> Falling Leaves
>  by Gamel_Lightshow
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Fall
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Spike walks down the path of the running of the leaves. He looks over the well worn path as well as the brown, yellow, orange, and red leaves that cling onto the dormant trees. Everything is peaceful with the chirping of the birds, the calming whistle of the wind, and his empty thoughts. Lately things have been... problematic. . 
He blames himself because he can't blame anyone else.
Twilight and him have been at ends because of her "fiery" mood swings over the past couple of months. Months? It truly has been a long time. Now, of all times, it feels the longest.
He stops as he comes to a cliff and sits on the edge of it. He kicks his feet back and forth looking over the many mountains and hills in the distant and so near to him. The same, he knows, his child will see someday.
He hopes.
With a sigh, he looks behind him expecting something there. He sees nothing and nopony. 
As expected.
He wishes someone was thought. Maybe to at least comfort him in his time of need. He should be ashamed of the thought though. After all, everypony is busy caring for Twilight in her time of need right now. Spike truly can't afford to feel guilty and wish for ponies to pay attention to him. He would be there helping them, but the stress.  
He clutches his hands into a fist and unclenches it over and over again wanting to punch anything right now. Mostly himself. 
It doesn't change his mood of passiveness. Or is it anger? Sadness. He doesn't really care. The bad judgment of his mind shows just how distraught he is right now. 
He doesn't care. Not really. Or at least that is what he keeps telling himself over and over again. After all, today is the big day. Nine long hard agonizing months. They've been fun, but now the real work begins. The real pain and suffering starts, or maybe not yet. Maybe its just stage one of a long life of Spike.
He picks up a small rock near him and throws it with all of his strength. Another soon follows after it's brother.  Passing off the time until someone either finds him or he simply returns to see what mess there is to be seen or had. Honestly he hopes for everything to run smoothly. But if not. 
He sighs and shakes his head. He should worry about thoughts like this. 
After all it all started this morning. It didn't really seem so problematic, but as soon as they got to the hospital things immediately kicked off. Faster than either expected. Faster than anyone thought.
So fast...
More and more it feels as if the world is against him and everything that he strives for. The talks with Rarity should have reassured him; they have. Only a bit. Just a bit enough to make sure Twilight didn't worry herself to death with him. 
The chats have nothing against the real thing staring him in the face. All the feelings that he feel right compare to nothing of how he practiced. He has a speak and encouraging words he wished to speak out, but found his mouth and body still with the sight of what was happening.  
Spike opens his palm and lets the dust of the crushed rock fall to the ground and whisk away into the whistling wind. 
As Discord would say, order cannot be found without chaos. So after all of this there better be some serious order to balance out all of this chaos. Even if all the chaos is at the hospital where he should be. 
He sighs. He knows he should be there with his beloved but sadly he's not there and can't be there to help her. Is in the Maker's hands now. Whether it is bad or good, who knows. 
Spikes wipes his face absent mindindly clearing the tears already running down his face. He may look older but he'll disagree with everyone about being older. He still cries like the wimp he once was. Not able to do anything to really help and trying to be ignorant of all the pain while looking out for his friends. He still sends the leaders and treats Twilight still as a mother sometimes. 
It's all too confusing sometimes. But he knows he loves her and he knows she loves him. That'll never change. Not even Discord could break that. 
He picks up another rock and throws it. 
"It's not good to take your anger out on nature." A all too familiar voice says behind him. 
Spike glances to his right to see the regal as ever Celestia sitting beside him as she also looks out towards the horizon, mountains, and hills. 
"I know." Spike says as he does it again. 
"You have come a long way Spike." Celestia says chuckling. 
"Yea... I wish I could go back though. To all the innocence." Spike says rolling a rock between his two hands, "You think if I never grew up that none of this would've happened."
"Maybe. Maybe not. It's hard to say with how events usually play out in history. Some events just can't be avoided no matter how you look at it." Celestia says tapping a hoof to her chin.
"And sometimes we just prolong it enough that'll it change to fit a purpose. What do you think the child's purpose will be?" Spike asks, "You know if."
Celestia silences Spike with a nuzzle, "It is up for her to decide."
"H-Her? But you said."
"I know what I said. Maybe it's about time you returned and say hello to your newest house member." Celestia says, "and be very careful on the road a head. Now will be yours and Twilight's weakest moments."
Spike shoots up and nearly falls off the cliff. If it wasn't for Celestia' s magic he would have. He doesn't bother to stop and say thank you as he bullets off towards the hospital with all his might to bring about all the speed he can muster. Celestia chuckles at the sight of this and watches him go. She turns back towards the beautiful sight and wonders how much will happen in the next few days. 
Celestia really doesn't have the slightest clue and prays to the makers for guidance.



Spike stands before the door leading into the room where the procedure took place. He takes a deep breath and looks at the girls beside him. To his right Rarity and Applejack stand giving their best reassuring look. To his left Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbowdash stare forward and glance at him every so often. 
"Are you ready darling?" Rarity ask touching a hoof to his leg. 
Spike shakes his head, "Never."
Applejack walks forward and opens the door. Spike gulps and walks into the room ready for anything he'll see. He stands there eyes shut tightly. He opens them slowly to what awaits him.