//------------------------------// // Chapter IV // Story: Friends Help Friends // by TheKing2001 //------------------------------// Golden Harvest “I need a drink,” I grumbled as I laid my forelegs lazily on my carrot stand. It had been a mix of busy and slow today, the perfect mix but now was a slow period. “Like water?” Spike asked curiously as I rolled my head to look at the dragon sitting next to my hooves. “I was thinking of alcohol but maybe water. Fire water, ya know?” I asked Spike as he shrugged. “Hey, what’s it like being a dragon? How exactly did Twilight come by you, anyway?” “It’s okay. When you get over ponies not being scared of you at least. The nobles in Canterlot wanted to throw me out of Canterlot for being a dragon before we moved here but well Twilight, shall we say, encouraged them not. Mainly by threatening to blast them into next week if they laid a hoof on my scales,” Spike answered as I whistled. I never expected the librarian of all ponies to threaten somepony. “As for the second question, she’s had me since she was a filly. I was her entrance exam into Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns. She had to hatch me in order to get in.” “So you mean a filly raised you?” I questioned and raised an eyebrow. “Well her mom and dad actually did until Twilight became an adult then they gave me to her. They were just temporarily taking care of me for her but we do everything together. Nightlight and Twilight Velvet are like my grandparents,” Spike answered as he bit into a carrot. I pointed a hoof at a jar and he sighed, dropping a bit into it. “Thanks. So that’s been pretty much all of your life? Sorting books and working for Twilight?” I asked curiously as I watched Berry Punch slid a bottle of wine across her stand and drop some bits in her bag. Market day was always entertaining, on the days there was no monster attack of course. I usually enjoy talking to my fellow farmers. Berry Punch has always had her stand across from mine. Hell, I remember her and I sitting next to each other in school growing up. “Well, it wasn’t always sorting books. That started about two years ago or so? She didn’t trust anypony except her to do it for the longest time. I don’t remember what changed her mind. Maybe me randomly handing her a book she wanted one day,” Spike answered with a sigh. “And you don’t get bored of your life?” “Do you?” I paused and looked back at him again. I hadn’t entirely expected that question. I was pretty happy with my life I guess. Work, go home, hang out with my daughter and friends, repeat. If you have a system that works, why change it up? “I don’t know Spike. I don’t know.” “This looks great Junebug,” I smiled at my fellow earth pony sit next to me and Noi in her living room. Junebug had annoyingly made dinner without even asking for help. Annoying might be the wrong term, I just didn’t like being a guest and not helping. “T-t-thanks Carrot Top,” Junebug smiled back faintly as we both glanced over at Spike. He had tagged along after picking up Noi from school for me. “Spike seems nice.” “That he is,” I agreed as Spike snored a bit as the three of us laughed. He had passed out as soon as he got here. “He’s a pretty cool dude,” Noi agreed as she poked him gently with a hoof. “He is pretty cute isn’t he?” I smirked as I wanted to hit myself. I don’t know why I said that or thought that. “And let him sleep, he’s been busy all day.” “W-w-what?” Junebug asked as she raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t he like, a kid?” “Miss Cheerilee said certain dragons age at a faster rate than ponies do. Maybe Spike is one of those dragons and then I’ll have a father! Everypony wins!” Noi announced as I choked on my carrot soup. Out of all the things I expected her to say, that wasn’t it. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Spike is just a friend,” I chided as Noi grunted. “H-h-how did you even meet him anyway?” Junebug asked curiously as she drank from her wine glass. I don’t think I can remember the last time I saw her drink. “He accidentally crashed into my stand as he was chasing the CMC and broke it. Well the sign part I mean. How Scootaloo got him flying in the air, I will never know. Anyway, there was a dragon sized hole in the sign and he refused to go without fixing,” I answered and pushed some green beans Noi’s way. Originally I was gonna turn him down and fix it myself but I said sure. In all honesty, the sight of him climbing all over my stand frightened me. I had thought he was going to accidentally break it even more but apparently he didn’t weigh much. I probably should have known that but I was panicking. In the end, it had turned out well. My sign was brighter and had my cutie mark on it. Drew in way more customers than the original did too so there was that. “See, I told you all he was a nice dragon!” Noi announced and lifted her muzzle from her bowl. “But you got that idiot Diamond Tiara and the prick Silver Spoon who think he’s Tartarus bent on destroying Ponyville.” “Speaking of those two, thank you for reminding me you got detention today. How did it go?” I asked sternly as Junebug played with her hooves nervously. I knew she didn’t really like confrontation much. “It went fine. I had to apologize to them of all things. I don’t like Cheerilee anymore. She’s evidently siding with them,” Noi grumbled and I resisted the urge to snap at her. She was just a kid after all and was young. She would understand Cheerilee was just teaching her a lesson about kindness. Hopefully. “Wish I coulda pulled a Berry Punch and just punched them like she used to do to bullies. Would have been more fun. And have been more lasting. Not my fault they are a pair of cu-” “Noi!” I snapped and gave her a dirty look as Spike jumped onto Junebugs lap. “Watch your language.” “W-w-we also don’t hurt ponies no matter how much we think they deserve it Noi,” Junebug corrected as I watched Spike rub the sleep out of his eyes. “Alright, I’m going back to sleep since the yelling is over. Goodnight,” Spike muttered as he flopped over and started snoring as Junebug turned slightly red. “Want me to take him?” I offered and she shook her head. “N-n-no it’s fine. It’s quite adorable actually.” Spike kicked a leg in his sleep as we all looked at each other and laughed.