A Dragon's Selection

by CartoonNerd12

Chapter 22

"I still can't believe ya been here all this time?!" Applejack exclaimed happily after Twilight and Spike explained to her how Spike had kept them hidden away in the castle shortly after Ember declared their banishment.

"It hasn't been easy, since it's been awhile since Flash and I been outside." Twilight admitted, "But at least we have Star Swirl the Bearded's personal books to occupy ourselves with."

Flash chuckled, "For the first few days we've been here, she couldn't stop gushing over how Star Swirl created all these theories and spells. I will admit they are fascinating to read but I mostly prefer fiction books. Luckily there are plenty of spare journals around here so I can write my own stories and compose songs for my string guitar."

"You play?" Applejack questioned.

Twilight gaze lovingly at Flash, "He does, and he tends to play so beautifully that it's relaxing to listen to while I read."

Flash blushed and rubbed his neck as he chuckled, "I'm good but I'm not super."

Twilight nudged him playfully, "He's just being modest."

Spike and Applejack briefly glance at each other when seeing how easy the two can interact together. The dragon and cowgirl couldn't help but think at the same time, We used to be like that… Why can't we be like that again?

Twilight saw their faces and frowned. Spike told her after being banished, Applejack couldn't marry him after all, and she couldn't help but feel what happened to them was her fault.

In mere minutes, Twilight started to show Applejack around, and told her that only Spike, her family, Celestia, and Luna knew about her and Flash staying down here. Discord couldn't know for obvious reasons and it was essential that Ember, Garble and the rest of the castle never knew.

She said sorrowfully, "It was my doing that Spike never told you about Flash and me being here. You know how I didn't want you to know about Flash because you're so honest that you could never lie even if you wanted to?"

Applejack nodded her head, "I get it. And you're right."

Twilight shook her head, "No, I was wrong… I caused a rift between you and Spike because of this. If he had told you I was right here all this time…"

The country mare touched her friend's shoulder and firmly said, "What happened between Spike and me was not your fault. I chose to separate from him because I realized that in his homeland they punished people over such little things. The fact that Spike's family wanted to banish you was terrible and all because you were in love with somepony else… I can't just sit there and let such punishments happen to others while I'm Spike's wife."

Twilight slightly smiled, "You were always one for justice…"

AJ smirked, "And darn proud of it!" then frowned, "Of course… this means I can't be with Spike because of that…"

The unicorn sighed, "I wish I can tell you that things will be alright once you're married but even I'm not sure at this point."

"There's also another thing that prevents me from getting close to him again."

"What's that?"

"Rarity… She and Spike… it seems they've… gotten closer these past two weeks."

Twilight gawked, "What?! When did this happen?"

"Shortly after I pushed him away…" she sighed, "Guess it was only fair, seeing how I was helping him find a wife in the first place and Rarity was on my list so yeah…"

"Oh, Applejack… I'm so sorry… if I had known that's what was going on…"

"There's nothing you could have done. Besides, now that I know you're here and safe from harm, I can rest easy and think through this more."

Meanwhile, Spike and Flash were talking to each other about the same matter.

Spike confessed, "I will admit, I am really envious of you two right now."

Flash questioned, "Why?"

"Well, just the way you two look at each other or talk to each other… Applejack and I used to do that all the time before all this."

Flash sighed, "It's my fault, isn't it? I knew I shouldn't have pursued Twilight, but there was something about her that I couldn't resist…"

The dragon countered, "No, it's not your fault or Twilight's. It's the way things are done in Dragonia that scare her. And honestly, I can't really blame her for that…"

Flash nodded, "Yeah, given how Twilight and I are stuck here when we're supposed to be gone right now… I can see why she wouldn't want to be a part of that."

"Which is why I might actually end up marrying Rarity in the end if Applejack can't change her mind."

"Rarity? Really? I can see why she be a good catch but… are you sure that she'll be better then Applejack? Because during the times I saw you and her together, it looked like you two were really happy with each other."

Spike gave a sad look, "We were… when I first saw her I thought I felt something toward her and then when we had our first kiss together, I was right. In that one special moment, I thought I had found the mare of my dreams…" he sighed heavily. "Rarity is amazing in her own right, but I feel like there's something missing… We have a few interests together but it's not as big as my connection to Applejack. But in the end the fact remains that Rarity is willing to go through this while Applejack isn't… It's a very confusing and emotional time for me…"

Flash gave an understanding look, "I'll bet…" while deep down he was counting his blessings that he never had to endure what Spike was going through right now. Then he cleared his throat, asking, "Have you kissed Rarity yet?"

Spike shook his head, "I want to, just to see how it feels between us but Rarity wants to wait until I actually choose her. Which I completely respect but it's certainly hard to keep myself in check."

Flash nodded again, there wasn't much he could offer in the advice department but at least he got to offer Spike a listening ear for all the dragon's current troubles.

Applejack and Twilight were still going around the caverns when something caught the country mare's eye and found a mirror with the word: Erised on it. Then by getting closer to the mirror she saw her reflection but not only that, she saw the reflections of her parents! She gasped at the sight and uttered, "Ma…? Pa…?" tears welled in her eyes as she looked around but no one was there. She was utterly flabbergasted and kept staring at her parents that were smiling back to her. Just then Spike's reflection showed up in the mirror and Applejack turns back to see him.

"We should be getting back now." he told her.

She looked back at the mirror, seeing her parents' reflection still there and even Spike's.

He asked her with a confused look, "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Applejack unsteadily said, "I think I have…"

Luckily, Twilight came up to them and said, "Looks like you found the Erised mirror. It was one of Star Swirl's greatest creations that could show a pony's deepest desires."

AJ gawked and turned back to see her parents but this time they were joined by Granny, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom. Her reflection and Spike's were still there but it was hard to tell whether or not Spike's reflection was part of her deepest desires or if it was his actual reflection with him standing next to her.

Spike asked her, "What do you see?"

"My parents… Apple Bloom, Granny, Big Mac… my family…" then asked him, "Do you see anything?"

Spike did when looking straight into mirror and said, "A meadow, a beautiful meadow with open skies… And there's us, but I don't know it's the mirror showing my desire or us just standing here."

She confessed, "Me too. I see our reflections but I can't tell if it's desire or not…"

Twilight spoke, "We could test it by you two taking turns looking the mirror by yourselves but didn't you say you have to get going?"

Spike nodded, "We do."

Applejack gesture at the mirror, "We'll have to try again some other time."

The dragon agreed, "We will. It'll take awhile but we'll be back."

In minutes, Applejack said her goodbyes to Twilight and the two mares hugged each other then she shook Flash's hoof. She told them, "You two take good care of each other, ya hear?" she smirked.

The couple laughed and nodded. Then Spike told them to expect their dinner as usual around six o'clock. They thank him and the dragon went out with Applejack. He saw the puzzling look on her face and explained.

"Princess Celestia teleports their meals to them every day."

"Ahh…" to Applejack this explained so much why Celestia gave her that strange statement about Twilight being closer to her then she thought. Since Celestia was in on the secret of hiding her dearest student it makes sense that she would try to help out by making sure the lovers were fed.

Spike slowly said as they moved down the hallway, "So… did you like the surprise?"

She looked at him with a smile on her face, "I loved it. Every bit of it…"

He sighed happily, "Great…"

"Gosh sakes, Spike, there's no way I could have hate this. You saved their lives and more importantly it showed me that you are indeed the type of dragon I've seen you as. Why can't everyone in Dragonia be like you?"

"I know it doesn't show that much, but my sister is very kind but she's force to hide it. She could lose her birthright to our cousin if she goes against our father's wishes. That's why she had to suggest banishment for Twilight and Flash; it gave her the ability to show she was willing to obey but to also make sure they didn't get hurt from a caning…"

Applejack sighed heavily.

Spike continued with a solemn expression, "I knew it was going to take time for you to adjust to my family's ways and I knew choosing you would make my father disapprove of the match. But at the time, I didn't care, not when it felt so right being by your side."

AJ gave a tiny smile.

"I'm not asking you to make your choice now, but I do need to know if you still want to be here at all?"

Applejack bit her lip as her thoughts went through her head, You still want him… Despite all that's happen you still have those feelings for him, and now that you know that Twilight is okay and safe, doesn't that ease the pain in your heart from losing her in the first place? And back home in Ponyville your family is fine with you going after him… They want you to be happy. Don't you want that too?

Then her mouth opened to answer both her own question and Spike's, "Yes."

A smile played on Spike's lips.

They finally got back to the party and as fortune would have it no one had noticed Applejack had been gone since the newcomer Cheese Sandwich and Pinkie Pie were entertaining everyone in the room that AJ was able to sneak into the crowd cheering on for them.

Comments

[MySisterBroughtMeHere]

(sigh) Looks like things are getting back on track.

[GrimmWolfDragon]

Hopefully everything is back on track. Good two chapters.

[SkyRacer]

HARRY POTTER REFERENCES YAY

[Godslittleprincess]

They finally got back to the party and as fortune would have it no one had noticed Applejack had been gone since the newcomer Cheese Sandwich and Pinkie Pie were entertaining everyone in the room that AJ was able to sneak into the crowd cheering on for them.

They're just that entertaining, huh?

[Deathclaw2014]

Did you just put Harry Potter in this?