//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Beat Down // Story: Dreams of a Dragon // by jh 8 //------------------------------// Chapter 3 Beat Down After standing up, and muttering some curse words that aren’t appropriate for any audience, he continued his way to his cave with an aching ankle. another thing spike learned was that life has a strange sense of humour. He had just been given an example. Life lets him fall down while he was thinking about falling down in his flashback. Life has either a sense humour, or punishes the ones that aren’t paying attention to their current state. The phrase You are destined to fail if you don’t think about your current situation´ comes to mind. Spike shrugged this of. He is probably thinking these kind of things to deep through anyway. The best thing he could do was continue his way, and that doesn’t involve becoming a philosopher This thought makes him think about his only philosophy in life: ‘’Expect the worst, surely if things can get worse.’ This might sound pessimistic to some people, but to Spike it sounds more realistic. He could be attacked by Timberwolves, even on a sunny day like this. Spike just walks for a while, thinking about his dream before he was rudely interrupted by that tree root. A tree root which he burned, having nothing else to cool his anger and frustration with. “Expect the worst, surely if things can get worse” he said to himself while he sees a squirrel cross his path. The squirrel itself is just minding its own bisness , probably looking for food in this lighter part of the Everfree forest. The squirrel doesn’t even take note of Spike’s existence, being busy with is quest for food. He finally found a nut nearby a few bushes, when suddenly a snake pops op. the squirrel is apparently not prepared for this and starts running in a panicky fashion, with the snake chasing him down. Spike watches this play of life until the squirrel and the snake are both out of sight. He chuckled. If the squirrel was prepared, than he had a better fighting chance. The squirrel can strengthen himself against the coming danger. Spike sights. “and this brings me back to my dream” He said. Again, he isn’t talking to anyone in particular. "Past Spike also thought that things couldn’t get any worse” Spike kicked a small rock in front of his feet, while a frown started to creep over his face. `I wish he would have expected the worst that day` ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- He walked of road onto the grass field in the hope to find his friends. They should been close, because this was the finest place for a picnic in whole ponyville. And there were no other ponies in sight He looked over the grass covered hills and flat lands, feeling the still shining sun on his scales. Spike looked left and right, and a few minutes later he found six colourful beings shaped like ponies on a hill right in front of him. As he started walking towards that hill, Spike could recognize all the ponies who were there. A lavender alicorn, a standing yellow Pegasus with a soft pink mane. A pink earth pony who was jumping around, an orange earth pony with a cowboy hat, a cyan Pegasus with a rainbow coloured mane flying in circles around the picnic area, and of course a beautiful white unicorn with an elegant purple coloured mane drinking some thee. Spike’s heart jumped a little with happiness. He could finally hang-out with them. Just a little time among his friends. After all his work, and after being put down by all the other ponies in town. “I really hope twilight doesn’t mind this, being later with my errands and all” As he finally began climbing the steep hill, he could hear laughing and giggles coming from the top of the hill. It must be a really fun picnic. Spike started moving faster, as fast as his feet could move him, until he could finally make out some voices. “Twilight, that lunch was truly delicious, that must have taken the whole morning” An elegant lady-like voice said. The response came from a familiar voice “ Why thank you Rarity” That voice that took credit for his work belonged to twilight sparkle. Why did she always do that? Taking credit for things he had done. This wasn’t the first time. Spike arrived at the picnic spot with that thought still in mind. He would have said something against Twilight, but that could mean that she becomes angry with him. And that was something that wouldn’t benefit his situation. He knew when to let things go, just like he had done this morning. “Umm, hello girls, enjoying your picnic?” He said, trying to get the groups attention. His action worked because all the mares turned their attention to him. Pinkie, as always, looked at him with a bright smile on her face. “Oh, hi Spike” She said. Twilight expression was not an happy expression, but more an expression filled with wonder. Rainbow dash’s expression was not much different. It almost looked like something didn’t go according to plan. He wondered what was going on. But Twilight quickly turned her expression into a smile before he could ask. “Hi spike, you are here early. Oh sorry, the basket case is already empty” “Yeah, I finished my work at the library as soon as possible to get here…” Spike began before he was interrupted by twilight. “And it is a good thing that you are so early, because I need you” twilight said with a louder voice “Really, you need me?” He asked happily They needed him, Spike thought. Were they waiting for his arrival to do something fun with him. Finally this day is getting better, and spike could practically feel his smile grow. No more condescending ponies. Only he and his friends. “I need you to bring back this book to the carousel boutique while you are doing the rest of your errands , I borrowed it from Rarity. And it is best for a book to be inside as soon as possible” Twilight said. The sound of Spike’s falling heart was almost audible. He looked at the book in the middle of the picnic area, while Twilight picked the book up with her purple magic, and handed it to spike. “thank you spike, and please do not forget your other choirs” Twilight said, but then turned around again to face him. “I don’t know what I should do without you” Spike was just about to say something when rainbow dash came flying around with such a speed that the leafs fell from the nearby tree. “Hey” The brash cyan mare said with a bit of a raspy voice “Now that the basket is empty, and this picnic kind of over. Why don’t you all come see my new trick I prepared for the next season at wonderbolt academy?” From the other ponies came sounds of approval, and they all stood up to follow their blue coloured leader. “Oh and Spike, could you bring the basket back the library?” Twilight asked without waiting for an answer, because after that question she joined her friends in their journey to watch the new trick performed by the great Rainbow Dash. While leaving the slightly bigger baby dragon alone. Spike felt more alienated and alone then he had felt all day as he watched his friends leave without him. Without even saying goodbye After a few minutes of staring still in the grass and being lost in his thoughts, Spike started to move his feet back to his original rout leading to the quills and sofas store. With his head hang low, and his now longer arms practically dragging on the ground. He should have had a good time right about now. Was this fair, being left out of an picnic he himself made? Was it fair, being left out on a fun day? He wasn’t even invited or considered for that fun day. He just continued his way, when he saw other ponies again. None of these ponies were alone. Cheerilee was talking to Big Mac, an conversation which seems to be going well. Because Big Mac and his lady friend couldn’t stop laughing. Spike also passed Snips and Snails. Both of them had a pony equivalent of a skateboard with them. They were trying to jump over a fountain, at least that was what spike could make out of it. He never really understood those two. He also saw the CMC in the distance, climbing a tree. Maybe for a tree-climbing cutie mark? Spike really didn’t know. But he hoped that the would get their cutie marks soon. Not only because they were his friends, but because they would stop putting themselves and others in danger. Even if their attempts of getting a cutie mark were often highly dangerous, they always made him laugh. The CMC were good friends, and when he is free to do what he want, he often joins them in their quests of crusading. They were the only ponies besides the friends of twilight, and a few others, that still wanted to be his friend. Or at least keep him company. Spike took a quick look around him, and noted that he was the only being that was alone. He sighed at this, and saw that he had finally arrived at his destination: the quills and sofas store. Which he entered. One would think that picking up an order is something that is done quickly. But not in spike’s case. At least two hours had passed since he entered the store. It was because of that damn sales pony who showed spike all the corners of the whole story, trying to sell him a sofa. Spike kept repeating that he didn’t need a sofa, but that pony just wouldn’t listen. Spike was sure that he would still be in the store if that’s pony’s shift hadn’t ended. But at least this pony wasn’t afraid of him. It was when spike finally got to the desk of the store when he was met with another problem. The store clerk behind the cash register was afraid of spike, crawling up in a ball and muttering something like: “Don’t kill me” and “I have a family” over and over again. Spike’s size may have increased but he was still slightly smaller than the average pony. Was he really that terrifying? It took at least an hour for spike to convince the store clerk that he wasn’t going to eat him, his family, the money in the cash register, or his pet dog. It might have been funny, if it wasn’t so pathetic. He delivered the book to the carousel boutique, after passing a group of unfriendly looking young teenage colts who just glared at him. He hoped to find the CMC or at least Sweetie belle. But he found that the place was free of any sign of life. He hoped that he could see a friendly face for the first time in his day. Or at least someone who talks to him like is belonged. Spike finally started to walk back to the library, with the twilight’s errand save inside the picnic basket. After this long day of disappointment, he just wanted to go home. “Hey” A loud voice said from a distance. Spike turned around to see the group of colts, among the ponies currently present on the busy street, who were standing near the carousel boutique. He didn’t know if they were talking to him. And if they were talking to him it couldn’t mean anything good for him. So he turned around again and keeps walking like nothing happened. “Hey we mean you, you overgrown lizard” Another voice sounded. This voice was a lot deeper than the other one. Spike turned around again, only to see flying rocks aimed at him. Rocks that were probably thrown by them. The same rocks that hit him right in the face. “Stand still, and we will give you a real fight against us instead of little fillies” Spike heard speeding hoof stamping behind him, and knew that he was in real trouble now. He knew that he had to get out of there, and started running. Only to be tackled by a blue colt who was standing right in front of him. Spike made a large smack on the ground, and landed on his arm. He couldn’t help but to scream in pain. Had he broken his arm? He had no time to find out, because his head and open mouth were pushed back into the dirt when he tried to stand up. He could feel and almost taste that something in his mouth began to bleed. Spike lifted his head out of the dirt, and tried looking up again. This time he wasn’t knocked down immediately but was met with the sight of a group of eight angry looking teenage stallions. They may be young, but they were almost the size of full-grown stallions. One was standing on the now flattened picnic basket and said “Oops, did that belong you, I’m so sorry” “That was part one of your lesson, scale face” The blue stallion that had knocked him down said. “We will teach you how to fight fair” “No, that isn’t true Lighbolt” Said another stallion to his friend. “We are here to teach him how it is fighting an unfair fight” “Yeah, two little fillies against a scaled freak, and a us against that scaled freak sound like equal fights. Thank you for the reminder Crash” the blue stallion said against his green coloured Pegasus companion, while he took a glance at the crowd of ponies looking at him and his friends while they were surrounding Spike Spike would have laughed at the fact that somepony named their Pegasus born child ‘Crash’, if the situation wasn’t so dire. But he couldn’t help but to smirk a little at the fact. “What are you laughing at scaly?” “Yeah there is here nothing to laugh at, or are you retarded?” “Did your mother drop you when you were an egg or something?” “No” Spike began an attempt to explain. “It’s just that you are named Crash, and that you are also a pegas ….” Spike was hit with a punch to his stomach before he could finish his explaination. He was knocked back to the ground, while he was gasping for air. Air that the punch knocked out of him. “This is a serious situation little lizard, please get that trough your thick scaled head” Crash said. “We heard from Mary rose that you, a scaled faced monster, harassed her little daughter and her friend” The stallion named Lightbolt said. “ And we are here to teach you something” “We are going to teach you the experience of being in an unfair fight” Spike now knew what this situation was all about. “I can save this” He thought. “Listen please” he said almost begging. “I would never hurt a little fill-“ This time it was a punch from a unknown unicorn colt that cut him off. “Shut up, you scaled up monster” he said with a ravaging voice “Are you calling my mother a liar?” “No, of course no-“ “THAN SHUT UP” the unicorn colt screamed, silencing Spike Lightbolt Broke the circle the group of stallions were standing in, and walked up to Spike. “We are also going to teach you a lesson about getting bigger” He said while putting an arm around Spike in a mocking attempt to be friendly. “You know what they say about dangerous animals” He smiled. “You must tame them while they are still young” “And that is exactly what we are going to do with you” the unicorn colt said while he also stepped forward. “And taming an animal might require removing its teeth and claws” Crash said with an unpleasant smile, while Lightbolt grabbed Spike so he couldn’t escape. “Alright boys, are you ready to teach this abomination a lesson?” the unicorn colt asked, and the other stallions nodded their heads in agreement. “Good, than let’s start” He said when he hit Spike in the jaw with his Hoof. It was then that an all-out fight started with Spike against the group of teenage stallions. Spike wrestled himself free, but was getting hit from all his directions. He was quickly overpowered and started screaming for help. He screamed at the watching crowd of ponies. “PLEASE HELP MEEEE” he said with a begging voice, while one of the colt was grabbing him so that the others could punch him without resistance “PLEEEEAAAASE HELLLLP” Spike screamed before his breath was taken by another barrage of punches. “Nopony is going to help you scale face, why would they help a monster like you?” Spike looked at the crown in between punches, kicks, and him screaming in agony. Those ponies were just watching. Watching a senseless beating, with no intent of helping him. Some were whispering to each other, while others were smiling and even nodding in approval. Others just walked away. And after a few minutes, a few minutes with a dragon screaming in pain and beaten until he bled, the crowd fell apart. Each pony just returning to their daily routine. The beating went on for half an hour, until the stallions finally stopped kicking, and punching, and leaving Spike motionless on the ground with pain blazing through his entire body. “Boys, I think he learned his lesson” Crash said. “Are you sure?” Lightbolt said “I think he can take some more pounding, he has his ugly scales” “No this is enough” The unicorn colt said. “or do you want to become some kind of baby puncher?” “Even the other ponies might show some sympathy if we keep going like this.” “Yeah, you are right” Lightbolt said “come boys lets go, but don’t forget to give him his final present” With that all the other ponies started to walk away from Spike, but not before spitting on him. It was when the others were out of hearing distance, that one colt walked toward Spike.. “I’m taking this as a trophy” the unicorn colt said while he lifted a tooth he knocked out of Spike’s mouth up with his magic. “I hope you don’t mind” The unicorn started to walk away. “you know, we should do this more often” Spike was finally left alone after those threatening words. Spike just laid there for about 15 minutes, waiting for lessening pain. Ponies walked right past him. Most of them didn’t even look at him. They probably thought the deserved this for helping two fillies getting their kite back. He didn’t really expect help from other ponies, but it would just have been a nice thing to do. He lifted himself up, and wiped some blood from his mouth. He picked up the flattened basked with broken squils, and just started walking towards the library. He didn’t look at anyone during his journey back, knowing that nopony would want to talk or even look at him. He could almost hear them think when they were passing by. “Look there goes that filly harasser” “He really is a monster” He finally made his way back to the library. And lucky him, twilight wasn’t back yet. He sighed, at least he could clean himself up before he had to face princess twilight sparkle. That was a relieve. He opened the door to the library and heard a breaking sound. The hinge was now completely broken, and the door was almost falling out of place. He apparently also forgot to buy a new hinge. It was now too much for spike to handle. He let out a scream in frustration, causing ponies who were passing the library to flee in fear. Spike slammed the door shut, and let it hang on just a single hinge.