Spike Quits His Job and Goes on Numerous Quests

by B_25

21 – "Annoyance."

~21~

"Annoyance."

In the barn, Spike drank his punch alone.

To his surprise, the punch wasn’t spiked, but rather, regular punch. Meaning, whatever Applejack was drinking, it was something she put in afterward. And that in of itself was interesting.

Spike then crushed his cup, spilling his punch onto the floor.

He sighed.

“Is someone feeling upset, today?”

Spike turned his head to the voice, as his vision filled with that of his old love. “R... Rarity!”

She giggled, tilting her head. “Are you as surprised to see me as I am to see you?”

“Kinda,” Spike said, rubbing the back of his head, “it’s been awhile, hasn’t it?”

“Far too long, Spike my dear.” She took a step closer to the drake. “Care to tell me why that is?”

Spike gave a nervous chuckle. “Just the typical excuses, I’m afraid.”

“Ah, that is a shame,” Rarity said. “But thankfully we’re both here tonight, so that we may catch up on what has passed.”

“Indeed!” Spike exclaimed, the not having left the back of his head. Things feel so, awkward around her. To the point, it seems like she’s doing it on purpose.

“So please, tell me: has fate been treating you kind?”

“Some what,” Spike replied, averting his gaze. “I ended up leaving Twilight to go and do my own thing, but I’m still trying to figure out what that thing is.”

Rarity gasped. “You and Twilight are not living together!?”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Figured it was time, though I appreciate it if we didn’t talk about that.”

Rarity had caught her words before they left her throat, instead of clearing it out. “Ah, I understand perfectly.”

Spike nodded his head.

“Just know, darling, that I’m here if you need somepony to talk to.”

“Thanks,” Spike said. He didn’t hesitate to change the subject. “So, how have you been faring during the fashion season?”

“Ugh, you wouldn’t know the struggle, my dear.” She sighed, twirling her head around. “Not having you around has made my life a little harder, as I now have no one to scare away demanding customers, even worse, unfitting suitors.”

Spike burst out laughing. “Like that Stopwatch fellow!”

Rarity giggled, “Yes, he was rather the unpleasant one.”

Spike almost chuckled. A surge of happiness flowing through his veins. “Has it been that bad since I’ve stopped visiting?”

“Oh yes,” Rarity replied. “While I’m able to fend off these types of obstacles myself, it always made life easier having you by my side.”

For such beautiful words to be spoken by the mare that once solely owned his words was enough to have it beating at twice the speed, the colors of the world brighten in the dilation of dragon’s eyes.

“I wasn’t that much of a help, Rarity.” A claw scratched at the scaly neck as an awkward laugh escaped the lips ahead. “I was more of an hindrance than I was a help, and that was the thought that plagued me most while I was running to grab you the proper needle.”

A trail of giggled was covered by an alabaster hoof, as the pools of azure glinted in the candle's light. “I never thought you as such, Spike. Though I am glad, you are opening up about that kinda stuff.”

The ever desired chuckles of tension relief left from Spike’s mouth. “And here I thought the punch wasn’t spiked.”

The dragon and the pony shared in a pity laugh for the pitiful joke.

Spike quirked an eyebrow as the rim of his cup rested upon his bottom lip. “So does that mean I wasn’t a nuisance to you while I was over at the Boutique?”

“Well, you certainly weren’t a hindrance!” Another stream of laughter that knew not of its callous affect left Rarity, taking in another drink from her cup to mirror Spike.

Only, he hadn’t taken a sip. “What do you mean by that, Rarity?”

“Weeeell, there were times when your simple jokes could get a little bit repetitive, and the way you’d get too close that I could feel you exhaling on my fur.”

Spike placed the cup in his claw down onto the table sitting in the middle of the barn. His eyelids began to feel heavy and the sweet voice became like a faint growl. “Right. I guess the free help you take because you’d feel bad if you said no would be better if he kept his mouth shut and maintained at a distance.”

Rarity’s eyelids slid as high as they could as a sheepish smile grew below. “Spiiike! You know I never meant to phrase in such a way that would hurt your feelings. It's just, you were different back then and had some things I disliked, and now, you seem to be getting better with this stuff.”

The talons on Spike’s claw erected every time he made a critical point. “Right! Like the fact I’m no longer fat; that my voice isn’t squeaky, and that I’m actually useful to ponies now.”

“Weeeell…”

A calm smile became of Spike’s mouth as his claw reached back for the cup on the table. The many faces popping in the doorway, but not fully as to not reveal themselves were caught by the emerald eyes.

Spike toasted the cup at the door while his eyes locked with those of Twilight Sparkle’s, before splashing the contents of his drink all over Rarity’s face. The orange liquid leaked along with it black tears from her eyes while matting her purple mane to the floor.

Crumpling the cup in his claw, his eyes trailed up and down everypony in the room. Even having the courage in his chest to gaze the Rarity before the anger could even propel out of her body.

“This is a party where everypony is supposed to be friends.” The destroyed cup fell to the grass below the purple claw. “While I don’t particularly dislike anypony in this room, nor do I overly like anyone either. And yes, Twilight, I don’t hate you with all my might.”

The lavender face revealed itself past the door frame with confusion painting all of her features. “Spike, I—”

“Save the cliche.” Spike walked towards the barn door and allowed his claw to rest on the handle. “I realized now what it is I wanted to do. From day one, I’ve been the annoying kid that’s forced to be dragged along. Applejack puts up with me; Pinkie doesn’t mind me; Rarity uses me then ignores her own guilt about it; Rainbow finds me annoying – don’t make that face, yes you do.”

The pegasus flapped from around the door with an open mouth and a held hoof.

“Of course I—”

“I’m just going to cut you girls off every time you reach the word I, you know that, right? The only reason why you’re objecting it is because I’m calling it out, if that not the case, you’d be silently nodding your head to the gossip of the town.”

The claw threw back the handle as the door the outside became open. “Twilight and I used to be so close before she had friends that took her away. And that made me realize: Twilight only wanted me because she had no other friends – I was the only one that could fill the loneliness inside her heart. Once she found someone who could that that better— oh I’m sorry!”

The girls leaned their heads forward.

“Someones that could do that better. But that left your stuck with me, so you did the least you could to keep me… I don’t even know! What’s crazier is that I don’t even blame you, only my mother who left me in the care of someone so shallow. Maybe she thought your genesis would rub off on me – turns out mothers can be wrong after all.”

A talon foot stepped onto the grass outside the barn and into the black shadow of the world. “The only one, the only one! I honestly can say that I like and thinks she likes me, is Fluttershy. And I’m sorry to her that I’m even doing this!

“But I’m out! I’m done. I’m leaving, getting a job I enjoy, and going to places where I may even be accepted! And even if I don’t find such a place, if I can even find a spot where I can be alone with no one else, then at least I can accept myself there! Without any of you pointing out all my faults and annoyance.”

Gripping the door with a claw, Spike leaned his head into the room. “Later heroes. Here’s hoping we don’t meet again!”

The door slammed.

Rain began to pour outside onto the leaves of the trees, before dripping onto the grass below. And then, the door opened once more.

“Expect for you, Fluttershy: I’ll see you at home.”

The door was slammed once more, and no more noise, except for the rain, was heard.

Resting his back against an apple tree just off on the farm, Falcon tipped his hat with a grin occupying his muzzle.

Comments

[OmniFox]

Now the line has crossed.

[Draconicus the Reaper]

things are getting interesting

[DanvilleBengal]

I like that Spike is able to call out the Mane 6 on their collective bluff, and honestly it's about time. But man, all I'm getting is the constant drone of "BAD ROAD!! BAD ROAD!!!! when I'm seeing this, especially with that last line where it showed that the mysterious Falcon was watching everything.

I'm sure you can get the "BAD ROAD!!!" reference...

[johnnyomon21]

please tell me spikes mom rips twilight a new one! and please dont' let the five of the main six off with just feeling guiltily.

[SShonix]

CONTINUEEE!

[The Great Derpsby]

Aaaaand I stopped looking at Spike as a character who deserves sympathy. Certainly makes things easier.

Now, will Fluttershy call him out on it, or does she only do it when it's Twilight? We'll see. So far, I hope Spike has something bad happen to him.

[AxtontheMechanist]

I like this Spike. Clever bugger.

[Poputrash]

The plans of mice and men go to shit when you assume things without a thought. It was either this, or just disappear without a word. But this will at least bring closure.

[drwhoovescompanion]

Love the story! Unfortunately the misspellings here and there hinder it a bit. Gonna keep reading to see where it goes though.

[dereturd]

Shit got real, except for the fact that he had to awkwardly point out Fluttershy.

And man, when he said his voice ain't squeaky no more, I can't think of a voice for him.