My Little Pony: The Brothers of Discord

by mr.myxsiple

Talk on the Brothers

CHAPTER 12
TALK ON THE BROTHERS

The next day...

"Spike!" said dragon felt a hoof poking his side. "Spike, wake up. I think I'm on to something here."

Annoyed slightly by the sudden awakening, Spike sat up and walked alongside the unicorn towards a desk where an open book lay. "Good; you're awake."

"Yeah thanks to you." he muttered rubbing his eyes a bit.

His tone didn't discourage Twilight. "Remember when Scar came a few days ago looking for something about light?" she told him.

"Mmmm hmm..." Spike nodded dozing off slightly.

Luckily, Twilight failed to notice. "Well, that got me thinking, so I started researching about it."

Spike, who was nodding off, was jolted awake when she held a book up to him. "Look here. It says here that Light, with a capital 'L' by the way, is one of the two primordial forces that created the universe. It says that it, along with Darkness, created a balance that must be maintained."

"That's nice..." Spike said wondering if he could still get any sleep after this. "Is that it...?"

"Pretty much." Twilight placed the book back on the desk. "The book's pretty old, written way before I was born. And there isn't much information about Ponyville in here at all. Why was Scar looking into this?"

"I dunno; maybe he's just curious. Can I go back to bed now?" Spike said glad to be done with the lecture.

She was however interrupted by a knock on the door. "Huh; I wonder who that could be."

Spike yawned as he watched her head for the door and open it. "Oh, Applejack. Good morning." Twilight greeted upon seeing her friend.

"Howdy Twi'." the farmer said with a tip of her hat. "Uh...ya got a minute? I wanna talk to ya 'bout somethin'."

Hearing that concerned Twilight a bit. She turned back to her assistant. "Spike, I'll be out for a while. Could you please put that book back and then you can go back to sleep."

"Yeah yeah." Spike replied. While Twilight left to walk with Applejack, he went over to the book she was reading previously and placed it an empty space in the shelves. He read the title in its spine and walked back to his basket thinking about its strange title.

ON THE NATURAL BALANCE
1ST EDITION
BY EQUINOX

---

"So, what's on your mind Applejack? Did something happen?" Twilight asked as they strolled through Ponyville.

Her friend stayed silent for a while before finally spitting it out. "I think Ironhead asked me out on a date."

That took her by surprise. So much so that she stopped to see if Applejack was kidding. Her friends raised eyebrow and puzzled expression made her realize she wasn't. "I... Wow, really?"

Applejack nodded. "He asked me last night if we could hang out tomorrow, so I kinda thought it was a date. Felt so weird that I had to say I had to get somethin' jus' to get away from him for a while."

"I guess things would be kind of awkward." Twilight commented. "I don't have any experience on these things to be honest. Why'd you ask me of all of us?"

"'Cause Fluttershy's at the spa with Rarity, Rarity'd probably tie me down and force a dress on me, Pinkie'd throw a party an' I can practically hear Dash singin' 'Applejack and Ironhead sittin' in a-'"

"Ok. I get it. I guess that makes sense." Twilight said. "You also said you think. You're unsure if it's a date?"

"That's right." Applejack said honestly. "All Ironhead said is that we're gonna hang out. Jus' the two of us. Does that count as a date?"

"I'm...not so sure actually." Twilight admitted. "I've never been on or even asked on a date before."

This surprised Applejack. "Really now? Ain't Canterlot fancy colts that jus' wanna get to ya?"

"Well, yes, but none of them would ever pay attention to an egghead like me." Twilight said reminiscing her days back before moving to Ponyville. "And even if they did, I'd probably be too busy studying to notice. So, yeah. I've never had any romantic experience."

She nudged her friend's side. "Anyway, let's get back to you and Ironhead. Has he been showing any signs that he could have feeling for you?"

Applejack's thoughts turned to the events that happened the previous day. "Well, I caught him lookin' at me sometimes. And he's always looks real happy when I'm around. And he did look real nervous when he asked me..."

"I see." Twilight said nodding. "I guess given the things you said, I guess we could call it a date. Ironhead must really like you Applejack."

After hearing Twilight's conclusion, Applejack reddened a bit. "R-Really now...Aw shucks, I...I don' even know what ta say. I mean, I had a few crushes or so back when I was a filly, but this's...I mean, I've never been asked out b'fore."

"You said yes didn't you?" Twilight asked. "Does that mean...you..."

"Ya mean if I like him too?" Applejack said realizing that she never really thought about it. "I...I dunno. I haven't thought about it really."

"I'm sorry Applejack." Twilight apologized. "It just that I hope you knew what you were doing when you said yes. I mean, I've read somewhere that anypony's first date is supposed to be memorable. It's supposed to lead to another and then another and then another..."

"L-let's just deal with the firs' date sugar." Applejack said wanting to take things a step at a time.

"Well we still can't call it a date just yet." Twilight told her. "Maybe Ironhead really just want to hang out."

The farmer shook her head. "I ain't so sure 'bout that. Why else would be so nervous when he asked?"

"I guess that makes sense." Twilight shrugged. "Well, I guess whatever his reason may be, you two are getting together tomorrow. I hope you two have fun."

A smile returned on Applejack's face as they stopped on the road heading for the farm. "Thanks for hearin' me out Twilight. "Don't you worry 'bout me; I'll tell you and the girls all about tomorrow."

"I'd love to hear all about it." Twilight told her. "Take care again and have fun tomorrow."

With a tip of her hat, Applejack nodded and followed the familiar path towards her home. After watching her friend leave for a while, Twilight turned around and headed for her home as well. She was however still thinking about the conversation she had with her.

First date huh...I wonder what's that's like...

---

"Ahhh...now isn't this simply divine Fluttershy?"

"Oh yes. Very..." She gave a heavy sigh. "Relaxing..."

Just as Applejack said, the two mares were currently enjoying a dip in a mud bath during their weekly spa visits. The warm, soothing mud relaxed her muscles, removing any sort of tension or stress from them. It was by far the only instance where Rarity willingly allowed mud to touch her.

"Now, where was I?" Rarity was in the middle telling Fluttershy about a particular order two days before. "Oh yes. So, she returns the hat three days after I painstakingly finished it, and insisted that I add sequins. Sequins?! Can you believe it? She obviously has no sense of fashion at all..."

Fluttershy nodded in understanding. "But you still did it did you?"

"Begrudgingly, yes." Rarity sighed before turning to the pegasus. "But enough about me. How have your days been Fluttershy?"

"Oh, same old same old..." She wondered if she should tell her about Ash. She was her one of her best friends after all and could help her out with him, but she was a bit unsure of how she'd take it.

"Actually Rarity, there is something I want to ask you about." she admitted.

"What is it Fluttershy?" Rarity inquired leaning forward a bit.

Fluttershy nervously tapped her fore hooves together wondering how best to word this. "Well...a few days ago, I met this colt-"

Rarity's reaction was just as she predicted; she scooted closer to the side of Flutteshy's mud pool and looked at her friends excitedly."Really? you met somepony? That's simple wonderful Fluttershy. Tell me, is he cute?"

The question made her face redden slightly. "I don't...I don't know...I mean, I never really thought of him like that..."

"Do you want me to set something up for you two?" Rarity offered in that same excited tone. "Oh, this is simply marvelous! I know just the perfect dress for the occasion."

"N-no Rarity. I-I appreciate the offer, but...that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Hmm? Then what is it?" Rarity asked.

It took a while for the pegasus to answer. During this time, Rarity noticed her friend looking very nervous about what she was going to say. A thought struck her, and it wiped her excited grin right off.

"Fluttershy..." Rarity put a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "Did he...is this colt bothering you?"

"What?" Fluttershy felt nervous again. "I...well...you see..."

"Darling, please be honest with me." Rarity said sincerely. "Has this colt...hurt you in any way?"

Fluttershy didn't want to lie about it to her friend. "Well...he...he did scare Angel a few times...and he shoved me once...and he...yelled at me a lot..."

Her description of Ash wasn't exactly the best. Rarity couldn't believe that her friend was being treated so harshly. "M...My word...Fluttershy, why haven't you told any of us about this?" She retreated a bit. "Where is this colt; I'll be sure he never treats you like that ever-"

"N-No. Rarity please don't." Fluttershy said holding her hooves up. "He doesn't mean it really."

Rarity looking at her quizzically. "Judging by his actions, I must disagree Fluttershy."

"You don't understand Rarity." Fluttershy reasoned. "I can see it in his eyes. Every time he did something mean, I saw this look in his eyes. It looked like...like regret Rarity."

"So, he regrets his actions yet still does them?" Rarity asked with a tilt of her head.

"I know it sound strange, but it's true. You need to trust me on this." Fluttershy told her. "He looks like he's in a lot of pain, and I can't just ignore somepony who's hurt. I...I want to help him Rarity."

When Rarity looked into those cyan eyes of hers, she saw that inner strength that Fluttershy always had despite how weak she seemed to be, that strength that came from her desire to help those who need it. Realizing this, Rarity sighed and shook her head.

"You truly are the Element of Kindness..." she mused. "If you want to help him, why don't you start by being his friend?"

"His friend?"

"Yes. You and I have both seen what kind of magic friendship can do." Rarity told her. "Perhaps it's enough to reach that boy's heart and change him."

Fluttershy considered the idea of being Ash's friend. She was still slightly afraid of him, but the pain in his eyes made her feel sorry for him. He'd most likely reject any form of friendship, but that wouldn't stop her from helping him.

"That is a good start." Fluttershy said sure of herself. "I'll do it Rarity; I'll become his friend."

Rarity smiled. "That's wonderful dear, but..." She dropped the smile and spoke seriously. "If he so much as looks at you in an uncomfortable manner-"

"I-I get it." Fluttershy said before she could finish the threat. "Thank you Rarity."

The unicorn smiled once more. "Anything darling. Now, let's forget all this for a moment and just..." She sank into her mud pool a bit. "Relax..."

Fluttershy sighed and repeated the action still thinking about Ash. The magic of friendship had changed her life as well as her friends'. If that gift could be given to him and break down whatever wall he put around himself, she might finally see the real Ash and save him from the darkness that threatened to consume him.

Comments

[Mr Skeleton]

good chapter

[Lord Smooze]

Need more!