A Bridge Between Brothers

by Rammy

To Comfort

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

I sighed as I watched Rarity inspect another gem. She always used only the best gems in her work which currently was a black gem encrusted bowtie for me. Unlike the one that she duplicated for Owlowiscious this one was going to have emeralds on the knot and amethyst on the loops. I doubt she would give Owlowiscious another bowtie with that exact color combo… It, quite frankly, wouldn’t work and not because I’m being jealous again. I spent more than enough time around Rarity to know that green and purple would not go well with tan and brown feathers.

"There done!" Rarity exclaimed bringing over the bow tie with her magic and putting it around my neck. She then held up a mirror so I could get a good look at myself with it on. “So what do you think?”

“It’s nice Rarity.” I slowly touched the bowtie. It was one of her finest works I just couldn't build up the energy to praise her like normal.

“Only nice?” Rarity seemed disappointed in my remark and my mood further dropped.

Normally I would gush over everything Rarity did. She was always carrying herself with such grace and poise even when doing simple things as hoof stitching a garment for one of Fluttershy’s mice. And everything her horn touched outshine the sun. But I couldn't bring myself to care for her fashion right now even though the tie was wonderful. It was just that Rarity, like the others, had been trying to cheer me up the past few days with mixed results and I am a bit tired of it. I sighed as I thought back to what each pony did.

First it was Pinkie Pie trying to entice me with gallons, and I mean gallons, of sapphire flavored ice cream. Tempting, but I remember what happened to past-future Spike the last time I pigged out on ice cream. I can’t look at ice cream the same way thanks to that massive stomach I had for two straight days… the only thing worse was when Discord escaped the first time. Never could figure out a less violent way of burping letters. At least I'll never have to deal with that again.

Then Fluttershy had me join her and her animal friends for a picnic. I think maybe that she is hoping that I could find an animal companion as a friend or that playing with them who be relaxing. But... all that did was remind me of Peewee. I miss him so much right now. I could talk to him with without having to deal with the looks of pity. I don’t know what was worse, the looks of terror that I could remember from my rampage or the looks of pity on my friends faces… Especially from Fluttershy. She had that way with her eyes...

At least with those two had a certain genuine cheerful and innocent in their approaches.... Rainbow Dash.... not so much. I don't think Rainbow understood what constitutes comforting another... , which, I know, was not fighting. Quite frankly I didn't want to fight either but this was Rainbow Dash she wanted a chance to test her 'awesomeness' against me. I really should have not been surprised. She did spend a fair amount of time watching Garble and I spar. At least she didn't have set up a race or another Iron pony competition. My short stumpy legs are not built for racing and I know she would end up using her wings somehow... Wish I had wings myself but Garble wasn't exactly clear about how he got his... What it is with dragons and being mysterious!? At least I knew I could get them.

The worst, though, was when it was Applejack's 'turn.' She never got a chance to do anything because the Cutiemark Crusaders took one look at me and decided to get their dragon cheering up cutiemarks 'yay'! I thought Discord was chaos incarnate! At least with them they meant well. I will say this though I will never snark about about their 'overblown' reputation again. They completely wore me out. How their sisters deal with them I will never know. In the end I ended up being carried back to the library by Applejack and put to bed, or basket in this case.

Speaking of my basket, sleep sounded real good right now. To curl up under the covers and sleep away so I don't have to deal with all of this crap going on. Discord on the lose, the impending annihilation by the dragons, my own greed problems, and overly 'helpful' mare who mean well but don't have an idea and wouldn't understand even if I told them what I am going through... I know that the girls mean well, trying to cheer me up, but I'd rather they didn't dote on me so much. It was making me feel like it’s my hatchday all over again and I never want become that monster again… The thieving of everything in sight… to take and defend to the death what is mine… I hate this! I both wanted and not wanted to hoard to make things mine, but I can’t. I care too much for my friends to ever let myself even lose myself in that feeling again.

The only good thing was that all this attention was keeping me from dwelling on Discord's 'story,' at least, too much... H.K. being my brother and the death of my parents, it had really gotten to me. I knew that it was just him trying to get under my scales but… I just I couldn’t get out of my mind everything he said. What if he wasn't lying? And if he wasn't lying then why did H.K. never tell me he was his brother? Why did he leave me in Twilight's care and not take me with him? I love Twilight as a sister, but all my life I had wondered about my dragon family. Who they were like? Were they jerks like Garble was, or were they were fearless and noble? Or was it really just Discord getting amusement out of my misery?

The pain... the greed, the fear, the hopeless... will they never end? Will the carefree happy days ever return? Heck I miss those long, tiring and boring book reshelving days. I hate those days...it meant a lot of work that really wasn't necessary but I loved to be so helpful to Twilight... I...

Suddenly I could feel Rarity's hoof gently lifting my head up a handkerchief in her magic. She then gently use it to dry the tears I wasn't even aware had been failing down my face. "I'm sorry Rarity... I..."

Rarity caressed my check before pulling me into a hug. "It's okay my little Spiky-Wicky..."

How? How can you be sure? I silently questioned even as I snugged further into her embrace.