//------------------------------// // 48 Hours Remaining // Story: The Legend of Spike: Discord's Mask // by DiabloGuapo //------------------------------// Dawn of the Second Day- 48 Hours Remaining Applejack and Granny Smith stared at the two sheets that were laid across the table in the kitchen. The sheets with eye holes cut into them were proof that Apple Bloom’s story was at least partially true. Though they weren’t ghosts as she had previously claimed, somepony was trying to steal the apples and the barrels of cider. Applejack was both outraged and ashamed at the same time. She had worked so hard to prepare for the wedding and the Summer Sun Celebration and two thieves were about to ruin all of her hard work. Yet, she hadn’t listened to her younger sister’s warnings and that made her felt awful. “Apple Bloom,” the orange mare said to the filly with a sorrowful expression. “Ah’m so sorry for not believin’ you.” “It’s okay, sis,” the yellow filly reassured. “At least Spike and Ah were able to chase off those thievin’ varmints.” “How can we ever repay you?” Applejack asked Spike. “I’m just happy that I could help,” the dragon responded. “Do y’all think that they’ll be back?” Apple Bloom asked. “Ah think we’ve seen that last of those no good swindlers,” Granny Smith answered. “They’ll think twice before they show their faces around these parts again.” “Even so,” Applejack interjected and turned to Spike. “Ah headed to town this evenin’ to set up for the weddin’, Ah’d feel better if somepony came with me to help protect the barrels of cider.” “Ah’ll do it!” Apple Bloom volunteered. “Ah appreciate it, lil sis, but you need to stay here with Granny in case they do come back.” “But, Ah…” Apple Bloom started to pout. “She’s right, youngin,” Granny Smith said to the filly. “You’re needed here. Otherwise, Ah’d get lonely.” “Oh, alright,” Apple Bloom moaned in defeat. “So, Spike,” Applejack said to the dragon. “How ‘bout it?” “What time are you leaving?” Spike asked. “At six in the evenin’,” she answered. “I have a few errands to run, but I’ll do my best to be here,” Spike responded. The dragon left the farm and ran down the road. The Flim Flam Brothers’ stand was no longer on the side of the road. At least they’re gone, Spike thought. They won’t… have… to… Spike, are you okay? his counterpart asked, but the Unicorn Spirit’s voice sounded distant. Spike’s vision started to go blurry. You will watch as they, one by one, grow older and older while you remain young… a new voice echoed in his head. Huh? What… Spike mumbled as his tried to recognize the voice. You will watch as each and every one of them will die and turn to dust before your very eyes… He had heard this words before. You will spend the rest of your centuries-long life all alone; friendless, miserable, and hated by all… The clock tower, Spike thought as he started to remember. After millenniums have passed, you will wish that you have never been hatched and raised by ponies… The Element of Honesty… He could see the Mirage Applejack. You will envy the other dragons with their solitary lives, only caring for their hoards... The test… He could see his mirror image taunting him. You will wish that you were one of them... This is what I heard in the test, Spike realized. At least then you would be spared the heartache that comes with being a dragon that perceives time as a pony… Why am I seeing this again? Spike wondered. Spike… he heard a voice calling to him. Snap out of it! Spike gasped and realized that he was standing in the middle of the road, spacing out. The voice of the other Spike brought him back to the world. Are you okay? Soarin asked. Maybe you need to sleep for a while, suggested Big Macintosh. No, we got to making back to Clock Town, Spike said as he pulled out the flask and took a small sip of the blue potion. He could feel a surge of energy in his body and continued to run. We got to make it back in time to follow the mailmare. As the young dragon made his way to Clock Town, he thought about memory that he had just experienced. He remembered the sorrow that came with the Test of Honesty. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t change the truth. In the end, he will end up alone. It was raining when he had made it back to the city. He looked up at the clock tower and saw it was almost nine in the morning. He made his way to the western part of town where the post office was located. As soon as the clock struck nine, a gray Pegasus exited the building. Very punctual, the other Spike remarked. Follow her, but not too closely. We don’t want her to think that we’re stalking her. Isn’t that what we’re doing? Soarin snidely commented. Enough of that, and follow that mare, ordered Big Macintosh. Spike kept his distance, but never lost track of the wall eyed mailmare. He followed as she trekked across Clock Town. Her route took her all around the town. First, she went through the northern part of town. After collecting the mail from the boxes, she head to the eastern part of town. Spike watched intently as she stopped by the mailbox by the inn. He saw her take out the letter that Princess Cadance had written to Shining Armor and placed it in her bag. Now, it was only a matter of time before she delivers it and then Spike could talk to the missing groom. Spike continued to follow the mailmare to the central part of town and then back to the western part. It was noon and the mare stopped back at her office for lunch and to sort the mail. He would have to wait until the afternoon before she did her delivery route. I hope we find him soon, said the other Spike. Remember, we still got to make it back to the farm before six. Eeyup, Big Macintosh agreed. Spike heard them, but didn’t have the strength to respond. Once again, their voices sounded distant. She… she rejected me… she doesn’t love me… a memory echoed in his head. Spike flashed back to the day that started it all. Rarity rejected him in favor for a pony she didn’t know. Why him? What was so special about Count High N’Mighty? What did he have that Spike didn’t? Hey, she’s leaving! the Unicorn Spike shouted. Spike shook his head and realized that he was spacing out again. He took another sip of potion and followed the mailmare as she made her run. Spike, I’m starting to worry about you, his counterpart fretted. I’m fine, Spike flatly stated as he watched the mare give various ponies their mail, but didn’t see the letter yet. Are you sure? asked Soarin. I’m fine, he repeated little agitated. The others didn’t press the issue, but they could tell something was wrong. Eventually, Spike followed the gray Pegasus to the laundry pool. He watched as she headed to an alleyway that led behind the stores of western Clock Town. The dragon hid behind a corner and watched as the mare knocked on a backdoor of one of the stores. A white colt wearing a fox mask answered the door and Spike recognized the colt’s cutie mark. It was a shield with a magenta star. It’s him! the other Spike declared. But, he’s just a colt, observed Big Macintosh. How could he be the pony we’re looking for? The Shining Armor we’re looking for is a stallion. All I see is a foal, said Soarin. Trust me, I’d recognize that cutie mark anywhere, the Unicorn Spike explained. That’s definitely Twilight’s brother. The mailmare left and the colt went back inside with his letter. After the gray mare was out of sight, Spike came out of his hiding place and went to the door. He knocked on the door and after a few moments, it opened. The masked colt stood in the door way and looked at Spike. “Purple scales… Green spines… Cadance wrote about you in her letter,” the colt said to the dragon. “It seems you are looking for Shining Armor. Can you keep a secret?” “Yes,” Spike told him. “Cadance trusted you. I guess I can trust you, too,” the colt said as he reached for the mask. When he took it off, Spike saw the face of Shining Armor that he remembered from when he was a baby. “I am Shining Armor.” “What happened to you?” Spike asked regarding the captain’s youthful appearance. “I was turned into this by a dark Alicorn wearing a strange mask,” he explained. “But I’m not hiding because I look this way.” “I guess that makes you another victim of Nightmare Moon’s curse,” Spike commented. Shining Armor nodded and continued. “When I was turned into this, I went to see Princess Celestia, but on the way, the wedding rings were stolen from me by a griffon! If I was an adult, no one would have tried to do this to me, but I was targeted because of what I was turned into.” “I’m very sorry that this happened to you just before your wedding,” Spike sympathized. “I know that Cadance is worried and that I said that I wanted to meet with,” Shining Armor confessed. “But I can’t go out yet. I have to get those rings back. Here…” He pulled out a medal with his family’s crest on it and gave it to Spike. “This was my uncle’s. I was going to wear it during the wedding. Give it to Cadance and tell her that I still want to get married. Tell her I’ll be back before the wedding.” “You got it,” Spike said as he took the pendant. “Things that get stolen in this town always make their way to this shop,” Shining Armor explained. “I know. I’ve led raids on it many times. I’ve promised the owner that I’ll go easy on him if he helps me out. I’m waiting for that griffon to show up.” “Alright, I’ll give this to Cadance,” Spike declared at started to head out. “Keep what we just talked about a secret from everypony,” Shining Armor said as the dragon left. Spike ran across town to the inn. He headed upstairs and knocked on Princess Cadance’s door. The pink Alicorn opened the door and saw Spike standing there. “Oh… Did you meet him?” she asked nervously. Spike pulled out the medal and handed it to the princess. She gasped and took the medal in her hooves. “Ah! This… this is his…” “He said that he still wants to get married and that he’ll be back in time for the wedding,” Spike told her. “He’s just… He has to finish some last minute business first, but don’t worry, he’s got it covered.” “O-Okay, I…” she said with a little uncertainty, but then strengthened her conviction. “I believe in him. I will wait for him. Thank you, thank you very much!” She gave him a hug and Spike smiled a bit. He then noticed it was getting late in the afternoon and remembered his promise to Applejack. He hurried back to Sweet Apple Acres and was relieved to see that Applejack hadn’t left yet. She was loading up the last few barrels of cider on a cart when she spotted Spike running up to her. “Well howdy there, Spike,” the mare with the Stetson greeted. “You’re just in time.” “Hey, I’m a dragon of my word,” Spike replied. “Well, come along and hop on,” she said, motioning to the cart as she hitched herself to it. “It’s time to haul these to town.” Spike hopped on the cart and Applejack started to pull the cart. “This is nice. Now Ah won’t be so lonely as Ah deliver the cider. Ah welcome your company.” “It’s my pleasure,” Spike told her. The cart headed out the farm and onto the road that will lead them back to Clock Town. Spike found it ironic that he ran from the city just to go back to it. “Ah guess it’s been awhile since our folks died,” the orange mare said with a contemplative tone, talking to herself more than to Spike. “Ah’ve been tryin’ to take care of the farm, but with my brother livin’ up north and Granny gettin’ older, things haven’t been easy. Ah guess with the Flim Flam Brothers stealin’ our apples and cider, things were harder than they should be. At least now Ah know why we always seemed to barely scrape by each year; those thievin’ varmints. Ah should have listened to Apple Bloom, she was right all along.” “Stop kicking yourself for that,” Spike told her. “You can’t change what happened. All you can do is to try to do better.” Rarity left to be with that Count High N’Mighty. She even told you the reason why she couldn’t be with you. It’s hopeless; you have lost her, a voice said in his head. Spike shook his head to clear it and took another sip of blue potion. “Ah guess you’re right,” Applejack responded and then looked up to the moon. “What do you think is gonna happen? Ah sure hope it doesn’t fall.” Not if I can help it, Spike thought to himself. “What in tarnation?” Applejack exclaimed as she came to stop. In front of them were a dozen fallen trees and a sign mark ‘detour’ headed down a suspicious looking trail. “Spike, Ah got a bad feelin’ about this. Get ready.” She headed down the detour, eying the sides of the path for any sign of trouble. “First, there was one tree and now there’s a dozen. Ah’m gonna get us through here as fast as can. Keep a lookout for those two rascals. They’re probably behind this. Can Ah count on you?” “Of course,” Spike answered. “Let’s do this!” “Yee-haw!” Applejack reared back onto her hind legs and then sprinted forward. The Earth Pony raced down the trail and Spike held on to the cart to balance himself. He looked all around, but did see anything. Then, he heard a noise. It sounded like the roar of a motor. Spike heard something crashing through the forest and a large vehicle burst through the trees behind the cart. It was the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 and it was racing towards them! Applejack didn’t dare to look back, but Spike could see the Flim Flam Brothers sitting behind the wheel on the contraption. The two Unicorns were wearing thin, black masks across their faces, not really hiding their identities that well. Pistons roses up and down and gears cranked as smoke roses from pipes on the machine as it gained on the cider cart. A large nozzle came from the machine and reached for the cart. Spike could feel the suction coming from the oversized hose and the barrels of cider began to rattle against their restraints. If he didn’t do something soon, they’ll break free and be sucked up by the machine. “Applejack, no matter what, don’t stop running!” Spike shouted over the roar of the vacuum. “What are you plannin’?” she asked, concerned that the dragon was about to do something foolish. “No time to argue, just run!” he shout. He turned back to the machine and jumped. He landed on the driver’s seat between the two brothers. The thieves looked down in surprise and confusion. Spike shot a small flicker of flame at Flim’s flank and the stallion leaped up in his seat, trying to extinguish his smoking rump. Spike reached down and slammed on the brakes. The brakes squealed and Flam grabbed the wheel in attempt to control the swerving vehicle. The vehicle went of the trail and crashed into a large tree, wrecking the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000. The crash left the two brothers disorientated and dazed. Flam stumbled out of the wrecked machine and was followed by Flim. They held a hoof to their heads, trying to steady themselves. They then saw the remains of their prized machine and were filled with anger. “Ooh, that dragon!” fumed Flim. “If I ever get my hooves on that little…” The olive stallion was silenced by a buck to the head, knocking him senseless. Flam looked over to his brother, but then a large hoof grabbed him by his bow-tie. The mustached brother looked up and saw the angry face of Big Macintosh. Flam nervously gulped as the large, red Earth Pony scowled down at him. “Eenope,” Spike growled and then proceeded to beat the thief. After a sound beating, the Flim Flam Brothers ran like little fillies out of the forest. “Don’t let me catch y’all two showin’ your faces around here again!” Spike changed back into a dragon and ran down the path to meet up with Applejack. Before he could reach the main road, he saw the orange pony running up to him. “Spike, are you alright?” Applejack asked with concern. “Ah heard a crash.” “I’m fine,” Spike told her. “Really, I’m okay.” “What happened to the Flim Flam Brothers?” “They ran off. I don’t think they’ll be coming back.” “Well, Ah’m glad you’re okay.” She hitched herself back to the cart and Spike hopped back on. The Earth Pony pulled the cart down the road. They left the forest and headed to the gates of Clock Town. Spike helped Applejack to unload the barrels of cider and other wedding preparations in a room that she rented out. “Looks like you’re all set to start baking for the wedding,” Spike said as they finished. “Well, I’m glad that we were able to make it here safe n’ sound,” she told them. The mare walked over to the dragon and gave him a thankful smile. “Thank you, sugar cube. Ah wouldn’t have made it without your help.” She looked a little bashful, but continued. “Ah know this is much, but…” She wrapped her forelegs around his neck and pulled the young dragon into an affectionate hug. She held him there against her chest for a good amount of time. When she had released the dragon, his ear frills were glowing red. A grin was spread across his flushed face and he felt all warm and fuzzy inside. With all the affection he’s been receiving recently, Spike figured that he could get used to it. “Ah know it isn’t much, but Ah wanted thank you for all that you’ve done and not just for me, but for Apple Bloom, too.” “I’m just happy that I could help,” Spike humbly responded. The two stood there awkwardly until Applejack spoke again. “Well, it’s gettin’ late. Ah’ve gotta get some sleep before Ah start cookin’ tomorrow,” she told them. “Then Ah’ll head home tomorrow afternoon.” “You’re not sticking around for the wedding?” Spike asked. “Ah am,” she explained. “Ah’ll head back here on the mornin’ of the weddin’ with the others. Well, Ah guess Ah’ll see you around.” “Yeah, see you around.” Spike headed out the room and took another sip of blue potion. He only had one more day, and he still hadn’t found the Element of Magic yet.