//------------------------------// // Broken To The Core // Story: Spike The Time Traveler // by FlashFoward //------------------------------// "Um Spike, how did we end up in Sweet Apple Acres?” Scootaloo asked, surprised that the watch took them to the familiar farm. “Obviously Applebloom’s future involves the farm in that case.” Spike replied. “Can we walk around?” Sweetie Bell asked unsurely. “Eh…” Spike mumbled unsurely. “Guys, look! Is that me?” Applebloom asked, pointing at her older self who was walking over to the house. “Come on girls, we have to ask her how she got her-“ Scootaloo started to declare when Spike cut her short. “You can’t talk to your future selves.” Spike warned. “Why, it’s not like she doesn’t know we are.” Sweetie Bell countered. “True, but she is going to ask a lot of questions on how and why your even here.” Spike drawled, thinking this was common sense. It seemed like the crusader could care less about Spike’s warning, they were sneaking up on the future Applebloom. “Man, why did I even do this again?” Spike groaned to himself. With another casual click of his watch, Spike made the future come to a standstill. The crusaders weren’t oblivious to Spike’s trick because they noticed how the future Applebloom was stuck in mid-trot. “What gives Spike?” Scootaloo hollered. “She is in the house now and we have no way to see her cutie mark.” Sweetie Bell whined. “I want to see my cutie mark Spike.” Applebloom pouted. Her eyes grew large and her lower lip trembled. Spike was terrified that she was almost starting to cry. “Okay, okay. You guys can go spy on the future Applebloom. But, you guys better not talk to her or anyone else for that matter.” Spike warned. “We promise.” The crusaders said in unison. Spike clicked the familiar yellow button on the watch and time continued as if nothing happened. “How are we going to get in the house now?” Applebloom groaned. “Simple.” Spike replied, pressing the yellow button again. A blue portal opened underneath them. For a moment, Spike was rather taken aback that the portal didn’t appear in front of them. “Spike, what’s the big idea…” Scootaloo managed to say. She couldn’t utter another word since they all fell into the portal. Spike could hear the audible yells of terror from the crusaders. For some reason, Spike felt rather…comfortable in the portal. Maybe it’s because he was done this so many times before and the shock of seeing rushing images of events go by him didn’t faze him anymore. Is this how Tick felt? Feeling so secure in time travel, more so than the actual present? At last, the portal reappeared in the Apple Family’s kitchen, on the ceiling, and ejected The Crusaders and Spike into the room. Soon as Spike and company were released from the portal, it began to grow small and soon disappeared. It took a few moments for Spike to regain his composure after the portal just dropped him on the floor. The Crusaders were already up and waiting for Spike impatiently. “You’re so slow!” Scootaloo said impatiently. “What I do to be young as you.” Spike growled. “Here she comes! Where do we hide?” Sweetie Bell said, in a panicky tone. “Hide? No need for that.” Spike shrugged off. “But you said-“ Applebloom started to say before Spike waved her off. “Yes, yes I know I said there was to be little talking around future ponies. However, the watch gives me the power to be pretty much invisible. It’s almost like watching a movie.” Spike said. Everyone went silent as the future Applebloom entered their presence. She looked the same as the modern day Applebloom; except she had a long ponytail now and her old red ribbon was on the end of it. Her cutie mark was an apple, no real surprise there, but it was rainbow colored. It looked a lot like…the zap apple jam. “Zap Apples!” Applebloom exclaimed in awe. “Heh, I am not surprised. I bet Granny Smith taught you how to make em.” Scootaloo said. “This is far as we go.” Spike declared, turning the hands of time back to the present as he said this. The walls of the kitchen grew blurred and murky as time went back to the present. They were back at Sugar Cube Corner and Spike was happy to see that his Zap Apple cupcake didn’t move from where he left it. Finishing off his cupcake, Spike turned his attention to the chatting fillies. “Thanks for doing that for me, Spike. I’ll make sure I’ll make sure I’ll get you some Zap Apple jam!” Applebloom said with enthusiasm. “All right, me next!” Scootaloo demanded. “Just for that, you’re last.” Spike retorted. Scootaloo look dejected and glared at Spike. However, Sweetie Bell was beside herself with joy. Spike handed her his pocket watch, but quickly retrieved it after she barely rub it with her hoof. “What’s the big idea?” Sweetie Bell asked, she was worried that Spike didn’t trust her with the watch. “The watch just needs some form of contact that’s all. After it touches someone, it will allow me to travel through their timeline.” Spike said, gesturing to the watch which started to spark violently. “Whoa.” The crusaders said in unison. Spike was really starting to enjoy their presence. They acted like an audience, curious about his work and were in awe once he showed them. “See, the button that used to be yellow is now white like your fur.” Spike said, pointing to the white button now. “What happens if someone doesn’t want to touch the watch?” Scootaloo asked. Spike’s face tensed up at the question, “There are ways to sneak the magic onto a pony.” “Can you show us a few ways?” Applebloom pleaded. Spike just shrugged, but proceeded to show one of his most used tricks. The watch sparked again and it ejected some blue aurora around Spike’s claws. Again, the crusaders started at Spike’s glowing claw in awe. “Fairly simple from here, just touch something somepony will eventually grab. Once the touch it, the magic will register them and return to the watch.” Spike explained, the glowing blue aurora around his hand faded as he finished talking. “Come on, Spike! I want to see my cutie mark!” Sweetie Bell begged. She obviously annoyed that seeing her cutie mark was being delayed. Without delay, Spike made sure the Crusaders had a firm grip on him before traveling into the future yet again. The fillies seemed not to surprise by the shifting of their environments as before, but they were still surprised all the same. The new surroundings Spike found himself were in a very large ballroom, glossy to the point of a diamond and big enough to fit multiple full grown dragons. It was a fancy sight to say the least. In the middle of the ballroom was a small stage, considering the size the ballroom was anyway. Many ponies were around, as if waiting for something. No sooner did Spike start to question what was going on is when an announcer spoke. “Here she, is the star of the show, Sweetie Bell!” T he crowd clapped and applauded as the future Sweetie Bell took center stage. Like her sister, Sweetie Bell had a similar mane style and her flank bared some musical notes. “I guess you become a good singer.” Spike whispered into Sweetie Bells ear. “Mind if we watch?” Sweetie Bell pleaded. Spiked eyed the future Sweetie Bell for a moment, “Sure, why not.” The future Sweetie Bell trotted up to the microphone stand with confidence and began to sing. Will we be more then friends? Is there a chance you and me will be more than this? I want more, but I been told it’s just too good to be true. And if that’s the case, I will rather dream all day. You’re just too good to pass up. When you walk by me, me heart starts to race. Maybe it’s the way you just talk to me. All I know is that you got my attention. So, don’t waste it. I am willing to go to the ends of earth with you. Every time you smile at me, my world lightens up. This really must be a dream, because you’re too good to be true. All I know is that I never want this to end. “Wow that is something.” Scootaloo whispered in awe. “I’ll say.” Applebloom whispered with a nod of agreement. “I think we are done here.” Spike said, setting the watch to return to the present. "But I want to hear more!" Sweetie pleaded. Spike just ignored her and pressed the whit button to procced with going to the present. Once again, CMC and Spike found that they returned to a still frozen Sugar Cube Corner. Spike handed Scootaloo his watch, but like Sweetie, grabbed the watch as soon as she touched it. Without a moments delay, Spike set the hands of time a few years ahead and clicked the now purple button once the CMC had a firm grip on his left arm. For a moment, Spike was slightly surprised that they were in Cloudsdale. “You live up here?” Spike asked, looking directly at Scootaloo. “No.” Scootaloo replied. The area looked familiar to Spike. It was a large coliseum with a lack of a ground. Then it hit Spike, this is where Rainbow would later win a spot on the Wonderbolts. However, Spike wasn’t going to mention this to the Crusaders. “What is this place?” Applebloom asked, pawing at the fluffy clouds underneath her. “We won’t fall will we?” Sweetie Bell asked in a terrified tone. “Like I said, danger is not a factor.” Spike answered. “What are we waiting for?” Scootaloo asked. Spike knew the crowd in the coliseum wasn’t just there for decoration, they were waiting for something. An orange blur zipped around the coliseum, leaving a purple trail as she traveled. The girls let out an adorable oh and ah as the orange blur performed complicated flying tricks. Spike had to admit, the future Scootaloo was a pretty good flyer. But she wasn’t in the same league as Rainbow Dash. “I can’t believe that’s me.” Scootaloo whispered, awestruck that she was so fascinating. “But wait, I can’t see the cutie mark!” Scootaloo snapped impatiently. “Give me a minute.” Spike replied promptly. Giving the hand of time a slight nudge, Spike had time travel further to the future, after the show was over to be exact. It was a locker room made up of clouds. There was Scootaloo, removing her Wonderbolt uniform, and there was her flank…with no cutie mark. Scootaloo groaned and started to sniff sadly, her friends trying to comfort her. “I AM STILL A BLANK FLANK!” Scootaloo screamed in misery. “Oh come on Scootaloo, you became a great flyer! You became just as good as Rainbow Dash.” Applebloom offered comfort. “It’s easy for you to talk! At least you get a cutie mark!” Scootaloo snapped back angrily. Applebloom looked visibly hurt herself and started to tear up as well. Sweetie Bell looked torn, not knowing which friend to comfort. Spike felt…cold and distant. That feeling of dread and sadness…it was all too familiar to him by now. Without saying a word, Spike set the watch back to the present. The girls were to busy crying to notice the change of scenery. Once back at Sugar Cub Corner, Spike grabbed his bag of muffins, that Pinkie gave him, and eyed the Crusaders. “I’ve done enough damage for one day.” Spike mumbled darkly to himself. Turning away from the Crusaders, Spike wanted nothing more than to hide in his basket for a while. Spike opened the door to the library and noticed the lack of a familiar purple mare reading behind a pile of books. Taking a seat at the dinner table, Spike chomped away at his zap apple jam filled cupcakes. But, once minutes turned into hours, Spike grew tense and noticed the lack of cupcakes to eat will mean a lack of something to occupy himself. Returning to an old habit, Spike palmed the pocket watch. A dragon and his thoughts is what remained. Breaking a friendship to its core, the ever confusing route of love, and just a lack of guidance was starting to really prove to be a big annoyance to Spike. Confusion, that’s the word. Twilight come bursting into the library, breaking Spike of his thoughts. She looked terrible, her mane mangled and her eyes wide with sadness. “You look terrible.” Spike joked. “This is no time for jokes! Rainbow Dash is really hurt!” Twilight replied nervously. Spike felt his heart drop to his knees. Everything became fuzzy to him. Stars and a fog started to form over his eyes. Twilights concerned voice rang in Spike’s ears, but it wasn’t very audible. Breaking friendships and there was Rainbow Dash. By the tone Twilight said it, Rainbow was hanging on life by a thread. The mare who revealed her feelings to him and possibly wanting to be with him could by dying at this very moment. Spike saw Twilight’s eye’s tear up. He felt guilty for working her up like this, but it was out of his hands at this point. “I am sorry Twilight.” Spike groaned before passing out. The small purple dragon hit the ground with a small thud. Twilight grew panicked and levitated Spike into the air. She levitated Spike to the hospital. One friend was already hurt, but now two? This just wasn’t her lucky day.