The Castle Of Friendship had been known to be home to a variety of smells, most of the time coming from the Princess of Friendship’s latest magic experiment or spell. Sometimes they were the smells of the assistant to the princess cooking a little delicacy for the two before starting the day. Right now, the smell was the later, the difference was that it was not the assistant who was doing the cooking.
The smell slowly ascended the library and through the many rooms until it had reached the room of the assistant, Spike. It slowly went over his bed, and into his nose, which caused him to wake up with a smile. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned, “Mmmm, what smells so good? Wait,” he said, wiping his eyes as he looked around, “I’m not cooking anything, what’s going on?” he asked himself as he walked out of the room and down the stairs.
He knew it wasn’t Starlight, she went to a stage show with Trixie. This left only Twilight Sparkle as the culprit, but why would she be cooking. With a curious look in his eyes, he walked down the steps of the castle and to the dining area, where Twilight was walking out of the kitchen with an apron and chef’s hat, “Twilight?”
“Spike!” Twilight exclaimed in surprise, “You woke up too early. I was going to bring you some breakfast in bed.”
“Hun? Why, what's the occasion?” Spike asked.
“Don't you know?” Twilight asked with a warm smile.
“Uh, you found a brand new spell. The day you got your wings. It's the day you get to care for Flurry,” at each question Twilight shook her head. “ Then what?”
Twilight smiled, “ It's your birthday today.”
“Whoah, wait a sec. Remember last time.? Spikezilla? Remember?” Spike said, eating his breakfast.
Twilight rolled her eyes, “ Yes. I remember Spike and don't worry. I had a talk with Ember and she gave me some advice on how to control your growth. Me and the others are only to give you one gift and we are going to help with your hoarding tendencies. But first, we're going to spend the entire day with each other, just you and me.”
“You mean it?” Spike asked, to which Twilight smile and nodded. Spike jumped in excitement and quickly began to scarf down his breakfast.
As Twilight began to reprimand Spike for scaring his food. A knock at the door interrupted her tirade. Quickly getting to the front door of the castle, she opened it and was presented by the sight of a large dragon with scales that matched Spikes purple, “Um, excuse me, but is this the home of Princess Twilight Sparkle??”
Twilight looked up to the large dragon and nodded ,”Yes, this is my home. And you are?” After her adventure in the dragonlands and a visit from her silver dragon friend, Twilight had learned how to talk and address dragons.
“My name is Spira, and you need to help me. I am in search of my little-” Spira paused as she saw Spike walking down the stairs and to the lobby of the castle, “MY SON!” “
“Soon?” Twilight asked a she moved aside, letting Spira’s hand to reach into the castle and pluk Spike out and to give him a hug.
Spike had a set of wide eyes as he was picked up and held in the arms of the large dragon,” Mom?” he asked, and when he looked into the eyes of the dragon, he smiled as he could see the loving warmth in her eyes. “Mom!!” and then he hugged her tightly.
“Um, maybe you should come inside,” Twilight said, looking shocked, “Um, I think you know the polymorph spell?”
“Oh yes, that’s easy. Though, how do you know it?” asked Spira as she shrank down to a pony height.”
As Twilight walked back into the castle, she remarked, “OH, well, a silver dragon came here about a month ago to have tea with me and he gave me a Draconomicon to read and study. It had a huge list of spells and information about dragons.”
“I see,” Spira said. And then she looked down at Spike, before giving him a tight hug, nuzzling his neck, “I can’t thank you enough for hatching my little one. His name is Spike?”
“Well, Heathspike is his full name, but I call him Spike for short now,” Twilight said, leading Spira and Spike to a tea room where she sat and gave out some tea.
Spike had an excited look in his eyes, “My mom, my own mother. Oh, this is so great. I can’t wait to tell you about my life and everything I have seen!”
“Just a second Spike,” Twilight interrupted. Looking up at Spira, she asked ,”How did you lose Spike’s egg in the first place?”
Spira ran her claw through Spike’s spines and sighed, “We dragons tend to lay our eggs in little clutches, safe from intruders. One day, while I was out hunting for food, some Kobolds came into my clutch and stole Spike’s egg.”
“Kobolds?” Spike asked.
Twilight looked a t Spike, “Little dragon hunters. They are kind of like our diamond dogs.”
“Yes,” Spira said calmly. “I think they wanted to trade the egg to the black market in the hope of getting some reward for their services. Dragon eggs are very valuable to certain collectors you know. I think a guard must have seen Spike’s eggs and the kobolds and fought them off. He must have given Celestia the egg as a trophy.”
“I suppose that makes sense. If your egg was captured, then there was no way you could’ve known that he was hatched or fallen into pony hooves,” Twilight said, looking down at her tea before taking a sip of it. “So, what are your plans now?”
“Well,” Spira said, looking down at Spike and then to Twilight with a kind smile, “I was thinking of taking him to the Dragonlands and showing him his home.”
“What?!” Twilight and Spike exclaimed.
Looking at Twilight, Spike asked, “OH, please can I go? Please!”
Twilight began to stutter for a moment, “Well, I-uh, I mean, that is.” then with one look to Spike’s mother and then to Spike, she took a deep breath and said. “Sure. Go on ahead. Have fun, and be safe. Go and tell me all about what you had learned from there. I mean, this is a great opportunity for you.” swallowing hard, she got up and walked away, giving out a nervous chuckle, “I’ll go and tell the others about your leaving.” she gave a final whimper as she looked behind her. Spike seeming to have forgotten her as he began to tell his mother about his life, “Goodbye, Spike.”
(3 hours later)
Spike and Spira stood outside of the castle, in front of a small gathering of ponies. Namely the Bearers of Harmony and their little sisters. Spike looked at the group of eight and sighed softly, holding a large backpack on his back, “Well, guys, I guess this is it. Off on a big big adventure.”
Applejack was the first to step forward and give Spike a big hug, “We sure are gonna miss ya Spike.”
“Yeah, it’s gonna be kind of boring around here with your guy;s night out games or your comic things,” Rainbow Dash said, keeping in the air.
“Ah, you two will keep things interesting,” Spike said, before being glomped by Pinkie Pie.
“I am just sad that you had to go so early, I didn’t even have time to set up a farewell party,” Pinkie said with a frown, before giving Spike another hug.
“You can make it up to me with a welcome home party!” Spike said with a smile.
“Oh Spikey-Wikey!” Rarity said, with little tears rolling down her cheeks as she hugged Spike, “I am going to miss you so much!!!”
“I know Rarity, I know,” Spike whispers, hugging Rarity tightly.
Fluttershy's stepped forward, “You will write, won’t you?”
“”Of course I will,” Spike said with a smile.
“You, Ah feel bad. We didn’t get to hang out all that much,” Applebloom said, frowning.
Scootaloo then nodded as well, “Yeah, you were always welcome to hang with us and party.”
“Nah, you guys wouldn’t have wanted a fourth wheel,” Spike said, smiling. Then he looked around, a look of worry on his face, “Where’s Twilight? I thought she would want to say goodbye.”
Applejack stepped forward and placed a hoof on Spike’s shoulder, “She is probably busy, you know. Princess stuff and researching her new project.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Spike said, looking down.
Applejack then leaned down to Spike’s ear and whispered, “Sometimes, saying goodbye is probably the hardest thing we can do.”
“Oh,” Spike said, looking back at the castle, where Twilight’s room was, and for a moment, thought he saw a bit of purple looking down at him before going back into her room. Nodding, Spike got onto Spira’s back, “Ok Mom, I’m ready to go!”
“Hold on tight, little one,” Spira said, taking off into the sky. As she flew, she could hear Spike say his goodbyes to the ponie below. There was a warm smile across her lips as she flew across the sky and towards the distant wasteland.
As she flew, Spike looked down and gasped, “So, we came from here?”
“Yes, Spike, we came from the wastes close to the dragon lands. But, you must be getting tired, how about you sleep as we begin to land?” Spira asked.
Spike nodded, yawning a little, “Sure thing, momma.” and with that he fell asleep.
Spira let out a chuckle a she flew to a foreboding and black castle, landing in front of the large doors, “Momma, I love you.” Spike sad, hugging his mother as he fell asleep at least.”
“OH Spike, thank you. You don’t realize,” Spira said, her voice gaining a slight buzz as she became wreathed in green flames, “how much that means to me.”
A changeling approached the changing form of Spira, “Queen Chrysalis, welcome back. What do you wish to do to the subject?”
“Put him into his room, and when he awakens, become dragons and give him all of the love and caring he needs,” Chrysalis said with a smile.
A voice shouted from one of the walls, “Let him go!”
“Ah, Thorax, awake I see. Done screaming your head off at how much of a monster your mother is?” Chrysalis sid, walking to a chained up changeling. With a cold smile, she tucked his chin.
“You’re no mother. You’re a heartless monster that toys with other’s emotions,” Thorax growled.
“Ah, but you are the one who inspired this little plan of mine. It must have been kismet that one of my soldiers found that little letter you were sending between yourself and that dragon-whelp. Such a charming photo too, of you, Spike and the newest dragon-lord. So cute,” Chrysalis said, looking down at photo of Spike with his two friends in front of a roller coaster. “And here I had been looking for a weakpoint to hurt Twilight with and here it was.”
“So, why go after Spike and not Starlight?” asked Thorax. “She’s the one who ruined your kingdom. And where did these other changelings come from/
“The others have family members that are either alive or dead, thus it would’ve been difficult to fully trick them to my lair. But this Spike is a different story. He doesn’t know about his family and thus would be far more easy to manipulate,” the Queen said, turning away and smiling. “Now I have him right where I can feed off of his love energy for a while. While it is true that starlight was responsible for destroying my forces, forcing me to give birth to more, an attack on her would be expected. ”
“Why his mother?” asked Thorax.
“Simple,” the queen said with a chuckle, “Because he has been so wanting a real mother for so long that he is full of boundless love for her. So much so that he is like a banquet. Soon, I will feed him dry, and when I do, I will have enough power to fight Twilight Sparkle on even grounds. I will use the whelp’s love magic to lead my forces on a charge through Equestria with that mare’s corpse riding high on my throne as a prize!!!!”
“You’re a monster, “ Thorax growled as Chrysalis walked away. Turning his head, he made a plea to a passing changeling, “Please, listen you don’t have to be like this, you can.”
He was interrupted by a swift kick into the stomach, “Buddy, we like being like this. We like the hunger.”
‘Indeed, it makes us feel alive,’ chuckled another.
( Three days later)
Applejack walked down the streets of Ponyville, smiling in the bright sunlight of the midday. She was extricate over her day's intake of sales and was about to head to the spa to visit Rarity. Her walk was quickly interrupted by approaching flapping of wings, “Hey, AJ! Have you seen Twilight lately?”
“ Well, no Ah haven't. Not since Spike left a few days ago,” Applejack replied. “ Why you ask?”
“I haven't seen her around and I thought you might have seen her. Though maybe she went on a trip to visit Shining or something,” Dash said, walking with Applejack.
Applejack shook her head, “ Never said anything to me about heading out on on any trip. And even if she did, she would’ve told somepony about it.”
“Yeah, I guess-”
Rainbow Dash was interrupted by a shout from a light pink unicorn with a two toned mane, “Applejack, Rainbow Dash! There you are!”
“Oh, hey Starlight, what's up?” Rainbow Dash asked
“Where’s Twilight?” Starlight Glimmer asked, looking in between them. “ I went to the castle to ask her for some practice with this new spell Trixie taught me. But when I got to there, she was missing! I called her and I didn't get an answer. I thought she might have visited her family or Shining, but I saw her bags were still here. So I thought that maybe you had seen her.”
Applejack narrowed her eyes as she heard this, “ Ah think Ah know what's going on. Come on.” with a straightening of her hat, she began to step past her two friends and back to the castle.
Confused, the two ponies followed Applejack down the road to the castle. After following her closely, they stepped into the castle proper, and listened to her calling out Twilight’s name. Through every room and hallway, they could hear Applejack’s yells getting more and more angry as she stomped in the castle. Within a few short moments,Applejack ed them to the top of the castle where Twilight’s room was. Raising her right hoof she beat on the door, “Twilight! Ah know you’re in there, open up!!”
“Go away!” came Twilight’s muffled cry.
Applejack shook her head, “Ain’t doing that, sugarcube. You can’t stay there forever and wallow in your own sorrow.”
“Watch me!” Twilight shouted.
“Ok, you asked for it,” Applejack said as she pivoted on her forelegs and gave a hard buck to the door, knocking it down. Starlight let out a gasp of shock as she looked into the room and saw Twilight laying on the bed, her back to her friend with a mane that looks like it hasn't been kept in days.
“I thought I told you to leave!?” Twilight growled, shooting her head up to glare at the others. Her eyes were bloodshot and red from the amount of crying she had been doing.
“And you must be crazy if ya,think that Ah am not going to be her for you,” Applejack said, taking a seat with her best friend. Looking at a dresser, she spotted Twilight’s brush and began to take it to Twilight's mane, “ Look at you. You look like you haven't eaten or drank anything in days. Rainbow, mind getting her something to drink and Starlight could you make her something?”
As the girls left the room to help Twilight, she let out a muffled, “ I’m the worst.”
“What was that?” Applejack asked.
Twilight briefly looked up to her friend and then to the ground, “ I’m the worst caretaker ever. I just stood there and watched him fly off with his mom. I didn't even try to stop him from leaving, I just stood there on little balcony and waved goodbye to him. I didn't say stop, or come back, I just stood and waved goodbye as he flew away. Of course I let him go,” Twilight grumbled, “who am I to stop him from going? THAT was his mother, I’m... nothing. I’m just the mare who hatched him and helped take care of him”.
Applejack ran a hoof along Twilight’s back and held her close, letting Twilight rest her head on her shoulder, “Sounds like someone important to me. You all right raising him, don’t think anypony could’ve done it better.”
“No, I could’ve done better. I could’ve stopped him and told the dragon, you aren’t going anywhere without me. But I saw how happy he was and I just let him go,” Twilight sniffled,
“Now, what would holding him back solve? You said it yourself, he was happy to have finally found his parents and his family, and if you tried to stop him then it would’ve ruined his happy moment.Sugarcube, you did the best job you could raising that kid and now he has a chance to make his own decision about his life. You taught him, gave him the knowledge to make the right decisions, and the ability to know right from wrong, and sometimes that all we as a family can do. Even if they are a parent, or a sibling.”
Twilight looked up to her friend and sniffled, wiping some of her tears, “Do you mean it?”
“Of course Ah do sugarcube,” Applejack said, tucking Twilight’s chin and smiling. “Look, Ah think Ah know what you are feeling right now. One day,” Applejack paused as she thought about her little sister and then sighed, “One day, that little sister of mine is going to look at her cutie mark and decide it's time to set up a clinic or something to help with cutie marks in Manhattan or somewhere. And Ah am probably going to be right where you are now, drowning my sorrows and wondering if I should stop her. Worrying if she is safe out there in the big world, did Ah do a good job, is she ready for this, or can she handle it? And Ah’ll probably drown my sorrows in ice cream or something till Ah get over it.”
“But how do you get over it?” Twilight asked.
“By telling myself that Ah did the best job Ah would, that Ah gave her the best life possible and she is now grown to make her on decisions, “Applejack said with a smile, then winked to Twilight “But, there is one other important thing.”
“What’s that?” Twilight asked.
“That if worst comes to worse, Ah can at least be her safety net if things go down south,” Applejack said, and then hugged Twilight closely. “And that is what you need to be for him right now, his little safety net. The reason why he went with his mother was because he knew he would be in safe hands and you taught him to trust others. That’s what makes you important to him.”
Twilight returned the hug and nuzzled her friend, “Thanks Applejack, that made me feel a little better. You can go now, I’ll get washed up and come outside shortly.”
“Got ya, Twilight,” Applejack said, giving Twilight another hug and then left the room, before giving out a sheepish, “Uh, and sorry about the door Twilight.”
“It’s ok,” Twilight said, getting off her bed, ‘I’ll bill you later.”
After a short hour of washing and fixing her mane, Twilight Sparkle walked out of her bathroom feeling refreshed and happy. She stopping in front of a mirror and tried to think of changing her mane style to that of what she wore when she first got the caste. Her thoughts were then interrupted by a knock at the door, “Coming!”
As she walked down the stairs, she saw a red teenage dragon laying flat on the floor, “Presenting, her royal badassness, Dragonlord Ember!”
“Thank you Garble, you may continue to prostrate yourself in front of the pony,” Ember said, walking on top of Garble and sing her tail to flick his nose.
Twilight had to suppress a giggle at Garble’s mistreatment, “Was that necessary?
“No, but it is fun. I mean, he’s not much of a bodyguard, but is an excellent meat shield,” Ember said, before looking around the caste. Nervously, the blue dragon placed a finger to her lips, “Um, where’s Spike? I kind of wanted to talk to him.”
Whatever good mood Twilight had was shattered and her ears dropped, “Spike left.”
“What? When, whyt?” Ember said, looking shocked.
“He went to live with his birth mom, Spira. He’s probably in the chromatic dragon lands by now,” Twilight said.
Ember shook her head, “His mother, but that’s impossible. It can’t be true.”
“It is. It hap-”
“I mean it can’t be true because his mother is dead!” Ember shouted.
Twilight stood there in shock for a moment, “What?”
“It’s why I came here,” Ember said. “I was kind of curious as to why a chromatic dragon like Spike would be living with ponies, or why did Celestia pick a purple dragon like Spike. Why not a silver dragon or a gold? So, I grabbed some of dad’s scholars and did the research. It seems about sixteen years ago, a pony dragon slayer snuck into the dragonlands after a dragon that killed his wife. After traveling a few miles, he ha found the dragon in her cave and they fought. He won and took his prize.”
“Spike’s egg,” Twilight said.
“Garble over there couldn’t believe that a pony could kill a dragon. I quickly reminded him of what the namby pamby pony princess could do to him if you weren’t afraid of causing an international incident,” Ember said.
“What did you say?” Twilight asked.
“That you could break his bones by throwing large boulders at him and turn his blood into glass,” Ember said.
“Ok, on that first one, I don't like starting fights and I try to thin my way around them if I could, and second, that is organic transmutation and I am not going through that again. One forced dimensional hop is enough for me thank you,” Twilight said. “But, how did you confirm it was Spike’s mom?”
“Because, I asked the ones who knew her and she matched Spike’s scale color perfectly. Then when I asked a few dragons in the area, they said te saw a stallion leaving the scene with a purple and green egg.”
As the words hit Twilight’s ears, her mind quickly began to add all of the pieces together. She began to make a list of all of the possibilities and scenarios that could’ve happened in almost an instant. Then as she she began to realize what had happened, she narrowed her eyes in rage, “Thank you for this information, Dragonlord. You can go home now.”
Ember nodded, “Thank you, but are you-” she waved back and forth, feeling woozy. It was if all of the magic in the castle was being corrupted, and she could feel it. “Sure? What about Spike?”
“He will be fine, leave,” Twilight said in a tone that scared both dragons. After they had left, Twilight looked over her shoulder to Starlight, “Starlight Glimmer. Hold down the fort and keep an eye on Ponyville.”
Starlight took a few steps towards Twilight, “Of course, but wh-” she then paused when she saw the look of rage in her master’s eyes. Gulping, she took a step back, “I’ll make sure the castle is here when you get back.”
Twilight nodded and then turned away. Stepping out out the castle, she began to march through the town with a look of raw determination and unyielding rage. With each hoof wall, it seemed that the ground began to crack and crumble beneath her hooves. As her march continued, bolts of magical energy began to crackle and pop along her limbs. Everypony who saw her either ran away in fear or shuddered in fright. All except a few, such as Applejack.
As Applejack looked at the marching Twilight, she took a look back to her big brother. Silently, Big Mac nodded in response and turned to work at the stall, leaving his sister to run and join her friend. When she caught up to Twilight, she adjusted her hat and looked to her friend, “Monster attack, friendship problem, or rescue?”
“Rescue mission. Spike has been kidnapped,” Twilight said, not breaking her stride.
Rainbow Dash flew in and landed next to Twilight, “Wait what, Spike has been kidnapped? When? I thought he was with his mom.”
“Chrysalis kidnapped him, in a move to steal his love energy to get close to me,” Twilight said, growling.
“What, that horrid monster. How dare she,” Rarity said, walking up alongside the others. She took her spot by Applejack.
“That monster is going to pay for this, I can promise you this,” Twilight said, not even looking at Rarity.
Pinkie bounced and kept pace with Rainbow Dash, “Oh, so are we going to teleport there and fight them in an awesome battle that will make them run in fear.”
“I plan on it,” Twilight said.
Fluttershy shyly and quietly took her spot with Pinkie, “We aren’t to kill any of them, are we?”
“I make no promises,” Twilight said, stopping outside of town and ignited her horn. With a bright glow and flash, the six disappeared from sight.
Back in Chrysalis’s castle, the queen smiled as she sat back and drank in the love energy. Her horn glowed brightly as she drank in the ambient energy, feeling his love flood into her, “MMMMM, how, wonderful. This whelp has given me more love than I expected him too.”
One of the drones looked to the young dragon whelp as he laid on the bed, shivering from the col, “Queen Chrysalis, are you sure you are not drinking too much? The subject looks-”
“Do you think I care if he dies? I only need his love energy and nothing more. The faster I drink the little drake dry, the faster I can march on Ponyville to assault the princess-”
“Twilight Sparkle approaches, and she is bringing her friends!” painted a drone as he ran into the main room.
Chrysalis smiled, “Well, well. It seems that my plans are coming to fruition sooner than expected. Arrange a welcoming party for our beloved princess.”
“Yes ma’am!” shouted the drone.
Within moment, the foyer of the castle was litter with drones at the ready. They snarled and growled as they prepared to fight the intruders. The door then exploded thanks to a well paced buck from Applejack. Twilight stepped forward and whouted, “Queen Chrysalis! As Princess of Friendship, I hereby give you one chance to release your prisoner or else suffer the consequences.”
“Princess...if you expect to take your little dragon friend without a fight, then proceed to be disappointed,” Chrysalis said, before ordering, “Men, kill them! But, spare Twilight Sparkle.”
As the drones nodded and flew at the six Bearers of Harmony, they became bathed in a glorious rainbow of light. Once the light faded, they stood there, bathed in rainbow power and stared at the charging army with a look that scared some of the charging drones.
There are a few battles in Equestria’s long history that can be considered the shortest. The battle of Trotter’s field lasted a day, the siege of Trottingham lasted one a few hours, and the battle of mt Avalon lasted an hour. They all paled in comparison to the battle that took place in the castle on that day, as it lasted only ten minutes. Sans the anti-magic stones or the element of surprise, the drones were no match for the princess and her team. The princess and her knights stood amongst the fallen bodies of the drones, panting and stretching out their legs to relax after the fight, “So, what’s next?” Dash smirked.
Twilight did not seem affected by her friends confidence, “The rest of you, search the castle. I have no idea if that witch took other prisoners here. I am going to save Spike.” she said, igniting her horn and crafting her friend tracking spell. Within moments, she had located Spike and ran up the stairs.
Applejack looked up and frowned, before racing after Twilight, “Applejack, where are you going?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“To make sure she doesn't do anything stupid!” Applejack said.
At the top of the stairs, alone in her room, Chrysalis sat. She smiled as she heard the thunderous footsteps of Twilight Sparkle, “Welcome, Princess. Did you enjoy your fight?”
Twilight said nothing as she strode into the chambers, her eyes narrowing at the bug queen. Then she looked at the bed, where a little purple figure lay. After taking a second look, she realized that it was Spike, looking as if he hadn’t eaten in days. She saw the ribs of the young dragon peeking out from underneath his scales. His breathing was labored, and he was shivering as if he was cold, “What did you do?”
“Drank in his love energy,” Chrysalis said, walking slowly behind Twilight. “Granted, I may have drunk in too much. I think if you had gotten here a day too late and he would have died from energy loss.”
“You’re gonna pay,” growled Twilight.
Chrysalis laughed, “Fool, you think that you can really mat-urrk!” in a brief instant, she suddenly felt sick. Backing up in fear and swaying for a moment, she began to puke up all of the bile that she had. Her heaving and puking caused her to collapse to her stomach, struggling to get back up. Looking up, she asked weakly, “W-what?”
“Feel that, witch?” Twilight asked, looking over her shoulder glaring at the coughing and hacking queen. “Your stomach is feeling weak, unable to hold anything down? Your body is feeling weak, and unable to stand up, you are barely able to see and you can’t breathe. You are experiencing the worse case of stomach flu in history.”
Chrysalis struggled to stand or to use magic, but then Twilight back hoofed her, sending Chrysalis into a wall, “Mirage, Tirek, and Valtor? I don’t think it was possible to hate anypony more than I hate them. But you? You make it easy,” Twilight said, lifting up Chrysalis in her magic and threw the queen into walls and the roof before electrocuting her, “You tricked me time and time again. Turned my friends on me, made me scared of losing them, and continually tried to hurt my family! I hated you so much that I began to think of ways to end you. And this is the best way.”
“W-what did you do to me?” whimpered Chrysalis.
Twilight smirked, “Tell me, what’s the opposite of love? Hate! I had been thinking about it, but if you fed and thrived on love, what would happen if you fed on hate? Whiy, it would be like food poisoning to you. If you gave a herbivore meat, they get sick. The same can be said for you. You know what you are feeling right now? My hate for you, my raw and unrelenting hatred. All of my rage, the nightmares, and the anger against you. How often I wanted you dead, how often I dreamt of killing you. And it’s sickening to you, it’s killing you isn't it?”
“P-p-please, mercy. Spare me, princess,” Chrysalis begged, left up a broken hoof.”
“How often have other races begged for you mercy and you ignored them? How many lives did you destroy because you lacked the basic mercy? And you now beg me for it?” Twilight growled and lifted a hoof, “No, not this time. You will get what you deserve!”
Applejack held her hoof before Twilight could strike, “Twilight stop!”
“Let me go! I need to finish her,” Twilight growled.
Applejack frowned, “I am not about to let the Princess of Friendship have blood on her hooves.”
“But Applejack, she needs to-”
“She needs nothing,” Applejack growled, “He needs you, she only needs your pity right now.” Applejack said, nodding to Spike on the bed/
Twilight looked back and then to Chrysalis, “She needs to die, or she will come back to do this again.”
“And you are telling me that killing is more important than protecting that little drake you care for?” Applejack said narrowing her eyes at Twilight.
Twilight looked back at Applejack, and then to Spike and then to Chrysalis. For a moment, she made her horn ignited, and aim at Chrysalis. Then she sighed and pulled her hoof away, “Come near my family again, Witch and I will not show you mercy.”
As Twilight walked to Spike and pull him off the bed, Chrysalis looked to Applejack, green vicus fluid dribbling down her chin, “Oh, thank you Applejack. You clearly know how to-”
“Queen Chrysalis, Ah suggest you shut up right now,” Applejack said with a low growl. “Just because I don’t want the princess to have blood on her hooves, doesn’t mean that Ah don’t mind getting dirty.” This made Chrysalis back away in fear and tremble as the two left with the little dragon whelp.
“Is he going to wake up?” Spike heard a muffled voice said.
Another voice, coming from a white blur said, “Yes, he will. From the looks of his body, he is suffering from starvation. With one of the golden apples from Celestia’s garden, we can potentially help with any damage done to his body from starvation.”
“Who, what/” Spike said weakly.
“Can... I stay with him?” asked a purple blur.
“Sure,” said the white blur, as Spike began to drift back into darkness.
When Spike opened his eyes again, he saw a little purple shape lying down next to him, “Mommy?”
Twilight looked up from the bed and almost jumped for joy as she hugged Spike, “Spike, you are awake!!”
“Twilight?” Spike asked, looking around the room in confusion, “W-where’s mom?”
“Spike, i don’t know howt o tell you this,” Twilight sai with a frown, “The dragon wasn’t your mother, it was Chrysalis.”
The made Spike drop his mouth in shock, and then shook his head, “N-no that isn’t.”
“And there’s more,” Twilight said, looking away, sighing, “You real mom died a long time ago.”
“My, mom is dead?” Spike whimpered and looked on in shock.
“I’m sorry,” Twilight said, her voice but a whisper, ‘“I wish I had better news or that there was better way to tell you this.”
Spike whimpered and began to cry, “I-I should’ve known. Why wouldn’t she have looked for me if she was still alive. And know, I guess I really am an orphan. I’ve got no one, no family, no anything.”
“That’s not true,” Twilight said, getting onto the bed and wrapping her forelegs around Spike, “You have a family right here.”
“What?”
“Spike, what is a mother?” Twilight asked.
Spike thought about it for a moment, “Someone who loves you, cares about you and is there for you.”
“”And aren’t I that for you? Or just like a sister who watches over you?” Twilight said with a giggle.
Spike looked down, “Well, Twilight, it’s just that we never said anything about it.”
“Because, we ever needed to. Mother, Sister,Aunt, or even godmother, I’m all of those Spike. What we have together, isn’t really something that you can define with a simple label. We are a family and that’s it. You have always been there for me, and I try to be there for you,” Twilight said, sighing, “Even if I do leave you behind on adventures. But that’s only because I care about, and worry that you might get hurt.”
“Yeah, I know. I am only a baby dragon after all, I o would only make things harder for you,” Spike said with a frown, but then he smiled, “Guess that does make me like the CMC huh? The kid who gets left behind and watched over everything.”
“And I wouldn’t trust such an important job to anypony else,” Twilight said, smiling. “No one better than my little guy. The little dragon who wants to be there for everyone, and to be the best son he can be.”
“Why not?” Spike said, “I have the best mom.” he then hugged Twilight tightly, and smiled.
A family isn’t only labeled by blood, but by the one that cares about you.