I'm so...

by sejox

Useless

Another shining day arrives at Ponyville, the oddest and funnier place to live in all of Equestria. Most ponies were already on their way to their job, school, hobby, weekly shenanigan or their favorite bakery, Sugar cube corner. A building designed from the core to look like the dream of a mad pony with an obsession towards sugar.

Inside this lovely trap, two earth ponies were taking care of the business, selling their wide variety of confections. Cakes, muffins, pies, donuts, candies, and desserts of all flavor and sizes were disposed around the various shelves of the store giving the illusion of a never-ending travel through ‘sugarland’.

And at the back of that mountain of cakes, candies, and pastries; a happy little dragon hummed a cheerful tone, his hands occupied with a bowl and a great spoon as they were making another sugar product for the store.

Meanwhile, at the front of the store, the two owners of the store, the Cakes, were taking care of orders; Happy to know that someone could be as useful and generous as to work for free.

“I can bet all the bits in my bank account that Pinkie is going to throw a ‘Thank you’ party after she finds about the little fella’s charity work,” Mr. cake said cheerfully.

“No one is going to argue that honey” Mrs. Cake responded to her husband before waving goodbyes to a happy customer on his way out. “Have a nice day Vinyl! Remember to tell Cloudchaser about our special offer for today, I’m sure she is going to love it!”

The young mare nodded on her way out and closed the door, without her, only six clients remained in the place. Some were just chatting while others were eating their breakfast; a particular light brown stallion was munching his food as if tomorrow will be his last day on earth, but most ponies didn’t pay attention to his wrong behavior.

“Look at him go,” Mr. Cake commented, “the doc must be really close to finding something big.”

“He has been doing this for three days in a row: he gets here in a rush, orders two services of pancakes and three cups of coffee and then runs to-” Mrs. Cake was interrupted suddenly by the trotting of the young stallion, “and here he goes again.”

The stallion placed ten bits on the counter and nodded, “thanks for the food, is-”

“Now hold your horses Dr.hooves!” Mrs. Cake reprimanded, “You have to slow things down, all this rushing is going to make a toll on your body.”

“Sorry, is just that I’m really close to finding a way… to make my machine work, it’s going to be… something out of this world and even Discord will be amazed at it!” He explained between pants, “Once finished I will take your advice,” he added before trotting out of the store, almost bumping with a little filly on his way out “Sorry, Applebloom.”

“Don’t worry doc, I was in a hurry too, we were lucky to not bump into each other” The filly saluted, frowning seconds later after noticing the ragged breath on the doctor on his way to his house, “That doesn’t sound healthy…” she muttered before going to the counter. “Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Cake!” she shouted in glee.

The cakes winced at the screeching shout from the filly, recomposing seconds later to the point they could at least give a welcoming nod properly.

“What brings you here so early Applebloom?” Mrs. Cake said.

“The apples usually don’t go around here till midday” her husband added.

The little filly didn’t answer at first; instead, she took a good look at the store’s clients, all known faces to her, but her frown just demonstrated that she didn’t found who she was looking for, she turned to the cakes and after sighing in defeat she responded, “Seems like he is no longer here. Have you seen Spike? We need his help at the orchard.”

The cakes arched a brow in unison, looking at each other before giving a comforting smile to the farm filly, “Search no more sweetie, He is in the back making the treats for the afternoon” he explained.

“Spike is helping you two?” Applebloom asked, “Why? Is there something important that you need to take care today?”

“No, none of that” Mrs. Cake dismissed the filly’s assumption with a waving hoof, “He told us that he wanted to offer his help while Pinkie is on her map mission. We tried to assure him that it wasn’t necessary but he wouldn’t take a no for an answer.”

“That can’t be” Applebloom argued back, “he is helping us at the farm every single day!” she exclaimed.

“Is there a problem with that?” Asked the dragon of the conversation, holding a wet handkerchief covered with a mixture of pastry ingredients, “I just wanted to help everyone while they were gone,” he added before throwing the dirty piece of silk into the trash.

“Spike, you have been helping us and the Apple family at the same time every single day?” Asked the pastry mare with a concerned tone.

“I also take care of Rarity’s shops, She had told me before how seasons work around Equestria, and right now I have to make sure that her boutique at Manehattan is well endowed for the end of summer,” Spike explained, his chest puffed and his tone filled with pride.

“And what about the library?” Mr.cake asked.

“I open it on the weekends. Most ponies don’t go for a book until then,” Spike said, “now, Appleblo-“

“Spike, I think you are overdoing yourself” Mrs. Cake frowned, her tone more serious than before.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Cake, Dragons have a lot of stamina. Besides, Discord helps me out too. He takes care of Fluttershy’s critters. That gives me enough time to place my schedule properly and not end up like Applejack did some years ago,” Spike turned to his young friend “Now, Applebloom, you were saying?”

Applebloom took a look at the cakes, whom shrugged at her as a response, “Well… it’s about the farm, I know you usually go after mid-day but Bigmac was needed on Appleloosa and we are running out of time for the next shipment for Filthy Rich” she paused for a moment, “so…”

“You need me to go there earlier today?” Spike added.

“And probably for the next couple of days while Bigmac is outside” the filly finished.

Spike hummed for a moment, scratching his chin for a couple of seconds before turning towards the cakes, “That means that I couldn’t help you in the meantime…”

Mr. Cake Laughed at the dragon statement, “Don’t you worry fella, you already did more than enough for us. We can handle a couple of days without your service” he assured, patting the young drake’s head, “Truth is, we owe you a big favor for this…”

Spike took the stallion hoof, gripping it with caution as to not hurt him, “I’m doing this for my friends… please don’t think you owe me something…” he paused, his eyes turning to the floor as he muttered, “I’m helping them… in the only way I can”

The cakes stood confused for a moment, staring at the new dragon in front of them. The moment didn’t last, however; he recomposed shortly after his statement and went outside followed by his friend.

The married couple remained silent for a moment, their eyes fixated in the entrance door, Mrs. Cake's expression turned sad as she found the strength to speak again.

“It has been two months… two whole months without his closest friends…”

“Maybe…” Mr. Cake muttered, “Ugh… I don’t know what to think. There must be something we can do to cheer him up…”

“I…” His wife trailed off, her head turning to the side, “It’s a reckless idea, but I have been thinking of this new diamond recipe…” She looked at her husband, his warm smile erasing any doubt from her thoughts, “I’ll get some ink and paper.”

Mr. cake nodded and watched at her beautiful mare travel to the back of the store before turning to the sound of the tingling rings of the entrance door, “Welcome to sugar cube corner.” He welcomed in a sing-song tone, “Berry Punch, seems to me like you need a gallon of coffee, and a bucket,” he joked before disposing himself to help the new customer.

The sun rested near the horizon, signaling the end of the day for Equestria and their inhabitants. And at the orchard of the Apple family, a dragon and a little filly were holding the last couple of buckets in their back while going to the barn. Applebloom’s coat was drenched in sweat, and her face was screaming to the horizon a simple resolution, she craved for a good bath and a warm bed. Spike by the other side was humming happily, his joyful expression and sweaty body giving confusing signals to his partner.

Applebloom glared at the dragon, her brow arching as she scanned the dragon from spike to toe, “Dang Spike, I wish I could have that amount of energy” she grunted, “I can't feel my legs over the pain and exhaust... exhaustion” she corrected.

Upon hearing her words, Spike leaped in the air and lifted Applebloom’s bucket of apples with his tail. The bucket stood in the air for a second before falling to the ground. In a swift move, Spike dashed towards the falling bucket and caught it with his back.

“You should have said it earlier… I hope you don’t mind if I help you with the last bucket” Spike said, the absence of pride in her previous action made the little filly arch her brows.

“Umh, no I don’t mind… That stunt was amazing by the way” She commented.

“Thanks,” Spike said, his cold and calm tone ripping all the life showed by his smile.

Applebloom frowned at the drake’s soulless answer. Turning her head to the side, she started to drift into her thoughts for a moment, her eyes now focused on Ponyville’s direction. After a couple of minutes, the wind ceased its constant flow and a solemn silence remained in its place; not even the sounds of their steps were hard enough to break the silence.

Until she spoke.

“Spike… about what happened in Sugar cube…”

Spike glanced at his friend, “huh? What about it?”

“You want to talk about it? It has been two months since we last seen our friends and family…”

Spike stopped moving; Applebloom noticed it later and turned backward in order to see him, his smile still present on his chubby face.

“I just miss them, that’s all… but there is nothing to worry about, they will come back sooner or later” He said, his tone of voice returning to its charming and childish self.

Applebloom smiled back at him, “I’m happy to see you are taking it well, seems like I was just overthinking…”

“Eh? What do you mean by that?” Spike asked.

“Nah, it’s nothing. Let’s hurry up to the barn, I’m sure granny has a good meal waiting for us!” Appleblom exclaimed before doubling her pace.

“Hey, hey! Dragons have a lot of energy but we have limits too!” Spike said to deaf ears, the filly was just getting farther away from him, “Wait!” he shouted, his little feet struggling now to keep the pace.

The night rested upon Ponyville; a full moon glistening in the sky, the white rays reflecting between the crystals of the Castle of friendship and the drenched scales of Spike. He stood near the door for a solid minute, his eyes lost in the beautiful display of colors showed by the reflection.

“Rarity and Fluttershy always liked how the castle shined in a rainbow of colors every night with full moon” he whispered.

He sighed slowly, his charming smile turning down as the work of the day started to take an effect on his bones and flesh. He opened the double door and made his way inside, making sure of closing it with his key before going to the main hall.

Upon entering the main hall, Spike tried to make a quick turn to his room, but his feet were welcomed with the cold marble floor once he moved outside the floor’s carpet; Spike winced heavily, a silent swearing leaving his lips.

“Without Twilight’s magic, this place gets cold really fast…” he muttered before blowing a little flame to his feet.

After the painful experience, Spike decided to return to the comfy and carpeted path. He followed the path till he got to the center of the route.

‘Alright, Spike… now just go to the left hall and to your room… you don’t need to go to the map room… you don’t need to keep moving forward… you don’t need to open that door’

Spike claw gripped the nob of the central door which led to the map room. His expression bitter, his eyes focused on his own hand as it opened the door.

‘Seems like I can’t help myself… curse twilight for my curiosity…’

Spike looked at the map in the middle of the room. The seven marks floating in the same place just like in the first day. He narrowed the distance between him and the map, first at a normal pace, but the more he approached the slower he moved; but, unlike his feet, his hands were always trying to move forward, trying to reach the map, reach the marks.

‘Reach them…’

…

Spike stood in front of the map, his gaze stuck on the illusion magic cast by the map. He approached his claws to his mouth and blow a tender flame to them; a quill and paper resting on his claws seconds later.

‘Write my thoughts always helps me out…’

Spike breath become ragged, but he didn’t notice, he only cared about his words, and the white parchment his left-hand grip.

Spike greeted his teeth, his eyes shimmering like a scorching flame while he looked at the crystal map in front of him.

Spike burned the quill and looked at his creation with stern eyes, after a deep inhalation, he was ready to store his work inside his flames but stopped just before his flames could erupt from his mouth.

‘Applebloom will want to read this…’

Instead of burning it, he rolled the parchment and took it before spinning back to the exit of the room and towards his room. It felt weird for him, how the habit of traveling the same corridors made him aware of every turn and step needed to reach his room, he could get from the entrance of the castle to his room blindfolded without a doubt. He knew it. He even had tested it for fun sometimes. But now, it felt like his giant castle was nothing but an empty wasteland, a wasteland that needed to be cleaned each day, a wasteland from which just a few places were important.

Spike stopped moving. It happened again; while adrift inside his thoughts he had reached his destination and now only an empty space remained in his memory. He shook his head, heavily yawning as he opened the door.

‘It feels like an eternal loop... rest, clean, work, eat… pray…’ he closed the door behind him and turned to a bookshelf placed near his bed, a huge collection of letter and scrolls laying on it.

‘Twilight will want to read this too. She likes to read my short letter while she is resting from her usual books…’

Spike climbed to his bed, taking a last look at his huge collection of letters before going to sleep.