Chapter 1
Life without Heroes
A mare galloped through the streets of Ponyville. The unicorn had entered the Golden Oak Library, dropping a bag in the process.
"Twilight, your back!"
Twilight levitated the bag over to her table, setting it down carefully, as if it were a filly. "Spike, I need to ask you a favor."
"Like you always do." the teenage dragon said with a smirk.
Twilight however wasn't amused by Spike's sarcastic comment. "I need you to give that bag to Applejack, tell her it's for him." Spike nodded, he grabbed the bag and walked out the door for Sweet Apple Acres.
Sweet Apple Acres wasn't what it used to be. It was heavily guarded, families lived in poverty, and a black cloud seemed to hang over it, figuratively and literal. Spike made it to the barn of the Apple family, to find Applejack sitting in the mud, with three apples in front of her. "Applejack, I...I have something that you need to give to him." Applejack looked up at Spike, showing off her lack of sleep. Applejack took the bag and looked in it. Spike waited for what seemed like an eternity, before Applejack spoke.
"Why did ya bring this here?" Spike looked down at the farm pony, stunned by the attitude she put behind her words.
"Twilight thinks that-"
"She just wants the worst to happen to him! Does she know that they will kill him on sight?! They will kill my baby brother if he puts this on!!!" Spike decided it was best to drop the conversation. He tried to take the bag away from Applejack, but the farm pony wrapped her hooves around it.
"Just...just show it to him, please. Equestria needs heroes." Spike left, leaving Applejack to think about his last words. "Equestria needs heroes."
'Do we?' she thought to herself.
"So, did she do it?" Twilight asked as Spike returned from his trip.
"She doesn't want him going back out there anymore. She said that they'd kill him if he does." Twilight looked down at the ground.
"You should've tried harder!!!" Twilight's sudden outburst startled the dragon.
"Twilight, she's right. Don't you understand that?! Sombra will kill him if he comes back! He'll-"
"We need him!!!" Twilight looked over to a picture that was hanging on her wall. It was her, with a unicorn stallion. Twilight stared at the picture. "I need him."