(And here's the final chapter. Spike's about to confess to his friends about everything.)

At Spike's place, Luna and the girls were waiting for Celestia, Cadence, and Spike to return with thoughts of worry on their minds. When they heard the front door open, they scrambled out of Luna's room and saw their principal and drama teacher holding a beaten and fried Spike under his arms.

"Spike!" the girls cried, as they surrounded the three bombarding their history teacher with questions.

"Are you all right, darling?" Rarity asked in concern.

"We were so worried." Fluttershy said.

"What happened to you?" Pinkie asked.

"Ya gave us a scare." Applejack added.

"I knew you'd come back alive," Rainbow boasted, until she got a good a look at Spike's condition, "Barely, but alive."

Twilight saw Spike was unconscious, "Spike?"

"Girls, calm down," Celestia quelled them, "Master's had a long and painful night. And he needs his sleep."

"Everything will have to wait until Master is better" Cadence said, as she handed Spike off to Celestia, "I need to get home and check on Flurry Heart. Coming, Twilight?"

Twilight turned to her and answered, "No."

"Excuse me?" Cadence asked in shock.

"I came here to get answers from Spike, and I'm not leaving until I get them. So I'm spending the night here." she stood her ground.

"So am I." Applejack spoke up.

"Me too." Fluttershy added.

"Me three!" Pinkie exclaimed with a serious tone.

"No way am I going after all this," Rainbow added.

"I don't care if I'm not equipped for for a sleepover, but I want Spike to well enough to give us some answers." Rarity finished.

"Looks like they made up their minds, sister," Luna told Celestia, "Plus with the way the school is no one will be going in tomorrow."

Celestia sighed as she turned to Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Rarity, "You girls will have to call your parents and see if it's ok."

"Done." they answered showing them the messages from their families.

Celestia read the messages seeing they said they were staying over with Twilight and Cadence, which was a logical cover, "Cadence before you go, could you bring out the spare pillows and blankets?"

"Yes, Auntie." Cadene confirmed.

"I'll set up the guest room." Celestia added, as she carried Spike to his bedroom.

"Sleepover!" Pinkie cheered, but then was reminded of the situation as she looked at the girls looking concerned for Spike. Awkwardly, she nervously chuckled and said, "I'll just...find a spot."

Celestia had prepared Spike for bed, as she laid him down and covered him up, "Sleep well, Master. And well done." she kissed his forehead, before turning off the light and slipped out of the room.

In a guest room, Twilight had taken the bed, while the others were on the floor,"I'm just glad Spike is alive and...well, alive," Rarity added while sighing in relief.

"Of course, he's alive," Pinkie said with a small cheer. "Spike wouldn't leave us hanging if he didn't have a good story to tell right?"

"I'm just glad Spike's safe," Fluttershy said with a warm smile. "He's very lucky to have three women that look out for him."

"It has been a long day, hasn't it?" Rarity agreed as she let out a breath. "And Twilight...do try to keep an open mind when Spike wakes up. After what he's been through and what he did for you and Ms. Cadenza, he deserves that."

"Alright." Twilight said, as they turned the light off and went to bed.

When morning came, Spike's eyes opened up and he groaned, before peering around his bedroom. He heaved a sigh of relief before feeling the pain in his forehead.

"Good morning, Master," Luna spoke with a smile, "I trust you had a good nights sleep."

"After everything that's happened, I needed it."

Spike saw his door open, and Celestia entered, "Oh, Master, you're awake." she sighed in relief.

"Just barely. I could swear I almost saw St. Peter ready to judge me," Spike groaned as he sat up, "How is everyone?"

"The girls are ok. They're having breakfast right now." Celestia answered.

"Wait, they're still here?" he asked in shock.

"They were dead set in staying here, Master. They want their answers badly. In fact, Pinkie and Rainbow tried to sneak in here, but Luna shooed them out."

"Then there's no point in keeping them waiting, is there?" Spike sighed in dread.

"Just keep you chin up, Master," Celestia smiled, "Just know I will always be there for you."

"That goes for me, too, Master." Luna said as she placed her hand on Spike's cheek.

"You two are so good to me," Spike smiled warmly at the two women, "All I ever do is worry you."

"We worry because we love you, Master." Celestia said as she placed a kiss on Spike's lips.

At the dining table, the girls were already enjoying waffles and flapjacks with Cadence and Flurryheart.

Pinkie spoke up, "Nothing better than starting a day with a good breakfast, am I right?" she looked around seeing her friends were just concentrating on their food and were concerned about what was going to happen.

Soon enough, Spike stepped out of his room fully clothed, with Celestia and Luna walking close in case he lost his footing.

"Morning, girls. See you've made yourselves comfortable."

As soon as Spike spoke up the girls looked to his direction. Spike noted that all the girls had smiles on their faces, save for Twilight, who was trying to keep her face even.

"Glad you're up and about, Mr. Lupin," Applejack said, "Feeling any better."

"Oh, about as well as someone getting tortured by an insane Russian sadist carving into your body and getting the tar beaten and electrified by a local mobster." Spike answered, as he sat down.

"It's a miracle you're still breathing." Rarity said in surprise.

"Or can stand."Fluttershy added.

"Alright, Spike, you're awake now and I think you owe us an explanation." Twilight said getting to the point.

"After breakfast, Twilight," Spike replied, "And I need my morning coffee." Celestia poured him some and he took it. So they all ate patiently, until they were finished.

Later on, Spike was in his arm chair, as the girls were sitting around on the sofa, "Ok, Spike. We're all here, and you have answers we need." Twilight said.

Spike looked to Applejack who nodded reminding him that he promised her, "Ok. Well, you all know I lost my parents at a young age and was raised by my paternal grandfather Startswirl."

"We got that much." Pinkie confirmed.

"But I never told you the real reason why my parents passed away."

"Then how?" Fluttershy asked.

"They died on the job when my dad was Dragon and mom was his servant."

The girls gasped, "Oh, my stars." Rarity gasped.

"And that's just one part. This is my life story on how I became the infamous thief the world has ever knew." And so Spike began telling the girls the whole story about Dragon and the Lupin family, before moving onto his training days along with his servants pasts and what led them to becoming his servants. When discussing about how Cadence became his servant, Twilight was shocked to have learned the truth that her brother was onto Spike and what Cadence was almost willing to do just to avenge him.

When Spike reached to the present time, he got up and spoke, "You girls only knew one side of me and that's my day life. I just want to let you know that that side of my story was never a lie. All the fun times I've had with you, the laughs, tears, arguments, and everything was all real. Next to Celestia, Luna, and Cadence, you girls made life worth living when my parents passed away. You asked who I really am? I'm Spike Lupin, the 24th Master Thief known as Dragon."

The girls sat in surprise from Spike's tale, before Rainbow spoke up, "This is... Awesome!"

"My mind is blown!" Pinkie cried.

"I can't believe your childhood and upbringing had so much pain and sadness." Rarity said in shock.

"And you and your family did so much for so many others and they never even knew." Applejack put in.

"Did you really have to fight through a video game challenge obstacle course?" Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow suddenly realized something, "Oh, my God! I think he saw my nudie pictures! Spike...my teacher...SAW MY NUDIE PICS! He probably has them stashed somewhere and-"

"He doesn't need nude pictures to get off, Miss Dash." Luna cut Rainbow off in a deadpan voice.

"Luna!" Spike gasped at what she confessed.

"Hey, I may not have a MILFY body like you, your niece, and your older sister, but I-"

"That's not the point, Rainbow!" Applejack cut her Rainbow off.

Twilight had been sitting in silence pondering over everything, "So all this time you and Cadence were master and servant?"

"Yes," Cadence confirmed, "I didn't automatically fall for Spike like I had to tell you to preserve my secret. It was at first more on the lines of business."

"But Shining Armor entrusted her well being to me just as he did yours, Twilight." Spike added.

"But as time passed I started developing feelings for Spike. I am sorry I stood in your way." Cadence apologized. Twilight still didn't feel too assured about their relationship, as Rainbow spoke.

"So, any chance you can show us these Lupin treasures you stole?"

Spike sighed, "I suppose now that you know they're actually my family's property." he went to the panel on the wall before pressing in the code to reveal the hidden room.

The girls followed Spike inside and gasped upon seeing decades of stolen artifacts from him and his ancestors, "Whoa nelly." Applejack gasped.

"You stole all this?" Pinkie asked, as she looked at some artifacts inside the glass container.

"Well, not everything. A lot of these were stolen from the other generations of Dragon." he confessed.

Rarity looked at an empty display case meant to hold something, "Were you planning on setting my inherited dress up in here had you stolen it?"

"That was the plan."

"Oh, now I feel guilty to know that dress was actually property of one of the women in your family. By right it really does belong to you."

"Forget about it, Rarity. It's in good hands." he assured her.

"So what happens now?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yeah. I mean we can't go back to everything being as they were, right?" Rainbow asked.

"You're right, things will never be the same again," Spike confessed, "Now that all of you know the truth about me, Celestia, Luna, and Cadence, I need to ask you the biggest favor ever and keep this between yourselves. For the sake of everyone we know."

"Shucks, you know your secret's safe with me, Spike." Applejack assured.

"Same here." Rainbow added.

"You took the blame for me, I will never tell your secret to anybody." Fluttershy said.

"My lips are sealed." Pinkie made a zipping gesture to her mouth.

"I shall take it to my grave, darling." Rarity promised.

Spike looked to Twilight, "Twilight?"

Twilight looked up at Spike with tears forming in her eyes and a frown on her face. Spike was concerned, as was everyone else, until she ran at Spike and started pounding on his chest while crying.

"Stupid! Stupid idiot!" she cried, "I don't know who you are anymore, or what you are! All these secrets and lies you've kept from all of us! But still, you avenged my family and got me through all these hard times. I don't I just..."

"Twilight," Spike spoke up, as she looked at him, "Shining Armor would have wanted you have this." he presented her the letter he received from Shining prior to his death.

Twilight looked the letter over seeing it was indeed her brother's handwriting. She read of how her brother was able to deduce Spike's identity, and Celestia and Luna's involvement in his family business. She was glad to read that he had been thinking about her even when he knew his time was coming. She started crying again, and before Spike could try anything, she threw her arms around him and cried onto his shoulder.

"It's ok, Twilight. It's ok." he told her.

"I don't know what to feel anymore," she said, before letting Spike go, "I'm grateful for all you have done, Spike. For me and my friends. But I just don't know if I can handle all of this right now..." she left the treasure room and ran out the apartment.

"Twilight!" Pinkie called, but clearly she wasn't coming back.

Spike sighed, "I should've told her the truth earlier."

"You were just trying to preserve your family secret, Spike." Rainbow reminded him.

"And you think she could've taken it well back then when her family was murdered?" Applejack asked rhetorically.

"I guess you're right," he admitted, "Still. I never wanted to hurt her or any of you."

"We understand, Spike." Fluttershy said.

"And in time, Twilight will too." Rarity added.

The girls gathered around Spike for a group hug. Spike enjoyed the feeling of having them close, but was dismal about it not being a complete circle of friendship without Twilight.

But another matter came to him, "Luna, by any chance did you manage to find anything about our sniper savior?"

"Sorry, Master, but I checked all recordings of the surrounding area and found no trace of our mysterious shooter." she confessed.

"Well, whoever that person was must've had a bone to pick with Tirek like me." Spike noted.

Twilight had decided to walk back to her place still in tears but recalled something important Byakko mentioned about Spike to her when she and the mercenary were at the cemetery, 'Can't let the fact that he's a good man get in the way.' she thought as the part where Byakko said good man rang in her head.

(One week later)

In Celestia's room one morning, the woman woke up in her bed looking happy while recalling last night was the first time that she, Luna, and Spike had a threesome together. She had never felt so close to both her sister and master than she ever did before. She looked down at her bed but saw only Luna still asleep without Spike. Then Celestia remembered what her master had talked about a few days earlier and the decision Spike had made. At that memory, Celestia cried to herself.

"Why, Master?"

Later on, at Sweet Apple Acres, the extended Daniels Family was busy planting new trees they had brought over from their own farms. Applejack herself was currently busy rebuilding her home with help of Big Macintosh and Applebloom looking hopeful that farm will be back to what it was one day. She also looked out into the distance with one thing on her mind.

'Spike, wherever ya are, I hope you're ok.'

Meanwhile, Rarity was busy meeting with her first big client about outfits being made for a concert. After the meeting is done, Rarity retreated back to her studio and made some adjustments to designs in her sketchbook: the title of the sketches being "Bondage Fantasies and Fetishes."

"Oh, these will truly be a big hit among couples looking to make their relationships more kinky," she giggled, before thinking of Spike, 'Oh, Spikey-Wikey. I hope you'll find your way back to us one day.'

At Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie was on waitress duty and using roller skates to attend the customers. Though she had a happy face on she dropped it and replaced it with a look of dread upon finishing up. She retreated into the restroom while remembering this morning, she had one of her feelings that something bad was going to happen and she dreaded what it could be.

With Fluttershy, she continued to volunteer at the animal shelter with Angel Bunny lending a paw. The people in charge of the shelter were glad that she was making an effort to get back on her feet after what she had been through. Though Fluttershy was making progress, she still remembered the day she killed Louie Kaboom to protect Spike and it frightened her. She was also very frightened about Spike and how she really didn't know him as well as she thought, considering how harsh her teacher said he could be. She still was able to see the good in him.

'Spike, I will always be grateful for what you have done.' she thought to herself.

Rainbow and a few of her teammates were taking on the a few members of the Crystal Prep Soccer Team in a game at the park. The Crystal Prep team was dominating them and Rainbow's team was getting exhausted. All the while, the Crystal Prep just smirked at them with barely a sweat on their brows.

"No way we can go on." an exhausted CHS teammate panted.

"Let's call it off, Captain," another teammate who was on her knees said, "These elitists got us beat."

"I ain't going home and neither are any one of you!" Rainbow declared, as she glared at rest of Crystal Prep, "This game isn't over and I'll be damned if anyone of you doesn't go down kicking, you hear me!?"

Rainbow remembered how much punishment Spike took because of what happened a week ago, remembering how Spike never gave in, even if thinks looked hopeless. So she pulled her team together and they resumed the game giving it their all no matter what the outcome.

At Cadence's home, Cadence, with Flurry Heart in her arms, took a final walk throughout her home, now hollow with nothing left inside. She remembered everything that happened in her home, good memories with Shining Armor, the first time she and her late husband brought Flurry Heart home as well as other fond memories. She started to remember how cold the situation got once Twilight found out about her relationship with Spike and how awkward the situation got since she found out Spike was Dragon. With Twilight deciding to leave for good, Cadence saw no point in keeping her house anymore. She then left her former home to live with her aunts, as a lone tear formed as she closed the door.

'Time to begin anew." She told herself and her daughter.

Elsewhere, Twilight, suitcase in hand, was heading for Crystal Prep, deep in thought. She remembered that after Spike had spilled the whole truth, she really wanted to tear into Spike for all the lies. But she didn't because she really didn't know what to feel about him anymore. She really wanted to be mad at Spike and his servants and wanted to call them out for all the lies, while also remembering that they were the ones who avenged her family's murder and Shining knew about Spike's double life. At same time, Twilight saw another side Spike the night he fought Tirek and it only complicated things for her.

"Ms. Sparkle." someone called out to Twilight. So deep thought, Twilight almost walked past Crystal Prep and saw that Byakko was at the entrance.

"Byakko," Twilight greeted.

"I'll lead you the office," Byakko said with a smile, "Principal Cinch wants to meet with you personally."

Finally, Spike was at a private hanger at the airport with a suitcase, deep in thought. It broke his heart that he was going to leave but justified his decision for being what's best for now. With him at the airport is Starswirl.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Spike?" the old man asked.

"Yes, grandpa. With all that's happened I need some time away from the city, and the others as well until I can get myself back on track." Spike answered.

"While I do not approve of you taking a break from your duties as Dragon, I do understand that this is your decision. And I'll still keep an eye out for more of the family treasures. After all, you still have a duty to your family. And I hope you come to a decision when you return."

"I promise, grandfather," the two embraced, before Spike picks up his suitcase before heading to board the plane. He looked back and said, "Help Luna find that shooter. I want to know what his intentions were."

"I will, Spike." Starswirl said with a smile and a wave.

As the plane took off into the sky and flew off, Spike looked out the window of his seat watching the city below him, "Goodbye for now, Canterlot City. Goodbye Celestia...Luna...Cadence...Twilight, Applejack and rest...I'll see you again someday. Who knows? Maybe I'll come back a new man."

(And there you have it. Some of the girls took the news well. Twilight on the other hand has much to deal with now. Spike will eventually return to Canterlot city and hopefully a new man who knows what to do about the future of his family legacy. Until then. See you all around.)