The Man With Two Names

by Tarot Card


The Signator (Spike)

One hundred and fifty four signatures. I sighed, and rubbed my aching legs. For the past four days, I spent every spare moment going door to door with my clipboard. I was making progress, but I still had a ways to go to reach the two hundred minimum if my petition was going to carry any legal weight. I was ready to do whatever it took for non equines to have all the same rights as ponies, and whatever it took for me to be able to call myself a citizen of Ponyville.

I had visited every mule and donkey in Ponyville proper that knew how to read and got their signature. So far, I even convinced a few ponies to sign. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity were quick to support my efforts.

I went to Sweet Apple Acres, and explained my campaign to Big Mac and Applejack. Apple Bloom wandered into the kitchen and started listening in. AJ seemed pretty bummed out, and left before I could even ask her to sign. Apple Bloom offered to sign in place of her sister. I'm not sure if her signature counted, but I let her anyways.

Perhaps the most surprising signator of all was Twilight. I'm not entirely sure if she signed because she actually believed that non-equines should be eligible for citizenship, or because she didn't want me to be mad at her anymore. If her haste to get the human banished was anything to go by, I'd assume the latter. A signature was still a signature, even if it was signed for the wrong reason.

I had a feeling I was going to need more than just a stack of signatures if I wanted to see my vision become reality. Ponyville's is a town that's stuck in it's ways, and those ways don't embrace non-ponies. However, I think you are well aware of that.

The point was, I realized I was going to need support, and more support than Twilight's pity would afford me. All of the folks I talked to didn't seem especially eager to join my cause. Apple Bloom might have wanted to help, but I didn't know how much a little filly with a curfew could help me lead a protest.

Then again, I had a curfew and a bedtime. I sighed, collapsing to the ground. I was already exhausted and it wasn't even two in the afternoon. It slowly dawned on me how big of a job I decided to take on. One baby dragon's time and energy wasn't enough. If I didn't find someone else to help me, the whole movement would collapse in on itself before It begun.

I struggled back to my feet. I glimpsed a tall lanky figure in the distance, sitting at a little outdoor table. Was that the human? I squinted, and walked closer.

He was sitting at one of the outdoor tables of this café by the edge of town, sipping water, and munching away on a breakfast salad. He was missing his pink clothes, and in their place, he wore a navy sweater and a pair of pants that weren't falling apart. He looked remarkably presentable. I could hardly recognize him, aside from being the one human in town. You know what I mean. I looked at him, then my clipboard, then back at him. I felt a grin spread across my face. If there was anybody to help my cause, it was the human.

I ducked underneath the rope divider of the restaurant, and approached the wire table. “Hiya Mr. Human,” I said cheerfully. I wanted to show that we were on the same team. My efforts were not as successful as I hoped. He looked up and around, scratching his head. None of the other customers returned his gaze.

I cleared my throat. “Down here.”

“Oh... um, hello there.”

I offered my claw to him. “I'm Spike the Dragon, and would you mind if I borrow a moment of your time?”

He looked at me with a good deal of caution. “Well met.” He gingerly gripped my claw with his thumb and forefinger, and then offered me the opposite seat. “You're not Twilight's dragon, are you?”

I hesitated. “I am, but that's not why I'm here.” I slid my clipboard forward across the table.

He put down his fork, and read and then re-read the cover page. “I don't get this.”

“It's simple. We non-equines don't have the same rights as the ponies. We're not even considered official citizens. I'm trying to change that. I think I could use your help.”

He looked at me warily. “You want more than my signature, don't you...”

“I think if we work together, we could do more than just get this petition to city hall. We actually could change something! You've become more than just a human. You're a symbol to all the mules and donkeys, and all the other non-equines to what happens if we step out of line.”

He steepled his fingers, and pressed them against his forehead with a hearty sigh. “Spike, is it?” I nodded my head. He continued. “I don't think I'm in any position to be rocking the boat in Ponyville.”

“I think rocking the boat just might be your only option, Mr. Human.”

“Walker, call me Walker.”

“Okay, Walker. What I'm saying is, you're down and out. Hay, half the ponies here are rearing to kick you out. I think it's in everyone's best interest if you align yourself with the rest of the non-eqs. We'll work together to actually mean something in our own community. Don't you want to be able to vote, to own property without being taxed? Get a legally recognized marriage?”

“'Non-eqs'? Is that what we're calling ourselves?” He shook his head. “I'm just trying to live day by day Spike.”

I slammed my claw into the table. “But how can you do that when you're out of a job, and these ponies are this close from chasing you out of town!”

The human grinned. “False and false.” He retrieved a card from his pocket. “Non-equine visa. I'm working for Lyra now, and I got this bit of legal protection keeping me in Ponyville. I think things are finally looking up right about now.”

He turned around and gestured to the interior of the restaurant. “I found a restaurant that lets me eat inside.” He frowned. “Well, technically I'm only supposed to sit outside. Regardless, the waiter is becoming my friend, and he says that they might consider me for a job if somepony leaves."

I looked around. None of the ponies were giving Walker any trouble, but I also noticed he had the entire half of the outdoor area to himself. I watched as a couple of unicorns whispered something to the waitress. She nodded, and scooped up a couple of menus from the table adjacent to us, before leading them inside. I turned back to Walker, and raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, so usually, I stay back while Lyra orders the food, and I give her some bits to pay for it. We would eat lunch that way. But a few days, ago, I wanted a snack, and so I thought, well, what’s the worse that could happen? I’ll leave if they start yelling. And you know what happened when I came here, right here, and asked for a smoothie?” There was a twinkle in his eye.

“What?”

“They gave me one!” He broke into a huge grin. “That waiter sat me down at a table, like I was a normal paying customer, poured me a glass of water, and then he asked me what I’d like to order.”

“That sounds… expected.”

He didn’t seem to hear me. “Get this; I’ve been talking with Silver Platter, and he’s cool. He says that one of the waitresses is about to go on maternity leave, and I should ask the manager if I can fill in for her. He told me that I’d probably be good at carrying trays, on account of my hands and all.”

“They won't even let you eat inside! What makes you think they'd actually hire you?”

The smile slowly dropped from his face. He sighed, and stabbed at his salad dejectedly. “Baby steps, Spike, baby steps. They let me eat here, and that's more than I can say about any other restaurant. It might not seem like it, but I'm making progress, slowly...” Another sigh. “But surely.”

“Don’t you want more out of your life here? Don’t you want to know that you’ll be treated as an equal?” I stood up in the chair, and put my claws on the table.

“Spike, I just want to go home. I’m hoping that if I can wait here in Ponyville, I’ll be able to find something that will lead me back. I’m not in a position to be demanding things of Ponyville. I've only had my work visa for less than two weeks. I just need to play it cool, and wait for everypony to accept me as someone who isn’t going to go off the deep end. I'm not going to throw away all the progress I've made.”

He took a sip of water, and a breeze ruffled his hair. “I went into Rarity’s boutique the other day, and she made me another pair of pants. I bought carrots from some pony, and they told me to have a good day. Don’t you see Spike? These ponies, they’re beginning to warm up to me. This is not the time to be rocking the boat.”

“We're talking about ponies who chased you out of a job.”

“Spike I don't think you understand. You’re an accepted member of the community. Ponies value you.”

“Hardly,” I muttered bitterly.

He didn't seem to hear me. “I haven't earned that acceptance yet.”

“You shouldn't need to win a popularity contest to earn basic rights! This is what I'm talking about. This is why we have to organize.” I pounded my fist.

“I'm not going to stand up on a podium and preach why I should be allowed to stay when Twilight is waiting around every corner with a net.”

“If we change the law, Twilight, or anypony else wouldn't have the right to banish you just because of your species.”
He crossed his arms. “I don't think you understand. I have a good number of ponies that want to see me gone, especially if I was trying to become a full citizen. I'm certain they could all find a way to have me taken away before we get any law to pass."

“So you're afraid of Twilight Sparkle.”

“Well, lets see. She has the power and desire to send me back into the crazy forest. Yes, I'm very afraid.”

“Have you ever had a conversation with her?”

“Not an actual conversation. She asked me if I had wings and stuff like that. It was very one-sided.”

I rubbed my chin, having a stroke of brilliance. “Mr. Walker, I have a deal to offer.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “I can arrange a chat between you and Twilight, if you're willing help me with this petition.”

“So in exchange for agreeing to help you, you're going to throw me into the lion's den.”

“If you give me this chance, I can get Twilight on your side.”

“You mean the mare that was doing everything in her power to send me off to live with dragons?” he snapped. I returned a harsh glare. He slunk down in his seat a little bit. “No offense, of course,” he muttered.

“Okay, maybe she won't be on your side, but I think that giving her a second impression of you, outside of all of the gossip and lies that have been going around, would certainly sway her opinion.” I noticed a mare on the opposite side of the patio looking at the two of us suspiciously. I ignored her gaze.

Walker drummed his fingers on his now empty plate. “Or, I could just avoid Twilight, and not have to deal with the situation.”

“You said yourself that you need to get ponies to warm up to you. Twilight's an influential pony, believe it or not. I'm sure that if you sat down and had a conversation with her, she'd start questioning all of the rumors. If she starts questioning them, all the
other ponies might just follow suit.”

He tapped his fork against the plate, and stared into his glass. After a minute of fidgeting, he spoke. “What would I be doing? Just going door to door?”

That didn't exactly sound like a “yes”, but it sure wasn't a “no”. I shrugged. “That's what's been working.”

Jerry grimaced. “I don't think anypony would exactly want me showing up on their doorstep.”

“True....”

“Look Spike, if it means it will get Twilight Sparkle off of my back, I'll sign. But I don't think I'm the one to win over Ponyville.” He took the clipboard in hand.

“Well, if anyone's had the full treatment of the Ponies' worst, its you. I just might need to have you speak about your experiences. “

He shrugged once more. “I guess I could do that.”

“Excellent, come over if you can tomorrow. Twilight will be in the Library, and you two can talk things over.”

“What should I say?”

“I don't know. I'm sure if you just actually explain yourself, you won't find her to be so hostile.”

He pinched his brow. “Now you're sounding like Derpy and Rarity.”

“Trust me on this one. Twilight can be stubborn, but she's not thickheaded. Not usually, anyways. Give her a chance to see that you're not as bad as everypony is telling her you are. So, what do you say, meet me outside the library, tomorrow at four?” I offered my claw.

He reluctantly reached out and shook it. The words seemed to hang on his lips, like he wanted to take them back the moment he said them. “...I'll see you then.”