When Spike regained consciousness he awoke with a start. Spike immediately snapped into a sitting position and took a look around to see where he was. What Spike noticed was he was sitting on a bed in a room somewhere. The bed and room looked similar to Rainbow Dash’s except for instead of Wonderbolt posters lining the walls there was Applewood movies. Spike naturally wondered where he was and how he got there when his injuries once again reminded him of their presence. Spike winced and let out a moan as he grabbed for his right side with his left claw feeling it ache. There he felt some cloth on his side and after trying his best to feel/look around with his left hand Spike realized that his right arm and wing were wrapped close to his side with some cloth going across his chest.
“Spike you’re awake!” exclaimed a voice from Spike’s left that the drake was actually glad he got to hear but still confused him.
“Apple Bloom?” Spike asked, wanting to turn and look at her but finding his body wouldn’t listen to his commands. Apple Bloom made it easy for him though since she walked around to face him.
“Oh thanks Celestia you are awake Spike!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “Ah was so worried about you. You were sleepin and sleepin for the longest of time and Ah was worried ya might not wake up.”
“Two questions,” Spike said. “One: How long was I out? Two: Where are we?”
“Well you’ve been out most of the day,” Apple Bloom said. “And as for where are we…well…” Apple Bloom seemed very reluctant to answer Spike.
“Apple Bloom,” Spike said in a warning voice, despite the fact that he knew he couldn’t do anything right now if he tried.
“We’re…kinda in Applewood,” Apple Bloom admitted. “Ya see, Ah was walkin down the street tryin ta find you when you suddenly dropped out of nowhere from the sky. Ah saw you goin fast so Ah chased after you but Ah couldn’t catch up with you. Next time Ah saw you, you were passed out in an alleyway. And when Ah saw you there Ah panicked Spike. Ah knew there were guards everywhere and if Ah just left you there ya could get caught. So Ah did what Ah had to do, and Ah took you to the only place Ah felt we could go.”
“The only place you felt we could go?” Spike asked. “We’re in Applewood. How is that the only place you thought we could go?”
“Hey cous’, how’s it going?” asked a male voice in a heavy southern accent that reminded Spike of Apple Bloom’s cousin Braeburn.
The door behind Apple Bloom opened up and an earth pony stallion walked in. He had a golden brown coat with a pure white mane, tainted by random splotches of yellow color. His cutie mark was multicolored apple with a paintbrush resting on it. He was wearing an artist’s smock yet unlike what Spike has seen for most he had no hat on. Spike wasn’t exactly sure but he was guessing that the guy was a painter.
“So Ah reckin you’re Spike?” the earth pony mare said, getting right to the point.
“Yeah and…who are you?” Spike asked.
“Names Apple Crisp,” he said. “And as ya can probably tell, Ah’m a painter. Ah’m in charge of getting the backdrops ya see in most movies.”
“Yeah, I kinda got that already,” Spike said. “By the way, you know if you wore a hat you would get less pain in your mane.”
“Ah’ve got nearly four decades under mah belt,” Apple Crisp pointed out. “Ah think Ah would have figured that out by now. This color has been there since Ah was a colt, from the day Ah got my Cutie Mark.”
Well sorry, Spike thought sarcastically, but he didn’t say it. He knew that whoever he was, he would decide whether they can go free or are sent back home so Spike didn’t want to get on his bad side.
“So Apple Bloom, you have cousins in Applewood?” Spike asked.
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Yeah Spike,” Apple Bloom said. “Ah, the Apple, have cousins in Applewood.”
If it weren’t for the fact that Spike was still gripping his side in pain, Spike would have faceclawed right there for missing that. “Alright, that was a stupid moment on my part,” Spike said. “But you can’t blame me. I haven’t seen an Apple do anything that isn’t farming.”
“That’s why Applewood is here,” Apple Bloom explained. “Applewood was founded by Apple family members whose special talents aren’t very useful on the farm. Because they couldn’t help out they all joined together here and combined their talents and Applewood was born.”
“Well I guess that explains why you brought us here,” Spike said.
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said with a nod. “Ah ran to Apple Crisp’s house with you on mah back and knocked on his door. After Ah explained the situation to him he brought you in here and helped patch you up. But well…even after Ah explained the situation to him…”
“Ah know you are both runaways,” Apple Crisp said getting to the point. “If it isn’t enough that Ah’ve seen posters of you two around the city, Applejack sent every Apple Family member a letter askin us to keep an eye out for y’all. So you can probably bet Ah ain’t exactly happy with you both right now.”
“So…are you going to turn us in?” Spike asked.
“…Ah haven’t decided yet,” Apple Crisp said. “For now Ah’m lettin you stay here since Ah sure as hay ain’t sendin ya back like that, and y’all don’t hafta worry about the Royal Guard, but whether Ah let you guys go or sent y’all on a one way train ta Ponyville Ah haven’t decided yet.”
With that Apple Crisp walked out of the room leaving Spike and Apple Bloom alone. Spike felt his body shiver with pain once again which caused him to let out another groan. He still wasn’t able to move which was annoying him greatly. Spike wanted to find some way of sneaking out of this house so he didn’t have to worry about whether Apple Crisp decided to send them back or not, but his body just wouldn’t let him even get out of the bed.
“So…you sent us here even though we still could be heading home?” Spike asked.
“Ah’m sorry Spike, but like Ah said before, Ah panicked,” Apple Bloom said. “When Ah saw you, you looked horrible Spike. You were conked out on the ground, your right side was all scraped up, and your wing didn’t look like it was bending naturally. Ah know you’re scales are tough, so seeing ya all scraped up like that worried me so much. Even if Ah could have gotten us out of this city, Ah was worried y’all would have died. So Ah took you to the only place Ah could.
“Don’t forget Spike, Ah’m runnin away too. Ah don’t want to be sent back either. But Ah’d rather have us both be sent back than havin you die.”
Spike sighed. “I get it Apple Bloom. I just…don’t want to be sent back.”
“Why?” Apple Bloom asked, hoping maybe this time she could get an answer from Spike.
“I told you, it’s personal,” Spike snapped.
The door burst open and Apple Crisp came back pushing a cart with some really green looking soup with steam pouring out on it. Apple Bloom took a few steps to Spike’s left to make room for the cart as it was pushed directly in front of Spike’s bed. Apple Crisp walked around the cart, grabbed the soup, and placed it on Spike’s lap.
“Soup’s on,” Apple Crisp said. “Ah don’t know much about dragons and all that, but Apple Bloom told me ya mostly eat the same things ponies eat, ‘sides gemstones which ya ain’t gonna find none of around here. Just warnin ya though, ya won’t like this soup. Get used to it, since it’ll help ya heal.”
“I ate muffins made of dirt, soda, chips, and who knows what else before,” Spike said as he grabbed the soup with his left claw. “I’ll be fine.”
Spike tipped the soup blow towards his mouth and started pouring it in. It didn’t taste as bad as what Apple Crisp made it out to be, but Spike definitely wouldn’t eat this soup normally. It was one of the bitterest things he has ever put in his mouth but Spike still downed it all in one go.
“So cous’,” Apple Crisp said while Spike was chowing down. “Wanna explain why y’all ran away from home. And this better not be somethin stupid.”
“Ah’m headin down ta Phoenix ta get a carpentry job,” Apple Bloom explained with some hesitation in her voice. Spike found it strange and wondered why she was hesitating so much to say it, but in the end he decided it didn’t matter to him. “Ah would have stayed on the farm but Ah felt like Ah wasn’t needed there. All the Apple Family member workin there leaves me with nothin ta do, and Ah don’t want ta have nothin ta do. Ah want ta be a hard worker like the rest of the Apple Family is. Also Ah couldn’t find a job in Ponyville either, and Ah even asked the mayor about it.”
“Alright cous’, Ah get what you’re sayin,” Apple Crisp said. “Ya want ta make our own livin out of life, and are headin to the best place for that. Ah get were you’re comin from, but aren’t ya still a little young ta be worryin about that? When ya hit two decades and are still goin nowhere, then ya can feel free to worry about it, but you’re still a bloomin Apple.”
“Ah know, and Applejack and Big Mac told me the same thing, but Applejack and Big Mac were both workin hard when they were my age,” Apple Bloom said. “They had to since mah parents…left. And Ah just don’t feel right lazin about around the farm all day when Ah know Applejack and Big Mac are hard at work.”
“Ah get ya kind, Ah really do,” Apple Crisp said. “Ah guess Ah really shouldn’t be hinderin ya either, ‘specially with where we are now, but Ah don’t like the timin ya did it at. Ya do realize how worried cous’ Applejack and Big Mac are, don’t ya?”
Apple Bloom turned her head back and looked away. “Yeah Ah…Ah know,” she said. “And Ah…really don’t like it. Knowin Ah’m hurtin them by runnin away. And Ah wish Ah didn’t have to.”
“Well, at least you know,” Apple Crisp said. “To be honest, Ah still want to send you back but at the same time Ah know you would resent me and probably Applejack and Big Mac if we force you to go back.”
“And what about me?” Spike asked, now done with his soup.
Apple Crisp looked at Spike. “Ya ain’t family. The only reasons Ah haven’t turned you in yet is because Apple Bloom was the one who brought you and you’re banged up. So you’re fate is her fate whether you like it or not. If Ah’m lettin her go you’re goin with her, and if Ah’m sendin her back then you’re going back.”
“And your answer is?” Spike asked.
Apple Crisp closed his eyes for a few seconds and had a look of fierce concentration on his face. “Ya want ta find your place and Ah respect that. This place was built on ponies tryin ta find their way. But Ah think ya are still a bit early to be doin this. So Ah’m not gonna force you to go home, since Ah know you’ll hate that anyways, and Ah know you probably aren’t gonna go home, but Ah’d highly recommend ya head home. Trust me, it’d be better for everybody if ya do.”
Apple Bloom breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you so much cous’,” the earth pony filly said.
“No problem,” Apple Crisp said. Apple Bloom left the room this time leaving Apple Crisp and Spike in the room together.
“You know no matter how hard you persuade us we’re not going to turn back right?” Spike asked.
“You guys are that determined huh?” Apple Crisp noted. “You’re willin ta leave behind everything ta find your place.”
“It helps when you know you have nothing to come back to,” Spike said bitterly.
“You’re so sure about that are ya?” Apple Crisp asked. “Sure you’ve exhausted every option? Done all you can?”
“I don’t have any options to begin with,” Spike said.
“Really?” Apple Crisp asked, disbelief evident in his voice. “You have connections to the princess don’t you? And you’re telling me you don’t have any options?”
“You don’t know anything about my situation,” Spike said, with anger lining his voice. “You don’t know what I’ve gone through so don’t act like you do.”
“Well it seems somebody is on his high horse today,” Apple Crisp said. “Well let me remind you, I’m letting you and Apple Bloom go without letting the guards know. And by your own words you both are going to continue going farther away from Ponyville and Canterlot. So you better calm down your anger, especially with Apple Bloom traveling with you.”
Apple Crisp was about to say something else but then he realized something. He walked quickly open to the door and opened it up a crack to see on the other side. After making sure of something he quickly closed the door and walked up close to Spike.
“Listen,” Apple Crisp whispered. “When Apple Bloom brought you to me you were in worse condition than I let on. Your entire side was not only scrapped up but it was entirely red. You didn’t see it on Apple Bloom since I had her take a shower after we sent you to your bed, but her back and a bit of her right side were covered in it too. If you were left out there any longer you would have probably died. That filly saved your life Spike.”
Spike was shocked at that statement. He looked to his right side where the cloth was still covering his entire side. It was white but Spike looked closely and could tell there were a few splotches of pink on it.
“I…didn’t know how serious it was,” Spike said somberly.
“You weren’t just at risk of getting caught,” Apple Crisp said. “You were at risk of dying. And Apple Bloom brought you here, to somebody who could have very easily sent her back home. She selflessly brought you back here instead of spending her time worrying about her journey. So think of that while you’re on your little journey with her.”
After saying that, Apple Crisp left the room leaving Spike stew in his thoughts.