"Again."

Spike straightened in his high seat at Twilight's command. He'd slumped over the projector – a recent Golden Oak acquisition – having dozed off in the thirty-two seconds that it took for the film to loop again. 

"Seriously, Twi?" he mumbled thickly as he rewound the footage. "We've watched this a thousand times."

"Six hundred and fifty five is hardly a thousand. There's no need to exaggerate so grossly." Twilight was seated beneath the projector, giving Spike a rare opportunity to be taller than her for a change. "[i]Again[/i]."

Spike rolled his eyes. He clicked the projector, and grainy, sepia footage flickered upon the projector screen. Frame by frame, the same scene that Spike had seen six hundred and fifty five times before played out again.

Spike's eyelids fluttered shut.

[i]Pinkie Pie pops out from behind the camera and mugs. She pans across the banquet pavilion. The Princess is eating and joking around with the diplomats under the awning. The rope snaps; everypony gasps; the footage cuts out—[/i]

"Stop."

Spike started. "But it's already—"

"Rewind it. To the last frame, just before the awning collapses."

Dutifully, Spike obeyed. 

The screen froze on a tableau of visiting dignitaries, laughing at an expertly delivered bon mot from the Princess – as though she were capable of delivering any other kind – at the precise moment that the rope broke.

Twilight leaned forward. Her hoof slowly raised to point at the projector screen.

"You see that?"

Spike frowned as he tried to follow Twilight's hoof. "See what?"

Twilight thrust her hoof. "The rope. Right where the break occurs." 

Spike peered closely, straining to see what Twilight saw. There was a black line, so thin and faint as to be almost invisible, curling across the rope, right at the point of separation.

"Someone cut the rope," Twilight braced her chin with her hoof in thought. "Tried to sabotage this luncheon by breaking the awning. But who? And why"

Spike hopped down from his seat and alighted beside Twilight. "Or, maybe it was just cheap rope. Doesn't mean there was any sabotage."

Twilight whirled on him. "Then how do you explain [i]that?[/i]" She pointed at the black line again.

Spike looked back at Twilight flatly. "A hair on the lens? A scratch the film?"

Twilight flushed and fluffed her wings primly. "What's the likelihood of that occurring at my first diplomatic function as a princess? An accident just humiliating enough to damage our reputation – [i]my [/i]reputation?"

"It wasn't humiliating. Everyone laughed it right off. And everything else went off without a hitch."

"Except for the great big hitch that Pinkie Pie caught on film!"

"It could have gone better, but it didn't go badly. Princess Celestia even said—"

"She can't speak openly about things like this, Spike; Canterlot's a viper's nest."

"Twi, you've been down this road enough times to know where it goes. Take a step back and [i]relax.[/i] It was an [i]accident. [/i]They [i]happen.[/i] Someone botched putting up the awning, or bought the wrong kind of rope—"

"[i]I [/i]put up the awning, Spike. [i]I [/i]picked out the rope."

Spike growled. "Then you were distracted from micromanaging everything, and you made a mistake—"

"[i]I don't make mistakes[/i]!"

Twilight stood at full height, wings spread, and stared down at Spike.

Spike, unimpressed, stared back. He'd been down this road with her, after all.

"I shouldn't make mistakes," Twilight's voice was softer, yet still strained. "I [i]shouldn't.[/i] I'm a [i]princess now[/i], for pony's sake, not some sleepy-eyed schoolfilly who [i]burns out[/i]. This should be beneath me."

"'Princesses are allowed to make mistakes.'" Spike rested a palm on Twilight's barrel, and her wings drooped. "She meant it when she said it. You're not flawless; you didn't lose your dents when you got your wings. You're still a pony – an awesome pony, but even awesome ponies screw things up now and then. Look at Rainbow."

Twilight pursed her lips. "Rainbow's not a princess."

"Thank goodness."

Twilight snorted, and looked toward the screen. She bit her lip.

"Sorry for snapping."

"It's okay. You're stressed. I get it" Spike dropped his hand and stepped away. "Let's get some hayburgers. My treat."

"...Go get us a table." Twilight's wings tightened against her body. "I'll be along in a few."

She turned her whole body to face the screen, baring her back to Spike.

As Spike stepped out the door, he heard the projector whir to life again. He sighed.

He'd be dining alone again tonight.