It was lightly raining outside as Twilight and Spike organized books and worked on lesson plans. It had been about a week since the Sludge incident and Twilight could tell Spike was devastated though he said he was fine, Twilight knew he wasn't.
"I'm sorry Spike, I know you must still be devastated." Twilight said in a Somber tone as she dusted off a book.
"It's ok, Twilight. I'm fine really, I'm actually kinda glad he turned out to not be father." Spike said with a slight chuckle.
"Oh? And why is that?" Twilight asked questioningly knowing she might have the answer.
"I don't think I could live without brushing my teeth or taking a bath." Spike said with a small smile causing a bigger smile on Twilight who pulled out a bag with something inside.
"Hehe, yeah, he also probably would have made you give up this obsession." Twilight said as she pulled out the newest edition of the power ponies comic in a protective sleeve.
Spike's eyes widened and watered as he flew down and looked at the comic in administration, "yeah, he probably would have; I can't wait to read this." Spike said, but instead of reading right away he burst into tears and wrapped his arms around Twilight hugging her.
Twilight was surprised as she wrapped her wings around him. "What's wrong Spike?" Twilight asked in a worried tone thinking she may have gotten an issue he already had.
"It's just, I so wanted to believe that Sludge was my father, but in doing so I wound up hurting my real parent the one who always looks out for me, I just can't forgive myself for hurting you Twilight, I'm sorry." Spike said as her cried into her chest as her wings caressed him.
Twilight put the comic back in the bag with a sigh of relief as she placed it on the table for Spike; then she lifted his head with her hoof so his eyes met her's and with her right wing she wiped the tears from his eyes and spoke.
"I forgive you, Spike. Yes I was heartbroken when you said that, but you weren't thinking straight." Twilight said as she continued to wipe away his tears.
"Kinda like you when you go crazy with your own problems?" Spike asked breathing heavily in-between sobs.
Twilight giggled knowing this was the case and said "exactly like me when I go crazy, and do you know what that shows?"
"What?" Spike asked looking up his eyes puffy and red from crying.
"That you're just like me, and like my son." Twilight said as she pulled him in for another hug.
They stood there hugging for a few seconds until Twilight broke the hug. "Hey, tell you what, how about we put off organizing these books for tomorrow, and you and I can play some Ogres and Oubliettes or anything else you want to do.'' Twilight said planning on spending the rest of the day with Spike doing things that he liked with him.
Spike who has finally calmed down from crying rubbed his eyes ''Are you sure Twilight? you don't have to. I'll be fine reall-''
Before Spike could finish his thought Twilight gently covered his mouth with her hoof and spoke, ''I know I don't need to, but I want to. I know I don't say it much Spike, but I really do see you has family, you're like a son to me."
Spike started tearing up again as he hugged Twilight once more, ''Thank you, mamma.'' spike said as Twilight carried him out of the library on her back like she used to do before he got wings.
The rest of the day was spent with Twilight doing things with Spike that he enjoyed, they played Ogres and Oubliettes, read Power Ponies comics and even acted out a few scenes from the comics, and had dinner with Twilight making herself a sandwich and making Spike his favorite dish of deep fried gemstones. After dinner it was clear that Spike along with Twilight was exhausted, and who could blame the, they spent the whole day together and had a blast Spike despite having matured still felt too tired to walk so Twilight carried him to bed on her back and tucked him into his bed, before she left she planted a kiss on his forehead and whispered in his ear "good night, my son, sweet dreams." she the proceeded out of Spike's room turning off the light then entered her room and went to bed where she began to dream.
Twilight tossed and turned in her sleep moaning and mumbling all while kicking her legs as if she was running, running for her life; in her dream she saw a boiler and a shadowy figure, she couldn't make out the shape, but knew one thing for certain, it was no pony. The spectre changed at her screaming as if it was angry at her, it also sounded like it was in pain, when seeing the spectre run after her Twilight ran, but couldn't seem to shake it, and when it caught her she woke up screaming and in a cold sweat.
Upon hearing her screams Spike comes in to check on her. "Twilight, is everything okay?" Spike asked as her slowly got closer and gingerly started to stroke her back to calm her down while she took deep breaths.
Twilight catching her breath and wiping the sweat from her head just looked in the distance, ''I....I think so, Spike, just a bad dream.'' Twilight said as she got out of bed, not wanting to go back to sleep. "Thanks for checking on me, Spike.'' Twilight said with a slight smile as she trotted to the kitchen.
In the kitchen Twilight made her a cup of Chamomile tea then went to the library to read a book, she she couldn't go back to sleep the dream, no, the nightmare she had, had completely woken her up and made sleep elude her. she took a look at the time on a clock hanging on a nearby wall to find it was three in the morning. I could catch up on sleep when the sun comes up. Twilight thought, but remembered she had volunteered to help Applejack on the orchard so maybe the nightmare helped her out a bit.
After hour had passed when the clock read five, Twilight made her way to Sweet Apple Acres and saw Applejack ready for work. "Mornin' Twilight." Applejack said greeting her friend with a smile on her face.
Twilight with bags under her eyes let out a yawn before answering. "Morning Applejack, are you ready to get to work?"
"um, yeah. say Twilight, ya alright? ya look like death." Applejack asked with concern.
''Oh, yeah. I'm okay Applejack. Just a bit of a restless night." Twilight said forcing a smile, but Applejack raised an eyebrow knowing there was some thing she wasn't telling her.
"Twilight, I know there's somethin' yer not tellin' me, please, I can tell when something's wrong, so please tell me what's troublin' ya." Applejack said as she put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.
Twilight let out a sigh before she told Applejack the whole story. "I...I was in some sort of boiler room and a shadowy figure I couldn't identify was chasing me as if it wanted to hurt me. It wasn't like any dream or nightmare I ever had, it felt..............real" Twilight said occasionally flinching at the memories.
''Twilight, maybe you should ask Celestia and Luna about this, I'll handle the chores. I don't want you working when this is going on." Applejack said with concern for her friend.
''Alright Aj, thank you for your advice." Twilight said as she spread her wings and flew towards Canterlot.
revealed truths and a soul put to rest
Twilight flew over Canterlot, barely managing to land in her sleep deprived state, but she managed to land without any trouble and made her way to the castle. Upon approaching the entrance the guards let her in with no questions and without saying a word while she made her way to Celestia's throne
Twilight entered the throne room and approached her mentor and friend and spoke. "Princess, I have a problem I wish to discuss and after speaking with my friend Applejack, she told me you may be able to help, I also believe Luna may be able to help as well." Twilight said groggily.
"Of course Twilight, anything you want to know you can ask me." Celestia said as she got up from her throne and approached Twilight. "Let us take this to the garden." Celestia said as she levitated a plate covered with a cloche out of the kitchen. "I was just on my way to the garden before you came to be honest." Celestia said with a warm smile.
Twilight and Celestia entered the garden where canopy with a table was waiting. Taking a seat at the canopy Celestia lifts the cloche and reveals that an assortment of cookies and held two teacups and a teapot letting off steam.
Celestia poured a cup of tea and levitated it to Twilight with a small plate of cookies. "I always come here when I need to relax, so Twilight what seems to be troubling you?" Celestia asked.
Twilight before speaking took a sip of the tea smiling at the warm feeling it gave her. "I've had this horrible dream that kept me up since three, I thought you might have some insight for what it means." Twilight told Celestia confiding in her. Twilight took a deep breath before telling her.
Celestia listened to Twilight's story intensely with shocked eyes and a low sigh. After Twilight had finished Celestia stood up and approached Twilight wrapping a wing around her before speaking.
"I may have an idea on what's plaguing you, 'tis true I can't travel into the dream realm, but for this I don't have to. Perhaps you are ready to know something I've been keeping secret from you Twilight."
Twilight leaned in listening intently as her mentor started telling a story from when she was just a foal.
"It was before you were born, but upon a rainy night, I found a dragon on the verge of starvation living in a crude hut outside of the Dragon Lands. He looked at me with saddened and tearful green eyes as if he had given up all hope, I felt sorry for him, so I sat down beside him and shared the lunch I prepared before going out, thinking I'd be out for awhile. He took the half I offered him and wolfed it down as if somepony would take it away from him. I asked him for his name to which he said with weary voice. "Gaius". After learning his name I decided to invited him to the castle to get out of the rain, to which he accepted with a nod." Celestia said as she began the story
Twilight listened with eager anticipation as she hung on every word of the story as her mentor continued after taking a sip of her tea.
"After we arrived at the castle, the guards were on high alert and as soon as they seen Gaius. They pointed their spears at him thinking he was a threat only for him to recoil in fear. I told my guards to stand down as I stood Infront of them shielding Gaius. "This is my guest and I expect you to treat him as such." This... This was the first time, since I used my royal Canterlot voice for a long time not to mention my diplomatic meetings. Upon hearing this, my guards stood down and allowed the purple dragon entry along with apologies to him and myself.
"I offered Gaius a guest room and told him that he is welcome at dinner. I said I'd be preparing spaghetti and asked if he'd like anything special. He just rolled his eyes with sadness and said "Gems, if you have any to spare, but if not it's ok for me." I nodded and left him to get acquainted with his room. I went off to the kitchen and started to prepare the dinner, looking for a few gems for my guest, but none were found. I finished making dinner and went with the plates to Gaius so he could eat." Celestia continued as her voice changed from professional to fondness.
Celestia continued her story recounting the events a little faster after taking a sip of her tea and a little nibble of a cookie.
"We sat there in the guest room and ate, the silence was deafening until he broke the silence by telling me his plans when he was dragon lord, he told me he had been planning to make peace with the ponies and live in harmony, he had been planning on meeting with me, but was usurped before he got the chance as tears filled his eyes and all I could do was sit by him and wrap my wing around him.
"Days turned to weeks and weeks turned into months and Gaius and I started to spend more time together, we would discuss what troubled us and lent each other a shoulder to cry on when we needed it. It wasn't long before we started a relationship."
Twilight hung on every word as she listened with fierce intensity, surprised to hear that her mentor was dating a dragon. "Wow, Celestia, I can't believe you were dating a dragon.'' Celestia just nodded silently as she sipped her tea before speaking again.
"More than dated." Celestia corrected her young student as she was fighting back a tear. "We soon married and had an egg if you could believe it, I don't know how to explain it myself, but one day a dragon tried to take the egg and Gaius fought tooth and nail in order to get it back, when I arrived to help it was too late Gaius laid injured and barely clinging to life, his lat request was that I raise our kid, a request I soon ignored and instead passed the torch." Celestia finished as she wiped away a tear.
Twilight stood there puzzled until she caught on. ''I think I understand, but why did you give the responsibility to somepony else?"
Celestia eyed her student with tears in her eyes before speaking, "because I couldn't make the same mistake again."
''Again?" Twilight asked unsure of what she meant, but was soon answered before she could speak.
"Yes, I was supposed to raise Blueblood when his parents died, but I was so busy and unsure of how to be a caregiver that I left it to the other royals, a decision that made him vain and snobbish, I didn't want to make that mistake again, so I gave him to whoever could hatch his egg, and seeing how he is I'm glad you were the one." Celestia said fighting back tears as she smiled. "So you see I think it's the spirit of Gaius, why don't you go get Spike, we'll go visit Gaius at his grave.
Twilight did as instructed and went to get Spike, when they arrived at Caterlot, Celestia escorted them to her garden where there was a lone statue of a dragon and the name "Gaius" etched in stone, this was a grave marker, but not everypony knows.
As Twilight, Celestia, and Spike stood at the grave silently a transparent figure watched from behind as a tear fell from his face and he departed without a word.
