Three Hours Earlier
Spike handed Twilight her umbrella and looked at the hour. The purple mare had a giddy expression and her legs were simply mocking a run as she stayed in place. Spike had only seen Twilight act that way when there was something happening with Princess Celestia.
“What’s wrong Twilight?” Spike asked nervously. “Did something happen while you were at Rarity’s?”
“No, nothing bad happened, Spike,” Twilight started. “I just found a board game that I can’t wait to play when the girls get here.”
“A board game?”
“Yes, and I’m sure the girls won’t mind if you played too.”
Spike shook his head. “Nah! I’m a really big board game player. Except for Chutes and Alligators with Pinkie. That’s always fun.”
Twilight smiled happily at Spike, who continued with, “What is it though?”
“Monopony.”
Spike listened closely to Twilight’s voice as she said “Monopony” and felt something strangely nostalgic about the name.
“Hmmm…” Spike hummed curiously, scratching his chin.
“What?”
“Have we ever played it before? I feel like I have.”
“I don’t know if you played it with somepony else, but I know that I haven’t.”
“Man...this is going to bug me forever.”
“Why don’t you go find out at the game shop down the road? Or maybe it could jog your memory if you see it when it comes here.”
Spike sighed and shook his head, shrugging all the while. “I can’t stay and wait. I’ve got to go and get Peewee some food. I’ve got to go all the way across town to get it.”
“Well, think about stopping by the game shop on your way back. I’m sure somepony could help you remember.”
Spike smiled at Twilight and said, “Okay. Thanks for the idea. I’d better get going before it rains. It’s supposed to rain a lot tonight.” Spike departed out the front door and saw that the sky was clear of all clouds but in the far distance he could make out a gray looming mass high above, ready to cast its wet shadow on the land.
He bit his lip and said to himself, “I’d better run.”
+++
The trek was long and unwelcoming to the small purple dragon. It seemed that every time he rounded a corner, the strong gusts of wind would try to push him down and large pellets of water would smash against his head, constantly giving him the impression that he would soon be in the middle of a deadly torrent.
He ran as fast as his short legs would take him, taking shelter behind buildings whenever he could to catch his breath. He kept running until the pet food store came into his sights and his pace slowed to a quick walk.
Spike pushed open the front door and let out a sigh of relief.
“Woo! I didn’t think that I’d ever get here!”
“Oh, hello there Spike!” a kind voice said from behind the nearby counter. The Unicorn had a gentle smile and her crystalline eyes twinkled softly, making Spike forget his worries about having to walk back in the bad weather. “I take it that Peewee is out of food again? That bird has been eating a lot lately, hasn’t he?”
Spike nodded quickly. “Yep. He was also a little uneasy with me going to get him food though. I guess I should’ve listened, huh?”
The storekeeper raised an eyebrow and said, “Phoenixes are the only birds that don’t predict weather patterns.”
Spike shook his head in denial. “Nah. I’m sure Peewee was just lookin' out for me…”
“Well, of course, but not when it comes to weather. It’s has to do with a bunch of evolution and stuff, but phoenixes don’t predict weather.”
Spike shrugged and said, “Oh well. Do you have any bird feed in stock?”
“Yeah. Let me go get some.”
Spike looked around the pet food store for a moment, listening to the shopkeeper shuffled and fumble through boxes in the back. It sounded strangely dangerous as glass could be heard breaking and wood shattering.
“Are you okay?” Spike called out worriedly.
“Yeah! One of the windows blew open and knocked down a few boxes. Here I come.” The Unicorn came back with a small bag of oats and handed them to Spike who fumbled around a few coins trying to get the exact amount. “It’s okay Spike. This is on me. Just hurry on home. This storm’s only gunna get worse.”
Spike smiled thankfully and departed out the front door. The ground had a massive shadow laid across it, dark and foreboding, but when Spike looked upwards, a cold chill shot through his scales. The massive cloud hovered high above, blocking out the sun completely.
A droplet of water landed on Spike’s snout forcefully, making him wince slightly. He shook his head and began running for home.
+++
Whoosh! Whish! Slam!
Two gusts of wind was all it took for Spike to fall sideways. He clamored to pick up his bag of bird feed, but some spilled out and scattered across the ground. He didn’t bother himself with picking it up; instead, he continued running for the his tree home. It was in view and the sight of it was both a blessing and a curse.
All around the treehouse was a spiraling heap of gray and black clouds that let out booms of silent thunder and lightning. The shock wave could be felt only slightly, but it was still fear striking to the poor baby dragon.
“Baby dragon!” a voice called out. Spike looked around wildly, half-expecting it to be Twilight. He saw the a stallion waving his hooves at him crazily, gesturing for him to enter his building. Spike looked at the treehouse, which was about a quarter of a mile away, and back to the stallion.
Without waiting any longer, he charged for the nearby building and lept through, crashing into a nearby stand. Spike felt box after lightweight box fall onto him with tiny plastic pieces thumping against his tough scales. He almost didn’t even know they had fallen on him if he hadn’t stepped on a few as he was standing.
“I’m so sorry!” Spike exclaimed to the stallion nearby. He was a tall fellow, towering high above Spike in an almost displeased manner. He wore a scowl that terrified the baby dragon.
But with a sudden rush of delight, the stallion smiled, adjusting his glasses and said, “Oh, it’s quite fine. You didn’t know it was there.”
Spike moved aside and watched as all the pieces began moving with a magical aura surrounding them. They were placed back onto their respective place on the stand. The Unicorn stallion smiled at Spike and asked, “So what’s your name? And don’t you think its a bit bad weathered to be out and about?”
“Yeah, but I needed to get some food for my pet bird. Oh, and I’m Spike.”
The stallion nodded and replied, “I’m Game Changer, but everyone just calls me Jobs.”
“Jobs? Why? Plus, haven’t I heard of you from somewhere?”
The stallion shrugged. “Because I offer people jobs all the time, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you have heard of me. I was in the news a while back.”
“What for?”
“Ya know. The usual things.”
Spike nodded, though unsure of what the stallion named Jobs meant. He shuffled through his mind for remembrance, but couldn’t find anything, much like the game Monopony.
The baby dragon looked all around himself, noting how nice the store was. The shelves were neat, organized, and pristine; the counter was clean and the walls kept in good condition. But what caught Spike’s attention was the shelves were full of toys and board games ranging from all sizes and shapes. A game was wedge between the wall and counter, though, immediately grabbing Spike's attention by its familiar look.
“Is that Monopony?” Spike asked curiously, rushing to it. The stallion leapt past Spike and kicked the board game out of view.
“No!” he exclaimed. “Do not touch that foul beast of a game! It is nothing but evil, evil that can only be compared and traced back to greed.”
“What do you mean ‘evil’!?” Spike shook in place, worrying for his safety as the tall stallion before him glared at him from above.
“It literally brings out the greed in each of us. Even I was unable to resist its power and I have no need for money or material gain.”
Spike took a few steps backwards, unsure if he should tell the stallion about Twilight playing it as they spoke.
So he merely nodded and changed the subject. “What do you mean that you have no need for money? Don’t you run a business? What’s the point if you’re not in it for money?”
The stallion smiled at Spike question, seemingly forgetting the prior moments. “I take it you’re one to take up psychiatry? Asking questions about how things work and why people ask the way they do?”
Spike shrugged. “Not really. I’m just confused.”
“Oh…” the pony replied sadly. “No one likes how the mind works anymore. Anyway, take a look around the store again. What do you see?” The stallion made a sweeping motion with his hoof and forearm.
“Toys and games…”
“And what do those things do?”
“They’re fun to play with. I...I don’t understand.”
“That’s just it! Nothing more to it! They’re fun for fillies and colts of all ages! That’s why I run a game shop. Plus, it’s just small enough for me to not get greedy like everypony else does when they get too big.”
“So you don’t want to make money?”
“Oh heavens no! I’m in it to make a change children’s lives! I want to make them smile and laugh and have fun! Life is cruel, so very cruel. But if you can get together with your friends and smile, even over something so small and remedial as a board game, life is so much better.”
“What about that one?” Spike pointed to where Monopony had been.
Jobs sighed and shook his head. “Monopony is an evil, evil game. It is the only board game I have ever known to tear friends apart. Well, except Sorry, but that game went extinct long ago.” Spike watched the pony’s eyes tear up and turn away to hide his sadness. Spike felt a surge of humility course through him as he watched the grown adult cry softly. “I don’t even remember what she looked like…”
Spike went to the stallion and gave him a soft hug. “I’m sorry,” he said, squeezing roughly.
“Thank you. I’m gunna go lay down for a bit. If this storm passes while I’m asleep, wake me up and I’ll take you home.”
“Thank you, sir.”
The stallion turned around, eyes still watery and sad. “If you do ever play it, promise me something.”
“What?”
“Don’t bet. Don’t cheat.”
+++
Spike shuffled back and forth, biting his claws anxiously. Thoughts were tossed around his head like a tornado about what was happening in the library. He had no idea of what was happening there. What if everypony was arguing or at each others throats? What if somepony was hurt? What if…
The “what ifs” were becoming too much for the baby dragon and he rushed to the door. He looked outside and saw that the wind had picked up and was blowing trees into sideways positions and houses swayed back and forth from the gusts.
But something was still bothering him. It was digging at the back of his mind and on the tip of his tongue. It was there but there was no memory to place and no words to describe it. What was it?
Spike looked down the street towards the treehouse and could see something forming around the outside. It was a cloud but still had the same color as a cloud. Six of the formations appeared from nothingness and began to rotate around the treehouse slowly.
“What’s going on?!” Spike exclaimed to himself. Without another moment’s hesitation, the baby dragon pushed the door open and exclaimed triumphantly when he succeed in pushing it against the wind.
But no sooner did a the sudden force of wind knock the door back shut and slam into Spike’s face. A purple bolt flew across the room and against the wall could be heard a loud: Thud!
Spike’s eyes wandered the room lazily as a flash of light took him into unconsciousness.
+++
“What happened?” Shining Armor cried out. There was nothing but a blinding white light and Spike could only hear the voices of people he recognized.
“I didn’t mean too!” Twilight cried, significantly younger by the sound of it.
“What did you do!? It’s only a game! Spike was just trying to play a game with you!”
“I know! I don’t know what came over me! He caught me cheating and...and...Oh, Spike, I’m so sorry…” Twilight began sobbing. “Will he be okay?”
“Twi…”
“Will he be okay?!” Her voice was harsh and impatient.
“Yeah…”
“What?”
“I don’t think he’ll remember much of what happened. He’s got a pretty big knot on his head.”
Twilight sighed uneasily. “Okay...but...I don’t want to remember either.”
“What?”
“If Princess Celestia finds out I did this, she won’t let me go to school under her. I...want to learn Shining! Please, help me forget.”
“What? That's a bit extreme don't you think?"
”Please, Shining. Help me forget this game."
+++
“Wake up!”
Spike jumped straight into the air, flailing wildly, and latched onto the nearest object. Jobs pushed Spike away from him and asked, “Are you okay, little one? The door smashed you in the face quite hard, didn’t it?”
“I’ve gotta go! Twilight needs me!”
“Wo!” Jobs exclaimed, halting Spike in his path to the door. “What do you mean? The wind’s blowin’ like a hurricane so this better be good.”
“Twilight’s playing Monopony with her friends!”