//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Halcyon Hearts // by TheMyth //------------------------------// “No... no!” Rainbow Dash sat up in her bed, recognizing the pleading. Giving a sigh at what she was about to do, she threw off her covers and raced to her daughter’s room. Scootaloo had already kicked her covers off, and was thrashing around her bed. “No! Get away! I won’t go back! Aah!” With that, she bolted upright, breathing heavily. Moments later, she found herself in the comforting forelegs of her mother. “It’s alright, Scoots... I got you.” Scootaloo cried the same as she had the past several nights. “It... it was Bloodwing again. And Black, and Blue. They were after me.” She stroked her mane gently. “It’s okay. Bloodwing and Blue are history, and Black’s still in the dungeons in Canterlot. In a few weeks, he’s going to be shipped off somewhere far away, and you’ll never even be in the same country as him.” Scootaloo’s crying decreased greatly. She continued whispering to her, kissing her forehead, and calming her down. then, she took a deep breath. Now the hard part. She released her daughter and gently lay her back onto her bed. “There now, try and get back to sleep.” The filly instantly became alarmed. “W-wait... can I sleep with you?” She took a deep breath. After finding out her father was in town, she desperately wanted to say yes, to keep her close... but it was better this way. “I’m sorry, Scoots... but you need to start facing this like a big girl. They’re just nightmares, they can’t hurt you.” “B-but...” the filly stammered, her eyes misting. “I’m doing this because it’s what’s best for you,” she assured, drawing her blanket back up. “I’ll tell you what. You sleep alone this week, and I’ll take you up to Cloudsdale this weekend.” She brightened. “Really?” “I promise. But you have to show me you’re a big girl, okay?” She nodded. “Okay...” there was still a hint of reluctance in her voice. Rainbow Dash kissed her child on the forehead. “Good night, Scoots.” “Good night, Mom.” With that, Rainbow Dash walked out the door and, giving one last regretful look at the little filly, closed it. Rainbow Dash let out a sigh, making her way to her bed and she dropped onto it without lifting the sheets up to cover herself. Tomorrow is her first day of school, since that incident. She rolled on her side and furrowed her eyebrows as she closed them, welcoming sleep. She opened her eyes again when another thought came to her mind. Him... what in Equestria is he doing here anyway?! Not like him to care anyway. Rainbow closed her eyes again, this time being succumbed by sleep. “Spike! Time to wake up now!” Spike groggily opened his eyes, the sandpony’s dust still present in them. He rubbed them vigorously, as the sun’s rays flooded his room from the window. He sighed as he got up from the bed, but arched his eyebrow when he felt his head become a little heavier. Looking up, he saw the face of his phoenix Peewee, greeting him. “Heh. Morning, Peewee.” he said as he reached up his hoof and stroked the phoenix’s beak. “Mind getting off?” he asked Peewee and the phoenix complied happily. He made his way to the door and opened it with his hoof, which was easy since he just needed to push. Taking a sniff in the air, he smelled breakfast and smiled slightly. Twilight was at the table, preparing her and Spike’s breakfast. She decided to make a healthy breakfast of muesli and yogurt, followed by freshly squeezed orange juice for both of them. She heard the clopping of hooves from the entrance way and smiled when Spike came up and hugged her. “Good morning, Spike,” she said as she stroked his soft green spiky hair and felt his tiny hooves around her neck. Spike let go and smiled warmly at his mother. “Morning, Mom,” he replied as he took his seat and viewed the breakfast before him and licked his lips. “Looks good.” Twilight giggled and looked at her son with half closed eyes, which widened when she looked at the clock. “You better hurry up, don’t want to be tardy on your first day now.” Spike finished his juice when he was done with the muesli, albeit a little messy since he used his mouth only. “Oh right, school starts today,” he said as he looked downwards on his finished muesli. “Need to wash up quickly.” With that he rushed upstairs, leaving Twilight alone. She looked at his finished breakfast and tapped her chin slightly. I guess when he comes back, we can exercise light object levitation like forks and spoons. A knock on her door was heard and she stood up from the table. “Coming!” Honestly, this is a public library... She got to the door and opened it and saw two ponies at the door. “Yo!” Blaze said happily. “Hey,” Light said, right next to him. “Oh, you’re here... a little earlier than I expected. I’d have thought you’d want to take him to school first.” “He wanted to walk with Spike,” he shrugged, coming in. Light followed, staying behind his older brother. “Oh?” Twilight asked, leaning down to Light’s eye level. “Are you and my son getting along?” “Um, yes,” he said sheepishly, shifting a bit. Twilight arched an eyebrow. “What’s...” Before Twilight could finish that question, Spike came bounding down the stairs, his school saddlebags at his side. “I’m ready!” Immediately Twilight turned her attention to her foal. “Oh, you look so cute... oh, hang on, I just have to get a picture!” “Mom!” Spike moaned. “Oh, it’s not everyday your boy goes off on his first day,” she said, going over to to her closet. Spike began to mumble something, but his words died in his throat when he saw Blaze. “When’d you get here?” “Just a minute ago,” he said. Had he been paying more attention, he might have noticed a hint of fear in Spike’s voice. “Figured Light would want somepony to walk with.” Light dashed up to join his friend just as Twilight was returning with the camera. “Spike, you stand over there... no, no, Light, you go too. I’m sure Blaze would want a photo too.” Light looked over at Blaze, who nodded. The two school colts stood side-by-side as Twilight lifted her camera to face them. “Smile!” A bright flash of light and some temporary blindness later, Spike and Light were out the door, eagerly racing to their first day of school... the very first for either of them. The two ponies watched them go a moment before turning to each other. “So...” Blaze began awkwardly, “I guess we better get started.” “Yeah, I guess we better,” she said, entering the library. Her new assistant was not far behind. “Did you look over that guide on organization I gave you?” He couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Yeah... kind of overkill, don’t you think?” “Absolutely not. This is a library. We need to keep everything in tiptop shape. Ponies will be coming in here looking for books before too long.” Blaze laughed as he shook his head. “You got it, master.” Twilight pursed her lips slightly. “Please don’t call me that.” “Princess?” “Less formal.” Blaze chuckled and smiled. “Very well then, my lady.” Twilight groaned slightly as she placed a hoof on her forehead. “Guess we’ll need to work on that,” she said as she made her way to a get a check list of books. “Right now, first things first we need to organize these books alphabetically by author. Starting from ‘Absolute Paradise’ by-” “A.C. Hoofen.” Twilight lifted her head from the list and blinked and looked up from her list and stared at Blaze. “Say again?” “A.C. Hoofen. He wrote that book, Absolute Paradise. About a group of ponies who try to make their town a better place, but they in turn become the enemy by using absolutes in their methods and beliefs.” Twilight’s jaw hanged opened slightly. “You read that book?” “Yeah, read lots of others too,” Blaze said as he shrugged it off and starting sorting out the books, hovering to reach the top shelves. “Helps pass the time when you work for a mad tyrannical scientist.” Twilight blinked rapidly. “Just how did you get those books?” Blaze bit his lower lip and looked downwards. “It’s complicated. Rather just wanna put it behind me now.” Twilight smiled slightly, shifting her hooves. “What other books have you read?” “Well...” Blaze finished the ‘R’ side, floating down to Twilight’s level. “Dunno if you ever read the book ‘Daring Do and the Soul Heart’, the latest one?” Twilight’s ears perked and she nodded with a wide smile. “The one where Daring falls in love with a fellow explorer who is also in search of the Soul Heart because he’s trying to save his little sister...” Blaze smirked. “They travel together in search of it, they find out from they got their cutie marks at-” “The same moment which meant they were soulmates and-” “The Soul Heart is only reachable via soulmates.” Twilight giggled. “It reminded me of that old Urban Legend, that two ponies who get their cutie marks together are destined to become soulmates.” He smirked. “Who knows? Maybe Light will get lucky and some pretty young filly will fall in his lap.” Twilight couldn’t help but laugh. Then, she got serious for a moment. “Light is doing okay, isn’t he? Part of my job is to make sure he’s being taken care of.” The red stallion nodded. “As well as can be expected.” “Any... nightmares?” He looked at his parole officer, a bit puzzled. “No... not necessarily. He’s happier than he’s been in years. After Bloodwing, everything looks great to him.” “That’s a relief. Poor Spike’s been having them ever since he transformed.” She was quiet for a moment as the two wordlessly shelved their books. “Did Rainbow Dash take you being her partner well?” “...Yes,” he said at last. “I mean, she wasn’t happy about it, but she didn’t seem to mad at me after a while. Really, it sounded like something else was bothering her.” “Oh, something was,” Twilight said without thinking. “See...” She trailed off when she realized that her friend probably wouldn’t have wanted this shared with him. “...Never mind. If she didn’t tell you, then...” He brushed this off. “No worries. Now, I was wondering... do you know what the deal is with this huge party your friend was passing out invitations for this morning?” Twilight facehoofed. Spike shifted in his seat. After a whole lifetime of the cushy seats in the palace or the personalized seats at the library, sitting in something so confining for so long was going to take some time getting used to. Still, most of his other friends didn’t seem too uncomfortable. Light even seemed to be relaxed in the new surroundings. Only one other seemed to be discomforted. “Scootaloo?” he asked. The pegasi lifted her head off the desk, showing the bags under her eyes showing. “Yeah?” “You look awful,” he commented. “Yeah!” Apple Bloom chimed in. “Ya look like mah sister durin’ Applebuck season!” “I just... I had some problems sleeping last night,” she muttered, rubbing her eyes. Before anyone could question her, the school bell rang, signaling the start of class. A fuchsia earth pony mare wearing a saddlebag entered the door as she walked up to the desk in front and beamed at her students. “Good morning, class.” “Good morning, Miss Cheerilee,” the colts and fillies echoed in unison in the classroom. “I’m pleased to see all of you back from the summer holidays,” she stated, “and I’m pleased to see a few new faces as well. I expect you all remember the rules, but let me remind you. You will pay attention and be quiet in class.” She spared a glare at Snips and Snails, who sunk in their seat. “You are to treat your fellow students with kindness and respect.” She shot a harder glare at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Silver looked ashamed, but Diamond was inspecting her hoof for dirt, apparently not listening to what her teacher had to say. “We have a lot to cover this year, so let’s begin today with a few mathematical questions,” Cheerilee said as she stood up and went to the black board, writing down equations for the class. “Now who would like to come up here and answer me these questions?” she looked around yet, saw no hooves in the air. Cheerilee’s furrowed her eyebrows in slight frustration. “Alright, I’ll choose... Spike.” Spike’s head went straight and he looked at the board, having not paid attention. “Yes ma’am?” “Could you please come up here and answer these for me please?” Spike sighed and he slumped out of his uncomfortable desk, walking past the students to get to the front. Some of them were whispering about him being a former dragon, and a few were snickering at him. When he glanced to his side at the snickering, he saw a prissy earth pony in a tiara looking at him with a sly grin. He rolled his eyes and made his way to Cheerilee. “Here you go,” she said as she passed on a chalk to him, with he took with his teeth. The taste of chalk polluted his mouth, and he nearly gagged at the foul powder that was coming off from the piece he was holding. He went to the board and remembered what his mother taught him, both in mathematics and in writing with his mouth. He stood on his hind legs as his front hooves were pressed against the board and he finished the equations as fast as he could, seeing as the taste was becoming unbearable. He placed his front hooves on the ground and placed the chalk on the desk of Cheerilee. “All done, ma’am,” he said as he looked back at the board and to Cheerilee, who he saw nodded with a soft smile. Cheerilee looked at the board and nodded. “All correct, well done Spike,” she said as she wiped the board clean. “Take your seat please.” Spike went back to his seat and slid back in, feeling the discomfort coming in again. He felt a tap on his shoulder and saw Sweetie Belle smiling at him. “Where did you learn to do those difficult math questions?” Spike simply shrugged. “My mom taught me, even though she was the student too.” Just then a paper ball hit Spike in the side of the head. Angrily, he looked around to see who had been responsible, and saw Diamond Tiara snickering. With difficulty he unfolded the crumpled sheet, and found a crude drawing of him with large buck teeth and glasses, with “NERD” written below it. He fumed, but he didn’t say anything. “Alright, here are our next problems,” Cheerilee spoke up, having filled the board with three more problems. “Light, why don’t you come up?” The white colt jumped a bit, but shook out an “O-okay.” After making his way to the front, he took the chalk. Used to manipulating things with his mouth, he didn’t gag. He looked at the board, and after a minute, had managed to answer each equation. Cheerilee nodded. “That was very good, Light. You got numbers one and two right. However, you made a mistake on number three.” Light’s eyes widened and he flinched in anticipation for something that never came. This elicited a few snickers from the class, but Cheerilee just looked at him worriedly. “It’s fine Light. Go back to your seat and we’ll continue the lesson.” Light went as fast as he could without running. He didn’t see Snails stick his tongue out at him. As Cheerilee went into lecturing, Light looked at Scootaloo, who gave him a reassuring smile. He couldn’t help but smile back, suddenly feeling better about the whole thing. After math, there was geography, and then literature, another lesson that Spike excelled in. Finally, it was almost time for every students favorite part of the day: recess. “Class, I want to announce something special. This Friday, we’re going to hold a special back-to-school talent show.” All six of the Cutie Mark Crusaders turned to each other, with smiles on their faces and gave a nod as though they were a hive mind. “It will be at 7:00pm sharp Friday, and you’ll have all day Thursday and Friday to work on it. I suggest you start thinking up your act immediately. Now, it’s time for recess, class dismissed.” When they were outside, the six foals went to the swing set. The fillies were the first on the swings and the colts decided to push them all as hard as they could go. Apple Bloom, was being pushed by Pip, jumped off her swing and looked to her friends. “So what are we gonna do for the show?” Sweetie let out a squee as Spike pushed her swing hard and she was laughing at the rush of wind through her face. When she was back to ground level she got off the swing and gave a quick look at Spike, blushing slightly. “I don't know, last time we tried to do a talent show we broke the whole stage remember?” “A stage I worked hard on!” Scootaloo said as she got off her swing. Spike chuckled as he closed his eyes. “I remember, that was pretty funny!” “Not as funny as when ye three dames got Celestia in a Cake Eating Scandal, heard she went on a diet, poor monarch,” Pip chimed in and saw the three fillies look down with rosy cheeks in embarrassment. Light arched an eyebrow. “You’ll have to excuse me for being new, but what happened?” Scootaloo explained the two past event to Light, albeit roughly. “And then Featherweight became the new editor and Diamond Tiara got demoted to ink presser.” Light blinked rapidly, placed his hoof to his mouth and finally laughed out loud. “That prissy brat working with ink, classic!” Scootaloo giggled too. “Yeah, and best part is she complained to her dad about it but he wouldn’t listen to her whining.” Pip chuckled with his eyes closed. “Yeah! She just quit though, after serving her punishment fer being a dodgy editor.” Apple Bloom nodded and smiled. “Yeah...” she beamed and lifted her head up high. “Anyway! We ‘ave to figure out something for our talent show! Who knows, one of us or maybe all of us can get cutie marks!” “Like that will ever happen!” The six foals turned and saw Diamond Tiara, standing proudly with Silver Spoon at her side. Behind her were two other ponies, Snips and Snails, who by anypony’s standards were the town’s buffoons. “Oh, go away,” Scootaloo moaned. “We really shouldn’t have to put up with you.” “No, no, you’ve got that backwards,” Diamond Tiara jeered. “I shouldn’t have to come to the same school as a bunch of stupid blank flanks.” “Yeah,” Silver Spoon added. The pink filly then looked at Spike and smiled maliciously. “Especially one that’s not even a real pony.” Spike flinched at that. “You better cut it out!” the former dragon demanded, standing defiantly in front of her. “I don’t have to! My daddy owns half the town,” she placed her muzzle in the air. Much to her surprise, Spike responded by smiling. “Really? That’s nice. I mean, my mom is the personal apprentice to Princess Celestia, and has more power than your daddy could buy with all the money in Equestria, but I guess Filthy is pretty cool too.” His grin widened at Diamond Tiara’s stunned expression when she realized her usual threats weren’t going to work. Scootaloo spoke up. “You’d think Diamond would have remembered that since my mom used it on her a few weeks ago. I guess she really is that stupid.” Diamond Tiara blushed in anger and embarrassment. “Oh yeah? You mean before you were hauled off like the freak that you are?” At this, Scootaloo was in front of her rival, a look of sheer hate in her eyes. “You take that back!” Regaining some of her gusto, the rich filly stood tall. “I don’t have to. I’m real, you’re just some freak that should have been kept in her cage!” Apple Bloom and Sweetie had to hold their friend back from smacking Diamond Tiara across the face. As they pulled her away, the pink filly laughed again. “Like I said, just a savage freak!” “Yeah!” Silver Spoon chimed in. “‘Oi, you know how ta do anythin’ other than agree, or are you really so daft ya need ‘er ta do all yer thinkin’ ‘fer ya?” Pip chimed in. Silver Spoon blushed, and much to Pip’s surprise, she actually looked rather hurt. But before he could think about it too long, Snips and Snails stepped in front of him. “You better watch it,” Snips said. “I don’t like the way you talk. Why you talk like a smart pony?” “I don’t think yer in any position to give lessons,” Pip muttered. “Why do y’all care?” Apple Bloom asked, still holding her friend back. "She’s paying us to be her bodyguards!” Snails said proudly. At this, the pink filly grinned proudly. “Yes, a pony of my stature will need servants. Of course, we all have to start somewhere. These two are just bourgeois.” “Gee, thanks!” Snips said. Then, after a minute, he turned to his friend. “What’s that mean?” Snails shrugged. Light leaned in to Spike’s ear. “Are they acting stupid or is it natural?” he whispered in Spike’s ear. “Nah, they are just that stupid,” Spike said as he narrowed his eyes to Diamond Tiara. “Unreal...” Apple Bloom just shook her head, rolling her eyes to the summit. “C’mon, let’s just go,” she said to her friends and they all nodded and began to turn away. Diamond Tiara smiled triumphantly. “See what good servants and status does for you and a good daddy? Better than having a loser nerd for a mother!” Spike stopped in his tracks and the he turned his head slowly to Diamond Tiara, his eyes narrowing with every second passing. “What did you say?” Diamond Tiara smirked as she glared at Spike, “You heard me!” “Diamond, let’s just stop it, okay? I don’t think-” “Shut up Silver!” she shouted to her friend who cowered behind Snips and Snails as all three backed away carefully from Diamond Tiara. Spike walked very slowly to the pink filly. “No, I think I must have misheard something. What did you say about my mom?” he asked her as his horn was strangely glowing. “I. Said. You. Mom. Is. A. Nerdy. Ugly. Obsessed. Nerd!” she said each word slowly and loudly, snickering with her eyes closed. Something inside Spike snapped, because his eyes turned white and as his jaws clenched in rage. His horn glowed brightly and sparks were emitting from it. The horn started making glittering noises, common for unicorns when they used magic. “This is bad!” Light exclaimed and pulled Pip with him. “C’mon!” “Right oh!” Just as the two colts pulled Spike away, a beam of magic shot out of his horn. Were it not for the intervention, Diamond Tiara’s head would have been hit with the magic. Instead her tiara came into contact with it. When the magic collided with it, the crown was reduced to ash and Diamond Tiara just stood still there, quaking in her hooves with her eyes wide in fear. The three fillies came to Spike and dragged him away with the help of Light and Pip. “Spike, calm down! Please!” Sweetie Belle shouted to him, and felt his body relax when her words were spoken. Spike blinked and turned to his friends, arching an eyebrow in confusion. “What happened?” “Stop!” Miss Cheerilee’s voice rose over the playground. Indeed, their teacher was stomping over to them , looking angry. “You’re here just in time!” Diamond Tiara said. “Spike here attacked me for no reason!” Cheerilee glared at her richest charge. “That will be another week of detention on top of the week you’ll be serving for insulting Twilight.” When she saw Diamond Tiara turn ashen, she added. “Oh yes, I heard what you said, and I think I’ll remind Twilight of it the next time she comes in to substitute.” She turned to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Did she say anything else?” “They’ve been bothering us since they got out here!” Apple Bloom said. “They kept sayin’ Spike and Scootaloo weren’t real, and that Scootaloo belonged in a cage!” “Well, Diamond did anyway,” Light muttered. She turned back to the group. “I think I’ll add another week to your detention, Diamond. This attitude problem of yours needs to stop. And the three of you will be getting three days detention. Now get back in the school house, your first session is now!” Snips and Snails all groaned in annoyance, but Silver simply nodded resignedly. They all headed back inside, as Cheerilee turned back to the others. “Spike... you know you’re not supposed to use violence,” she scolded, gently but firmly. “Yes Miss Cheerilee,” he said. “I understand that Diamond Tiara goaded you into it, so I won’t punish you this time, but try and keep your temper under control. I’m afraid I’m also going to have to send a note home to your mother about this.” Spike felt his ears flatten against his head. A single day of school and he was already getting in trouble. “And Light, I also want you to stay after class to get a note for your brother.” Light flinched at this. “W-why?” he said, shivering. “It’s nothing bad. It’s simply about your enrollment here,” she assured gently. “Now, you go on playing, there’s still twenty minutes of recess left!” As Miss Cheerilee walked off, Light spoke up. “Those four were horrible!” Apple Bloom rubbed her chin. “I expected that from Diamond an’ Silver, but not Snips an’ Snails. I wonder how much Diamond had ta pay ‘em to get ‘em to act like that?” “Remember, those two thought Trixie was a good role model,” Spike muttered. “It probably didn’t take much.” “Um... who’s Trixie?” The group looked at one another. “We have a lot to catch you up on.”