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A Second Chance

by Jay David

Chapter 119: A Word With Her Son

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The sun was starting to set over the horizon, and all over Ponyville, darkness was seeping in where once there had been sunlight. The first stars of the evening were just starting to emerge in the skies above, and all over town, the ponies there were closing up their shops and other establishments, ready to head on home, no doubt to rest and relax amongst their families and loved ones. The whole atmosphere of the place was one of peace and quiet, as one by one, dim candle-lights were now being seen lit up in the windows of all those rows of homes. But, there was one place where the midnight oil had been burning for some time before now, and that was none other than the Golden Oak Library. Within it, on the main floor of the place, Twilight Sparkle was sitting at her favourite desk, doing what everypony in town knew she loved doing above all else at this time; the start of her late-night study sessions. But, while there was nothing more that she loved doing than simply spending time with a good book, her expression was one of both seriousness and thoughtfulness, as every once in a while, her eyes would stray from the pages of her book, and instead stare at the staircase nearby. It took a few moments of this, but eventually, the young alicorn let out a sigh, and instead closed her book before gently using her magic to set it back on its designated shelf.

With her study aids carefully put away, she made her way over to the stairs before starting to walk up them. Once on the upper floor of the library, she walked through the hallways, doing her best to go past Trixie’s room without waking her. Although, to Twilight's amusement, given how loudly the mare was snoring in there, it would have most likely taken the falling of a brick house on their tree to wake her up at this point. But, that smile soon faded from her face as she made her way to her actual destination, her and Spike's room. Slowly, she opened the door, and within, she immediately caught sight of her son. The young dragon was, at this point, sitting upon his own bed, and was completely engrossed in a book of his own. However, unlike Twilight's own studies, this was no piece of serious literature, but rather, a comic book. One of his favourites, in fact, with the words "Power Ponies" emblazoned on the cover. A small smirk crossed Twilight's face as she read that cover, memories of what would have occurred with that book in another time now awash in her mind. In particular, she couldn't help but remember how uncomfortable that spandex was when she wore it, sending a shiver down her spine just to think of it. But, she once more gained a look of seriousness as she looked up to her son, who only now noticed her arrival.

"Oh! Hey, Mom! Cutting your study sessions early today?"

A small smile crept onto her face as she nodded in response to that, but, she said no words. Instead, she began to make her way over to her own larger bed, before carefully sitting upon its edge. As for Spike, he watched her with every step, before, to his surprise, noting that she was giving him an odd look, patting the side of her bed in a clear invitation for him to join her. Although both confused and concerned by this, he nevertheless did as he was told, putting his comic aside before making his way over. As he clambered onto the spot of the bed beside her, he looked up to his adopted mother, seeing the look on her face. It was a look he'd seen many times before, whenever she had a hard time putting her thoughts into words, and so, he simply remained silent as she took her time to get things right. It took about a full minute of this silence, but eventually, she started speaking to him, with her tone both hushed and soft.

"Spike...you know I love you, right?"

As one might expect, words like that immediately sent alarm bells running for the young drake, but he still kept his cool, nodding in response to his mother's words.

"Um...sure I do, Mom."

Twilight smiled before continuing.

And...you know I appreciate you, right?"

Another nod from the young dragon.

"Sure."

Twilight turned from him after hearing that, her expression somewhat down.

"It's just...I wonder if, maybe...you don't feel like you're appreciated. I wonder...do you ever think to yourself that you're not as important as others think you are?"

Spike was many things, but he was in no way a fool, especially these days. He knew exactly where this was all coming from. Ever since he'd first learned of the fact that his mother bore knowledge of many years in the future, and more specifically, knowledge of both him and their friends, he'd always had some inkling of when a topic of conversation had something to do with that foreknowledge. And in this moment, that was exactly the feeling he was getting from Twilight. She said nothing to him as she turned to look at him, but there was nevertheless a look in her eyes that suspected that he suspected what was going on here. Whatever had gone on in that original timeline, it had clearly led her to start talking to him about this. Did he feel overly unappreciated or even ignored in that other time? He didn't know, and nor was it the kind of thing he was too eager to find out about. Instead, he simply considered his life and his position in this time and place, rather than focusing on what may or may not have occurred in the other one.

"Well...there were times when I felt kinda upset that you and the others didn't invite me along. And...well...I guess that...when I think to all that super-awesome magical stuff you've done, and all those big quests your friends have gone on...it was hard for me to feel like...like I was all that important."

Melancholy crossed Twilight's face with every word her son was saying to her. It was just as before. He felt unappreciated, and, naturally, this was not something she liked in the slightest. And so, before the young dragon could react, the alicorn beside him drew him close with one wing, before wrapping her forelegs around him in a hug, holding him tight. The intent was clear, to make him feel loved, but even so, this was a serious hug, bordering on Pinkie Pie levels of tightness, much to the chagrin of Spike. For while he usually enjoyed the feel of being embraced by his mother like this, at this specific moment, he actually had further things to say to her, and so, after initially being taken aback by her hold, began to struggle out of it. When Twilight noticed this, she pulled away from him, giving him his freedom. After giving her a somewhat appreciative look, he cleared his throat a little before speaking.

"But...that's how I used to feel. Nowadays...I fell like...well...I'm part of the team."

Twilight raised an eyebrow, showing clear confusion, which prompted Spike to start explaining himself.

"I know I don't really go on as many of the big adventures you and the others go on, but...I think I've done plenty of other stuff. Being friends with the Crusaders has let me help them in big ways...like when I helped them earn their cutie marks?"

A slight look of pride crossed his face after he'd said that.

"Not that I like to brag about that or anything."

As one might expect after a remark like that, Twilight found herself rolling her eyes somewhat, before then softening again and looking to Spike as he continued.

"Plus, there was when you took me to that weird human world. If I hadn't been there, then your story about...well...being magical ponies form another world...that might not have worked out to good."

Twilight found herself smiling a great deal at all of this. Her son was finding pride in the things he'd done. He didn't feel like he was being ignored, or that he didn't matter. And to say that she was overjoyed with this turn of events would have been a great understatement. After all, what decent parent wouldn't want their child to feel as if they mattered to others? But, she continued to remain silent, for there was now a moment when Spike seemed deep in thought over something. Clearly, there was something else he needed to say, and he casually poked his two index fingers together a couple of times, occasionally glancing up at Twilight in a nervous manner, before finally getting his words out.

"And then...there's you and me."

The young alicorn's expression softened considerably, for she had a good feeling of what was about to be said. Even so, she kept her composure as Spike said what he needed to.

"It's just...you adopted me. You made me family. You gave me...you gave me a mother...you. And there is nothing, and I mean nothing, that has made me feel more welcome, more appreciated, more wanted...than to be given a family like that."

Slowly, he turned to her, and Twilight then saw that he had tears in his eyes, his voice wobbling as he spoke again.

"You've never made me feel like I didn't matter, Mom. You...you made me feel like...like I was all that mattered."

No words passed between the two, for they could no longer bring themselves to speak coherently after that final utterance. Instead, they simply dropped all pretence, rushing forward and embracing each other in a warm and loving way. While before, their hug was unexpected and, to a degree, unwanted. This time, there was nothing the two wanted more than to simply be here, together, in each other's embrace. Tears flowed down their cheeks like waterfalls, and their happy sobs carried across the silence of the rest of the library. Whatever fears Twilight might have felt about all this, about the possibility of Spike feeling unappreciated or ignored in this time, they were now well and truly eradicated, replaced instead with a feeling of both love and pride. Her son felt like he mattered, and that, in some ways, was a greater victory for her than anything else she'd accomplished since this whole timey-wimey mess had started a few years ago. But, as charming and as emotional as this moment was for the two of them, it was interrupted somewhat when they began to hear a third set of sobbing. Gaining simultaneous looks of confusion, the two turned in silence, and saw, to their surprise, that Trixie was there, poking her head through the door of the bedroom. Given her own tears, it was clear that she'd witnessed the whole thing, and was currently blowing her nose with a handkerchief. When that was done, however, she gained a look of slight embarrassment when she noticed the two staring at her.

"Oh! Um...I was woken by your talk, and...er...just so you know, these aren't tears! It's just...there's somepony chopping onions around here somewhere. I'll just go and tell them to leave."

And just like that, the blue mare darted out of the room, slamming the door behind her. In stark contrast to the earlier and more emotional moment between them, Twilight and Spike found themselves sharing a laugh together. When that eventually died down, Twilight gained a loving motherly look towards Spike, after which she leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss upon his forehead, as she often did. Spike smiled to her as she then made her way off the bed, perhaps to resume her earlier study session, but, he then found himself with a good deal of curiosity, as evidenced by his tone when he spoke up to her.

"Um...Mom? Out of curiosity...what did happen in that other time?"

Twilight stopped for a moment and thought long and hard over whether or not to let him know the truth of that. In time, a smile crept onto her face as she turned to look at him.

"Well...you bought a magical comic book that sucked you and the rest of us in so we'd have to play the roles of the Power Ponies, with you as Humdrum, and stop the evil Mane-Iac from taking over that fictional city, wherein you then learned of your own sense of importance after having lent a hoof in stopping that insane mare."

Needless to say, Spike looked to her with utter shock upon his face, after which he turned to his nearby comic, still lying in his own bed. Slowly, he hopped off Twilight's bed and walked over to it, before carefully picking the book up and storing it away in a nearby chest of drawers, after which he turned to his mother with a nervous smile, not quite knowing what to say after a revelation like that. In the end, he simply said the only thing one could say after hearing it.

"Well...erm...that would have been...weird?"

Turning from him, the young alicorn let out a brief giggle.

"Oh, son...you have no idea."

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