The Lavender Arrow

by DisneyFanatic23

The Two Lads

Spike trudged down the forest path, his sack, bow and quiver on his back. Grunting, he kicked a pebble as he walked.

"'Too young for battle,'" he said, looking back at the way he came. "I'm not too young!" he shouted. "I'll be a knight one day! You'll see!" He continued walking. "They'll all see."

He stopped when he heard a twig snap. Looking around, he saw nothing but trees and shrugs. Slowly, he took a couple steps forward. Then he heard the sound of leaves rustling. He turned sharply to the shrubs and saw some movement within them.

Could it be a thief? Perhaps one of the outlaws who had turned Wind Rider to stone? Spike was about to run, but then he realized this was his chance to prove himself to his guardian.

Carefully, he removed his bow from his shoulder and reached back for an arrow. Before he could touch one, however, something tackled him from behind.

Spike let out a cry as he was tumbled to the ground. He dropped his bow and his arrows spilled out of their quiver. When he looked up, he found himself face to face with the colt from the inn who had asked for directions. Applejack's green eyes were ablaze as she pinned down Spike's shoulder with one hoof and held a knife to his throat with the other.

"Why ya followin' me?" she demanded.

Spike blinked. "What?"

She brought her face closer. "Why are ya followin' me?"

She was so close now he could smell her breath. For a moment, he felt quite soothed, for her breath smelt of apples. Then he remembered that this crazy colt had a knife to his throat.

"L-Look," Spike said, shaking his head. "There's been a misunder—"

"Did he send ya?" Applejack said, moving closer so that their noses were touching. "Was that yerr game? Sendin' me off alone with yerr directions so that you could hunt me down yourself and get a reward from yerr master?!"

"Master? Who are you…?"

"Well I ain't goin' back to that varmint, ya hear?! He ain't forcin' me to marry nobody!"

Spike cringed. "Uh…don't you mean anybody?"

He coughed as the knife pressed down further on his neck, though not yet piercing his skin.

"Ya think you're in any position to be correcting my grammar?"

"Yes! I mean no! I mean…" He looked her in the eye. "Look, I wasn't following you! I was just on my way home! I didn't think you'd be here! I don't know anything about this guy you're running from. I just happened to be walking by!"

She studied him carefully. He appeared truly frightened, and to be telling the truth. Besides, the fact that she was threatening someone so young was making her feel guilty.

"Sorry," she said as she rose and stepped back.

Spike released his breath as he sat up. He put his claw to his neck to make sure it hadn't been cut.

"I've just got some fellas after me that mean me no good," Applejack said, glancing over her shoulder as she tucked the dagger into her belt. "I thought ya might've been one of 'em."

"Sorry I scared ya," Spike said as he rose to his feet.

She smirked. "You scare me?"

He scowled. "I may be small, but I've got a lot of fire in me!" He pounded on his chest. "Literally!"

She put her hoof to her mouth as she giggled. "If ya say so." She started walking past him. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I need to get to Applewood as soon as possible."

Spike turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "Applewood?"

"Yeah, remember? I asked ya the way not an hour ago?"

"I did, but…you know this isn't the path to Applewood, right?"

Applejack froze in her tracks and looked over her shoulder at him. "What?"

"This is the road to Midnight Castle."

She yelped. "Where Lord Tirek lives?"

"Uh-huh. I was just on my way…"

"But," she said, turning to face him fully, "ya told me to go down this way!"

"I told you to take the path on the south side of Trottingham." He pointed down to the ground. "This path starts on the southeast side of Trottingham. Though now that I think about it, the two paths are pretty close to each other."

She narrowed her eyes. "You," she said, stepping towards him, "knew that there were two paths close together," she grabbed him by the shirt, "and you didn't tell me?!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Spike exclaimed, holding up his claws. "I gave you the right directions! You just took them wrong."

Growling, she dropped him. "Well," she said, smoothing out her tunic, "since you seem to know your way around here so well, the best way to get me to Applewood," she held out her hoof for him to grab, "is for you to take me there yourself."

He scoffed. "Me?"

"Yes, you. After all," she said, glaring again, "you're the one who got me lost! Now ya have to fix it!"

"No way!" He swatted away her hoof. "Do you have any idea how far away Applewood is? Over a day's journey! Maybe more if the princesses get into a fight!"

"Well then, boy," she said, crossing her hooves with a smirk, "we better get goin' then."

"Look," Spike said as he hauled himself to his feet, "I've got a very important message to deliver to Midnight Castle." He knelt down to pick up his scattered arrows. "I don't have time for any detours!" After picking up his bow, he strung it over his shoulder. "And don't call me boy! I happen to be sixteen! An adult!" He stood on his tiptoes to reach her eyelevel. "Hardly any older than you!"

Applejack rolled her eyes. "And I'm seventeen. So?"

He blinked back. "Seventeen?" He looked her over. "What, did you skip puberty or something?"

"Look who's talkin'."

He grunted. "I'm not taking you to Applewood and that's final!"

As he stomped past her, Applejack growled under her breath. It wasn't that she couldn't handle herself, but she had never been in these woods before and needed a guide if she was ever going to get back home. Even if this dragon was a bit of a brat, he wasn't the one chasing her. She had to convince him to take her somehow.

Then she remembered something he had mentioned while she was hiding in the shrubs. Her lips curled into a devious smile as an idea occurred to her.

"Not even if I offered ya knighthood?"

He stopped in his tracks and turned to her curiously. "Say what now?"

"Oh, didn't I mention?" she said, nonchalantly admiring the sole of her hoof. "I happen to have some relatives in high places. Relatives that would be oh so grateful to have me returned, that they might offer a reward to the one who helped me." She looked at him smugly. "Maybe put a good word in with Princess Celestia?"

He blinked in wonderment. "You're…you're bluffing."

"Maybe." She shrugged. "Still, you'd be doin' a heroic act. Aren't knights supposed to be noble?"

Turning around, Spike tapped his chin in thought. Even if this colt was lying about having connections, word might still get out if he performed this heroic task. And who knew? Perhaps he might run into the Society of the Lavender Arrow and have a chance to prove himself to Lord Tirek. Either way, he'd be one step closer to becoming a knight.

Sighing, Spike turned back to face her. "Alright. I'll take you to Applewood."

"Do ya swear it?" she asked, grinning further.

"I swear," he said, raising his claw, "upon my honor as a knight-in-training, that I will see you safely to Applewood." He pointed to her. "If you swear that you'll do what you can to make me a knight!"

"Deal."

She spat on her hoof and held it out to him. He cringed as he spat on his claw and clasped it with her hoof.

"Alright," she said, pointing down the path. "Lead the way."

Spike wiped the spit onto his doublet. "Okay. Since we're on the southeast path and need to go south to Applewood," he said, turning and pointing down the right side of the path, "if we go southwest, we should find ourselves on the Applewood path."

"Great!" Applejack said, moving into the tall grass. "Let's get goin', boy!"

Growling, Spike stomped after her. "Don't call me boy."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She smirked as she turned back to him. "Shall I call ya 'girl' then?"

"No way!" he shouted, trying to catch up. "I'm no weakling!"

She stopped and crossed her hooves. "Excuse me?"

"You know what I mean," he said as he finally came to her side.

"No," she said in a flat tone. "I don't know what ya mean."

"Well there's a reason mares are almost never called to battle." He threw his arms into the air. "Mares are too emotional! Always crying over everything! You forget this whole war started because two mares were overcome with emotion!" He huffed. "And even if they did go to battle, it's not like they'd be able to fight."

She clenched her hooves. "And what makes ya think that?"

"Mares aren't born with the right kind of muscle! Not like we males are!" He looked her over. "Well, with a few exceptions."

She ground her teeth together. "I think you might underestimate us…" She shook her head. "Mares, I mean."

"Whatever," he said, waving his claw as he started walking again. "Just don't call me girl or boy."

"Sorry," she said gruffly, following him. "But ya never mentioned yerr name."

"Neither did you."

Biting her lip, she wondered how much she should tell him. He didn't seem like a snitch, as he hadn't told anyone where she'd gone, but she still wasn't sure how much she should trust him. She could be put to death for wearing these clothes. Not to mention his dislike for mares made her feel less inclined to reveal herself. He was barely tolerating her as it was.

"Um…Applejack," she said, wincing at the name Tirek had chosen for her. "Call me Applejack."

"And what brings you all the way out here, Applejack?" Spike asked. "You said some guys were after you. Who are they and what quarrel do you have with them?"

"I was kidnapped," she said, gritting her teeth, "by that no-good stinkin' varmint Lord Tirek!"

Spike stiffened. "T-T-Tirek? W-Why would he wanna kidnap you?"

She growled. "Let's just say I'm worth a lot of money to him. Last night I was out tendin' my family's orchard—I like to read to the trees at night, ya see—when he and his goons grabbed me from behind, chained me up, dragged me all the way to Trottingham and forced me into these…"

She put her hoof over her mouth before she could say too much. Meanwhile, Spike was biting down hard on his lip.

"That just…doesn't sound like something Uncle Tirek would do."

"Uncle?!" Applejack stopped him by holding out her hoof. Turning to him, she shouted, "He's your uncle?!"

"No!" Spike cried, holding up his claws. "I mean yes. I mean not really. He's my guardian."

Her eyes widened as she took a step back. "Then you're…you're…"

"Yup," he said, removing his hat. "Spike de Dragon, at your service."

She blinked several times as she stared at him. This was the one she was being forced to marry? Of all the creatures she could've run into, it had to have been him?

"But…" she said, stammering. "I…I thought ya'd be…"

"Rugged? Handsome?" Spike said, slicking back his spines. "Did I pass the test?"

She tilted her head. "Taller."

He pouted, and she couldn't help but crack a smile at his disappointment. In truth, she'd expected someone not just taller, but as intimidating and monstrous as Tirek. But this dragon hardly looked his age, and certainly wasn't as ruthless as his guardian, even if a little rude. He didn't look ready to be married.

On the other hoof, his smallness made him look almost…adorable.

Then Applejack remembered that this was still Tirek's charge. She backed up even further.

"Oh no," she said, shaking her head. "This was a mistake. If I'd known ya were his ward…"

"Hey, wait!" he said, snagging her hoof. "This doesn't change anything."

She glanced down at his claw and then at him. "You're…not gonna take me back to yerr guardian?"

He shook his head. "I gave you my oath as a knight-in-training that I would take you to Applewood. I'm not sure what's going on with you and Uncle Tirek, but I intend to keep that oath."

She blinked in surprise. "That…really is noble of ya."

"Hey," he said with a shrug. "It's the knightly thing to do."

She stared at him for a long while before she realized he was still holding her hoof. Clearing her throat, she wrenched her hoof away.

"We, um," she said, "best get a move on then."

They walked for a few minutes in silence, both in deep thought. Spike kept glancing at Applejack, wondering if she was telling the truth about his guardian. What reason would she have to lie? Perhaps she had made a mistake? Then again, how many creatures could be mistaken for Tirek?

Applejack kept glancing at Spike, still shocked that this was the very dragon she'd been dragged here to marry. Did he have any idea who she was? No, he wasn't even aware she was a mare. Still, she wondered just how much he knew about her. Did he know they were betrothed?

"It's, um," she said, rubbing the back of her neck, "strange that ya think so little of mares, cuz I heard you were to be married yourself."

Spike turned to her with wide eyes. "What? Me? Married?!"

She nodded. "Lord Tirek arranged it."

"Well this is the first I've heard of it! Who am I supposed to marry?"

"A young mare named Apple Jewel. Lord Tirek plans to marry ya off to her so that he can have control of her inheritance."

He huffed and crossed his arms. "Well, first thing I do when I see Uncle Tirek is give him a piece of my mind about this marriage. I ain't gonna be saddled with any mare! Or any female for that matter! Not me! No, sir! Only the weak of heart get married!"

Applejack narrowed her eyes. "Just as well then. Cuz I also heard that this Apple Jewel's not so keen on marryin' you either!"

"You know her?"

She bit her lip. "She, uh…lives in my neighborhood."

That wasn't entirely a lie.

"Out of curiosity," Spike said, glancing sideways at her, "what's she like?"

Applejack winced at his question. The last thing she wanted was for him to be interested in her. It would make the situation much more complicated. So she thought of everything that usually scared her other suitors off.

"No, no," she said, shaking her head. "Ya wouldn't like her. She's uh…headstrong! Yeah, headstrong! Always sneakin' outta her home, rollin' in the mud, gettin' herself dirty… Oh, and she has very bad table manners! Always slurpin' and burpin'! She may come from a wealthy family, but she ain't no lady."

"Huh," Spike said, rubbing his chin. "She sounds interesting."

Applejack grunted in frustration.

"But what's she like physically? Is she pretty? Is she plain?"

She sent him a sour look. "Why should that matter?"

"Well, if she were plain, maybe it wouldn't be so bad."

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Care to explain?"

"See, the biggest problem with most mares is how pretty they are." He hopped onto a log and began walking across. "For example, there's this chambermaid back at Midnight Castle named Rarity." He sighed. "Even I can't help but notice how gorgeous she is." He shook his head. "Which is exactly the problem!" Reaching the end of the log, he hopped off. "Every time she walks by, I get all clammy and weak in the knees! It's especially distracting during target practice! Last time, I nearly shot down the guy on sentry duty!"

He folded his arms. "I find it weird that Uncle Tirek arranged a marriage for me. He was the one who told me marriage was for weaklings."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Applejack murmured.

"But since you tell me this mare is rich, that probably explains it. Maybe if she weren't pretty, she wouldn't be too much of a distraction." He looked at her. "Is she pretty?"

Applejack hesitated. "Uh…yes! She's very pretty! She'd be way too distracting for ya!" She patted him on the back. "You should just tell your mean old uncle you're not interested and forget it ever happened!" She frowned slightly. "But seriously. Is that what ya think of all females? Even your mother?"

Spike shrugged. "I wouldn't know. My mother passed away before I hatched."

She paused in her step. "I…I'm sorry, I…I didn't…I mean I figured you were an orphan if Tirek was your…"

"It's okay," he said, walking ahead. "I never knew her, so there's not much to be sad about."

"Explains a lot," Applejack mumbled as she continued on.

"But in answer to your question, there was…one mare I knew." He smiled softly. "She was a friend of my father's, and she fought in Celestia's army." He slashed his arm about as if he were wielding a sword. "She was fearless, strong, cunning. There was no soldier like her! And if anyone tried to bring her down because of her sex, she would just keep on going! Indeed, she was truly the best mare there ever was!"

Then he sighed sadly. "But…I guess being the best wasn't enough for her."

Applejack frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He hung his head. "It's a long story."

She shrugged. "We've got a long ways to go."

"I just don't wanna talk about it, okay?!" he snapped. "Just…forget I said anything."

Applejack watched in sympathy as he quickened his pace. He didn't actually seem that bad of a dragon, even if a little misogynistic. She wondered what could've happened to make him like that. She blamed his upbringing.

Maybe it was a good thing he wasn't that interested in marrying her. It meant even if they were caught, he might convince Lord Tirek to let her go. If that didn't work, Spike could at least help her escape. Then she could return to her family and marry Sir Trenderhoof as she had promised.

"Hey, slowpoke!" Spike called from ahead. "Did your mother give you weak legs or something?"

She growled as she picked up the pace. She had a feeling this was going to be a long journey.

Author's Note:

I tried to think about how AJ and Spike would meet. In the book, Joanna's horse gets stuck in a sinkhole and Richard puts it out of its misery right before meeting Joanna. Obviously, I didn't know how to explain horses riding horses in this universe, so I thought of a meeting that might be more humorous.

Funny coincidence that didn't occur to me until later. While disguised as a boy, Richard calls Joanna "Jack." So Jack is being played by Applejack.

Comments

[Purple Pony]

This meeting is much funnier. And the coincidence is almost as funny.

[PonySage86]

The Twin

That awkward moment when you find out your new friend is a misogynistic midget that's related to your kidnapper. Man if I had a nickel...

[DisneyFanatic23]

8291142
She'd have one nickel! Which...isn't much but it's incredible it happened once!

[PonySage86]

8291258
The Twin

Now that I think about it, In the Mlp verse would a nickel be five bits or like a twentieth of a bit? If it's five bits that'd get ya something.