The Rocks And Water

by KingReptarAlmighty

Ch. 8: Mimic

Spike couldn’t sleep.

He blinked with bloodshot eyes as he wandered the dark empty halls of the Crystal Palace. He didn’t even think he was looking for anything, more just a distraction from the much too old horror that was himself. Thorax had tried to keep him in bed, but the drake was having none of it, his mind wandering much too far for his body to simply stay in one place. So, he’d gotten up, and here he was, trudging through empty corridors guided only by his natural night vision and the few dimly lit crystal torches that lined the walls and bathed him and the halls in a warm orange glow.

He didn’t feel right.

It was an acute sensation that permeated all of his senses until it became nauseating to exist in his current skin. This body didn’t feel like his, and knowing what he knew about himself now, his biggest fear was that it wasn’t. That Spike the Dragon was a long gone spirit forced out of his own body by an invader, and what he was now was just the body with a different mind. It was a disgusting thought, and it served only to send shivers down his spine and worsen the feeling of wrongness that had settled into him down to the fingernails. He eventually came to a stop in front of the familiar doors of the dining hall, and stepped inside when he realized the lights were still on.

Inside the room sat Discord, staring at the door like he’d been awaiting Spike’s arrival for quite some time. He wordlessly gestured to one of the chairs at the table he was sitting at, and Spike stalked over to it, his movements sluggish for the jarring tiredness that had settled into his very soul since they’d returned from the cafe.

“How do you feel?” Discord greeted him softly, and Spike responded with a groan. Luckily, Discord was a good interpreter, and took the answer with a nod. “You should be sleeping. You’ve never done this before. You’re not like me, and you can’t throw your powers around without getting exhausted.”

“If I’m not like you then what am I?” Discord was silent for a moment, before simply responding,

“Something new.” Spike stared blankly at him with half-lidded eyes. “What? It’s true. You’re something entirely new, Spike.”

“So you don’t know?” Discord shrugged.

“I know some. You’re stronger than me. I know that at least.” Spike scoffed, rubbing at his temples.

“Where did I come from? Am I even a dragon?” Discord hummed, making the unsure gesture with his lion paw.

“You likely aren’t a dragon. Merely a very good mimic. We’ll see when you fully transform for the first time. Still, as for where you came from, likely the same place I did. Just in a different way.”

“...What would’ve happened if they looked at me when I was like that?” Discord pursed his lips, glancing at the not-drake apprehensively.

“They likely would’ve been driven insane until you could fix it.” Spike’s bloodshot eyes went wide. “Don’t worry, given your trigger it wouldn’t have taken long.”

“My trigger?” Discord nodded.

“The one thing that’s consistently caused you to activate your powers so far. Thorax being in danger.” Discord gave him a sly look, the type of thing he’d expect from Twilight.

OH SHIT.

“I need to tell Twilight about this don’t I?” Discord shook his head.

“Cadence and I will handle that. For right now, I recommend that you go to sleep.” Before Spike could even protest, Discord snapped his fingers, and Spike found himself wedged between Thorax’s front legs. Thorax roused near instantly, and Spike froze.

“Discord?” Thorax whispered sleepily.

“Yeah, Discord. I think I’m ready to sleep now.” Thorax didn’t respond more than a sleepy nod, and Spike was content with that, choosing to curl up into Thorax, and marvel at the fact that he wasn’t scared to be in the same city as Spike, much less the same bed.

---

“You know, we should probably get out of bed.” Spike murmured into Thorax’s chest.

“Do we have to?” Thorax half groaned-half yawned.

“What’s got you so sleepy recently?” Thorax shrugged, still holding onto Spike.

“Holding you makes me sleep better. You’re warm, and you being here just makes me more comfortable.” Spike smiled, shaking his head.

“Well, I’m sorry for leaving you alone for so long last night.”

“You’ve got a lot on your mind. And a lot to worry about. I didn’t mind that much. I was glad that you came back though.” Spike tensed up slightly.

“How are you not scared of me?” Thorax chuckled sleepily, sitting up.

“You’re Spike. Changing reality or no, you’re still my favorite person in the world. Unless you gave me a reason to, I could never be scared of you.” Spike sat up too.

“I changed an entire ecosystem within a mile radius and reverted a dying changeling into an egg.”

“Both times to save me. How could I be scared of you when you’d quite literally change reality to keep me safe?” Thorax turned to face him, and Spike felt his heart (or whatever it was) start racing.

“You’re the most important person in the world to me.”

It wasn’t any confirmation that Thorax reciprocated his feelings, but it was close enough that he’d feel content for the rest of his life even if he never confessed. Spike pulled Thorax into a hug, and the changeling reciprocated it with gusto. When Spike finally let go he felt like he’d reached the highest peak of his life.

“Let’s go get some food.” Spike climbed out of bed, and Thorax joined him, remarkably chipper for the early morning.

It felt good, to say the least.

---

“Spike is WHAT?!” Discord sighed. He turned to Cadance with a bored look on his face.

“I told you.”

“I mean, I thought she’d react worse.” Twilight turned to Cadance incredulously, and Cadance simply shrugged at her. “Sorry Twi, but you do have a history of freaking out.” Discord hesitantly took a sip from his teacup before speaking, as he noticed Twilight's pupils getting much, much smaller.

“Actually, I think it just-” Discord was interrupted by a single strand of Twilight’s mane popping out of place. He gulped. “-Hadn’t set in yet.” More strands popped out of place as Twilight began to twitch. Discord and Cadance both had the good sense to set down their teacups and move as far away as possible.

It was not far enough.

Author's Note:

What, did you forget this was a romance story too?

Spike's true form is still in beta. I gotta figure out how to get it just right.

Comments

[yonalkaru]

spike's true form will drive any being who looks at it insane since their minds will not be able to comprehend it.

[KingReptarAlmighty]

10872348
I finished workshopping the design actually, and it turned out pretty good. It's not that it's incomprehensible, it's just very powerful, very old magic.

[yonalkaru]

10873039
i thought spike was an elder god, and its said that whoever looks at the true form of an elder god will go insane so i though it would apply to this situation as well.

[KingReptarAlmighty]

10873261
Oh you would, (mostly) but it's because of the magic pressure I described back in ch7

[yonalkaru]

10873291
oh ok