Godzilla & Spike: Ghosts of the Past, Destroyers of Worlds

by Big Brother is Watching

Rating: teen
Tags: Tragedy, Crossover, Alternate Universe, Sad, Main 6, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Spike, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Other, Adventure
Length: 5604

The Ghost of the first Godzilla overtakes Spike, and leads him onto a destructive rampage.

November 4, 1954:

Godzilla has been killed by the Oxygen Destroyer. His spirit is now in the Underworld, but urged on by a mysterious "Destroyer of Worlds", he learns that a realm of Light derived from the virtues of humans lies just about the surface, he is about to make a gambit with the Lady of the Dead, Izanami. Hoping to get revenge on the humans, he wins the bet, and so he is granted access to this fabled Land of Light, looking for a new body to possess, and he has found just the target...

Written in the same vein as the earliest Showa Entries, this is a highly character-driven tragedy.

Cover Art by Mr. Nuke

Published 2014-03-19 04:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2014-04-04 06:49:01 UTC

Prologue: Trouble Brewing... (Story Content begins here)

It is afternoon.   A ship pulls in over the deeper waters of Tokyo bay.  Down, down, go two divers, one of whom is armed with a precious and dangerous cargo.  The faint sounds of their breaths and footsteps are quite racketous to to the ears of animals used to life below the surface, and their gradual approach stirs the attention of one in particular.

He was massive, far larger than any other animal in the ocean circling in.  When looking at how peaceful he looked, one could not believe that this monster had taken hundreds of thousands of human lives!

However, it was not evil.  It was as frightened and misunderstood as any other beast with such a reputation: Was it not humans who destroyed its habitat and food supply with nuclear weapons? He was at peace, living his life, until a bright light destroyed his home, and killed all the fish he ate.  It didn't kill him, since the light was just like his own life-force, but life-force is not meant to be taken outside of the body, it is only meant to be inside: It scarred him badly.

Was it not humans who repeatedly encroached on its new territory? He found a new supply of iron-rich fish, from which his digestive system converted the iron into uranium and the uranium into plutonium, which was the source of his life force, but there were these large, noisy, stream-lined boxes! He kept warning them that they were in his home, but the boxes didn't listen, so he did what he threatened to do: He breathed particles on them.  So they died, each time.  But they always kept coming back!

Was it not humans who attacked him in the ocean? He was at peace, it seemed like the boxes would never come back, but they did! Large, long, boxes of steel, that shot lessar lights to the light that scarred him! These lights didn't kill him, but they hurt him so! He knew he couldn't let them do that again...

When he followed the battle ships to Tokyo harbor, he was only trying to make sure that they would never be a threat again! After he eradicated his original enemy, he made a new home nearby, because it was alive with much food for him, and he would destroy the young of the large, streamlined floating boxes should they ever mature.  But they made noice, and made light! Light, like the dreaded light that burned his body, burns that still burned him! Every time they shown those, he emerged, determined to make the lights go out.

But the bright lights kept showing, and the memories! The memories of what happened to him! They returned with a vengeance, and brought him memories of the pain!! It was more than he could bear, and so he came to the land, angered, frightened, and driven utterly mad by the memory of the heat that scarred him, to bring destruction upon those who dwelt on the surface.  At first, he was somewhat daunted, bye a strange barrier that stung to the touch, but he did what he always did when there was something that got in the way: He exhaled his life force upon it, whithering it to a orange slag.  Then far more anxious from the piercing barrier, he became the apocalypse.  Nothing could stop him.  He didn't even care if he spent all of his life force, he just had to vent out his madness! Crawlies with long snouts could not stop him, nor could swift birds that could stab him without touching him perturb him.  All would succumb to his tail, his feet, his claws, his teeth, and his life force.  The last of these, none could withstand! The life force burned all, and that which was not burned would have been made into molten creeks.  When the fires faded, he was now calm, and resumed his slumber.  Perhaps he would have had another nightmare of the Light that burned him, had it not been for the small creatures that woke him.

He approached these little animals, curiously, for he saw nothing like them before, except on land; how strange to see two-leggers in the water! However, he did not know the threat they posed...

One of the two-leggers was being pulled up (making a great deal of annoying shouting as he did so!), to another annoying streamlined box; the other two-legger, however, was silent, and serene, holding the capsule above his head for a moment, and them delicately placing it on the ground, like a nurturing mother.

A gentle two-legger, Godzilla thought.  I like him.

However, Godzilla did not like the contents of the capsule that just opened....

*****************

"M-Mommy?" Spike asked as he was being awoken.

"Rise and shine, Spike!" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed with uttermost enthusiasm.  "I got you a special-"

"You're- you're not mommy" Spike said sleepily.

At this Twilight froze.  Somehow, that remark got to her.

Spike was obviously not aware of this, as he stretched he arms and yawned, and then he got a wiff of a good smell: "Do I smell...pancakes?"

Twilight Sparkle replied, but with minimal enthusiasm.  "Sure.  Go help yourself."  she ended with a sigh.  At that, he jumped right out of bed as though he had Red Bull for blood, and served himself before one could blink! Spike always did like food.

Twilight was now unhappy, just because Spike stated that she wasn't mommy.  Somehow, those words, which she heard more than once, often as an excuse, could ruin her entire day.  She didn't know why, but his denial and refusal for motherly authority -and motherly love- from Twilight, bothered her.  It made her even sadder that Spike often seemed perpetually ungrateful and oblivious to her gestures of motherly love.  What troubled Twilight the most was how troubled she was about that: Did she really want Spike to view her as a mother? And if so, why? It wasn't like Spike had to know anything, or everything, about his origins and how she felt.  And she was a filly when she began to raise him...in fact, she was raising him for a very long time, and she could not remember a day in which she didn't feed him breakfast, didn't tuck him to bed, didn't read him a story, didn't teach him something new, or didn't sing to him...then she began to realize...she dedicated much of her being to that, and much of her life, being the mommy that any baby dragon needed...

She could only wish that Spike could see that.

Chapter 1: It Begins

Godzilla awoke with a start! Or was he awake? All he could see was dark, all he could feel was cold, and all he could hear was the sound that a draft makes in a cave.

At least it wasn't the searing light of the Hydrogen Bomb, or worse, the light of the Antimatter Bomb that would later be known as the Oxygen Destroyer, but the eternal black was worse than the dark depths he called home.  This dark was so alien, and so empty, that he would never feel at home here.  Was this death?

Can you hear me? a deep, powerful voice beckoned him.

Who are you? Godzilla telepathically responded.

I am the Destroyer of Worlds the sinister voice replied.

Did you make this place? Godzilla inquired?

Not directly.  I'm certainly not in charge of it.  A lot of the reason why it's here is because of me, but no, I didn't make it or have any control over it. the Dark being replied.

I don't understand Godzilla admitted.

Once, I was Death, I caused destruction.  But then True Death found me, even Carnage comes to an end, hence I am here.

You're Death? Godzilla asked.

Not in the sense that you think: I was born in chaos and destruction, when all matter was conflicting with its opposite.  And I too, brought chaos myself.  They say that chaos is the substance of the Universe, and my own actions may have helped bring it about.  I lived longer than any mortal being, yet even I am mortal.

There was a pause, and then a dull ache pierce Godzilla: This "Destroyer" was probing his mind and heart.

Fortunately, it was swift, and the Destroyer went back to his narcissistic monologuing: I understand that you want to assert yourself over those that would destroy you, yes? I wish something similar.  There is a substance in the Universe that dominates it, that should not be the dominating substance.  It should be as even as it was when I was born.  Matter and its opposite, forever dueling in harmony, the state of the Universe I called home.  We truly are kindred spirits, you and I.  We both want our lives back, before the tragic changes that scarred us.

Godzilla did not rightfully understand all that talk of "matter and its opposite"; he figured it wasn't important.  He did, however, understand the sensation of having his life taken away from him completely and unfairly.  He was also relieved that the monologue was less histrionic than it was earlier.  Then the dull ache hit him, and left quickly.

I take it you want to help me, or at least are toying with the thought the deep voice of the self-styled "Destroyer" purred.  For us to fulfill our deal, you must take two steps: Walk forward, and no other direction.  Never stop walking.  It will seem like a path over the eternal dark, but eventually, a light shall appear.  Approach it.  Then you can see beyond the limits of your cells, that binds you to this place.  But you won't be free.  You will only meet other prisoners that know that there is more than the dark.  To be free, speak to the leader of the prisoners, Izanami.  She has a bargaining power with the wardens, the Guardians of Light.  Perhaps you can make a deal or a gambit for freedom.

Godzilla knew nothing of gambits and wardens, cells and prisoners.  He led a simple life, of feasting on iron-rich sea animals, and converting the iron into radioactive fuel.  The only complicated concept he cared about was family, for he had a son once, but that was long ago; the son grew up and moved closer to the north.  He sometimes thought about this son of his.  He was certain his offspring would be alright, though he was beginning to comprehend the nature of this Universe, and realized that he likely wouldn't see him again.  But what was with that ridiculous dance of his?

Why should I help you? Godzilla responded, I actually find comfort in the eternal dark.  And I can't leave.

Ah, but you can, and so can I- with your help.  You have some privileges I do not.  And would you not like to continue to aid my most worthy of causes? Better to venture out, and take a chance, than to rest in the eternal dark, doing nothing. The Destroyer explained.

Godzilla thought about it: Now that made sense.  Maybe he would see his son again.  But which way would he turn? Before Godzilla would concentrate his thoughts to asking the voice for guidance him, the voice surprised him by booming out:

Just go forward.  You'll find it.

***************************

Spike was annoyed: That Twilight, always fussing over him!

"Spike, you just have a little bit of smudge...right over here!" She added, wiping him quickly with her hoof.  "There! Now, have a good day, sweetie!" she added, before giving him a little kiss on the cheek.

"Ugh, guh-ross!" Spike spat, wiping his face before leaving the door.

Twilight hated that remarks like that were always his last words before going out.

What she hated more was that Spike was almost certainly going to see Rarity.  Twilight liked Rarity, but she was certain that Rarity didn't care for Spike as much as Spike cared for her.  Spike was a lovesick puppy, every day, pining away for something he could never, ever achieve.  He knew this deep down, and cried himself to sleep every night; nothing could hurt Twilight more than to know someone who she viewed as her own son was in so much pain.  What was worse was that Spike tended to forget his manners around hot mares, and he was sure to do something that would offend Rarity: Rarity was equally sure to overreact to Spike's crude attention, the moment she learned of it.

But what was more troubling was that Rarity was older than Twilight, and it made Twilight uneasy to think about it, because she knew something Spike didn't, and she knew she had to tell him everything.

Everything, before it was too late.

*********************

Scootaloo rushed to an open clearing over which a cloud on which Rainbow Dash was resting on hovered. "Wake up wake up wake up!!!"

"Huh, wha-"

"Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash!! It's coming it's coming! The second awesomest Pony besides you!"

"Huh? Who, Spitfire?"

"No! My dad!"

"Oh, well that's nice.  Anyway, I'm getting some shut-eye-"

"No! You gotta hear me out!"

With a yawn, Rainbow said "later Scoots"

"Aw, but c'mon!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes and turned herself, now peeking from over her cloud.

"All, right, tell me."

Scootaloo grinned broadly and used her mouth to take off her backpack before unzipping it and then she pulled out a letter from her back back.  Rainbow Dash lazily glided down and landed softly in front of Scootaloo, ready to read the letter.

миний бэлэг, Скуталу

How I have missed you! I saw the photo of you, and you have grown! I have good news for you (and I am overjoyed to write this): The next reserve meeting is in Ponyville, and I shall be there to see you!

I shall be in Ponyville this Friday, at dawn.  I am coming early, so we can spend some time together, just the two of us.  Give your aunt my love (enclosed is a photo of me! For the both of you!).

With all my love,

таны аав, Сүхбаатар

Rainbow Dash put down the letter, and then saw the photo: The writer of the letter was apparently a Przewalski's Horse, with darling eyes and legs, and a pale, thick muzzle.  He was also a Pegasus, and he was in a military uniform.  Rainbow has to admit, she liked stallions in Uniform.  And those almost black eyes and that muzzle were sho adowabul!

"Any questiosns?" Scootaloo asked with a grin.

"Yeah, what do these squiggles mean?"

*********************

Spike spent the whole day at the Carousel Boutique, just watch Rarity at work.  Or rather, her body.  He liked the way it moved, and seeing the muscle shift as she worked.  Rarity paid no attention, and was just going on with her hyperactivity.  "And so I said to her, 'No Darling, I don't always say "Darling"', and then she said 'You did it again! You just called me "Darling!"', and I said 'I don't know what you're talking about, Darling'..."  Spike was admiring how her horn shimmered in the sunlight, and how well-built she was.  "Really, Darling, I don't say Darling in every sentence, do I Darling? Oh, the nerve of some Ponies, Darling..." Spike was now beginning to observe how her teats bounced off one another, while Rarity was oblivious to just how closely he examined her.  While searching for something, she threw out many clothes in search, one of them being a thong that landed on Spike's head.  That did it.  He could no longer resist.  He had to now look at her plot.

...Unfortunately for him, Rarity was now stealing a glance at where he was looking at the same time...

Chapter 2: Meetings and Partings, Secrets Revealed

Scootaloo giggled: "Rainbow, those 'squiggles' are Cyrillic writing characters.  It's Przewalskian.  This at bottom means 'your father, Sukhbataar'."

"What about that on top?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Scootaloo was loathe to explain that: "Umm, well..."

"You don't want to talk about it?" Rainbow asked.  Rainbow Dash had a feeling it was something pretty or heartwarming, both of which Scootaloo loathed.

"Well, yeah" Scootaloo admitted.

"Fair enough" Rainbow smiled.  "Where are you going to meet him?"

"Well, he didn't exactly say, so I'm guessing he's coming to see me."

"Aw, that's nice."

Scootaloo paused for a minute: "Say, Rainbow, would you like to meet him?"

Rainbow was a little surprised, though not as much as she probably should have been.  She actually wouldn't have minded, but she had practices to attend, plus, she hated to admit it even to herself, but talking to new ponies was sometimes a little out of her comfort zone.  Uncertain what to do, she gave an honest uncertain answer: "Maybe."

"You will?!" squealed Scootaloo.  Rainbow Dash tried to explain the definition of "maybe", but before she could speak, Scootaloo hugged Rainbow very tightly: "Oh thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! Stay over at my place tomorrow night!"

Rainbow let out a small sigh, as Scootaloo squealed in delight, because she was now in a situation in which she couldn't depart.  But she also let out a small sigh, because nothing could make one happier than to see a foal so happy, even though Scootaloo could still be as annoying as all heck when she was excited.

*************************

Godzilla had been walking for what felt like ages.  Perhaps it was, or perhaps it wasn't.

As he did on a regular basis, he began to wonder if the "Destroyer of Worlds" was real, though every time he did, the distinctive dark voice creeped back into his head "I am real, believe me; keep going, you're getting closer" was more or less what the mystery voice said every time.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally found it: The light.  It felt like eons away, though.

He trudged on, weary in will, though not in body, for in his now aethereal form, he could not tire, but it continued on, with almost no progress in what felt like hours.

However, it seemed, that as the aeons passed, that the light grew bigger.  He knew, therefore, that if he kept going, he would eventually meet it.  As he became increasingly single-minded the light grew bigger on him before he knew it.  In time, he could feel the light, which formed a tall, rectangular door.

Slowly he trudged through, overwhelmed, burned by the light, and forcing his way into the other side.

And then, after the searing burning of the light, he fell.  Down, down, down, into the depths, until he landed with a soft plop on a pile of something.  He then pushed himself up, to see what it was.  Surprisingly, it was rags and bones.  Then he looked up and around: the chamber was blue and stony.  What kind of place was it?

We almost wished he remained in the Dark.

A clamor made him turn with a start.

************************

Twilight knew something bad would happen someday soon, but she neither expected it to be so soon or so terrible.

Rarity had flung Spike in her house with magic, smashing Twilight's door.

Rarity then burst into a screaming fit of blue murder and about how she was going to call the police.  Twilight settled everything, and discovered, through sobbing hints, that basically Spike looked at Rarity inappropriately, but he didn't actually molest her in any way; still very inappropriate and ungentecoltly of him to do, and it was best that they keep their distance from each other, but it wasn't exactly worth putting Spike on Death Row and Twilight in a life sentence in a penitentiary like Rarity originally threatened.

Rarity was slightly less hysterical than she was earlier, which wasn't saying much, but she changed enough for Twilight to send her out without much of a problem.

Twilight looked at Spike: Bruised, in tears, and upside down, she had to feel tremendously sorry for him, but his behavior was not exactly acceptable, and the mare in particular was the kind of mare who would say things that would send poor Spike to juvenile hall for behavior that only warranted a harsh lecture and an apology.  She dreaded to think that her precious little boy would be sent to an institution!

"Spike, we have to talk" Twilight said firmly.

Spike didn't look at her, and didn't say anything.  He just kept sniffing.

"You can't look at mares that way Spike, you just can't.  They may like it, but they also will be creeped out by it.  And it's not something that gentlecolts do; it's hard to explain, but it's just wrong."  Twilight had to be firm, and she needed to protect Spike, so she had to make a rule that she knew Spike would not like: "I'm afraid you can't ever see her again until this settles."

Spike still said very little, except, with a few tears, this: "But...I love her..."

With a sympathetic sigh, Twilight said: "Spike...what about Rarity did you like most?"

"Well...I like her horn, her mane, her eyes, her tail, her ears, and-"

"Uh-huh" Twilight put in less sympathetically. "Spike, all you listed are physical features..it doesn't sound like love or even passion, it sounds like lust.  You can't build a relationship on lust.  If lust is all you feel, then, you have to put any possibility of a relationship behind you.  Relationships built on lust are liable to end very badly."

"Oh yeah?" Spike butted in, "Who made you the relationship expert?"

Twilight sighed again, this time angrily: "Believe me, you have no idea."  She also decided to add: "While we're on this, I think you also have to know that older mares seldom ever show any interest to younger guys, especially when the age difference is as great as between you and Rarity."

"Yeah...yeah, I guess it was all wrong" Spike said heavily.

"What was wrong Spike?" Twilight asked softly.

"Well, she's a Pony, and I'm a, I'm a-"

Twilight had to seize this opportunity: "No Spike, there's nothing wrong with a Dragon being with a Pony."

Spike cocked the muscles where his eyebrows would be if he had any hair follicles.

"Yes, it's not the species difference, it's just the age difference, and the age difference alone.  The fact is, Rarity is almost a year older than your mother."

"My mother? But, how did you know about my-" before Spike could finish, Twilight raised her hoof to silence him.

"Spike, there is so much to explain, and so much you don't know.  I'll have to start from the beginning: There is nothing wrong with ponies being with dragons."

Spike butted in anyway: "Yes, I know, you said that already, so what? What's this about my mother you mentioned?!"

Twilight put a hoof to her face: She did it all wrong, introducing everything at a bad time, but it was too late, and she had to continue: "Spike, we didn't tell you to not make you feel any different from us."

Spike did not fully understand; why would not telling about his mother help make him feel more or less different?

Twilight did not further clarify, and seemed lost, as if in dream "I remember a dragon I cared about: His name was Erpak, he was fierce, and yet, he could never have enough knowledge; he was a sad, passionate young one, not unlike you, in some ways, and he had a gift with words, and yet, he needed me for emotional support.  He wasn't afraid to be vulnerable sometimes" a statement which Twilight ended with a small, subtle, but longing sigh.  "At first I couldn't see myself with him, but then, when I got to know him, we were so compatible, that I felt something for him, and I think, he did for me.  We were close...very close...he had to leave to tell his parents some very good news, but as he crossed an ocean, he never came back; he probably got lost in a storm.  But he left me with-" Twilight could hardly bring herself to finish that, she did it clumsily enough as it was, and so began a separate statement:

"I am a purple magical pony, you are a purple magical dragon who acts like a pony, do you understand what this all means, Spike?"

Spike was once again, speechless, but he knew what was coming nonetheless.

"Yes Spike...I really am your birth-mother."

Chpater 3: Embracing of the Heart

Spike was speechless, if not breathless.

"I'm sorry Spike" Twilight cooed gently.  "I should have told you."

Spike was still shocked, in spite of the build-up Twilight gave him: "But..no...that's not what I remember"

Twilight was hesitant to say this: "Spike...we altered your memories, to protect you."

"Protect me?!" Spike was aghast and couldn't understand it.

Twilight explained gently: "Kids often say more then they should on secret matters.  If you gave away too much and too soon, in your innocence, you would have been treated differently by other ponies.  But now that they're used to you, if they know now, it will probably come to no harm.  Now that they know you and are used to you, they'll accept you as you are."

Spike was almost tearful now: "But...shouldn't they accept me...as I am?"

Twilight was almost tearful now herself, and her face and voice showed nothing but love:  "Oh Spike, of course they should, and they will now, but sometimes, if you spring something too different on them, they will try to accept you anyway, but it will feel forced, and artificial.  Now that they know you, it won't matter anymore, and they'll treat you the way they always have, regardless of your origins.  Does that make sense?"

Spike growled "Or maybe because you couldn't accept me!"

"No Spike, honest.  I loved and cherished you as a child, and still love you now.  And I loved your father too."

"You know what, you left me thinking, that all this time, you weren't my mother, and you never acted like one-"

"I always acted like a mother to you!" interjected Twilight.

"I think you're just jealous that I like Rarity more than you! Yeah, that's it, you're mad because I'm not here all the time, slaving away for you and worshipping you like you seem to want.  You're not my mom!!" he yelled.

"Like it or not Spike, I am your mother."

"Even if you did give birth to me, you weren't really much of a mother! YOU'RE! NOT! MY! MOM!!" he shouted, slamming the remains of Twilight's door...and the remains of her heart.

Her fears were correct: She told him too late.

Now, all she had left in this lonely evening were her own tears.

****************************

Godzilla was usually one to fight if something strange occurred, but he didn't know this place, or his surroundings, so he hid behind a rock, to study the potential threat, and assess its overall power.  It seemed to be a line, all of all kinds of different creatures of varying kinds, but all of relative size, and all looking dead.  They appeared to be lead by what looked like a much larger two-legger than the ones at his home-realm.  In fact, she looked taller than him!

He thought that maybe, since they varied so much, he could just walk among them, without being noticed.  He was prepared to do that.  But it seemed almost as if the deathly human-type knew everything, for before he could budge, she gazed right in his direction and piereced his mind!

"Who are you?" the deathly-looking two-legger asked.

No time to think now.

Godzilla lept from the rock which he hid behind, and pounced on one of the living dead surrounding Izanami.  Then after mauling him, he then swiped the tall corpse-woman, leaving thick, black, oozing blood on her cheek.  The rest of her minions ganged up on Godzilla, and he tried to breathe his life force on them, but...he couldn't! He didn't have that ability in this realm!

Due to his ill-advised strategy, soon, all his limbs were held down by the dying creatures, and the deathly woman drew a deadly Naginata by just shaping the dust, causing it to materialize.  She then held the deadly glaive at Godzilla's throat.

"I see" she mused. "The latest newcomer.  One out of an unlucky few to leave the stasis of Death and be a part of the Underworld's Crew."

She turned around, with a slightly sadistic twinge of friendliness, she cracked "let's give this new fellow a warm welcome."  Chortling arose from the creatures that surrounded her.

Godzilla's limbs were then yanked violently many times, in what felt like eternal torture.  He tried to struggle, but this Underworld somehow weakened him, and neutralized his powers.  And so he had to endure it, a painful torture.  Then the deathly lady lowered her hand, and he was thrown down, among the bones and rags on the stony floor.

Then, the deathly lady, to add insult to injury, raised her Naginata, and interrogated him: "Do you even know who I am?"

Godzilla didn't, and as soon as he thought this, he clutched his head in raw pain as her mind stabbed his.

********************

Twilight was worried.  She hadn't seen Spike for a long time.  She felt so sad that she hardly could bring herself to move.  However, for Spike's safety, she would have to search for him.  She slowly left her treehouse, calling for her son.

Eventually she passed the Apple Farm, and her cries awoke her best of friends.  Applejack opened the window to her room: "Twilight! What's wrong?"

Twilight could hardly speak through her tears: "It's Spike! He...he ran away...I don't no where he's gone!"

In less than a second, Applejack got her hat on, grabbed her lasso, and ran right out of her room, and as she charged through the hall, she soon saw that she was not the only pony to have heard the bad news.

Apple Bloom stood right in front of her, looking distraught over the disappearance of Spike.  "We'll he be alright?"

Applejack had a feeling about how much Apple Bloom cared about Spike, so she knelt down and said gently: "Apple Bloom, I swear by all that matters, Spike will be found, safe and sound.  I promise" she added as a reassuring afterthought.

And so Twilight and Applejack began their long search for Spike...

As for Apple Bloom, she could not sleep.  She liked Spike a lot, and the thought of losing him was more than she could bear.

Her eyes got warm and moist.

**********************

The following morning, at Scootaloo's insistence, Rainbow had decided to spend the night at Scootaloo's place, so she could meet Sukhbataar in time.

Around noon, the approached the medium-sized house and rang on the doorbell, she was surprised to be greeted by...

"Mayor Mare?!"

"Is it her Auntie Mare?! Is it really her?! OmySunflare it's really her!" Scootaloo squealed, hugging Rainbow tightly.

************

When they were inside, Mayor Mare explained everything:

"I had a younger sister, Candy Mane.  She met Sukhbataar, and the two fell deeply in love.  They got married in about a year, and then they had Scootaloo" she added, ruffling Scoot's mane.

Suddenly, Scootaloo ran off "gotta tinkle be right back!" she yelped.

When Scootaloo was gone, Rainbow first took a moment to observe the house: it was white, clean, spotless, as though almost nopony really ever used it.  Then in inadvertently asked a awkward question.

"Where is your sis?"

"Candy Mane?" the mayor then added with disturbingly little lack of comfort.  "She died of cancer."

Rainbow was almost astonished to hear that the mayor seemed so unhesitant about it.  Mare must have seen this, so she explained.  "Rainbow, Candy Mane died four years ago.  Scootaloo used to be really sensitive about it, as was I, but I think, we both nearly got over it.  It was not our fault it happened, and it was long ago...it would be nice to have her around, but, well, one gets used to that...except for one..."

"One what?" Rainbow asked.

"Not 'what.'  'Who.'  Her father.  Sukhbataar."

Rainbow didn't understand the point of these hasty run-ons.

Mare sighed and explained in a far lower voice than earlier.  "He never got over it; he's buried himself in his work, and spent as much time away from Ponyville as he can, and anything that reminded him of her...even Scootaloo."

Rainbow now understood: Ms. Mare didn't want Scootaloo to think that Sukhbataar didn't love her.  In fact, after hearing all the details, the only thing that surprised Rainbow was how much she had in common with Scootaloo...

Scootaloo returned, and began jumping up and down in sheer ecstasy that the coolest pony was right there, in her house, to spend time with her and the second coolest pony of all time!! "Auntie Mare" observed this and smiled.

Then, suddenly, Scootaloo had a bright idea!

"I know! Let me get the coolest board game I can find!!"

Then when she dashed off, Ms. Mare chuckled and addressed Rainbow Dash: "Thank you so much for doing this, she's been so lonely lately."

Rainbow didn't have much time to digest that thought because Scootaloo immediately trotted back with an Apple to Apples box in her mouth.

Opening and Quotes (no actual story content, except for hints)

"We knew the world would not be the same. Few people laughed, few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." I suppose we all thought that, one way or another."

-J. Robert Oppenheimer

"If I'd known where this would lead, I would have become a watchmaker."

-Albert Eistein

"Reptiles are abhorrent because of their cold body, pale color, cartilaginous skeleton, filthy skin, fierce aspect, calculating eye, offensive smell, harsh voice, squalid habitation, and terrible venom; wherefore their Creator has not exerted his powers to make many of them."

-Linnaeus

"You cannot recall a new form of life."

-Erwin Chagnoff

"Godzilla is the son of the atomic bomb. He is a nightmare created out of the darkness of the human soul. He is the sacred beast of the apocalypse."

-Tomoyuki Tanaka

"Monsters are tragic beings; they are born too tall, too strong, too heavy, they are not evil by choice. That is their tragedy."

-Ishiro Honda