//------------------------------// // Chapter 7- Spike, A Boy And His Alien // Story: Race Relations // by DatZigga //------------------------------// Spike was making his daily excursion into the Everfree Forest. He marked himself a path in order to make the journey easier and less dangerous. This weird alien-human-creature had done a surprisingly adequate job of laying traps and making his corner of the Forest inhabitable. This wasn’t the first time somepony lived in the Everfree, just ask Zecora, but the fact that an alien could with no assistance was new. Regardless, Spike tried to inform him as best as he could about the creatures of the Everfree, despite their limited tongue. That very limitation was why he was even risking going into the Everfree everyday, with a few children’s books under his arm. Spike finally arrived at the alien’s camp and nearly dropped his books in shock. The camp was completely decimated, his makeshift tent torn asunder, trees having been torn from their roots nearby, and in the center of the carnage, sat the alien, using his shirt to wrap his ankle. Spike could see a steady drip of blood. He sprung into action running up to the alien’s side. “Woah, what happened here?” Spike said, forgetting that the alien’s understanding was limited. The alien put a hand out to stop the dragon. He gestured with his arms a big creature with wings, a tail that stabbed, and claws that swiped. “Oh, a manticore, huh? Yeah, I was afraid you’d find one eventually.” Spike looked back to find the alien ignoring him, probably because he couldn’t understand. Spike sat by a nearby log, waiting for him to fix his leg and the camp. It took a while, Spike had dozed off, but eventually the alien dusted himself of his work and sat by his campfire. Spike sprung awake, realizing the alien was free and walked back over to him, showing his book. “No book.” The alien said slowly, keeping his eyes toward the fire. Spike could see he hated speaking those unfamiliar words. “Bad mood.”  “I understand.” Spike responds, equally slow. “But books help. Let you speak. Let you get help.” The alien snorted.  “I human. We human smart and strong. I need no help.” Alien picked up a stick and broke it apart to emphasize his point. He then added it into the fire for kindling. “You are smart and strong.” Spike agreed condescendingly. “But the pony know land better. You could even live with pony!” The alien laughed, scaring the poor dragon with its suddenness. “Live with pony? Funny!” The alien settled down, his smile quickly fading. “Why you like pony so much? You are dragon, yes? Should you not be with dragons?” Spike grimaced at the question. “I...maybe. When born, I was always among pony. I was raised by pony, taught by pony, and loved by pony. But, pony didn’t know dragons. They didn’t know me.” The alien broke his attention from the fire, now listening to the dragon’s tale. “One day, I went to dragons. I thought I would be home with real dragon family. It did not feel like home though. I did not fit in and they did not want me to fit in. Do you understand? I am not pony, but I am also not dragon.” The alien nods. “I understand.” The alien responds. “At home, I fit nowhere. Sometimes, it was because of this skin.” The alien pointed at his skin. Spike wondered what about the alien’s skin would make him not fit in. “Sometimes, it was because lifestyle. Sometimes, it was because of brain. Too many differences across too many groups. Too different so couldn’t fit in.” The two shared the ensuing silence, watching the fire crackle and burn.  “We not so different.” Spike broke the silence, elbowing. “We both weird and different. You...more so.” The alien snickered at the joke. Spike tried to think of something insightful to say and how to word it for the alien, but the alien suddenly stood up. Spike watched as the alien went over and picked up the books. “We read baby book.” The alien said triumphantly. Spike giggled at the phrase. “I learn language and...we see what happen, yes?” “Yes. We see what happens.” Spike sat on the porch of Anon’s house. He figured that Anon would at least want to pick up his stuff before he inevitably went back into the Everfree. He sat with his head in his hands and a rather glum expression, reminiscing on the days he first met Anon. Spike has made friends before, with Ember and Thorax being chief among them. Yet, Anon, as frustrating as it was to deal with him, had something about him that stuck out. A depth that if Spike understood, then maybe Anon didn’t have to leave. “You read like an open book, my guy.” Said a voice above Spike, derailing his train of thought. It was, of course, Anon. “How long were you on my doorstep?” “Ever since you left.” Spike admitted, not meeting Anon’s eyes. “I at least figured you’d want to get your stuff before you left for the Everfree again. I just wanted to say goodbye.” He looked up at Anon, only to find a smug grin on his face. “Aw, was wittle Spikey-wikey gonna miss me when I’m gone.” Anon taunted the dragon with baby speak. This riled up the dragon, shooting him up to his feet. “Y-yeah, what’s wrong with missing a friend?” Spike asked defensively. “On my world, we’d call that pretty fucking gay.” Spike was about to speak further until Anon cut him off. “Relax, I’m not running off into the Everfree again. I just had some...issues to work through.” “So, you’re staying?” Spike asked hopefully, the anger dissipating from him. “For now. Who knows, maybe I will get that call to adventure and have to overthrow an evil overlord.” Spike tilted his head. “But, for now, I’ll give this Ponyville a shot. The food is good and plentiful, the scenery is beautiful, and I dare say that your friends are, if nothing, interesting.” Spike was beaming at the news. He jumped up on Anon’s waist and hugged tightly. “Thank you, thank you!” Anon cheered, rubbing his head in Anon’s gut. “Ha, gay.” Anon mumbled before giving a limp, one-armed hug to satiate the dragon. The dragon looked up, though his face changed from one of happiness to one of caution.  “So, remember how you wanted your phone fixed.” Anon’s eyebrow raised. “Well, I may have snuck it from you and given it to Twilight. Who, in turn, gave it to Sunset.” Anon started to glare. “But! But, Sunset managed to not only bring it back to full power AND give you a device to charge it, she also managed to create something called an “internet connection”. So, now you can use your phone like you could at home. Anon stared at Spike blankly. For a painfully long amount of time. Spike was beginning to grow worried that he did something wrong. Maybe he should have- “My motherfuckin’ nigga!” Anon shouted with joy, ruffling the little, and now perplexed, dragon’s spines said they were hairs. “Pullin’ through for your homeboy, that’s mad respect!” Anon set the dragon down and took the phone back from him, powering it on. Anon’s heart swooned, reunited with the love of his life. “Anyway,” Spike recovered. “Pinkie Pie had planned a welcome party in case you did decide to stay and-“  “Spike, I can’t do that.” Anon said, seemingly disgusted that Spike would say such a thing. “I have a date tonight.” What. “What.” Spike asked flatly. “Yes, Spike. I’m gonna be busy all night, so tell your pink horse friend to postpone til never.” “But, you...I…” Spike stumbled to find the words. “Who are you dating?!” Spike looked at Anon and tried to find an answer in his visage, anything to explain the sudden revelation. But all Spike could find was one, large shit eating grin from ear to ear. “A lovely lady named Rosie Palms.” With that Anon slammed the door in Spike’s face. He stood there for a moment, processing the entire interaction. He then turned and looked through the city for any information on a pony named Rosie Palms.