The Merry Mares met up with their leader to officially greet their new allies. They were still wearing their hoods and face covers while Spike and Spitfire wore their visors keeping their identities secret as a precaution. They told the trio of how they became outlaws after seeing the harsh conditions upon their town and were doing the best they can to help and the trio in turn told them of seeing the injustice firsthand at the castle with Blueblood acting so greedy.
Spike finished by saying, "My sister and the rest of my platoon should be coming back this way after they finish making the food deliveries."
Rare Scarlet mentioned, "We must meet her, she sounds like an absolute angel."
Sunset grumbled, "Most days she is…"
They laughed. Then Robin Jack said, "Now, remember you get this message to the baron." she held out the note.
Spike took it, "And then we deliver what gold he gives us."
Robin nodded, "Right. So we'll be waiting right here until you get back." she held out her hand and he took it to shook.
They both felt the shake and a strange sensation came over them… making them think, There's something familiar about this… they slowly looked to each other with their fingers still linked together until they noticed with a blush and pulled away.
Spike rubbed his neck, "We'll, um, just go then…" he quickly left.
Applejack watched him go with Sunset and Spitfire before turning back to see the girls' sly looks. She scolded, "Don't give me those looks, besides he's already got a girl."
They groaned.
Rarity stated, "Oh well, you win some, you lose some."
Applejack softly added, "Yeah…"
"Such a shame, you would have made a cute couple especially since you found out he was on our side all this time."
AJ didn't argue.
It's for the best anyway, I couldn't ask him to leave his life behind not when he can still do good as a knight.
Still, a part of her wished he could have been the one for her.
Sunset asked as they about to go up to the Riches' estate, "So… this girl who's your old friend and who've you come to love, who she is?"
"Applejack." he stated.
Sunset slightly froze and made a gulp, "Oh?"
"Yes. I haven't told you this or Twilight but for the past few months now, I've been getting strange dreams of my memories with Applejack and they kept growing. It wasn't until a couple of nights ago, I finally admitted to myself I've been in love all this time for her, and just last night my dreams have stopped as proof that I have accepted my feelings."
"Wow…" Sunset was amazed.
"I know, right?" they stopped at the door where instead of Gloriosa Daisy answering it was a young man with light green hair wearing a red tunic and brown pants.
Sunset requested, "We would like to see Baron Rich please."
Spike pointed, "Tell him that it's Sir Spike."
The man nodded his head and closed the door for a moment before coming back and let them in. They walked in awkward silence till Sunset asked, "So… are you a new servant for the Riches?"
The man replied, "No. I've been working here for awhile now and so has my sister."
"Sister?" Spike questioned, until his eyes widen, "She wouldn't happen to be Gloriosa Daisy would she?"
"That's her. My name is Timber Spruce, I'm filling in for Gloriosa today."
Sunset inquired, "How come?"
"She fell ill from overworking…" he sighed, "I told her not to take on so much responsibility… But she insisted she 'got it' so we could get out of our indenture servitude much faster."
Sunset and Spike exchanged a look when he said 'indenture servitude' but when they reached the office they had to focus on their mission. They saw the Diamond Brothers on the side while the Baron worked.
He saw them and proclaimed, "Ah, Sir Spike, so good to see you again. I trust everything is all right with Maid Twilight Sparkle's lands?"
"Uh, yes. Yes, it is." he held out the note, "But she sent me to give you this message."
The Baron took it to read but when he did his eyes widen and looked at the knight in surprise. Briefly eyeing his body guards in the room, he told Spike, "I have just what she's requesting, follow me." he led the two out of the room.
He took them to his bedroom where he grab a small chest under his bed and open it to reveal it was full of gold.
"So I take it you know then." Filthy said.
Spike stated, "That the bandits are actually good and that you've been helping them all this time? Yes."
The baron's brow furrowed in confusion, "Uh, no, well okay that part is true, but didn't you realize that-" he was cut short when he saw his wife about to enter the room and quickly close the chest giving it to Spike.
The Baroness spotted them and commented, "Dear, what is Sir Spike and… who are you again?"
Sunset curtsied, "Lady Sunset Shimmer, madam. I'm Maid Twilight Sparkle's lady-in-waiting."
"Ah, yes, of course, I remember now." she directly told her husband, "As I was saying, dear, what are they doing here?"
"Just finishing some business with them, dearest."
Spoiled seem skeptical but she accepted his words and left the room again.
Filthy motioned, "You better go, the last thing I want is for my wife to catch on what I've been up to."
They nodded and thanked him before leaving the room and the house.
Robin Jack opened the chest with her band observing behind her as they smiled at the fairly large amount of gold. She instructed, "Rare, start dividing this up." handing her the chest.
"At once." the seamstress proclaimed while taking it.
"The rest of you will grab your share and head off to your assigned places."
The others agreed before they set off leaving Robin with the Canterlot trio.
Spike turned to his friends, whispering, "Maybe you two should start looking out for Twilight, see if she's coming back today."
Spitfire saluted, "At once, sir."
Sunset nodded and the two headed down the path that was on the edge of the Everfree.
Robin started to take another route with him following after her, asking, "Where are you going?"
"I got to finish this outpost, since I was unable to when we met."
"Outpost?"
"I'll show you." she led him to the tree that had some of the walls done but she still had a lot of work to do.
"You've done this all by yourself?" he inquired in awe.
"Yup. But I still need to put the roof on and to finish the walls."
"Can I help?" he looked on with warm eyes.
She noticed the eyes and felt herself going warm until she had to remain herself he was already in love with someone else and it would be wrong of her to try to steal him away. She stated, "Sure."
In no time the two began to finish constructing the rest of the outpost and as they worked she told him, "I want to thank you for your help, without you, we never wouldn't have gotten that money."
"It's nothing; it was my honor and my duty."
To her that saying sounded very familiar and said, "You know, a friend of mine used to say that."
That intrigued the knight, "Oh?"
She chuckled, "Yes, he was a young lad, and his sister was one of my best friends so she brought him with her every time for us to all play together. We didn't care about his age of course because when he was with us it felt like he was one of us."
"Really?" the knight was starting to get suspicious given that sounded exactly like his childhood. He started to question, "What was he like? This lad."
"Oh, where to begin? He was training to become a knight, and that's why he had a need to do good no matter what. One time, I had to save him some wolves and he told me he had to repay me back because his Code of Honor demanded him to."
The knight's breath stopped. It can't be… Is it…?
Robin continued not realizing the knight's inner turmoil, "Then he saves me from the biggest wolf I've ever seen! I'll never forget that, he was so brave in the face of danger."
The knight slowly asked, "What became of him?"
"Him and his sister had to move away to… Canterlot…" she faced the knight and quickly asked, "You wouldn't happen to know them would you? Their names were Twilight Sparkle and Spike."
Spike knew then that this was indeed the very maiden he been searching for! He wanted to slap his face as he thought, Of course! Robin Jack, Applejack… It was so obvious! Her face was covered so I couldn't recognize her sooner, and she doesn't know it's me because I'm wearing this visor- A smirk spread across his face as he shrewdly started, "Twilight Sparkle and Spike? Yes, I know them…"
Her eyes lit up, "You do?"
"Yes, and they've told me of five maidens that were good friends with them before they moved to Canterlot. I believe one of them was called Applejack, do you know her?"
Robin slightly froze and slowly replied, "You could say we're close."
"Is that so? Then you must know what became of her after the Sheriff threw her and her family off their land."
"They're alive, that's all I can say. What about Spike and Twilight, are they having a good life at the castle?"
"In a way. Spike did become a knight."
"He did? That's great! I was hoping he did, if anyone deserved to be a knight it was him."
"Oh, I agree… It was hard for him at first, but thanks to the training of his brother he was able to get through it and the queen herself knighted him."
"Oh, Spike… I'm so proud…"
"He's happy to hear you say that, Applejack…"
She gasped and wavered, "W-what are you talking about? I have no idea what you mean!"
He shook his head, "You can't fool me anymore, AJ."
"AJ? But no one's called me that since-"
Spike removed his helmet making her gawk. He smiled, "Remember me?"
Her eyes went wide as dinner plates as she uttered in shock, "That face… It can't…"
"Yes, Applejack, it's me: Spike…"
Feeling so overwhelmed by the revelation, she started to faint but he was able to catch her in time giving him the chance to unmask her to see her face.
It's still that same beautiful face I've gotten to know all those years ago… the face that had haunted my dreams… the face of the only woman I shall ever love…
She started to stir, realizing that she was in someone's arms and looked up to see his handsome face. It was him alright, there was no mistaking it. He may have gotten older but he still had that same adorable face she knew long ago. She slowly cupped his cheek with a smile, "Spike…"
"It's me…" he smiled back.
"All this time… I can't believe…"
"I know…"
Then she flushed in embarrassment, "Oh no, I called you a coward, didn't I? I'm so sorry Spike, I didn't mean-"
"No. You were right. I didn't want to admit it, but me and the other knights… we should have stood up to him, we could have stopped this suffering sooner…"
"Don't beat yourself up. At least you're willing to help unlike some knights who've become thugs." then she realized that Spike was still holding her in his arms. "Uh, Spike, you can let me go now."
"Now if I do that, I risk losing you all over again, especially since I finally came to the conclusion that I've been in love with you all along…"
She gawked, "Wait… that old friend you were talking about... that was- I'm-"
He chuckled and explained, "I didn't know I was holding back my feelings to you but my dreams kept pointing it out. It was the same thing over and over again. The day we saved each other's lives…"
She gaped at this information.
"I know it's a lot to take in, especially since we had no idea it was the other until now."
She thought back to those moments of being in disguise and how she felt an attraction for him. Now it started to make sense, Spike and her were feeling their connection from long ago but didn't know it. Then every memory of their past came into play particularly their wolf rescues and remembering how much in awe she was then only to find out that it's possible she was falling for him all that time. She could recall how upset she was when he left, even more then Twilight! It was so strange to be feeling this way and yet… it felt so right…
She stared into his eyes and confessed, "Spike… I think I love you too…"
He gasped, "You do?"
She nodded happily and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I didn't think it was possible, but looking back… I was falling for you and I didn't even know it…"
He smiled brightly to this and started leaning in his face. She smiled in return and gave into the kiss she received. Without breaking the kiss, he let down her legs so he could wrap his arms around her. All the passion that they held back finally came to the surface. And when they finally took a breath they uttered, "Wow!"
"Wow is right!" Pinkie's voice shouted out.
They turned in shock to see the girls with Sunset and Spitfire staring at them in complete bewilderment making the lovers blush hard.