Bad Timing

There was silence. Neither of them could comprehend his words.

“What do you mean, you’re not coming back?!”

”I don’t wanna talk about it... Just... just get out...”

Twilight thought she was hurt when Trixie left her, but never did she imagine Spike.

His statement was heavy, only to be confirmed by his own tears. He knew that Trixie would fall flat one day and that he’d be able to wait that one out, but Rarity? There was longevity to that one. He knew he wouldn’t be able to weather that storm.

Maybe if he hadn’t been such a coward, he wouldn’t be here telling Twilight to go away. He thought being over the top about Rarity would throw her off his track and he got so caught up with keeping it a secret that he forgot what his real goal was. Now he was too late and couldn’t tell her the truth. Doing that would only bring more heartache, at least she would be happy with Rarity.

“Spike you know I can’t do that!” Twilight cried.

“Darling, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you felt so strongly. I must profess myself to Twilight, but there is an entire world full of wonderful ponies. Don’t sell yourself so short.” She smiled weakly.

No, there wasn’t a world like that for Spike. That world had been taken from him by the very mare who suggested it. He spent long hours listening and feeling that love being taken from him. Every single “I love you” just cut him deeper and deeper until he was sure that his heart stopped beating altogether.

Hope had reemerged when Trixie left. It was a strangely happy day for him despite Twilight’s misery. He should have felt guiltier, but he didn’t.

Maybe that was the the magical kharmatic answer.

It took ten years to work up fhe worked up the courage to say something. He picked the anniversary of when he first met Twilight as the day, and at first it seemed like a good enough day. He made her an extra special breakfast and even got her a rare book that he was going to give to her later at the right time. But that time never came.

First Cadance walked in and whisked her away, leaving him alone with his chores. Then she came back unconscious and covered in blood, ruining any real chance of saying anything to her. He figured he had been defeated today, but that tomorrow he’d have better luck. So he went to bed.

But then he woke up and heard the moaning. At first he thought Trixie had come back, but it became clear that he wasn’t even that lucky.

“I said get out of here!” he yelled.

“But S-spike...” Twilight’s face reflected his.

“Twilight, get the buck out of here...” He needed them gone before he broke down entirely.

Rarity gasped. “Hold it right there Spike! You have no right to talk to your best friend like that over something I did!” she defended, putting herself between the dragon and Twilight.

“Spike... If it’s that important to you... I’ll stop being with Rarity... I won’t let her come between us.”

That was the last thing he wanted, to let his greed take away his friend’s happiness.

“No. Twilight... Stay with Rarity. Be happy with her. It doesn’t matter. I just want you out of my life...”

“But why?!”

“I...I...!” he choked up before finding the courage he wish he had before. “Just go away! I can’t take it anymore,” he cried bitterly.

“I won’t leave without you!”

Tears began streaming down his face, He needed them away before he broke down and told Twilight what he felt for her. If he did, he’d ruin his love’s chance at happiness. Maybe they’d lose him in the process, but what was he even worth.

“GET THE BUCK OUT OF HERE.” He hissed.

They had chased him into an emotional corner. His heart was breaking and he was out of time. He’d do the brave thing and sacrifice himself.

He fell to his last resort in a blind, emotional fury.

*

Spike had never known real regret until that day. And since that day, it was all he knew. He endlessly asked himself what in the name of love made him act that way. It was such a pointless mistake, if he’d taken just ten minutes to calm down he’d probably still be in the library with Twilight; Cherishing her, laughing with her, being happy for her new found happiness. Instead he resorted to a dragon’s natural defense.

Not a moment passed that he didn’t wish he’d done something different.

He wished his last words to Twilight would have been anything besides what they were.

He wished he could have just said what was on his mind, instead of having pain force his claw.

And what he wished for most was to have never used his claws or his smouldering breath and to see Rarity burned or Twilight scratched.

He knew that there wouldn’t be a scar on them an hour later. They’d move on eventually, but he’d never heal.

Now he sat alone in his room, on a rock farm, far away from love, friends or comfort, trying to cry himself to sleep. The first time it wasn’t so easy, but after doing it enough he got good at it.

*

Spirits broken, Inkie led them back to the Pie’s rock farm in a solemn, bitter silence. None of them felt like they could say a single thing to make what just transpired right. After the shock wore off and reality of the situation set in, they stopped talking altogether. Initially, they healed themselves and just asked each other in disbelief if that really just happened.

Spike had just attacked them.

It was hazy to them. All either of them could remember was fire, smoke and screaming before galloping out at full speed. They were clear of the farm, already crying their hearts out before they even saw the burns and slash marks. It took their minds a few minutes to catch up with what their hearts already knew.

Inkie just stayed quiet, not daring to ask a question knowing it wasn’t her place. She was just there to lead them to Spike and back to the farm, nothing else. When they did reach the farm, Clyde was waiting at the perimeter with a warm smile on his face.

“Welp, how did it go?” he asked, oblivious.

Neither of the unicorns said a word. The absence of the little dragon and their puffy, watery eyes told the story. His smile weakened.

“I’m sorry,” he offered genuinely. He turned to his daughter, “We have a visitor Inkie...”

In the distance, a blue mare peeked her head out of the house. Twilight’s heart plummeted.

Oh Celestia... not now...

*

A dark chariot tore across the sky.

“But why does there have to be lightning?!” Fluttershy cowered.

“Tis tradition! The Princess of the Night is always to be accompanied by lightning and storm clouds!” Luna exclaimed.

Fluttershy just whimpered pathetically as she latched around Luna’s rear hooves. It was endearing, but was ultimately something that displeased Luna. She sighed and called off the storm effects.

Fluttershy gingerly looked around before smiling up at the Princess.

“Art thou happier? I have reduced the amount of storms clouds to one. Also it is much smaller.”

A tiny little cloud, too small for even Fluttershy to sit on, scurried up and around her. It sparked and crashed with miniature thunder, tickling her in a sickeningly adorable way. She laughed and giggled with each lightning strike and rumbling thunder. Luna’s heart melted a littled.  A tiny cloud... was tickling her Fluttershy...

A small fluffy storm cloud... was tickling Fluttershy...

Just imagine that for a second.

“I call that one ‘Cloudy’, tis my companion,” Luna explained happily.

“Cloudy? You named a cloud, Cloudy?”

“Aye.”

Fluttershy just shrugged. She never took Luna as the most creative pony. She fondly looked up at Luna and they caught each other’s eyes. Cloudy jealously redoubled its efforts upon losing the attention of the pegasus, sending her in a giggling fit.

*

The air of antagonism wouldn’t leave the sisters. Luna glared at her sister in sheer spite. Celestia didn’t want to do it, but it was far too convenient. Luna had, had a lovely evening all planned out for Fluttershy consisting of ice skating, eating cookie dough, holding each other’s tails and snuggling. But her sister, of course, had to ruin her ‘fun’.

It may have been for a good reason, but it still didn’t stop Luna from being upset.

“I’m sorry Luna.”

“Do not be sorry sister, instead explain to me why thine fortune takes precedent over my own. It is coincidence that I have found a time slot to spend with Fluttershy, it is also coincidence that thou needest her aid,” she snarled

“Stop being difficult Luna. You know as well as I that our subjects come first. Cadance needs her right now and we aren’t going to deny her that comfort. We will also not lose her too.” A commanding tone laced those last words.

“Hath she really deteriorated so?”

“She is cursed Luna. She can know the heart and soul of another pony in seconds, but only by making a place in her heart for them. Any pony she reads into like that becomes family to her. ”

Luna just listened.

“Her emotional connections are magical. She had just connected with Time Turner when he killed himself, so his death touched a delicate part of her,” Celestia’s eyes looked distantly to ground just in front of her, “It was just the bad timing really...”

Luna could agree with that statement. “What role doth Fluttershy haveth in this?”

“If her talents truly are kindness, she alone should be able to bring Cadance back to us.”

“Back to us?” Luna found that an odd choice of words, “Where hath she left to?”

“Somewhere dark...”

*

Every step Trixie took towards them filled each one with something different. Be it pride, happiness, anger or dread, this mare had found a way into all their lives. None of them knew the extent of all the emotions in play, but soon they would.

As Trixie approached, Inkie trotted over to meet her. They exchanged a few quiet words and a hug. Twilight ignored it all as she followed the earth pony to the fateful exchange. She spoke to her old marefriend.

“What are you doing here...?”

Trixie approached her apologetically.

“Trix... I am sorry Twilight Sparkle... I was horrible to you. The way I left you like that.”

Since leaving Spike behind, Twilight had been struggling with how to react. It had been so traumatic that she was still struggling with what to feel. Trixie showing up when she did gave her definition though.

She was angry. She wasn’t sure why, but the pain had surfaced and now she wanted somepony to blame.

“You think I care?” she growled.

They all took a step back, except Rarity. Her love shared her anger.

“I-i-i don’t know... I just wanted to say sorry!”

Twilight laughed. “Oh no no no no, Trixie. You don’t need to say sorry! You know what? I’m happy you left me. Really, I should be the one thanking you!” Twilight’s poisonous smile unnerved them all. “Without a terrible mare like you around, I could finally appreciate the ponies worthy of appreciation.”

Inkie was the next to speak. “Now hold on a second Twilight, you best not be talking about the mare I think you’re talking about,” she threatened.

“Stay out of this,” Rarity defended harshly, “This matter doesn’t concern you.”

“Oh yeah? Trix is my friend and I’d be dead before I let you lie about her!”

“Twilight’s not lying darling, Trixie is a terrible pony who cares not for those who care for her. At the height of their love, she abandoned Twilight and left alone in the rain, without so much as a goodbye.”

“After telling me how much you love me, you just ran off!” Twilight shouted

Inkie laughed coldly. “Now I already know that’s a lie, right Trix?”

All eyes fell to Trixie in this moment of truth. Her expression did not falter, having stage training helped her in more ways than she was willing to admit. She didn’t want it to come to this, but Twilight was alive so her guilt had been squared away.

Trixie needed to save the last good thing she had left.

“Twilight Sparkle, you are hardly worth the time. Trixie was friends with you because she thought you needed a friend. She took pity on you and this is how you repay her. And what is talk about love? Maybe in your mind, but Trixie did no such thing, nor did she lead Twilight Sparkle on.”

Twilight and Rarity stood there in a speechless, seething anger as she lied through her teeth. Every word she spoke was the purest venom to their hearts. They didn’t even know where to begin picking apart her lie. Trixie had shamelessly projected her entire story on Twilight.

Much to their amazement she continued.

“Trixie was angry when Twilight had kicked her out on a whim without even a day to vacate, throwing her affections in the rain. She said some things she regretted, so she came back to say sorry.”

Eyes then fell to Inkie as she worked it over in her mind. Her ferocious eyes shot daggers at Twilight. Never had Twilight stared down such hatred before.

“Twilight here didn’t throw your hat and cape out in the rain did she...?”

Trixie smiled internally as soon as Inkie bought her story. “It doesn’t matter anymore...” she teased.

That was the last straw for Inkie. She shook visibly with anger, a few tears streaming down her face. She stomped the ground hard, throwing a few nearby rocks high into the air.  

“You two have about ten seconds. You can talk or you can run,” she muttered heavily, “I’d suggest running.”

“In opposite directions...” Next Chapter: The Hope of Happiness Estimated time remaining: 29 Minutes