//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: The Cutie Re-Mark: The Ultimate Enemy // by LoganRyder //------------------------------// The baby dragon glared at his former friends as they only looked at him, ready to speak their mind. "Spike, we just wanna talk." Cadance said, trying to calm him down "What's there to talk about? I don't wanna see you all right now." Spike said He turned to fly away, but Discord moved in front of him. "Spike wait, let them talk." Discord protested "Discord, move, I don't have time for this. In fact, when did I have time at all like I told you?" Spike said "Spike just let them-" Discord said, until Spike cut him off. "Discord, i'm WARNING you." Spike said in a dead serious tone. This surprised the girls, the days events began to make him more fed up, with Discord taken aback by the threat, but stood his ground. Discord gave a look of sorrow before facing his friend "I know, but please, just hear them out, and after that you can leave." Spike, with a quick glance at the girls, princesses and Shining and then to Discord before facing the ponies. With a look of annoyance and disdain, Spike said "What do you want this time?" The princesses, Starlight and Shining backed away to let the girls speak with the dragon. "We realize that evil you from the future was right." Twilight said with guilt and remorse. "What?" Spike said in surprise at her answer "When he almost killed us for how we treated you over the years, we deserved it. Us and the girls should have never hurt you that way." Shining said with guilt "And because of us and our selfishness, we didn't just ruin the future of friendship. We ruined the future of Equestria." Applejack said with her hat down as she covered her guilt ridden facial expression. "Ok, what the hay are you saying?!" Spike said, now finally annoyed by their words The girls jumped back a little bit from his outburst, but accepted it with dignity as Twilight, unable to take it said in tears "Spike, we're saying we're sorry!" This shocked the ponies and Spike as he just looked and saw the state Twilight had now gone in, turning from guilty to emotional in a heartbeat. This began to affect the girls as they knew how much Spike meant to her and realize now that things had to be set right. Rainbow Dash was first as she said in guilt "I was supposed to be loyal to my friends but I wasn't to you, we always used you and didn't care. We were wrong to hurt you that way! Like I did with my pranks and how I kept making fun of you on how you weren't a real dragon! I'm sorry! That evil you was right when he almost ripped off my wings. I was nothing to you but a bully. I know you don't believe me, but I am really, really, seriously sorry!" Spike only looked in shock at the girls as he was about to say something, but Pinkie cut him off, and he noticed a key difference, her mane was flat and her normal hyper personality was missing. "When that meanie you from the future almost destroyed us and ruined our homes, he was right, we hurt you so many times that we lost count and didn't even care. I'm the element of Laughter and I was supposed to make everypony smile, but I didn't even notice it with one of my friends that had to make this much sacrifice to make sure we can be happy with our lives. I'm sorry I didn't invite you to my parties and I'm sorry I didn't care about you like I did with the girls and I'm sorry probably the worst friend you ever met!" Spike was only silent as the party mare apologized, he then saw Fluttershy come next with a look of guilt "When I was friends with the girls and most ponies during our friendship missions, I didn't realize that I was ignoring one of the many friends I knew when I met Twilight. One who had to make so much sacrifice and make difficult decisions. That evil you was right Spike, we were the Elements of Harmony, but we were never heroes. In fact, this might be a friendship problem we were the cause of, yet we didn't solve it, we MADE it happen." Spike was about to again ask something "Wait, why are-?" However, he was cut off again, this time by Applejack who gave a look of remorse as she tipped her hat and looked at Spike. "Spike, when that other you attacked, I kept thinking that when he said to us the reason he existed, it was because of us. I didn't want to believe him, but he was right, we kept on using you so many times, none of us even bothered to care about thanking you or showing a bit of gratitude for how hard you worked when we were in trouble. That evil you showed us how much we disgraced the Elements of Harmony. We may wield them, but we don't represent them." The next to speak was Rarity as she said had makeup smeared on her face because of her tears as she gave a sad look at Spike. "Spikey-Wikey, I understand how much you despise to see me right now. But please know that I am very sorry for how I was to you all these years. When the vile you from the future attacked us, he made me realize what a horrible friend I was to you, not to mention that with how we were to you, our fates were inevitable. He was right, I may be the Element of Generosity, but I never showed it to a close friend who helped both me and everypony else around when needed." Spike was left surprised at how they were apologizing to him, they must have been really frightened and shocked at how his evil self must've done what no other could, break and almost kill the heroes of Equestria. The final one to speak up was Twilight, who only looked broken and demoralized compared to the rest of the girls. "Spike, when I was sent here to Ponyville by Princess Celestia, it was to learn the values of Friendship and how much more it can be not just in here in Ponyville, but all across Equestria. As we both grew up, I kept neglecting you, the very first friend and family I made ever since I moved here to Ponyville and got the Golden Oaks Library before Tirek destroyed it. I was supposed to be the Princess of Friendship and yet I didn't show the same amount of friendship I had with everypony else. I guess I wasn't meant to be the Princess of Friendship after all, especially after that darker, older you told me why he became who he is now. He was right, I'm not the Princess of Friendship or The Element of Magic, I'm no better then any other villain we faced, he was right Spike and we were wrong." The speech from Twilight left the Princesses, Starlight, Shining, Discord and the girls surprised and a bit pitying for the alicorn, Spike only looked at them with a look of some pity but also of disgust. In his mind, there were sides in conflict, one of light, the other dark as his dark self was. "She may have hurt you, but this is going too far, let it go. More conflict and hate will only lose your way." The light in Spike said "Forget that, they deserve it!, destroy them NOW!, they aren't heroes or friends, they're hypocrites who deserve that future that other you almost did!" The dark in Spike refused in disgust and hatred Spike gave a quick sigh of breath before asking a final question "Then why was I so easy to forget? Am I just another fire breathing reptile for your own greedy, selfish needs?" This somewhat offended the girls, but they put it aside, knowing they deserve it. Rarity said with a tearful frown "No! Of course not, darling! We always appreciate you for being yourself." "It's just we were so busy with alot of stuff, we kinda overlooked! We didn't mean to forget ya! I even forget some stuff too. It ain't just you Sugarcube." Rainbow Dash stepped up and said "And i'm sorry if I made feel bad with my jokes and pranks. I tease lots of ponies and creatures. But I didn't mean to hurt anypony's feelings. Well maybe except for Discord, but still. Look Spike, if it makes you feel any better, I'd give up apple ciders for the rest of my life, for every cruel joke and prank I pulled." Spike however was still in conflict, and was left intrigued at her claim (with Discord glaring at her for the last bit about him, but he decided to ignore it). Anypony who knew Rainbow Dash enough know full well of her obsession with cider. Hearing her give up on her favorite beverage was rare among them. Spike then began to open his mouth and said with a firm tone "Do you Pinkie Promise?" "If that's how you want it. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. " Rainbow Dash said "And if it's not too late, I could throw you a 'We're sorry and We Love you and Spike is a true hero Party'" Pinkie offered as Spike only turned away a bit and brushed her off "Is that a no?" "I don't exactly have a choice do I?, with having to choose someone else like I did with Garble and his gang." Spike said "Don't be so hard on yourself, sugarcube. You were still just learning and growing up. Now your more wiser and smarter then you were back then." "Just like all of us!" Pinkie chirped with optimism Twilight moved to hug him, but he backed away a bit with a look of distrust, which fueled as he readied himself to counter, as his hands glowed a light green magic fiery aura. Seeing he was still hesitant, Twilight said with sincerity "Your not a foreigner Spike. Your're our friend and we still love you, pony or dragon. Please don't forget that. And i can Pinkie Promise that we'll treat you better in the nearest future, even if we have to face that evil you when Starlight attacked. I don't know if we can make it up to you or if you forgive us, but-" Spike however, dissipated his magic aura and hugged Twilight and said "You already have." "So, do you forgive us?" Twilight asked hopefully to him "I wouldn't be a friend to ANY of you would I? As long as i don't have to fall in ice cold water again." Spike said with a smile, making the girls and Discord smile in honor "We'll make sure that doesn't happen." Applejack said with a chuckle "So what do you say Spike, what do you feel like doing today?" Twilight asked "For now let's head home." Spike answered, getting some nods from the girls "Agreed" Discord said The ponies, Spike and Discord, headed back to others and began to make their home, having gained a newfound resolve. As they left, their Cutie Marks and Spike's head spikes glowed, indicating they completed their friendship mission. (At the Castle of Friendship) The icons on Ponyville and Cantelot not only faded, but the Dark Spike icons switched back to normal, turning back to the normal icon for Spike, light purple and light green. (Unknown Location in Alternate Ponyville) Future Starswirl was seen watching the ordeal with Spike and the ponies through a magical portal as two solar guards approached along with Future Chrysalis "I take it he has averted his evil self's existence?" Future Starswirl replied "Correct, and yes, all the damage he has done to the past has been undone. But that doesn't mean he will disappear." Future Chrysalis had only said "Let us hope that a better future then this will come." "I know, but then again, who does?" Future Starswirl said He walked over and placed the tube Dark Spike was in on the nearby pedestal and trotted back to the portal. However, unbeknownst to them, the tube began to shake and dents hit the sides, with Dark Spike's face hitting the center. Though he was still trapped......for now, with nothing holding him back.