Spike's Letter
I don't own My Little Pony or the Characters
Dear Princess Luna,
I realise that I have been in touch with neither your nor with your sister for the last couple of decades. I apologise for not writing any sooner, but as you know, the time has a habit of running off like a scared animal sometimes. Please be assured that I hold no ill will against you. I have simply kept myself busy all these years. The reason I write is, that I have returned to Ponyville and settled down in a cave not far from the Everfree Forest. I thought it might be a good idea for me to inform you of this, considering my species. Another reason is this: Ponyville is still Ponyville, even if the rest of Equestria is changing. Ponies here still hold on to Nightmare Night as strongly as ever. I do not know if that is any comfort to you. If not, let me tell you another story; it is about three small fillies that remind me a lot about three of my best friends from back a couple of centuries ago – and not just because they happen to be descendants. I want to tell you about Apple Cider, Pumpkin Pie and Moonbeam.
As you may have already guessed, Apple Cider and Pumpkin Pie are descendants of Applejack and Pinkie Pie. That being said they are nothing like those girls. Well, Apple Cider can be excessively stubborn and she works hard every day to maintain Sweet Apple Acres – but that is where the similarities end. When she doesn't work, A.C. loves to read. She reads everything that she can get her hoofs on if it relates to apples, farming or new technologies. She checks and double checks all her chores so she can make sure that she has nothing to worry about when she sits down to read in the evening.
Pumpkin Pie may be pink, but she is very introverted and spends most of her time helping Apple Cider. It is actually rather cute how much those two are like sisters. Pumpkin has a talent for storytelling. She may not be the life of the party and she is shy amongst most adults and even her peers. But around younger fillies, she is an awe-inspiring master of creating moods and emotions through words, tone and gestures. Nightmare Night would be considered boring without Pumpkin Pie's ghost stories.
Now, Moonbeam is quite a character. She's a tiny unicorn with a purple coat and a dark marking around her left eye. She has a knack for making others feel comfortable enough to talk about the hard things without any fear of judgement. Unlike her ancestor, Rarity, Moonbeam doesn't really care about fashion and she can't sow. It's not that she doesn't enjoy beauty, she just enjoys a different kind of beauty. Moonbeam has an almost uncanny ability to find beauty in everypony around her. She does so by talking to them. You see, Princess, Moonbeam can't see with her eyes. She's blind. She has to trust her heart.
So these are the three fillies that I look out for most of the time these days: A manic earth pony with a love of books and lists, a shy storyteller and a blind unicorn with a knack for psychology. Seeing them together takes some getting used to, but they are always together. And their friendship and loyalty is both bizarre and inspiring at the same time. Allow me to present an example from two weeks ago – the night of the Grand Galloping Gala, to be precise.
While their older siblings were in Cantalot, Apple Cider, Pumpkin Pie and Moonbeam decided to throw their own little party, which was more of a tea party than an actual gala, at Sweet Apple Acres. They even sent me an invitation and I went just to humour them. They were all dressed up and their manes had small silk bows in them.
While we were listening to music, drinking tea and chatting, Moonbeam asked me politely if there were more cupcakes, and if I would hand her one with sprinkles. I did, but before I could give it to her, a golden hoof stopped my hand in its movement.
"Not that one Uncle Spike!" Apple Cider warned in the thick, southern accent so distinct to the Apple Family: "That one's got pink frosting. She'll be sick!"
"Oh dear," I said and asked if Moonbeam was allergic to the pink frosting.
"No," said Apple Cider, "but she's highly allergic to hazelnuts and that one is full of them. Better give her a cupcake with blue frosting and silver sprinkles; those are 100% nut free."
I handed Moonbeam another cupcake and Pumpkin Pie took it upon herself to tell me about their system in a calm and positive manner. Since Moonbeam was allergic to nuts and Apple Cider was gluten intolerant, they made three different kinds of cupcakes, but they all looked exactly the same when they came out of the oven. So they had invented the frosting system to make sure that no-one got sick. Blue frosting meant nut free, green frosting meant gluten free and orange frosting meant ordinary. It had actually been Moonbeams idea after they had had some difficulties baking together with Apple Cider's grandmother earlier this year. She had asked if any of their manes had a similar colour. Since all three look nothing alike, Moonbeam suggested a system of telling the difference by making the frosting match the colour of their manes.
I chuckled a little at that story. It was cute and it gave me confidence that even if Princess Twilight's original best friends were long dead, the Princess of Friendship would always find a home in Ponyville. It may be a small place, but it is one where friendship is valued highly.
I told her about this experience the following day as I helped her with some of her royal duties. It made her laugh. She even enchanted an old Daring Do book and gave it to me with instructions: "Give this book to Moonbeam, next time you see her. I've cast a spell on it, so the letters have all turned into braille text."
I looked at the cover. It had a picture of both Daring Do and a pony with an uncanny likeliness to Rainbow Dash on the cover. I chuckled again. Of course, the Princess of Friendship would give exactly this book to the problem solving blind unicorn. It came as no surprise to me.
Princess Luna, I write you this letter because I have noticed that you seem sad these days. I don't know what is going on or even if it is any of my business. Forgive me, if I'm trespassing where I should not, but I thought you might need a friendly reminder that life is not all bad. I'm centuries old and yes, losing Rarity hurt me. Losing all our friends hurt us, both Princess Twilight and me. But life goes on and every time a door closes, another one opens. Do I miss Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash? Yes. Does the sorrow consume me every second of every day? No. I still have Twilight, you and Celestia. I even have a lot of new friends that I would never have met if I only had the lifetime of an ordinary pony to live.
I genuinely love being Uncle Spike. I enjoy spending time with those fillies. I remember being so proud when Pumpkin Pie came galloping into my cave to show off her cutie mark. I would not miss out on those experiences for the world.
Old memories and experiences are good.
New experiences are good.
Life goes on and there are always new friends to be made, new foods to taste, new systems to learn. I have honestly learned much more about technology by helping Apple Cider build a better watering system, then I could have from any book in the Canterlot library. I have learned more about organising from helping Moonbeam find her way around the Everfree Forest and its plants than I ever did from making lists.
Most importantly: I have grown myself. I'm not like your average adult dragon. I still have my keep and my gems, but there are more important things in my life. I defend Ponyville and it's residents with everything I've got. It's my home. It's where my family is – where my family has always been for the last couple of centuries. And I may have gone out on my own adventures from time to time, but I always come back here, even if it takes me 20 years. I will always be there for my family.
That family includes you.
If you ever need me – just say the word, and I'll be there.
Yours truly
Spike the Dragon