Chapter 12: A Talk Between Friends
First off, I want to apologize for taking so long to update. As you all know, I was battling Writer's Block, but I successfully conquered it, thanks to all of my Fimfiction Family's help and for that, I thank you all. 
Next, beforehand, I want to apologize for this chapter for being shorter than the rest, but I had this talk/discussion between Twilight and Spike in my mind that I wanted to get it written out first. I hope this is a touching chapter for you all, and next chapter there will be more of the other ponies and we'll see what is going on in the EQG world. 
I hope you all enjoy this chapter though and thank you all again.
In the Crystal Kingdom, Princess Celestia stood by her sister as she slowly started to lower her sun in the horizon of the mountains. On the outside she appeared to be focused on her task so she could allow Luna to raise the moon, but inside she was heartbroken. Her eyes were glassy with tears threatening to escape and this didn’t go unnoticed.
Luna lit her horn to start raising her moon when she looked over to see her sister on the verge of breaking down. A frown crept across her muzzle as she spoke softly “Sister, what is wrong? You look like you are about to cry.” She reached over a wing to lay over Celestia’s back.
Celestia sighed heavily as she lowered her head to look down at the balcony’s surface. She allowed her tears to shed as they rolled down her cheeks “Luna, I miss our dear little nephew. It feels like an eternity since he’s been gone, and I’m just so worried about him.” She started to shudder under Luna’s wing as she turned her head to look at the lunar princess “What if he’s hurt sister? What if the creatures in the other world are cruel to him? What if…” She was cut off softly as Luna placed a hoof on her lips.
“Relax Tia, I’m sure that our young nephew is doing just fine in the other world. He might be just a child, but he has the heart of an adult. We have to just believe that he is safe and that those that inhabit the other world is taking good care of him.” Luna gave her sister a reassuring smile and rubbed along her back with her wing.
Celestia sighed softly, allowing the last remaining tears to shed before letting a small smile creep across her muzzle. She nodded at her sister’s reassurance “You are right Luna, I should trust Toby’s judgment in going to a new, strange place all by himself. For a small child, he indeed has the heart the size of our dear home of Equestria.” She let out a light laugh as Luna joined in.
“That is exactly right Tia. Now, let us enjoy the night and let our worries drift away.” Luna gave her sister a wink as Celestia nodded in return. The two sisters gazed up at the evening sky, illuminated by the full moon and twinkling stars.
While the sisters were enjoying a moment of togetherness outside on the balcony, inside Twilight was alone with her thoughts and reading a book. All day long, she thought about what she wanted to speak to Spike about, but to her it was obvious. She needed to discuss not only happened with Spike and CMC the last time they were here in the Crystal Kingdom, but something much more personal.
Her thoughts were disrupted by a knock at the guest door “Twilight, it’s me Spike. We’re back from exploring.” The tone of the voice which the baby dragon spoke with had the hint of nervousness behind it, and Twilight could sense it.
A warm smile formed on her muzzle as she carefully closed her book and levitated it over to shelf where she got it from, putting it back in place. She cleared her throat “Please come in Spike,” she spoke with a gentle, motherly like tone. She sat up on her haunches on the bed as she watched the door slowly open to reveal her number one assistant.
Spike stepped inside the room and carefully shut the door behind him. He turned to look at Twilight with a nervous smile “Hey Twi, what did you want to talk to me about?” He folded his claws together behind his back and teetered back and forth on his feet.
Twilight simply smiled and patted the space on the bed beside her “Come over here Spike and sit with me. I’d like to hear about your day first and what you did with Daring Do and the fillies.” She waved her hoof at him motioning for him to sit down.
The baby dragon’s nervousness suddenly melted away as he walked up to the bed, hopped on, and swung his legs over the side as he smiled at Twilight. He kicked his feet playfully “It was so much fun Twilight. First Daring Do took us to Neighagra Falls to teach us what it takes to be explorers.” Twilight smiled with glee at her assistant, nodding at him for him to continue.
“As we were searching through the woods for any lost treasure, that big blue mutt that always tries to capture Daring appeared. And he…” Spike was cut off with a loud gasp from Twilight.
“Wait, What?! You mean Ahuizotl showed up here in Equestria? “Twilight asked with surprise mixed with concern, earning a nod from the baby dragon. She looked worriedly at her assistant “Did he hurt you Spike or any of the fillies and Daring Do?”
Spike shook his head “Not at all Twilight. I mean he did try to kidnap Silver Spoon, but a new pony showed up and kicked Ahuizotl’s flank.” He shot a claw up in the air balled up in a fist.
Twilight couldn’t help but let out a small giggle at his enthusiasm. She cleared her throat a little “A new pony?” She asked with a bit of surprise “What’s his name?” She gave the baby dragon a curious look.
“His name is Firebolt and he is an unicorn just like you Twilight.” This earned an impressed look from Twilight as Spike nodded “He used the magic of fire to create a fireball that he shot right at Ahuizotl, but it didn’t’ hit him. It just distracted him long enough for Daring Do to rough him up by charging into him and sending him into Pinkie Pie’s party cannon.”
“Wait, wait, wait, how in the world of Equestria did Pinkie show up where you all were at?!” Twilight asked with surprise.
Spike shrugged his shoulder “To be honest Twilight, I have no idea. You know how Pinkie is, she can do stuff that no regular ponies can do, and that don’t have any explanation.” He let out a chuckle which Twilight joined in on.
Twilight nodded in agreement “You got me there Spike. I guess I’d have to introduce myself to this Firebolt and see what he’s story is. Right now though Spike, I want to talk to you about something, and I want you to be completely honest with me, okay?” She gave the baby dragon a warm yet serious look.
Her look sent a shiver down his spine as a nervous swallow traveled down his throat. He folded his claws in his lap and looked into her eyes “O-okay Twi, what do you want to talk about? Is it about when I brought the fillies here with me to see Shining Armor and Cadence?”
Twilight sighed softly “Well, that’s part of it, but what I want to talk about more though is our friendship Spike.” She lifted a foreleg and gently placed it over her assistant’s shoulders and gave him a soft smile.
Spike looked at her confused and surprised “Our friendship?” He asked with a hint of worry in his tone.
She sighed heavily “Spike, have I been a good friend to you?” She gave a little smile mixed with a frown.
This question shocked Spike who turned his body to face Twilight, bring a leg up onto the bed, and curling it under his rump. He gave her a serious look “Of course Twilight. You’ve been a wonderful friend to me.” He looked at her, his eyebrows arched with concern “Why would you ask such a crazy question like that?” He crossed his arms.
“Ever since we’ve moved to Ponyville and met our friends, I just feel I’ve casted you aside. I feel I’ve been a bad friend when me and girls would go off to spend time together, and you were left alone to clean up the library.” She felt tears threaten to escape, but felt two small claws gently holding her fore hooves.
Spike gave her a warm, reassuring smile “Twilight, the princess gave you the task of meeting new ponies and making friends when we moved to Ponyville, remember?” She gave him a soft nod of the head “And look at what all you’ve accomplished during our time in Ponyville. You’ve became a princess of Equestria and I’m so proud of you.” He reached up and wrapped his arms around her neck.
Twilight couldn’t hold her tears back as she allowed them to roll down her cheeks and fall onto his shoulders. She wrapped a foreleg around his back “Thank you Spike, but I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to have met the girls, become princess, or even get into the academy without you!” She exclaimed as she gently released the hug and pulled Spike in front of her so she could look into his eyes.
Spike used a claw to wipe away his tears “Twilight, please don’t cry. It hurts me when I see you cry.” He gave a soft smile, letting out a light chuckle. He sighed heavily “I was only a part of your entrance exam to get into the Academy of Specially Gifted Unicorns and you were able to hatch me from my egg. For that Twilight, I’ll always be grateful, because you not only hatched me, but gave me life.”
Twilight let out a light giggle as she felt his claw wipe away her tears and gave him a warm smile. She sniffled “Spike, you have always been more than assistant to me, you’ve been more like a son to me, but I just feel I haven’t been a good mother to you.” Her warm smile suddenly turned into a frown.
The baby dragon felt a ping of pain strike his heart when he saw his friend hurt. He held one of her hooves in a claw and used the other claw to rub at her shoulder “Twilight, you’re scaring me. I don’t like to see you like this, please tell me what’s really going on.” He spoke serious, but with sadness as he looked deep into her eyes.
She sighed heavily as fresh tears started to shed. She returned the deep look at Spike “Spike, ever since I’ve met our friends and became one of the Elements of Harmony, we always spent time together, yet without you.” She began shuddering now “I remember all the times me and girls had so much fun, like at the National Dessert Competition, welcoming Ms. Harshwhinny to the Crystal Empire, but they were all without you by our side, and that is what hurts the most.” Twilight turned her away from Spike as she cried out.
Spike felt another sharp pain shoo through his heart as he could tell that this was more of an admission of guilt than just a simple discussion. He looked at her with deep concern as he reached over to turn her face toward him gently with a claw. A sad smile crept across face “Twilight, it’s okay… really, they were just…” He was cut off as Twilight placed a hoof against his lips.
“No Spike, it’s not okay! I’m supposed to be your friend… your mother, and I’ve been terrible at both duties. I’m supposed to be there to watch after you, care for you, and have fun with you, but I’ve failed at doing all three.” She shuddered harder with sobs “S-Spike, I’m so sorry that I’ve neglected you over these past few years. C-can you ever forgive me?” She clenched her eyes tightly as she continued to speak between sobs “And not only for those few times I mentioned, but most importantly for my birthday in Canterlot. It was uncalled and truly uncaring of me to not involve you on my special day that I supposed to celebrate with all of my friends.” She slumped forward in Spike’s arms sobbing heavily.
Spike was speechless at what Twilight asked him for, but even more heartbroken at the sight of her crying. I admit those times they have forgotten me did hurt, especially her birthday, but I’m only a dragon, and they are all ponies. I understand why I couldn’t attend those special moments with her friends. He shook away his thoughts as he embraced her tightly in his arms and reached a claw up to delicately stroke at her mane.
He could feel her shake with sobs as she tried to calm her down “Oh Twilight, of course I forgive you. You’re my friend and I’ll always cherish your friendship more than anything.” He patted her back tenderly and asked her a serious question “What brought all this on Twilight? I never seen you like this, except for when you thought girls won’t get their cutie marks changed back.” He chuckled lightly as he helped Twilight sit up.
Twilight sniffled “The night we had the sleepover at Canterlot Castle with Toby, I took him to our…” She pointed at herself then at Spike with a hoof “special spot that looked over the castle at the horizon where we could watch Celestia’s sun rise.”
Spike smiled warmly “I know the place you’re talking about Twi. That’s where you used to take me when I was just a hatchling.” He spoke with a little excitement “That’s where we would spend time together alone and enjoy the quietness while we watched the sun rise and set, and watched the moon rise and set.”
Twilight returned the smile and nodded “That’s right Spike. Well, I wanted to take Toby there so I could talk with him for a little bit.” She took in a small breath and exhaled.
Spike nodded and looked at her curiously “Oh, what did you two talk about?” He asked happily with a smile of curiosity on his face.
She let out a soft sigh “Well Spike do you remember when Toby ran away, because of what Diamond Tiara said to him on his first day of school?” The baby dragon nodded “He still had that doubt in his mind that we didn’t love him as much as a human as we would have if he was a pony.” Twilight gave a little frown at the thought of that.
Spike frowned as well “Oh gosh, the poor little guy. I bet it was hard for him to feel that way, because he is different, because I still do at times.” He sighed softly but felt Twilight pull him into her close in a warm hug.
She gently stroked his head frills “Well, I told him that no matter how different he may be, we all love him, just like we, and especially I love you Spike.” She gave him a kiss on the top of his head as he looked up at her with a soft smile. She moved her hoof down to rub at his back “I just want to promise you one thing Spike, and I mean every word of it too.” She gently pulled him back to look into his eyes.
He looked up into hers and asked with a soft tone “What is it Twilight?” He then laid the side of his head against the warm fur of her chest as he hugged her middle.
Twilight laid the side of her head on top of his as she continued to rub up and down the spines of his back in a motherly way “Spike, I promise from this moment on to be most loving, most caring, and best mother I can be for you. I also promise to spend much more time with you and share those special moments that I share with my friends with you. Finally, I promise to never abandon you, never leave you behind, and never let you feel that you are not loved or don’t belong because you are a dragon among ponies.” She gave him a loving and gentle squeeze.
Spike couldn’t hold back his tears anymore as he allowed them to roll down his own cheek. His lips quivered, but curved into a smile. He was so filled with warmth in his heart as he was unable to speak.
Twilight continued to hold Spike in her fore legs for a little while more before gently pulling him away and looking into his eyes “I love you Spike, my son!” She said proudly and gave him a kiss on his forehead.
He blushed at the kiss on his forehead but he said proudly and happily “I love you too Mom!” He hugged her middle once more as she wrapped her forelegs around him again.
Both shared a warm embrace as Twilight spoke while rubbing the spikes on his back tenderly “Now let’s go get something to eat my son and see what every pony else is doing.” She let out a giggle as she climbed off the bed and turned sideways for Spike to climb onto her back. Spike got onto her back and she trotted out of her room toward dining hall.
While on the way Twilight thought to herself Thank you Toby for inspiring me to confess to Spike that he is like a son to me and giving me the courage to admit to him that I want to be his mother. Just be careful Toby and come home safe.