High Moon Ch.13:

Paths

The sounds of birds singing their love songs high above in the trees reigning true through Everfree as the young campers continued down the path towards the Rainbow Falls. As usual, Spike was up before the sun was to practice his magic, this time following Dusk’s advice, and mixed his meditation with a slight workout.

Not the full workout that Dusk was talking about, still a welcomed start in the right direction, and it was enough for Spike. While he was working out, Dusk soon woke up as well, and suggested that Spike tired fishing with him. Turns out that Spike was a natural fisher-drake, able to cut through the water much better than Dusk, and caught enough fish for both him and Quill while Dusk managed to get a satisfying amount.

After breakfast, the eight young campers packed up their stuff--which was hard for Sweetie because of all the stuff Rarity made her carry--and started out for their final destination of the Rainbow Falls.

Spike was silent for most of the walk while Quill was busy using her fire-magic to entertain and impress Dusk. Spike thought of the best way to confront his sister about the elements without tipping her off about the CMC’s telling him but nothing came to mind. He could simply just act as if this was just another attempt on his part, however, Quill was too smart to let this just be a coincidence.

Then again, the trip, and meeting Dusk could be used to persuade her opinion--as unlikely as it is. Maybe Quill will buy that he was just talking to her about it again now that she has a reason to want to visit, maybe if he could, Dusk could help with it. Again it was a long hard shot, but still one Spike is willing to make, he needed to fix the mess they left behind.

As Spike was silently musing over the weighting questions, he failed to realize that he was being watched by two of the CMC’s, and didn’t think about the affection that both of them had for him. Sweetie Bell, who had her eye on Spike for quite some time, was admiring the new body that he’s grown into over the short two months, and was loving every inch she saw. While Scootaloo was also admiring his new looks, but more importantly, Spike’s devotion to his sister, and willingness to put himself in harms way for them.

Both friends undoubtedly had it in for the drake while Applebloom didn’t really pay it much attention, but still hoped that their love rivalry doesn’t ruin the close friendship that they had for years now. From this, Applebloom got to wondering why they both were so into Spike all the sudden.

Sure, strong muscles, an I.Q higher than she would like to count, the heart made of pure gold, and the will to bare anyone’s else’s weight. So what? Her older brother had most of that, and so did most of the colts back in Ponyville, so what made Spike so special?

Applebloom had no idea, not that it matter as long as it doesn’t tear her friends apart, but still she wander what about why the other two crusaders were so into the drake. What better way than to ask?

“Hey girls,” She started nervously, not sure how they how they would react to her sudden question. Both Scootaloo and Sweetie turned their attentions away from Spike to look towards Applebloom, who was walking in between them. “What’s so different about Spike? I mean, he’s always been so nice before, and he already was really smart. But what’s different?”

Scootaloo opened her mouth to answer, when she realized that Applebloom was mostly right, and the same thing happened to Sweetie. After a few more times of doing this, Scootaloo finally gave up on hiding her feelings, and sighed. “Well...sure he still kind of the same drake, but there is something different about him, just not sure.” Yes I do.

“Well, I think it has something to do with his looks,” Sweetie said, cutting another look towards Spike. Ever since yesterday, Spike--for some reason--hasn’t been wearing his jacket, and was now bare-chested. The other two crusaders followed Sweetie’s glance, it being straight on Spike, and taking note of the growing muscles on his body.

Before, Spike would never allow anyone to see his chest, and the CMC’s wasn’t the only ones to notice the slight pudginess of his belly. However, now it was gone, and all that was left was a growing muscular body.

Applebloom still didn’t see it. “Ah still don’t get it, we see meh brother all the time with his shirt off, and he’s twice the size of Spike. Heck, more than half of the stallions back home have more muscles on their bodies.”

“It’s not all about the muscles Bloom,” Sweetie Bell started, being caught into a daydream about the drake, and almost tripping because of it. “There’s more to it than that.”

“Like?”

Sweetie again was forced out of her daydream to focus on explaining it to Applebloom, who seems denser than she first thought. “Well, from the books Rarity has laying around, a guy has to be romantic, and always able to take care of a mare.”

Applebloom flatly glanced towards the dreamy look in Sweetie’s eyes, the same look Big Mac had when they used that love potion on him a few years ago. “Really?”

“Well yeah,” Scootaloo started, thinking about all the traits she looks for in a guy. “Also funny, nice, good-looking, and an overall cool guy. Someone like...Rainbow Dash! If she was a dude.”

“Ah don’t know,” Applebloom mused, still unsure of what to think of Spike, and her friends obvious crushes on him. “Ah mean, all that’s good, but isn’t that a little boring?” Both other crusaders cocked their heads at Applebloom while she looked a Spike with an unimpressed stare. “All that just some fairytales, princessy, things that single adults like our sisters dream about will fall in their lives. When really, there aren’t that many guys like that, and if they are, already have someone else.”

Scootaloo and Sweetie reed their heads back in shock from Applebloom’s honesty. “Wow, Bloom, just wow,” Scootaloo said, thrown off by Applebloom’s words, and turned her attention back to Spike to get her mind off of them while Sweetie did the same.

“Ah’m just saying, if every guy was like that, then everypony should have a special somepony for them. Right?” Sweetie placed her finger on her chin in thought while Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Sweets remember how sad Rarity was when she found out that prince Blueblood wasn’t the shining prince she thought he was?”

“Well of course I do,” Sweetie said, never being able to forget how angry Rarity acted after the Grand Galloping Gala, even if she tried to hide it, Sweetie could hear the venom in Rarity’s voice about him. “But what’s that got to do with anything?”

“Because, Rarity thought that he was nothing, but a shining knight in golden armor. Instead she found out that he was a class-A jerk.” Sweetie started to see where Applebloom was going with this, it all made more sense than she wanted it too, but choose not to hear her underlining warning.

“Well that’s because she ignored the drake in shining armor right in front of her the whole time.” Over the years, Sweetie watched as Rarity lead both Spike and Quill along with her looks, and each time it ate at her. Knowing that her sister was getting the two of them to do her work for her, only because they thought she was ‘pretty,’ made Sweetie’s blood boil, but could never stomach telling them. “That’s her fault.”

This time both Scootaloo and Applebloom were the ones to be thrown off by Sweetie’s sudden cold tone. Sure they knew the sister rivalry that was between them, every younger sister goes through that, but they never heard Sweetie act so cold before.

“Whoa, where’s this coming from?” Sweetie cut a glance towards Scootaloo, who was just in as much of a lost as Applebloom. After silently walking for a few more moments, Sweetie just sighed and shook her head, but still holding the look of pure annoyance.

“I don’t know,” She finally said as Dusk stopped walking when he made it up a hill. Everyone else, including Spike who finally was pulled out of his thoughts, stopped as while as he turned around.

“Guys, I think we made it.” Quill ran up to Dusk’s side to see the great wonder of the Rainbow Falls, pure white clouds, clear skies above, and great rainbow colored water pools gathering at the bottom. Dusk scratched his head, he nor Jinx or Sketchy has ever seen anything like it before, and was in awe at the natural wonder of fairytales. While Quill and the CMC’s marveled at the memories of playing in the cool colorful waters.

Spike was in the same spot as Dusk and his mares, only have reading about the wonder before, and finding seeing it in person much better. Everyone took a moment to simply take in the sight in front of them until…

“Race you there!” Quill unfurled her wings and took flight in the air with Spike and the CMC’s following close behind. Dusk chuckled from their silliness, though having the urge to follow along with them in their race, but thought against it.

Instead, he wrapped his wings around Jinx and Sketchy, and started to lead them to the waters. “Well never saw anything like this on Nebula,” He started as they started to walk down the hill while the others were already setting up camp so they can change into their bathing suits--minus Quill and Spike, however they had a substitute.

Once Dusk and his mares made it down the hill and near one of the large rainbow water pools, they saw that the CMC’s had already changed into their bathing suits; Scootaloo’s a bright orange two piece bathing suits, but instead of the normal bottom piece, she had a pair of swimming trunks. Applebloom was also wearing a red tow piece, with a golden apple on her right breast. Sweetie was wearing a light purple and pink one piece that hugged her figure quite nicely.

Dusk let out a small whistle, impressed of how the teens looked in the swimming attire. “Careful girls, I may have two mares, but Spike is still on the hunt.” Both Sweetie and Scootaloo blushed from Dusk’s joke while Applebloom rolled her eyes. “Or it could be-”

“Could be nothing,” Sketchy said, pulling on Dusk’s ear, and dragging him to their tent which--thanks to her magic--was still in full assembly. “Now come on, Jinx dragged me shopping before the trip, and I want to hear compliments.” The lovers all disappeared into the tent to get dress for in their bathing attires while Quill and Spike emerged from the bushes.

Not to their surprise, Quill wore her green tank-top in a pair of light-red shorts that used to belong to Blaze while Spike simply borrowed another pair of Wolf’s black shorts. However, neither Sweetie nor Scootaloo minded so as long as they got to gaze upon his chest.

“Hey where’s Dusk and the other two,” Quill asked walking towards the CMC’s with a blushing Spike close behind. “I thought I heard their voices.” Applebloom simply pointed out to the lovers’ tent as Jinx was the first one to emerge.

If Spike couldn’t take seeing the CMC’s new bodies in their bathing suits, then Jinx was enough to have his tongue rolling out of his mouth, and even Quill started to blush. Jinx was wearing something that they all only thought somepony would wear on the beach, a thin light-blue two piece bikini with her mane pulled up in pigtails again.

Soon after Sketchy came out, wearing a pure black bikini that somehow made her fur more alluring and bright with her mane pulled into a ponytail behind her head. The two mares started to walk over to the others, one with a sway in her hips, and the other a joyous skip in her step that made her full chest bounce with each step along with the other’s.

As Spike was holding his nose, trying to get it to stop bleeding, Dusk came out of the tent wearing a blue swimming trunks, and--oddly--black gloves. Quill, paying no mind of her brother’s inability to control himself, cocked her head at the halfbreed. “Dude, what’s with the gloves?”

“Oh those,” Dusk started, holding out his hands so everyone could see the weathered black-leather gloves with a purple engraving of a bolt of lighting on them. “Old fishing gloves, I never leave home without them, and I guessed there’s no harm in me wearing them now.” Quill nodded her head, seeing that Dusk was using the gloves as a means of remembering where he came from. “So let’s get this started, shall we?”

Choosing not to answer, instead Quill opened her wings, and took flight in the air. Dusk looked over to Sketchy with a pleading stare. “Go on.” Dusk kissed Sketchy on the cheek, catching her off-guard before opened his wings, and started after Quill. Spike with the CMC’s soon followed after the two while Sketchy rolled her eyes but still giggled along with Jinx as they too made their way into the water.

Everyone soon found something to do, Sketchy relaxed at the edge of the pool while Jinx played a game of Marco Polo with the CMC’s, and even Quill--who couldn’t swim--found something to do as she, Dusk, and Spike quickly made up game for them to play.

Using his water-magic, Spike surfing on the rainbow water while Dusk and Quill took turns diving straight at him. However the daring duo was unable to land a single sweep on the nimble drake as he spin, flip, and leap over their heads.

It was then Dusk and Quill decided to work in tandem with each other, picking up where the other missed, and forcing Spike to change his tactics. Right as Quill was going to snack him by the top head-spine, Spike dove under the water’s surface, but was followed by Dusk as he had years of swimming in the open ocean.

Everyone dropped everything awaiting for the two males to resurface, even Sketchy stopped her relaxing read of a rather…erotic novel to join the others in anticipation, but as time passed they all started to become worried. However, that worry was destroyed when the calm water’s surface was broken by Dusk pulling Spike out of the lake, and throwing him up in the air.

Spike’s panicking arms were stopped by Quill grabbing onto his hands at taking him higher in the air. “Hey Spike,” She shouted above the rushing air around them. “I hope you’re ready for a dive-bomb!”

“Wait, What?” Spike looked up to his sister to only see that she wasn’t kidding with what she was saying. He looked back down to find that they had to been at least a couple of yards above the lake. “Quill I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Spike said as Dusk rushed past them and stopped after a few more feet.

“Come on Spike, live a little, and besides, your scales will protect you.” Spike wiped his head towards the halfbreed, who looked towards Quill with a nod, and got the same nod back. “See you in the deep.” Both Dusk and Quill snapped their wings shut against their backs and entered a free-fall dive with a screaming Spike along for the ride.

After doing this same dive before, Quill felt something different about the dive, and something told her it was because of the halfbreed next to her. The storming winds pushing against her, adrenaline pumping throughout her entire body, and thrill of pushing herself to their bare limits.

Couldn’t compare to the sense of challenge she was getting from racing Dusk down to the lake’s water. Seeing the calm look on his face as they plummet straight for the water, at speeds that could shatter entire bodies, and with freedom to do anything he wanted dove Quill to do the same.

“Guys, what are you-”

“Spike,” Dusk shouted over the rushing winds, not even hearing Spike’s words. “You better use that water-magic of yours to save your scales.” Seeing that the water was already too close for Quill to even hope to stop, Spike nodded his head, and got ready to use his water-magic at the right moment.

Once the water was close enough, Quill pushed off from Spike, and got ready to open her wings right before hitting the water along with Dusk. While the two got ready to pull up before the water’s surface, Spike closed his eyes, and focused his magic on allowing the water to accept his body without causing it harm.

Stay calm, hold focus, and let it flow. Spike placed his plums flat together and slowed his breathing the world around him slowly fade into his lake world, free of the dead-wood tree, and proudly shining a crystal blue.

Everyone below watched in suspense as the three quickly approached the ground, the CMC’s started to worry that they wouldn’t make it while Jinx hid behind Sketchy only having the stomach to merely take small peaks, but Sketchy alone knew that they’ll do it.

The split second before they reached the water, time froze for the twin dragons and half-blood dragon, and their bright smiles were missed in this very moment. Suddenly an explosion of liquid rainbows erupted, sending a blinding array of colors flying up in the air, and making it impossible to see what has became of the three.

However, all doubts and worries were--thankfully--put to rest as both Dusk and Quill were seen rocketing above the water, leaving a trail of rainbow water to shot up from their collective speed. Spike appeared shortly after, launching himself straight from the water’s surface, and surfing right behind the two.

The others started to cheer the three performers on, thrilled that they were able to pull off such a daring stunt, and come out alive to tell about it. However, as day turns to night, the time for rest stalks up on the campers, and forces all of them to turn in for the night...most of them anyways.

Sneaking out of the CMC’s tent, Sweetie looked about the empty campsite near the lake to find that everyone was indeed asleep, and gave her the best chance to tell Spike how she really feels. With stealth that only gain by sneaking out of Rarity’s house in the middle of the night, Sweetie made it over to Spike’s bed which dreadfully was close to Quill’s, but that didn’t stop her.

Sweetie placed her hands on Spike’s shoulders to shake him out of whatever dream he was having. However, it seemed Spike was just as of a heavy sleeper as Quill when he use to much energy. “Spike, Spike wake up,” She whispered to get the sleeping drake to wake up but only got a grumble in response. “Come on Spike, wake up already. I got something I want to talk to you about.”

The louder whisper managed to pierce through Spike’s dream as he opened one eye and glanced towards Sweetie. “Guh, what is it Sweetie?” Her mind missed Spike’s question when she gazed into the glowing shine from his dragon night-vision. “Sweetie Bell?”

“Huh, oh right. Spike there’s something I wanted to talk with you about.” Spike raised an eyebrow towards Sweetie, wondering why she didn’t wait until morning, really if it was something that important for her to wake him up, then he might as well see what it was.

Spike started to sit up on the hay-straw bed to look Sweetie Bell in the eyes. “Okay what is it?” Sweetie started to blush while her eyes refused to look Spike back. “Sweetie is everything alright?”

Sweetie Bell took in a deep breath to calm her nerves before focusing her eyes straight on Spike’s. “There’s something really important that I want to tell you.” She reached out for the drake’s hand and started to lead him into the nearby brush so they could speak in private.

However, Sweetie wasn’t the only one who wanted to speak with the drake. Scootaloo poked her head out just in time to see Sweetie take Spike into the brush. She bit her lip and followed, knowing what Sweetie was going to tell Spike, but not sure her heart could take it.

Scootaloo, less stealthy than Sweetie, made her way into the brush, however woke Quill as a result. Really, the dragoness wasn’t even asleep, too excited from the whole day of playing with everyone to fall asleep, and easily overheard Sweetie’s whispers to Spike.

Without letting her know, Quill’s eyes trailed Scootaloo into the brush, and soon stalked the three on all fours. Quill used the strong muscles in her legs to leap up to a tree branch and continued to do so until she knew she was high enough. She continued to stalk Scootaloo, who was following Sweetie Bell and Spike like she was in an action movie.

However soon Sweetie came to a sudden stop in a small clearance, catching Scootaloo off-guard, and forcing her to dive into a bush while Quill rolled her eyes sitting in a tree both eavesdropping on the two.

“Sweetie Bell,” Spike started after being unable to get a single word out of her for the entire time. “What the matter with you?” Sweetie kept her back turned away from Spike, she felt as though she was going to break out into tears, but it felt if she didn’t tell him then she’ll explode.

After a few moments, Sweetie took in a deep breath, and turned to face Spike. “Spike,” Sweetie Bell suddenly started, taking a step towards Spike, and locking him dead in the eyes. “I’ve always liked you.” Spike started to blush along with Sweetie Bell as the distance between them started to close quickly. “You always been so nice to everyone you met, always been there when somepony need you, and you never quit until you’re done.”

While Sweetie was closing in on Spike, Scootaloo held a hand over her mouth to keep her from giving the pain in her heart voice, but still couldn’t move from her spot. Quill herself became moderately interested in Sweetie’s confession, she had planned to get them set up herself, but now only sat back and watched.

“No matter how big something got, how much work somepony would put on you, or how many tasks my sister dropped on your head. You never gave up, you just kept pushing through, and always went out of your way to see someone else smile.” Spike was too busy staring into Sweetie’s soft green eyes to notice that she was now standing right in front of him. “Spike there’s been something I’ve been meaning to tell you, I have since I first met you, but I wasn’t sure how you react since you always was trying to get Rarity.”

Spike’s eyes started to widened when Sweetie Bell’s words started to take hold. All these years being blinded by Rarity, Spike failed to see the one pony that actually had feelings for him, and she was right under his nose the whole time. He realized the pain and feeling of rejection Sweetie Bell was put through while he fought over Rarity with Quill. All the times he tried some new gimmick to get her affection, some new way to get Rarity to notice him over Quill, only for Sweetie Bell be the one to have to bare the weight of rejection.

Sweetie Bell placed her hands on Spike’s hard shoulders, the touch enough to drag the drake out of his thoughts, and forced him to look down into her eyes. “Sweetie, I-”

“Spike Dragul, I love you.” Spike’s breath was stolen by Sweetie placing her lips on his in a surprise kiss. The drake’s eyes widened at his first real kiss being with one of his best friends but didn’t resist it. Slowly, Spike started to wrap his arms around Sweetie Bell’s back, and pulled her closer to his body.

Sweetie returned the gesture by gripping onto his head-spines to press herself against his body. Spike’s inexperienced hands danced across Sweetie’s back, skipping over the parts of her night-dress. Sweetie’s hands started from his spines to the strong muscles on his back. She started to moan in the kiss, thinking of what the powerful muscles could do, and happy that he returned her affections.

However, she was the only one happy.

Scootaloo still remained in the blushes, watching her best-friend and her secret crush share their first kisses right in front of her. Tears started to swell up in her eyes as she knew that all chances to be with the drake were over but something forced her to stay. It’s not fair. Her sister toyed with him for most of his life. So why, why does she get to keep him?

It’s not fair you say? Scootaloo wiped her head around at the sound of the ghostly voice echoing in her head. Then do something about it. Scootaloo buried her head in her mane and stood up from the bushes. Without even a second thought on the voice sudden appearance and disappearance, she started to walk out of the bushes, and straight for the new couple.

Sweetie Bell, who was still enjoying the warmth come from Spike, opened her eyes at the sound of the bushes rustling and was given a scare when she saw Scootaloo standing behind Spike. She pulled herself away from the kiss, catching Spike off-guard from the sudden removal, and starting to blush when the moonlight above confirmed her worst fears. “S-Scootaloo what are you-”

“Great job Sweetie,” Scootaloo cut in, her body shaking a little, and her face still covered by her mane. “Pretending to love Spike so he’ll come back was a great idea.” Spike turned around to Sweetie Bell with a look of shock and disbelief.

Quill, who remained high in the tree, continued to watch the three. A part of her knew that the crusaders would pull something to get Spike to go back to Ponyville, but she didn’t think that they would go this far as to toy with his heart. “Scoots what are you talking about? There wasn’t a plan for me to pretend to like Spike.”

Scootaloo started to darkly chuckle at the confused voice from Sweetie. “Really? Because if I was Spike, I would find it a little coincidental that the little sister of the mare that toyed with him and his twin for years just confessed to me.” Spike again looked towards Sweetie, Scootaloo’s words did made sense, but he really didn’t want to believe them. “But whatever, either way it goes he’ll now want to see you, and that’s good enough I guess.”

“Sweetie what is Scootaloo talking about?” Spike didn’t want to believe it, he didn’t want to accept that they were that desperate, but the more he thought about it the more it...

“I thought I said, no trying to get us to come home.” Everyone turned their heads towards the trees to see Quill standing with a displeased look on her face. Quill jump from the tree and landed in front of Scootaloo. “What part of we’re not coming back, don’t you get?”

“Well, maybe not you,” Scootaloo started with the same hollow voice as before, forcing Quill to glance back to her. “But Spike now has a real reason to.” Quill slowly turned her head back to Spike, who saw the dark look in his sister’s eyes, and placed a protective hand in front of Sweetie Bell.

“Quill don-”

“Fine.” Quill turned around and started to walk back to the camp. “If you want to live underneath ponies for the rest of your life, that’s just fine by me Spike, but don’t expect me to hold your hand any more.” Quill soon disappeared from sight as Spike started after her to explain everything but Quill had already had her stuff packed up. “You want to go crawling back to them, fine, but leave me out of it.”

Quill started to open her wings to take off but was stopped by Spike pulling on her tail. “Quill wait.” Knowing that Spike wasn’t going to let go until she heard him out, Quill landed back on the ground, but refused to turned to him. “You knew, you knew that the elements were tearing themselves apart because of us, but you didn’t tell me. Why?” Moments passed as Quill continued to refuse to met Spike in the eyes. “Why, Quill!”

Quill’s hands started to tremble at her sides, she had a real answer, but she didn’t want to accept the truth. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Quill smacked Spike’s hands off of her tail to take flight in the air but again was stop by Spike. “Let me go, Spike.”

“No, tell me why Quill,” Spike said, refusing to let Quill’s tail go before he got an answer. “Why didn’t you tell me that Twilight shut out the world, why did you let our friends fall into despair Quill?”

“I said let me go,” Quill shouted at Spike loud enough for Dusk and the others to be awakened by their argument but went unnoticed by the two dragons. Once he was able to see what was going on, Dusk started to shout at the two to cease their argument while Sweetie and Scootaloo came out of the bushes. “I’ve already told you that I’m not going back. Not now, not ever. Now let me go!”

“No, not until I get a real answer.” Quill silently hovered in the air, sick and tired of having to deal with the conflicting feelings of Ponyville and the elements, but still landed back on the ground. Quill’s fist started to tremble again at her sides as a line of dark smoke seeped from her nose. Seeing that she wasn’t trying to make a move to leave again, Spike let Quill’s tail go, and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Quill, they can’t keep living like that. It’ll kill them. Please Quill.”

Quill continued to burn holes into the ground with her stares while everyone awaited in silence. “I don’t want to deal with it,” She started in a low voice that no one was able to hear before she suddenly turned around and slugged Spike in the jaw with her fist. Sweetie let out a sharp gasp when Spike hit the ground while the others--besides Dusk--flinched from the sudden attack.

Spike slowly looked back up to Quill, feeling blood from around the cut on his cheek, but wasn’t paying that much attention as he was to Quill. The dragoness stood over her brother, dark clouds forming from each breath she took, and an even darker shine in her eyes. “I don’t want to deal with it any more! I can’t stand everyone blaming us for their choices. It’s not our fault if they can’t get off their lazy asses and move on with their lives.”

“Quill that’s-”

“Shut up Spike,” Quill roared, shooting Spike a threatening glare of anger, and the smallest signs of tears. “How hard is it for anyone to see that I don’t want to deal with it! It’s not my problem if they can’t get over it.” Quill looked back down to the saddened expression on Spike’s face and throw up her hands in disgust. “Don’t even Spike,” she said, knowing that Spike was going to somehow try and convince her otherwise, but didn’t want to hear any of it. “You know what I don’t get? Why haven’t you tried to do it yourself? Why you need me there, why should I even care any more?”

Spike started to get up from the ground, which was surprisingly hard to do after the right-hook Quill gave him, but still managed to force himself up. “B-because, they care for the both of us, and I know you do too.”

“As if,” Quill snorted, turning away from Spike. “The most that would happen is everyone crying over it, Pinkie Pie throwing some huge party, and everything going back to normal. That’s it. Normal.”

“What are you talking about,” Spike asked, confused to what Quill was saying.

Quill flatly stared at Spike’s eyes before chuckling to herself. “If you haven’t noticed coal for brains, we’re dragons, and if you’ve been paying any attention to what Wolf been saying, we can’t live with them like them!” Quill started to walk away from Spike with her stuff on her back. “Look, I’m not ready right now, and I don’t know when I will be alright? Give me time, that’s what you can tell them, oh and, good luck with your fillyfriend.” Quill shot a glance towards Sweetie Bell, believing half of the things Scootaloo said about her. “Later.” Quill opened her wings again and took to the air this time without anyone stopping her. Spike wordlessly watched as flew into the dark skies, which was rumbling with the flashes of a different type of storm than the one in her mind.

Dusk along with the others recognized the dark storm clouds that Quill was flying straight into. Sketchy turned to Dusk, who was the only one fast enough to catch up with the angered dragoness. “Dusk go after her.”

“No.” Everyone turned towards Spike, who continued to stare towards the growing columbus clouds. “She’ll be fine.” The tone of the drake’s voice reminded Dusk of a time back when his sister ran from home; bitter and regretful towards himself. Sweetie Bell ran over to wrap her arms around Spike’s chest as she blamed herself for what just happened.

However, Dusk paid no attention to the scene in front of him as he had already lived it once himself. “Come everyone, let’s pack up and head back to the cave before that storm hits us.” Both of his mares looked him dead in the eyes. “There’s nothing we can do,” He answered their questioning looks before heading toward their tent to grab everything they needed.

Slowly, the others started to follow his lead as they packed their stuff up, and started to head straight for the cave. During which, Sweetie and Scootaloo refused to speak to one another while Applebloom drifted over to Dusk and his pack, and Spike kept much to himself. Scootaloo felt awful for what she did, still unable to figure out why she did it in the first place, but still upset with Sweetie to talk about it.

Sweetie herself didn’t know what the make of the situation either, sure she just got the drake of her dreams, but at the cost of her friends? Was it worth it? Will she’ll ever be able to trust Scootaloo again? What does Spike think about the whole thing, it did seem that Scootaloo was right, but that wasn’t Sweetie’s intentions...was it? As much as all of these questions needed to be answered, Sweetie didn’t have the will to seek them just yet, and won’t for awhile.

Applebloom simply didn’t know what was going on, her friends were angry with each other, that much was for sure, Quill was greatly upset by something, and she thinks it has to deal with why she called Sweetie Spike’s fillyfriend.

All that any of them could really tell, was that their friendship was now on a very thin line, and one wrong move could end it all.

Already miles away from the Rainbow falls, an enraged dragoness flew low to the ground, and ignored the rain that instantly soaked through her clothes. The bone-chilling rain served as a constant and heavy reminder of the cold knife that was still sitting in her chest. Flashes of lighting and the angry roars in the skies above couldn’t match the anger burning in her soul.

It seemed to her that every part of her old life somehow turned against her in some kind of way. She no longer could stand the bearing weight of everyone placing all the fault on her for trying to live her life. How can everyone simply just say that it was her fault that the elements were falling apart because she was following her heart; doing what she thought was right.

Hatchling, where are you going? Quill ignored her ancestor's question and continued the low sweep through Everfree. Quill answer me, she demanded only to have Quill increase her speed as she avoided tree after tree. So this is what you do when faced with a challenge. You run.

Quill gripped the sides of her head, she had hoped that the roaring storm would be enough to drown out the ancestor’s voice, but it still sound clear over the storm’s furiosity. “Leave me alone!” As she had her eyes shut tight, Quill failed to see the tree branch in front of her, and was thrown off her course. Tree after tree, Quill’s body repeatedly slammed into another hard wooden limb, and soon founded her way to the ground.

Hatchling, hatchling are you alright? Quill slowly opened her eyes to see her hand laying out in front of her in the muddy ground. A throbbing pain ripped through her body, her head felt as though it was being spilt opened by a hammer, and there was too much pain in her wings for her to even began to take to the skies for awhile. Thankfully, nothing felt broken besides her trust, and the only liquid she felt was the one from the pouring rain.

Young one, speak. Quill fought through the dull pain in her head and body to stand up from the runny mud ground. She wasn’t going to let Mother Nature beat her, nor was she going to give in a accept the blame that was clearly on the elements and Celestia. Young one, please speak!

Quill placed a hand on top of her head from the throbbing headache she received from smashing into the canopy of trees. “Ahh...I’m fine, just stop shouting at me.” She forced her body to start walking out of the forest and to find somewhere to rest while the storm pass over. “I can’t believe them, why is it my fault the elements can’t get over themselves?”

It is just like your brother said, they care about you, and I know that you do too. She wanted to yell at her ancestor, tell her that as much as she could care, the elements could continue down the path they placed themselves on. That it wasn’t her doing if none of the could live without them. In fact, all but Twilight has, but some reason couldn’t move on. That they would all just continue to use her and Spike as they see fit and even place a closer eye on them to make sure they couldn’t run away again.

But she couldn’t.

“Stop, p-please...just stop. I don’t what to talk about them right now.” Quill could hear her ancestor sigh inside her head while she continued down the muddy path. The rain easily assaulted her slightly damaged scales through her torn clothes if they could be called that.

Her tank-top was all but useful as it failed it’s job to cover her body while her shorts were falling apart from the already loose threads. Quill’s tail left a visible trail in the mud as some of the spines on it was chipped along with some on her head.

However, she didn’t care as she pushed her way through the storm to find shelter until it passes. Quill thought about heading back to High Moon but she knew there was too much of a chance of being confronted by Spike again. So she was going to try and kick it on her own until she was ready to face him again.

Soon, Quill found herself just pushing in one direction, and knew that was her best bet of not getting lost. As she marched through the forest, Quill continued to keep her head down to the ground, and only just pay any mind to what was in front of her.

“Stupid Spike, stupid CMC’s, stupid elements, stupid rain,” Quill grumbled to herself, the world around seemed to have some kind of grudge, or didn’t trouble itself to think for a moment how she felt. “Why do we have to be the ones cleaning up their mess. What those mares need is a stallion in their lives.”

And what of you, Quill’s ancestor asked, she knew of the dragoness’s view of the matter, but she needed to keep Quill talking so she doesn’t pass out from the pain. Surely there’s-

“Nope,” Quill interrupted, already knowing where the ancestor was going with it, really not wanting to talk about it, but still did just to get the feelings out somehow. “As far as I can see, not a single one.” Quill closed her eyes again and started to wave her hands around in a exaggerated manner. “Not Rarity, any of the CMC’s, or any of the maids back in Canterlot. Nope nopony for this dragoness. Not even-”

“P-please…” Quill opened her eyes again at the sound of a female’s voice and trailed her eyes up the path to see a pony with pitch black fur trapped underneath a fallen tree. She quickly took note of the pony’s features, icy blue mane with two tone purple strips down the middle, through the twisted branches a pair of bat-wings laid outwards from her back, and a horn on her head.

Quill recognized the pony’s features--though dragon-like in nature--to belong no other than to the very race that invaded Canterlot a few years ago: “A changeling?” Lighting in the background only furthered to make the sight of the injured changeling mare that more ominous.

“Please, h-hlep me,” The injured mare pleaded again, trying to summon her strength to lift the tree again, but was met with failure. Quill remembered the ferocity of which the changeling army stormed down upon Canterlot like the rain from the storm she stood in now. During that battle, the elements could have--and would’ve--die if it wasn’t for a diamond dog engineer and his brother, who was an elite Nightmare guard, saving them in the nick of time.

Now right before her was another changeling, obvious of a different breed, still a changeling no the less, and-

“Wait why am I thinking about this? She hurt.” Quill rushed over the changeling, still fighting through her own pain. Once Quill was close enough, she could see a sickly-blue blood ooze from the changeling’s back where the tree had landed on her. Quill ran over to the mare’s right side to muscled through the pain as she started to lift the tree.

“P-please...I-I, help,” The trapped changeling once again beg, from the sounds of her cackling voice, she didn’t have much time, and Quill gritted her teeth to force her legs to move the tree off of her.

As the tree started to lift off of the changeling’s body, Quill heard her starting to take bigger breaths of air a sign that her lungs wasn’t crushed from the tree, and incentive for her to work even harder to lift the tree. Quill wished that the rain would let up for just two seconds so she could put more focus in lifting the tree but pushed passed it. Slowly, the dead tree started to raise off of the changeling, and gave her the chance to crawl away from the body-crushing wood.

Once Quill was sure the mare was completely out from under the tree, she it fall back to the muddy ground, and used it to lean upon. If it wasn’t for the rain, sweat would have been running down Quill’s face, but thankfully the bone-chilling water did help to keep her cool off.

Quill took a moment to catch her breath, taking her eyes off of the changeling, and wondering what’s one doing out in this part of Everfree. “H-hey, are you alright,” She asked, not seeing the mare light her horn, and standing up as though she wasn’t injured.

“I’m sorry.” Through her exhaustion, Quill still was able to catch the soft quiet words from the changeling, and barely turned around in time to see the changelings wounds heal from her magic. Quill was going to question the mare’s sudden good health when she without warning turned around and sink her fangs into the soft scales in Quill’s neck.

The changeling moaned around Quill’s neck when she felt just how much power the young dragoness carried and enacted a small dose of neurotoxin so she could better ‘enjoy’ her later. She released Quill from her vice grip as Quill fell back against the tree to use it to stand.

Quill shook her head as she tried to keep her vision from going blurry and looked up to the changeling, who was licking her lips of the last drops of neurotoxin. Yet again, the one time she tried to go out of her way to help someone else in need, it comes back to literally bite her.

But this time, there was no running away.

Quill trailed her eyes up over the barely dressed changeling mare, only able to call a grass skirt and leaves to cover her large breasts clothes. As Quill glared into the changeling's blue eyes, she could feel the anger and betrayal flowing from her eyes. “I am truly sorry, I can tell that you’re scared and angry with me right now, but…” She took a step towards Quill, dragging her finger up her body, and using to lift her head. “I couldn’t help myself.”

The changeling’s words only just managed to reach Quill’s ears before the neurotoxin finally kicked in. Quill’s vision started to turn black, the last thing she saw was the remorseful frown on the changeling’s face, and it left a greater storm than the one they were trapped in loose in her mind.

Author's Notes:

Yes... At long last, this chapter is out, and now the real fun can start. I hope all of you like dark hidden themes because they will be everywhere.