Never Challenge a DJ; Love that fades away
A purple scaled claw held a lit Diseased Stallion cigarette between its fingers as it was brought to its owner’s lips. Inhaling the poisonous, lung cancer causing gray smoke into the mouth, the lungs exhaled it with a loud sigh from said orifice.
Emerald colored eyes blinked sadly before making his other claw reach towards the scotch in a clear, small glass. He picked it up as the creature drank the alcohol without hesitation and scowled at the burn that ran down his throat before putting the glass back onto the table.
The creature was a male dragon, his purple scales with his light green underbelly, spines, and large fins completing his appearance. The drake sighed loudly before taking a large drag of his cigarette, ignoring the music being played by the Earth Ponies on a wooden stage behind him. At the same time, the blue furred Pegasus mare with alluring green eyes tried to flirt with him, obviously drunk, which was he was trying to become.
Spike sighed, not knowing why he had come to a bar tonight of all nights. Just after the large fight he had with his marefriend, Sweetie Belle, however, he wanted to drown his sorrow in alcohol.
The eighteen year old dragon was disappointed by the way he had acted towards the young mare he had been with for the past five years they had been in Ponyville, a rural town that was comforting to the heart and soul and had many reliable faces, with his older sister like figure, Twilight Sparkle. Now he was in the large, busy and frankly rude city of Manehatten, where he had been since he was thirteen years old.
It was not illegal in Equestrian law to drink alcohol when one creature turned the age of eighteen, or was able to buy their own cigarettes when they became sixteen years of age.
Spike was very surprised when Twilight had announced that they were moving to Manehattan, saying that she had wanted to experience life in a big city and to study just what it had to offer.
Without even giving him a chance to bring her to reason or give his own input, they had packed all their possessions, grab their pets, Owlowiscious, Twilight’s pet owl, and Peewee, Spike’s pet phoenix, who had chosen once he was old enough to be a part of the family he had been raised in as he left his own family in the forest and was brought to the city she had chosen.
Spike sighed loudly, calling to the stallion bartender for another shot before taking another drag of his cigarette and exhaling the gray cloud of smoke from his mouth, wondering why he had spoken such harsh words to the mare he had known for years and ashamed of the action he had almost done to her.
Rarity and her younger sister, Sweetie Belle, came with the two to the city, for reasons that confused the reptile. The fashion designer explained that she wanted to see a city she had never visited before, knowing that some ponies were high class in society and that she might have been able to fit in among them to expand her business. She even tried to persuade her marefriend, Applejack, to come with her, though she refused, and Spike could now see why.
Manehatten was nothing short of two sides of the same coin. The rich snobs ignored the ponies that were starving and struggling to make a living making them do things just to survive.
Dark, evil things came to his mind that the dragon would rather not think about. He rubbed his forehead with his right claw before taking another drag of nicotine, swallowing the alcohol slowly that had arrived to his spot moments before he had almost forgotten about, this being his third glass that the stallion refilled without a word.
Spike had no worry of money for the drinks due to having gems at his disposal; a small red bag hung from his tail, and he guarded over it closely, knowing that ponies in such a sleazy bar would not pause to try to take them from him. He could handle himself, being in three fights and getting jumped a total of six times for just being a different species among the city filled with ponies. The small house that he and his family lived in even had been broken into twice before Twilight got the sense to put a protective spell over their home.
The dragon was not the native, worthless, wimp he had been when he was much younger. He was faster, taller, smarter and much stronger now than he had once been, some ponies even whispering behind his back that his strength, as all dragons naturally, may even be enough to challenge the Gods of Equestria. Spike merely scoffed at such a ridiculous claim, though.
With a roll of his eyes, Spike sipped the drink he had ordered, thinking to what had brought him to the cheap, broken down bar, titled “Sleepless Night,” he had been going to for really bad or dark days. Taking one last drag of his cigarette that he had stolen from his marefriend, he thought back to what has transpired only two hours ago.
*Flashback, the Carousel Boutique*
Spike held his white furred young mare, with her pink and purple locks and her beautiful sap green eyes, in his arms as she sighed in content. The two rested on a purple colored couch that Sweetie had gotten for her room in the shop that she ran with her sister. A microphone was placed in the middle of a pink heart plastered on both sides of her flank while she was resting on her dragonfriend, wondering what was on his mind for he had been quite for the past ten minutes.
With a small smile, she opened her eyes and turned her head to the right, looking into Spike’s face. He was looking outside of the ceiling window that showed the night sky, pure white stars and an incredible yellow full moon decorated by the co-ruler of Equestria, Princess and Goddess of the Night, Luna owned. He blinked, his snout set in a frown, making her teasing nature disappear and turn into concern as to what could be bothering him.
Pushing herself up from where she was about to fall asleep in Spike’s embrace, she moved his large tail that was softly wrapped around her body away from her. She made him look her in the eyes with a hoof, his face expressionless.
“Hey… you ok?” she asked gently, testing the waters as to what could make his usual, relaxing and cheerful face so… serious.
“No,” he replied simply, not wanting to delude her, or even himself, with a lie. He blinked and turned his head the right of him, inhaling oxygen loudly and exhaling slowly from his nose, making Sweetie Belle frown as to what could have been eating up her mate.
“What’s wrong, baby? Why do you look so… lost in thought?” she asked carefully, not wanting to make him upset or make him angry.
He closed his eyes and sighed, not sure how to explain what he was thinking in words. “Do you love me?” he asked, his voice trying his best to be devoid of emotion.
But Sweetie could hear the sadness, the pain, and… was that a hint of betrayal in the words he had spoken? “Of course I love you, Spike,” she answered with honestly, having no clue what could ever make him ask such a question, as though the word was foreign, never spoken or even a mystery to her. “Why would you even ask such a foolish question? Where is this sudden questioning coming from, Hun?” she asked, annoyed. Her lovely, normal night could be ruined by the simple, yet heavy choice of words the dragon had spoken.
“Who is Dust Trail?” he growled slightly, his voice changing from saddened to annoyance as she blinked, surprised that he was so observant of something she had not taken the time to remember.
“A… a friend, he’s just a friend, Spike... Why do you ask?” she questioned, seeing his eyes flash with anger.
He slowly pushed his body away from her own. She shivered, feeling the cold air ruthlessly attack her body, not realizing how much she relied on Spike for warmth when they cuddled until now.
“Why do I ask? Why do I ASK?!” he shouted, angered that his loyal, honest and loving mate dared to look him in the eye and really not see the problem he had, knowing that like himself, Sweetie had made new friends while trying to stay connected with her old.
“How long you been seeing him?” he whispered coldly, his eyes narrowed as gray smoke bellowed from his nostrils. His claws curled; how could the mare look him in the face and act of so innocent like when they were children?
“Excuse me?!” Sweetie Belle screamed, gritting her teeth at the fact that Spike would seriously accuse her of cheating on him with a stallion she had only known for six months.
“You bucking heard me, Sweetie Belle, how long have you been seeing HIM?” he screamed, in no mood for games.
The mare winced, knowing that Spike would only speak her full name when he was serious, and she was pissed that he could ever think of doing this now of all days when she was in heat.
“I HAVE NOT BEEN SEEING HIM AT-“
“THAT’S BULLSHIT, SWEETIE! I KNOW YOU BEEN CHEATING ON ME! NOW TELL ME HOW BUCKING LONG YOU BEEN DOING IT FOR!” he roared, small spews of green flames forced out of his mouth. He gritted his fangs, hard enough to draw blood as Sweetie Belle flipped her mane and turned away from him, making him stand from the bed in outrage.
“I don’t have to explain shit to you, Spike,” she replied coldly, levitating a pack of Diseased Stallion cigarettes with a light purple aura that glowed from her horn from the tall, brown dresser to the right of her bed, along with a single match.
Getting one cigarette out, she put it in her mouth, lighting the match with her tail as she brought the orange flame to the tip of her tobacco. She ignited it, and she took a long drag. She knew that Rarity hated when she smoked in the house, but right now, Sweetie Belle could care less.
As she smoked the nicotine that relaxed her for a few seconds, she turned her eyes back to the fuming dragon, who was heaving from all of his yelling.
With a sigh, he frowned, asking for a cigarette. With a scowl and against her better judgment, she lent him one as she watched Spike light it with his own flame and inhaled deeply, sitting on the edge of the bed. His back turned to her, causing her to frown, but she ignore it. The two allowed the drug in their mouths to calm them down and solve their problems…before they had to do it themselves.
After five minutes of silence, and knowing they could not avoid their argument forever, Sweetie sighed loudly, her mind reeling that they were seriously having this fight. She, with one last drag, put out her tobacco on the dresser. Spike merely put out his own on his palm, feeling no pain, and tossed it in a gray trashcan in front of him with a deep sigh. His eyes went back to his mate, whose own were narrowed at him.
Spike scowled before he sighed loudly, not knowing why Sweetie Belle was lying to him. What did it mean in their relationship if they lied to one another all the time?
They have been together for a long time, ever since he had been close friends with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, with Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Dinky Doo, Babs Seed and Sweetie Belle herself—before they had gotten their Cutie Marks at the age of thirteen (not at the same time, of course).
And now Sweetie Belle was keeping such a dangerous secret from him that he had to find out on his own by following the two around the collage she was attending, Manehatten University to study music, and for what?
What did this damned colt she had been with for the past six months have that Spike did not have?
Were they really just friends… or something more?
Sweetie Belle cried out in outrage, making the dragon jump. He was not used to seeing his mate angered or prone to screaming. She turned her whole body to face him.
“Why the BUCK should it matter to you who I hang out with, Spike? You promised to stay out of my friends lives after you thought I was cheating on you with a young mare at my school. What the buck do you have against-”
“I don’t have anything against your friends, Sweetie Belle; but I can tell when you’re a bit close to a pony by the little damn glint in your eyes and-”
“You know what? I had just about had enough of your stupid, shitty, controlling ways. You think I like being told who the buck I can and can’t hang out with? You think it is fun having to see you on your own time and when YOU chose for me to meet you? IT’S NOT, SPIKE! You don’t own my body; it is my body, not yours,” Sweetie Belle screamed, trotting towards the drake that stood his ground. She touched noses with him, her eyes narrowed to mere slits.
“You think I do that shit to you, Sweetie? You’re a bucking, spineless, bitch if you think I do that shit to YOU?! This bastard better stay away from you before-”
“Before what, you beat him up?! You honestly think violence will solve anything in this matter, Spike? You are dead wrong then. If anything, it would make me more withdrawn from you, more afraid of you as I am with the rest of your kind-”
“Don’t talk about my species as if you personally know them, Sweetie Belle. You don’t know shit about us,” Spike growled, his claws curled in rage that she would dare blame his greedy habits on who he and his entire kind were.
“You know what I know? I know that you’re a sick, jealous, judgmental, reptile that only wants everything to go your way. Well if you think-”
Sweetie Belle’s voice was cut off sharply as Spike put his right claw on her left shoulder, digging them lightly into her fur; not enough to draw blood but enough to leave a mark. He was about five seconds away from slapping her in the face as he bared his fangs, his eyes mirroring Sweetie’s own as he growled in a very dark, slow tone, “Say one more word, you cheating, annoying, whore and-”
“WHORE? YOU BUCKING DARE CALL ME A WHORE, YOU SHALLOW, GREEDY, PRIDEFUL FREAK!” she shouted, her words being heard throughout the whole house as he roared into her face.
“YOU CRAZY, ANGRY, BITCH, I SHOULD-”
“Sweetie Belle, Spike? Is that you? What’s with all the screaming?” a young, classical voice called to the two.
They snapped out of their rage hearing Rarity’s call to them. Spike turned his head towards where his former crush addressed him and growled before turning back towards Sweetie Belle who was panting.
“Get the buck out of my house… don’t you ever, EVER come back,” she whispered viciously.
He merely snorted, his tail quickly taking a cigarette from her pack on the bed. Without even a word of apology or shame, he walked from his former mare’s house, ignoring Rarity’s call asking him what was wrong and what had happened.
He stepped into the dusty, cold streets of the city, slamming the front door as hard as he could behind him, feeling the light sprinkles of rain hit his scales. The rain's iciness brought shivers to him, and he walked onto the road that led him to his current destination. He could just barely hear the soft sobs of Sweetie Belle from her upper bedroom window, depressed that their love had ended so harshly.
He passed by drug dealers, prostitutes, and even one incident of a mare being mugged by two stallions, knowing he was no damn hero, even if he was given the title Crystal Savoir. He felt the sharp, cruel claws of life surround him… he hated this city and now, now the only thing he needed was a drink.
*Flashback ends*
Spike felt tears slowly run down his face, angry at himself that he had said such harsh words. He questioned if he should run back to her with open arms. But he knew that she would not return the feeling, the emotion that his drunken, hazed mind had on him now. She was serious when she said it was over… and they were not getting back together.
With a grunt, Spike swiftly drowned his drink, then ordered another as he felt the last of the music behind him draw to a close, much to his relief, when a loud, cheerful voice resonated through his ear fins.
“Thank you, Apple Sound, for that amazing display. Now fellow ponies, put your hooves together for the one, the only… DJ PON-3!!!!!” the manager of the bar shouted.
Spike turned from his seat to see a mare with a cobalt mane, her white coat shined in the stage light. She had a pair of dark purple glasses that rested on her white, polished horn. Her cerise eyes flashed with pride and joy upon seeing the ponies before her, though half were drunk.
Her Cutie Mark was of a double bridged eighth note, which she flashed without hesitation to the crowd before two bulky, tough looking stallions brought her equipment to the stage and set up her devices without a single pause. She grabbed a microphone in her cobalt colored hue from her horn and began shouting into it.
“WHAT UP, MANEHATTEN!!! DJ PON-3 HERE, GIVING YOU THE BEST WUBS OF YOUR LIFE. BE PERPARED FOR I GIVE YOU THE BEST AND YOUNGEST SINGER IN MANEHATTEN: LADY BELLE WITH HER SONG, “BROKEN LOVE,” FROM HER NEW ALBUM, LUNA’S NIGHT STARS, RIGHT NOW!!!” she screamed.
The entire bar went wild, causing her to grin. Spike frowned before the mare went behind her turntables and played the music.
Spike froze. He remembered this song; Sweetie Belle was Lady Belle, a nickname to help her rise in stardom. He had helped her create it, even did a small hip-hop part in it himself before the two had laughed, and had a passionate night after they finished it.
Spike scowled, honestly not sure if he really wanted to stay and hear his former marefriend’s voice again. He turned, ordered another drink and with a sigh, listened to the song from the twelve she created on the album.
Her voice flowed throughout the bar.
“Ooooooooooohhhhhh, do you hear it, do you hear it noooowwwwww,
These feelings are so strong that I can’t keep them in,
Seeing your eyes makes me want to fall in love, all over again,
Knowing that, you’re so far away saps all of my strength,
But knowing that you’ll be by my side gives me back my strength,
I love you; I can’t keep you away, feeling these pains are worth it as long as you stay,
Long as you stay, keep me away from the demons that try to claim me,
I can’t break free from this curse so give me your wings, and don’t fly away, don’t fly AWAYYYYYY,
It’s so hard when you’re in love, falling from such a height makes me faint,
But I trust you, I love you, and yet you break my heart, yet you lie to me, but I don’t care,
I need you now, more than ever before, take all of my love but please, don’t break my heart and give me this broken love, this broken love.
We keep being told what to do,
Running away never gives us a clue,
Being adults in this passion really claws at my heart,
And yet I can’t help but fall in love with you,
With you,
With YOU,
Ooooohhhh baby,
I can’t help but fall in love with you.
It’s so hard when you’re in love, falling from such a height makes me faint,
But I trust you, I love you, and yet you break my heart, yet you lie to me, but I don’t care,
I need you now, more than ever before, take all of my love but please, don’t break my heart and give me this broken love, this broken love.”
This was his part... he wished he had left by now.
“Hear me; hear me, baby stop,
Don’t drop that flank for you to fine for that,
Hearing these ponies mock and shout at us does not faze us,
Giving my heart to you is something I can’t do;
Lying to you is second nature,
Only able to tell you the truth if it’s in my nature,
Bitch please; I’m doing the same shit every night,
Every day and yet you want me to give my heart to you?
Buck that shit, let’s go.
Tears rolled down his face as the chorus cut off his voice.
It’s so hard when you’re in love, falling from such a height makes me faint,
But I trust you, I love you, and yet you break my heart, yet you lie to me, but I don’t care,
I need you now, more than ever before, take all of my love but please, don’t break my heart and give me this broken love, this broken love.
This love is tragic, but it’s my life,
My path and I will follow you forever,
Forever, just don’t my heart away and leave me with a BROKEN HEART!!!!!”
The song faded as Spike sighed loudly; ignoring the DJ’s words after it ended, he ordered one last drink as he rubbed his nose with a claw. He snorted out green fire before looking to see the same mare on stage only moments ago as he chuckled.
“An Applejack, please,” the mare spoke to the bartender, who only nodded and went to get her drink; she brought her gaze from the many drinks before her to Spike and gasped.
“Wow, a real life dragon. Now that’s badass,” she said with a smirk, making him roll his eyes with a laugh.
He looked toward the mare. “What gave you that impression? Was it the scales?” he spoke in a sarcastic tone.
She laughed aloud with a smile. “Touché. You’re also a smart ass… I like that,” she replied as Spike grinned.
“I try.”
“I can tell. Must be so weird living in Equestria, what is-“
“Excuse me that will be six bits,” the bartender interrupted as she scowled then sighed.
“Sorry, I only have three; maybe I can give you the rest after my gig, I-”
“I got it covered,” Spike cut her off.
She looked at him surprised then smiled. The bartender merely nodded before giving her the alcohol and walking to serve another pony.
“Wow... thanks, didn't know you were a gentledragon as well.” She laughed as he shrugged.
“I do what I can. It’s no problem, trust me. I got more than I need, anyway,” he answered, making her smile and nod.
She levitated her shades from her nose and brought them to her horn as she held out a hoof. “Name's Vinyl Scratch,” she whispered.
Spike blinked, then shook her hoof before replying. “I’m Spike.”
Vinyl chuckled before using a hoof to grab her glass and drown her drink, an awkward silence settling between them before Spike asked.
“So…thought you would be on the stage. Off already after one song?” he smirked making Vinyl roll her eyes and punch his right shoulder with a hoof.
“My voice was a bit strained from all that screaming, so I had my replacement, Derpy Hooves, do the next song or two in my place as I went on a little break,” she answered, pointing a hoof to the stage.
Spike turned and saw a gray furred Pegasus mare with a blond mane, a red hat turned backwards on her head and black sunglasses above her eyes before she brought them down and rocked her head to the beat.
Spike laughed hard. He remembered Derpy, a Pegasus who worked as a mailmare years ago, though he wondered what brought her and her daughter, Dinky Doo, to Manehatten.
Vinyl raised an eyebrow, confused to his sudden laugh, but he explained to her how he was a friend to Derpy and her daughter, making her join in the merriment.
“Yeah, she does not need the job like I do, but she begged me to teach her, so seeing her cute expression I could not say no. She’s still a bit rusty here and there, but she is learning. So if I can ask… what brought you to this bar?” she asked softly.
He sighed then explained his reasons for being in the small, crowed bar as she gasp in surprise, not expecting to hear such a cruel tale.
“Gods… I’m sorry Spike. Shit, if I would had known that the song I played was your former marefriend, I would have played something else… damn,” she whispered, regret in her one as he smiled, touched by her honest words.
“It’s not your fault. You couldn't have known, I just wish… Gods. I wish she was not such a bitch, though. I don’t know. Two more please,” he answered to her, then spoke to the bartender, who brought them their alcohol, making Vinyl chortle.
“Trying to get lucky tonight, Scales?” she teased.
He winked from his right eye to her. “Maybe, if you can hold your liquor,” he sneered making her punch his shoulder with a hoof again.
“Please, I can drink you under the table like it was nothing, but it will have to be after my gig.” She laughed as he joined in.
“Alright, I’m down for that,” he replied, making her blink in surprise, not really thinking he would be up for it.
“Heh, you’re funny, Spike. Tell you what, I got to work now, but after I’m done maybe we can have that contest,” she offered.
He nodded. “You got a deal. Want to make it a bit more… interesting, though?” he asked softly as she looked at him in confusion.
“How so, Scales?” she asked the tipsy reptile, who flashed a large set of razor sharp fangs at her before replying.
“How about this: you win, I’ll give you this entire bag of gems,” he spoke, holding up the small bag full of many types of jewels with his tail, showing her the contents before closing it. “If I win…we go to your house for the night, deal?” he said with a wink, the back of his mind wondering if he offended her.
She held a hoof to her chin in thought. “Hmmm… gems that could really kick start my career, or bring a random dragon to my shitty apartment for a night of sweaty, dirty sex? You know what, Scales? You got a deal.” She grinned, holding out a hoof to him which he took with a grin before she heard that song Derpy was playing on stage faded. Her smirk widened.
“Alright, well that’s my cue to start my next beat. I’ll be sure not to play anymore of your ex-marefriend’s tracks while I’m up there... just be sure you’re not too drunk, alright, Spike?” she spoke, to which he answered with a nod and a raising of his glass as she took in her second glass and walked away. Spike watched her flank with a grin, knowing she was trying to tease him.
After he had his second cigarette which he borrowed from the mare who tried to flirt with him and one last drink, Spike waited two hours until the entire show of DJ Pon-3 and her partner, known as Muffin Bitch, got their equipment packed.
The crowd filled in more and waited for the next piece of music to start, more than seventy percent of the bar shit-faced drunk and the bouncers having to throw out six ponies who could not hold their liquor. Spike helped them to pass the time.
Finally, after Derpy had taken the carriage back to Vinyl’s studio, the mare herself sat down to the right of him with a challenging expression.
“Really to get schooled, lightweight?” she asked as he laughed then nodded.
“Bring it, little mare.” He laughed, ordering the first round for the both of them. The game had begun.
It went on for an hour. Shot after shot was being drowned by the two, who no doubt were spending more than one hundred bits on their alcohol. However, they ignored the price and gulped down all that their body could hold.
Finally, after Spike’s fifteenth shot, he put down the last glass and panted, knowing he was flat out drunk. The unicorn beside him flashed another smirk then swung her last shot, looking to the dragon to see if he wanted another. He took a deep breath and swallowed it as a response.
“Damn, Scales, you got some skills… but I can see you’re panting like you ran around the entire city, though I’m impressed. Want to still go on?” she asked. He gave her a small smile then nod.
Three more shots, a total of eighteen shots of Hard Cider, was all he was able to take before he had to quit. Seeing the mare beside him starting to lose her grip on the alcohol herself, he had a hint of faith that he might have won. However, it was dampened when she took a deep breath and swallowed it. With a loud burp, she panted, looking at the drake with a drunken haze.
“Shit...so-so, I...I guess, I won then, right…Spike?” she slurred.
He chuckled then nodded, using his tail to give her the gems as promised. Her eyes widened in shock that he would hold to his end of the deal, and she smiled.
“Come on, Scales, let’s go to my apartment… you earned it. Never knew a dragon could drink as much as me,” she whispered before grabbing his left claw with a hoof, and she dragged the two of them out the bar. They were completely shit-faced yet they did not care.
As Vinyl reached her apartment, and opened the door, she brought them to her bed, past all the food and music sheets littering the floor. She dropped the drake to her bed.
Vinyl laughed out loud as he sighed and asked if she had a cigarette to which she, with a smile, gave him. However, he was too drunk to light it with his flames. She lit it for him with a match, before getting one herself.
As she lay on the bed, she kissed Spike on the lips, the kiss sloppy and not at all passionate. She chuckled and noticed he was not kissing back.
Spike had fallen asleep in her bed making her shake her head. She was willing to give him the ride of his life tonight but his body had refused…shame for him.
“Lightweight. Maybe next time then. I had fun, Scales. Something about you I like… something about you I really like,” Vinyl whispered, putting out Spike’s cigarette on the gray ashtray that was on a nightstand to the left of her, she inhaled her own deeply before exhaling the gray smoke from her mouth, taking her shades off and putting them on the nightstand she watched the dragon sleep as she smoked and once she was finished, she brought his body close to her own as she smiled.
There was something about this reptile that she liked, but she could not figure out why. Maybe the Gods just like throwing mortal creatures questions that could not be answered. Whatever it was…Vinyl Scratch liked it.