Summer of Spike

by Wildcard25

The Loner

One afternoon out in the city, Spike and Rainbow Dash were doing parkour training on some building rooftops.

"All right, Spike. Ready?" Rainbow asked, as they were coming up to the edge of the roof.

"All set." he confirmed.

"And... jump!" she called, as the two made the jump before reaching the next roof top.

"We made it!" Spike cheered, as they continued running.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Rainbow asked rhetorically.

"How about another go before we break for lunch?" Spike suggested.

"Took the words right out of my mouth." Rainbow smirked, as they continued on.

Suddenly they looked to the side seeing another figure running along the roof top. It was a boy about the age of Rainbow. He had short silver hair with long bangs that covered his right side and dark blue eyes eyes. His attire included a black hoodie with an image of a blue eagle with its wings spread on the back, purple pants, and sneakers.

"Who is that?" Spike asked.

"I don't know. I've never seen him before," Rainbow admitted, until a thought came to mind, "Let's find out," and so the two started leaning into the direction of the new runner, until they were neck and neck, "Hey, good moves!" Rainbow called to him.

The boy looked to her and Spike, before answering, "Thanks. Didn't know anyone else was up here training."

"Surprise, we didn't know either," Spike answered, "I'm Spike, and this is Rainbow Dash."

"And you?" Rainbow inquired.

"Dante, but I also go by Blaze." he answered.

"Well, Blaze, think you can keep up with us?" Rainbow smirked.

Blaze raised a brow, "Are you challenging me?"

"Maybe I am." she continued to smirk.

"Then bring it." Blaze looked determined, as the three continued running while jumping and sliding over roof top like obstacles.

"Roof edge!" Spike called, as they looked ahead and saw the edge of the building's roof.

"Ready?" Rainbow asked the boys, who both looked more than ready.

"Now!" Spike called, as the three made the jump and landed on the other side.

The three started catching their breath, "That was awesome!" Rainbow beamed.

"Yeah. A three player jump to the other side." Spike added.

"I have to admit, that was fun. Truth be told I don't practice parkour with others. Never met any other naturals at it." Blaze said.

"Well, you just did." Spike noted.

"You're all right, Blaze. We should do this again." Rainbow said.

"I'm not really sure." Blaze replied.

"Why not?" Spike wondered in confusion.

"I'm not really the sociable type." he explained.

"Why's that?" The rainbow haired girl asked.

"Let's just say I have issues."

"Who doesn't?" Rainbow asked rhetorically.

"I mean issues of trust." Blaze corrected his statement.

"I take it you don't have many friend, huh?" Spike wondered.

"No. I mean I used to, but they betrayed me one way after another."

"Betray?" Rainbow asked.

"Most of my friends left me for others, moved away and haven't been in touch with me for a long time, and just plain deceived me. With so much disappointment I don't try to make friends as much."

"Ouch," Spike cringed, "But everybody's gotta have friends."

"Well, I'm not everybody." Blaze replied.

Rainbow scowled, "That kind of attitude isn't gonna get you far in the world."

"She's right. Which is very rare," Spike muttered the last part to himself, "Being antisocial will only distance you from reality, and if that happens you won't be able to relate to anyone or anything."

"I can manage." he brushed it off.

"Well, I don't like seeing someone like that," Spike took a stand, "I used to feel like that when I started high school last year. I left my old school and all my older friends behind, but my sister and her friends gave me the courage to move on and make new friends. And you know what I became a better person than I was in junior high."

"Why're you so concerned about me? We don't even know each other." Blaze said in confusion.

"Maybe not, but we'd be more than willing to get to know you." Spike said.

"What he said." Rainbow agreed.

"Look, why don't you join Rainbow and I for lunch?" Spike offered.

"You're not gonna leave me alone if I don't, are you?" Blaze asked rhetorically.

"Nope." Rainbow answered.

"All right." he sighed.

"Yes!" the two high fived.

Later they were at Tino's Pizza, where all three were at an outside table and having lunch, "So you two come here after every practice session?" Blaze asked the two.

"Uh-huh. Rainbow was the one who got me started on parkour." Spike explained.

"And this guy's been my greatest student." Rainbow added.

"Uh, I've been your only student, Rainbow." Spike corrected her.

"Never the less." she replied.

"Well, I'll say this, Rainbow Dash, you obviously trained this guy well." Blaze said.

"I know."

"So is parkour your life, or do you do other things?" Spike wondered.

"I have other hobbies," Blaze admitted, "I like card games, video games, but I especially like to draw in my spare time."

"Are ya any good?" Spike asked.

"Well, I did win a few artist awards in junior high. Back when I had friends who appreciated my talent. Now these days I don't display my art in public." he ate a slice.

"I'd like to see them one day, and I'm sure our friends would to." Spike said.

"Yeah, Twilight's all about literature and the artistic works." Rainbow added.

"I appreciate you guys trying to get me to open up. But it'll a lot more than this if you really want me to accept people back in my life." Blaze warned them.

Spike and Rainbow saw trying to get this guy to open up will be harder than they anticipated. But Spike wasn't about to give up.

"You know what, Blaze? I'm gonna introduce you to my pals. And together we're gonna open your eyes back up to life."

"Seriously?"

"That's right. My pals like meeting new guys, and I guarantee you'll find them great to hang around."

"I don't know." Blaze said feeling unsure.

"Hey, you can always hang out with me and my girls." Rainbow suggested, while secretly smirking.

Blaze did a double take at her before turning to Spike, and spoke, "Where should we meet?"

Spike seeing Rainbow's trick to get him to spend time with him rather than all girls worked, "How about tomorrow at the park around noon?" Spike suggested.

"I'll be there." Blaze assured.

"Trust me, you'll love this." Spike promised him.

"I'll hold you to it. Well, thanks for the lunch, but I gotta get going." Blaze said, as he took his leave.

"Stiffer than the stiffs back in junior high." Rainbow Dash told Spike.

"Well, I try and fix that. And I'm lucky he decided to join me. If he decided to join you, Pinkie would've tried too hard to open him up, or Twilight might bore him to death. Don't tell them I said that."

"My lips are sealed." Rainbow said, and Spike smiled.

That night at Spike's place. He was on his laptop in a video chatroom with Puck, Featherweight, Pipsqueak, Koda, and Twistin'.

"So we're gonna be meeting this Blaze guy tomorrow?" Puck asked.

"That's right." Spike confirmed.

"I'm surprised, Spike. I never did take you for one to just help others so willingly." Pipsqueak said.

"Guy reminded me of myself, Pip. I just can stand the thought of someone unable to communicate with others."

"He does have a point, I mean I could barely talk to a girl, and if I didn't have you guys to back me up I probably wouldn't have had the guts to even want to be near one." Koda said.

"That's why I need your help in showing Blaze not everyone is going to leave him. If he keeps thinking like that he'll end up turning into a recluse."

"Hey, I'm all for it." Twistin' responded.

"Count me in." Featherweight added.

After the rest voiced their approval to help out, Spike smiled, "Thanks, guys. Once Blaze sees how nice and devoted you all are, he'll have his faith restored. At least I hope so."

"Well, we're willing to try." Twistin' said.

"In the meantime, let's turn in for the night. We got a lot to do tomorrow." Puck added. And so their chatroom ended, and Spike closed his laptop, before hitting the sack.

Meanwhile in another apartment building, Blaze was looking out his window thinking about what Spike said, 'A part of me does want to believe him, and yet I'm also scared. But I said I'd give him a chance, and I don't wanna come off as the one thing I hate." he went to bed awaiting for tomorrow.

Comments

[randomsurprise]

U know, RD's comment on Dante bein stiff reminds me of Hades' similiar comment on Cloud in first KH game