Rarity's phone vibrated not once, but twice. Though she wanted to just ignore it to relax for a few more moments, she instinctively reached out and unlocked the screen on her phone. Rarity knew to be wary of texts from Rainbow Dash, and this one was surely no different. Still, she hesitantly opened the message and scanned it.

'Skank, I'm coming over.' Rarity rolled her eyes, not surprised at all. The next message read on, 'ps do you have those mini pizza things?'

With quick and stern fingers, she replied a simple, 'No.'

The phone vibrated again almost immediately, and Rarity could not stop herself from checking it. It was Rainbow Dash again, just as characteristic, 'Fuck, you suck.'

Rarity frowned at it, though she was not particularly offended. It was just Rainbow Dash, after all. Still, she wondered why the girl had wanted to go over to her house anyway, it was a rare occurrence indeed, especially since she was always busy with football. That was right, Rarity remembered: Rainbow Dash was no longer on the team at all. It sure was hard to believe, considering she seemed to enjoy it so much, and Applejack was right there with her. She was too curious not to ask.

'What is it? And why'd you quit the team, anyway?' she added as though it was a casual question.

'Long story. Perfect fucking time for those mini pizzas, don't you think?' was the response, and Rarity sighed in a groan out loud. If it meant answers, though, she supposed she could comply.

'… Fine, I'll go get some.' Rarity hit the send button firmly.

'Sweet. Be there soon.' Rainbow's text was straight to the point as usual.

“Sorry, Spike,” Rarity said as she turned around, addressing the boy who was laying next to her on the bed. “I'm going to have to cut this short after all.”

“What? Already?” Spike grumbled, leaning in and kissing her neck. “Are you sure?”

“Spikey, come on, don't tease me,” she giggled, wriggling out of his hold. “Rainbow Dash is coming over, surely you don't want to stay while she's here?”

“I didn't know you two were that close,” Spike wondered, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. “She's probably just going to complain about shit, I doubt it will be interesting.”

“She asked to come over, well, more like invited herself,” Rarity murmured irritably. “And besides, I told my sister I would help her with a project for her cheerleading. You understand, don't you?”

“Yeah, whatever,” he growled as he sat up at once, adjusting his shirt. “I don't know why I even bothered showing up here.”

“Spikey, calm down. You can't just throw a temper tantrum whenever you don't get your way,” she sighed, watching him pull his belt around to fix the position of the buckle. “I can't just lie in bed all day, you know that.”

“It's not a damn temper tantrum,” Spike snapped back, though he went stiff once he noticed her knowing expression. He was kind of proving her point. “It's just, sometimes I need a friend too. We have a game tomorrow, and I have a lot going on in my head; it's driving me nuts.”

“I've always said that we can talk about it, I'll do whatever I can to help you,” Rarity's expression softened on him. Still, he resisted her kindness.

“It's all right, I'll be fine.” He grabbed his jacket from over the back of her computer chair and threw it over his shoulders, tugging it closed around his chest.

“You know, Spike,” she started slowly, hoping that something might actually get through to him, even if just to piss him off. “Sometimes, you do act rather juvenile.”

The door slammed at once, and Rarity flinched as it did. She could hear his footsteps descending the stairs, but she continued to just stare at the door. It probably wasn't the best thing to say, but he was not the only one who was affected by his mood swings. It was not easy for Rarity, either. With a long exhale, she got to her feet and did up the top few buttons of her shirt. After all, she had to go out and get mini pizzas. Perhaps she could buy a few magazines, too, to calm her down.

“Juvenile, I’m just… ugh, whatever,” Spike said, stumbling forward.

Biting his lip, Spike looked out towards a field, watching several kids in the school yard playing with a football. Idly stepping forward, he stood just a foot from the fence, leering over as he watched twenty kids zip around, not playing to win but just enjoying. Of course, they had forsaken the elementary school touch-football rules. They had decided to play like the pros, lazily tackling each other, yet none of them were heavy enough to take down with any damage. It was sprints and shouts, tumbles to the ground, followed by roaring laughter and cheers. He eyed them with envy, wishing he were indeed quite so juvenile again. Closing his eyes, his mind conjured up numerous images.

A smaller Pipsqueak, a smaller set of the Dumbbells and his other teammates and friends as well as a younger version of him tumbling around. Inexperienced children fumbling at a sport they’ve never played. He truly wished that he had started this game earlier in life. Sighing, he leaned forward and rested his arms on the top of the fence, continuing to watch them.

One of the kids stopped playing as he spotted Spike, the rest of the group following suit. One boy ran over towards him, glancing up at him. He looked like a miniature Pipsqueak yet upon speaking, noticed his accent was entirely different.

“Oi, mis’er, what’re ya doin’, ploppin’ ‘round th’ schoo’ yar’?” he spoke in a thick, almost incomprehensible Australian accent.

“Uh, just watching some younger kids play football, y’know,” Spike admitted casually, shrugging his shoulders.

“You’re a Man’icore, ‘ight?” he asked.

“Huh?” Spike raised an eyebrow.

“Man, tee, core. Like th’ high schoo’ foo’ball team, tha’ ol’ kicker,” he questioned excitedly, his eyes widening and becoming more starstruck as he spoke.

“I, guess, yeah, I’m also the team’s tight end,” Spike muttered, glancing up towards the skies. Looking back down, he almost did a double-take upon seeing the kid with a wide open mouth, drooling. “Uh, kid, you’re drooling.”

He wiped his mouth without closing it or blinking and giggled. Spike leaned back slightly as several more kids ran over towards him, seemingly recognizing him as well. Gulping, Spike looked stared the mass of children that arrived.

“Woah, a real pro football player.”

“D’you know Brian Pasghetti?”

“You mean Brian Stangeltti?”

“They said you kicked a football 60-yards.”

“Woah, a dragon that looks human.”

“Play with us!”

Feeling the tension in his chest dissolve, he held up a finger as he pulled out his phone. Glancing at the screen, he vaguely identified the time, and checked for messages. Nothing came through at the moment but he had remembered that he didn’t respond to Rarity’s last message before he arrived at the boutique. Pulling it out, he stared at it intently.

Rarity

‘Want to come over for a bit? I’m free for an hour~ ;3’

Sighing as he remembered the outcome, Spike tapped the text box, typing in his message in the keypad that popped up.

‘Hey, I just wanted to say’

Spike stopped, not being able to think up an adequate end to that sentence. Leaving his response for later, he hit his phone’s lock button and pocketed the device, smiling as he shook his head.

“Sure.”

With a single leap, Spike climbed atop the fence as the kids cheered, running back to the field with Spike jogging shortly behind.

“Come on, Rarity!” Sweetie Belle squeaked, spinning around in the chair by Rarity's computer desk. “You said you'd help me with these lyrics?”

“Why do you need my help, dear? Music is your forte,” Rarity reminded her, flipping through a magazine on her bed while laying on her stomach and kicking her legs up and down gracefully.

“Usually yeah, but this is for the Manticores, and I don't know anything about them. You know the team better than I do, you're dating a player,” Sweetie pouted her lips and crossed her arms, kicking her legs quickly to keep her turning around and around.

“Well, they're an interesting bunch, yes,” Rarity hummed to think about them, a smile playing on her face. “Despite struggling through their small numbers and inexperience, they're determined and diligent, talented and tough, persistent and—”

“Hey Rare, you think AJ could undo this clasp with her teeth?” The football team's captain stumbled backwards out of the closet, wearing Rarity's bra over her much smaller breasts and her own sports bra. She groped at them and played with the clasp herself, which was located between the cups for easy access.

“Perverted.” Rarity finished with a low voice, glaring at the subject in question. With a sigh, she answered the girl who was looking at herself in Rarity's mirror, “You would know better than I would, Dash.”

“Oh, she's a goddess with her tongue, but teeth? We haven't tried,” Rainbow Dash went on, even having difficulty undoing the clasp with her clumsy fingers, that was why she often just pulled it right over her head rather than deal with that.

“Her tongue, you say,” Rarity repeated distractedly, still flipping through the pages and hardly listening.

“Don't get me started, man, the things I could tell you!” Rainbow raised her voice, laughing as she went into the closet to remove the brassiere. “But I don't want to pop the virgin ear-cherry on this little doll-face.”

“Pop the—?” That got Rarity's attention, and she looked over at her little sister, who looked quite confused and disturbed by everything that came out of Rainbow's mouth. “Rainbow Dash, I know things with Applejack are difficult, from what you’ve told me, but do at least try to be civil.”

“I can't help myself,” Rainbow Dash sighed, exiting the closet while doing up her own blouse, having had her own bra on under Rarity's to fill it out better. She groaned and fell backwards onto Rarity's bed, covering her eyes with her hands. “I miss her so much. So fucking much. Her brother, like, escorts her everywhere now, so I can hardly get close. Ugh, I miss those sweet, soft, supple—”

“Please don't,” Rarity begged her not to go on.

“I was talking about her lips,” Rainbow rolled her head and glared at Rarity. She couldn't keep it up though, and cracked a suggestive smile to reveal it, “Which lips, however...”

“Ugh, I can't listen to this,” Rarity slammed her magazine shut, startling both of them. “First with Spike, and now with you. You two are always complaining, but how about doing something constructive about it, hmm? Big McIntosh is fine with her seeing her other friends, right? She could go to, say, Twilight's or my house, right?”

“Yeah, but I don't see why—” Rainbow Dash paused as she understood what Rarity was suggesting. “Man, you's a sneaky lil' bitch, ain't cha?”

“Watch your language,” Rarity reminded her firmly, and Sweetie Belle just watched on.

“It's at Rare's house, Ah dunno what you're gettin' s’ worked up about,” Applejack growled as she finished packing her books into a shoulder bag, slinging it over her arm.

“Who's all gonna be there?” her brother asked invasively, pacing in front of the door like he was guarding it.

“Ah dunno, Twilight prob'ly, maybe Fluttershy,” Applejack shrugged as she grabbed the keys off the hook on the wall, trying to get past Big Mac.

“Dash?” Big Mac raised his eyebrow accusingly.

“It's a study group, Ah seriously doubt that.” The farm girl chuckled as she tried to pass him again, only to have him step in front of her.

Big Mac grabbed the keys in her hand and held them, staring into his younger sister's bright green eyes. He traced them for any hint of a lie, but couldn't see a thing like it. Still, he was too stubborn to let her go alone.

“Ah'm drivin ya.” He turned around and opened the door, hardly having time to slip on his shoes before storming out to the truck.

“Wha—seriously?” Applejack whined incredulously. Could she ever have a moment of peace? With a loud groan she followed after him, closing the door and easily catching up. “Ugh, why you gotta be so...”

“S' what?” Mac asked as he looked over his shoulder suspiciously. “Protective? Cautious?”

“Annoyin',” Applejack corrected with a low grumble, pushing past him as she went to the passenger's side.

“Look, AJ, one day ya'll realize that all o' this was f’ your own good,” he told her calmly, climbing into the driver's seat and slamming the door after him. He wasted not a moment starting up the ignition, the only luggage he brought along being the wallet in his rear pocket.

“One day when Ah'm miserable an' alone?” Applejack glared over at him, but he continued to focus on backing out of the driveway.

“Maybe.” Their bodies shrugged and shifted as the truck went over the various indentations and potholes that riddled the driveway. After another moment or two of awkward silence, Big mac squeezed at his steering wheel, making certain his intentions were known. “Listen sis, Ah don't much mind if y'wanna... y'know, with... y'know,” he seemed very uncomfortable as he spoke, not being much for words usually, and it amused Applejack.

“Sleep with girls?” she asked plainly, crossing her arms and looking at him seriously.

“Eeyup,” he sonorously agreed, clearing his throat to make an excuse for the rosiness in his cheeks. “It's jus'... Dash? Of all people? Y'couldn't pick someone... Ah dunno, else?”

“It ain't duck-duck-goose, Mac,” Applejack rolled her eyes, sinking back into the seat deeper. “Wha's y'problem with 'er, anyway? She ain't as bad as y'peg her for, y'don't give 'er enough credit.”

Big Mac smiled, huffing something of a laugh. Though Applejack frowned and glared at his reflection in the window, he looked over with an odd fondness in his face. He reached out, placing his hand over her shoulder, the size of it encompassing a good portion of her arm in the process. With a softened expression, she glanced back over at him questioningly.

“Y'always were too forgivin', sis,” he told her quietly, keeping an eye on the road time and again. “Ah jus' don't wanna see y'get hurt, she ain't good for ya.”

“Y'don't know her like Ah do, Mac,” Applejack tried to plead to him, but he didn't seem to listen. “She can be real sweet. Like sometimes, when we're lyin' in bed, she'll jus' lean over an'—”

“Nnope! Ah don't wanna hear this!” Big Mac interrupted in a near shout, gripping the steering wheel as his face flushed red again.

“She'll kiss me, Mac. Tha's all. She'll kiss me, then lean back a mite, an' just look at me, with this big ol' lovin' smile on her face,” Applejack cooed, herself smiling as she remembered it. “An' no matter where we do it, sh' always wants t' cuddle afterwards. Th' big lug.”

“‘N'matter where y'do it’?” Big Mac's face twisted into an almost painful disgust as images came to his head. “Where th' hay have you—nnope, don't answer that.”

“Mac,” Applejack spoke him name calmly, her gentle and understanding eyes searching for his. “Ah know it ain’t like you t’ be so aggressive an’ mean. Y’aint never been s’ hard on me for my decisions, neither. So tell me… what’s really botherin’ you? Why do you hate Rainbow Dash?”

“She ain’t th’ most likable girl around, clearly,” he absently responded, turning the wheel as they made their way to the Boutique in town. “But Ah do have a reason.”

“Ah’m listenin’,” his sister ushered him to continue.

“It was a long time ago, b’fore y’brought th’ girl home t’ meet us,” Big Mac began, checking his rear view mirror before changing lanes. “Ah ran into her once before, well, t’ be honest, she darn near ran into me.”

“Really?” Applejack asked curiously, sitting up in her seat. “Y’never told me.”

“Ah know. Y’had talked about ‘er before, so Ah knew what sh’ musta looked like, an’ honestly, that hair’a hers is hard t’ mistake,” he scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Ah was walkin’ ‘round in town with Shining Armour, when suddenly this young girl comes outta nowhere an’ rounds th’ corner, darn near knocks me right over if you can believe it.”

“What happened?” she pried.

“She obviously didn’t know who Ah was, that Ah was her best friend’s brother an’ all… But, well… see, ‘er pockets were all stuffed up with lord-knows-what, an’ she was rushin’ ‘round like her heels were on fire,” he went on, frowning. “Ah hear some storekeeper hollerin’ from around th’ bend ‘bout a couple o’ thievin’ kids.”

“Oh, Dash,” Applejack whispered, closing her eyes tight in embarrassment.

“So rightly Ah try an’ stop her, grabbin’ her by th’ shoulders an’ telling her t’ stop runnin’ and such. She knocks me off though, an’ shouts somethin’ Ah ain’t never gonna forget.” Big Mac huffed a low sigh, and the words rolled out, “'Hey, I don't get up in your business about you fucking your cousin or your sister, buddy, so back off. Didn't your half-witted parents ever teach you to keep your hands to yourself?!'”

Though Big McIntosh couldn’t hide the southern drawl even in his mimic, Applejack knew it sounded just like her. She hummed flatly, understanding how such a thing could piss him off. After all, mentioning something about incest sure made it a little more awkward in the truck. That, and the siblings had lost their parents well before that time, and hearing that must not have been easy either.

“Ah never forgave ‘er for that, an’ she ain’t done much t’ make me wanna,” he grunted, stopping at a stop light for a few seconds before rolling to a go as it turned green. “Shining Armour tol' me tha' his sister said Rainbow Dash was the worst o' th' worst 'round school, always fightin' an' cussin' an' cheatin'. He tol' me once that Dash actually set th' school on fire once. On fire, Applejack!”

“Now that was an accident,” Applejack defended her adamantly, but Mac glared over at her. “Well, kinda.”

“She ain't jus' a punk, AJ, she's dangerous,” Big Mac tried to tell her, but she didn't seem to care. “Ah can’t rightly stand by an’ watch y’mess ‘round with someone like that.”

“Yea’, she sure ain’t easy to get along with, an’ she don’t make great choices all th’ time,” Applejack smiled sadly, knowing that something like this couldn’t usually just be swept under the rug. “But believe me when Ah tell you, she’s changed Mac, she really has. An’ she’s still changin’. Ain’t no one perfect.”

“She’s a thievin’ thug, a ruffian who’s always got her hands in th’ wrong places, AJ, Ah really can’t imagine what y’see in a girl like that.” Big Mac shook his head solemnly, disappointed in her.

“Ah can’t ask you t’ forgive her,” Applejack knew that, and she comfortingly reached out and put her hand on her brother’s. “But can Ah ask you t’ forgive me? For lyin’ an’ all. It sure can’t make it any easier on ya.”

“O’course, Ah ain’t angry at you,” he explained, glancing over once or twice as he spoke. “Yer ma sister, AJ.”

The two met gazes, and at once noticed the lingering uncomfortable atmosphere from recounting what Rainbow had said. They both immediately retracted their hands, cringing and shuttering to even imagine imagining them together. It was enough to silence the truck once more.

Applejack forced herself to look out the window instead, watching the streetlights come on and pass as the evening grew darker. She sighed, her breath fogging up a portion of the window as she leaned near it on her arm. Big Mac glanced over three times before deciding to speak again, and it was hard for him to put the words together at all.

“D… D'you love her, AJ?” he asked softly, his voice so quiet it was tangled up in the hum of the heating vents.

Applejack raised her head from her arm and looked over at him, noticing his tensing grip on the steering wheel. She swallowed anxiously before responding, knowing that he really didn’t want to hear it at all, “... An' what if Ah do?”

He took in a heavy breath and dropped it hard, his expression hardening as they grew nearer and nearer to a place he hardly knew and could hardly protect her in. He grit his teeth, imagining what Rainbow Dash must have done to worm her way into such a nice girl’s affection, and gave her his two cents: “Get over it.”

Applejack scoffed, shaking her head and turning back to the window. She had nothing to say to him that wasn't rude, so she just kept her mouth shut. Sometimes, she just could not deal with his ignorance and asinine behaviour.

It wasn't much longer to the Boutique, and the rest of the drive was filled in with silence. Applejack bounced her booted foot up and down, her body uncomfortable in the seat. She gripped at the armrest, remembering doing so for a much different reason so shortly ago. Shaking her head dismissively, she checked her cellphone out of the eye-line of her brother, wondering if she had received anything new from Rainbow Dash. Still though, to her disappointment, there was nothing.

The truck lurched a bit as Big Mac pulled up to the Boutique, halting it at once with the weight of his foot on the break. Applejack looked up and identified the front doors, relieved that the awkward ride was over. Picking up her book bag off the ground at her feet, she slung the strap over her arm and nearly kicked the door right open, before remembering her manners.

“Well, thanks for the ride an' all, Mac.” Applejack jumped out of the passenger's seat and let her boot-heels clack on the concrete.

“Nothin' doin'. Makes me rest easy t' drive you,” he told her as he leaned over the seat, adding something more, “B'sides, last time Ah lent y'th' truck, the back seat was all wet an' covered 'n knotted rope.”

Applejack froze remembering such a thing, and hoped the dimming light was enough to hide her blush. She chuckled lightly and nervously responded, “Oh, right... that.”

“So, what're you studyin'?” Mac asked, narrowing his eyes a bit at the way she shuffled her bag.

“Ah dunno, Rarity told me to grab my social studies text an' m' English notes,” she replied honestly, shrugging as she closed the truck door behind her.

Big Mac's gaze followed her as she walked around the truck, getting more and more serious and suspicious with each step she took. Glancing up at what he presumed was Rarity's window, he saw the curtains flutter and fall back into place. He didn't like this one bit. Slamming the keys in the ignition into the off position, he hopped out of the truck himself, hurrying to catch up to her near the front door.

“Ah'll walk y'up,” Big Mac told her sternly, falling into step beside her.

“Are y'kiddin' me?” she incredulously asked, making a horribly offended expression. “Do y'not trust me at all? Dash ain't gonna be here, Mac, relax already, y'paranoid maniac.”

“If she ain't there it ain't no problem for me t'come in, right?” he asked with a raised brow, smirking accusingly.

“'cept y'weren't invited,” Applejack grumbled as she rolled her eyes, letting him follow anyway. “Rare said t'jus' c'mon in.”

Applejack turned the doorknob and pushed the door in, walking right into the eerily dark Boutique showroom. It was not the first time it had been so dark in there, and Applejack wasn't afraid of her friend's house or anything, so she just kept moving along, even when her brother went around and checked behind the counters and such. They two started up the stairs, Applejack much less than amused as her brother cut ahead of her.

As they reached the top floor, Big Mac looked around for anything suspicious. He didn't really know which room was Rarity's though, so he waited until his sister pointed at it before approaching it. Applejack just thought he was being utterly ridiculous. He took hold of the doorknob and gave absolutely no warning before yanking it right open.

On one side of the doorway stood Applejack and Big Mac, both stone stiff. On the other side: Rarity flipping through a magazine, and a shirtless Twilight Sparkle on the bed. Applejack immediately averted her gaze, finding solace in the dim lighting of the hallway corner. Her brother, however, was stunned quite physically.

“Big McIntosh?!” Twilight squealed, covering herself up with one of the many shirts laid out at the foot of the bed.

“Uh, Twi, what're you...” he swallowed nervously, his eyes dropping down a bit before he thought about it.

“Oh fer Pete's sake Mac, quit starin',” Applejack grabbed him and forced him to look away, giving Twilight enough time to shield herself. She had been wearing a bra, but the poor girl was not used to being seen in so little clothing.

“Right, sorry,” Mac's blushing face and wide eyes were hidden under his hand for a few more seconds while he got a hold of himself. “Uh, Dash ain't here, is she?” he asked, holding his hand in front of Twilight so he blocked her out while he scanned the rest of the room.

“Why would she be? This is a study group,” Rarity told him seriously, flipping her magazine page forcefully. “And what does it matter, anyway?”

“Don't look much like studyin'... well, n-nevermind,” Big Mac dropped his voice lower and let Applejack push past him into the room, glaring at him all the while. “Jus' call me when you need a ride.”

And with that, he hurriedly closed the door behind him and raced down the stairs. The girls all breathed a sigh of relief as they heard him descend. Applejack shook her head in an embarrassed manner and went to remove her shoulder bag. She noticed Rarity still mindlessly flipping through magazines, and Twilight gathering all the spare shirts like she suddenly didn't care for them any more. Sweetie Belle was in the room too, though she stood by the window and glanced out around the drapes.

“Sorry 'bout that,” Applejack apologized on his behalf, setting her heavy bag onto the floor by the door.

“Was that necessary?” Twilight asked angrily, tossing the bunch of clothes back at Rarity, who blocked them with a raised arm. “That was humiliating! Next time, you're taking your shirt off.”

“I'm sorry, dear, it was the only thing we could think of in such a short amount of time. I didn’t expect him to want to escort her all the way to my room,” Rarity tried to console her, but Twilight grumbled more and went to sit by herself on a spare chair, crossing her arms and legs protectively.

“Why are we doing this, anyway?” Twilight asked in a wondering sigh.

“What're y'all talkin' about?” Applejack asked curiously, stepping over to the bed, as it was the only free seat.

“He's gone!” Sweetie Belle called from the window, and Applejack glanced over at her with an odd expression.

“Who's gone? What're y'all—?” She didn't get the chance to finish her sentence, as she nearly jumped out of her skin as two hands grabbed her around the ankles. “What ‘n th’ hell?!”

Applejack broke the hold and stepped right up onto the bed, holding her fists out like she was about to fight whoever it was that grabbed her. As the other girls in the room brightened her face rosy with their amused laughter, another girl rolled out from under the bed, stopping on her back to look right up at her. Applejack's expression softened at once, her eyes turning from a sharp glare to a shimmering fondness.

“Rainbow?” she asked almost weakly, her arms dropping to her sides as she recognized the girl.

“Howdy babe,” Rainbow winked at her, raising her knees and somehow forcing herself to get right to them with the force of a kick. “What took you so long?”

“What took me—?” Applejack repeated incredulously, shaking her head as she tried to process the situation. “You were here all along?! Y'all tricked me, y'made a liar outta me!”

“C'mon, are you really that mad?” Rainbow Dash asked with a teasing tone and her trademark suggestive smirk. “Of all the things we could be doing right now, yelling like that is not on the top of my list for you to do.”

Applejack's anger all seemed to disappear, and a smile melted across her face at once, followed by a very pleased huffed laugh and the words, “Damn it, y'little vixen...” She extended her hand to the girl, her grin growing ever wider as she realized what she wanted. “Talk dirty t' me.”

“My pleasure,” Rainbow agreed eagerly, taking her hand and pulling herself onto Rarity's bed. Before the owner of the room could tell them not to stand on her furniture, Rainbow Dash was jumping right up into Applejack's arms and wrapping her legs around the girl.

“Must you do this right now?” Rarity asked, holding her palms to the sky like she didn't know what to do about it.

“What!?” Twilight Sparkle shouted as the two continued to spin around on the shifting mattress, lips locked in a very telling embrace. “Since—wha—how did... with... what?! You two are a thing?!”

“Very articulate,” Rarity giggled at the normally quite composed Twilight having something of an episode. In fact, she nearly fell right out of her chair.

Applejack stepped back on the uneven covers, just about losing her balance completely. Fortunately, she managed to stumble a few more steps backwards, her back coming into contact with the wall above Rarity's headboard. With Rainbow Dash still furiously kissing her and squeezing her with arms and legs, she felt her own knees give way, slipping down the wall and onto the bed. Her legs stretched out along the covers, wrinkling them profusely while Rainbow's knees dug into the folded hem right underneath her.

“Don't you two learn?” Rarity asked monotonously, raising an eyebrow at the couple who continued to make out on her bed. “This is exactly what got you in trouble last time.”

Rainbow extended her index finger and inaccurately pointed it behind her towards Rarity, gesturing to give her just one more minute of fun. From her place at her computer desk, Rarity could clearly see Applejack's hands slide down Rainbow's back and squeeze her rear eagerly. Rolling her eyes, she tried to focus on flipping another page or two in the magazine, though her fingers seemed shaky and disinterested.

Sweetie Belle, on the other hand, could not look away. Her head tilted to the side as she watched on, witnessing Rainbow Dash mercilessly grip at Applejack's collar and force her tongue into her mouth. At last, they parted a shared breath apart, and their eyes cracked open. Two adoring smiles mirrored between their faces, and if Sweetie Belle had to name the expression, she could think of nothing short of love. Rainbow's thumbs strummed over the now crooked corners of Applejack's undone collar, and she licked her lips hungrily. Shifting her knees and ever so slightly grinding herself against Applejack's hips, she made to speak.

“I'm so wet right now,” with Rainbow's five blunt words, everyone else in the room nearly fell right over and choked due to the air being shocked right out of them.

Applejack, however, took it marvellously, merely chuckling and shaking her head in amusement. She reached up, fondly brushing the bangs out of Rainbow's face with her thumb and holding them pinned behind her ear. Tracing the smaller girl's face with a gentle gaze, Applejack sighed contently.

“You're crazy,” she said gingerly, leaning up and kissing her once more. “An' Ah can't get enough o' you.”

Twilight scratched her head, seeming lost as to whatever possible appeal there was. Sweetie Belle, however, seemed to have glitter in her eyes as she watched them, some new-found inspiration brimming in her. She rushed over to the computer at once, nearly shoving her sister right out of the seat and onto the floor.

“What on Earth are you doing?!” Rarity squealed as her sister sat right down on the chair next to her, wedging her out.

“I have an idea for my lyrics!” Sweetie beamed, opening a new document on the computer before hurriedly jotting down some ideas.

“Oh, please don't tell me it has anything to do with Rainbow Dash,” she whined, frowning as she glanced back at the girl straddling Applejack on her bed. She turned to read the name of the document as Sweetie typed it, and immediately knew it was just as she had feared. “God help us all.”

“Hey, I can be all... good at talking, too,” Rainbow Dash glared over her shoulder, sitting upright on Applejack.

“Case in point,” Twilight had to disagree, and Rainbow shot her an irritable expression as well.

“Screw you guys,” Rainbow scoffed, crossing her arms and staring out the window instead.

“Oh, take it easy, honey,” Applejack shifted from beneath her, propping herself up better on her elbows and against the headboard. “They're jus' teasin' you.”

“Well I'm not just some cocky, obnoxious pervert, you know,” the former football captain tried to defend herself, but again, she was interrupted.

“Invert is probably more accurate,” Twilight mentioned as she rose her hand. Another glare turned in her direction, this time accompanied by Applejack's as well. “Just saying.”

“Whatever. Listen, AJ, your brother may not think very highly of me, but I promise, I'm not just going to quit on us because he says so.” Rainbow Dash grabbed Applejack's hands firmly, staring into her eyes as sincerely as she could.

“You quit the football team,” Rarity reminded her in a murmur from over by the computer, where she was now sitting on the desk and getting back to her magazine. Rainbow Dash really wanted to shake a fist at her, but kept going in her train of thought.

“I know that no one expects much of me, especially with this kind of mushy shit. I know they probably think that I'll screw around, or leave, or, I don't know, whatever.” She was trying really hard to make it sound good, and Applejack could see that. “But if there's one thing I know about myself, it's that I'm loyal as fuck, AJ, and damn it I'm so fucking in love with you it even astounds me. So... like, don't worry, or anything. I'm not going anywhere.”

“Aww!” Sweetie Belle spun around in her chair, kicking her feet back and forth and musing in a squeaky voice. “You two are adorable!”

“S-shut up!” Rainbow's face went bright red, and she instinctively reached up to flip and fix her hair, tossing it back coolly. “Let's see how cute I am tongue-deep in pussy.”

“W-what?” Applejack tensed up, noticing Rainbow's hands hurriedly undoing the fly of her jeans and fighting their way inside. “Rainbow! Stop that!”

Applejack closed her eyes for a few seconds, groaning as she felt the girl's fingers touching something that really should not have been touched with so many spectators. Reeling from the sensations, she managed to grab hold of Rainbow's hands and pry them out of her pants. Rarity hardly glanced up, trailing her finger down a particularly interesting garment before folding the corner of the page down to mark it.

“I should be the only one getting lucky so often in this house,” she sighed absently, her eyes flickering up to the bickering and feuding two on her bed.

“What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle asked, her head cocking to the side curiously.

“Oh, um,” Rarity had almost forgotten the younger girl was there, though Twilight seemed to be the one most perturbed by the scene, though she also seemed quite interested. “Never you mind, darling, get back to those lyrics while they're still fresh in your mind.”

“So, how exactly do you two...” Twilight cleared her throat, noticing the two girls stop fighting to listen to her. “You know? I mean, Spike told me a about what it’s like with a man and a woman, but—”

“Shit, really? Hah! Called it, he’s a stud,” Rainbow snapped her fingers knowingly. “So how often do you bone, Rares?”

“A lady does not disclose,” Rarity growled, finding it increasingly difficult to stay out of the conversation.

“What’s a dick actually like, anyway? Because I gotta tell you, stuff with AJ is pretty fucking awesome,” Rainbow bragged, making the girl below her feel even more uncomfortable.

“Read a book, I’m not talking about this.” Rarity pouted her lip. “My little sister is here, for goodness sake.”

“Hey, maybe the little brat wants to learn something too, you ever think of that?” Rainbow Dash remarked snidely.

“Oh, well, Spike told me quite a bit, if you want to know,” Twilight started in a matter-of-fact tone. “He would not divulge the exact size of his phallus, but certainly Rarity knows that. Regardless, he told me that at first it’s a little difficult to ‘squeeze it in’, as he put it, but that after the first time it became a desirable pastime.”

“I bet that’s how he put it,” Rainbow cheekily grinned, glancing at the now mortified Rarity.

“He listed off positions, but I didn’t understand so I got him to draw me diagrams, which were somewhat crude but otherwise informative.” Twilight raised her finger as she spoke quite pointedly. “Apparently, the first time he did it was quite recently. He was on top, and they had already exchanged oral stimulation, that was when Rarity—”

“Okay, please stop.” Rarity closed her magazine and squeezed it, rubbing her temples. “Listen… It hurt at first but I felt... full. He was larger than I expected but... it felt great, all right? Is that what you want to hear?”

“We should invest in a dildo, for real,” Rainbow said as she nodded thoughtfully down to Applejack, who was stunned that they were discussing it so openly.

“So then,” Twilight hummed as she tapped her chin, remembering all that Spike told her. “How do you two do it without a phallus?”

“Oh,” Rainbow Dash grinned deviously, and Applejack's expression turned to horror. “How about a demonstration?”

“Nnope!” Applejack yelped, finding it rather difficult to keep the girl's hands and head away from her more vulnerable of areas. She gasped as Rainbow’s hands darted from their supposed path and slipped up her shirt, easily accessible since her pants had been undone.

Twilight watched on carefully, though she noticed the change in temperature in her cheeks and ears. She was nowhere near as flushed, however, as Applejack was. In her ecstasy-induced state, she could hardly stop Rainbow from shoving a hand right down her pants, soliciting another raspy moan. Lucky, from her position past Rainbow’s back and turned to face the computer, Sweetie Bell couldn’t see a thing.

Suddenly, Applejack commanded her own will, grabbing Rainbow’s wrist and forcing herself to sit up. The two nearly knocked heads at the abrupt change of position, but their stares where was fought tirelessly between them like sparks of electricity. In the still silence, the only movement was of Sweetie’s fingers, Rarity’s pages, and Rainbow’s arm, which she removed from Applejack’s pants only to bring to her lips: slipping a moistened finger into her mouth.

“What does it taste like?” Twilight asked critically, leaning forward as if eager to learn.

“Liiiike,” Rainbow smiled as she wrapped her tongue around the flavour, a hum emerging from her throat.

Applejack immediately tackled her, pinning her to the bed and covering her mouth with both of her hands, shouting, “That’s enough o’ that!”

“Nyummy,” Rainbow murmured the answer into Applejack’s hands, her eyelids slowly lowering. She shifted her hips from side to side, knowing that the motion caused the same reaction in Applejack that had been stimulated in her. “Mmmm, nue annga ne om taup?”

“There’s a top?” Twilight deciphered and wondered, as if she was taking notes.

“Why’re we talkin’ ‘bout this?!” Applejack asked frantically, covering her eyes with her hand the same embarrassed way he brother did. “Didn’t Ah come here t’ study?”

The was a good long pause as everyone looked around at each other seriously. Of course, it was broken once the whole group of girls burst into laughter. Minus Twilight Sparkle, who merely laughed to feel included.

Driving home, Big McIntosh grunted, attempting to flush the image of a half-naked Twilight from his mind before spotting a familiar face walking down the street. Seeing the frame of Spike slumping forward, he slowed down after checking the rearview mirror for any incoming cars. Rolling the window down, he called out.

“‘ey,” he shouted. Spike turned towards him and didn’t verbally acknowledge him, yet he waited. “Wan’ a lift?”

Spike stopped walking briefly before shrugging. Big Mac stopped the truck and waited for Spike as he rounded the back end of the truck before getting into the passengers seat. He grunted, staring out the front as he closed the door and did the seatbelt up. Pressing on the pedal, the truck moved forward in a rickety manner one could expect from an old pickup.

Out of the blue, the younger boy glanced towards Big Mac, checking his phone first and clearing his throat before speaking.

“So, Mac… I want to know. Why is it that you hate Rainbow so much?” Spike asked carefully and directly.

Big Mac instinctively gripped the steering wheel, suddenly regretting picking up Spike before he calmed down, reminding himself that the boy really didn’t know. Sighing, he glanced at the mirrors before responding.

“Ah… Ah don’t hate her. Jus’ don’ wan’ a girl like ‘er bein’ ‘round my family, She’s a bad influence,” he said as simply as he could put it.

“I don’t deny that she’s a vulgar stuck-up egotistical bitch, but she’s definitely not the worst person I know. She stopped being an alpha cunt around the time she admitted her orientation, at which point I started to feel like she finally got a taste of her own medicine,” Spike said, shrugging as he pocketed his phone, voice rising in volume until it was normal.

“Th’ thing ‘bout sick people is that they aren’t s’pposed t’ stop takin’ their medicine,” Big Mac said while gritting his teeth. “An’ that girl ain’t even close t’ bein’ rehabilitated.”

“Is that why you forced her off the team?” Spike asked observantly.

Instead of responding immediately like he had with everyone else before, Big McIntosh clenched his fingers, cursing the fact that Spike saw through the facade.

“So y’knew?” Big Mac questioned with a heavy, reluctant sigh as they turned a corner.

“The best part about being an introvert is that you notice things. You become really good at hearing things, and picking up on quirks, and you notice tensions as if they were visible. You notice when people hold animosity or attraction towards others, and you can spot the extra edge to a voice as if it were a comic book sound effect.” Spike nodded his head, turning towards Big McIntosh. “I knew you hated her, and don’t deny it. You hate Rainbow Dash. I could tell the instant I saw you shift when she was mentioned. It’s subtle, but I could see the tension.”

“Yeah? So what? Ah hate th’ guts in that no-good two-bit varmint. Does nothin’ but corrupt my sis an’ steal an’ cause trouble f’ anyone but ‘erself,” Big Mac responded with a near shout.

“And you don’t understand it, but she changed, for the love of god. She’s vulgar and somewhat selfish, true, but I’ve seen her and Applejack interact. I don’t give a good goddamn what you think, sorry to say, but Applejack loves her, and as much as you think it’s impossible for her to, Rainbow Dash loves Applejack. And if you think you’re protecting her, you’re far from it. I mean, I don’t wanna tell you how to do it, but I can vouch for them when I say that Rainbow may be a bit misguided and hard to be around, but she is not a bad girl. And she loves Applejack more than anything, I can tell. Her attitude?” Spike gulped briefly, catching whatever words that were gonna come out. Facing out the windshield, he remained stoic. “I can’t say why, since it’s not my place, but there’s a reason, that only gets worse the more you preach about AJ’s protection, to why she acts the way she does.”

“Ah don’t buy it. She has y’all fooled, is all,” Big McIntosh retorted monotonously.

“She insulted you by mentioning your… maybe your parents, right?” Spike guessed with a lowered voice. Like Spike, Big Mac’s rage swelled up instantly before dying down slowly. It was a sore spot for him and Applejack and he hated Rainbow for it. “I know that feeling. I don’t know when she said it, but Rainbow is not the same girl she was when she did. I saw the way she reacted when Felix said something like that to me, she immediately went to support Applejack. She’s changing. She’s different this year, and whether or not you can accept that is something I can’t help with.”

Big McIntosh pulled up to a big, fancy house where a station wagon was parked in the front and a Mercedes in the garage, door wide open as Spike's father was waxing it. Spike glanced out at him as his father noticed the truck arriving and he waited momentarily. Unbuckling the belt, Spike opened the door and hopped out. Rather than run immediately, he sighed, clenching his fist before turning towards the driver.

“I’m really sorry. It’s not my place to make accusations or say things like that. It’s fine if you kick me off the team for being a rude dick,” Spike muttered.

The truck’s engine cut out as the whole vehicle shifted when it was put into park position. Spike glanced up as Big Mac unbuckled the seat belt and opened the door, stepping out of the vehicle. Wondering if by chance Big Mac was coming to hit him, Spike tensed up briefly before ruling it out; he figured it would be hypocritical.

“Don’t spurt lies. You’re one of th’ best people Ah know, and Ah’d trust ya with even takin’ my youngest sis out,” Big Mac said with a lighter voice. “Jus’ that ya don’t pull any punches when it comes t’ statin’ observations.”

“So, why’re you getting out then if not to beat me up?” Spike asked.

“Jus’ wanted t’ talk t’ yer father after spottin’ that McLauren in th’ garage,” Big Mac said with a grin as he walked on the curb before reaching the driveway.

Spike shrugged and stepped onto the walkway as he approached the door. As he opened the fancy wood, he heard Big Mac’s voice.

“That’s a lovely McLauren ya got there,” Big Mac said.

“Oh, long time no see, Mr. McIntosh,” Night Light’s voice said.

Spike shrugged and stepped inside. Closing the door, he heard a loud laugh and Big Mac’s trademark line sound outside. Rolling his eyes, he headed upstairs as Shining Armour practically ran past him towards the front door.

The rain had subsided, yet the grass was still damp from the downpour. The football game that evening still wasn’t cancelled, and the Manticores found themselves charging onto the field. The morale was far lower than it ever has been before and without Rainbow’s plays or leadership to rely on, they had to resort to Applejack’s plays. Applejack wasn’t bad, but she lacked the utter ingenious, cutthroat intention, and natural affinity for crafting plans. If a player had a talent, Rainbow utterly abused it and utilized them for plays. Optimization; loyalty; aggression. Those were several traits that could describe her, and they were functions that worked for the team. They were what brought the team together and held them together.

And that was violently ripped away from them for some reason. Several speculated Big McIntosh. Several speculated personal family tragedy. Several speculated her quitting because she was selfish. Either way, the element of loyalty seemed vacant from their team, and the only thing holding it together was Applejack’s brutal honesty. Her determination to state praise or faults when due during the few practises managed to help refine the team to the best of their ability. What seemed like a lost situation seemed to became a lost situation with a glimmer of hope. Though that, too, faded.

“You think we can win without Crash here on the field?” Dumbbell wondered, as if he cared at all, scratching his stubbly chin from under his facemask.

“Not with blondie over there as captain,” Scootaloo snorted, stepping into the small circle of players as Applejack spoke with the coaches.

“Wha’s your problem with ma sister, anyway, Scoots?” Apple Bloom asked with a firm frown, leading herself and Pipsqueak into the discussion. Spike followed too, but said nothing at all.

“Rainbow Dash loved this team, and this game. There is no way that she would resign willingly. I think that someone put her up to it, and there is only one person I know who Rainbow Dash has a weak spot for,” Scootaloo began theorizing, her eyes narrowing at the girl in question from several yards out of earshot. “Applejack.”

“Ah don't believe a word of it. M'sister would never do nothin' like that, her and Rainbow're close friends, they loved playin' together.” Apple Bloom defended her sister adamantly, but Scootaloo carefully looked over at her before glancing around at the rest of the team.

“Did anyone notice that when she resigned, Applejack did nothing to try and make her stay? She didn't yell at her or try to reason with her?” Scootaloo asked, and the rest of the team looked around at each other, not able to disagree. “I think she had something to do with it; she was probably jealous that Rainbow Dash was still our captain and she wasn't. There's no other explanation.”

“I don’t believe ‘at,” Pipsqueak shrugged. “That really doesn’t sound like Applejack to me.”

“What do you know, ‘squeaker?” Scootaloo scoffed, elbowing him lightly in the gut.

“Look out, she’s coming,” Snips whispered, and everyone looked over to see Applejack join them.

“Uh, howdy. Why’re y’all lookin’ at me?” she asked uneasily, not used to all eyes being so firmly locked on her. Some eyes were questioning, some blaming, some hopeful and some indifferent.

“Applejack, is it true?” Apple Bloom hurriedly asked, shaking her sister’s arm over and over like the truth might fall out. “Why'd Rainbow Dash resign, did y'have somethin' t'do with it?”

“Well,” Applejack swallowed nervously. It was not her own secret to tell, and she didn’t really want to tell it anyway. She knew that the team would wonder about it eventually, but the only thing she had to say about it was, “One of us had t'leave.”

“Rainbow Dash would never willingly quit!” Scootaloo argued, trying to put more pressure on the girl.

“Ah suppose it wasn't much up t'her.” Applejack shrugged passively, looking back out and trying to find the girl in the crowd, even from such a distance, though it was in vain.

“Applejack...” Spike murmured her name, knowing the truth for himself. He also knew from the way the team was reacting to the allegations and her responses, this could surely lead to anarchy.

“Huddle up y'all, we gotta go over some stuff 'bout the game.” Applejack gestured over to the bench and started on her way already, her odd behaviour striking even those who believed in her as odd.

As they reached the benches, they found Twilight sitting between Big Mac and Shining Armour, scrolling down some page on her laptop while her brother held an umbrella above her. The group fell in around her, though their body language was stiff and rough. Applejack allowed Twilight to relay the message.

“Our enemies are the relatively powerful Everfree Alicorns. They are considerably one of the harder teams, although since most of their members that made up the golden team last year graduated, they are far weaker. The footage from this year’s games reveal that while weakened, they are still some of the most formidable players yet,” Twilight said, reading off a computer monitor. “If—” Twilight stopped, slapping herself in the cheek as the entirety of the team impatiently waited for her. “No, when you win, your final game will be against the P—”

A giant horn blared out across the field as an announcer started to speak out through the intercom. Twilight and the entire team looked up at the horn by the entrance of the field. Twilight closed her laptop and the entire team turned towards Shining Armour and Applejack.

“Oh, uh, Ah would jus’ like t’ say,” Applejack started, gulping nervously. She had never done any kind of motivational pep talk or anything, that was always Rainbow’s specialty with crowds. “... Th’ Alicorns are another team t’ lose out to th’ Manticores.”

The team didn’t respond at all but in a few choice and unheard grumbles, and slowly dissolved as the referee blew his whistle. Applejack sighed wistfully. Hopelessly, she glanced out towards the audience. Faces blurred into each other and she couldn’t do what Spike had done countless times. She couldn’t find the one face (no matter how much that hair stood out) that mattered the most to her. She couldn’t spot Rainbow Dash in the audience. Maybe it was her eyes, or maybe it was just her constant scanning of the area being frantic than calm and cool. Turning her eyes from the audience, she tilted her head down before a voice broke out.

“Hey, y’all okay?”

Turning her head up, Applejack spotted Big McIntosh smiling, planting a hand on her shoulder as he attempted to be reassuring. Averting her gaze, Applejack glanced towards the field.

“Ah’m fine,” she responded in a stiff tone.

Applejack stepped onto the field once more, a cold feeling creeping down her spine. A reminder that she was alone on the field for the first time in years. That she was going to have to lead the team without the qualities that held it together, without what held her in a believable, optimistic mood.

Or maybe it was just the cold rain against her soaked uniform. Either way, she was slightly shivery at the moment, and it unnerved her. Spike lacked the same feeling she had. His lack of fear or nervousness towards the whole situation gave him a cold, stern face reminiscent of cliche stoic characters. He kept staring between the players, recording every detail of their faces as well as their thoughts. He could read their minds like a psychic by simply taking in their stance, their face, their movements; the subtle shifting.

‘The Dumbbells are all enraged and needing some sort of confrontation, most likely a showing or proof that they can be without Rainbow; still be a strong team without her. Scootaloo? She’s edgy yet reserved and quiet… trying to keep to herself and vainly trying to hide knowing that I’m able to notice her. Ample time would most likely reveal that she’s shaken up over Rainbow Dash… and Felix, and Gilda.’ Biting his lip, Spike glanced towards the others. Eager faces and nervous are abundant.

There were times when Spike looked in a mirror, seeing if, like everybody else, his subconscious betrayed him. If his uncertainty or fear or scared demeanor shone through. Like putting on a mask, he couldn’t see a thing. His face seemed unreadable, and whenever others thought he was troubled, he never was. It was just to draw their attention away from the real problem. He was a scared, angry whiny kid and he was always the best at directing people’s attention to other, smaller issues of his. Guilt, greed, desperation… those were small compared to what he considered his primary issues. He regretted being this good, as he was sure others would try harder for an issue that serious. That said… he wasn’t sure if he was positively enraged or homicidally defensive of his other teammates. Ensuring Scootaloo remained safe, keeping his team together… or trying to do what he originally came here to do. At first, it was just to be a good person. To better himself for Rarity but it evolved into something more. He wanted to be some kind of hero, someone to look up to, someone to praise.

Spike wanted glory, and fame, and the right to boast and brag to Felix and get him off his back. Spike wanted to say he didn’t need the validation, but he desperately wanted to feel he was worth something. Akin to Rainbow Dash, or Scootaloo, or Felix, or everybody else here in the team. He wanted to be loved, and was willing to put himself in horrid situations in the name of the Manticores, and to be a star player. Was it for the team as well, for real? He wasn’t sure… but he was one-hundred percent certain he wasn’t going to get down or upset like everyone else. Like Applejack was over Rainbow’s departure. She may have been there for Rainbow, for friendship or love or acceptance...

But Spike was here for glory.

“Let’s fuck them up!” Spike shouted as he charged onto the field as the referee called for the teams to take positions.

Surprisingly, the team did so and charged on after him, morale taking a significant, noticeable boost. Spike took his position and glared across the field as Applejack prepared to make the coin toss. Glancing at the centre, he watched intently, time slowing down as the coin toss occurred. Closing his eyes, he turned his head without looking and opened them up. The first down came quickly, and he was facing his enemy directly without remorse. Immediately, he registered Rarity’s outfit into his mind and etched the figure into his head.

‘For her.’

Pressing his weight into the player, Spike felt his arms grow tense as he pushed into the opposing player’s chest. A thud sounded and a loud grunt cut off as the player’s helmet crashed into the field. Pushing himself up, he glanced down briefly as he watched the player cough from the rough tackle. Glancing up, he saw the Dumbbells do the same with the defensive line on the Everfree Alicorns. All while Apple Bloom wrapped her arms around the opposing player, running forward as she hoisted the player up briefly, pushing past two yard lines.

Looking forward, he ran ahead as a safety latched onto him, Spike dragging the girl forward without so much as a stumble. Arcing towards the left, he was enroute to tackle the second safety. Scootaloo drew his attention away as she blasted forward, ball in her arms, and Spike merely sprinted the last few meters before wrapping his arm around the next player. Leaning to the side, he allowed himself to tumble towards the ground with the two safety’s. Scootaloo sprinted unobstructed.

The buzzer sounded as a touchdown was scored, an experiment wanted by Coach Bulk Biceps to raise morale among home teams playing in the stadium. The buzzer was hated by all already, and the coach was already told to revoke it by the principal after the slew of negative comments. Spike didn’t feel pride. He didn’t feel glory, but he did feel good for venting frustration.

It did not take long, but the game raced on.

In the stands, a girl stood, irritated and gritting her teeth as she shouted vulgarities. So many, in fact, that nearby parents separated. Rainbow Dash slapped herself in the face in an attempt to convince her that she wasn’t watching the game.

“Fuck, they’re winning. Brutally. 33 to 0. But… but what are they doing? They’re not doing any of my plays, and they’re only winning because they’re hurting the opposing team. A lot. They’re out of formation, they aren’t acting like a team… they’re just smashing the Alicorns. What the hell? What the fucking hell?” Rainbow stomped her foot several times on the wooden bench, cracking.

“Ma’am, could you please keep it down a bit?” an older man spoke towards her.

“Hey, suck my giant cock,” Rainbow shouted, stroking an invisible phallus with her middle finger extended, sticking her tongue out at the man.

He turned away, grumbling as Rainbow leaned forward, adjusting the buttons on a jacket Applejack threw away in the past due to it being too small for the farmer’s frame. She fixed the larger, worn-down jacket as she pulled out a phone, glancing at a photo Applejack sent before. It was the only distraction she could manage and it gave her excitement in the weirdest place. Biting her lip, she glanced up to see the meek Everfree Alicorns seemingly trembling, stumbling themselves as the two lines crashed at the start of another play. The referee blew his whistle and ran onto the field, giving Spike a yellow flag. Spike didn’t respond the way Rainbow, or Dumbbell or most people would have. He took it in stride and hugged the referee, an act that made Rainbow raise her eyebrow. His team, however, seemed more than simply intrigued by his odd behaviour.

“Consarn it, what’s gotten into ya, Spike?” Applejack asked.

“Shut up and focus. What’s our play?” Spike shouted out.

Applejack licked her lips due to the dryness and glanced briefly towards Shining Armour and Big Mac before looking back at him. Curling her lips, she let out a deep sigh.

“Jazz Gala Separator,” Applejack admitted, a blush barely visible on her face as she remembered what was the inspiration for the name.

“We’ve been pretty successful, why the fuck do we need plays? Just do our best to take them down, right?” Score said with a snort.

“Shut the hell up and run the play, we’re not really acting like a team, are we?” Hoops said. “Isn’t that what we’re supposed to be doing?”

“We’ve been more successful doing this than we have been before,” Snips argued.

“Oi, listen t’ th’ cap’n. She’s th’ one givin’ out orders, follow ‘em,” Pipsqueak responded, shouting quite loudly.

Some winced as they had to take in Pipsqueak’s thick accent breaking through yet again and several others growled in response.

“Come on, you bitched and got Rainbow kicked off the team so you could lead, and your plays are shitty. We’re only winning because we’re not following them,” Scootaloo shouted at her captain in insubordination.

“My plays!? Y’all haven’t even been followin’ ‘em, how would y’all know?!” Applejack retorted in frustration. “Like hell it’s my fault! An’ like hell Ah got Rainbow Dash kicked off th’ team! Y’all don’t know what your gabbin’ ‘bout.”

The referee blew his whistle signalling the end of the time out; their last timeout. Applejack halted a scream as she felt her rage peak for the first time in ages before letting out a deep breath. Picking up the football, she blindly tossed the pigskin towards Dumbbell.

“We’re goin’ out there, and instead of ignorin’ my attempts at leadin’ this team, how ‘bout we actually try one of these plays before writin’ ‘em off as lacklustre; since they’re all Dash’s ol’ plays,” Applejack called as they took their places once more.

The discord was obvious throughout the team. It was visible to everybody who knew the team members personally. Big Mac saw it. Shining Armour saw it. Twilight’s video camera saw it. Lost, Applejack glanced out towards the bleachers once more and saw a flash of rainbow hair somewhere in the bleachers and frantically scanned them to find the one she loved. The whistle blew before she could locate the girl and she faced forward, sighing wistfully as she began to speak.

“Al'right listen, how's about we try somethin' nice an' simple. You don't like my plays, tha's fine, we'll jus' do a rushing play.” The quarterback looked around the team, most of which seemed less than attentive, before settling her eyes on Scootaloo. “Since you're th' halfback in Rainbow's absence, that means you're runnin' it.”

“Who put you in charge?” Scootaloo spat roughly, twitching her mouth into a frown.

“Ah dunno, nepotism,” Applejack sarcastically grumbled and rolled her eyes. “Can we quit fightin' already?”

“It's football, it's a never-ending fight,” Spike cut in, and Applejack blinked in wonder to hear such violent words from him. “Let's destroy these guys.”

“Wha—?” Applejack went to ask but everyone clapped, albeit out of unison.

“Right,” the Dumbbells shouted the loudest, but other voices resonated as well.

Considering Dumbbell, the centre, was holding the ball, Applejack couldn't well hang around by herself in what little remained of the huddle once most of the team went back to the line. With a frustrated sigh, Applejack rubbed the back of her neck and followed after them. It didn't seem to matter whether Applejack tried to lead them or not, they would not listen to her. Which struck her as strange, considering they had no problem doing so when she had been second in command. A sad smile crept across her face as she realized that, perhaps, Rainbow Dash was important to more people than just herself.

Glancing over her shoulder to make certain Scootaloo was in position, Applejack settled into her stance and chanted some stray words before the snap count rang out. The ball hit her hands with such force it almost knocked right back out, but Applejack had strong enough hands to take it. Dumbbell immediately slammed himself against the opposing lineman, almost seeming like he was about to start throwing fists. Applejack didn't have time to question him on it, and instead tucked the ball close into her arms and turned around to make the hand-off.

Applejack almost stumbled as she turned though, completely lost as to which direction to go. She glanced around, but there was no sign of her halfback, Scootaloo, at all. With another few frantic looks, she found the younger girl already up by the line, seemingly dilly-dallying around it. She teetered back and forth on her toes, her back facing the quarterback, before she knowingly looked back over her shoulder. Applejack couldn't be sure below the shadow of her helmet, but it almost looked like Scootaloo was smirking. Not that she got much time to peer closer, as by then the narrow-sighted line of hers had let slip a defender, who darted towards Applejack and tackled her right to the turf.

“Y'gotta be kiddin' me,” Applejack groaned as she rolled onto her side, her body aching from the hit.

The enemy player had got up and went back to his team, where he received several pleased high-fives and praises. Applejack heaved a heavy breath as she got back to her feet, her curiously irritated eyes landing on Scootaloo. She wanted to be angry, she really did, but she was mostly just confused as to why she would do something like that, abandoning her. It was something that her usual halfback, Rainbow Dash, never dreamed of.

“Come on, what was that about?” Spike snapped from his position setting back up eagerly. “If you want to do plays, do them already. We were better off just using brute force.”

“But,” Applejack bit her tongue, keeping quiet about the reason for the faulty rush.

“Nice play, captain,” Scootaloo snickered as she walked past the farmer, roughly smacking her shoulder against the taller girl's arm.

Applejack pursed her lips and set her face in solemn stone, watching the girl laugh and walk off back to her place. It didn't seem like any of it was going to work out, and winning by roughing up the other team was not something she was comfortable with at all. For a moment, she considered just hanging up her jersey altogether. It was not worth it when Rainbow Dash was not by her side.

“Yo, AJ! AJ, over here!” a voice called out loudly, directing Applejack's attention back to the stands. Standing mostly alone in this beat up old jacket, was Rainbow Dash, swinging her arms out like a crazy person to try and get her attention. Once she got it, she continued, “Hang in there, captain! I'll give you one hot massage after this, babe, just keep standing until then!”

“Darn it, Dash,” Applejack tugged her helmet down over her eyes a little more, hiding the bright red in her cheeks that grew darker the more eyes were on her after hearing such a remark.

She smiled a wide grin though, pleased to have heard the girl's brash and obnoxious voice. Raising her hand, she displayed a half-hearted thumbs-up to her personal spectator. Rainbow Dash was by her side, whether she was on the field or not. And when she thought about it, she was happy that the jock was not out there; this was one rough and violent game, having Rainbow Dash on the field could have made it much worse. Besides, Applejack would hate it if the poor girl got injured again.

The quarterback returned to her place behind the centre, looking out at the opposing team. She could see from yards away that they were beaten, their breathing laboured and their limbs limp. Still, the game dragged on, and her team was not yet satisfied. Spike, particularly, looked up at the scoreboards and grinned. No, this was no match at all.

The game ended 43 - 0, Manticores favour… only because of the team’s aggression. The once-strong Everfree Alicorns withered and crumbled in the face of the cloud of rage and distrust spread out amongst the team and it was showing. Without Rainbow Dash, the team was falling apart and relying on brute strength. Though it was a win, they had accidentally injured most of the Alicorns’ star players. The team left the field feeling no pride or glory from it. All except one.

“Fuckin’ eh, we won. Clean sweep, forty-three to zero. They had no damn chance,” Spike shouted, pounding his chest as he felt pride swelling up in his chest.

He walked up towards Rarity and Twilight in the stands, feeling a smile on his face. He could let himself feel good about having done something for once. Even if he knew the team wasn’t much of a team, he still found himself grinning widely as he realized it was another victory for the Manticores… and it wasn’t by a hair. It was utter domination.

“Congrats, Spikey-wikey,” Rarity said, leaning forward as she planted a kiss on Spike’s cheek as the boy removed his helmet. “Although I must say, you boys were rather brutish during this game. Several of the Alicorns got injured.”

Spike shrugged in response. “They should have stood their ground more.”

Twilight and Rarity exchanged unsure glances before the former coughed once, ending the video recording. She closed the laptop as well before facing Spike, the boy leaning against the bleachers board.

“It didn’t seem like they buckled under superior strength, but more like they were too intimidated to actually try and put up resistance due to the number of injuries their players got,” Twilight responded. “Strength versus weakness is one thing, but it seemed like you were purposefully putting too much force into your tackles.”

Spike curled his lips, frowning at Twilight. “Football is about intimidation. If you allow yourself to be intimidated by the other team, you buckle. My own strength spoke for itself; I had held back so I wouldn’t utterly wreck the other players, and even then, it’s hard to do that.” He sighed, pressing his tongue against a tooth to feel for it briefly.

“Spike, that’s a bit egotistical.” A glare from the tall boy stopped any response that she had. “Are you alright?” Rarity asked carefully.

Spike turned to her with a look of confusion before rolling his eyes, letting his head tilt forward as he placed it against the board.

“Why is it the one time I start feeling like I did good, people ask if I’m ‘alright’? What does that even mean anyways?” Spike backed up, raising his head as he did. “I’m better than alright! For once, I’m part of something, I’m part of a team, and we’re beating other teams!” He enunciated his words with a near cackle, smiling as he did.

“Yeah, but… you weren’t acting like a team. It sounded more like you were all fighting most of the game. Ever since Rainbow quit, you guys have been shaky. It's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt, or disqualified.” Twilight told him firmly.

Spike’s eyes turned towards Rarity, briefly flashing with pain and regret visible by his light wince but he sighed.

“We merely need an adjustment period before we’re used to it. Applejack isn’t as good as Rainbow was,” Spike muttered aggressively, taking a shot at the quarterback when she was not around.

“Well, perhaps... but none of you were following her orders either,” Rarity gently explained, glancing in the direction of the farmer.

“Well,” Spike looked over towards her as well. “Maybe Applejack just isn’t good enough to warrant the captain’s position.”

It sounded rude even to Spike, but he stood by it. Rarity scoffed, seemingly offended by what Spike said while Twilight maintained her poker face. Both her and Spike have potentially the greatest ones in the whole city, and they’d even argue the best in Las Pegasus.

“Oh? Then what, might you be? Maybe someone is letting his victories get to his head,” Rarity muttered.

Rarity’s face darkened as she realized she’d most likely regret saying what just came out of her mouth. She had a good reason to think so.

“So I should not be proud of success?” Spike asked, throwing his arms out.

“I was simply saying—” Rarity was cut off immediately.

“Should I not be proud of success?” Spike asked again, more forcefulness in his tone. He took another step closer, attempting to use his height and larger physique to intimidate the slightly shorter woman.

“Spike, calm down,” Twilight said in a scolding tone.

Spike ignored her entirely, keeping his glare on Rarity. Twilight lost the resolve to ask a second time.

Rarity paused briefly, eyes lightly looking around in an attempt to remove the discomfort from her mind. “Spike, please listen to m—”

A hand firmly slapped against her shoulder, shoving the fashionista backwards. Rarity let out a gasp, stumbling into Twilight’s arms. Both girls stared at Spike, appalled. Neither could find the ability to respond at all. Several other teammates watched from afar with similar reactions but neither jumped into action. All simply waited, staring at the ready if Spike did anything else.

“Like you’d give a damn! You never noticed I was here until I started winning games and doing things,” Spike responded, seeming more hurt and confused than accusational and angry. He averted his gaze, wincing as he realized what he said. Spike grit his teeth, rubbing his arm as he thought for a second. “I have to be good… and that’s not enough. In this day and age, everybody else can’t even compare to me. Otherwise I’m just another background character.”

A set of eyes watered up. Rarity’s red lips twitched and she attempted to keep her mouth open as if words would just spill out. “Wha… Does that justify being rude to your superiors and teammates and opponents?” Rarity raised her voice slightly, allowing a tone of aggression to slip into her words as she leaned closer to the edge of the bleachers. Most of the spectators had begun to disperse. “Does… does that justify being rude to Applejack, or Twilight, or me?” She stepped forward and stood as close to Spike as she could manage, glaring at him even as her eyes twitched, watered and her lips, while twitching, were puckered out. “Does that justify hitting me?!”

Spike clenched his eyes shut, his lips trembling as his body shuddered. Opening his eyes slowly, sighing as he did, he looked up towards Rarity and kept a stern expression.

“Maybe it does, because otherwise I wouldn’t even be a footnote in anybody’s lives,” Spike revealed adamantly. “None of you gave a shit about me before this.”

“Spike, what the hell has gotten into you!?” Twilight said, keeping her voice as low as she could manage while trying to be tough.

Rarity gasped heavily, heaving as she clutched her chest, sobbing quietly.

“Spike, I fell in love with a sweet boy. Not a massive egotistical pisshead of a jock. I really did love the old Spike, but this Spike.. he’s… he’s just awful. If you’re going to choose to be like this, then I don’t want to see you anywhere near me again,” she explained, doing her best not to break down further. Rarity turned her head, facing away from Spike. Very quietly, she began to speak. “I don’t know why, but you’ve changed.”

Twilight’s mouth fell slightly agape at this as turned back to face Rarity before slowly shifting her gaze towards Spike, awaiting his reaction. His eyes widened and he seemed to shake slightly, his eyes tearing up. Gritting his teeth, his brow furrowed and he turned away. He started to walk off before turning back to Rarity.

“Fuck off,” he muttered, yet it was clear that he didn’t mean it.

He walked towards the school’s change rooms just as his team started to approach them as well. His eyes remained closed as they all approached in silence before Big McIntosh spoke up.

“Ah want t’ know what th’ hell it was that jus’ happened out there,” he began to shout. “If that’s what y’all call bein’ a team, Ah don’t wanna know what every-man-for-himself bullshit was.”

Spike stopped in his tracks and spun around, glaring at Big Mac. The teammates behind him stopped moving, seemingly shocked that he had decided to speak up. The whole group separated as Spike walked up to Big Mac, grimacing.

“And you’re such a goddamn godsend to us!? You and your infinite wisdom thought that removing the one thing that brought and kept us together, the one thing that we needed, was a good idea!? Just because of some, some personal grudge you have!? How about you stop barking orders like a master planner, and fucking leave it to our real captain!” Spike shouted, his arms tense and shaky.

Big Mac glared down at him as Shining Armour seemed especially tense. His older brother went to speak up, wanting to get a word in before Big McIntosh opened his mouth first.

“Ah’d bench ya if it wouldn’t screw th’ rest of th’ team outta playin’. And don’t think that m’ sister will get ya outta this with all o’ that forgivin’ nature o’ hers,” Big Mac responded through closed teeth. “You were th’ worst one outta them, you little shit. Y’all were nothin’ more than a ruffian, just like your good-fer-nothin’ ol’ captain Dash. An’ Ah don’t need some wannabe superstar muckin’ about actin’ like ‘e knows best.”

“I’d hit you for Rainbow Dash, even if she doesn’t deserve the support,” Spike threatened through his teeth.

“Spike, shut up already,” Dumbbell said, gently nudging Spike.

Spike turned his gaze, furiously scowling at the other boy. He went to backhand him, swinging his arm back before Pipsqueak grabbed it. Spike turned to face the larger boy, his eyes still attempting to process what had occurred.

“You’ve got some problems, mate,” Pipsqueak said sorrowfully as he released Spike’s hand.

The British boy handed Spike his bag as he seemingly forgot it. Spike glanced down at it before snatching it out of Pipsqueak’s hands. Rather than continue walking, he unzipped it and grabbed his clothes out of it. With a few motions, he had gotten his football apparel off and his casual clothes on, much to the surprise of the others. He tossed the jersey, pants and armour onto his bag and then kicked it off the path, watching it tumble into a ditch before he stormed off towards the streets as the Manticores returned to heading towards the shower rooms. Scootaloo watched from a distance, feeling slight guilt for how Spike felt before she continued walking forward. It was a slow pace with blocky motions more suiting of a robot. Applejack followed the group before stopping just behind the bleachers.

She glanced ahead, spotting the spot where Spike had his miniature breakdown. It was right where he and Rarity first kissed and she could remember it vividly; her and Rainbow snuck behind there to see what they were doing before watching the moment. Smiling at the memory, she turned towards the area where she and Rainbow stood, obstructed by the shadows only to meet a gentle reflection of light off two magenta orbs in the shadows. Feeling a tint of fear anybody would have from a figure in the shadows, she calmed down before coarsely sighing, smiling as she stepped forward.

“Hey sugartits, brutal game,” Rainbow was unsure if she meant that as an insult or a compliment, leaning against one of the supports.

“You wouldn’t believe what Ah had t’ go through t’night,” Applejack spoke in an exhausted exhale, stepping under the bleachers as well.

Unable to walk normally, Spike settled for minor stomps. Glancing back, he saw the school behind him and snorted, turning forward as he spotted the dumpster he was thrown in at the beginning of the year. He walked by it without pause, and continued forward, wondering about if he grit his teeth too much, they’d shatter.

“Stupid game. What’s everyone’s deal? We… we fucking won. Why is nothing I do ever good enough? Goddamn Rarity and her… fucking attitude, and Twilight, doing her stupid nerdy thing, and Big Mac being a huge shithead, and… and Scootaloo is being a damn bitch, ugh,” Spike stopped and slammed a closed fist into the brick wall next to him, cracking it.

Glancing up, he realized that he was at the scene where he ran into Felix, and Pipsqueak covered for him. It seemed like such a long time ago now. Wincing at the memory, he opened his fist and ran his fingers along the wall, studying the bricks with his eyes.

“Pipsqueak, putting his nose in where it doesn’t belong, stupid ass bastard.” Bringing his left hand up, he pinched the bridge of his nose as he clenched his eyes shut, shuddering briefly. “Dumb muscle.”

Staggering to the right, he almost slipped off the curb, quickly planting his foot just to the side of a broken storm drain. Stumbling through urban runoff, he didn’t care that his feet were getting soaked. He craned his neck and walked onto the sidewalk, heading forward again as he paced himself.

He found his breathing coming in intervals, short and raspy as the game was slightly draining. Several hits on his body, areas he was certain that were going to bruise eventually. He wanted nothing more than to get those last words out of his head.

Feeling his body tense up, Spike couldn’t hold it back and broke into a run. He dropped his bag immediately after leaving the school, having just realized it yet he didn’t stop. He slowed down and turned around a corner, onto a street with old cobblestone; the area where Felix and his friends jumped him after a phone call with Rarity. Instinctively, he pulled out his phone and checked the messages.

12 Unread Messages

His chest felt heavier and he resisted the urge to open the inbox before sighing, hitting the lock button once more. Pocketing the phone, he slowed down to a walk and stumbled to the right, leaning against a wall. Pressing his back against the wood, he allowed himself to slide down against it, covering his face with both hands before sitting against the ground.

Being still, he could feel his phone vibrate in his pocket. Grumbling, he reluctantly pulled it out after several minutes of silence. Holding it in his hand, he glanced upwards as the skies cleared up. Stars twinkled above, surely, but the light pollution made it impossible. He saw nothing ahead, nothing sparkling or shining in the skies. No clouds… nothing visible overhead. Just a grey blur indistinguishable amidst the flurry of thoughts tormenting his mind. Nothing ever seemed so mocking or coincidental to his personal troubles.

“Hey, it’s my pet lizard!”

Feeling his muscles attempt to contract, Spike grit his teeth as the voice penetrated his ears without warning, breaking the silence he had amidst the distant sirens and humming noises the city generated. Turning his head up, he saw five figures silhouetted by a streetlamp further down. The trio in front glared right at him as Gilda and her friend stood behind, smoking something that definitely wasn’t cigarettes. Letting his phone slide off his lap as he stood up, he heard a crack sound as it impacted the fresh concrete. Ignoring it entirely, he felt his muscles twitch and his arms grow tense and stiff.

“Why do we have to stop and watch you and your boyfriend make out each time you have a hunch he’s in the same area?” Gilda muttered. “Just grab the bitch and let’s go.”

As if on cue, Scootaloo rounded the corner, drawing Felix’s gaze as well as the other two on both sides. She looked over at Spike briefly and felt guilt before slowly walking towards the larger group. Felix whistled in response.

“Yo, sweetass, hurry it up,” he demanded, a dull grin on his face.

“Please, get out of here,” Scootaloo faintly whispered as she passed Spike.

She drew her right arm closer into her chest, turning away as she went by and Spike merely watched her stance shrink, growing smaller the closer she came to the group. Spike’s eyelid twitched with irritation, as well as some of his fingers. He was bothered that Scootaloo thought she could tell him what to do, and angry that she willingly chose that deviant crowd over him. Felix slapped Scootaloo’s rear and she jumped slightly in response before he turned back to face Spike.

“What’s got you in such a tiff? That candyass of yours finally dump you?” Felix asked in a taunt. “Probably on account of that pencil dick of yours.”

He stepped forward along with the two on his side as Gilda, Scootaloo and the third man stood behind. Only Scootaloo really seemed to pay attention to the situation, Gilda was too busy sucking short breaths out of the tic tac sized joint. The two boys surrounded Spike on his sides as Felix remained silhouetted by the street lamp.

“We still owe you for plenty of trouble you’ve caused, Iguana,” Felix threatened, smirking. He brought his hands up, pressing his knuckles into his palm while cracking them. “I always figured an orphan would have to beg and whine his way into get—”

As he finished cracking his knuckles, a fist impacted right on Felix’s nose with a satisfying crack echoing in the air. The two beside Spike were caught off-guard from the punch and everyone knew Spike hadn’t pulled back his strength; he just hit Felix as hard as he could from his position. It was more than surprising how far he pushed Felix back, as it seemed any expulsion of force was amplified by Spike’s fury. The boy stumbled back several clumsy steps, stunned from the hit before the pain registered and he covered his nose, keeling over.

To his right, as Spike retracted his arm, the first boy swung his right forward, aiming at his gut. Tensing his muscles, Spike stepped back, allowing the punch to impact after losing most of its momentum. Being at the end of his reach, the boy had leaned forward slightly and Spike, with his left fist still slightly outstretched, swung it right and twisted his wrist, driving his fist into the right cheek of the boy. His head jerked violently to the left and the boy stumbled over before falling to the ground. Spike grinned instantly, his pupils shrinking as he focused on ever tremble, every twitch, every abated or heaved breath. He could see it all, and he easily destroyed it.

“Oh shit,” Gilda’s voice could be heard over the scuffle, but she seemed more impressed or amused than concerned.

The second swung his right arm towards Spike from behind. Spike merely ducked as the inexperienced boy threw all his weight into the punch. Feeling the boy press against him as he was imbalanced by the punch, Spike threw his head back, feeling the back of his skull connect with the nose of the second boy. Just like Felix, a crack sounded and he stumbled back, falling to the ground as he held his nose and cried out. Spike turned towards him and brought a foot up, stomping it down onto his wrists. He let out a wail as yet another bone seemed to break.

A shout from his right sounded and Spike turned to see Felix charging him with his fist up, shouting as if it would make him seem intimidating. Spike extended his right arm and caught Felix’s fist, the force causing him to take a step back. Felix’s eyelids twitched as Spike turned right, yanking Felix’s arm as well. As he did, Spike let go as Felix stumbled by before grabbing onto the back of his jacket with his left hand. Holding him in place, Spike brought his foot up yet again and stomped down on the side of Felix’s knee, a much more gruesome snapping echoing across the street. The leg buckled instantly and Spike shoved Felix into the wooden fence.

The first boy, hunched over from the punch, ran forward with his arms spread as he wrapped them around Spike’s midsection. Adjusting his left foot, Spike pressed his heel against an indent in the old road and glanced down, reaching his arms forward and latching his hands onto the boy’s hips. Grunting, he yanked back until the boy’s grip loosened and Spike held him upside down. Stepping forward, the boy lost his footing and Spike held him low enough that his face smacked into the curb, another nose or cheek bone broken. Letting go, Spike watched as the boy fell to the ground, groaning and weeping. For a third time, Spike brought his foot up and stomped squarely on the back of the first boy. He made sure only his heel made contact, lifting his other foot off the ground so the kick pressed sharply into his back. He let out a dry heave in response.

Felix was leaning against the wood, left side pressed against it as Spike grabbed his hair with his right hand and yanked him up. His left hand cocked back before thrusting forward, slamming into the side of Felix’s face. His head hit the wood behind him, cracking the board and causing the top to fall off. Spike let go of his hair and as Felix attempted to hunch over again, Spike brought his right knee up directly against his diaphragm. He fell forward, shocked and unable to focus on propping back up.

Spike stepped back twice before quickly stepping forward, thinking back to his first day of school. His right foot impacted in the right side of Felix’s ribcage as more bones snapped, buckling from the force. Spike brought his foot back and did it again. And again. And again.

“How the fuck do you like this, fuckstick!? If I’m an iguana, I bet you’ll love being a vegetable!” Spike barked, remembering the lesson on iguanas where both he and Felix learned about the reptile. His voice boomed deeply, and neither he nor any of the bystanders found it familiar, the way it raspily clamoured out of his throat. “How do you like a faggot kicking your skinny ass!?”

Gilda shrugged, turning away. “He’s right. Fuck ‘em,” she passively agreed. Her and the Cloudsdale boy walked away, leaving Scootaloo to watch as she remained too scared to step in. “That little shit isn’t worth the trouble.”

Scootaloo gaped as she watched Gilda just take off, her shimmering eyes barely able to break away from the vicious furies that screamed before her. One foot barely took a step back, though is was slow and careful not to draw the attention to herself. But that was the furthest distance she could go, for though she was petrified, she was also strangely quite thrilled.

Spike dropped down lower, swinging his fists instead so that he could get a better look at the expressions contorting against Felix’s face, forced to do so by the violent strikes. The concrete gasped each time a spray of blood crashed against it, like foaming, tumultuous waves lapping against rocks. Any movement from one of Felix’s goons, which perhaps was a groan or twitch or cry, another limb would lash out and break them silent; Spike’s eyes were far too keen to miss even a plead for mercy. But the focus of his rage, even clear to his bloodshot and widened eyes, was the boy who had long since stopped struggling.

“The clouds are rolling back in,” Sweetie Bell chimed from her seat in the second row of Twilight's mother's station wagon, where she was riding. Shining Armour and Pipsqueak leaned forward and to one side to see it clearly, as they were stuffed into the third row of seats together. “Think it'll rain?”

“Could just be the pollution, this side of town's not known for clear skies,” Rainbow Dash yawned, draping her arm around Applejack, who sat next to her in the middle of the second row between Sweetie Belle and the former football captain.

“This certainly is a bad neighbourhood,” Twilight muttered as she turned the car down a corner to a narrow street, one coated in potholes and cracks. “I hate it when Spike walks down here by himself.”

“Speaking of which… what's that ruckus over there?” Rarity inquired, pointing from the passenger's seat beyond Twilight and across the street towards some shadowy scuffle. “It looks like a fight.”

“That's exactly why I—wait, is that,” Twilight started, squinting her eyes carefully. She quickly checked her rear-view mirror to be safe before slowing down. “Is that Spike?”

“Why would Spikey-wikey be in a fight like—?” Rarity began, leaning forward from her seat to look past Twilight, only to catch sight of the boy's silhouette under the streetlamp. “Oh my—it is him!”

“Fuckin' runt,” Rainbow Dash growled from the back seat, hardly waiting a second to undo her seatbelt and kick the door wide open. “We have to help!”

“Rainbow Dash! The car is still moving!” Twilight called back hysterically, gripping at the steering wheel nervously.

“Ah'm right behind ya, sugar,” Applejack hurried out the open door with Rainbow, ignoring the sudden stillness of the pavement after the ride of the car.

“Twilie, stop the car already,” Shining Armour called loudly from the very rear row of seats, knocking Rainbow's now vacant one forward as to make it easier to get out.

“Slow to a complete stop, not obstructing traffic,” Twilight recited as she pulled beside the curb, frantically checking each mirror.

“Twilight!” Rarity cried as she struggled to undo her own seatbelt, her hands trembling as she watched Spike continue whatever brutality he was unleashing just across the street. “Please!”

“S-shift into park, car off, parking b-break,” she continued to narrate as her body performed the movements, her eyes wide and her breath quick.

“Come on, kid,” Shining Armour called to Pipsqueak, who hurried out of his seat belt and waited for Shining Armour to try and manoeuvre his way out of the rearmost row.

“Sweetie Belle, stay in the car,” Rarity called back to her younger sister, who shook in terror to even imagine what was going on.

As Rarity wrestled herself out of the seat and knocked open the passenger's side door, she glanced back at Twilight. The poor girl was almost hyperventilating, staring at her reflection in the windshield as she tried to get a hold of herself. It was clear that she was terrified and completely out of her element, but her arms eventually moved right, and she unlocked her door long enough to fumble out. By then, though, Rainbow Dash and Applejack had already reached the scene.

“Hey! Enough—enough kid! Stop it!” Rainbow called before she made it to him, but it was as if he couldn't even hear her shouting. She grabbed him by the shoulder, feeling the tenseness of his muscles and the rough, ragged edges of his bones and skin protruding as she did. “Listen to me, you're going to—!”

Her eyes went wide as he turned his head just a fraction to the side, letting her catch a glimpse of the drops of blood that had been running down his face, obstructed and forced about in motions due to the vicious swinging of his body. Whipping around suddenly, Spike stumbled back and swung his left hand out to grab at Rainbow's collar, which she narrowly avoided due to her innate quickness. The second assault, however, was much faster and more accurate: a right hook aimed directly for her face. Even under the dim light, she could see the blood coagulating between his knuckles and the spray of several droplets as his hands moved so quickly through the air.

With a loud slap, his fist collided with a palm, a mere inch or two from Rainbow's lips. She glanced up worriedly to see Applejack step in front of her, holding Spike's initial wild swing mostly at bay. However, blinded by the fury and desire for more blood, Spike lashed out once more and grabbed the quarterback right around her neck. Choking on the immensely tight squeeze, Applejack grabbed his wrist with her free hand, desperately trying to break his hold. She released his other hand from her own, not able to shakily hold it any longer anyway, and reached back instead, pressing her now bloodied palm against Rainbow's chest. With a weak shove, she pushed Rainbow back safely further behind her, daring to gaze right into Spike's eyes as he strangled her.

Applejack squeezed harder on Spike's wrist, prying and pulling it as best she could. She noticed then, however, that the once scrawny younger brother of her close friend had become much stronger than she was. Not being able to speak, she stared into his eyes instead, pleading that he restrain himself and gather his wits back up. It was clear, though, that with his slitted, adrenaline-gripped eyes, he was looking right through her.

Pipsqueak and Shining Armour all but tackled Spike as they reached the group, managing to get enough of a grip on him to tear him away from his thoughtless malice. Applejack gasped and leaned forward, coughing as she regained her ability to breathe. Lifting Spike right off the ground and placing him a pace or so away, Pipsqueak kept close watch on the bloodied boy, who still shook and stumbled around like he could spring out and attack anyone all over again. Shining Armour hurried over to the grounded boys, not having any idea who to help first, as there was blood and injury at each turn. He glanced back to see his sister finally arriving, walking slowly past the horrified Rarity as she absently approached the devastation.

“Twilight, call an ambulance, right now!” Shining Armour shouted to her, hardly managing to get her attention at all.

“Call a—?” Twilight repeated vacantly, suddenly realizing what the request entailed. She could hardly control herself long enough to negotiate her phone out of her pocket, and she had trouble dialing the three numbers required. “R-right.”

Rainbow Dash looked around the scene in shame and guilt, recognizing the bloodied mess before them as Spike's aggressor. Her eyes drifted anxiously back to Applejack, who had managed to speak again, without uttering one complaint about the situation that Rainbow had all but forced her into with her rash decision of leaping before looking. She was over by Scootaloo, saying something to her, asking her if she was okay and shaking her gently. With her ears ringing loudly, Rainbow Dash's breath grew heavy and uneven, digging her hands into her hair as if it would make her feel better. She ground her teeth together with a loud bite, her eyebrows arching and her own rage settling on the younger boy who had targeted the most important person in her life.

“Hey, you! Asshole!” Rainbow stormed over to him, roughly shoving Pipsqueak as if that would make him move even an inch. Grabbing the back of Spike's shirt and yanking him over, she shouted again, “Who the fuck do you think you are, going around hurting people like that!?”

Spike whirled around at once, his eyes thick and saturated with tears and tinted from the run of blood into them. All down his cheeks and chin were smeared lines of crimson, some dried and some fresh, shining and running under the streetlights. Pipsqueak kept himself close by, ready at any moment to intervene.

“Me? Me, hurting people?!” his voice was coarse as he growled, so loud it echoed off the buildings and came back to repeat. “You're one to fucking talk! You goddamn hypocritical cunt!”

“Spike,” Rarity weakly spoke, her voice but a gentle breeze that Spike completely ignored.

“Ever since I met you, you've been the biggest fucking bitch I have ever known! And yet, no one ever does anything about it! You make people feel like crap, and still, someone loves you—someone fucking loves you, how is that possible!? How is that fair at all?!” Spike shouted, raising his palms like he could not comprehend it. As he did so, Rainbow Dash could see the blood that had squeezed in between his fingers and dried into the lines of his palms. “So don't you come around here trying to tell me off about anger, Dash. At least you have someone who fucking cares about you!”

“So do you, you idiot! Look around! Look at who's standing here with you!” she shouted back, gesturing wildly at the array of people who had shown up around him.

“What, some arrogant jocks and, and these pitying, adoptive people who don't know shit about me?! You don't care, none of you do!” Spike yelled at the gathered group of so called friends and family, finally settling on pointing wildly at Twilight, who was still half on the phone.

“Spike, of course we care,” she spoke to him gently, tears apparent in her own eyes as she sniffed twice. “You’re my brother, doesn't that mean anything to you?”

“You're not my damn sister, don't you lie to me,” he barked at her, shaking his finger accusingly. Twilight fell into weeping right there, her crying painful to hear. “You and everyone else is only here because they have to be, because if they didn't step in they'd feel guilty or bored, all of you are satisfying your own selfish needs to feel useful and accomplished and nice, but you're not!”

“Stop acting like a self-righteous bastard, kid, no one deserves to be talked to like—!” Rainbow Dash tried again, but once more, Spike was eager to respond.

“Oh, no one deserves anything, right? I'm just completely unreasonable, a horrible excuse for any kind of human being, and you all are saints, right?!” Spike almost guffawed at how ridiculous it sounded coming out of his mouth. “Well guess what, you rude and narcissistic bitch, no one deserves the way you treat them and talk to them either. You're no better than, than Felix, or Gilda! You just strut around like you can do whatever you want, picking on me, on Scootaloo—who by the way wanted to be just like you, that's right. A raging bitch who didn’t give a shit about anyone, and who got herself into all kinds of trouble. Where do you think she got all those bruises, huh? Did you even think about it? No! You’re too busy insulting everyone, turning people into little delinquents like yourself, and laughing at whatever or whoever you damn well please!”

“That's not—” in a much more timid and beaten voice, Rainbow spoke under the booming of his ranting.

“No, that's exactly right!” Spike slapped his hand through the air pointedly, the force of his swing causing a stray drop or two of blood to fly off and hit Rainbow Dash in the cheek. “So don't you go blaming everyone else for what you caused. It's people like you that put us in these violent situations anyway!”

Rainbow Dash was silent, watching Spike's heavy breathing gradually slow from the outburst. She had no response, no witty retort or playful quip, she had nothing left to say. It seemed the rest of the group was no different, as gazes dropped sadly and introspectively, leaving Spike still unsatisfied.

“You know what, fuck you all.” Spike scoffed and turned around, stomping on the concrete as he went to take his leave. “I don't need any of you.”

His footsteps clashed and clacked against the damp ground, echoing in sharp bursts around the scene. All eyes were still following his retreating figure, none with a word to say to bring him back. Slowly at first, the soft pitter-patter of rain drops tap danced around them, small dabs of water leaving variant sizes of circles at their feet. But quite suddenly, it picked up, and the hissing of weather made for an even more daunting silence otherwise.

Rainbow Dash stared at her feet, watching the rain gather in the synthetic wrinkles of her running shoes. Swallowing slowly, she stood alone by the edge of the street, knowing that some of her closest friends had been reminded of the worst of her traits, the things she even hated about herself. Was it true? Had people like her been the cause of this bloody tragedy? Was it...

“...Me?” Rainbow Dash whispered to herself, her own voice so pathetic and self-loathing and escaping in a steamy huffed wave from her lips.

She reached up to her jacket, Applejack's old jacket to be specific, tugging at the two parts separated at the buttons. As she pulled it together, like it might keep her cold heart warmer, she noticed the odd texture of wetness against the chest. She released her grip on the thing, looking down at her damp, pinkish fingers as they peeled off. There, on the tips of a couple of her fingers and the lining of her palm, were traces of blood.

“Y'okay, honey?” came Applejack's gentle voice, and Rainbow felt her familiar hand rest on her shoulder.

That was it, it was a print of Applejack’s hand, from when she had pushed her back to keep her out of harm’s way. Catching Spike’s fist had left her with a palm covered in Felix’s blood, and now, that print was stained on her jacket, right over Rainbow’s chest. It caught her breath to remember it, and she gulped down her uneasiness carefully as her hands shivered.

“Yeah,” it was an automatic response, same with the cocked smirk that faltered a mere second after it emerged. She turned back and faced her loving quarterback. “I've been called worse, I bet.”

“He was just angry,” Applejack defended him carefully, and Rainbow Dash nodded over and over. “Y'understand.”

“All too well,” Rainbow clicked her tongue knowingly, remembering the time when she had been so blinded by anger that she had attacked Spike, and she had almost...

Rainbow suddenly noticed the few lines of blood that were trickling down Applejack's neck, from when spike had grabbed her. The skin was odd in colour, and would likely bruise. For a moment, it was as if her heart stopped. If Spike was right, then this, too, had been her fault. But what jolted her back to reality was that crooked, charming smile of the same blonde farmer in front of her, who licked the thumb of her cleaner hand, much like the way she habitually did when on the field, and pressed it against Rainbow's cheek. Pressing firmly against her soft skin, Applejack swept the small dot of blood off the girl's face, revealing her pinkish cheek underneath.

“It'll all work out. Ah'm sure of it.” Applejack nodded slowly, as if trying to convince herself of that truth. Her arm came around Rainbow Dash, pulling her nearer and letting her bright head rest against her chest.

It was then that all the sounds came back from under the scampering of the rain. Twilight's whimpering, Shining Armour's constant muttering about the injured boys, the distant howl and wail of sirens inching ever nearer. There were those that remained silent, though: Pipsqueak still watching the direction that Spike had left in, Scootaloo's focused, terrified yet relieved eyes tracing the scene like chalk outlines, Sweetie Belle pressing her hands against the rain-rivered window in the back seat of Twilight's station wagon, leaving foggy little marks around each of her fingers, and at last, Rarity closing her eyes and hanging her head in despair. No, there was no darker night than that in Manehattan.

Something else stood out; something far more present other than the situation with Spike. Something Rainbow felt needed to be addressed… and something that could be put on the road to being fixed. Rainbow gently tugged on Applejack’s hand as she turned her gaze.

“Somethin’ up, hon?” Applejack asked.

As she removed her hand, Rainbow glanced towards Applejack briefly before planting a kiss on her cheek and softly patting her shoulder. Rainbow smiled briefly before turning her gaze back to Scootaloo.

“I want to fix something. Something that started because of what a stupid cunt did several years ago,” Rainbow admitted, stepping away from the farmer. Applejack was silent, but nodded to guess what she needed to do.

Sirens continued to approach, the sounds increasing in volume. Rainbow glanced back to Twilight as she repeatedly stepped in place, panicking as she attempted several therapeutic breathing techniques she had learned for such a situation. Rarity glanced down, kneeling down briefly before picking up a cracked phone that lay on the cobblestone. Flipping it over, she hit the lock key to see the screen was still visible with four cracks going across. She glanced at the passkey, noticing it as a four digit code. Pausing briefly, she bit her lip and took a wild guess, entering her birthdate.

The screen unlocked and she immediately noticed that a photo of her with a sincere, large smile caught with her in the midst of a laugh. To her right and left, she noticed Applejack’s plaid shirt as well as a suit Twilight wore during a phase of her life. The photo was pixely and blurred, having been taken from a distance and realized it was at least two years old. She felt her heart skip a beat briefly and rather than check the messages as intended, she went to the photo album.

Scrolling down several photos, she noticed they were profile pics of several other football players and many of Rarity. There were several hundred photos of her over the years, encapsulating numerous emotions and situations she remembered. And scrolling down revealed many more of her friends and recently, others in their group. She tapped a photo of herself and noticed that a note was attached. Curiously, she tapped it and spotted Spike had typed every detail about what she was wearing, and what makeup she used and her emotional attitude. And it seemed he detailed any psychological issues she had. Despite how she looked… he described her as sad.

She scrolled to another picture of her and saw the exact same set of details. And again. She covered her mouth as her own eyes started to tear up yet again. She scrolled once more and spotted a photo Spike had taken of himself to send to her for a profile pic. It was weeks prior, shortly after they just kissed, and he seemed smaller. Lankier. Happier.

“What’s that?” Shining Armour asked, stepping forward towards Rarity.

Rarity couldn’t speak and held the phone up, her wrist shaking slightly as she showed Shining Armour his younger brother’s phone. He grabbed it and Shining Armour looked it in disbelief before turning towards Twilight who was once again on the phone.

“Twilie, don’t bother, his phone his right here,” he told her.

On cue, Spike’s phone started to vibrate and the photo of her sleeping, drooling on a book displayed as her cover ID. She glanced at him hopelessly as she hit the end call button. There was no way to reach Spike, now that he had stormed off.

Now that he was gone, however, Scootaloo had nothing more to hide from, yet she still stood alone. Rainbow glanced at her briefly before stepping up to her, trying to catch her distracted gaze. She was gritting her teeth, shuddering slightly as she shook her head.

“Hey kid, how are you hanging?” Rainbow tried a question carefully.

Scootaloo’s eyes flickered up at Rainbow, her expression confused and aimless. They flashed briefly with anger before softening. Her lips trembled and she glanced back towards the rest of the people there. Several eyes were on her as they waited for the police to arrive, only Rarity and Twilight with their attentions elsewhere. Facing Rainbow once more, she saw a small smile on her face and concern radiating from her face.

“Why do you care, Rainbow Dash?” her voice was so weak it nearly evaporated without sound.

“Come on squirt, I’m not that heartless,” Rainbow tried for funny, but it seemed to just darken the mood more. “You’re a good friend of mine, whether we’ve seen each other much lately or not. And hey, you were my teammate too, of course I care. Why wouldn’t I?”

“But… Rainbow,” Scootaloo started, gulping in anxiety as she found a very good reason she should not have been concerned. “Look, about the team. It was, well, I… I was the one who told… who told Big Mac about you, and Applejack… that day. I told him where you two had walked off to. It was my fault, it was all my fault. A-and then you got kicked off the team, and, and I almost ruined your relationship, which is so not cool because I know you’ve been working so hard for it for, like, ever and ever. You shouldn’t care about me, you really shouldn’t. You should hate me.”

Rainbow’s eyes widened slightly, as did Applejack’s and several others there, whether they understood what it meant or not. Rainbow’s expression shifted briefly, anger attempting to come through. Squeezing her eyes shut in disappointment and sorrow, she ground her teeth, her fists clenching in her hands. She turned away, raising her right hand and gripping Scootaloo’s left shoulder with it. Briefly, she opened her eyes and faced Applejack. She had the same confliction Rainbow did, that same resentment, yet she seemed to have something to say about it.

“Ah’m not sure how Ah feel ‘bout that… maybe disappointment, anger, sure. But Ah don’t think you’re a bad girl ‘r nothin’. Jus’ a lil’ lost,” Applejack honestly spoke, too quick to forgive as usual. “It hurt at first when Big Mac found out, ‘specially the way he did, but it’s not th’ end of th’ world. An’ besides, it ain’t your fault for th’ way he reacted anyway; Ah should’ve told him sooner, an’ he should’a been better about takin’ it. None’o us ‘re blameless.” She shrugged. “At least ya told us, Scootaloo. That was real brave. Ah can’t hate ya for that.”

“Really?” Scootaloo felt a great relief wash over her, and a hopefulness. But she still needed to hear something from the girl whose opinion seemed to matter most to her.

Scootaloo’s eyes turned back towards Rainbow Dash just as the girl looked back to her. Rainbow let out a deep, heavy sigh as she faced Scootaloo again, setting her other hand on Scootaloo’s shoulder. Their eyes met and silence followed as the sirens grew nearer. Rainbow’s fingers gently and supportively squeezed Scootaloo’s shoulders, as she didn’t know what else to do. As she resolved herself, though, hands slid over Scootaloo’s shoulders, going down her back before Rainbow pulled Scootaloo closer, hugging her tightly.

“Fuck it, don’t blame yourself. My stupid ass caused you to have shit expectations, and set the wrong example for you, and guided you on the wrong path; the really wrong, stupid path.” Rainbow squeezed the girl, when she really wanted to squeeze herself. “And about what you said to Big Mac... shit happens. People get down and do irrational things. I can’t hold it against you. You’re my friend, and I’m sorry about what I did all those years ago, turning you into a bitch like me… and I’m sorry for pushing you away.” Rainbow brought her hand up and pet Scootaloo’s hair as the girl clenched her eyes shut.

“F-fuck… oh, fuck… I’m sorry,” Scootaloo cried out in sobs, her shaking hands wrapping around Rainbow’s body. “I’m so sorry, I m-messed up, I just wanted you to t-treat me like… like your sister again, a-and I sp-spent years t-trying to act like you, and trying to b-be you when you’ve already moved on… I alienated everybody and now everyone hates me and, and everybody else hates you and I just... oh, I’m sorry.”

Scootaloo sniffled, allowing her tears to flow onto Rainbow’s shirt in the opening in Applejack’s old jacket. The rain patted down ahead, wetting her hair and slipping down her reddened cheeks. Rainbow was glad, barely managing to hold back tears of her own, even if she did feel like she was talking to a younger version of herself. If only she really could have done such a thing as that, she would not have screwed up so badly for herself and Scootaloo.

“I’m sorry, squirt. It’s my fault you’re like this, I know that. I should have listened when Applejack told me to be a better role model, I should have looked out for you instead of just myself. And I promise, I’ll be a better big sister from now on,” Rainbow whispered, only letting Scootaloo hear it.

“I-I can’t thank you enough,” she responded into Rainbow’s clothes.

Rainbow rested her cheek on the shorter girl’s head, allowing her breathing to come in shorter intervals as Scootaloo’s larger chest pressed into her gut. As they separated, Scootaloo began to shiver as she wiped her tears away, the girl only wearing a thin muscle shirt and as evident by the two nipples poking through, no bra as usual. Rainbow took a long look at the smaller girl, noticing the fading bruises and hickeys on her body. Those things made her feel so very guilty now. Without thinking, Rainbow undid the buttons on Applejack’s jacket and wrapped it around Scootaloo’s shoulders.

“Thanks... for your jacket,” Scootaloo said, wiping a tear from her eyes.

“Wait a minute, ain’t that my ol’ jacket?” Applejack wondered, stepping forward as she tilted her head to the side.

“Uh, heh, yeah?” Rainbow played coy, chuckling as she turned back, giving Applejack a sheepish toothy grin.

“Ah thought Ah threw that out,” Applejack muttered with a bemused grin, raising an eyebrow.

“You wanna throw away this thing when it fits me just fine? Babe, you know how many lonely nights I could have made perfect with this thing? Sleeping with your scent wrapped all around me?” Rainbow mused, spinning around as she pressed her hands to her chest adoringly.

“Mate, I don’t mean to ruin this heartwarmin’ moment, but th’ bobbies ‘re ‘ere,” Pipsqueak declared, pointing over Applejack’s shoulder.

They turned just as a police cruiser pulled in, along with two ambulances in tow. A police officer stepped out, one Twilight and Shining would recognize. Upon seeing their faces, his dropped a bit.

“Oh, you two. Did you rear end someone again?” he blankly questioned, frowning.

“Actually, it’s about our… adopted brother,” Twilight admitted, not really wanting to use the term.

The cop raised an eyebrow, curling his lip. “Oh? What did he do?”

It was so quiet in his room, even the rain seemed so distant against the window, barely being able to hit it at all from the direction of the wind carrying it away. The wind should have carried everything away from him, it would have been better that way, safer. Spike breathed slowly, feeling the fabric over his body rising and falling, stretching against the rising signs of life, signs he had not recalled from the last he saw of Felix. At the time, he had felt so great, so glorious, almost proud, even, to destroy his enemy so easily and completely. But did it really make him happy, was he happy now?

His blankets seeped over his body, climbing up his torso and stretching like some tar-coloured Taffy. Despite the easy, lax comfort of his familiar bed, his body ached, his hands shook, and he felt colder than ever. Whenever he closed his eyes, he remembered blurred strikes, images shifting from side to side as he could not even remember them right. How was he supposed to feel guilt for something he could not even correctly recall? He dug his fists against his closed eyes, still smelling the iron scent beyond whatever pomegranate soap he had used to scrub them clean.

What he did remember well was the look of that browning blood scraping off his fingers, peeling from between his finger nails, coating the normally white porcelain of his sink a wine colour. That, and the incessant sounds of Twilight, balling and weeping so completely. He spread his fingers and ground them against his face, letting them fall down the features that he could recognize, but knew nothing about. His finger picked at a spot he missed, a little dried scab of blood that had clung right behind his ear, tangled in his hair. Perhaps he was still just a kid after all, forgetting to clean such a juvenile spot.

Sucking the vacant darkness into his lungs, he waited for those inevitable red and blue lights to come flashing in between the cracks of his blinds. Whether they came tonight, tomorrow, or in a week, they would surely come. All he could do then, was dully watch the passing headlights cast lines across his room, and wait.

Author's Notes:

Hooooo~~ly!! 20,000 words later... Man! Me and Arby just dove into this chapter, no doubt why. Here we are, at something of a climax, and surely some of you are just OVERJOYED about Felix.
Hope you enjoyed it thus far-- and don't worry, we still have a few more chapters to go, and things WILL get better~~ comments gratefully appreciated!