“Spike Sparkle, it has been far too long.”
Spike waited for the brightness to fade away and looked at the pony that just appeared in front of him. “So, the ‘great ruler of Equestria’ got bored and decided to get off her fat flank to visit? What happened Celestia, got bored and needed to come torment me for your own amusement?” he said, glaring at the large white alicorn. Princess Celestia frowned slightly and lowered her head, taking a couple steps towards him.
“Spike, what’s wrong? Please, talk to me, like you used to.” she said softly.
“What’s wrong?” he shouted, “I get hurt, abandoned, and lied to by my friends, ponies who I considered my family. The pony I cared about the most, abandoned me, again, after you told me she was changing. What’s wrong, huh?” Spike was yelling at the white Princess, causing her to flinch at his words. “The pony I loved, the one I want to be with, used me, humiliated me, and then left me to rot! What’s wrong with that, Celestia? The one pony whom I thought would be there for, the one I called ‘Mom’ just sat on her fat bucking flank and watched it all happen! What the buck is wrong?” Spike’s nostrils were billowing smoke as he approached the alicorn, his eyes narrowed on her.
“I’m sorry Spike, I didn’t know it was going on.” she said, hanging her head low.
“Oh, you didn’t know? You didn’t know that I was suffering, and yet you know when your prized little pet is having a mental breakdown because she fears she is going to upset you? I’m sorry, Princess,” he spat, standing inches away from her “I have a very hard time believing that.”
“Spike, please listen-” Celestia was cut off by a clawed fist to her cheek, causing her to stumble.
“Enough! I am tired of all of this! Was I so much of a burden to you before that you just dumped me on somepony who had already hurt me once? Was it too much to want to feel loved, to feel like I belonged?” he drew back his arm, glaring at the Princess. “Why, Celestia? Why did you just leave me? I trusted you, I thought that you would be there when I would need you!” he swung again, knocking her onto the floor of the clubhouse.
Celestia watched the drake as he stood menacingly above her. She had tears in her eyes from the words he was shouting at her. She didn’t try to stop him, just watched him as he started wailing at her body, leaving small gashes across her chest and side. Spike’s attack soon stopped, leaving him panting. He sat and looked down at the ground for a long time, neither him nor Celestia saying a word.
“Why?” he whispered. “Why were you never there? Why was nopony ever there?” he lowered his body close to the ground. Whimpers could be heard from him as he placed his head on the ground. Celestia struggled to her hooves, and carefully walked over to him. She leaned her head down next to his and nuzzled him softly, ignoring the low growls she was receiving.
“Spike, I am here now. Please, let it all out, let me share the burden.” she whispered softly, tears in her eyes. “I can never expect you to forgive me for not paying attention. I didn’t even realize I meant that much to you.” she said to herself, turning away from the dragon. “I’m so sorry, Spike.” she took a couple steps away from him, towards the window, when she felt her tail grabbed onto. She turned her head and found that Spike had a handful of her hair in his grasp, the rest of his body unmoved.
“Please don’t leave,” he whimpered, “don’t leave me all alone again.” Celestia turned around and set a hoof on his back, her tears slowly falling down her white cheeks. Spike jumped forward and pressed his muzzle into her chest, wrapping his arms around her. She wrapped her hooves around the dragon.
"I'm so sorry Spike." She lowered her head and nuzzled the back of his head, sniffling quietly. She felt her chest getting wet from his quiet crying, his tears stinging as they got into her cuts. As she thought about all of his hurtful words, she felt deserving of the punishment. They sat in each other's embrace for a while, Spike's quiet sniffles and Celestia's sobs and muttered 'sorries' the only sounds in the clubhouse.
Spike pulled away from the Princess slowly, and looked away from her after he was out of her warm embrace. Celestia seen the conflicting emotions playing across the young drake's face and looked down, quietly muttering to herself. "I'm such a terrible, terrible mother.."
"Maybe..." Spike responded quietly, "but I wouldn't want anypony else. Besides," he continued quieter, "I can think of worse.."
Celestia's heart jumped, and she leaned forward to give him a small nuzzle, but was blocked by a purple claw. "Thank you, Princess, but I think I need some time to myself." Spike said softly, "I have a lot on my mind, and I have plans for dinner."
Celestia held back some tears and nodded slowly. "Alright, Spike." She said softly. "Just know that I am here for you. Would we be able to spend some time tomorrow?"
"I don't know. I'll let you know, ok?" He asked, looking at her sullen expression. She nodded and looked downwards. "Thanks, and sorry."
"Sorry?" she asked. "Sorry about what?" Spike pointed to the cuts that lay across her body. She frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about, Spike.”
“But-”
“No buts. As long as you feel a little better now, don’t worry about this, Spike.” she said, placing a hoof on his shoulder. “Now, since you want some time to yourself, I will wait for you. Just promise me you will talk to me, alright? Please?” Spike nodded and Celestia looked around, a faint smile on her muzzle. “Now, I think somedragon has a date they need to get ready for?” she asked quietly.
“What? How did you know?” Spike asked, a confused look in his eyes as he looked at the Princess.
“Because I think she happens to be standing at the door.” Spike turned and looked at the doorway and spotted the grey pegasus mare, peeking her head into the clubhouse.
Spike brightened up when she looked at him and gave him a small smile and a wave. “Hi Derpy! Could you give me a moment?” he asked, waving back at her.
Derpy nodded, “Sure, Spike. I’ll just wait out here for you!” she smiled at him and gave Princess Celestia a wondering look before backing out of the door. Spike turned and looked at Celestia, opening his mouth before a hoof was pressed against his lips.
“Don’t say anything now, Spike. Just enjoy yourself. You need to have some fun, alright?” her horn lit up as she enveloped the dragon in her magic, cleaning off all traces of dirt and blood. She leaned towards him and gave him a small peck on his forehead before nudging him towards the door.
Spike looked at the princess questioningly, and got a small soft smile in response. Spike sighed and slowly walked out of the clubhouse. Celestia watched as he made his way to the gray pegasus, and her face slowly turned into a slight frown.
With a flash, the white Alicorn teleported out of the clubhouse to her bedchamber. She looked around sullenly, her room appearing to be just perfect. Too perfect. She walked slowly to her vanity, looking into the large mirror. Her eyes followed down her body, taking in the cuts she had received from the young dragon. They weren’t deep, but they still left a small trail of blood down her chest and forelegs, and stung immensely. She sighed, reaching a hoof up and taking ahold of her crown.
“Such a pointless piece of hurting jewelry,” she said to herself. “I can’t even help those who are close to me. Those who may even consider me their mother..” She continued to look at her crown, the light gleaming beautifully off the amethyst inlaid in the pure gold crown. She closed her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek before she threw it violently at the mirror, shattering the glass. She gripped the large vanity with her magic, throwing it across her large room.
She continued throwing her furniture through her room, her very large wardrobe flying out the window into the castle courtyard. As her energy drained, she collapsed on her bed, the remains collapsing under the added weight. She curled into herself, laying on the messy sheets and mattress covered in glass and splinters, sobbing to herself.
Spike walked slowly next to the fluttering grey pegasus, neither of them talking. Derpy glanced at the purple dragon, his face downcast and lost in thought. She landed right next to him and spoke up. “So Spike, who was that mare? She was very pretty.”
“Huh?” he said, broken out of his reverie. “Oh, I guess she is.. That was Princess Celestia. I guess you could say she is my mother.”
“Yourmother is the Princess?!” she gasped.
“For what it’s worth.” he said quietly. “What do you want to do, Derpy?” he turned and looked at her pale yellowish eyes.
“Hmm....” she brought a hoof up to her chin. “I dunno.” she shrugged.
“How about getting something to eat?” the dragon suggested.
“Sure!” the mare said, excited.
“Alright, what do you want to eat?”
The pegasus flew off shouting “Muffins!” as the young drake watched dumbly before smiling and following her. He caught up to her outside the Sugarcube Corner as she entered the gingerbread building. Spike paused for a moment, looking at the sweet shop and taking a deep breath, he followed the mare inside.
He looked around the inside of the store, only a couple ponies sitting at tables. He caught sight of the grey mail-mare at a booth along the wall, munching on a blueberry muffin. He walked over to the table and sat across the table from her, surprise on his face as she pushed a cupcake towards him. He gratefully took it with a quick “thanks” and a smile and started eating it, watching as Derpy frowned from lack of muffins after eating the last of them.
She reached over to the side of a table and uncovered a small blue button. Curious, he asked. “What’s that?”
Her hoof paused just above the button as she turned a blank face to him. “Muffin button.”
She pressed the button, and Spike was slightly confused by her behavior. “Wha-.” he was interrupted as an excitable pink pony appeared out of nowhere with a giant chocolate chip muffin.
“Hi Derpy! How are you doing today? Oooh, do you got company?” she looked at the dragon staring at the giant muffin. “Oh, hi Spike.” she said, audibly deflating. “What are you doing here?”
“Hi Pinkie. I’m here with Derpy.”
“We’re on a date!” the mare chipped in excitedly.
“A d-date?” the dragon stuttered, taken off guard by her claim, and her enthusiasm about it.
The pink pony seemed surprised, but quickly broke into a small smile. Small for Pinkie, as any other pony would have been beaming. “Be right back!” she said before disappearing just as fast as she appeared. Spike barely had time to look at the pegasus happily eating her large muffin before he had a sapphire cupcake pressed into his claws and the party pony responsible sitting next to him with a mustache.
“Uh, Pinkie?” Spike asked, “What’s with the mustache?”
“What mustache?” she said before pulling a monocle out of nowhere and placing it over her eye. “So, Spike. Why are you here with Derpy?” she said quietly, so only the dragon in question could hear. “Why not Rarity? Don’t you have a crush on her?”
Spike deadpanned at the her. “Why would she deserve a date after how she treated me? Or for me to talk to her again?”
Pinkie frowned. “She is sorry, Spike. You have no idea how much she missed you. How much we all missed you.”
“Yea, after I was gone. What did I matter to anypony before? Now, could you leave us alone so I can spend some time with Derpy?” he said, looking back at the gray mare, still happily munching on her muffin. “At least she deserves company.” he muttered.
Pinkie Pie looked hurt, looking down at her hooves as she asked, “Well, could you at least come and tell me what’s wrong later?”
“I don’t know, Pinkie.” he said, turning his eyes to her.
“Pleeeeeeease?” she asked, giving him a super sad pouty face.
Spike sighed. “Fine..”
“Yay!” Pinkie exclaimed, giving the dragon a bone crushing hug before disappearing under the table. Spike turned to his cupcake, glancing at the pegasus looking at him from across the table.
“Something wrong Spike?” she asked.
“Yea, let’s just focus on our date for now, ok?” The pegasus nodded, giving him a small smile. Spike watched her take another bite out of the delicious looking muffin. “You must really love muffins, huh?”
“Yup!” she said, beaming with some muffin crumbs and melted chocolate on and around her lips. She seen the purple dragon staring at her muffin. “You want some?”
“Sure!” he reached out to grab a piece of the muffin but was interrupted by a grey hoof pushing a large piece of the scrumptious muffin in his mouth. She giggled as he had trouble chewing the mouthful, and continued her snack as he swallowed with a happy look in his emerald eyes.
They continued eating their snacks, chatting lightly about Derpy’s work as a mailmare, Spike quickly finishing his cupcake and listening intently, a warm smile across his muzzle. They sat in peaceful silence as Derpy shared the last of her muffin with the dragon, who was leaning over the table to better reach the fluffy goodness.
The grey mare lent forward, looking into the giant wrapper for more muffin, spotting a small chunk at the far edge. She moved to take it in her mouth, at the same time as the purple drake, their lips meeting over the last bite. Both parties were shocked, but the mare softly pressed into it, closing her eyes. Spike’s eyes were wide as they kissed, too shocked to move.
As Ditzy pulled back from the scaly lips, a forked tongue reflexively running across his lips, taking in the chocolate and muffin crumbs, as well as brushing across the mare’s lips, eliciting a small giggle as she leaned back for another small kiss. This time, Spike reacted, his eyes closing half way as he returned the kiss, which tasted immensely like chocolate chip muffins.
The moment of perfect bliss was interrupted as a brash voice called out, “What?! Spike?!” Spike groaned, pulling back from his date, who was now frowning at the interruption, to look at the rainbow blur coming at him, tackling him into the bench. “What the hay do you think you’re doing, coming in here, kissing that mare while me and Rarity were watching you over in the corner? No, don’t look, dumbass,” she said, planting a hoof firmly on his head to keep him solidly in place. “She already left in tears. How does it feel to make your friend feel bad, huh? A mare you supposedly loved?!”
“And what would the fillyfooler know about making friends feel bad, huh Dash?”
“What?! You are here, breaking one of my friends’ heart, and leaving another one a trembling, sobbing mess, and you have the nerve to accuse me of making my friends feel bad, as well as going on about my sexual preference?!”
“Oh, I guess I wasn’t one of your friends, huh?” Spike spat, glaring up at the cyan mare. “Or were you too busy bucking your fillyfriend to notice?”
“What the hay are you talking about?”
“Well, let’s see, there’s the time you went to Cloudsdale for the Young Flyers Competition, despite how badly I wanted to see Cloudsdale. There’s the time you all went to Canterlot to celebrate Twilight’s birthday, when I desperately wanted to spend it with her, and the rest of you girls. Oh, but those aren’t the only times you forgot about the stupid baby dragon, no. Every single bucking time you went on adventures, who the hay was left to their loneliness, wishing he could be with the ponies he thought were his friends? Me, Dash. So tell me, are you really loyal to your friends, or just the mares who have their heads between your legs?”
“Why, you!” The agitated pegasus lifted her hoof to hit the dragon glaring up at her, smoke leaving his jaws and nostrils in tendrils, when she suddenly got pulled off of him by her tail and onto the floor. She looked behind her and seen the grey pony that the infuriating dragon was kissing with her tail between her teeth. “Derpy, let go. I need to teach that motherbucker a lesson!” She tried jumping back at the dragon, only to be pulled back again and a grey hoof planted firmly across her chin.
“And to me it sounds like you’re the one who needs taught a lesson, Dash,” she said, both her eyes glaring daggers into the weather pony. “Spike has been nothing but depressed from what happened, he keeps having ponies try to lecture him, and yet nopony will listen to him. Even when he is telling you what was wrong, it just went right through your head. Is your head so dense that it didn’t even penetrate that thick skull of yours, or is your head so far in the clouds that it is made of clouds and everything just passes right through them?!” Both the rainbow maned pegasus and the purple scaled dragon stared at her with their mouths open.
The mailmare quickly walked over to Spike, giving him a quick hug and nudging him to the door and they both quietly trotted past the stunned blue mare. They walked through town in silence, the determined look vanishing off the mare’s face and her eyes drifting back to their usual places.
“What was that?” Spike wondered, looking at her.
“What was what?”
“Back at Sugarcube Corner, you just went all out against Rainbow Dash.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Spike.” Derpy’s look of confusion was quickly replaced by surprise. “Oh no, I forgot!”
“Forgot what?” Spike worried.
“I forgot about my muffin! I was supposed to go with her to a school play!” she planted a kiss on the dumbfounded dragon’s cheek before flying away blushing. “Bye Spike!”
“Bye... Derpy...” he said, staring after her. “Well, today wasn’t all that bad, I guess.. Had to deal with Twilight, Celestia, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash. Horrible. Though I guess I have a marefriend now?” he trailed off, unsure, before letting out a massive yawn. He slowly walked back towards the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse, hoping the three little fillies weren’t there.
Rarity sat at her boutique, staring at the necklace containing the fire ruby through bleary eyes. “Why do you torment me so?” she thought. She brought a hoof up to her chest, thinking about the scene she witnessed at the Sugarcube Corner, the young dragon her heart longed after happily kissing that cross-eyed mare. She closed her eyes, pressing her hoof against her chest harder as her heart felt like it was ripping out of her body. “I guess this is how Spike felt, isn’t it?” she said to herself. She hung her head down, crying to herself as all the happy and regretful moments she had with Spike played through her head.
A small set of hooves wrapped themselves around the white unicorn, who opened her eyes and looking into the face of her younger sister. “Hello there, Sweetie Belle.” she said as she wrapped a hoof around the younger unicorn, her voice cracking.
“Hi, sis,” Sweetie said, rubbing a hoof across her sisters’ side. “Why are you crying?”
Rarity hugged her little sis tighter, “Well, I went to Sugarcube Corner with Dash. A lady does enjoy snacks on occasion, and I really needed one. Anyways, while we were there, Spike came in with that mailmare pegasus, Ditzy. It was fine and all, but then Spike. He, k-” She stuttered. “He ki-”
“He what, Rarity?”
“HE KISSED HER!” she shouted before crying into Sweetie Belle’s mane. “Not just once, but TWICE! I thought my chest was just going to explode..”
Sweetie Belle hugged her older sister harder, trying not to cry herself. They sat on the floor for a while as Rarity’s sobs quieted and slowed down, “I know what has Spike upset, Rarity.”
The white mare pulled her head back and stared at the young mare. “And what would that be, Sweetie?”
“He’s scared of being all alone, and having been left behind so often. Twilight said his biggest fear was nopony wanting him around, or loving him.”
“Is that so?” Rarity wondered, her eyes trailing back to the fire ruby.
“Yea. Maybe if you show him that you are there for him, and listen to him, it might help. But maybe he needs some time to himself?”
Rarity turned her gaze back to Sweetie Belle. “When did you become such a wise young mare, Sweetie? Are you sure you aren’t related to Twilight, dear? Nopony in this family is that smart.”
“You’re smart too, sis.” she said encouragingly, before grinning. “You can be a bit dense, though.”
“Hey, that is not nice to say to a lady.” Rarity said, lightly tapping Sweetie Belle’s shoulder with her own little smile. “Though I do suppose you are right. Now, have you eaten yet?”
“Nope, I’m starving!”
“Dear, if you were starving, you wouldn’t be quite so energetic. Now, how about we see if we can teach you how to cook yet, hmm?”
Luna walked briskly through the castle, the guards frantic. There had been crashing noises from her sisters’ room earlier and the guards were unable to enter. They had also been unable to wake the dark alicorn from her slumber. Stopping outside the large doors into the day Princess’ bedchambers, she felt out with her magic. Sensing both a physical barrier and a magical barrier, she frowned. What is she trying to keep out? Lighting up her horn, Luna poured magic slowly into the barriers, working her magic into them. Giving her magic a large jolt in power, the shields collapsed, sending out a shockwave, along with the sound of shattering glass.
Pushing the gilded doors open and walking into the room, Luna’s frown deepened at the sight of the destruction, glass and wood shards everywhere. Making her way through the mess, she seen her sister laying in a heap on what was once a glorious bed. Immediately taking in the cuts on her chest, Luna nudged the white mess, who lifted her head to stare at the younger alicorn with puffy red eyes. “What has thee in such a mess, sister?” she asked softly.
“I am a failure, Luna. I can’t protect the ones I love, I can’t see when something is wrong, and I can’t even comfort anypony correctly” she said, lowering her head back down.
“Tia.”
“All I can do is just sit there, like a worthless lump, while those who depend on me sit and wilt. I pretend to know what I’m doing, then just ignore the problem, imagining I helped.”
“Tia,” Luna tried again.
“I take someone who loves me, and shove them away, somewhere they still look up to me, but are hurting.”
“Celestia.” Luna said, clearly annoyed.
“I just take all my problems, and put them somewhere else. I’m a failure, Luna. A big, miserable, failure, and all I can do is hurt the ones I love.”
Luna lent forward, not paying attention to her sisters’ ramblings, and nipped her rather hard on her exposed cutie mark. Celestia let out a squeak and jumped up, silently staring at the lunar Princess. “You shut up right now, Celestia, and you listen good.” Celestia nodded, wide eyed. “Maybe what you said could be right, maybe you do hurt those who love you, but the fact that you are regretting those actions shows you want things to be different. But you sure aren’t going to fix anything sitting here moping to yourself. Now, I do believe I already told you this once, but you have a son out there, needing comfort. Now, if you don’t get off thy fat flank and go fix this problem, We will see if you can’t be sent to the moon. Do I make myself clear?”
Celestia gave a quick nod before teleporting out of the bedchamber. Sighing, Luna walked out of the room, leaving two befuddled guards staring at the catastrophe.
“Shim, we should have never taken these positions as guards. We see some of the weirdest crap ever.”
“You got that right, Sham, I think we need to get a couple drinks after this. Maybe we should clean this up, first?” The two guards looked at eachother before backing out of the room, closing the doors, leaving the Princess to clean up her own mess.