The Rocks And Water

by KingReptarAlmighty

Ch. 10: Forward

“Did you really mean it?” Thorax asked suddenly. The two were on the balcony, enjoying the early morning air in some after breakfast, before we-actually-have-to-do-things relaxation. Spike was once again situated in Thorax’s lap, claws wrapped around Thorax’s forehooves as the Changeling held him in a loose embrace. Thorax had near instinctually snuggled up to the not-dragon as soon as the chill of early morning had touched his chitin. Spike hadn’t protested, enjoying the contact.

“Mean what?”

“That you didn’t mind me being all huggy. I get that sometimes people get uncomfortable. Heck, even Pharynx does from time to time.” Spike snorted.

“Of course I don’t mind. Do you think I would just let it happen if I wasn’t?”

“I hate to say it Spike, but you’re a bit of a people pleaser. You probably would.” Spike frowned, disliking the callout. Still, he shrugged, and turned around to bury his face in Thorax’s chest.

“I don’t mind. I assure you.” Thorax smiled, and wrapped his forehooves back around the not-drake.

“Then I hope you don’t mind if we stay like this until Cadance gets back.”

“I’ll be honest, that doesn’t seem long enough.” Thorax laughed, and Spike smiled into his chest.

“Well, if that’s the case, I give you full permission to demand a hug anytime you like. Whenever, wherever.” Spike sighed in contentment.

“That sounds perfect.” The ‘just like you’ went unspoken, but Spike meant it as much as anything else.

---

Discord knocked on the ridiculously large door, tapping his dragon foot impatiently. He needed this answer desperately, and hopefully before Spike fell asleep, so he could at least put him through to-

“Discord?” The door had opened while he was lost in thought, and in front of him stood a nearly 60 foot tall monster of some bovine build. Twelve eyes blinked down at him as a clawed hand landed on the ground for him to step onto. “What are you doing here?”

“Ah, Vitraliyaex, I’m sorry to say I’m not here for a pool of tea, but rather a need for answers.” The right set of six eyes all raised eyebrows at once.

“Answers of what kind? Bookkeeper I may be, but even I don’t know everything.” Discord sighed.

“I’m afraid it’s answers about you, my friend. I have a friend, and he appears to be on par with, or possibly more powerful than us. If not, more powerful than me at least. And certainly the same type as us.” Vitraliyaex hummed, scratching at his chin with a six fingered hand.

“What do you need to know?” Discord hummed, twiddling his thumbs.

“Is it true that you were a yak before you became you?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes. I was always me, but I simply less ‘me’ back then.”

“...My friend was a dragon. We now know that he is something much more vast. Something life giving, and yet chaotic at the same time. He’s performed some incredible feats that even I might struggle with. And yet, he has no capability to replicate them, as of right now.”

“Has he found his true form?”

“...Partially. Less than half done. Possibly less than twenty five percent.” Vitraliyaex ‘ahh’ed, pointing at Discord with an oversized finger.

“Get him there first. Then we’ll see if that has loosened him up any.” Discord nodded, preparing to take off. He glanced back at his ally, staring into the dozen eyes.

“Do you think he can do it?”

“Continue living with mortals?” Discord nodded. “I don’t see why not. I left because collecting knowledge was easier from the outside. You say he is a life giver? It might be best for him to remain there, just as it was best for you.” A certain tension left Discord’s posture, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“...Thank you, Vitraliyaex.” Discord took off into the Realm of Chaos, leaving a stunned bookkeeper in his wake. Eventually, the bovine chuckled, scratching the built-up ink off his arms.

“A thank you from Discord. This Fluttershy might be the best influence he’s had.” And so, the bookkeeper returned to his living space, letters falling off of him into non-existence, reappearing on pages of paper across all of Equestria, be it a well meant letter for a sick family member, or the latest novel of a famous writer.

---

“So then, Spike said that he never said that he didn’t like it, and he sat in Thorax’s lap the entire rest of breakfast.” Cadance giggled giddily, hopping on her hooves like an excited foal.

“I can’t believe I missed that! How did Thorax react?”

“He didn’t say anything in particular, but, last I checked, they’re still half asleep in each other’s arms on the balcony.” Cadance could barely articulate words at this point, giggling madly.

“Any idea on which one of us might win the bet?” Shining Armor hummed.

“I’ll raise you five bits that it’s a mutual confession.” Cadance gave a sly smile.

“Well, I’ll raise you five bits that neither one of them confesses, and they still end up together.” Shining Armor nodded. “So, five bits for our initial predictions, ten bits for the second prediction?”

“Exactly. Now, let’s get inside and tell them the good news.” Cadance nodded, before sprinting ahead of her husband with a laugh. Shining Armor smiled.

“Oh, you’re on!” He shouted after her, running at top speed to catch up.

---

“Are you gonna tell me why you keep picking at your scales, or am I gonna have to worry about it in secret?” Spike grimaced. He had hoped he was being discreet enough.

“It’s… kinda stupid. I just feel kinda wrong. It’s like ever since figuring out that I’m not a dragon, this doesn’t exactly feel like me. It feels like a really itchy, slightly-too-tight sweater. Like… the sleeves are too large in the forearms, but the torso and upper arms are too tight, and the tag is itchy too so it’s just digging into your neck… I just kinda hate it.” Thorax frowned. Spike waved him off. “I don’t think it’s anything you can fix. Don’t worry about it.” Thorax grumbled, but looked away.

“Okay, fine. But if you start yanking your scales off we’re gonna have a problem.” Spike rolled his eyes, but he smiled anyway.

“Trust me, I won’t. It hurts way too much.” Still, he scratched at his back, the scales running along his spines being a place of particular discomfort. “Didn’t I have three sets of spines when I transformed?”

“Yeah. And the scales on your arms turned white! It was pretty cool, you looked… what’s the word?”

“Creepy?” Thorax shrugged.

“I was going to say interesting. It felt like whenever Discord gets a little too close to you. Like there’s so much power there and it’s just not in use at that moment. I was honestly pretty amazed, I wish I could’ve gotten a better look.”

“Apparently it would’ve driven you insane, so no, no you do not wish you had gotten a better look.” Thorax laughed, before he realized Spike was fully serious. In fact, the not-dragon looked remarkably downtrodden.

“Hey, you’ve saved me what? Twice already? If I went crazy looking at you I don’t doubt you would’ve done anything possible to fix it. Also, what counts as crazy? Because a lot of what people considered ‘crazy’, is really just some pretty common and pretty manageable mental illnesses.” Spike blinked, and slowly moved to a light smile.

“You’re not wrong, actually.”

“Exactly! Like I'm not saying that it’d be great, but I think I could manage. And even if I couldn’t, at least you’d be there to help.” Spike went silent for a moment, a light smile still present on his face as his eyes shone with hope.

“...I’ll always be there for you.”

Author's Note:

This was mostly just relationship building and setting up the reveal of Spike's true form. That's next chapter btw.

For those of you who also read Rising From Avarice, that story likely won't be updated until this one is finished, and this story won't exceed sixteen chapters, so that won't take long if I continue my current pace with this story.

Leave a comment. Tell me what stories Vitraliyaex tells you.

(pronounced Vit-ray-lee-aex)

Comments

[yonalkaru]

cant wait to see spike's true form!!!!!!

[The Sandwich Guardian]

This is getting good.