>Sitting in the restaurant, you miss the rubber ball and your home.
>Twilight may be your only friend, but she has yet to grasp the concept of small talk.
>You have not said a word in the past several minutes, instead opting to stare past your table at the floor. Twilight is managing to keep the conversation going by herself.
>You idly play with the limp slice of bread on your plate as her words fill the air.
>Some of it seems to register. Something about Rainbow Dash being arrested...Pinkie meeting a new friend...Rarity getting married.
>None of it generates much interest in you. Her friends are too pushy and in-your-face to be anything more than acquaintences.
>Especially Pinkie Pie.
>Merciful Neptune, that mare never left you alone for a single moment during Year 1.
>Wisely you reflect upon how everyone has their breaking point, and you had reached yours when Pinkie's head had appeared out of the bathtub and started singing at you.
>You didn't come out of the Library for days.
>Poor Twilight had to try and help rebuild your broken psyche.
>The thought of Twilight makes you snap back to reality.
>Ohh, there goes gravity.
>An eyebrow arches over Twilight's good eye as she observes you laying on the floor.
"Sorry! sorry, I've been so used to my couch that I forgot how unstable these pony chairs are."
>You hear her tutting as you right yourself and the chair, sitting down once again.
>"You didn't seem to have any trouble last time we ate here, did you?"
>With no response to that, you shrug and begin inspecting the bread on your plate.
>Way to make an ass of yourself, Anonymous. Try and mantain some semblance of social normality.
 
>"You know, it's been...uhh, six months? Six months of solitude, and you really haven't changed at all, Anonymous."
"...That's a good thing, right?"
>You decide a little mastication will keep your mind focused.
>You break off a piece of the bread and pop it in your mouth.
"Oh absolutely. For example, I can still recognise when you're not listening to me."
>The piece of bread now decorates the table as you cough violently.
>Twilight gives you the most innocent of smiles.
"Is*cough*is that so?"
>She nods. "I would describe it as a vacant expression, one that suggests a daydream or mind in thought. There has even been drool, sometimes."
"Drool? You're not serious. Please tell me you're making that up."
>She gives a titter as you mockingly cover your face with your hands and groan.
>"Oh don't worry about it. You don't know how cute it looks."
"Gee, thanks for the support."
>She can't help but giggle and press a hoof to her chin, and it's not long before you cannot help but join in.
>My stars, how much you missed this, the simple joyful interaction between friends.
 
>"Well anyway, as I was saying, I think it's really great that Spike has been helping out with the roof repair-"
"Whoa whoa whoa. Spike? As in, you know, Spike Spike?"
>Twilight nodded. "Spike Spike, and he's been a great big help moving some of the wood-"
"Hang on, should he really be doing that? Isn't he a little, you know..."
>The mare just gives you a curious look.
"You know. Spike Spike."
>You hover your hand a couple of feet over the ground, fairly sure it was the height of the little baby dragon assistant.
>"Not Spike Spike, but," the unicorn waved a hoof above her head. "SPIIIKE Spike."
"Spiiiike Sspike?"
>"Are we going to keep talking like this for long?"
"What? Oh, sorry, it's just, I'm still trying to get over the fact Spike is doing roof repair at his age."
>Twilight fixes you with a pitying look.
>"Anonymous, Spike isn't a baby anymore."
>Your mind seems to reel at this revelation.
>Granted, you may have spent approximately six months in total isolation from most of Ponyville, opting to only get your groceries during dusk and dawn.
>But had time really flown by that fast?
"When you say that he's not a baby anymore, you mean...?"
>"I mean that he has aged significantly to no longer be considered a baby. If anything, I would say that he is well on his way to adolescence."
"I'm fairly sure going from baby to almost adult in six months is a bit of a stretch."
>More like virtually impossible. But then, you're sitting at a table talking to a sentient purple unicorn with stars on her butt.
 
>She merely presses a hoof to her chin to give you a benign smile.
>"Spike was well within the late stages of babyhood when you arrived. Didn't you notice that he was getting taller, leaner?"
>With a quick scurry through the recesses of your memory, you manage to drag up some information on Spike.
>Originally in Year 1, the little dragon's head barely passed your knee.
>In Year 2, the spikes on his head were just beginning to reach your waist.
>The last time you saw him around the start of Year 4, he was a little bigger, and his elbows and knees were actually visible when he stood still.
>So maybe the little dragon had grown up after all, and you just didn't notice it.
>Twilight is beaming again. She must have picked up the dawning comprehension on your face.
>You give her a dark look in jest, which sends her into giggles again.
>This mare needs to laugh more, you hardly consider yourself comedy gold yet everything you do is sending her into fits.
>You let your mind drift back to the topic of Spike.
>As much as Twilight was your one and only friend, Spike was the one and only bro in Equestria.
>Maybe you bonded so quickly because you were both bipedal (mostly) and had hands.
>Whatever the case, the two of you were fast friends during your accomodation of the Library.
>Now the little bro is a big bro.
>Baby to almost adult in roughly 4 years is still stupid.
>This is something that you need to see to believe.
"Is Spike still living with you? In the Library?
>She nods. "Of course. He's probably still asleep right now. Growing up or not, he's still lazy."
"Thank Celestia some things don't change, right?"
>She gives you a happy look. It seems to linger before she whispers "Right."
 
>With a stretch, you make to stand up.
>"Wait, where are you going?"
"To the Library. I'd like to take a look at SPIIIIKE Spike for myself."
>Another giggle. Why weren't you making money with this comedic talent back on Earth?
"Plus, it would be good to meet the guy after all this time. Say hi and catch up on things."
>One step away from the table and you hear the sound of hurried hooves behind you.
>"You there! Sir!"
>You freeze in place and turn. The waiter responsible for your floppy piece of bread is threading his way between tables to get to you.
"Problem, sir-"
>He slows to a stop in front of you and gives you one of the meanest stares you have ever seen.
"Uhh..."
>"May I remind SIR that he has yet to pay his bill?" The waiter seems to chew upon every word.
>You realise too late that you left your home without picking up your bag of bits.
>The social faux pas ball keeps on rolling!
>You throw a pleading look at Twilight with your palms spread out.
>She smirks a little and her horn lights up. In a flash, a couple of bits appear on the table.
>The waiter spots the coins, but his expression does not lighten.
>His burning eyes remain on yours as he slowly backs away.
>You avert your gaze and press a hand to the back of your neck.
>You are actually sweating.
>A brush with Satan himself does that to a man.
>You assert to yourself that there must be a Satan if there is a Tartarus in Equestria.