Estranged
Prologue
There was a cave jutting out of the side of a mountain, similar to any of the other numerous caverns dotting the landscape. However, unlike the others, within these cold stone walls lay a slumbering beast that would have been an odd sight indeed to see. Most cave-dwelling species, be they bears, wolves or some of the more nocturnal manticores, usually only spend the day or a short time of the year in the cave. This creature, on the other hand, had been sleeping nonstop in this cave for years. During this time, unlike other creatures, it had not awoken once; it had no need for food or water in this state, and while it was for all intents and purposes dead to the outside world, it was far from defenseless. A powerful spell lay over the cave’s entrance, only to be broken once the beast inside awoke from his long sleep. It had been cast by an alicorn of incredible power, a bearer of a series of powers that held sway over the lands of Equestria.
Deep within the dark, dank cave, the slumbering form began to stir. Joints popped like popcorn after having not moved for nearly half a decade, limbs that had rested for years stretched like a cat’s, and from the throat of this mighty beast, there erupted a small bout of green flame. Scales of an iridescent purple covered the creature from head to toe, with long spines running all along its back and talons protruding from both toes and fingers. The great tail that extended from its hindquarters ended with a powerful spade, a useful tool for digging up the gems it favored as a delicacy.
“Mmm, what a nap,” the dragon groaned, and opening its green eyes, it blinked in the darkness. This was no problem for Spike, as a dragon was gifted with a sight to rival that of any creature, and as such could see in the pitch dark as if it were merely a cloudy day. He looked behind him and frowned slightly. “Still no wings; darn.” Well, at least he was a bit bigger than when he had entered the cave; if his memory served him right, he was now likely a head taller than Big Macintosh.
Indeed, Spike the dragon had not known of his species’ reliance on sleep to grow, as dragons were creatures of the Earth in more ways than one. To sleep surrounded by the flesh of the planet was to be asleep once more in the womb of the fiery molten core that gave birth to them. To emerge older and larger was to show the world how Earth rewarded her children, as the very essence of the planet is what made dragons grow quickly in a natural manner. This process could be further accelerated by greed, rage and countless other emotions, but the fact remained that only through sleep surrounded by rock could a dragon truly grow in heart, mind and body.
This was what Spike had learned many years before, after finally meeting a very old dragon on a diplomatic mission with Twilight Sparkle. He had never met a leviathan so at odds with what he thought of when he heard the word “dragon”. This giant was of a gentle nature that exceeded even its enormous size, and the wisdom it carried with every syllable spoke of a life measured not in years, or decades, or even centuries, but millennia. It held no pride in its voice, save for the pride in bestowing information on others; no prejudice clouded his mind when he gladly spoke with Twilight Sparkle. It was a dragon unlike any other, and only after meeting him had Spike began to understand something.
He was a dragon raised by ponies, and thus perhaps one of the most unique creatures on the planet. He had learned to accept this as he had been growing up, but after experiencing the loss of a crush to him simply outgrowing it, Spike began to learn the truth. He didn’t need to be as much like a pony as he could; all he had to do was be himself, and who he was on the inside was all that mattered.
Perhaps that was why he began to see Zecora in a new light after one of her visits. She too was unique; a different creature from the ponies of Equestria. While they no longer reacted to her presence with fear and suspicion, Spike had known Zecora would never be fully accepted by the ponies of Ponyville for a very long time yet. Perhaps it was the fact that she spoke in rhyme or lived outside of town; these qualities were enough for her to be unofficially known as the town hermit.
Spike didn’t it like that as he grew up; he didn’t see a hermit whenever he was around Zecora. He saw an exotic beauty, a lonely soul who was content with what she had, but still yearned for more. Everypony yearned for something in their life, and Zecora, though she never admitted it to him while he was younger, obviously sought companionship. She had friends in the Elements of Harmony, and with their own friends and relatives, but she yearned for a different kind of companion. Alone in her hut, not fully accepted by society, she had been living a life filled with loneliness, a life she had come to accept as her lot in life.
That was why, after his first molt and subsequent growth spurt to a size similar to her own, Spike had asked Zecora out on a date. She had refused him at first, due to her being busy making a potion, but Spike was nothing if not persistent. After asking a few more times over the ensuing weeks, the zebra had finally relented. The date had gone as well as could be expected; rain had ruined the wildflower display Spike had wanted to show her, and Twilight would not stop following them around like some overbearing mother hen. She was still overprotective of Spike at that time; in fact, it was she who had cast the spell on his cave, if only to help protect him.
Still, for a disastrous first date, Spike had found Zecora to be an excellent conversationalist, even if her rhyming would still throw him for a loop every now and then. So, he asked her out again the next week, and the week after that; they shared in many dates, most of them rather good, and a few bad enough that they both laughed at the mere memory of them. Spike really took a liking to the tea she brewed, and Zecora was always looking to make some potion with him, though more often than not anything they made out of dragon scales or such blew up in their faces. They laughed at that too.
Two years of dating, laughing, being the best of friends and for the residents of Ponyville, the cutest and oddest couple in town. Then, on the eve before Spike had scheduled himself for a two year dragon nap, Zecora had invited him to her hut to wish him luck. It had been a chilly January day, so the fact that her hut had been warm made the visit all that more enjoyable. They had talked long into the evening, laughing at all the memories and all of the fun they had had together. He really had enjoyed her company and she his, for he had filled a hole in her life and she had done the same for him.
That was when the alcohol had been brought out. Spike had never had it before, and didn’t know how much of an effect it had on dragons, but, one thing led to another, and... the two of them had ended up making love. It had been sweet and though it had lasted all night, it had been far too short, but in the end it remained so memorable experience that Spike would never forget, even if somepony tried to make him. It had been his first experience, and after they had finished, Zecora had told him it had also been her first. She then sang sweet nothings in his ear, promising to keep their union a secret until they were ready for anypony else to know. That was why, after Twilight sealed him in his cave with a heartfelt goodbye, the dragon had felt a minor pang in his heart for not telling her. But he had given Zecora a Pinkie Promise, and as such, would not tell until they were both ready to tell everypony else.
Which was why, as he emerged from his cave, he was surprised to see something. The spring before he went to sleep, Zecora had planted a small wildflower garden outside of the cave entrance, so that when he emerged two years later, the flowers would be in bloom for him to see. Only... there was no simple garden in his field of view when he emerged and the spell protecting the cave vanished. The garden’s edges had long since elongated, stretching out a good many yards past where the plants must have originally been. It looked as though it had been untended for a while, but not for very long; a few years, perhaps, but then again, wasn't he supposed to have been asleep for only two years?
Only question came to Spike’s mind when he saw this. “Just how long was I asleep?”
Setting off at a brisk pace, he headed for the place he could think of: Ponyville. Twilight would be there, and she would have the answers he’d need. She always had the answers, and it would be good to see her again; to see everypony again.
To see Zecora again.
wait, what happened to Heritage?
4302215 Deleted it. Read the author's note.
Its......... Good. Tho i wouldnt call it a rewrite, nor superior.
Round two. Let's do this.
DISISGONNABGUUDDD!!!!
I have been looking everywhere for heritage for the past two hours god mother fucking dammit! Only to find that it's been redone!? What. The. Fuck? ...okay I read the author note and can now forgIve thIs InjustIce...Im stIll not happy about It though...
4302307 I got a copy of it, if you still want to read it as far as it was
Spike x Zecora? Never saw that coming. Well, I didn't see Spike x Everypony coming last time.
While I will still have a burning curiosity to just where heritage was going; I can accept this new direction. I'm thinking something along the line of Rip Van Winkle. That was always an interesting story. But a little sad to. Hopefully no great calamity had befallen Equestria like it did Rip's land. I am expecting more of a character exploration from this story. You have yet to prove me wrong.
P.S. You do realize you will have to take some heat from getting rid of heritage right?
4302324 I would prefer that heat to the heat I had over Heritage.
How much hate are we talking? Because there was some guy (Kajio?) that wrote a story with the best of intentions, and that created a clusterfuck that even a Mod had to get in on.
I'd love to go in to detail, but there were too many small-minded people I came in contact with that have made me hate ever even thinking about it.
4302338
Fair enough I guess. Though would it be much to ask you to PM me the outline for heritage, if it had one?
4302351 I could email you what I had; I was really just making it up as I went along.
4302355
Now that is a surprise. I'll accept though. But come on you must have had an end game here. All your stores do.
Stupid trolls...
Using popcorn for a simile kind of ruins the whole legendary beast waking from an ancient slumber vibe you had going.
4302314 that be great! I only finished the first two and then came looking for the rest during this road trip I'm currently on.
But i actually liked Heritage. I thought it was funny. It seemed like it wasn't suppose to be taken seriously.
4302417 I have it on google docs, I hope that's alright
4302426 bloody perfect. Thanks!
You are forgiven. Just be careful to not let it happen again.
I shall follow this story to see how it pans out.
Oh man. That prologue is given me some bad vibes.
How long was a out for? Is Ponyville alright? Is Twilight, Zecora, the girls alright? Is Spike and Zecora's child or children alright?!
Yeah! You heard me! I see what you did there, so don't think I didn't.
Waiting for that next chapter with eager eyes!
Well, I for one enjoyed Heritage. Can you at least send me the chapters so that I can reread them sometime?
4302542 Just PM me your email and I'll send it your way.
4302542 see my other post here: 4302426
4302546
thanks!
4302571
Oh, well. That's easy.
Where's a Staples button when you need it?
4302571 If you wish, I could actually send you what I had of chapter five for your Gdocs.
4302587 it would be an honor
4302589 Hell, the way people are reacting, I may just write both versions, but only have your Gdocs be the place for people to go to see Heritage.
Just need an email address in a PM.
You made a mistake when you started doing follow up chapters for Heritage. You made a second mistake now that you deleted it. You fucked up twice.
It's okay though, I'm not a huge retard who can't separate author from his work and continue reading your stories anyway, as long as they're good.
4302594 you very well could, but I also had the thought of putting it on FanFiction as well, but I would need your permission to do that of course, since FimFiction doesn't allow anyone to put stories they didn't write under almost any circumstance
Heck, I was okay with the other story. People should be less sensitive, if you don't like it don't read it.
Anyway this story is off to an interesting start with a ship rarely seen. I approve.
4302605 I'd be more than fine with that.
*Sigh* Aight, I like this story, but I'm still disappointed.
We all know to ignore the haters & take the criticism, but that thing about:
I'd mostly sign that off as growing as a person, don't be afraid of change, embrace it.
The biggest reason I liked Heritage was that it was Unique, it hadn't been done & when you decided to write it. It just got better.
Not to mention it was a nice change of pace in regards to your other stories.
We're used to see something somewhat sweet love coming from your stories, but this story wasn't "lovey dovey sweet" & I loved it, the harsh reality of it all & the fact that the "FRIENDSHIP IS MAGICKZ" card didn't get overplayed & they weren't instantly forgiven without any kind of punishment.
But still if it makes you physically sick to write that kind of story, then don't. We don't want to lose you.
To be honest?
I loved the original, it may have been dark with touchy subjects but the soul in its heart was its uniqueness.
I'm sorry but the prologue alone has already seemed to put me off. Mind sending me the link for Heritage?
Reading that author's note, I think that knowing if something is going to change you for worse and then avoiding it is nothing to be ashamed of, after all, it's your story!
When I first learned of Heritage being deleted, it was trying to show some friends a great story that was born form a subject that many of us would be to weak to even try to write it. I know rape is nothing to be praised as it is one of the worst crimes we as a being could ever do, but to me that was not a rape story. That was a comedic first chapter that put Spike and the reader in the dark with not knowing what was going on, with a second chapter that changed it to a story that took the elephant in the room that was said in passing and put it front and center. That chapter made me feel for Spike not just as a character but a person. A weaker man can not forgive others, who can not forgive themselves.
But Since you set up the whole PM for the original then I should move on since I liked and enjoyed this story as well. I like that you gave more weight to Spike going to sleep, as well as give backstory about what was going on before that. Which was a nice improvement over Heritage. I also like the pairing, two characters that know how it feels to be an outsider. While in Heritage I would wonder how you would have Spike connect to each child, here I see it better and can not wait for the meeting.
Normally I frown on authors deleting their stories. However, in this situation, it seemed like it was more poisonous to leave it up. It wasn't taken down because of grammar or issues with the concept, you felt spite for everyone who hated it, and that kind of thing can change you.
So... this once... just this once... I understand why you deleted the story. Let's hope this edition turns out for the best. Good luck to you sir.
I totally understand your reasons. I suppose that the burden of being such a great writer is the increase in demands of your readers. And while I am sad that Heritage is gone, I understand the motivations behind its dismissal. I only hope that this experience has not traumatized you to badly.
4302594 I think beirirangu has a point. You could write this story here, and Heritage on Fanfiction. That way, you could avoid the more troublesome commenters of this site.
I'm going to miss Heritage, over the last few days I've found myself more interested in the next chapter of that than anything else. It was a truly unique piece. I really don't feel like there's anything I can add to it's loss that others haven't already mentioned before me.
Well Estranged has my attention. Though with the OC tag, my mind wanders to a happy place with scaly zebras...oh dang sad tag. Keep tissues on hand lads and ladies.
I look forward to chapter two
Aww... I really liked Heritage, it was silly fun
You should have just told the haters to get fucked and ignored them, if they didn't like it then they shouldn't have read it
4303802
You don't have to be a "social justice warrior" to think that portraying rape as acceptable is fucking shitty and any author who does that should be ashamed of themselves.
On the other hand, I am following this new, non-rape-endorsing version of the story, and let's all see where it goes.
4304375
Well in the author's own words, the story about rape was intended as a "light-hearted comedy". There's really nothing else I can say after that.
so zecora was the mate....acceptable crack shipping
4302979
i never expected you to be a fan of that story, what a coincidence
4302979
personally people should not care what others think, only you can decide if ypour work is great or not.
the aurthor took his story down becuase he relized it was bad, that was his decison and even though it upset me greatly, it was his decison and i respect that
you have me firmly interested now though please continue and don't delete it