Chapter 2 - Return
CHAPTER 2 - Return
***Sweet Apple Acres***
Among countless trees, which grew the sweet and tasty fruits one would commit sin to have, there on ground, in shades provided by leaves sat the most uncommon couple, even by Equestria standards. Applejack talked vigorously to Spike, who was at this time stuffing his empty stomach with said fruits, each bite easing his starvation.
The fresh air mixed with the sweet taste of apples, filled Spike’s senses with long forgotten memories of his former life. As the sunrays warmed his body, he remembered many times he visited the Sweet Apple Acres as a baby dragon along the six mares he considered friends. Even if one year had passed as Applejck told him between tears, he had to admit that not much changed here, especially Applejack herself whom finally seemed to settle down.
He would probably enjoy this day just like many others in the past, if his troubled mind wasn’t overflowing with information which his friend provided. No matter how he put it, he couldn’t grasp what was exactly happening.
- Okay…let’s think rationally. – Spike thought frantically. Maybe he would find it funny how he probably resembled Twilight at this moment, trying to analyze everything, but what was happening certainly didn’t put his mind at ease and was no laughing matter, for confusion and fear filled his heart.
- First things first. By what Applejack told me, I was away for one year. Second. I’m pretty sure I have grown up by more than one year and sprouted wings, which would be more than a year but not enough for eighteen years of imprisonment when I lived as a human…was I even alive? – He sighed, while trying very hard to untangle this mess which didn’t make one bit sense. Finding his new body, which was now slightly bigger than pony’s when he was on all fours and nearly twice the size when he was standing on his hind legs, was the most shocking thing to him.
Not only was Spike having trouble to adjust his movements, the longer tail and new wings provided additional discomfort because he couldn’t even move them properly… which irritated him for he felt like an elephant in shop with porcelain.
- Third and most important of all. I have both sets of memories from both lives which means that I have either finally snapped and I’m sitting before my computer with droll coming out of my mouth or I really am Spike… which would make eighteen years not real even if I remember them with too much detail - His trail of thought continued only to be interrupted by a painful shove to his arm, which put him out of his trance. Blinking rapidly his green dragon eyes, he looked at the mare before him, who looked like she was expecting answer to her question for some time now.
- Okay, that shove hurt… so it’s not a dream, that I can exclude. Oh I am so smart. – He concluded sarcastically and smiled a forced, false smile towards Applejack.
“Sorry AJ, I’m just a little overwhelmed… can you repeat?” Spike asked kindly, playing it safe and nice for now. For all he knew, Applejack could be fabrication of his mind, a dream of madman so there was no point in giving in to his potential madness.
“Was askin’ what happened to ya for past year! We have been searchin’ all over for ya for five months!” She repeated, obviously trying to contain her happiness with fake anger, while wearing wide smile on her muzzle. Spike had to admit he was glad that it was Applejack he bumped into and not Pinkie Pie, for the element of honesty was always straightforward and would answer his every question truthfully.
Getting another apple, he took a mighty bite of it while thinking over his response or rather what to tell her without actually going into detail. Pondering at the question for some time he decided that safe approach would be best as there was no need to tell her that he lived nearly eighteen years of hell or so he thought he did. The memories of everyday life still lingered in his mind and that wasn’t a something he could share just like that. - Okay, no telling anypony anything until I figure this out – He decided and swallowed the apple in his mouth, the sweet fruit filling his stomach further,
“I… honestly don’t know. Last thing I remember was Twilight casting her spell and then…nothing. Some fuzzy images, nothing else.” Spike lied at the same time standing up on all fours, matching the eyelevel of mare before him. He could of course stand on his hind legs, like he did in the past but it would feel odd for him to look down on Applejack. Looking the mare straight into her eyes, he issued a question of his own, one that haunted him.
“Can you give me an update on what happened this past year while I was…away?” Upon hearing it, Applejack shifted uncomfortable in her place, her eyes looking down at green grass and apples laying around. Those signs were enough to tell Spike that there was some kind of problem.
Being polite, he gave her some time to collect her thoughts, for it was obvious that she was expecting a question like that to come up sooner or later. Still, that didn’t mean it was any easier for her to answer it. After all what do you say to somepony… somedragon who was gone for a full year and comes twice as big in size just like that?
“Uh…ah… Let’s see. I uh… was buckin’ apples… like ah always do. Rarity was…making dresses and uh…Rainbow Dash worked on her moves. Fluttershy was…uh…nothing changed with her and Pinkie is well…Pinkie…” Rambled the Element of Honesty, which slightly agitated Spike but he wouldn’t want to be rude, especially not to her after she gave him some apples for free. Confused or not, he knew it was better to behave.
“It’s okay AJ, I get it, nothing much changed for you guys. Now, take a deep breath and tell me… about Twilight” Spike said, as his heart grew heavy. He was afraid to ask about his best friend but he knew it needed to be done and by the look Applejack gave him something was definitely NOT good. – Why am I so agitated? It might not be real. Calm yourself Spike! – He slapped himself mentally for over reacting.
“Uh…ya said she failed a spell did ya not?” Applejack asked slowly and seeing Spike nod silently she decided to continue, for honest answer was what he needed and beating around the bush would only be stalling for time.
“Well…she, didn’t take it well…ah mean, she blamed herself for months and even wanted to resign being a princess. We managed to help her through this…more or less.” She finally managed to say but it wasn’t what Spike wanted to hear, after all he was supposed to take care of Twilight and right now he felt like he failed this most important task.
To his knowledge, that mare couldn’t even cook for herself! Maybe make Daisy sandwich but definitely not cook. Sufficient to say, Spike was now afraid how she managed the past year because he remembered how everything looked when he was away for one month in Canterlot! – She lost weight, the kitchen looked like a rampaging dragon went through it, everything was a dirty mess and she struggled to find anything… only the books were neatly on shelves but that was Twilight and she would never let them be harmed in any way… -
“Somehow…?” Spike asked almost fearfully, forgetting about playing it safe and urging Applejack to elaborate on the topic while giving her a while to compose herself.
“She…rarely comes out of library now.”Applejack finally managed to say, her hat obscuring the view of her eyes.
“She took it hard Spike… spends twice as much time to perfect everythin’… without you, everythin' just fell apart in her life. Me and girls visit her, clean a little n'all, but that’s all we can do. If not for Fluttershy’s stare, she wouldn’t let us do any of her chores! Ah really hope that maybe seein’ ya will help her.” She managed to say, looking at him with hope filled eyes and Spike could feel heavy weight being put on his shoulders. Now days he disliked expectations from others and here, Applejack wanted him to take care of somepony like Twilight as if nothing had happened. Besides If she had it hard then what about him and those eighteen years?!
Obviously there was more going on than Applejack let on, after all the Element of Honesty couldn’t lie but that didn’t mean she couldn’t say half of the truth. Right now, Spike didn’t knew what to feel exactly. Somehow he was extremely worried but on the other side, his life seemed to be very distant, a thing of eighteen years in the past.
Sufficient to say, he was conflicted between his own feelings and utterly confused about everything. Should he even care? On one claw he heard that his best friend was feeling guilty and suffered for one year and was in poor state because of it. On the other…he no longer could feel the connection they shared and wondered if his ‘best friend’ was even a ‘friend’ at this stage… after all it was her fault that he experienced hell and that was a fact. He was about to respond to the Applejack’s request but was interrupted by a loud…and I mean LOUD pony.
“OMIGOSHISTHATYOUSPIKE!!!” Shouted no one other than the most hyperactive pony in all of Equestria. Pinkie Pie, who just happened to wander around on the sunny day felt her pinkie sense leading her here and it was related to Spike… but why would he be between many apple trees? The answer to it wasn’t important to the happy-go-lucky mare.
“Er…wha?” Spike started to say while turning in the mare direction, but was tackled from behind, which was odd because he could swear she was before him mere second ago. Jumping happily on his back, Pinkie looked happily at Applejack, blue eyes wide open but no wider than her trademark smile
“Hey Applejack look it’s SPIKE! How were your vacations?” Pinkie squealed in joy, as she took the poor dragon’s head in her front hooves and showed it closer to Applejack, who just stared wide eyed at Spike. Cringing at the humiliated look in the green orbs, she decided to intervene.
“Ah…Pinkie, I don’t know if it is a good way to welcome Spike…” But whatever she said had different effect than she wanted.
“Welcome…WELCOME! I’ve got the most amazing IDEA~! Oh we are totally doing this!” Pinkie shouted on top of her lungs, startling the birds resting between the trees, which also earned quizzical looks from both Applejack and Spike. As Applejack helped Spike up from the ground, the dragon couldn’t help but ask.
“Doing…what?” He uttered while fearing further abuse from the pink blur. His feeling were conflicted but everything he experienced but THIS was too much, as even his confusion from all those memories paled in comparison to Pinkie’s behavior which was too random.
“A welcome party sylly!” Commanded Pinkie, jumping around happily with confetti flying everywhere, obviously in her own pinkie world. As Spike stared slack jawed for a while and was about to object to the whole party idea, Applejack words caught his full attention.
“Ya know Spike…that’s not a bad idea she’s got here” She mused but upon noticing quizzical look that Spike gave her, she decided to elaborate further
"What better way to meet up with everypony than at party?” Spike had to admit, there was wisdom in what she said. After all, all of his friends will be there so he would see for himself what he thought of the six mares.
If he still considered them friends after all this time that passed he could stay and if not, maybe he could at least get some information from Twilight. There was only one thing that seemed off about this whole plan.
“I see…but will Twilight come out of the library? You said it yourself AJ, that she rarely comes out now…” Spike mused out loudly, with curiosity observing how Pinkie rambled to herself about preparations, sometimes being in three different places while throwing around five ideas instead of one at the time. He had to admit… she was amazing.
“Ah got everythin’ covered partner! Leave it to me and Rarity!” Smiled Applejack, her usual confident grin in place. Upon hearing the familiar name, Spike felt shiver run down his spine. Once, he had this crush on the alabaster unicorn but what about now? He didn’t feel the familiar tingling in his heart, but maybe it was because it was too long ago or maybe it wasn’t real like everything now?
- No, this isn’t it…Maybe it is because I now realize that it was silly to have crush on somepony because of their looks and there are those memories about those many stories with me and… - As Spike was about to continue thinking more about the whole subject, he felt Pinkie wrap him in a big, tight hug from behind.
“It’s going to be the BIGGEST PARTY EVER! Got to prepare! Applejack can you gather everypony? Party at Sixth, usual place” She shouted rapidly and just as expected of her, she dragonnapped the helpless Spike and made her way towards Sugarcube Corner before Applejack could as much as blink, not to mention answer a question.
Since she was used to dealing with Pinkie, sighing to herself she decided to just do what she was told and made her way towards Ponyville. Still, there was unusual uneasiness in her heart but she couldn’t place exactly why. Spike seemed to be alright most of the time, even if he spaced a lot during their conversation.
Being as perceptive as she was, AJ noticed right away that he didn’t tell her everything, he was distant and that’s not how she remembered him. There was something false about his behavior but she wouldn’t be rude to interrogate him after he just returned from who knows where. If somepony was supposed to get everything out of him, it would be nopony else than Twilight.
Shaking her head, she decided not to over-think everything. Spike was back and that was all that mattered in this moment… - Buck one tree at a time – She remembered the wise words of Granny Smith as she trotted faster. She just hoped that Twilight will take the news calmly or that those news will help her revert back to her former self. That was the most important task at hoof for now.
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I like it!
i like it, but wish you didnt use the pinkie who only parties cliche. thats her answer to everything. its getting old.
Well that was a interesting return, answer some questions if had too.
Oh, and for future reference, you shouldn't keep describing the character's by appearance most of the time once you state your name. Just isn't necessary after that point.
Other then remembering to separate when others speak, you done both very, very well. I personally can't write Pinkie in a very happy style, I like her more serious and realistic but that is just me, can't wait to see more, I fear for the new Goddess of Magic and Harmony