Feral World
Spike's Parents
Previous ChapterNext ChapterAs the Rainboom and Starlight's car were parked in an abandoned drive in theater, the group were inside the Rainboom sound asleep. Starlight was welcomed to join them since sleeping in a car like hers had to be uncomfortable. Even though she got used to it, Starlight decided to take them up on their offer.
As the girls all slept in their own spot with Starlight's dog Jack cuddling close to her and Fluttershy. Meanwhile in the back, Spike was asleep but was tossing and turning as the sounds of screams could be heard.
Spike saw he was with people and ponies running in fright screaming about monsters. He looked ahead and saw several humans like himself slowly mutating into the monsters that would become known as Ferals.
'I remember this day.'
He watched as several ferals going on their new beastly instincts attack several other humans or ponies. Many guards and authorities were taking out the ferals through magic blasts or shooting with guns. Some fell but some got back up showing resistance to the attacks and started going after them.
“Spike! Spike!!” a woman's voice called.
'That voice.'
Spike turned and saw his parents from his picture, Oliver and Rena Clawson run over to him, “Spike, we got to go!” his father Oliver ordered, as Spike looked at his reflection in his dad's glasses seeing himself as a child again.
The adults dragged Spike along through the dangerous battle where several other ponies and humans were being evacuated through trucks. They managed to reach the truck before handing Spike off to one of the guards. As the two started to climb in, one feral came out of nowhere and tackled Rena off.
“Rena!” Oliver cried.
“Mommy!” Little Spike cried.
Rena wrestled the feral, but started to get overpowered. Oliver hanging by the back of the truck looked to his wife and Spike, before looking at one of the guards guns. Oliver looked back to his son and with a heavy heart made a decision.
“Hang tight, Spike. I'm getting mom back.” he grabbed the guards gun and got out of the truck and began shooting at the feral.
“Daddy!”
Spike watched as Oliver kept shooting at several ferals trying to get to him and Rena. Rena looked ahead seeing Spike watching from the truck sadly. Rena smiled before making a heart with her hands to Spike and mouthed, 'We love you.'
“MOMMY! DADDY!” Little Spike cried, as he helplessly watched his parents fade.
“Spike!”
“Spike?!”
“SPIKE!!!”
Spike's eyes flung open before shooting up gasping and panting with his eyes red from crying. All around him were Twilight, Sunset, Luster, and the rest of the girls.
“Take it easy, Spike. Easy.” Applejack calmed him.
“Here, have a drink.” Fluttershy said giving Spike some water, and he drank it.
“What happened, Spike?” Luster asked.
“You must've had a horrible dream.” Twilight suspected.
Spike looked at the girls still crying, before throwing his arms around Twilight and Sunset sobbing.
“Spike!” the two gasped, but knew he needed comfort. So they all gathered around Spike hugging him comfortingly.
“It's alright, Spike. We're here.” Twilight whispered softly into his ear to calm him down.
“We're not going anywhere, sugarcube.” Applejack added.
Awhile later, after Spike finally calmed down, he sat up in the bed with Jack sitting by his side for comfort, as the girls sat around him. They were deeply concerned for Spike especially when they heard him crying in his sleep which alerted them to wake him up.
“Thanks, girls. I-I just couldn't believe what just happened.” Spike said sounding calmer.
“What did happen, Spike?” Fluttershy asked.
“Whatever you were dreaming must've been really bad.” Pinkie said.
“You have no idea.” he replied.
“So what did happen?” Luster asked curiously.
Spike looked away feeling unable to bring himself to explain, until Rarity laid a hand on his, “Darling, it's ok. We're here for you. You can tell us anything.”
“What she said.” Rainbow added.
Spike looked around seeing the girls giving him assuring smiles. Spike feeling less reluctant answered with a sigh, “I dreamed about that day when the outbreak occurred.”
“The very outbreak which gave birth to the ferals and nearly the end of humankind.” Twilight noted.
Spike nodded, “I was there in the center of it all. The day I was rescued. The day, I lost my parents.” he looked down dismally.
“Oh, man.” Rainbow said realizing just how bad Spike's dream really was.
“How did it happen?” Starlight asked.
“We were all scrambling to get to the fleeing trucks where we'd be taken to safety. My parents handed me off to one of the guards, but before they could get in a feral knocked my mom off. My dad grabbed one of the guards guns promising me he was going to get her back. But he never did. I watched helplessly as we drove further away. My parents surrounded by ferals with my dad trying to keep them away. It was the last time I ever saw them.” Spike said as tears fell from his eyes.
“Oh, Spike.” Twilight said, as she levitated a tissue over to dry his eyes.
“So then what?” Starlight inquired.
“We were all brought to the city of Canterlot where we'd be safe,” Spike explained, “Many children human and pony were orphaned. Some were lucky to be adopted. Others... Not so much.”
“After the mourning was done between both Equestrian and Human, the two sides started to clash,” Twilight explained, “The Equestrians started treating the humans with more contempt than ever claiming it was a matter of time before they would turn into ferals themselves. And the humans filled with hate from the Equestrians prejudice started forming their own rallies to fight for their own rights. Things were never the same as they used to be.”
Sunset carried on, “Mom and Aunt Luna despite passing the law that humans are allowed to live with us didn't change the ideals of the Equestrians who had nothing but hate for the humans for one reason or another.”
“Several Equestrians out of grief and anger took the lives of some humans and were immediately arrested,” Luster explained, “Even some humans who had been treated like crap for so long finally snapped themselves and took some ponies lives, meeting the same fate as the ponies who wronged the innocent humans.”
“Canterlot really does sound corrupted.” Starlight said in shock.
“That's a fact.” Spike replied.
Rainbow then got curious about something else, “Spike, what were your parents like?”
Spike looked at Rainbow, as the other girls got curious too, “Yeah. I mean what do you remember about them?” Pinkie asked.
Spike thought back and answered, “They were the best. Mom was the nicest and most caring woman there ever could've been. And my dad was my hero. He always believed in helping the innocent and the helpless. That's why he and my mom were working along side pony scientists who weren't biased against humans to help humans feel special like the Equestrians.”
“Your parents were scientists?” Twilight asked sounding intrigued.
“Yeah. I was too young to know exactly what went on with them at their labs. But I did know they wanted to give humans an ability that would make them just as special as the ponies and what they were capable of,” the human teen explained, “Unfortunately, they never did make that a reality. The outbreak beat them to it.”
“Your parents sounded like they really cared about others.” Fluttershy said.
“They did,” he confirmed, “And they gave their lives so I could be safe. But it was all for not. I was never safe even after I was brought to Canterlot. I was kicked out of the orphanage at thirteen, the only place I could live was a shit hole, and every pony at school save for you girls treated me as if I was just a sickness.”
Spike's fists tightened while remembering all the insults and threats he took from ponies be it at school or even in the city, “Sometimes it would feel like too much for me to handle I'd come so close to taking my own life just to be with my parents,” the girls gasped, but could imagine anyone treated like how Spike was would have suicidal thoughts every so often, and felt relieved Spike was still here meaning he never did act upon it. They watched him pull out the only picture he had left of his parents and him, “But every time I look at them in this picture I lose the will to go trough with it. They didn't raise me to be a quitter. They gave their lives for me and despite whatever crap is thrown at me, I'm gonna live my life how I want to and not let anybody bring me down.”
“So how did you find out about the garden?” Starlight asked him.
“It was part of my parents research outside from trying to find a way to improve humans. I used what data they found and carried on with my own research. And I know we can reach it as long as we survive.”
“And we will, Spike.” Twilight promised him.
“As long as we're together there ain't nothin' we can't accomplish.” Applejack put in with a confident smile.
“Because we're so awesome.” Rainbow boasted.
Starlight smiled amusingly and spoke, “You guys really have giddy optimism. Wish I had that when I first started out on my own.”
“A little optimism can make all the difference.” Pinkie said.
“Especially with what we're doing.” Luster added.
Spike smiled at everyone, “Thanks, girls. I really needed this pick me up.”
“Anytime, darling.” Rarity said, as she gave Spike a kiss.
The girls pouted before they started giving Spike a kiss as well. Spike blushed still finding it strange that pony girls actually love him when so many others hated him. All eyes fell on Starlight who looked back and forth between the girls and Spike before coming to a decision.
“Oh, what the Tartarus.” she told herself, before reaching over and kissed Spike.
Spike smiled from the girls gesture of love, before Jack licked his cheek, “Blech, dog germs!” Spike gagged as the girls laughed. Spike still felt relieved he wasn't alone in this and getting the memory of his parents death off his chest felt like a weight had been lifted off him. He promised to make his parents proud, and he wasn't going to let them down.
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