//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: MLP Adventures: Vacation With The Princesses // by Dante24 //------------------------------// Spike was sweeping up the library as certain thoughts began going through his head. The most recent thought was wondering why wasn’t he invited to the Crystal Empire to welcome the games inspector. He was the one who delivered the crystal heart to Princess Cadence. Had he not been there Twilight would have been stuck inside that dark crystal cage or at the very least stuck staring at that doorway that shows you your worst fears and King Sombra would have taken over. Princess Cadence wouldn’t even have and empire to rule if Spike had not been there. Was she really that ungrateful or does really not like Spike at all. As he continued thinking, he found himself becoming even more depressed to the point that he just dropped the broom, went upstairs to the bedroom and dropped in his bed. Spike just laid there in a deep depression as he remembered all the times he was left behind by his so called friends. Maybe they didn’t want him around anymore. Maybe it’s because he’s boy, or maybe it’s because he’s a dragon and not a pony, so they think less of him. These were thoughts that Spike didn’t want to have but no matter what he did the thoughts kept coming, and they continued until he fell asleep. When Spike awoke the next morning he saw that Twilight’s bed hadn’t been slept in, meaning that she hasn’t returned from the Crystal Empire yet. With the Equestria Games fast approaching, this had been the third time that Princess Cadence invited the mane 6 to return to the empire, once again forgetting about Spike. Maybe she really was that ungrateful, or was it because he was a dragon and was afraid to to even have him near the empire because the crystal ponies closely resemble gem stones and crystals and thought that Spike would just go ballistic and and eat everything in sight. This thought dug at Spike’s heart. There’s no way that he would do something that horrible. “Maybe I should just leave and never come back.” he thought. “I mean it’s not like they’ll miss me or anything.” Before he could finish that train of thought, Spike burped up a letter from Princess Celestia. He sighed. “Twilight’s still at the Crystal Empire.” he said. “Who knows when she’ll be back.” Before he tossed the letter on the bed, he noticed that the writing on it said that it was addressed to him. This caught Spike off guard simply because the princess hardly ever sends letters addressed to him before. He quickly opened it up. Dear Spike, My sister Princess Luna, and myself would like to see you here in Canterlot. My royal chariot should be there soon to pick you up. Princess Celestia Just what the heck did the princesses want with Spike. It must be really serious if they both want to see him. Moments later there was banging at the front door. Spike opened it up and was greeted by two of the princess’s royal Pegasus guards. Behind them was Celestia’s golden chariot. “Young Spike, we are here to personally escort you to Canterlot.” said one of the guards. Spike thought that maybe he should leave Twilight a letter, letting her know where he was but decided against it. Knowing her, she probably wouldn’t even notice his absents. After that train of thought, Spike closed up the library and left with the guards to Canterlot. Along the way there he couldn’t help but wonder what it was the princesses wanted with him. Did they want him to deliver secret documents to one of the neighboring kingdoms? Did it have anything to do with the upcoming Equestria Games? Or was it something far more important? Spike continued to have these thoughts until he arrived at the castle door. Spike got off the chariot and made his way inside to the thrown room. He noticed that neither Celestia or Luna were there yet. “I must be early.” he thought. Walking towards the thrown, Spike took a look at the stain glass windows that were on display. The first one showed Twilight and the others using the elements of harmony to defeat Nightmare Moon and restore Princess Luna back to normal. That second one showed them battling Discord and saving Equestria from eternal chaos. The third one was one he hadn’t noticed before, Shining Armor and Princess Cadence defeating the entire changeling army. Spike remembered that day at the wedding when they were attacked. The mane six ran off to get the elements of harmony but were quickly captured. No pony noticed that Spike was no where to be seen, that’s because Spike and slipped out when they were all focused on Queen Chrysalis to retrieve the elements, trying his best to avoid being caught by one of the changelings and even manage to fight off a few. Spike had just made it back with the elements when he saw a giant burst of light and the Queen and her subjects went flying out of Canterlot and far away from Equestria. Shining Armor and Cadence had defeated the enemy leaving Spike to feel that all his efforts were for nothing. The fourth window was the one Spike spent the longest one looking at. It was when he retrieve the crystal heart and helped save the crystal empire. Spike smiled but it was one one of sadness. He’d hoped that since he had a stain glass window of his own that things would be different, but sadly they weren’t. Everything was still the same. He still felt like an outcast, being the only dragon living among ponies. Being part of a race that ponies feared. This thought wipe the smile off his face and put him in an even deeper depression than ever. He contemplated leaving when he heard a voice behind him. “You should feel proud for what you did that day.” Looking behind him, he saw Princess Celestia smiling at him. Spike quickly got over his shock of having the princess sneak up behind him and his sadness returned. “Y-yeah I guess.” he said as his gaze turned back towards the window “You know, you’re the only one who even acknowledged what I did that day.” “Spike?” asked a concerned princess. “What’s wrong?” “Well, as you know the Equestria Games are coming up, and Princess Cadence invited Twilight and the others back to the Crystal Empire to help with the preparations.” he explained. “Except me. This is the third time she’s invited them back there and completely forgot that I was the one who gave her the crystal heart.” Celestia could sense the anger within Spike slowly building up as he continued. “It’s like I don’t exist in her eyes, and not just Cadence, it’s everypony. Not being invited to Twilight’s birthday, not being able to meet Pinkie’s sister, not going to the Equestria Games tryout at Rainbow Falls, it’s as if whenever there’s fun to be had, I don’t exist.” Spike turned back at the princess with both frustrated anger and tears in his eyes. “You know, I thought helping saved the Crystal Empire would finally change things, that I would have been seen as their equal for once.” he continued. “But nothing changed, it’s the same as it was before. No pony seems to care how I feel. Maybe I should just leave Equestria, no pony would miss me.” Princess Celestia draped her wing around the young dragon and pulled him into a warm motherly hug. “That’s not true Spike, I would.” she said. Spike didn’t say anything else. He just stood there and enjoyed the warm loving embrace he was receiving from Celestia. The last time he was held like this was a long time ago when he was very little. Like any baby who learns how to walk, they run around and explore. Spike was in the garden playing while a young twilight was studying and Celestia was watching them. Spike wandered a bit too far and headed towards a rose bush. The bush had thorns over it and you can probably guess what happened next. Celestia and Twilight both heard Spike crying and quickly rushed to his side. Spike only received a small scratch on his right arm but it still hurt like crazy. Using her magic, Celestia levitated Spike close to her, kissed his arm and pulled him into a warm embrace. Spike snapped out of his little memory once Celestia broke the hug and wiped his eyes. “Spike, I’m sure the others didn’t.....” Spike cut her off by angrily pulling himself away from her. “NO, DON’T EVEN SAY THAT!” he yelled. The princess just stood there shocked and wide eyed at the re-angered dragon. “Spike?” “I’M TIRED OF HEARING THAT SAME WEAK EXCUSE OVER AND OVER AGAIN!” he continued, but this time he was beyond angry. “EVERYPONY, KEEPS TELLING ME THAT, “OH, SPIKE I’M SURE THEY DIDN’T MEAN TO” WELL IF THEY DIDN’T MEAN TO THEN WHY DO THEY KEEP ON DOING IT!? THEY’RE THE FIRSTS ONE TO PREACH ABOUT LOVE, TOLLRANCE AND FRIENDSHIP, BUT WHEN IT COME TO ME THEY SEEM TO BE FRESH OUT OF IT!” At this point Spike couldn’t help but break down crying. “W-what kind of friend d-does to a-another?” Celestia pulled Spike back into her embrace, holding him tighter than she ever held anypony, like a mother holding her child after a traumatic experience. “Oh Spike, I-I’m so sorry.” Celestia said with deep sadness in her voice as if she personally did all these things to Spike herself. “You’re right, there is no excuse for this, I only wish I’d stepped in sooner.” Spike as he slowly moved back to look the princess in the face. Just what did she mean by 'stepped in sooner’? Did she know all along what he’s been going through but did nothing about it? “For a while now, Luna had been sencing your distress from within your dreams.” Celestia explained. “She tried many times to intervene but somehow you kept her from doing so, and with the Equestria Games coming up, I haven’t had must time to do anything about your situation, which brings me to why I called for you.” Spike was so caught up in his own troubles that he had almost forgotten why he was there in the first place. “You see Spike, starting tomorrow Luna and myself are going a little trip, a vacation if you will.” she explained while wiping the tears from his eyes yet again. “And we would love it if you came with us.” Spike’s eyes widen tremendously. He was in complete utter shock. Was he hearing the correctly? Was Princess Celestia asking him to accompany both her and her sister on their vacation. “It’s the least we can do for you Spike, knowing how hard you’ve been working all this time with next to no reward to show for it.” “Y-yes, of course, sure I’ll come!” he said with excitement. “I’d be honored.” Celestia smiled. “That’s good to here. Now you should head back to Ponyville and get ready, we leave first thing in the morning.” Spike wasted no time what so ever. He was quickly out the door and returned to his chariot where he was taken back to Ponyville. He still couldn’t believe it though, he was going on a trip with both Celestia and Luna. But where were they gonna go? How long were they gonna stay there? These were questions that Spike asked himself but in the end it didn’t matter. To him, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and was no way he was gonna pass it up. After getting back he quickly began packing up thinks he will need. The latest copy of the Power Ponies comic, a ton of notebooks, and finally a bow and a couple of arrows that he made a while back. “I’m going a vacation with the Princesses tomorrow.” he thought. “I can’t wait.”