//------------------------------// // Naught // Story: The Pony of Twilights // by PandaisQd //------------------------------// The Pillars had been gone for a very long time, and that in itself is an understatement. They felt awful for what they had done, not to Stygian but now to Twilight as well. They tried their best to free Stygian and they did but was that one good action of naught? Stygian wasn't ready to forgive the pillars, and none of them could really blame him. The pillars all had to do something with their lives, but to reinsert into society wasn't easy for everyone. Stygian was able to help Sunburst with some ancient magical research in the Crystal Empire. Both Meadowbrooke and Somnambula could return to their original homes where they could continue as they were. Stronghoof became "The Traveling Teller of Tales" and traveled Equestria. Magnus was able to join The Royal Guard and defend Equestria. Starswirl however was... stuck. Stygian didn't forgive him, and his friends all had lives, not that they were the happiest with him either. He was studying the Magic of Friendship but Starswirl wanted more than that. Looking through another book that Twilight had, some sent to him by Starlight that didn't contain the spells needed. Starswirl sighed as he flipped through another book and took notes. "You've done it now Starswirl..." Flipping through book after book, Starswirl just regretted the past, Stygian was just- and he-. Starswirl couldn't even put it into words. Not in vocals, nor on paper. He was stuck in life and his head. He was going nowhere, so doing anything else would be of naught. "Well Spike, I'll see you Monday..." Applejack blushed, giving spike a little hug goodbye. "Right... and you're sure you and your siblings will be alright without me?" Applejack knew it'd be hard with everypony down in the dumps, but she grinned and gave him a playful noogie. "Don'chu worry bout nothin, good luck with Rarity ya hear?" Spike blushed in the hug and released from it to give Applejack one of their friendly hoofbumps. "Thank you..." "Yea you go get er' loverboy~" All Aboard, as much as that name must've made him the laughing stock. I mean really who names their colt or filly All? Called the "All Aboard the train" sthick as Spike boarded, weekend bags in tow. "See you Monday..." "Right on Sugarcube..." The train steamed away as Applejack tried to hold back her inner tears, as Applejack cries on the inside when Discord popped up behind her. "Applejack, there you are, Big Mac said you'd be here dropping off Spike and Fluttershy needs some apples for her crit-" Applejack stood there dolefully as the train passed on, not even acknowledging Discord. "Applejack..." Discord put a claw on her shoulder. "I know how you feel." Applejack was so pent up on emotions and tired all she could do was mutter and say "I'll get those Apples for ya, and thank ya but..." "Spike can't see your feelings for her, and Fluttershy can't see mine." Applejack sighed and gave Discord a smile "Let's walk and talk and I'll get you those apples." "Ugch... walking..." Pinkie Pie's schedule became... repetitive to say the least. Wake up, eat, work, eat, work, eat, sleep repeat, of course, other daily life things. Maud wanted to help but Pinkie just didn't want to talk about it. Limestone and Marble weren't exactly the best with words. Her parents were... traditional to say the least. Not that Maud was close any better socially, but she was close with Pinkie. Not the closest with Twilight and gang, but was close with Starlight as well. Maud kept pondering to herself when it hit her. "Pinkie." "I already told you I'm not gonna talk about it-" "No Pinkie, there's someone here to see you-" "Unless its Twilight, tell them I want to be left alo-" "Pinkie Pie, I hear you're in desperate need of a party." Spike's train arrived in Manehatten late that Friday, he knew he wasn't staying with Rarity but was able to book a hotel nearby her store. Little did Spike know, Rarity and Coco were still out. It was supposed to be just lunch, but that developed into a movie night as well. Spike saw the note written by Rarity "We're currently out darlings, we'll be back tonight, orders will arrive a day later, sorry for the inconvenience~" Spike scratched his head and started walking towards the hotel nearby. "Must be out on some sort of business meeting, I'll check in with her tomorrow." Spike got to the hotel, checked in, despite many people looking at him oddly, it had been this way since he got hefty and went as a quadruped, just easier to carry himself in general. Still the same dragon, just on all fours. He got into the hotel room and started thinking about how he would go about telling her, confessing to her. Ever since he'd gotten to Ponyville with Twilight, he had been head over heels for her. "She's just the most beautiful mare ever, and after all I've done, she'll have to say yes!" Spike thought to himself with a cocksure grin, his ever-increasing excitement. "Rarity-" Spike heard this from outside the hotel room. Was Rarity here?! Who was talking to her. "Yes, Coco darling what is it?" Spike sighed with relief, it was only Coco, they must be here for a delivery or business. "We live a couple of blocks down, why are we staying here for the night." Spike's eyes slowly widened with realization. "That means they're here on a..." Rarity giggled and gave Coco a peck on the cheek. "Darling, I thought it'd be a more... fitting end to our first date." Those words hit Spike like a ton of bricks. This whole weekend was now for naught. He decided to stay the night though, these hotels were not easy to get, and it was part of Twilight's emergency money she'd given him in case she wasn't there for a long royal mission or along the lines of that. But Spike didn't even want to see Rarity, she knew how she felt yet constantly flirted with other guys, then gets with Coco?! Coco's a nice mare and all from what he's heard from both Rarity and Applejack. But it still hurt, to not even be rejected. Just to learn that after just leading you on- that they just-. Spike couldn't even put it into words, he wished he could talk to Twilight about this... The Pony of Twilights had nothing to do but walk around in the void and plan. With Stygian, he wasn't the most physically capable. Didn't have much magic, but now with the former princess of friendship and a powerful and smart magic-user at that under the power, The Pony of Twilights could plan to its heart's content until it was to be set free again. "Hmmm... well when my times returned, I could do that, but I could also reverse the ideas of Plan 23 and 54 and combine them thus..." The Pony of Twilights smirked, it sounded like Twilight but also not her. But the plan she had just came up with could work- "Wait no- that wouldn't work because it would reverse those effects that don't need to be reversed but I'd have to-" The Pony of Twilights cried out in frustration and summoned a fake vase out of the powers to break with a buck. "Easy Twilight, calm yourself, all in due time... They'll pay for their abandonment..." Rarity and Coco were spending the night at the hotel, as a bit of relaxation for the first date, the recent client, Bolt, loved his outfit so much he paid handsomley so they had a bit extra to indulge. They both just laughed and snuggled the night away, unaware of a broken heart right next door. Spike yawned as he got up in the morning and headed to get some continental breakfast. Oatcakes and some french fries, along with apple slices. It really made him think about... Applejack. Spike enjoyed his breakfast as Rarity and Coco walked in. "Spikey Wikey?" Spike cringed and blushed as he turned around. "Hey Rarity, Coco, how have you two been." They both blushed and looked at each other. "We've been fine darling but why are you here" Spike didn't have a reason anymore. "Just... wanted to check in on you..." Coco blushed and stepped aside "I'll give you two some time to catch up, I'll head back to the shop." The two just stood there. "So... Spike... how have you been, I know losing Twilight wasn't easy and..." "It's been... going... I've been living and working at Sweet Apple Acres, Starlight has kind of... secluded the castle unless I need to grab something. Only lets me, Trixie, or Maud in." "I knew she didn't take it well either but-" Spike quickly cut her off, he didn't want her to ask why he was here again, he knew exactly what she was going to do. He fawned over her for years. "How have you been, I mean you suddenly booked for Manehatten..." "I wanted to be with... You know I've always dreamed of living here, and after Rainbow moved back to Cloudsdale, Pinkie went back to her farm, and Fluttershy and Starlight secluded themselves from everypony but a select few not including me... I didn't feel I had a place anymore, and why should I let myself wallow when I could have my dream Spike? My parents can easily take care of Sweetie Belle as well..." Spike knew she was running on her sentence to try and dissolute from the social situation at hoof. He sighed and just held his claw up. "I know what's going on here." Rarity just stared at him with wide eyes and he stared back at her with teary eyes. "I'm happy you found yourself Rarity..." Rarity blushed and looked back at Coco "Spike I-" Spike just shook his head and walked away. "I'm all for you finding yourself but you flirting with so many stallions in front of me when you knew hurts. Then, you moving all of the sudden hurt. Then you getting with someone who isn't even a stallion when you constantly just flirted with them in front of me when you knew. That's what hurts, I'm happy that you found yourself but I'm not ready... to talk to you about... Goodbye Rarity." With that Spike just left... It'd be a dent in his bank but he couldn't be there. It was too much and just left a stunned Rarity and concerned Coco inside the banquet hall. "Rarity, he's just hurt, give him time. I know why you... flirted so-" "It's not that... I think it's just the overtime hurt I've done-" Spike was hurt, and he needed to separate himself from Rarity, his mind kept going to Applejack and he didn't know why. Applejack was beat. Applebloom had a preplanned crusader thing and BigMac was doing deliveries which meant she had to do all the bucking, on her own, all day. She had just finished the last bit of bucking and just collapsed against the tree. Her hooves and legs ached like all hell, she was tired, and she just couldn't get that damn dragon off her mind. She just wanted to lay against a tree and sleep. She felt herself being picked up and shook herself awake. "Wuhuh?" It was Spike. "Spike you were supposed to be gone the whole weekend for confes-" It hit Applejack like a hit from Tirek. "Oh Spike, oh nonon-" Spike sighed and just gave a deep breath. "I flew back home as quick as I could... after the one night... I had asked Granny if ya came back in yet and when she'd said no and I didn't see Big Mac or Applebloom anywhere I knew you were overworking yourself." Applejack blushed and pulled her hat over her face, this was so embarrassing. She was being carried by Spike on his back for Scorpan's sake! "You said you wouldn't need me to be here this weekend AJ, does this mean you did all yesterdays work as well?!" "No... Jus t'day... they were here yesterday..." They both looked at each other as silence fell over the two as Spike carried her closer to the barn until Applejack spoke up. "I didn't want you to miss out on your chance with Rarity..." Spike sighed as they arrived at the barn and placed her down as she wobbled for balance. "Promise me you'll never overwork yourself again." Applejack blushed and stuttered, she hadn't seen such a bold side of Spike before. "Sugarcube I-" "Promise me" "I promise, Spike, not to overwork myself again." "Good, now let's get to bed, shall we?" Applejack blushed, she was tired, and out of wack, she felt plum tuckered like a good fer nuthin drunk. She may as well get this over with. If Spike could be bold enough so could she. "Spike, could we talk about one more thing real quick-like?"