“Spike?”

“Not right now,” he mumbled through the pillow against his snout, “I’m in the middle of a gem cake.”

“Spiiiike?” The voice seemed insistent on getting his attention, disrupting his dream just as he was about to take the first bite of his mouth-watering cake. Spike groaned as his dream cake poofed out of existence.

“Spike!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming. Geez, Twi, don’t get your feathers in a ruffle,” Spike said, stretching and climbing out of bed.

By this point in time, the purple dragon had grown too large for the library, so he had to sleep in a separate structure outside. However, he had requested that it be as close to Twilight’s room as possible, both in distance and in height.

As a result, he was able to walk over a short bridge to Twilight’s room. Spike opened the enlarged window and stuck half of his body in.

“What is it?” he said, the look on his face making it clear that he was not amused by the rude awakening.

“Could you make me breakfast?” Princess Twilight Sparkle asked, child-like. Her stomach rumbled. “You make the best pancakes.”

Spike sighed. Whatever grumpiness he had evaporated. He never could say no to Twilight when she asked him like that. He also loved cooking pancakes, but that was beside the point. “Sure, Twi.”

He walked back along the bridge to his “house,” which consisted of his bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom with a shower specially designed to fit his needs, and a small greeting area.

Spike went over to the kitchen and opened the cupboard where he kept most of his pancake ingredients. Without using measuring utensils, he expertly mixed the ingredients and put the batter on the griddle. He waited about five minutes, then flipped them.

In no time, Spike had finished the pancakes and brought the platter to Twilight’s room. Twilight brought the plates, forks, syrup, and a flat surface for them to put the plates on.

The purple mare cut her pancakes up, drizzled them in syrup, and took her first bite. She chewed slowly, eyes closed in pleasure, and swallowed. “Delicious as always, Spike,” she complimented. Spike only smiled.

After cleaning up, Twilight said, “Spike, you’ve been great these past few weeks. You deserve a break. Why don’t you… Why don’t you go to Rarity’s for a day or two?”

“Really?!” Spike exclaimed. “You mean it? You won’t call me halfway through the day, will you?” he added skeptically. It had happened more than often enough to warrant the dragon’s concern.

“No, Spike. Today, I am just going to relax.”

The dragon snickered. “Good luck with that.”

“Hey, I can relax!” Twilight playfully swatted Spike’s shoulder.

“Alright.” He smiled. “Bye Twilight!”

“Goodbye my number one assistant,” she replied softly. He did not notice the hint of sadness in her voice as he left her room.

Spike’s head was so high in the clouds that he was almost to the Carousel Boutique before he realized something.

Rarity’s been dead for hundreds of years! Having said “Rarity’s place” for so many years, coupled with the fact that the Bearers received elongated lifespans, made him forget such a simple detail.

His eyes widened as something startling clicked in his brain; he raced back to the library, startling ponies and causing them to jump out of his way.

Why didn’t I see it earlier?!

Twilight sighed as she saw Spike go out of sight. That should keep him for a while.

She felt bad to play on his lingering crush for Rarity, but it was a necessary evil; Spike would never allow her to try what she was about to do.

When she had first become an alicorn, Twilight had read up on all she could about the subspecies she now was in. She had read all the books that existed, and even some of the ones that were unknown by the populace. In many of them, they only stated what could not kill an alicorn due to the rapid healing abilities. She noticed something that was never mentioned: suicide.

She was never the same after the death of the last of her friends from Ponyville. Even though she knew it was harmful, she held her grief and sorrow inside. Before Fluttershy died, Twilight would go over to her cottage and talk; but after the passing of the pegasus mare, she kept everything inside, not even talking about it to Spike.

Recently, the thought of suicide came to her. The enormous pain of loss, coupled with the fact that she had been staying up late for what seemed like forever, caused her to think of it as logical; or rather, illogical, but with no better alternatives.

Downstairs, Twilight set down the dirty dishes and silverware in the sink. She pulled a regular knife out of a drawer with her magic and trotted upstairs. She sat on her bed and briefly contemplated where to cut. The purple mare shook her head to clear these thoughts and placed the knife near her neck.

WAIT! a voice inside her head screamed. Is this really the right thing to do?

Of course, she responded. I can’t stand to live anymore. I miss everypony, and I’m going to see them again.

But what about the country?

They've survived without me before, and they can again.

The princesses?

They’ve been through this more times than they can count. They’ll be fine.

What about Spike?

This question stopped her. Twilight lowered the knife. Spike?

Yes, Spike! Your number one assistant, your brother?

I’ll cast a spell, after this, that will cause him to follow me soon after I pass. It’ll drain me, but I don’t care.

You can’t be serious! That is cruel to everyone, and selfish! You shouldn’t—!

The voice was silenced with a gasp as Twilight’s life began being pumped from her neck, the knife clattering to the ground, dripping crimson.