>Mrs. Cake was driving you up a wall.
>Her and Mr. Cake decided to host MMMM week for the second time this year.
>It hasn't even been a week since you got back from Canterlot.
>It hasn't even been two months since the last MMMM week.
>Thankfully, your shift was over and you could go home.
>Maybe the next six hours until you went to sleep would be relaxing.
>Oh, no wait.
>You live with Speck.
>One very silly, very obnoxious, and very excitable little bat p0ny.
>But, as batty as she drove you, you loved her to pieces.
>Even her puns grew on you, as infrequently as she's been using them lately.
>You groan to yourself as you start walking away from Sugarcube Corner.
>Maybe, for just one day, she wouldn't be in your face.
>Maybe she'd be calm and just relax.
>You can only hope.
>Your walk is just as uneventful as it is every day.
>That is to say, the exact opposite of uneventful.
>Several pegasi accost you with a storm cloud, kicking it and aiming its lightning at you.
>They miss every time, but you aren't sure if that's on purpose or not.
>After they get bored, half a dozen little foals start attacking your legs, climbing up your body.
>They cling everywhere, from your arms, your legs, your head, your chest.
>As light as these p0nies were, even six small ones being on you added some weight.
>They leap off one by one as you pass their homes.
>You do not like playing school bus.
>Not one bit.
>The final stretch to your house was always accompanied by a brown earth p0ny watching you.
>You were never sure why.
>He never left his home to follow you, or even try to call out to you.
>He always just stared from his window, silently observing you.
>If you turned your head to noticeably look at him, he would duck down under the windowsill.
>It was... strange.

>Today, however, was going to become even more strange.
>You open your front door and step inside.
>What you see and hear catches you absolutely off-guard.
>No mess, no screeching.
>No bat p0ny to come flying down the stairs or out of the kitchen to hug you and start asking about your day.
>You take your shoes off and start tip-toeing around the house.
>First, the kitchen.
>Spotless and Speckless.
>The living room was in the same condition.
>No mess, no Speck.
>The two back rooms, your small "library" and the dining room were the same.
>This was getting spooky.
>You crouch slightly as you walk and bring your fists close to your face.
>No need to be caught with your pants down in an ambush.
>You return to the foyer and start to climb the stairs.
>Still no sight nor sound of your bat p0ny.
>But she was a sneaky little thing.
>You slow your breathing as you reach the top of the steps and turn left.
>Her room first.
>You slowly open the door and look inside.
>Absolutely empty.
>No bricks, no Speck.
>She must have gotten rid of those things sometime today.
>Well, at least she did something productive that didn't include making a massive mess.
>You return to the hallway.
>Not in the bathroom.
>Not in the third bedroom.
>Your house has a lot more space than you thought.
>Time to check your bedroom.
>You approach the door as slowly as you can.
>Your hand wraps around the handle.
>Alright, Anon.
>You can do this.

>The door swings open with a soft creak.
>Light from the window pours down onto your bed.
>The closet hangs open from this morning.
>Nothing out of the ordinary.
>Except for one dark gray bat p0ny lying on your bed with her forelegs folded to her chest and her hind legs stretched into the air.
>She turns her head to look at you as you enter.
>She smiles as soft as the light that envelops her.
>"Come here, Anon."
>She pats the bed next to her.
>"It's MMMM week, right? You need to relax."
>Who are you and what did you do with Speck?
>You squint at her and warily approach the bed.
>"Lay down."
>You lay down beside her.
>"Now, fold your arms to your chest and put your legs in the air."
"No."
>"Anon, you need to relax. Trust me."
>You sigh and do as she says.
>This is stupid.
>You feel stupid.
"Speck, I don't see-"
>"Shhh. Close your eyes and relax."
>You shut your eyes and sigh to yourself.
>The only way this could get any stupider was if she told you to start kicking your legs.
>"Now kick your legs."
>Your eyes snap open as you feel the bed start to rock slightly.
>You look over at her flail her hind legs back and forth as she snickers.
>"Come on, Anon! Do it!"
"No."
>You sit up and start to climb out of bed.
>"Anon..."
>Her whines reach your ears.
"Fine!"
>You return to the bed and assume the position.
>"Now, kick!"
>You slowly start to kick your legs.
>Well, you know what?
>It's kind of working.
>You feel like you're just kicking all of your stress and tension out into the air.
>Speck has to be some kind of wizard.

>You stretch your legs out over the bed as you stop kicking.
"You know what, Speck? You were right. That was relaxing."
>"Good! Now that you're relaxed, we can go do something fun and exciting!"
>She starts bouncing up and down on the bed.
>You feel your veins and arteries constrict.
>Your sight dims and your head pounds.
>"Anon?"
"No."
>She rolls over on her belly and rests her head on your chest.
>"Anon."
>You sigh.
"What?"
>She places a light kiss on your chin.
>"You know what would be fun and exciting?"
>You were going to hazard a guess at something stupid.
>Something that would require actual effort.
"I don't know, Speck. What would be fun and exciting?"
>She snuggles into you.
>You wrap your arms around her.
>"Cuddles and a story."
"I think I can deal with that."
>You reach over to the nightstand and pick a book off of its surface.
>A bookmark falls from its place as you open the book and start to read, not relenting on the adventure until late into the night.