//------------------------------//
// Spike: The 'Non Students' 
// Story: Room Mares 
// by TJW 
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"Soooo, how many ponies are staying in this dorm then? Are there any other dragons here?" Spike questioned, walking alongside the receptionist towards the slightly less lavish looking building along their path, by comparison with the main school itself anyway.

"Yes of course! You're bound to meet plenty of friends here... err others just like yourself!" Mrs Fondlesworth replied. She spoke with the same soft yet undermining tone that he encountered with her before separating from Twilight, however he couldn't quite help but notice that distinct hesitation at the centre of her answer; a hesitation that increased Spike's skepticism, but he decided to dismiss it.

As they proceeded down the walkway, every so often Spike noticed Fondlesworth direct a number of discrete and empathetic glances in his direction; this caused a gradual feeling of anxiety and self consciousness to arise inside the dragon's core and he began to fear the concept of something she didn't wish to tell him.

Nearing the dormitory itself, the receptionist stopped, about 50 feet or so away from the building's door. Spike, still entranced in his private thoughts, couldn't anticipate the sudden cease of movement, so awkwardly came crashing into the back end of the older mare. She looked down at the bewildered and somewhat embarrassed dragon,  "well... I think you can find your way from here right? Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and deliver your purple friend's bags".

Spike's internal worries augmented largely, solidifying any previous theories that she was guarding a secret from him. It was now apparent that the mare wanted to distance herself from him, but he couldn't quite place his claw on the reason yet. "Wait, you're leaving me? Aren't you going to show me around the dorm? Or even to my room or something?"

Fondlesworth,  already starting to back away, was looking noticeably desperate to initiate some sort of escape, "No, err... I'm sure you'll be fine. I don't think we'll see each other again since I'm based in the main building, so, enjoy your stay here and I know you're going to make lots of new friends with other ponies or dragons. Ok bye!" The mare hastily spun in place and trotted away at a faster than average speed. Her trotting speed was directly proportional to the distance from Spike, getting faster as she got further, seemingly to evade suspicion from the baby dragon but in fact doing the opposite.

Many things were running through Spike's mind while staring up at the dorm, such as why Fondlesworth was in such a hurry to bail on him just now, especially considering she offered to escort him herself despite previously saying that she would have somepony else do it. Also, what was so bad about his place that she couldn't personally be around him to take him in there herself? Either way, Spike was usually a 'glass half full' kind of guy so concluded that seeing as there was no turning back here, he should just face it head on and see where things take him from there. Taking deep breaths, he turned the handle, then swung open the door. 

The scene when entering the main hall was a low blow to say the least, the sight of this striking his soul even harder than the smell hit his nostrils. He felt as though a dark void inside of him just sucked up his guts, and that his heart now weighed three times heavier. Where he stood, he was visually greeted by a mix and matched rabble of various different animals scurried amongst themselves, ranging from snakes to falcons, cats to geese or mice to rabbits. Spike made his way through the crowd of animals, searching for his own kind anywhere to no avail. The animals were so fixated on chasing each other, they barely registered the dragon calling for attention; though even if they did, none of them could talk to be able to respond to him. The ambient light in the hall made Spike feel as if he had time travelled to night time from the fresh day's sky outside.

After scouring through the group two more times, the sensation of hopelessness overwhelmed the young dragon and he fell to the floor; this was a similar feelling to one you experience when you temporarily lose your parents at a young age. His head fell into his arms, his eyes welling up as he commenced crying, knowing he would be isolated here for a long time. Sure enough, he was told there would be animals here, but he was also told he would be able to make friends, however there were no ponies, and certainly no other dragons anywhere to be seen.

"I guess they told YOU the same thing they told us, eh kid?"

Spike shot back up, wiping the tears from his eyes as he despised being caught crying in public. This raspy crackling voice was audible enough to be heard, but due to the noise produced from the riot of tussling animals, he couldn't quite locate where it came from. Once again, Spike fought his way through the crowd, calling out for the identity of this voice.

"Look over here kid! We're in the corner"

This time the voice was far more distinguished and Spike turned his head to face the proximity of the sound though the only thing he saw in the corner was a duck, positioned next to a fairly larger dog. The duck had fairly dull white feathers with beady eyes and a dark grey natural collar around his neck. The most notable feature about the duck however was two bulges situated just below its beak, as if it had a double chin growing there. As for the dog, it was a brown bull terrier with white fur starting from its neck and stemming down to its lower belly. This couldn't be right, Spike questioned whether he was really in the right area, though this was confirmed when the duck opened its beak to speak again,

"Yep, this is us. Now I'd suggest you get over here before that mob consumes you!"

Spike did as the duck said and headed over to join them, a bit cautious but mostly relieved that he wasn't alone here. "H-hey guys?" Spike said like an awkward stallion asking out a mare, "I - I'm Spike"

The duck barely noted the shyness from the dragon as he introduced himself, "good to meet you kid, the names Bill, Bill Quackmire. And this right here is my friend, Butch." Gesturing to the dog next to him

"S'up?" Butch delivered in a gruff deep tone.

Quackmire continued, "so you're here in the same circumstances as us then kid? They tell you it's for the 'non students' and that 'we'll meet plenty of others our own kind'. Well look around you kid, do you see any other ducks or dogs in that rabble? And I'm sure there aren't any dragons here either!"

Due to the nature of the crowd, Spike had taken as definite that there were ducks and dogs in there, but after second inspection, he realised that Quackmire was being truthful. 

"You see kid? They lied to us! They did the outside up all pretty, but when you're inside it's nothing more than a barnyard! When I first arrived, I was the same as you, and the only voice I heard in this hall was Butch"

"S'up?" The dog interjected

"So we started conversing and became friends quickly. Now you're here kid so you have a choice, be friends with us and we'll stick together, or stay here on your own?"

Spike considered Quackmire's offer, it was a no-brainer really, of course Spike wanted to make friends, it would help him to find some bright side to his current problem. He nervously offered out his claw, "sure guys, I'd love to be your friend!"

Quackmire gleefully engaged in this weird claw-wing shake, visibly excited about the new member of his friend roster.

Spike also was clearly happier about the arrangement,  "thanks guys, this really helps me out! I am a bit wary though, I mean a talking duck AND a talking dog together?"

Quackmire faked offence, "woah there Spike! Don't get carried away! I know I'M a bit creeped out by a talking DRAGON! And I'm sure Butch here would have a few choice words on the matter as well!"

"S'up?"

Spike had to be careful, he didn't want to lose the friends he'd just made, "I'm sorry! You're right guys. I just have one thing to ask of you though; seeing as my 'escort' ran away, and you guys are my friends now, would you mind showing me where my bedroom is?"

Butch and Quackmire glanced at eachother, then burst into a fit of laughter before the duck put a sympathetic wing on Spike's shoulder

"Haha! A bedroom, kid? You'd be lucky if the windows even worked properly in this place!"