Applejack and Applebloom are the best sisters anypony could ask for. They and their family are the pinnacle of what an Equestrian family should look like. Spike, however, learns differently.
Please, check out the description at the bottom for context, please.
The Apple family and their tried and true traditions have always been the envy of Ponyville as far as families go. Applejack is one of the humblest ponies around, but can always openly pride herself in having a loving and nurturing family that she helps keep civilized.
Just recently, Applebloom and her friends just found out how all her friends got their cutie marks and how they were connected to each other all her lives. Great story, right?
Well, Spike has always been a careful listener. He needs to be when trying to keep a neurotic unicorn able to cause mayhem on a small country stable on a daily basis. So, when Twilight recalls the stories of her friends to the letter (quite literally since she made him write it down), he finds a discrepancy. It really couldn't be what he thinks, right? There's no way...right?
Well, that's why he is going to go check in on Applejack. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Takes place after the "The Cutie Mark Chronicles" and inspired by "Somepony to Watch Over Me"
Warning: Feels and a bit of humor. Also, no AJ is not Ab's mother. I know that cuts off suspense and intrigue, but I don't want to give people expectations I am not gonna meet.
"...Who knows, maybe you and your future best friends are all looking at the same rainbow," a unicorn pronounced eloquently and with pure sentiment.
"Gross! When did you get to be so cheesy?" Only to have the moment ruined completely by the male disgust for all things cheery and sweet.
"Just write it Spike," exclaimed Twilight Sparkle, protege to the ruler of the sun, quite playfully. Today had been an uneventful day, to Twilight's surprise and, secretly, disappointment. Ever since she moved to Ponyville, crazy things had been occurring on an almost weekly basis, either to her or her friends. Maybe she was lucky and it was Rainbow's turn. That would teach her for berating her books and, most importantly, the Bangs, as she called them.
"Are you double checking it Spike?"
"Yeah Twi, hold your horses," Spike said before he realized what he said and got smacked upside the head.
"Spike! Watch your language!"
"Sorry! Won't happen again." Temporarily satisfied, Twilight went back to organizing her books. As Spike continued reading the letter, he noticed something odd. A hiccup, a misstep, possibly a hearing error. He thought he should double check with Twilight.
"Hey Twilight. I have a question about the stories the girls told you," he asked with a cautious voice.
"Huh?" Twilight knew for a fact that Spike was a very good listener and writer, but he only pretended to not hear things to be lazy. "What Spike?"
"Well, I just want to make sure I got it down correctly. You said Applejack was a filly, basically, when she went to Manehattan and got her cutie mark, right?" Suspicious, yet not sure of where he was going with this, Twilight decided to play along.
"Yes, that's correct. And?"
"Did her parents, just, let her go by herself," Spike asked with a cringe. Twilight took a minute to think about his question and did find it a bit odd that loving parents would just let their filly go to a big city by herself. However, she found it more curious that Spike took an interest in her story and not Rarity's.
"I suppose if that was all, it would be a bit strange, but I'm sure she omitted a few things for the sake of entertaining storytelling. I mean, it would be ridiculous for someone to mention every single bit of their story so meticulously and it would get boring really fast," Twilight responded, sipping the warm nectar of faint chamomile in her afternoon tea, the steam filling and opening up her pores.
"Well, she must have told them and they must have agreed, since their aunt and uncle wouldn't have just taken her in if she just ran away from home." Spike quickly added, “I’m only asking for the clarity of the letter. Wouldn't want to leave the Princess in suspense, would we?"
Concern and obsession rising in her brain, Twilight exclaimed "Oh no! Spike, you're right! The Princess might want to know the exact details of our cutie mark acquisition, if she makes a connection between that and us being the Elements of Harmony!" Grabbing her saddlebag and filling it with quills and parchment, she quickly went to the door and let Spike know where she was going. "I'll be back soon Spike! I'm just going to get more details about the day that marked us as friends forever and forces of nature. FOR SCIENCE!" *SLAM*
Spike let out a sigh as he hoped his Ponyville friends would forgive him for unleashing Twilight Sparkle on them, the living thesaurus. However, he thought it was necessary if he was to dissuade his suspicions. Perhaps he was just letting Rarity's nosiness rub off on him, not that he would EVER say that to her. He just hoped he was wrong.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- He had all he needed. Ever since birth, Spike had been taken care of by the most wonderful ponies any kid could ask for. Twilight, her parents, Cadence, Shining Armour, even Princess Celestia had been there for Spike since his hatching. He had been given warmth, comfort, protection, and best of all, love. For a dragon, no less. However, there would always be something missing for Spike and he knew it. It plagued him almost every day, even though he did his best not to show it. An emptiness, not only inside, but to actually feel like nothing. Hollow, like a shade that doesn't even fit in anywhere in the world. Could Spike really live all his life peacefully with ponies? Would he screw it up or would they come to fear him first? Would he ever belong? All these things, as far as a child is concerned, can only be answered by two creatures, no matter how wise they may be.
His parents. His family. His heritage.
He should be more grateful, he tells himself. These ponies took me in and made my life way better than any dragon's...right? He had never seen any dragons his age, nor even knew what his culture was like. No. No matter what happens to someone at that age, they want answers, they want someone to hold them, comfort them, and just be there to tell them that it's alright.
Perhaps that's why he took an interest in this case. Perhaps that's why he was intrigued by Applebloom in the first place and why they became fast friends. She was one of the first ones to greet him in Ponyville and while Twilight was hogging all the food, Spike was able to talk to Applebloom and they got along pretty well. Heck, even after she formed her little club, he still popped in now and again to catch up, talk, and actually be around someone his age. Truth be told, he found most of Twilight's and her friend's stories pretty boring sometimes (Rarity excluded) and it felt fresh to hear someone so energetic about the little things. He was a bit older than her, by a few years, but they were both still young enough to be friends.
On that note, when he found out about her parents, minus the details, he really felt her pain. Probably not the way she felt it, but close enough to understand. So, maybe that was why he would go this far, for his friend. Maybe she doesn't have to feel lost. However, he had to know from someone she trusts about the truth. The one pony that could set this straight and hopefully could stop her from being lost in the same murky waters.
Was he being emotional? Yes. Was he taking this personally? Yes. Was this crossing a line? Quite possibly. Would she feel better about this? Maybe, maybe not. Would Spike be the one to tell her? He was truly terrified of that question.
Lastly, did she deserve to know?
Yes. He knew he would want to know. He always would.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The dirt felt rough on the scales of a certain dragon. Perhaps rough for the first time, since dragon scales are able to survive lava and, apparently, numerous doors swinging into them. No, it wasn't rough, the sulking dragon thought. It just felt that way. Maybe to dissuade him from reaching his destination, to turn back and to abandon this ridiculous mission. Yes, he felt very tempted indeed to just accept that reasoning, go to Rarity's, and possibly get some stallion points and gems.
Unfortunately, he did not turn back. He couldn't turn back. He had this curiosity for an entire four days, pounding like a ceaseless headache, on the structure of his sanity. It had been keeping him up for three nights and acted like an itch that even his amazing claws (as told by a creepy green unicorn) could not scratch. It wasn't his concern. It really wasn't. In fact, if it was just him, he would just forget this whole thing and move on, since he respected his friend's privacy. Live his life clearly and without remorse, honestly.
Yet, honesty was the reason he was doing this. Honesty for someone other than him. To maybe prevent the heartache he would be forced to live with the rest of his life. To stop the fear and to give clarity to someone else.
Spike thought Celestia was his friend, but he felt as if her cheery sun betrayed the mood of his day and, possibly soon, the mood of some other ponies’ day. Perhaps he should wait, perhaps when it wouldn't matter as much.
.... .... ....
No. It's either now or never. All of these thoughts were rushing through his mind as he was only crossing the walkway up to the Apple family's door, each step he took feeling like he was stepping on the grains of time. Steeling himself and raising a heavy fist, he took a reserved motion back and knocked politely on the door. Three sets of three knocks, in consecutive rhythm. Twilight keeps claiming its proper etiquette, but it made him seem like a donk-
"Well howdy, pardner! How you doing Spike?!" Spike shook off his politically incorrect thoughts he learned from Rainbow to focus on the pony that stood before him. Stood being a polite term. From his view, she towered over him like some sort of indignant giant, crushing the very confides of his soul with just a gaze. Wait, is that a Stetson? Why it was only Applejack, the most dependable and honest pony around this side of Equestria (she had a blue ribbon to prove it too). How could Spike be afraid of her?
"H-hi Applejack. I'm doing...fine. How about you?"
"Great Spike. I'm just about to get started on my afternoon chores. Applebloom is at school, Granny's taking a nap, and Big Mac is out getting nails. Again." She added the last part sourly, mumbling something about a lazy sibling. However, Spike already knew that. It was the exact reason why he chose to pop in around school time and steal Big Mac's nails.
"That's great AJ." Moments passed as the awkward levels became increasingly proportional to the time spent in silence and inversely proportional to Applejack's patience.
"Well. If that's all and you just stopped by for Twilight or a friendly hello, I best be on my w-"
"Wait," blurted the miniature whelp as he stuck out his arms in the door way. Realizing how rude he was, he tried to save the situation by turning on the ol' dragon charm. "My dear madam, I feel the most peculiar about a certain detail that I feel you are most qualified to make certain for me. Could I possibly enter your domicile and converse with you shortly?"
"Um, Spike. Why are you talking all funny like Princess Luna?"
Far away in Canterlot, a sleepy night princess mumbled "Mhmm...blasphemers..." before rolling over in her canopy.
"Ugh. AJ, I'm kind of confused about something and I think you can answer my questions. Can I come in and talk?"
Applejack made a look of clarity before breaking into a nervous sweat and asking cautiously "Is this something I should be worried about? You know, about the dragons and the princesses. Because I think Twilight should answer that question. And look, I already told yall that the kiss we almost shared was in the heat of the moment of Rarity's kidnapping and we both forgave each other for letting it go too far. I'm sorry, but just wait a couple of years and I'm sure you'll find a -"
"NO! NOT THAT KINDA CONVERSATION!" Spike became so flustered that he single-handedly proved dragons could blush. Besides, he already had 'the talk' when Twilight saw how he acted around Rarity. That's a slideshow he will NEVER forget. "This is something different. Something about the cutie mark story you told Twilight." Realization dawning on AJ, she took a moment to sigh in relief and instead adopt a scowl.
"Please remind me to never tell Twilight a story again. Sweet Apple on the cob, she takes it WAY too seriously. But sure y'all can come in, cus I'll know you'll make it quick." Stepping aside, AJ allowed Spike to come in and make himself comfy on the couch.
"Do you want something to drink Spike? You're old enough for cider right?"
"Uh..." Taking a moment to decide, but cringing at the thought bubble of Twilight yelling, he decided against it. “No thanks, I'm good."
"Suit yourself." Coming in the living room and plopping herself into the sofa facing Spike, she begun the conversation.
"So, what exactly are you curious about?"
Going in to the depths of Tartarus, he decided to go for broke. "Well, you know how you said you left to Manehattan when you were around a filly's age?"
"Yeah?" Applejack asked, almost like a question, just as curious as Twilight.
"Your parents never stopped you from going, did they?" Spike asked, with closed eyes and a sudden interest in the ground. A silent mood pierced the room as Applejack responded emotionless.
"No."
"Yeah, sorry about that." He said with a sincerity she knew was true, so she let herself relax a little. "Well, my point is...who are Applebloom's real parents?" The silence in the room came back with a vengeance as moments trickled by. Sensing nothing was going to change, Spike looked back up to see Applejack, Stetson off and eyes made of ice, staring right through his soul. Spike swore that if she asked him anything, he would tell the truth, just because of that stare.
"Come again...partner."
"W-well," Spike said as he tried to muster up the small puddle of his courage, "if your parents had already...yeah. Then that means Applebloom had to have been born already."
"Science says so, yes," AJ responded coldly.
"But...you are in your early twenties. And Applebloom is just eleven years old. I'm older than her and I know what date you got your cutie mark, since that's also my birthday."
"Your point?" she all out spat at Spike, the venom clearly evident in her tone alone.
"My point is," Spike said as he found the strength to finish his revelation. "that there is no way Applebloom is your sibling since your parents were already dead at the time you got your cutie mark, which is my age. I'm only asking as a friend of Applebloom so she can-" he started, but was cut off when Applejack scared him out of his seat by jumping up and yelling.
"Get out! Ya heard me! Get out you mangey varmit! Get out and don't come back!" Spike was already at the door when he somehow gained enough courage and started yelling as well.
"Applebloom has the right to know! She has the right to know who her real mother and father are!" At that moment, AJ started chasing Spike out of her home and down the path. He zoomed past Big Macintosh who intercepted his sister and struggled to hold her down, despite his strength.
What Spike heard Applejack say about him, would forever change his views of the term 'southern hospitality.' Especially since it wasn't over, not by a long shot.
Dragons; majestic, terrifying, and powerful creatures who vary with every region and each legend. The classic fire-breathed behemoth, to the fabled bone dragon, and even the relatively small forest dragon are not a rarity in the land of Equestria. Their diamond-like scales can also resist some of the strongest magic spells, making them a terrifying force that can level forests when agitated and cities when enraged. However, no creature exists without its own personal weakness. For dragons, still reptiles at their core, the cold is one of the most dangerous and terrifying obstacles they could ever face. To slowly have your body fail you to the point of utter uselessness, all while the inner fire dormant in all dragons slowly dies within, is the subject of many draconian legends of suffering and a perceived punishment the gods administer on dragons for their sins. Well, except for the ice dragons in the far north, the freaks. Unfortunately for them, recent studies of those subspecies of dragons have revealed they are extremely susceptible to sounds, which have led to the natives of the north using the power of their voices and amplifiers to quickly put an end to the draconian threat in that area. Even now, a powerful shout can make a dragon's blood shiver.
Spike knew all this after reading some books borrowed to him from the Canterlot library, as a favor from Celestia. Even if he realized his friends should be enough, he still felt the need to know some things about his kind and how the world views him. Why did he recall of this information at that moment?
He felt so cold. So very cold. Unable to move and just watched as the world moved around him. Standing on the hill leaving Sweet Apple Acres, he received a beautiful view of a typical, sunny day in Ponyville. He saw the public pool filled with laughing foals, he saw rookie parents strolling through the park with their kids, ice cream vendors wreaking havoc on pony's teeth and reaping profits. Why did he feel so cold then? Why did his blood feel so cold when everyone else felt warm? Perhaps it was because of how Applejack just yelled at him. She had never been dishonest in her actions, and from what Spike gathered, he had just pried into her life more than he should. It also could have been the fact of having his fears confirmed; that he was right. Spike found this hilarious, in a twisted kind of way, since Twilight was always right and it never seemed she had to deal with this kind of shiver.
A shiver that fills someone completely with an unpleasant feeling; responsibility. A feeling most ponies think they can handle, until the day when a tough decision comes to play. Spike was always bugging Twilight about giving him more responsibility and more freedom to prove he was worthy of her trust. Now, unfortunately, he didn't have to deal with sorting a few books around, or making sure he didn't eat all the ice cream when Twilight wasn't looking. He held the possible fate of two of his closest friends and the thread of their family in his claws. In his weak, shaking, freezing claws. The obvious thing would be too ignore this, to let Applebloom keep living as an apple and hope either she never found out or AJ would come clean on her own.
With a grim chuckle, he knew that his friends weren't that lucky. Spike was a baby dragon. He could be immature, selfish, easily carried away, lie to save his own scales, and even play the coward from time to time. However, Spike was not stupid, he knew that much about himself. One could not be the number one assistant to Twilight Sparkle if they were stupid. The truth would come out and it would be a disaster, just like every cheap romance novel (not that he read any girly books like that). So, he could do the logical thing and tell Twilight, in hopes she would find a way to handle this, but he knew he didn't have enough evidence. To ask for the help of Twilight Sparkle with something as serious as this, and not have any evidence, would be the worst mistake Spike could make in this situation. He remembered the time Twilight got the Royal Doctor to give him a thorough checkup when he pretended to have a cold, just so he could sleep in.
"So, where do I even begin looking for evidence, if AJ isn't going to comply?" Spike kept looking out at the town, trying to grasp at anything that could help him in this endeavor. His reptilian eye suddenly focused on Carrot Top, Berry Punch, Colgate, and Doctor Whooves leaving Sugarcube Corner with an object that was, ironically, easy to make out as a cake under some sort of tarp. It was Derpy Hooves's birthday and they were planning to celebrate it by...
At that moment, Spike did a quick count with his claws (score one for opposable thumbs) and found that Derpy was a bit older than Applejack. He soon realized a fact that hit him so hard, it made Rainbow Dash flying into the library look like a scrape. A good majority of the adults in the town were around AJ's age, meaning they could have some information about Applebloom's origin. He could make up a story that Twilight asked him to gather some information about her friends, such as genealogy, or something along those lines. Besides, Rarity always says that talking about others isn't gossip, it's simply "making polite conversation by expressing intrigue in your friend's endeavors." With a revitalized vigor, Spike felt the fire of motivation reignite and started to walk around Ponyville, trying to think who would be most willing to "converse" about the Apple Family. He kept wandering until he found himself right in the middle of the town market.
While the town of Ponyville was passionately tied to the values of friendship, love, and kindness, none of those values meant jack squash in the town market. This could have been due to the vendors being from varied roots or time is money and not buying anything gets you as little regard from the vendors as possible. As Spike made his way through the market, trying to stay calm as dozens of ponies seemed to bump into him from left and right, he spotted a carrot orange mane mare with a goldenrod coat. The pony, aptly named Carrot Top, was a farmer like the Apple family and was friends with the clan. Spotting his opportunity, Spike decided to try his luck.
"Hey Carrot Top," Spike said with a friendly wave. Turning her head and giving a friendly smile, Carrot Top replied automatically.
"Hey Spike. What's going on?"
"Oh nothing," Spike replied coyly. "Hey, do you have a minute or two to talk?"
"Sure. I just finished getting my groceries. Did you want to talk about something?" Spike hid a devious smile as he went in for the kill.
"Well, you see, Twilight's doing some sort of genealogy research, trying to trace the origins of Ponyville and how it was formed and what not, and she needs some info about the Apple family." Carrot Top looked confused and decided to voice her confusion.
"I don't understand. If you want to know about the Apple family, why don't you ask Applejack or Granny Smith or Big Mac?"
"I was, but Applejack is busy doing farm work, I really don't want to remember all that information walking back from Sweet Apple Acres, and Big Mac...well, I don't think he can give an informative lesson, if you catch my drift. But, seeing as your friends with the Apple family, you can fill me in on a few things." Spike hid a smug look, hoping Carrot Top fell for it.
"Hmm. That make sense. What do you need to know about?"
"Thanks for helping me out. It won't take long, I promise." Spike took a moment to decide how to word this next part carefully. "I only need a semi-brief description of previous generation of Apples in Ponyville, AJ's and Big Mac's parents." Carrot Top began to get a bit suspicious when Spike didn't mention Applebloom, but decided to drop it.
After going over when they were born, how they met, their contributions to Ponyville, and their marriage, Carrot Top was wrapping up on how AJ and Big Mac were born. "...they were all surprised to find filly AJ hiding under the table, snout coated with Apple Fritters. Granny Smith has the most embarrassing pictures." Carrot Top gave a chuckle and Spike, deciding to keep playing along, gave a weak one in exchange.
"And...that's about all I know." Carrot Top finished with a pause in between. Spike adopted a curious look as he decide to press his questions.
"Wait. What about Applebloom? How was she born?" Carrot Top didn't reply immediately and instead decided to inspect Spike's behavior. He noticed her examination and was beginning to lose his cool, fidgeting with his claws.
"W-why are you looking at me look that? Do I have something in my fangs?" After an uncomfortable pause, she decided to start her own interrogation.
"Spike, you know Applejack and Applebloom are sisters, right?" Spike tried to look as calm as possible, but he withered under her gaze.
"W-why of course! W-who doesn't," he said after breaking eye contact, which was all the evidence Carrot Top needed.
"You know, don't you?" Spike, with a sigh, saw that he wasn't getting out of this one and decided to come clean.
"Kinda. I know it's not possible that AJ and AB are biological sisters. That's really it though." Carrot Top, with a sigh, warned Spike.
"Spike. Listen to me. Don't. Push. This. It's nopony’s business, but the Apples." He knew he wouldn't get much more out of Carrot Top, but he did find out one thing and confronted Carrot about it.
"So. Other ponies know too, huh? I knew I couldn't be the only one to connect the dots. This town is too small for that to be overlooked." Carrot started glaring at Spike.
"Yes. Other's know too. But let me tell you more Ponyville history. The Apple family practically FOUNDED Ponyville. They helped set it up, helped it grow, and give it many of the traditions we hold dear today. Plus, Applejack is the living example of Ponyville life and our premier community member. It's an honor to be her friend and to be friends with the Apple family. If you keep meddling into others business, Spike, you won't only hurt Applebloom, you won't only tear apart their family, but you'll also be hurting all of Ponyville and its people. Have you thought about that?" Spike looked bewildered. He realized what he was doing was risky, but he didn't know it was THAT risky. However, Spike still knew one thing.
It didn't change a Celestia-damned thing.
"I know," Spike replied. "Maybe not to that extent, but I do know. The truth is going to come out. Everyone will still be hurt and it will be too late. It not my business as an individual to meddle with the Apple's life. It is my business, however, as a friend." Carrot shook her head in frustration and decided to walk away, saying one last thing before she departed.
"Just remember what I told you. Just remember that this isn't about you." Spike looked downcast after hearing that statement, unsure how to respond.
"Am I really taking this too personally? Applebloom is happy, I don't need to destroy what she has just because I would like to know my origin." Spike's fist clenched and shook with anger as he brushed away those thoughts. "No. That's ridiculous. This is about Applebloom. I know it and just because other ponies are happy with the way things are, doesn't mean she will when she finds out for herself." Spike brought his head up high, only to jump back three hooves when he saw Big Mac staring down at him. The silence in the air was nauseating as both Spike and Big Mac shared a war of looks, with Big Mac as a general and Spike as the worm in the dirt. Eventually, Spike broke the silence.
"Sooo...do we need to talk about something?"
"Eeyup."
"Rrrriggghhttt...." Spike said while stretching his words. With a spin, Spike took off in a flash. Big Mac looked stunned, only to give a sigh and began running after Spike. Spike ducked and weaved around corners he knew Big Mac was too...well, big, to make cleanly and managed to get right on the edge of Everfree forest, deciding to duck behind a bush. Big Mac finally caught up, looking around for where the lucky reptile went.
"Spike! Come on out! I ain't gonna hurt ya! I just want to talk is all!" Big Mac shouted into the forest. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a purple tail sticking out of a bush. Rolling his eyes, he dashed to the bush before Spike had time to react and used his mouth to hold him by the scruff of his neck. After a few moments of resistance, Spike resignated himself to his fate.
"Now Spike. You are going to listen to what I have to say. I'm going to let you go now, but I don't want you running off. Ya hear?" Spike, seeing no other option, decided to comply.
"Sorry Big Mac. I overacted. I'll listen."
"Good." With that, Big Mac set Spike on the ground, facing him.
"Now." Big Mac took a moment to compose himself and think about his words carefully, knowing full well how much an influence words can have on children. "I don't know what you know. I don't know why you know. I don't even care who you found out from. What I do care about is why you keep wanting to know more?" Spike looked unsure, only to find the words he recited in his mind coming back to him.
"It's because this isn't about you. It isn't about Ponyville or Applejack or me. It's about Applebloom. It's because I know how she will feel WHEN the truth comes out. To feel she's in a place where everyone puts on a smile and makes you feel LIKE you belong, but never knowing if you really do. It's something I wouldn't wish on anybody, but it will happen and it’s better she knows now rather than later. That way she can realize she does because she has you guys. Her family. And that makes all the difference in the world." Spike was sure of his answer, despite his solemn expression. Big Mac was pleasantly surprised to know Spike shared some of his sentiments, but he spotted something deeper in Spike that he knew pushed him forward.
"Spike. I don't know, to what extent, how you feel or how Applebloom will feel. I never have. I always had my family by side, even at our worst. I've always had ponies to be grateful for. But, for some reason, I think everypony does, they're just too stuck in pity to see it. It's hard to get out of the muck, I'll admit it. But I've never been one to let the past get me down for too long, because I know I have a future to raise me up with the ponies I love. For whatever reason, ponies can't see that because they are too busy being ashamed at their reflection. Everypony will always get sick of themselves. However, what makes somepony appreciate themselves, is being themselves and being surrounded by others who appreciate it as well." Big Mac took a moment to let Spike digest that information, the revelation hitting him hard. It was especially eye-opening coming from Big Mac.
"That's what I think this is about, Spike," Big Mac started with knowing concern. "You lost sight about what you do have. Who you have. Applebloom is just a way to avoid that feeling for you." Spike's look of shock became one of rage.
"Hey! This is not about me! It's about Applebloom! It's about Applejack withholding the truth from her and lying to her face! If she finds out on her own, she'll always feel like an outcast!" Big Mac took a deep breath and responded calmly.
"Celestia's sake, boy, I know that better than anypony. I'm AJ's AND Applebloom's brother. And I know AJ isn't being true to Bloom or herself. That's what gets on my nerves. The more time goes by, the worse my fears that I'll lose both my sisters. But that ain't going to happen, ya hear? Both of them have always been my sisters and they always will be. Ain't nothing going to change that."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that you’re right." Spike looked shocked and was about interrupt him, but Big Mac went on. "It is going to happen. If I learned anything from AJ, it's that the truth will always come. I'd rather Bloom hear it from her family though. I can't tell her because then I'll lose AJ. Only AJ can tell her now. You can find out for yourself what happened, I ain't going to stop ya. But before you continue and confront anypony about it, let me tell you what you need to do first. Stop and think who you’re REALLY doing this for. If it's for Applebloom, everything WILL work out. I believe that. But if even the smallest fraction of your efforts are about you or your insecurities, it won't and all of it will come back to you." Spike looked down in shame, unsure of where his motivation came from. Big Mac turned towards Ponyville and started moving.
"Come on Spike. It's not safe here. I'll walk with you back to Ponyville." Spike gave a solemn nod as he tagged along Big Mac, beginning a silent journey home.
"I feel ashamed. I don't know why. Big Mac's words felt honest, but it doesn't make me feel better. They just make me feel like I got something's twisting my heart in grinding it against my bones."
"We're here." Spike shook out of his daze and saw he and Big Mac were back. Big Mac cleared his throat and said a few more things to Spike. "Spike, I know the truth isn't easy, but it's the reality we gotta accept. The biggest lie is fooling ourselves into thinking lies are the easy way out." With those words, Big Mac began to walk away, only to warn one more thing. "Oh. I forgot. If you hurt either of my sisters and I know you could've avoid it, ya'll going to straight to the moon." Spike's look of fear was enough to satisfy the big brother complex in Big Mac and he walked away. Alone, Spike knew he needed to see somepony.
"Fluttershy's too nervous, Rainbow's isn't subtle, Pinkie wouldn't take it seriously, and I'm not ready to face Twilight." He thought long and hard about who was delicate, wise, and beautiful enough to help him in this situation. "Rarity it is." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (*Other side of Ponyville, Private Residence Area*)
A small, earth pony filly walked up to her house and awaited the door to open. As soon as it did, her maid, Whinniefred, greeted her inside.
"Why hello Miss Tiara, back so soon from Sugarcube Corner?" The pink filly with a ridiculously expensive tiara, aptly named Diamond Tiara, responded to the question.
"Why yes, Whinniefred. Me and Silver Spoon were walking through the market and decided to call it a day. Where's daddy?"
"Why, he is in his study room, brushing up on his foreign languages."
"Thank you, Whinniefred. That is all." The filly made her way to the Rich's study room and peered inside, only to find her father snoring on the couch with a half-eaten hayburger on his stomach.
"Oh daddy," Diamond sang. The orchestra responded with a snore.
"Daddy?" The snoring answered with gusto.
"Daddy!!!" Filthy jumped off the couch after having his eardrums barrage with a high shrill shout. He saw his daughter and calmed himself down.
"What is it, my little Diamond?"
"Oh, me and Silver Spoon were just walking around, when we heard the most interesting things being said about a friend of mine."
"What friend? You have more?" Filthy began to get excited that his daughter was becoming more social with others her age. Diamond was not amused.
"Yesss... Daddy," Diamond said with a slither. "It was about Applebloom. Anyway, I didn't like what was being said about her, but I don't know if it's true or not. If I ask her, she may get offended or mad at me. Can you tell me?"
"Why of course, my gem. The Apples are our friends and I would be happy to help them." Diamond's eye held a sinister glint at the compliance of her father.
Spike was faced with a conundrum. Or, more specifically, Spike's body. He approached the Carousel Boutique, anxious to see the most creative and illustrious mare in Equestria, the one whose radiance gave Spike's life vision and color, the lovely lady Rarity. Unfortunately, after having one of the most distressing mornings of his life, his body was torn between floating on air or dragging his feet through the dirt. Spike arrived at the door when he realized that a gentle dragon shouldn't bring down a lady with his own anguish and indecision. Spotting a nearby puddle, Spike examined himself, intent on not spreading his attitude to the one he loved.
"Hey Spike," the drake said to his reflection, grinning all the while. "Looking good." He brushed his spines with a claw and made sure to swipe off any excess dirt that remained after a morning filled with aerobics. The problem laid in the fact that dragons were beings of scales, something which isn't too easy or comfortable at keeping clean. And Rarity, although a paragon of elegance and benevolence, could be, to Spike's own admission, a BIT of a drama queen. Thus, he would, unknown to Twilight or anypony else, always spend painstaking hours trying to spruce up his scales before seeing Rarity. At the end of the day, Rarity could be a drama queen as much as she pleased, as long as he got to be her humble servant, and eventually, knight in shining scales.
"Hey," Spike exclaimed in feigned surprise. "Who's that handsome drake?! Hello, guards, there's a handsome looking drake in town! Oh wait, cancel that, it's only me." Spike gave a light laugh, his confidence rising to a level only the toughest of stallions could achieve.
"Spike!" shouted a very elegant voice.
"Ahhh," exclaimed the the young welp, as he fell into the small puddle. Looking up in dismay, he saw a seemingly-worried Rarity, hiding a chuckle behind a raised hoof. "R-Rarity!"
"Spike! Whatever are you doing outside?! Quick, Spike, we must get you inside and dried up!" Rarity's horn glowed her signature blue aura as she brought Spike in, slamming the door. She levitated a sizable towel and dried up Spike, much to his embarrassment. Rarity peered through her window shutters, looking frightened out of her wits.
"Rarity, what's wrong," Spike asked with fear, but mostly concern for the mare of his dreams.
"There is word that there is a dangerous, if not dashing, dragon marauder in town that is out for a prowl." Rarity gave that teasing smile of hers and Spike covered his embarrassment with the towel, clearly seeing where this was going. "I was going to go around town, making sure every mare was safe at home, when I spotted you in this most vulnerable of times. I knew, at once, that we could not allow this ruffian to gaze upon you. Otherwise..." Rarity lifted the towel from Spike's body, who was unaware of how close Rarity was to his face. Oh how ironic that the dragon who found gems a delicacy, would always be eaten up by the most alluring sapphires he had ever seen.
"...he might do something rash out of pure jealousy." Rarity grinned as she received her reward, a babbling dragon whose head seemed to be on fire. Even though Spike did not appreciate it now, he secretly enjoyed the times Rarity teased him, taking it as some sort of tradition they shared together.
"T-thanks Rarity.” Rarity giggled, delighted Spike had no hard feelings for her teasing. Spike, more often than not, was always an incoherent mess after Rarity's teasing.
"Well, I believe that we should be alright for now. So, how can I help you Spike? Or have you come to provide your invaluable services as number one assistant once again?" Spike adopted a look of pride, glad to be known throughout the town as number one assistant.
"I wish I could Rarity." Spike then took on a more reserved attitude. "I'd actually like your help with something." Rarity looked bewildered at his request, thinking something must be serious if he were coming to her for help. Spike noticed this and started stuttering like Fluttershy. "I-If that's okay with you? I really don't want to be a bother."
"Nonsense, darling," replied Rarity. "I'd be more than happy to help. What is it?" Spike looked unsure of himself. He really didn't think this through as he searched for a way to tell her, without actually telling her.
"Well. You see. I...have this friend," Spike said, with pauses in between words. "And, you see, this friend...doesn't know much about...his parents. He's never met them." Spike decided to make the story around a male to prevent Rarity from thinking of Applebloom. "And...I just found out something about this friend of mine. That his...loved ones are hiding something from him, though I don't know what. It doesn't feel right to keep this from him, but his loved ones truly have his best interests in their hearts. I think," Spike said with a hint of bitterness. "I can already see that this is going to end ugly, so what I'm wondering is should I keep meddling further and risk tearing up all the good things he has? Or, should I leave it alone and trust that his...family will tell him the truth eventually?" Spike looked expectantly at Rarity, who seemed to be overloaded with information and trying to make sense of what Spike just told her. Suddenly, a look of realization came over her and she transitioned into a sympathetic look directed at the drake.
"Well...Spike, darling...I would have to ask, how would you feel about the situation if, say, you were in this 'friend's' position?" Spike had somewhat considered this before, but didn't really think his opinions should have an impact upon his decision. He understood how a secret could affect a family so tightly knit as the Apples. But he didn't really know how differently he would've acted in the same place. He took a couple of good, long minutes to think about this while Rarity waited patiently to hear his answer and thinking about why the drake seemed to be lying to her.
"What would I do if somepony told me I had no family? Ha!" Spike gave a fake chuckle that made Rarity even more concerned. "It's not a hypothetical question. I know how it feels."
"I would want to be told from the beginning. I wouldn't want any lies, just the truth that this wasn’t my real family. It would save me from more personal pain." Spike put the towel on a nearby counter, folded of course, and made his way to the door. "Thanks Rarity. I think I got my answer." Rarity used her magic to spin Spike around and hold him in place.
"Spike!" Rarity had that look only a grown mare could give. A look of compassion and concern, mixed with sternness. "Now wait just a minute. I'm not allowing you to leave my Boutique until I know you aren't going to do anything to hurt yourself." Spike scrunched his face and tried to squirm out of her magic.
"What are you talking about? My friend needs my help." Rarity put her hoof under Spike's chin and gently raised it so that he stared right into her eyes.
"Spike. Don't you think I'm smart enough to know what's truly going on." Spike's eyes grew to the size of bowling balls as he started to sweat under the pressure.
"Y-you do?!"
"Yes I do." Rarity hugged the drake as part of her pony instincts. "You're that 'friend' Spike. You are the one unsure about his family." Spike was about to interject, when Rarity tightened her grip. "Now Spike! I don't want you to make up a story saying you're not! However, I must tell you that you are one-hundred percent wrong! We are your friends. We are your family. I know for a fact that we all love you, and Twilight especially holds your life on the same level as hers. I wish for you to never forget that." Spike managed to push himself out of Rarity's grip.
"Rarity! I'm telling you the truth! This IS about a friend!" Rarity shook her head.
"Now Spike, don't tell my parents this, but I've had a heavy hoof in raising Sweetie Belle, what with all the 'vacations' they take. And the one thing I've learned is that she never wants to admit to me or my parents that she has problems. It's always a 'friend' that is hurt. Spike, I think you're old enough to not make up stories to mask your problems. It also hurts me, personally, that you think I would fall for it, and even more so, that you don't think I want to help you." Spike was at a loss for words.
He replayed their conversation a few times in his head, trying to find out when he gave Rarity the idea he was talking about him. He then realized that it did seem that way. Word for word, he did put himself into Applebloom's position. Or did he put her in his position? He then thought of all the those nights he spent without sleep, wishing he had a family and a home. Of all those days where he laughed and made jokes, only to crawl into bed and drop the charade. He thought long and hard of that day. The day he realized he wasn't a pony. He wasn't even a dragon. He was nobody. The perfect assistant. Spike's eyes quickly darted around the boutique, dodging Rarity's words like they were poison darts. His breathing became sporadic, as if the Boutique itself was choking him. He had to get out of there. He needed to be alone. He sprinted all the way to the door, and as soon as he did, Rarity locked it with her magic. He spotted an open window and jumped through it. Rarity galloped to the window and saw Spike running off somewhere. She knew that, if she chased him, he would keep running until he hurt himself, so she decided to go to the library and tell Twilight what happened. She hoped that she would have the best grasp of what was going on with Spike.
"Oh Spike! Don't worry yourself Rarity," she said, trying to motivate herself. "Before you know it, he'll be back home soon." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spike bobbed and weaved through the various crowds of ponies that were heading home for the evening. He hadn't realized it, but it was quickly approaching night and Twilight would be expecting him soon. Spike tried to shake his thoughts of Twilight, of Ponyville, and his aching memories. With tears in his eyes that stung and burned, he didn't realize where he was going and ran head first into somepony. Somepony really small.
"Ahhh!"
"Ooof!" Spike's back laid on the ground as he shook himself out of his stupor. He got up with a crack in his back and tried to see who he bumped into. To his dismay, it was Diamond Tiara, an infamous school bully the crusaders always complained about.
"Watch where you're going looooseerrr!" Spike recoiled at that remark, but decided she was just frazzled.
"Sorry about that! Let me help you u-," Spike began, but was interrupted as Diamond scoffed at him.
"Get your claws off me!" Diamond got up on her hooves and took her tiara off, beginning to inspect it for any sign of damage. She disregarded the dragon's eye roll as she set it neatly back to place. She began to glare at Spike, who could who could do nothing, but hold his claws up in defense.
"What? I said I was sorry," said the dragon.
"Sorry," began the little diva. "Why should you be sorry?" Spike was a little confused at the sudden mood swing. That was, until, she continued talking. "Except that you could've hurt my priceless, one-of-a kind diamond tiara!" Spike, being a dragon, examined the tiara and saw in an instant what it really was.
"What so special about it? It's just made of plastic. It doesn't take a dragon to see that." At this point, Diamond looked like she just got hit in the gut as her eyes were wide in shock, but quickly contorted in fury. She got real close to the dragon's face, so close he could just smell her arrogance (with some rancid perfume).
"How DARE you say that about my tiara?!" She harshly poked the dragon's chest with her hoof, pushing the dragon back with every sentence she uttered. "I'll have you know that my priceless tiara is a priceless family treasure, which I deserve because my family only provides the absolute best for their beloved daughter!" By now, Spike was backed up to a wall, positively frightened that his off-claw comment about the dingy little thing would spark such a reaction from the wearer.
“Hay! Leav’em alone!” Both Diamond and Spike looked away from each other to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders glaring daggers at Diamond Tiara. Spike looked away, as his guilt stopped him from making eye contact with Applebloom. She began walking close to Diamond, who could only back away from Spike and Applebloom.
“What are ya’ doing ganging up on Spike? Isn’t it enough that you gotta pick on the rest of us at school, now yer pickin’ fights off the street?” Diamond couldn’t even look Applebloom in the eye, fidgeting in place.
“W-w-well...that l-loser was…” Diamond began, but was unable to even finish her insults. Applebloom dropped her accusatory stance and examined Diamond with concern. She had never let Applebloom speak this long without some retort or snide comment about her blank flank. “Um...Diamond Tiara. Ya’ll alright? This is where you’re supposed to make fun of me.” Diamond was at a loss for words as, even now, the goody two-hooves filly showed concern for HER. Off in the distance, a silver coated filly, sporting an extravagant necklace and glasses, witnessed her only friend being cornered by the blank flanks and Twilight’s lackey, attributing the obvious distress on Diamond’s face to being outnumbered.
“Hey! Get away from DT!” The collected fillies and drake looked towards the arrival of another filly, regarded by some as Silver Spoon, but mostly remembered as Diamond Tiara’s lackey. She made her way through Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, making sure to rudely push them aside, and advanced towards Applebloom. “What kinda nerve do you have getting in DT’s face! Whatever she did, it was right and you’re wrong.” Diamond could only roll her eyes as her only friend tried her best to take the lead, which usually ended poorly. Applebloom took up a defensive stance again as she faced Silver Spoon.
“Me? It was your friend that was bothering Spike here and causing trouble like she always does!” Silver could only scoff as she made her way to Diamond’s side, putting a hoof on her shoulder.
“DT never causes tro-” Silver began, only to stop herself as even she didn’t believe what she was about to say. “Well, it doesn’t matter what she’s doing because she’s trying to help somepony right now.” Applebloom looked confused at the prospect of Diamond helping anybody but herself.
“Help somepony? Whoever the hay needs her help is better jumping off a barn in the middle of a thunderstorm in the Appleloosan desert!” Silver Spoon, and the rest of the children gathered there, were momentarily confused by Applebloom’s countryisms, until Silver shook it off.
“Well, you better get jumping, because she’s trying to help you.” Applebloom looked bewildered, while Diamond Tiara realized what was happening and tried to make Silver stop.
“Silver, wait!” Silver Spoon immediately put a hoof on Diamond’s mouth (which she found totally gross) and motioned for her to be silent.
“Don’t worry DT, I finally got this one!” Silver looked delighted to finally take the lead as she began, what Spike feared, a chain of events. “Yes, DT is trying to save you from finding out the truth too late. It’s even more noble when you consider that your own family hasn’t done the same for you.” Applebloom’s hooves shook with rage and her eyes squinted in loathing at Silver Spoon.
“Now listen here ya’ varmint! Don’t you ever talk about my family like that and start slandering their names!”
“But Applebloom....” Silver began with a fake pout. “Even Spike is trying to help you.” The other crusaders began to look worried at what was unfolding before them.
“Spike?” Sweetie questioned.
“What do you mean?” Scootaloo asked, directing her suspicion towards Silver Spoon.
“Well…” Silver drew out, “why don’t you let him tell you?” She pointed a silver coated hoof at Spike, whose mind was racing with questions about what to do. Could it be that these fillies already know more than him? How did they find out? Why were they snooping into Applebloom’s life? Spike stared at Silver Spoon hard and asked himself what they were going to do with such information?
“Spike!” The assistant hurriedly looked away from Silver Spoon, surprised at the sheer volume of Applebloom's voice. He examined the yellow filly, who at first glance, looked as confident as ever, but revealed the concern she truly felt in her eyes. Those eyes were something Spike couldn’t lie to, be it because she was an Apple, or because she was his friend.
“Nothing Applebloom,” Spike denied, while trying to avoid her gaze. “They’re just trying to get into your head. You know how they are and they would do anything to make you upset.” Applebloom would’ve accepted this information any other day of the week, as she suspected that the pair of bullies would make up just about anything to get out of trouble or to torment the Crusaders, but there was one thing that was bothering her. Not once since she intervered had Spike or Diamond Tiara met her gaze. While that single fact kept springing up her mind, Scootaloo decided that this was just about enough.
“See, that’s all there is to it! Why don’t you jerks get lost now, your dumb tricks didn’t work this time,” she said, having no intention of being manipulated. Silver could only scoff at the scene as she decided that it was time to stop beating around the bush. Coming out of a nearby alley, Twilight galloped as if her life depended on it, with Rarity only barely keeping up with her pace. While Twilight was not an athletic pony, the time she had spent in Ponyville had conditioned her more than she would’ve liked and it clearly showed when Rarity told her Spike was acting strange and might hurt himself. Being the worrisome librarian she was, she could not sit still as thoughts of Spike doing something foolish ran through her mind, which is why she had spent a good twenty minutes galloping around town for him. Nearing a point of distress where she would’ve called the Royal Guard, she finally got a glimpse of Spike talking to a group of fillies. Relieved he was still safe, she decided to stop and catch her breath in preparation for whatever lecture she was going to give Spike for making her worry.
“Oh thank goodness you stopped, Twilight. I know my physique looks like it’s in top form, because it is, but even I struggle with aerobics,” Rarity said as she stood next to Twilight, wiping the sweat from her head with an imported hoof-kerchief, with personal embroidery. Spotting the drake out of the corner of her eye, she took a moment to compose herself and comment on the scene before her. “Oh, there is Spikey-wikey right there. And he’s with Sweetie and her friends as well.”
“Yeah, thank goodness. Unfortunately, he’s going to be pretty embarrassed when I march over there and find out what’s going on,” Twilight proclaimed in a very concerned, if agitated, tone. Rarity, realizing something, held a hoof in front of Twilight’s frame to stop her from going.
“Now wait just a minute Twilight. Spike said he was asking things for a friend and now he’s with them. Perhaps he was just asking for a friend, and is in the middle of something very important. I don’t think they’ve noticed us yet, so perhaps we should just wait and listen.” Twilight, still too tired to even think, agreed and cast a hearing spell on her and Rarity.
At the same time, a downtrodden orange mare, with her freckled face hung close to the ground, came out of intersecting street after having just left from a conversation with her brother that turned into a hollering match. With many thoughts on her mind, she hadn’t even paid attention to where she was heading until she saw a cute little bow in the corner of her eye, partially obscured by her iconic Stetson. Of all the fillies she had to see right now, it had to be her sister. Not only that, but Applejack had to find her with a dragon that she desperately wanted to hogtie to the tallest tree in her orchard. Concerned with what the reptile had to say to her sister, but unsure of how she would react, she decided to listen in behind a nearby stand that was left unattended. As both parties started listening in on the conversation, the little silver filly started a chain of events that would leave both parties heartbroken.
