Author's Note

This is the beginning story arc of Apple Bloom and Spike's friendship. Also, this story is now featured in the group spikebloom. Uh... I didn't know how to respond or react. At first, I usually reacted like Angel from "Angel Beats". Then it was slight confusion, then it was acceptance. Whoever did that, I wanna say thanks.

Chapter Three: Meeting New Friends Part One

Once Applejack walked with Apple Bloom to her class, Apple Bloom hugged Applejack again.

"Ah love ya Applejack."

Applejack smiled awkwardly. "Ah love ya too Apple Bloom." Once released, the blonde mare gave her sister a sideway glance. "But remember, after school, I'm still talking to ya. Don't think just because ya huggin' me means I ain't ganna adress on what ya did today."

Apple Bloom frowned slightly. "Okay."

Applejack ruffled her sister's red mane a bit. "See ya later then."

"Bye." Applejack smiled slightly then walked away. Apple Bloom sighed as she used her right hoof to open the door. The door made a slight creek as she walked in. The young filly saw the classroom was just as impressive as the other rooms here. Her eyes sparkled with amazement. The classroom was filled with filles all around. Some talking among ponies they knew, some were doing their own thing, some practicing their powers. All too suddenly though, she saw the cloaked figure, Spike, from earlier. He was in the dark corner with his head down and his arms folded. He still had the hood over his head just like before. His back was againsted the wall, one foot on the ground and one againsted the wall. Apple Bloom, despite the fact that she still couldn't see the mysterious person's face, just kept staring at him.

"HEY APPLE BLOOM!"

The young genius fell to the floor in panic and surprise which created a loud thud. Everypony stopped with they were doing to look at the filly. Apple Bloom laughed nervously, feeling a little embarrassed, yet angry towards the filly that called her. After a few moments, the filles went back to their businesses, which caused the filly's expression to change from embarrassed and flustered, to furious and dark.

Apple Bloom's brilliant orange eyes glowed as she turned furiously towards Sweetie Belle who was standing next to Scootaloo. The Earth pony's red hair was floating towards the sides of her neck, nearly floating in the air. The sound of her teeth clenching could be heard by the young unicorn and the rebellious pegasus.

"What?" She growled.

Sweetie Belle backed up a bit, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry Apple Bloom, I didn't mean to scare you."

Apple Bloom simply closed her eyes, trying to remain calm. Her teeth unclenched, her hair stopped floating, her anger decreased. As she reopened her eyes, she smiled a bit. "It's okay, just don't do it again. Now... what did you want?"

Scootaloo decided to speak for the young unicorn. With the roll of her eyes, she responded, "Oh nothing. How about the fact you were just staring at a mysterious pony who was in the corner."

Apple Bloom's face was fueled with anger. "I was not staring!"

Sweetie Belle get grinned. "Sure you weren't," she said playfully.

Apple Bloom sighed in annoyance before speaking again. "Okay I was, but so what? What does that prove Sweetie Belle?"

Scootaloo sighed heavily and faced hoof as Sweetie Belle grinned. "Oh no," Scootaloo said.

"Well that means you like him!"

Apple Bloom's eyes went to the size of daggers before they turned into crossbones. Sweetie Belle 's ears folded. "Guess not?"

Apple Bloom's eyes went back to normal. "Not. And for the record, I have never even met him, nor seen his face," Apple Bloom deadpanned.

Sweetie Belle hummed in disappointment before cracking a huge smile on her face. "Well here's your chance! He's not preoccupied, go meet him!"

Apple Bloom saw a lot of flaws in this plan. She just watched the conversation Spike had with Twilight and it seemed like a horrible idea to...

Sweetie Belle was seen walking towards Spike. Apple Bloom's mouth was opened to scream, but nothing came out. She ran after Sweetie Belle who used her magic to block the Earth pony. The red head had to admit. Even though Sweetie Belle isn't using her element, her powers were quite powerful. It didn't stop her from trying to escape, though. She tried using sharp rocks or her hind legs to break it, but to no success. Scootaloo tried burning it, but nothing.

Sweetie Belle hummed once she was by Spike. The filly smiled innocently and began to address him. "Um, excuse me?" Spike heard a female, squeaky yet, sweet voice. Spike turned around and saw a young unicorn filly. Sweetie Belle's smile shifted and twitched a little. She only saw his emerald eyes, due to the hood. They stared at her blankly, which did frighten her a bit. However, Sweetie Belle tried to complete her task, her smile shining across her face.

"Hi, I'm Sweetie Belle. My element is ice and snow. I love my friends and my sister and my mom and dad and romance and my life. I just love... life..." Sweetie Belle listed, very faced paced. Sweetie Belle gasped for breath before speaking again. "Sorry... got a little... off track with everything. So..." Sweetie says, getting in his face with a huge grin, causing him to flinch. "What's your name, what's your element, what are your interests, want to be friends?!" She asked, still very faced paced like before.

Spike hesitated, but than thought what Twilight told him. She told him to try and make friends. He did hesitate to say yes, but he did. Maybe it was better for Twilight so she wouldn't worry about him shutting out everypony or it was better for him. Either way, he had to try.

'Come on, you can do this. Make Twilight happy for once', he thought.

He inhaled slowly and gazed at the unicorn. "M... my name is Spike, darkness and light, if that even count as an element, I love my sister Twilight, and... sure," Spike listed without enthusiasm. Sweetie Belle noticed this, but she had mentally made a note that she will make him smile no matter what.

"Well your in luck! You just made a friend! Well... three," Sweetie Belle says.

Spike was confused. "What?"

Sweetie smiles and used her magic to raise the thing she had blocked the girls with. As the two were about to use their hinds legs together and Scoots's wings at the same time to break it, they noticed that they were free, causing them to fall onto the floor.

"These are my bestest friends in the world, Spike! Apple Bloom and Scootaloo!"

Scootaloo grunted. "Yo," she greeted, throwing her hoof into the air. Apple Bloom raised up and dusted herself off. Her orange eyes gazed into his emerald eyes. They seemed hazel almost.

"Hey," Apple Bloom greeted.

"Hi," Spike greeted.

Apple Bloom gave him a smile.

Scootaloo raised up as she flapped her tiny wings. "So, dude, what's your power?" Scootaloo asked. Apparently the thing that blocked the was sound proof.

Spike winced. "Light and d... darkness," Spike says, pulling himself deeper into his cloak. Apple Bloom instantly froze while Scootaloo smirked.

The young pegasus flapped her wings. "Dude, that's really awesome! Seriously! Like, I can't comprehend how awesome that is! Mind blown!" Scootaloo yells in excitement, floating a bit.

Spike didn't know how to react. Everypony who has seen his powers or experienced them when he unleashes them, they say the opposite thing. Sure there's Twilight, but that's one out of... a million. Now, that makes two. Four if Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle feel the same about them.

Usually how this goes, it would basically seem harmless and not such a big deal, but once unleashed at the WORST possible time, the light would be forgotten as darkness controls him. Everypony gave him names that was no where near good. They shout at Spike for being dangerous and at Twilight for not helping him control them. Of course, Twilight helps Spike the best way she could. She tried harder and harder everyday, but Spike couldn't control it no matter how hard he tried.

'Twilight, I can't do it. I... I can't do it Twi. I can't control it,' he cried.

Twilight frowned. 'Yes you can,' she said.

Spike shook his head. 'No I can't,' he cried a little louder.

Twilight narrowed her eyes in determination. 'Yes you can,'Twilight says louder.

Spike backed away. 'No I can't!' he yelled through sobs.

Twilight took a step forward. 'Yes you can!' she yelled, tears behind her eyes. 'I know you Spike! I know you can do this!' she exclaims.

Spike felt the anger and sadness in his heart. He tried to make her understand. 'I... CAN'T!' he yells in anger and frustration. Shadows of the unknown darkness strikes Twilight hard in the chest. She yelled out a scream of agony as she fell backwards, crashing againsted the wall.

Spike eyes were red as tears were behind his eyes. 'TWILIGHT!'

Spike's eyes slightly widened at that flashback.

"Dude, you okay? You blacked out there," Scootaloo says.

Spike had hidden his face some more, only one eye showing, shining brightly, and the other covered by the hood on his head, only seeing darkness on that part of his face.

"It's nothing," Spike mumbled. Apple Bloom cringed. On his behalf.

Apple Bloom, trying to change the subject, tried thinking about the class they were in. What were they doing in here? What's the purpose? Where the heck was the teacher?!

The door was then burst open, causing everypony to stop what they were doing and sit in random seats.

Soon, a female Earth pony walked in the classroom, closing the door behind her. Her eyes shined brightly at her students. She continued to walk as she stood in front of the class.

"Hello students, my name is Ms. Cheerlie. I can tell you that it's going to be a great year. In this class, you will be trained to master your power. You will be taught martial arts, karate, kung fu, etc. With that being said, we will need a proper setting to our goal then, hu?" she smiles, flipping a switch from the back wall, revealing a white button. She presses the button as the room began to change. The students, especially Apple Bloom, stared in awe.

The room was way cooler than Apple Bloom had expected. "Look at everything. Look at the gagets, look at the weapons, look at the technology! I must touch the all," Apple Bloom says, very faced paced.

The teacher smiles. "All of that will be happen later. Now before we begin for today, I want you to talk among each other. Introduce yourselves. Be comfortable with who you are," she says.

'I love you Spike. And remember, always be confident with who you are," the sweet voice of Twilight said.

Spike frowned as he felt his fingers twitch, causing him to use his other claw to force himself to stop.

"You have about a few minutes," she says.

So, everypony began to socialize.

Spike, however, didn't feel like talking.

Sweetie Belle wasn't ganna take that. She made a mental vow. Scootaloo wasn't ganna take that either. He was way to cool to be silent.

"Let's keep the ball game rolling," Scoots says, waving around her hoof when she said "rolling."

"Yeah," Sweetie agreed. "Like, what's your favorite food?"

Spike cringed at the word, "food." Apple Bloom sees this and knows why. She really felt bad for him. And yet, she was the filly who one time in the past told AJ that, "filles don't have symphony."

"Guys, we should REALLY change the subject," Apple Bloom warns.

Sweetie Belle gave her an confused expression. "Why?"

"I can't say, but-"

The filly was cut off by the orange pegasus. "Come on! With a cool dude like him, his favorite food has to be spicy vegetarian burritos," she said. "The best food in the world!" She exclaims with her fist in the air.

Spike winced and Apple Bloom noticed. "Um... guys I -"

Sweetie shook her head. "No no. It has to be a delegate meal. More like a salad with steamed vegetables or some fruit or..."

"Blah blah blah," the rebellious pegasus says. "Seriously, who introduced you to those foods anyway? They are BORING!"

"Well, let's ask him then!"

Scootaloo scoffed. "I bet he picks the burritos," she says without a doubt. The two filles turned towards him.

"So dude, what's ya favorite? It could be spicy vegetarian burritos or vegetarian pizza, heck, even cake. Anything but those BORING foods Sweetie Belle mentioned," she says with a smirk and curious eyes. Sweetie and Scoots waited for an answer, but none came. The silence became confusing to the unicorn and pegasus, akaward to the Earth pony, and painful to Spike.

His right fist clenched beside him. "I don't eat," he said in pain.

Scootaloo frowns. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Spike clenches his fist tighter. "I'm fine," he grunted.

"You don't sound fine," Sweetie says in a matter of fact tone.

"Look, not eating sounds cool, but it's not healthy," Scoots says.

"What do you know?" Spike snapped.

"Ouch dude. I think this, "non eating thing" is making you paranoid," the rebellious filly says, flapping her wings.

"Just... forget about it. I'll be fine," he says.

Apple Bloom decided to finally speak. "Are ya sure? It will do ya some good."

Spike felt his clenched fist shaking in anger, but he tried to calm down. He wasn't angry at them directly, he was angry at the words that were said. It brings back painful memories.

"It's only an illusion. Food, health, life. All of it. It's nothing but pain. Pain and darkness that will consume the soul. Said soul will be black, cold, and ash. That's what it will immediately turn into once the soul breaks. Ash. It will happen to everypony someday, so might as well say souls are illusions. Might as well say that health is an illusion. Therefore, life is an illusion," he mumbled.

The three filles stared at him in absolute fear. Spike pulled his hood deeper over his head. Luckily, the teacher decided to speak up.

"Alright, it's time for the socializing to come to a close," she said. She pointed her hoof to the wall with screens on them. "These screens show your training partners. Were not ganna do this everyday, though. Once you get the hang of your training, you will be able to fight each other. Today, I wanna see what ya got. Now come up here and find your partners," she says.

Everypony ran towards the walls, looking for their names.

Sweetie squinted her and saw her name was by Scootaloo. "Alright! Me and Scootaloo got each other!" she exclaims, punching her fist in the air.

"Just no romance crap during our training," Scoots says.

Sweetie Belle gave her a salute. "Right Scootaloo," she says, trying to sound like the ponies from the military.

Apple Bloom was kinda glad she didn't get either of them. They were annoying. Apple Bloom squinted her eyes, looking for her name. 'Apple Bloom, Apple Bloom, Apple Bloom... Ha! There it is! My partner is..."

Apple Bloom- Spike.

"Spike?"

"It's fate," Sweetie says teasingly.

Apple Bloom grunted in annoyance. "It ain't fate."

Sweetie smiles. "Right..."

Scootaloo flapped her wings once more. "Well, I'm ganna find a training spot for us. See you there," she says, walking away.

"It's fate," Sweetie says.

Apple Bloom grunted in annoyance once more. "Like you getting hit by my rocks is fate," Apple Bloom threatened.

"Nope," she squeaked, teleporting away from her.

Apple Bloom sighed in relief. "So, wanna train there?" She asked, pointing at the area filled with screens on the walls, weapons for battle, etc.

Spike walked away saying, "Forget what I said."