Most Unexpected

by Chocolate Pony

The Love, The Fear, And Four More To Go

Spike panted slightly as he ran through the forest. His legs were aching, and he quite frankly felt like quitting. And he probably would've it it hadn't been for the beautiful, and persistent mare sitting atop his head.

"Come on, Spike! Just five more miles!" Cloudchaser cheered.

"I-I've been running f-for ten m-miles! Can't I j-just stop!?" He exclaimed, gasping for oxygen.

"NO! If you're such a big bad Dragon, you need to work out like one! So speed it up!"

Spike puffed some smoke out of his nostrils before obeying the commands of the bossy mare. He was worn out to say the least. But, he couldn't say no to Cloudchaser. She was too cute...and scary. So he pressed onward. Ignoring his aching legs, lungs, and chest.

Five miles later, Spike was sprawled out on the ground. He was coughing and wheezing loudly. No matter how bossy she was, Cloudchaser couldn't even convince him to stand up at the moment. EVERYTHING hurt like hell!

"Really? That's it?!" Cloudchaser exclaimed.

Spike simply glared at her. Cloudchaser sighed in defeat before jumping off his head. She started walking away, causing Spike to jerk his head up in concern. A small, instinctive growl, emanated from his throat. He didn't want her wondering off on her own. He didn't like her out of his sight.

"I'll be fine, Dragon douche! I'm just getting a drink at the pond. When you're finished dying, feel free to join me" She teased, swishing her tail in a seemingly flirtatious manner.

Spike's scales turned pink. Normally a mare couldn't get to him so easily. Though many ponies had judged him back at home, there was always that one mare who wanted to flirt with him. Because even Ponyville had some desperate sluts. But at the time there was only one mare who could sway him. A mare...whom he now despised.

Hatred rose into his chest at the mere thought. His head suddenly began throbbing and his vision started blurring. A mysterious voice in his head began mocking him.

"Poor, Spikey Wikey. It must hurt so badly to know you're not cared about. That you're so easy to replace."

Spike spun around in an attempt to find the owner of the voice." Show yourself!"

"We've met before. And be assured we'll meet again very soon. After I finished picking off your precious friends. Including the mare you claim to hate so much" The voice continued to taunt him.

"I do hate her! She lied to me, betrayed me. She never cared about me. She's nothing but dirt in my eyes now" Spike fired back.

"Oh but we both know that's not true. Not only will your anger destroy you. So will the fact that you still care. You care for those who've hurt you. Like Twilight for instance. She made you leave your own home. Her friends did nothing to help you or stop her. And yet, you still care for them. Beneath that wall of hatred you've built, is a poor baby dragon that cares far too much."

Spike couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt. No matter what his growth spurts or angrered outbursts suggested, he WAS nothing but a baby dragon. One that cared way too much. His care was his detriment. Not his hatred.

"I'd love to chat longer, but I've got some ponies to...eradicate. Besides, shouldn't you be worried about that little mare friend of yours?" The voice asked before fading into the silence of the dense forest.

The silence was almost immediately shattered by a piercing scream. One that could belong to one pony and one pony only: Cloudchaser.

Charging in the direction of the scream, Spike was prepared to kill whatever it was that was harming his mar- no friend! Or so he thought.

The instant Cloudchaser came into sight, he was smacked upside the head so hard you'd think he'd been hit by a blast of Alicorn magic. His vision blurred for a second. Upon turning to face whatever had hit him the other side of his head was smashed into, harder than the first time.

Spike growled, snapping at the unknown attacker. Right when he was about to send a massive puff of flame, something impaler his left side. An imnense wave of pain slicing through him. His body collapsed to the ground, vision getting worse by the second.

Cloudchaser turned to face their attacker. "What the fu-" She would've finished her sentence if she hadn't been whacked unconscious. A winged creature landed in front of the two. With his last bit of consciousness, Spike was able to place the being they'd been ambushed by.

Griffons

********

"Twilight? Could we stop for a bit? I hate to be a burden but my hooves are killing me!" Rarity whined.

"Who's fault is it you're knocked up?" Rainbow Dash asked, eyeing her with contempt.

"Rainbow, knock it off. Your negative comments ain't helping nothing and no pony. We get that you're made about the situation but now ain't the time to argue about it" Apple Jack said, intervening before things could get ugly.

"Apple Jack is right you know. What Rarity didn to Spike is none of our concern. Besides, I'm sure she feels guilty enough. Though honestly Twilight, it would be nice to stop for a while" Starlight said. They couldn't move too quickly. Otherwise she wouldn't be able to attack her next victim.

Twilight sighed. "I suppose you're right. It's getting late anyway. It would probably be good to stop here for the evening."

The mares decided to set up camp. Once their tents had been prepared and a fire had been started, Apple Jack got dinner cooking.

Rarity was planning on going to bed early, but noticed Twilight sitting by her lonesome on a stone a distance from the others. Rarity would've felt dreadful going to bed without comforting an obviously distraught friend. So she made her way over and gently sat beside her. Some stars had begun dotting the sky, and Celestia's sun was beginning to set. Rarity looked over at Twilight, a thoughtful expression upon her face.

"Do you think I'm a bad mare?" Her voice suddenly spoke.

Rarity was taken aback by the question. "Of course not my darling! Why ever would you think that!?"

"It's just that...well...Spike is family to me. You don't just chase family away when you start having problems. You sit down, find practical solutions, and work on the problem. I didn't do any of those things. I just told him to leave" Twilight explained.

"You were doing as instructed. Princess Celestia herself told you what to do" Rarity replied, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder.

"B-But...what if he hates me now? What if he never forgives me? What if...he gets hurt? Or hurts somepony else?!" Twilight had panicked tears forming in her eyes, and her voice had begun shaking with fear.

"Twilight, Spike would never hate you! And do you know why? It's cause of exactly what you said a moment ago. You are his family. No matter what happens, family always forgives. I can see why he'd hate me. After all I did to him I deserve it. But you are like his sister. Even a bit like a mother to him. Nothing could ever stop him from loving you. Just like nothing can stop you from loving him."

Twilight gazed into her best friends eyes. Sincerity had been woven in every word, just like the way she effortlessly wove material into beautiful gowns and suits. Everything Rarity said was true. It was up to her to start believing it.

"Thanks, Rarity. I needed to hear that" Twilight said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hoof.

"That's what friends are for" Rarity replied, smiling gently.

"Y'all! Foods ready! Come get it!" Apple Jack shouted.

"Oh thank heavens! They're not joking when they say being pregnant involves eating for two" Rarity groaned.

Twilight chuckled, following alongside her back to the fire. When everypony had settled in and started eating, something suddenly felt...off.

"Does anypony feel like we're missing something?" Twilight asked.

"No. We're all here. Me, Rarity, AJ, Starlight, and you" Rainbow answered.

"I just feel like...there should be more of us for some reason."

Twilight couldn't exactly place why she felt something was missing. She couldn't even think of what or who it might be. The feeling lingered on even as she went to sleep. As though something had been...erased from her mind.

Starlight Glimmer laid down in her sleeping back, yawning slightly. An accomplished smile crossed her features as she gazed at a small clump of fuzzy pink hair in her hoof.

"Two down. Four to go."

Author's Note:

Wassup my dudes? And dudetts? Know I've been going for literally like...a year. But I've had tons of crap going on. Lots of drama. I even added a little element to the story/chapter based off my own personal experiences. As of lately and in the past. I've been known to care for and about so many people, that never gave two you know what's about me. I dedicate my time and love and effort to them, what do I get? Screwed over. I end up finding out they never cared or that they were just using me. And it hurts. More and more everytime. So I thought it'd be nice to have Spike feeling a bit of what I feel. His hatred isn't his only problem. Hatred wasn't the first thing rooted in him. It was his care that created his hatred. His CARE for Rarity led to him hating her, cause she betrayed him. His CARE for Twilight led to him being kicked out of his own home. His overall CARE for others has turned him into the beast he now is. Question is: Can he find somebody/somepony who will truly CARE for him? I sure hope I do one day. It's hard to trust people when it feels like everyone is determined to hurt you in some banger or form. So what about you guys? Ever had experiences that were similar or felt the same way? Let me know down below. Until the next chapter?

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

If Cloudchaser was voiced, what would she sound like?

[Chocolate Pony]

8360341
I'm not really sure. I'd say a somewhat deep voice but not too much. And a I think she'd have a rather commanding tone most of the time. Seeing as I depict her as rather bossy and blunt.