The Truth: An alternate-world 'Truth or Dare' tale

by SFC Ponycron

Chapter One: Crashing Down

The Truth
An alternate-world 'Truth or Dare' tale
by
SFC Ponycron

---

The library door slamming closed followed by the rapid sound of trotting hooves going up the stairs and another slamming door alerted Twilight that something was wrong.

“I’ll finish this up, Twi,” Spike said, knowingly walking towards the stove. “I’ll let you two know when dinner’s ready.”

Twilight sighed heavily. “Thanks, Spike.” She left the kitchen and slowly trotted up the stairs. She could hear muffled sobbing coming from the bedroom. Gently pressing a hoof to the door, it opened and she beheld her daughter crying into the pillow on her little bed.

“Bad day, huh?” Twilight asked as she walked over to her daughter’s bedside. “What happened?”

Her daughter stopped crying and looked up at her mother. “Some older kids made fun of me on my way home from school,” she replied. “I ran back and asked Miss Cheerilee to stop them, but they wouldn’t stop!”

“Shh, it’s all right, Dawn,” Twilight said in a low voice, running a hoof through her daughter’s hair. It was grayish-black, the color of charcoal. Just like her father’s, she thought. “What did they call you?”

“They called me a foal of a stud!” she wailed and pressed her face back into her pillow. “They said that my dad didn’t love you or me! That’s why he left!” Her wailing could be heard clearly despite her face being buried in the pillow. “They said that he didn’t want me!”

Twilight jerked backward in surprise and disgust. What in Celestia...! Her face screwed up in anger.

“Ruby Dawn, I want you to listen to me,” she said firmly. “I love you with all my heart, and your father does, too. Never forget that. Your father...”

“If he loves me so much then why isn’t he here?” she retorted through tears. She glared at her mother. “I don’t know my own father, Mother! I’ve never seen pictures of him with you, and you never talk about him! The only memento of him is that music box you gave me that doesn’t even work!” She glared at the music box that sat by her bedside lamp, a thin layer of dust over the lid.

Twilight looked at the peculiar forest-green music box. The seam of the box was lined with gold, and two tabs shaped like six-pointed starbursts poked out from the bottom of its front, one on either side, both facing forward. A single keyhole, also lined with gold, sat between and just below the hinges at the back of the box. A large fuchsia crystal fashioned into a six-pointed starburst was embedded into the lid.

A knock at the door pulled Twilight’s gaze from the dusty memento.

“Twilight, Cheerilee and Applejack are here,” Spike said uneasily.

The lavender unicorn nodded. “Thank you, Spike,” she said with a defeated sigh. She turned towards her daughter. “I’ll be back in a minute, all right?”

Taking a deep shuddering breath, Dawn nodded.

“Dinner’s almost finished,” he said as she left her daughter’s bedroom.. “Do you want me to get the others afterward?”

Twilight gave her number one assistant a wan smile. “I suppose so. After what Dawn just told me, I think it’s time that she and the others knew the truth.”

Spike nodded solemnly. “It’s been six years, Twi.”

The lavender unicorn nodded as she walked down the stairs. “I know, Spike. Six years almost to the day.” She sniffled. “Before you go get the others, there’s a letter that needs to be sent to Vinyl Scratch. Ditzy Doo should be doing her afternoon pick-up rounds soon. Do you think you can send that letter off if you see her?”

“What about...”

Twilight cut him off with an abrupt shake of her head. “No, Spike. We’ll need the time between you delivering this letter and Vinyl’s reply. I’ll need the time.”

Spike nodded. “All right.” As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Twilight saw Cheerilee and Applejack standing at the center of the main library area. Cheerilee looked absolutely horrified and Applejack was furious.

“I better go,” he said quickly, nodding at the two visitors as he jogged back into the kitchen to finish cooking.

“Twilight, I’m sure Dawn already told you what happened,” Cheerilee began. “Let me be the first to apologize to you and Dawn...”

“Who was it?” Twilight asked, her voice not as angry as she would have liked.

“‘Twas that spoiled brat Diamond Tiara,” Applejack snapped. “Jonagold told me everything. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had t’ hold him back from bucking the tiara off of her flank.”

“I’ll talk to her father a little later this evening,” Twilight said with surprising calm. “Thank you for apologizing, Cheerilee. I take comments about Dawn’s father very seriously.”

Cheerilee lowered her head. “I know, Twilight, that’s why I came to apologize to you personally.” She looked up at the lavender unicorn sadly. “For what it’s worth, Twilight, I supported you.” She turned to Applejack. “All of you.”

“Thank you, Cheerilee,” Twilight said with a nod. She looked to Applejack as the magenta earth pony turned to leave. “Applejack, I think it’s time.”

Applejack’s angry face quickly changed into one of worry. “Already? You think so?”

Twilight nodded. “Your son and your sister told you what Dawn was called at school, didn’t she?”

Applejack nodded slowly. “I getcha, but...”

“Jonagold hasn’t thought to ask you about his father in a while, but with this incident involving Dawn, I don’t doubt he’ll ask again.” Twilight sighed. “You can’t avoid not talking about him to your son anymore, Applejack. I don’t think Big Mac and Apple Bloom would be able to hold him off from asking you about his father at this point.”

Applejack shook her head with a sigh. “No, I guess not.” She sniffled. “It’s been so long, Twi.”

Twilight blinked back tears. “I know, Applejack.” She turned towards the kitchen. “Spike’s almost finished making dinner, and he’s going to round up the others.” She glanced back towards her friend. “You might want to bring the music box with you, too.”

Comments

[abandoned2123]

Ooh, I really like the idea you have here. However, I notice there is a slight leap of logic in regards to the other ponies themselves. Why would Diamond Tiara still be in school even after giving Twilight the time to partner up with someone and have a child? Wouldn't she be of teenage years by then? I can understand Cheerilee still teaching, but the fact that Twilight's grown daughter would be in the same class as the CMC and company doesn't quite add up. That's a nitpick though, nothing really big.

I'll be watching to see what you do with this.

[SFC Ponycron]

577047

Oops! I miswrote it. Editing, and thank you!

EDIT: Dawn was supposed to be made fun of on the way home from school. Sorry!

[Jet Howitzer]

I am intrigued. Please, continue this soon.