Twilight was used to such strange things happening to her, but she still preferred them not happening quite this early in the morning. First a dream where some omnipotent being spent more time messing with her head than telling her anything, and now one of her best friends was apparently about to tell the town she was dating another one of her best friends.
She realized the problems that would cause. She quickly leaped out of bed, levitating a mane brush and working the knots out of her hair. She tossed it aside to race to her bedroom door, using her magic to open it.
She nearly tripped over Spike as she raced out.
Catching herself, she stared at her charge, who was wringing his tail. He looked at the floor before looking up at her nervously.
“Spike? What are...”
Then the baby dragon came forward and wrapped his arms around her barrel, hugging her tightly.
Twilight froze solid at the act of affection. Slowly, she put a foreleg around him. She smiled. Tears escaped her eyes.
Finally, he let go and backed up, looking at her like he was expecting punishment.
“Spike...are you ready to tell me what’s been troubling you?”
“...Yes,” he said weakly. “But I heard Pinkie barging through here. I think you should go stop her first.”
“Oh no, I’ve waited days to get this out of you, I’m not waiting any mo...”
“I want to,” he said quickly, before trailing off a bit. “...to, to make us a special meal. Something for lunch that we can talk about this over.”
“Spike, you don’t have to...”
“I want to,” he said quickly. “I...I’m sorry I put you through all this these last few days. I want to make it up to you.”
Twilight was silent for a moment. Then, she came forward and kissed him on the forehead. “Apology accepted,” she said sweetly. Spike smiled a sad smile, wringing his tail again. “...And you’ll tell me everything then?” she asked hesitantly.
“I will tell you everything at lunch.”
Twilight was silent for a moment. On one hoof, she wanted to beg Spike to tell her now, to just finally put an end to all this worry. On the other, this was the first time in days Spike had been acting cooperative, and she didn't want to jeopardize it.
"...Okay," she said at last. "I'm going to go make sure Pinkie doesn't end up gossiping around that me and Applejack are a thing, and I'll come back here. Then we'll talk, okay?"
"Okay," Spike nodded in agreement.
Twilight kissed his forehead again. "I'm glad you decided to come clean. I love you."
Spike smiled sadly again. "I love you too."
"Repeat after me: Applejack don't have no crush on Twilight."
"Applejack don't have no crush on Twilight," Pinkie repeated, perfectly imitating her friend's accent.
The cowpony rolled her eyes, but kept Pinkie pinned to the ground behind Carousel Boutique. "There is nothin' romantic goin' on between Applejack and Twilight."
"There is nothin' romantic goin' on between Applejack and Twilight."
"Pinkie is seein' things that aren't there."
"Pinkie is seein' things that aren't there."
Nodding, Applejack finally got off of her. "Good, glad that's settled."
"Good, glad that's..."
Applejack pinned Pinkie again. "If you repeat me one more time, I'm gonna buck you."
"Sorry," Pinkie meaped.
Twilight arrived on the scene just in time to see her earth pony friend get off of her other earth pony friend. "Applejack! Good, Pinkie didn't..."
"Relax, Twi, Pinkie here understands everythin’ now. Right, Pinkie?"
"Yes," the pink pony sighed.
"That's good," Twilight nodded. She turned to Pinkie. "And you should really knock before you come into my house. I mean, really, it's that kind of attitude that got you in trouble with Cranky and..."
Pinkie was spared the lecture by Carousel Boutique's back door swinging open to reveal its proprietor standing there, looking at them quizzically.
"Well, I thought I heard something out here. Is something wrong?"
"Not anymore, Rare," Applejack explained. "Pinkie was just givin' us a bit of a headache."
"I see. Well, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and I are having some mid-morning tea. Why don't you join us?"
"Ooh! That sounds great!" Pinkie said.
"Thank you, that sounds nice," Twilight agreed.
"Sure, why not?" Applejack sighed.
Twilight had been surprised when she had first learned that Rainbow Dash had been friends with Fluttershy and Rarity even before the incident with NightMare Moon. The cyan mare had known her fellow pegasus since flight school, and once the yellow pegasus had made friends with Rarity it meant that Rainbow Dash spent time with her for the sake of their mutual friend.
Part of that was a weekly tea party of sorts for the three to talk. They still carried it out, despite the fact that the three of them were spending more time with the rest of their group. It seemed the rest ended up interrupting this meeting in their efforts to keep Pinkie quiet, and as such ended up getting invitations.
"By the way, I think I'll pass on that Daring Do fanzine from now on," Rainbow Dash commented.
"You didn't like it?"
"Well, those fanstories were lame. I mean, one of them is just every character whining that they didn't believe Daring that Derring's boyfriend was Ahuizotl in disguise. I mean, seriously, who would think that was entertaining?"
"To each her own, I guess," Twilight muttered, taking a sip of tea. As she did, the bell at Carousel Boutique's front door sounded, signaling another customer.
Rarity uncharacteristically rolled her eyes. "They never pay attention to the 'Closed' sign. Excuse me a mom..."
At that point Scootaloo and Apple Bloom entered the kitchen. "Hey, Rarity. Is Sweetie up yet?"
"Oh, it's you two. Yes, Sweetie is in her room. You know where it is. Would you like some tea or toast?"
"No, thank you," the two fillies declined politely.
"Applejack?" Apple Bloom asked when she saw her big sister. "Where were you last night? You didn't come home."
"Oh. Uh... I was helpin' Twi with somethin', and she let me stay at her place," the farmer answered, hoping Pinkie wouldn't speak up with anything that could renew the previous problem.
"Oh, okay. Big Mac says nothin' needs ta be done today," the youngest Apple explained as she and Scootaloo began heading toward the upstairs.
"Well, onto more important things," Rarity said, turning back to her friends. "Twilight, have you gotten Spike to come out of his shell, so to speak?"
Hearing this, the lavender pony smiled. "Actually, yes. Spike told me this morning that he he was willing to tell me."
All of the ponies gaped at this. Pinkie spat out her tea, much to Rarity's displeasure. What the adults didn't notice was that Scootaloo and Apple Bloom had stopped on the stairs as well, their ears perking up.
"What? Then what are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash demanded.
Applejack turned to Pinkie angrily. "It's because we had 'ta chase this one down 'fore she went an' told the town... somethin' that wasn't true."
"Will you all relax?" Twilight assured. "Spike was making a big deal about making us a special meal to talk about it over. I guess he feels he needs to make it up to me. So I let him wait a little longer."
"He's finally telling you?"
The adults stopped. They turned to the two fillies at the staircase, for it had been Scootaloo that had spoken.
"Squirt," Rainbow Dash said through her surprise. "Do you know something about this?"
Twilight stood up. "You three came by the library yesterday to talk to him... did he tell you anything?"
"No," Apple Bloom said quickly.
"Yes," Said Scootaloo, just as quickly.
"Apple Bloom? Scootaloo?" Sweetie called from upstairs..
"Sweetie, bring down Spike's gift," Scootaloo shouted.
"What? But..."
"Just do it, trust me."
There was a pregnant silence for a few seconds, then movement from upstair, obviously the unicorn filly obeying.
"You three have known something about this!" Twilight said angrily. "Why didn't you say anything to me before?"
"We promised not to!" Apple Bloom protested. “And an Apple always keeps her promise! You told me so yerself, AJ!”
Applejack sighed, rubbing her forehead with her hoof. She rose up, walking over to her youngest sibling. “Apple Bloom, listen to me. There’s a big difference between keepin’ a promise when it’s between you and yer friend, and keepin’ a promise when it hurts somepony. Now I know you meant well, but Twilight and Spike have been hurtin’ bad because of all this. Did you know that?”
“...Yeah,” Apple Bloom admitted silently. “But...”
Whatever the red-maned pony was going to say, it was interrupted by Sweetie coming back down the stairs, carrying a box in her teeth. The unicorn filly sat the gift down on the floor and looked at Twilight nervously. “This is from Spike... he wanted to give it to you... until the wedding.”
Twilight took the box with her magic.Slowly, almost as if she was expecting something to jump out at her, she opened the package. She lifted the frame out and examined it. She recognized the picture, that of a newly hatched Spike and a filly Twilight. She had it on her bedside table, she had seen it a million times.
“If you touch the circle on the bottom, it’ll change the picture,” Sweetie Belle explained nervously.
Twilight looked up at the young unicorn for a moment before following the instruction. She gave a small gasp. She looked at it for a moment before looking back at the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “What is this?”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked to each other for help, but Scootaloo stepped forward immediately. “It’s supposed to be a Mother’s Day present. Spike wants you to be his mother.”
Twilight’s breath inhaled sharply. Her eyes widened. The other ponies mirrored her expression.
“...That’s it?” Rainbow Dash asked, sounding annoyed. “That’s why Spike’s been acting all mopey? He wants Twilight to be what she’s already been?”
“That’s pretty much what I said,” Scootaloo chimed in.
The cyan pony grinned, flying over to her number one fan. “Heh heh, I knew you had the most brains out of your friends. After all, you picked me as a role model,” she chuckled, rubbing her mane.
“Hey! Don’t laugh at Apple family tradition!” Apple Bloom yelled.
“She ain’t,” Applejack said bluntly, looking at her sister. “We don’t keep promises when they hurt somepony.”
“I’m afraid Rainbow Dash is right,” Rarity said to her sister. “You three could have prevented a lot of trouble if you had told us about this.”
“We were going to,” Sweetie protested. “We just wanted to give Spike a chance to do it himself.”
“That was... noble of you, Sweetie,” Rarity said, picking her words carefully. “But Spike wasn’t thinking clearly. You really should have come to us and...”
“Is that what this is all about?”
The words were barely above a whisper, but they caught the attention of every pony in the room. They turned to Twilight. Her expression hadn’t changed. She hadn’t taken her eyes off the picture.
“That’s what’s been bothering him?”
“...Yeah,” Sweetie said sadly. “He thinks... he thinks you wouldn’t love him as a son anymore.”
Tears.
“That...that...”
A smile.
“...silly...little...”
A short, breathless laugh.
“...I have to go.”
Before her friends could say anything, she was out the door, the frame floating behind her.
There was a silence for a few moments.
“Well, I hope the three of ya learned something from all this,” Applejack scolded.
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said sadly.
“Yes,” Sweetie Belle agreed.
“Nope! I was right all along!” Scootaloo cheered.
Laughing, Rainbow Dash put a foreleg around her number one fan, pulling her close. “You’re one awesome filly, you know that, squirt?”
Scootaloo threw her forelegs around her and buried her head into her. She didn’t want her hero to see her happy tears.
Twilight ran home. Well, ran wouldn’t quite be the word. She went fast, faster than she ever remembered herself going, but it was like a skip. She was happy, excited. Her heart tightened at the mere thought.
Mother... he wants me to be a mother... no, he wants me to acknowledge that I already am a mother.
Memories flooded her. Those of an infant Spike crying and thrashing until he broke out of his crib and crawled into Twilight’s bed, nestling into her. He followed dragon instinct and refused to be apart from his mother, no matter how much she tried to convince him otherwise. At age three, he finally agreed to sleep alone like a big boy, but never in a different room than her.
She remembered the pride she felt when she saw him leave for his first day of school, so happy and excited, but scared at how the others were going to treat him. She remember the heartbreak as she let him cry in her forelegs from being bullied out of what he had been looking forward to. The heartbreak resurfaced every time she saw him studying late hours to do better than those that had shunned him, and pride whenever he brought home a perfect score.
She remembered feeling helpless at seeing him transform after his birthday and not knowing what to do. She remembered cold reality crashing in when she realized a pony doctor couldn’t help him. It was a reminder that Spike was different from her, a fact she often forgot.
She remembered feeling for him when he begged to know about who he was and wishing she could help him. She remembered how terrified she had been when he wanted to go on the Migration, of the worries of what could happen to him. She remembered the feeling of rejection when he announced he was staying among dragons forever. She remembered how pride surged through her when he refused to smash Peewee’s egg, standing up to three very big dragons for the sake of an innocent.
She remembered reading him bedtime stories, and challenging him to tickle fights, and fighting with him, then kissing his forehead and assuring him he was a good boy.
She remembered being a mother for years and never even realizing it.
Her heart beat with joy as she neared the library. She could hardly contain her glee. Spike was in there. Her son was in there!
She opened the door, running in. “Spike? Spike?”
No answer.
She ran into the kitchen. There was nothing cooking.
Calm down, Twilight. He just realized he didn’t have an ingredient he needed and went to the market.
She dashed over to the mantle where all her pictures were kept. She placed the frame right in the center, positioning it carefully. She giggled with excitement. When Spike got back, she’d lead him into the room. He’d see the picture, then while he was surprised she’d tell him how much she loved him. It was going to be so perfect!
She giggled, clapping her hooves with excitement...and then she thought back.
"I'll tell you everything at breakfast."
She smiled at the promise...
Wait...he said lunch...where did breakfast come from?
Then she thought even farther back.
"I said I'd tell you everythin' at breakfast!”
She froze. No, no...he didn't...He wouldn't...
She ran up the stairs and into the room Spike had been sleeping in. She pushed the door open. There was Spike’s basket.
She stopped dead. The blanket and pillow were gone, and there was only a scroll in their place.
No...Spike, please tell me you didn't...
She looked up on the windowsill were Peewee’s nest should be. It was gone too.
Terror gripped her. She walked up to the bed. She unrolled the scroll and read... and her blood ran cold. Her fears were realized.
Twilight,
I told you I’d tell you everything at lunch. But I’m not coming to lunch. I can’t tell you why I’m upset, but you won’t let up. So I have to leave.
I’m sorry I put you through all this. You’re mad at me now, but it’ll be better this way.
Thanks for everything, Spike.
Well, here we are. We're nearing the end of the Twilight/Spike conflict, if you couldn't tell. The next three chapters should wrap it up. See you all next week.
I saw that coming.
*GASP* CLIFFHANGER!
Yeah, something was gonna go wrong. Now...next chapter,,,how can I speed up time...
967901
Preeety sure Rainbow would never do that.... Probably her real father. Maybe that's why she an orphan? Parental abuse?
Ohhhh, the tension. It fills the air like butter in a cow (that's where you get butter from, right?). Can't wait to see how this resolves, this is a great story. Excellent work.
Oh, no he didn't!!!
1653427 SPIKE YOU WHAT??????? THE SHE"S NOT MAD AT YOU SHE"S PROBABLY BAWLING HER EYES OUT ARGH...
Welll... now that I got over initial WTF moment... I must say you are so good at putting canon characters in hard positions sir. Kudos to you!
Spike! You idiot, come back! Darn so close to a resolution. And Scoots being right? World must be coming to an end.
Great chapter.
You really smacked me right in the feels.
Spike is going to be so grounded!
That little.....
Anyways, he pulled something out of AJ's book and what she pulled in The Last Roundup.
YAAAY MY FAVORITE ONGOING FIC UPDATED!!
....
NOOOO SPIKE WHY U DO THIS?? Argh, what a cliffhanger. The feels will run rampant next chapter. I suppose Twilight's gonna ditch everything and go find the poor guy now. Can't wait for next week to see how things progress! Also, Scoots and Pinkie were hilarious.
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Bad bad
GOD DAMNIT SPIKE!
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Jeez, these ponies/dragons are all being stupid.
Finishes reading/ well I you certainly raised and destroyed my hopes in a short timeLINK I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND TIE YOU TO A CHAIR IF YOU DON'T GET THE NEXT CHAPTER OUT SOON!!! If you want to fax me press the star key *beep*
Okay seriously now I want to grab spike and smack over the back of the head with a neutronium mallet. Why do I get the horrible feeling that what is coming will be disastrous. But if those teenage dragons find him and lay a claw on him they will have to deal with a pissed off Momma Sparkle, which will not end well for them All in all I enjoyed this section and I HUNGER for more, see you soon
TTFN
Why the fuck is Spike such an idiot?
Seriously, I know he's a kid and all but compared to the CMC he's dumber than a bag of hammers
And considering recent episodes, this feels OOC for him, but I guess that's what happens when
newer canon screws over an older fanfic
She doesn't mean it . . . she doesn't-
Rainbow Dash? *releases rage*
I'm going to stab you in the heart with a fucking trident!!!
*finishes raging*
Sorry, it's just
ugh, fanfic writers and RD don't go well together.
I really hope it does not end with Spike gone unless he does another direct sequel off course.
1653710
Okay...calm down there. Please don't do the big text thing, especially with a death threat.
First off, Spike is normally smarter, but he's very emotional right now. He's not really thinking.
Secondly, what's the issue with RD's dialogue? She's praising her number one fan, in an admittingly jerkish way, but considering Dragon Quest I don't think it's that much of a stretch.
God I hate you soo much right now you magnificent bastard you.
And Scootaloo no one like a know-it-all coming from an experienced one
What will happen to Spike we will have to wait till next time.
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I'm about to fucking rip my eyes out. NEXT WEEK? PUT ALL YOUR SHIT ON HOLD, FINISH THIS NOW.
Spike you idiot running away never solves anything, didn't you ALREADY learn that from when Owlicious first came onto the scene?!
As for the CMC can you really blame them for not telling anyone, I mean it was a Pinkie Promise and those are NEVER broken!
Applejack why didn't you tell me you knew Obi Wan Kenobi's mind trick, and more importantly why didn't you use it on Pinkie Pie when she snooping for information on her surprise birthday party?
And lastly Pinkie Pie how do you expect anyone to listen to you when you start spreading non existent rumors, if it's your defence mechanism it sucks!
1653745 I know it's not that much of a stretch
and that's what's really pissing me off right now
the fact that RD is kind of a jerkish character
and the The Myserious Mare Do Well doesn't help her at all
or Read and Weep
or May the Best Pet Win
or Mystery on the Friendship Express
huh, actually it feels like a lot of episodes make her look bad
. . . is there something wrong with Dragon Quest?
"SPIKE!!!!"
*The Canterlot Times, two days later*
"The magical storm that swept through Ponyville has finally abated. Apparently, an extremely enraged unicorn levelled half the town and most of the Everfree Forest. Eyewitness reports indicate that a unicorn resembling Twilight Sparkle, famous student of Princess Celestia and Bearer of the Element of Magic, only white-coated and on fire was responsible. Princess Celestia was unavailable for comment, and Twilight Sparkle has yet to be found."
1653840
It was the last time she was mean to a kid...she teased Spike enough to get him to go on the Migration.
But part of this is Rainbow Dash growing as a pony. She's more attentive to Scootaloo now, after all, since the wedding.
1653852 When you mention that, you should probably put an alertate universe tag on this fic
cuz season 3 canon is about to screw this over (if it does) in about . . . 3 weeks
NO WAIT!
less than 3 weeks
new episode is already only a few days away
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May the Grace of the Valar Protect You
Shire Folk
1653427
Dammit now I am crying!
But still good chapter
Spike...You...You...GAAAAH!
Geez, and here I thought Scootaloo might've gotten through to him...well I guess she did...but not in the right way.
I don't get all this complaining against Dash's behavior. It's egotistical yeah...perhaps a bit edged, but I don't see any reason to call her a jerk or get angry over.dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/shrug_Rainbow_Dash.png
Looks like you hit the "/" key instead of shift.
I have no idea where the breakfast thing is coming from. I tried going back through every chapter of Families and Post Nuptials and Ctrl-Fing "breakfast", but I couldn't find whatever Twilight is talking about. Any help here?
1654028
In The Last Roundup, Applejack used the loophole that she was telling everyone "at breakfast", then not coming to breakfast. Twilight remembers this and realizes Spike's doing the same.
1654040
Thanks.
Spike...you...ugh. I award you five facehoofs. . Five
Also would anypony be especially mad if I said it's about time Dash started treating that pony right and she's starting in the right direction away from worst pony?
Heh, nicely done. I should mention though that the TVTropes version of the series does have at least one Changeling villain.
1654105
Really? I'm basing this on the TVTropes version...I missed that. Thanks.
I knew he was going to run away and he picked the perfect opportunity to do so. I was thinking she should have made him Pinkie Promise that he would tell her when she got back. Now he's running right into the hands of those punk dragons. Seeing it was hinted in the comments that Twilight and Spike's conflict will be concluded in about three chapters, I think Peewee will be a key in helping Spike (or getting Spike help.)
I can hardly wait for next week's update.
I agree with Shire Folk!
Poor Spikey!
i would change his to her since they are all females there. And i havent feeled-roared this hard since area 51 for pc fighting the 1 alien with 10,000 health with only shotguns and assault rifles. gosh dammit
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I'm sad now.
Right...in...the...feels. *hnnng*
Nooooooo!!!! D: Update faster!! UPDATE FASTER DARN IT!!!
I WAS RIGHT! iambrony.steeph.tp-radio.de/mlp/gif/h74256__safe_twilight-sparkle_animated_green-isn-quo-t-your-color_clapping.gif I knew it... Spike, you dim-witted dragon.
Well, emotionally high chapter, had hoped at first that I'd be proven wrong, but then you set it up just to bring me back to feeling like was right, especially considering Twilight wasn't thinking and trusting enough to leave him ALONE for an extended period of time. Also surprised CMC didn't use their Pinkie Promise or Pinkie herself spoke up about it, to justify it more in the Mane 6's eyes. But... anyway. Found the fanstories reference of Daring Do to be somewhat weird, but eh, it's a minor point.
As I said, think I see where this is going, like a lot of others did, though I can say I likely saw it coming before any of you. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Twilight_Sparkle_lolface.png Not to sound arrogant, but I definitely did get that feeling from when Scootaloo was being hot-headed and yelled at Spike about how Twilight can force her way in, if need be; not to mention, before with the dragons while Spike's been moping. Anyway, looking forward to next chapters! And then after that, hopefully getting back to the other problems.
1653427
[youtube=R6ColROeJ1g] To being almost done with Spike/Twilight drama, that is. And next week?! Thought this was getting updates every other week now, even though I have wanted to say for a while that if writing many stories/chapters (at least, in this universe), could update a little faster. Not to offend, just y'know, feel if have many planned, might be a few years at that rate? Especially if uploading/doing other stories, like you are currently.
1653679
Well, they all have to live with guilt of doing things that emotionally hurt ponies they loved. I compared this to likening of a soap opera in a review I did some time ago, not that that's a bad thing necessarily (even if I only watch one nowadays or never watched many to begin with). As even if it's sorta kept out romance (for most part), it's had plenty of other things: secrets, drama, conflicts, action (in a way, with the dragons before and coming up), etc.
1654040
I kinda had a feeling this was the case with the breakfast/lunch matter, after going back and looking over the chapter. Wanted to comment on it myself, but took my time due to distractions and had problems finding stuff for my review. Glad to see was right on this as well, even if kinda already thought I was.
Damn you... causing me to shed manly tears
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This makes the nightmare door from season 3 all the more heartbreaking for this chapter.
Spike? SPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII~IIIIIKE!
SPIKE NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWHY DID YOU PULL AN AJ ON US
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Oh Spike you cant run from your problems.