Aftermath
It has been several months after the dreaded battle on the moon against a nearly reborn Nightmare, a battle that cost the life of a dear close friend to the Elements of Harmony. Spike the Dragon, loyal assistance towards Twilight Sparkle and friend to the Elements of Harmony and their families, has given his life to save all of Equestria from the returning Nightmare.
The cost of the fight was too high and has affected those closest to the dragon that lived amongst the ponies.
Some ponies like the Apple family tried to bury themselves in their work.
Applejack, the Element of Honesty was much too busy to deal with her own feelings, but her family thought that she was avoiding the guilt within her.
The guilt of not being able to save a dear friend. Spike was a great friend and always did so much to make his own friends happy at the expense of losing his own chance at happiness.
Friends who would cheer you on and help you out.
Even at your worse.
That’s what Rainbow Dash felt about Spike. She was always mocking him for his size and stature, but he stood by her during her time of need.
Despite her mockery of him and her being the Element of Loyalty, it was Spike who reminded her what real loyalty is. She remembers the “Mare-do-well” incident, when it was Spike of all beings that came to her and spoke to her about it. He listened while she poured her heart out and told her that she did not have to send the letter to the Princess. This was something between the two of them as Twilight and the others did took things too far with their unique “payback/lesson” on her.
It was Spike’s dedication to others that had Rainbow Dash approaching Scootaloo, who Spike spoke of and her bond with the rainbow mane peagus, and spending time with her. Trying to get to know her better on the advice of Spike and trying to help each other get over the pain of lost with Spike being gone from this plane. Through tragedy and grief a sisterly bond grew stronger.
Bonds are a powerful thing in the term of friendships.
Fluttershy’s relationship with Spike was a bit complex due to her overall fear of Dragons. Most of her friends knew of her fear and they also knew that the only reason Spike was spared was due to his baby status of being a cute dragon.
Still, the events on the moon itself terrified Fluttershy to no end as she lost a dear friend that day. A friend what would do anything to help her out and her pacified ways even despite her fear.
She knew that her friends were hurting at this time, but she didn’t know what she could do to fix things between them. Lately she has been visiting Zecora, the Zebra herbalist of the town and through some inner courage from within herself she was able to speak through Zecora about her situation.
Rationalizing in her mind that she has seen her share of death, being an animal caretaker. She also did enjoyed Spike as a friend, but this was different feeling within her given her own fears of dragon.
It was like a small part of her was happy that Spike was gone so that he would not have to go through the pain of losing friendships or growing up and turning into a monster.
She wonder if that made her a bad pony for thinking that way.
Zecora in her wise ways told her: “Your fear for dragons dear Fluttershy…is easy to understand. However, Spike was a dear friend to all to think ill will of him while your heart is in mend. Maybe you think of this as a mercy kill. In order to prevent young Spike from gaining any ill will.”
Zecora’s words remind Fluttershy of mercy killing as she never wanted any living thing to suffer the fate of outcast or anything preventing themselves from dying in pain and alone. She was the Element of Kindness and no animal, no matter how scary it might be should truly deserved death. Maybe that’s the rationale that she was searching for. So with that she cried and cried and cried to Zecora in the lost of their friend. Zecora, ever the understandable one, was willing to comfort her in her time of need.
Comfort was what for ponies at a lost.
Pinkie Pie needed over the loss of her pal Spike.
Even the Cake family felt a bit sad at the loss of their rare customer and his enjoyment for Gem cupcakes. The loving couple and their new children tried to stay strong for Pinkie Pie, but was difficult. Given their new born children and Pinkie being less “Pinkie” than usual, it was tiring for the couple to deal.
Still, they tried to honor Spike by crafting a few gem themed cupcakes for display purposes only. Pinkie was happy to help and she barely made a song or two about it. This was something that should be done to honor a very good friend. Sometimes when you’re the Element of Laughter, it’s not all fun and games every time as laughter comes in different ways than expected. Through memories of good times sometimes laughter can be a somber through times of grief.
Honor. What is there left to honor the loss of a fallen loved one?
Rarity’s heart was in constant emotional pain within the aftermath of the Nightmare incident. Only having the fire ruby as a reminder of a true gentledrake and a true knight in shining armor or in this case scales.
It was almost funny that now that he was gone that Spike has somewhat earned her gratitude and maybe a part of her heart overall. Nothing will truly replace the sacrifice that he made for her. She was lost in her grief and sadness over the whole ordeal.
She lost her own creativity and couldn’t even bring herself to craft a gem wear clothing. She closed her shop and refused to let anyone in.
She sent her sister to live with their parents for a while or even longer.
While she was the Element of Generosity, she knew the words her “dark” half spoke was the truth. That she was truly a selfish mare who wanted nothing more than the appreciation of others over her own hard work. She wanted fame, fortune and glory. She wanted the fairy tale ending. She was truly selfish and she didn’t think anypony would want to be with her. Discord was right about her that deep down she was just a selfish mare.
Her business was dwindling down thanks to the Nightmare incident. Even after the Princesses explained things to the populations, ponies still will not do business with her. She lost her muse when she lost Spike. He always encouraged her to be the best, but now that he was gone….
It wasn’t until a door knock tore her away from her pity and guilt. She opened it discovered an aqua mane pony with a white streak in her hair. She was an earth pony by the looks of it and she was fashioned with only a shawl on her back, a flower in her hair and a saddle purse on her side.
“Is this the home of Ms. Rarity?” she asked. After Rarity nodded to her she then continue, “Oh thanks goodness. My name is Coco Pommel and I am here to answer an ad for a secondary assistant…What’s wrong was it something I said?”
Rarity saw that she noticed her shock look and just couldn’t speak to her as she was quickly recalling placing the ad in the paper. Several weeks prior, as a favor from Fancy Pants, he uses his economic connections to get Rarity’s business an ad to papers all across Equestria. Due to the events of the Nightmare incident, she nearly forgotten about it.
Coco explained that she came from Manhattan itself and was once an assistance to another fashion mare, but they had a falling out recently. “I read your ad in the local paper and decided to use my remaining money to come here,” she told Rarity with a small smile.
Taking pity on the poor mare who came all the way here to see here, Rarity sent her to her guest bedroom, which she had made in case her parents came to visit while Sweetie Belle slept in her own room.
She knew she had her work cut out for her this time around.
Pain. All that was left within her was pain.
“Spike, deliver this letter to the Princess,”
“Spike those shelves aren’t in order,”
“Spike you’re doing it all wrong,”
“Spike…”
Order after order after order. All the memories from the Treebrary and even from their time with Princess Celestia came rushing back. Each memory, each order, each wasted time.
When the Nightmare event was over she was kept in isolation in the castle and under careful surveillance by orders of Princess Celestia herself, after nearly breaking down in shock when she first returned to the Treebrary. That was just several months ago. Since then she was lost in a state of shock and depression. Continuously muttering, “I’m a bad mother, I’m a bad mother.”
Twilight's own family was not any help either considering when she reminded them all of the royal wedding and the actions that they all took there.
The Princess of the Moon nearly reached out to Twilight in her dreams, but Princess progress was all for naught as Twilight was lost in the memories of what things used to be in reality instead of what she wanted it to be.
In Twilight, the lost of Spike fully opened her eyes and made her realized that after all that time: She wasn’t a true friend to him. That for all the time that she took care of him, she pushed him away, whether it was for her studies or for her friends. All their time together was all for nothing in her mind and in her eyes.
Princess Celestia knew that she had to do something to save her student from her own depression. She knew what it was like to be lost in her own grief over the loss of a love one to the forces of darkness. She tried to speak to Twilight and talking to her softly by reminding her of the good times they had with Spike. She knew that Twilight blames herself for the actions that led to this moment.
It was only after the fourth month of depression that Twilight made a decision of her own making.
She told the Princess that she wanted to spend time with the Dragon community and try to find some understanding of their culture.
“It’s what Spike would’ve wanted Princess Celestia,” she told Princess Celestia.
Knowing her student was going to endeavor a great task, she allowed it, on the condition that she kept a journal of her journey and allowed a guard or two to follow her.
She picked two guards, nopony named Flash Sentry, to be involved in the mission and set out on the next daybreak.
She knew that her friends and family would worry about her so she wrote them separate letters explaining her mission and trying to find some sense of peace within her grieving heart and her tormented mind.