The sun shown through the windows, reflecting off the beautiful crystalline structure of Twilight’s new castle. The mare sat in front of a table, surrounded by her five friends, with her little prince on her lap. It was a beautiful day, and a day like this deserved to be spent with friends. The seven ponies where enjoying a nice brunch, the center table filled with all of their favorite foods. As they enjoyed their food, the mares engaged in friendly chitchat, discussing their days so far.
“And so I was like, darling, that color doesn’t suit your coat, it would simply look dreadful!” explained Rarity, in explanation of dealing with a customer from yesterday.
“So what happened?” questioned Fluttershy.
“Oh, well I convinced her to go with the purple dress instead, and I must say, it looked far better on her!” Twilight nodded her head, and used her magic to levitate a cucumber sandwich off a platter into her mouth, only to find that they were all gone.
“Oh, looks like we need more sandwich’s. I’ll take care of this!” Twilight used her magic to levitate a little bell off the table, and rang in the air. “Oh Spiiiiiike!”
In no time at all, the young dragon, clad in a maid’s apron, ran into the room. His eyes were thick and baggy, appearing to be from a lack of proper rest. His coloration was slightly off, dulled and less vivid. Spike made his way towards Twilight, and stopped a few feet away from her, fumbling with his hands nervously.
“Y-yes Twilight? What can I get you?”
Twilight cleared her throat loudly.
“Oh, I mean, Miss twilight, I’m sorry. What can I get you ma’am?”
“That’s better! Now, we need more cucumber sandwich’s, chop chop!”
“Yes ma’am,” said Spike with a bow, before running off to the other room to retrieve what he was told. Within a few seconds, he had returned, with the sandwiches resting on a silver platter. He replaced the empty platter with the new one.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Yes, in fact I think that Skylight needs to be changed,” said Twilight as she levitated the baby into Spikes arms.
“Yes Miss Twilight, right away ma’am!” replied Spike, who then turned and exited the room.
“And if he’s not spotless when you return him, you will not be allowed any dinner tonight!” called Twilight. Spike affirmed that he heard her, and continued on his way. When he was gone, Twilight turned back to face her friends.
“Man, that’s so awesome! I wish I had my own whipping boy,” said Rainbow Dash.
“Yes, he can be quite useful,” affirmed Rarity. Twilight nodded.
“I’d be more than happy to loan him to you,” said Twilight. “After all, it’s not like he has anything better to do.”
“You’d really let me borrow him?” asked Rainbow.
“Of course! After all, I am the Princess of Friendship. What kind of friend is unwilling to share her things with her friends!”
“Thanks Twilight!”
“No problem Rainbow,” replied Twilight. Soon after, Spike returned with the baby.
“Here you are miss Twilight!” said Spike as he handed the baby to his mother.
“Ah good, you’re back.” Twilight took her child from the dragon’s arms, and levitated him onto her lap. “Spike, my friends and I wish to be entertained. Dance for us!”
“Y-yes, of course Miss!” Spike took a few steps back, and began swaying to and fro, and dancing as best as his tired body could manage. After a few moments, laughter started to erupt. First it came from Pinkie, but it was soon followed by Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight. They all laughed at the sight of Spike doing as his mistress had commanded. The laughter grew and grew, until it eventually filled the entire room, echoing off the walls, and reverberating everywhere. It was loud, and mocking.
‘He’s so pathetic!’
‘Dance slave, dance!’
‘This is awesome!’
‘HE’LL NEVER BE ONE OF US!’
Twilight awoke with a start, and an audible gasp. She jerked her body upwards, opening her eyes instantly. Her breathing was heavy, and she could feel dampness on her fur. Raising her hoof to her face, she felt under her eye, and found that there were tears trailing from them. Twilight blinked her eyes as she processed this.
‘W-was that a dream? Yes, of course it was…but why did I have it?’
Twilight thought back to the nightmare she had. Most nightmares would feature one’s self as the victim, not the villain. But for Twilight, she was the antagonist. But why though? In her dream, she treated Spike like dirt, like a slave. But Spike wasn’t a slave, he was a friend! So then, why did she have that dream? What was its source?
‘It’s probably just the stress of dealing with him being gone. I’ll find him, bring him home, and everything will go back to normal.’
Twilight looked out the window of her room to see that the sun had risen.
‘Morning already? I’m still so tired…’
And it was true. Twilight had been awake nearly all night long, having to wake up to tend to Skylight. Feeding him, changing him, rocking him to sleep, it was all so exhausting.
‘I’m not used to this. Why is this the first time that taking care of Skylight has been so exhausting?’
Twilight put her mind to work on this, as she made her way out of bed. When she got to her hooves, she carefully and silently walked over to the crib looking down at the sleeping foal.
‘Now that I think about it, Spike has always been there to help me. In fact, he did a lot more than just help. He was always there to take care of Skylight when I couldn’t.’
Twilight started to think about this. The more she thought about it, the more she remembered Spike did. He took care of her baby when she went out to spend time with her friends, when she went on trips, basically whenever she had something she’d rather be doing.
‘I…I really haven’t been there that much for Skylight,’ thought Twilight as she looked sadly at her child. ‘I…I’ve…I’ve been giving Spike more and more responsibilities. I forgot that he needs some time to himself as well. I haven’t been much of a friend to him.’ Twilight continued to look at her child for a few more seconds.
“I’m sorry Spike…I’ve been putting to much work onto your plate without thinking about how it affected you. Once I find you, I’ll make this right. Because you are, and always will be, my friend!” stated Twilight firmly, yet quietly as to not wake her child. Twilight was determined, determined to find her friend, and bring him home! And nothing was going to stop her!
The rising sun poured into the confines of the cave, casting its light onto Spike’s eyes. As he slowly opened his eyes, he sat up, letting out a yawn, and stretching his body. He blinked a few times, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He looked down at the bonfire he had lit the previous night, to see it extinguished. Spike scratched his side, before standing up.
“You know, even though I slept on a cave floor, that was the best sleep I’ve had in months!”
‘It should be. It’s the first time you’ve slept without that little cretin to wake you up.’
“He…he’s not that bad. He’s just a baby after all.”
‘Yes, but given a few years, he’d grow to be just another self entitled Pony Prince, ordering you around to no end.’
“Yeah…I guess you’re right.” Spike stood there, still for a moment, before walking to the front of the cave. “Well, I guess we’d better get going.” With that, Spike exited the cave, and started walking.
Spike walked for a few minutes, before he felt a grumbling in his stomach. He pressed a claw to his stomach, feeling the effects of not having breakfast (or dinner).
“Man, I’m pretty hungry,” said the drake to himself.
‘Too bad you didn’t possess the foresight to pack any food.’
“It’s not like I could! The library was destroyed, and if I didn’t have money to buy any supplies!”
‘Well, you’d better find some food soon, unless you want to starve.’
“I know.” Spike thought for a few moments, wondering what he could eat. Luckily, through Twilight’s intensive studying habits, he knew a little bit about wilderness survival through books.
“I think I could find some berries somewhere, maybe some fruit.”
‘Or you could hunt something.’
“Hunt? You m-mean, like, kill something?”
'Obviously.'
“N-no, I couldn’t! I can’t kill another creature!”
‘Would you rather starve?’
“M-maybe I would!”
‘You’re being ridiculous.’
“I’m not going to kill anything!”
‘You’re a dragon. Dragons are predators.’
“The answer is no!”
‘Fine, be that way. Well then, you better get to work on finding those berries.’
Spike hmpf’d as a response, and continued his trek. After minutes of walking and searching, he finally found something. A plant, with little red berries growing from it.
“Ah ha!” said Spike as he charged his way towards the plant, intent on filling his gut. He stopped in front of it and reached out to pluck one of the berries.
‘How do you know those are safe to eat?’
“I recognize them from a survival book. They’re called raspberries.” Spike picked the berry, and tossed it into his mouth. Chewing it, Spike relished the taste.
“Oh man, these are so good!” exclaimed Spike, as he began shoving the berries into his mouth.
‘Anything taste’s good when your hungry enough.’
Ignoring the voice, Spike continued to shovel the berries into his mouth. He ate every berry off the vines. Once the plant was stripped clean, Spike looked around for more but found none. He was disappointed, but he would be able to make do with what he had eaten. Ready to leave, Spike left the berry vines, and resumed his journey.
Spike walked for what felt like hours, before he felt he needed to take a break. He sat on the ground, and rested himself against a tree. He sat there for a while, just relaxing, until he heard something. It was faint, but if he listened hard enough he could hear it.
“Spike!”
Spike listened more intently, trying to make out it was.
“Spike!”
It was his name being called. And it was getting closer. Jolting to his feet, Spike’s heart skipped a beat as he realized what the sound was. He could hear his name being called, and that could only mean one thing; ponies were searching for him.
‘They’re calling my name! They came to find me!’
‘Then you need to hide!’
‘But, they’re looking for me. That means…doesn’t that mean Twilight wants me back? That she cares?’
‘They’re probably just looking for you to drag you back to your enslavement. Twilight probably wants you back because it’s cheaper than paying a new assistant.’
Spikes hopes were dashed right then and there. Realizing that Clarity was probably right, Spike turned and looked the way he was heading.
‘You should find someplace to hide, and quick!’
Spike stood there for a moment, thinking, before he finally conceded to Clarity’s way of thinking.
‘You’re right.’ Spike turned and dashed, looking for a place to hide.
‘I won’t go back to being her slave. I won’t!