Beauties and the Beast

While Spike was off exploring Equestria to find more about himself, let's see how his friends in Ponyville are doing.

Applejack, as usual, was out in Sweet Apple Acres, bucking and harvesting apples from the orchard. Today, however, she was not in the best of moods, following the deception of one such dragon by the name of Sludge.

Applejack rapidly snorted at the thought of the fat dragon, "That no good varmint! The nerve!! Just crashing into town, passing himself off as Spike's father, taking advantage of little Spike’s trust and our hospitality just to live a luxurious life! I've never been more disgusted in my whole life! AAAAAAHHHH!!!!" Applejack screamed, unleashing a force that's so great, it nearly broke down one of the trees in Sweet Apple Acres.

“What in tarnation?!” An elderly voice sounded, revealing itself to be none other but Granny Smith. “What the Sam Hill is going on girl?! You were howling so loud, I thought for sure there were Timberwolves about!”

“Sorry Granny Smith,” Applejack panted, calming herself. “I’m just not in a good mood. My thoughts are all running and pounding at the memory of that dragon varmint Sludge! Why I’m just so sick of how he could just waltz into Ponyville and take advantage of Spike like that!”

“I can sympathize with that, youngin’” Granny Smith replied. “But that’s no excuse to go star raving mad and nearly destroy half of our land! Apples don’t grow out of thin air y’know. And planting trees is just as iffy.”

“Yer right, Granny. And I’m sorry,” Applejack apologized while still fuming, "But if that Sludge ever showed his fat face around here again, I'm gonna buck him real hard....in the face....repeatedly!"

“Language there AJ!” Granny Smith warned. “Besides, how is Spike doing?”

At the mention of the little dragon, Applejack sighed as she sadly recalled, “I don’t know. Last I heard from him, he said he’s okay. But I can tell from the look in his eyes, he’s a little heartbroken. I don't blame him. I don't know much about mom and dad before they were gone, and I'd be pretty heartbroken too if some varmint comes and pass himself off as pa." Applejack resumed finishing up the rest of the harvest, before she carried them back to the barn.

"Well, I'm done for the day," Applejack turned around and was on her way towards Ponyville, "See ya later, Granny Smith!"

"Be back in time for supper, youngin'" Granny Smith replied.

After a long gallop, Applejack arrived at the picnic where her friends were all waiting for her, "Howdy y'all," Applejack greeted. "I hope I'm not too late."

"Not at all, darling," Rarity replied. "You are just in time."

Setting herself down on the picnic blanket, Applejack turned and noticed the saddened look on Twilight's face, "Hey Twi. How are ya feeling?" The earth pony asked with concern. "Has Spike come back yet?"

"Not yet, Applejack," Twilight frowned. "I'm not even sure if he even wants to come back."

"Why darling!" Rarity exclaimed. "What makes you say that?"

"Because I failed to help him find what he was missing," Twilight sadly replied. "I was unable to help him find all of the answers he was looking for about himself. I couldn't even help him learn to fly properly."

"Hey, come on Twilight, don't be so hard on yourself," Rainbow began. "Not everything revolves around you. You don't have all the answers to everything, so you can't exactly be right all the time," A disappointed scowl appeared on Rainbow Dash's face, "Still, can't believe Spike would just be so quick to choose that Sludge guy over you like that! And after all you've done for him since you hatched him! Talk about gratitude!"

"Hey, ease up there Rainbow Dash," Applejack said. "He's just a kid. He didn't know any better."

"Yeah? Well he should've! I mean, of all the things that Sludge told him, and he was so quick to believe them, when the lie is just so obvious! I mean, c'mon, what was he thinking?!"

"Don't be so hard on him, Dash!" Rarity said. "We all believed that Sludge dragon when he claimed himself to be Spike's father! He would do what any of us would do whenever our parents say anything." And just like that, Rainbow Dash took back what she had said earlier. 'Of course, I still have a few choice words I would like to share with little Spikey-Wikey when he gets back,' She thought to herself.

"Either way, I just hope Spike's alright," Twilight sighed, looking up to see Canterlot in the distance. "I hope he finds what he's looking for," The rest of the girls all nodded in agreement, before Pinkie Pie perked up.

"Ooh! I've got an idea!" Pinkie Pie beamed happily. "When Spike gets back, we should throw him a WELCOME HOME SPIKE PARTY!!! / WE ARE YOUR FAMILY SPIKE!!! That way, he won't forget, that no matter the species, and no matter who his friends are, there will always be a family for him!"

"That sounds like a lovely idea," Fluttershy said, followed by agreements from Rarity, Applejack, and a hesitant Rainbow Dash.

The girls all turned their attention to Twilight, wanting to hear what the Princess of Friendship had to say, "Oh, why not?" Twilight smiled sadly. "It'll be like a birthday party for him. Right?"

"Better than a birthday party!" Pinkie smiled. "Pretend it's a merry un-birthday party for Spike!" The girls all shared some laughs from Pinkie's antics.

When nobody was noticing, Twilight conjured a photo of herself as a filly, with a little baby Spike, with the words scribbled at the bottom reading: "Twilight's first friend: Spike!"