Raison D'être

by mechafone

19 - Getting Back In The Game

The week went by fast. Spark Storm spent more and more time with Spike, getting to know the little dragon. He was surprisingly mature, and he displayed great intelligence and humor. The two played outside, sometimes getting into trouble sneaking out late at night to watch the stars.

Spike told Spark what he'd learned from Twilight about the stars. From the beginning of his short life, the dragon had been educated, from politics to science. He still had a lot to learn, but he had retained every bit of information he'd been fed. Spark was very impressed.

When the subject of making friends came up, Spike let out a raspberry into the night sky. "Twilight? Making friends? Good luck on that." Spike sulked, urging a grin from Spark Storm. "Why? Why does she dislike the concept of making more friends?"

Spike whipped his head around to look at Spark incredulously for a moment, then sighed and cupped his chin in both claws and looked back up at the moon. "Well, if you promise not to tell." Spike continued without waiting for a promise. "I think it has to do with her brother. He's such a..."shining" example," He winced at the pun, "that he sets the standard. Anypony that can't live up to that just doesn't seem worth it to her."

Spark sighed heavily and shrugged. "Well, there's nothing I can do about that. I'm no Shining Armor. I'm not rising the ranks of the Royal Guard." He frowned at what he was getting at. "...Not that I actually want to be her friend. Just sayin'."

Spike shrugged. While he could be intelligent and funny, he had yet to witness or understand the intricately complex workings between a boy and a girl. "Well, whatever. I already get along with her, and tomorrow we'll get to see how Twilight's done with Orea." Spike looked thoughtful for a moment, then looked back at Spark. "...What is she, anyway? You haven't talked about her at all..."

Spark Storm glanced at Spike. He really hadn't mentioned her at all? "Well...She's...To be honest, I'm not totally sure." Spike turned where he sat to give Spark his full attention. "As far as I can tell, really...she's a forest spirit. One of the last of her kind. They were hunted to near extinction by creatures called Changelings."

Spike made a face, and turned away from his new friend. "Changelings? Aren't they just some legend from what...two, three thousand years ago?" Spark Storm chuckled lightly. "Well, a few of those legends ran into me a while back. They're definitely real." Spike blinked, then swallowed hard. "I've read some weird things about them. Like how they can change their shape and be...anything."

Spark Storm nodded to himself, then shivered. Winter was nearly upon them. "Come on, little buddy." He prodded Spike until he stood." Twilight's gonna let me have it letting you stay up so late." He let out a heavy, good-natured sigh when he noticed that Spike had fallen asleep in the last 20 seconds. He pulled the little Dragon onto his back and slipped inside for the night.

---

Spark Storm lay in bed, snuggled deep under a still wave of warm blankets. The chill air often seeped in through the stone walls at night, so he had a nice fire going since he'd gotten to bed. The door creaked open quietly, and a petite, lithe frame pushed through. Forest green eyes looked through her grassy bangs as she surveyed the room. After noticing the little green dragon at the foot of the bed, the Nymph snuck up onto the bed with great jealousy.

Although she'd spent the week pining for Spark Storm's company, she'd managed to at least make an acquaintance of Twilight Sparkle, she'd spent most of her time listening to Twilight speak, as the Unicorn 'educated' Orea on the world as it was now. Orea seemed to have missed quite a bit of history that she simply had no use for.

The little Nymph gently prodded Spike awake, then held a soft hoof over his mouth to silence his panicked yelp. She smiled kindly down at him, giving him an affectionate nuzzle. "Silence, Dragon-Kind," she whispered. "Your Lady is waiting for you, she intends to make you..." She thought for a moment, "...'pancakes'." Spike's eyes widened. He needed no more heeding. He hopped out of bed and ran out the door, making his way to the kitchens.

Now, having gotten the unwanted third wheel out of the way, Orea made her way to the front of the bed where she could feel the heat coming from Spark Storm's body. She pulled the covers slowly down until she could climb in beside him, then let out a long, low, relieved sigh as she wrapped him up in her forelegs and pulled the covers back over them both. While bedding and lavish shelter was new to her, she had quickly decided it was to her liking.

With a blush at the feel of Spark's body against her own, she ever so slowly eased him up until he was laying partially on top of her, their chests pressed together. With a happy smile, she held him there as he continued to sleep, her face nuzzled into his neck fur. She had stayed awake all last night just for this. The two of them slept long into morning.

---

Spark Storm was so warm. He'd never felt so warm and comfortable. Well...once. When his mother had held him in his sleep that one night. He sighed and burrowed himself deeper into whatever warmth that was pressed against him. He held onto it tighter and tighter, as if holding tight enough might let himself see her one more time. As his emotions welled up inside him for the first time in so long, he let out a little sob.

He felt something stroking his cheek. That better not be Spike, I swear...He thought as he leaned his head up and opened his eyes, only to be face to face with sweet Orea. He gasped and pulled away from her. How long had she been here, holding him? His face was alight with red, embarrassed that she had heard him cry. It was almost embarrassing enough to drive him to tears. "Orea...what are you doing in my bed?"

Orea frowned and reached to touch a hoof to his back. "My Storm, do you hurt? Please, let me help." Spark let out a trembling sigh. He knew better than to bottle things up. Sapphire had told him not to do that. He glanced back at Orea, thought it was difficult to look her in the eyes. It had always felt strange to look a girl in the eyes when he felt like crying.

"I was remembering my mother just now. Something...really terrible happened to her. She died..." He trailed off, his ears and shoulders both sagging. How he hated this feeling. Coupled with showing his emotions in front of a girl, especially one so attached to him, felt wrong, intrusive even. Somehow, Orea made it all right when she pulled him backwards against her as she laid sat up against the pillows.

"Hush now, my Storm. I shall take away your bitter memories and replace them with better ones. I shall protect your heart from it's wounds." Her whispering and intimate actions made him blush. He felt better, although along with a stab of guilt when he thought that he'd rather have Sapphire Snow hold him like this. Still, to be made to feel safe and protected by a girl...it was a new feeling that made him feel both uneasy and warm.

Her forelegs gently brushed through his mane, down his cheeks, and finally wrapped gently around his neck as she nuzzled his mane. A whole week of waiting had been worth it for just this one, tender moment. Now if it only it could last forever...

---

Some time later, Spark Storm emerged from his room feeling better than he had in weeks. He felt better about himself, and about the things he'd been through. Returning home to Ponyville, facing the villagers and his sister. He felt better about Braham's death. After telling Orea everything, she had made him see that none of it was his fault, especially not his teacher's fate.

He was feeling great until he walked back into the Fighter's headquarters for the first time in two months. There were faces here he hadn't seen, and old faces as well. Every last one of them trained on his entrance, and none of them looked like they had a single kind word for him.

No, it looked like his troubles were just beginning.

Comments

[Jacensolo43]

Really, he's hated by Canterlot too? When can a creature just get a break?!

[mechafone]

1113387
Hehe no worries. The Fighters themselves are just angry about Braham's death. They're all outcasts, the same as Spark Storm.

[PinkiePieCupCakeSlayer]

1113412 What happen to Sapphire?!? I WANT MORE SAPPHIRE X SPARK