Second Chanceby spell_squireChaptersforgotten memoriesPowers from withinThe Nightmaresfinding happinessMaking Peaceto live or not to liveforgotten memoriesChpt. 2 (Forgotten memories) It was two days after the welcoming party that Spell Squire’s things came. He frowned looking through his things, scorch marks and water damaged covered the few things that had been saved. Apparently after he left other ponies around the down had tried to burn down his house so he had nothing left to go back to. As what little luck he had would have happen, he still knew one of the ponies on the fire squad that had a soft heart that had put the fire out before things were too out of control. He sighed tossing aside another ruined box of blackened contents. So far he had found a few photo albums that were air drying, a few articles of clothing that weren’t burned to badly as well as a few of his books. For the most part it looked like his furniture was all in need of replacing along with most of his clothing which hadn’t been extensive to start with, and a good portion of his books. With a sigh Spell looked around at all his ruined things and shook his head. He knew that he was never going back but the fact they burnt his house down, he just couldn’t fathom that much anger and rejection. Standing up he walked outside, the skies were clear and nice, cool breeze greeted him as he left his house. While he had grown used to Ponyville some of its inhabitants hadn’t gotten used to him, and occasionally still gave him the odd look or sympathy or a hushed question to a friend about the unicorn with the broken horn. Walking out he decided to visit the library to see if he could borrow any of his favorite books from the library in the meantime while he waited for his new things to arrive. Looking up he smiled and sighed softly as the sun felt good on his fur. The trip didn’t take long before he was at the large tree that housed the library and one lavender mare and her assistant that Rainbow Dash was friends with. Rainbow Dash, the name made the stallion smile. She was his first real friend since his… accident. Shaking his head he walked into the library quietly and began looking for his books. As he looked his mind began to wander back to a certain mare. Dash was fun to be around but knew when business needed to be taken care of. The mare herself had also been the victim of bullying and though not as sever, she could relate with him on some level and she supported him one hundred percent in trying to find himself again. Looking back to his flank he gave a sad smile. A shield. That was his cutie mark. A sign of protection, safety, defense. When he was younger he had shown a talent for barrier and shields, spells of protection that had earned him his cutie mark, but more and more often, he’d had to use other means of protection and defense. Usually he’d run away and find a hiding place, or became evasive when other ponies were talking to him, he’d also become very agile and experienced at taking, and dodging blows anypony might toss his way. Shaking his head he sighed softly to himself and looked back to the shelf and pulled out a large blue spined book and blinked seeing a large violet eye looking at him. With a yelp of surprise the book fell from his mouth as he cowered back. The eye moved and he looked at the end of the shelving to see Twilight Sparkle come around the corner. “I thought I heard somepony in here. You’re…. Spell Squire right?” Twilight asked trying to recall the name. He blinked for a moment but nodded mutely as he stood before he leaned down again to grasp the book in his teeth, but before he could Twilight’s magic enveloped the book and lifted it to her letting him chomp on thin air. “Hmmmm, Magical Shields and Barriers A-Z For Beginners, what would an Earth…oh…” she faltered for a moment as she noticed for the first time the broken horn protruding from his forehead, “Oh! I’m so sorry Spell Squire, I di-” the stallion put his hoof up cutting her off and putting aside his hurt for the time being. “Twilight, it’s alright, I know you didn’t mean anything by it.” He felt like having a fresh made scab ripped off but he also knew from Rainbow that Twilight would never purposefully insult him. Twilight looked down and embarrassedly scrapping her hoof on the ground as she offered the book back to him. Taking it, taking it Spell took the book and slipped it into his saddle bag, “Miss Sparkle?” Hearing her name Twilight blinked coming back from her thoughts, “hmm? Oh yes Spell Squire?” The stallion sighed softly and gave her a smile, “Just Spell please. I was wondering if you could help me find these?” he asked before digging in his saddle bag for a moment before pulling out a small list of books offering it to her. Taking the list and looking it over Twilight smiled, they were mostly adventure books, but there were a few magic tomes, curiously she looked at the list and back to spell. “Some of these are really advanced Spell, can you use these?” With a soft sigh Spell Squire thought for a moment and shook his head his mane falling in his eyes “..no” he said softly before raising his head a new determined look in his eyes, “no, I can’t, but I’m still learning my craft and I’ll put myself and more behind learning to do it.” Twilight blinked and smiled as she looked at him and nodded at his resolve, “Well then Spell, if you ever need help, just ask, I’ll be happy to help.” At this, it was spell’s turn to blink and smile in return. As they went through the library, picking out the books they could together they worked out a time to meet and she could see where he was and help him practice his magic safely. As it so happened neither had much going on that evening and it was agreed to meet then. Leaving the library the stallion smiled to himself and decided to get a bite to eat on his way home. Setting his bag down he started to dig for a few bits out of his bags but paused and sat back down as he came across a familiar silver ring, the same one he had stuffed back into his bag at on the train. Shaking his head, he must have forgotten to take it out of the bag when he had started to unpack. Staring at the ring in his hoof, he tilted the ring in his hoof he tilted the ring letting the sun shimmer and sparkle on its surface. Again, memories unbidden came to light, pushing them down and shoving them into a bottle, all thoughts of food were abandoned as he absently made his way back home trying to keep a semblance of composure. She had a mane that reflected her name, Silver Lining. Cloud white and silver grey mane braided to keep it in order, her tail however she let be, it was a wild tangled spiky mess but she never cared. She had a dove grey coat and her cutie mark was a grey cloud with a silver lining and a sun peeking out behind it. She always had a smile for him, a treasure that was his lone source of warmth in a world of abuse and neglect. She was a soft voice that whispered words of hope to him in the darkness of his nights, a hoof that held him close and held close the doors to his nightmares, and held the ghosts away before the dawn. She had been his very special somepony, until the town found out. Going inside he closed the door behind him locking it as he climbed the stairs up to his room. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and focused. He felt the magic the flowed in him, visualized a trickle of that river flowing out of him to the curtains, pulling them down as grey aura flickered around the small pull knob of the shades and with a painful groan they started to close out the light of the mid-day sun. screwing his eyes shut as he focused making sure that the windows stayed close he gasped panting softly, his body was covered with a thin layer of sweat as the aura around his broken horn flickered in and out all the while shooting sparks of unfocused magic. As the blinds finally shut the aura around his horn finally winked out as he sighed deeply his entire body relaxing before he gathered himself up for one final hop up onto his bed. With a satisfied flop and groan from his bed he closed his eyes before opening them just enough to look down at his hoof staring at the ring as he drifted off, the memories of Silver Lining coming back to him like the whispers of a siren. The day was warm as Spell Squire laid out on the soft grass on the edge of town where no pony would find or bother him. When a shadow blocked the warmth of the sun, he mumbled a soft curse at the pegasus moving the cloud before opening an eye to see a familiar pair of sky blue eyes looking down at him. With a smile he rolled over getting his legs under him before standing up slowly to nuzzle the mare’s neck “hey there Silver, what are you doing out here?” Silver Lining smiled and returned the nuzzle warmly “I just thought it was too nice of a day to spend alone Spell.” she said moving around siding up to him with a smile. Together they walked through the open field just talking, more appropriate to say Silver talked and Spell listened, about the going on’s in town. Reaching an old oak tree, they had claimed as their own as they sat in its shade and continued to talk until there was nothing left to say, by then the sun touched the horizon and the shadows had grown with the evening chill making the ponies cuddle up against each other. Silver’s head finding a familiar nook in Spell’s neck that always felt like it was made for her as his chin gently rested over her head, together they lay still until Silver was snoring softly. It was these moments that Spell Squire loved… And hated… Silver Lining was the only pony in town that didn’t seem to care that his horn was broken, the only pony that didn’t look on him with pity or hate, just saw him as the pony he was and not an invalid that brought shame upon the town. At the same time though, he hated that she was given dirty looks and called names because she was his friend. She shrugged the names off saying they didn’t bother her and that the towns pony were being silly. It was for that reason he loved her, and why in secret he had gone to the next town over and though he had to pay extra because of who he was and even more in bribes to keep the smith quiet, he had commissioned a ring. It was a silver band with ground diamonds making a small line around the middle of the band. With a glance into the hollow of the tree where the ring was hidden he bit softly on his lip before leaning down and whispering softly in the mare’s ear, “Silver, are you still awake?” His reward was a gentile sigh as she shifted slightly and gave a sleepy nod and a soft mumble. With a smile he kissed her cheek softly and whispered, “I have a very important question for you,” his voice was shaking softly with nerves and anticipation but he still held a tone of amusement at how cute she looked when she was sleepy and waking up. Slowly she lifted her head to get a better look at him before nodding that she was more awake and wanting him to continue. Taking a deep breath Spell screwed shut his eyes as he focused sparks flew gently into the dimming twilight from his horn as slowly the box lifted out of the hollow behind her. Opening his eyes slowly he heard her surprised gasp not only at his rare display of magic but that inside the black velvet box was a small ring. His voice shook as the magic took its toll, “W-will you ma-marry me Silver Lining?” Silver wrapped her own magic around the ring box to help support the box in his own magic field lessening his stress out of habit as her mind was blank looking at the ring before she let out a squeal of glee and tackled the distracted stallion kissing him all over practically giggling yes between her kisses. Slowly she started to calm and cuddle back up with him and started to plan their escape from the town to be together without anypony giving them a hard time. What they didn’t notice was the distant shape of a pony running back to town. It was near two weeks later that their engagement ended, but for now he pushed those back into their box deeply and tightly sealing them away. Slowly Spell Squire rose, carefully he stretched his stiff limbs from his afternoon nap. Carefully he set the ring down on his bedside table and looked at it as if trying to glean secrets he knew it did not have before sighing softly as he got up deciding that a walk through he market would be good for him, not to mention his stomach. Spell had been through the market a few times now, for groceries and it happened to be the hub of the town. It was during one of these visits that Spell Squire had met Apple Jack. The orange mare was sitting back in her booth wearing her trademark Stetson, they had talked and gotten to know one another since the chance hadn’t arisen at the party, which she apologized for explaining that it was getting close to harvest time for most of the trees meaning that Sweet Apple Acres was even busier than normal. Approaching the booth though Spell didn't see Apple Jack but her brother Big Mac. With a smile and a nod Spell picked up a few apples and looked at the other stallion “six bits?” with a nod and his own trademark “eeyep” Spell pulled out the bits and put the apples back in his saddle bag. Looking up he noticed the town’s clock tower and cursed softly as he ran towards the library already late for his appointment. FIN. Powers from withinChpt. 3 (Powers from within) Spell Squire sighed happily, as he flopped back on his bed, the springs of his mattress protesting at the sudden weight. Turning to his side he wormed his way farther up the bed to tired to care that he was covered in his own sweat at the moment. A week had passed since his first session with Twilight and he had done well, if he were about Sweetie Belle’s age. Not to be discouraged, he had thrown himself into practice and now, he could move his dictionary across his room. It may take him a few minutes to do it, but he could move it across his room now, and that was progress in Spell’s book. Rainbow Dash had been very supportive and decided to help Spell Squire out, while getting a little practice of her own in as well. Together they had made a game of this, Rainbow would fly around the sky, as she liked, diving and rolling with as many tricks as she could use in a routine. All the while, Spell would sit in the field and focus his magic in the most basic of unicorn spells, levitation; he would try to grab Rainbow while she was in mid-flight. They were both surprised at the fact that in his first week of real practice of spell work he had managed to grab Rainbow Dash out of the sky once, and gotten close tugging at her several more times. He was amazed at how ten days in Ponyville had dramatically changed his outlook on life, and it scared him. Because if life had taught him anything it was that, nothing stayed the same for long, especially in Ponyville if Rainbow’s stories held any truth. With a soft groan, he got up, went into the bathroom, and turned on the water starting his hot shower, letting the water wash over and relax him. Picking up his long brush, he started humming a little tune that seemed to be popular in the town. Stepping out of the shower, he felt refreshed as he shook himself dry. Walking downstairs, he grabbed a bite to eat and walked out the door heading for the library and his next lesson with Twilight. Stepping out he gave a happy sigh, the sun was warm on his still drying fur as he walked through town. Walking through the market and shopping area of Ponyville, it never ceased to amaze him the diversity of the stores. Food, clothing, furniture, and of course the oddities, for such a small town it did very well for it’s self. He let his hooves take him in the direction of the tree house, as his mind wandered nowhere in particular occasionally quizzing himself on the process of levitation. His thoughts were interrupted however at the sound of a chorus of filly like giggles. In his time in Ponyville he had been well warned against the “cutie mark crusaders.” Three little fillies trying to earn their cutie marks however they could. Looking around he continued slowly his ears perked for any further noise to help him prepare him. Unbeknown to him, Celestia and Luna combined could not be prepared for the cutie mark crusaders trying to earn their cutie marks in cart chasing. First, it came as a quite squeaking as the wheels protested the momentum they gained. Then a rumble as the cart started to rattle and shake traveling down the street. Lastly, came the shrieks and panicked cries of not only the ponies in the way but the trio of filly crusaders that had gotten onto the run away cart in their attempts to stop it. Looking up the road Spell could see the cart barreling towards him. With wide eyes, he looked around quickly for cover and then saw the three fillies on board the cart, and the cliff at the end of the road. Grinding his teeth sparks began to spout from the remains of his broken horn as the magic he gathered was loosed in raw arcane power, firmly planting his hooves in the path he stood his ground the cart barreling towards him at dangerous speeds, he planned to stop this cart and save the girls, one way or another. Narrowing his eyes, he focused watching the cart’s approach before the grey aura of his magic surrounded the three fillies, lifting them up and setting them on the ground behind the runaway cart gently. As the girls touched down safely to earth a barrier appeared around them as the cart was coming dangerously close to him a barrier suddenly appeared causing wooden splinters to fly in every direction some even sticking into the dirt or thinner plaster pockets in the surrounding buildings. Panting heavily Spell slowly laid down not trusting his shaky legs at the moment while he tried to recover.“That was a bit excessive wasn’t it? B-but the girls are safe…” spell thought to himself as he laid there, his eyes slowly growing heavy as the three fillies sat there dumbfounded under their protective barrier. Once it disappeared though they seemed to come back to their senses. Apple Bloom got to the exhausted stallion first, “Mister? Are you alright?” she asked worriedly in a southern drawl that was trademarked to the apple family. Scootaloo snapped out of her trance of staring at the wreckage and zoomed over to Spell while he was shaking his head trying to clear the growing fuzz and gather his thoughts. But as he started to standing the orange coated filly crashed into the wobbly stallion causing him to fall back over as she began a barrage of questions “Ohmigosh! That was so cool! How did you DO that? We were so scared and done for but then you came out from nowhere and whoosh! Crash! We’re safe! You’re almost as cool as Rainbow Dash!” in response Spell could only lay there and gasp as he tried to catch his breath, as the little filly continued her barrage till Sweetie Belle put a hoof over Scootaloo’s mouth. “Do you need anything Spell Squire?” Sweetie asked sharing Apple Bloom’s concern. Both her friends turned and looked at her with a curious glance, neither of them had seen this stallion in town before, how did Sweetie know him? Apple Bloom then voiced her concern for the both of them “Sweetie, you know this pony?” With a nod she smiled “He’s been learning magic with me from Twilight,” looking at the stallion who was now trying to sit up again she frowned slightly a furrow coming to her brows, “But I’ve never seen him do anything like that before, didn’t Twilight tell you to take thing’s slow Mr. Spell? She didn’t know what would happen what with your horn be-” It was at this unfortunate moment that Spell fell over, passed out could much to the shock of the three fillies sitting with him. As luck would have it, today was Fluttershy and Rarity’s spa date. Hearing the crash, the mares thought it best to investigate the cause of the sudden noise. Seeing the three fillies was no surprise to the older girls, but the unconscious form of Spell Squire and the wreckage of the cart caused both girls to start and sent Rarity into her usual set of dramatics, “Oh, girls! What happened here!?” “Well, you see what ha-” Scootaloo cut off Sweetie’s explanation in an act of excitement and maybe spite. “Wewereoutcrusadingwhenthecartwentoutofcontrolandwhenwegotontothecartitjustwentfasterandthe wepanickedandSpellSquiretherecameoutofnowherealmostasawesomeasRainbowDashandsavedusstoppingthecartwhereitstoodandthenjustpassedout!” Both mares stared at the filly for a moment before she shrugged not understanding the confused look the mares shared. Raising a brow Rarity looked at the orange-coated filly “Cart chasing?” “Yep!” “In the middle of the day?” “Uh-huh.” “While every pony is shopping?” “Ee-yep.” Sighing Rarity shook her head and looked over to the unconscious form of Spell, “Oh, dear. He doesn’t look well, Apple Bloom, be a dear and go get your brother, I do believe I saw him just over by the apple stand with your sister?” With a nod, the yellow filly ran off to fetch her brother. “And Scootaloo, I need you to go run to the hospital and tell them what happened.” with a mock salute the little pegasi’s scooter and helmet seemed to materialize as she buzzed off towards the hospital. Afterward the two mares and last crusader that remained looked at Spell Squire. His breathing seemed fine, his pulse too, if each were a little low. All in all the three thought he was just sleeping, ready to wake anytime. With a sigh they did what they could, sit and wait for the medical team. Fin The NightmaresChpt. 4 (The Nightmare) Silver Lining in her sleep cuddled up to Spell Squire giving a content sigh before settling back down. Gently Spell stroked her hair that had spilled forth from its usual braid with a soft smile. He looked out the window as he gave his own soft sigh and closed his eyes. The pair had decided upon eloping and running away, there was no further future for them in their village, but they had the world in their hooves to do, as they liked. Relaxing into the bed with Silver, he looked out the window into the star filled night and sent a silent thank you to the moon princess for its beauty before settling down for sleep. At the moment, the two unicorns had found rest at a small roadside inn after a day’s worth of travel. They had been on the road for a little over a week now enjoying the freedom of their days and the warmth of each other in the night. Giving his newlywed wife a kiss to her cheek, he closed his eyes and slipped into the gentle arms of sleep. Gilded Scepter was an average build for a unicorn stallion; his fur was the golden color that gave him his name. Around his muzzle, it was a little browner but he found it acceptable as it matched his eyes. His mane and tail were both well groomed and kept in a perfect order at all times so that the red and black of his mane almost never touched and proudly displayed his spiral horn. His cutie mark was a king’s scepter that some of the gold had been scrapped from at the handle to reveal some darker metal. He looked up at the same stars that Spell Squire had just offered thanks for and offered a curse to the moon princess. The darkness had helped them to lose the trail of the two unicorns they chased after. The story back in the village was that Spell Squire had foalnapped Silver Lining away making it Gilded Scepter’s job to bring her back. Looking back at the unicorns that had traveled with him, he stomped his hoof and sighed, “Make camp here. We’ll get them in the morning I’m sure!” there was a chorus of murmured tired agreements from the party as tents and sleeping mats were quickly put up. They hadn’t realized that the two had run away the first few days, as it was natural for the pair to disappear for days on end. But when nopony had seen Silver for a few days Scepter went out to Spell Squire’s house to find it empty prompting the party to head out and search for the missing ponies, and they were getting closer. With a grumble about having to stop with a few choice curses, a thought came to mind while he rolled out his own sleeping mat and looked around “Ralph!”Quickly the called for pony made his way over to Scepter, “Yes boss?” “I need you to go ahead and scout the next few miles for me, just in case they’re camping up ahead.” With a nod and a mock salute, the unicorn quickly gathered his things and moved out. As he left Scepter curled back up on his mat to plot the havoc he would rain down upon the idiotic invalid whom had stolen the mare of his dreams. Five mares sat around a bed that held the unconscious form of Spell Squire. The medical team had arrived quickly and as Fluttershy and Rarity had thought, Spell was physically fine, but he wasn’t waking up. The crusaders were unnaturally quiet as they looked around the room while Fluttershy and Rarity sat beside the bed in provided chairs speaking quietly. Unable to stand the silence any longer or maybe it was the steady beep of the monitors attached to Spell Squire she didn’t know but Sweetie Belle spoke up , “So, is Mr. Squire going to be alright?” Rarity looked at Fluttershy and opened her mouth to reply when a cyan blue pegasus came in the room. “Of course he’ll be all right, this is Spell Squire we’re talking about after all, the Stallion that keeps trying no matter the odds and never gives up.” She smiled and walked up to the other side of the bed to stand across from her friends while looking at Spell before looking over to the tired crusaders. “Hey Rares, Shy, why don’t you take the girls home, I can keep watch over him. I’ll come get ya ten seconds flat if anything happens.” she said with a sad sort of smile. With a quite agreement that was her way, fluttershy got up and lead Apple Bloom and Scootaloo away. Rarity looked at Rainbow Dash a moment longer, “Are you sure about this Dearie? It’s no trouble at all.” She asked but was betrayed by the yawn that had followed her question. Shaking her head Rainbow smiled, “Nah, I got this.” With a nod, Rarity collected Sweetie Belle and left closing the door quietly behind her. Sighing Rainbow Dash went around the bed, sat down in one of the freshly abandoned chairs, and looked down on the sleeping stallion, “Don’t make me a liar Spell.” She said before settling in with a Daring Do novel. Waking early the next day to the invasive rays of Celestia’s sun Spell Squire moaned and grumbled in protest of the light to which Silver Lining agreed and pulled the curtains further closed to shut out the invasive light. After tossing and turning Spell couldn’t fall back to sleep and so sighed as he got up and went about his morning much to Silver’s distress as she made a whining noise reaching out for him to come back to bed much to his amusement. In defeat she flopped back on the bed and snuggled into the covers only to remember the real source of warmth, being her husband, had left. So, it was with a heavy groan of protest that she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes and joined Spell in the bathroom. Thanking the owner the two ponies left the inn and continued down the road chatting idly about where they’re first stop would be now that they were traveling. After a little while they came to the conclusion of going first to Canterlot and from there maybe Baltimare, after that who knew, maybe they would go to Ponyville and see the elements of harmony, or off to Trottingham. Unknown to them was the lavender stallion that walked into the inn soon after their departure. If it wasn’t for the horn on his head one could have easily mistaken the unicorn for an earth pony with a large barrel and broad shoulders. His fur was a very light purple that was spotted near his flank and around his muzzle with a green-blue color; his mane and tail though hung in an uncontrolled manor allowing ins pale yellow hair to do as it pleased. His cutie mark was a magnifying glass leaning against a compass. Walking up to the owner, he smiled and held up a sketch of Silver and Spell, “Hi there, my name is Ralph. I’m looking for my cousin’s they pulled a joke and left me a few nights back and I was wondering if you’d seen them?” The inn keeper looked at the drawing and then the stallion, he had grown used to reading ponies and this stallion was up to no good. “No, I haven’t seen anyone like that; try the town a few miles east. Maybe they stopped in one of the inn’s there.” Looking at the inn keeper a moment longer he frowned and gave a mumbled thanks Ralph turned and left. Sighing the innkeeper leaned back on the counter and whispered a soft prayer to Luna to keep those two ponies hidden. Gilded Scepter had gotten up and started off after Ralph and by late morning had met up with him. “So, where are they?” Ralph shrugged slightly “The only inn for miles said they hadn’t seen them, but I think the innkeeper was lying. They probably left just a bit before I got there and since you haven’t found them continued down the road.” With a sear Scepter nodded and with his voice amplified with his magic, he looked over his party and called out, “Alright boys! Today’s the day we get those two!” with a sudden buck off the ground with his hind legs he galloped off down the road after the two ponies the rest of the party following soon after. Celestia’s sun was starting to dip below the horizon as the day had passed with visitors coming to visit spell and wish him well. But Rainbow Dash refused to leave saying at one point, “What kind of friend would I be if I just leave him lying here all alone?” so her friends let it be making sure that she was taking care of herself during her vigil. As evening gave way to night and the night gave way to the morning’s light Rainbow Dash never left her friend, all the while he lay there unmoving in his coma like state. Rainbow Dash started awake dropping the Daring Do novel she had been reading during the night, which in turn startled Twilight as she came into the room, “Sorry, Rainbow Dash I didn’t mean to spook you.” Rainbow’s wings, which had flared out quickly snapped back to her sides, “Scared? Me? Please Twi, you couldn’t scare Angel.” She said waving a hoof as she reached down for her book, “My book just slipped is all.” With a chuckle Twilight as she looked at the mare then nodded, “I think Fluttershy and that stare of her’s is the only thing that can scare Angel Bunny.” Walking in further she lifted the medical chart in her magic and started to read over it, “So how has he been?” Rainbow sighed looking at the grey stallion and sighs as he ears flatten a little, “well, not an better… hey Twi?” Blinking Twilight looked up away from the charts and nodded, “Yes Rainbow Dash?” “Haven’t you ever seen, or heard about anything like this from all those books you’ve read?” Hesitantly the lavender unicorn nodded “I have Dash, but coma’s like this aren’t something you get a shot for. There is something inside himself that either won’t let him or he doesn’t want to let go of and face.” Blinking Rainbow frowned and moved closer, “But there are ponies that have gotten better right? That means there must be something we can do! Twilight please, there must be something we can do, something the princesses could do for him!” by this point the normally collected mare was nearing hysterics as she had advanced putting her hooves around Twilight’s neck and began to sob into her friend’s shoulder. Confused briefly Twilight gently lowered her friend to the ground and sat with her gently stroking her hair whispering reassurances, “Plenty of ponies wake up from comas every day, but Rainbow Dash, the mind is still a mystery for us, we don’t understand it. And the princesses have been looking for cures for years. There is hope, I did write a letter to the princesses and princess Luna said she can still see him dreaming which means there is still hope.” With a soft hic and nod rainbow gently whipped her eyes and smiled weakly, “Thank you Twilight.” Twilight smiled and nodded, “Happy to help. Now why don’t you go home and get some sleep, maybe something to eat? I’ll make sure you’re the first to know if something changes.” Looking at the stallion in bed Rainbow Dash gave a reluctant nod and started for the door looking back at her. “The first?” Twilight nodded, “The first.” Reassured Rainbow Dash nodded and left. With a soft sigh and sat next to the comatose patient and pulled a book out reading quietly. “RUN SILVER!” Spell Squire and Silver Lining had been found out and were being chased though the woods all the while being closed in on by the unicorns. Panting Spell was reaching his limits as one of the unicorns got closer he stopped and bucked backwards with his back hooves catching the unprepared stallion in his muzzle causing him to drop in agony before spell resumed running. Silver was faring better having a branch held in her magic letting it swing back when she felt a pony was getting to close. But neither she nor Spell saw that they were being herded towards a cliff face thanks to Ralph’s scouting ahead and Gilded Scepter’s planning. Seeing the wall and realizing the trap Spell Squire realized how much trouble they were in. Backing up he put himself in front of Silver and lowered his head as he tried to gather the magic necessary for an arcane bolt when a red version of said spell hit him in the side causing the mana he had gathered to fizzle away and spark off as Gilded Scepter walked forward. “Did you two enjoy your little adventure? Waltzing off into the woods alone?” shaking his head he continued forward while Silver moved to help Spell back up as he shook his head to clear it. Gilded Scepter frowned at this and shot another bolt at the grey stallion knocking him from Silver’s grasp. Quickly he stalked after his prey as Ralph and another stallion held Silver back. Carefully Gilded Scepter placed a hoof on Spell’s ribs that had been bruised by the Arcane Bolt causing Spell to writhe trying to escape the twisting hoof that was causing him so much pain to Scepter’s delight. With a nod two more stallions came over and grabbed spell’s hooves spreading them so he couldn’t move. Looking around he saw silver being held off to the side screaming to be let go of and for Scepter to not hurt Spell Squire. He only chuckled and stepped over to her,” I won’t lay a hoof on him dear Silver, but Bruiser there,” he nodded to a large black stallion with a blue mane that was walking towards Spell with a bleeding nose, "I can’t guarantee he won’t. see Spell messed up his pretty face, so…” the stallion gave an innocent shrug and smirked as he looked at the trio standing over Spell and gave a nod. Bruiser reared up and brought his hooves down hard onto Spell’s ribs before starting his barrage on the helpless stallion. Silver cried for mercy as Bruiser set to work on his special talent, shown by the boxing gloves and chipped tooth that shown proudly on his flank. All the while Gilded Scepter stood to the side inspecting his hooves and rubbed it against his chest before looking at it again musing about making a hooficure appointment when he got back. Looking at Spell then back to Scepter Silver hung her head in defeat as she realized how to save her beloved. She took a choked breath and whispered softly, “I-…I’ll go home with you…” Gilded Scepter blinked and held up his hoof signaling Bruiser to stop his assault for the moment. “I’m sorry my dear? I didn’t quite catch that.” “…I…I said that, t-that I’d go home, back to the village… with you.” She lifted her head tears flowing freely as she screamed “SO STOP HURTING MY HUSBAND!” The entire gathering stared at her for a moment before Spell tried to move closer to her grunting in pain as he did, “S-Silver, no yo-” Bruiser cut him off with a hoof to his muzzle causing a sharp cry of pain that made Silver flinch. Scepter frowned at this “I’m sorry… did you say husband?” he moved closer to the prone stallion his eye viably twitching as he lifted the stallion’s muzzle for her to see him more clearly, “This is your husband?” he asked spitting the word out as if it were poison. Silver hung her head sobbing softly as she nods “Please, just stop hurting him Scepter, he doesn’t deserve this.” Looking back and forth, he finally noticed the ring on Silver’s horn and something inside him snapped. Shoving aside Bruiser, he stood over Spell and began to pummel the stallion under him. “What? He doesn’t deservethis? Or this?” He shouted as he punctuated each question with a solid punch to the stallion’s muzzle. “He stole you away! This worthless piece of garbage this invalid stole you away! What good is he? Other than taking up space?! You belong with a stallion that’s whole, that isn’t broken!” Spitting out a tooth and a glob of blood Spell looked up at Scepter and whispers in a hoarse voice, “Somepony like you?” With a ferial growl Scepter resumes his barrage bringing his hooves down harder. Shuttering at the sight Silver looked away from the brutality. Sobbing softly she whispered to herself and the princesses, “Spell forgive me.” Looking up she saw the two stallions and screwing her eyes shut she threw the wedding band off her horn at Spell Squire’s face to both ponies surprise both turning to look at her. Opening her eyes slowly she looked exhausted and defeated, “your right Scepter, I don’t know what I was thinking. T-this isn’t going to work, I…” she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “I can’t be happy with an invalid.” She said dejectedly. Pure undiluted joy ran through Gilded Scepter’s veins as he got off Spell whom felt as though his heart had stopped and he couldn’t breathe. Walking over to the mare Ralph and the other stallion holding her let her go and backed away to let them speak freely. “You’re just turning your back to him? Just like that? The stallion who moments ago you were begging to be left alone?” His brow raised along with his curiosity. With a shuddered breathe Silver nodded and looked up at him “You made a compelling argument.” Still more tears fell as she sent a silent prayer to the Celestia for forgiveness for her betrayal. Looking up she smiled sadly, as she walked towards the golden stallion. With a hesitance, she rested her head against his shoulder, “he shouldn’t be punished for my mistake.” While this transpired, Spell Squire laid back on the ground still spread and helpless in the grasp of the other unicorns as his newlywed wife scorned him and move closer to Scepter. His jaw too injured to move and make proper words could only groan and gurgle his protests as he tried to reach out and move closer to Silver. Sparing him a glance Silver leaned in and whispered into Scepter’s ear softly “Consider it your first gift to me, the release of this innocent to show me how kind and powerful you are to have his life in your hoof and give it back. Hasn’t he suffered enough?” While Scepter considered Silver’s plea everything clicked for Spell. With a renewed vigor, he began to thrash more in the hooves of his captors crying out louder as his tears flowed. He had finally realized that Silver was trading her love for Spell’s freedom. Chuckling at the dismay in Spell’s face, he steps back and looks at silver full on, “only if you Silver Lining, agree to be my bride, will I spare this miserable creature his life.” He proposed holding his hoof out to the mare. Looking over at spell she slowly raised a hoof and placed it on Gilded Scepter’s as she mouthed an apology before looking at the golden stallion and gave a ghost of a smile and nodded “I do.” Spell stared for a moment before he cried out the sound of ultimate suffering that even gave pause to the laughter of the stallions. Only two ponies did not join in on the laughter, Silver Lining standing there ashamed of what she had done but glad he would survive. Off into the shadows stood a mare far taller than any of the ponies present. Stepping forth the moon princess looked at the scene before her and shook her head slowly “Such barbarianism, I thought for sure mine sister had erased such practices, dear Spell Squire, how our heart aches for you, such troubles.” Leaning against a tree she closed her eyes and thought deeply before she smield and looked at the scene as it started to fade, “However, something has been discovered this night, maybe a cure for your endless dream, but for now sweet Spell Squire, rest in the peaceful black.” FIN Author's Note I'll be the first to admit to the fact that maybe i made Rainbow Dash out to be a little more emotional than she should be, but maybe that's just cause i haven't really gotten used to piloting someone else's character *Shrugs* anyways hate it if you want but i'm going to get this all straightened out one way or another. finding happinessChpt. 5 (Finding Happyness) “RUN SILVER!” Spell Squire and Silver Lining had been found out and were being chased though the woods all the while being closed in on by the unicorns. Panting Spell was reaching his limits as one of the unicorns got closer he stopped and bucked backwards with his back hooves catching the unprepared stallion in his muzzle causing him to drop in agony before spell resumed running. Silver was faring better having a branch held in her magic letting it swing back when she felt a pony was getting to close. But neither she nor Spell saw that they were being herded towards a cliff face thanks to Ralph’s scouting ahead and Gilded Scepter’s planning. Seeing the wall and realizing the trap Spell Squire realized how much trouble they were in. Backing up he put himself in front of Silver and lowered his head as he tried to gather the magic necessary for an arcane bolt a sense of Déjà vu coming over him. Twilight and Rainbow Dash sat out in the waiting area of the hospital, waiting and worrying, and pacing, lots of pacing. Rainbow was on a circuit around the room and had been for hours now. Twilight lifted a hoof to her chin as she looked to the ceiling as she thought and sighed going back to her book having lost count of Rainbow’s laps after 29,365. Earlier in the afternoon, a few hours after Rainbow Dash had left, Spell Squire’s monitors had started to go haywire as his body began to convulse suddenly and his nose began to bleed. Doctors and nurses were in the room faster than Rainbow could clear the skies of Ponyville all while carefully shooing Twilight out offering her reassurances that everything would be ok. True to her word Twilight teleported a half-asleep Rainbow Dash to the hospital. And there they waited. Twilight with her book, and Rainbow Dash wearing a hole in the floor. Twilight glanced up at the hall at the same time as Rainbow as they heard a door close and the doctor headed towards them. As Rainbow readied to bolt down the hall Twilight wrapped her in her magic holding her in place much to Rainbow’s distress, “What the hay Twi?!” The lavender mare continued to watch the doctor and calmly walked up to him, “What happened doctor? Is Spell Squire alright?” “Yeah doc, is he ok?” Rainbow asked walking up next to Twilight now free from the unicorn’s magic. With a nod the doctor gave a gentile smile, “Yes, Mr. Squire will be fine in my opinion. However, we must warn you, we don’t know what triggered his episode; there is the likely-hood that it could happen again.” Twilight nodded expecting as much but as she opened her mouth Rainbow Dash cut her off, “Yeah, that’s all well and good doc, but can we see him?” the doctor smiled understandingly and lead the mares back to Spell Squire’s room before taking his leave. Sitting down the girls sighed softly as they saw him. Once more, he lay motionless in the peaceful hooves of sleep. With a soft sigh they settled back for another watch duty. A short while later though the door opened to an alabaster unicorn and her carefully styled mane, looking over her book Twilight smiled, “Hello Rarity.” The unicorn smiled and looked at the sleeping stallion and mare in the chair behind him and giggled softly, “Sweetie and I heard about Spell’s little fit and thought to drop by. Sweetie was terribly upset when she heard and I thought we should check in.” She walked further into the room to reveal an unusually somber Sweetie Belle waiting in the doorway. Quickly though Sweetie moved and joined her big sister sticking close to her side. She avoided looking at the sleeping stallion in the bed in front of her until Twilight broke her reprieve, “Sweetie, everything is going to be alright. Spell’s just sleeping.” The little filly looked up at her sleeping friend and stepped closer putting her fore-hooves on the edge of the bed to steady herself as she stood on her hind legs, “It really does look like he could just wake up any time doesn’t it Twilight?” The older mare looked at the filly’s sister and gave a soft smile before nodding, “It really does doesn’t it Sweetie?” With a nod the little filly looked at her sleeping friend before spreading her legs a little more for a better brace before pulling herself up onto the bed curling up next to the stallion much to the shock of the two mares, “Sweetie Belle! What in Equestria are you doing?!” Blinking the little filly lowered her head, “He just looked so lonely, I just wanna keep him company sis.” Rarity blinked looking at Twilight who only smiled and shrugged. With a sigh Rarity gently smiled, “Well, that’s very considerate of you Sweetie, if Twilight says it’s alright, then I suppose there’s no harm in you keeping him company.” She said looking up at Twilight for her consent. Twilight smiled, “It’s just fine with me.” So with a smile Sweetie settled in with promises from Rarity to come get her in a few hours. Spell Squire lowered his head to gather the mana for an arcane bolt an opened his eyes having another strange sense of déjà vu. A soft velvet voice whispered in the darkness around him, “You have been here before Spell Squire, look around you, and look at the details.” Blinking Spell began to look at the stallions approaching and blinked as he noticed the landscape around him. It was devoid of any details, just blurred shapes of color.Looking on in confusion his dream plane shattered leaving him in a black expanse of nothingness and before him stood the moon princess Luna in all her glory. With a soft smile, she looked at the stallion before her and spoke softly, "Hello my little pony." Spell Squire’s only response was a blank stare back at the princess his mouth hanging slightly agape. Luna sighed softly at the reaction, “It is more my sister’s thing I suppose, but I thought perhaps it was worth a try.” Noticing the lack of movement from the pony she flew over to him quickly looking the stallion over, “Oh, please do not be broken, Tia would be quite cross if we were to break her prized pupil’s friend.” Blinking suddenly Spell moved away from the inquisitive staring of the princess of the night, and again he looked off into the darkness, “Is this a dream?” She sighed in relief that she had not broken the stallion, “Yes dear Spell Squire, you are dreaming. More precisely, you are dreaming of your past, a worse nightmare than I could have ever conjured,” She looked at him and smiled the way a parent does when they have a surprise for their foal, “But tis a dream none the less.” Frowning Spell thought about it for a moment before the gears clicked and looked at the princess with a broad grin, “And when you know it’s a dream you can control what you do, and what happens?” “And so the secret is found and your cell door is opened.” Spell’s smile slowly faded as the statement sunk in he looked at Luna with a now serious frown and a raised brow, “Cell door?” Luna looked at the stallion her turn to be momentarily confused before blinking and realizing that he didn’t know the situation, “You do not understand? Spell Squire, you have been trapped in your dreams for near four days now, reliving the same tormented nightmare over and over, your friends were worried and called for Celestia and I to help and aid you, so here we are.” Spell sat back as if physically struck. “I-I’ve been out for four days? Trapped in the sa…” realization struck him like Apple Jack bucking a tree he looked up at the princess panicked, “Sweetie, and the girls, are they ok?!” Luna smiled softly, having just learned of his unfortunate catatonic state the stallion worried about the fillies that had unintentionally put him in it before bemoaning his bad fortune, a noble trait that was fading in this new age, “The little ones are safe, thanks to you Spell Squire.” The stallion nodded and visibly relaxed before quietly thinking to himself. After a while, he looked back at the moon princess whom had settled down a short distance away, “So, if I’ve been looping the same memory, does that mean there is something about the memory that I need to change to wake me up?” With a sigh, the moon princess hung her head before looking back at the grey stallion before her and shrugged, “We do not know, these catatonic endless dreams are a rare thing and we have never found two alike. However, if you believe that something needs to change, there is something to be altered, then find the change Spell Squire. Now, the night is young, and there are other ponies in need of our help, but remember to call on my sister or I when the need is indeed great and we shall come.” With that the darkness claimed the moon princess leaving spell in darkness sighing softly. Spell thought to himself and slowly two ponies appeared before him as he stepped closer. Silver Lining stood before him with a kind smile, the wedding band around her horn glimmered in the sunlight Spell couldn’t see. Next to her stood Gilded Scepter with a trademark sneer on his muzzle. Slowly Spell walked up to the former and gently laid his muzzle on her shoulder and stroked her cheek, “Even after all that happened, I still love you.” Softly he kissed her cheek and stood back to look at Gilded, “You however, have earned my wrath and hatred, and every ill thought I can think of.” Slowly the two faded from existence as he willed the dream to take him, and once more he was curled up in bed with Silver fighting the morning sun. Pinkie Pie frowned as she eyed Twilight inquisitively, “So I can’t throw a get well party for Spell?” An exasperated Twilight sighed, as Sweetie Belle put her hooves over her ears and pressed closer to Spell’s side to help further shut out the pink mare who was going on an hour now about the get well soon party. Rainbow Dash had left for weather patrol duty at the insistence of twilight. “Pinkie Pie NO! For the last time, there is no sense in throwing a party for a pony to make them feel better when the pony in question can’t attend!” The cotton candy pink mare stopped and looked at Twilight then to Spell Squire as though the idea had never occurred to her that he couldn’t attend his own party and then appeared for all the world deep in thought for several long minutes. Twilight and Sweetie looked at each other slightly concerned as to what might be going on in their harebrained friend’s head before she suddenly was up and bouncing “Okie Dokie Lokie, Then we’ll just have to wait till he can attended!” with a self satisfied nod Pinkie bounced herself out of the room and down the hall out of sight. Both mare and filly gave a sigh of relief in the quiet that was left as Sweetie went back to her nap and Twilight to her book. Slowly the door opened again after a little while, Twilight’s eye twitched slightly and opened her mouth expecting Pinkie Pie for another long looping conversation, but as she looked up the lavender unicorn instead saw Rarity flanked closely by Apple Jack and the other two crusaders. Blinking she smiled, “Girls, what brings you here?” Rarity smiled, “Well it was getting late so I thought that I’d come by and pick up Sweetie.” Apple Jack nodded, “Yep, then Rarity found me ‘n Bloom helping Mac take the booth down and said she was head’n here so I thought Bloom and Scoots would wanna see Sweetie and Spell. How is the big fella doin’?” Twilight sighed and shrugged, “He doesn’t seem worse, but he isn’t getting better. And He…” Twilight blushed as her stomach interrupted her making both of her friends to raise a suspicious brow. “When was ta last time ya ate sugarcube?” Twilight shrugged and her blush deepened slightly, “A few hours maybe?” Rarity gasped loudly as she quickly invaded Twilight’s personal space, “Oh Darling! You haven’t slept either have you?” Blinking Twilight shook her head, “No, and now that yahaw~” she interrupted herself with a yawn and giggled softly when it passed, “I suppose I am a little tired.” Apple Jack smiled, “You go home with Rare Twi, get something ta eat ‘n some rest. I’ll stay here tonight.” With a nod, Twilight smiled as she stood stretching out stiff limbs, “Thank you, Apple Jack.” The mare dipped her hat in response and took twilights vigil removing her hat in the spot beside her as she settled in for the night as Twilight and Rarity left with the small fillies. Spell Squire lowered his head to gather the mana for an arcane bolt when one of said spells struck his side. Slow ly he stood and shook his head as again he gathered the mana for another arcane bolt but halfway it suddenly discharged in a flash blinding everypony in the clearing. That is almost every pony. Spell glared at the wobbling form of Gilded Scepter who was trying to shake the spots from his vision. Growling through clinched teeth Spell charged the stallion tackling him to the ground. Magic from silver picked up a rock and struck Bruiser knocking him out as she struggled free from the shocked ponies. Scepter was confused and disoriented as he tried to bring up his hooves to block the sudden impacts that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. Ralph could only stare in wonder as he watched not really noticing as silver slipped away. Quiet, docile, shoved around, broken Spell Squire was going after Scepter with all the ferocity of a minatory possessed. Ralph took a step forward but Silver had already beat him and stood a few steps behind Spell as she spoke softly, “Spell?” not receiving a response as he continued to pummel the golden stallion under him. “Spell Squire.” She said more forcefully as the mare placed a hoof on his shoulder. The stallion in question paused in his assault the red haze clearing from his vision as he looked down at the stallion under him. Scepter’s muzzle was broken in several spots and bleeding profusely his eyes were swollen shut and the skin under his golden fur was multiple shades of purple and blue. Multitudes of cuts and scrapes covered the whimpering stallion’s face. Standing slowly Spell looked down at his unsteady hooves that were splattered red with the stallion’s blood. Turning he looked around at the stallions surrounding him and then silver and frowned slightly as he realized the panting he was hearing belonged to him. Taking a deep breath Spell calmed himself and walked towards Ralph whom backed peddled as if Nightmare Moon was after him until he ran into a tree. Leaning down Spell looked him in the eye and spoke slowly, “I want you to take him to the nearest hospital, and go home. I want to be left in peace with my wife, we never sought you out. We never sought trouble. It was you who sought us out and insisted on this course.” Ralph nodded rapidly before Spell backed away towards Silver and smiled weakly, “I’m sorry I went off like that love… can we go now?” Silver opened her mouth to speak, but her words were lost as the darknes swallowed them. “Run Sil- Oh danmit all to the moon!” “Five days,” the prismatic mare known as Rainbow Dash rolled to her side in an attempt to get comfortable on one of her favorite napping cloud. Looking at the clear sky she nodded slowly before closing her eyes. because while the day was supposed to be sunny and warm all she knew was that she couldn’t get comfy and felt like the sky was over cast and couldn’t get warm. For the mare that was always, going fast these last five days seemed to drag on. Her friend was hurt and there was nothing she could do for him. Rolling back to her stomach, she let her wings spread out to catch the sun she relaxed and closed her eyes. Fluttershy and Angel bunny were keeping Spell company for the time being while she was on weather patrol. The knowledge that her fillyhood friend was with Spell put her mind at ease but Rainbow didn’t know what she would do if anything happened to the stallion. Suddenly she sat up red faced and wide eyed before she looked around and kneaded the cloud she was on as she slowly lowered herself back down to the cloud mumbling softly, “Where did that come from?” turning her head to the side she tried to let her racing mind relax and nap before the next shift. “HEY HEY HEY HEY! Just who the hell do you think I AM!” Spell Squire stood atop a large bipedal robot that looked like a strange mix between pony and those human creatures Lyra always went on about. The robot was heavily armored and at the end of it’s hooves it had… well Spell wasn’t sure what to call them other than unsharpened claws, like what spike had. “HANDS!” Spell and everyone else looked over to a bush and there was an overly excited Lyra, “Sweet Celestia! Bipedal, hands, upright.” She looked up at the pony like face and you could see the excitement fall from her face as she turned and went back into the bush she came from. Shaking his head he glared back at the army of ponies before him lead by Gilded Scepter. With his newly named hands grasped around a pair of grey glowing arcane blades each rune brightly shining he pointed a blade at Scepter and resumed his rant, “Leaving his homeland he searches the stars in their endless wonder for the answers Celestia herself can’t find. With my wife at my side and the Crimzon End at my hoof’s call I shall defeat you for peace! For love! For justice! For my own Luna dammed vengeance!” With that he dropped back into the cockpit Silver Lining sitting there waiting for him. Once the hatch slid shut he took the control bit in his mouth and put his hooves in place as the visual display came on he saw Scepter smirk and gave the large hat he wore a twist before jumping as a large sword fell from the sky. As the sword landed a room open up that Scepter landed in, his voice came through a speaker in the mech, “Let’s see how your Crimzon End does against Sam.” As he spoke the sword seemed to unfold into another large bipedal mech swords in hand. As the fight started Luna sat back with a small bag of popcorn watching the two machines fight marveling at the imagination the stallion had. In the last few hours they had been in a space station the size of the moon for an epic duel, in a old cathedral where the two stallions had dueled before spell was launched out a stain glass window above the alter, the two had fought falling down a building using only swords in their mouths. And the fight just before this they had been titans fighting over the top of ponyville, all in all it had been a great show, even Celestia had been convinced to sit in and watch for a little while. Luna blinked and applauded softly as it looked like the end of the fight was nearing. Spell Squire lifted a hand above his head the rune blade long broken. “GIGA!” as he spoke his hand retracted into the forearm of the mech and was quickly replaced with a rather large drill, that quickly grew three times the mech’s height and then twice it’s width, “DRILL!” he lowered the drill as it began to spin fast enough to spark from friction against the air before a jet of pure arcane launched himself forward making a clean hole though Scepter’s Sam of May. Once he was through the dream faded leaving a still applauding Luna in the Darkness between dreams. “You are a very imaginative stallion Mr. Squire. But I see the changes have yet to hold the desired effect.” The moon princess said sadly. Spell Squire groaned as he flopped to the ‘ground’, “I don’t understand, why it isn’t working, I beat him in every, well, almost every dream. So why aren’t I awake?” Luna could only shake her head and shrugged but quick as the light bulb that appeared above her head she had a thought, “Maybe you don’t need violence to solve your problem Spell Squire. You are not a violent pony, despite these dreams, these dreams filled with dark violent rage. Maybe a peaceful solution will steer you the right direction.” Spell Squire started at the princess mostly because of how silly she looked with a lit bulb above her head and then nodded slowly, “Maybe…” FIN. Making PeaceApple Jack had nodded off at some point in the night, so it's understandable that when the doctors and nurses came running into the room badgering her with questions she was a bit confused. However, when she saw Spell's hoof had mysteriously moved to rest on his chest as if he had an itch in the night, whereas a few hours ago it had been neatly tucked in by his side when she has fallen asleep. Quick as a wink ignoring the doctors and nurses apple Jack ran to gather the girls. Carefully Gilded Scepter placed his hoof on Spell Squire's ribs that had been so freshly bruised by the arcane bolt causing Spell to writhe in agony as he tried to escape from the hoof that would only twist deeper into his side. Spell exclaimed in pain before letting out a soft whimper. Silver Lining turned her head unable to watch her newlywed husband abused so as she sobbed and begged for them to let him go, all of which only made Gilded Scepter smile more and twist harder into Spell's side. Screwing his eyes shut Spell put all of his strength into pushing Gilded Scepter off of him much to the clearing surprise as he succeeded. Sitting up Spell gasped and held his side protectively as he glared at Scepter who calmly rises with a smirk, "well, it looks like the colt dose have a spine after all." Slowly Spell stood and looked over at Silver Lining and gave her a wink before looking back at scepter with a frown, "Does your mother know this is what you do for fun scepter?" Blinking the stallions in the area looked at each other confused as Scepter looked back at Spell, "I’m sorry?" Spell smirked softly, "Does your mother know that you get off beating on other ponies? Does she know you have paranoid fantasist that I am trying to steal the mare of your dreams when she never wanted you in the first place?" "She's just blinded by the pity for a poor excuse of a unicorn whose gone lame and dosen’t have the stones to end his own miserable life!” Scepter shouted into the other stallion’s face. The clearing grew quite as everypony and every creature held their breath to see who would break the staring contest first as the stallions glared death at one another. After what felt like eternity Spell Squire sighed slowly and looked aside as he stepped back conceding but looked back at the preening Scepter, and not with hate, not with anger, but with a deep seeded pity he spoke, slow and even, “Is that what you think of the pony you used to be best friends with? That because suddenly my horn is gone, because I tried to help you I’m no better than a walking corpse?” Everything stepped as the stallions looked at each other, one with a heavy heart, the other in shock and in rage, “HOW DARE YOU!!!” Scepter stormed towards Spell who simply stood stoically, “How dare you bring up the past to distract me as you’re losing!” Spell Squire shook his head slowly holding out a hoof to calm his onetime friend. “This isn’t a distraction; I just finally realized what the problem is.” Slowly he walked towards the now confused red stallion. “W-what? Wait, no stop! What are you-” The panicked the stallion stuttered as Spell Squire gently wrapped his hooves around the other stallion’s neck, “what is this?” Scepter asked trying to lean away. Gently Spell squeezed Scepter’s neck and whispered softly “This is me forgiving you, letting things go, and making my peace that you took my Silver. I can’t change that, and I can’t forgive you, but I can make my peace with you.” Slowly instead of the seeping darkness that hailed the end of his dream sequence, there was a blinding light taking the forest clearing away leaving a tear stained Silver Lining, and a shocked Gilded Scepter with a newly pacified Spell Squire. With a gentile smile Princess Luna made herself known to Spell, “It would appear that you have found your way out of the labyrinth dear Spell Squire.” He nodded slowly looking back at the two other ponies before looking back to Luna with a sad smile, “Can I say goodbye before I leave?” The moon princess gave a soft smile and nodded leaving the ponies to part in peace. Spell made his way to his old friend Gilded Scepter and hugged the stallion again speaking softly, “Be at peace now my friend, and sleep. Maybe one day I will forgive you.” The stallion sneered and looked down his muzzle at his old friend, “You silly foal, don’t you know that forgiving the stallion whom will only continue to hurt you is foolish?” Spell smiled softly and nodded, “I know, now farewell.” He said as Scepter started to fade back into the dream. Slowly he turned towards his tear stained Silver Lining. Gently she put a hoof to his mouth before he could speak a playful look in her sad eyes, “Spell, you got some splaining to do.” With a soft chuckle he smiled at her and nodded, “Yes, yes I do.” Six confused mares waited in the hospital’s waiting area. For some reason when they got back to the hospital the doctors only told them they weren’t allowed into the room much to the distress of Rainbow Dash and Sweetie Belle So now, they waited and no pony seemed to know what to do or say to help the distressed pair relax. Rainbow Dash tried reading her new Daring Do for the 20th time and practiced her flying just outside, but her worry distracted her and kept her off track. Sweetie had stepped out with Twilight and tried to practice magic but to the same effect as Rainbow’s flying, she was too distracted by her worry. And so they sat disgruntled sad, worried and irritable. After a time the doctor came out and held out a hoof, “Alright little ponies, I believe the person to best tell you what is going on is come out now.” He said as princess Luna came out from Spell Squire’s room and joined them in the waiting room. “Hello Twilight Sparkle and friends, I understand the concern for your friend, Spell Squire, but I assure you he is just fine.” She said with a gentile smile. Sweetie spoke up from behind Rarity’s forehooves, “So where is he?” The princess giggled softly to herself and knelt down to be closer to Sweetie’s level, “He is still sleeping, a natural sleep now that he should wake up from shortly.” There was a collective sigh from the mares as they relaxed knowing their friend was safe, “But when can we see him?” Rainbow asked. The princess thought for a moment with a soft smile “He will be up soon, I imagine he will enjoy seeing all of you here for him.” “Oh trust me, he’s happy.” Said a soft voice as everypony turned to see Spell Squire leaning against a nurse. “He’s just very lethargic being asleep for a week.” Quickly he was swarmed by the mares asking how he was, however the nurse was more than un-amused at being used as a pony-shield to ward off Pinkie Pie’s tackle-hug. However Rainbow Dash hung back watching her friends. Princess Luna walked over quietly, “Is something the matter Rainbow Dash?” The cyan mare started, “What? Me? Wrong? Nahh… I-I just…” she sighed letting her head hang and her rainbow mane fell hiding her eyes, “Can we talk outside princess?” The moon princess nodded and gently put a wing across the smaller mare’s back leading her outside. An act did not go unnoticed by Spell Squire, but a gentile smile from Luna put him at ease as he continued to talk with the others as they helped him back to his room much to the nurse’s relief. The rainbow maned mare sat down in the grass outside the hospital with the princess who waited quietly for the cyan mare to speak, “…I-I’m Scared,” she said looking down at her hoof drawing in the dirt, “I don’t know what to do with him.” Luna looked at the usually self-sure and cocky flyer and saw a confused and unsure mare and smiled thinking, Ah, young love, what a fickle whimsy you are… and couldn’t help a giggle much to the ire of Rainbow Dash, “What’s so funny?” The princess leaned down to be at eye level with Dash, “Tell me Ms. Dash, what do you feel towards this stallion that makes you so unsure of yourself.” This caused Dash even more confusion as she looked up at the princess like she’d grown a second horn, “What?” “What dose he make you feel?” Dash looked at the princess a moment and then off into her sister’s fading day, “I suppose… he makes me feel…I dunno, I’m not good with this mushy stuff like Rarity or Fluttershy.” She said waving a hoof as if to shoo the thoughts away. With a knowing smile the moon princess nodded, “the maybe you should talk to them on your way home, but for now I think you should go and wish him well.” Nodding Rainbow Dash stood and stretched herself out as Luna Rose to her full height, “And do not fear Rainbow Dash, there is already a well paved road behind the two of you.” Dash looked after the alicorn princess as she flew off into the setting of the sun so she may raise the moon. Shaking her head, she walked into the hospital room and was promptly tackled by her number one fan Scootaloo, “ WHERE WERE YOU!” she cried only for every pony to chuckle and Spell to speak softly answering the question, “Out, to talk with an old friend.” The little filly blinked and looked between the stallion in the bed and her idol who wouldn’t meet his gaze. With a huff, she let it go as she sat next to Dash trying to decipher what the stallion said. Rarity smiled at the two, “Everypony, I think we need to give these two a moment.” With a wink she ushered everypony out and whispered a good luck on her way out. Dash stood shuffeling as Spell watched blank faced, “um… Sleep well?” she asked scratching behind her neck. He chuckled softly, “Not really, but I’m assuming that’s not why your still here.” He says with a gentile smile. She stiffened and her wings fluttered before darting out the room scooping up a surprised white mare, “what’dIdo?what’dIdo?what’dIdo?what’dIdo?” After recovering Rarity smiled and put her own mane back in place before gently brushing her panicking friends own disheveled mane soothingly, “first, land.” Slowly they were reunited with the ground as Dash slowly lowered them. “Second, take a deep breath and tell him what ever comes from your heart, being shy should be left for Fluttershy dear, it really isn’t for you.” Taking a deep breath Dash held it for a moment and let out a long sigh as Rarity watched with a small smile as her friend visibly relaxed, “Now go back in there and tell that stallion exactly what you think.” Looking at her friend Dash nodded slowly and looked back down the hall and slowly made her way back towards Spell’s room and away from Rarity. Spell chuckled to himself as Rainbow Dash ran from the room. In all reality, he was surprised that she was coming back so soon, she wasn’t really a mushy feely kind of mare. And so he waited in his bed for her to come in as she stood and now and again did a short pace in front of the door back and forth he watched her shadow move and then stop, then back and forth and stop. Just as he opened his mouth to invite her in he closed it as the door opened revealing a familiar mop of rainbow hued hair that looked up slowly to reveal even more familiar magenta hued eyes that looked nervous as Rainbow Dash walked in and closed the door gently kicking her hoof as she gathered her thoughts. Spell sat in his bed watching as Dash put her thoughts together. She looked up at him, and there was for the first time a truly uncertain Rainbow Dash in front of him, she looked up at him with uncertainty, and hope, “Spell, can we talk serious?” He nodded and patted the bed beside him as she made room. Sitting down she stared at the wall in front of her thinking. Reaching up Spell gently rubbed between her wings and watched as she relaxed, “just say what you’re thinking Dash, don’t think about what it is.” She giggled softly looking back at him, “Like Pinkie Pie?” He laughed softly laying back, “Yes, Like Pinkie Pie.” With a soft smile she looked down, the feel of his hoof rubbing her back was relaxing and comforting as she took a breath and sighed before looking at Spell, “I think I really like you Spell… and I’ve never felt like this before.” He smiled and looked at her, “ I could see it being worry some to like somepony who’s been married before.” She nodded slowly, “yeah it-“ her eyes went wide as she looked at him, “YOU’VE BEEN MARRIED BEFORE?” she shrieked. He laughed holding his sides as five mares rushed into the room closely followed by three fillies, “What’s going on?” asked Twilight. Spell reached up to wipe away a tear, “Oh, I just told Rainbow-“ “HE’S BEEN MARRIED BEFORE!” the cyan mare interrupted to the mixed reactions of the other mares, shock and confusion, mostly confusion to the three fillies. “Is there a problem?” the nurse asked worry on her face from all the commotion in the room. “We’re fine, thanks.” Spell Squire said waving the nurse away. with a soft sigh Spell Squire looked at his new friends, no, his new family really. With a gentile smile he started, “Why don’t I tell you girls a story?” With several nods and looks of confusion, the mares settled around the room while the crusaders hopped up to the foot of the bed. “When I was a little colt, I had two best friends named, Gilded Scepter and Silver Lining. We had lots of fun together…” The story progressed telling of his accident with his horn, how the town had treated him thereafter, how he and Silver had runaway and eventually what led him to coming to Ponyville. The room was silent as their friend’s history, the horrors of his past, sunk in. during the story Sweetie Belle had moved closer to comfort his friend. After a time Dash spoke up, “So, during your party… when you said that I saved you…” He nodded with a soft smile, “you saved me from myself, not just Pinkie.” Pinkie tilted her head confused, “Why would any pony need saving from me?” the mares sighed collectively at a loss for words leaving Pinkie to ponder as she blew on a bubble pipe she seemed to pull from the either… or from the curls in her mane. Dash shook her head slowly and looked back at Spell, “… So… what are we Spell?” He sat there his hoof absently stroking Sweetie’s mane, “Well, why don’t we see where things go after say… a Wonder Bolts’ show?” Dash blinked for a moment as her brain processed the information and smiled broadly jumping up excitedly, “AWWWW YEAH!!!!” Chuckeling he closed his eyes. new friends, new family… a new life and only two weeks back I was thinking about ending everything… but these mares, they really know the value of friendship… --------------------three weeks later------------------------ Rainbow Dash and Spell Squire walked out of the Cloud Dale’s arena laughing as Dash recounted all of her favorite stunts hovering along while Spell smiled his cloud walking spell still in full effect as they went to Twilight’s balloon to go home to Ponyville. “Spell?” Dash asked as they closed the basket behind him. “Hmmm?” He responded as he tried to untie the sand bags. “Thank you.” She said and leaned down giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Spell blinked and smiled at her as she did her best imitation of Fluttershy hiding her beat red cheeks behind her mane. Gently he nudged her, “Hey don’t get all mushy on me there Dashie.” With a smile she giggled and pushed back, “Alright, hey, how about dinner when we get back?” He smiled moving closer towards her leaning on the edge of the basket, “Is that a second date Ms. Dash?” She smiled as the basket began to tip, helping right it as he stumbled back she chuckles “Don’t push your luck.” So, with a chuckle he went to steer the balloon going back to a new home and an foretold future yet to be written. FIN. to live or not to liveChpt. 1 (To live or not to live) It was the same, always the same. The door slowly opened on silent hinges revealing the same stone stairway, spiraling down into the nothingness. The stairs spiraled downward with stonewalls that had other ponies carved into it under a well-polished mirror like quality. “Do you see that?” “What’s wrong with him?” The stallion cringed as his hoofs echoed off the cold stone as the ponies behind the polished surface began to whisper and snicker at him. Spell Squire hung his head down low, the navy blue and grey of his main obscured his vision as he continued down the stairs trying to shut out the voices of the stone ponies only make them talk louder. Soon the ponies started to jeer and yell at him about his… accident. “Is that an earth pony?” “Mommy, why does that pony have a broken horn?” Mothers would push along their young whispering not to stare as he passed them by, ushering the child away as if the stallion’s broken horn was a deadly contagion. And for a unicorn, there really was nothing worse than when something was wrong with your horn. Soon Spell Squire would look up and see nothing of the stairs that he had come from, nor could he see where the stairs would lead down to, only that the stairs were still there to climb down, and down, and down. There was never a bottom, only ever more stairs, leading away into the dark. Further, down the stairs, he went and the further he went the more frail they became, the weaker they became until he could feel the give in the stone under him as the ponies yelled all around him. “What good is a unicorn without a horn?” “Why haven’t you crawled into a hole to die yet? What do you have to live for?” He shuddered under the weight of their insults as each hit him like a shackle. He knew that without his horn he was crippled for life. He couldn’t perform magic that a colt learned on instinct without breaking a sweat. While he was in good shape for a unicorn, he would never be able to perform the demanding work of an earth pony. Their stares added weight to his shackles, making each step harder, and each hoof print deeper in the frail stone until finally his hoof went through the stone causing the stairs to crumble under him falling into the oblivion of nothingness. All he could do was close his eyes and fall into the darkness as the other ponies carved into the stone of the walls laughed at him continuing to call him names as he fell away into nothing. He screamed sitting up still feeling the vertigo of his fall. Spell Squire panted trying to catch his breath as his body was covered in sweat. Looking around his eyes adjusted to the moonlight came through his window letting him know it was still night, and letting him see he was safe in his room. Huddling up under the covers he shivered, it was the same dream again… always the same dream. Spell Squire lived in a small village out in the country that was more than a little old-fashioned being made up entirely of unicorns. His house was on the outskirts of town and he was only allowed to live there because his parents were on the council otherwise he would have faced a stoning, or exile from the village. Soon though, that would change. Today was the last day he was spending in the small village, all around his room were boxes that were labeled and meant for shipping later this week to his new house. Looking on top of one of these boxes was his alarm clock that told him it was close to dawn. He sighed and brought the blankets closer around him, this was the time he hated most, the time before the dawn where his ghosts tormented his waking thoughts alone in the dark, fragments of his fading dream. Thinking back on his past, on his ghosts he shuddered but this time not with fear, but with hope, a hope that today he would be leaving his tormentors, that he would have a second chance. Today was the day he was risking it all and betting everything on his last hope. Ponyville. As the dawn rose, he finished packing his saddlebag that he had started the night before. Putting the bag over his back, he left his small home and locked it up avoiding the glares other ponies gave him while he walked through the village. The small village wasn’t on any map, and to his knowledge, he’d never heard the name of it, always just heard it called “the village” so of course there wasn’t a train station until the next town, which would take him until late morning to reach as he walked down the road. Arriving at the station, he put up his bits paying for a ticket to Ponyville. He ignored the other ponies as he walked through the train carts looking for an empty compartment, or at least an empty booth. Finding one, he sighed softly to himself, removed his saddlebag putting it under his seat as he sat up on the seat, and brought his legs under him as he put his head on the armrest looking out the window as the steam from the train rolled by. Soon after he could hear the conductor’s all aboard call and the train gave a shuddering jerk before it started on its long trip. He made himself comfortable as he watched Equestria pass before him. Spell Squire hadn’t traveled before but he had read plenty of books about places far away. Everything from the travel magazines he could get from town, to one or two of the Daring Do novels he could find in the used bookstore, but slowly he drifted off letting sleep claim him and before long he again found himself at the door. The conductor came by a few hours later and woke the sleeping stallion startling him to an alerted state causing him to fall from his seat and spill his saddlebag. The older conductor gave a small apologetic smile to the younger pony, “We have arrived in Ponyville sir.” Walking off Spell Squire gave a grumble as he started to stand up working feeling back into his hooves before he started to gather the things from his bag again. Reaching under the seat he blinked and sat down as he slowly pulled a small ring out from under the seat. it was a simple thing really, just a silver ring with a small stripe of ground diamond dust that sparkled in the light, for a moment all he could do was sit and stare as memories stirred deep within him. With a sigh, he shoved it into the bottom of the bag and got off the train leaving the station. Leaving the station Spell Squire looked out over Ponyville and saw the clock tower, the top of city hall, and gave a small smile as he walked through the growing town looking on in wonder. many of the other ponies in the town didn't even notice him as he walked through, and he was alright with that, the few that did notice stared before they began to whisper softly or look on not fully noticing his broken horn, after all Ponyville had begun to attract lots of oddities. One such oddity barreled her way towards him at the moment. Now, you must understand, Pinkie Pie is a pony not renowned for her for her patients. She much prefers movement and action. So when she first heard weeks ago that somepony new was moving to town she started party planning that moment. So waiting weeks for a party seemed silly. So when she heard the whispers of a new pony coming off the train she ran straight down to the station to surprise him and take him to the surprise party that she had planed weeks ago. So when the pink blur of pink that was Pinkie Pie raced through town, most ponies accepted it and move aside to let her run, but poor Spell Squire had never seen any pony run that fast and acting on instinct began to run away. Of course, Pinkie Pie had never had a pony react like that before, so for a moment she was confused before giving chase to the fleeing stallion calling after him, "Hey! Wait! I just wana take you to a PARTY!” Spell Squire ran faster panting as the chase lead through all of Ponyville, though without time for him to enjoy the sights. The two ponies raced through the market place jumping through and around stalls before coming out in the town square as Spell Squire yelled over his shoulder "Just leave me ALONE! I don't want to be a part of your party!” hearing this caused Pinkie Pie to gasp and run faster after him. Now, as luck would have it, a certain cyan coated, rainbow mane mare happened to be on cloud patrol and had seen the start of what she thought was a race, but when she recognized Pinkie Pie and couldn't place who the odd grey coated stallion was, she remembered that Pinkie had been planning a party for some new pony coming to town. With a few flaps of her powerful wings Rainbow Dash flew over the racing pair with a cloud in hoof and dropped it over Pinkie Pie's head shouting her apologies to her friend before turning her attention to the stallion "Quick, follow me!" Spell Squire looked up at the Pegasus with hesitation but for the moment she seemed to be interested in his well being as he followed her directions to a large oak tree in town the sign in front of it calling the 'Golden Oak's Library'. Barreling through the door Spell Squire was quickly followed by a speeding Rainbow Dash that shut the door behind them. laying down both ponies panted trying to catch their breath, after a short while Rainbow Dash sat up, being first to recover, and held out a hoof, "The name's Rainbow Dash, the awsomest pony in Equestria, no thanks required." she stated. Spell Squire looked at her extended hoof for a moment before gently extending his own to shake hoofs, "Spell Squire." the stallion said softly. Rainbow Dash tilted her head being reminded of a certain butter colored pegasus mare as she looked the unicorn over slowly, "Yeah, well, sorry about Pinkie Pie she can be a little... excited at times." she said rubbing a hoof to the back of her neck a little embarrassed. He nodded slightly as they looked around the library taking it with a small smile, after all books had been his only friends for more than a few years before he looked back at her, "So I noticed, Since you seem to know her... Any idea why she was chasing me?" at that Rainbow blinked and smiled, "She's been planning a party for you ever since she heard you were moving to Ponyville." This took Spell Squire back, "I've never met her before, she doesn't know me... why would she throw me a party?" Rainbow Dash blinked and smiled before she chuckled softly, "That's just who Pinkie Pie is, she wants to make everypony feel welcome in Ponyville." Spell Squire sat there dumbfounded as he stared off at the wall, nopony had ever wanted him around, or made him feel welcomed before. Yet here was a stranger, somepony he'd never met, throwing him a party, just for moving to town. And in front of him was a pegasus who could clearly see that his horn was broken, but she hadn't laughed, hadn't joked... She was treating him like any other pony. Rainbow Dash stood up and flexed her wings before nudging him, "come on, we should get to your party, after all, it's your party and Pinkie has been waiting for weeks not to mention everypony is probably already there." Spell Squire had started to stand but froze, "Everypony? How many ponies are there going to be miss Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow Dash tapped her hoof against her chin thoughtfully, "Well, Pinkie Pie of course, Twilight, and myself, Rarity will probably come 'fashionably late' or something, " she said using air quotes, "Apple and Big Mac are out working the farm, so they probably aren't coming out Sweetie Bell, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom probably won't be there, out crusading, Lyra, Bon Bon, and Ditzy will probably be there, it isn't like them to miss a party..." She went on for a while and all the while, the stallion could only feel fear as the list grew longer. "All these ponies... are coming out to see me of all ponies." He thought to himself. After a little while longer going on Rainbow Dash finally noticed that the stallion was looking nervous and a little jittery, reaching out she put a hoof on the stallion's shoulder "Hey, there's no reason to get worked up, no pony's gonna mess with you, or they'll mess with me!" Spell Squire looked at her for a moment, a thousand thoughts running through his head as he looked at her before letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and nodded gently "Alright then... let’s go to this party then." he said, after all, wasn't this a chance to try and give life a second chance? With a smile Rainbow Dash lead him through Ponyville at a less frantic rate, showing him around as they made their way towards his new house. It was late afternoon when they arrived at the small house that was soon to be his. There was already a deep bass playing, reverberating through their hoofs as they came closer. entering the house all the ponies gathered stopped and turned towards the door before yelling "SURPRISE!!!" as a party cannon went of shooting out multicolored streamers and confetti. Spell Squire flinched backwards towards Rainbow Dash whom laughed and pushed him into the room, "Come on, stop being such a pony, scardie it's just a party, have some fun!" As the afternoon turned to evening and the evening to night the party went on. Slowly Spell Squire relaxed deciding that these ponies really were genuine in their want to just have a good time, coming out of his shell showing his true colors again as they spent the party eating cake, drinking sweet apple cider, and playing whatever games Pinkie pulled out from.... well where ever Pinkie was hiding them. As the night went thought, the party dwindled, a pony here, a pony there leaving calling it a night, leaving in twos and threes till only a hoof full were left, some asleep and too tired to make it back to their homes, Spell Squire, Pinkie, and Rainbow were the only ponies left still active, if lounging around or being Pinkie Pie counts. The house was trashed, but as he laid out on the couch limbs spread he could care less. For the first time since he was a foal, before the accident, Spell Squire felt happy, content even. He heard the Pegasus' hoof steps as she approached and nudged him "You were quite the party animal Mr. Squire." Laughing Spell Squire looked up at her and smiled "Just Spell, unless you'd rather I start calling you Ms. Dash." They both laughed before suddenly Pinkie Pie bounced her way over, "Oh! Oh! I know, games! I'll go get the games!" she cried before trying to dash off for the pile of board games, however she didn't get far as Rainbow Dash stepped down on her tail holding her in place causing her to fall back and sit looking back at the other mare "Hey..." Rainbow smiled as he got of her tail and nudged her friend up to a standing position again "Pinkie, it's late, I think that Spell wants to get some sleep now." for a moment Pinkie Pie looked deep in thought before she smiled and nodded "Okie dokie lokie!" she said before bouncing towards the door before looking over her shoulder and waved "Bye!" she said leaving. Spell Squire smiled some leaning back as he sighed closing his eyes "you were right." Rainbow blinked looking at him "hmm?" he looked at her again and smiled "She does get a little excited." at that they both laughed softly. Sitting up he pulled Rainbow into a hug, "Thank you Rainbow, you saved my life today." Blinking Rainbow Dash tilted her head slightly and shook her head with a smile not knowing that the statement was entirely true, "It was nothing, but it's late, and I have weather patrol in the morning, I’ll be by after and help clean up." with a smile she turned to leave. Spell Squire wanted to say something as she walked to the door but sighed softly and softly wished her good night to which she nodded and returned the sentiment before leaving his house. With a sigh, Spell Squire leaned back and ran a hoof over his forehead gently stroking his broken horn as he sighed rolling over onto his side. He was broken, ruined, damaged but here, in this new town, he had a fresh start. He had a second chance, a chance he was going to make the most out of as he drifted off into sleep, and for once in a long while, his dreams didn't take him to the door. FIN. Author's Note As I said in the introduction, this is my first fan fiction and I would appreciate any advice to help improve my story and bring it to life, thank you for reading to the end to these notes, it means a lot to me.
forgotten memoriesChpt. 2 (Forgotten memories) It was two days after the welcoming party that Spell Squire’s things came. He frowned looking through his things, scorch marks and water damaged covered the few things that had been saved. Apparently after he left other ponies around the down had tried to burn down his house so he had nothing left to go back to. As what little luck he had would have happen, he still knew one of the ponies on the fire squad that had a soft heart that had put the fire out before things were too out of control. He sighed tossing aside another ruined box of blackened contents. So far he had found a few photo albums that were air drying, a few articles of clothing that weren’t burned to badly as well as a few of his books. For the most part it looked like his furniture was all in need of replacing along with most of his clothing which hadn’t been extensive to start with, and a good portion of his books. With a sigh Spell looked around at all his ruined things and shook his head. He knew that he was never going back but the fact they burnt his house down, he just couldn’t fathom that much anger and rejection. Standing up he walked outside, the skies were clear and nice, cool breeze greeted him as he left his house. While he had grown used to Ponyville some of its inhabitants hadn’t gotten used to him, and occasionally still gave him the odd look or sympathy or a hushed question to a friend about the unicorn with the broken horn. Walking out he decided to visit the library to see if he could borrow any of his favorite books from the library in the meantime while he waited for his new things to arrive. Looking up he smiled and sighed softly as the sun felt good on his fur. The trip didn’t take long before he was at the large tree that housed the library and one lavender mare and her assistant that Rainbow Dash was friends with. Rainbow Dash, the name made the stallion smile. She was his first real friend since his… accident. Shaking his head he walked into the library quietly and began looking for his books. As he looked his mind began to wander back to a certain mare. Dash was fun to be around but knew when business needed to be taken care of. The mare herself had also been the victim of bullying and though not as sever, she could relate with him on some level and she supported him one hundred percent in trying to find himself again. Looking back to his flank he gave a sad smile. A shield. That was his cutie mark. A sign of protection, safety, defense. When he was younger he had shown a talent for barrier and shields, spells of protection that had earned him his cutie mark, but more and more often, he’d had to use other means of protection and defense. Usually he’d run away and find a hiding place, or became evasive when other ponies were talking to him, he’d also become very agile and experienced at taking, and dodging blows anypony might toss his way. Shaking his head he sighed softly to himself and looked back to the shelf and pulled out a large blue spined book and blinked seeing a large violet eye looking at him. With a yelp of surprise the book fell from his mouth as he cowered back. The eye moved and he looked at the end of the shelving to see Twilight Sparkle come around the corner. “I thought I heard somepony in here. You’re…. Spell Squire right?” Twilight asked trying to recall the name. He blinked for a moment but nodded mutely as he stood before he leaned down again to grasp the book in his teeth, but before he could Twilight’s magic enveloped the book and lifted it to her letting him chomp on thin air. “Hmmmm, Magical Shields and Barriers A-Z For Beginners, what would an Earth…oh…” she faltered for a moment as she noticed for the first time the broken horn protruding from his forehead, “Oh! I’m so sorry Spell Squire, I di-” the stallion put his hoof up cutting her off and putting aside his hurt for the time being. “Twilight, it’s alright, I know you didn’t mean anything by it.” He felt like having a fresh made scab ripped off but he also knew from Rainbow that Twilight would never purposefully insult him. Twilight looked down and embarrassedly scrapping her hoof on the ground as she offered the book back to him. Taking it, taking it Spell took the book and slipped it into his saddle bag, “Miss Sparkle?” Hearing her name Twilight blinked coming back from her thoughts, “hmm? Oh yes Spell Squire?” The stallion sighed softly and gave her a smile, “Just Spell please. I was wondering if you could help me find these?” he asked before digging in his saddle bag for a moment before pulling out a small list of books offering it to her. Taking the list and looking it over Twilight smiled, they were mostly adventure books, but there were a few magic tomes, curiously she looked at the list and back to spell. “Some of these are really advanced Spell, can you use these?” With a soft sigh Spell Squire thought for a moment and shook his head his mane falling in his eyes “..no” he said softly before raising his head a new determined look in his eyes, “no, I can’t, but I’m still learning my craft and I’ll put myself and more behind learning to do it.” Twilight blinked and smiled as she looked at him and nodded at his resolve, “Well then Spell, if you ever need help, just ask, I’ll be happy to help.” At this, it was spell’s turn to blink and smile in return. As they went through the library, picking out the books they could together they worked out a time to meet and she could see where he was and help him practice his magic safely. As it so happened neither had much going on that evening and it was agreed to meet then. Leaving the library the stallion smiled to himself and decided to get a bite to eat on his way home. Setting his bag down he started to dig for a few bits out of his bags but paused and sat back down as he came across a familiar silver ring, the same one he had stuffed back into his bag at on the train. Shaking his head, he must have forgotten to take it out of the bag when he had started to unpack. Staring at the ring in his hoof, he tilted the ring in his hoof he tilted the ring letting the sun shimmer and sparkle on its surface. Again, memories unbidden came to light, pushing them down and shoving them into a bottle, all thoughts of food were abandoned as he absently made his way back home trying to keep a semblance of composure. She had a mane that reflected her name, Silver Lining. Cloud white and silver grey mane braided to keep it in order, her tail however she let be, it was a wild tangled spiky mess but she never cared. She had a dove grey coat and her cutie mark was a grey cloud with a silver lining and a sun peeking out behind it. She always had a smile for him, a treasure that was his lone source of warmth in a world of abuse and neglect. She was a soft voice that whispered words of hope to him in the darkness of his nights, a hoof that held him close and held close the doors to his nightmares, and held the ghosts away before the dawn. She had been his very special somepony, until the town found out. Going inside he closed the door behind him locking it as he climbed the stairs up to his room. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and focused. He felt the magic the flowed in him, visualized a trickle of that river flowing out of him to the curtains, pulling them down as grey aura flickered around the small pull knob of the shades and with a painful groan they started to close out the light of the mid-day sun. screwing his eyes shut as he focused making sure that the windows stayed close he gasped panting softly, his body was covered with a thin layer of sweat as the aura around his broken horn flickered in and out all the while shooting sparks of unfocused magic. As the blinds finally shut the aura around his horn finally winked out as he sighed deeply his entire body relaxing before he gathered himself up for one final hop up onto his bed. With a satisfied flop and groan from his bed he closed his eyes before opening them just enough to look down at his hoof staring at the ring as he drifted off, the memories of Silver Lining coming back to him like the whispers of a siren. The day was warm as Spell Squire laid out on the soft grass on the edge of town where no pony would find or bother him. When a shadow blocked the warmth of the sun, he mumbled a soft curse at the pegasus moving the cloud before opening an eye to see a familiar pair of sky blue eyes looking down at him. With a smile he rolled over getting his legs under him before standing up slowly to nuzzle the mare’s neck “hey there Silver, what are you doing out here?” Silver Lining smiled and returned the nuzzle warmly “I just thought it was too nice of a day to spend alone Spell.” she said moving around siding up to him with a smile. Together they walked through the open field just talking, more appropriate to say Silver talked and Spell listened, about the going on’s in town. Reaching an old oak tree, they had claimed as their own as they sat in its shade and continued to talk until there was nothing left to say, by then the sun touched the horizon and the shadows had grown with the evening chill making the ponies cuddle up against each other. Silver’s head finding a familiar nook in Spell’s neck that always felt like it was made for her as his chin gently rested over her head, together they lay still until Silver was snoring softly. It was these moments that Spell Squire loved… And hated… Silver Lining was the only pony in town that didn’t seem to care that his horn was broken, the only pony that didn’t look on him with pity or hate, just saw him as the pony he was and not an invalid that brought shame upon the town. At the same time though, he hated that she was given dirty looks and called names because she was his friend. She shrugged the names off saying they didn’t bother her and that the towns pony were being silly. It was for that reason he loved her, and why in secret he had gone to the next town over and though he had to pay extra because of who he was and even more in bribes to keep the smith quiet, he had commissioned a ring. It was a silver band with ground diamonds making a small line around the middle of the band. With a glance into the hollow of the tree where the ring was hidden he bit softly on his lip before leaning down and whispering softly in the mare’s ear, “Silver, are you still awake?” His reward was a gentile sigh as she shifted slightly and gave a sleepy nod and a soft mumble. With a smile he kissed her cheek softly and whispered, “I have a very important question for you,” his voice was shaking softly with nerves and anticipation but he still held a tone of amusement at how cute she looked when she was sleepy and waking up. Slowly she lifted her head to get a better look at him before nodding that she was more awake and wanting him to continue. Taking a deep breath Spell screwed shut his eyes as he focused sparks flew gently into the dimming twilight from his horn as slowly the box lifted out of the hollow behind her. Opening his eyes slowly he heard her surprised gasp not only at his rare display of magic but that inside the black velvet box was a small ring. His voice shook as the magic took its toll, “W-will you ma-marry me Silver Lining?” Silver wrapped her own magic around the ring box to help support the box in his own magic field lessening his stress out of habit as her mind was blank looking at the ring before she let out a squeal of glee and tackled the distracted stallion kissing him all over practically giggling yes between her kisses. Slowly she started to calm and cuddle back up with him and started to plan their escape from the town to be together without anypony giving them a hard time. What they didn’t notice was the distant shape of a pony running back to town. It was near two weeks later that their engagement ended, but for now he pushed those back into their box deeply and tightly sealing them away. Slowly Spell Squire rose, carefully he stretched his stiff limbs from his afternoon nap. Carefully he set the ring down on his bedside table and looked at it as if trying to glean secrets he knew it did not have before sighing softly as he got up deciding that a walk through he market would be good for him, not to mention his stomach. Spell had been through the market a few times now, for groceries and it happened to be the hub of the town. It was during one of these visits that Spell Squire had met Apple Jack. The orange mare was sitting back in her booth wearing her trademark Stetson, they had talked and gotten to know one another since the chance hadn’t arisen at the party, which she apologized for explaining that it was getting close to harvest time for most of the trees meaning that Sweet Apple Acres was even busier than normal. Approaching the booth though Spell didn't see Apple Jack but her brother Big Mac. With a smile and a nod Spell picked up a few apples and looked at the other stallion “six bits?” with a nod and his own trademark “eeyep” Spell pulled out the bits and put the apples back in his saddle bag. Looking up he noticed the town’s clock tower and cursed softly as he ran towards the library already late for his appointment. FIN.
Powers from withinChpt. 3 (Powers from within) Spell Squire sighed happily, as he flopped back on his bed, the springs of his mattress protesting at the sudden weight. Turning to his side he wormed his way farther up the bed to tired to care that he was covered in his own sweat at the moment. A week had passed since his first session with Twilight and he had done well, if he were about Sweetie Belle’s age. Not to be discouraged, he had thrown himself into practice and now, he could move his dictionary across his room. It may take him a few minutes to do it, but he could move it across his room now, and that was progress in Spell’s book. Rainbow Dash had been very supportive and decided to help Spell Squire out, while getting a little practice of her own in as well. Together they had made a game of this, Rainbow would fly around the sky, as she liked, diving and rolling with as many tricks as she could use in a routine. All the while, Spell would sit in the field and focus his magic in the most basic of unicorn spells, levitation; he would try to grab Rainbow while she was in mid-flight. They were both surprised at the fact that in his first week of real practice of spell work he had managed to grab Rainbow Dash out of the sky once, and gotten close tugging at her several more times. He was amazed at how ten days in Ponyville had dramatically changed his outlook on life, and it scared him. Because if life had taught him anything it was that, nothing stayed the same for long, especially in Ponyville if Rainbow’s stories held any truth. With a soft groan, he got up, went into the bathroom, and turned on the water starting his hot shower, letting the water wash over and relax him. Picking up his long brush, he started humming a little tune that seemed to be popular in the town. Stepping out of the shower, he felt refreshed as he shook himself dry. Walking downstairs, he grabbed a bite to eat and walked out the door heading for the library and his next lesson with Twilight. Stepping out he gave a happy sigh, the sun was warm on his still drying fur as he walked through town. Walking through the market and shopping area of Ponyville, it never ceased to amaze him the diversity of the stores. Food, clothing, furniture, and of course the oddities, for such a small town it did very well for it’s self. He let his hooves take him in the direction of the tree house, as his mind wandered nowhere in particular occasionally quizzing himself on the process of levitation. His thoughts were interrupted however at the sound of a chorus of filly like giggles. In his time in Ponyville he had been well warned against the “cutie mark crusaders.” Three little fillies trying to earn their cutie marks however they could. Looking around he continued slowly his ears perked for any further noise to help him prepare him. Unbeknown to him, Celestia and Luna combined could not be prepared for the cutie mark crusaders trying to earn their cutie marks in cart chasing. First, it came as a quite squeaking as the wheels protested the momentum they gained. Then a rumble as the cart started to rattle and shake traveling down the street. Lastly, came the shrieks and panicked cries of not only the ponies in the way but the trio of filly crusaders that had gotten onto the run away cart in their attempts to stop it. Looking up the road Spell could see the cart barreling towards him. With wide eyes, he looked around quickly for cover and then saw the three fillies on board the cart, and the cliff at the end of the road. Grinding his teeth sparks began to spout from the remains of his broken horn as the magic he gathered was loosed in raw arcane power, firmly planting his hooves in the path he stood his ground the cart barreling towards him at dangerous speeds, he planned to stop this cart and save the girls, one way or another. Narrowing his eyes, he focused watching the cart’s approach before the grey aura of his magic surrounded the three fillies, lifting them up and setting them on the ground behind the runaway cart gently. As the girls touched down safely to earth a barrier appeared around them as the cart was coming dangerously close to him a barrier suddenly appeared causing wooden splinters to fly in every direction some even sticking into the dirt or thinner plaster pockets in the surrounding buildings. Panting heavily Spell slowly laid down not trusting his shaky legs at the moment while he tried to recover.“That was a bit excessive wasn’t it? B-but the girls are safe…” spell thought to himself as he laid there, his eyes slowly growing heavy as the three fillies sat there dumbfounded under their protective barrier. Once it disappeared though they seemed to come back to their senses. Apple Bloom got to the exhausted stallion first, “Mister? Are you alright?” she asked worriedly in a southern drawl that was trademarked to the apple family. Scootaloo snapped out of her trance of staring at the wreckage and zoomed over to Spell while he was shaking his head trying to clear the growing fuzz and gather his thoughts. But as he started to standing the orange coated filly crashed into the wobbly stallion causing him to fall back over as she began a barrage of questions “Ohmigosh! That was so cool! How did you DO that? We were so scared and done for but then you came out from nowhere and whoosh! Crash! We’re safe! You’re almost as cool as Rainbow Dash!” in response Spell could only lay there and gasp as he tried to catch his breath, as the little filly continued her barrage till Sweetie Belle put a hoof over Scootaloo’s mouth. “Do you need anything Spell Squire?” Sweetie asked sharing Apple Bloom’s concern. Both her friends turned and looked at her with a curious glance, neither of them had seen this stallion in town before, how did Sweetie know him? Apple Bloom then voiced her concern for the both of them “Sweetie, you know this pony?” With a nod she smiled “He’s been learning magic with me from Twilight,” looking at the stallion who was now trying to sit up again she frowned slightly a furrow coming to her brows, “But I’ve never seen him do anything like that before, didn’t Twilight tell you to take thing’s slow Mr. Spell? She didn’t know what would happen what with your horn be-” It was at this unfortunate moment that Spell fell over, passed out could much to the shock of the three fillies sitting with him. As luck would have it, today was Fluttershy and Rarity’s spa date. Hearing the crash, the mares thought it best to investigate the cause of the sudden noise. Seeing the three fillies was no surprise to the older girls, but the unconscious form of Spell Squire and the wreckage of the cart caused both girls to start and sent Rarity into her usual set of dramatics, “Oh, girls! What happened here!?” “Well, you see what ha-” Scootaloo cut off Sweetie’s explanation in an act of excitement and maybe spite. “Wewereoutcrusadingwhenthecartwentoutofcontrolandwhenwegotontothecartitjustwentfasterandthe wepanickedandSpellSquiretherecameoutofnowherealmostasawesomeasRainbowDashandsavedusstoppingthecartwhereitstoodandthenjustpassedout!” Both mares stared at the filly for a moment before she shrugged not understanding the confused look the mares shared. Raising a brow Rarity looked at the orange-coated filly “Cart chasing?” “Yep!” “In the middle of the day?” “Uh-huh.” “While every pony is shopping?” “Ee-yep.” Sighing Rarity shook her head and looked over to the unconscious form of Spell, “Oh, dear. He doesn’t look well, Apple Bloom, be a dear and go get your brother, I do believe I saw him just over by the apple stand with your sister?” With a nod, the yellow filly ran off to fetch her brother. “And Scootaloo, I need you to go run to the hospital and tell them what happened.” with a mock salute the little pegasi’s scooter and helmet seemed to materialize as she buzzed off towards the hospital. Afterward the two mares and last crusader that remained looked at Spell Squire. His breathing seemed fine, his pulse too, if each were a little low. All in all the three thought he was just sleeping, ready to wake anytime. With a sigh they did what they could, sit and wait for the medical team. Fin
The NightmaresChpt. 4 (The Nightmare) Silver Lining in her sleep cuddled up to Spell Squire giving a content sigh before settling back down. Gently Spell stroked her hair that had spilled forth from its usual braid with a soft smile. He looked out the window as he gave his own soft sigh and closed his eyes. The pair had decided upon eloping and running away, there was no further future for them in their village, but they had the world in their hooves to do, as they liked. Relaxing into the bed with Silver, he looked out the window into the star filled night and sent a silent thank you to the moon princess for its beauty before settling down for sleep. At the moment, the two unicorns had found rest at a small roadside inn after a day’s worth of travel. They had been on the road for a little over a week now enjoying the freedom of their days and the warmth of each other in the night. Giving his newlywed wife a kiss to her cheek, he closed his eyes and slipped into the gentle arms of sleep. Gilded Scepter was an average build for a unicorn stallion; his fur was the golden color that gave him his name. Around his muzzle, it was a little browner but he found it acceptable as it matched his eyes. His mane and tail were both well groomed and kept in a perfect order at all times so that the red and black of his mane almost never touched and proudly displayed his spiral horn. His cutie mark was a king’s scepter that some of the gold had been scrapped from at the handle to reveal some darker metal. He looked up at the same stars that Spell Squire had just offered thanks for and offered a curse to the moon princess. The darkness had helped them to lose the trail of the two unicorns they chased after. The story back in the village was that Spell Squire had foalnapped Silver Lining away making it Gilded Scepter’s job to bring her back. Looking back at the unicorns that had traveled with him, he stomped his hoof and sighed, “Make camp here. We’ll get them in the morning I’m sure!” there was a chorus of murmured tired agreements from the party as tents and sleeping mats were quickly put up. They hadn’t realized that the two had run away the first few days, as it was natural for the pair to disappear for days on end. But when nopony had seen Silver for a few days Scepter went out to Spell Squire’s house to find it empty prompting the party to head out and search for the missing ponies, and they were getting closer. With a grumble about having to stop with a few choice curses, a thought came to mind while he rolled out his own sleeping mat and looked around “Ralph!”Quickly the called for pony made his way over to Scepter, “Yes boss?” “I need you to go ahead and scout the next few miles for me, just in case they’re camping up ahead.” With a nod and a mock salute, the unicorn quickly gathered his things and moved out. As he left Scepter curled back up on his mat to plot the havoc he would rain down upon the idiotic invalid whom had stolen the mare of his dreams. Five mares sat around a bed that held the unconscious form of Spell Squire. The medical team had arrived quickly and as Fluttershy and Rarity had thought, Spell was physically fine, but he wasn’t waking up. The crusaders were unnaturally quiet as they looked around the room while Fluttershy and Rarity sat beside the bed in provided chairs speaking quietly. Unable to stand the silence any longer or maybe it was the steady beep of the monitors attached to Spell Squire she didn’t know but Sweetie Belle spoke up , “So, is Mr. Squire going to be alright?” Rarity looked at Fluttershy and opened her mouth to reply when a cyan blue pegasus came in the room. “Of course he’ll be all right, this is Spell Squire we’re talking about after all, the Stallion that keeps trying no matter the odds and never gives up.” She smiled and walked up to the other side of the bed to stand across from her friends while looking at Spell before looking over to the tired crusaders. “Hey Rares, Shy, why don’t you take the girls home, I can keep watch over him. I’ll come get ya ten seconds flat if anything happens.” she said with a sad sort of smile. With a quite agreement that was her way, fluttershy got up and lead Apple Bloom and Scootaloo away. Rarity looked at Rainbow Dash a moment longer, “Are you sure about this Dearie? It’s no trouble at all.” She asked but was betrayed by the yawn that had followed her question. Shaking her head Rainbow smiled, “Nah, I got this.” With a nod, Rarity collected Sweetie Belle and left closing the door quietly behind her. Sighing Rainbow Dash went around the bed, sat down in one of the freshly abandoned chairs, and looked down on the sleeping stallion, “Don’t make me a liar Spell.” She said before settling in with a Daring Do novel. Waking early the next day to the invasive rays of Celestia’s sun Spell Squire moaned and grumbled in protest of the light to which Silver Lining agreed and pulled the curtains further closed to shut out the invasive light. After tossing and turning Spell couldn’t fall back to sleep and so sighed as he got up and went about his morning much to Silver’s distress as she made a whining noise reaching out for him to come back to bed much to his amusement. In defeat she flopped back on the bed and snuggled into the covers only to remember the real source of warmth, being her husband, had left. So, it was with a heavy groan of protest that she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes and joined Spell in the bathroom. Thanking the owner the two ponies left the inn and continued down the road chatting idly about where they’re first stop would be now that they were traveling. After a little while they came to the conclusion of going first to Canterlot and from there maybe Baltimare, after that who knew, maybe they would go to Ponyville and see the elements of harmony, or off to Trottingham. Unknown to them was the lavender stallion that walked into the inn soon after their departure. If it wasn’t for the horn on his head one could have easily mistaken the unicorn for an earth pony with a large barrel and broad shoulders. His fur was a very light purple that was spotted near his flank and around his muzzle with a green-blue color; his mane and tail though hung in an uncontrolled manor allowing ins pale yellow hair to do as it pleased. His cutie mark was a magnifying glass leaning against a compass. Walking up to the owner, he smiled and held up a sketch of Silver and Spell, “Hi there, my name is Ralph. I’m looking for my cousin’s they pulled a joke and left me a few nights back and I was wondering if you’d seen them?” The inn keeper looked at the drawing and then the stallion, he had grown used to reading ponies and this stallion was up to no good. “No, I haven’t seen anyone like that; try the town a few miles east. Maybe they stopped in one of the inn’s there.” Looking at the inn keeper a moment longer he frowned and gave a mumbled thanks Ralph turned and left. Sighing the innkeeper leaned back on the counter and whispered a soft prayer to Luna to keep those two ponies hidden. Gilded Scepter had gotten up and started off after Ralph and by late morning had met up with him. “So, where are they?” Ralph shrugged slightly “The only inn for miles said they hadn’t seen them, but I think the innkeeper was lying. They probably left just a bit before I got there and since you haven’t found them continued down the road.” With a sear Scepter nodded and with his voice amplified with his magic, he looked over his party and called out, “Alright boys! Today’s the day we get those two!” with a sudden buck off the ground with his hind legs he galloped off down the road after the two ponies the rest of the party following soon after. Celestia’s sun was starting to dip below the horizon as the day had passed with visitors coming to visit spell and wish him well. But Rainbow Dash refused to leave saying at one point, “What kind of friend would I be if I just leave him lying here all alone?” so her friends let it be making sure that she was taking care of herself during her vigil. As evening gave way to night and the night gave way to the morning’s light Rainbow Dash never left her friend, all the while he lay there unmoving in his coma like state. Rainbow Dash started awake dropping the Daring Do novel she had been reading during the night, which in turn startled Twilight as she came into the room, “Sorry, Rainbow Dash I didn’t mean to spook you.” Rainbow’s wings, which had flared out quickly snapped back to her sides, “Scared? Me? Please Twi, you couldn’t scare Angel.” She said waving a hoof as she reached down for her book, “My book just slipped is all.” With a chuckle Twilight as she looked at the mare then nodded, “I think Fluttershy and that stare of her’s is the only thing that can scare Angel Bunny.” Walking in further she lifted the medical chart in her magic and started to read over it, “So how has he been?” Rainbow sighed looking at the grey stallion and sighs as he ears flatten a little, “well, not an better… hey Twi?” Blinking Twilight looked up away from the charts and nodded, “Yes Rainbow Dash?” “Haven’t you ever seen, or heard about anything like this from all those books you’ve read?” Hesitantly the lavender unicorn nodded “I have Dash, but coma’s like this aren’t something you get a shot for. There is something inside himself that either won’t let him or he doesn’t want to let go of and face.” Blinking Rainbow frowned and moved closer, “But there are ponies that have gotten better right? That means there must be something we can do! Twilight please, there must be something we can do, something the princesses could do for him!” by this point the normally collected mare was nearing hysterics as she had advanced putting her hooves around Twilight’s neck and began to sob into her friend’s shoulder. Confused briefly Twilight gently lowered her friend to the ground and sat with her gently stroking her hair whispering reassurances, “Plenty of ponies wake up from comas every day, but Rainbow Dash, the mind is still a mystery for us, we don’t understand it. And the princesses have been looking for cures for years. There is hope, I did write a letter to the princesses and princess Luna said she can still see him dreaming which means there is still hope.” With a soft hic and nod rainbow gently whipped her eyes and smiled weakly, “Thank you Twilight.” Twilight smiled and nodded, “Happy to help. Now why don’t you go home and get some sleep, maybe something to eat? I’ll make sure you’re the first to know if something changes.” Looking at the stallion in bed Rainbow Dash gave a reluctant nod and started for the door looking back at her. “The first?” Twilight nodded, “The first.” Reassured Rainbow Dash nodded and left. With a soft sigh and sat next to the comatose patient and pulled a book out reading quietly. “RUN SILVER!” Spell Squire and Silver Lining had been found out and were being chased though the woods all the while being closed in on by the unicorns. Panting Spell was reaching his limits as one of the unicorns got closer he stopped and bucked backwards with his back hooves catching the unprepared stallion in his muzzle causing him to drop in agony before spell resumed running. Silver was faring better having a branch held in her magic letting it swing back when she felt a pony was getting to close. But neither she nor Spell saw that they were being herded towards a cliff face thanks to Ralph’s scouting ahead and Gilded Scepter’s planning. Seeing the wall and realizing the trap Spell Squire realized how much trouble they were in. Backing up he put himself in front of Silver and lowered his head as he tried to gather the magic necessary for an arcane bolt when a red version of said spell hit him in the side causing the mana he had gathered to fizzle away and spark off as Gilded Scepter walked forward. “Did you two enjoy your little adventure? Waltzing off into the woods alone?” shaking his head he continued forward while Silver moved to help Spell back up as he shook his head to clear it. Gilded Scepter frowned at this and shot another bolt at the grey stallion knocking him from Silver’s grasp. Quickly he stalked after his prey as Ralph and another stallion held Silver back. Carefully Gilded Scepter placed a hoof on Spell’s ribs that had been bruised by the Arcane Bolt causing Spell to writhe trying to escape the twisting hoof that was causing him so much pain to Scepter’s delight. With a nod two more stallions came over and grabbed spell’s hooves spreading them so he couldn’t move. Looking around he saw silver being held off to the side screaming to be let go of and for Scepter to not hurt Spell Squire. He only chuckled and stepped over to her,” I won’t lay a hoof on him dear Silver, but Bruiser there,” he nodded to a large black stallion with a blue mane that was walking towards Spell with a bleeding nose, "I can’t guarantee he won’t. see Spell messed up his pretty face, so…” the stallion gave an innocent shrug and smirked as he looked at the trio standing over Spell and gave a nod. Bruiser reared up and brought his hooves down hard onto Spell’s ribs before starting his barrage on the helpless stallion. Silver cried for mercy as Bruiser set to work on his special talent, shown by the boxing gloves and chipped tooth that shown proudly on his flank. All the while Gilded Scepter stood to the side inspecting his hooves and rubbed it against his chest before looking at it again musing about making a hooficure appointment when he got back. Looking at Spell then back to Scepter Silver hung her head in defeat as she realized how to save her beloved. She took a choked breath and whispered softly, “I-…I’ll go home with you…” Gilded Scepter blinked and held up his hoof signaling Bruiser to stop his assault for the moment. “I’m sorry my dear? I didn’t quite catch that.” “…I…I said that, t-that I’d go home, back to the village… with you.” She lifted her head tears flowing freely as she screamed “SO STOP HURTING MY HUSBAND!” The entire gathering stared at her for a moment before Spell tried to move closer to her grunting in pain as he did, “S-Silver, no yo-” Bruiser cut him off with a hoof to his muzzle causing a sharp cry of pain that made Silver flinch. Scepter frowned at this “I’m sorry… did you say husband?” he moved closer to the prone stallion his eye viably twitching as he lifted the stallion’s muzzle for her to see him more clearly, “This is your husband?” he asked spitting the word out as if it were poison. Silver hung her head sobbing softly as she nods “Please, just stop hurting him Scepter, he doesn’t deserve this.” Looking back and forth, he finally noticed the ring on Silver’s horn and something inside him snapped. Shoving aside Bruiser, he stood over Spell and began to pummel the stallion under him. “What? He doesn’t deservethis? Or this?” He shouted as he punctuated each question with a solid punch to the stallion’s muzzle. “He stole you away! This worthless piece of garbage this invalid stole you away! What good is he? Other than taking up space?! You belong with a stallion that’s whole, that isn’t broken!” Spitting out a tooth and a glob of blood Spell looked up at Scepter and whispers in a hoarse voice, “Somepony like you?” With a ferial growl Scepter resumes his barrage bringing his hooves down harder. Shuttering at the sight Silver looked away from the brutality. Sobbing softly she whispered to herself and the princesses, “Spell forgive me.” Looking up she saw the two stallions and screwing her eyes shut she threw the wedding band off her horn at Spell Squire’s face to both ponies surprise both turning to look at her. Opening her eyes slowly she looked exhausted and defeated, “your right Scepter, I don’t know what I was thinking. T-this isn’t going to work, I…” she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “I can’t be happy with an invalid.” She said dejectedly. Pure undiluted joy ran through Gilded Scepter’s veins as he got off Spell whom felt as though his heart had stopped and he couldn’t breathe. Walking over to the mare Ralph and the other stallion holding her let her go and backed away to let them speak freely. “You’re just turning your back to him? Just like that? The stallion who moments ago you were begging to be left alone?” His brow raised along with his curiosity. With a shuddered breathe Silver nodded and looked up at him “You made a compelling argument.” Still more tears fell as she sent a silent prayer to the Celestia for forgiveness for her betrayal. Looking up she smiled sadly, as she walked towards the golden stallion. With a hesitance, she rested her head against his shoulder, “he shouldn’t be punished for my mistake.” While this transpired, Spell Squire laid back on the ground still spread and helpless in the grasp of the other unicorns as his newlywed wife scorned him and move closer to Scepter. His jaw too injured to move and make proper words could only groan and gurgle his protests as he tried to reach out and move closer to Silver. Sparing him a glance Silver leaned in and whispered into Scepter’s ear softly “Consider it your first gift to me, the release of this innocent to show me how kind and powerful you are to have his life in your hoof and give it back. Hasn’t he suffered enough?” While Scepter considered Silver’s plea everything clicked for Spell. With a renewed vigor, he began to thrash more in the hooves of his captors crying out louder as his tears flowed. He had finally realized that Silver was trading her love for Spell’s freedom. Chuckling at the dismay in Spell’s face, he steps back and looks at silver full on, “only if you Silver Lining, agree to be my bride, will I spare this miserable creature his life.” He proposed holding his hoof out to the mare. Looking over at spell she slowly raised a hoof and placed it on Gilded Scepter’s as she mouthed an apology before looking at the golden stallion and gave a ghost of a smile and nodded “I do.” Spell stared for a moment before he cried out the sound of ultimate suffering that even gave pause to the laughter of the stallions. Only two ponies did not join in on the laughter, Silver Lining standing there ashamed of what she had done but glad he would survive. Off into the shadows stood a mare far taller than any of the ponies present. Stepping forth the moon princess looked at the scene before her and shook her head slowly “Such barbarianism, I thought for sure mine sister had erased such practices, dear Spell Squire, how our heart aches for you, such troubles.” Leaning against a tree she closed her eyes and thought deeply before she smield and looked at the scene as it started to fade, “However, something has been discovered this night, maybe a cure for your endless dream, but for now sweet Spell Squire, rest in the peaceful black.” FIN Author's Note I'll be the first to admit to the fact that maybe i made Rainbow Dash out to be a little more emotional than she should be, but maybe that's just cause i haven't really gotten used to piloting someone else's character *Shrugs* anyways hate it if you want but i'm going to get this all straightened out one way or another.
finding happinessChpt. 5 (Finding Happyness) “RUN SILVER!” Spell Squire and Silver Lining had been found out and were being chased though the woods all the while being closed in on by the unicorns. Panting Spell was reaching his limits as one of the unicorns got closer he stopped and bucked backwards with his back hooves catching the unprepared stallion in his muzzle causing him to drop in agony before spell resumed running. Silver was faring better having a branch held in her magic letting it swing back when she felt a pony was getting to close. But neither she nor Spell saw that they were being herded towards a cliff face thanks to Ralph’s scouting ahead and Gilded Scepter’s planning. Seeing the wall and realizing the trap Spell Squire realized how much trouble they were in. Backing up he put himself in front of Silver and lowered his head as he tried to gather the magic necessary for an arcane bolt a sense of Déjà vu coming over him. Twilight and Rainbow Dash sat out in the waiting area of the hospital, waiting and worrying, and pacing, lots of pacing. Rainbow was on a circuit around the room and had been for hours now. Twilight lifted a hoof to her chin as she looked to the ceiling as she thought and sighed going back to her book having lost count of Rainbow’s laps after 29,365. Earlier in the afternoon, a few hours after Rainbow Dash had left, Spell Squire’s monitors had started to go haywire as his body began to convulse suddenly and his nose began to bleed. Doctors and nurses were in the room faster than Rainbow could clear the skies of Ponyville all while carefully shooing Twilight out offering her reassurances that everything would be ok. True to her word Twilight teleported a half-asleep Rainbow Dash to the hospital. And there they waited. Twilight with her book, and Rainbow Dash wearing a hole in the floor. Twilight glanced up at the hall at the same time as Rainbow as they heard a door close and the doctor headed towards them. As Rainbow readied to bolt down the hall Twilight wrapped her in her magic holding her in place much to Rainbow’s distress, “What the hay Twi?!” The lavender mare continued to watch the doctor and calmly walked up to him, “What happened doctor? Is Spell Squire alright?” “Yeah doc, is he ok?” Rainbow asked walking up next to Twilight now free from the unicorn’s magic. With a nod the doctor gave a gentile smile, “Yes, Mr. Squire will be fine in my opinion. However, we must warn you, we don’t know what triggered his episode; there is the likely-hood that it could happen again.” Twilight nodded expecting as much but as she opened her mouth Rainbow Dash cut her off, “Yeah, that’s all well and good doc, but can we see him?” the doctor smiled understandingly and lead the mares back to Spell Squire’s room before taking his leave. Sitting down the girls sighed softly as they saw him. Once more, he lay motionless in the peaceful hooves of sleep. With a soft sigh they settled back for another watch duty. A short while later though the door opened to an alabaster unicorn and her carefully styled mane, looking over her book Twilight smiled, “Hello Rarity.” The unicorn smiled and looked at the sleeping stallion and mare in the chair behind him and giggled softly, “Sweetie and I heard about Spell’s little fit and thought to drop by. Sweetie was terribly upset when she heard and I thought we should check in.” She walked further into the room to reveal an unusually somber Sweetie Belle waiting in the doorway. Quickly though Sweetie moved and joined her big sister sticking close to her side. She avoided looking at the sleeping stallion in the bed in front of her until Twilight broke her reprieve, “Sweetie, everything is going to be alright. Spell’s just sleeping.” The little filly looked up at her sleeping friend and stepped closer putting her fore-hooves on the edge of the bed to steady herself as she stood on her hind legs, “It really does look like he could just wake up any time doesn’t it Twilight?” The older mare looked at the filly’s sister and gave a soft smile before nodding, “It really does doesn’t it Sweetie?” With a nod the little filly looked at her sleeping friend before spreading her legs a little more for a better brace before pulling herself up onto the bed curling up next to the stallion much to the shock of the two mares, “Sweetie Belle! What in Equestria are you doing?!” Blinking the little filly lowered her head, “He just looked so lonely, I just wanna keep him company sis.” Rarity blinked looking at Twilight who only smiled and shrugged. With a sigh Rarity gently smiled, “Well, that’s very considerate of you Sweetie, if Twilight says it’s alright, then I suppose there’s no harm in you keeping him company.” She said looking up at Twilight for her consent. Twilight smiled, “It’s just fine with me.” So with a smile Sweetie settled in with promises from Rarity to come get her in a few hours. Spell Squire lowered his head to gather the mana for an arcane bolt an opened his eyes having another strange sense of déjà vu. A soft velvet voice whispered in the darkness around him, “You have been here before Spell Squire, look around you, and look at the details.” Blinking Spell began to look at the stallions approaching and blinked as he noticed the landscape around him. It was devoid of any details, just blurred shapes of color.Looking on in confusion his dream plane shattered leaving him in a black expanse of nothingness and before him stood the moon princess Luna in all her glory. With a soft smile, she looked at the stallion before her and spoke softly, "Hello my little pony." Spell Squire’s only response was a blank stare back at the princess his mouth hanging slightly agape. Luna sighed softly at the reaction, “It is more my sister’s thing I suppose, but I thought perhaps it was worth a try.” Noticing the lack of movement from the pony she flew over to him quickly looking the stallion over, “Oh, please do not be broken, Tia would be quite cross if we were to break her prized pupil’s friend.” Blinking suddenly Spell moved away from the inquisitive staring of the princess of the night, and again he looked off into the darkness, “Is this a dream?” She sighed in relief that she had not broken the stallion, “Yes dear Spell Squire, you are dreaming. More precisely, you are dreaming of your past, a worse nightmare than I could have ever conjured,” She looked at him and smiled the way a parent does when they have a surprise for their foal, “But tis a dream none the less.” Frowning Spell thought about it for a moment before the gears clicked and looked at the princess with a broad grin, “And when you know it’s a dream you can control what you do, and what happens?” “And so the secret is found and your cell door is opened.” Spell’s smile slowly faded as the statement sunk in he looked at Luna with a now serious frown and a raised brow, “Cell door?” Luna looked at the stallion her turn to be momentarily confused before blinking and realizing that he didn’t know the situation, “You do not understand? Spell Squire, you have been trapped in your dreams for near four days now, reliving the same tormented nightmare over and over, your friends were worried and called for Celestia and I to help and aid you, so here we are.” Spell sat back as if physically struck. “I-I’ve been out for four days? Trapped in the sa…” realization struck him like Apple Jack bucking a tree he looked up at the princess panicked, “Sweetie, and the girls, are they ok?!” Luna smiled softly, having just learned of his unfortunate catatonic state the stallion worried about the fillies that had unintentionally put him in it before bemoaning his bad fortune, a noble trait that was fading in this new age, “The little ones are safe, thanks to you Spell Squire.” The stallion nodded and visibly relaxed before quietly thinking to himself. After a while, he looked back at the moon princess whom had settled down a short distance away, “So, if I’ve been looping the same memory, does that mean there is something about the memory that I need to change to wake me up?” With a sigh, the moon princess hung her head before looking back at the grey stallion before her and shrugged, “We do not know, these catatonic endless dreams are a rare thing and we have never found two alike. However, if you believe that something needs to change, there is something to be altered, then find the change Spell Squire. Now, the night is young, and there are other ponies in need of our help, but remember to call on my sister or I when the need is indeed great and we shall come.” With that the darkness claimed the moon princess leaving spell in darkness sighing softly. Spell thought to himself and slowly two ponies appeared before him as he stepped closer. Silver Lining stood before him with a kind smile, the wedding band around her horn glimmered in the sunlight Spell couldn’t see. Next to her stood Gilded Scepter with a trademark sneer on his muzzle. Slowly Spell walked up to the former and gently laid his muzzle on her shoulder and stroked her cheek, “Even after all that happened, I still love you.” Softly he kissed her cheek and stood back to look at Gilded, “You however, have earned my wrath and hatred, and every ill thought I can think of.” Slowly the two faded from existence as he willed the dream to take him, and once more he was curled up in bed with Silver fighting the morning sun. Pinkie Pie frowned as she eyed Twilight inquisitively, “So I can’t throw a get well party for Spell?” An exasperated Twilight sighed, as Sweetie Belle put her hooves over her ears and pressed closer to Spell’s side to help further shut out the pink mare who was going on an hour now about the get well soon party. Rainbow Dash had left for weather patrol duty at the insistence of twilight. “Pinkie Pie NO! For the last time, there is no sense in throwing a party for a pony to make them feel better when the pony in question can’t attend!” The cotton candy pink mare stopped and looked at Twilight then to Spell Squire as though the idea had never occurred to her that he couldn’t attend his own party and then appeared for all the world deep in thought for several long minutes. Twilight and Sweetie looked at each other slightly concerned as to what might be going on in their harebrained friend’s head before she suddenly was up and bouncing “Okie Dokie Lokie, Then we’ll just have to wait till he can attended!” with a self satisfied nod Pinkie bounced herself out of the room and down the hall out of sight. Both mare and filly gave a sigh of relief in the quiet that was left as Sweetie went back to her nap and Twilight to her book. Slowly the door opened again after a little while, Twilight’s eye twitched slightly and opened her mouth expecting Pinkie Pie for another long looping conversation, but as she looked up the lavender unicorn instead saw Rarity flanked closely by Apple Jack and the other two crusaders. Blinking she smiled, “Girls, what brings you here?” Rarity smiled, “Well it was getting late so I thought that I’d come by and pick up Sweetie.” Apple Jack nodded, “Yep, then Rarity found me ‘n Bloom helping Mac take the booth down and said she was head’n here so I thought Bloom and Scoots would wanna see Sweetie and Spell. How is the big fella doin’?” Twilight sighed and shrugged, “He doesn’t seem worse, but he isn’t getting better. And He…” Twilight blushed as her stomach interrupted her making both of her friends to raise a suspicious brow. “When was ta last time ya ate sugarcube?” Twilight shrugged and her blush deepened slightly, “A few hours maybe?” Rarity gasped loudly as she quickly invaded Twilight’s personal space, “Oh Darling! You haven’t slept either have you?” Blinking Twilight shook her head, “No, and now that yahaw~” she interrupted herself with a yawn and giggled softly when it passed, “I suppose I am a little tired.” Apple Jack smiled, “You go home with Rare Twi, get something ta eat ‘n some rest. I’ll stay here tonight.” With a nod, Twilight smiled as she stood stretching out stiff limbs, “Thank you, Apple Jack.” The mare dipped her hat in response and took twilights vigil removing her hat in the spot beside her as she settled in for the night as Twilight and Rarity left with the small fillies. Spell Squire lowered his head to gather the mana for an arcane bolt when one of said spells struck his side. Slow ly he stood and shook his head as again he gathered the mana for another arcane bolt but halfway it suddenly discharged in a flash blinding everypony in the clearing. That is almost every pony. Spell glared at the wobbling form of Gilded Scepter who was trying to shake the spots from his vision. Growling through clinched teeth Spell charged the stallion tackling him to the ground. Magic from silver picked up a rock and struck Bruiser knocking him out as she struggled free from the shocked ponies. Scepter was confused and disoriented as he tried to bring up his hooves to block the sudden impacts that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. Ralph could only stare in wonder as he watched not really noticing as silver slipped away. Quiet, docile, shoved around, broken Spell Squire was going after Scepter with all the ferocity of a minatory possessed. Ralph took a step forward but Silver had already beat him and stood a few steps behind Spell as she spoke softly, “Spell?” not receiving a response as he continued to pummel the golden stallion under him. “Spell Squire.” She said more forcefully as the mare placed a hoof on his shoulder. The stallion in question paused in his assault the red haze clearing from his vision as he looked down at the stallion under him. Scepter’s muzzle was broken in several spots and bleeding profusely his eyes were swollen shut and the skin under his golden fur was multiple shades of purple and blue. Multitudes of cuts and scrapes covered the whimpering stallion’s face. Standing slowly Spell looked down at his unsteady hooves that were splattered red with the stallion’s blood. Turning he looked around at the stallions surrounding him and then silver and frowned slightly as he realized the panting he was hearing belonged to him. Taking a deep breath Spell calmed himself and walked towards Ralph whom backed peddled as if Nightmare Moon was after him until he ran into a tree. Leaning down Spell looked him in the eye and spoke slowly, “I want you to take him to the nearest hospital, and go home. I want to be left in peace with my wife, we never sought you out. We never sought trouble. It was you who sought us out and insisted on this course.” Ralph nodded rapidly before Spell backed away towards Silver and smiled weakly, “I’m sorry I went off like that love… can we go now?” Silver opened her mouth to speak, but her words were lost as the darknes swallowed them. “Run Sil- Oh danmit all to the moon!” “Five days,” the prismatic mare known as Rainbow Dash rolled to her side in an attempt to get comfortable on one of her favorite napping cloud. Looking at the clear sky she nodded slowly before closing her eyes. because while the day was supposed to be sunny and warm all she knew was that she couldn’t get comfy and felt like the sky was over cast and couldn’t get warm. For the mare that was always, going fast these last five days seemed to drag on. Her friend was hurt and there was nothing she could do for him. Rolling back to her stomach, she let her wings spread out to catch the sun she relaxed and closed her eyes. Fluttershy and Angel bunny were keeping Spell company for the time being while she was on weather patrol. The knowledge that her fillyhood friend was with Spell put her mind at ease but Rainbow didn’t know what she would do if anything happened to the stallion. Suddenly she sat up red faced and wide eyed before she looked around and kneaded the cloud she was on as she slowly lowered herself back down to the cloud mumbling softly, “Where did that come from?” turning her head to the side she tried to let her racing mind relax and nap before the next shift. “HEY HEY HEY HEY! Just who the hell do you think I AM!” Spell Squire stood atop a large bipedal robot that looked like a strange mix between pony and those human creatures Lyra always went on about. The robot was heavily armored and at the end of it’s hooves it had… well Spell wasn’t sure what to call them other than unsharpened claws, like what spike had. “HANDS!” Spell and everyone else looked over to a bush and there was an overly excited Lyra, “Sweet Celestia! Bipedal, hands, upright.” She looked up at the pony like face and you could see the excitement fall from her face as she turned and went back into the bush she came from. Shaking his head he glared back at the army of ponies before him lead by Gilded Scepter. With his newly named hands grasped around a pair of grey glowing arcane blades each rune brightly shining he pointed a blade at Scepter and resumed his rant, “Leaving his homeland he searches the stars in their endless wonder for the answers Celestia herself can’t find. With my wife at my side and the Crimzon End at my hoof’s call I shall defeat you for peace! For love! For justice! For my own Luna dammed vengeance!” With that he dropped back into the cockpit Silver Lining sitting there waiting for him. Once the hatch slid shut he took the control bit in his mouth and put his hooves in place as the visual display came on he saw Scepter smirk and gave the large hat he wore a twist before jumping as a large sword fell from the sky. As the sword landed a room open up that Scepter landed in, his voice came through a speaker in the mech, “Let’s see how your Crimzon End does against Sam.” As he spoke the sword seemed to unfold into another large bipedal mech swords in hand. As the fight started Luna sat back with a small bag of popcorn watching the two machines fight marveling at the imagination the stallion had. In the last few hours they had been in a space station the size of the moon for an epic duel, in a old cathedral where the two stallions had dueled before spell was launched out a stain glass window above the alter, the two had fought falling down a building using only swords in their mouths. And the fight just before this they had been titans fighting over the top of ponyville, all in all it had been a great show, even Celestia had been convinced to sit in and watch for a little while. Luna blinked and applauded softly as it looked like the end of the fight was nearing. Spell Squire lifted a hand above his head the rune blade long broken. “GIGA!” as he spoke his hand retracted into the forearm of the mech and was quickly replaced with a rather large drill, that quickly grew three times the mech’s height and then twice it’s width, “DRILL!” he lowered the drill as it began to spin fast enough to spark from friction against the air before a jet of pure arcane launched himself forward making a clean hole though Scepter’s Sam of May. Once he was through the dream faded leaving a still applauding Luna in the Darkness between dreams. “You are a very imaginative stallion Mr. Squire. But I see the changes have yet to hold the desired effect.” The moon princess said sadly. Spell Squire groaned as he flopped to the ‘ground’, “I don’t understand, why it isn’t working, I beat him in every, well, almost every dream. So why aren’t I awake?” Luna could only shake her head and shrugged but quick as the light bulb that appeared above her head she had a thought, “Maybe you don’t need violence to solve your problem Spell Squire. You are not a violent pony, despite these dreams, these dreams filled with dark violent rage. Maybe a peaceful solution will steer you the right direction.” Spell Squire started at the princess mostly because of how silly she looked with a lit bulb above her head and then nodded slowly, “Maybe…” FIN.
Making PeaceApple Jack had nodded off at some point in the night, so it's understandable that when the doctors and nurses came running into the room badgering her with questions she was a bit confused. However, when she saw Spell's hoof had mysteriously moved to rest on his chest as if he had an itch in the night, whereas a few hours ago it had been neatly tucked in by his side when she has fallen asleep. Quick as a wink ignoring the doctors and nurses apple Jack ran to gather the girls. Carefully Gilded Scepter placed his hoof on Spell Squire's ribs that had been so freshly bruised by the arcane bolt causing Spell to writhe in agony as he tried to escape from the hoof that would only twist deeper into his side. Spell exclaimed in pain before letting out a soft whimper. Silver Lining turned her head unable to watch her newlywed husband abused so as she sobbed and begged for them to let him go, all of which only made Gilded Scepter smile more and twist harder into Spell's side. Screwing his eyes shut Spell put all of his strength into pushing Gilded Scepter off of him much to the clearing surprise as he succeeded. Sitting up Spell gasped and held his side protectively as he glared at Scepter who calmly rises with a smirk, "well, it looks like the colt dose have a spine after all." Slowly Spell stood and looked over at Silver Lining and gave her a wink before looking back at scepter with a frown, "Does your mother know this is what you do for fun scepter?" Blinking the stallions in the area looked at each other confused as Scepter looked back at Spell, "I’m sorry?" Spell smirked softly, "Does your mother know that you get off beating on other ponies? Does she know you have paranoid fantasist that I am trying to steal the mare of your dreams when she never wanted you in the first place?" "She's just blinded by the pity for a poor excuse of a unicorn whose gone lame and dosen’t have the stones to end his own miserable life!” Scepter shouted into the other stallion’s face. The clearing grew quite as everypony and every creature held their breath to see who would break the staring contest first as the stallions glared death at one another. After what felt like eternity Spell Squire sighed slowly and looked aside as he stepped back conceding but looked back at the preening Scepter, and not with hate, not with anger, but with a deep seeded pity he spoke, slow and even, “Is that what you think of the pony you used to be best friends with? That because suddenly my horn is gone, because I tried to help you I’m no better than a walking corpse?” Everything stepped as the stallions looked at each other, one with a heavy heart, the other in shock and in rage, “HOW DARE YOU!!!” Scepter stormed towards Spell who simply stood stoically, “How dare you bring up the past to distract me as you’re losing!” Spell Squire shook his head slowly holding out a hoof to calm his onetime friend. “This isn’t a distraction; I just finally realized what the problem is.” Slowly he walked towards the now confused red stallion. “W-what? Wait, no stop! What are you-” The panicked the stallion stuttered as Spell Squire gently wrapped his hooves around the other stallion’s neck, “what is this?” Scepter asked trying to lean away. Gently Spell squeezed Scepter’s neck and whispered softly “This is me forgiving you, letting things go, and making my peace that you took my Silver. I can’t change that, and I can’t forgive you, but I can make my peace with you.” Slowly instead of the seeping darkness that hailed the end of his dream sequence, there was a blinding light taking the forest clearing away leaving a tear stained Silver Lining, and a shocked Gilded Scepter with a newly pacified Spell Squire. With a gentile smile Princess Luna made herself known to Spell, “It would appear that you have found your way out of the labyrinth dear Spell Squire.” He nodded slowly looking back at the two other ponies before looking back to Luna with a sad smile, “Can I say goodbye before I leave?” The moon princess gave a soft smile and nodded leaving the ponies to part in peace. Spell made his way to his old friend Gilded Scepter and hugged the stallion again speaking softly, “Be at peace now my friend, and sleep. Maybe one day I will forgive you.” The stallion sneered and looked down his muzzle at his old friend, “You silly foal, don’t you know that forgiving the stallion whom will only continue to hurt you is foolish?” Spell smiled softly and nodded, “I know, now farewell.” He said as Scepter started to fade back into the dream. Slowly he turned towards his tear stained Silver Lining. Gently she put a hoof to his mouth before he could speak a playful look in her sad eyes, “Spell, you got some splaining to do.” With a soft chuckle he smiled at her and nodded, “Yes, yes I do.” Six confused mares waited in the hospital’s waiting area. For some reason when they got back to the hospital the doctors only told them they weren’t allowed into the room much to the distress of Rainbow Dash and Sweetie Belle So now, they waited and no pony seemed to know what to do or say to help the distressed pair relax. Rainbow Dash tried reading her new Daring Do for the 20th time and practiced her flying just outside, but her worry distracted her and kept her off track. Sweetie had stepped out with Twilight and tried to practice magic but to the same effect as Rainbow’s flying, she was too distracted by her worry. And so they sat disgruntled sad, worried and irritable. After a time the doctor came out and held out a hoof, “Alright little ponies, I believe the person to best tell you what is going on is come out now.” He said as princess Luna came out from Spell Squire’s room and joined them in the waiting room. “Hello Twilight Sparkle and friends, I understand the concern for your friend, Spell Squire, but I assure you he is just fine.” She said with a gentile smile. Sweetie spoke up from behind Rarity’s forehooves, “So where is he?” The princess giggled softly to herself and knelt down to be closer to Sweetie’s level, “He is still sleeping, a natural sleep now that he should wake up from shortly.” There was a collective sigh from the mares as they relaxed knowing their friend was safe, “But when can we see him?” Rainbow asked. The princess thought for a moment with a soft smile “He will be up soon, I imagine he will enjoy seeing all of you here for him.” “Oh trust me, he’s happy.” Said a soft voice as everypony turned to see Spell Squire leaning against a nurse. “He’s just very lethargic being asleep for a week.” Quickly he was swarmed by the mares asking how he was, however the nurse was more than un-amused at being used as a pony-shield to ward off Pinkie Pie’s tackle-hug. However Rainbow Dash hung back watching her friends. Princess Luna walked over quietly, “Is something the matter Rainbow Dash?” The cyan mare started, “What? Me? Wrong? Nahh… I-I just…” she sighed letting her head hang and her rainbow mane fell hiding her eyes, “Can we talk outside princess?” The moon princess nodded and gently put a wing across the smaller mare’s back leading her outside. An act did not go unnoticed by Spell Squire, but a gentile smile from Luna put him at ease as he continued to talk with the others as they helped him back to his room much to the nurse’s relief. The rainbow maned mare sat down in the grass outside the hospital with the princess who waited quietly for the cyan mare to speak, “…I-I’m Scared,” she said looking down at her hoof drawing in the dirt, “I don’t know what to do with him.” Luna looked at the usually self-sure and cocky flyer and saw a confused and unsure mare and smiled thinking, Ah, young love, what a fickle whimsy you are… and couldn’t help a giggle much to the ire of Rainbow Dash, “What’s so funny?” The princess leaned down to be at eye level with Dash, “Tell me Ms. Dash, what do you feel towards this stallion that makes you so unsure of yourself.” This caused Dash even more confusion as she looked up at the princess like she’d grown a second horn, “What?” “What dose he make you feel?” Dash looked at the princess a moment and then off into her sister’s fading day, “I suppose… he makes me feel…I dunno, I’m not good with this mushy stuff like Rarity or Fluttershy.” She said waving a hoof as if to shoo the thoughts away. With a knowing smile the moon princess nodded, “the maybe you should talk to them on your way home, but for now I think you should go and wish him well.” Nodding Rainbow Dash stood and stretched herself out as Luna Rose to her full height, “And do not fear Rainbow Dash, there is already a well paved road behind the two of you.” Dash looked after the alicorn princess as she flew off into the setting of the sun so she may raise the moon. Shaking her head, she walked into the hospital room and was promptly tackled by her number one fan Scootaloo, “ WHERE WERE YOU!” she cried only for every pony to chuckle and Spell to speak softly answering the question, “Out, to talk with an old friend.” The little filly blinked and looked between the stallion in the bed and her idol who wouldn’t meet his gaze. With a huff, she let it go as she sat next to Dash trying to decipher what the stallion said. Rarity smiled at the two, “Everypony, I think we need to give these two a moment.” With a wink she ushered everypony out and whispered a good luck on her way out. Dash stood shuffeling as Spell watched blank faced, “um… Sleep well?” she asked scratching behind her neck. He chuckled softly, “Not really, but I’m assuming that’s not why your still here.” He says with a gentile smile. She stiffened and her wings fluttered before darting out the room scooping up a surprised white mare, “what’dIdo?what’dIdo?what’dIdo?what’dIdo?” After recovering Rarity smiled and put her own mane back in place before gently brushing her panicking friends own disheveled mane soothingly, “first, land.” Slowly they were reunited with the ground as Dash slowly lowered them. “Second, take a deep breath and tell him what ever comes from your heart, being shy should be left for Fluttershy dear, it really isn’t for you.” Taking a deep breath Dash held it for a moment and let out a long sigh as Rarity watched with a small smile as her friend visibly relaxed, “Now go back in there and tell that stallion exactly what you think.” Looking at her friend Dash nodded slowly and looked back down the hall and slowly made her way back towards Spell’s room and away from Rarity. Spell chuckled to himself as Rainbow Dash ran from the room. In all reality, he was surprised that she was coming back so soon, she wasn’t really a mushy feely kind of mare. And so he waited in his bed for her to come in as she stood and now and again did a short pace in front of the door back and forth he watched her shadow move and then stop, then back and forth and stop. Just as he opened his mouth to invite her in he closed it as the door opened revealing a familiar mop of rainbow hued hair that looked up slowly to reveal even more familiar magenta hued eyes that looked nervous as Rainbow Dash walked in and closed the door gently kicking her hoof as she gathered her thoughts. Spell sat in his bed watching as Dash put her thoughts together. She looked up at him, and there was for the first time a truly uncertain Rainbow Dash in front of him, she looked up at him with uncertainty, and hope, “Spell, can we talk serious?” He nodded and patted the bed beside him as she made room. Sitting down she stared at the wall in front of her thinking. Reaching up Spell gently rubbed between her wings and watched as she relaxed, “just say what you’re thinking Dash, don’t think about what it is.” She giggled softly looking back at him, “Like Pinkie Pie?” He laughed softly laying back, “Yes, Like Pinkie Pie.” With a soft smile she looked down, the feel of his hoof rubbing her back was relaxing and comforting as she took a breath and sighed before looking at Spell, “I think I really like you Spell… and I’ve never felt like this before.” He smiled and looked at her, “ I could see it being worry some to like somepony who’s been married before.” She nodded slowly, “yeah it-“ her eyes went wide as she looked at him, “YOU’VE BEEN MARRIED BEFORE?” she shrieked. He laughed holding his sides as five mares rushed into the room closely followed by three fillies, “What’s going on?” asked Twilight. Spell reached up to wipe away a tear, “Oh, I just told Rainbow-“ “HE’S BEEN MARRIED BEFORE!” the cyan mare interrupted to the mixed reactions of the other mares, shock and confusion, mostly confusion to the three fillies. “Is there a problem?” the nurse asked worry on her face from all the commotion in the room. “We’re fine, thanks.” Spell Squire said waving the nurse away. with a soft sigh Spell Squire looked at his new friends, no, his new family really. With a gentile smile he started, “Why don’t I tell you girls a story?” With several nods and looks of confusion, the mares settled around the room while the crusaders hopped up to the foot of the bed. “When I was a little colt, I had two best friends named, Gilded Scepter and Silver Lining. We had lots of fun together…” The story progressed telling of his accident with his horn, how the town had treated him thereafter, how he and Silver had runaway and eventually what led him to coming to Ponyville. The room was silent as their friend’s history, the horrors of his past, sunk in. during the story Sweetie Belle had moved closer to comfort his friend. After a time Dash spoke up, “So, during your party… when you said that I saved you…” He nodded with a soft smile, “you saved me from myself, not just Pinkie.” Pinkie tilted her head confused, “Why would any pony need saving from me?” the mares sighed collectively at a loss for words leaving Pinkie to ponder as she blew on a bubble pipe she seemed to pull from the either… or from the curls in her mane. Dash shook her head slowly and looked back at Spell, “… So… what are we Spell?” He sat there his hoof absently stroking Sweetie’s mane, “Well, why don’t we see where things go after say… a Wonder Bolts’ show?” Dash blinked for a moment as her brain processed the information and smiled broadly jumping up excitedly, “AWWWW YEAH!!!!” Chuckeling he closed his eyes. new friends, new family… a new life and only two weeks back I was thinking about ending everything… but these mares, they really know the value of friendship… --------------------three weeks later------------------------ Rainbow Dash and Spell Squire walked out of the Cloud Dale’s arena laughing as Dash recounted all of her favorite stunts hovering along while Spell smiled his cloud walking spell still in full effect as they went to Twilight’s balloon to go home to Ponyville. “Spell?” Dash asked as they closed the basket behind him. “Hmmm?” He responded as he tried to untie the sand bags. “Thank you.” She said and leaned down giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Spell blinked and smiled at her as she did her best imitation of Fluttershy hiding her beat red cheeks behind her mane. Gently he nudged her, “Hey don’t get all mushy on me there Dashie.” With a smile she giggled and pushed back, “Alright, hey, how about dinner when we get back?” He smiled moving closer towards her leaning on the edge of the basket, “Is that a second date Ms. Dash?” She smiled as the basket began to tip, helping right it as he stumbled back she chuckles “Don’t push your luck.” So, with a chuckle he went to steer the balloon going back to a new home and an foretold future yet to be written. FIN.
to live or not to liveChpt. 1 (To live or not to live) It was the same, always the same. The door slowly opened on silent hinges revealing the same stone stairway, spiraling down into the nothingness. The stairs spiraled downward with stonewalls that had other ponies carved into it under a well-polished mirror like quality. “Do you see that?” “What’s wrong with him?” The stallion cringed as his hoofs echoed off the cold stone as the ponies behind the polished surface began to whisper and snicker at him. Spell Squire hung his head down low, the navy blue and grey of his main obscured his vision as he continued down the stairs trying to shut out the voices of the stone ponies only make them talk louder. Soon the ponies started to jeer and yell at him about his… accident. “Is that an earth pony?” “Mommy, why does that pony have a broken horn?” Mothers would push along their young whispering not to stare as he passed them by, ushering the child away as if the stallion’s broken horn was a deadly contagion. And for a unicorn, there really was nothing worse than when something was wrong with your horn. Soon Spell Squire would look up and see nothing of the stairs that he had come from, nor could he see where the stairs would lead down to, only that the stairs were still there to climb down, and down, and down. There was never a bottom, only ever more stairs, leading away into the dark. Further, down the stairs, he went and the further he went the more frail they became, the weaker they became until he could feel the give in the stone under him as the ponies yelled all around him. “What good is a unicorn without a horn?” “Why haven’t you crawled into a hole to die yet? What do you have to live for?” He shuddered under the weight of their insults as each hit him like a shackle. He knew that without his horn he was crippled for life. He couldn’t perform magic that a colt learned on instinct without breaking a sweat. While he was in good shape for a unicorn, he would never be able to perform the demanding work of an earth pony. Their stares added weight to his shackles, making each step harder, and each hoof print deeper in the frail stone until finally his hoof went through the stone causing the stairs to crumble under him falling into the oblivion of nothingness. All he could do was close his eyes and fall into the darkness as the other ponies carved into the stone of the walls laughed at him continuing to call him names as he fell away into nothing. He screamed sitting up still feeling the vertigo of his fall. Spell Squire panted trying to catch his breath as his body was covered in sweat. Looking around his eyes adjusted to the moonlight came through his window letting him know it was still night, and letting him see he was safe in his room. Huddling up under the covers he shivered, it was the same dream again… always the same dream. Spell Squire lived in a small village out in the country that was more than a little old-fashioned being made up entirely of unicorns. His house was on the outskirts of town and he was only allowed to live there because his parents were on the council otherwise he would have faced a stoning, or exile from the village. Soon though, that would change. Today was the last day he was spending in the small village, all around his room were boxes that were labeled and meant for shipping later this week to his new house. Looking on top of one of these boxes was his alarm clock that told him it was close to dawn. He sighed and brought the blankets closer around him, this was the time he hated most, the time before the dawn where his ghosts tormented his waking thoughts alone in the dark, fragments of his fading dream. Thinking back on his past, on his ghosts he shuddered but this time not with fear, but with hope, a hope that today he would be leaving his tormentors, that he would have a second chance. Today was the day he was risking it all and betting everything on his last hope. Ponyville. As the dawn rose, he finished packing his saddlebag that he had started the night before. Putting the bag over his back, he left his small home and locked it up avoiding the glares other ponies gave him while he walked through the village. The small village wasn’t on any map, and to his knowledge, he’d never heard the name of it, always just heard it called “the village” so of course there wasn’t a train station until the next town, which would take him until late morning to reach as he walked down the road. Arriving at the station, he put up his bits paying for a ticket to Ponyville. He ignored the other ponies as he walked through the train carts looking for an empty compartment, or at least an empty booth. Finding one, he sighed softly to himself, removed his saddlebag putting it under his seat as he sat up on the seat, and brought his legs under him as he put his head on the armrest looking out the window as the steam from the train rolled by. Soon after he could hear the conductor’s all aboard call and the train gave a shuddering jerk before it started on its long trip. He made himself comfortable as he watched Equestria pass before him. Spell Squire hadn’t traveled before but he had read plenty of books about places far away. Everything from the travel magazines he could get from town, to one or two of the Daring Do novels he could find in the used bookstore, but slowly he drifted off letting sleep claim him and before long he again found himself at the door. The conductor came by a few hours later and woke the sleeping stallion startling him to an alerted state causing him to fall from his seat and spill his saddlebag. The older conductor gave a small apologetic smile to the younger pony, “We have arrived in Ponyville sir.” Walking off Spell Squire gave a grumble as he started to stand up working feeling back into his hooves before he started to gather the things from his bag again. Reaching under the seat he blinked and sat down as he slowly pulled a small ring out from under the seat. it was a simple thing really, just a silver ring with a small stripe of ground diamond dust that sparkled in the light, for a moment all he could do was sit and stare as memories stirred deep within him. With a sigh, he shoved it into the bottom of the bag and got off the train leaving the station. Leaving the station Spell Squire looked out over Ponyville and saw the clock tower, the top of city hall, and gave a small smile as he walked through the growing town looking on in wonder. many of the other ponies in the town didn't even notice him as he walked through, and he was alright with that, the few that did notice stared before they began to whisper softly or look on not fully noticing his broken horn, after all Ponyville had begun to attract lots of oddities. One such oddity barreled her way towards him at the moment. Now, you must understand, Pinkie Pie is a pony not renowned for her for her patients. She much prefers movement and action. So when she first heard weeks ago that somepony new was moving to town she started party planning that moment. So waiting weeks for a party seemed silly. So when she heard the whispers of a new pony coming off the train she ran straight down to the station to surprise him and take him to the surprise party that she had planed weeks ago. So when the pink blur of pink that was Pinkie Pie raced through town, most ponies accepted it and move aside to let her run, but poor Spell Squire had never seen any pony run that fast and acting on instinct began to run away. Of course, Pinkie Pie had never had a pony react like that before, so for a moment she was confused before giving chase to the fleeing stallion calling after him, "Hey! Wait! I just wana take you to a PARTY!” Spell Squire ran faster panting as the chase lead through all of Ponyville, though without time for him to enjoy the sights. The two ponies raced through the market place jumping through and around stalls before coming out in the town square as Spell Squire yelled over his shoulder "Just leave me ALONE! I don't want to be a part of your party!” hearing this caused Pinkie Pie to gasp and run faster after him. Now, as luck would have it, a certain cyan coated, rainbow mane mare happened to be on cloud patrol and had seen the start of what she thought was a race, but when she recognized Pinkie Pie and couldn't place who the odd grey coated stallion was, she remembered that Pinkie had been planning a party for some new pony coming to town. With a few flaps of her powerful wings Rainbow Dash flew over the racing pair with a cloud in hoof and dropped it over Pinkie Pie's head shouting her apologies to her friend before turning her attention to the stallion "Quick, follow me!" Spell Squire looked up at the Pegasus with hesitation but for the moment she seemed to be interested in his well being as he followed her directions to a large oak tree in town the sign in front of it calling the 'Golden Oak's Library'. Barreling through the door Spell Squire was quickly followed by a speeding Rainbow Dash that shut the door behind them. laying down both ponies panted trying to catch their breath, after a short while Rainbow Dash sat up, being first to recover, and held out a hoof, "The name's Rainbow Dash, the awsomest pony in Equestria, no thanks required." she stated. Spell Squire looked at her extended hoof for a moment before gently extending his own to shake hoofs, "Spell Squire." the stallion said softly. Rainbow Dash tilted her head being reminded of a certain butter colored pegasus mare as she looked the unicorn over slowly, "Yeah, well, sorry about Pinkie Pie she can be a little... excited at times." she said rubbing a hoof to the back of her neck a little embarrassed. He nodded slightly as they looked around the library taking it with a small smile, after all books had been his only friends for more than a few years before he looked back at her, "So I noticed, Since you seem to know her... Any idea why she was chasing me?" at that Rainbow blinked and smiled, "She's been planning a party for you ever since she heard you were moving to Ponyville." This took Spell Squire back, "I've never met her before, she doesn't know me... why would she throw me a party?" Rainbow Dash blinked and smiled before she chuckled softly, "That's just who Pinkie Pie is, she wants to make everypony feel welcome in Ponyville." Spell Squire sat there dumbfounded as he stared off at the wall, nopony had ever wanted him around, or made him feel welcomed before. Yet here was a stranger, somepony he'd never met, throwing him a party, just for moving to town. And in front of him was a pegasus who could clearly see that his horn was broken, but she hadn't laughed, hadn't joked... She was treating him like any other pony. Rainbow Dash stood up and flexed her wings before nudging him, "come on, we should get to your party, after all, it's your party and Pinkie has been waiting for weeks not to mention everypony is probably already there." Spell Squire had started to stand but froze, "Everypony? How many ponies are there going to be miss Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow Dash tapped her hoof against her chin thoughtfully, "Well, Pinkie Pie of course, Twilight, and myself, Rarity will probably come 'fashionably late' or something, " she said using air quotes, "Apple and Big Mac are out working the farm, so they probably aren't coming out Sweetie Bell, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom probably won't be there, out crusading, Lyra, Bon Bon, and Ditzy will probably be there, it isn't like them to miss a party..." She went on for a while and all the while, the stallion could only feel fear as the list grew longer. "All these ponies... are coming out to see me of all ponies." He thought to himself. After a little while longer going on Rainbow Dash finally noticed that the stallion was looking nervous and a little jittery, reaching out she put a hoof on the stallion's shoulder "Hey, there's no reason to get worked up, no pony's gonna mess with you, or they'll mess with me!" Spell Squire looked at her for a moment, a thousand thoughts running through his head as he looked at her before letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and nodded gently "Alright then... let’s go to this party then." he said, after all, wasn't this a chance to try and give life a second chance? With a smile Rainbow Dash lead him through Ponyville at a less frantic rate, showing him around as they made their way towards his new house. It was late afternoon when they arrived at the small house that was soon to be his. There was already a deep bass playing, reverberating through their hoofs as they came closer. entering the house all the ponies gathered stopped and turned towards the door before yelling "SURPRISE!!!" as a party cannon went of shooting out multicolored streamers and confetti. Spell Squire flinched backwards towards Rainbow Dash whom laughed and pushed him into the room, "Come on, stop being such a pony, scardie it's just a party, have some fun!" As the afternoon turned to evening and the evening to night the party went on. Slowly Spell Squire relaxed deciding that these ponies really were genuine in their want to just have a good time, coming out of his shell showing his true colors again as they spent the party eating cake, drinking sweet apple cider, and playing whatever games Pinkie pulled out from.... well where ever Pinkie was hiding them. As the night went thought, the party dwindled, a pony here, a pony there leaving calling it a night, leaving in twos and threes till only a hoof full were left, some asleep and too tired to make it back to their homes, Spell Squire, Pinkie, and Rainbow were the only ponies left still active, if lounging around or being Pinkie Pie counts. The house was trashed, but as he laid out on the couch limbs spread he could care less. For the first time since he was a foal, before the accident, Spell Squire felt happy, content even. He heard the Pegasus' hoof steps as she approached and nudged him "You were quite the party animal Mr. Squire." Laughing Spell Squire looked up at her and smiled "Just Spell, unless you'd rather I start calling you Ms. Dash." They both laughed before suddenly Pinkie Pie bounced her way over, "Oh! Oh! I know, games! I'll go get the games!" she cried before trying to dash off for the pile of board games, however she didn't get far as Rainbow Dash stepped down on her tail holding her in place causing her to fall back and sit looking back at the other mare "Hey..." Rainbow smiled as he got of her tail and nudged her friend up to a standing position again "Pinkie, it's late, I think that Spell wants to get some sleep now." for a moment Pinkie Pie looked deep in thought before she smiled and nodded "Okie dokie lokie!" she said before bouncing towards the door before looking over her shoulder and waved "Bye!" she said leaving. Spell Squire smiled some leaning back as he sighed closing his eyes "you were right." Rainbow blinked looking at him "hmm?" he looked at her again and smiled "She does get a little excited." at that they both laughed softly. Sitting up he pulled Rainbow into a hug, "Thank you Rainbow, you saved my life today." Blinking Rainbow Dash tilted her head slightly and shook her head with a smile not knowing that the statement was entirely true, "It was nothing, but it's late, and I have weather patrol in the morning, I’ll be by after and help clean up." with a smile she turned to leave. Spell Squire wanted to say something as she walked to the door but sighed softly and softly wished her good night to which she nodded and returned the sentiment before leaving his house. With a sigh, Spell Squire leaned back and ran a hoof over his forehead gently stroking his broken horn as he sighed rolling over onto his side. He was broken, ruined, damaged but here, in this new town, he had a fresh start. He had a second chance, a chance he was going to make the most out of as he drifted off into sleep, and for once in a long while, his dreams didn't take him to the door. FIN. Author's Note As I said in the introduction, this is my first fan fiction and I would appreciate any advice to help improve my story and bring it to life, thank you for reading to the end to these notes, it means a lot to me.
