This story is a sequel to In Bloom
Commission for Ankaru.
Spike has long been Twilight Sparkle's Number One Assistant, and a helpful hand to all ponies in Ponyville. But he longs to be something more, to feel like an equal, something more than, for example, the babysitter's helper when no one else is available.
But when a camping trip with Marina the Changeling, her partner Moonbeam, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders goes wrong and the CMC are kidnapped by a group of vengeful Diamond Dogs, Spike is given the chance to show what he's truly capable of as he seeks to follow Marina in pursuit of the kidnappers, determined to help her save the young ponies. As his mettle is tested, however, he might discover he is not as strong or as capable as once thought he was, and that his actions may have terrible consequences for the ponies he only ever intended to help.
Oooh, this looks like fun! It'll be interesting to see how the dynamics between Spike and Marina play out.
Friendly word of advice, link to the previous story.
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Thanks, I hope it proves an entertaining read.
So this isn’t just a “Spike screws everything up” story but also a “Twilight and her friends still take Spike for granted like self-absorbed morons despite everything they’ve gone through” story. Okay then.
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Part of what makes commissions interesting to me is how I can be given an idea that seems very simple or very complex, and I get to work with it and make it something more emotive or relatable. It can be tricky sometimes and I don't always get it perfect, but even ideas that might seem tired can turn out interesting. And of course at the end of the day these stories are essentially written for the commissioner alone, so I try and adjust my usual writing style to whatever they would like to see and whatever would make them happiest.