//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Growing Up in the Apocolypse // Story: My Little Wasteland // by ThatBronyWithTheClipOns //------------------------------// Spike was not the dragon he once was. From the beginning he did all he could to keep Twilight safe from anypony trying to do her harm. He knew it wasn’t her fault, and he hoped their friends knew it too and would one day forgive her. He did what most ponies where doing, he became a bounty hunter. He had grown some since the war, but he was of a gangly build. His first outing was a disaster to say the least. “Well well well,” said a raggedy pony in a long coat. “If it aint the dragon assistant of the cursed one!” Spike had run into a small gang of earth ponies, hearing they had a decent bounty on their heads. He had no actual weapons, but figured he could take them; he was wrong. “Her name is Twilight Sparkle,” said Spike. “Not no more it aint,” said the long coat wearing colt. “She’s been the cursed one since she turned all of Equesria in a shit hole.” “Little dragon thinks he can take on three ponies by himself,” said another member. Spike lunged at the leader attempting to claw his face. But the leader immediately hit him in the stomach with his front hoof, leaving Spiked curled up on the ground holding his stomach. He got back up as fast as he could to keep fighting. “Ya got spunk, kid,” said the gang leader. “I’ll give you that. But you can’t win this. I’m givin’ ya one last chance to just walk away.” But Spike didn’t take his advice, and lunged again. Suddenly the gang leader struck at Spike with a knife attached to the end of his tail. Spike was slashed in the right eye. He’s was back on the ground, crying in pain. The gang decided to keep going at him though and began to kick at him while he was down. Suddenly a gunshot went off that didn’t come from any of them. Standing in front of them was a grizzled looking old colt wielding a rifle. He was wearing a brown poncho and a brown, dirty hat. “Ya’ll better get off mah land now,” said the old colt. “What are you fuckin’ crazy, old timer,” said the gang leader. “Aint nopony owns land around these parts no more.” “Ah’m only gonna tell ya once more,” continued the old colt. “Get off mah land, and no harm’ll come to ya.” “Do you know who this little piss ant is,” said another gang member. “It’s the dragon assistance of that filly bitch that turned this whole world into a fucking wasteland.” “Don’t care if he’s goddamned Prince Blueblood,” said the old colt. “Ah don’t want nopony causin’ trouble on my land. The first shot was a wanin, ya’ll keep this up and I’ll you can kiss your fuckin’ heads goodbye.” “Ya think we’re scared of some old bastard,” said the gang leader. “There’s three of us an’ one of you. And we got guns too ya old fucker. So ah think ya’ll better just get yer old ass back inside your shit hole of a house and….” The gang leader was interrupted by a shot that went straight through his head. The two gang members were frozen in their tracks as they saw their gang leader drop dead. “Ifin the rest of ya don’t wanna end up like this piece of shit here,” he said. “Ya’ll best get the fuck outta here!” The last two ran off as fast as their hooves could take them. The old colt was about to go back inside, when he noticed the young dragon moaning in pain. And yes, he knew full well who he was. He knew who he was associated with, and everything that had been cause as a result. Anypony else would’ve said just leave him to die, but this old timer just couldn’t do it. It wasn’t his fault he wasn’t able to defend himself properly. So he picked Spike up and took him back into his house. Spike woke up in daze, unaware of where he was, or how he got there. He noticed that only his left eye would open. He felt his head to see that there were bandages wrapped over his right eye. He also saw some bandages wrapped around his abdomen. He noticed the old colt in his kitchen, apparently cooking something. Spike tried to get himself into some sort of attack pose. “Relax,” said the old colt. “If ah wanted to kill ya, ah woulda done it already. Sides, you aint hurtin nopony in the state yer in.” “What happened?” asked Spike, moaning a bit. “Where am I? And who are you?” “Spose ah’ll answer that in the order you asked,” said the old colt. “You got yer ass kicked by them ponies you were tryin to collect the bounty on. Yer in my house. And as for who ah am? Malady Wesson, but most folk call me Mal. At least they did back when ah knew more pony folk. Before it all went to hell.” “You know who I am right?” asked Spike. “Course ah do,” said Mal. “Aint nopony in Equestria who don’t know of you. Yer Spike, the number one assistant of the one and only Twilight Sparkle; better known these days as the Cursed One. While defeatin Discord, she also destroyed the sister princesses and plunged this once fertile land into a desert.” “So knowing all that,” began Spike. “Why would you ever help me?” “A group of ponies will act stupid,” began Mal. “But more rational folk, like myself, will realize early on that she didn’t intent to destroy everything we held dear. She was just trying to keep everypony safe. Sure ah lost things to during that god forsaken war. Ah lost mah crops, mah cattle, mah family.” “Wait a minute, I know you,” said Spike. “You’re Magnum Mal Wesson! You were known during the war as the greatest gun slinging earth pony that ever lived!” “Was ah now?” he said with a sly grin. “Spose ah did well during that time. Ah didn’t earn this cutie mark fer nothin.” Mal revealed his cutie mark under his poncho. He was sporting what appeared to be a black bulls eye. “Keep in mind this was before guns,” said Mal. “It meant ah was accurate with damn near any kind of projectile. Once guns came about…well, it was a match made in heaven.” “So what are you doing just sitting around?” asked Spike. “You could be a top notch bounty hunter with your skills.” “Ah’m too old for that shit,” said Mal. “That punk ass out there was easy enough, he was blowin smoke and didn’t have the real balls to actually draw and shoot. But there are others out there much younger and faster than me. Ah doubt ah’d last long.” “Then teach me,” said Spike. “Teach me all you know about shooting and fighting and all that!” “Gotta be kiddin me,” said Mal. “Yer just some scrawny dragon. In fact, what do you need guns for? Don’t dragons breath fire?” “Unfortunately I’m not that kind of dragon,” said Spike. “My flames aren’t really that effective for combat use. But at the moment there aren’t any guns that are actually designed for my claws.” “Ah see,” said Mal. “Either way, yer in no shape to be a bounty hunter. Chances are your eye there won’t heal and you’ll just be blind in it. Hardly got any meat on ya too.” “I can bulk up,” exclaimed Spike. “And I still got the one good eye. Please, I need your help. I have to keep Twilight safe. Sure you’re forgiving of her…” “Never said ah was fergivin,” interrupted Mal. “Ah said ah wasn’t interested in seeing her dead.” “Either way,” continued Spike. “There are tons of ponies out there that will do all they can to see her killed. I can’t let that happen. She raised me, she’s like a big sister. I can’t let anything bad happen to her. Please Mr. Wesson! I’m begging you! Teach me what you know!” Mal looked into Spike’s one good eye and saw many things. Fear, desperation, determination. He knew this little dragon wouldn’t leave him alone till he helped. “Fine,” he said. “Ah’ll train ya.” “Thank you so much, Mr. Wesson,” said Spike. “Just call me Mal,” he said. “But you should know right now…this won’t be easy. Ah will be tough, ah will be mean, by the time this is all done yer gonna think ah’m the meanest son of a bitch in this whole fuckin world. But ah will also be fair, and by the time ah’m done with you nopony in the world will think twice of fuckin with you. What do ya say to that?” “I’ll do whatever it takes,” said spike. “Teach me.” Mal gave Spike the kind of smile that said “You’ve just entered the gates of hell. There aint no going back now.”