I can't help but feel that I wouldn't have those dislikes if I hadn't done a crappy job the first chapter before the re-write.

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys.

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"They say the truth can set you free."
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In the blink of an eye, darkness shattered as sounds entered her mind. The sounds echoing deep in Twilight Sparkle's head banged and pounded inside of her skull, trying to find a way to freedom, and therefore harming the lavender unicorn in the process. She couldn't even whimper.

She wanted to go back to sleep, back the peaceful and warm place where everything didn't hurt so much. Back to the place where Spike was safe and sound, and nopony else was going to try and harm her or her friends anymore. The letter that came this week had only been a bad dream, a horribly bad dream in which the truth behind all of it remained unclear to even her.

The voice screaming at her made her brow furrow. She couldn't move, not matter what she did, she couldn't move. It was as if she were trapped in a cage that perfectly fit her entire body, and was unnoticeable to the touch. She couldn't even make a sound, she could only lie there in pain as her flank burned. The more she struggled, the more distant she felt from the voice calling to her.

"One with so much spunk, you are in luck," A voice came, with an accent that rang familiar in the ears of the unicorn. Something was being rubbed against her flank. It felt like fire and ice at the same time, every single muscle inside of her screamed for her to wake up and run from the pain, run as far as she possibly could. However after quite some time, it began to cool and left a pleasant, cool feeling on the previously burning spot. "For if this one was off any worse, she could have ended up worse than a sickly horse."

"Zecora's right Sugar Cube, let the zebra use her fancy schmancy potions and medicines, she know's what she's doin'" This voice had an unmistakable southern accent. It seemed older and more mature than the others, a voice of reason one might say. Twilight wanted to whimper gently, but her enclosed throat would not let her.

"Oh my goodness, Rarity, please, get me more bandages will you?" This voice was quiet, and seemed more distant than any of the others, as if distracted or busy. "He's hurt worse than when Angle Bunny ran into that nasty old badger. That wolf was such a meanie..."

"Darling, it's alright, just please try and do your best, Zecora is helping Twilight, and believe it or not I think the more dear is in worse condition than Spike." This voice was more proper than the others, and seemed dainty.

Spike! Twilight's body jumped once, and then refused to move. No matter how much she tried to, it simply refused to move. Was Spike alright? Why did they need bandages? How was she any worse off than him after what had happened these past few days, it didn't make any sense whatsoever!

"Pinkie, she did not hop, and she ain't waking up. It's just a natural reaction, her body went through a lot of shock." The country accent once more spoke. Twilight felt her entire body explode several times on the inside as she fought to open her eyes, wanting to see Spike, needing to know if he was safe, needing to know just how bad he looked.

A light whimper came, and the tone seemed to come from Spike. Twilight fought harder, but remained unmovable, and found her eyes could still somehow water, despite her being unable to move.

"Shhhh, It's alright, the little Spikey-Wikey is going to be just fine, go back to sleep darling." The high class sounding voice was back. It sounded like it was soothing something who was hurt and needed to be healed, or something who was crying...

Twilight wanted to be the one to help comfort Spike right now, but gentle whispers from the shy voice came back, and Twilight found she was not needed. Her... friends were there for Spike... they were his friends too, just as much as they were friends with her. But where were they? What happened to the forest, the wolf?

Twilight found herself struggling to awaken less and less and more time passed. She wanted to be there for her friends, for Spike. But the voice was correct...

She was going to be useless hurt... the encounter with the Timber Wolf had proved that.

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Twilight Sparkle found her eyes snapping open in an instant. A wave of nausea took over her, and she felt like vomiting over herself. She began to pant and groan as she struggled to move, fire spreading through her entire body. Her head felt light as she managed to sit up and take a sweeping glance around the room, albeit it was a slow sweeping glance. She forced a hoof to come up to her mouth as her stomach lurched. She recgonized this place... the wooden floors, the masks...

She glanced around the room, and saw five sleeping bodies on the ground. Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy... no Spike...

She attempted to get to all fours, but ended up only making a bunch of grunting and groaning noises as she managed to drag herself several feet forward. She realized she was covered in bandages, with the bloody ones next to the bed, she guessed they had been changed at least once... how long was she out? How much time was left? Spike... she needed to find him.

As if answering her thoughts, the corner of her eye caught something. It was in the window, just a small piece, but it was still there.

It moved from view of the window as if it sensed her presence, in all likelihood Spike had just been stretching. Twilight jumped up "Spike!" She called in a horse voice. She ended up tumbling over a small step and landing straight on a Pink body.

"Ah, Timber Wolf!" Pinkie Pie screeched, as if Twilight had triggered a nightmare. The pink pony had caused an enormous commotion in a matter of moments, everypony jumped up at the mention of a Timber Wolf, and began to panic. Rainbow had awoken from her sleep and had already manged to smash into a wall. Fluttershy crashed straight into Applejack in fear, knocking the two of them down. And at the current moment, Pinkie Pie was running around the room screaming.

"Twilight!" Rarity cried out as she saw the lavender body on the ground in pain. She seemed to be the only one calm. At the mention of her name, the panic almost ceased instantly as all of the ponies stared at her. The next thing Twilight felt was a pink body crashing into her, giving her the biggest hug of all time.

"Oh Sugarcube, ya have no idea how worried we've been fer the past two days!" Applejack said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Two days?" Twilight cried out, sitting up so suddenly that she knocked Pinkie Pie off of her body. She ignored the pain and began to drag herself as fast as she could. Two days... she only had three days until Celestia came! How could she have let herself sleep for so long? How could she have been so stupid, so careless, so unorganized! Why was this happening, why was any of this happening?

"Twilight, chill!" Rainbow said, fluttering next to her and putting two hooves on her shoulders to stop her "He's fine, he's right outside." She said "He's with Zecora, you can go and see him if you want, don't push yourself girl!"

Twilight replied with a grunt of pain. She felt her body be lifted up with a magical force as she began to glow a light blue. Rarity's magic helped her to her hooves as both Applejack and Fluttershy were by her side, helping her walk for the first time in days. She must be dehydrated, and needing food more than ever. The two ponies helped her walk to the doorway.

"Do you... think I'm a monster?" The voice belonged to Spike, and it was speaking to Zecora. The dragon's voice seemed... defeated... weak, and helpless. As if his heart had been shattered.

A long silence occurred, until a sigh from Zecora came "A monster, is much like a lobster." She said "It can choose to use a pincer, or to simply run and hinter."

Twilight blinked several times. Spike felt like a monster right now... she felt like she should be out there with him, to tell him everything was a lie, and that he was just a harmless baby dragon who would never have hurt anypony if he hadn't felt like he needed to. "Spike..." She mumbled to herself.

The door opened by Rarity's magic, and Twilight found herself coming out before the two holding her. She whipped her head toward Spike. The dragon held a poker face. He seemed... depressed. He just glanced down and sighed. Twilight saw his body... it was covered entirely in bandages. Not only that, but his wrists were tied behind his back, along with his ankles.

"Why... why is he tied up?" Twilight mumbled, not to anypony in particular. When she was greeted with no answer, she whipped her head around, ignoring the pain "Why is Spike tied up?" She cried.

"Twilight... he asked for us 'ere to do it." Applejack mumbled, glancing down "Said he might... hurt somepony if we wouldn't... he was afraid he might... hurt ya again." She glanced to the bandages on Twilight's side "Case he lost control 'gain."

Twilight glared at her friend before looking back at Spike "Let him go." She stated. Spike glanced at her this time, slight worry in his emerald eyes. He blinked them several times, the melancholy mood in them stayed. The unicorn glared behind her "Well?" She asked "Let him go!" she shouted.

"Twilight..." Rarity mumbled. She paused, noticing the anger in Twilight's eyes. She used her magic to pull on the ropes until they snapped. Spike didn't move, just sat there in silence. The only difference was that Spike now looked frightened.

The lavander pony went forward, and saw Spike slowly back away. Zecora didn't move, just watched the scene unfold. "Spike..." She mumbled "Are you hurt?" She asked, reaching out a hoof to touch his cheek.

Spike smacked it away with the back of his claws so not to hurt the unicorn. Rainbow Dash looked ready to charge until Applejack grasped her tail and shook her head, earning a grunt in return. "S-Stay away!" Spike cried out. There was fear in his eyes, fear he would hurt the pony who had taken care of him his entire life. He trembled slightly "I... I don't want to hurt you again..." He whimpered out, eyes shimmering.

"I mean it!" Spike shouted, getting to his feet and taking several steps back until he was against the house. "I... I killed that animal, and I didn't feel bad for it!" He yelled. He was trembling. "A-And... what if I hurt you worse than before?" He cried out. His eyes were shut, afraid tears might find their way out of his eyes. "I... If you come any closer... I might kill you!"

His eyes snapped open when a pair of upper legs wrapped around his body. He felt fear, and confusion. He was mostly confused as to why Twilight was hugging him, and not listening to his threats. She gently stroked down his spines and nuzzled the top of his scaly head. She hadn't hugged him like this for years... Spike felt something inside of his chest expand. It began to hurt as his eyes watered. He closed them once more, not wanting to cry as he wrapped his arms shakily around Twilight, sniffling gently. She began to rock his back and forth for several minutes. He felt loved again...

When Twilight broke away, she looked into his eyes, which the dragon had now opened. She looked sternly into them, her eyes not breaking concentration for a moment.

"I... I think it's time that you find out what's going on... what's really going on." She mumbled.

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Spike found himself fumbling with his claws like a featherbrain as he leaned against the wall. He glanced at the group of ponies surrounding him, plus one Zebra. He glanced to his left and saw Rarity, and straight in front of him was Twilight. All eyes were on him, and he began to feel self conscious. He gnawed on his lip with his razor sharp teeth, thankful for his rough scales. His eyes kept darting from pony to pony, seeing different looks on each of their faces.

Twilight looked at him. She was a good four feet from him, staring straight at him. "Spike..." She began. "I know this is going to sound... horrible at best..." She paused a moment, perhaps pondering how to explain it gently. "You were... never supposed to exist."

A long silence filled the room, Spike felt like somepony had shot him in the chest with a bolt of lightening. He didn't make a noise, just waited for Twilight to continue. "Go on dear." Rarity said to Twilight, obviously noticing the uneasiness in the dragon.

"Well..." She said "W-When I hatched you, back during when I was trying to get into Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns... during the entrance exam where I had hatched you." She paused briefly. "The egg you were born in... was meant to be a dud, I'm not sure who found you, only that they decided to donate it to the school itself." She said "It was specially sealed with a strong force of magic, that only an exceptional unicorn would be able to open. From what Celestia told me, they couldn't find a heartbeat in the egg... they think that since I had such a strong force of magic, that I somehow kickstarted your life... life a sudden burst of energy brought you back to life."

"Wait... so Spike was dead?" Rainbow Dash cried, sitting up straight and shooting her gaze straight to Spike. the dragon's eyes were wide with both fear and wonder. It wasn't like he remembered how he was born... he was so young. He curled up tightly into a ball. The thoughts going through his mind scared him. He could feel Rarity's hoof stroke his side, it at least helped to comfort him...

"According to Celestia..." Twilight mumbled, giving her assistant a worried glance "It was a miracle that he didn't have any damages, the lack of air to the brain should have made him brain dead. I'm not sure what kind of magic I used, the only other time I've felt myself use such powerful magic was... when we used the Elements of Harmony to defeat Nightmare Moon and Discord... and I haven't been able to trigger such a large quantity without the elements since."

Spike looked down at the floor intently. He should have been dead... he should have never been born, all of the pain and misery he had caused Twilight should have never happened.

"As... as expected," Twilight said clearly, snapping Spike out of his thoughts as his gaze shot back up. "Celestia sent him someplace where they tried to figure out the cause of him being brought back to life... he was only a baby dragon... and I mean a BABY baby dragon." She mumbled, glancing up at the dragon in front of her "I didn't get him as my assistant straight away..." She said.

Spike was silent. Something brief flashed through his mind, startling him. He glanced up at Twilight.

"Spike... Spike wasn't treated like a pony would..." Twilight mumbled "He was treated like an animal." She was silent for a long time after that "For the first month or so of his life... I really don't know what they did to him... but when Celestia found out about it... and asked me if I wanted to keep him as an assistant..." She paused, looking up at Spike "He wouldn't come near me for the first six months... and he had a lot of scars on his body..."

"Spike?" Rarity asked, looking at the dragon next to her. The dragon's eyes were wide. He was trembling. Images were flashing past his eyes. Blood. Pain. Cage. Needles. Everything he saw scared him, but it still screamed and screeched into his mind. He finally let out a half-sob and clamped his claws over his ears, and quietly trembled. "Twilight!" Rarity said before wrapping her upper legs around the dragon and kissing his cheek to gently sooth him. All of his friends were looking at him strangely, not sure how to take this new information on him. Spike let tears flow down his cheeks quietly, trying to block out the images emerging. "Stop this very instant, do you not believe he has been through enough?" The unicorn snapped.

Twilight looked at Spike with saddened eyes, giving a silent apology. "When... When Celestia gave him to me." She continued "She told me something... something I thought nothing of at the time, and I forgot about it until this week." She began. "She told me... that in the years to come, he would grow, and grow, and begin to get more and more violent, and one day she would have to take him away from me..."

"I tried to treat him like he was just an assistant... but the more time I spent with him, the more I helped him learn, and teach him things like how to speak... I took care of him for so many years... I just forgot what I promised the Princess... I treated him like he was my son..." She half-whimpered the last part. Spike glanced up, shifting in Rarity's arms. "He is my son... we're close enough, I've taken care of him for so long, he's more my son than anypony else..."

Twilight sniffled loudly, and wiped her eyes with her hoof. Spike felt something strike him once more. "Spike... I think you need to read this." Twilight said, suddenly levitating a letter over to him as it glowed a deep purple. He grasped it in his claws. It was the letter he got five days ago... the day everything began...

He felt his claws slowly unravel the parchment of paper. Rarity's head got closer to him and began to read along with him.

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To My Dearest Pupil, Twilight Sparkle,
It has come to my attention that your friend Spike has sprouted his wings, and is also close to growing bigger than you and your friends. I am deeply sorry for dropping this news on you so suddenly, but I simply cannot let a dragon roam free as it becomes more dangerous. Because of this, I am afraid the time has come for me to take him away from you. I hope you have mentally prepared for this over the course of the past fifteen years. I apologize deeply once more, I know just how much of a close friend he is to you.

Princess Celestia.

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Spike read over the letter carefully, feeling Rarity gently tighten her hold on him. It made him feel safe. "I think... everypony here needs to read this." He mumbled. Twilight nodded. They were now just as involved as everypony else at this point, it didn't seem right to keep them in the dark. Spike gently tossed the letter to Fluttershy, who was to his right. She caught it and unfolded it and began to read it.

"Oh my goodness..." She mumbled. Each and everypony had different reactions, some reacted in anger, others in shock, and others simply gave sympathetic glances to Spike. He hated those glances... it made him feel as if he were dying. He supposed he was as good as dead anyway.

"I wrote the princess a letter the next morning, and made you send it... you know what happened once you spit it out." Twilight mumbled "I was just trying to distract you that morning... to think out a plan... the letter came too soon for me to come up with anything... and we got sucked into this chaos."

"I'm sorry everypony, for dragging you all into this." Twilight said. "I'm going to try my best to protect Spike, from the princess, from anything that tries to hurt him... I understand if any of you want to leave now."

"Twi, are you crazy?" Applejack was the first to speak. "Spike is all of our friends, ain't no way I'm leavin' him in the rain!" She cried.

"Me neither!" Pinkie Pie shouted, bouncing up, half excitement, half anger "The only way Spike is leaving is if it's through me!"

"I don't want a dragon running around... I don't think anypony does." Fluttershy mumbled, glancing at Spike intently "But Spike is different... he's still Spike no matter how big or nasty he gets... we saw he was still kind after Rarity reminded him of how generous he was right after his birthday." She mumbled. "I'm... I'm going to try my hardest... if that's okay..."

"Rainbow?" Twilight asked, glancing to the pegasus who seemed to be thinking deeply.

"I don't know..." Rainbow Dash mumbled. She blinked several times. "I'm always loyal to the princess, and I'll always be... But I'm loyal to my friends the same way." She closed her eyes, biting her lip, as if frustrated that this decision was so difficult for her. "D-Darn it!" She cried, suddenly standing up and flapping her wings in anger "Why do I have to think about it? It's going to be for Spike! I'm in!" She shouted with pride.

Spike felt his chest grow. So many ponies... were fighting... for him. "No..." He suddenly mumbled, standing up. Everypony looked at him "All of this... it isn't worth it, not for me!" He cried out, breaking from Rarity's grasp. "I'm not worth this much, it's like we're having a revolution just for some stupid baby dragon!"

He was trembling. He didn't want all of his friends to risk their life for him... he wanted them to stay safe, no matter what happened to him! Something landed on his back. "Pardon my language Spike, but regardless of if a Princess or a ruffian lays a single hoof on you and your cute little head, I'LL RIP THEM TO BUCKING PIECES!" She cried, huffing in anger as she lifted up her front hooves life Spike would for fists.

"Yeah, Spike, I think we all know that friendship is worth taking risks." Rainbow Dash said, smiling at him.

Spike felt his body freeze. He was surrounded by ponies who loved him. He looked down a moment, flapping his wings in frustration. He... He didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay with these ponies until he died. He glanced up with wide eyes at Twilight.

The lavender Unicorn stayed sitting, unable to get up without assistance. She still lifted a hoof in the air. "For Spike!" She shouted "To keep him safe!"

A Dragon's Tale

by Storm butt

The Truth