//------------------------------//
// Chapter 12 
// Story: Boast Backers 
// by Bed Head 
//------------------------------//

	
Chapter 12

 
Somewhere in the distance, the roar of a dragon rang out.
 
Surprisingly, Spike found himself unworried.  He was still well aware just who the fire-breathing creature was looking for.  However, he was more concerned with the tree-hut before him.  Judging from the sounds coming from it, Zecora was definitely still inside.
 
The rather hostile masks that now glared from her windows, though, suggested she wasn't willing to talk.  Not that they kept what she had said from echoing through Spike's mind.
 
"Either one of you could have stopped this, but you did not even try!"
 
"I did try..." Spike heard himself grumble.
 
His own voice sounded muffled.  His head was filled with fog as Zecora's words played through it again and again.  One face in particular, however, kept floating up through the haze.
 
Trixie's.
 
Spike's jaw tightened each time.  He could see her taunting him from her stage in front of town hall.  The look of rage she wore as she commanded his own writing implements to attack.  Her smug grin as she mocked him in his own house...
 
And I stood up to her!
 
Spike's head jerked in an encouraging nod as he leapt back to his hooves.
 
I tried to stop her every time!
 
He drew in a deep breath, feeling his pulse pounding through his body.
 
How the hay is any of this my fault?!
 
His body shuddered as the rush of anger hit.  Everywhere he looked, he saw nothing but the blue mare.  The one who had bullied him.  Ruined his essays.  Used every opportunity to embarrass and laugh at him.
 
The same old Trixie that had gotten him into this mess.
 
"Trixie..." he growled, eyes scanning the small clearing.
 
Nopony answered.  Spike snorted, steam puffing from his nostrils and his head snapped back and forth.  Off in the distance, the dragon was letting out one last, exhausted roar.
 
The only other creature to have made a sound since Zecora shut her door.
 
Spike arched one eyebrow as the realization hit.
 
"Uh... Trixie?" he asked, visually sweeping the clearing again.
 
Once more, there was nothing but silence.  No signs of laughter from the invisible mare.  No shouting, or attempts to plead with Zecora, or any sort of other response to Spike's voice.  Warily, Spike found his eyes drifting to the ground.  A small cone of light shone from his horn, casting itself on the forest floor.
 
A single hoofprint sat in the center of the light.  The start of a trail of them leading away from the imprint where he'd heard Trixie fall over.  Heading past Zecora's hut and deeper into the forest.
 
The breath Spike had taken was finally released.  Though this time it was as a weary sigh.  Even that failed to cover the vestiges of worry that he was starting to feel again.
 
"Great," he grumbled as he began following the tracks.  "Here we go again..."
 



 
The spires of Canterlot were fading into the distance behind her.
 
Trixie didn't even bother to look back.  Or forward.  Not even as the distant roar of a tired dragon carried over the trees.  Her eyes were locked straight down, staring at her hooves.
 
The article stared back up at her.  The one that she had seen Twilight burn.  Only now, far too late, did she realize what had actually happened.  Her body was frozen, her insides feeling like they were made of ice as three little words ran over and over through her head.
 
"It's not fair..."
 
Trixie's whispered protest did little to sway the trees around her.  Her own body was equally numb.  Even simple acts like breathing were becoming a struggle.  Something was clogging her throat, forcing her to take ragged gasps.  With great effort, the invisible mare managed to lift her head.
 
A host of familiar, disdainful glares greeted her.
 
She could tell Princess Celestia hadn't believe her.  The wise alicorn's eyes held no sympathy when Trixie turned her tear-stained face up to her.  With a motion of her hoof two other ponies had approached, ready to escort her away.
 
"Trixie!"
 
The citizens of Ponyville had given her similar looks.  All staring coldly at her and her little "performance".  Even as they melted into a multi-colored blur, Trixie could see them turning their backs on her.
 
That was still marginally better than her classmates.  Countless fillies and colts had crowded  the doors and windows to watch her.  She could even hear some of them cheering as she was led away.
 
A small whimper tried to escape Trixie's mouth.  She barely managed to stifle it.
 
"Trixie!"
 
Something wet was falling onto the hoof she'd covered her mouth with.  Her vision was too foggy and blurred to tell what it was.
 
What she could see was the landscape rushing past her window.  The train wasn't slowing down one bit for the crying filly.  It simply continued to race down the tracks, carrying her off.
 
Away from Canterlot and everything she'd ever dreamed of.
 
Trixie choked back another sob.  Even from so far away, she could feel every accusing pair of eyes on her.
 
Celestia's.
 
Her former classmates'.
 
The citizens of Ponyville.
 
"... Trixie?"
 
But worst of all had been a single pair of green eyes.
 
The ones that belonged to the purple tattletale.
 
The same one who had just run into Trixie's small clearing.
 
In an instant the blurriness that had filled Trixie's vision was stripped away.  A red haze quickly took its place.
 
"What do you want?"
 
Trixie's voice came out as more of a growl than anything.  One that caused Spike to suddenly freeze in place.  A fact that did nothing to quench the fire that suddenly filled her.  She didn't even wait for the colt to open his mouth.  Her hooves immediately started stomping towards him.
 
"Come to rub it in, huh?  Have a good laugh at my expense again?!"
 
Trixie could swear she felt sparks in her mouth.  Judging from the way Spike was staring, he must have noticed them too.  He had actually jumped back as she shouted.  Seeing that only made Trixie's hooves ache with the desire to pin him down.
 
"I... uh, I..."  Spike was stammering, his ears falling flat against the sound of Trixie's hooves.  "I..."
 
"You-you-you what?!  You were the one that came looking!"
 
Her magic burned so hot it was a wonder her hat didn't catch fire.  Trixie didn't think she'd care even if it had.  The sight of Spike being magically hauled into the air again was worth the risk.
 
"Well guess what, Spikey?  You found me!"
 
She could tell he was only half-listening.  Spike seemed much more occupied with trying to squirm free of her spell.  Trixie just snarled and jerked her head sharply to the side.
 
The colt immediately let out a frightened cry as he was hurled through the air.  Trixie didn't allow herself to enjoy the sight, nor the satisfying WHUMP that sounded as she pinned him against a tree.  The only thing she could feel was the oddly numbing heat that flared through her as she planted her forehooves to either side of Spike's head.
 
"Just take a gooood look, you little twerp!  Look and see what you did to me!"
 
"W-what I did?!"  Spike's stuttering voice was loud.  Louder than the terrified squeak Trixie had been hoping for..  "Y-you're the one that stole from Zecora—"
 
"THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"
 
Trixie's throat was painfully dry.  The feeling masked any sting Spike's point might have held.  Not that she could hear much else of what he'd wanted to say.  Not over the sound of her thundering heartbeat.
 
Not as she stared down at the source of all her woes.
 
"That article."
 
Spike's eyes were going wide.  At least, Trixie assumed that they were.  It was hard to say when her own vision was starting to swim again.
 
"That stupid article you wrote that took EVERYTHING from me!"
 
CONGRATULATIONS TRIXIE!!!
 
It felt like it was just yesterday.  Those words on the banner overhead.  Her new baby dragon was chewing on her cape. 
 
"I was Princess Celestia's personal student!"
 
The party guests were laughing and cheering all around her.  Cameras flashed from every direction, capturing the moment forever.
 
"I was supposed to be the one to stop Nightmare Moon!  But you..."
 
HEROES OF HARMONY SAVE EQUESTRIA!
 
Even after so long, Trixie could recognize the stallion.  Smiling up from the newspaper, almost as though he were taunting her with the headline above.  And as much as she wanted to scream, or cry, or say anything she couldn't.  Her voice simply refused to work.
 
"You stole my destiny!  And I... I..."
 
Trixie's voice was choking out.  Her legs suddenly felt weak.  On trembling hooves, she stumbled back from the tree, barely registering the fact that Spike had slipped loose from her magic.  She struggled to draw in a breath, the air burning as it went down.  All so she could wheeze out two words.
 
"My parents..."
 
The blue filly finally managed to tear her gaze from the newspaper.
 
Almost immediately, she wished she hadn't.
 
They were still there.  The pale-blue unicorn mare and a white coated stallion.  Both of them still giving her judgmental glares that far surpassed even the princess's.
 
 "They'd been so proud of me... and then you..."
 
Trixie's throat ached worse than she thought possible.  Whether it was from her shouting or the lump that was suddenly stuck in it, she couldn't tell.  All she could do was try to focus through the tears rolling out of her eyes.  Glaring with all her might at the blob of purple still slumped against the tree before her.
 
"Do you have any idea what that's like?  To be... to be such a disappointment to your family?!  And it's all thanks to you!"
 
She couldn't keep her head up any longer.  Unseen tears rolled freely down her cheeks, forming an invisible puddle at her hooves.  Trixie didn't even try to hold them back as she slumped forward, once again thankful that Spike still couldn't see her.
 
Until four words pierced through the sound of her panting breath.
 
"It wasn't my fault."
 
Trixie's head snapped back up.
 
She didn't know what she had expected.  Thoughts of Spike shaking and crying over her story, mumbling out apologies for her to shoot down, or simply staring at her in stunned silence flickered through her mind.
 
They were certainly nothing like what she did see.  Spike wasn't trembling.  His voice lacked any trace of whining or whimpering.  And even though she knew the colt couldn't see her, Trixie couldn't help noticing his eyes were locked straight on hers.
 
"Maybe... maybe things did go a lot farther than I thought they would when I wrote that article."  Spike moved forward a step, and Trixie felt herself move back in response.  "But do you have any idea what going to school with you was like?!"
 
Trixie wanted to snap back.  Her mouth sprang open to retort against the colt.  Her voice, however, wouldn't come.  Almost like he sensed the opening, Spike began to advance again.  This time stomping heavily with each step.  Trixie swallowed hard, her hooves shaking as she backed away from him.
 
"You spent almost everyday trying to make me miserable!  And not just me, either!"  Smoke puffed from Spike's nostrils as he let out an angry snort.  "Remember Moon Dancer and Sunburst?  The ponies you forced to do your homework and reports for you?"
 
I... But...
 
Trixie couldn't even complete her thoughts as the memory broke through.  A yellow filly and orange colt.  Both of whom she clearly recalled joining the cheering as she was led away. 
 
Trixie's magic grabbed the brim of her hat, frantically pulling it over her ears.
 
"Or worse, how about the way you treated Twilight like a circus animal?!"
 
Spike's voice pierced through her feeble cover.  He was still advancing on her.  Even with her vision fading, Trixie couldn't tear her eyes from him.  Despite his small size, the other unicorn seemed to tower over her.
 
"I had to do something to stop you!"
 
It wasn't like that...
 
Everypony expected so much!
 
One little filly couldn't handle all that by herself!
 
None of it was your business!
 
Those and a thousand more excuses swirled through Trixie's mind.  All of them crowding behind the lump in her throat.  All of them pushing to get out.  All of them immediately vanishing as Trixie felt her flank bump against a tree.  She halted, her eyes finally falling to her hooves and away from the other unicorn's stern glare.
 
"It's like my friends said:  I was just trying to do the right thing!"  Trixie squeezed her eyes shut, hooves futilely trying to block out Spike's voice.  "And if I'd listened to them this time—"
 
Silence.
 
Trixie cautiously opened one eye.  Spike was still there.  His mouth gaped open, but no sound came out.  The anger that had flooded his eyes was suddenly gone as they stared, unseeing, at the invisible mare.
 
"If... if I'd listened to them..." he repeated, his head lowering as his voice faded.
 
Quietly, Trixie took a deep breath and waved one leg under the colt's nose.
 
Spike didn't so much as bat an eye.
 
WHAM!
 
If he reacted to being shoved to the ground, Trixie didn't stick around long enough to notice.  Her hooves were moving, trampling a path away from Spike as quickly as they could manage.  All while her breath hitched in her throat and one thought bubbled from the back of her mind.
 
... Maybe he had a—
 
"Shut it."
 



 
Spike didn't groan as he picked himself up from the forest floor.  He didn't make a sound at all as he looked in the vague direction of galloping hoofsteps.  No doubt Trixie's as she ran off.
 
As they faded into the distance, the purple colt just let out a weary sigh.
 
Part of him wanted to be mad.  He could feel the aches and bruises from Trixie tossing him around.  His ears still burned with the blame she'd tried to pile onto him.  Then there was the untold frustration that would probably come with searching for her again...
 
But the anger didn't come.  Not even a twinge of annoyance.
 
The only thing he felt was tired.
 
He sluggishly raised his head, looking out to the forest around him.  He could still see the faint trail he'd left from Zecora's house.  From there, he knew the general direction to Ponyville.  Even if the route he'd followed last time had flown by in a panicked rush.
 
With a final, weary sigh, Spike forced his heavy legs to move.
 
Maybe I should have listened to them...
 
The thought hung heavily over him as he trudged along.
 
Bam bam bam
 
Spike's ears barely twitched at the distant noise.  One that rather sounded like hooves striking wood.  Even as his ears fell flat to shut the sound out, he could almost hear something else accompanying it.
 
Bam bam bam
 
"Zecora!"
 
Spike froze mid-step, his ears standing back up.
 
He was sure he hadn't imagined it.  The sound of something being struck, and more importantly the shouting voice.  Neither of them very far away, and both of them coming from the same direction.
 
Straight ahead.
 
Suddenly, Spike found himself moving again.  Confusion and curiosity both pulling him forward.
 
BAM BAM BAM
 
"Come on, we know you're in there!"
 
Another impact sounded just as the gnarled tree began to come into view again.  The masks still glared out from the windows carved into it, and the colored bottles hanging from the branches were swaying wildly.  Staring out through a gap in the bushes, however, Spike wasn't paying attention to Zecora's home.
 
Instead, his jaw dropped as he saw the group gathered in front of it.
 



 
"Thunderlane—" Cheerilee started to speak.
 
BAM BAM BAM
 
Whatever the school teacher wanted to say, Thunderlane didn't hear.  He was far too focused on the door in front of him.  The one which, despite its rickety appearance, still stood strong even after all his pounding on it.
 
BAM BAM BAM
 
"Are you even listening to me in there?!" he shouted, panting heavily after his latest trio of kicks.
 
"You're the one not listening to what I say!" a muffled voice yelled back from within the tree.  "Your friends are not here, now go away!"
 
Thunderlane knew that some part of him had expected that answer.  A fact which did nothing to keep him from grinding his teeth in frustration.
 
Alright.  She asked for it.
 
His legs were moving, quickly backing away from the door.  He stopped after several steps, and crouched low.  His wings flared out, legs tensed and ready to spring.  With one final snort, the pegasus stallion sprang forward—
 
"Thunderlane, wait!"
 
Only for something fast and gray to suddenly tackle him from behind.
 
"ARGH!"
 
WHAM
 
The weather pony's shout of surprise was cut off as he slammed into the ground.  His chest burned as the breath was knocked out of him, but still he struggled and twisted.  Even while trying to re-inflate his flattened lungs, he managed to lift his head enough to shoot an angry glare at the pony responsible for his crash.
 
Not surprisingly, only of one of her yellow eyes met his own.
 
"What are you doing?" Ditzy Doo asked as she tightened her embrace around his barrel.
 
"What's it—"  Thunderlane coughed a few times as he continued squirming, finally drawing enough breath to speak again.  "What's it (unnng!) look like?  I'm trying to (oof!) get some answers (ow!) out of Miss Rhymes-a-lot!"
 
"B-but what if you make her mad?" Ditzy stammered out, not seeming to notice the escape attempt.  "She might c-curse you or cook you up or—"
 
A final, hard shove caused Ditzy to cut herself off with a surprised yelp.  Thunderlane gave a triumphant cry as he popped free of her grip.  A couple quick flaps of his wings brought him back to his hooves, legs already preparing for another charge.
 
Then somepony cleared their throat behind him.  Thunderlane froze mid-crouch, a chill shooting down his spine.  Hesitantly, he looked over his shoulder to the sound.
 
A somewhat bedraggled Ditzy Doo was getting back up.  That mattered slightly less than the four other pairs of eyes that were staring at him.  The ones that stood out, however, were Cheerilee's, which were drawn into a rather stern glare.
 
"Thunderlane, you're starting to act a bit rashly again," she said, her voice shockingly calm.  "I'm sure you don't want to do something you'll regret later."
 
"I-I don't!"  Thunderlane flinched as he finally managed to peel his tongue from the roof of his mouth.  "But what about Spike?"
 
The school teacher's glare softened and vanished.  Inwardly, Thunderlane would have been cheering if his heart hadn't still been hammering at a mile a minute.  The nerves that had fueled it before were rapidly fading, however.
 
"I know Zecora's rhyming speak is... well, a bit odd," Cheerilee admitted, taking a step forward.  "But I think she just said that Spike isn't here."
 
"Oh right, and we can totally believe the weird pony that lives in the spooky, monster-infested forest."  Thunderlane couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice.  Nor could he resist rolling his eyes.  "Doesn't she seem just a little too eager to get rid of us?"
 
"Well, you trying to break down her door might have something to do with that."
 
This time a low growl slipped from Thunderlane's muzzle.  His eyes immediately narrowed on Time Turner, the tan stallion wincing a bit and taking a step back.
 
"It's just a thought," Time Turner said, his eyes darting to the others.  "I mean, you've hardly been a gracious houseguest."
 
This time, Thunderlane winced.  Unfortunately, he couldn't deny the bureaucrat's point.  He was even tempted to join a few of the others as they nodded in agreement.  Especially with the way his nose still smarted.  A harsh reminder of both Zecora's remarkably quick reactions to a charging pegasus and the solidity of her front door.
 
Thunderlane quickly shook his head, pushing the memory and the pain back down.
 
"Guys, can we focus on the big issue here?!" he shouted, jabbing a hoof back towards the gnarled tree house.  "Namely, the fact that Zecora might be brewing up a batch of Spike Stew right now?!"
 
Everypony else stayed silent.  A fact that did nothing to calm Thunderlane.  The lack of any arguments to rebut caused his eyes to immediately turn back to the twisted tree-hut.  As hard as he tried to stop himself, he could only imagine what was going on inside.  Something that probably involved a purple unicorn, bound and gagged and dangling helplessly over a boiling cauldron...
 
This had to be the one time he'd listen to me.
 
Pain lanced through Thunderlane's mouth.  It took a second to realize that he'd bit the inside of his cheek.
 
"Maybe... maybe he has a point."
 
The voice was so soft, it was a marvel Thunderlane had even heard it.  The words, however, shook him from his thoughts.  His eyes snapped to the speaker, noticing that everypony else was already staring at her.  He especially couldn't miss the shocked expression on Time Turner's face.
 
"Twilight?" Time Turner muttered, eyes going wide.
 
The little dragon was cringing slightly under all the attention, nervously wringing her tail in her claws.  Before Thunderlane could even consider looking away, though, her gaze shifted up.  He took a step back as Twilight's worried eyes locked right onto him, almost able to feel the stare going through him to the gnarled tree.
 
"I-I don't want to just... you know, break in but..." Twilight sniffled, squeezing her tail even harder as she tried to speak.  "If Spike's in there... if he's in trouble..."
 
Cheerilee was at Twilight's side in an instant.  As she draped a hoof over the sniffling dragon's shoulder, Thunderlane could feel his insides twist with worry.
 
"I-I just want him to be okay..." Twilight said in a half-whisper, burying her face in the teacher's chest.
 
And when it all goes south, don't come crying to me!
 
Thunderlane did his best not to flinch again.  Taking a quick breath, he turned back to Zecora's house, his eyes set in a hard glare.
 
"That's what I'm aiming for, Twi," he said, one hoof scraping at the ground as he prepared to charge.
 
"Hold on thar," a deep, drolling voice suddenly spoke up.
 
The pegasus was about to groan, to roll his eyes in frustration.  He stopped himself as a massive, red hoof placed itself in front of him.  Whatever retort or argument Thunderlane would have spit out was immediately forgotten as he followed the limb up to look at Big Macintosh.
 
The larger stallion wasn't even looking at him.  His mouth was pulled into a tight line, his eyes focused solely on the front door of Zecora's house.
 
"Ah'll git that," he said, plodding towards the wooden barrier.
 
Thunderlane said nothing, simply watching the red giant.  Even with his calm gait, every step Mac took shook the ground.  The surprisingly formidable door seemed to notice also, rattling on its hinges as the farmer drew close.  It almost sounded like it was shivering in terror as Big Mac turned his back to it, one leg lifting to kick as he nodded to Thunderlane.  The pegasus pony nodded back, spreading his wings and crouching as he waited for the signal to charge.
 
And waited.
 
And waited a few more seconds.
 
Thunderlane straightened his legs again and raised one eyebrow.  Mac hardly seemed to notice.  The earth pony almost seemed frozen if not for the way his eyes were going wider and wider.
 
"Mac?"  Thunderlane took a few steps forward, waving one leg in front of the other stallion's face.  "You alright, big guy?"
 
"Spike?" Mac muttered, his jaw hanging slack.
 
"Uh... yeah, Spike."  Thunderlane gave a slow nod as confusion and frustration both tried to fight their way into his voice.  "We're trying to help him, remem-urk!"
 
He didn't get to finish the sentence.  Big Mac's foreleg shot out again, forcing Thunderlane to turn back around.  His brow furrowed, struggling to understand the gesture as he noticed how strangely silent everypony else had gone.  The weather pony's eyes followed theirs, mouth opening to ask what the others were looking at.
 
The question didn't have a chance to start, however, before he saw the answer.  One word immediately rang out in his mind.
 
... What.
 
A young colt, probably no older than Thunderlane's own brother, was slowly approaching them.  That sight in the Everfree Forest by itself would have been enough to give Thunderlane pause.  What truly struck him silent was how uncannily familiar the little unicorn was.  From his purple coat, to his green, spiky mane, and even the nervous little smile he was giving the group.
 
"Uh... heh heh..." The young, colt-version of Spike let out a feeble chuckle.  "H-hi guys."
 
Thunderlane's mouth was suddenly very dry.  Probably thanks to how wide it was hanging open.
 



 
"Oh my gosh..." Ditzy Doo gasped out.
 
Spike grimaced, his eyes locked on the ground.  Inwardly, he was already bracing himself.  Ready for whatever storm of questions, lectures, and "I told you so's" he was about to receive.
 
"You are so cute!"
 
"Huh?" Spike gasped out, lifting his head.
 
That was all he had time to do before a gray blur descended on him.  Suddenly, the unicorn couldn't breathe.  Not due to fear, shock, or any other overwhelming emotions for once.  Rather, it was thanks to the impossibly tight hug Ditzy Doo had suddenly pulled him into.
 
"Oooooooh, I could just squeeze you forever!" Ditzy gushed as the pressure on Spike's ribs increased.
 
The colt tried to speak, but all that came out was a breathless cough.  Small spots danced before his eyes as the embrace simply grew tighter and tighter.  As his senses began to fade, he could hear the distant thud of heavy hoofsteps.
 
"Uh, Ditzy?" Big Mac's voice echoed from far off.
 
"Huh?" Ditzy responded.
 
Something red moved to the vice-like limbs that were hugging him.  A split-second later, the pressure on his chest lessened.  There was a dull pain as Spike slid free from the death embrace, landing flat on his back on the ground.  He hardly noticed it as he took greedy lungfuls of air, his vision slowly sharpening back to normal.
 
Big Macintosh was standing over him, looking just as calm as ever.  Ditzy Doo was there as well, a sheepish smile on her face as she looked down at him.
 
"Oh!  Heh heh..." she covered her muzzle as she giggled a bit.  "Sorry."
 
" 'S alright," Spike managed to slur out as he flipped himself over. 
 
He'd no sooner gotten back to his hooves, though, when another blur suddenly charged him.  Spike could only let out a grunt as he found himself in another embrace.  Though, much to his relief, this one was far less powerful than before.
 
"Twi..." he muttered.
 
"You're okay!"  The dragon's voice and breathing were both ragged.  Spike could feel a few tears rolling from her cheeks into his coat.  "Do you have any idea how worried I was?!  What are you even doing out here?"
 
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Spike grunted out, starting to get worried as Twilight's embrace began to tighten.  "How'd you guys know where I was?"
 
"You can thank Snips and Snails for that."  Time Turner's voice was accompanied by the clack of his hooves.  "They raised quite the ruckus back in town."
 
Spike lifted his gaze from his assistant as she let go, looking instead to the others.  Time Turner had joined the rest of the group, along with Thunderlane and Cheerilee.  The confusion on their faces was all too obvious, though Spike was certain he saw hints of a relieved smile on most of them.
 
"Apparently, they went to visit both you and Trixie this morning," Cheerilee explained.  "When they couldn't find either of you, they thought that... well, that Zecora must have gobbled you up."
 
"I thought they were exaggerating until they took me back to the library," Twilight sniffled again, finally wiping her eyes dry.  "When I saw the mess that was there..."
 
Oh.  Right.
 
Spike rubbed the back of his head and flinched.  Suddenly he recalled just how many books had been left scattered across the floor.  As well as the condition of the loft, with bed sheets, pillows, and Twilight's crumpled basket likely still strewn about.
 
"I got scared, so I got the others and—" Twilight's breathing was getting fast again, and Spike founds himself in another scaly hug.  "Just what in Equestria happened to you?!"
 
"I think we all want to hear about that," Thunderlane added, his forelegs crossed over his chest.
 
Spike looked from one friend to another.  Even amidst Thunderlane's frustrated voice, the confusion and curiosity were still there.  All of it unquestionably focused on the unicorn as he gently slipped out of Twilight's embrace.
 
Really, there was only one way he could think to start.
 
"It's kind of a weird story."
 



 
To an outsider, the sight looked strange.
 
Five ponies and a baby dragon, sitting in the middle of one of the most dangerous places in Equestria.  All of them listening with rapt attention to the colt as he spun the most fantastic story.  A story of old enemies, evil witches, curses, dragons, and other things out of a child's fairy tale.
 
To his credit, he didn't seem to leave anything out.  From his nightmares the night before, to waking up, even his embarrassing spills throughout the day, Spike told them everything.  As the story came to an end, with Trixie running off for the last time, everypony present simply sat there, taking it all in.
 
Time Turner clearing his throat was what finally broke the silence.
 
"Well," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.  "It sounds like you've had quite the day."
 
A few awkward chuckles sprang up from that.  Spike was rolling his eyes, but even he smiled a bit.  The laughter quickly faded though, as Thunderlane took a step towards the colt.
 
"What I don't get is why your best plan was to go running after Zecora again," Thunderlane said, making a sweeping gesture to the other ponies around him.  "If you needed help, why not just come find us?"
 
"Because..." Spike's fledgling smile was gone.  He let out a heavy sigh as he lowered his head.  "Because after what happened last night, I didn't think you guys would want to help me."
 
That made Thunderlane's eyes go wide.  His wings twitched nervously as he looked at the others, most of whom were giving him rather stern looks.  Especially Cheerilee as she moved to Spike's side.
 
"I - okay, yeah, I was kinda frustrated when I said, you know, what I said—" Thunderlane had broken out in a slight sweat as he stammered.  "I mean, it's not like I wanted anything bad to happen!"
 
Cheerilee didn't say anything.  She put one hoof over Spike's shoulders before waving at Thunderlane to continue.  The pegasus sighed, his wings slumping in defeat.
 
"But okay, yeah, maybe I was a bit harsh," he admitted.
 
"It's fine," Spike said as he shrugged off the school teacher's hoof.  "I had it coming after all."
 
The unicorn scuffed at the ground, not even bothering to lift his head.  His ears were drooping, and even the spikes in his mane seemed to sag somewhat as the tip of his tail brushed along the ground.
 
"You guys were trying to help, and I just kept pushing you all away and acting like a jerk.  Especially to you, Twi."  Spike seemed to sink lower, likely thanks to how heavy his voice suddenly was.  "Maybe if I'd listened to you guys... if I hadn't let myself get so wrapped up in fighting with Trixie... I wouldn't be in this mess."
 
"Awwwwww!"
 
Ditzy's coo was the only warning Spike had before he was swept into her forelegs again.  At the very least, this hug was significantly more gentle.  Though it did cause him to blush as she rubbed her cheek against his.
 
"It's alright, Spike!" Ditzy said, apparently blind to Spike's embarrassment.  "We're not mad, are we guys?"
 
"Nope," Big Mac confirmed, cutting off Thunderlane just as he opened his mouth.
 
"Besides, you aren't the only one that needs to apologize," Cheerilee added.
 
A chorus of nods passed among the other ponies.  Even Thunderlane joined, though a bit reluctantly.  Spike's head was lifting, his eyes going wide as they travelled from one friend to the next.
 
"We didn't take your concerns about Trixie as seriously as we should have.  Even after it became clear how upset you and Twilight were," Time Turner said with an apologetic smile.  "Perhaps if we had, we could have kept things from escalating like they did."
 
"And my flying off the handle didn't help," Thunderlane admitted once more as he winced slightly.  "Sorry again about that."
 
Spike finally blinked as he was placed back on the ground.  His mouth opened as if to speak, but no words came out.  He closed it, once again looking at the others.  He jumped a bit as Twilight claw touched his shoulder, only to immediately relax as she gave him a small smile.
 
"Wow... I, uh... I never expected... well, that," he finally said, returning Twilight's grin.  "Thanks, guys."
 
"We're all just glad you're okay," Twilight said.  "Especially me."
 
This time it was the dragon's turn to gasp in surprise as Spike's forelegs wrapped around her in a hug.  She quickly fell back into a smile though as she returned the gesture.  There was a collective "awww" from the others, a few of them (specifically Ditzy Doo) jumping in to join the embrace.
 
But through the small tangle of ponies, the viewer could still see Spike.  Even with his friends smiling around him, even with a big grin of his own, his eyes were elsewhere.  Focused past those gathered around him.
 
Locked right on Zecora's.
 
The zebra took a step back, finally letting the mask fall back to cover the window again.  Even with all the laughing and happiness outside, she wore a deep frown.  It was hard to keep the memories back, so she didn't even try.  The scene she'd just witnessed floated through her mind, interrupted by other images.
 
The purple stallion, not seeming to care what Cheerilee had to say, stomping his way onto Trixie's stage.
 
Even Twilight's tearful pleading had no effect. Spike raised his voice and sent her stumbling away before turning follow the showmare.
 
Thunderlane was yelling, throwing all his mistakes into his face, and still Spike fought.  Arguing back until the pegasus took off with a final, furious warning.
 
And all of these events cast a sharp contrast to the colt muttering apologies to those same friends.  Zecora was still pondering the change as she turned away from her window, eyes locking on something across the room.
 
Perhaps he is not such a bad little foal.
 
A thick, green book with a curly fern embossed on the front seemed to be staring back at her from the shelf.
 
Trixie's actions are not something he could control...
 
Clack, clack, clack
 
Zecora shook her head and glanced to her door.  She was very familiar with the sound of somepony knocking on it by this point.  She couldn't help but notice how much smaller, and less frustrated, it sounded than before.
 
Clack, clack, clack
 
"Uh... Miss Zecora?" the muffled voice of a unicorn colt called from outside.
 
The zebra plodded the few steps to her door.  One hoof flicked up, undoing the latch with a practiced motion.  That same leg hesitated, just for a moment, as she reached out once more.
 
Taking a deep breath, Zecora pushed the door open a bit.  Just as she'd expected, she could see Spike through the crack, standing on her doorstep.  A bit further back stood his friends, fear and apprehension apparent among them as they watched the colt.
 
"So, um... hi."  Spike's voice drew Zecora's eyes back to him, as he shuffled his hooves a bit.  "I guess you've probably been bothered enough but... well..."
 
What happened next was easily the most surprising thing to happen all day.
 
Spike reached out one foreleg, an apologetic look on his face.
 
"I'm sorry," he said.
 
Zecora couldn't keep a quizzical eyebrow from raising.  Curious, she pushed the door open the rest of the way.  Spike didn't try to back away, or even so much as flinch.  He simply took a deep breath as he looked up at her.
 
"I kept saying I didn't want to get anypony else involved in my fight with Trixie.  But I didn't even think twice when she dragged you into it... or when all that stuff got damaged back at the market," Spike said, his leg still extended for a hoofshake.  "It wasn't right, and it wasn't fair, and I'm sorry that you caught in the middle of it."
 
Zecora looked at the small hoof before her.  The same one that, just the night before, had rapped her rather hard on the head.  She could even feel the lump throb a bit as if to remind her.
 
"I must say, Spike, you've brought more trouble than expected," Zecora pointed out as she rubbed at the bump.
 
She could only imagine how the Forest Dragon probably felt.  It had long since fallen silent, probably exhausted from whatever Spike and Trixie had put it through.  To say nothing of the various states of tired the other gathered ponies seemed to be in.
 
Nevertheless, Spike's friends were watching with bated breath.  None of them seemed to care in the least how long or how deep they were in the Everfree Forest.  Thunderlane in particular seemed more concerned for the colt, his wings ready to dash in and pull him aside at a moment's notice.
 
He nearly did just that as Zecora extended her own hoof.  Fortunately, Big Macintosh was quick to block his path.
 
"I think your heart was in the right place, though, so apology accepted," Zecora said as she and Spike shared a firm hoofshake.
 
Spike had a relieved smile on his face, and the zebra couldn't help returning it with one of her own.  Around them, a few of the bottles hanging from the tree swayed in the breeze from everypony else's collective sigh.  Twilight and Thunderlane in particular seemed much more relaxed as they walked up to Spike.
 
"I must admit, you impressed me child, when you chose to stay and make amends," Zecora said.
 
She almost hated to break up the moment.  Especially since she could still see some hints of nervousness in the eyes of the ponies turning to look at her.  The zebra did her best to ignore the stares.  Instead she stepped aside, leaving a clear path into her home.
 
"If you'll stay a while longer, then to your Poison Joke curse I'll attend," she offered, gesturing to the inside of her home.
 
Zecora did her best not to let her smile falter.  Even if Spike remained hesitant at the threshold of her door.  The hints of worry weren't just hints anymore.  Especially as his eyes travelled over the large cauldron in the center of the room.  Twilight was lifting one claw, almost as though reaching out to stop him—
 
clack
 
Without a word or a glance to the others, Spike stepped inside.
 
"So," he said as he trotted up to the zebra.  "What did you mean by 'Poison Joke curse?'"
 
Zecora just smiled, and walked over to fetch the green book.