//------------------------------// // Chapter 2.2: It's okay, Spike // Story: The hunt for Sombra(ro) // by Firestreak2018 //------------------------------// “Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” Today really wasn’t Spike’s day. First, getting ridiculed by Twilight, and then realizing that his efforts were all in vain because that shadow that he defeated was merely an illusion spell to cover up some grand scheme for the princesses to hide their coltfriend. He didn’t just feel bad; He felt rotten, horrible, useless, and even as he was trying to drown out his sorrows, somepony was stopping him from doing so. What a jerk... Spike grumbled to himself as he slammed his half-empty mug on the table with a growl. “I said, another DONUT, Pony Joe! Extra sprinkles!” It technically was drowning out his sorrows, really: Drowning them out with the sweetness of the best donuts he’s ever had in his whole life. However, his task was halted because the very owner of this bakery was hesitating on giving him his desired sweet stuff. “Joe. I’m not gonna ask again!” “Yes you aren’t, Spike.” The unicorn stated flatly, sitting on the chair on the opposite side of the booth to look directly at Spike. “You’re gonna tell me what’s wrong, okay? Just a few days ago you’re all excited about saving an empire from some evil menace, and now you come back in here like its been recaptured or something. Mare problems?” Donut Joe knew about the many troubles of a teenaged colt, an age which Spike was perpetually stuck at, but Joe had never expected a dragon to be so well-integrated to pony society that he really was almost like a pony trapped in a dragon’s body. A really tiny one He thought as he levitated another stack of donuts from the kitchen. Spike reached out for them, but Joe shook his head, silently stopping the adolescent dragon from reaching his goal. “Now, my little dragon friend. You’re gonna tell me what’s got you so down, okay? Is it Rarity again?” Spike shook his head with a mumble, but it was enough for Joe to get the hint that his guess was wrong. “You found out you liked Twilight Sparkle but she friendzoned you?” Another shake of his head accompanied with a glare of bewilderment, and Joe mentally sighed with relief. At least if he was going to be competing for the heart of that cute mare, he would not be up against a dragon. “Found some lucky stallion with a whole bunch of mares as his herd?” Spike pondered for a moment before nodding, and Joe rewarded him with a donut, one that Spike inhaled almost instantly. "Oh so that's what you're sad about, huh?" Spike had wanted to blurt out the truth so badly, but he had Pinkie promised not to tell anyone else. If only he could bend the rules by a bit... "Dude, herds are normal in Equestria. So what if that guy has a bunch of mares? Big deal, 'mright?" “Not just any mare, Joe…” Spike growled out as he took another swig of coffee to clear his airway of potential choking hazards. “This guy has two of the most important mares of Equestria!” Joe could feel dread start building up within him. Did Twilight get taken by some other stallion? Was he too late? “W-who was it?” Joe stammered, failing to hide his nervousness, although the dragon was too depressed to think about what the unicorn in front of him was doing or feeling. “That idiot’s the coltfriend of both Princess Luna and Celestia, Joe! How is that even fair?!” Not hearing Twilight’s name in a sentence never felt so relieving to him, but a few seconds saw Joe giving a surprised gasp for a totally different reason. “The princesses of the sun and moon, and they’re both taken by the same stallion! Y’know, sometimes I think I wouldn’t mind being in that guy’s position if you catch my drift.” Doughnut Joe mutely nodded before pushing the rest of the donuts towards Spike, who helped himself to stuffing the confectionaries into his mouth. Joe had a lot to think about, really: Both princesses taken by one stallion? He must be really handsome if he actually managed to catch the hearts of the two most important mares of Equestria. That stallion was probably such a charmer that even fillies fell on their side as he walked past. He promised himself that he was going to find who this stallion was, and he was going to get tips on how to look as dashing as he was to attract the attention of any mare he wanted. This was a big task, he promised himself. One that he will fulfill. Before he could even think any more about it, the doors to his shop burst open to reveal the lavender unicorn he desired so much. His eyes nearly popped out of his sockets, and he swore he could hear a chorus of angels sing at the very sight of her, but she was not looking at him with half-lidded eyes, and she was not giving him an invitation to bed like his dreams had portrayed. Instead, she seemed to be horribly worried, and the sight of a groaning dragon splayed out on a booth chair with a half-eaten doughnut in his claws was enough for Twilight to realize what was going on. She galloped up to him and levitated him up with urgency. Doughnut Joe was too shocked by her sudden appearance that he could only gallop to where they were to make sure Spike was alright instead of trying the newest pick-up lines he got from his bunch of friends (probably a good thing though. Now didn't seem to be a good time). Perhaps she would realise how beautiful his heart was through his care for her pet dragon. “He’s going to live, at least.” Joe remarked coolly before picking out a pill and a glass of water for Spike to drink down. “Probably ate too much, this guy, got really carried away about some stallion being the coltfriend of both the princesses and he was really depressed about it.” Twilight gave him an apologetic chuckle, and he could feel his heart flutter as his mind struggled to remember that quick second of her beautiful smile. Alas, it was over too quickly, but he did not want to scare her away by asking her to smile for him again, so he blew off some of his hidden frustration with a snort that tried its best to sound like an amused one. Hopefully she couldn't sense that it was not genuine about his amusement and just laugh along. “Yeah… He gets a bit drunk over donuts, this guy. I’ll just leave a hundred bits over here for any possible damage he did to the bakery. And don’t care about his mumblings, really! He gets quite delusional sometimes! Heheh!” Joe had to agree to that statement, having been accused of being a mare by Spike when he was drunk over doughnuts a few years ago, although the thought about the two princesses being intimate with one colt was definitely quite juicy for gossip. Depositing the barely conscious dragon onto her back, she pulled out a bit bag and levitated it to the table before waving to Joe. “Thanks for having him over, Joe! Sorry if he caused you any trouble!” Joe just nodded and she flashed him another smile. That was enough encouragement for the baker, and he opened his muzzle to talk, but Twilight beat him to it with a fast “Goodbye!” “Twilight wait!” Joe cursed to himself as she teleported from the bakery, leaving him alone once again with his thoughts. “... I love you Twilight.” The stallion stomped a hoof against the ground in frustration at still being unable to confess to her. He had finally worked up the courage, but she was gone too soon. Why did she go so fast? He was sure he did everything right this time: No creepy grins, no sultry wiggling of his eyebrows. He just could not understand why she never gave him the chance to confess how he really felt. Maybe that's because she doesn't want you? I won't be surprised, really. Look at you: You're just some old baker who serves rings of bread to ponies. Where's the attraction in that? That thought sent a wave of depression coming over him, and now it was his turn to bring out his own form of sorrow drowning, the hard Applejacks that he kept in his safebox for dire situations like this. He would keep bottles like these in the events of emergencies, and this night was one of the nights with emergencies. His heart was breaking fast, and without his alcohol, he was going to start bawling like a newborn foal. Biting his tears back, he poured his first glass of Applejack's before pulling the whole glass back with his muzzle to down the beverage. The first shot brought a pleasant burn to his throat as he grunted, and he allowed his vision to lazily scan across his bakery. He was alone here, fortunately, so nopony could see the broken state he was in as he took shot after shot of his alcohol. It didn’t take long for him to drink until his vision became blurry with tears and the buzzing in his head brought him a lack of clarity, but he still continued to down the bottle, hoping that he wouldn’t ever have to remember that he had been ‘rejected’ by her. However, before he could drink himself to the point of passing out, a purple object caught his attention, and he tried his best to focus on the object, remembering through his severely disorientated mind that Twilight had left him something. “Sweet Celestia’s fat flanks! Thank you so much!” Of course! It was her bit bag! How could he have forgotten?! He grabbed at the bag, grunting in annoyance as he missed several times, and when he finally managed to grab hold of it, brought it closer to his muzzle and took a deep whiff. The metallic smell of bits was dominating, but the scent of the shampoo she always used was unmistakable. Maybe it was her own way of confessing her feelings? That must be it! came his muddled mind's reply as his shattered heart immediately fused back together, grew wings, and started to flutter. “Thank you so much, Celestia! THANK YOU SO MUCH!” He brought it close to his heart, not even bothering as his drunken form fell off the booth and hit the ground with a thud, and he blissfully entered the realm of slumber, mumbling out the lavender mare’s name a few more times than he usually did. It was nights like these that he wished he remembered her little gifts to him.