Kichi’s Comment
“What in tarnation? That looks painful? What happened to you Shade?” Applebloom asks in worry.
“I got in a fight with a plant monster and it’s stupid laser beam broke my amulet and it went into me,” you admit and everyling goes silent.
“Say what now?” Bloom asks with wide eyes.
“It’s just one set of a very, very long story,” Grandbuggy mentions.
“Well I for one don’t care if it’s part of a story, that looks absolutely wrong for a little filly and needs to be corrected,” Applejack says protectively.
“You’re right, it does, but I think it’s outside of your control really,” Grandbuggy responds back.
“Oh, are you sure it’s not going to get infected or anything? Foreign objects entering the body and blood stream can be very dangerous,” Fluttershy says looking squeamish at your chest.
“She is an alicorn ain’t she? Doesn’t that mean she’s got super healing and stuff?” asks Applebloom.
“…Do I?” you ask Grandbuggy and he shrugs.
“I don’t know kiddo, you ever heal wounds faster than the other kids?”
“…I’ve never really gotten hurt before this actually,” you admit and his eyes widen.
“You haven’t” asks Granny Smith.
“No. Daddy made me stay in the bag all the time if he thought something was dangerous, even if it wasn’t, so…yeah this is new for me.”
“He kept you in the bag all the time?” asks Big Mac in shock.
“No no, it’s a big bag! Look, I’ve got one too, it’s got plenty of room,” you say as you reach in and pull out Mangle who waves at everyone.
“Oh, hi Mangle,” Applebloom says as she starts petting your robot.
“Yes, I’m sure your father was just looking after your safety,” Fluttershy nods.
“Yeah…but still, I didn’t like going in there ALL of the time,” you admit. “I’m not weak after all, I beat up Sombra remember?”
“Wait a tick, that was you at the Crystal Empire?” asks Applejack.
“Uh, yeah?” you answer.
“But wait a second, that filly was a pegasus…right?” Pinkie Pie mentions.
“I’m part changeling guys, I can look like a lot of different ponies,” you say as you turn yourself into an earth pony just for emphasis. And while the other equines in the room, save for Zecora look absolutely awed by that display, The Outcasts just roll their eyes.
“Show off,” Garble mutters.
“I heard that!” you warn him and he eeps.
“Alright, alright, I think we’re getting off topic here,” Applejack speaks up. “Look, I can weirdly accept that you’re my kin and that the Offender is too, but shouldn’t we get her to the hospital to get those shards out of her?”
You briefly flash to all your experiences in the hospitals. The secret society of Ninja Nurses, the wailing and despair of the hypnotized insane, and of course that crazy Quack doctor that kept trying to “Heal” your Dad.
“Oh Bu-er-HECK no!” you say with determination. “Let’s call that plan Never and forget all about it!”
“But-“ the farm pony starts, but Ahuizotl interrupts.
“Those shards are from the Alicorn Amulet Senorita. Modern medicine won’t exactly be useful.”
“THE ALICORN AMULET?!” Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie all shout at once in alarm.
“Zecora, I thought that you had those pieces?” Fluttershy asks the zebra, who sighs.
“I did indeed Fluttershy, but one day it disappeared, and I don’t know why.”
“Then how did you get it Nightshade?” asks Pinkie Pie.
“My daddy has a mysterious friend he’s never met that gives him letters and gifts and stuff. I don’t trust them, especially not after they gave me this,” you emphasize the glowing shards.
“I…Bu…Why aren’t we talking to Twilight about this then?!” Applejack sputters. “If something so dangerous is inside her then surely she would-“
“Talk to the princesses about it?” Grandbuggy interjects.
“Well, yeah but-“
“Listen here missy, the last thing we want is them getting involved, especially since they’re all quick to believe that she’s Nightmare Moon, or that my boy is controlled by her.”
“Exactly,” Granny emphasizes. “I’d trust that nutjob Discord than I would them with that info.”
“I’m not so sure on that, yesterday my head got flooded with new memories about our fight with him,” Pinkie says as she holds her head.
“Oh…right. Yesterday after that faceless monster went away, I finally talked to him about reversing the false memories he implanted,” Fluttershy says raising her hoof.
“Is that what that was?” Pinkie asks. “I thought I’d just gotten heartburn.”
“Yeah, well, better late than never I guess. You’re all welcome by the way for my dad fighting him,” you harrumph as your chest glows a bit.
“Well, even if he did fight against Discord, does that really even matter anymore?” Big Mac asks aloud. “I mean, Discord got reformed right, but The Offender has still hurt lots of ponies since then under Nightmare Moon’s contr-“
“SHE IS NOT CONTROLLING HIM!” you shout your cousin down who gulps. “And that’s not her name anymore! It’s Selena!”
“I…” he tries to say before looking at the others who seem mentally shocked by that outburst.
“Wow, okay, so if she’s your mom, then no wonder you’re an alicorn,” Pinkie concludes as if she solved a puzzle on her own.
“Yeah, exactly,” you point out.
“I still can’t believe Mr. Tennant and the Hooded Offender were the same person,” Applebloom says breathlessly.
“Yeah, how the hay did we not figure that out sooner?” Big Mac speaks up, still utterly lost.
“Interference by a time traveling alien, or something,” Greta says.
“…What?!”
“I don’t know, that’s the best summary I was given,” she shrugs.
“You know, maybe I should explain from the beginning?” Grandbuggy suggests.
“Can’t that wait?! Regardless of context, them shards have got to come out!” Applejack insists.
“Yeah, no spit,” Ember rolls her eyes. “She gets all nuts with them in.
“Maybe you could kick them real hard?” you suggest.
“That would drive them further into you though Shade,” Applebloom warns. An image then comes to your mind of the shards going into your belly and heart, and you becoming an even bigger monster.
“Right…forget I said that one.”
“Why not the Elements of Harmony?” Fluttershy suggests and you pale.
“NO! Not the Rainbow Death Beam!” you shout.
“But Nightshade, you’re a good filly, they wouldn’t hurt y-“
“Buck No! Sorry for cursing, but that crap nearly killed my Mommy and I am not going through that!” you warn as the shards start to grow brighter as do your eyes.
“Okay, okay, bad idea, I’m sorry,” Fluttershy wilts, and seeing that you unglow a bit out of guilt.
“Sorry…it’s just kind of a sore subject,” you apologize.
“Well it’s kind of a moot point, we can’t exactly use them anyway since they got put in the tree and that weird lock box showed up,” Pinkie adds.
“…Okay, I’m not even going to ask about that,” you say as you look back to the others.
“Look, I want these things out of me, but I don’t want to go to the princesses. Even if they understood and tried to help, Lady Luck hates me, so I’m sure then would be the time Daddy and Mommy come back and think I’m in danger and start fighting and then we’d all be back to square one!”
“She is right, my pony friends. Looking into this on our own will deter a violent end,” Zecora nods.
Applejack looks to Zecora and sighs.
“I trust you Zecora, if you say that’s the way we gotta go. I just don’t like the idea of one of my kin being in this dangerous situation.”
Zecora nods in understanding before Pinkie Pie perks up again.
“Wait a second! If BST and the Offender are one and the same and you’re cousins then…”
“Yes Pinkie, we’ve been over that, I kissed him!” Applejack snarls impatiently before gagging a bit.
“…I was going to say he went to your family reunion as he should have, but there’s that too,” Pinkie says with a wince.
As Applejack groans in frustration, Fluttershy speaks up again to change the subject.
“Um, maybe Discord could help? I convinced him to undo the false memory thing, maybe he could just snap his claws and poof it out of her?”
“I don’t know if that would work Senorita,” Ahuizotl shakes his head. “Your god only utilizes chaos magic, and this artifact is from dark umbrum magic. It’d essentially be like trying to clean an oil stain with fire.”
“Also, dark magic is like one of the only things that can actually hurt him,” you say aloud remembering when Daddy used Sombra’s shadow whip to actually harm the god.
“Oh…okay,” she says getting quiet again.
“…Fix, I think we’re just talking in circles at this point,” Granny Smith mentions to Grandbuggy.
“You’re right, I guess dropping the info on all the newcomers without context would be overwhelming,” he nods.
“You can say that again,” Pinkie says. “Also, you still haven’t told me about the clones of me you said you saw.”
“Or where Bugze even is right now,” Flutteshy pipes in.
“Or how Night-uh, I mean Selena isn’t evil somehow?” Applebloom says, to which Fluttershy twitches at briefly.
“Yeah Yeah,” Grandbuggy hoofwaves. “Now look, this ain’t my story to tell, but I’m the only one here that can give you the cliffnotes…on what I know anyway.”
“Yeah, definitely the shortened version please,” Garble pleads.
“The whole story is freaking long,” Greta adds.
“I dare say you could fit the whole thing into several volumes of large books if it were written,” Ahuizotl nods.
“Really? I didn’t get the whole story,” Ember says.
“And you’re lucky,” Greta rolls her eyes.
“Now, everyling stay quiet, and let me finish. Only ask important questions, otherwise I’m gonna ignore you.”
“Can I add in flavor text for the parts I was around for?” you ask.
“Sure, knock yourself out honey,” he smiles before coughing into his hoof. “Alright, this tale begins a long long time ago. My plans to marry Orchard fell through because of the former Changeling Queen, Chrysalis’s mother…”
Down With Chrysalis’s Comment
Grandbuggy then weaves the tale of your father, from his early days, to the present, and the audience is enraptured. Sure, he skips over some things, like the Otherworld where Daddy told you an alternate him became a monster, and he skims a bit on the Fillydelphia stuff as well, but for the most part, he lays it all out.
When it’s all said and done, everyone in the room is silent. Applebloom still has her mouth agape, holding onto Mangle as she processes all the info given to her.
“And, well, that leads us to now,” Grandbuggy finishes. “We’ve gathered nearly every artifact so that we could get a new body for Shade’s mother and possibly Sombra, if he’s mellowed out some…but then Rainbow Falls happened, and here we are.”
For a long time, the room stays silent after he finishes. Fluttershy looks heavily conflicted, especially about getting a body for your mom, while the others are more shocked that Sombra is still alive. Pinkie on the other hand, looks incredibly sad, and has been since the depressing parts of the story, especially Fillydelphia and the Crystal Empire. Despite all these varied feelings, it’s Applejack that breaks the silence as she stands up from her chair.
“That’s…that’s a heck of a tale there…”
“Yeah…yeah it is,” Grandbuggy nods.
“…I know you’re not lying, because honestly, how could you make half this stuff up?” she says with a shake of her head. “No…No I believe you.”
“Well, maybe some of it might be stretching…” Fluttershy tries to argue but Applejack just shakes her head.
“I don’t think it is Shy…” Applejack says with meaning as she looks to Granny, Big Mac and Applebloom. “He had a hard upbringing, we lost our folks as well, but we had each other, he didn’t…”
Her siblings look down at that, knowing all too well the pain of losing a parent and Pinkie sniffles again at that.
“I’ve…I’ve got more respect for him after learning all that background. Despite how crazy it is, he’s family…but that don’t mean I ain’t gonna sock him in the nose when I see him again.”
“What? Why?” you interject and she glances at you.
“Look, I don’t hate him anymore, and I don’t think he’s a victim like we all thought after Trixie…that means he was free to make a lot of choices, and some of them were still wrong.”
“…I ain’t gonna deny that,” Grandbuggy nods.
“I mean, I know we ain’t in the right either, and perhaps we did let our speciesm get in the way and could have handled our first interaction. Shoot, the incident with the Buffalo and the Gala could have been handled way better by us…but that also means he could have as well.”
“He…he has said that quite a few times,” you nod and she sighs.
“And as for Ni…Selena, I think she should share some of the blame, not all of it,” she says giving a pointed look at Fluttershy. “And no offence, but I’m gonna sock her in the nose too if she gets her body back.”
“That might end badly for you,” you warn with a chuckle and she chuckles herself.
“Yeah, I suppose it would. But it’s the principal of the matter. We’ve all been wrong, both sides in many ways, but once we’re evened out, I think things could start anew.”
Fluttershy stays silent at that for a few moments, before she mumbles out,
“I was right though, originally. She was evil…”
“And so was Discord, and look what you accomplished with him,” Applebloom speaks up, causing the shy pony to nod while looking away in guilt.
“…So just the one punch?” you ask Applejack.
“Eyup,” she nods.
“…And this totally isn’t because you’re still mad that you kissed him?” you inquire and she frowns with a blush.
“Nnnnnooooppppeee, not at all,” she seethes unconvincingly.
“Well keep in mind Jacky, I always taught the boy to hit back, so you best warn him before you get to rock’em sock’em,” Grandbuggy warns.
“That’s right sugar cube, ya gotta be honorable at least,” Granny nods.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it I guess. Now, is there anything else to add? Because I feel like there’s some stuff ya ain’t told us.”
“Yeah,” Pinkie speaks up with a sniffle. “Like how and where did he get that scar on his chest?” she asks.
“You did glance over that whole thing where he went into another world two years ago,” Applejack nods.
“That’s right, he didn’t have that scar then,” Fluttershy adds.
“That ain’t my tale to tell I’m afraid,” Grandbuggy says simply giving you a look. “If he wants to tell you that himself, then you ask him when he gets back.”
“Trust me…it’s not a fun story,” you agree, remembering the details he went into on the TARDIS with you.
“That wound on his chest, it was still raw at the Fair…” Pinkie says sadly.
“It was? You saw it?” asks Fluttershy and Pinkie nods.
“Yeah…but I Pinkie Promised not to talk about it and-“
“My Dad is also El Hunko,” you speak up and the others drop their jaws.
“He Is?!” Fluttershy and Big Mac gasp in shock.
“…Well, that Pinkie Promise is dead now that the cat’s out of the bag,” Pinkie shrugs. “Yeah, I caught him in a tent crying, and he confesses such terrible things to me. About not being able to save us in another world.”
You shoot a nervous look to Grandbuggy but he just shakes his head.
“His disguise fell apart, but I’d already promised him that nothing left that tent, so I just comforted him. He was really sad and scared, whatever happened in that world…”
AJ and Fluttershy and Applebloom look saddened by that development, but Grandbuggy coughs into his hoof.
“Again, it’s up to him if he wants to go into more detail.”
“Those scars are his reminders of something he never wants to happen again…” you add ominously and they all shiver at that.
“I…I did not know my friend went through something such as this,” Zecora speaks up. “I helped him with his wound, I knew he’d been through something dangerous…” She trails off in deep contemplation.
“Dang…your Dad is even tougher than I thought Shade,” Garble says. Looking to the Outcasts, you see that Greta, and even Ember seem to be a bit misty eyed which shocks you.
What part of the story got to you? You wonder.
“Well that settles it then yes?” Granny speaks up. “My grandson has been through Tartarus and back countless times, and when he gets back, we are going to set things straight with Everypony.”
“That’s, uh, that’s gonna be tough I think Granny. Especially with the whole, you know, getting a body to two villains? One who especially has rocky ties with Princess Luna?” Applejack points out.
“Yeah, how does that work Shade?” asks Applebloom. “Weren’t your mom and Luna one pony at some point? Doesn’t that mean she’s kind of your mom too?”
“Eh, not really,” you hoofwave. “I’ve heard Mommy slip up a few times and refer to her and Celestia as sisters, and Cadence is my cousin, so if anything she’d kind of be my aunt.”
“Don’t that mean we’re related to royalty in a strange way then?” asks Big Mac.
“It’s complicated,” Grandbuggy admits.
“So, uh…what do we do now?” asks Fluttershy and everyling looks at one another.
“Well first of all, we stay put and start looking into how to remove the amulet,” Grandbuggy says. “Except for those in this room though, we shouldn’t be going around telling the world the whole truth just yet.”
“…So just that you’re Mr. Tennant’s family and ours?” asks Applebloom and the old bug smiles.
“I like this one Smithy, she’s quick on the draw,” he says ruffling her mane.
“And what about us?” asks Ember.
“Well, I still technically own you, but if not for that reason, then you can think of it as a vacation away from your folks.”
“…I like that idea.”
“And I have to stay, so that when Nightshade gets turned back to normal I can defeat her!” Garble exclaims.
“And I’ve really got nothing better to do until we get back to hunting artifacts,” Ahuizotl says.
“There’s only like one more really essential one, and I think maybe it might be nearer here than we think,” Grandbuggy hoofwaves.
“So, we all just kind of hang out in this pony town using only the folks in this room to cure Nightshade? You think that will be enough?” asks Greta.
“Sure, we got an honest to gods Zebra Shaman, a gal with access to a literal god, and of course Ahzi and his marefriend who know a lot about artifacts.”
“Quick!” Ahuizotl scolds and he smirks.
“Who?” asks Applejack.
“Daring Do,” you answer plainly.
“Oh my goodness! You two are dating?” Fluttershy gasps with her hooves over her mouth.
“What?! No!” Ahuizotl denies, but Flutters keeps rattling on.
“Oh my gosh, if only Rainbow Dash could know! She told me once that she really shipped your two characters because there was so much subtext between you and-“
“AAAHHH!!!” he groans and pulls at his ears while everyone laughs, breaking a lot of the tension.
“But yeah, his denials aside, I think that it’s best that no one else needs to be pulled into this knowledge until Shade is better and my boy comes home.”
“…What about Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle?” Applebloom asks.
“Yeah, and Spike?” you add and he looks at you blankly.
“You really wanna bring more kids on into something like this?” he guesses.
“Well, I mean, they’re all our friends,” Applebloom points out.
“Please Grandbuggy? At least Spike?” you beg.
“Wait, he lives here?” Garble sputters but is ignored. Both you and Applebloom decide to employ your weaponized cuteness and deploy the puppy dog eyes simultaneously.
“HRK!” Grandbuggy clutches at his heart and looks away. “Alright, alright, fine. You can tell your little friends, but they’ve got to swear to the same secrecy we all are.”
“Right! Now, say it with me everypony,” Pinkie chirps. “Cross my heart and hope to fl-“
“No, no no, none of that,” he interrupts her. “If we want this info to come out someday, I ain’t gonna make a promise on someone of your bloodline.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?” she inquires.
“I saw the dawn of the Pie line girl, your ancestors were nigh incomprehensible,” he shudders and says no more.
“Well alright then, I non Pinkie Promise to not tell anypony else until the time is right…so long as you help we reconnect with some of those clones you met.”
“Sounds reasonable,” you nod. And then from everyone around the room, they make their promises.
“Alright then, I think this meeting is over for now. Once we leave this room, it’s just BST’s family reconnecting through long lost family.”
“Ugh, that’s still going to be a headache for me…” AJ complains.
“Wait,” Fluttershy raises her hoof. “I think there is one thing more to say before this meeting is over.”
“And what’s that Sugar Cube?” asks Applejack.
Fluttershy stands up from her chair and looks directly at you.
“We need to say this to your father as well…and I guess maybe her…but I’m sorry Nightshade,” she says sincerely.
“Oh, uh, you don’t have to say that Flu-“ you start but she interrupts you.
“Yes I do. All of us do,” she says guiltily. “We were wrong to think we knew better, especially me. Please forgive me Nightshade.”
“Yeah…” Applejack nods. “I’m sorry too little cuz, for bringing so much grief to your family.”
“Eyup,” Big Mac says solemnly.
“I’m sorry for hating your Dad for longer than I should have Shade,” Applebloom says giving you a hug.
“Same here,” Granny nods. “Feeling such contempt for my own flesh and blood…I’m sorry.”
“Can you ever forgive me for just going with the flow of the story despite it being outside of my control?” Pinkie bawls.
“I…Yes, yes, I forgive all of you,” you say with a smile. “Just, please stop looking so down. You’re all my friends and family after all.”
And just like that, the ponies all give you a group hug while Zecora, Grandbuggy and the Outcasts sit back and observe.
“So are ALL ponies like this huggy or…?” Ember inquires.
“Pretty much,” Ahuizotl nods.
The Next Day
The Pony Spartan’s Comment
Smiling and waving, (you've been doing that a lot lately,) when passing ponies you recognize, you trek to the Golden Oak Library, to find Ms. Twilight and Spike.
Grandbuggy wanted to come with you, scared that the young Princess would do something reckless, but you managed to persuade him not to and to trust you.
“She already knows I’m in town, so I might as well visit before anything rash happens,” you pointed out.
“Well, alright then,” he relented. “Just stay away from that Sentry guy. I still don’t like him after he took me from you,” he informed.
“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on going to the hospital, I’m gonna see my friends!”
That was this morning, and now here you are standing on the doorstep of the Tree-bary. Applebloom, who is still giddy over you being her family, has gone to grab the other Crusaders in one location so that you can lay the truth on them.
Boy are they going to be surprised when they find out we’re related, you think before a thought comes to you. Hmm, maybe we should write to Babs at some point and let her know? Or am I not related to that side of the family like how the Apples aren’t related to Cadence? Bah, we’ll figure it out.
You then proceed to knock a couple of times on the door, waiting patiently for somepony or dragon to answer. Minutes pass, and you don’t hear any steps or voices from inside.
"I guess they're probably busy because Twilight's a princess now," you ponder to yourself. "They wouldn't mind me barging in on them though, they might be more excited than mad,” you conclude as you timidly reach for the door handle…and then it hits you.
“Doh!” you slap yourself on the forehead. “This is a bucking library.” Sighing in disappointment at your brain fart, you open the door to the public building and walk inside. As you do you are hit with the familiar scent of parchment, and the sight of countless books you’ll never read on the many carved in bookshelves. It’s…quite nostalgic.
“Ah, good to be back,” you think with a small smile as you remember your lessons on teleportation and magic missile, and of course of hanging around with your favorite dragon eating ice cream on lazy days. With a smirk, you pull yourself from good times and look around the room, and there is noling else around.
“Spike? Twilight?” you call out, but nothing greets you. “Hmmm…” you mumble before your eyes land on a colorful book on a reading stand that is almost identical to your coat.
“Hmmm, ominous,” you say as you walk over to get a better look and you read the title. “The Powers of the Nightmare, by Princess Celestia?” A cold shiver runs down your spine as you read it aloud, and the ominous slit eye on the cover doesn’t help.
“Hoo boy, this is about Mommy isn’t it?” you say to yourself with trepidation as you examine the book more. On the inside of the cover, you see a stamp of small letters that say, From the Archives of Canterlot. “Yup, definitely about Mommy.”
Sighing, you close the cover, not wanting to look at all the slander and descriptions of your mom’s past. You know all too well who she used to be, and what a lot of stupid ponies have been accusing you of being.
Twilight’s probably studying more of her and my powers because of all this stupidness, you think bitterly as the gems glow slightly. What with what happened to Trixie, that plant monster and Flash Sentry jumping to conclusions, it’s no wonder she wouldn’t be looking into this, but still, how would she feel if she knew it was me she was preparing to fight?
Grunting in frustration, you walk away from the pedestal as a stray thought comes to you.
It would be an epic fight. Two alicorns duking it out at full strength? And I bet I could win with the amulet and-
“No, NO! Stop that!” you scold yourself and shake your head. “I am not a villain!” You slap at your shards for good emphasis…which doesn’t particularly feel good, but they do stop glowing.
“That’s better,” you nod before you head over to the staircase.
“Heellloooo?~” you call out, but again noling answers. “Well buck, did I just miss them or something?”
Trotting up the stairs, you take sight of a sleeping drake, resting his head on Twilight's study desk with drool escaping his mouth, and a gigantic smile lights your face.
EEEEE! So good to see him again! You mentally squee as your face starts to hurt from your smile. Napping in the middle of the day, just like we used to do together…
Trying not to make a sound, you slink over to his side and hear the soft cute snores coming from him.
"Hey, Spike!" You whisper gently. The dragon mumbles something incoherent while shifting his position a bit before sleep talking back,
"I'll get them done in a minute Twilight..." followed by more snores.
You giggle at this and look at the papers all around him.
“Still working yourself to the bone ain’tcha?” you whisper before a worried frown crosses your visage. “Although, now that she’s a princess, does that mean you have even more work to do?”
Picking up a few of the papers he had already worked on, you see a bunch of adult, legal mumbo jumbo dealing with Twilight being a princess and blah blah blah.
“Sweet Luna this is boring,” you groan before looking at your exhausted friend. “I don’t know how you do this all the time, but I’ve got to admire you for it Spikey.” He hiccups in his sleep and turns his head on the desk at that, and a feeling of guilt comes to you.
“Shoot, here I am out having adventures and meeting new friends, and you’re stuck in this tree slaving away on adult papers, the evil parent of homework! Well not today!” you beam as you magically lift the documents he fell asleep in the middle of and place them on the floor since the desk is kind of occupied. You then grab his quill and inkwell and set them down next to you.
"When you wake up, all your work will be done and we can go play. I'm a Princess, I should be allowed to do this…" A thought then comes to you, and you tap the feather to your chin twice. "Wait, since Twilight's a princess, does that mean Spike's a prince? Isn’t he her brother? Dad kept saying he was more like a pet…but that better not be the case. No one belittles my Spikey!" you grunt as the shards pulse a bit.
Almost One Document Grind Later
“Ugh, a lot of this is simple, but it’s sooo boorrriiinggg,” you complain as you sign yet another paper in the stack. A lot of it was pretty straightforward, like names, initials, gender and all that stuff, and it came to a point where you just stopped reading the text.
Eventually though, you come to the last page.
“Oh Finally!” you exclaim and place your quill to the last blank line…only…
“What's a bucking signature?”
Raising an eyebrow at a new stupid word, which there were A LOT of in these documents, you quickly read through the fine print looking for clues.
“Signature of Royalty, Guardian, or Royal Scribe only?” you read aloud and only feel even more confused. “Okay, but what the buck does it mean? Ugh! Where’s Sweetie Belle and her dictionary brain when you need her?”
"...i...h...d,” Spike mumbles in his sleep, distracting you.
“Huh? What’s that Spike? Do you know what this word means in your subconscious?” you ask hopefully.
"Nig...ade,” he mumbles before he smiles dopily. " Hi... Night... shade."
Your mouth opens in shock, and a blush comes to your cheeks.
“H-he’s dreaming about me?” You stammer, feeling redder than a tomato, but oddly not in embarrassment. This feeling is new and strange which causes you to giggle nervously before you shout, “Spike! Wake Up!”
"AHHH!" He yells and tips out of his seat, falling onto the floor on his side.
“Oh jeeze, sorry!” you apologize as he quickly gets up, still in a daze.
"Twilight! I'm almost finished give me five more... minutes?" He trails off as he sees you standing before him in all your glory and his jaw drops.
"Nightshade?" He asks in disbelief.
“Uh, yeah…Hi Spike?” you wave like a dork.
“…Am I still dreaming?” he asks as he scratches his head.
“N-Nope! I'm back! Heh heh…” you stammer for some reason.
He stares at you for a few good heartbeats before he simply walks up to you and pulls you into a big hug.
EEEEEEE!!! You squee again in your mind as you hug him back, nuzzling the side of his neck. And though you are no doubt squeezing all of the oxygen out of him like in the past, he doesn’t complain. In fact, he only grips you harder, making you have difficulty breathing.
"It's really you...I knew you'd be back someday, Nightshade!" He exclaims happily, pulling away from the hug and looking at you for real this time.
“Well of course I would. Can’t leave my favorite dragon hanging could I?” you snark and you both giggle.
After a few more moments of exclaiming how happy you are to see each other, you both take a seat on Twilight’s bed since it’s comfier than the ground.
"It's been a while huh?" you note.
"Yeah…though next time you disappear I might not even care," he says trying to sound cool and unfazed.
"Oh stop!” you giggle. “I know you’d miss me so much you probably wouldn't even eat cake for weeks!"
"…Mor like Months," He corrects with a smirk and you both laugh again.
“Well, now that’s just a crime against pastry kind…but anyway, sorry I haven’t written in awhile. What’s new?”
"Well, other than some small mishaps here and there, not that much,” he shrugs. “Twilight’s Coronation has really been the biggest thing and I told you all about that.”
“…Yeah, sorry about not being able to come and all that,” you apologize remembering his invitation. “I was busy with family stuff, and getting to know my Grandb-uh-pony.”
“Oh right, you told me about him. Is he in town too? Is your dad?” he asks.
“My dad’s…still busy. I hope to tell you, Sweetie and Scootaloo about it together, but yeah, my Grandpa is here.”
“Oh nice. I’d like to meet him,” he says enthusiastically.
“Oh you will, don’t worry about that,” you hoofwave and smirk. “But yeah, how is Twilight? I saw her the other day, and she was kind of off her rocker again.”
“Yeah…” he rubs the back of his neck. “She came home ranting about faceless demons, Fluttershy being drunk, and how she swore she saw you and an older stallion hugging Granny Smith.”
“Well…she did see that yes,” you admit and his eyes bulge a bit before he sighs.
“And here I thought the stress of turning into an alicorn was getting to her.”
“Why would she be stressed about that?”
“Getting wings is a pretty big deal,” he points out before a look of realization crosses his face. “Oh, well, I mean it is for those that weren’t born with them.”
"Oh yeah…you know about that," you say as you scratch your neck. “And I guess to be fair, I only recently learned how to use mine anyway, so I guess it’s a big deal. Plus there’s what, only six of us in all of Equestria?”
"Um... five, including Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Twilight, and you... oh wait, then there's Nightmare Moon, who's now a filly apparently…” he trails off giving you a raised brow and your heart drops.
"W-Wait! I know what you're thinking, but I'm not Nightmare Moon!" stammer, not wanting to screw up this reunion.
"Nightsha-"
"I know it seems so obvious, since my fur is black, and my eyes glow white when I’m mad, but really!"
"Nightshade."
"I mean sure, maybe some of the stuff I’ve done recently has been claimed to be her doing, but that doesn’t me-“
"Nightshade!" He shouts ending your antics. Gulping, you look him square in the eyes…and see that he has an understanding look.
"I know it's not you…and I know that it is kind of you at the same time,” he says.
"Huh?" you ask and he rubs his head.
“I kind of figured it out, even though I kept it in the back of my mind, what with Twilight’s new title, my debt to Applejack, and the whole Mirror World incident distracting me.”
“…What did you figure out?” you asks nervously. “Also, what was that about mirror wo-“
“Well, I…kind of heard that recording from when you broke into the news station,” he says and you look down sheepishly.
“Oh…”
“Yeah,” he nods. “I’d recognize your voice anywhere.”
“Oh…” you say again, this time with a bit of red on your cheeks. “But, uh…ahem. But you said you didn’t believe what the news said?”
“No, I don’t believe your Nightmare Moon, even if that’s what a lot of ponies from Rainbow Falls said. I just knew it was you, not only from your voice, but because of how you were described. A bratty dark filly with immense power.”
You whip your head towards him as your ears wilt and a look of hurt comes to your face.
"You think I'm a brat?"
"No no!" He backtracks frantically. "It's just...I’ve seen you mad Shade, and I’ve seen what you done while in that state. Like with Trixie, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.”
As you look down in guilt of your past shame, and the gems glow a bit more, he continues.
“B-But I also know how freaking strong you are. I mean, you took down Sombra and your duel with Trixie was awesome” he says reassuringly.
"Yeah, I guess so,” you say relenting to his point. “But don’t forget, you helped in that Sombra fight.”
“Barely,” he claw waves. “But yeah, the description fit you, and I know your Dad’s pension for getting into trouble, so I kind of just put two and two together.”
“…Yeah,” you sigh. “It does kind of suck though, getting caught in the middle of all that bullspit. And just because of how I look, they immediately start calling me Nightmare Moon.”
“Yeah I know,” he says patting you on the shoulder. “But really what Flash and Daring Do have said doesn’t make much sense. Nightmare Moon is still possessing The Hooded Offender. I guess a lot of ponies are just jumpy.”
You bite your tongue at that.
…Okay, buck it. When I get the chance, I’m telling you everything. I don’t want you hating my mom! You think with determination, and your shards glow more.
“Soo…yeah, what got you so mad at Rainbow Falls?” he asks and you sigh.
“A lot of things…but it’s deeper than you think. There’s a reason why I seem like such a brat and a threat," you say, before lifting your scarf, revealing the amulet shards which are glowing slightly, and his eyes widen.
"Is…is that what I think it is?" he asks, aghast.
"Yup." You say with a sad smile.
"H-how?!" he asks in worry, putting his claws on your shoulders.
"It's...a long story," you say, flashing back to the vine monster, and the blue wendigo colt you nearly...yeah. "I don't really want to go into detail right now, but believe me when I say it's complicated."
"No spit..." he says simply as he glances nervously at the shards which dim a bit with your sadness.
"I was gonna ask, you like gems a lot right? Wanna eat the shards?"
He looks back at you blankly for a few seconds processing what he just heard, before letting go of your shoulders.
"I'm not eating it out of you,” he says sternly and you giggle.
"I know, I'm just kidding. I already showed Zecora, so, for now, I just have to wait." He nods at that before looking at your chest once more and grimacing.
"You gonna be alright?"
"I'm more scared of who's around me, Spike,” you admit with a sigh. “Whenever I'm around friends and family I should be okay, but if there's anything small that might upset me... it's scary."
He picks up on your guilt and puts a claw on your hoof, which snaps you out of it.
"Anyways!" You continue in embarrasment, putting your scarf back on. "There's no point in wasting our time here! Come on! I have to show you my grandpony! He's so cool!"
"Okay!" he agrees as the both of you hop off the bed. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Yup! Totally a plan,” you say woodenly as you try not to look at him directly.
Quit acting stupid mouth! You’re embarrassing me! You chide yourself as you start walking towards the stairs.
“So, Shade, you said your dad wasn’t in town right?”
“That’s right,” you nod.
“Well, do you wanna grab something to eat before we see your Grandpa? Or is he like your dad in that regard?” he asks tapping his claws together nervously.
“Oh no, Grandbu-pa is cool. He’s not as crazy as my dad when it comes to my friends,” you answer with a grin.
“Awesome! So how about we go try the new banana chocolate cake Pinkie Pie invented over at Sugarcube Corner? I know you’ll love it.”
“You had me at eat Spike,” you say with enthusiasm and he perks up.
“Alright…but uh, hang on a second, I’ve kind of got to finish a few more pages of Twilight’s documents,” he says a bit sullenly as he looks back at his desk. “She’ll be back in like half an hour or so, so I should probably-“
"Oh don't worry!" you wave him off. "I completed them for you!"
"You did?" he says turning back to you.
"Yup!" You say proudly. "You looked so cu-peaceful sleeping and I didn't want to disturb you, so I finished the work for you."
"Did you do them properly?" he asks, going over to pick up the documents and proceeding to look through them.
"Yeah, I followed your examples from the other pieces of paper down to the letter."
"This is great! Thanks a bunch, Nightshade I owe you a fortune!" he says with a huge grin.
"It was nothing,” you hoofwave again. "But one question, what's a signature?"
Spike stares at you for a second, before bursting out laughing and you frown.
"Hey! What’s so funny?! It’s a big word and I don’t know it,” you harrumph.
“Oh-heh heh-Shade,” he chokes back on his laughter. “A signature is just you signing your name in your cursive handwriting to show that it was really you marking everything down.”
“…Cursive?” you ask befuddled.
“Yeah,” he nods.
“What, like I write down Bucking Nightshade or something?” you ask sincerely and he laughs again.
“N-No, heh heh, that’s cursing. Cursive is that fancy writing with all the squiggles and loops,” he explains.
“That’s writing?” you ask perplexed. “I thought those were just doodles ponies did because they were bored.” He starts laughing again at this, and you purse your lips and look to the side in embarrassment.
"Oh ho ho, good thing you didn't sign it though, only Twilight or myself can officially do that for these papers.”
“Why?” you ask.
“Well, I’m a royal scribe and Twilight’s a princess now…I guess technically Celestia, Luna or Cadence could as well, but they’re not exactly here so…” he shrugs.
“Oh, so it’s an alicorn thing huh?” you say as you make your wings appear with some green flame, startling him a bit. “So I can sign it now in those scribble scrabble words right?”
"You may be an alicorn, but there's more to royalty than that,” he says with a giggle.
“Really? Like what?”
“Well, it more depends on who your family is, or if you’ve been officially coronated. So unless you’re parents were royalty, I don’t think you’d officially be one,” he points out.
"Huh...I think maybe my mom counted as royalty, but I’m not sure,” you say aloud and he raises a brow at that.
“Oh…right your mom,” he says trepidly. “I thought you didn’t know much about her?”
Huh? You think confused before realization comes to you. Oh right, he still thinks BST is a pony and my dad and that my mom is dead.
“I, uh, I know more than a few things about her, and trust me, I am going to fill you and the girls in on so much when we’re all together…but that’s going to take awhile. Let’s get that cake first shall we?” you say, poofing your wings away.
He notices your hesitation, but he just shrugs and accepts it.
“Alright then. Let me just sign this and…Got it! Let’s head out!”
“Sweet! Baked Goods Here I Come!” you think with enthusiasm as it’s been so long roughing it in the wild.
As you both head out the front door, another thought comes to you.
“Say, Spike? Didn’t Crackle live here too?” you ask and he rolls his eyes.
“More like she freeloaded, but yeah,” he nods. “She moved out though a few months ago and is rooming with Vinyl Scratch and Octavia.”
“She is?”
“Yeah, I guess Vinyl actually pays her to transport her around when she’s had too much to drink,” he shrugs and you shake your head.
All the mares chasing after Daddy have many different issues, you conclude as you keep walking.
“Oh, there is one interesting thing that happened not too long ago that I could tell you about if you want to wait to tell me your stuff,” he says as you head further into town.
“Oh? What is that?” you ask with intrigue.
“Alright, get this. Awhile ago, during the Princess Summit in the Crystal Empire, me and Twilight got transported to another world,” he says trying to sound mysterious.
“Whhhaaat? No way!” you say genuinely surprised.
“Yes way,” he smirks. “This unicorn named Sunset Shimmer stole Twilight’s Element Crown thingy and ran into this horseshoe shaped mirror. Twilight went after her, and I followed and we ended up in an alternate universe.”
“Dang…the last time I was in an alternate universe I slept through the whole thing,” you murmur to yourself.
“Huh?” he asks.
“N-Nothing! So what was so different about this universe? Did everyone have evil twins and stuff?”
“No, nothing like that. It was actually, get this, a world run entirely by humans!” he exposits and you raise an eyebrow at that.
“Humans? Really?” you ask skeptically at the fairy tale creature.
“Yes really, I’m totally serious,” he defends and you can tell by his tone that he is.
“…Huh,” you exhale in thought. “Nothing but humans?”
“That’s right, and there were versions of Rarity, Pinkie and the everypony else in human form there.”
“Heh heh, oh wow, that sounds like my Dad’s worst nightmare right there,” you chuckle knowing full well his utter hatred of My Little Human.
“Tell me about it, Twilight herself got turned into one of them, and we didn’t have magic and things got nuts,” he says with a shiver and your jaw drops.
“She turned INTO a human?” you say aghast.
“Yeah…I don’t get how that all works, but she had a heck of a time trying to walk and blend in,” he says with a nostalgic chuckle.
“Okay, so my Dad would DEFINITELY hate that place,” you conclude.
Thankfully he’s in another universe looking for dead seahorse bling.
“I don’t doubt it. I didn’t care for it much either at first,” he admits.
“Oh? Did you get used to being a human? What was it like not having scales and a weird ape face? Could you climb trees better?”
“I…wasn’t turned into a human,” he says with a nervous chuckle and you look at him inquisitively.
“You weren’t?”
“No,” he says with a sad sigh.
“Oh…did the humans get scared of you for being a dragon?” you ask gently, not wanting to upset him.
“No, that would have been preferable actually. No, no, I was just turned into a talking puppy.”
“…”
“…”
“…Come again?” you ask in befuddlement.
He then starts to regale you with his misadventure in the Human World as you both eat your baked goods. You can’t even really appreciate the Banana Chocolate cake though because his story starts leaving a bad taste in your mouth. He finally finishes his tale as you start to near the Crusader Clubhouse.
“…I don’t think I like that place,” you conclude.
“Oh it wasn’t all bad,” he insists.
“Spike, you were a dog! That’s just insulting, and that universe only has itself to blame!” you growl in frustration.
Stupid Humie World…
“Heh, thanks for that Shade, but it’s really alright,” he chuckles.
Eventually you all catch sight of the clubhouse and hear excited voices, and moving through the trees you see your other fellow crusaders Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo…along with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.
“Huh…so everyling stayed friends after I left?” you note and Spike smirks.
“You could say that,” he chuckles. “Because of you, all five of them are closer than ever. Heck, they’ve made a team to try and be the Flag Bearers for the Equestria Games. That’s what they’re doing right now.”
As he points it out, you see that all five of them are giggling, and each have props and streamers of some kind, and are trying to work out a few moves.
“…Huh. Bloom didn’t mention that to me last night,” you ponder aloud.
“Maybe she was just excited to see you,” Spike suggests.
“Oh she was,” you nod. “Still, that looks like fun.”
“Well it’s gotta be more than fun if they want to impress Ms. Harshwinny.” As he says that, the hair on the back of your neck stands on end and you swear somewhere in the distance, somepony whinnies in fear.
“What the buck was that?!” you say whipping your head left and right.
“What?”
“Are you telling me you didn’t feel that after you said that name?” you gasp.
“What? Ms. Harshwinny?”
Again you hear the distant brays and you feel spooked.
“…Shade?” he inquires.
“I-It’s nothing! Forget about it!” you stammer as you start walking forward. “Let’s go see my friends!”
As you start to near their choregraphy, you can’t help but wonder what that weird feeling was, but you shake this thoughts off as more pressing ones come to mind.
If Diamond and Silver are part of the crew now, should I let them know as well?
WHAT DO YOU DO?
