Our Greatest Failures

Chapter 2

"A Question of Un-Loyalty"

Ever since he had walked out on his best friend at the Wedding Rehearsal, Spike the Baby Dragon seemed to have been in a case of self-loathing. When he became Twilight's assistant, he had sworn to himself that he would always be there for Twilight as much as she would be there for him. While Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were dealing with the crisis in Canterlot, Spike spent most of his time just lying in bed and wondering to himself whether or not he had made the right choice in walking out with Twilight's brother, friends and mentor. Being the ring bearer for a royal wedding especially as big as Cadence and Shining Armor's was a glorious honor for him and he would do nothing to sabatoge it.

"Why didn't I stay with the one pony whom I devoted my life to?" he thought to himself as he got out of bed and stared out of the window, looking out on the town of Ponyville. "Did I make the right choice and even so, would Twilight ever start thinking that she will never love me again because I did what I did when she was at her lowest point?"

Just then, his stomach began to rumble and he belched out a scroll that had came from Canterlot. Twilight had just happened to be returning home from being out with her friends when the scroll arrived. Spike knew that he had to hide his ill feelings and decided to brighten up when Twilight walked in.

"Hi, Spike," she said happily. "It's too bad you weren't feeling like yourself today. We had a great picnic and Rarity wore her favorite hat for you. She says that she is sorry you weren't there today."

Twilight then took notice of the scroll that sat beside Spike.

"Hmm," she wondered as she looked at the scroll. "I wonder what this is from."

Using her magic, Twilight unrolled the scroll and read it aloud.

"Dearest Twilight Sparkle,

I am grateful that you are enjoying yourself following the wedding of your brother, Shining Armor and our niece, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. However, we need your help at once as my sister is starting to sense that the citizens of Canterlot want her removed from her position as princess and have you take her place. Several citizens believe that my sister was irresponsible in ignoring your suspicions about the Changeling Queen disguised as Mi Amore Cadenza and that a true princess would take any warning seriously. As a result, my sister has fallen into a deep depression and she wants you at her side as soon as possible.

She has confessed to me that she apologized to you for her misconduct at the wedding rehearsal and that you had accepted her forgiveness. However, I feel that you have much to learn, Twilight Sparkle and that your lessons on friendship have not yet been completed to even think about becoming one of us. I have already enlisted the help of our royal counselor and that your presence will help my sister to a degree.

Please come as soon as you can and please come alone. My sister only wants those closest to her.

Her Royal Highness,

Princess Luna."

Twilight put the scroll down and she and Spike looked at each other with shocked looks. There was absolutely no way that Twilight was even ready to become a princess and that becoming a princess over one simple mistake caused by Princess Celestia at the wedding rehearsal was absolutely ludicrious.

"What are you going to do?" asked Spike worriedly. "You aren't going back to Canterlot now are you?"

Twilight hastedly grabbed her saddle bag and looked out for the nearest train. Spike didn't want her to leave, but she didn't have much of a choice.

"I have to Spike," said Twilight worriedly. "If Princess Celestia is continuing the pain of what happened at the wedding rehearsal, then I think something may be very wrong with her."

"Well, then what do you want me to do?" asked Spike. "Do you want me to come along and help you?"

"No, Spike," said Twilight as she opened the door. "I have to go alone as Princess Luna requested. But, I can't help but notice. Is everything all right?"

Twilight knew that she had to return to Canterlot, but she couldn't help but notice why Spike was acting so strange and acting like he was hiding something.

"Yes, Twilight," he said, looking away from Twilight and trying to hide his true feelings. "Everything is all right. Don't worry about me."

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked confusingly.

"I'm fine," replied Spike, growing irritated. "Just go to Canterlot. Don't worry about me."

"But Spike," said Twilight concernedly. "If you have something to tell me, just-."

But Twilight was not prepared for what Spike said next as tears had begun to form in his eyes.

"EVERYTHING IS FINE, NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!" he shouted and Twilight in a confused state, nervously walked out of the library.

"All right, Spike," said Twilight. "You must be tired because of your illness. I'll be back as soon as I can. Until then, my friends are around if you need them."

Twilight shut the door behind her and as she boarded the train to Canterlot, she now had two situations to fix. One was surrounding her mentor in Canterlot and the other was on her number one assistant, who had been acting strangely since they returned home from the wedding a few short days ago.

As she rode the next train to Canterlot, Twilight was very worried about the behavior of Spike. The last time he acted this hurt was when she scolded Spike for framing her pet owl, Owliscious, believing that he would take his place. In the end, she only brought in Owliscious to help her at night and let Spike sleep during that time. But, this was something completely different as Spike was trying to hide a deep dark secret and Twilight had to find out what it was.

Meanwhile, Spike had made a knapsack of his favorite items and some food and walked away sadly from the library.

"I can't be Twilight's assistant," he cried. "She will never forgive me for what I did to her at the rehearsal."

A slight rain started to fall in Ponyville and Spike left the library in a sad and lonely state. Just then, Rainbow Dash, who was overseeing the weather, saw Spike and looked at how sad he was.

"Spike!" she called. "Where are you going?" But the baby dragon didn't answer and realizing that Twilight was not at the library, Rainbow Dash flew fast towards Carousel Botique where Rarity was.

"If there is one pony aside from Twilight who knows what Spike is feeling," she thought to herself. "It's Rarity."

For she knew that Rarity and Spike were inseparable in some way and that while Rarity also walked out on Twilight at the wedding rehearsal, she, like Rainbow Dash and the other ponies, was easily forgiven by Twilight and that Spike still had a question of doubt that needed to be answered.

Meanwhile, Twilight had just arrived in Canterlot and was escorted by two royal guards from the train station to Canterlot castle, where Celestia was more and more depressed by the minute as the calls for her resignation continued to grow…