Spike couldn’t help it anymore; every time he felt like he was having a good day, he started to worry that something was going to come up and ruin it.
As he sat at Ponyville Cafe, a nice cup of hot chocolate sprinkled with fire rubies in one claw, while his other claw rolled the bit Gabby gave him back and forth, part of him kept waiting for an old villain to march into town or the sky to turn black with storms, or something to happen to ruin an otherwise perfect day.
His eyes strayed over to Astral and Aurora’s forge, where the two were going about their daily lives. He considered them thoughtfully. Astral was a soldier and a fighter. Every time a combat situation had come up, he knew for the most part what to do.
Spike had never been exposed to that life. And while he did alright with the various adventures that had come his way, part of him still feared what could happen if he failed.
“Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get some extra training,” Spike thought, flipping his coin in the air before catching it. “At least things seem quiet for now.”
He paused and flinched, preparing himself for the calamity that would befall him for even thinking that.
But the only thing that happened was a voice directed at him: “You hung onto my bit!”
Spike turned, and was greeted with the sight of a familiar pair of turquoise eyes. He stood up. “Gabby?”
Gabby squeaked in glee and gave a hug. “And you remembered me too!” she cheered. “It’s so good to see you again, Spike.”
“You too,” Spike said, helping her over to his table. “How’ve you been? What brought you here?”
“Actually, I’ve been coming here for a while,” Gabby explained. “After that whole mess with the Idol of Boreas, I realized I shouldn’t just wait for you or the ponies to visit; I should go visit you guys myself.” She turned back and noticed the Cutie Mark Crusaders, sharing a wave and a smile with them. “I’ve already made a few pony friends. Everyone here is so nice.”
Spike nodded. “That’s good to hear. I don’t imagine it was very nice back in Griffonstone.”
“Oh, even Griffonstone has gotten better,” Gabby insisted. “I mean, it’s not perfect, of course - you know how griffons can be - but Gilda’s been nicer, and her kindness is making a couple of other griffons more polite too.” She glanced around conspiratorially. “In fact… she’s… kind of inspired a few other griffons.”
Spike tilted his head. “Like who?”
“Like me,” a new voice added.
Spike winced. “There it is,” he couldn’t help but think. “There’s where my day gets complicated.”
For leaning against the wall behind Gabby, blue eyes narrowed in irritation, was Hawke; Swift’s formerly abusive aunt.
##
Spike had to resist jumping to his feet. Even then, his glare couldn’t contain some of the fire behind it. “What do you want?” he growled.
Hawke raised an eyebrow. “Easy on the fire, big guy,” she said, pushing off the wall and raising her talons in surrender. “I just wanted to talk.”
“Please, Spike,” Gabby asked, gazing at him with big puppy-like eyes. “I’ve never seen her this nice before. I don’t want that to go away.”
Spike gave a pained look to Gabby, but remembered how he had acted towards Starlight. He took a breath and nodded for Hawke to talk.
Hawke almost moved to take a seat, before thinking better of it. For a second, she toyed with one of the feathers on her shoulder. “That mare you were chasing…” she finally offered, choosing her words carefully. “I heard she’s a big hero now.”
“She saved Equestria,” Spike replied, resisting the urge to add, ‘No thanks to you.’
Hawke hummed with a nod. “Right-right.” She looked away for a moment. “She came a long way, didn’t she?”
Spike slowly nodded. “She worked hard at it.” His eyes narrowed. “Are you going somewhere with this?”
Hawke sighed. “It’s just…” she grimaced. “My brother… Swift’s father… he was pretty much the only family I had. Then he let himself fall under the sway of some dragon and got himself… well…”
Spike let out a low breath. “I’m sorry,” he said. “But that doesn’t justify taking out any anger on Swift.”
“No,” Hawke admitted. “No, it doesn’t.” She toyed with the feathers on her wings. She sighed. “I don’t know if there’s a way to… I dunno… make things up with Swift, but…”
Spike raised an eyebrow. “After you abused him most of his life? After you tried to sell him off to a slaver?”
“I know what I did was wrong, okay?” Hawke demanded, before realizing she had raised her voice. “I…” She looked down again, before hissing and glaring at Gabby. “This is yours and Gilda’s fault, Gabby."
“Hey,” Spike warned, but Gabby waved him off, letting Hawke vent.
“Yer making everyone be nice to each other, and…” She looked away. “And now… it don’t feel like enough. What I did for Swift? Saving him from the Abyss, it… I don’t feel like it’s enough anymore.”
Spike crossed his arms. “You really think you’ll get Swift’s forgiveness?”
Hawke shrugged. “Well, considering that mare you were hunting is now a national hero, I gotta believe weird things are possible, right?”
Gabby looked hopefully to Spike, but Spike could only look at Hawke. Remembering how Swift’s face had contorted with fear whenever he saw her.
He sighed. “Starlight saved Equestria from the changelings. She put her life on the line to help everyone.”
Hawke visibly deflated. “So yer saying I gotta put my life on the line.”
Spike flinched. “N-Nothing too dramatic,” he said. “Just…” He grimaced. “You gotta think about things from Swift’s perspective. He’s terrified of you. Even if you feel bad about it, you can’t just reverse everything that was done. Starlight tried, and believe me, it ended in disaster.”
Hawke looked down, gaining a worried look from Gabby.
“Surely, there’s something she can try,” Gabby offered. “Like a friendship lesson or something? If she’s truly repentant, and wants to make amends… what harm is there in trying?”
Spike looked between them, rolling Gabby’s bit between his claws. Gabby was right in a way; if Hawke was truly apologetic, then she should have a chance. The ponies had rejected Discord despite his attempts, and that had resulted in him going to Tirek.
The idea of that repeating twice…
Spike sighed, and stood. “Go to Twilight,” he recommended. “Tell her what’s going on. I’m going to find Swift.”
Gabby beamed and hugged Spike. Hawke grimaced at Gabby’s affection, but still managed a nod.
“Thanks, Spike,” Gabby said, holding his claws for a second. “I promise you won’t regret this.”
She then eagerly grabbed Hawke and flew off for Twilight’s library.
Spike watched them go before heading for Fluttershy’s cottage. “Please don’t let me regret this.”
##
Spike regretted it as soon as the words were out of his mouth.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Swift shouted. “You let her back into this town?!”
“Swift, just listen…” Spike pleaded.
“YOU LET HER INTO THIS TOWN?!” Swift boomed.
“Swift, it’s okay,” Fluttershy insisted, trying to get him to sit. “She’s not going to hurt you again. We won’t let her.”
“Then you should have kicked her out!” Swift insisted. “You shouldn’t have invited her in! I don’t care how cute Gabby looks about it. She has no idea…”
“Swift, please, remember Tirek?” Spike asked.
“Ugh!” Discord bemoaned, as they saw him refilling the bird seed outside. “Can we please not talk about that brute while I’m around?”
“Of course, Discord,” Fluttershy said. “Why don’t you see if anyone in town has anything they need help with. It’s a chance to practice with your powers again and do more good deeds.”
Discord chortled, lifting his fingers. “I will admit, it is nice having some of my powers back.” He jumped into the air and floated. “Oh, how I missed this. And now it's so much easier to do good deeds. I can get up to two a day now.”
“Don’t forget,” Spike added. “You earned it with all the good you’ve been doing.”
Discord hummed, turning corkscrews in the air. “I will admit, it does feel nicer; knowing I have this because I showed I was different. And with even more waiting for me…” He hooted in delight, before snapping his fingers and teleporting away.
Swift watched him go with a firm expression. He pointed to where he had been. “See that?” he said. “Discord earned his powers back, as small as they may be now. Starlight earned her place as a hero by taking on the changelings. What has Hawke done to earn anything?”
“She saved your life,” Fluttershy offered. “Didn’t she?”
Swift grimaced at that, and turned away. “She said we were even. As far as I’m concerned, that’s where our relationship ends. She leaves me alone, I leave her alone, and we never see each other again.”
Fluttershy and Spike exchanged a glance. “I… don’t think she’s satisfied with that anymore,” Spike said. “Gabby and Gilda have been making a lot of progress spreading friendship in the Griffon Kingdom.”
“So, if even Hawke wants to follow them,” Fluttershy noted, “We should encourage it.”
Swift pointed at them. “I won’t just forget what she did to me.” He lowered his talon. “I can’t.”
“And no one’s asking you to,” Spike assured him. “I’m not asking you to forgive her, buddy. I’m just asking you to give her a chance. Just like what Twilight asked of me for Starlight.”
“Please, Swift,” Fluttershy whispered, touching his talon. “Don’t let the past control you.”
Swift gazed at her in conflict. He sat down on his haunches. “I… don’t know,” he mumbled. “Where’s the balance in this? How do I move forward without forgetting what was done?”
Spike crossed his arms, humming in thought. He looked up and noticed Twilight outside, waving at him.
“Let’s find out,” he noted, opening the door.
Swift hesitated, but with Fluttershy at his side, he reluctantly stepped outside.
##
Hawke was waiting for them on the pathway that led into Ponyville. She failed to meet Swift’s piercing gaze, looking away with conflict, but Gabby gazed forward with hope in her eyes. She stepped closer, pulling Hawke along by her tail.
“Swift,” Gabby said gently. “Hawke had something she wants to tell you.”
Hawke swallowed, fidgeting and toying with her wing under Swift’s glare.
Despite Spike staying by Swift’s side, he was wondering if he should be there for Swift’s protection or Hawke’s.
“So, uh…” Hawke began cautiously.
“You said we were even after the Abyss,” Swift said. “That should’ve been the end of it. I never should have had to see you again.”
Gabby’s grin faded, and she looked to Hawke pleadingly. Hawke still didn’t look at Swift. She was pulling at her wing, jarring a feather loose.
“Why are you back?” Swift snapped, Fluttershy holding him back.
“Easy,” she whispered.
Hawke took a long, slow breath. “Cuz I was…” she grimaced. “Cuz I was wrong.”
Swift raised an eyebrow as Hawke finally looked up at him.
“We ain’t even,” she admitted. “Not by a long shot.” She tried to say more, but then almost looked down.
Gabby, however, gripped her chin and made her look up. “Say it,” she whispered.
Hawke forced herself to look at Swift, their blue eyes so strikingly similar. “I owe you…” Hawke fidgeted again, but Gabby kept her from looking away. “I owe you way more than a save in the Abyss.”
Swift didn’t respond, his eyes narrowed in pure dislike.
“So…” Hawke started to back away. “If you… need anything. Need, like, a favor or something… just call on me.” She indicated Gabby. “Or… let her know, and she’ll let me know. I’ll, uh… I’ll come running. Or, flying or… something.”
Her resolve faltering under Swift’s glare, Hawke turned away and started to leave.
Gabby watched her go, then gazed pleadingly at Swift. Swift closed his eyes and took a breath.
“Dad’s armor,” he finally said. “Does… Sunny have it?”
Hawke paused, her feathers going pale. “Yeah. To the best of my knowledge… yeah.” She turned back. “You want it?”
Swift shrugged. “It could be useful.”
Hawke nodded. “Then I’ll get it.”
Spike stepped forward. “You want… help?”
Before Swift could shoot him a warning look, Hawke shook her head. “Nah. I got this.” She looked to Gabby. “I can give her it, and she’ll get it to you.”
Swift nodded. “That’ll work.”
“Alright.” Hawke turned and launched into the air, flapping over the horizon and out of sight.
Swift let out a breath Spike hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Fluttershy pat his talon.
“You did good there, Swift,” she praised.
“Thank you,” Gabby said gratefully, taking his other talon and shaking it. “Thank you so much.”
Twilight watched Hawke go with worry. “That seems like a pretty big favor,” she noted. “Trying to steal treasure from a dragon?”
Spike chuckled. “Well, you know dragons aren’t all bad. Maybe she can reason with her. Either way… it’s a start.” He glanced at Swift. “And that counts for something.”
Swift, for his part, was watching where Hawke had gone, almost like he wasn’t sure if the griffon he saw was actually the aunt he knew. “Yeah…” he said thoughtfully. “A start…”