Spike comes home find the changes his disappearance caused and to fix what he destroyed.
Ten years ago, Spike ran away from his home determined to grow strong and learn about his past. He now is back in Equestria to hunt monsters and reconnect with old friends. Will he be able to become their friend again or did he lose them?
Deep in once lively depths of the Diamond Dog Mines, A hooded figure treks through the seemingly endless tunnels. He sighs as he hits another fork in his path. He raised his torch to better see the crude map he carried.
“Those Dogs really need to improve their skills. The writing is illegible and these drawings are near useless! Guess I’ll just have to rely on my own bad luck.” He put the map away and went down a path at random. Thirty minutes passed and the figure questioned what he was supposed to be learning from this when he finally hit something. Or rather, he stepped in something. “If this is what I think it is, somepony is being burned when I get out of here.” He raised his foot and bent down to see a sticky white substance on his foot.
“It’s close.” He burned the substance away and kept down the tunnel, noticing more and more of the substance appearing on the ground and walls. The end of the tunnel expanded into a large crevice where giant webs were sticking everywhere and several large pods were hanging from the ceiling. The figure glared at the pods, at the sight of the ones who had tried to save their home but failed. “I’ll return you home.” He whispered and walked closer when a blood-curdling roar shattered the silence. He rolled forward as a web shot at where he had been and covered the exit. He growled and looked up.
“Okay ugly, you want me now come and get me!” A one-eyed, eight-legged, spider-like creature smashed to the ground and roared at the intruder. Its eye glowed red and drool dripped from its tusks. It was clear that any wisdom or sense it once had was gone. It rushed at the intruder and tried to smash him with its front legs but he dodged side to side quickly and flipped backward. “Come on. that's all you got?”
It stomped its legs into the ground, causing some rocks to fall from the ceiling and forced the intruder on the defensive. The monster began to spit some green globs at him, hitting the worn brown cloth he wore as a hood. The moment it touched the cloth, it began to burn. The intruder threw off the cloth, revealing a dragon with dark purple scales and emerald spikes. His eyes looked at his hood and he frowned.
“Acid, I got to be careful or that stuff will burn some of my scales.” Spike turned as he felt the monster rushing him again and jumped, opening his wings and shoving his torch deep into the surprised beast’s eye. Spike hesitated for a moment as he saw it wither in pain.
“You can not stop, you can not freeze, you have a duty and you must meet it. Thus is the way of the Dragon.” Spike took a deep breath and dived at the beast, slashing at its chest and blowing fire at its mouth causing the acid remaining to catch on fire. “Pain is a constant of life, you will suffer it and you will deal it. Thus is the way of the Dragon.” The blinded creature managed to smack Spike away with a leg and lifted a boulder, throwing it in the direction where it had heard Spike hit the ground.
“Never give an enemy an inch or you’ll find yourself dying alone in the gutter. Do you still draw breath? Then stand and fight. Thus is the way of the Dragon.” Spike shook his head and jumped to his feet, punching the boulder, smashing it, and grabbing two of the shards. He flew at the monster and stabbed the shards into two of the beast’s legs, pinning them into the wall and ground respectively. Spike slid under the creature while slicing two of it’s back legs with his claws and spun out of the way as it fell. He walked slowly to the front of the helpless grounded creature, it’s eye glaring at him with pain, rage, and… something else reflecting back at the dragon. The beast closed its eye and a tear ran down its face.
“Show honor and respect to the defeated, for they fought and lost as warriors. The end may yet become a new beginning for them.” “Thus is the way of the Dragon. Farewell Ahgg and I hope you find your deserved peace.” Spike lamented before smashing his fist into its closed eye, finally ending the creature’s long life. He removed his dirty claw and paused for a moment, looking at his fallen foe. He patted it’s head and left to dig a grave.
. . .
Spike groaned as he finally exited the mines and held a hand to block out the sun. An ancient-looking Diamond Dog stood waiting for him, leaning on his cane and two guards at his side. Spike bowed his head to the dog and held out a pointy green hat with a bell attached to the top.
“It is done, Ahgg has been put down and here is the proof.” The ancient grabbed the hat and gave it to one of his guards.
“You are truly the warrior I was told. I thank you for your help in regaining our ancestors’ home and for reclaiming the Crown of the King of Grundles. I must ask if you found anything in your investigation into Ahgg’s behavior?”
“You honor me Alpha.. I believe that it was your race’s activities that started Ahgg’s insanity. It seems that in a bout of greed instead of trying to find and earn their gems, a choice few tried to use explosive gas. They flooded Ahgg’s home with it and destroyed her mind. In her last moments, I believe she regained a bit of her sense…” The dog put a hand on Spike’s shoulder, patting it reassuringly and sighing deeply.
“You are a true hero my boy and you did the right thing. No creature deserves such a fate and I will find who did this I promise you. How may my people repay you?”
“No, I don’t do this for rewards, I do it because it’s the right thing to do.” The dog chuckled and smiled.
“Ahh to be young and so self-righteous. A reward is not wrong, to expect one is wrong. I see you’ve lost your hood, allow me to give you this. The dog removed the cloak he wore and gave it to Spike. It was soft silk with exquisite design and tiny diamonds were sewn into the cloth. It had been long since Spike saw something like it.
“Thank you… a friend of mine once made something like this.”
“The Diamond Dogs haven’t been the most open group in the world but we do have some knowledge we can offer.” Spike put on the cloak and bowed again before he started to leave, but then he stopped and turned.
“I do have a request actually… I ask you to attempt to talk to Princess Celestia, King Thorax, and Dragonlord Ember about more trade. I believe we all can benefit from each other and that the Diamond Dogs have much more than clothes tips to give.” The Alpha stared at the dragon and nodded. Spike smiled and waved before flying off.
. . .
Spike arrived at a peak of a mountain and strolled into a large cave while stretching.
“Hiya old drake, you still alive or is this place finally mine?” His snarky question echoed back with no answer. The inside of the cave opened into an enormous library with a large hourglass in the center. “Ignitus? It’s me!”
“I hear you young Spike, now stop yelling.” A calm voice ordered as a large red-scaled dragon with golden horns, frills, and spikes emerged from the hoard room. “And no, when I die you are not allowed to take my cave, I actually want my legacy to endure.”
“Wow, you do remember that I was a librarian right?”
“You were an assistant.”
“Who did more of the library work than the librarian.” He grumbled while Ignitus chuckled and coughed. “Are you okay?”
“Still breathing. I assume you completed your mission.”
“You said to not come back until I did.”
“Since when do you listen to me?”
“Good point.” Spike showed his cloak and held out a vial of blood and a tusk. “I completed the kill and Ahgg fell with honor. Here is the blood you needed and a fang so you have something to remember her by.”
“Ahgg. The poor fool, I hope she finds her peace. Thank you, Spike, for your help and for your sentiments. You’ve now found and fought several of the great old ones, now only three remain. When you came to me you were half dead and weak but now I would say you are one of my greatest accomplishments.”
“Pfft don’t take so much pride in yourself old drake I was always gonna be this awesome!” Spike flexed and Ignitus rolled his eyes before smiling.
“I see that attitude of yours is still much unchanged, so stubborn.”
“That stoic calm stuff you do isn’t me, besides if I did start being quieter then who would annoy you?”
“Why, that would be a tragedy.” The hourglass in the center of the room flipped and the two dragons stopped their bickering. Spike sighed and looked down.
“Another one?”
“We’ll see. I have some things I wish to talk to you about but it may have to wait.” Ignitus walked over to the hourglass and after a few minutes it flipped and he sighed. “It doesn’t seem like it is another of the ancient ones, instead it is because your actions have drawn the attention of royalty.” Spike frowned and crossed his arms.
“Royalty?”
“Princess Celestia wishes to meet with you.” Spike grew weak in the knees but didn’t falter and instead just looked away.
“You know I can’t go back…”
“That is what I wanted to talk to you about.” Ignitus walked towards the hoard room and Spike followed. “You’ve grown so much under my watch and I trained you as well as I could. So many times I tried to send you away and even admit to having given you missions that should have killed you, yet you somehow were victorious every time.” Ignitus shook his head from the shame of his actions. “I tried so hard to not get so attached to you as I did to my last student. I always believed that the way of the Dragon would die with me but now our legacy lives through you. I hid from my kind and vowed to never show my secrets to the world outside. How foolish I was…”
“Was? You’re leaving?”
“You are. Ten years ago, you left Equestria to find yourself and become someone that you could be proud to be and I believe you’ve achieved that. I want you to go home and show the world who we are. To show them all our way.”
“You told me that the world would never accept us… they didn’t accept my father…”
“I did say that. I believed that no one could change our fate but maybe I was wrong. If I had to place my trust in anyone I’m proud to say it’s you.” Ignitus smiled and bit his hand, making several of his fingers bleed. He drew a symbol on Spike’s forehead and the young dragon gasped feeling stronger. “Welcome to Clan Azar.” Spike smiled and rubbed his eyes while looking up, now being the heir to one of the ancient dragon clans. “My clan and their strength now live on through you. Use the power wisely.”
“I will… thank you, Ignitus.”
“It’s time, young one. You may leave one of the marks here so you may always return and maybe you should bring home someone.”
“Just made me part of your family and you’re already trying to marry me off?”
“Just because I know you can’t take care of yourself forever.”
“Thanks for the faith old drake. Hey… the last of the great old ones. They’re in Equestria aren’t they?”
“Yes… if you truly wish to continue down this path then I will inform you of when I have news.”
“I do.” Spike bowed and then walked to a small corner of the room, away from the mountain of riches and treasure to where a small futon laid with a pillow. A book was lying forgotten nearby and an old saddlebag next to it. He reached into the bag and pulled out a picture of a large group of ponies all together with a younger Spike smiling. He touched the picture as a tear fell on the frame. “I’m coming home girls… I’m coming home…”
Starlight’s eyes cracked open without any drowsiness. She glanced at the time and sighed, there was a time that this awakening would annoy her beyond belief but after the years she saw it as another simple chore that only she could do. The mare yawned a bit and stretched, thanking Celestia for the creation of coffee as she always had a cup nearby.
Ever since she took over the School of Friendship all those years ago, coffee had become her best friend aside from Trixie and Sunburst. She used her magic to heat up her cup before sipping at it and began to climb out of her bed. Luna’s moon illuminated the room and Starlight smiled looking around at how much she had really made the room hers. When she first came to the castle she wasn’t sure how long Twilight would let her stay so she didn’t bother personalizing it. When… the incident happened, Starlight realized that she wouldn’t ever leave the castle. Not that she couldn’t, but she wouldn’t for the sake of the pony that had given her a whole new life.
Starlight pushed open the door to Twilight’s room, knowing what she would find but there was always the chance. It was empty and Starlight shook her head before walking down the familiar hallways until she began to hear something.
‘Why did she always do this to herself? I used to think that time could cure anything but this… time only seemed to make it hurt more.’
A part of her wanted to call the kids to deal with this but they were at their homes, besides they didn’t need to see her in this state.
Starlight arrived at the doors that she used to look forward to opening, knowing that she would find a friend on the other side but that was a long time ago. She opened the door without a single peep. As the door opened, the soft sobs of a pony could be heard. Twilight Sparkle was laying on the bed, clutching an old blue blanket close to her chest. Starlight walked over and reached out to her, Twilight didn’t even shudder at the touch.
‘That’s better than the last two years.’ Every year since he ran- “No, Starlight, he vanished. We can’t go assuming things.’ She swallowed her bitterness and hugged Twilight who turned to face her. Every year since he vanished, Starlight would have to face this look. Every Hearth’s Warming, Every one of his birthdays, and finally this day. The day he vanished. Her expression hurt Starlight’s core, it was one of a pony who had lost something dear to her, a broken mare. It was almost funny. This mare had purified Nightmare Moon, beaten Discord, repelled Chrysalis, overpowered Tirek, outsmarted Cozy, and even showed her the light, but the loss of the young dragon had brought her more pain than the rest of the villains combined.
“S-Starlight…” Her voice was hoarse and more so a whisper.
“Yes, Twilight?”
“Do you… think he is coming back? Do you think he forgives me yet?” Starlight gritted her teeth, glad that the princess couldn’t see her face. She still blamed herself even after all these years.
“Of course, I know he will! I don’t think you were ever the problem Twilight…” She was silent for so long that Starlight thought she had fallen asleep when she spoke again.
“I miss him…”
“I… I do too…”
“I had a dream… he was there. He was grown up and looked… heroic. Heh… he would have liked it.” Starlight made a mental note to tell Luna to make sure the dreams would stop.
“Heroic? Our Spike? Careful, his ego will be big enough when he comes back.” Twilight giggled and hugged Starlight as she fell asleep. The unicorn sighed and looked out the nearby window. “Where are you, Spike? if you are gone… I hope you know what you left behind and pay for it…”
. . .
Discord sighed as he laid on top of Canterlot Castle, looking over Equestria. Things have been so peaceful that he had been utterly bored the last few years, but he could feel that would all be ending soon. He allowed a small smirk to grace his lips as he shook his head.
“About time the kid is coming back, then the fun can return again. He sure knows how to take his time. I better get ready to wake them…. nah I’ll give the kid a few days to relax before waking them. His mother would kill me if I was the reason he got hurt, heh.” Discord closed his eyes and snapped his fingers, vanishing and leaving no sign of his presence other than a single leaf in the breeze.
. . .
Pinkie yawned as she was awakened by a familiar twitch she hadn’t felt in years. All thoughts of sleep vanished as she smiled wide and her mane got poofier than it had been the last ten years. She could feel that tomorrow would be very interesting and a party would be needed…
“You best be ready, this one will be a doozy! I knew he wasn’t dead! Come on Gummy, it’s finally time!”
. . .
Ignitus walked out of his hoard room and into the library, pulling a book down from his collection. It had no name with only a purple cover that had a symbol etched into it. He touched the symbol, causing it to glow and reveal itself to be the symbol of Clan Azar. He opened it and magically memories appeared as photos on the pages. He couldn’t help but chuckle, the history of his clan passed down through magic and books, no wonder they were exiled.
He found peace and solace in the pages until he began to see photos of himself. His young self smiled proudly as he held a dragoness and several eggs. The next photo showed him again, bloody and screaming in the rain as lightning showed the battered and broken bodies in front of him. The next page was the very cave he now lived in, Ignitus entered it and bitterly slammed a rock at the entrance.
The next photo seemed to be decades later as the photo was dark until a figure made their appearance and the boulder was moved by a dragon with purple scales and blue spikes. He held out a hand with a smile and Ignitus accepted it. The same dragon, now stronger and bigger, was training before Ignitus called him over and bit his own finger, rubbing the blood and symbol onto the dragon’s head. He thanked him and vowed to make him proud, his eyes holding such life and a fire deep within that Ignitus believed he could control.
Ignitus skipped the next pages to the last one where it started in darkness again but this time light and warmth flooded in and a tiny purple and green dragon stood, seemingly frightened and tired maybe even injured.
“So many mistakes I’ve made… Now only one can make things right… Only you can mend what I have destroyed. I hope Spike that you do not fall as I did. As he did.”
Spike bit his lip as he looked over his few belongings in a poor attempt to waste time. Ignitus shook his head at how childish the boy could still be even after all these years of putting him through Tarturus.
“You’re thinking about this far too much.”
“Well, kind of hard to forget that you abandoned those who loved you with no reason left behind and now after ten years you pop back in to say hi. That usually doesn’t end well.”
“You need to go to a dragon family reunion.” Ignitus snarked but saw even the joke didn’t raise Spike’s spirits as he was pacing nervously and stopped.
“I just don’t know if they will welcome me back…”
“Do you want them to?” Spike turned sharply.
“Of course! They were the reason I did all of this! So I could protect them! So I could be… better…” Ignitus frowned and walked closer to Spike as he turned away.
“While they may have been part of the reason you came here, don’t you deny the greed of this whole venture. You know what I’ve taught you.”
“Greed… to be controlled must be realized and conquered…”
“Yes, now face me and tell the truth.” Spike chuckled bitterly but obeyed by turning around and looking into his mentor’s eyes.
“I did come to better myself for them… but it wasn’t the only reason. I… I wanted to step out of their shadows. To prove to the world that Spike the Dragon was something special! I was given a heroic title in the Empire but all I did was fall! I didn’t save them… Cadence did… The Equestria games, no one could help because of my own mistake and Twilight helping me. If not for that the princesses would have fixed it! I wanted to know who I was... who my parents were.” Ignitus sighed and hugged the dragon knowing that Spike preferred this kind of comfort.
“You mustn’t be afraid of the unknown and say you return and they don’t forgive you. I’ve known you long enough now to know that you won’t let that stop you. You do whatever it takes to repay this debt and earn their trust again. I cannot promise that it will be easy but since when did you enjoy the easy path?” That did get Spike to laugh and he wiped his eyes as he thought about those words.
“You’re right… they may hate me for what I’ve done but I can’t give up. I’ll get them back and this time I’ll never leave their side.” Ignitus nodded, proud that the bonds that Spike felt with his friends haven’t diminished over all the years.
“Do not forget the mark so you may return.” Spike nodded and dug his claw into his hand before using the blood to draw a symbol into the ground of the cave. When he finished it glowed green before the glow died down. “Be sure to visit this old fossil from time to time. I’d like to meet these friends of yours.”
“I will, I promise. I have one in mind that will love to explore this library of yours. Anyway, I should get going so I’ll arrive in Ponyville by noon. Send me a message when you get the locations of the other Old Ones. “
“Very well Spike, be safe on this journey and know you always have a home here.” Spike smiled and nodded at his teacher before opening his wings and running, jumping off the mountain top and allowing himself to fall hundreds of feet before his wings caught the air and began the long flight home. He stopped for a moment to look back at what had been his home for so long, Mount Doom, the tallest mountain in the world. No creature had dared to climb it until Spike at least that was the theory and it was one that Spike had hoped was wrong.
He had asked Ember about dragon legends and myths before he decided to leave and one stood out. The stories of a heroic dragon clan whose heir was said to have been killed but Ember’s father always believed the dragon to be alive. Following all sorts of rumors, Spike ended up at Mount Doom and concluded that if this dragon was alive he would be at the top. The one place in the world where he would never be found. Spike was forced to climb the whole way as he didn’t have his wings and it was said the air was too thin to fly to the top anyway.
Spike had climbed to the top, nearly falling several times and falling once, breaking his arm. He pushed on, through the lack of air, through the pain of his arm, through the bitter cold that had threatened to take his life a few times. He continued his climb knowing that if he was wrong, if there was no mystical dragon at the top then there was no way he’d be able to get down alive.
“Yeah, maybe I should keep that part to myself… mom would kill me if she knew half of what I’ve been through or what I’ve done…” The Emerald Assassin, The God Killer, The Blood Dragon. So many names so many lives ended in the name of righteousness and justice. Spike shook his head of his actions, he couldn’t allow the past to affect him. Not now and not yet. Everything he’d done was for a reason and a goal. One that he would see to its end.
Spike flew throughout the night and marveled at the sights that were revealed by moonlight. Seeing the beauty that the night brought over the last years really made Spike appreciate his aunt’s power.
“I know sometimes you feel neglected or forgotten aunt Luna… but know you will always have a fan who loves all that you do.” He whispered and smiled. Talking to himself again, it really is like he never grew up. The loneliness of the library when he was left behind made Spike talk to himself or to Peewee or Owlicious when they were awake. Now, here he was still needing to feel like there was someone beside him.
“You really are Tia’s son.” Spike didn’t even need to turn to know who was beside him. A voice he hadn’t heard in so long yet found that he had missed.
“Discord… long time no see huh? Play any good O&O games?” The Draconequus gave Spike a look and smiled.
“Just gonna ignore all the time that’s past and jump right back into being friends huh? I suppose time really doesn’t matter much to me anyway but it does to those you left behind. Not my business. To answer your question, not really. Big Mac has been too busy with his little family, Shining Armor is in the same boat, Sunburst always being pulled away, and then there’s you.” Spike ignored the look and sighed.
“I’m sorry and thank you…”
“For?”
“Not coming for me. I know that you could and that my mother must have asked you too.”
“She did.”
“So?”
“I told her that if you were doing this then maybe it was time for her to trust you on your own.” Spike couldn’t help but smirk at those words.
“And how did she take that?” Discord was checking his nails and refused to look at Spike.
“....She threatened to ‘fix’ me herself if I didn’t listen to her. Seeing that you were once a dog, I’m sure you understand how seriously I took that threat.” Spike laughed and clapped a hand over Discord’s back.
“Yeah, that’s what I expected. She doesn’t really play games when it comes to me, so what happened?”
“I made her a promise to protect and watch over you. To keep her updated on how you were.” Spike stopped flying for a moment and glared at his friend.
“You were helping me?”
“No. I broke my promise to protect you when you started climbing that mountain. I was that little voice you kept hearing that was saying to give up. I was trying to tell you that this would get you killed but you pushed on and I realized then… that you had something to prove. To yourself more than anyone. That convinced me to leave you alone and to simply watch. I must say that you’ve truly become quite the warrior Spike.” Spike sighed as he relaxed and felt a new surge of pride. A part of him had always wondered if his victories were always just luck or maybe he had suspected that magic or Discord was at play but now to know he had done it all, he felt better.
“Thank you Discord.” He waved away the thanks.
“Don’t, I literally did nothing.” The two flew in silence and Spike felt the need to ask.
“So Big Mac has a family now huh? I bet a lot has changed… how are they?”
“You’ll find out soon enough, as much as I see you as a friend Spike you need to find out what your actions have done on your own.”
“I suppose my mom’s method of teaching lessons the hard way has rubbed off on you.”
“Heh maybe but you’ll find that your running away has left quite the impact on everypony. Just be ready for that.” Spike nodded hoping that he’d find a way to fix what he’s sure his leaving had broken.
“Who else knows?”
“Other than your mom? Fluttershy since it was the only way to make her stop crying. Cadence and Luna though all they know is that you’re alive nothing else. If I had to guess, Pinkie knows too at least she had a feeling you were alive.”
“Of course she did… How long did they look?”
“Years. You were just pronounced officially dead two years ago. Some places never stopped looking. I hear the Empire thinks you’re a legend who will return from the heavens when they need you.” Spike rolled his eyes and chuckled.
“I bet me coming back to life won’t really erase those kinds of thoughts.”
“The cost of fame.” Discord stopped as he smiled and looked at Spike. “I have some business, have fun and I’ll see ya soon.” Spike waved as Discord vanished. He shook his head and flew full speed ahead.
. . .
Ponyville had grown from the small village that Granny Smith once helped create into a city worthy of the Princess of Friendship. While there were several large buildings now and the town had expanded its borders into the Everfree a bit with the help of Discord who had moved a section of the forest so no animal homes were harmed. There was now a small group of houses that lived above the town for all sorts of flying creatures. The old schoolhouse had been turned into the official home of the CMC as Cheerilee was hired by Starlight and converted the two schools. Even with all this change, the School and Castle of Friendship remained the same as ever.
Spike stared in awe of his old home’s growth as the sun rose over the horizon. He watched the light overtake the town before it hit him and for the first time in years he felt his mother’s warmth in that light. He shivered and smiled while hugging himself for a moment. He took a deep breath and allowed himself to fall to the ground, landing safely and began to walk.
He noticed many of the early risers who were getting to work or opening up their businesses were mostly new faces. He smiled seeing Bon Bon was opening up her shop with Lyra, who was drinking a lot of coffee and her apprentice Twist. Derpy was flying around happily, delivering the mail with Dinky who was smiling while helping her mother by catching any escaping letters.
Spike couldn’t help the smile on his face as he looked around town, his cape flowing behind him as he felt the countless memories swirl up in his heart. Tears filled his eyes as everywhere he looked the past reflected back to him all that he thought he had forgotten.
“SPIKE!?” The dragon turned to see the young Cake Twins, Pound and Pumpkin staring at him in shock. They seemed to have been in the middle of opening Sugarcube Corner when they saw him. He smiled and nodded.
“Pound… Pumpkin… you both are growing.” Their yell caused a familiar pony to trot out of the sweet shop. Her mane large with bits of candy in it and an alligator happily hanging. She stopped when she noticed the dragon and the two stared at each other for a few moments and Spike questioned if he should run, not expecting to run into one of his friends now. All those thoughts vanished as tears ran down her face and Spike was shocked to find he was also crying.
The two rushed at each other and Spike was knocked down as Pinkie jumped at him and he caught her. He hugged her tightly as they cried and she let out giggles among the sobs.
“I-I knew it! I knew you were alive… I always told them you’d come back…”
“I’m so sorry for leaving… I missed you Pinkie. So many times I was broken and wanted to just give up, but it was your laughter and want to help others that gave me the strength to smile.” They hugged tighter and Pinkie sighed in content, glad to finally have back all her friends.
“You have a lot of birthdays to make up to us for mister…” Spike chuckled and let a claw run down her back gently.
“Well, I best get some breakfast then.” Pinkie wiggled in his hold and smiled before leading him into Sugarcube Corner. The Cakes hugged Spike wanting to know where he’d been but he promised that he’d explain it all later to the whole town. They had missed the tiny dragon they used to know and told their children about Spike as they were too young to remember him well. The parents beckoned their children who were scared that Spike was a zombie. With pushing from their parents, they approached Spike nervously and he smiled ordering five gem cupcakes which Pinkie had a feeling she would need and had already baked. She tossed out all five and Spike showed off his long tongue by catching each one and eating them in one bite, shocking the kids but making them cheer even when he got a bit of frosting on them.
As the twins had to leave to take a bath, Pinkie sat down with Spike. “So you’re in good shape for a dead guy!”
“Heh, you noticed?” Spike flexed a bit and smirked. “Fighting and training over the last ten years had that great side effect.”
“Noticed? With how you hugged me I had no choice but to feel it!” The two laughed and Pinkie’s cheeks seemed to have a bit of a blush but her fur made it hard to tell.
“I really missed you, all of you.”
“I know, I never lost faith that you’d come back… Spike, have you seen any of the others?”
“Nope, just got into town.”
“There’s something you have to know, when you left the girls-”
“Pinkie? Are you here? I need Twilight’s comfort cupcakes, you know how she gets right after…” The voice stopped as Spike and Pinkie turned and saw Starlight Glimmer. Her mane was longer and she looked tired but Spike was caught off guard by how stunning she was to him. “Spike…”
“Starli-” In a moment, Spike stood and the next he felt an eruption of magic blast him through the wall of the sweet shop and into the streets of Ponyville. He grunted a bit, not truly hurt but surprised, before he got to his feet. Starlight jumped through the hole he had caused, her horn surging with power and a glare in her eyes as she was crying. “Starlight-”
“SHUT UP!” She roared and everypony that was in the streets ran. Spike obeyed and let her rant. “All these years! You disappeared on us! Your friends! On your own mother! On Twilight also! And for what!?” Spike didn’t answer and instead walked closer to her but she teleported close and kicked him in the face, only hurting herself. She screamed and tried to hit him with more magic but Spike dodged her horn as she used her magic to speed up her attacks. “You think you can just come back!? After the years of Tartarus you caused!? All those sleepless nights and the tears cried for you! I hate you!” She screamed and blasted him with all her might and huffed as smoke came off her horn.
“Starlight.” Her eyes popped open in shock, there was no way that he could just come through her magic like that. He was still there, looking a bit hurt but otherwise fine. “Your magic had no power behind it… you don’t want to hurt me…” His words shattered the unicorn’s last defenses as she found he was right. Even after all that he had done, she couldn’t bring herself to hurt him.
“No…” He hugged her as she uselessly beat her hooves on his chest and cried saying how much she hated him.
“I missed you too Glimmy.” After a few minutes, she finally calmed down and looked into Spike’s eyes. She blushed a bit just noticing how tall he was now and how strong his arms seemed to be. She shook her head and used her magic to fix Sugarcube Corner and apologized to Pinkie and the Cakes. She told them that she didn’t think she needed the cupcakes anymore. She used her magic to pull Spike by the ear frill.
“You and I have a lot to talk about, now come on.”
“Ow ow ow! Starlight let go! You’re gonna tear my ear off!” Starlight pulled Spike out of Ponyville and to the old CMC clubhouse so they would be alone. She let go and he rubbed his ear frill as she faced him with an angry principal face.
“You have a lot of explaining to do. “
“Of course… Star I’ll explain everything to everyone but I have to see her… Twilight…” Starlight looked down and sighed. “What’s wrong?”
“Spike, you were gone for so long… you were with her since she cared to remember. Losing you hurt her in so many ways and while you coming back will help, I don't know about letting you see her yet.“
“What do you mean? What’s wrong?”
“She hoped every day to see you and was so broken up that… two years after you vanished she started to see you. A living nightmare that blamed her, that tortured her, one none of us could see. She would be fine but then she would be crying and hiding herself away. We all did what we could. Over time, Cadence got her to open up again. I was so busy with the school…” Spike hugged her and sighed.
“Don’t go down that slope… you can’t blame yourself especially since this was my fault.”
“She opened up slowly, starting with Applejack thinking she’d understand loss. We brought her back and nightmare left but I could see it. It never truly disappeared. Always a tiny voice there in the back of his mind. Seeing you just out of the blue may not help unless the girls and I are there to help prove that you’re real.” Spike nodded slowly and looked down at his claws, anger filling him. Anger at his own greed, at just how much he had hurt the one that gave him everything. He roared and blasted fire into the sky. Starlight put a hoof on his back and he slowly relaxed before laying on his back.
“I’m sorry… for everything. For leaving you to put up the pieces…”
“Spike, we all may not forgive you as easily as Pinkie but you have a chance to make things right. Now you do what you think is right.” They turned when they heard a train whistle and Starlight paled before she cursed and ordered him to stay. She teleported away and Spike shrugged before looking back at the old CMC clubhouse, wondering what happened to them for it to look so unused. He jumped when he heard a stick break and turned to see another familiar face.
. . .
Starlight teleported to her school and rushed through the halls. “No no no, damn it! Why do I get lost even in my own school!?” She finally burst through a room where Applebloom was getting ready for her class. She smiled at her boss.
“Howdy Starlight, somethin’ wrong?”
“No time! I need you to distract your sister! You have to keep her away from Sweet Apple Acres while I’m talking to someone there!” Starlight started to pull Applebloo, closer and prepared to teleport them to the train station. Applebloom struggled against the magic and shouted.
“Starlight! Ma sister is already home! She arrived late last night in case ya needed help with Twilight!” Starlight stopped and pulled the red-maned girl close.
“She what?!”
. . .
“A-Applejack…” Spike faced the country mare and blushed to find she had gotten even more beautiful since he last saw her. His younger self never admitted it but he had a bit of a crush on her, not as big as the one on Rarity of course but he admired her maybe even more. She was kind, honest, hard-working, always there to listen even if it was a tiny problem. Her accent and looks also helped. Her dedication to family and to make her fortunes square inspired him to work harder and reach ever higher.
“Spike…” She stared at him before she leaned her head down, her trademarked hat covering her eyes as she smiled.
“I’m back… to stay.”
“Ah see that… so nice to see ya…” She undid the red bands from her hair and tail, letting her mane fall freely and putting the bands on her forelegs. She looked up at him, a deathly glare in her eyes as they watered ever so slightly. Spike shivered and froze for a moment, it was like Fluttershy using the stare on him. He had killed villains whose glares that couldn’t compare to this one.
“A-Applej-” He didn’t finish as she rushed at him and shouted as she hit him in the jaw with all of her strength. Spike smashed into the ground, causing a small crater and was shocked as pain spread across his body. He touched his jaw to find blood, she had actually managed to hurt him. “A-Applejack, you hurt me!?” The country mare didn’t stop as she bit on his tail and pulled him out of the crater.
“And you have a lot more coming!!” She shouted, throwing him into a tree and tried to punch him but he moved his head at the last moment, seeing her hoof make an indent in the tree. He gulped seeing this was serious and that if he wasn’t careful then she would hurt him. He kicked her away and stood.
“I don’t wanna fight you!”
“Should have thought of that before you ran! Before you abandoned your family!” She attacked him with punches and kicks which Spike blocked and dodged but Applejack had only gotten better with age, her speed and strength was something Spike was unused to. She landed several kicks to his gut and cracked him on the jaw again. He cursed and spat out more crimson liquid before he punched her back.
“Spike!”
“SIS!” Applebloom shouted trying to get to her sister but Starlight pulled her back as Applejack glared at her.
“Keep her out of this!” She jumped back at Spike and he grabbed her hooves and threw her aside and opened his wings to fly but she growled and kicked rocks at him, one hitting his wing. He cursed and grabbed an empty log before throwing it at her but she ran towards it and jumped, spinning right through the center and landing a kick on his face again. He fell to a knee but quickly grabbed her hooves again trying to stop her but she smashed her head into his nose causing him to drop her and she reared her legs. He held his face and opened an eye just in time to see her buck him, just in time to see tears in her glaring eyes. He coughed and crashed through several trees.
He gasped and moved a hand to his chest. ‘Several cracked ribs… knocked out a few teeth… broken nose...’ He coughed out some blood and looked up to see Applejack glaring.
“A-Applejack…” He muttered and reached out a hand only for her to buck his shoulder and dislocate it. He stayed still and cried, shutting his eyes and waiting for more pain.
“THAT’S ENOUGH APPLEJACK!” He opened his eyes to see Applebloom standing over him. She sounded sad and distant to Spike. She was bigger and seemed to take after Applejack. Her long red mane fell naturally over her shoulder and her tail seemed to stick out just a tiny bit. “He had enough!”
“Enough? ENOUGH!?! After all, this bastard did?! He abandoned us! His family! He let us think he was dead! Did ya have to hear Twilight?! Rarity!? Everyone?! Did he have to be here and watch as our friends lost themselves in grief!? Did he have to put on a brave face and lie telling them that everything would be okay?! That… everything… would be normal again… someday…” She glared and allowed herself to cry and she shook her head angrily before she spat on Spike and started to leave. “I have work to do… Applebloom I suggest you do the same… Oh and Spike.” He struggled to focus on her as she glared at him. “Come back on my land and I won’t stop.”
Spike opened his mouth to say something but fainted as Starlight put him to sleep. Her and Applebloom helped him up and teleported him to the school, hoping that Nurse Redheart would be able to do something for him.