//------------------------------// // Spike // Story: Hello, This is Not a Scammer, I Promise // by BronyWriter //------------------------------// It started when the phone rang. Spike wiped his claws on his apron and walked over to the phone. He slid the headset on and pressed the answer button. "Hello, this is Spike. Who is this?" Nothing. Spike frowned and tapped the side of the headset. "Hello? Is this thing on?" "Hmm? Oh, I guess I hit dial by mistake. Sorry about that." "Dude, are you okay?" Spike went over to a comfy chair and sat down. "You don't sound so good." "Gbrfm. I don't know. I've been through a lot lately. I tried something that I really, really thought would work but didn't in the end. It's taken a little bit of a toll on me." "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Is it something to do with your cutie mark? I know three fillies who--" "I'm not going to talk to them. I refuse. Nothing would come of it." "Well, do you want to tell me what's wrong?" "Why bother? You can't help me. I'll just fail again. And again. And again like I always do. In the end none of it will matter." "Aw come on, don't be like that," Spike replied. "I'm sure that whatever's gone wrong isn't all that bad!" "It is. It really, really is." "Well are you hurt?" "Not permanently, no. Not that I haven't been hurt a few times doing this. I just... I just set a goal for myself and I really thought I could make it. When that goal didn't work out, I tried for a smaller and smaller goal until I wanted to give up. I really want to give up, but I've sacrificed a lot." "Well then, it sounds like you shouldn't give up to me!" Spike said. "I dunno. It's--" "But I do know! I've done a lot of stuff that nopony said that I could do! I've literally fought dragons to become the dragon lord of the world, and do you think that it didn't come with a lot of challenges?" "Well I suppose that it would." "Exactly! You just need to chin up, pull yourself up by your horseshoes and just go for it! The world may get you down, you may feel underappreciated and that nopony cares for you, but you gotta keep trying anyway! The world hasn't ended yet, has it?" "I... I don't think so?" "Well there you go," Spike said. "As long as the world hasn't ended then you've got this! Who cares if the mare you love isn't interested? She may be someday and that's what's going to drive you forward!" "I haven't had a marefriend in a long time. It's not like it's what I've been focusing on anyway." "Well then you've gotta work at what you're passionate about. Think about yourself when you started. Would he have given up easily?" "Well, I... no, I don't think so. Huh, I hadn't thought about that." "There you go. Tomorrow is another day, so go out and seize it!" "Yeah... yeah, I will! Nopony is going to stop me! Aha... ahahahaha! Nopony will stop me!" *Click* Spike smiled to himself and put the headset back. He stretched out on the chair and let out a contented sigh. "Sometimes I do alright." At that moment, Twilight, Tempest and Starlight all walked into the room. "Who was that, Spike?" Twilight asked. "You got to the phone before we did," Starlight said. "Oh, it wasn't anything important," Spike said with a smug smile. "Just helping a pony get through some problems." "A friendship problem?" Twilight said, tilting her head with a frown. "No, more like giving him a good pep talk so that he could get through some problems. He's been trying something that hasn't been working out lately." Tempest's eyes narrowed. "Spike..." Twilight took a few steps forward and looked at the telephone. "Did he happen to say what he was trying to do?" Spike shook his head. "Nope, but I think that he's going to keep trying until he gets it. He kinda laughed like a madpony, oddly enough." Tempest bared her teeth as Twilight groaned and facehooved. "Spike... Celestia dammit." "I wish that it had been me there again," Tempest growled. "Then I would have shown him what it means to fear!" Starlight grimaced and put her hoof on Tempest's shoulder. "Hey there, bu--" "SHUT UP!" Tempest roared.