//------------------------------//
// An Apology 6000 Years in the Making 
// Story: Spinel's New Best Friend 
// by luckyboys121 
//------------------------------//

As the creature looked down at the gasping crowd it's mind began to twist the images of those before it. Some simply faded into the background, most of which didn't need to as many of them began running into the castle in fear, whereas others took on new appearances. It's eyes settled on Rainbow Dash as it said, "You must be Amethyst," then turned over Twilight saying, "You must be Garnet," and finally settled onto the actual Spinel as it said, "and... Pink Diamond's Pearl. She took YOU with her, isn't that just SWELL!" 

As Pinkie and Spinel looked in horror at seeing this scene they where now both familiar with play out again, Twilight stepped forward saying, "Starlight, what are you talking about?"

This only seemed to make the creatures smile widen as she said, "Oh don't look so surprised. I'm sure you all knew I'd notice you're little 'happily ever after'," before rolling her eyes at them.

At this Pinkie stepped forward saying, "Starlight I don't know what's going on but..."

"OH OF COURSE YOU WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ME! Not when you're so busy hanging out with your new little friends and saving the galaxy!" said the creature.

Upon hearing this, Spinel became concerned as she realized exactly who Starlight thought Pinkie was right now and what that meant. She stepped forward saying, "STARLIGHT! You have to listen to me, this isn't Steven!"

Upon hearing this the creature became confused for a moment before it let out a large unsettling laugh saying, "Good one Pearl, but you seriously don't think I'd recognize him after having to watch his little 'message to the universe' on LOOP!" 

At this point the general populous had been evacuated inside the castle leaving only Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, Trixie, Pinkie, and Spinel as the creature looked down at all of them saying, "I just LOOOOVVVEEEDD that part, where Pink Diamond spends the rest of her days on this NOWHERE planet with a bunch of NOBODIES!" before leaping down to start her attack, and song. 

(start at 1:02)



As the song went on she made more tendrils of magic to swing around the group as they all attempted to dodge. Twilight tried to use a restraint spell on her, only for her body to continuously and logic defyingly wriggle and stretch out of them before she eventually returned to the tower and looked down at all of them. 

(Pause song at at 2:01)

Trixie looked up at the creature and worriedly whispered, "Star?" as one look into it's eyes told her that this wasn't the mare she loved. 

As the others continued to stare in confusion at what was going on, Spinel prepared to jump in front to protect them and explain everything, that plan was interrupted as a very angry Rainbow Dash flew up next to creature saying, "Look Pal, I don't know if you're some kind of renegade Changeling or a Mirror Pool Clone or what, but whoever you are get the hay out of here and give us the real Starlight back!"

This resulted in the creature's sadistic smile totally leaving as it's face filled with rage and it pointed at itself before it continued singing.

(resume music)

As it sung it pulled the Rejuvinator from its saddle bag and activated it before hopping down and taking swings at each of them and while some managed to dodge, others where hit... to thankfully no result. Spinel recognized the potential danger though as she stretched her arms out and managed to scoop up the whole group and move them all into a bush with her to regroup. 

The creature saw this saying, "So you want to play a little hide and seek then. Well that's fine.... I deserve to play an actually FUN game!"

"What the hay is going on and... why do you look different?" asked Applejack finally noticing that Spinel didn't look the same as when they got to the Gala.

Spinel opened her mouth to respond, only to be swiftly interrupted as Rarity said, "I must say it is a much better look for you darling, feels more fitting."

They briefly looked at her in annoyance resulting in Rarity saying, "What! I can't be the only one thinking it!?"

Spinel rolled her eyes before saying, "It's a big of a long story but basically I got my memories back and I used to kind of be... totally insane and Starlight just so happens to be possessed by that part of my memory."

"If that's the case then maybe I can use a memory spell to make her remember who she normally is," said Twilight.

"No, that's how this all started to begin with. Gem memories must work differently then pony memories and-" Spinel said before interrupting herself as she repeated, "Gem memories." She then had a realization struck her as she said, "We got to get the Rejuvinator from her!" 

"The what?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"The glowing scythe thing she has," said Spinel. 

"But how are we going to do that?" asked Rarity.

The group paused for a moment before saying, "I guess we're going to have to fight her." 

"But how, Twilight's magic didn't seem to even slow her down and you're the only one who can be actually be hurt by that thing," said Pinkie in concern.

Spinel was about to respond when she suddenly heard someone bolt out of the bush and they all looked to see Trixie stepping towards the creature. 

"Starlight.... I don't know what this thing in your head is but I know you're stronger then it," said Trixie as the creature seemed to briefly shutter and lose it's composure at her words. "You're the one who picked herself up after screwing up so many times and became the best mare I've ever known... the one who helped me get past my mistakes and makes me a better mare everyday." Trxie finally was mere inches away from the creature as she let her tears flowing saying, "Please Star... come back to me."

The creature shuttered for a moment as it tried to choke out the word, "Tri-Trix-" but was promptly interrupted as it struck itself the head saying, "NO! NO! None of you can change the way I feel!" It then once again produced a magic tendril from it's hoof and backhooved Trixie over towards the bush, where she was thankfully caught by Spinel.

"WHAT THE HAY WAS THAT!?" berated Rainbow Dash as soon as Trixie was safely on the ground. 

"I'm sorry.... I just couldn't bear the idea of you guys fighting her and I thought... maybe I could take to her and get her back," said Trixie as she looked down and cried both in apology for walking away like that, and sadness that she couldn't get through to Starlight.

Upon hearing these words though, Spinel realized something as she said, "Trixie... I think you got the right idea. You were just talking to the wrong person."

This resulted in looks of confusion from everyone, aside from Pinkie, who spoke up saying, "We can talk to the bit of you in her, just like Steven did." 

"Yes... but unfortunately she won't talk to Steven right now," said Spinel.

"How do you know that!?" said Pinkie worriedly as she began to realize where this was going.

"Because I didn't... no there's only one person whom she's gonna let talk to her for more then a few seconds," said Spinel as she got up and prepared to move forward.

"Spinel, what do you mean?" asked Pinkie as her worry mounted.

Spinel let out a slight tear before turning to Pinkie with a smile as she said, "Pinkie... no matter what happens I want you to know that this time I spent with you was the best time of my life and that you are and always will be.... my best friend." She turned to the others as she said, "One way or another... this is gonna over soon, but only if none of you interrupt," she then subtly motioned to Twilight who got what she was saying as she nodded back.

Spinel took a nervous breath before her body began to glow as she started shape shifting. As she grew much taller and her became poofier she focused her voice ready to do the best impression she could as she said, "SPINEL STOP! I'M THE ONE YOU WANT!"

The creature looked over and saw the one person she never expected to see coming out of the bush and simple said, "Yooouuu." There she was the person who ruined her life, who promised her endless happiness and play and then ripped it all away like nothing. The one she wanted to focus her anger on from the beginning but never knew she could. "YOU!"

"Yes Spinel it's me.... Pink Diamond," said Spinel as she walked forward, her shapeshifting now done. 

"YOU! YOU! How dare you!" said the creature as any hint of it's smile was now gone and was instead replaced by pure rage.

Spinel knew thought that this... was nothing more then a mask as she stepped forward and prepared for what was coming.

Pinkie began to worried at seeing this and tried to exit the bush, only to for something to stop her as she looked down and saw one of Twilight's restraint spells on her back hoof. She looked over at Twilight who had a crestfallen expression that seemed to simple say, "I'm sorry, but this is what has to be done."

"How dare you! How dare!" repeated the creature as Spinel finally got within arms length of her. Spinel braced herself as it happened within in an instant. The creature dropped the Rejuvinator as it went from anger to tears and wrapped it's front hooves around Spinel saying between sobs, "How dare you... how dare you still be alive?"

Spinel simply knelt down and hugged her back as she said, "I know."

The creature continued to cry though as it said, "The one comfort I had in all of this is knowing you were gone. That you couldn't come back for me even if you wanted to, but now... why didn't you come back... was I not good enough?" 

The creature attempted to pull away upon saying this, but Spinel hugged her tighter saying, "No Spinel... you didn't do anything wrong. I was the one who was wrong."

"Wha-what?" said the creature.

"I was a bad... no a terrible friend to you and I'm sorry," said Spinel as she thought about what she had learned about Pink after leaving the Garden and what she would have wanted Pink to say... and deep down thought she would say. "I... was in a bad place when we were together. I was selfish and didn't really think about others like I should have and for that I'm sorry... I shouldn't have left you alone like I did but in the end I should have left you because... you deserve better then me."

"I... I..." started the creature before breaking down into a fit of sobs as it simply said, "Thank you, thank you." 

Spinel tightened the hug as she thought about grabbing the Rejuvinator off the ground... but knew that it would only make things worse as she took her eyes from it and hoped that this would work instead. She then parted from the hug as she said, "Do you understand what I am saying Spinel?"

The creature sniffled abit as it backed away and gave a salute saying, "Yes my Diamond."

Spinel smiled at this as she said, "I'm not your Diamond anymore.... you're free to do whatever you want now and make new friends... better friends."

The creature for the first in its existence let out a full genuine smile at seeing this before in an instant... it was gone. The body collapsed on the ground as the tears moved to perfectly wipe away the lines on the face and the mane moved back to it's normal style. Once all that rage and fear was gone, so two was that peace of Spinel... as Starlight shakily got back up and said "Uhh, what happened I-" 

She was swiftly interrupted as Trixie tackled her to the ground saying, "Oh my gosh I'm so glad you're back." Starlight attempted to ask followup questions about this before Trixie suddenly bent down and gave her a deep kiss causing any and all rational thought to leave her head as she leaned into the moment.

The others soon exited the bush and came forward as Spinel changed back to her normal form. Rainbow Dash briefly leaned towards Applejack as she said, "Do you have any clue what just happened?" resulting in the mare simply giving a shrug in return.

As Pinkie approached she ran to Spinel and gave her a large hug saying, "I'm so glad you're OK... I was worried she'd shatter you."

Spinel chuckled at this as she said, "Yeah... I was too."

"So wait... what just happened?" asked Twilight trying to make sense of this night.

"Well from Pinkie's shown me you should know... instead of solving a problem by fighting we beat it with the magic of friendship," said Spinel as she and Pinkie looked at the assembled mares with a smile.

"Yeah that um.... you know what good enough for now," said Twilight as she started to realize just how stressful this all is. Twilight then made her over the castle door yelling, "Typical Gala crisis over people, feel free to get back to... whatever the hay you where doing... I think I need a drink." She then made her way over to the punch bowl with Applejack, Rainbow, and Rarity following soon after.

As Spinel and Pinkie looked at each other taking all this in, Pinkie smiled as she said, "So... you still want to put on our show?"

Spinel thought for a moment before saying, "I definitely think a show needs to be put on, but someone else should do it."

A few moments later

As Spinel and Pinkie looked out at the assembled crowd before them, they nodded to each other before they both strummed their guitars and moved closer and closer together. Just when it looked like they where about to bump into each other though, their bodies began to glow and melt together once again before the new girl stood before everyone now holding a single double necked guitar. The crowd cheered, partially in confusion at what just happened, as the girl looked at the crowd saying, "HELLO EVERYCREATURE! WE ARE um..... PINKEL!" The audience cheered further before the creature said, "And I'd just like you all to now that... it's a big universe out here and that may seem scary, but all that means is there are plenty of places to find a friend so you can all face it TOGETHER!" before they then started playing.



End of Part 1.

BONUS!

As Trixie and Starlight cuddled beneath a blanket they had found watching the show Trixie couldn't help but giddly lookd over at Starlight saying, "I still can't believe you're my marefriend now!"

"I'm having a bit of a time believing it myself... it certainly has started out in an interesting way," said Starlight as she smiled at the mare next to her.

"Well if you want we could find some place private to do the standard I like you, you like me we should be more then friends talk," said Trixie.

"Nah... I think we're well past that... besides where would we even talk?" said Starlight.

"We could go back to Twilight's room?" said Trixie.

Starlight thought about this for a moment before a stray memory came to mind and she bolted up right yelling, "OH MY GOSH LUNA!"

As Luna laid in the bed defeated she shied to herself saying, "And once again I am left out of the climactic finale... at least I have good music to listen to this time." She lightly bobbed her head, the only part of her she could move, to the concert she could thankfully hear and see out the window.