Apples and Tiaras

a train from Ponyville rolled down the track, heading for Trottingham. most were heading there to buy supplies for Hearth's Warming Eve. One passenger in particular was pretty excited.

a young pony/dragon hybrid filly stuck her head out the nearby window, eagerly waiting to see the approching city. "This is so exciting! i've never been anyplace other then Canterlot or Ponyville before."

her dragon father chuckled. "calm down, Fire Ruby. it's just a new city."

"But it's a city i've never been to before. and Aunt Applebloom is living there. i can't wait to meet her again."

the Dragon chuckled. "Right. i forgot she moved to Trottingham. think we should've brought your mother and sister. they never saw Trottingham themselves."

Fire Ruby sat back down at their seat. "I don't think Sis would, not with that bad cold. and you don't really want Aunt Applebloom to catch it, do you?"

She had him there. "Guess not." he crossed his legs and rested his head on the seat. "Applebloom is going to be surprised to see us. hope Trottingham is treating her all right."

"Listen here, Green Day!" Applebloom exclaimed angrily. the mean Gryphon had taken it upon himself to 'persuade' the bank to foreclose on Applebloom's business, which hasn't even opened yet. He convinced them that Applebloom would never pay them back for the loan. "I spent 5 months trying to get this place ready for when i open it up next month! Then you have to go and pull this Bison-Shit!? What in Tartarus is wrong with you!?!"

the smug feeling Gryphon raised his wings and flew over. "this is payback for making me look like a complete fool!"

"You are a fool! You're just too stubborn and stupid to see it."

Green Day growled. he's really starting to hate this pony. "you want a repeat of last time? cause i can do that!"

"I Just want you to leave me and Tiara alone! is that too much to ask, Green Day?"

"Yes, It-- wait..."

*scene stops*

"Green Day? my name is Green Star."

Applebloom blinked in confusion. "You sure? i thought it was Green Day."

"No, that was the name of a no-show in Discordian Troubles." he pulled out the 'book' and flipped to that page. "See?"

Applebloom pulled out a pair of glasses and looked. oh, yeah. "Oh.... then why does the script..." Applebloom reached off screen and pulled out this chapters script. "Yeah, it says Green Day."

the Gryphon leaned in and read it. "what? but my name is Green Star? why was he calling me Green Day?"

"I don't know, he's gotten lazy lately. have you seen the last two chapters?" Applebloom tossed the script and glasses away. she spoke to the off-screen crew. "We're ready for another take."

okay. quiet on the set. Quiet! Lights, Camera, Action.

*resume scene*

"I just want you to leave me and Tiara alone! is that too much to ask, Green Star?!"

"Yes it is, you insolent little mare!" he turned and headed to the exit. "and i'm going to give you one warning." he kicked the door out. "Leave town now! or else i won't be responsible for what happens to Tiara. or the kid." he smugly smiled at that last part.

Applebloom gasped out of fear then growled out of anger. "You stay the hell away from Tiara and Crown!! YOU HEAR ME!!? YOU MESS WITH THEM- YOU EVEN TOUCH ONE HAIR -AND I'LL TURN YOU INTO GRYPHON CHOPS MYSELF!!!"

Green Star just smugly smiled and flew on out. Man, he is the worst. angry, Applebloom ran out. she grabbed a rock and threw it as hard as she could at the Gryphon. it fell short and fell harmlessly into a bush.

"Damn Gryphon!" she looked back at her now defunct Veterinary Practice and sighed. she never even had a chance to even open it. "Dammit, Green Star. why can't you leave us alone?"

"He really did that?" Tiara gasped. Applebloom had returned home and told Tiara, Zim, and Snowdrop the entire story. Zim had been hard at work adding extensions to his house so Applebloom and Tiara could live there, as he and Snowdrop are scared stiff about becoming parents and need help.

"Yes. the bastard convinced the back to close down my practice, before i even got it open. then he threatened to come after you if i don't leave town."

Zim scoffed in anger. "What a bastard. why not call the cops on this guy?"

"He's got pull on the police chief." Tiara said. "From what i heard when we still going out, he walked in on the chief having an affair and promised to keep shut if he ignores what Green Star does."

Snowdrop angrily crossed her hooves. "That explains a whole lot."

Applebloom didn't like this. she hates being put in this kind of situation. "Why not call Celestia or Luna?" Zim suggested. "You're part royalty now with your brother-in-law being Duchess Trixie's brother. surely you have some pull."

Applebloom got stern and slammed her hooves on the table. "No! this is my problem and i can deal with it myself!"

Tiara asked in a fearful sympathetic tone, "Bloom..."

Applebloom sighed. "I... i don't want any help from them on this. otherwise, i'll fail what i set out to do; prove i can live on my own, without help from them." she just realized she sounded like a complete hypocrite. She got help from Tiara and Filthy Rich to get her practice in the first place. and she just knew they were gonna ask that.

without a word, Applebloom turned and headed out the door. Tiara hates it when she is like this, oh so much. she wishes she could do something, anything to help her. but she can't do much.

Applebloom walked though the southern park, kicking a tin can in front of her, constantly cursing. "Damn Green Star... Damn Green Star... Damn Green Star." just mentioning his name made her blood boil.

ever since she came here, that damned Gryphon was constantly getting in her way. and when she started going out with Tiara, it got even worse. why is he such a mean man?

"ARGH! I HATE YOU, GREEN STAR!!!" she kicked the can with all her might, sending it spinning though the air. it went over the park fence and rolled down a hill. Applebloom panted heavily and angrily. Damn... this is too much. why is this happening to her?

"wow. never saw this side to you before."

Applebloom was surprised to hear that voice. It had been 5 months and he was in Ponyville. what is he doing all the way here in Trottingham, she's going to find out. she turned around and faced the dragon. "Spike?"

the grown up purple dragon smiled. "Long time no see, Applebloom."

"Applebloom!"

Tiara called out for her missing lover, hoping to find her. for whatever reason, she always goes to the parks. guess it reminds her a lot about home. and she can see why; it's so peaceful and so serene, just like Ponyville.

"APPLEBLOOM!! dammit, where did you go?"

"LOok out beloW!"

Tiara stopped walking beneath a tree and looked around to find it when something fell from above, crashed into her back, and made her fall to the ground.

both mares moaned. "Ow..."

Tiara got up, making the other mare roll off her. she rubbed where the other mare fell and groaned. "Watch it." she snapped.

the filly rolled onto her back and groaned. "Sorry... a branch broke."

Tiara opened her eyes and saw the mare who fell onto her. it was a filly, a dragon/pony hybrid filly, with large enthesis on the pony aspect. that means mom's a pony. "Who are you? and why were you up in a tree?"

the filly got up and brushed herself off. "My name is Fire Ruby and i'm here with my dad. and i was up in the tree because i wanted to be, got it preggo?."

her dad? must be her dragon side. seems she may have inherited his mouth. "so... why aren't you with your dad?"

"well... he saw someone from his past and went to go have a talk with her. he told me to play here until he came back."

"Really? not exactly good parenting." wait, she's avoiding the subject. "wait, you fell onto me! you could've harmed my baby."

Ruby looked at the mares belly and went 'Nah!'

"Nah?! do you have no respect to your elders? Your not going to say your sorry?"

Ruby yawned, not really caring. "You almost done. i'm getting tired."

Oh, that is it. she doesn't know who her father is but he is shirking his duties. this Filly is almost as bad as High Rise. and if she's not going to apologize right now, she has another plan in mind. "that's it." Tiara grabbed Ruby's ear and pulled on it, dragging the shrieking filly behind her. "We're gonna find your dad and make him make you apologize. fortunately, there's not a lot of dragons in Trottingham."

Applebloom was initially surprised by Spike's sudden appearance in Trottingham but it quickly went away. He explained that he and Ruby came to get some supplies for Rarity on a new dress she's making for the Vocal Queen, her own sister Sweetie Belle, and would be heading back to Ponyville tomorrow.

While he was here, Applebloom felt like she had to talk to him, and she did. she talked about every single aspect of what happened since she arrived; reuniting with Tiara, helping her with the baby... Green Star...

Applebloom nervously fidgeted with a leave as she and Spike sat on a bench. "And now... Green Star has convinced the bank to close down my practice before i had a chance to open it and is making me leave town or else he'll hurt Tiara and Crown... or worse."

Spike was stunned to hear someone was that mean. "Wow. sounds worse then Gilda when we first met her."

Applebloom stuttered like a horse. "Green Star is much, much worse then Gilda. and unlike Gilda, he's not going to try to become good."

Spike just took it all in and thought the whole situation over. "Well... have you tried contacting Princess Celestia? or Cadence; i know the Crystal Empire is near here."

Applebloom angrily snarled and got up. "No!" Spike almost jumped when she snapped. "When i left to come out here, i told Applejack i could make it on my own; to show that i can make it without her help. and i am! and i am not going to let some dumb Gryphon make me leave town and tear me away from Tiara! Not now, not ever! i'll deal with Green Star my own way!"

Spike just sat there, not sure what to say to this new Applebloom. she sure wasn't like this when she was a filly. But... he respects her wishes, even if they are stupid. "Okay. okay." Applebloom sighed and sat down. "I will tell them but i'll also tell them you want to deal with this on your own."

Applebloom sighed. "Sorry for that, Spike... this whole thing with Green Star is really getting to me. *sigh* why does he do these things? why is he on Nightmare Moon levels of nastyness?"

Spike shrugged. he doesn't know; he never met him. "i don't know. but you seem to be doing a good job about it."

a good job? "How?"

"Well, he's gotta be nervous about you. otherwise, he would've have gone to that big of a attack by making the bank take your practice. he's nervous about you."

Applebloom sighed. it's not really helping. "*Sigh* Spike... i'm just... i'm tired of all this. i just wish Green Star will leave us alone."

"And he will. once you deal with him."

Applebloom sighed again. all this talk about Green Star is making her feel down again. She had to change the subject. "So..... how's everyone in Ponyville doing?"

Spike scoffed. "way to change the subject." Applebloom smiled as best she could. "Well, it's the same old same old. everyone's doing what they do best, kids are celebrating winter break. everyone's doing fine."

Applebloom gave a warm chuckle. "Good. ... and how's Applejack?"

"Doing good. She wants to have another baby and Zilver is counter arguing that Peppy is enough."

Applebloom chuckled again. "Yeah. sounds like them. and Rarity?"

"Doing good. Fire Ruby has the both of us doing somersaults. i told her not to try that new highly-caffeinated soda when it came out while she was pregnant but Rarity didn't listen."

"Speaking of babies, Celestia says your gonna have one yourself."

"What?! i'm not even-- oh... with Tiara."

"yep. she told us what happened when she came back. Sounds like she had a tough time in Trottingham."

Applebloom sighed again. "And most of it was Green Star's fault. but she's surviving. She's like Twilight; it may be a rape baby but she's still going to love it just the same. and i'm like Halo in that sense; it may not be mine but i'm still going to love her just the same."

Spike smiled. guess Twilight is rubbing off on her. "you know, i have to admit, i was surprised to see that you hooked up with Diamond Tiara of all ponies. weren't you two the worst of enemies?"

Spike remembers that? man, she feels embarrassed. "yeah, but... but recently, i saw that she was a very sensitive and wounded soul. And one thing led to another and we discovered that we were in love with each other; have been since grade school." She closed her eyes and tried to visualize her. "Her flowing mane... her gentle smile... her warm eyes... her lavender smell... these are just a few of the things i love about her. and things i would never trade for anything."

gee, that sounds very familiar. sounds very much how Spike felt... how he still feels... about Rarity. "I can see that."

it also gave Applebloom her answer. She cares about Tiara too much to leave. "And that's why... why i have to stay. i have to protect her from Green Star, even if it costs me my life. at least then, Tiara and Crown will be at peace."

now that's true love. shame they never saw it sooner. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"agreed... i love her and i want to be with her."

a silence fell on the two old friends, a silence that was broken by a sudden shout. "Hey! Dragon Boy!" both Spike and Applebloom turned in the direction the shout came from.

Tiara walked up, dragging Ruby behind her. "You mind talking to your kid!? She's completely rude!"

Spike's mouth dropped a bit then looked to Applebloom, who chuckled nervously. "Well... some things never change."

"Applebloom?" Tiara pulled the lazy filly over. "what are you doing here? you know this drake?"

Applebloom chuckled and hopped over the bench. "You should too. Remember Twilight's little assistant?"

"Spike? that little baby dragon? yeah, what about him?"

Applebloom chuckled and tilted Tiara's head to the dragon. "You're looking at him. this is Spike." Spike waved hello.

if she had a drink, Tiara would be spitting it up. "Spike!?! Little baby dragon Spike?"

Spike chuckled. "I think grown up would be a better term."

This is unbelievable. the last time she saw Spike, he was barely as big as them when they were fillies. now he's that big? "Wow... seems like it was just yesterday that you were pinning for Rarity. how did that turn out, by the way?"

"Married her. had 2 kids." He looked past Tiara. "one of whom you have by the ear."

One of whom sh... OH, that kid. Tiara let Ruby go. she ran behind her father. "Dad! This mean Mare yelled at me and hurt me!"

"I did not. i was just walking around when she fell out of a tree and landed on my back, making us fall. i told her to apologize cause she could've harmed Crown but she didn't!"

Spike sternly looked to his daughter. "This true, Ruby?" he asked, giving her a very stern and very mean look.

crap! the face! she can't fight that mean face. "Argh! it's true! it's all true!"

Spike smugly smiled and turned to Applebloom. "I learned that trick from Fluttershy." Applebloom exclaimed in understandment. she saw that look when 'Shy went after a Cockatrice with it. Spike returned his attention to Ruby. "Now apologize to the nice lady!"

Ruby winced and walked halfway to her. "I... i'm sorry."

"And make sure you don't forget it!" Tiara sternly said.

Spike slightly winced and looked back to Applebloom. "i can see what kind of mother she's going to turn out to be."

Applebloom shrugged nervously with a chuckle.

a sudden chill filled the air, making the mares shiver.

"Great. here comes winter!" Tiara angrily said with a shiver.

Spike and Fire Ruby weren't effected. they're dragons, half dragon in Ruby's case, so their internal fire is keeping them warm. "you guys have a place to stay?" Applebloom asked.

"No." Ruby abruptly said.

"What Ruby means to say is that we didn't get a apartment yet."

Applebloom went 'pbbt'. "no no no. no family of mine is going to stay in some sleazy apartment. You're staying with us. i'm staying at this great place with my cousin Zim. and it's just great. you'll love it!"

Spike and Ruby looked at each other. "better then nothing." they both said.

Zim, Snowdrop, High Rise, Loose Cannon, Blade, and Gentle Breeze sat around a table in ZIm's living room, playing a board game. this world's version of Monopoly.

"I believe i will buy parkway." Rise said, paying the game money to Zim, who was the banker in this game.

the door opened wide, bringing in a big chill that made them all shiver. Tiara and Ruby were blown in by the fierce wind outside. it was powerful enough to give Spike and Applebloom trouble as they closed it.

"What the heck is going on out there?" Cannon asked.

Spike and Applebloom finally got the door closed. Applebloom turned, leaned on the door, and fell. "That was intense."

Tiara shook all the snow off of her like a dog. "There's a big storm going on outside."

"A storm?" everyone looked to High Rise.

Rise was putting a nacho in her mouth when she noticed them. "What? i wasn't aware of a storm for tonight. it wasn't in the memo i got!"

"I'm sure someone somewhere was over-zealous." Spike said, brushing the snow off of him.

Breeze titled his head at the new drake. "Who is this?"

Applebloom got up and shook the snow off. "This is my Uncle Spike. he was Aunt Twilight's assistant when he was younger. practically her son. He married Rarity, the local fashionista, and they had two kids." more snow shot into the air. the dragon/pony hybrid shook the fire off her back then used her breath to melt the rest off her hooves. "One of whom is here with us."

"Man, that is a bad storm!" Ruby complained.

Applebloom rolled her eyes and ignored her. "is it okay if Spike and Fire Ruby stay with us for the night? they're leaving in the morning to head back to Ponyville."

Zim's answer wasn't one he thought about. "Sure. i don't mind. Mi Casa Es Su Casa.."

"Thanks, Zim."

Blade yawned, feeling tired from the long day she had. "I'm tired. i'm gonna head home."

"Yeah. seems like that time of night." Cannon said as he stretched. those two and their special someone's got up and headed for home.

Spike whistled at the variety in her friends. "You got quite the friends, Applebloom."

"they're not mine. they're Tiara's. i just got into the group because we knew each other."

"Ah."

the door opened again and the 4 of them came back, all of them covered in snow.

"That was fast." Tiara joked.

Rise growled and brushed the snow off her mouth. "It's a fricken blizzard; there's a fricken blizzard going on out there!"

"A Blizzard!?" Applebloom went to the window and pulled back the curtains. the street lamps, which be easily seen, were obscured from view. and they are on. "Oh, wow. there is a blizzard! and a very bad one! but i don't understand. there's supposed to be no blizzards. the Pegasi said so."

"Oh!" Ruby smacked herself in the head. "I forgot to tell you! on the way here, i heard a Windigo."

"A Windigo!?!" everyone exclaimed.

"Yeah. i heard the whinny. it was far off but i heard it."

Dragons do have exceptional hearing, and Hybrids were even better. so she must've heard a Windigo somewhere out there.

"now what?" Snowdrop asked.

This was quite the situation. no telling how long they will be trapped in the house. "I guess we wait it out." Zim said. "We have enough food in the kitchen and the basement to weather out a blizzard, least for a week or two."

that reminded Applebloom. "OH! i have to go check on Helios!" she ran out though the kitchen and to the backyard.

Spike sighed. "Guess i better let Rarity know we're gonna be stuck here for awhile."

Ruby whined. "But not too long, right? Hearth's Warming Eve is next week."

"I'm sure the blizzard will clear out by then, Ruby. we won't be stuck here for Hearth's Warming Eve."