Finally getting to read another book about Daring Do, they had been tired after reading the third book in the series and Spike was needing some time to rest before they started again.
“Okay Squirt, what do you want to do now?” Rainbow Dash was planning to read another book with him, but it seemed that she didn’t want to read anymore.
“I think I want to just watch the snowfall.” Spike was happy, but his tone made her a bit confused.
“Dude, the snow will fall all day, you need to do something other than just staying there and staring out the window.” Rainbow Dash didn't understand how anypony could enjoy doing that.
“Dash, I just need some time alone with my thoughts.” Spike said reminding her that Twilight had told her not to leave him alone with his thoughts.
“Okay, and what if we stare at the snowfall together and talk about things?” Rainbow Dash hovered near him, looking out the window.
“Things?” Spike didn’t understand what she was talking about.
“Yeah ‘things’, like how your life is going, what you think about Daring Do, what you want to be in the future, those things y’know?” Rainbow Dash sounded strange and she wasn’t very good when it came to conversations, she secretly hated talking about things, but it was the only thing she could think of to get his mind off of other things.
“Okay, if you really want to know, I really liked Daring Do, she reminds me of you: an adventurer, a warrior, a pony who loves life and lives for danger every day.” His argument made Dash blush, she attempted to hid her blush from him, but she couldn’t hide her smile.
“You really think so? I mean, yeah, she’s awesome. But do you really think that I’m like her?” Rainbow Dash asked while he was watching the snowfall slowly outside the window.
He turned to her smiling brightly.
“Yeah, you’re amazing Rainbow, you did so many things to show the others how awesome you are, you became part of Wonderbolts, you use wings to fly every day, you sleep in the clouds, you can perform a Sonic Rainboom, you have countless adventures with our friends, yeah, your life is awesome, sometimes I envy your life.” Spike counted her victories with his claws, and confessed what he feels about Rainbow Dash, but hearing Spike say that he envied her lifestyle wasn’t something she imagined the little dragon would say about her. “You always can go on adventures, meanwhile I have to stay here, clean the castle, and organize the books, the only thing I can do is help Twilight research the monsters and villains she has to face.”
“You can’t say that, what about the adventures you’ve been on?” Rainbow Dash had known that Spike had some adventures.
“Dash, the only adventure I went on was the Dragon Migration, to find myself and find where I belong. And we both know that didn’t end well.” Spike said looking to her.
Rainbow Dash then recalled that the entire situation had sorta been her fault, she had made fun of him by saying he wasn’t a ‘real’ dragon.
“Sorry about that day Squirt, I didn’t know you were trying to find the answers to your life. I wasn’t thinking and how did you feel after that day” Rainbow Dash apologized for her actions during the Dragon Migration.
“I don’t blame you Rainbow Dash, you opened my eyes, I didn’t know how they acted, I didn’t think they’d end up being jerks and a bunch of greedy guys. You saw when I became greedy on my birthday, if I was born there, what kind of dragon would I have been?” Spike asked looking to her, she felt worse than before, imagining Spike becoming that dragon again.
“You know what, Spike? You’re an awesome dragon, you have your own powers, you can breathe fire, you send and receive mails from Princess Celestia, you have teeth sharp enough to crunch on gems with ease, that's dragon stuff in you, out of all the dragons, I think you’re the most awesome, and if you became that giant dragon again I think you can defeat all the Wonderbolts, including me.” Rainbow Dash joked making him smile and letting out a chuckle. “But anyway, we never imagined a little dragon like you could become a giant and awesome dragon like we saw on that day. And what about the time you became the Dragon Lord after winning that gauntlet thingy. That isn’t a great adventure that you could share with me?”
“It’s not a long story, actually, it wasn’t much of an adventure to be honest. I know that I didn’t deserve to be Dragon Lord, I only did what I did to prevent Garble from attacking Ponyville if he won, I tried to get to the island, but I don’t have any wings. So my only option was to take help from the Dragon Lord’s daughter, Ember. She helped me and I helped her, we were a team. I knew that if I became the Dragon Lord, I’d have to leave Ponyville. I couldn’t do that. So I passed my title to her, and she became the Dragon Lord instead of me.” Spike told her his side of the story, telling her what he did there, and he didn’t sound like he was trying to impress her, but he wasn’t telling it good enough..
‘Wait Spike, you did all this stuff, you became the Dragon Lord, not letting your worst enemy to attack us, became a friend of a Dragon Lord, and you still act like it wasn’t a big deal? What’s wrong with you?!” Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe what she was hearing, Spike had done great things and was acting like it was just another day of normal work. “You need to be more proud of yourself, Squirt. You gotta stop underestimating yourself. Why would you want to sound like a loser, Spike?”
“I don’t know, I think because of the fact that I don’t have wings, or the way of I did that stuff, or maybe sometimes I think that I’m not a dragon.” Spike only answered making her look to him. “You know, when I went on that rampage, I noticed something, I didn’t have wings, for the Gauntlet of Fire you needed to have wings to reach the volcano and get past the other obstacles, look at me, I’m smaller than everything, if I had only a little of greed I had on my birthday, maybe I could have fought with Garble, but he flies. When I’m stuck on the ground, seeing your face when you fly. I imagine it to be the most wonderful sensation in the world, meanwhile everyday I think I don’t deserve such things.”
Rainbow Dash was listening, she was going to say something but nothing came to mind, thankfully Spike finished his speech.
“My dream was to become a hero, a hero who uses a sword like a knight, to go on the adventures, fight with monsters everyday, live and die for a fight, a hero who takes a princess and has the romance he waited for, but look at me.”Spike pointed to himself. “Can you imagine me being a hero, a knight or doing something like they do everyday? Can you imagine me having a single moment of glory? Or having the mare of my dreams? No! Of course not, It’s impossible for me, I’m not a hero, I’m not a knight, and I’m not a dragon!” He screamed as tears began streaming down his cheeks, she was afraid to say something wrong, she prayed to Celestia to switch places with Fluttershy because she would know what to do in this situation.
“Rainbow Dash, who am I?” Spike only asked this simple question, it had been bothering him his entire life, had he pondered this question for months? She didn’t know.
“And how’s my life going? Horrible, I told Rarity about my crush on her, but she told me she only sees me as a little brother, and that crushed my heart. Making me think, everything I did for her, it wasn’t good enough. I was being foolish this entire time. I’m really not worth it…”
“Can you just shut up?!” Rainbow Dash cut him off making him stop, she couldn’t take it anymore, but after realizing what she said. “Sorry Spike, but this, is too much for me to handle, you didn’t let me answer what you asked, and everything that happened to you? Did you think about saying that to Twilight or to Fluttershy? They can handle this stuff better than I can.”
“No, I didn’t talk to them about that, I only talked to you, because I know you didn’t need to answer or try to help me, just knowing what I’m thinking, it’s made me feel better, I know the others will try to help me, or try to say something to cheer me up, but I think that only by talking to the pony who I look up to, makes me feel better than trying to act and put on a fake smile.” Spike looked out the window at the ground covered in ice and the snow still falling slowly.
Rainbow Dash admired the fact that Spike chose her to reveal his thoughts and worries to, he envied her life, he needed more than a friend like Fluttershy or Twilight, he needed somepony to look up to, she wouldn’t let him just give up.
“Spike, I won’t allow you to just give up and become a loser, you envy the way I live my life. So I’m going to teach you how to be just like me, Rainbow Dash!” Rainbow Dash stated confidently, looking into Spike’s eyes and seeing a glimmer of hope.
“You’ll really do that for me, Dash?” He asked, wiping tears from his eyes and giving her a smile.
She was happy that he seemed to have stopped worrying so much, but there was still a long way to go.
“Yes, first I will tell you what you have to change, stop acting like a loser, you aren’t one, so stop acting like you are, stop being afraid to live your life, yeah, bad things happen. But good things happen too. Leave the castle more, go outside and do something you love. You said you wanted to know how to use a sword? Well, start training on how to use one. Do the training outside, hay, if you want it, I can train with you. But you have to be determined to do this, because this will be hard and straining on you.” Rainbow Dash said looking in his eyes, she was determined to make his world change, not only to make him like books, but to like his life everyday and show him why the word awesome was in her dictionary.
Spike was speechless, somepony wanted him to follow his dreams and was willing to teach him, making his life better and worse at the same time. Hearing this definitely cheered him up, but Dash wasn’t done yet.
“And the most important part squirt: be proud of who you are and what you’ve done. You’re not only a dragon, you’re Spike, the dragon who was raised by ponies, who has the power of friendship with you, who makes friends with the Dragon Lord and Changeling King. You’ve created a lasting alliance with the dragons and changelings, you’ve saved the Crystal Empire, twice!, you have your own statue, a statue for Celestia’s sake! Nothing is more awesome than that, and that’s without saying you’re the number one assistant of Twilight Sparkle. You are better than many ponies and you need to value yourself, and break out of this shell you’re hiding in.” Rainbow Dash finished with her speech, explaining how he was acting and how he needed to change if he didn’t want to feel like a loser anymore.
Spike was stunned, there were no words to describe how he felt, he never thought he needed to be thankful for what he had, but here he was throwing away his victories like they were nothing. He didn’t know why Dash wasn’t kicking his ass.
“And I didn’t kick your ass only because you have so many good qualities, Spike. You are helpful, cool, kind, and loyal. You’ve never told Twilight the reason you hate books, if that isn’t loyalty, then I don’t know what is.” Rainbow Dash wrapped her hooves around Spike, letting him find his voice.
“I never imagined you’d think that about me.” Spike was in shock as he looked up to the mare he admired and envied as she offered to help make his life more awesome.
“But there is one thing you need to know Spike, you’ve always helped your friends with what they need and what they want, but we haven’t asked about you Spike? Ask yourself, what do you want?” Rainbow Dash asked this simple question, he never thought to ask himself that, he feared that his greed would awaken like it did on his Birthday. But Rainbow Dash knew about it, so why did she ask that?
“Rainbow I…” Spike tried to speak but was interrupted by Rainbow Dash stomping her hoof.
“Spike, what do you want? Tell all the world what you want. Show us that you’re better than your greed and decide what you want to do with your life, what do you want for your future, for yourself what… do… you… want?!” Dash screamed this part of her speech, knowing that Spike was better than that.
Spike just stood in shock, it felt like his heart and very soul very on fire. He closed his eyes and looked inside of himself, asking what he truly wanted.
“I want to be a hero, I want to be able to fly, I want to go on adventures, I want to experience everything life has to offer, I want what my heart and soul desire. But I will not become a rampaging beast like I have before, I want to be a better dragon, I want to be Spike the Dragon!” Spike suddenly found his voice, and screamed with conviction. Tears began to fall from his eyes, they weren’t sad tears, but tears of happiness. It felt like all of his problems had gone away.
Rainbow Dash was proud of Spike, he needed that more than anypony, she’d already done motivational speeches for groups, but this was from her heart to him, freeing him from his fears and anxieties, but she needed to say one more thing, she approached him and touched his shoulder, his emerald eyes looked into her magenta eyes.
“It doesn’t matter what I think of you Spike,what matters is what you think of yourself. You can still think like a loser, or you act like a winner. And one more thing Spike, I hate losers. You better not disappoint me.” Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at him and Spike nodded quickly in agreement
“That’s good, now, I’m starving, did you make something good to eat for us tonight Squirt?” Rainbow Dash asked opening the door, calling Spike to go with her.
His stomach rumbled and he looked out the window at the night sky. He hadn’t thought they’d been speaking for hours.
“Squirt, don’t make me have to ask twice.” It was clear Rainbow Dash wasn’t in the mood for waiting for an answer.
“Sure, I had some cake and cookies prepared for us today. But you do realize it’s night already, right?” Spike said while walking with Rainbow Dash.
“Hmm, nah, I’m just starving and I wasn’t thinking about that.” Rainbow Dash confessed proudly, ignorance was a blessing for her.
This was what Spike needed to learn. While they walked past the corridors going to the kitchen but then they entered the castle throne room and found everything decorated and with all the candies and drinks Spike made in the morning with Twilight.
“Wow, Twi. I can’t believe you did all of this by yourself.” Dash said, looking around the room with amazement etched on her face.
“Finally you two are here, I thought you’d never leave that room.” Twilight said while eating a cookie and drinking eggnog.
“Sorry about that, Twi. We read a few Daring Do books then we talked about some things.” Rainbow Dash said looking to Spike, making him feel a little guilty, but calming him too. When Dash looked back to Twilight her reaction was unexpected.
“You and Spike read a Daring Do book?! And you didn’t call me?!” Twilight groaned in frustration, knowing Rainbow Dash and… Spike? “Wait? You just said Spike read a book?”
Rainbow Dash only nodded at her, but never expected her smile to widen so much. She then received a powerful hug from Twilight. Nearly crushing her spine.
“OH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I need to know how you did that, what kinds of tricks you did to get him interested in reading.” Twilight used her magic to levitate a notebook to her to write on.
Rainbow Dash didn’t know what she would say, but looking to Spike, he had decided to sneak away and get something to eat. Rainbow Dash wouldn’t let things finish this way.
“Twilight, we have to talk…” That was a sentence Dash never thought she’d be saying to somepony like Twilight, but with the conversation she had with Spike. She knew she had to make Twilight see what she was doing to him.
She told her everything that had happened that morning, telling her why Spike hated books, making her feel guilty when she explained his desire to help her although he hated books, told her about his breakdown and how he hated the way his life was going, and finally how she helped change his stance on books and his life.
“That’s why I’ll train him whenever either of us wants to, because this will allow him to be more free and to follow his dreams, and not have him being surrounded by so many books.” Rainbow Dash concluded helping Twilight understand most of the feelings he was hiding from her, because she treated him like a child every time, which made him feel even worse about his life.
“I really wish I could help with his problems, but I think leaving him in your hooves if the best option, I trust you Rainbow Dash.” Twilight knew if there were any time to trust her friends, it was now.
“I won’t disappoint you.” Rainbow Dash said while her stomach rumbled, she needed to get a snack.
Spike was holding his own slice of cake and had one for Dash as well.
“Here, Dash. I knew your conversation would take a while, so I brought a slice for you.” Spike said looking at her while she began to eat her cake.
After finishing her cake, she let out a content sigh.
“Thanks for that, Squirt. I talked to Twilight and she said that whenever you or I want to train, she’ll let you off. I was being completely serious when I told you I’d make you train hard.” Rainbow Dash smirked cockily, the look she gave off made Spike excited and scared at the same time.
“Sure, thanks for helping me, Dash. You don’t know how much you’ve helped me today.” Spike said while they were walking around the room.
The night was perfect, eating cookies and slices of cake, while drinking eggnog. It was a great night to remember stories together, laughing at their jokes and talking about future projects in their lives. Celebrating the day with their friends and not alone.
Spike stopped near the door, he was thinking about how one day changed his life, and the same day he carried Rainbow Dash by himself into that place, he learned a lot with her.
“You won’t have anymore thoughts like that, right Squirt?” One voice asked him, making him look to his side noticing Rainbow Dash near him.
“Oh, hey Rainbow, nah, I’m fine, I just thought when you... What are you looking up for?” Spike noticed Rainbow Dash looking up at something above him, and he decided to follow her gaze and noticed a mistletoe hanging over them. “Oh crap.” His voice made it sound like a joke looking over to Twilight who was smiling and giggling.
“I know you two would make the perfect couple.” Twilight give a smile making them blush hard.
“Twilight, this is a low blow. You did all the decorations and put this Mistletoe here on purpose knowing it would only be us three.” Spike was uncomfortable about what was happening to him.
“Oh, come on, it won’t kill you, it’s only a kiss.” Twilight cheered them on, Rainbow Dash was quiet while Spike was nervous, but he knew what he had to do.
“Rainbow, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, I know you came here to see your friends, and Twilight’s prank doesn’t need to be taken seriously, but if you really, really want to do it, I’ll have to ask you to wait..” Spike confessed making Rainbow Dash look at him, waiting for what she’d have to wait for, “You told me you don’t want me to be a loser, so if you want to keep this stupid mistletoe tradition, I’ll have to ask you to wait until I become a winner like you said to me.” Spike showed determination while sounding nervous.
His commentary made her feel proud of him.
“Okay Squirt, if you want to wait until you’re a winner, I will wait until you prove you can be one.” Rainbow Dash grinned at him, walking towards him.
Spike was happy that he made her avoid that stupid mistletoe but hadn’t expected her to approach him. Rainbow Dash quickly grabbed his head with her hooves and kissed him on his lips, his mind went blank with shock, and he didn’t know what to think anymore, it was quick, but at the same time it felt like lightning passing through his body. It didn’t take long until she released him, his mind was blank, and the only thing he saw was Rainbow Dash chuckling.
“Wha...What...Why?” Spike was trying to find the right words but he only stuttered in shock.
Rainbow Dash simply winked at him.
“You sounded like a winner a few moments ago, but this will be a little reward for the initiative, but the next time if you become a winner just like me, I will show you what’s the good part to becoming a winner. I’ll wait for you Spike, even if it takes weeks, months, or even years. I’ll make your life Tartarus if I need to, just for you to become a winner.” She said while walking away, getting more cookies and cake. “Twilight do you have another bed for me sleep in tonight?”
“Sure, you can sleep in Starlight’s room.” Twilight was standing there in shock, her mouth was hanging open and she hadn’t believed what had happened, she was only messing with them, but perhaps she had already put them on the path to becoming a couple.
“Good, hey Spike, just one more thing. You won’t tell anypony about that or I will catch you and make your life a living hell.” Rainbow Dash said, trying to scare Spike. However he was still in disbelief and wasn’t scared.
“Rainbow, even if I did tell them, who’d believe that?!” Spike’s eyes were wide with shock, but only his mouth spoke logic, he still didn’t believe what had just happened, so why would other ponies?
“That’s what I thought.” She kissed her hoof and threw a kiss in his direction, teasing him. “Happy Heart’s Warming guys.”
“Happy Heart’s Warming Rainbow Dash.” Both Twilight and Spike spoke in unison. That had been the craziest thing they’d ever seen.
Twilight was the second to go to sleep, she was eerily quiet, she didn’t have anything to say in that moment. The situation was so weird, neither of them dared to break the silence.
Spike didn’t know what to do and he didn’t know what he’d have to do, but one thing was for certain, he wanted to go sit by the window and watch the snow fall like he had been trying to all day. Walking out of the room, he used his dragon flame to ignite the embers in the fireplace, waiting as the fire grew and the room became warmer. He opened the window and felt a breeze across his face. He imagined how, like a breeze, Dash came into his life and turned his world upside-down. He smiled all night long.
This was the best Hearth’s Warming Eve he’s ever had.