Rebirth

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony, nor am I profiting off this literary venture.

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Magic was a fascinating tool, allowing one individual to do the work of many. With enough practice there was no limit to the functionality of even the most basic, most instinctual skills it granted.

Such as levitation.

Every unicorn learned to flex their magical might and manipulate objects in a manner most amazing. Most however never got it beyond the level where they could manipulate one thing, and that one thing only so long as they could see it.

Linear thinking. A to B. C through Z were somepony elses problem.

Sweetie Lemon used to be like that, too.

Decades and decades ago. When he was just a colt chasing butterflies and trying to sneak a bite of his mothers butterscotch pie before it was cool. Once upon a time when it was a dream to join the royal guard and protect the princess from rampaging dragons and gryphon assassins.

Drawers around the bakery kitchen opened of their own accord, whisks and rolling pins floating into the air.

They never mention in the recruitment pamphlets that the royal guard are almost completely ceremonial. That unless you've got the ambition to reach the top, you weren't going to be doing anything more important than standing wherever your assignment is for six solid hours a day.

Flour mixed with water and sugar as it floated along like a snake before uncoiling itself on baking sheets, weaving and braiding its way into ovens that blazed to life. Hard cheese lifted from the cooler in the back of the room, crumbling into a thick dust that joined the braid and wove its way into the dough.

The training to qualify, though? It was intense. The Pegasi were thrown through intense weather training, Earth Ponies pressed until either they broke or the boulders they were forced to lug around did.

Flames ignited beneath great vats of clear oil. Dough formed into rings above, waiting to drop within.

And Unicorns? They were taught one spell, just one, and then forced through some of the most grueling and mentally torturous experiences that could be dreamed of just to see if they would use it. Told it would destroy everything, it would. By temporarily altering their color and proving they couldn't be trusted with power.

The oil was bubbling, a loud 'Fwoosh' flowing from the gas burners when they would sputter and reignite, clicking and clacking and whirrings surrounded the old baker as he ran his kitchen.

If they passed, and most didn't, they were drilled on the basics of their spellcraft. Speed, precision and versatility were pressed until a Unicorn of the royal guard could juggle in his sleep, or so the rumors went. Compared to those rumors though, the reality was underwhelming. Better, faster and stronger basics that could still be toppled by a third year student with some fancy spell that came out of left field.

Somepony was knocking on the back door used for deliveries. He slowed down his donuts just a bit to focus on the door instead of making sure he broke his morning quota.

But that was how most patriotic dreams went, wasn't it? Work hard, work harder, and then when it's time for your hard work to show results...

"You're the baker named Lemon, right?" An alicorn shows off how little it was all worth.

At least this one is purple and not a ball of incandescent white flame casually kicking around a Minotaur who'd just shrugged off the Earth Pony regiment of the royal guard.

He was maybe a bit sour about that.

"I am. You'd be Twilight Sparkle then, thought you'd be in ponyville." He moved to the side to let her in. From the way she walked to the way she looked, her steps slow and eyes dull, he knew better than to say it.

She looked terrible.

"I was investigating something. Your name was mentioned, so I came to follow up." Even her voice was fatigued. He could only guess at how little she slept.

"About Spike, right?" She nodded, a spark of curiosity lit within her eyes as she saw everything in his kitchen moving. "Figured that'd be the case. He left something in his room upstairs, it's addressed to you. Want me to go get it?"

It's not snooping if the property is abandoned, is it?

She nodded, mouthing off numbers silently as she counted the various things floating around her. She thought she was somewhere in the fifties when he returned, though she couldn't be sure she hadn't counted some things twice.

Or more.

Her magic held up the object her held in hoof.

A letter.

It wasn't in an envelope yet, just a piece of paper in a tri-fold. It unfolded readily, though her nerve took a second more.

Dear Twilight Sparkle

I miss you. I'm sorry I left the way I did. I didn't mean intend want to disappoint you but I felt like I was. I know I wasn't keeping the castle as clean as I kept our home the library. And I know you missed those meals of hot tomato soup I used to make, or eggplant quiche or the pancakes and waffles.

There was too much to do more than I could finish on time. I tried to make things work better, schedule things better but I still ended up with more than I could finish in one day. I was never as good as you at following those checklists.

I hope the new ponies I trained to take my place are working out alright. I'm mostly sure about the janitor, but I know Pumpkin Spice can make some absolutely amazing food and I'm sure you'll get along fine with Slide Rule. Apparently there aren't a lot of job callings for ponies with a degree in Library Sciences. I guess not, since I didn't even know there was such a thing as library science.

Anyway, I hope you're doing well and I'll try to write again soon if I ever even send this.

Your number one assistant friend.

Spike.

Twilight folded up the rough draft of her letter and tucked it under a wing. Her composure was cracking, she knew it.

"Little fella was nervous as all get out last time I saw him." A fresh pastry was pressed under her nose, wrapped in a napkin. "Suppose he's gonna be disappointed he went back to Ponyville yesterday to see you and you were already here. Bad timing, that."

...What?

"What?" She was staring at him, her eyes wide, mind blank.

"Came back yesterday morning, thought he was some random colt at first. Said he woke up after being attacked by some monster and got turned into a pony. Had to get back to Ponyville to see a princess about some magic, saw him off at the station myself."

"What?!"

Author's Notes:

A chapter devoid of actual focus on Spike.