Spike held onto Derpy’s hoof until they reached the edge of town. Disrupting the beauty of the grassy knoll in front of them was the large fair they were searching for.
They approached the grounds, walking side by side until they reached the entry gate. From there they could get a much better view of the goings-on. With every step closer, they could feel their nostrils fill with the scent of fresh cotton candy, sweet popping corn, and objects that had no business being deep fried… being deep fried.
“Wow,” Derpy said, eyes aglow. “This is so cool! A Ferris wheel? Even a roller coaster? How’d they do it so fast?”
“A mystery that has baffled Equestria’s greatest minds for centuries.” Spike shook his head. “Honestly, though, I think the way they do it is they just dismantle all the rides into parts every night and ship them to a different town by train.”
Derpy rubbed her chin. “That doesn’t sound very safe.”
“It’s not,” Spike said with a grin. “But that’s why these rides are the best! Every time you get on one you run the risk of horrible death. If that doesn’t get the blood pumping, I don’t know what will.”
Derpy shrugged and followed Spike as he sauntered over to the ticket booth.
“Good evening, you two!” A stallion with a wonderful handlebar mustache exclaimed with a bright smile. “Just two tickets?”
“Uh, actually, we just need to go in real quick to chat with somepony,” Spike said. “We’ll be in and out in the blink of an eye.”
The stallion shook his head and pointed to a sign hanging underneath the stand. “Well, my apologies sir, but as the clearly visible sign states, ‘Nopony Admitted Without Payment’. I don’t make the rules, I just ensure they’re followed.”
Spike grumbled and produced a few bits. “Alright, fine. How much?”
“Five bits apiece for adults, four for seniors and ten for foals and fillies.”
“Ten for foals and fillies?” Spike shouted in pure shock. “Isn’t that a bit… shady? I mean, kids are the target audience!”
“Of course! That’s why they’re the most expensive.”
“Psh, you and your capitalist hierarchy,” Spike mumbled a few choice pieces of profanity under his breath and threw the bits on the table. “Fine, take your filthy bits. Two adults. May as well be highway robbery at this point…”
Derpy chuckled and followed Spike inside. “Oh, I’m sorry, Spike. If I would’ve known it’d be so expensive, I’d have stayed behind.”
“No, of course not,” Spike said, waving the idea off. “I’m glad you came. It wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable a walk through town without you.”
She grinned. “Y-Yeah, I agree. Oh, walking with you, I mean. Not… walking with… myself. You get the idea.”
“I got it. No worries.”
Derpy looked around in wonderment at all the goings-on. She almost tripped over a few loose foals in desperate need of parental supervision. “Wow. I haven’t been to one of these since I was just a filly. I find it kinda silly, actually. I just haven’t had the time.”
“Oh, they’re pretty great!” Spike said with a smile. “Someday, I’ll take you to a real one. Like, one that doesn’t run the risk of falling to pieces the moment hooves make contact with it. Deal?”
“Deal.” Derpy beamed a smile at him before pausing. “So, I have to ask. What are we doing here, exactly? You never really told me. Are we getting a souvenir for Dinky?”
“Kind of,” Spike said with a wink. “You’ll see in just a moment.”
After roaming a bit more, they reached an open segment of the grounds. Spike blocked the sun with his claw and scanned the perimeter before his eyes lit up. “There he is!”
Spike pointed with his claw to a younger pink unicorn, with a black and pink striped mane, standing across the clearing. He was surrounded by a horde of fillies taking pictures and signing autographs with him.
“Is that…?” Derpy spoke up.
“You better believe it,” Spike said. “That would be Poptart. Well, an actor playing Poptart. Either way, we’ve gotta talk to him.”
Derpy smiled and followed behind Spike as they walked over. “I’m sure Dinky would love a picture! Or maybe even an autograph!”
Spike shook his head. “I’ve got something a little better planned.”
The two waded through a river of foals and fillies, finally making their way to the unicorn.
“Um, excuse me, Poptart?” Spike asked, getting his attention.
The unicorn turned around. “Yep, that’s me! In the flesh. You need a— ...Aren’t you a little old to be at the meet and greet line?”
Spike shook his head. “Oh, no worries, bro. I’m actually just here to ask you a question. I’ll make it quick. Just down the road, there’s a hospital. In that hospital is a filly who’s your biggest fan. So, this afternoon or on your lunch break or something, I was wondering if—”
“Let me guess,” he finished for him. “You want me to go visit her at the hospital, right? Say hi, recite a few catchphrases, call her my sidekick, the whole shebang?”
Derpy looked at Spike, her mouth agape. “Spike? Are you actually doing this? I don’t… know what to say.”
Spike gave her a sly grin from the corner of his mouth before readdressing Poptart. “Yes, sir. Any chance you could make that happen?”
The unicorn rubbed his chin for a moment. “Hmm, sacrifice my time and energy to spend the night at some sick kids hospital room? Not gonna happen.”
Spike wanted to respond but had no words to follow what he just heard.
“Look, man,” Poptart continued. “This is just a side job so I can have some extra cash for my vacation coming up. I get paid to stand here, look charming, and pretend to be a book character I just happen to look like. Anything beyond that is not my concern.”
Spike snapped out of his stupor walked right up in the face of him. “Look here, you pink pretty-boy, you can just say no, but don’t you dare insult Di—”
“Hold up,” Poptart said, casually sliding Spike off to the side and eyeing Derpy up and down. “Aren’t you just lovely?”
Derpy blushed and took a few steps back from the approaching unicorn. “Me? Oh, well, I uh…”
“I tell you what,” he continued. “I’d be more than willing to waste my night in your room if you catch my drift.”
Spike snorted a billow of steam and walked between the two of them. “C’mon, Derpy. Let’s not waste our time with this loser.”
As they were walking away, Poptart opened his mouth one more time. “Hey! That counted as a meet and greet! You owe me three bits.”
He had not even the time to flinch before being pelted in the head with three coins.
Spike and Derpy walked out of the fair, the dragon still fuming.
“I can’t believe the nerve of that guy!” Spike said, stomping the ground with each word. “I go in there to try and do something nice, and what happens? I pay him three bits to insult me and harass my marefriend. “ Upon realizing what he said, he quickly covered his mouth. “Oh, whoops. Sorry. I wear my heart on my sleeve when I’m angry.”
Derpy bit her lip and gently took Spike’s claw into her hoof. “It’s okay. And, Spike?”
“Yeah?” Holding her hoof causing his voice to become much calmer. “What’s up?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” he asked. “For introducing you to a jerk that disrespects your sister then tried to hit on you?”
“Mhm,” she said with a nod. “The fact that you even tried to do something like that… It makes me really happy. And it would’ve made Dinky happy, too.”
Spike used his free claw to rub the back of his head. “Oh, well… Yeah. I suppose its best that Dinky didn’t meet him after all. What’s the old saying about not meeting your heroes?”
“That’s definitely true, here.” Derpy let out a sigh and looked up. The two of them had slowed to a gentle stroll now, claw in hoof. “At least we got to go out on such a nice day.”
“No joke,” Spike said. “Any day I get to spend with you is nice in my books.”
Spike mentally facepalmed upon replaying what he just said in his mind. You need some crackers to go with that cheese, Spike?
“I agree,” Derpy said with a giggle. “Pretty soon, Dinky will hopefully get to enjoy these days with us, I hope.”
”She will,” Spike said. “On that note, you wanna go back and see her now?”
“Sure!” Derpy paused for a moment. “Actually, Spike? I was gonna ask if you had the time time to read her one of the Poptart and Note Pad stories. It’d really cheer her up.”
“Of course I can!” Once again, a lightbulb went off in Spike’s head. And this time, he knew what his mind was concocting would work. “You know what, Derpy? I have another plan. Come with me to the Castle real quick. We’ve got a little work to do.”
Spike and Derpy crept down the quiet halls of the hospital. It took them a bit later than expected to get everything finalized for Dinky’s surprise. It was now the late afternoon and most of the kids were already fast asleep, so they tried not to wake them.
Knowing Dinky, however, they could almost guarantee she would be awake and more than likely pestering one of the nurses about something.
They eyed her room a short way down the hall just in time to see Nurse Redheart making her way out of it, her mane frazzled.
Spike beckoned her over which she happily obliged to. “So,” he began, “is she awake?”
The nurse slowly nodded. “Oh yeah, she’s definitely awake. She’s been cranky all night. Wouldn’t eat her dinner until I cut it up for her. Didn’t like the apple juice. On and on. Can hardly blame the dear, though. She’s had to get bloodwork done all afternoon. That many needles make the toughest of creatures cry.”
“No joke,” Spike said. “Doctor gets near me with one of those things and I’m welling up. But that’s beside the point. I think this is the perfect night to surprise her. You think so, Derpy?”
She happily bobbed her head. “Definitely. Let’s do it.”
“Good luck, you two,” Redheart said. “She deserves a fun night.”
As she walked away, Spike and Derpy snuck up to her door.
“Alright, you ready?” Spike said.
“Ready.”
With a silent nod, Spike thrust open the door, catching Dinky by surprise. Without bothering to greet her, he hopped up on the nearby bookcase and pulled out a flashlight from behind his back.
“Note Pad!” he shouted across the room to Dinky. “Be on the lookout, because I do believe the dreaded Doctor Poniferus is right behind me.”
Dinky’s mouth opened. “Spike? What’s going—”
“Spike?” he responded. “Who is that? I’m Poptart, of course.”
The door burst open once more, Derpy dashing in. “And I’m Doctor Poniferus! I”ve come to finally get you, Poptart! And you too, Note Pad.” Derpy gave a sinister yet playful grin at her sister.
Spike thrust out the flashlight like a sword toward Derpy. “Not today, you diabolically deviant doctor!” Spike hopped through the air, landing on Dinky’s bed. He gently stepped across until he was within arm’s reach of her. He stuck out a claw for her to grab. “Note Pad? Will you please aid me in taking down this villain? I can’t do it without my trusted sidekick.”
Dinky stared at his claw, eyes widening by the second. Her eyes wandered up to Spike’s face, seeing the reassuring grin he was wearing. She instantly lit up and grabbed his claw. “Don’t worry, Poptart! I’ll help you! I promise!”
“Excellent!” Spike pulled her up to her hooves and handed her the flashlight. “Take this weapon. The doctor is dangerous. You never know when it’ll come in handy.”
Derpy looked at the both of them towering over her on the bed. “So, two against one, huh? Well, no matter! I’ll defeat you twice as easily!”
“No, you won’t!” Dinky wrapped a hoof around Spike’s leg. “We’re a team! And you’re just a meanie!” Dinky used her limited magic to throw a pillow at her sister and hopped onto her, smiling and laughing as she did so. “C’mon Spike! I left another pillow for you so you can help, too!”
Spike nodded and grabbed the remaining pillow and hopped down into the massacre.
“No!” Derpy shouted, trying to subdue her laughter. “I shall not be defeated this easily! Not by the likes of you!”
The three of them erupted into a fit of laughter and bright smiles that lasted the rest of the afternoon. And not one of them could remember the last time they enjoyed an afternoon so much.
Aaaaaahhhhh, so cute
That was a great way to salvage the day, also is that new cover art or am i seeing things?
Speaking of art, the pillow fight scene at the end is adorbs
ugh, I'm torn between shouting "GENIUS" and "YOU DICK"
Wait, is Dinky's hair on fire in that end photo? That doesn't seem safe in a hospital...
On a more serious note, I love how much effort Spike puts into trying to cheer up Dinky and Derpy. It's really nice!
8709372
You are correct! It is, in fact, new cover art.
And yeah, I had to ride the balance between "jerk" and "working man" for the ticket salesman. He's just doing his job, but it's not nice, lol.
8709373
She's just got a terrible case of bedhead, lol.
And I'm glad you're liking it!
Poptart and Note pad? Spike ? HOW?
Derpy meet king Thorax and his brother Pharynx
Spike I thought I'd tell you don't bother with the carnival
Why?
: It done blowed up!
Poptart needed a reality check
The check bounced, twice
really can they bounce twice?
Angel Bunny how could you? Think of the foals! He did...think of the bits that were saved
this was really adorable sure spikes plans didnt go as planned but at least dinky had fun in the end
I’m not crying. You’re crying! Spike is getting an award for Best Drakefriend Ever.
...I think I'm gonna have to go to the doctors again to check and make sure I STILL DON'T have diabetes just in case
God that was adorable. LOVE IT
Keep up the good work my good man
(better than Communism) I'm a patriot. Sue me.
That's the spirit Spike
I forgot that he was probably a bit bigger there, because I didn't saw him as an adult.
has he insulted her?
okay hes an asshole.
The last scene was strange to me because it was those two, but only until I saw Ditzies face.
Wonderful! It warms my heart to see Dinky happy and the art is beautiful!
Spike should've give that actor a sympathy card.
I called it! I did! Hahaha! Fuck you Fake Poptart dickhead!
I love this!!
8709421
And that's the important thing, right?
8709424
It was a really fluffy scene to write, can't even lie.
8709433
Thanks so much!
8709544
The way it was with the last scene was spike burst in first then Derpy came in after.
8709898
yes
So much yes!
Oh Spike, you really went so far out of your way to spend the whole day making Dinky's day better. That's quite generous and sweet. Learned a bit from Rarity, have you?
Isn't this a communist country though? I mean I don't think Derpy's job(s) can support a whole month in a hospital.
Maybe you should just send Starlight over and convert them all.
That, that was not a smart plan. Maybe if you paid him to visit Dinky he probably would of. Guess that still demonstrates some of Spike naïveté
Awww, the picture looks adorable.
I really thought that Spike had a brilliant plan to somehow bring the amusement park to Dinky or Reanimate Poptart and Notepad; guess they got hit hard with a dose of reality. But their backup plan was too cute to ignore. ahhh, I just feel like it's such a waste of a character/scene if the only goal for the amusement park was to build a stronger relationship between Dinky, Derpy, and Spike.
You must tell me what sorcery you used to constantly create chapter after chapter each day.
8711353
I appreciate you reading the chapter! I'm glad you thought it was cute!
I had actually planned this scene out almost six months ago. Exactly how to lead up to it and everything... it was challenging to get it to have the right amount of impact, but I think it did.
As far as writing as much as I do, I go on binges. I'll just sit down, start typing out a conversation and boom, 2k words done. Then I just add in a bit here and there to make a chapter. I can do that for like a week at a time, then I take a while off to do other things so I don't get burnt out.
8711398
Have you ever experienced a writer's block during one of your writing binges?
8711591
Not during a binge. I get writer's block after I've written a bunch, though. I'll go hard for a couple months then disappear for a month or so while I recollect my creativity.
As a fellow writer I suggest that you stay consistent with what you write. In this chapter you say it costs
Wher you said two in the previous chapter.
8711632
Oh, shoot, good catch. Sometimes I just get ahead of myself. Thanks!
[Note Pad Encounter]
Excuse me, Mr. Cosplay, but have you met your teeth? Because I'd like to introduce them to you... one by one.
[Everything Afterwards]
ACK! It's too much cuteness!
I can't--
*thud*
*Beep*
*Beep*
*Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...*
8711684
I thought about putting in a similar scene with Note Pad reprimanding Poptart, but for the sake of keeping it to the point, I just kept Poptart's part in. But, suffice to say, you're estimation if his reaction is pretty close.
8712116
Well, I can once again attest to your skill as a writer... I genuinely want to slap a fictional character.
it's good to see that the fictional actor for you fictional oc is still more or less as big of a douche as you told me he was. also, fluffy ending scene was fluffy and cute. nicely done, you gave your readers a mild diabetes scare.
8712644
Reusing the joke? I should slapstick you with a gag order, I mean if we are not careful people could get satired of the jokes.
This abuse of power by the bourgeoisie is unacceptable! The proletariat must rally around comrade Starlight to overthrow the monarchy and the corrupt aristocracy. Down with the Crown, Break the Chains!
Warm feels and good art.
🎶🎵🎶TO SEE HOW MANY OTHER PONIES I COULD MEET.
I HAD MY BOOKS TO READ
DIDNT KNOW THAT I WOULD EVER NEED
OTHER PONIES
TO MAKE MY LIFE COMPLETE🎶🎵🎶
8679089
Why? It's Mozart's middle name. Unless I'm mistaken.
8957559
spike's initials SPELL 'sad'. it was a pun
Now where have I seen him before? 🤔
camo.derpicdn.net/934115594483d65e8051285dd3cf538d1058628c?url=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FrYMVOvb.jpg
8970457
I like to give Poptart cameos in as many stories as possible.
8970562
Really, because I only recall this one having him?
Also, why's he called Poptart? I'm curious.
8970606
He's also in One Week On the Phone, Damned If I Do Ya, Semi-Charmed Life and Fate Fell Short. He's probably in a couple others I can't remember, too.
As far as his name goes, it dates back to 2013 when I first started taking an interest in writing fanfiction. I didn't know what an OC was until I googled it and then realized everyone else had one. So, a came up with a basic design (Pink and Black), I decided I wanted him to play the relatively cocky and stuck up popular kid we all knew from school and then I needed a name. I knew pony names usually had two parts and I was eating a Cherry Poptart at the time. I noticed the color of the cherry filling looked right and then I was like "Yo, Poptart! That's his name!"
...and then Poptart was born.