Growing Pained
The sun had finally set, and Luna's night had finally, thankfully, blanketed Ponyville. The small dragon staring out from the balcony could no longer make out the specific details of the day's destruction, but here, where the silhouette of the water tower wasn't, or there, where the lines of Sugar Cube Corner ended so unnaturally, still gave silent testimony to the rampage. And even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter to Spike. He knew they were there. He remembered. The screams of the town's ponies as he raged and plundered. The despair in the Crusaders' voices as he tried to steal Scootaloo's precious namesake. The sounds of tearing oak as he tore his way out of his own home – couldn't forget that, with the night's wind now whistling through the hole. Pinkie Pie – Pinkie Pie – at the Corner's new... sun roof. Where was she staying tonight? And what about the Cakes, who just that morning had specially baked for him a delicious, unique, sapphire muffin.
His eyes drifted, inexorably, to the Carousel Boutique. Even by the pale starlight he could make out the massive hole in the wall, where he'd reached in and grabbed... her. He cast about,trying to find something, anything, else to think about. There, leaning against the corner of the balcony, was the broom from earlier. Even now, he still felt a certain pull towards it. A lingering effect of the draconic avarice perhaps, or maybe Twilight had cast a “Want It, Need It” spell on it earlier. It wasn't important. He snorted, recalling how getting the broom, hoarding it, had for a brief minute been the most important thing in the world to him. As if causing all that mayhem, as if confessing to her wasn't enough, he'd made a spectacle of himself, all over a dumb broom. At least Big Mac wasn't alone now. What would Mr Smarty Pants have made of all this? No wonder Spike was messing up, without his sage advice. Musing, he subconsciously clutched the broom to himself, and almost didn't notice the soft hoof steps behind him.
“Spike, I was worried.” Twilight's voice was soft, filled with quiet concern. “It's not like you to be up so late, and I – is that the broom from earlier?”
“Oh, hey Twilight. Yeah, me and Sir Cleansweep here are just hanging out, ya know? Doing some male bonding.” Spike laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head, trying to bluster his way out of it.
“Sir Cleansweep?” she responded, in that sceptical tone of voice he knew and loved. A violet glow encased the good knight and sent him flying back into the library. Spike had half a second to protest before he too was bound by magic, only this time he was pulled into the embrace of the unicorn's forelegs.
“Wanna talk about it, big guy?” she said, resting her head on his back and closing her eyes. Spike settled into the hug, wrapping his short arms about her and hiding his face in her mane. Anyone who didn't know the dragon, didn't know how tough, how strong, how manly he was, might of mistakenly thought he was trying to hide some powerful despair. Some time passed, silently.
“I... I messed up, Twi. I really messed up. The library, the town, even AJ's orchard, are all messed up and it's all my fault.” Spike's voice broke slightly on that last word, and he buried his head into his best friend's mane once again.
“Oh, Spike.” breathed Twilight. “Don't you realise none of this was your fault? Everyone else does.” An unbelieving and muffled snort answered her.
“I mean it, Spike. And not just because you're my Number One assistant, not just because I love you, but because of logic!” Twilight's voice changed from gentle and loving to triumphant over the course of the statement.
“Logic?” asked the dragon.
“Logic!” replied the unicorn. “You know, there was once a young filly who accidentally caused a large amount of mayhem, madness and property with her growing pains. Wrecked the tower of the Academy of Magic in Canterlot. Even transmogrified her parents. And she turned out OK. And in case you've somehow forgotten, there's also the case of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They don't even have promethium in them like you, and look at all the trouble they cause!”
Something between a laugh and a sob came from the small dragon.
“Besides, look at it this way, Spike” said Twilight, warming to the subject, “This is Ponyville. Look at the rest of us! Fluttershy stampeded a horde of animals into the Galloping Gala! Pinkie Pie's peace song helped start a war! AJ catapulted Rainbow into the library! And don't even get me started on the amount of property damage Rainbow's caused over the years. I asked Major Mare, and let me tell you, it's a lot, even when you don't factor in Sonic Rainbooms. Apparently, Sparkling Glaze isn't sure whether he should love her or hate her, considering how much window repairs he does. And... well, you remember the snow plough last Winter Wrap Up. And that time I accidentally made the Parasprites eat the town. And that unfortunate incident with Mr Smarty Pants...”
This time it was definitely a laugh. Twilight smiled to herself.
“You know, when you put it like that, I wonder if we're a bad influence.” she mused.
“Never.” said the dragon emphatically “Aside from maybe all that fru fru girly stuff.” He paused a second, then hesitantly, asked “Are you sure? That they don't hate me? Don't want me … to go?”
“Positive!” reassured Twilight. “But, if you like, tommorow we'll go around and visit everyone, so you can see for yourself, and apologise. Not that you have to, it not being your fault and all, but it might make you feel better.”
“I'd like that.” replied Spike. “Maybe help out with the repairs. I am Ponyville's Number One assistant after all!”
“That you are, Spike! Never forget it for a second.” Twilight held out Spike before her, and looked him in the eye. “Feel better?”
“A ton yeah, thanks! Well, about decimating the town anyway.” Twilight couldn't work out whether he was exaggerating and using decimate wrong or had seen how much damage the town had endured and got it right for once, but sensed this was probably not the time to ask which it was.
“Back when I shrunk back down into me, when me and R-rarity were falling, I didn't know if we were gonna make it or not, and I... told her about my crush on her!” Fear and horror filled every word. Twilight's eyes teared up, and she crushed Spike into a hug once again.
“Oh my brave little stallion! Dragon! You're growing up so fast – even factoring out anomalous greed-induced growth spurts!” she bawled, which was answered by a yowl from Opalescent, a whine from Winona, and the distinctive reptilian cries of Tank and Gummy.
“Geez Twi, calm down!” said Spike, awkwardness momentarily replacing all other emotion. “I don't want the whole town to know!”
“Sorry!” she cried, and through great effort and mental control, calmed herself down some. “So what did she say?”
“Nothing. I got as far “For the longest time now, I've had a crush on -” and she smiled, got all teary and put her hoof on my mouth. And that was it. Didn't say anything about it at all, even when she talked to me on the bridge afterwards. What do you think that means, Twilight?”
“...You're asking the wrong pony, Spike. The worst pony, probably. Haven't the foggiest.” Staring over her young friend's shoulder out towards Carousel Boutique, a look of steely determination crossed her face. But I sure mean to find out.
Trudging down the road to Sweet Apple Acres, (“She's bound to be up first, naturally!”) Twilight leered blearily down towards their eventual destination. Spike, not much better due to his late night (“You are only a baby dragon, after all!”) was riding on her back, sipping idly from a morning cup of dandelion and burdock (“It'll give you energy, Spike!”). The birds were singing in the benuded trees, Celestia's sun was gently warming the ground, and the pair were almost coming round to appreciate being awake to enjoy it when a wanna-be Wonderbolt-from-the-blue crashed into the dirt next to them.
“Gwaaaaah!”
“Holy Guacamole!”
The chromatic pegasus slowly stood up and shook her head to clear it, before turning to the dynamic duo. Spike was staring blankly at her from underneath Twilight where he'd instinctively gone to cover, whilst Twilight's visage, surrounded by wet bangs from a jettisoned drink, was somewhat less sanguine. Rainbow Dash laughed nervously.
“Well if it isn't my favourite book worm and her number one assistant! I thought that purple blur on the ground was you two! Er... sorry about the landing, when you're this fast, sometimes it's hard to slow down, you know?”
“Right...” drawled Twilight, who sighed and decided to let it go. For now, anyway. It was amazing how a pegasus asleep and apparently safe in a tree could get hit somehow by a drink from absolutely nowhere. Then something seriously wrong occurred to her. “Wait, Rainbow Dash? What in Sleipnir's fetlocks are YOU doing up? It's like ten o'clock! A M!” she said, in case the pegasus had somehow gotten confused by the ambiguous nature of the 12 hour time system.
“Yeah, Rainbow, isn't there a cloud somewhere with your name on it?” piped in Spike.
“There sure is. And I was just on my way there, but I saw you two and thought I'd say hi before hitting the hay.” Rainbow let out a huge yawn as she finished talking, and Spike and Twilight's jaws mimed in sympathy. They noticed the glazed look in her eyes, and the dark circles beneath them.
“Late night?” Twilight asked happily, Rainbow's tiredness somehow seeming to steal away her own.
“You know it! When you need to organise a repair effort for a whole town, when you need to contact repair crews all around Equestria, when you need the fastest pony in town, when you, in short, need Rainbow Dash, the Dash will never let you down! Even, no, especially if it means flying all night!”
Twin blank stares looked at her, their minds no doubt unable to cope with her awesomeness, as far as she could tell.
“Wow Rainbow, that's really …dedicated” said Twilight, finally.
“Hehehehe, isn't it? You know me, when someone needs me, I'll never leave them hanging!” replied Rainbow happily. “But what brings you two out at this hour? All night study session or something?”
“Well, after what happened yesterday, I thought it would do Spike some good to talk to everyone, see that no-one blames him or hates him or anything.” Spike nodded behind her, looking serious. Rainbow Dash on the other hand looked confused.
“Why would you think anyone blames you, Spike? It's not like your the first pony... dragon to go on a rampage after some weird magical doohickey or something. And that minor bit of devastation was nothing compared to the parasprites. Besides, trust me, don't sweat the small stuff, small stuff. Now when you're shattering windows from Trottingham to Manehatten with one Sonic Rainboom...” Rainbow Dash paused, savouring the memory. She still had the petition, signed by every member of the Equestrian Fenestrator's Guild asking the Princesses to banish Rainbow Dash to the moon, in pride of place on display in her house. “Well, maybe then you'll start to equal me in the property damage charts.” She frowned, wondering if the mail mare was encroaching on her placement again.
“Well... not everyone's as good-natured (“Reckless” muttered Twilight) as you, Dash” said Spike, in a small voice. Rainbow Dash frowned, and pulled Spike into a tight hug, and proceeded to noogie him, which was mutually understood by both to offset the sentimentality of the moment.
“Element of Loyalty, remember? But if anyone gives you any trouble, you just leave them to me!” Mid-noogie, she spun into a quick double-kick with her hind legs to illustrate her point. Spike smiled widely.
“Gee, thanks Rainbow Dash. And.... thanks again. For yesterday. You really saved our lives.” Twilight laid a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder, and added her own thanks.
“Yes, thank you Rainbow. If something had happened to my Spike, or Rarity, I..” the unicorn broke off, not having the words. Rainbow Dash blushed, and turned away from the beaming dragon whelp in her arms and librarian staring at her with grateful, teary eyes.
“Ahahaha, well, you know, saving people, it's what I do. Besides, the Wonderbolts will have to take me now! Helping save the day whilst they were trapped in some dumb water tower!” Abruptly dropping Spike on the road, the pegasus jumped into the air, hovering nervously. “Well, as I said, long night, and I've got an express ticket to Dreamsville. Later!” And with a lightning fast nuzzle for Spike and a hearty pat on the flank to Twilight, Rainbow Dash was speeding off into the air.
“Awww, think we flustered her, Twilight?” Spike asked the unicorn, smiling slyly.
“Maybe just a little, Spike. Rainbow Dash sure does respond strangely to praise sometimes” responded Twilight, not noticing Spike's level stare. “Still, for saving the lives of two of my very best friends, she deserves as much praise as she can stand and more!” Her horn was surrounded in that familiar purple glow as she magically amplified her voice, so that no-one, even and especially a chromatic pegasus blazing away, couldn't hear what she “said” next.
“YOU'RE THE AWESOMEST, YOU HEAR ME RAINBOW DASH? WE LOVE YOU!”
The echoing words of her shout soon had their reply as with a might roar, Rainbow Dash performed her first ascending Sonic Rainboom, tinted a brillian shade of pink.