//------------------------------// // Chapter the Seventh // Story: Words to Live By // by RaylanKrios //------------------------------// Spike didn’t have to wait long for his actions to come back to him. It wasn’t more than an hour later when he heard another knock on the door, this time waiting for him was one very angry looking rainbow coifed pegasus and the most beautiful pony who ever graced Equestria; though the scowl she wore on her face diminished her radiance down to merely extraordinary levels rather than preposterous. “Move Rarity, I’m going to beat his stupid little dragon butt,” Rainbow snarled taking a menacing step forward. A white perfectly manicured outstretched hoof blocked her path before she could make good on her threat.  “You’ll do no such thing to my little Spikey-Wikey.” Be Strong. “I can stick up for myself, Rarity. I’m not scared of her.” “He made Fluttershy cry!” Rarity sighed. “Rainbow Dash could you please give us a few moments?” The request earned Rarity a scowl, but Rainbow took a step back. “Alright, but if he doesn’t come out and go straight to Fluttershy’s with the best apology anypony’s ever heard, I’m gonna get me a new pair of dragon boots,“ Rainbow said with a huff added at the end for emphasis. “Yeah? I’d like you to see you try,” Spike muttered. So far he had his new code for less than twenty four hours and the only thing he gained from it was an endless wave of grief from ponies who didn’t get it. He moved aside to let Rarity into the castle and shot one last glare at Rainbow before he closed the door. “Would you like to explain to me why you upset Fluttershy?” Rarity said calmly. Spike did his best not to get lost in the deep blue pools that masqueraded as Rarity’s eyes. “I wasn’t really trying to. But, well I’m trying to be a better dragon, and that means I need to help my friends be better too.” The remark earned Spike a single raised eyebrow. “Yelling at Fluttershy is supposed to make her a better pony?” “In the long run, yeah. She needs to stop being scared of things that aren’t scary” “Spike, dear, may I be so bold as to suggest that whatever journey of self improvement you are on, it is not served by telling others what they should or should not do.” “Part of being a better dragon is making your friends stronger,” Spike said by way of an explanation. It wasn’t the full truth. The unvarnished truth of the situation was that he was angry Fluttershy had inadvertently cost him a chance to help Rarity in her hour of need, but telling Rarity that was unlikely to help his case. “Oh, I see. So you really think this is a better version of you?” Rarity said, the implicit judgement obvious.   “Yeah I do. I’m still the same Spike, only stronger.” Rarity narrowed her eyes. “No, you’re not. My little Spikey-Wikey is a charming and helpful little drake. This version is a boorish cad who apparently thinks that being selfish somehow benefits those around him.” “I’m a dragon Rarity! We don’t tolerate weakness in ourselves or our friends.” Spike snapped, instantly regretting it. The warm blue pools of Rarity’s eyes that Spike adored flashed decidedly icy. “I see, well if you decide to start acting like a pony again you know where to find us.” Rarity punctuated her remarks with a “hmph” similar to Rainbow Dash’s and promptly turned around and left, leaving Spike alone once again. No pony came to the library for the rest of the day, whether word had gotten around that the librarian was now a brutally honest, self serving little dragon, or nopony needed to check out any books didn’t matter to Spike. He spent the rest of the day brooding, exercising (Be Strong) re-reading Hoard.  Balroth was very clear on the course a noble dragon should take with those who somehow insisted on being weak. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he heard the familiar voice of Twilight ring through the castle. “Hi Spike, I’m home. Where are you?” “I’m up here, Twilight,” Spike called back from his room. Twilight rounded into view and Spike felt an unbidden swell of relief.  Long ago he had accepted that unless he and Twilight were together was going to worry,  even if only a little. It was why his greatest fear wasn't wargs or windigos, it was the thought of being permanently separated from the mare standing in front of him. “How was your trip? Did you learn anything new about dragons?” Twilght asked brightly. “I think so.  Celestia introduced me to the dragon ambassador and he gave me this book all about how to be a noble dragon.” “What does it say?” Spike bit his tongue. So far all the ponies he tried to explain his new outlook to ended up mad at him,  he really, really, didn't want to alienate Twilight as well.  “The main thing is that it's important to be strong. Balroth, the dragon in the book, says that a strong dragon is a good dragon.” “Can I read it?” Twilight asked. “Why would you want to do that?” “You know I love learning about other cultures. And if you’re going to try and act more like other dragons I’d like to know what that means.” Spike thought for a moment.  So far he had done a poor job of explaining his new code in a way that ponies agreed with. Maybe it was better if Twilight heard his rationale from the source. Spike took the book off of his nightstand and handed it to Twilight. “Be carefull with it,” Spike said, even though he knew Twilight hardly needed to be reminded to treat books respectfully. Hoard wasn’t a very thick book and Twilight was a notoriously fast reader. It wasn’t more than an hour when she returned. “So what did you think?” Spike asked with bated breath. “It was interesting,” Twilight said, gently levetating levitating the book back to Spike, in the exact same pristine condition she accepted it. Spike gingerly received it with an outstretched claw.  “Ugh,c’mon Twilight. Interesting is how you describe something you hate while trying not to offend anyone. Just be honest, you hate it and you think I should go back to trying to be more like a pony.” “I don’t think that at all.  You’re a dragon, Spike and more importantly you're my friend. My best friend,” Twilight added quietly.  “I think you should be whoever makes you happy. But I can’t help but wonder if maybe you’ve misinterpreted the message?” “Are you actually telling me how to be a better dragon?” Twilight shook her head.  “No, I’m just thinking about what I read.” Spike also didn’t need a reminder that analysing and interpreting old texts was practically Twilight’s hobby. “Dragons want to be strong, and they want others to be stronger, but they don’t help each other. Doesn’t helping your friends make you stronger?” “Sometimes, but it can hurt your friends too if you enable them.” “You think being helpful or even just polite is enabling?” Twilight paused. “I ran into Rainbow Dash on my here, Spike,” she said with only a faint note of disapproval. “Way to bury the lead there Twi.  Let me guess, now you’re mad at me too?” “No, I don’t know what happened. But it seems like Rainbow is, and she said that Rarity and Fluttershy aren’t too happy with you either. Do you really think having your friends mad at you makes you better or stronger?” Spike steeled his glare. It was a gesture he was quickly growing tired of. “It will.” “Is it going to make you happier?” Spike opened his mouth, about to quote  one of Balroth’s maxims, but nothing came.  He searched his mental archives and quickly realized that nowhere in the long winded musings of Hoard was the concept of happiness mentioned in anything more than a passing nod. “That doesn’t matter,” he said quietly. “Why not?” “Because I’m a dragon, Twilight!” Spike yelled. Twilight didn’t match Spike’s increase in volume.  “You’re more than just a dragon Spike. You’re Spike. You’re a brave and loyal friend who lives with ponies. And yes you're also a dragon, but that shouldn't be the only thing you see yourself as.” Spike’s first memory was snuggling into soft lavender fur.  It was only one of the reasons he tried so hard to please Twilight.  “I need to be something Twilight.  I'm certainly not a knight,” he said softly.   “Is that what this is about?  You want a title?” a perplexed Twilight asked. Whether Twilight meant to provoke a confession or not she got one. “No. I just meant that I’ve always tried to be a hero and the other day I failed and so maybe I got to thinking that maybe I shouldn’t try to be one.” As he said the words out loud he realized how ridiculous they sounded.  Up until a few days ago his dragon code had helped him fit in in a world that would have otherwise rejected him, and beyond that it made him happy. And then he had one bad day and abandoned it. And to make matters worse he only had his new code for one day and that had already done way more damage to his relationships then the years of living with his old one. “I messed up, didn’t I Twilight?” “Maybe. But y’know Spike, knights makes mistakes too. So what would they do?”