//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Burning Heart Break (Un-edited) // Story: Spike's UnderTale // by Animefan608 //------------------------------// The next day was a relaxing one in Toriel's home. Spike was eating a massive stack of ruby pancakes while Toriel was sitting in her chair knitting something. Even though Spike enjoyed Toriel's pancakes, he couldn't stop thinking about what she asked him yesterday. Nopony has ever asked to adopt him before. He had always wondered what it was like to have a mother, but he didn't even think about how to be a good son. Are there lessons on how to be a part of a family? I know there are friendship lessons but are there family lessons? What am I supposed to do?He thought. Spike stopped eating as he set down both his knife and fork on the table and jumped off his chair and walked towards Toriel. "Hi, Toriel. What are you doing?" "Oh, I'm just knitting a cloth. It is a little hobby of mine." She replied. "Why? Did you need something?" "Oh, no. But... do you mind if I ask you a question?" Toriel smiled brightly at him. "No, go on ahead. Ask me anything. " "...Toriel, did you… have kids?" Spike wasn't sure if it was a good idea for him to ask such a personal question, but he couldn't help but wanted to know more about her. When Spike asked, as he expected, she started acting oddly as she suddenly stopped knitting and froze. Spike immediately regretted asking her that. There was nothing but silence in the room as Toriel laid her incomplete cloth down beside her. "...Yes... I did..." she replied with a small but sad smile. "It was rather obvious from the start, was it not? I even mentioned it in my song as well." "What were their names...?" he asked. Toriel stared at the fireplace as she didn't respond right away, "...I had a son named Asriel, and a daughter named Chara. They were around your age." She paused once more as her expression became unsure, "...Maybe a little younger. You act so maturely for your age. I cannot tell." "Yeah, I know. Everypony up on the surface thinks the same." Spike chuckled as he thought about everypony that has said the same thing to him. He can thank Twilight for that. She’d taught him so much that it made him smarter than most ponies his age. "So... what happened to them? Toriel looked at Spike and didn't say anything for at least a minute before she finally spoke up, "...Chara fell very ill... and to this day I still do not know what had caused it… and Asriel... he... he..." Toriel sigh at the end. Spike could have sworn he saw a tear streak down her face. This made Spike feel like he was one big jerk. He saw the signs; he knew she didn't like talking about them... and yet he asked anyway. Spike felt regret from asking such a question. "I apologize, Spike. I do not know why I keep hesitating like that." "No...I'mthe one that should be sorry," Spike said as glanced down in shame. "I should’ve been more sensitive towards your feelings. I knew there was a reason you tried to avoid talking about your kids... but I still pushed you into talking about them anyway. Just... never mind." Wanting to give Toriel some space, Spike decided to go into his room for a while. Toriel watched him with concern, wondering if he was alright. "...Spike?" Toriel mumbled. Hours later, Spike was still in his room while looking at the drawing Toriel's kids drew. There was a drawing of a filly in a green shirt with a yellow stripe. She was next to a miniature bipedal goat with no horns right next to her. It was a kid's drawing so it was hard to tell if that's what they really looked like, but it gave him the idea of what theycouldhave looked like. They were both wearing heart shaped necklaces. Spike thought that was girly at first, but then again when you’re a cute, innocent kid you can get away with almost anything. He also noticed another drawing, but this one was torn. This one had both the two children and with a taller goat figure which he assumed was Toriel and what was rest of the picture had been ripped off... like someone wanted to forget the other person. The rest of them were just more pictures of golden flowers. That came off as a little weird. He could have sworn he has seen these flowers before. But where…? After a few seconds, Spike realized where. "Wait a minute, are those-" Before he could finish, there was a knock at the door. "Spike, can I come in?" Spike immediately tried to hide the drawings in the door before Toriel let herself in. Spike forced a fake smile that could be easily noticed by Toriel as she entered the room. "Spike? Are you hiding something?" She asked raising an eyebrow. "W-What? Of... Of course not..." Spiked said laughing nervously as he kept darting his eyes back and forth. Toriel frowned as she crossed her arms. "You are not a very good liar, young man." She was going to question him again, but she wasn't in the mood to force the boy to reveal what he was hiding. "Never mind. I'll ask later." She walked toward the bed and sat down. She tapped the mattress signaling Spike to sit down next to her. "I would like a word with you, Spike. Please sit down." Spike did what he was asked and sat down next to her. Spike was a bit nervous. He wasn't sure what she wanted to talk about, but he had an idea that it might have something to do with the questions he asked earlier. He was hoping she wasn't mad at him about earlier. "I could not help but notice... Something has been bothering you. If it is about what happened this morning, you don't-" Spike shook his head and faced Toriel. "No! No! But... well... I did feel kinda bad for sticking my nose where it didn't belong but... I don't know." Spike couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. He felt so confused. He didn't know what to tell her. "I guess... I just wanted to know what it was like to be a part of a family." "Oh, well... where do I begin?" Toriel thought for a moment as she tried to think of a way to explain to Spike about being in a family, "Come on Toriel, you've lived for over nine thousand years. Can’t you explain this to a baby dragon?" She mumbled as she couldn't figure out how to tell Spike in a way he could understand. "Well… being a part of a family is not the same as being friends with another pony, monster, or dragon. It is far... deeper than that. It is an extraordinary bond between child and parent, brothers and sisters. It... it is hard to explain. Usually, you learn this type of thing while living with your family. You learn it by being with them." "How?" Spike asked as he just had to know the answer. "If there are any lessons on this than please teach me ?" "...I beg your pardon?" "Well if there are lessons on friendships, then there gotta be lessons on being a part of a family right? If you have any books-" Toriel shook her head, giggling madly at the boy's nonsense as he didn't understand at all. "Oh stop being so silly, this isn't something you learn in books, or from a teacher." Torel gently placed her hand on Spike's cheek and shifted his head facing her as he looked at her into her eyes, "You learn it from your heart." She said with a warm smile as she placed one of her hands against her chest. Spike was a little taken back by that. He'd heard something like that before. "...my heart. What does my heart have anything to do with it?" Spike thought harder, but the more he tried to figure out the answer it just never came. Spike sigh as she gave up. "I-I don't get it." Toriel chuckled as she unexpectedly gave him a warm hug. "One day you will, my child. One day." Spike hugged back. He embraced her warm love. "I had believed that asking about your past would help me understand what it all meant to be with someone who shares the same blood loves you." He looked up at her. "I guess finding out for yourself is part of the experience." She nodded in reply. Spike hugged her tighter and allowed himself to stay like that for a while. "Thanks, Toriel." Toriel chuckled at that. "And you know what?" "What is it?" He looks up at her as he smiles. "I think it's starting to make sense." She giggles in reply. "That is nice to hear, but you still-" Spike yawned as he was getting sleepy. "Oh, dear looks like someones getting tired." She said as she checked her watch. "It's getting late, might as well rest my eyes as well. Good night Spike." "Good night Torial," Spike said as he put what he was hiding away and crawled into the sheets. Spike than he thought of something that was on his mind. Before he planned on going to the Crystal Emperor but now Spike had something else in mind."Hey, wait, Torial." "Yes, Spike?" She stopped before she could exit his room and looked back at the little dragon. "I was thinking since I have nowhere else to go. Would you mind if I stay with you?" he asked. Torial smiled as she felt very happy that he asked he could stay with her. "Of course my child. Of course." She then exited the room allowing the small dragon to sleep. Pitch Black Spike... Spike... Spike! "Twilight?" Spike... Spike!! "I'm here… Can you hear me?!" Spike called out, "All I see is darkness." His visions started to get a little better as he started to see Twilight, at her desk, crying. "Twilight?" "Spike, where are you? Where did you go?!" Twilight continued to sob and didn't bother to turn around. "I'm here, Twilight! Can't you hear me? Hello?!" Spike shouted as he tried to get her attention, but it was like he wasn't even there. Then he noticed Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity & Rainbow Dash walked passed him and approached Twilight as they all gave her a warm hug. They were saying things along the lines of: "We're so sorry, Twilight," and, "We're all here for you." "Hello? guys?!" They couldn't hear him either. "I won't boss him around anymore. I won't do any more hurtful things. So please Celestia. Please bring back Spike!" Said Twilight as she wept and wept, begging for his return. This was completely nonsensical. Why couldn't they hear him? He felt nothing but guilt while looking at her cry like this. He never wanted to hurt her, but he felt like he didn't have a choice. He was angry, sad and confused. He just wanted a better life. A life where he had hisownfriends, hisownfamily. Hisowndestiny. An experience where he could go to school, and play, and just have fun like other kids. He just didn't want to be somepony's assistant anymore. He wanted more than that. "Ah'm so sorry Twi, Ah understand that you and Spike were close." Applejack had her hoof on Twilight's shoulder as she tried to make her feel better. "You two were almost like brother and sister." She added. Twilight slowly rose up from her desk to face. "Some big sister I turned out to be." She mumbled. "Hey." Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash. "Cheer up! We’ll find him Twilight! He couldn't have gone far. Even Celestia has her guards looking for him, so you don’t have to be so worried. We’ll find him for sure!" “But I made such a big mistake," Twilight sobbed, “I told Spike that he was useless and that he was just a burden to me. Even if wedofind him, he probably won’t forgive me.” Applejack nodded sadly, “Yer probably right about that, Twi. Sure, he ain’t gonna forgive yaright away, but he will one day. It’ll just take time.” "*sniff*... Thanks, girls. That means a lot to me." Twilight replied with a growing smile. "Let's go find Spike." As she wiped away her tears, she went with her friends to find him. "Yeah, that's the spirit!" Cheered Pinkie Pie as she jumped in joy. "What are you waiting for? Come on let's go find him!" Said Rainbow Dash as she flew lighting speed towards the door until Twilight spoke out. "Wait! ...Just, give me minute girls. I'll catch up." While Twilight walked up to her room, her friends stared at her. They wondered if she will ever be okay with this. They had seen Twilight sad before, but not like this. She had done nothing but grieve ever since she first found out about Spike's disappearance. Fluttershy shook her head as a single tear slid down her face. "Poor Twilight, I wish we could do more." "But whatcanwe do? We've been searching for two days now. Spike could be anywhere!" said R.D. while flying above her friends. "Ah asked around to see if anypony'd seen Spike, but Ah didn't find nothin'. He might have taken that train somewhere far from here." Applejack informed. Spike "followed" Twilight up the stairs into their room. When he opened the door, he saw her reading a book. When he got closer, he saw that it was the old photo album Twilight's mother used to show them. Her mother must have given it to her before they moved to Ponyville. Spike, what are you doing?!He thought to himself as he slowly began to open his eyes. He was starting to have an idea what Torial meant earlier about learning from his heart. It was something similar to him and Twilight? He wasn't really sure. There were times when he and Twilight were very close. Their bond grew into something more than just friendship. They never outright said it, but it was more of a brotherly/sisterly relationship. Then things essentially went downhill from there. Twilight got more and more attached to her work, and the bond they had was less noticeable than before. Are some relationships just something ponies and every other creature learns on their own? But Applejack was right. It wasn't like he could just forgive Twilight. Not immediately. It was her fault that he left. She needed to deal with it. At least for now. But Spike knew that he shouldn't think like that. Holding a grudge against his friend is never a good idea. "I'm so sorry Twilight." He said as he placed his claw on her shoulder. "I've never meant make you sad. I've should have known that you still cared for me. I was sad and confused. I thought what I needed was a family but now.....I-I want to see you again." Tears began to sting his eyes as they slid down his face. "I want to tell you that I'm sorry, for turning my back on you and the others. Twilight...I-I...I lo-" Suddenly the purple pony closes the book and turned around and facing him. Spike looked at her directly at her eyes as she looked like she was looking back at him as he saw her pain. "Spike.....I won't stop till I find you." She mumbled to herself. "I may not be your mother or your sister.....but you are my family," she said with determination in her voice. Twilight walked through him like he was a ghost as she ran downstairs and out the door. Spike grew a small smile as he felt the same way but suddenly he noticed something in the off with the photo of him and his friend by his bed. When he walked closer to it he noticed that he was slowly fading away in the photo. "....What?" Suddenly his memories literally flash before his eyes like a photo flip until the very at the very end of it he saw an image of a young child reaching out to him. "Spike you must stay determined !" Suddenly Spike's eyes shot open as he rose up from his bed and looked around as he found himself in the room he was sleeping before. He was still in Toriel's house. "What the heck am I doing!? I-I can't just abandon Twilight. I-I should have never left." Spike thought long and hard until he finally made up his mind. "I have to go back." He said as he jumped out of bed and walked towards the door. Once he made it to the hall he noticed it was dark. When he got to the living room he noticed the fireplace was out so that must mean Toriel is asleep. He frowned a little as he realized he was about to abandon Torial. Thinking about it made him feel guilty but she was an understandable woman. "Torial would understand would she?!" Spike decided to go downstairs as he had a feeling that this led to the exit. It was dark. So pitch black he couldn't see. He wasn't sure if this was safe but this had to be the way out. He blew his dragon flames to light the way. When he made it to the end of the hall he saw a door with the symbol that was on Torial's purple robe. When Spike about to open he noticed that it was locked. "It's locked. Torial must have..the...key" A fire was lit behind him. Spike felt nervous as he knew who it was that was standing right behind him. He slowly turned around as it was none other than the monster who protected him and loved him as her own. Spike saw on her face that she wasn't very pleased. She wasn't angry, but she wasn't happy either. ".......I knew you would come down here one day Spike. Just like all the others. You wish to return home, do you not?" In defeat, knowing that he could not keep a secret from her he nodded his head. "I must ask. Why?? You have no family in the service and yet you want to back up there? To a bunch of ponies who do not see you as one of them. I-I'm confused. Please explain, my child?" asked Torial as she sounded heartbroken. "I'm....I'm sorry Torial, I just can't stay here. I've made a mistake and so...I must return home. I know they don't sound like it after what I told you about them but, Twilight and the others are my family." the young dragon explained but the goat mother still didn't understand. "But...I thought I was your family?" She said as she looked hurt. "I still don't understand, is friendship really more important than family?" She said as she balled her fists. "I-...I don't know...but look the truth is I really do like you Torial and I really did have a great time with you but I must return home so if you can please give me the key to this door-" "No!" She interrupted. "Even if I let you go, you will not survive out there. You must stay with me so I could protect you." She raised her arm out as her hand engulfed in flames. "Be a good boy Spike and go upstairs. I must destroy this exit so no one will ever leave again." "WHAT?! NO!! Torial stop this. This is going too far!!" Yield Spike as he refused to move. "I won't let you hold me, prisoner, here!" "Spike every pony that falls here meets the same fate. I've warned them many times but they refused to listen. I've seen it again and again and I refuse to see it happen to you. I know we have only known each other for a couple of days but...I would not bare losing another one of my children. I just can't stand it. If you leave the ruins, Asgore WILL KILL YOU!" She warned but Spike still refused to move. "Than I will fight him," he said with confidence. "Thats what the others said too before they were killed. They were powerful too but none could defeat Asgore. Don't you see that I'm only trying to protect you Spike." "But traping me here won't solve anything Torial. I must return home. Twilight and the others are looking for me." He said as he continue to hold his ground. Spike didn't want to fight her let alone disobey her since she was only trying to look after him. "...Spike, this is your final warning. Be a good boy. and go upstairs. To your room." Torial demanded him like how a mother says it but even in that tone, he still refused to move. "I'm sorry Torial, I know you wanted me as your son." Spike smiled at her. "and I would love to have you as a mother. But I can't. I've made a mistake and I have to fix it. You understand right?" "...I do understand, which is why I'm stopping you cause I refuse to make my own mistake again," said Torial as she then lowered her arm. "There is only one solution to this. Prove yourself that you have it takes to survive!" "What?" Suddenly a wall of flames blocked Spike's way between him and the exit as Torial got into a fighting stance. "Torial no, don't do this!" "Silence boy, and fight me!" She demanded as she threw a fireball at him. "TORIAL NO!" Yield Spike as he was now being forced to fight the she-monster who took him in. To be Continued.