//------------------------------// // Pinkie Pie / Fluttershy // Story: A Friend of A Friend // by 8686 //------------------------------// Pinkie Pie Well, hanging out with Rarity hadn't exactly been a resounding success, but she was busy and that was understandable. Once she'd finished up what she was doing, maybe he'd try again, but for now he was off in search of another friend to spend time with. And even as he was trying to decide who that might be, the answer presented itself. In the space a little way distant from the front of Sugarcube Corner stood a garish, circular, brightly coloured patchwork tent of mostly-green. Planted in the earth just outside the entrance was a simple wooden sign covered with—what else?—streamers and balloons. Madame Pinkie. Back by popular (future) demand! Every Wednesday-fortnight! Spike smiled. If there was one thing you could never be around Pinkie Pie, it was bored. Confidently approaching the tent-flap, he lifted it and ducked inside. Candles illuminated the interior and the spicy scent of burnt incense mingled pleasantly with that of molten candle wax. In the dim light he saw Pinkie sat up at her fortune-telling table in her traditional gypsy regalia, gazing into her crystal ball. As soon as he was within the tent, she spied him and began speaking in a deep, slow voice likely designed to convey an air of mystery and intrigue. "Welcome! Weeelcome to the chamber of Madaaaame Pinkie-Pieee! Welcome to you," —she fixed him with a piercing, ice-blue gaze— "Spike The Dragon!" "Hi Pinkie. 'Sup?" "Hi, Spike!" greeted Pinkie Pie, giving him a grin and a rapid wave. Then her half-scowl returned and Madame Pinkie was back in charge. "I sense... that you have come here for... a reason!" she proclaimed. "Uh... yeah? I guess." "I knew it! Oh, I am good. Hey, Spike? Want me to tell your fortune?" "Sure!" said Spike, grinning. He pranced over to the floor cushion at the table opposite Pinkie and sat. Whatever was about to happen was sure to be funny, interesting, impossible, or all three. Pinkie cleared her throat. "Look into the crystal ball, Spike. Gaaaaze into the Mystical Orb of Fate's Destiny-That-Is-Totally-Not-A-Fake-Like-That-Last-Guy-Thooooouught. Stare into it for a really looooong time..." Spike dutifully gazed hard into the sphere. On close examination, the glass orb seemed to contain tiny particles of silver, floating softly within the crystal. He grinned. Only Pinkie Pie would tell a pony's fortune using a glorified snow-globe. Willingly falling into character, he became suitably astonished. "My gosh," he said, "It's full of stars!" The fortuneteller nodded sagely. "I predict..." said Madame Pinkie, waving her hooves over and around the Mystical Orb of Etcetera, "...that you will get... Twilight Sparkle... a really cool birthday present this yeeeaar!" Spike blinked. He looked up and quirked an eyebrow. "Uh... Pinkie?" "Wow!" said Pinkie Pie, still staring into the crystal ball. "She's really going to love it! Aww, she is so lucky to have an assistant like you, Spike!" "Pinkie?" Spike tried again. "Yes, Spike?" Her eyelids fluttered. "That prediction already came true, remember? I got her that telescope?" Pinkie just looked quizzically back at him, cocking her head to the side. "You were at the party? I told you guys the story of the adventure I went on the get the parts for it?" he tried. Pinkie's head cocked a little further. Her brow furrowed slightly. "There was a volcano in it and everything?" he prompted, a little frustration building. Pinkie's head cocked still further, almost at ninety degrees to her neck now. Spike frowned. "I sort-of saved Princess Celestia from a bunch of creepy lobsters? I was almost buried alive? You don't remember me telling you any of this?" A little anger managed to invade his tone without him really meaning it to. "Nopey dopey!" Pinkie confirmed. Spike sighed. He felt his head droop and his eyes found the floor. "Never mind," he mumbled. Pinkie had been right there with the others when he'd told them all. Apparently it wasn't that good a story. Not even worthy of recollection. Why would it be? It was only one of the most amazing things he'd ever done. He slowly stood up from the cushion and turned, heading for the tent flap. Somehow, having one of his greatest accomplishments simply forgotten away into insignificance had turned his mood completely flat, and he suddenly didn't feel that being around the boundlessly energetic, occasionally impossible pink party pony was the best thing for him right now. "Spike? You've kind of got a frowny-face there," said Pinkie, as though she were pointing out a milk-moustache, or a stray face-frog. Then he heard her gasp in terror. "Ohmygosh! My prediction didn't make you frowny, did it?!" "No, Pinkie." He reached the threshold, but didn't turn. "I just need a little air. Too much incense, y'know?" He faked a cough. "Oh. Okey-dokey!" He pulled the flap aside and left the tent, emerging once more into the sunny Ponyville midday. He walked aimlessly forwards for a few moments, taking deep breaths of the fresh, clean air and waited for his eyes to adjust to the suddenly bright light. A strange mixture of emotions assaulted him. First, annoyance. Then that turned to anger, to the extent that he felt his teeth clench and the back of his throat turn hot. Then the anger left him as quickly as it had come, leaving only an odd, hollow melancholy. Pinkie Pie remembered everything. She was famous for it. He could go back into that tent, name any citizen of Ponyville, and Pinkie Pie would instantly be able to tell him how many days it was until their next birthday. And yet, the most awesome adventure he'd ever been on... the coolest thing he'd probably ever done in his life... was a tale that was clearly less worthwhile remembering than a hundred arbitrary dates in a calendar. That... was upsetting... a little bit. Spike drew a deep breath through his nose and held his head up. No. His friends were interested in him. Of course they were. In fact, on his very first day here, one of his friends had been so interested in him that she'd listened to his entire life story! He turned his head towards the road out of town towards the Everfree, and the little cottage at the border. * * * Fluttershy "Oh, Spike?" Fluttershy's bashful but happy smile greeted him at the door to her cottage. "Won't you come in?" "Sure. Thanks, Fluttershy," he said, gratefully accepting the invitation. "I was just making some tea. Can I get you some?" "Yeah, that sounds great. Thanks again." Spike bounced up onto Fluttershy's couch and waited while she disappeared into her small kitchen, listening to the sounds of clinking china cups and boiling water being poured. When Fluttershy reappeared, it was with a tea-tray gripped expertly in her teeth and which she set down on a small coffee table before the couch. Taking care not to burn herself, she gingerly grasped the teapot in her mouth and decanted the sweet-smelling tea into a small pink teacup decorated with tiny red hearts. She stirred in a little milk and honey and then nudged the cup and saucer towards Spike, who took it gratefully. He had to force himself to sip it slowly. He was really more of a gulper, and the fact that the liquid was scalding hot was no issue to a dragon used to breathing fire. "Would you like some carrot-cake?" asked Fluttershy even before the cup had left his lips. "Sure. Thanks." He watched as Fluttershy turned and headed for the kitchen again, leaving him to sip his tea quietly. In short order she returned with the promised cake and offered him a piece. And that largely set the tone. They shared pleasantries and inconsequential chatter which, while not awkward, didn't exactly flow smoothly because after every exchange, Fluttershy would ask if there was anything she could do for him. "Would you like anything else to eat?"; "Can I get you a blanket?"; "I could give you a massage if you want?"; "Would you like to take a nap?" It wasn't bad, he thought. The conversation wasn't exactly scintillating, but Fluttershy was pretty much offering to wait on him hand and foot. Maybe he could get used to this! And... it wasn't as though he was taking advantage, was it? Fluttershy was quite willingly—and very kindly—offering her hospitality to him, after all. She was being a good friend. A great friend! Yeah. He'd have to come hang out with her more often. There was a brief shuffling sound from upstairs, followed by a series of soft thumps, followed by the appearance of Angel Bunny. The rabbit bounded into the living room and, seeing Spike on the couch, eyed him with suspicion. Spike eyed him right back. They gave each other careful nods. They still weren't exactly best pals, but ever since their unscheduled trip to the Crystal Empire, they had an understanding. "Oh, there you are Angel," said Fluttershy with a sweet smile. "Would you like some carrot cake?" Everything changed. Spike sat still, teacup in claw, staring into space, and felt his stomach slowly sink. It was how she'd said it. With the same tone and the same inflection as when she'd offered the same cake to him earlier. And it made him see things very differently. Suddenly, Fluttershy wasn't a kind, gracious host devoting her time to hanging out with a friend. She was... looking after him. She was taking care of him. Just as she would for any of the dozens of pets and animals she was responsible for. To her, he was... he was... He let out a long, quiet breath. Somehow, 'a friend', wasn't the right way to finish that sentence anymore. Feeling numb, he very slowly returned his cup to the saucer, and the saucer to the table. "I think I have to go." His voice was oddly flat to his own ears. "Oh?" said Fluttershy. "Yeah," he said, still unable to find a tone. He stood and his legs began to carry him automatically towards the door. "But... you haven't finished your cake," said Fluttershy. "I... I know," he said, weakly. "Angel can have it. Thanks, Fluttershy. I'll see you around." He pulled the door open, and closed it behind him as he left the cottage, leaving Fluttershy and Angel with perplexed expressions. Walking the path away from the tiny house, Spike couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment that had settled over him like a heavy wet blanket. Fluttershy didn't treat him like she treated her other pony friends, did she? Had Twilight turned up to her cottage, her visit would have gone quite differently than stilted conversation and the suggestion she might want a nap. He was vaguely aware that he was judging Fluttershy a little harshly. After all, to her, all of her animals were her friends, just as much as anypony else. She hadn't meant to patronise or belittle him. She'd genuinely been treating him as someone she cared for. But—he felt his teeth clench involuntarily—he didn't want to be 'cared for!' He could take care of himself! He just wanted...! Spike slowed to a stop and stared at the ground under his feet. At the moment all he really wanted was somepony to talk to about all this. Somepony to reassure him that he was a real, true friend; because at the moment, the way things were going... he was starting to worry he might not be. He raised his head, and his legs spurred him to locomotion once more. He left the winding path that lead back towards Ponyville, cutting across the wide rolling green field towards the treeline of the adjacent orchard, hope and confidence returning just a little. There was a pony he could talk to.