The morning played out just like yesterday, and the day before yesterday, and the day before that. Spike had got himself up early to prepare Twilight's exquisite breakfast meal while he had himself the usual bowl of cereal. Shortly after, Twilight had finally got up and ate her breakfast and talked to Spike about how spectacular yesterday was. At this point, she was just bragging about how much fun she had while he was cleaning up her mess which she could clean in an instant with her magic.
After breakfast, Spike cleaned up the kitchen while Twilight decided to do some reading in the library.
"Hey Twilight, I'm heading out for a walk, alright?" He called out to Twilight who was reading.
"That's fine, Spike," Twilight barely acknowledged him.
Spike just sulked and headed out. His chores were done from yesterday and there wasn't much to do but clean up Twilight's mess after he got back from the library. He had quite some time to spare so why not take a visit to see some of his friends.
Spike wandered to Sweet Apple Acres where he would find Applejack apple-bucking.
"Hey, Applejack," Spike greeted.
"Oh, hi Spike," Applejack replied.
"Do you need any help?" He asked just like a good friend would.
"Mighty kind of ya, Spike, but apple-bucking takes some serious strength. Ah don't think this is something you can handle." She innocently laughed.
Spike felt a little crushed by the way she said that. He may have been a baby dragon and all, but he wouldn't consider himself weak, he carries Rarity's bags and they weigh a tonne.
"Oh, okay." He replied to Applejack's somewhat mean comment. "I'll see ya around."
"Make sure ya tell Twilight ah said hi."
Spike wandered just outside of Ponyville where he noticed a cosy little cottage sitting on the edge of a little hill, isolating itself away from the populated town of ponies and the darkened depths of the terrifying Everfree Forest. His eyes immediately target a butterscotch mare, feeding her animals.
Spike approached his kind friend Fluttershy. "Hi, Fluttershy." Spike greeted with enthusiasm. This startled the cautious mare, turning around but relieved to see it was her little dragon friend.
"Oh my goodness, sorry Spike, you gave me a little fright."
"Oh, my bad."
"It's not your fault, is there anything I can help you with?" She asked.
"I was going to say the same thing to you," Spike answered.
"I'm fine Spike, I can't talk much right now, though, I need to feed Angel and the other animals."
"Well, let me help," Spike insisted.
"I don't think that's a good idea, remember last time when you had that cold and you nearly burnt off Harry the bear's little tail. It's best if you leave this to me."
"Okay..." Spike held down his head, clearly Fluttershy didn't want help either.
"Tell Twilight I said hi," Fluttershy said.
Spike found himself in Ponyville again when he heard the sound of his stomach growling like a pack of wolves. "Guess I could do with a snack." He told himself, heading towards Sugarcube Corner.
"Psst... He's coming." An unknown voice whispered.
"Quick get ready." The other whispered.
The moment Spike opened the door, he didn't have time to even look around or walk to the counter. A bucket of water was splashed onto him filled with ice. Spike fell onto the floor, shivering like he was in pain. He looked up and saw Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie laughing like mad. He would have been mad, but he couldn't even talk, he was stuttering due to how cold he was.
"Wh-wh-wha-t was-s that for?" Spike forced out, holding himself as the freezing cold water sunk into his scales.
"Pfft. Lighten up Spike," Pinkie Pie obnoxiously said. "We were only fooling. A brave and tough dragon like yourself can surely take it," Upon saying this, she couldn't keep a straight face while saying 'brave' and 'tough.'
Spike looked around and noticed there were a few other ponies in the café laughing at his pain.
"Yeah, a 'brave' and 'tough' dragon that wears a frilly apron can sure turn out to be a lame dragon," Rainbow Dash laughed along with Pinkie, a few others were laughing as well.
Spike's cheeks went red as an apple, embarrassed when Rainbow mentioned the apron he likes to wear. Suddenly, Spike didn't feel hungry anymore. He got back up on his feet and stormed out of there.
"Let Twilight know that we said hi!" Pinkie Pie called out to the mad dragon storming off while Rainbow Dash was laughing.
As Spike walked around Ponyville, cold and wet, he stopped when he noticed the Carousel Boutique. Spike's heart began to pump twice as fast knowing that the pony he dreamt of was there. Spike progressed his was towards the front door and gave a slight knock.
Immediately, Rarity came to the door and answered with such enthusiasm. "Welcome to the Carousel Boutique, may I-" Rarity looked down and saw her little dragon friend. "Oh... Spike, darling, just the dragon I wanted to see."
Spike felt his heart jump up, bouncing like a ball. "Really?" He answered in happiness.
"I need you to clean this place until it's spic and span," Rarity ordered.
Spike felt a little broken. He thought he could have proven his usefulness but instead it was the same thing with her, clean this place up, be a pincushion, listen to me do drone on about a charming, but ignorant stallion that has no interest in herself.
After an hour of cleaning up and doing the rest of what Spike predicted. He listened to Rarity drone on about some stallion he has never heard of.
"He's going to be visiting tomorrow, what do you think I should wear?" Rarity asked.
"You look fine as you are Rarity," Spike complimented.
"Why, thank you, Spike, but seriously this is no time for flattery, I must make a unique first impression."
"Unique first impression?" Spike was confused.
"Oh, if only you knew what love was Spike, it would be easier for you to understand."
From hearing this, Spike felt irritated. What does she mean by if he knew what love was? He's been worshipping her, slaving himself away, and she has the nerve to say that to him.
"Uh huh, listen, I'm going to go and see Twilight now, alright?"
"Of course, darling, make sure to tell her I said hi."
Spike sighed. "Will do..." He said, dragging himself sadly.
As Spike dragged himself back towards Twilight's castle, he felt empty with no emotion, he was confused to why his friends would turn him down, he rarely gets to spend time with them and half of the time they insult him due to his size or strength. Spike finally made his way home and noticed Twilight was still reading, it was pointless to notify her that he was home, whenever it cam to reading, Twilight would always be in some kind of state, a trance. He didn't bother and decided to go back to bed and that's where he slept, his day was turning out to be awful.
One Hour Later...
"SPIKE!"
Spike had awoken from his deep, relaxing sleep to the sound of Twilight calling his name, echoing through the endless corridors. He promptly pulled his blanket and hopped out of his basket and ran towards Twilight's voice. Her voice sounded desperate and in distress, Spike was just hoping this was important.
"SPIKE!" She called out.
Spike made his way to the library where an angry Twilight was standing before him with a livid expression on her face, she looked disappointed in the young dragon.
"What is it, Twilight?" He asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and letting out a small yawn. The moment he stepped into the room a burnt book was thrown before him so he couldn't take another step. His eyes targeted the book, his body was frozen solid.
"Explain yourself!"
Spike looked down and held onto his tail as tightly as he could, he slowly began to stutter. "W... well, I cleaned up the library like you told me too... and I put away every book except for your book of memories... and I sort of sneezed."
"Memories?" Twilight levitated the book towards her, she was astonished to find that the book was her memories, her past. She flicked through all the pages in horror to see every photograph of her memories burnt away. "Spike... how could you?!"
"It was an accident, I swear!" Spike pleaded.
"Every memory I had was in this book, every achievement. What were you thinking?!" She scowled angrily.
"But Twilight, it was an accide-"
"If I've told you once then I've told you a million times: stay away from the books when sneezing!"
"I know, but-"
"Every happy memory, the photos I could look back on and be proud of were in that book and now it's gone all because of your foolishness."
"Twi-"
"Do you literally not listen to a word that I say, can't you follow the simplest of instructions. Why must you be a nuisance! I swear sometimes I think you-" Twilight stopped herself the moment she heard the sound of the poor dragon sniffing, slowly choking on his tears. "Spike? Are... are you crying?"
There was no reply. Spike's head was just pointing down as he let his tears spill. Twilight immediately felt bad, sympathetic towards her assistant. "Spike... I'm..."
"SHUT UP!"
Twilight quickly backed away from the dragon's sudden outburst. Horrified at what he had just said. "Don't raise your voice at me like that Spike."
Spike wiped the tears from his eyes and argued. "Well don't insult me over a dumb book."
"Dumb?! Spike every accomplished and happy memory was in that book."
"Well, at least, you have happy memories!"
"What are you talking about?"
"I looked through that book and I saw five photos of me, the rest were of you and your friends, accompanied by the princesses, your family, and even the Cutie Mark Crusaders! How much have I been missing out?!"
"You haven't been missing out!"
"Haven't I? What about the time when you all went to Cloudsdale to see Rainbow Dash's Rainboom? And where was I? I was cleaning up your mess!"
It was a fact that Spike did miss out on Rainbow's victory during the Cloudsdale competition. Twilight did recollect.
"How about the day where you celebrated your birthday in Canterlot without inviting me!"
Twilight couldn't remember, she could have sworn Spike was at her party in Canterlot, after all, it was her birthday so how could she forget him? Somehow she did.
"And the National Dessert Competition? You didn't even notify me."
This was all too true for Twilight, however, she never really took time to notice how Spike was left out.
"There was the time you got to meet Pinkie's sister, the time when you all got to go to Manehatten to help Rarity with her new store. You'd expect me to be some kind of hero considering I prevented a war from the dragons and ponies during the Gauntlet of Fire, but no! It was just the same old Spike stay here. Spike clean up after my mess. Spike stay here and do nothing while I go have fun with my friends!"
Twilight just held herself within the same position, taking every word in.
"Oh wait! How about the time when I saved the Crystal Empire, but everypony was more happy about you passing your stupid test! I didn't get any recognition from you girls whatsoever! And then you all got invited to go see the Equestria Games tryouts while I was left behind despite the fact that I saved the empire!"
Twilight did have to admit, it was a little cruel for Spike to not be invited to the Equestria Games. She couldn't bear to listen anymore, it was true he had missed out on so many wonderful adventures, life-changing experiences.
"And here you are, insulting me over a book that I accidently burnt. Sometimes I don't think you actually appreciate how hard I work for you!"
"That's not true Spike!" Twilight argued.
"Then how come you've never thanked me? How come you've never took any time to realise that I was feeling hurt?"
"Well..."
"You managed to cause mayhem throughout the town because you mixed the Elements of Harmony on accident, but somehow you don't get punished, instead, you're granted a pair of wings and the role of princess. What was Celestia thinking?! You have your kingdom to rule and you don't even know how to make your own breakfast! You act like becoming a princess has been the best thing that's ever happened to you!"
"Becoming a princess HAS been the best thing that's ever happened to me!" Twilight raised her voice.
"Well, it's been the worst thing that's happened to me!" Spike shouted, tears filling. "You're a princess. You don't need me, and sometimes you barely acknowledge me. You don't offer me to do anything fun. All I do is clean up after you over and over again."
"Spike you're my assistant, it's your duty remember?" Twilight reminded.
"Why do you keep saying that?!" Spike growled as he smacked both claws on his head.
"Saying what?"
Spike gave into his dark thoughts, what he truly was to Twilight. "I'm just an assistant. Assistant. ASSISTANT!" He roared.
"What else do you want me to see you as?"
"A FRIEND!"
Twilight felt an uneasy feeling within her body, she had empathy leaking towards the young dragon. "Spike, of course I see you as my friend."
"Then why can't I believe you?" He questioned. "Ever since we moved to Ponyville you've been avoiding me. While you're having the time of your life, I'm the one that's working, being bullied, and ignored!" Spike was letting his anger get the best of him.
"Spike that's absurd!" Twilight reasoned.
"Is it?" He questioned. "I'm either being downgraded to a baby that can't do anything by Fluttershy and Applejack, whenever I offer them help they quickly turn me away as if I'm the definition of trouble. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are targeting me when it comes to pranks, they're not even funny pranks, they're hurtful. They make fun of me because I don't look or act like other dragons, I'm basically being bullied!"
"And the worst of it is Rarity! All I do is work for her just to get a little bit of respect or recognition but I continue to be neglected. Rarity takes advantage of me just so she can get free labour and she still stays in denial about the fact that I like her, she even goes a far to say that I have no idea what love is which hurts!"
"Spike..."
"AND YOU!" He pointed towards Twilight with an angry expression. "When I was hatched I didn't have much of a choice, I was given to you as a friend, but you only see me as your assistant, you may love me, but you don't show it. How come I never got to come to your birthday? How come I never got to go to anypony's birthday? Last week you forgot my birthday and you decided to celebrate the anniversary of when you and your friends got your cutie mark instead!"
Twilight didn't know what else to say. She never noticed that Spike had missed out so much. The rift between Twilight and Spike was growing stronger throughout the argument. There was nothing but silence as Spike finished his rant, Twilight just stood there, shocked by the way he felt, the way he was treated.
"Spike... why didn't you say anything?"
"I did, but no matter how many times I tried you still didn't listen, you would just keep yourself busy with reading or having fun with your friends while I was kept in the dark. Do you even love me?" He asked, quivering his lip a little.
"Spike I do love you and you are my friend, I didn't mean to leave you out on purpose... It's just that... I forgot about you..."
Spike felt his heart being pierced, sliced into tiny pieces the moment Twilight said the word forgot. His eyes began to swell up with tears. "Forgot about me..." He repeated Twilight's exact words.
Twilight looked at him, fazed by how sad he looked, how upset he was. With no warning Spike ran past Twilight and went running down the main hall, running away from her.
"SPIKE WAIT!" She said while putting up her hoof. "I didn't mean it like that!" Twilight watched in dread as Spike ran out the double doors, crying in misery from what she said.
'Oh dear, what have I done?'