//------------------------------// // Epilogue: "The Beginning of New Journeys Ahead" // Story: Spike's Family Journey // by frenettek314 //------------------------------// Spike skipped happily as he made his way to the front door of the castle, happy that his mission was finally over. Despite his emotions being exhausted from a campaign of truths, fears, secrets, and a whole lot of tears, he wouldn't have had it any other way - not with the awesome family he made. These ponies - these 5... well 6 with Starlight - these ponies and their families that he had known for many years, these ponies he thought saw nothing more in him than a servant, or a random dragon, or some princess's dorky brother, these ponies he thought would never like him... these ponies had become the family he always wanted after so long of searching and pining. He could've been happy with just Twilight - the one who had hatched and raised him, the one who would always be there for him no matter what; but he had always wanted more. Maybe it was selfish for a dragon like him to crave more -but instead of material possessions, all he wanted was love. He wanted those who admired him for who he truly was, those who he could confide in, those who would always have his back. Spike never could've imagined that these ponies would've become that family to him. He left his mind to be consumed with feelings of doubt, fear, sadness, anger - he never allowed himself to move on or to step up and challenge his inner turmoil. Until Twilight made that request. While originally skeptical about the whole ordeal, Spike began to realize the alicorn was entirely right on her idea. It gave the dragon a chance to spend some solo time with each pony on his own, to finally release his thoughts and feelings after hiding them for so long, to finally discover the truths each held. And the truth was that he had these ponies by his side all along. If he had just tried approaching them before, he could've had these questions answered a long time ago. Despite this minor setback of hindsight, Spike was finally at peace and he couldn't be any happier. No longer he held concerns about his heritage, his worries about those around him, the fear that he was destined to only be allowed one equine in his life. For the first time in ages, Spike felt free - free without a care or concern in the world. Like a hundred tons were lifted off his shoulders. As the dragon stepped up to the big booming doors of the castle, he allowed himself a small chuckle of wisdom as he began pushing the door to home open. "This is all thanks to Twilight. She knew just what to do. I don't know what I'd do without her." Spike excitedly opened the doors of the castle and happily began running around the castle (his wings forgotten at the moment) as he desperately looked for the lavender alicorn figure. "Twilight! I'm home! I'm finally home!" He began searching the castle, but to his displeasure couldn't find a single pony anywhere. The throne room, the study, the library, they were all empty. "Twilight?! Starlight?! Anyone?!" Then almost as if by fate, Spike noticed the door to his bedroom was slightly creaked open as a faint glimmer of light shined in the crystal hallway, practically begging for him to investigate. "What the...?" he muttered before entering his room to discover... "SURPRISE!" A room full of ponies cheered as Spike jumped a couple inches back, finally processing the crowded room as streamers and balloons tugged over the walls and corners of his humble abode. There they were. His Sister, Rarity. His Auntie Pinkie Pie. His Cousins Rainbow Dash and Applejack. His Snarky Sister, Starlight. His Second Mother, Fluttershy. Even Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. And last but not least... "Spike!" a purple blur came racing over to him before wrapping him in a bone-crushing hug. "Twilight!" he called back, grinning fondly as he returned the force of the embrace. "I missed you." "I missed you too." The full room (minus Rainbow and Scootaloo who just knowingly smiled) erupted into a chorus of "Awww's" as the two hugged for another moment before releasing. "What's all this for?" the dragon curiously asked as he gazed around the room filled with ponies and decorations. "It's a..." Twilight began before a hyperactive pink pony interrupted her. "It's a 'Congratulations on Completing Your Journey, We're so Proud of You and We Want This to Be the Start of a Brand New Family Party'!" Pinkie lectured, before levitating back towards the others. "Right, what she said." Twilight concluded, seemingly not bothered at all by the interruption. Spike admired the party with a warm smile for a brief moment, before a thought interrupted him. "Wait... how did you know I was coming home tod...?" before he paused and spoke again with an all-knowing smirk. "Pinkie sense." "That's my nephew." confirmed a proud Pinkie Pie. Spike then developed another question. "But, wait. I just saw Fluttershy go back to her cottage. How did..?" "I have my ways." the pegasus repeated her sly comment from earlier with an equally sly grin. "Guys... this is amazing! Thank you." the dragon blushed, seeing all of his loved ones right there. Twilight took the chance to grab Spike's shoulder with a front hoof as the others all slowly trotted closer with smiles on their faces. "Well, we hope you learned alot from your journey." Spike viewed all the ponies in the room before he settled back on Twilight's wise and graceful smile, slowly finding one himself. "As a matter of fact, I did." He slowly felt those all too familiar sentimental tears kicking up again as he began concluding the results of his quest while focusing on each respective member of the room. "I learned that a strong bond requires those in it to effectively communicate with each other." Rarity nodded serenely as she dabbed one of her eyes with a hoof. "I learned that we can help each other learn and grow from our problems." Pinkie's eyes began watering as she clenched her eyes with a warm smile to stop herself. "I learned that you shouldn't have to hide yourself from those who care about you." Rainbow gave the dragon a firm smile and a mock salute with her wing. "I learned that one needs to let go and trust others in order to help those they care about." Applejack brought her hat over her eyes in a modest display as the CMC each gave Spike a slow nod. "And I learned to put my fears and mistakes in the past, to focus on the present and create a better future." Fluttershy too had her eyes watering, touched at the drake's words, as she gave him a warm smile with a slight blush on her cheeks. Twilight and Starlight both appeared proud as they stood over Spike, each placing a hoof on a shoulder. "Now do you believe us when I said you had a family?" lightly teased Twilight, who only received a nod in reply. "And we all promise we'll continue to be one together. For annoying Twi... uh flying kites." Starlight quickly rerouted her sentence as Twilight shot her a warning look, much to Spike's amusement. "Finding new activities to do together." stated Rarity. "Making new memories!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie. "Going on new, awesome adventures." quoted Rainbow Dash. "Overcoming new obstacles along the way." piped Applejack. "And discovering new ideas to grow even closer." assured Fluttershy. Spike nodded his head appreciatively as felt his heart explode in an aura of warmth and love. Everyone was here at last, and it was the best thing he could ever hope for! Now, all he needed to do was... Spike paused as he suddenly looked down for a moment before bringing his head back up to meet Twilight with a serious expression. "Hey, Twi. Everyone. Mind if I say a few words?" he asked, seeing everyone gaze eagerly at him, wondering what was on his mind now. "Sure? Go ahead." answered a slightly confused Twilight. Spike slowly walked away from everyone for a couple steps before turning back around to address... his family. "I just wanted to say, these past few weeks... they've probably been the most important weeks of my life. For as long as I can remember, I've always struggled with finding out who my family was - not necessarily in the physical sense, but emotional sense." The room watched on with rapt attention. "I've had Twilight ever since I was hatched and I wouldn't trade her for anything in this world. All the games we play, the books we read, every day with her is a treasure..." Twilight's lips quivered upon hearing her favorite dragon appreciate their time together. "...but when I moved to Ponyville and we met all of you, I was scared. Suddenly Twilight had all these new amazing ponies that were as close a family as you could get, while I always felt I was left on the sidelines." Almost all the ponies in the rooms felt their heads lower in guilt upon that last statement. "For years now, I built my mind to think that you all wanted nothing to do with me, thinking I knew the answer already before trying anything else. It kept building and building until I met Sludge. I was so happy to think I finally had someone besides Twilight who loved me, until I found out he was nothing but a big phony." All the mares in the room glared at the mention of Sludge and his antics. "If I ever see him in Ponyville, he should be prepared for quite the lashing." thought Rarity. "He broke my nephew's heart, so I'm going to break something of his." muttered Pinkie. "How far can I throw a shower?" devilishly questioned Starlight. "I'm going to sonic rainboom his flank." scowled Rainbow. "Next week. That's how far I'm kicking him." reconfirmed Applejack. "If I ever see him near my baby again, he'll be sorry. No one messes with Mama Shy." fumed Fluttershy. Twilight didn't have any outward quote of thoughts, but she was all the sudden picturing the deepest pits of Tartarus. Spike's speech continued. "Then all the sudden, I was back to square one. I felt alone, I felt I had pieces missing. Fortunately, I went on this journey and got to be closer with all of you. We had some fun times and some sad ones too, but I finally got to dispel my fears after living with them for so long. After each pony, I suddenly felt more at ease, like I could do it, so I kept myself going." "And now - now that my journey is finally over - I feel... free. I don't really know how to describe it, but all of my fears, all of my worries, all those questions that I had about each of you, they're gone. I finally feel fully loved after so long and it's..." Spike's tears began falling. "It's the best feeling of my life. I feel loved and nothing can replace this feeling in my heart. I... I finally let go of the past and for the first time in forever, I have what I always wanted - a complete family." Everyone began silently sobbing at this point, even Rainbow and Scootaloo much to their reluctance. "And it's all thanks to each and every one of you. I know things won't always be easy and we'll certainly have bumps along the way, but I want nothing more than to have you all as my family - through the good and the bad." The dragon slowly walked over to a crying Twilight as he wrapped his frame around her neck. "Thank you especially Twilight. You made me go on this journey, even when I had my doubts. If it wasn't for you, I don't know where I'd be now or in life in general." "Thanks, Twi. I love you." "Spike!" Twilight openly sobbed as every single pony rushed into the pair to deliver the most powerful group hug Spike had ever witnessed. A hug so full of love, of positively - a hug that promised itself good times ahead. Spike wished this one moment could last forever. "Good night, Spike." Twilight whispered as she tucked the dragon into his bed before exiting the room, smiling warmly at being offered the chance to partake in the nostalgia of wishing her Spike good night. As Spike began to drift off to sleep, he then noticed 5 treasures placed high on his shelf. A miniature ruby heart, a mini party cannon, a special tree seed, and two differently colored pegasi feathers. Family used to be a complicated term for Spike to define, but as the drake slowly drifted off to sleep, he realized it was no longer that difficult of a word. Because he knew he would live that word everyday.