//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: A Family of Spike // by Saro0fdemonz //------------------------------// Sweetie Belle cooed softly as Spikes claws ran along her back. "Geez Belle, don't they offer you Spa treatments on your trips? How are you so tense?" Scootaloo asked, watching the massage and waiting for her own. Spike had magical claws, literally. He tended to avoid magic in most cases, but he would do anything for his mares. "None of those fancy places are a match for Spike," she purred, flicking her tail against the dragon who chuckled and continued to work. "Well, I'll admit, they must suck at their jobs...You've got knots everywhere," Spike murmured, his claws flowing down to her sides, little sparks of magic dancing from his claws and into her coat, the mare stifling a moan into her hoof. "Uh, didn't AB say these rooms are soundproof?" Scootaloo teased, flitting her wings to keep them from stiffening. Spike and Sweetie Belle froze, glancing at the pegasus and then at each other. "We all know AB is gonna take Spike away when she gets back," Scootaloo pointed out, leaning forward and flicking her tongue against Sweetie Belle's horn. Spike let out a sigh and walked away long enough to lock the door. "Mares," he mumbled under his breath, moments before the two tackled him to the ground. Applebloom hummed to herself as ponies came and went. "Applebloom! Nice to see you today," Twilight greeted her. Applebloom bowed her head slightly, but not too far. Twilight wasn't too comfortable having her friends or anypony in general treating her as if she were above them. "Howdy Princess," Applebloom teased a little, Twilight rolling her eyes. "I heard from Rainbow Dash that you've convinced Spike to settle down?" she asked, a hopeful twinkle in her eye. Twilight was one of few who was against Spikes rules, which had led to several large family arguments, finally settled by an outburst from Spike himself. If he could rage against his family so easily, what would stop his children? "It took a lot...Zephyr was a big help," Applebloom chuckled, packing a sack full of specially picked apples. She weighed them before hoofing them over to Twilight. The Princess of Friendship happily accepted them, her magic dropping a stack of bits "That reminds me, I haven't seen him or the others in a while...Maybe you all could stop by the castle? For old times sake?" Twilight wondered, placing the sack of apples in her saddlebags. The farm pony tapped her chin with her hoof. "Well, ah did have some plans fer tonight, but maybe tomorrow afternoon?" Applebloom suggested. Twilight happily clapped her hooves together, quickly clearing her throat and calming herself. She was a Princess after all, she had to maintain dignity in public...Even though everypony already knew her rather well here. "That sounds wonderful Applebloom. So...how is he? A-And the little ones?" Twilight asked nervously. Applebloom sighed, fiddling her hooves a bit. "He's...stubborn. Ya'll know that better than anypony Twilight. Hardheaded drake thinks our kids are gonna turn out like those monsters in Dragon Country," Applebloom shook her head. "He's had a few episodes himself Applebloom. As much as I'm against it, it COULD happen. I highly doubt it will, but its a small possibility. Still, I think it's wonderful you've gotten him this far," "Only time will tell...Th' little ones are doin' pretty well. Ah'm sure ya'll have seen Zephyr workin' th' stall. He's a responsible an trustworthy colt an he takes good care o' his sisters. Speakin' o' them, Tempest is jus' like Scoots...if Scoots could breath fire," Applebloom chuckled "An little Melody is jus' adorable. She ain't much o' a walker yet, she's always clinging t' one of us, usually Spike or Zephyr. Somethin' t' do with that growlin' thing they do," Applebloom continued. "It's a comfort thing, don't tell anypony but...well, when Spike was still just a baby, Celestia and I had to do much the same with him or he would crawl away from us. The sound is a sign of safety and belonging," Twilight explained with a light blush. "Now why would ya'll go an give me ammunition against my husband?" Applebloom managed to say through stifiled laughter. "Because you'll be the most gentle with it," Twilight winked. It was true. Scootaloo would've constantly taunted him with it, probably trying to pull off her own growls, while Sweetie Belle would try to start growling in bed. Applebloom would just offhandedly mention it while the two of them were alone, most likely that night when she got home. "Ah s'pose yer right 'bout that. Ya'll know ah'm gonna have to convince Spike t' bring everyone along, right?" Applebloom pointed out. "I know, but if anypony can do it, its you. I understand if it doesn't work out. I'm sure he's still sore about my uh...initial reaction..." Twilight chuckled nervously, her ears pinning back against her head. Applebloom had to admit, she hadn't been the happiest with Twilight either. Years earlier Applebloom lay on her side, her coat drenched in sweat and her body aching. Spike stayed by her side all the while, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo waiting outside. It had taken many hours, but the crying of a newborn foal filled the air. Carefully cradled in Fluttershy's hooves and wings, the pegasus held out the bundled foal to Spike who happily held his child in the crook of his arm. "Bloom, look...He's beautiful..." Spike chuckled, holding him so she could see. She had expected him to be scaled like his father, but instead he had a coat as red as her mane, his eyes a swirling mix of his eyes and hers, green around the outer-edge and a yellowish orange on the inside. He blinked and held out a hoof, Applebloom jumping in surprise as the hoof shifted into a clawed hand, reaching for her. She smiled as Spike set the bundle against her, nuzzling her son weakly. "H-Hey there little fella..." Applebloom stammered, her throat dry and tears stinging her eyes. "Should I get the others?" Fluttershy asked softly, not wanting to spoil the moment. Applebloom only nodded, pulling her son close while Spike leaned over her, kissing the top of her head. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were the first in the door, a glance from Spike silencing their excitement at least for a moment. "So?" Scootaloo whispered. Spike beckoned them over, tugging the blanket a bit to show them his son. "Oh wow, I thought he would be more...dragony," Sweetie Belle murmured, sitting beside the bed. Applebloom chuckled weakly. "Yea, me too. He's got his fathers magic though...j-jus' look at his little hoof," Applebloom murmured, nuzzling the blanket open. Scootaloo gasped, holding her hoof to him. "Hey little guy! I'm your auntie Scoots!" she said happily, squealing as he grabbed her hoof in his claw. "Belle get the camera!" she continued to squeal, Spike chuckling and shaking his head. "Okay everypony, I know we're all excited, but we need to document this," Twilight said as she entered the room. "Oh right, Well, his name is Zephyr. Zephyr Sassafras Apple," Spike declared, Applebloom looking up at him in shock. "Spike, ah thought..." "I don't really have a name to give him Bloom. He's an apple, he should be known as one," Spike smiled. Twilight nodded, signing the name to a birth certificate. She moved in close, her magic encircling the foal and lifting him, turning him about in the air. "Male, seems to have adopted more Earth Pony than Dragon...No knowledge yet if foal pertains any significant Draconic properties, further observation is needed," she mumbled, writing down some notes. Spike stared for a moment before snatching his foal out of her magic. "Twilight, you can't just treat this like a science experiment, this is my son!" he yelled. "He is the first of a new species Spike, this needs to be documented, understood, studied!" Twilight argued back. Spike took a step back, cradling his son. Scootaloo stood proudly, flaring out her wings in front of Spike while Sweetie Belle stood beside her, lighting her horn. "Miss Twilight, you personally taught me to use this thing, I'd rather not use it on you," Sweetie Belle warned. "You want him? You go through us Princess," Scootaloo snorted, scuffing her hoof against the ground. Spike lowered his head, lifting up his free claw. "Spike don't!" Twilight cried out, but it was too late. He snapped his claws and vanished with his family. "Yea, ah'd say it wasn't yer best act as Princess," Applebloom pointed out. Twilight nodded glumly. "Do you think he'll ever forgive me?" Twilight asked, already knowing the answer. It had been years and two foals more, and Spike only ever spoke to Twilight when Equestria was in a crisis. He refused to ever let her be alone with any of his children. Of course, they all knew Twilight had learned a hard lesson that day, and while they were cautious, all but Spike had let Twilight back into their lives. "Ah don't rightly know Twilight...but tomorrow should be a good start t' provin' yerself t' him. He can't hold out forever," Spike felt a chill run up his back. Something bad was going to happen. And it involved him. Scootaloo shifted against him, her mane a mess and a few feathers out of place. She cooed as his claws ran along her wing, repairing the damage. Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes as she stepped back into the room, her mane wrapped up in a towel. "Snuggling without me?" She teased as she crawled back into bed, fresh from her shower. "You showered without me," Spike tossed back, earning a kiss to the snout. "If I showered with you, it wouldn't be a shower," she countered, laying on her side in front of Scootaloo and smiling over her at Spike. He couldn't really argue that. The drake gulped as Sweetie Belle's smile faded into a frown. She reached over Scootaloo, putting a hoof against his cheek. "Something's bothering you..." She spoke softly, gently tracing a scar. "Just a feeling, nothing to get worked up about," Spike murmured back. Still she frowned. "Is it about this? Being together?" she worried. Spike shook his head. "Maybe a little. But no, something's...Something is going to happen, I can feel it," he admitted. "When it does happen, we'll all be there beside you and we'll make it through," Sweetie Belle promised. "Mhm, what she said...so, my wing?" Scootaloo spoke up, causing them to jump. Spike sighed, his claw going back to work. Applebloom sighed to herself as she entered the barn house. How was she gonna convince Spike? "Ah'll worry 'bout it later...ain't lettin' this ruin my night!" She decided firmly. She smiled as Zephyr zipped by, Crystal clinging to his back and squealing happily as he bucked and growled. Tempest hovered nearby as a safety net on the off chance Crystal's death grip came loose. "Ah see ya'll are havin' a good time," Applebloom teased, causing all three to pause. "Oh uh, hey Ma. Pa an th' others are uh...upstairs," Zephyr tilted his head to one of the rooms, Applebloom nodding in understanding. "An ah see ain't no one burned anythin' down, ah'm sure yer Pa'll be happy with that," she said in passing. "Don't worry, we'll hold the fort down so you can have your turn," Tempest smirked. Applebloom shook her head. Just what was Scootaloo teaching that kid? With a smirk, the earth pony pushed her way into the room, finding a pair of mares passed out in the bed and Spike curled up on the floor. He smiled at her and she slowly sashayed over to him. She flopped to the ground a little less sexily than she would've wanted to, her legs giving way after a long day of work. Spike pulled her against him, holding her tight. She let out a little sigh and snuggled against him. "Welcome home," he murmured. "Ah'm home..."