//------------------------------// // Two // Story: Bitten By a Dragon // by FaelaArts //------------------------------// Spike clenched the two train tickets in his claw, looking at the mirror. Gulping, he practiced saying the sentence once more, knowing this moment would be his last chance to make a good impression. Spike felt nervousness eat him up, and paused once more, slapping himself in the face. “Spike, focus! It’s time to get some guts! You can do this!” Spike breathed in and glared at the mirror for a moment. Expression changing to a small smile, he opened his mouth to speak. “Hi Rarity, I was wondering if you would like to go to Canterlot with me for the weekend. Not this weekend but the following. I booked a motel and a restaurant, and there’s also a theater we can go to if you’re into that sort of thing.” Spike waited, imagining Rarity looking toward him. ‘Oh I’d love to Spikey Wikey, but I have so much work to do’. Spike leaned forward, taking the imaginary hoof as he crouched down, and looked up. “Rarity please, I’ve been organising this for months, just so it can be perfect. I even got you flowers! Note to self; get flowers.” Spike held out the pretend flowers. ‘Well, if you insist.’ Spike smiled warmly and stood up, holding out the ticket. After a moment, he blinked back to reality and sighed, closing his eyes. “I really hope this goes to plan, I had to get a side job to pay for this.” Spike bit his lip, and left the bathroom. Entering his room, he placed his tickets under his pillow for safekeeping, and glanced toward Twilight’s bed. Spike turned and headed downstairs, seeing Twilight already eating breakfast. “Good morning Spike, sleep well?” Twilight bit into her oats, enjoying the taste as she watched Spike sit down at his bowl of gems. Picking one up, Spike slowly ate it with relish. “Mmh, yeah, what about you?” Spike glanced to Twilight, who seemed a bit off for a morning. For one thing, she was chipper. Obviously some good news had come in, and Spike knew Twilight was going to tell him eventually. “Yes! But you won’t believe what happened when I woke up. You barfed a letter in your sleep, and it was from Princess Celestia! She wants me and my friends to come to Canterlot to attend a parliament meeting. Honestly, I think she’s expecting it to go the way of the gala, but it means I get to spend time with her and Princess Luna.” Twilight giggled, giving an eager squee as her wings opened up. “That’s great, when are we leaving? And for how long?” Spike bit down on the only sapphire in his breakfast, and forced himself to savour it. Twilight blinked, folded her wings, and scratched the back of her head. “Well actually, you won’t be going. I need somepony to watch the Castle. And it’s for next weekend. I already agreed and told the other’s about it because I know you don’t mind watching the Castle. I know I should have asked, but I kinda got over-excited.” Twilight smiled sheepishly, and frowned as Spike bit his lip. “Uh, actually I kinda have plans. can you get someone else to watch the Castle?” Spike ignored his breakfast, focused on something more important than his stomach. “Oh, I’m sorry to ask this but can you cancel your plans?” Twilight bit her lip and ate another bite of her meal. Twilight didn’t like asking Spike to cancel his plans, but she really needed somepony to stay at the Castle. “Isn’t there someone else you can get to watch the Castle?” Spike leaned forward, insistent. All his plans were washing down the drain. Today had been the day he would ask Rarity and everything, he’d practiced so hard. Twilight shook her head, and Spike sighed. “Alright,” he spoke sadly, fingering his food. Twilight walked around the table and brought Spike into a hug. “Thank you.” Twilight stepped back and returned to her meal. Spike slowly ate his, closing his eyes as he thought about all the money he couldn’t get back. Sighing, Spike knew it would be another 6 months before he could afford to do it again. Spike jolted awake as a large boom sounded downstairs. Leaping up, Spike dashed down and noticed that the sound was actually just a large, burly, stallion delivering a large box. Twilight levitated up a pen and signed it, and the stallion left. Turning, Twilight smiled in greeting at Spike. “Good morning, you’re just in time!” Twilight trotted over to the box and opened it. Spike stood on his tiptoes and glanced inside. It was books, packed to the brim inside the large box. Twilight beamed a smile as Spike stepped back, and rubbed his eyes. “This is for the library in the Castle. I wasn’t able to replace some of the books that got lost, but most of them are here. Not to mention some new one’s I purchased as well. It’ll give you plenty to do this weekend.” Twilight smiled warmly as she levitated the books out, stacking them neatly in piles, and tossing the box away. “Weekend?” Spike rubbed his eyes, looking toward the part of the Castle dedicated to shelving. Twilight smiled, and giggled as she pointed toward the shelves. “Well yeah, you need to put all of them away. I figure since you’re watching the Castle you can keep yourself busy doing that. Oh! There’s a second box due to arrive then too. Here, help me start putting them away.” Twilight smiled warmly, and plucked out one of the books, flicking through it quickly before holding it under her wing. “But I thought I could just relax…” Spike trailed off, and looked down at the ground. After a moment, he plucked one of the books off the stack, and began to walk toward the shelf. “Spike, come on, I don’t ask you to do much these days.” Twilight turned to head for the door. “But-” Spike tried to object, but Twilight quickly cut him off, giving a begging smile. “You know, I do a lot for you, getting Rarity to agree to see you even when she’s busy. Why can’t you do this for me? Please?” Twilight was right, Spike knew that, and yet her tone sparked off something in his mind. How many times had Twilight asked him to do something, and he had just done it? “No.” Spike narrowed his eyes, making a stand. If Twilight wanted him to watch the Castle, he wanted to spend it having some relaxation, not doing chores for her. Twilight turned and blinked in surprise. “Pardon?” Twilight slowly walked closer to Spike. “No, I am not doing your chores while you are away.” Spike clenched his claws, and forced himself to stay level headed. Twilight straightened up, and narrowed her eyes. “What’s that tone you’re taking with me? Are you talking down to me?” Twilight bristled, and Spike blinked, putting his arms up as he shook his head. “No, it’s not that!” Spike realised he had just lost his advantage, and silently cursed that fact. “Then why can’t you do this one favor for me?” Twilight tilted her head, wings half-opening. “Because I don’t want to.” Spike narrowed his eyes again, and a silent battle waged between them. Twilight growled, and turned her head sideways. “Damn it Spike, fine. You’re a baby Dragon, I get it. It’s too much for you to handle.” Twilight blinked, realising that had come out meaner then she had meant, and turned to apologise. Twilight slowly opened her eyes, hearing a form slightly snoring beside her. As the white room began to grow clearer, she realised she was in a hospital. Glancing to the source of the snoring, Twilight saw it was Spike, sleeping on a chair. For a small moment, she smiled warmly, before images of how she had gotten here returned. “Gyah!” Twilight fell off the bed, startling Spike awake. Wincing, she touched her sore shoulder, noticing the bandage holding her wing in place. Spike held out a claw, about to help, and quickly withdrew it as he looked away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Spike watched from the corner of his eyes as Twilight slowly settled back on the bed, and looked at him, forcing herself to remain calm. “How does one not mean to bite somepony?!” Twilight blinked, and motioned with her hoof, taking a few calming breaths. Turning, she glanced to Spike’s guilty face, and sighed. “It’s alright, things just got a bit heated. I’m sorry for snapping at you.” Twilight glanced toward the window, it was very early in the morning. Twilight vaguely wondered if she had missed the trip to Canterlot, but quickly discarded it for more important things. “It’s just, sometimes I say something, and it’s like you hear something completely different.” Spike rubbed his hands together as he looked down at the ground. Twilight bit her lip, that wasn’t the only problem, she turned toward Spike. “Well, I’m listening now. What are the fearsome Dragon’s demands?” Twilight let a very weak smile fall on her face, and Spike finally looked at her. After a moment, he looked away, and Twilight let the smile fall. “Well, I want my own room.” Spike scratched his arm, feeling like dirt for demanding things after what he had done to Twilight. Twilight blinked, and then chuckled. “Done, anything else?” Twilight felt some of her own guilt ease. Yes Spike had bitten her, but Twilight had said some awful things in the heat of the moment too. Spike glanced up, and then back down. “Well, it would be nice if you’d stop assuming I can do stuff all the time…” Spike bit his lip and picked at the scales on his cheek. “Right, I can do that too.” Twilight scratched the back of her head, knowing that was something she shouldn’t have been doing, but hadn’t been. “Uh well, that’s kinda it…” Spike glanced up once more, and both met the other’s eyes, before glancing away. “Right, okay,” replied Twilight. Everything was silent for a few moments. “Uh, are my friends coming to visit?” Twilight glanced to Spike, who jumped and launched into a flurry of words. “Yeah! They were here yesterday but they only allow one visitor to stay of a night. They, uh, said I should be the one to do so.” Spike scratched the back of his head, and both went silent again. The door slammed open, “Twilight!” Rarity and Pinkie Pie were the first to enter, followed quickly by the others. Twilight smiled warmly and greeted each, her face lighting up with a smile as conversation filled the room.