//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 CMC, Cheer up Specialists Yaaaay! // Story: In The Twilight of Harmony’s End // by Leonofsweden //------------------------------// In the Twilight of Harmony’s End Chapter 15 (Bonus 3/4) CMC, Cheer up Specialists Yaaaay! **** Scootaloo, or more accurately the shadow clone with all of Scootaloo's memory's in planted within, stood on Apple Bloom's back as she carefully looked into the golden oaks library through a window. She could pick up a subdued sniffling from within. "Are you positive this is a good idea?" Sweetie Belle wondered as she looked up at the frowning Scootaloo. "Rarity did say Twilight and the rest of them had to go to Canterlot because of something important. And for us not to cause any trouble while they are gone." "We aren't going to cause trouble; we are going to fix something that's wrong and bad." Scootaloo said with conviction and jumped down from Apple Bloom's back. "Right... Like we haven't set out to do that before, only for it to come back and bite us in the flank later." Apple Bloom snorted. "Yeah, not to be a downer, but most of Ponyville is panicking right now. Maybe we should just do as we were told and stay home." Sweetie Belle said carefully. "No! Believe me, Spike needs us right now." Scootaloo stated with a sad look on her face. "You girls didn't hear what they said to him... I know they want to keep him safe, but they crushed him again. Not even realizing what they were doing." Looking at each other a bit worriedly, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nonetheless followed Scootaloo to the entrance of the library. Carefully and soundlessly, sort of, the three fillies made their way into the mostly dark building. As they were inside, they could see what a complete mess the library was in. Most likely the result of Twilight having one of her study frenzies when confronted with a problem she hasn’t faced before. Lastly, the faint sounds of a crying dragon could be heard without difficulty from the second floor. Casting an “I told you so” look at her friends, Scootaloo continued to move forward. They made their way up the stairs only to find the crying dragon curled up in his basket. Ever so carefully, they inched up to the so far oblivious drake. “Are you okay Spike?” Scootaloo asked. “Gahhh!” Spike yelled in fright as he whipped around to face the three fillies. “No… I mean yes! I mean…” Turning around quickly to wipe the tears from his face, he once again looked at the girls. “What… what are you three doing here? Shouldn't you be at home with your fa-” Spike managed to stop himself before he said family. Awkwardly rubbing his left arm, he looked away from Scootaloo. “There is a big emergency in Canterlot, and no pony really knows what's going to happen. So I think you should be… you know… someplace safe.” “We're not safe with you?” Scootaloo wondered with a tilt of her head. “Of all the places we can be to be safe right now, staying with a Dragon sounds pretty good to me.” “Yeah right…” Spike said looking defeated. “I'm just a baby Dragon: I can't do anything.” “Come on Spike, that's not true and you know it.” Sweetie Belle piped in. “You're always helping Twilight and my sist-” “Don't…” Spike cut in brusquely while looking away from Sweetie Belle, a new sniffle escaping from him. “Spike?” Apple Bloom said worriedly when she saw how her draconic friend sank down and curled his tail around himself protectively. “What… What happened? I've never seen you like this before.” “Nothing… Just nothing, leave it alone AB.” Spike protested weakly. “It's not nothing Spike!” Scootaloo said rather harshly, making Spike look up at her in surprise. “Sorry… It's just, I was there… What they said… You didn't deserve any of that, Spike. You do so much for them and they just take it for granted… it's not right. And… and then they just leave you behind like that…” “No… It's okay… really…” Spike tried to say, but the look in his eyes clearly told a different story.” “Spike…” Scootaloo said carefully and took a step closer. “They were really mean to you Spike. I know they were stressed, but that still doesn't give them the right to say what they said.” She now got a very angry expression and stomped her hoof on the floor. “Heck, Twilight was yelling at you for doing things she told you to do! And… and Rarity, going on and on, telling you about her latest non-successful crush. Then she starts complaining about you, that you didn't help her enough in her endeavor with him, more or less giving you the blame for the breakup! And Rainbow gets angry when everything is taking too long, yelling at you for being too slow while she sits on her flank doing nothing! Saying you're not a real dragon since you are too little and too weak! And that was while you were carrying everypony's baggage out to the royal carriages! And! And! Applejack Mmmp-” Scootaloo’s furious rant was suddenly interrupted by Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle wrapping themselves around the orange filly and stuffing one hoof in her mouth. Both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked with wide eyes from Scootaloo to Spike, not wanting to believe what they had just heard. “Is… Is that true?” Sweetie Belle asked timidly of a very wide-eyed looking Spike. “Well… yeah… ma- maybe a little.” He stammered out. Scootaloo managed to free herself from her two friends, giving them both a rather annoyed look. “Maybe my sweet flank!” She stated earning a gasp from the other three youths. “Things have been getting worse for you Spike. I've seen a few times when they haven't even reacted when you got hurt! If you don't stand up for yourself… you could end up like me.” “Now wait a minute…” Apple Bloom cuts in. “This is our sisters and friends we’re talking about! They wouldn't do anything like that! They're not Miss Bad Winnie!” “Yeah right! They all turned their backs on me pretty easily!” Scootaloo countered stiffly. “They didn't even give me a chance, they just went with the grown up pony and bought every lie she ever told!” “They… they said they were sorry…” Sweetie Belle tried to placate Scootaloo. “Look, let's just drop it! We are not here for me, we’re here for… Spike?” Scootaloo and the two other fillies looked around in surprise for the missing Dragon. “Where did he go?” A shuffling sound from behind them made them turn around to see Spike having begun the process of cleaning up the library… again. “Spike… what are you doing?” Sweetie Belle asked, concerned. “Cleaning…” He answered flatly. “When I get upset, I like to clean.” “And who taught you that?” Scootaloo challenged while she stomped towards the Dragon who continued to pick up more books. “No one!” Spike said agitatedly. “I've always been like that! So just… back off okay!” “Really! How old are you Spike! Fifteen, Sixteen?” Scootaloo shot back. “Fifteen! And what has that got to do with anything?!” The Dragon growled back. “How many fifteen-year-old colts do you know that enjoy picking up after the very ponies that are supposed to take care of them? Face it Spike, Twilight is using you and Rarity even more so!” Scootaloo snarled. “Don't you dare say that…” Spike hissed and turned towards the orange Pegasus with anger in his eyes. “Not about Twilight! Or Rarity!” “Or what? You just told us you were useless, so what could you possibly do!?” Scootaloo once again roared, her frustration at the stubborn Dragon quickly getting the better of her. “I… I…” With that, Spike seemed to collapse, dropping all of the books he picked up, while he buried his face in his claws as tears once again started to flow down his cheeks. “I don't know okay! I'm useless. There I said it! Are you happy? I'm nothing without Twilight!” Spike curled up on the floor and once again wrapped his tail around his body, just like they had found him when they first entered the bedroom. Seeing what she had done, Scootaloo took a few hurried steps backwards looking crestfallen. “I'm… I'm sorry Spike!” She said pleadingly. “I came here to make you feel better… and… and here I am making it all worse. Looks like I'm the useless one it would seem.” Seeing that two of their friends were now down in the dumps so to speak, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle quickly walked over to them. Sweetie Belle sitting down next to Spike, before carefully draping one forehoof over his back while he continued with his subdued crying. To her surprise, Spike immediately buried his face against her chest, clinging onto her as if she were a life raft in a stormy sea. “It's okay Spike… It's okay.” Sweetie said soothingly while she embraced him in a hug. “No… No it's not.” Spike said with a sniffle. “I've… I've known some things were wrong with me for a while now; I'm not like other dragons in the slightest. My every thought and every action while I'm awake are to help Twilight… It didn't take me long to realize that that's not natural. Especially with how educated I am, I should most likely have realized it long ago.” “Realized what?” Apple Bloom asked from beside Scootaloo. “That I've got compulsions or something planted in my mind… That they have been there for a long time, most likely my whole life!” Spike yelled in a mixture of hurt and annoyance. “And it doesn't matter that I know they're there; I still have to follow them. If I'm not useful to Twilight or… or other ponies, it… it makes me feel awful.” “That's terrible!” Sweetie Belle squealed. “Who would do such a thing?!” “Celestia…” Scootaloo whispered. Without even looking up Spike nodded. “Yeah… Most likely.” He affirmed. “Oh come on!” Apple Bloom piped up, “The princess wouldn't do anything like that… would she?” “I don't know… It's just the only conclusion that makes sense.” Spike said as he stood up. “Spike…” Scootaloo said as she stared down into the floor. “Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle…” She continued very seriously. “Can you guys keep a secret? Like a really big humongous secret?” Looking curiously at the orange Pegasus, the two other fillies and Dragon finally nodded. “Of course we can, we you’re best friends!” Apple Bloom affirmed. “Yeah, we're CMC for life, remember?” Sweetie Belle piped in. That was a long pause during which Scootaloo, AB and Sweetie Belle looked at Spike. The expressions on their faces grew more worried until finally... “I… I would, if it was only up to me… But I don't truly know if I can.” Spike said crestfallen. “You probably shouldn't tell me.” “Thank you Spike… That's all I needed to know.” Scootaloo stated before stepping into the shadows of the library. The only things visible now were her eyes, shining out from the darkness. “Ehhh… Scoots? What… What's wrong with your eyes?” Apple Bloom suddenly stammered when Scootaloo’s eyes became very similar to Spike's. “Nothing is wrong AB.” Scootaloo’s voice stated. “I might actually be able to help Spike with whatever Celestia did to him.” “We don't really know-” “Come on Sweetie Belle… It makes perfect sense; Celestia wouldn’t chance Spike hurting Twilight for any reason. It would be easy for her to put a few subliminal compulsions in him, making Spike the perfect assistant. Then, when he's big and strong, Spike would become the best bodyguard ever.” Scootaloo said in a voice that now sounded more… powerful. “After all, she wasn't meant to hatch that egg. Whatever fault Celestia might have, she would not kill a defenseless baby Dragon, not when he could be put to much better use.” Scootaloo now stepped out from the shadows, revealing herself as the alicorn she was slowly turning into. Though she didn't have much power in this fake body of hers, there was definitely enough for what she wanted to do. Her three companions gasped in shock upon seeing her. She was still the same orange filly, except she now had a small horn and serpentine eyes. “Scootaloo! What… What happened to you?!” Both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle yelled in unison. Spike was just sitting where he was, mouth hanging open. “I found something in the Everfree while I was hiding, and… well… the short of it is that I'm now an alicorn, like Twilight and Cadence.” “I think I need to send a letter!” Spike said in a panic before bolting towards the quilt and paper situated on Twilight's writing desk. With a few moves so fast Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle couldn't even follow them, Scootaloo stood in front of Spike and put her horn against his head. Before he could even react, his eyes crossed and he fell down to the floor, sleeping soundly. “Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom shouted as she rushed to Spike's side. “What did you do?!” “I put him to sleep.” Scootaloo answered. “Why?” Sweetie Belle wondered as she came up to Spike's other side. “Is he okay?” “Yes, he'll be fine. I needed him to be asleep so I can check what Celestia really did to him. If it's what I think it is, then he'll most likely feel a lot better when I reverse it.” Scootaloo says with a serious expression. “You… you can do that?” Sweetie Belle asked in astonishment. “You can reverse the spell Princess Celestia put on him?” “They’re not spells Sweetie, they’re mental compulsions and those I can remove.” Scootaloo affirmed as she leaned down and put her horn against the sleeping dragon’s forehead. “Now please, I need to concentrate.” With that she opened her mind to the Nightmare, quickly filling her in on what had happened. While Scootaloo kept the connection open, Nightmare delved into the subconscience of the sleeping Spike. After several minutes of intense waiting, Scootaloo once again heard her other side’s voice in her head. You were right young one; there were several compulsions keeping his draconic tendencies in check. I have removed all of them except one, which I altered. When he wakes up, he will slowly but surely start to trust you completely, like he did with Twilight and Celestia beforehand. The Nightmare explained in Scootaloo’s head. I will wake the Dragon up now: keep him calm for the first few minutes and the changes to his mindset will take hold. With that Scootaloo pulled her head back and gave a sigh in relief. “We… I did it… Spike won't be forced into being some pony’s unwilling servant anymore.” Scootaloo stated with pride. “Awooo… My head…” Spike slowly sat up rubbing his temples. “What just happened? I feel really dizzy and… and… You attacked me!” Spike's eyes had gone wide as dinner plates; he first looked for a place to hide, then a new instinct to hold of him. He lowered himself to all fours and spread his legs out wide for better balance, ready to take the fight to his attacker. A few flames came out his nose as he huffed, anger bubbling up in the purple Dragon. “You dare attack me!” Spike growled. “That was not a smart thing to do!” “Now you're acting like a Dragon.” Scootaloo said calmly with a smile, then her expression turned serious. “So you have to be careful with your temper from now on Spike; you don't have any safety switches in your head anymore.” At this revelation, Spike tensed up as he took in the situation he was currently experiencing. He looked down at his claws and the deep furrows they had dug into the floorboards, the combat ready stance he was holding, and the feelings of hostility he felt towards Scootaloo when he thought she had attacked him. He looked back up at the little alicorn with wide eyes, disbelief clearly showing in them. Then shame, as he realized how close he had been to attacking the very pony that had set him free, so to speak. Then he felt even worse when he saw the two other crusaders cowering in fear from him behind Scootaloo. “I'm… I'm so sorry girls. I've… I've just never felt this before; I don't think I've ever gotten really angry like this, just annoyed. And… and I'm not even angry with you guys. You were just here with me. I'm so sorry.” Spike said in a surprisingly firm tone. “It's Twilight, Rarity, the rest of the girls, and some ponies in Ponyville I'm really angry at, not you three.” “It's okay, just take it easy for a while Spike. You need to adjust to a full range of emotions again. Nonetheless, try to remember that you can actually hurt ponies now if you want to, so don't do anything stupid just because you're angry. You have to be careful with your temper from now on.” Scootaloo berated. “Still, we can perform one more test: do you still feel like cleaning this place up?” Spike looked around himself with a frown. His eyes landed on the books at his feet he had been in the middle of cleaning up earlier. He took a deep breath and then incinerated the little pile of books. When he finally stopped blowing, all the books were completely reduced to charcoal. Even the living wood beneath was smoldering from the heat, Twilight's fireproofing spell not completely able to withstand his Dragon breath. With a smile, he looked up at Scootaloo. “What do you think?” Uttering a dark little chuckle, Scootaloo walked up to Spike and put a hoof on his shoulder. “I think it's time we started treating and training you like a real dragon, Spike. We'll get those wings of yours to grow big and strong in no time.” At hearing this, Spike had to sit down. He stared up at Scootaloo with a new light shining in his eyes: hope… then utter devotion and trust. “You… I… You can get my wings to grow in?” Spike wondered, sounding almost pleading. With a wide smile of victory, Scootaloo brought a big piece of her future plans to her side with one word, “Definitely.” **** Thanks to Cyanhyde - pre-reader/editor