//------------------------------// // Rainbow Dash: "Loyalty Pains" // Story: Spike's Family Journey // by frenettek314 //------------------------------// If there was one important thing Spike had learned on his journey so far, it was that the road to recovery was a high-risk, high-reward path; and yet, it was a path the dragon wouldn't have any other way. Before he left Twilight's Castle, he would've never expected to have already broken down multiple times - when they happened, it wasn't necessarily by design - but no matter what harsh words were spoken or what feelings were released from the pits of his heart, each experience so far had greatly benefited him in the end. Every time so far he painfully and vulnerably exposed himself to the ponies he came across, he discovered certain facts and feelings about his friends... no his family... he would've never known about otherwise. With Rarity, he had learned that the relationship between them was muddled with failure to communicate properly - and when it was addressed, the bond between the two became stronger than ever. On the contrary with Pinkie Pie, he had turned what he assumed was the earth pony's hurtful humor towards him into the realization that she had possessed many of the fears and concerns he was plagued with, granting him yet another powerful bond that he never would've had if he hadn't been willing to try. As Spike began recollecting on his previous endeavors so far, he came to the understanding that had he chosen to sit at home and continue to believe his friends didn't care, then he wouldn't have discovered the opposite held true - all while gaining a beautiful big sister and an absolutely amazing aunt in the process. As soon as he opened up, others did in response: sure he would've preferred if they had made the effort years ago, but could he really be one to talk if he hadn't jumped to conclusions himself? After all, Rarity and Pinkie seemed just as apprehensive as him at first, so that theory was entirely plausible. Spike began walking through a rather open field on the border edges of town, looking back on his progress so far with a smile on his face. True, he was still hurting, but he knew with others by his side, it would be better. He gave a little snort with the smile still on his face as he continued to walk: "Gotta hand it to Twi. I guess she really knew what she was doing after all." Then, as if by sheer coincidence at the mention of the alicorn's name, Spike suddenly felt a familiar tickle through his throat as he burped out a perfect, white scroll. He decided to pause near a small river to take a break and see what the letter was for as he seat down against the sturdy body of his backpack. Dear Spike, It's been almost a week since you started your journey! How are you doing? I hope you're having fun and learning a lot along the way. Hope to hear from you soon. Love, Twilight Spike upon reading the nice letter from his beloved alicorn guardian gave a small, warm chuckle before grabbing a roll of parchment and quill from his bag and writing a response. Dear Twilight, Things have actually been going really well so far. I've ran into 2 ponies so far, with 3 to go. Oh, that reminds me. My sister Rarity and Auntie Pinkie Pie both say hello. I miss you, but I know this mission will be worth it, even if I may have doubts from time to time. Hope to see you soon. Love, Spike Spike rolled up the scroll and sent it back to Twilight with a huff of his green-flamed dragon breath, taking the moment to relax before he decided it was time to get the show on the road again. However, before he had the chance to hoist himself up, he belched out another scroll with Twilight's seal on it, making him stop in his tracks. "Wow, that was a fast reply." he thought, before taking a look at the new note presented to him. That's great! I'm so proud of you! Knowing which ponies you have left though, I just remembered that Rainbow has one more day off today before she heads off to Wonderbolts Headquarters for a week or two. Perhaps it'd be best to see her now, before you miss your chance. See you soon! Spike tensely gulped as he peered down at the pony mentioned in writing, completely having forgotten about the rather brash and jock-like pegasus with recent events still plaguing his mind. He knew he'd have to see her eventually, but now the trial was deliberately rubbing her rainbow mane right in his face. The dragon stared out blankly for a minute, before ultimately deciding it was 'now or never'. At first, he was trying to think how he was going to make it to her cloud home before his newly hatched wings opened up, almost in indignation at the thought - of course he had wings! With his past self being stuck on the ground before a month or two ago, the dragon still routinely forgot about his new appendages, much to his sheepish chagrin and possibly a few instances of a deadpan expression from Starlight. With his plans all set, yet his confidence clearly not, the dragon reaffirmed the backpack on his back before slowly opening up his wings and taking off towards the lofty cloud mansion that awaited him. Indeed, every journey or mission was bound to have a road block or two along the way, but the dragon knew this next path would be filled with high-risks, whether he liked it or not. Rainbow Dash - The Element of Loyalty. 'The Professional Daredevil', 'The Best Weather Mare This Side of Equestria', 'The Fastest Thing Alive', 'The Rising Wonderbolt Phenomenon', and 'The Coolest, Strongest, and Most Awesome Pony Who Ever Lived'. If these titles sounded like they were placing Rainbow on too high of a pedestal, she'd probably disagree with you and give you 5 more. The tomboyish pegasus lived the fast life - a life filled with aspirations and goals that she'd always try to push through no matter who or what stood in her way; she had a burning desire for being the very best and she was never one to back down. Do a Sonic Rainboom? Done. Fight Legendary Monsters? That was This Morning. Become a Wonderbolt? Easy Peasy. True, Rainbow would casually shrug off her previous examples of the impossible - much like a certain Pinkie Pie would - but she truly worked hard to get where she is today. She practiced her flying and aerial maneuvers almost on a daily basis just to get into the Wonderbolts Academy and she continues to push herself even now, never seeing an opportunity to stop improving. Rainbow is truly a feisty, determined spirit who would always be flying, always up for a challenge no matter the odds. Of course, while many would place these attributes as negatives (as indeed her ego had no bounds), her character resulted in the perfect reason why she was chosen to be an Element of Harmony - because she would always be there for her friends. Spike himself had to agree as he saw what many considered to be a thick exterior of rash attitude and cockiness was actually a golden interior that harbored a limitless love for those she held dear, even if she tries to hide it outright most of the time. The dragon had seen countless examples of the pegasus going out of her comfort zone or even areas of expertise to help others when they truly needed it the most - and in his eyes, that made Rainbow the hero she claimed to be. While the hot-headed pegasus had been known to be rather insensitive or tactless in her approaches to addressing her friends, Spike mostly knew that the demeanor was not meant to be taken too literally; it was simply her way of expressing herself comfortably until she really got to know someone or understand the type of situation she was in. All the other elements, while annoyed a decent amount by it, ultimately accepted her for who she was. She's truly a tomboy at heart, and darn it if she probably wasn't an inspiration for many colts and fillies out there. As Spike started reflecting on those times where he had seen the softer side to the athletic mare - all those times where she'd risk everything just for the happiness and safety of her friends - he soon discovered that she never really opened up those sort of pleasantries to him. In fact, if he was being honest, there were many times where he felt she was rather cruel to the poor drake. "But she doesn't actually mean it...right?" Spike has been a consistent target for pranks from Rainbow (and to a lesser, already proven extent - Pinkie), she seemed to treat him like he was some fancy toy that Twilight owned, constantly regarding him as a child who couldn't possibly comprehend what she was saying, but the worst was when she treated him like an 'actual' dragon. The two specific instances that came to mind made Spike's body curl up inside of himself as he envisioned those incidents very vividly. The first one was a part of the reason why he even went out to try and join the other dragons and their migration in the first place. Spike had been offering snacks and culinary platters to the rest of the gang during their watch of the dragons over Ponyville when Rainbow had out of nowhere began mocking his apron and his demeanor, quoting that he was lame for trying to prevent stains on his tough scales. "One tough stain against one lame dragon." The others to a lesser degree began agreeing with her, commenting on how he "didn't act like other dragons", capturing the embarrassed drake in a serious identity crisis. Of course, looking back at things in retrospect now, he realized that he never needed to be afraid of who he was because he would always be his own dragon; but still those words and the way she laughed at him truly stung. If she could be accepted for her demeanor and interests, why couldn't he? The other incident, although not as major, still left a serious dent in the dragon's psyche. It had started when Rainbow began to fear that her tortoise, Tank was starting to hibernate and yet refused to believe the fact herself. After supposedly storming away from Fluttershy's honest evaluation of her pet, she had thought a dragon would be in the same family of expertise as a tortoise. Of course, Spike was miffed and insulted that Rainbow truly believed that he and Tank were in the same family, but the real offense came after he tried to reasonably explain that she should listen to Fluttershy. "Well, what would you know?! You're a dragon!" So suddenly his opinion didn't matter to her because of his species?! Spike could chalk it up to her just being stubborn and aggravated, refusing to believe what anyone was telling her, but combining this with the previous case, he wasn't so sure about that theory. Heck, the pegasus had never even apologized in either scenario and that only worsened the drake's fears. "Am I just some weak, lame dragon to her? Do I really not matter because of who I am?" he sighed bitterly before ultimately being taken out of his depressive trance as his wings had subconsciously taken him to the front door of his intended destination. With very heavy reluctance, Spike was about ready to knock on the door of the cloud palace before a sudden thought froze him in his tracks. "Wait a minute! I can't get emotional or sappy in front of Dash! She'd only think of me as more of a loser than I already am..." Spike sighed outwardly, knowing his mind was probably right on this one. If the cyan mare even saw him be the least bit "lame" or "uncool", she'd hightail it out of there faster than she could do a sonic rainboom. He knew he had to be open about this, but how could he be... "That's it. I've just got to be cool! If I act like Rainbow Dash, she won't reject me." And so Spike breathed a sigh of relief as his new concocted plan gave the dragon a new sense of resolve. He just had to play his cards right, act like things were no big deal, crack a few sarcastic quips, and everything between the two would be fine. Spike took his small fist and got ready to knock on the door again with a hopeful smile. "Besides, I'm fine." Spike fist halted inches before the door as it began shaking, his smile wavering rapidly. "I'm fine." The fist collided with the door a round of times, before awaiting a response that would hopefully bring him some form of solace. No apparent acknowledgment to the dragon's knocking could be heard after a second of pause, so naturally the dragon prepared to once again lay a round of knocking before he heard several hoofsteps and a scratchy voice creeping closer to the other side of the door. "It better not be another one of those sales-pegasi again, I swear to Celestia." he could hear the voice mutter. Yep. Definitely Rainbow Dash. Spike, decided he should respond back with a quip, settling into the "cool" persona to hopefully ease both himself and the Wonderbolt before she approached him. "Twilight would have to fire me before I start door-to-door sales." he snarked through the door. "Good, good. Keep it cool." his mind reaffirmed. The pegasus on the other end definitely heard the banter as he heard her voice right before she opened the door. "Wait... Spike?" And with that, Rainbow had appeared in front of him from within the sanctity of her home as she looked down at the dragon with a mixture of surprise as well as confusion. This was an unexpected visitor for her. "Hey, Rainbow." Spike casually replied, giving a small wave, which only further confused the pony opposing him. "Hey...?" Rainbow paused, trying to find the right words. "What are you doing up here? I've never seen you up here by yourself before... does Twilight need help with something?" Spike's smile subtly fell at the questioning yet he did his best not to show it from the outside. "Does Twilight really need to be involved for me to be present?" Spike twiddled his digits somewhat awkwardly before realizing he needed to cough up an explanation - and fast! He started to sputter before his brain hatched a brilliant excuse, remembering Twilight's letter. "Well, Twilight told me that today was your last day here before you head back to Wonderbolts HQ for a while, so I decided to come visit before you leave..." he paused as his wings seemed to come to life - once again, his wings were there to the rescue before he even realized, "...and since I finally have wings, I figured I could finally come up here on my own!" he declared, hoping the pony in front of him would buy it. Rainbow continued to gawk at him with an eyebrow raised for a few seconds, before her face finally melted into a grin, seemingly accepting the reasoning he had given her. "Heh, alright. That's pretty cool of you." she smiled ruffing the top of his scales a bit. "I have no one around today since Scoots and I just spent the afternoon yesterday. I was actually just watching some old movies I have - want to come in and hang for a bit?" Spike's mind exploded with confetti, as if one of Pinkie's party cannons had set off in his head. "I'm in!" "Sure!" the dragon quickly nodded as he proceeded to walk into the lofty home behind the rainbow pony. Spike had only ever been in Rainbow's house once or twice before when all the others girls were there as well, but from those few instances he had seen her residence, he was amazed by the almost impossible interior layout of it. Every single piece of furniture, tiling, or structure seemed to be made out of cloud - everypony who wasn't a pegasus would be confused as to how everything could stay grounded without floating away or evaporating, but Rainbow had explained before that clouds could be magically enhanced to form puffy, yet concrete structures that could support a tremendous amount of weight. Spike never thought he'd walk on a cloud before, but to see an entire house made up of the soft material was truly a sight to behold. Aside from the main structure, Spike could tell Rainbow wasn't exactly the cleanest pony. From what he could see through the downstairs area, the small kitchen contained several dirty dishes that needed to be washed, along with a few scattered sources of food and ingredients everywhere. The dining room adjacent to the kitchen seemed to have not seen too much use as it was instead mended to be some form of athletic storage space - several headbands, water bottles, and Wonderbolt gear scattered across the table and onto the floor. The last room he could see, the biggest of the three being the living room, actually had a very nice set-up to it. The room contained a very large cloud couch along with a couple smaller love seats, a TV was decorated in front of the furniture as a large coffee table was positioned in the middle of the room. Sure, the room also had a bunch of video tapes scattered across the floor, alongside a drinking cup Rainbow seemed to be currently using, as well as a box of pizza resting dangerously close to the edge of the table, but the room itself had a certain charm to it. All in all, Spike had to admit Rainbow had a very big and somewhat messy, yet charming place to call home. Twilight would just have a heart attack if she ever saw it like this, he could imagine having to carry a fainted alicorn to the Ponyville Hospital. "Make yourself at home." Rainbow announced, gesturing with a hoof to a spot on the couch which Spike gladly accepted as he walked into the living room, placing his bag down on the floor and sitting on the couch with a heavenly sigh. "No wonder why she naps on clouds. This is the best." he dreamily muttered before a voice from the direction of the kitchen had caught his attention. "Can I get you anything to drink? I've got water, a little bit of Apple Juice, some coffee...?" "I'll just take some water please, thanks!" he called out as the pegasus soon joined him on the couch a minute later with a tall glass of water and several ice cubes inside. Rainbow sat down a respectable distance away from the dragon before she focused her attention on her house-guest. "So, what's new with you, kid? How are you and your dad doing?" she asked innocently enough. Unfortunately, Spike was in the midst of swallowing a mouthful of water as the question was being asked, causing his insides to jolt as he began violently coughing the liquid that awkwardly entered his throat. "Woah! Dude, you..." Rainbow nervously began, fearing she was going to have to squeeze the dragon to help him. However, Spike soon found his bearings as he soon took a minute or two to compose himself with a couple of large gasps, before looking back at the still very concerned Dash. "I'm ok, I'm ok!" he hastily said. "Sorry. Was not expecting that question right away..." he admitted. Then again, he probably should have expected it considering the mare's previous experiences with tact and subtlety. Rainbow just stood there exasperated until she began to visibly relax, resuming her normal demeanor. "No sweat. But uh... your dad?" she asked, trying to get back to her original question that had caused such a response. Yep, no tact whatsoever. Spike's small grin fell, yet he made sure not to display a frown so as to not offset the pony, instead opting for a more serious trace of melancholy. "Well..." he began, "I found out he was nothing more than a manipulator. Turns out he just wanted an extended stay at the castle and pretended to be my dad to get it." Spike spoke with an odd neutral inflection in his tone that sounded really unnatural to him as he heard it. Apparently he wasn't the only one who had noticed as he saw Rainbow's eye widen in shock before her brows narrowed in worry. "I-I had no idea... I'm sorry to hear that. Are... are you ok?" she asked with great concern, yet with a soft voice that sounded more akin to Fluttershy or Rarity than her own. Spike stared long into her, feeling the heat of the moment and wanting nothing more to do than to hug the pegasus for comfort. "No, Spike! Stop. You've got to be cool. Don't make her kick you out." Instead, he committed to a response that not only shocked him, but the normally brazen pony as well. "I'm fine." he had said, trying his best to replicate his earlier grin. Rainbow's concerned look didn't go away as she blinked several times, not believing the combination of what was just told to her and the dragon's response to it. "You...you are?" she gaped, not really knowing how to respond otherwise. "Totally. These things just happen, it's nothing you can do about it." he spoke, making sure his posture remained calm. "They...they do?" she uttered as if someone had just struck her. This was very unlike the Spike she knew from the past and she wasn't sure she liked it. "You don't want to talk about it or anything? You're not upset? You don't feel betrayed?" she asked rapidly, trying to find some answer as to why her usually sensitive but awesome friend was behaving so strangely. Spike could feel a bead of sweat forming at his head, fearing he was going to crack under the pressure of the interrogation. He needed an escape out of this and he needed it now! "Nah, it's fine. I'm a dragon. I'll live." he quickly exclaimed before he mentally winced as he realized what he just said. "Darn it! Why did I just say that?! he internally cried, before a different sounding voice appeared in his head. "...one lame dragon..." "What would you know?" a voice taunted him. "Oh yeah, that's why..." he reminded himself. "Spike?" a voice had called out to him, snapping him out of his musings. Rainbow tried to reach out a hoof from her distance on the couch before the dragon immediately hopped off the couch and attempted his best reassuring grin. "I'm fine." he quickly said, before he noticed a video tape left on the floor and proceeded to pick it up. "Come on. Let's go watch some movies. I heard this one was great." he announced before walking over to the TV and putting the tape in the video slot. "Yeah...sure." the mare still glazed at the back of the dragon with a skeptical look on her face, before ultimately deciding maybe the distraction was the best approach for now. "I hope he's telling the truth." she sighed as she regained her focus back to the now illuminated screen. Unbeknownst to her, as the dragon stared at the now closed video slot - his back from Rainbow Dash - his smile twitched rapidly before he perked himself back up and forced his retreat back to the comfy couch to hold two once again. "I'm fine" his mind echoed. It's been several glorious hours since the pair had sat down together and began binge-watching several classic comedy movies. Film after film of hilarious slapstick, absurd plots, and rather risque humor in some cases. The night seemed to be peeking in through one of Rainbow's windows, yet time now seemed irrelevant to the two as they had become entranced with constant entertainment, beckoning the both of them to bust out laughing on multiple occasions. Both parties had long forgotten about the earlier awkwardness that the dragon had brought to the table. The duo had just finished another film as both pony and dragon sighed in contentment, both munching on various snacks they had consumed from the day - from popcorn, to chips and soda, to even slices of pizza left from the box that Rainbow insisted on sharing. Both creatures were deep in heavenly cinema bliss and the pair began to reminisce about the last movie. "Oh Celestia that was a great one!" Spike sighed with a lazy smile on his face, slowly munching on a slice of pizza as he talked. "Yeah," agreed Rainbow Dash. "...they don't make them like that anymore. Jim Carpony was one of the best comedians of his time." she stated as she continued munching through a bag of chips. "No kidding. Twilight would probably faint if she saw one of these movies." At that, the cocky pegasus burst out laughing, heaving her sides as tears began pouring out of her eyes. "You've got that right. She'd probably try writing a report to Jim himself and ask him to 'define the essence of comedy'!" Spike soon began laughing too and for several minutes as the credits rolled, the howling of the duo emulated the room before their antics naturally subsided. "So what's next?" Spike asked, ready to start another tape as he made his way to the TV to retrieve the old one. Rainbow began looking around at her scattered collection in the living room, before sighing in a show of defeat. "Shoot, kid. I think we ran out of movies. I don't have anymore on me right now until I go and rent some more." Spike sighed as well, wishing his newfound bond with the cyan pegasus didn't have to end so soon. "Yeah, if only we had..." before his mind stopped as he flashed back to the gifts that Pinkie had given him back at Sugarcube Corner. The video tape! "Wait a minute!" the dragon suddenly exclaimed as he hopped up from his position off the floor. "I think I may have one!" as he pulled out the previously mentioned gift from his treasure trove of rather random items. Rainbow smiled excitedly as she viewed the tape in Spike's claws as a sight more precious than gold. "Sweet!" she exclaimed, as she sat back up in her seat, ready for another flick. "Do you know what movie it is?" At that question, Spike regarded the object in his hands with curiosity as there was no title or other indication of what could be stored within the tiny black rectangle. "Huh. No idea. I got it from Pinkie Pie though so I'm sure it will be good." Rainbow clapped her hooves excitedly, as she practically leapt from her position. "Well what are you waiting for then?! Put it in!" she happily replied with glee before the dragon placed the tape in the video slot and ran back to the couch next to the rainbow pony in anticipation. "Oh boy!" he chirped as the screen began flashing from static to video. Soon the film began to star none other than... Spike and the others? "What the...?" both instantly thought, curious to see where this was going. It didn't take long for Spike to conclude where exactly this film was headed though as the scene focused itself on a very familiar sight. Spike appeared to be in some sort of ditch wearing a pink apron and passing out muffins as the other ponies around him were dressed in some sort of camo gear. "Oh no!" his eyes widened in abject horror. The ponies in the video soon began talking, as Rainbow's mouth gaped open, slowly remembering this specific event. "Yeah, right, Spike. That's one of the scariest aprons I've ever seen!" spoke the Rainbow Dash in the video. "Please! Not this!" Spike's mind instantly panicked as he began frantically searching for the long forgotten remote, quickly capturing the focus of Rainbow Dash. "Spike?" she whispered as the video continued playing. "What's wrong with wearing an apron? You won't be laughing when you spill blueberries all over your scales— feathers. That's one tough stain!" "One tough stain against one lame dragon." quoted video Rainbow as she began to openly laugh in front of the blushing dragon, the others soon pestering him about how he didn't look or act like other dragons. Spike shakily found the remote at long last, as he crazily began mashing buttons on the remote, hoping to end this torment as soon as possible. Rainbow winced upon realizing her actions that day, before glancing over at the vibrating dragon and silently gaping in horror and concern. "Spike?! Buddy?" she asked - earlier feelings of concern for her friend's strange behavior coming back in spades. "Hold on!" Spike nervously yelled, pushing every button possible, "I almost...got it!" he cried as the scene of the migration stopped, the screen fading to black. Spike sighed in relief, wiping a now noticeable bead of sweat from his forehead. The video was over. But it wasn't. Out of nowhere, a new scene began playing. Spike squinted at the TV wondering where this was going now before a familiar pegasus appeared on screen standing over himself and a very familiar tortoise. Spike's panic and fear returned with immensely more force. "Stop! Please make it stop!" he began mashing on the remote again, but the video tape had a power of its own it seemed. "But if you don't have to hibernate, why should Tank?!" quoted an irritated looking Rainbow Dash. "Because he's a tortoise and I'm a dragon!" replied an equally annoyed Spike. "Same family though, right?" "No!" "I'll take that as a yes." Spike began to hyperventilate with the remote in his hands as he could feel the tears threatening to burst out of him like a dam. He should be used to crying with the escapades of his journey so far, but this was the one pony he didn't want to do that too. Suddenly, the voices began talking on the screen again as Spike without a moment's hesitation leapt to the TV, pounding on the slot and trying to force the tape to eject. "PLEASE! MAKE IT STOP!" he finally released an external scream as he saw his fears flash before his eyes. Rainbow, who had been glancing back and forth between the screen and the now emotionally breaking dragon, could now feel her heart drop as she slowly started to connect the dots together. While she wasn't the best pony at gathering context clues, enough was presented in front of her to realize what was going on. Her nerves began to tense as she suddenly shivered in fright. "I didn't realize I was that bad to him. I thought he took it ok... I never thought..." she brokenly muttered, before the video continued playing as time seemed to come to a screeching halt. "Ugh! Look, if Fluttershy says tortoises hibernate, then I guarantee tortoises hiber"— "NO!" Spike yelled as he pounded on the machine, praying to the higher powers above that the madness stopped now. "Well, what would you know?! You're a dragon!" And just like that, everything came to a still as the tape finally decided it could now be ejected from Rainbow's device, sliding unceremoniously onto the cold hard floor. Suddenly the TV turned to an awkward, deafening static as Spike suddenly leapt up from his crouched position on the ground, his back turned towards Rainbow as the remote fell from his grip onto the ground with a soft "thud". "SPIKE!" Rainbow yelled as her hooves finally felt feeling in them, leaping off the sofa and slowly walking up towards Spike with a frightened and worried look on her muzzle. "Spike?! Are you ok?! Please say something!" Slowly, Spike turned around to address the daredevil pony, who could only gasp motionlessly at what she saw. Spike seemed to have a fake cheerful grin on his face, similar to one of Pinkie's heart-stopping over-the-top fake smiles. What was more concerning however was the tears that openly fell from the dragon's soft cheeks as he continued to smile eerily. "Of course! I'm fine, Rainbow. Why wouldn't it be? Everything's great - perfect in fact." he hushed ominously as his body now began to rapidly shake, much like earlier, bringing more alarm to the usually confident mare. "Spike?!" Rainbow muttered, as she slowly took half a step away from her friend. "Sure, after several fruitless years of trying to find anything I could to an answer to who my family could ever be, I finally find a dragon who claimed to have been my long lost father. Although he may or may not have totally manipulated me into serving his every claw and scale for the sake of 'parental guidance' just so he could live in my home, it's fine. I should've seen it coming, why would a dragon ever want a family right?" he nervously laughed. "Spike... you're really starting to scare me." gulped a nervous Rainbow Dash as she slowly tried to reach out to the dragon currently having a breakdown. "And maybe it hurt to feel for so many years that the only form of a family I could ever have would be Twilight. I mean, when I met you girls, I thought I could have more of a family - like how you became a part of her's - but that was just stupid of me. Why would any of you ponies want to hang out with a lame dragon like me anyways? Just a stupid dragon, after all." he began sobbing as he slowly felt his pained smile faltering. "Spike. Please stop!" Rainbow exclaimed, feeling tears began creeping up in her own eyes. No matter how much she despised openly showing emotions in front of others, seeing the dragon crack down after watching moments of pain that she had apparently caused him - it broke her inside. She felt devastated. She never knew she could deal that much damage to her supposed friend. She was supposed to be better. "It's ok. I'm used to it. Nopony would ever want to hang out with a dragon anyways. Heck, the ponies in Canterlot used to tell Twilight to put me on a leash or would run away in fear whenever I got close. Why would they care about me? Why would anyone care about me? What should I know? I'm just a dra..." "SPIKE! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Rainbow cried out as she ran over to thoroughly embrace the sobbing creature before her. Her own tears unleashed freely onto the dragon's spines as she softly whispered into his ear, her hold on him daring to never let up. "Please Spike. That's enough. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have to hide anything from me. Please." she sobbingly whispered as she slowly felt the dragon's claws return the hug around her neck, his tears dampening her coat yet she could care less right now. She had someone special who she had inadvertently hurt. She was the Element of Loyalty and she wouldn't leave a friend hanging. No. She wouldn't leave family hanging. "I'm sorry. I'm not ok. I'm not fine." the dragon sobbed trying to stop the onslaught of tears to no avail. "It's ok. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." she affirmed as she held the dragon close for several minutes, neither saying another word as their soft embrace spoke all the words necessary. There would be a time for talking later, but this would suffice for the moment. After a while, the sobs and shaking of both creatures had dissipated into nothing as they both slowly began releasing themselves from the embrace. Rainbow slowly rose herself off from the cloud flooring before she reached out a hoof to help the dragon up. "You ready to talk about this?" she asked with a sincere smile on her face, her outstretched limb hoping to help the dragon in any way it can. Spike lightly chuckled to himself as he accepted the hoof with his claw, hoisting himself up. "Ready as I'll ever be." The two went back over to the previously occupied couch before re-finding themselves in the heavenly comfort, though the two were much closer this time as they focused their gazes on each other. Rainbow was the first one to speak as she opted for a much somber tone as opposed to her typical scratchy one. "Spike. I-I had no idea what you've been going through. With your father, but also with... y'know, my actions towards you. I never realized they hurt you as much as they did. I should've apologized. I should've listened. But I just assumed you were ok. I'm sorry". The dragon could feel his heart beat rapidly in his chest as a warmth enveloped him from the usually brash mare's sincere apology. She was apologizing rather than avoiding the situation. She cared. "It's not specifically your fault" he said with a soft, meaningful sigh. "I guess it's more of a combination of a bunch of things just reaching their breaking point. My childhood in Canterlot with everypony scared of me, My questionings of who my parents were, Sludge making me believe I found my father, My fears of the five of you girls. It just all finally erupted..." Rainbow's eyes immediately hardened, but the sympathetic gaze she was giving him told the dragon that she was more upset with herself than with him. "Yeah, but that still doesn't make what I did ok. The things I said to you were stupid and I should've known better- even back then. I should've paid more attention to you and how you were feeling rather than leaving you high and dry like that." Spike's voice froze at the confession, not sure what to add. Instead, he opted for a silent nod of his head. "How come you never told me about this though? If I had known maybe..." Rainbow trailed off. Spike waited for her to continue, but she kept staring at him, indicating it was now his turn to speak. "Because I was worried you might think I was lame. When I came here today, I didn't want to get emotional because I was afraid you'd either laugh at me or kick me out." he admitted guiltily, head glancing down at the couch for a split second. "I know I'm not the most 'sensitive' pony out there, and yeah that video showed me I did some really stupid mistakes, but I would never intentionally kick you out. But... I didn't really do much to make you think otherwise. I really am sorry." Spike gave an appreciative smile for a brief moment before he sighed back in on himself again. "It's not just you in that department either. All the other girls have never really made much of an effort to be as close to me as Twilight, although I guess I haven't made much of an effort either. Still, I thought you girls didn't really care much for me." Rainbow's eyes widened attentively as Spike continued. "But then Twilight sent me on this 'mission' to visit all of you and tell you about what happened with Sludge. But in reality, I think she sent me on this trip to discover you girls really do care about me. Although, it doesn't help that every time I run into one of you, I immediately expect the worst. I worried you'd reject me, so I figured if I pretended everything was fine..." By this point, Rainbow had wrapped a wing around the small dragon next to her, reeling him in closer while also subtly stopping his rambling as she opted to find the right words to say. "Kid, I'm going to tell you something that everyone needs to know. I don't care if we're talking about me, you, or even Daring Do - everyone has to learn this at some point or another." "No one can always be ok." Spike looked up at Rainbow in bafflement. "What?" "You heard me. Everyone has problems they need to deal with at some point or another. If you just try and pretend that everything is perfect, or that your problems don't exist, they'll come back and bite you later." "You mean...like mine did, don't you?" Spike asked haphazardly, Rainbow giving him a sympathetic smirk as she nodded. "The only way to truly live is to admit when you aren't feeling your best. That's what friends and family are for, they're there when you need it." Spike could only look at Rainbow with skepticism, one fatal flaw in her speech leaving him puzzled. "But what about you? You always act like everything you do is the best thing ever." Rainbow's smile fell somewhat as she sighed rather forlornly before giving a quick chuckle. "Guess I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't explain further on that huh?" she laughed, before wrapping the dragon closer, staring at him with a stern and serious expression. "Look, Spike. I know that alot of the time I act like I'm this crazy, big hotshot..." Spike gave her a deadpan look. "Hey! I'm getting there!" she teasingly chastised before continuing. "But the truth is, I have to battle with alot of my own insecurities as well." "What do you mean?" asked Spike hesitantly. "Do you know why I always tend to rush headfirst into things, or why I'm always pushing myself to be the best? It's because otherwise, I'll constantly bring myself down. I always fear that I'll fail and disappoint everyone if I don't talk myself up or charge 'into the fray' as it were. I may be lucky to be a fast flier and a Wonderbolt, but what if something happened to me? What if I let everyone down? Equestria, Ponyville, You, my friends, my parents, Scootaloo... " she paused as she felt tears threatening to fall again. "But that's why I talk to my friends or parents when I feel this way. I may not be vocal about it all the time, but I know if I don't have anyone to trust, then what's the point? If I hold it in, I'm just hurting myself, if not also the ones around me." she finished. Spike felt his mind explode as he let the contents of what he had just heard sink in. This ego-driven maniac who could stare a manticore in the eye and snarl at it without a second thought had just admitted that she was afraid. She was driven by her loyalty because she didn't want to lose anyone's trust. To some, it may be selfish, but Spike couldn't help but see not just a pony, but a soul who just wanted to be loved like everyone else. And at that moment, he talked from his heart, not his mind. "Rainbow, you're right. I shouldn't have kept my stuff in, I should've just told you - heck if you didn't listen, then you really weren't my friend anyways. But, I also never knew about you... about this... and perhaps I should've tried more with you as well." "But I do know this - I will always be here for you. If you can accept me no matter what, I want to do the same for you. " Rainbow shut her eyes tight for a second, fighting back her tears with all her strength before a hazy gaze stared back at the smiling dragon in front of her, a warm smile graced on her face as she hugged him once more. "Thanks, kid." Spike happily returned the hug before Rainbow let herself free and allowed herself another apology. "And I really am sorry I've been a jerk to you. But just know that like the others, I do want to be there for you now if you let me..." "...because you're not just a dragon, you're my cousin." Spike wordlessly gaped at her before the contents of what she had said clicked in his mind. "Cousin? You really mean it?" Rainbow adopted back her trademark smirk as she ruffled the dragon's scales on top of his head. "Of course. I've got to have a cool cousin in my family, y'know?" But Spike knew what those words really meant deep down. "Yes, I will always mean it." After their long, emotional conversation, Spike and Rainbow soon found themselves dozing off on the couch at the late of the night before the slow, warm rise of Celestia's sun had woken them up for a brand new day. The pair ate a quick breakfast of cereal in the dining room before Rainbow had gone upstairs to take a shower and quickly pack her things before she had to take off to the academy. As she was doing this, Spike made sure to reorganize his backpack; however a certain video tape from yesterday on the floor caught his attention as he picked it up in his grasp. Eyeing the tape for a moment, he shook his head as a soft grin appeared on his face. "I guess Pinkie was right about this after all." As he was staring longingly at the tape however, a certain pegasus geared up in her traditional Wonderbolts uniform had appeared behind the dragon. "I was wondering if you'd let me keep that tape here, to look back on." she had explained. Spike quickly turned around to address the new occupant in the room with a skeptical look as he wondered why she would want to hang on to the footage she had seen. "You do? Why?" "So I can use it as an example to better myself. For my cousin of course." she added with a wink as Spike slowly nodded his head in understanding. "Of course, I've got to give something to you in compensation. Here." she stated before she pulled back to her right wing and pulled out a blue feather from her appendage. Spike gazed cautiously at the feather, before she placed it in his claw and explained. "In pegasus history, A pegasus' feather as a gift is a symbol of a deep bond between said pony and someone she really cares about, like a family member. I want you to keep this baby nice and safe with you, for you to keep." Spike felt his limbs shake as he stuttered helplessly, trying to find the proper way to express his gratitude. "D-dash. I don't know what to say..." "Then don't." she quirked in good nature before she sheepishly rubbed a hoof to the back of her mane. "Besides, I know we didn't really get to do the bonding thing before I leave, but when I get back I'm hoping that you and I can have another movie day." Spike returned the smug look as he peered into Rainbow's eyes. "Jim Carpony and I won't tell Twilight?" Rainbow gave a deep, hearty laugh before she rubbed the dragon's noggin again, Spike slowly getting used to the affectionate display. "I like the way you think, kid." Before Spike had talked to Dash, he knew that keeping himself hidden was not the proper solution that was needed. And yet he thought that just because she was different from the other ponies he met with so far, he needed to pretend to be someone different, to conceal his feelings so they wouldn't show. Thankfully, a certain rainbow in the sky had guided him back onto the correct path once again. Someone who truly cares for you, no matter their initial appearance or personality, will always be there to help you when you really need it. Spike knew he should've been open from the start, but he foolishly believed his mask would help bring the two closer together. Yet, it seems that the status quo ran true again. The willingness to express himself properly helped to not only deliver Spike's perspective to the prismatic-maned pony, but he had also received a new insight into the new pony he thought he had known so well. It seemed to him that the more willing he was to leave himself vulnerable, the stronger the bonds between him and his new family could go. While the dragon still felt pain from his past experiences - combined with the regret of the mistakes he now realized he made in not confiding with others - he felt that with each pony he talked to, the pain inside faded more and more each time. Whether the pain would completely vanish or whether there would always be a linger of doubt was still a mystery, but Spike knew that the road he traveled - though with a few bumps on the way - would all be worth it in the end. As Spike pondered his thoughts, Rainbow waved a hoof in his face frantically. "Are you ok?" the Wonderbolt asked the dragon as she gazed at him with a judging look, awaiting his response. Spike took a moment to think before he considered the skills he had been learning since he left and answered honestly. "Better than yesterday." he beamed. At that, Rainbow smiled as she knew this was the true Spike after all. "Good. Before I go, I figured I could take you to your next destination. So, where are we headed?" Spike mulled this over for a moment before his mind reached a definitive conclusion. "Family." "Sweet Apple Acres." he said as he hopped onto Rainbow's back with a look of pure confidence. "Alrighty, let's go!" And with that a sonic force carried two creatures out of the cloud home and towards the land below. To many it may have looked like a shooting star or a blast of magic, but if you looked closer, you could see it was really two creatures - each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses- yet their loyalty to each other was far stronger than any sound barrier the two could break.