Spike
There was a dagger in his chest. It felt like his whole body was glass and it had just shattered. Too much was happening right now. He woke up this morning thinking this was going to be one of the best days he’ll ever have lived. He would watch his surrogate sister complete her life’s work and be there to hug her when she finished. It was supposed to be a happy day for everypony....no, that terminology was dead to him now.
Spike tried to pick himself up after he had unceremoniously slumped himself across the cobblestone alleyway floor. Utilizing his arms, he began making slow-but-sure headway. One of the aforementioned arms buckled as he winced in pain. Once again; he found himself in an impromptu make-out session with the floor. He scanned his searing appendage with an analytical draconic eye. The pink rawness of his exposed and burned skin peered back at his emerald pools of vision; seemingly mocking his other catching features. The pink flesh clashed horribly with his deep-purple scales and green spines. He was sure that no amount of magic would stop it from scarring either.
“Even if I get away, you’ll always leave your mark. Eh, Princess,” He snorted as he pondered that. It was all lost to him now: His friends, Love, Happiness, Heart and Soul. They were all just...gone. It felt as if there was a hole now in place of his heart. His vision blurred into a hazy mess. He noticed it without even having to confirm it first. He was crying. He hasn’t cried in ten years. That’s was when he was shot down again by Rarity; the prestigious and absolutely beautiful seamstress in Ponyville. Spike knew his previous advances were going to bear no fruit with the chic mare; but he thought if he tried his claw when he was older...no. That hardly matters anymore, “I need to leave here. Equestria that is. It’s been made clear that they don’t want me anymore. I just don’t know what could’ve happened in that portal that caused all of this.”
Rising from the ground’s cold embrace once more, Spike wiped at his eyes as he finally stood up. Oh his aching everything! It felt as if a bulldozer had found its way into this alley while he was amongst his dreams; and then proceed to have it’s way with him. He winced as he took a shaky step forward, nearly collapsing as the nerves in his leg bellowed their rebellion with pain. It was painstakingly difficult, but Spike had managed to ebb his way to the end of the alleyway with just a few steps. Finally letting the sunlight hit his body, he took a moment to inspect himself.
“To say that I’m injured would be the understatement of the century. I look like I came out of a Nail and Hammer Factory,” Spike thought stoically as he stared at his seared arm, “That also specializes in pyrotechnics.” One did not need the eyes of a hawk in order to see the amount of damage he took running, from Celestia. He could only imagine what it would be like to face her in direct combat. He gulped as his mind plagued him with many a scene of boiling flesh and blistering eyes. Shaking the grotesque and gory images from his mind, Spike stepped out into the scarlet covered town known as Canterlot.
It was the same quaint and boring town he had grown up in. That was good. In the twenty years of his life, it hadn’t changed that much. This meant that the area around him should be familiar if he could point out one of his mental landmarks. Spike shifted his head left and right, searching for any identifiable beacon in the sea of buildings before him. Euphoria rung in his mind as he spotted a white building that had a huge bitten doughnut on it, covered in rainbow sprinkles and strawberry frosting. He used to have friends and family; but if there was one pony who would still give a damn about him...it would be Donut Joe.
Spike took another precautionary glance at himself again, suddenly noticing the hole in his lower body. To be more exact, the hole was located in a thigh. “So that’s why it feels as if parasprites are chewing through my leg each time I take a step.” Spike realized as he grimaced at the horrid and painfully obvious wound on his pristine body. With a sigh, he walked out into the street. He was instantly blindsided by an ash-grey stallion in amethyst armor. The collision was hard enough to cause him to lose his balance and topple like a Penga Tower on its last block. After having his face stomped on with an armored and bulky hoof, Spike immediately laid eyes on the tall and regal figure approaching him. He had just woken up!
It dawned on him faster than Rainbow Dash on caffeine. He had a dream earlier. That made sleeping an easy means of clairvoyance for the Princess of the Night, Luna. Spike’s face was the very meaning of expressionless as the dark-blue alicorn finally closed the distance in two elongated and quite comical strides. Her hooves were adorned in the same hoofshoes she always wore. Well, that’s all Spike could see at the moment.
“That’s quite enough Shadow Chaser. You may release the drake now,” Spike immediately felt the pressure on his head release as the aforementioned guard stepped off him. He slowly got to his feet again, grimacing and cursing the pain in his body as he did so. Princess Luna was no fool; quickly noticing the plethora of scrapes and cuts all over the dragon’s body, which had to be at the hoof of her sister, “I see your chat with sister was very uncouth. Tell me Spike; what are your intentions?” She asked with genuine curiosity.
Spike could sense that there were no hidden motives in her words; as far as he noticed, so he didn’t see the harm in telling the Lunar Princess his current agenda. “Before your Majesty decided to...grace,” he glared at Shadow Chaser who only snorted in disinterest at the dragon’s jab, “me with her presence; I was headed to Donut Joe’s for just that, a doughnut. Probably some hot cocoa too if I was really feeling the diabolic and genocide vibe.” Spike deadpanned. Luna raised a brow at the drake’s words. Shadow Chaser, however, was not too pleased with the way Spike had just mouthed off to his favored matriarch.
“You will watch your tongue, beast! Thou are currently in the presence of the Mistress of the Moon! Another careless and vile statement like that will earn you my wrath!” Shadow Chaser exclaimed, slamming a hoof down at the end of his rant for emphasis. It was Spike’s turn to raise a brow at the stallion’s actions. Did this fool honestly believe he has what it takes to fight him? According to Spike’s memory; he’s killed two Sun Guards and escaped the most heavily guarded establishment in Equestria Proper. Pummeling a foolish Night Guard who’s easily angered would be droll and beneath him.
“No, Mr. Night Light, I don’t think I will,” Spike said matter-of-factly, “In fact, you will watch your own tongue. I have not the patience to deal with pests and any other type of lower life that may present itself to me. IF you so callously believe that there is strength in numbers; then let me provide some wisdom on that situation.” Shadow Chaser was now visibly grinding his teeth together in untainted fury. It was very amusing to Spike, watching this supposedly grizzled and tested veteran lose his cool over words.
“And what, pray tell, are these words of wisdom!” Shadow Chaser practically hissed those words as Spike. A bemused snort and chuckle escaped the drake’s mouth before he regarded the Night Guard once again.
“Insects may swarm, but they’re insects nonetheless,” Spike said in an emotionless tone, which caused the Night Guard to actually charge him. A big purple tail flew through the air and slammed on top of Shadow Chaser’s back, eliciting a small pop from the point of contact. A gasp escaped the Princess’s muzzle as Shadow Chaser flopped onto the ground and actually bounced off of it. He ascended a good five feet before falling down again in a heap of armor. Dented, armor. “You do not ask the name of an ant before you crush it under your heel.” Spike finished as he stared at his work.
Princess Luna was rather shocked that Spike would even do such a thing. She barely noticed him leaving the scene with that same stoic expression he had when he annihilated her guard. Shaking from her stupor, Luna trotted forward and touched her horn to the unconscious guard’s head. In the swirling vortex of indigo aura that surrounded him; sounding as if a small hurricane was in the immediate area, Shadow Chaser was teleported. “He should arrive in the infirmary with that. Now, as for a certain drake...” Steeling her body and face, the Princess of the Night walked after the dragon who had long since entered the establishment across the street.
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“So then I tells the Stallion; this is about as holy, that a donut gets!” The stallions at the counter fall out in fits of laughter. The patron actually hitting the ground after falling off his barstool. The clerk, a stallion dressed in a bakers outfit, complete with orange mane and green eyes laughing the hardest. With the jingling of the his store’s bell indicating a potentially paying customer, Donut Joe tried to calm himself down from his recent hysterical outbreak. Spike strode into the establishment as if this was a den he owned. To be quite frank; Donut Joe's was practically a home away from home.
Donut Joe’s smile seemed to increase in width as his most favored customer strode into his establishment. It was a circular building with many a booth sitting next to a wall. There were medium-sized windows with lanterns on each side of one. White and blue tiles adorned the floor, while lime-green and jade diamond-shape wallpaper crowned the walls. A white counter was where he did his business with customers before fetching the doughnut of their desire. His eyes nearly bulged out of his head as a certain Princess came strutting hurriedly after Spike, her star-filled mane billowing like chaff in the wind.
“Why in the name of Celestia is Princess Luna here!?” Just as he thought this, Spike took a seat at his countertop. That’s when the only valuable reason for the Princess of the Night made itself apparent to the humble but wise pastry chef. As if on cue, the Princess’s eyes locked onto Spike’s scaly form at the countertop. She walked up to the adjacent red bar stool and sat upon it heavily, earning the attention of the drake next to her.
“Is there a reason why you knocked out one of my Night Guards, Spike? I am not cross with you...I only wished to know of your intentions.” Luna stated with a hint of agitation that betrayed her previous statement. Spike glanced at her disinterestedly, then turned back to Donut Joe.
“I’ll take a Marble Frosted and a Hot Chocolate.” Spike ordered, completely ignoring the Princess beside him. Luna was becoming more annoyed with every second that went by. It wasn’t the fact that Spike was ignoring her. That, she could deal with. It was what he was ignoring her with, that made all the difference. Emitting a quite annoyed grunt, Princess Luna tapped Spike on the shoulder as his food was set in front of his face. Spike turned his head to look at Luna, who was trying her best not to scowl.
“I believe I asked you a question.” She claimed as she finally got his attention.
“I believe I’m ignoring you.” Spike said emotionlessly. He turned back to his food, once again ignoring one of the most powerful ponies in the land as if she were beneath him. Not a patient mare by heart, Princess Luna turned him around with her hooves. Her blue eyes bore craters into his, almost causing his face to shift.
“You will acknowledge my presence, Spike. I come before you as a friend and a means of help, if you’ll let me.” Luna finished as she groped Spike’s shoulder, trying her best to not appear hostile. The reassuring squeeze her hoof offered him seemed to work as she felt him relax under her touch.
Donut Joe was completely lost right now. He knew ever since the first Grand Galloping Gala that Spike had attended that he had friends in high places. But to actually be buddies with the bucking Princess!? Eh, he really couldn’t act too surprised. Given Spike’s successful upbringing and swagger, mares had always enjoyed his company. A jealous grimace ebbed at Joe’s mouth as he began wiping out a blue mug with a white towel.
“I’m simply looking for some time by myself, Luna. I need time to...gather, my thoughts on this matter before anymore harm is done. If you understand this sentiment, then please leave me now,” Spike deadpanned as he looked into the disheartened Princess’s eyes. She wasn’t on the verge of tears per se, but she was, however, struggling to keep her lips under control. But the hoof did not leave his shoulder; in fact, another hoof found its way to his other shoulder. The action surprised him, but he didn’t let it show. It did pester him though, “Why do you care for me so much. Your sister was quick to punish me. It’s almost as if you don’t agree with her. That got you jammed up on a rock for a long time the last time you did it.” Spike deadpanned yet again, not breaking eye contact.
The old feeling of hopelessness and regret clutched at Luna’s heart for a brief moment as she grimaced, old memories threatening to resurface. Shaking her head, she squeezed his very broad shoulders once again before speaking, “I remember my darker days all too well, my friend. I’m just trying to prevent yours.” She smiled as Spike seemingly began to grow more interested. There was a wall of indifference that had them separated, and seeing it shattered only served to renew Luna’s vigor at stopping Spike. Her way, of course.
“So you wish to help, not wanting the same mistake you made a thousand years ago to be repeated?” Spike asked in his still emotionless voice. Luna nodded as he brought a foreclaw up to his chin and began to rub it back and forth, keeping a steady rhythm as he pondered her response.
“I wish nothing but the best for all my friends and family, at all times. I hope that my words and feelings will reach you in your time of need.” Luna smiled sweetly as she leaned in against Spike, his heart skipping a few beats. She nuzzled into his chest as he sat there, completely dumbfounded to Princess Luna’s behaviour. He could understand the squeezes on his shoulders, but not...this! It just came out of the blue, which is actually a right term given Luna’s color scheme.
“I-I...really don’t know what to say right now. When all of them ran away, I felt something tug me. Like, my heart was being frozen in place. It was absolutely terrible and horrifying,” Spike exclaimed as he gently, oh so gently, lifted her head with a claw, “but I’m glad to know that you still care.” For the first time since this morning, Spike mouth curved up into a familiar arc. A pure, genuine smile of relief and happiness crossed his features. Luna smiled warmly, seeing as how he had claimed himself from his earlier state.
“You need not worry about being alone, Spike. I will be with you every step of the way for your journey. I can guarantee this.” Luna nuzzled him once more before backing away. Spike had to catch a whine of protest from escaping his jaw. Setting a gold bit with her image on the counter, Joe comically sprayed his coffee over himself as he was drinking it.
“You’re using this to pay for the bill!!?” He frantically asked the Lunar Matriarch. The change alone was worth more than three of his stores! Luna merely nodded as she rose from her seat, stretching from the longevity of her stay. Spike rose shortly after and quite loudly, knocking the small barstool to the ground.
“Enjoy your afternoon, Joe. It was nice catching up.” Spike hurriedly said as he made his way for the door. Luna snickered as she followed him, leaving a slack-jawed baker at the counter top.
Confusion gripped at Donut Joe’s features when they finally exited his establishment. “We didn’t even catch up!” He thought with a snicker as the door jingled closed.