//------------------------------//
// Changes 
// Story: Dust Bowl Dance 
// by newHelm 
//------------------------------//

	He stood on the hill and surveyed the town in front of him, nostalgia hitting him hard. A soft smile reached his scaly lips as he shuffled his pack higher on his shoulder. He missed this quiet town.
He walked through the town, glancing around at the familiar sights. Something disturbed him though, the town was in need of a good fix up, and it seemed devoid of life. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as his destination came into view, Golden Oaks Library.
The library was an old hollowed out tree with just a few meager rooms for living. Not quite the castle most princesses lived in. She would probably beat him once she saw him, but it would be worth it to see her again.
He stopped short as he noticed the door hanging on only by one hinge and books scattered all over the floor. Now he knew something was wrong.
He felt a hoof press into his leg. "Excuse me two legger. I hate to bother you but could you spare a few bits for a poor pony?"
He glanced down at the poor excuse of a pony in front of him. He was starved for sure, every bone showed through his taunt skin, hair falling out from malnutrition. He had seen this before, if he ate too much he would die, if he didn't eat soon, he wouldn't last more than hours. He pulled out some bread from his pack and lowered the hood to his cloak.
The ponies eyes nearly came out of their sockets when he saw what manner of creature stood before him. "Drakos invasion!"
He put his hand on the ponies shoulder. "It's ok, it's me Spike."
The pony calmed down and gasped. "It is you! You have been gone quite a long time my boy!" He ate the offered bread with vigor.
A chuckle escaped Spike's lips. "And in that time it seems your first name fits you better than your last Filthy Rich. Not too fast, ok." He pulled out some more bread and a canteen of water for the starved pony. "What happened here?"
Filthy stopped his attack on the sustenance before him. "A terrible ordeal, and I fear that it is the fault of my family. No, it is our fault and I am terribly sorry my friend."
With a shake of his head, Spike knelt down and looked into the pony's eyes. "If my time away has taught me anything, it's that family does not condemn you, only you can do that."
Filthy shook his head and stood. "You are right but I still feel responsible. Come, we will talk as I walk you out of town."
Spike smiled sadly. "I will decide on that last bit."
They walked in silence for a moment, as Filthy tried to gather his wits to begin his tale. "When I was young, my grandpa died, leaving his estate to my father and his older brother. My uncle was a very bad man, he had his hoof in drug dealings, gambling legal or not, and prostitution, the little market it had anyway. He was a thug in every sense of the word, you did not pay your debts,  you did not walk home on four hooves. You crossed him, well they did not always find the bodies. His name was aptly named Bloody Rich.
"My father was not the brightest of ponies but he knew something was wrong, and with my business coaching, we were able to corner and takeover all his legitimate business. My future wife at the time had a cousin on the C.P.D. who I was more than happy to help bring my corrupt uncle to justice. After all of that life went on, and when my father past, I inherited the Rich estate."
He paused and began to cry. "He managed to get out of jail not too long ago and came here seeking revenge against me."
Spike scratched his head. "But you are still alive, barely, and what does this have to do with Ponyville?"
Filthy stared intently at the rocks at his hooves. "Bloody is a smart pony, scum but still smart. He produced deeds and papers claiming him as legal owner of the lands and my stores. Only a few business and homes were not under his now legal ownership. Rent was demanded and those who were unlucky enough to not be under new management, were bullied into leaving. Ponyville is only kept alive so that Bloody has a base to conduct his new under world."
"What of you and your daughter? How did you end up like this?"
"Any pony caught helping me gets a beating, I scape by on the mercy of strangers, the few who get through his blockade. He has cut off all incoming and outgoing traffic to the town, and as for my daughter, well she was spared my fate and allowed to live but as his personal servant. Come, I will show you out of the town, maybe the princess could help us."
Spike shook his head, he blamed himself for everything over the past couple of years, adding the desolation of his home was now added. "The war is a top priority, where are the Elements at?"
"The Apples were the first to be kicked out, thugs were tearing up their carts and trees, constantly contaminating their stall. With Macintosh gone, they could not last. They left for Canterlot and I know not what happened after all that. Twilight was away and has not been seen since. Fluttershy was bullied constantly until Pinkie Pie forced her to leave with her and the Cakes." Filthy paused, anger and sorrow filling his mind.
"What about Rainbow? Is Rarity alright?"
"Rainbow Dash lives on the outskirts of town and comes in every now and then to cause a riot or some sort of trouble, trying her best to free the town. Rarity was not so lucky. Her business and home was taken, her family was stuck so she moved in with them to try and help. Her father has caused quite a stir, and my uncle aims at him pretty hard to make him an example."
Spike raised his hand. "You hear somethin?" Looking around, he spotted a crowd gathering at the town center.
"Please do not get involved, it will end badly for you my friend. I do not wish to bring my punishment on any more innocents."
Sorrow filled Spike's eyes. "I haven't been innocent in a long time. Take it slowly on the bread, it will kill you if you eat too fast." With that, he raised his hood back up and went to investigate what was going on.
He walked through the crowd to get a better view of what was the commotion, and what he saw angered him to the point fire coming out with every breath. There stood four ponies, kicking the curled form of Rarity's father. Two more stood to the side holding her and her mother back as they screamed out for her beaten father. "What was that old man?"
He laid in a ball on the ground but his voice was defiant. "We gotta fight back and send Bloody and his men packin, dontcha see what they've done already! I say no more, get out hooligans!" The four stallions picked up the ferocity in their kicks, that is until a heavy duffle bag landed on the head of one of them.
Everypony stopped to stare at the strange cloaked figure that assaulted the thug. Spike lowered his hood and growled. "This town and it's inhabitants are under my protection. Harm any of them and I will rip your throats out." Everypony stood and stared on in fear, everypony except one white coated mare.
A whisper escaped her beautiful lips. "Spike."
A soft clapping was heard and everyone turned to an old grey pony. He had a black mane and a stack of bits as his mark. "Impressive display and threat young drakos, the question is can you keep it." Dozens of stallions surrounded him and two large griffins stood on either side of him. "Your race is strong, but can you take on all of us?"
Spike shot out a burst of flame. "Easily."
Before he could attack, a white pony stood before him. "Please mister Rich, allow me to speak with our new guest and send him away. We want no trouble sir."
Bloody smiled. "If you fail, your family will pay. While you are at it, learn to control your father's loose tongue before I take it." With that said, he walked away, followed by his men. Soon the rest of the ponies left, giving one last look at the scene.
Filthy walked up next to Spike now on all fours as they lifted the injured pony onto Spike's back. With a sorry to Rarity's father, he left again to beg for bits and food. Spike turned to meet the angry face of Rarity. With a huff he spoke. "I have some explaining to do, but first let's get your dad home."
With a huff she tossed her mane back and held her head high. "Fine, follow me. Oh, and if I am displeased with any part of your explanation, I will kick your front teeth out." With her peace said for the moment, she trotted off with him smiling and following behind. Almost like the old days, almost.

They managed to get the stallion in his bed while he whined on about how he was fine and how he needed a good pair of boxing shoes to wipe the floor with those hooligans.  Spike laughed with him, trying to give pointers, while Rarity stared disapprovingly at both of them. When everything was situated, Spike turned to leave but stopped as he felt a hoof on his back. "Hold on a moment dragon boy."
Spike sighed. "I'm not a dragon, I'm a drakos." He turned to face Rarity's father.
"Don't matta to me none. Give us a moment girls." Rarity gave a pleading look to Spike before leaving after her mother. He could hear soft sobbing through the door as soon as it closed. "Oh man I hurt so bad, I got a few pills in the bottom of tha dressa. Can you get em for me?"
Spike dug through the dresser till he came across the bottle and gave them to the aching pony. "Be careful with those, I knew a pony who got hooked on those. Didn't end well for her."
He lift the bottle to his eyes, a glare on his face. "Hate em, but they keep me alive for now. Gotta be strong for my family ya know. Now," He turned to Spike. "I want ya ta know my daughta cried for months when ya first left. Ya not plannin ta hurt her again are ya?"
Spike hung his head. "No sir. I never actually wanted to hurt her the first time. I just had to do something very important."
"I know what you were doin, the question is will ya tell her? She needs ta know just who her Spiky Wiky is." He grinned at the now blushing drakos.
"She still calls me that?"
"Only in her sleep. When she's awake, she tries not to think about ya, hurts too much."
"I'm sorry sir."
"Tell her."
"Um, how do you know what I was doing?"
The white pony grinned sadly at the young drakos. "Stories do reach this little town, and I take a personal intrist in all things involvin my girls. I didn't know nothin about sowin, now I can make shirts, just not as good as my little filly. And you can forget about me singin but I know all about sheet music." He laughed loudly, and Spike could almost hear the love in his voice. "I got the best family evah." His eyes turned serious and he looked down at his hooves. "I need ya ta promise me somthin kid."
"Anything sir."
"Watch over my family. I'm not gonna last much longa if Bloody gets his way. Even if I live through all this, my body won't be the same. So look after them, you've been a great friend to my daughters and I thank you for that."
Spike looked at the stallion with sorrow. "I've only wished for the best for your family, but I don't think that's me anymore."
He slammed his hoof into Spike's side. "That kinda self pity ain't good for ya. I'll tell ya a secret. She thinks so, why don't you. I can already tell you gonna do it. Take care a my girls ok. Go on, I need a rest. Plus you owe my angel an explanation." He waved Spike out the door with a smile on. Spike tried to smile back but it was weak. He did manage to wear it till he was out of sight of Rarity's mom just outside of the door. After that, a troubled look crossed his face.

Rarity sat on the steps in front of her parents home. She missed her own home, but a part of her was glad to be back in her old home. She smiled as stared at the old swing set her dad use to push her on. At that moment, she wanted those old days back.
Spike walked out of the door and smiled as he saw the mare of his dreams. He sat next to Rarity and nudged her hoof. "Will the madame allow this peasant to be seated next to her?"
She turned to him, her smile replaced by wet eyes and a trembling lip. "Does any part of this situation amuse you? I can tell you, I am sad, angry, confused, and definitely not amused."
Spike rubbed a claw across his face. "No, but sometimes we all need to escape our sorrows."
"So what sorrow made you leave all of the ponies that loved you?"
"Sorry, if I can, that secret will follow me to the grave."
Rarity dropped her head down. "Ah, I see. Sorry if it was my fault in any way."
Spike gargled and Rarity thought he might be growling until she noticed he was trying not to laugh. "Rarity, you could beat me blue and tell me you hate me, and all I would want is to make you happy."
"Do not say such things. We all would have done anything to have kept you here."
Sorrow, a familiar friend, crossed Spike's face. "That's why none of you could know anything. You could have just told me no and I would have stayed. I needed to do this, still do."
"Then why come back after three years, why no letters? What took so long that you are still not done, will you leave again? Will you every come back to stay? We missed you so much, I can not speak for the rest of us but I missed you every day. Every day I hoped to see you come walking back into our lives, but you never did. Now that you are here, I do not know what to think. I am mad you left, sad we missed all those days that could have been, happy you are back, I do not know."
He put a claw on her back hoof and smiled sadly. "I'm deeply sorry to have caused you so much pain. I came back to see you and tell you, once all of this is over, I'll never leave again. Unfortunately I still have work, and if Big Macintosh hadn't made me take a break, I would still be out there."
"Why did you bring him and not us?"
"I needed help, help he had and I could never ask of any of you. It's too dangerous and if anything happened to you, I would have just died."
Silence passed between the two of them for a moment. It was a comforting silence as their old friendship began to bloom again. Rarity looked over at Spike, a small smile on her lips. Something had been burning on her mind and just had to come out. "You have grown dear. You have not let your greed get the better of you, have you?"
Spike chuckled. "In a way, but not really." He scratched the back of his neck and smiled awkwardly. "The whole thing works on getting bigger to protect what's yours. One day I just realized what was mine, and that it was worth protecting. I woke up the next morning this size, kinda like not having to look up at everypony." He was a little shorter but longer than Big Macintosh on all fours. On two legs, he felt like a giant. "You on the other hand look just as beautiful as the day I left.
Rolling her eyes, she huffed at him. "You flatter,  but there is absolutely no reason to lie to me. My mane is frizzy, my coat is dirty and matted, and do not mention how my mane does not curl or how I have not worn make up in ages!" Spike flat out laughed at her rant, causing her to glare at him. "I do not find that funny."
Settling down, Spike smiled warmly at her. "I just missed your over dramatic rants. It's natural beauty silly girl. All that other stuff is simply decorations on a masterpiece. I could shave your mane off and you would still be gorgeous. Inside and out.".
She stared wide eyed at him. "You would not dare little Spikey. I would bring a world of pain upon you silly dragon." She was smiling and soon was giggling.
Kicking his side, she glanced over at her friend. "You do not hold your tongue like you use to. Not that you had any problems speaking your mind, but you had a problem, ahem, correcting your ramifications. I much prefer this new you, you always knew what to say."
The smile he wore could not have been more depressing if he tried. "I had great verbal sparing partners. Hoity Toity is quite the philosopher. He taught me about mental imagery and how it can affect our perception of the world. Good example, dragons are scary, but drakos are evil. Don't forget, I'm an evil drakos, not a scary dragon."
She sighed as she stood. "You were never evil to us, nor will you ever be. Come on, I will walk you out of town."
"I'm not leaving."
She spun on him, a slight glare in her eyes. "Yes you are Spike. There is nothing for you to do here. Do not try to be a hero, I do not want more of the ponies, or drakos, I care for hurt." Her head dropped and tears began to fall down her cheeks.
Powerful arms wrapped around her and gently pressed her face into a solid chest. "Don't worry about me, I can take care of these guys no prob. I care more about taking care of my family." He raised her chin up till she was looking him in the eyes. It was then she noticed the claw marks on his cheek. "I think it's high time Ponyville had a defender. Macintosh is on his way, after he gets his family to come back with him. Him and me, we'll have these guys running scared, wishing they never knew the town Ponyville. Come on, let's go inside." Spike led her inside the house but stopped and gave the town one last look. "For your sake and mine, I hope you leave Bloody."