A normal day

by willun

A normal day

Summer had just started in full force, leaving most of the town covered in a strong wave of heat. A small dragon happily lapped up the heat while he quickly ran from one wooden box to another. Spike had planned the stage for over three days and had all the materials ready last night. Spike started his project early in the dawning hours of the morning. Ponies who were shopping walked past with a curious glance and read the sign in front of the Carousel Boutique. Spike happily informed them of the show with a few ponies promising to come back.

The morning project was completed with several hours to spare. Spike wiped the sweat off his scales on his head. He may not be hot, but work was intense with a time limit before the show started. The stage was almost as wide as the Carousel Boutique. A catwalk with curtains was erected and tested to make sure nothing snagged on the large curtains and ropes. When Spike was satisfied with his work he walked inside and felt the cool air against his scales. He went into the kitchen and drank some water before looking for Rarity. There were several pony models in the boutique and each one had several costumes in several booths. Some booths had a curtains close while in use.

After not seeing Rarity any where, Spike went back outside and laid on the stage. He happily soaked up the heat before he heard a young voice call his name.

'Morning Spike.'

Spike sat up and waved at the young unicorn. 'Good morning Sweetie Belle. Do you know if Rarity is free? I wanted her to check the stage in case she wanted anything changed before the show starts.'

'She actually sent me out here to apologize that she could not come out here to inspect the stage herself. There was an emergency with one of the dresses so she is upstairs fixing it.'

'I hope everything is alright. Let me show you what we have.'

The walk around the stage was brief and Sweetie Belle appreciated the explanation.

'Really, my sister just kicked me out so I would not accidentally spell a dress.' Sweetie Belle confessed. She flushed slightly at the omission when Spike started laughing.

The show started and Spike sighed when everything went smoothly. He sat on the sidelines before choosing to look around town while the show was going. It was slowly turning to late afternoon when he came back. The show was at an end and customers had started walking inside the store. Spike immediately started taking apart the stage. All day he had been watching the sky for the early signs of rain but did not spot any so far. He knew he would have to work quickly.

Rarity's mid-day extravaganza for her new clothing line was a success as far as Spike was concerned. Rarity was now busy inside taking specialized orders for the line. Quite a few customers liked what they saw. Spike had volunteered earlier that week to help set up and put away the theater Rarity wanted to use for the show when she could not find any workers available to hire. Spike new it would be a lot of work when he agreed to it. While he did not regret volunteering, Spike always felt happiest when he was useful, he was willing to admit he was not prepared for the strenuous activity being a stage hand entailed.

What made the job difficult was the time limit. Shops had started to light night candles outdoors and among the low light Spike was making his best effort to finish before night came. Spike did not want any of the wood to be exposed in case it rained. Rainbow Dash informed him the weather pegasi wanted to try and cool the land down that night and it could not be postponed farther than that evening. Rarity was only given the day because she had informed them well in advance of the heat wave that hit the town. Rainbow Dash did admit that she was not sure if she could get enough clouds together to make it rain but she had to try. Spike was just grateful for the warning.

Spike stood on the final piece of platform while pulling out the nails with his claws before glancing inside. He smiled slightly as Rarity was in her element and happily wrote down orders and setting them on rolls of cloth to be made in the following weeks. Spike went back to work knowing he was almost done. Night had fully come when he closed the shed doors. Spike ran inside and grabbed a cup of water before taking a seat and relaxing in the kitchen. Rarity was still working with customers. He was ready to go home but did want ask if there was anything else she needed before he left.

'I think it will be alright if you want to go home Spike.' Spike looked up and noticed Sweetie Belle standing at the door to the kitchen. She looked over to her big sister and sighed.

'You think so?' Spike asked. It felt rude to just leave with out saying good bye but Rarity was quickly writing down notes for a yellow earth pony who kept adding changes to her order. Spike looked to his left and still counted three other ponies who were talking but clearly wanting to make their own orders. Each of customers were looking at several pieces of attire on pony manikins while waiting for their turn.

'Go get some sleep. I think she will actually stay up and start working when she is done. She has that look.'

Spike chuckled as he too saw the glimmer in Rarity's eye as she both wrote down notes and moved spools of cloth behind her already moving them to the cutting boards. Apparently he wasn't the only one that noticed.

'I really wish she would let me learn how to do that. I can hardly move that cup of water of yours. And I only was able to since the start of spring.' Sweetie Belle softly said to herself.

Spike and Sweetie Belle were both looking at Rarity. Which meant the young unicorn did not see Spike's look of surprise. He had thought he saw her use magic all the time. After a moment he realized that it was usually Sweetie Belle's sister that moved things for her.

Without thinking Spike asked, 'Have you been practicing?'

Sweetie Belle looked at him with an haughty reply, 'I practice everyday.'

Spike looked steadily at her. Her face wilted slightly.

'Alright, not as much as I should. I do try and pick up things. But it is simpler to get ready for the day when I ask my sister for help.'

Spike sighed before pointing at his cup. Curiously, Sweetie Belle used her magic and it surrounded the cup. Spike let it go and the water cup slowly wobbled in place. Sweetie Belle gasped before she noticed she was loosing concentration. Spike grabbed the cup out of the air before it fell. He motioned to her to follow into the dinning room where he could have a closed door and a conversation that was not being distracted with Rarity giggling in excitement at the line of orders she received. Rarity started cheering and jumping around when the last customer left. Spools of cloth, scissors and measuring tape flew in the air with practiced ease.

In the dinning room, Spike grabbed another cup of water and set both of the cups on the table and motioned for Sweetie Belle to sit across from him. When she looked at the two glasses of water Spike started.

'O.k. Go ahead and move one.' Sweetie Belle thought it was sweet of him wanting to help, but had some doubts Spike could help with her magic. She did as she was told and a faint hue of mauve circled the glass of water before it wobbled. Sweetie Belle set the glass down before it spilled and made a mess. The young unicorn sighed before looking up at Spike. The purple dragon was tapping his cheek with his claw while thinking. Sweetie Belle had seen a similar action done by Princess Twilight Sparkle and repressed a giggle.

'What are you thinking about when you are using magic?' Spike finally asked.

Sweetie Belle was not surprised by the question, her sister asked it when Sweetie Belle asked for help. She felt that she was about to go in circles like she had with her sister. Disappointed but not surprised, Sweetie Belle replied, 'I'm thinking about collecting my magic and telling it to move the glass and keep it steady.'

She looked at Spike already knowing he would say she should try harder. He was smiling a smug smile for a dragon. Sweetie Belle bit back a retort that would have cut him off.

'Do you think about every step you take when you walk or run?' The look of confusion made Spike chuckle.

'How about when you breathe or swim?' Sweetie Belle shook her head no. Of course she didn't. The young girl was beginning to get annoyed with his superior attitude. She pouted right before she started to defend her self.

'You are a lot like your sister you know.' Spike interrupted again while smiling at her. Sweetie Belle gave an aggravated growl.

'If you think you can just make fun of me then you have another thing coming mister! I thought you were going to help me with my magic, not make a fool of me.'

Spike waved his clawed hand at her and lifted up his cup. After a drink he looked at her. 'Lift your cup up and drink.' Spike set his cup back down and lifted up again. He was looking at her the entire time and sipped with out looking at what he was doing.

Annoyed, Sweetie Belle lifted her cup with her magic took a drink from her cup and with one fluid motion set it back down, still glaring at Spike while she did so. Spike smiled and started clapping. Slowly Sweetie Belle looked at her cup. It did not spill and she moved the cup like her sister did.

'You are a unicorn Sweetie Belle, using magic is just like using any other part of your body; walking, running, talking, they are all things you do after you first learned how. You already did the hard part by manifesting your magic. You just need to stop thinking about magic like its separate from you.' Spike finished the last of his water. He stood up and went to the sink and washed his glass before drying it and putting it back in the cupboard. It would be bad form to leave dirty dishes around when he was a guest. When he was done he looked over his shoulder. Sweetie Belle looked excitedly at her cup while she moved it around the table and in the air.

'Good night Sweetie Belle. I think its time for me to head home.' It was well after dark and some of the street lights had already gone out.

'Good night Spike.' Sweetie Belle said distractedly. Spike smiled at her. Spike knew Sweetie Belle would be up all night with something new to work on. Spike breathed to himself. 'Just like her sister.'

Half way out the door he felt the unicorn run up to him and hug him tightly.

'Thank you Spike. Your help means so much to me.'

Spike patted the young girl in a return hug before leaving.

Spike got back to the castle late. The torches in the halls were dim with a slow burn. Spike checked the study in case Twilight was awake. Sure enough she was staring at a piece of vellum intent on a problem. A dozen books were open to various pages across the desk. Spike jumped on the table and looked at the formula.

'Celestia's theorem again?' Spiked asked. Twilight sucked in a breath in surprise before looking at her assistant. She glared at him when he gave her a smug look that was not too different from the one he gave Sweetie Belle.

'Yes. It's like most of the other proofs I have read. I know it works, we use this all the time when using magic. But the math? Some times I get lost in the runic formula's.'

'It is enough for most ponies to know magic works Twilight.' Spike turned around and started breathing magic fire. The green fire floated to each of the torches lighting them brighter than the dim night time burn. Spike turned in time to see Twilight eye the green flames before they turn golden on the torches.

'I know, but this theorem doesn't apply to you Spike. That is what has been bothering me for years.'

Spike nodded while sitting down on a pile of books Twilight wasn't using. He yawned slightly. He had heard this all before. After realizing he too would be up for a while Spike started looking at some of the formula's again. It was all familiar. Math symbols reignited old conversations the pair have worked over for years.

'We can start our experiments again later. I know your day has been long Twilight. We both need to unwind for a bit.'

Twilight looked at him before sighing and closing a book to her left with her magic. 'It is not only that Spike. You were given to me as an egg when I was barely old enough to think about starting primary. And in all the years we still know nothing about where you come from. About you.' Spike's sullen look made him regret the turn of the whole conversation. It wouldn't hurt to remind them both why they stopped searching.

'Twilight, I'm not like the dragons we see here in Equestria. I don't have wings, and I use magic. And we already tried to deconstruct my magic with no results. It took a long time but I don't loose sleep anymore about where I came from. Honestly I would be just as happy if you don't loose sleep over this any more. I am happy where I am.'

Twilight was glaring at her vellum scroll before her face softened. She rolled up the scroll and started putting away the books. Each book began to fly to its designated spot. Spike was unceremoniously dropped on the desk. Spike and Twilight shared a laugh at the unintentional drop. Spike dropped off the table and led the way to the kitchen.

'Why do you put away books that quickly when its late? It would save me a lot of time organizing your old bed room and even the library.'

Twilight shook her head. There was always something personal when she read each title and look for its devoted spot in her library. In the kitchen and at a loss on what to get for a late nigh snack, Twilight spotted the can of power chocolate mix on the table.

'Spike lets go get some hot cocoa and sit on the couch. How was your day with Rarity?'

Spike quickly started boiling water and Twilight got the tea cups, the powder and marshmallows and started mixing cocoa. 'Do you mean my date with a bunch of lovely planks of wood? It was amazing. There was this long piece of wood I ended up dancing with who had a little too much fun and was about to fall over me. Luckily, the house decided to cut in and be the planks' dancing partner.'

Spike's deadpan comment made them both look at each other before they started laughing. The conversation was placed on hold until they moved over to the couch in front of the fire place in the library. The fire placed a warm glow to the cold walls. Spike watched how Twilight used her magic to levitate her cup of cocoa.

'Did you know Sweetie Belle was having problems with her magic? I thought she had been using it for a while but I guess I never paid as much attention as I thought.'

'Rarity said she was concerned for her sister. While it is normal to not use magic while you are young, to not have it manifest at all was disconcerting. Rarity was relieved when Sweetie Belle was showing conscious use of magic. Last year Sweetie Belle was using magic but not realizing it and it got her into all sorts of trouble.'

'I think she finally has it sorted out today. But she did get me thinking about my fire.'

Twilight and Spike shared a look thinking the same thing. 'You are right Spike. We have not done an experiment with your magic since before we moved to Ponyville.'

'There was never any time. If it was not a festival in town, it was an emergency or if it was neither, we were struggling to catch up to the days we fell behind.'

The two talked about ideas well into the night. The hearth fire was well into its final embers when Spike woke up on the couch in the early morning hours. Spike was not surprised that they had both fallen asleep during their conversation. Spike saw Twilight had her wings wrapped tightly around herself. Spike frowned when she shivered slightly. Spike turned to the fireplace and blew slow breaths of fire to the fire place reigniting the hearth. Spike knew it wouldn't heat up the room right away. So just like when they were younger, he curled up against Twilight and slowly fell asleep. The last thing he remembered was a half asleep Twilight raising her wing and pulling her personal heater closer before falling back into deep sleep.

Author's Note:

I have not written any fanfiction in a long time. Spike has always been an interesting character for me in mlp but I found only a few stories that have spike center stage. After getting tired of looking for something to read about Spike I decided to start writing something. I'm not sure exactly how long or how far this story will go. When ever I picked up one of my old stories I never could get back into them. Maybe switching fandoms will yield something different.

Comments

[DARKPHANTOM13]

This looks like a nice start to a good story. I suggest maybe find an editor to clean it up a bit to make it even better.

[OmniFox]

Spike and Sweetie Belle = adorable couple.

[Duplex Fields]

A lovely story with hidden depths. Spike understands Twilight's unicorn magic, so he understands Sweetie Belle to some degree.

Editorial note: in many places in this story, you can replace Spike with "he" or "him" - as long as the action hasn't shifted to someone else, there's little reason to remind the audience who you're talking about, especially when he's the only male character in the story.

[Hillbe]

A lack of Spike stories? I know how you feel. . .

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I lost it

Raritys egg

Her day

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