The Day Spike Kinda Cared

by B_25

VI – Of The Flying Train & The Floating City

Dragons did not grow facial hair, and if they could, then very few did. If they did, then it would be a beard of scales on scales, which would be weird, but not much weirder than the stallions, who had hair on their hair. Either way, if you came across the dragon, it was unlikely they would be burning you to a crisp while rocking a beard.

This fact saddened Spike. He had many reasons to be sad, like his break up and then repaired heat, only for it to be shattered again by his love finding another mate and his somewhat crazy ex locking him in a train.

“Listen, we're going to have to stop giving you milkshakes.”

Life then got worse.

“W-What do you mean!” Spike asked, his head wobbly and his claws trembling. He sat a stool before a bar, knocking over the glass of his finished drink. “I'm in pain here. Milkshakes help with the pain!”

“See, that's the issue.” The stallion behind the counter picked up his glass, beginning to wipe the interior with a cloth. “Rarity wasn't expecting her plan to reach this far, so she only secured the smallest train available, which means limited space for drinks, and thus, limited milkshakes.”

“No...” Spike collected his face into his claw. “How am I supposed to go on from here!?”

“That's the other thing,” said the stallion, appraising the glass once he was done, “you're appearing to be drunk despite nothing added to your milkshakes.”

“It's because I can't grow a beard, alright?”

The stallions frowned, putting down the glass. “Pardon?”

“For one in my life, I could feel my life coming together, that I was actually meant to do something!” Spike slammed his claw on the counter. “And just like that, it was all taken away from me. Let's face it, my life is over, and I need to grow a beard and get an addiction to show others just how much I'm hurting inside.”

The stallion frowned. He pulled up another glass, lifted a miniature hose to it, which then sprayed out a brown liquid. Once the glass was full, he slid it over to the drake. “Taste that.”

Spike tasted it. When he spat it out a moment later, it was implied he did not like what he tasted.“What was that?!”

“Actual booze,” the stallion said, swiping the drink to his lips and chugging it back. Once he downed the drink, he began cleaning it, again. “You still hurtin?”

“Well, yeah.” Spike scratched his neck. “My heart is still broken, but now there's a yucky taste in my mouth.”

“Let that be a lesson to you,” the stallion said. “Going for other ponies validation for what you feel is retarded. Not only that, but if you go with the whole 'woe is me' look, what if ponies still don't see you for a miserable cunt? Does that make your pain any less real?'

“I guess not,” Spike said, shrugging his shoulder. “Then again, not much point to me learning any of this anyway. I've still lost my girl, I'm still stuck on a train with a bunch of beefy guards for a few days, and more than likely, I'm going to go back crawling to the mare that put me on this train in the first place.”

“Listen, a lot of things are not going to go your way in life, you can't throw a pity party and retract progress every time this happens,” Flare said, placing his forehooves on the counter and leaning forward. “It's like starting up half-way a mountain, losing faith and rolling back down, just to re-attempt it all with the same attitude!”

Spike only groaned; he wasn't the only one to do so.

“Look, this is my stop, alright?” Flare came out from the counter, giving a pat to the drake's shoulders. “You seem like an all-right drake that's a bit hard on himself. Give yourself a break, enjoy the few days off, and then take what you've learned and move forward, all right?”

Spike gave him a half-wave goodbye, and five minutes later, he was sitting alone.

The pain became worse with every passing moment. The parade towards her was nothing but cringe inside his mind, and try as he might, he couldn't suppress the image of Dash kissing another stallion. He knew he couldn't be mad; they were no longer dating, so it wasn't cheating, but it still hurt just as much.

Without quite meaning to, his claw slipped into his pocket, and pulled out the vial. He tilted it, watching the liquid race up and down the glass.

'You did your best,' Greed said, making the drake shudder. Not in the way of fear but moreso in tiredness. 'You came a lot farther than I expected, you really did, but of course, the whole thing has blown up in your face! You must be in a lot of pain, right?'

Spike didn't bother with a response. He nodded.

'Even more of a reason to drink that vial,' Greed went on. 'Look, ain't nobody denying you've had a tough few days. Tough doesn't even surmise your pain, but there won't be a need to surmise when you're down under.'

Spike raised a brow.

'You're going to be off for a few days anyway, from chores and saving the world, but you're going to be too miserable to enjoy it. So here's what I propose.' Spike didn't want to listen to the proposal, but since Greed was inside his head, he had no choice in the matter. 'Drink the vial, sit back, and relax. Ring-bap-boom. No pain, nothing for you to steal, just total rest for both body and mind.'

Spike went to oppose, but something told him to think about it first. He chalked up the instinct to Greed trying to pull a fast one, but realized there really was nothing for him to steal on this train. 'Okay Greed, what's the trick?'

'No trick this time around, cowboy.' Greed sounded tired. 'I am your Greed and the true dragon side of you, but even I get fed up with all this drama and beratement. I honestly could use a few days from both you and the world, and that vial will do good for everyone involved.'

'For the first time in a while, I don't think you're trying to trick me.' Spike uncorked the vial, bringing to close to his lips. 'Nothing makes sense anymore. Everything hurts. Should focus on just making myself feel good, right?

'Yes,' said Greed. 'Choosing not to feel pain is your choice as is anything else you've done today. The guards have you locked down. The train won't be stopping for a few days: there is no escape beyond what's inside that vial.'

“Touché,” Spike said, lifting the vial and catching the liquid in sunlight. He brought it to his lips, tilted it back, then something shoved against his shoulder. He jerked, the vial flying out his claw and rolling along the counter, its liquid spilling onto the wood.

“Whoops,” said a deep voice, one of the two passing stallions glancing back. “Sorry 'bout that, bud.”

Spike started at the vial with his mouth agape and eyes ready to cry. He lunged forward, picking up the vial before any more liquid could spill, but it was a mostly wasted effort. Looking at the counter, he didn't hesitate to wipe his tongue across the surface to lick any of the remaining liquid.

“What the hell?” The other stallion turned around. The drake now had his lips on the counter, sucking the wood with audible suction. The stallion looked at his other. “You whack him upside the head or somthin?”

“Just grazed his shoulder.” The first stallion shrugged, both looking back to the drake. “Made him drop something by mistake.” His eyes went wide. “You don't think Rarity will deduct this from my pay?”

“Dunno. Guy gives me the creeps though.” The second stallion walked up to the drake, putting his hoof to the scaly forehead and pushing it up from the desk. Spike's tongue slithered in the air and his claws doggy-paddled in the air. “What the hell is wrong with you? Get a grip!”

“I...I can't!” Spike cried out, falling from the stool to his knees. “That vial was my safety net, in case things got too big! Now I have nothing to fall back on...I'm pathetic!”

“Get up from the floor!” The guard yelled. “Rarity ain't paying us to get your knees dirty. She's made us carry your outfits into the train, and you've got to be looking proper once this crazy ride Is over. Capiche?”

Spike kept staring down at the vial in his claw. A minuscule amount collected at the bottom.

“Are you even listening?!” The stallion stepped before him. “That bartender was supposed to pull you outta this funk. We can't afford to deal with your black cloud, not when half our guard is out looking for that mare.”

Spike blinked, then looked up. “What did you say?”

“The missing broad,” the stallion continued. “Friend of Rares, or somthin' close to that. Made her out to be a bitch, but apparently not enough to trump concern for her.”

“No way,” Spike said, his gaze lost. “Rainbow is still missing?”

“That's her name.” The guard nodded upward. “The situation hasn't changed: still a whole load of work for little coin. So can you get up and make our lives a little easier?”

“I...I can't believe it.” Spike slowly rose, but still looking down.

“Hey, moron!” The second guard stepped forward, pulling his other back. “That's info we were supposed to withhold.”

“I saw her though,” Spike said, raising his head. “It was Rainbow, it had to be Rainbow! She had a blue coat and rainbow mane, I mean, I didn't see her face but—“

“Then that's a load off our mind!” The second stallion put himself forward. “We hadn't see Rarity since we carried the cargo, so you probably did find up finding her. Sorry about your broken heart—“ he leaned over the counter and poured another drink “—have another glass.”

“...sure.” Spike kept eye-contact as he stepped back to the counter. He didn't break this even after he lifted the glass. “So, are you two just goons from some back alley then? A shake of a white rump for a lower price.”

“Hey, watch it!”

“Rarity was going to stallions instead of proper guards, her standards must be low, that or her purse.” Spike turned and faced the two. “Hope you got paid up-front, she may try to foot the bill when push comes to shove.'

“We've been at her service longer than you know!”

Spike smirked. “I'm sure you have.”

He splashed the liquid on both of their faces. In an instant, the first stallion grabbed his head and smashed it into the counter, keeping him pinned there.

“That's it scaly, you've severed a nerve!” The guard chuckled, wiping his face with a free hoof. “We were supposed to take real nice care of you, but it isn't so hard to believe that a dragon such as yourself lashed out over your heartbreak.” He chuckled, lifting the drake by his spines, then slamming him back into the wood. “Especially when we tell you your girl is still missing. That broad you saw?”

“Don't!”

“A friend of your girl, except only one of them were truly friends.” He laughed. “As for a Rainbow mane, c'mon kid, get real: rainbow wigs aren't exactly a commodity.”

“You mean,” Spike said, anger rising in his tone. “That Rainbow's still missing!?”

“Oh yeah.” The stallion raised his head again, bringing his face closer to his own. “She's still a little filly lost in this big open world. But don't you sweat now—we'll find her before anything bad can happen to her.”

Spike's head was slammed into the wood, harder than anytime before as the world went black. Sadness, insecurity, anxiety, despair—it all faded away. All that came to the drake was the vision of distant memories.

“C'mon Spike, we've been doing this for a week straight!” Rainbow whined from above the door, hovering in place. “Sunrise sharp! What's kept you?”

“Slept in again,” Spike replied in a tone of disappointment. He kept his head down for good effect. “I'm...I'm sorry, Rainbow. I hate letting you down.”

Rainbow went to say something, then stopped, took a deep breath, and alighted to the floor. With a smile, she placed a hoof under his chin, then tipped it up. “You haven't let anyone down, sport. The fact you've lasted a week with me is enough of a reason to have your chin up.”

Spike smiled back, relishing in the feel of her hoof.

Rainbow blushed at the contact, looking away and ears pinning back. A few seconds went by, and then she shrugged her shoulders, throwing her forelegs around the drake and closing in for a hug. “Not many newbies stick around this long, especially boyfriends. I'm sorry if I've been a bit hard on you.”

Spike threw his claws up when she hugged him, afraid to touch her as though it were some sin. He would have kept like this, too afraid to take hold of what was his, but after hearing her tone of hurt, he bit on his lip and lowered his arms, wrapping them around her slender body. “You've been nothing but perfect, Rainbow, and it's just me who's getting used to working harder. Nopony else has been this involved in seeing me improve, and I can't thank you enough.”

The two enjoyed their embrace. They would have enjoyed it for a longer time, too, were it not for passing ponies giggling at the sight. Rainbow broke away almost immediately, putting a few feet between herself and her love. “I, er, that didn't happen!'

Spike chuckle, saw her frown grow, then lowered his head. “Aye-aye, captain.”

“E-Enough playing around!” her voice crack. “Daylight is a wastin'!”

“Sure thing, coach.”

“And another thing.” Before Spike could look up, he had a hoof do it for him. “Stop looking down at yourself so much. Hard to run forward if you can't see the road.”

Spike smiled, and without meaning to, spoke. “And all the beautiful things right in front of you.”

Dash's cheek burned red as she flapped her wings, flying backward into the air. “Oh-ho, you cheesy little bum, that's going to be an extra lap!” She floated in the air, bringing a hoof to her cheek and then looking away. “Half a lap, so start looking up, and get a move on!”

Spike came to. His face was lifted again, the stallion grinning with delight, though it didn't last for long as he raised his other claw to grab the back of the stallion's head. Before his prey could even react, Spike slammed his head against the counter, repeatedly, before letting the body fall to the floor.

“What the hell!” The second stallions were upon him, cocking back his foreleg. He threw the punch, but Spike weaved left, smashing the left side of his head with the glass. The sound of glass shattering was only matched by the following thud.
“I can't believe this!' Spike shouted, stepping forward and into the next carriage. Rows of seats were on either side of him, stretching down to the next door, six stallions, two by two, situated down its length. They turned to him. “Rainbow Dash is still missing, but it's your job to guard me? Not happening!”

Spike started towards them. The two stallions froze up.

“Get ready to take him,” said one.

“Rarity said not to hurt him!” said the second. “He's a wimp that has his scales polished—never been in a fight before in his life!”

The second stallion was foolish enough to believe this, that was, until the lunging dragon threw his fist across his cheek. The force sent him flying into one of the chair, the impact enough to render him unconscious.

“Behind you.” Before the drake could look, he felt an elbow slam into the top of his head. “Like I'd trust a dragon to be cute.”

“You thought right,” Spike said, his voice eliciting fear into his opponent, who expected him to go down. The drake still stood, on knees buckling to hold his weight, and a moment later, he struck a punch to the exposed chest. “This dragon is kicking ass!”

With the weight gone, Spike rose, and in turn, brought his elbow down on the stallions head. He fell immediately, right into the lifting scaly knee that met him at his chin, sending him flying up in the air. The stallion would have screamed, were it not for the drake twirling around, and connecting his foot to his stomach. The stallions flew back, smacked against the window, and was not heard from again.

Before Spike could turn around, the next two stallions tackled him to the ground.

“You need to try harder, Spike, you're almost there!” Rainbow's voice came from behind him, but he didn't dare look back. His breathing was heavy and his heart heavier, legs burning from exhausting and eyes wanting to shut. “Making it across Ponyville at this speed without stopping will be a milestone. You can't quit now!”

“I'm...I'm trying...Dash.” Spike got the words out in-between pants, his lips never before so dry. “But I just can't do it. I, wasn't built, for, this kind of stuff!'

“But you're a dragon!”

“Yeah, a, lazy, dragon.”

Spike began to slow, which made Rainbow slow in her flight behind him.

“Hmm. Fine!” Rainbow said, flying up so she was next to him. “Wanna throw in the towel? I won't sweat it, but you won't also get to be sweating later tonight.”

“Okay,” Spike said, slowing his pace further. Then his eyes went wide, and he sped up. “Wait, what!?”

Rainbow flew in closer, so much, that only a few inches separated their cheeks. “You finish this lap, Spike, and for one night only, I'll do as you command.”

Spike ran fast.

“Ack!” Spike wiggled his head against the train's floor, looking at the faces of the two that held him down. “How much do you two weigh? Let me go!”

They only thrust their hooves harder into his shoulders. “Just below the threshold of being called fat.”

Spike growled, kicking a foot upward, only for them to be out of reach. Then an idea sprang, which made him smile, as he lifted his tail.

The stallion to the left felt something tap his shoulder. He turned, saw a purple tail, then saw nothing as it slapped him across the face. He loosened his grip, a great mistake, as an elbow flew in his face next.

“I'm finding Dash!” Spike yelled, and with his now free arm, grabbed the other stallion by the neck. He pulled him off, at the expense of taking a punch to the snout, but was so kind as to replace the favor once he had the stallion pinned to the ground. He did the punch previous mentioned, and the stallion went still.

Spike tried to stand up, but his legs were too wobbly. He put his claws on the rest of a chair, slowly pushing himself up, despite the pain and the exhaustion. He rose, stumbling into place, but was proud enough to be standing before the last two guards. “Now then—“ he pointed an index finger at them “–you two are going to tell me everything about my ex-marefriend.”

“Oh, buddy.” The first (or would it be sixth?) stallion stepped forward, pulling a black baton from his vest. A metal cuff clipped onto his forehoof, the baton rotating in response to his movement. “You couldn't have taken longer to make a bad move. Sweet little Rody here's been waiting too long for this!”

He charged at Spike.

Spike laughed.

He stopped charging at Spike. “What's so funny?!”

“Rody, seriously?” Spike stopped laughing to wipe a tear from his eyes. “Out of all the names, that's the one you choose!?” Spike would have kept laughing had not the stick beat him up the head, repeatedly. “Ow ow ow! I'm sorry I'm sorry!”

“Tough!” The stallion rose the hoof up, and, because the mechanical arm, the baton went higher. It even caught in the light of the lamp, which helped the drake to see better, which also made him act faster, that act crossing his wrist over his head. The baton came down, hard, making the drake yelp as his claws slammed into the top of his head, and in the same movement, swayed the baton to the right of him, and in the movement afterward, slid his right arm along the length right into the face of the stallion. He threw himself forward, the momentum carrying in his arm, which he used to throw the stallion into the row of seats.

Spike rushed towards him, towering over the seat, but cried as the baton slammed against the side of his body. This repeated twice, until, finally, he thought it would be a good idea to block the attack with his wrist again. His wrists hated him for this, but he had to do what he had to do.

The attack smashed into his wrist, which, despite the pain, pushed the baton to the left, causing its owner to fly forward unbalanced. Spike didn't hesitate to grab the uplifted seat rest and make it uplifted no more—smashing it down on the stallion's head.

The stallion was out cold.

“Now then,” Spike said, stumbling back. He rested his back against the row of chairs, gazing at the last stallion. “To be honest with you, this is my first time in a legitimate fight, and I'm pretty sure I would have lost were it not for me being a dragon and all. So, seeing how it's only you and me, how about you tell me what you know about Rainbow, and I can get off this train and give her some very good news.”

The last stallion replied by pulling a katana out of his vest.

“Dude, that's totally unfair,” Spike whined. His head rolled back in exhaustion. “There should be no possible way you have that hidden on you this whole time. I mean, how did you go about walking without disemboweling yourself?”

“My honor protects me,” the last stallions replied, clicking the cuff to his hoof. A rotating sword, great. “Unlike you, bloodied and untamed, a soul that knows not of its own will!”

Then the crazy bastard came at him with a sword.

“What, you don't want these flanks?” Rainbow stuck out her tongue from up above the trail, apple trees flanking them both on either side. “Don't even try to deny it—I caught every glance you tried to steal at them!”

“D-Damn it!” Spike cried, shaking his claw. “I, thought, I was, being, sneaky!”

“Well, maybe if you weren't breathing so hard...”

“I'm running on burning lungs!”

“Yeah, whatever you say, cowboy.” Rainbow flew forward faster, making sure to keep her tail draped over her hindquarters. “Almost there. Just think of aaaaaall that yooooou can doooooo!”

“I. Hate. You!”

“You. Love. Me.”

Spike rolled his eyes. He really did.

At the moment he had between life and death, Spike choose the former when he ripped a rest from a chair and held it before his face. The blade made contact—with the armrest and not his face. “A-Ah hah! Take that!”

The blade then slid through the improvised weapons, leaving him with two armrests. “Oh no.”

The stallion pulled back his hoof, tilted the blade so it caught a glint of light, then screamed and started widely slashed the sword forward.

“Mercy!” Spike swung his own weapons, which progressively got smaller with every cut, till he was holding nothing. He felt his back press against a wall, seats blocking his left and right, and some crazy fucker coming at him with a downward slash.

“I'm...I'm sorry Dash.” Spike slowed down at such a speed that he should just be walking, but instead, it looked like he was stumbling like a drunk as he jogged. “But I just can't do it. I wanna finish this, I wanna make you proud, but I just can't.”

“Oh,” said Dash, dipping her head in thought. She then looked back over the distance that separated them. 'So my flanks aren't a good enough motivator?”

“Trust me, they're perfect.” Spike looked down, breaking his promise. “But I'd probably be too scared to touch em anyway.”

Rainbow was disappointed. It was written over her face and the way how her body shifted in the air, but she somehow kept it from her voice. “It's okay, Spike, it's my fault for expecting so much out of you so soon. I should have—AH!”

Spike looked up in time to see Rainbow crash against a tall tree, a branch cracking, then another as he body fell downward. He lost his breath at the sight, a fire igniting in his heart as he barreled forward. The pain was intense, the fog in his mind thick, but pain and pleasure meant nothing in the face of seeing his friend in danger.

Rainbow smashed against the lowest branch, still a ten-foot drop to go, but she was too disjointed to stretch open her wings. She fell, expecting pain, but found only comfort in the arms of her lover. It took a moment for the world to unblur and stop moving, but when it did, she was looking up into the goofiest face she'd seen in her life.

Only it wasn't so goofy.

“Rainbow, are you alright!?” Spike cried. No, seriously, there were tears coming from his eyes. “Please tell me you're alright! No, we need to get you to the hospital right away!” He turned around, his mare carried bridal style in his arms, jogging back the way he came.

“Any, ah, anypony ever call you a worrywart before?” Rainbow joked weakly, letting her hooves and wings dangle from his grasp. “I'm fine you dork, now put me down.”

“Not until we get you checked out,” Spike said, looking down at his marefriend. Strands of her mane covered her left eye, the rest of her body covered in dirt, scratches, and cuts. “You can whine about how uncool this is or me being dumb, but I'm not letting you down until you say you feel better. And no lying!”

“Alright alright!” Rainbow giggled out, playfully batting a hoof. “Nopony comes this far out in the farm, so you can carry me for a little bit longer, since you seem to enjoy it so much, oh my sweet Romeo!”

Spike wanted to be mad, but he laughed instead.

If Rainbow was being honest, she was enjoying this much more than she let on. Through most of her life, she always had to be the strong one, the pegasus to lift other ponies and carry herself. It was a life of self-reliance, one she didn't regret, but the feelings of someone else carrying her to safety was more than welcomed.

Rainbow let her head fall against his chest, feeling the thin layer of muscle building in his pec. She giggled, enjoying the warmth of his body, as well as the prospect of getting him bigger so she had more to snuggle with. Spike wasn't perfect. He was a dragon weaker than some of the stallions she'd been with. Celestia warned her that she'd be getting a work in progress, but Rainbow couldn't be more thankful.

“Hey, wait a sec,” Rainbow said, drawing the drake's worried glance again. She giggled, delighting in how much he cared. “You see that white fence over there?”

Spike glanced over, saw it, then looked back at her. “Yeah, what about it? You're not hallucinating killer whales over there, are you?”

“No!' she said, playfully pushing at his jaw. Her head was still snug against his chest. “That's the finish line, you know, the one you were sure you wouldn't be able to cross.”

“Hey, you're right!” Spike said with glee. “I did it Rainbow. I did it!” He looked back down at her. “It's all because of you that I did it! Oh, wait.”

Rainbow giggled. “What's wrong?”

“I wasted any remaining energy to save you.”

A second later, they fell forward. Spike landed on his back, letting the mare splay herself over his chest, their muzzles touching. Rainbow reared her head up, giggling down at him as her face eclipsed the sun above.

Spike nervously chuckled to himself, cheeks warming at feeling every inch of her body against his. “So close and yet so far. Guess every time I got a good thing going I manage to screw it up huh?”

“It's why you're a dork,” Rainbow said, beaming down at him. “But no matter how much better you get, you'll always be my dork.” She leaned down and pressed her lips to his cheek, snuggling her head under his chin. “Just like how I'll always be your mare, no matter how many times you screw up.”

The sword came down on the drake, and, in response, he rose his wrist. He expected for them to be lopped off, not for the blade to get stuck an inch in his scales.

“A-ha! Scales beats sword!” Blood then began to leak profusely from his wound, which only increased when the blade tried to widget its way out. “Oh, crud.”

In his holy wisdom, Spike decided it would be a good idea to press down on the blade. This, of course, scared it the other stallion, who fell on his back while the drake cut the distance between them. The blade dug another inch, and while he wanted to cry, he didn't let on the agony he was bearing.

“Now, this can go two ways.” Spike hovered his head just above the stallion, using his pain to grin wickedly. “Either this blade cuts through my wrist, or I press down hard enough, and it goes through your head. Wanna chance it?”

The stallion cried, unclipping the grasp from his hoof.

Spike tore the sword from both the clasp and his wrist, using his other claw to hold the stallion down. “Now tell me about Dash!”

“W-We were paid by Rarity!” He cried out, trying to crawl back. The act was in vain. “We scouted every inch of Ponyville looking for the rainbow mare–nothing turned up! Our next goal was to take you, keep you safe, and search Cloudsdale for Rainbow.”

“Cloudsdale?”

“Said she was visiting a bar there!” The stallions said. “The break-up was harsh on her, so she wanted to revisit all the sights you went to when you stopped caring one day. All of these are the words of Rarity, honest!”

Spike nodded his head.

“I believe you.” He then whacked him with the butt of the sword, knocking him unconscious and tossing the blade away. Someone cried, and the drake tried not to pay that fact too much mind. “Issue is, it's well past afternoon, and this train isn't stopping anytime soon.”

'Holy crap Spike,' Greed said.

“I know.”

'No, you don't!' Greed said. 'These guys aren't just any goons if they're fighting like this. In fact, Rarity will kill you for what you've done here if they don't come back later for revenge. Quick, give in to your base desires to save yourself.'

“Nice try,” Spike chuckled, stumbling forward to the front cart. Every limb ached, his core was sore, and his head wouldn't stop ringing. He was missing a fair share of scales and blood, but despite the pain, the drake couldn't stop smirking. “I'm in enough trouble as is with my stupidity. Inviting you in will just make things worse.”

'Worse?' said Greed. 'Kid, you're stuck on a train with goons itching to kill you when they awaken. You wanna try worse? Stay the way you are now, and not even your scales will protect you.'

Spike opened the door to the conductor room, falling flat on his face. He groaned, not getting up at first. “And what? Turning into a beast will protect me from them?”

'Yeah. Kinda hard to kill a beast.'

“Yeah, I'm gonna have to go with no.” Spike pushed his claws against the ground, seeing blood splatter on the floor from his forehead. He sighed, stood up, and stumbled to the fire pit. “Destroying my home and possibly hurting my friends is much worse than being killed myself.”

'So what are you going to do then, huh!?' Greed said, his voice growing quicker. 'Talk a big game, like you do everypony else until reality hits you with a stick again? Pretend you know better just to get out of trouble? Giving into me may give you wings at least to fly away, perhaps an actual chance at saving your girl!'

“Spike?”

“Yeah?'

“Am I heavy?”

“Not at all.”

“Well, I just ran a marathon.”

“Uh, right. Spike?”

“Yes?”

“Even if I was heavy, would you tell me?”

“Probably.”

“Ah.”

“But I wouldn't want you to get off.”

“What? Why's that?'

“Because I like how you feel.”

“Spike?'

“Yeah?”

“We're going to have to work on your smooth talk.”

“Add it to the list.”

Spike looked at the shaft for the brake, but when he went to pull it, he saw out the window that they were on a ramp winding upward. The ground was far below, and there wasn't any land to be anywhere nearby. He pulled his claw back from the brake. “Well, there goes that hope.”

'There goes all your hope!' Greed said. 'Now, will you take out that vialand drink what's left? It should still be enough to get you out of this mess, or at least to see higher reason.'

Spike pulled out the vial from his pocket, gazing inside the glass.

“Spike?”

“Yes.”

“You're a weird dragon.”

“Yes.”

“And I think you try to avoid it by being something else.”

“Oh Celestia yes.'

“I like you, and I like how weird you are.”

“And I've still yet to figure out why.”

“I want you to make me a promise.”

“What is it?”

“Never stop being you and never stop being weird, and just like today, don't let the impossible stop you from doing the possible.”

Spike felt a fire start in his chest and energy spread throughout his limbs. His eyes opened, glinting in the light, as he stole a grin from the mare he loved most. “That's right. Now we're rocking!”

'Rocking?'

Spike threw back the door to the fire, grinning in delight as the wave of heat. “This whole time, I've been holding myself back. Hating myself for being weird, for being so weak, but that's what makes me unique, that's what makes me incomplete!”

'What are you going on about?' Greed said, then saw the drake tossing the vial up and down. 'Wait, what are you doing!?'

“This weirdness and absurdity is my identity! Not something to run away from!” Spike tossed the last hope of being like he once was into the fire of the train, feeling the train roar and shake from the raw input of energy. “Being weak isn't a crime, just flaws to be overcome! From now on, the impossible won't stop me from doing the possible!”

'You moron!'

“Loudly and proudly!”

Then, something unexpected happened, though now it should be expected since I warned you something would be coming up. From inside the pits of fire, a lavender aurora shot outward from the depths, streaming down the train from the inside and out. The wheels of the train squeaked, catching at speeds they weren't built for, but luckily, they wouldn't have to be working out their quota.

'I don't believe it.'

“Well, I do!” Spike cheered, throwing his head out the window. The train was lifting off the tracks, beginning to climb higher and higher in the air. “A flying train! I always wanted one when I was a kid!”

'You've got to be kidding me!'

“Not one bit!' Spike took hold of the chains above his head, one left and one right, letting him fly the train. He pulled left, intent for a distant floating city. “There's no escaping the absurd with me, so might as well embrace it and use it for my gain!”

Spike laughed at the absurdity of it all.

“Now then,” Spike said, pulling the horn of the train. “Next stop, to find Rainbow Dash in Cloudsdale!”

Canterlot is a royal city and all that. White marble roads and an even whiter castle. The place was predominantly filled with ponies—unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies—and not so much with griffons—griffins, griffons, gryphons—so this had Twilight confused.

“I am confused,” Twilight said, cantering through the streets of the second district. All the shops had their drapes drawn, doors locked, with only griffons (or whatever your preferred spelling) patrolling the streets. “Where is everypony?”

“Halt!”

Twilight stopped walking, and with good timing too, as four griffons appeared before he with polearms aimed at her face. More and more of them began to surround her, and that's when Twilight realized why none of the ponies were coming outside.

“You are Princess Twilight, are you not?”

“Uh.” Twilight backed a step. “If I am, does that entail me to being brutally stabbed?”

“No,” came a voice behind the pack, which made way for the newcomer. It was a griffon, taller than them all, feathers alabaster and beak golden. “My name is Missy, and you will be following us to the rest of your royalty, that is, unless, you want to break all negations between our nations?”

Twilight sighed. “Don't tell me...was Spike already here?”

“Spike?”

“Purple dragon. Same height as me?”

“No,” he said. “I believe the dragons are waiting for a war to break out between us and wiping out whoever remains. So we have a year or so before they show up.”

Twilight tried to back away further, only to walk into the griffons that guarded her flank. Heh. Flank. “Look, I'm sure whatever is happening here is super important, and the real princesses already have it on lockdown. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a missing friend that I really need to find.”

Missy stepped forward, pulling a sword from the sheath hanging on her hips, before pointing the blade directly into the princess's face. “A lot more ponies will go missing if you do not follow me to the courtroom. Your substitute princess declared war on us in the first place, so you should be grateful we're even willing to call it off.”

Missy stepped aside, nodding her head to the right. “Now get moving!”

“So this is Spike's fault after all,” Twilight sighed, rolling her eyes as she began forward. “Hope you have better luck than I do, bro.” The guards walked in formation all around her, leaving for no escape. She looked up to the sun, watching it inch north. “Really better luck.”

FLYING TRAINS?

“You bet so! It was awesome.”

Death put the palm of his hands to his forehead. JUST WHAT KIND OF DRAGON ARE YOU? THESE REPORTS ARE MEANT TO KEEP MURDER FORMAL AND EVEN THE MOST HASTILY WARS WELL STRUCTURED, BUT THIS?

“Doesn't make much sense, right?” Spike couldn't help but laugh, enjoying the memories. “I'm telling you, absurdity tends to follow me wherever I go. Just made sense to stop fighting and accept it, and to be honest, life got a whole lot better afterward.”

SO THAT VIAL?

“Probably some strange fuel, to be honest with you.” Spike tilted his head in thought. “A good idea that I didn't drink any of it—must have grabbed the wrong vial by mistake. If an iota of that liquid was enough to make a train fly, could you imagine what the full content would have done to me?”

MAKE MY LIFE EASIER?

“Yeah.”

I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE HERE, OR WHY SO MANY TIMERS ARE NEARING THEIR END, OR WHERE THIS RAINBOW DASH IS. ARE WE NEARING THE END OF THIS TALE?

“Getting there.”

Death sighed. SO CLOUDSDALE? YOU HAVE BEEN THERE BEFORE.

“Once when I stopped caring.”

SO WHAT HAPPENED THERE.

Spike blew through his lips, sitting back. “A lot of weird stuff.”

Death couldn't narrow his eyes, so he increased the intensity of his glowing blue eyes. WHAT DO YOU MEAN WEIRD STUFF!?

“Oh! How ravishing this painting is that touches the black hole in my heart!” The white Pegasus flared out his primaries in excitement, his blond mane swaying in the air. He even had a beard for some odd reason—it was also blond. “ Us, who are dammed to be artist and comedians, even worse, funny artist, fall to our knees in understanding of this painting!”

The pegasus looked right. “You there, dragon, I will know your deepest depth from just your reaction alone to what stands before you!”

Spike looked at the painting. It was a yellow smiley face on a white canvas, but for whatever reason, there was a frown below the smile. It appeared to be a colt's attempt at duality. “Meh. Seems kinda useless to me.”

“Yes, I understand you!” The pegasus threw himself at the drake with open arms, hugging the stranger with the love of a brother. “All art is quite useless indeed, yet we continue to make and enjoy it, because, in the end, isn't our existence just as useless? It's absurd to enjoy either, and yet, here we are.”

Spike glared at him, then scrunched up his face, shrugged his shoulders, and return the embrace. It lasted a short time. Then the pegasus broke it.

“From the moment I picked up a brush I knew of this duality, so my first work was to cross out the name my parents gave me and invent a new one for myself!”

Spike turned to the stallion, who continued down the long hall of the museum. “And that is?”

“Art, old chap.” The stallion nodded forward. “But you can call me useless—defines my life, really.”

Spike began to jog forward, catching up to the stallion. “So listen—“ a painting caught his attention as she slowed down next to Useless “—hey wait what is that?”

“That?” Useless admired the passing painting. “That's a penguin with chapped lips, but the painting itself is called Chapped Penguin Lips.”

“I...see.” Spike began walking at the same pace as Useless. “Right, about why I'm here, do you—what's that painting of!?”
Useless looked left. “A mass murderer from older times. Ponies called him Jack the Ripper—he died when he was ninety-nine.”

“Uh-huh, so about my friend—why is there a hole in the ceiling?”

Useless looked up. “Oh, that.” He rolled his eyes. “Some twerp came in here weeks ago and used one of the catapults we had on display! Apparently, it flung him all the way to Canterlot, but broke the blasted thing because of it!” He sighed. “The princess was kind enough to cover the cost of all damages, but it still makes my blood boil at such callousness!”

Spike chuckled, nervously.

“I swear, if I ever saw that twerp again, I'd kill him!” Useless stopped before the next exhibit. “Especially if he caused damage to my precious home once more.” Useless looked at the next piece, blinking and recoiling his head. “My my, I don't quite recall this ever being here!”

Spike caught up again, though he wished he hadn't it.

Useless stood before a white wall. Now, most patrons would ponder the complexity about whiteness, if it was really white or if their eyes were deceiving them, but this wall was far more special than that—it was missing a chunk, and in that chuck, was the front half of a black train.

Duality struck again.

“Aw crud, so that's where I parked it.'

Useless glanced at him. “Parked?”

“I mean my newest piece!” Spike coughed into his claw, spinning around and raising a claw as though he were giving a presentation. “I call it the train tracks to heaven!”

“My my. How profound!”

“...really?”

“Honey, where to begin! This is symbolism at its finest!” He approached the drake, gesturing to the crashed train. “The absurdity of a train here captures the dilemma of your duality, a bizarre soul cast into the mundane! This wall, of fine material for an even finer place, broken through the force of your will. How heart capturing!”

“Yeah.” Spike blinked, wondering if he could take lessons from Useless. He was adept at pulling reasons from his butt when the time called for it, but never had he been able to reach in so deep. “So you're not mad if I, uh, leave this here for a while?”

“Not at all!” Useless bowed. “In fact, I'm honored to have the work of a dragon in our midst. Makes up for that other dragon that broke our catapulted.”

The urge to tell the truth is strong even in the most seasoned liars. Lying was always the preferred option—it paved easier grounds and told more interesting stories—but it always came at a cost. While telling the truth made most feel like crap, it also filled them with something, while telling lies only drained and made the user sound all the more hollow.

'Had you drank that vial,' said Greed, ' You could invent some funny retort and get yourself outta this.'

“That's why I'm glad I didn't.”

“Didn't what?”

Spike sighed. “Look, Useless, there's something I've gotta tell you.'

“Hmm?”

“I'm the twerp that broke that catapult.” Spike didn't break eye contact with the pegasus, even when the latter lit up in surprise. “I'd stop caring for a day and decided it would be okay to do whatever I pleased. Apparently, I also didn't care about the ramification of my actions, which has resulted in hurt friends and broken contraptions.”

Useless glared at him.

Spike bowed. “I'm sorry. I know all my damages were covered with bits, but that doesn't make anything better. I have to start taking responsibility for my own actions, and I have to be the one to make things right—because I'm family of Royalty doesn't mean I can escape accountability.”

Spike waited. He waited and waited. He waited some more, but in the absence of sound and movement arose curiosity, making him glance up. Useless was looking at him with one of that expression that made him seem deep in thought.

“These words, they are the absolute truth?”

“Truth?” Spike thought about it, then shook his head. “Can't be sure. They're honest, though.”

Useless scrunched his face—he must have started thinking harder.

“All the grief you've caused has caused you pain?”

“More than you can know.”

“And you used that pain to crash that train into my museum.”

“I, uh...yes.”

“I could not be more proud!” In a flash, they were hugging again. “You truly an artist at heart, scaly one! Using your fear and your pain to move forward, and to paint the way there for those behind you!”

Useless kissed him on the cheek, before stepping back. “You are forgiven my brother, so long as you keep using that pain to create lessons.”

“T-Thank you then, I guess.” Spike blinked, unsure of what he was supposed to feel at the moment. It seemed he had found someone weirder than him, and for whatever reason, that did not weird him out in the slightest. “So, what about the wall and ceiling then? Want me to come back later to help rebuild?”

“Not at all!” Useless said, walking backward under his body was caught in a halo of light. “The biggest defect of this place is the absence of windows, all light here is artificial—“ he looked at a nearby painting of a carapace “–among other things.”

Spike scratched his head.

“I've been trapped in this place for many years, too scared to go outside!” Useless closed his eyes and relished in the warmth of right, as opposed to the coldness he felt anywhere else—duality once more, motherfucker. “So to have light, real sunlight, I couldn't be more grateful more for your accident.”

“Not only that,” Spike said, coming into the light and pointing a talon up, “but the hole in the wall is art itself, of no matter how thick our scales or walls are, we should always open a small part of ourselves to let in the evening light.”

“Oh!” Useless began to cry. “How I love you!'

Useless kissed him on the cheek again. Spike was proud, to be able to pull something deep out of his butt without it being a lie, as well as to check between his legs, and seeing nothing popping out.

“Yes!” Spike cried, kissing Useless on the cheek as well. “I can say I love you like a brother without being worried!” He shook his head then grabbed his newfound friend by the shoulders. “Now tell me, has a rainbow mane pegasus come through here?”

“Is she a seven out of ten?'

“Well, she's a ten out of ten on my scale.”

“I see. Let me try this again.” Useless cleared his throat. “Is she an eight out of ten on the narcissism scale?”

Spike clapped his claws. “Yes! That's her!” He let go of his friend to slap himself. “I'm her supply, we were made for each other!”

“Then I have seen this mare.” Useless pointed to the other side of the hall, where a hole—tiny this time around—was in the wall. “She crashed in here this morning!'

“Oh no!' Spike gripped the side of his face. “Was she okay?”

“That hole has nothing to with her—just a couple of drunk sadly mistaken.” He pointed his hoof lower, where there was a bench with a sign that read 'please don't sit on me—I'm a work of art!' “She crashed on that for a few hours at sunrise, but I kicked her out shortly afterward. Seemed interested in that catapult you destroyed.”

“Did she tell you where she was going?”

“No, only that, after work, she would open up a better museum then this one.” Useless narrowed his eyes in thought. “Something about fewer paintings and more race tracks.”

“Her job!” Spike threw a fist up in the air. “She may be lazy, but she would never leave her co-workers hanging!”

He sprinted for, then through, and then out the front door.

“Wait!” called out Useless from just behind the opened doors. “Don't you want to listen to the complex and emotionally devastating reason why I've locked myself inside here for all these years.”

Spike looked over his shoulder.

“I promise to come back with tea!” he shouted back, disappearing over the horizon. “You can tell me then. I promise I will listen.”

“Oh, crud.”

HMM? Death pulled back from his paper, admiring his neat handing writing. Every letter was as thin as his figure. WHAT'S THE MATTER?

“I totally forgot to go back and listen to that guy.”

YOU STILL CAN. Death scratched the back of his rope. YOU ARE A VERY STRANGE CREATURE WITH A STRANGER TALE, AND EVEN THOUGH SOME FIBER OF MY BEING STILL DESPISES YOU, I CAN'T BRING MYSELF TO WANT TO KILL YOU.

“Is...is that a compliment?”

YOU MAY TAKE IT AS YOU WISH, said Death. MORE THAN LIKELY, YOU WILL BE WALKING OUT OF THIS ALIVE.

Spike chuckled, letting his eyes fall downward. He exuded a bittersweet aura. “Not if our deal goes well.”

Death would have raised a brow if he had one.

“Sorry, but she left us hanging.”

Spike groaned.

“Well, okay, it's not like she left us hanging per say.” The pony behind the desk tilted her head in thought—it seemed like a trend around these parts. “More like she informed us we would be hanging for a few days, which, now that I think about, isn't as bad as I made it sound to be.”

“What did she look like when she came in?” Spike put his claws down on the table of the desk, starling the pegasus behind it. “Did she say where she was going!?”

“Easy guy, relax!” The mare put her forehooves on the desk as well. Now both of them were touching the desk menacingly–they were lucky the desk didn't have feelings. “She looked like she spent the night sleeping outside again, probably caught a cold and wanted a few days off.”

“So she didn't tell you why?!”

“No!” The pegasus rose from her seat. “Why do you want to know about her anyway...wait a minute, what are you again?”

“Are you being speciest?”

“What? No! Fine, give me your name then.”

“Spike.”

“Spike what? It's a trend for ponies to have two names that either rhyme or encompass their personality.”

“Spike the dragon.”

“Ah-ha! It is you.” The pegasus slammed a big red button, and just like that, metal shutters slammed down by the nearby windows. A siren rang, distant hoof-steps were loud, and ponies (all female) flooded into the room. “You're the heartbreaker!”

“What no!”

It was no use. The mares were upon him. They had wings, making them more dangerous than normal mares as they shot themselves like bullets at the drake. He shielded himself by waving his claws in surrender, but soon their collective weight pinned him to the ground.

The head pegasus left her desk, circling the pile. Some mares whacked Spike with their hooves repeatedly. “You've got a lot of gut showing your face around here, hurting our poor Dash. She doesn't just open her heart to anyone, you know!”

“She doesn't?” A slap to the face made Spike see the error of his words. “I mean she doesn't she doesn't! It's why I came to see her today!”

“Why? So you could hurt her so more!” a mare lower down his body said, diving her elbow into his shin. He yelped—these girls hurt more than the trained guards.

“Not at all! I wanted to tell her breaking up was a mistake!”

The mares froze in place, letting the news settle in their heads. They didn't let the drake go, huddling over his body and speaking in a hushed whisper. Spike couldn't make out what they were saying, only panting from the pain. Never before had he amass a pile of mares atop his body, and came to hate himself for not enjoying the sensation. Through their bodies, he glanced down between his legs.

“Oh c'mon!” Spike cried under his breath, face becoming depressed.

The mares broke away. The leader spoke. “Rainbow said that you were the ones to call things off...why the sudden change of heart?”

“Because she was perfect and I wasn't, so I broke up with her so I wouldn't drag her down!” Spike wiggled his body forward, trying to break free from their weight. “Then I realized that there was no such thing as perfect, which with progress, I could become the dragon she saw me as. It's too late to get back together, but I can at least make things right!”

The mares stared at him with suspicion. Some stepped off him, but not without digging their hind legs into his back for the trouble.

“If not that,” Spike continued, eyes pleading to all that saw into them, “at least to tell her about the promotion she has—“

“Do not trust him, sisters!”

Everyone gasped, including Spike, as a newcomer entered the room. She had a cyan coat with a rainbow mane, walking with confidence despite her diminutive stature. Some even bowed their heads in the presence of greatness, but only one spoke up against it.

“Wait a sec,” Spike said, eyes narrowing. “You're not Rainbow Dash!” His eyes narrowed.

“That I am not!” The cyan mare brought a hoof to her mane, whisking it off and tossing it aside. Snowy blue hair puffy up, spiky along its fringes. “The name's Cloudkicker, and you won't be seeing my friend Rainbow Dash again.”

“What?” Spike said, voice turning into a whine. “But why?!”

“Rarity warned me you were full of tricks. Seeing you here is proof of that alone.” Cloudchaser strolled to the fallen drake, glaring down at his figure. “You hurt my friend more than you could have, and this act of wanting to do right won't get by me. Rarity was right to send you away.”

“It's not like that at all!” Spike groaned as he tried to move his arms, feeling them still pinned. “Rarity tricked me. She tricked you! That letter needs to get to Rainbow before the end of the day.”

“I assure you, it already has.” Cloudkicker stood above his head, Leaning down to him. “Rarity had her guard search here and Ponyville, I'm sure they've already informed her by now.”

“Oh yeah!” Spike looked to the pegasus he'd been dealing with earlier. “If that's the case, then have any of those guards come here to check up on the mare. To find her location?”

The pegasus gulped as all eyes were on her. “H-He's right. Spike's the only one to ask.”

“It's because none of them made it here!” Spike struggled more and more, some of the mares shifting atop his body. “They locked me on a train, and I had to fight them all even to get here.”

“Speaking of which, how did you even get here?”

“...flying train.” Spike sighed, stopping. “Used a vial that gave it enough power and magic to fly, as well as me to walk on clouds. A little too convenient for my taste, but hey, it works.”

“See sisters!” Cloudchaser stood before the pack, gesturing a hoof at the sight. “This is what Rarity warned us about—absurd lies to garner our pity. Rainbow is probably safe at home, already having accepted the promotion of her dreams and gotten her mind of this little twerp, and now he wants to move forward and ruin all that she has worked to acquire.”

“That's not how it is at all!” Spike took a moment to reflect on the words. “Mostly!”

“So I say we keep him here, locked away from doing harm.” Cloudchaser turned around, grinning at him. “See if we can inflict the same pain he gave our dear Rainbow Dash!”

There was a chorus of cheers and only one voice that cried. After, the rest of the mares began to creep towards the drake.

'See, I know I like to pop in at bad times, but that's kinda my shtick, y'know?' Greed said, popping in at a bad time. 'You're under a lot of stress, have more of a reason to make a life-long decision, and, if I may add, the sound of my own voice is rather handsome.'

“I hate you.”

“See, sisters!” Cloudchaser cried. “He hates anyone who wishes better for Dash!”

“Wait, no—oh what's the point.”

'There's a point in giving into your greed, get you out of this building—'

“I would just tear through the building.”

“You hear that girls. He says he's going to tear through our—“

“Oh forget this!” Spike roared. The sound, the raw pitch and ferocity was enough to cause all the mares to lift their hooves to their ears, groaning in response. Spike shook his arms and legs, throwing everyone off him as he threw himself up. “See what happens when you mess with a dragon? You deal with his primal nature!”

“Ow! Why is your primal nature so high pitch!?”

“Yeah that's right, fear me like the—what now?”

Another mare spoke. “I have two fillies, and neither of them screeched that loud.”

“Is...is my roar really that feminine?”

They all nodded in agreement. Then someone said, “We almost mistook you for a female dragon.”

“Oh come on!” Spike glanced between his legs. “This really is not helping my present situation!””

Another thing not helping his present situation was the mare recovering from his 'roar.' Most reared up on their hind legs, raising their forelegs, ready for a fight.

“One way or another, I'm getting to Rainbow Dash.” Spike raised his own fists as well, not caring at how ridiculously outnumbered he was. “Before I would have been too scared to admit what I felt about her, about how much of an idiot I am, or even to fight my way out of a full factory. I'm still trembling on the inside, but nothing is going to stop me from making sure Rainbow is okay.”

“You're all talk.” Cloudchaser stood in front of the mares, gesturing to herself with a hoof. “Now show me some action!”

Spike charged at her.

Cloudchaser charged at Spike.

Then Spike let out a roar and ran out the back door.

“Ow! Y-You coward!” Cloudchaser covered her ears, the ringing never ceasing. “G-Get back here a-and fight us!”

“Are you kidding!”Spike slammed the door behind him, then tearing off the handle. “I can't punch a mare! Twilight or Rainbow would kill me!”

Spike stepped back, looking right and left. He was in a long, tight hallway, neither way implying where they went. He walked a bit left, then walked a bit right, then walked left again and then—

“Get after him!” a voice cried from behind a door, many thuds soon following. “He must not be allowed to escape. Seal all the entrances!”

Spike ran down the hallway, occasionally blinded by the red light on the ceiling, each one emitting a repeating beep. He looked over his shoulder: the mares had busted through the door and were now galloping towards him. He yelped, pushing himself to run faster.”

“Oh no, you don't!” Spike glanced back to see a tall mare pick up a smaller one with her forehoof, cock her back in the air, then throw her forward like a speeding bullet. He cried, ducking just in time as the mare threw over his head, then jumped left when one shot past his right, then jumped right when spot past his left.

“Hah!” Spike laughed back at them, only to see the tall mare grinning back. He looked forward and cried: the pegasi had turned themselves around and were now shooting back towards him, together in a formation he couldn't avoid. “I'm sorry I'm sorry!”

His apologies fell on deaf ears—cutting winds were louder than his voice. He shielded his face, saw something that made him laugh, and then he took a hard right into the next corridor. Behind them, the mares tried to flap their wings backward; a vain act as they crashed into the rest of the convoy.

Spike chuckled at the commotion, looking forward to another group of mares at the end of the corridor. He skidded to a stop, looking back to see more mares flood from which he came, sandwiching him. Both sides galloped towards him, leaving him precious seconds to act.

He caught his reflection in the window to the right of him.

'Narcissism at a time like this?' said Greed. 'You and Rainbow really were meant for each other.'

Spike punched the window, shattering a hole in the glass. Shards fell from the impact along with his wrist, few digging into his exposed flesh from the previous encounter. This made the drake wince, closing his eyes as he pulled back his wrist, then shoving his claw through the glass once again. More of the panel gave away, but the corners were still razor sharp.

“Converge!” Cloudkicker called from the back of the hall. “You've got him, girls!”

“Well,” Spike said, taking a few steps back, seeing both groups in his peripheral vision. “Here goes nothing!” He bolted forward, catching speed before leaping, throwing his body against the reaming glass and breaking through to the other side. He cried while in the air, blood trickling from his eye, neck, and the back of his heel. Air rushed past him as he fell, which was also knocked out of his lungs as she smashed against a metal platform.

Spike groaned, feeling his claw on the surface. His body was already aching from the train-ride, and now, it had been pushed to his limit. He pushed his claws against the ground, slowly raising his upper body, the rest of his body following suit—and then his muscles failed him and he dropped to the ground.

“He's on the lower level!” Cloudchaser's voice rang from the window he had jumped, igniting a spark of fear in the drake's heart. “First group, make sure the doors are locked. Second group, follow me to the control room!”

'About my deal,' Greed wormed his way back in, 'did I mention it alleviates all pain? Those likely broken limbs and deep cuts? All washed away with pleasure if you just consent to one little contract.'

“Yeah, losing who I am just to acquire my desires.” Spike pushed against the ground again, growling at his arms as his body began to lift. He could feel his muscles tearing, joints begging for respite, unsure they could much less walk their owner out of here. “Just become a mindless beast set out on taking whatever he wants.” He rose to his knees. “Newsflash Greed, if I wasn't willing to stop caring again, then what makes you think I'd take you up?”

'Because you're pushing yourself too hard,' Greed replied as his voice grew distant. 'You've grown, seeing that there's more to you than you thought, but that's still not enough to get you through this alone. You're suffering too much for the sake of somepony else, not because of something you want, and sooner or later, if it isn't your desire that breaks you, it will be your exhaustion.'

Spike pushed off his knees, standing to his full height. He did his best not to sway.

“We'll see about that.” He stepped forward, crying out as blood sprayed out from his heel, falling onto the metal railing and holding it for support. He was treated to the sight of massive vats looming below, each filled with a color of the rainbow, boiling from whatever heat was even further below.

“Why hello my dear Spike!” the voice of Cloudchaser buzzed from the above intercoms, making the drake in question look up. He limped across the narrow platform. “I see you've made it to where the magic happens, though you've broken a fair amount of rules. Good thing we have pest control!”

Something creaked. Spike looked behind him, seeing the wires unfurl from the platform behind him as it then plummeted to whatever loomed below. He cursed under his breath, looking back up. “Are you crazy!?”

“Not at all!” the buzz of the intercom replied, and a second later, the wires began to unfurl from the platform Spike was one. He clenched his eyes, limping faster on his bleeding heel. “Just an honest employee dealing with a contamination problem is all!”

Spike made it to the next platform, the suction of the falling platform pulling him back. As he flew back, he shot a claw forward and grabbed the railing, using that to throw himself forward into the air. He landed with another cry, his whole body drained of energy, even more so upon the sound of wire unfurling. “Oh c'mon!”

“Ain't no rest for the wicked, honey.”

Spike crawled forward, shifting with every subtle sway of the platform, doing his best not to look through the hole before his face. Every creak was a stab to the heart, a sway speaking of the end, but by through this fear, the drake found himself closer to the main platform.

Then his platform fell
“AHH!” Spike felt air rushing past his as his heavy body suddenly went light, the pull of gravity pulling him below to the great oblivion. He cried, flailing his arms, feeling his claw grab the ledge of the main platform. His body swung forward and slammed into a wall of metal, making the pain go from bad to worse, almost letting go out of instinct alone. “Just what kinda workplace is this?!”

He tried pulling himself up, only drop back and slide off an inch. His breath caught in his throat; he was too weak to save himself. “So this is how it ends?” he said, just hanging there. “Making it this far just to fail in the end? Should have expected something like that from me.”

Spike closed his eyes, ignoring every sensation he felt as he took a deep breath. A strange peace washed over him, like this was as far as he was meant to reach, and even being able to do so was a milestone for him. There was a lot he could do for others, but when it came down to when it mattered most, he never had the strength to save himself—it was always Rainbow or Twilight that had to save them all.

“Rainbow...” Spike opened his eyes, the aura of peace still upon him. He blinked, becoming repulsed by the sensation. “...what...is it...you always used to say?” he threw his over claw up, taking hold of the ledge. “...never...let...the impossible...stop you...from doing...the possible!” Spike roared into the air as she pulled himself up, the terrible sensation deepening as he beared more of the pain, just enough for him to throw a leg up onto the platform, and from there, roll over to safety.

Spike fell onto his back, panting in place with his eyes wide. He stayed like this, hearing the distant sound of metal clattering, bursting into laughter for no particular reason. “A-ha! You...think that's enough to stop me!?”

He rolled onto his front, pushing himself back up until he was standing again. “Rainbow is the reason why I'm doing all this!” He stumbled in place, then, began forward. “I don't care how much you hurt me, or what my limitations stop me from doing—nothing is getting in my way of finding her!”

“How noble.” Spike heard the sound of a crane moving, and before he could hope to look up, felt a heavy liquid pouring over him. A black claudon was tilted over his head, pouring blue all over his figure. “But let's see how you react to this!”

In a few seconds, Spike was covered shoulders to feet in the liquid. He laughed. “What? Paint is your big plan?” He tried to move forward and was confused when he couldn't. “Wait a sec, what's the big idea?!”

“That,” the voice began over the intercom, but a few seconds later, something landed on the square platform, continuing the speech, “is the stuff rainbows are made from.” Cloudchaser stepped forward into the center of the platform, smiling at the struggling dragon. “It solidifies in the open air. Tell me for reference: how heavy does it feel?”

Spike glared at her. “Why are you doing this? What do you have against me!?”

“You hurt my friend!” she replied in a tone just as harsh. “Rainbow is the mare that got me this job, who kept loyal to me even though I was a screw up for the first month. She listened to my pains and had my back no matter what, and now I'm only repaying the favor!”

“Yeah, by letting her remain missing!” Spike fought harder against his restraints. “Why can't you let Rainbow decide for herself what she wants to do with me? Real friend you are, making her choices for her!”

“It's because she's vulnerable, you idiot!” Cloudchaser flew at him, digging her muzzle against his. “Rainbow isn't exactly an open book to most, including her own friends! So when some drake, one that she likes and is trying her best to improve, dumps her after a wonderful date because he believes she chose wrong, that she's too good for him, how do you think that's going to make her feel.”

“I...”

“Rainbow loves being special! It's why she works so hard.” Cloudchaser turned around, showing him her back as she dipped her head. “She's had to do a lot to become the mare she is now, but because of that, now she's too special to be loved by ordinary folk.”

“I didn't mean it like that!”

“Well, how did you mean it!” Cloudchaser whipped around. “Because there weren't many ways for her to take it! She's not one to sweat the small stuff, but when it's coming from the partner she showed her deepest self too...” she shook her head. “You disgust me!”

“That's it!” Spike used the anger he felt, this utter hatred of himself to build a fire in his core and expel it through his mouth, blowing flames over the liquid bounding him. It caught aflame immediately. “I've going to make things right!”

“You idiot! That's highly flammable!”

“I know,” Spike said coldly, feeling the liquid burn away as he could now stand straight. His body was in the center of a ball of flame, yet he kept staring at the mare unfazed. “No fire, no matter how hot, is going to stop me. And besides, dragon's are fireproof!'

“Yeah, because they have scales. What about the parts of you that are exposed?”

“Oh right.” Then Spike screamed like a girl and ran back in forth in place. After a few moments, he dropped to the ground, rolled about, and sooner or later the flames were out. “Ow ow ow ow ow!”

Cloudchaser rolled her eyes, rearing on her hind legs. By the time the drake was standing again, she'd ready her forehooves again. “I've had enough of your ingenuous talk!”

“I'm being completely genuine!” Spike said, stepping towards her with raised claws. “I may have been an idiot, but everything I've told you has been my honest feelings, and I will make things right.” He dropped his claws. “But I won't accomplish that by fighting you.”

“Do you think I'll let you leave, just like that?”

“No,” Spike said. “But I'm prepared to take every hit—I deserve it after what I did to Rainbow.”

“Will you quit it!”

She threw her right hoof at him, yelping as he stepped out of the way. Stumbling a few steps forward, she whipped around and glared at him. “What the hell!?”

“Sorry,” he said, standing perfectly still. “Instincts. Try again.”

She tired again. He moved out the way.

“Now you're just playing with me!”

“I can't help it!” Spike cocked a fist to his right cheek. “Would it help if I punched myself?”

Spike punched himself with a force he did not intend, stumbling back a few steps. “T-There! Happy?”

“No!” Cloudkicker lunged at him again with her right hoof cocked, but when he stumbled to the left, she smiled, raising instead her left hind leg and kicking him to the side. He cried, stumbling forward—right into her cocked hoof. “Bah! Ah-ha! How'd you like the taste of that?”

Spike stumbled backward, grabbing onto a railing for support. When he looked back up, all he saw was flying kick directed towards his face. There was a loud crack, a louder cry, the sound of air whipping, and then, a thud.

Cloudchaser landed, laughing. She swaggered forward. “Ready to surrender?”

Spike responded by pushing off the ground again, slowly rising to his feet.

“You can take a beating, that's for sure.” She lunged at him before he could fully rise. “But you didn't have to work to earn those scales!” Her hoof flew at his face, but she was the one to yelp as both his claws caught her arm.

“I did!” He growled, pushing her forward a step. “You don't think a dragon doesn't get strange looks living in pony society? That he doesn't hear what they whisperabout him? You ponies are far kinder than my own kind, but not all of you.”

“You've got strength,” Cloudchaser admired with a smirk, before ducking under her own arm, bringing her free forehoof into his neck and sweeping his legs with her hind leg. He yelped, letting her go, before being slammed into the floor. “But it's nothing compared to the technique I had to work to learn.” She circled around his fallen form. “Face it, dragon, either you have to fight me or admit defeat.”

She stepped back, allowing him the space to stand. She had her forehooves up again, grinning in anticipation and growing wider when he raised his claws.

Spike laughed, dropping his claws. “Sorry, but Rainbow said if I don't like the cards someone else has dealt, to reshuffle the deck.” He cracked his neck. “And it's a rule of mine to never hurt my friends, not if I can help it.”

“You slimy ball of scales!” Cloudchaser dashed at him, jabbing her forehooves forward in blind fury. “You dare insinuate we're even remotely close to friends?!” Her jabs were directed off course by the back of his claw —his longer and skinnier arms made him quicker than her. “That you haven't hurt Rainbow!?”

“I didn't say that!” Spike said, so caught up in the thought that a few jabs connected to his stomach. He lost the air in his lungs and heard another crack, but kept his efforts up. “My insecurity hurt Rainbow, no denying that! But my stupidity kept me from seeing how that hurt her—I wouldn't have broken up with her if I knew it would have gotten this bad, that it was possible for me to become the dragon she wanted me to be!”

“Oh yeah!” Cloudchaser spun around and aimed her leg at his head, Spike ducking just in time to the attack, then again and again. “Just what kind of dragon did she see you as? One that rampages through the place that's supposed to be his home!?”

“I would have once agreed with you!” Spike caught her leg in the air, stopping her in place. “That incident left me in a funk that lasted for weeks—I even thought about killing myself, so I could never hurt my friends again!”

Cloudchaser kicked her trapped leg, breaking out of his grasp and falling on all fours. She panted, keeping still. “And...and why didn't you?”

“Because Rainbow showed me that I was better than that.” Spike looked away as the memory stole him—opening him for an attack, though the mare kept still. “She caught wind of the idea through my diary, trying to find where I hid my copy of an unreleased Daring Do novel. I never planned on telling anypony about my feelings, but she stopped me in the middle of my chores and locked us in our bedroom.”

“What...what could she have possibly told you that made you believe you weren't harmful.”

Spike sighed, lowering his head. “She told me nothing. She showed me.”

Cloudchaser felt something sprang in her heat, a feeling of remorse that stabbed at her ego. Anger faded from her face, and for a moment, she even began forward.

'Our Spike is crafty in telling stories,” Rarity had said to her. “He'll tell you any sob story to get you on his side. You mustn't buy it—all of this is for everyone's benefit, including his in the long run.”

“You won't tempt me with any more of your stories!” Cloudchaser flew herself at him, slamming against her torso with the full force of her body. He would have cried if he any air left in him, dragged suddenly back into the present and hurdling backward into a beam.

Something squeaked above.

“You are not who you say you are!” She punched him in the gut, then again, and then again. She stepped back, content that he couldn't move. “Your words and your tales are nothing! Just tools to buy the trust and pity of those around you.”

“They're...not,” Spike said, looking up. He smiled, lifting his arm and slamming his elbow into the beam. “Not anymore, not after Rainbow.”

Cloudchaser felt something drip on her shoulder but paid it no mind as the lies about her friend drove her over the edge. She flared out her wings, giving them a mighty flap as she prepared to end this once and for all with a final kick.

She took air an inch then crashed back down, something heavy plopping on her wings. She looked—it was the blue goo, and when she looked up, she saw the black cauldron from before, now fully tilted. She glared at the drake. “You! I'll never forgive you!”

“You don't have to,” he said, limping off the beam with a claw at his waist. He looked as if he could fall over at any moment. “Just let me find Rainbow, and afterward, you can kill me if you like.”

“I'll kill you now!”

Cloudchaser leaped at him.

Spike stumbled out of the way.

Her body flew over the railing.

To the great depth that awaited her.

She screamed and screamed, wailing her hooves, till one of them was caught.

Cloudchaser looked up, seeing the drake lying down, claw tight around her forehoof. “L-Let go of me! Let me go!” She struggled and wiggled in the air, making the drake groan more.

“And let you fall to your death!?” Spike said, crying as the muscles in his waist were tearing apart. “You can't fly!”

“And I wonder who's fault that is!” she screamed back, not swaying as much. “I've tried to hurt and kill you. It's only natural you should want to do the same to me!”

“That's not how friendship works!”

“We're not friends!”

“Maybe not,” Spike said, trying to pull her up, only for him to slide forward an inch, “but you're a friend of Rainbow, so that makes you a friend of mine. And I’d much sooner hurt myself than hurt my friends!”

“How do you know that!” Cloudchaser cried, staring up at him. “After you've hurt Rainbow so deeply, how can you have so much confidence that you never meant to hurt her!?”

“Because she's the one that gave me that confidence!” Spike cried, clenching his eyes and pulling harder again. “Rainbow locked me in that room with Twilight! They confronted me about my feelings, and when I told them, their first reaction was to put it to the test!”

“Test!?”

“Twilight captured my razor sharp claw in her magic and pulled it towards Rainbow!” Spike pulled harder at the weight of the mare, his other claw pushing against the beam to keep him in place. “She offered to be the test subject, to be perfectly still even should I take out an eye—what kind of mare puts herself at that kind of risk for a friend?!”

“Rainbow...” Cloudchaser didn't mean to reply, but the words tumbled out of her lips before she could stop them.

“Right,” Spike croaked out, sitting back despite hearing his spine crack. He put his foot against against either railing, reaching down his other claw. “I thought they would call it off, that an inch before her face the spell would cease! But my claw kept getting closer and closer!”

He tried reaching her other forehoof with his free claw, crying as the distance between them was off by an inch. “I was crying for them to stop, that I'd do anything if they would just put it to an end, but they both kept silent!”

Spike pulled back his arm, winching at the absence of any other options, and slammed his shoulder into the beam. It made him howl with pain and his other claw slide an inch up on her forehoof, dangling his dislocated shoulder over the ledge. “Moments before the impact, I knew I had to act! I dug my teeth deep into my claw, my talons as well, and used all the power in my body to pull my claw away from her!”

The arm reached her other hoof, taking a hold of it, even at the influx of agony. “It hurt, I bled, but in the way, I pulled my claw away. Rainbow was quick to hug me in congratulations, and Twilight to bandage my bleeding claw.”

Spike began to pull her up much easier now, inch by inch, her muzzle nearing the ledge.

“Rainbow...knew that words wouldn't get through to me,” Spike said, seeing Cloudchaser's face. “How good I was at using words to mask my feelings, so she used actions to prove that I would never hurt my friends—that I would sooner hurt myself before anything else.”

Spike used his claw to grab the mare by the neck, using any remaining strength to toss her over the railing and onto the platform. Mares flooded down nearby stairs and began approaching where they were. He groaned, stumbling backward until he pressed against a large panel of glass.

“It was Rainbow that taught me that actions are how we discovered who we really are,” Spike said, smashing his elbow into the window and letting air suction into the place. He lifted himself up onto the rim. “Unlike words, they rarely lie, always propelling us forward, even by an inch.”

Spike turned around, seeing that there was no ground below. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing some mares converge around Cloudchaser, the rest rushing at him with fury in their eyes. “Believe me or not, it doesn't matter—it won't stop me from finding Rainbow.”

Spike then jumped forward and fell to his death.

“Cloudchaser!” The mares were quick to help the mare up, letting her rest her forehooves on their necks. “Are you okay? He didn't hurt you too bad, did he?”

“No,” she said, realization catching in her voice. She looked out the window he jumped out of. “He didn't. He really didn't hurt nopony but himself...”

“CHOO-CHOO!”

“Wa-hoo!”

All the mares turned to look at the window just in time to see a train snake into the air, a dragon standing atop it with his arms out wide.

“A-ha! I knew you would come!” Spike dropped to the ground, kissing the top of the train.

“CHOO-CHOO!”

“Oh, how I love you too!”

“CHOO-CHOO?”

“Forward and onward!” Spike exclaimed, sitting up on his knees and point forward. “If we snake around the sky, we may see something that'll clue us in to where Rainbow went next!”

“CHOO-CHOO!”

The train, and the dragon, disappeared into the clouds.

Meanwhile, the mares stared on to the bizarre event, all mouths ajar.

Well, except for one.

“Well, I'll be.” Cloudchaser smiled, letting go of the mares and stepping forward on her own. “A flying train then, eh?” She walked up to the window, and in blowing the kiss, giggled out her next words.