to ask questions or whatever.