Andante - The path of the dreams

by CaioCoia

Melody of friendship on G String

As the tension happened outside of the kitchen, Spike was unaware of how much angry his mother was angry with not just his sister but from one of the heroes of Equestria as well, the element of generosity, he didn't know that his father Nightlight actually saved the life of Twilight's special pony.

He remained looking at the oven as he prepared a buttered bread made on a frying pan. It was a simple dish but Spike has a sigh of nostalgia crossing on his mind and nostrils. After taking the bread from the oven he then made the table just a few minutes later his parents appeared as they both looked not very happy. But the sigh of the table made their eyes wide open in surprise.

"Hey mom, dad. Did you mind I did the table?" The little dragon asked as he sheepishly scratched the back of his head... "I organized all the forks, spoons, and napkins for all the occasions by color and alphabet order, and even I decided to make sure the toasts look crispy enough but not burn, and I even find the condiments and placed them over the table."

Spike was so used to doing the breakfast that even his parents knew that this was a serious problem that happened to him. As somepony who saw her children does the table since childhood and noticing something on her little's dragon's eyes... Twilight Velvet knew something was very wrong at that moment.

"Spike...does Twilight ever did the table?" Twilight Velvet as a mother of 3, always... ALWAYS made sure to make their children divided their tasks equally and making them switches for them not to be always used to one task.

As she noticed that her own son freeze and his eyes went wide open, she knew clearly the signals on how busted she caught him and he was unable to tell lies at the moment she looked fixed to him.

"Mom I swear by Celestia's beard, this isn't what you are thinking... Twilight still does tasks, it's just I banished her 10 steps near to the kitchen before I allow her presence." Spike said quickly just to showing the despair into his voice, knowing that if he delays even a second she could misunderstand his words and even make things worse for Twilight.

As her own eyes twitched, Twilight Velvet walked beside her own son and gave him a gentle hug surprising him.

"Spike, we appreciate your help, but you are not in a condition to do home tasks right now." Twilight Velvet as she smiled weakly at him, showed from the tone of her voice was very serious. "You need to take a break of thinking into just work Spike, you need to stop."

"But mom, it's just a table." Spike not sure why his mother was on this way protested that she was being so far but the next question made him cornered.

"Spike, you were the only dragon or pony inside of the castle with Twilight, did she hired somepony to help you clean the castle as you take your breaks?" From the tone of her own voice, Spike knew... his mom was not angry but was sad...

"Well...no... But I wanted that way, I wanted to be the best to help Twilight whenever she needed... And well... I get breaks, but I pass most of my time helping the girls around and even go to gem hunt with Rarity for her to make dresses..." Spike slowly talked, noticing something he never thought before...he was burnout...exhausted... just after hearing the routine he had at that moment his body wanted to lay on the bed and don't wake up... Spike let it out a sigh in disappointment. "I should have to know..."

The hug from his mother tightened up as he felt the warm fur around his scales.

"Spike, you need a break... a break from Twilight, a break from work, a break from Ponyvile, a break from Rarity..." The whispered from his own mother made Spike remain in silence. "Spike you need time to think... Here, take this bag of bits and go to Ponyjoe and take a good breakfast over there, and bring a dozen of doughnuts for us. Go around Canterlot and enjoy yourself, come back when it's time for lunch. You need to think to take a break now. Say it... I'm on a break."

"I am on a break," Spike repeated slowly as he nodded to his mom, the bag of bits was on his side, giving a quick hug and a kiss on his mother's cheek Spike took the bits and ran outside of the house. "Bye mom, bye dad... Love you."

Like the time the little drake got out from the kitchen, Twilight Velvet couldn't help but sigh in sadness, as her husband took his newspaper.

"I know that that sigh. Do you want me to take the chair?" Night Light, after married Velvet, knew well all the kinds of her sighs, and the tone of this one would mean just one thing.

"Yeah, Spike it's holding his anger and other feelings as he tried to compensate it with work, I have to make sure to create a comfortable environment over the main room. And I will need you to warm up." Twilight Velvet most of the time would be glad to help the others when it comes to problems like that, but when it comes to her own family. It makes her uncomfortable.

"So I take the doctor is in then?" Night Light takes a look over his newspaper, as he could see his wife looking thoughtful, he gave an exasperated sigh as he approached his wife to kiss her cheek. "I will take my barbershop uniform then. If you are going to make the therapist and the barberpony, you would need somepony handsome to help you with the barbershop?"

"Oh Night Light, you silly but smart stallion." Velvet giggled at her husband's silly gesture, but let out a smile. "You are right darling. I think the barberstallion and the therapist would be the best help Spike would need at this moment, not any kind of help, but professional help. It's time for us to step on and treat this problem from the rot."

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The productivity over the humble but famous doughnuts shops Pony Joe's showed how important his products were on the daily basis of his customers. Over that morning 6 royal guards were eating gladly their desserts, and the tables were full of couples sharing their breakfast with a good cup of coffee. The owner of the establishment was working as a machine without making a single mistake.

The good movement of ponies getting out from the Pony Joe's was something the own Pony Joe knew well. And on rare occasions, he found time to talk with his friends when they appear over the bakery. The sound of bells being pressed over and over again, and many ponies around asking for coffee and a good doughnut, something he knew really well.

As the door was open Spike's first look seems to be surprised at how full the store was, something that makes him accept since the Royal Galloping Galla was one of the reasons why Pony Joe's became really known over Canterlot. Spike knew Princess Celestia would share her party knight with her trustful guards, and from their part, they shared with their friends and family. And from the mystery inside of the train of desserts being eaten, that made him more famous with Ms. Cake and Mr. Cake as well.

Spike sighed as he approached the balcony.

"Hey Pony Joe," Spike said as he finally took a seat, as he looked the baker walk around the kitchen and proceed to bring dozens of doughnuts.

"Oh hello Spike, it's been a while. Sorry about this rush, but it seems there is the break for all the royal guards and I want all of them ready for the day." Pony Joe said as he proceeded to fill the doughnuts with jelly and other flavors and walked to the royal guards to leave his desserts for their enjoyment. After taking care of the guard's Pony Joe who took his notepad from his pocket looked at the dragon sitting on his front. "What can I do for you?"

"I want a coffee milkshake and a box of doughnuts. I want to bring home the doughnuts. So take your time. " Spike said as he looked around and all the couples who seemed happy and satisfied with the service left the tables with their bits, making Pony Joe take it happily. As Pony Joe went back to the kitchen and after 5 minutes, the milkshake was ready, and in front of the drake who seemed happy.

"Alright Spike, there are a few dozen inside of the fryer so it will take a while. So here it is your milkshake." Pony Joe like a runner went back to take orders for another pony who seemed to be on the other side of the bakery.

Spike was happy for Pony Joe overwork himself with a happy face, it seemed that he was having fun.

"Spike?" A familiar voice asked ash he turned his head and found a mare with pale fur and red messed mane.

"Oh, hi Moondancer." Spike smiled at her, but his face looking tired gave her a signal of how much the little dragon needs a coffee.

"Spike? Are you feeling alright? It's because I never saw your face like that." Moondancer asked as she sat besides him on the balcony, as Pony Joe worked without looking at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine... I just came from Ponyvile yesterday and my parents said for me take a time to enjoy Canterlot." Spike smiled seemed forced but Moondancer didn't seem to notice.

"Really? And how is Twilight? She is around Canterlot too?" At the moment Moondancer asked that she noticed Spike cringing as he forced his teeth harder. Which made her ask in a different way... "Ooookay... I will take that as a no... so how long are you going to stay before going back to Ponyvile?"

"I'm not going back to Ponyvile Moondancer." Spike said quickly but it was enough to make Moondancer look at him shocked... "Yesterday I had a really awful day, and I cannot go back to Ponyvile... I left Twilight and decided to live with my parents..."

As he asked that, Moondancer's mouth dropped as she looked shocked by the decision of the dragon.

"Spike, really? What kind of fight you did with Twilight to make it so awful to go back to your parent's house?" Moondancer as a childhood friend with Spike, knew well how his fights with Twilight could've been since, from kids, it can escalate quickly. But she never thought she would be terrified to hear the next words.

"Twilight has a relationship with a mare I have a crush on my back... And almost all our friends lied in my back about this secret..." Spike said as he looked at his own milkshake as he closed his eyes.

"What?" Moondancer gasped in shock and in disbelief. And then she frowns deeply. "And she didn't tell you why?"

"From what the element of honesty said... they want me to feel comfortable with her living into the castle with her during a few more months for finally hear them saying that," Spike said but jump out from the slam over the balcony which made even Pony Joe stop working.

"Spike, that's awful. No... not awful. THAT'S AN ABSURD. Did you break the castle and destroyed her bedroom? Launched fire everywhere?" Moondancer who seemed furious about knowing this, made Spike raise his eyebrows and shook his head. "Wha... why didn't you destroy anything?"

"Why would I do that?" Spike asked as he didn't know why this unicorn was being so adamant about the situation. "I just shout out I quit once and then took my stuff to go directly to Canterlot without telling anypony."

"What? Spike, did you got angry?" The question which was made by Moondancer made him look at her in surprise, but after thinking for a few seconds, he shook his head. "WHY DIDN'T YOU GET ANGRY? YOU HAD THE RIGHT TO."

Moondancer was creating a scene, but Spike ignored it and shrugged.

"I don't know, for me, I seemed angry but actually I didn't feel anything but sadness... I cried a lot, but other than that, I didn't have angry on the desire to break stuff." Spike was going to say more but he felt his mouth forced shut, as Moondancer looked at him angrily.

"Spike, you must find therapy... Because what you are feeling it's not normal... You need to talk to your mother about that, she knows about this more than we do... And heck. I'm really angry with Twilight, how could she do that to you? I can't believe I had crush on her at our childhood." Moondancer who seemed so timid, she was so angry that even the final words made Spike look at her in disbelief.

"You had a crush on Twilight?" Spike felt a bit of pain from his chest because Moondancer was the first crush he had on his life, but after looking on how furious Moondancer was with Twilight and how supportive she was to Spike even on that berserk mode, made him realize they were supposed to be friends, just that...

"I had... if you had a crush on me, sorry for my stupidity. I'm a filly fooler and I should have told you and Twilight from our childhood, but after that event of Twilight and you leaving at my birthday and all the process of her seeking forgiveness to me, made me realise I should look for therapy... And there was an amazing doctor who was helping me since from my first section..." Moondancer said as she smiled at Spike, who seemed surprised. "Spike whenever you need help and somepony to trust, you can count on me. In our childhood you and Twilight are my friends, so even she messed up this time. I will help you when you need it."

Spike was going to say something but then a box of doughnuts appeared in front of him.

"There is Spike, it will be 20 bits." Pony Joe looked a bit annoyed at Moondancer but sad for Spike after hearing the conversation, he then gave a few extra sprinkles just to cheer the poor dragon which didn't know.

"Oh, okay. Thanks Pony Joe." Spike took from the bag of bits and after taking the box and finishing the milkshake, he smiled weakly at Moondancer and waved at her... "What a strange morning."

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As the morning sunlight demonstrated the passion over the entire Canterlot as the nature explored all the region of the noble city, in a camp of what would be a public garden for everypony to enjoy their time walking and enjoying their picnics a dragon remained sitting on the bench with a box of a few eaten doughnuts

His face looked around as he sighed, his mother was right about him having time for himself and have time alone to process his mind, and while he tried to act mature during all the trip... It's still hurt after imagining that everything happened in 24 hours. The pain and the secrets that made him second-guessed his friends over Ponyvile, and the former pony who he thought was the love of his life actually did to him.

Spike pressed his face against his claws, trying desperately not to cry in public. And it was still the morning and he didn't imagine that even after quitting his job as an assistant he was still trying to work his routine as he usually does in Ponyvile. His mother was right, he overworked himself and was tired but he didn't even think about that until she told him. it would take several hours until sunset for him finally get time to sleep. His mother wanted him to go around Canterlot and pass time to reflect alone and enjoy himself and she would be expecting him to return by sunset for dinner. It would take a long day until he goes back to his house as he promised. So he decided to start his time in Park in quiet solitude.

“Oh hello Spike, didn't see you there. Now move aside and let me sit.” A gruffly feminine voice commanded, interrupting Spike’s precious solitude. The voice was familiar and the way she talked to him made him snap from his thoughts and turn around to see somepony who was smiling grumpy at him. “You’re making it difficult for my work. Eating alone and not sharing... ”

"Lyra? Okay" Spike looked to see the minty green-coated unicorn wearing a beat-up old straw hat. He scooted over and returned to his wallowing, giving one doughnut to the mare who smiled wide and ate the entire thing with one bite. He sighed into his claws dejectedly but watched the mare out the corner of his eye.

“Thanks, Spike, you know how much I love Pony Joe's doughs, don't tell Bon Bon I said that... But now, let's prepare for it.” Lyra Heartstrings the mint green unicorn, who has eccentric tendencies smiled as she sat beside the dragon on the bench.

She leaned to one side and let her saddlebags drop off her back, rather than use her magic the way a unicorn would normally do. She removed a lyre from the bag before shoving the empty container beneath the bench and out of the way. Finally, she tipped the hat forward with a showy swipe of her hoof, flipping it over her horn and onto the ground where it landed open side up. The unicorn climbed up on the bench and took a seat with her legs dangling over the edge of the bench. She reclined against the backrest and played her instrument lazily.

As she started playing, Spike couldn't help but raise his eyebrow at her.

"Do you still do this? After all those years since our childhood? I thought you stopped doing this after you and Bon Bon got married and you were accepted on the Canterlot Orchestra at the same year." Spike asked snarkily but received giggling from Lyra who was still playing her instrument.

"I still do this, it's a good hobby of mine when I take a trip to pass the mornings on Canterlot. This park always has great stories. The battle between a clown and a mime it's still my favorite." Lyra said after her instrument made a good comedy melody making Spike chuckle from his sit.

"Yeah, it was fun to imagine an earth pony would win against a unicorn... Mimes are crazy." Spike said before sighing a looking away... "Lyra can you give me any advice?"

"Hmm?" Lyra who stopped playing her lyre looked to see the dragon on her side and raised her eyebrow. "Me from all the ponies you knew? Spike my pal, we knew each other since when?"

Spike touched his chin as he remembered his childhood.

"Well, I remember to meet you with Moondancer, Minuette, Lemon Drops, Twinkleshine at the time Twilight was in the School for Gifted Unicorns. You were always hanging out while Twilight and Moondancer were focused on their studies." Spike said not thinking the reason why she asked that question.

"Spike since from that age until now I don't even can take care of myself, what kind of advice I would have to help you with your problems since even I cannot follow my own advice?" Lyra asked but the way she said it was more in a sarcastic way making Spike chuckle in his place.

"Please don't be like that, my problem is not that difficult," Spike said but after receiving a scoff from Lyra wasn't something he would receive in response.

"Spike, you became a giant dragon into your birthday party, you fought a tyrant over an empire, and you had to deal with the princess of friendship every day. All your problems are difficult." Lyra said that as she returned to play the lire making Spike pout and turn his head.

With the good sound over the music crossing around the camp, Spike couldn't help but sigh again, this time making Lyra stop playing again.

"Alright drake, spit it out already. What's the matter?" Lyra knowing that Spike being gloomy that day would distract Lyra from her performance and she wouldn't attract clients that way so decided to hear his problem first.

"Twilight was having a relationship with a pony I had a crush during 2 months without telling me... Not even her friends who I thought were my friends told me, and they knew it... Just one pony who was the element of honesty actually came to me and told me all the truth." Spike said leaving Lyra to suck her breath as he then continued to resume. "And I passed so many years helping Twilight as her assistant and even after quitting my job and exhausting myself during so many years, I tried to be useful to my parents who let me stay home... My mother was freaking out about me being exhausted and my mind being on auto-pilot."

Lyra remained quiet as Spike looked at the camp again, waiting for something to relax his mind, or an ear to hear his vent, and Spike was glad that Lyra actually listened to him, but the silence after that showed that she didn't have an answer at all.

Lyra opened her mouth to say something but shooked her head instead... noticing Spike was actually down and she didn't actually have good advice would leave the poor dragon awful... But then an idea happened through her mind.

As somepony who grew to learn music classic and went to all the classes, Lyra knew something that would make Spike distracted in so many ways... As she started playing the first notes, Spike raised his head and looked at Lyra surprised and frowned at her.

"Har, har, har. Seriously?" Spike said as he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Here I am, telling my problems and asking an advice and you are just playing Toccata and Fugue in D Minor BWV 565 like I'm some kind of villain."

Lyra smiled at him as she continued to play. Spike scoffed and turned his back to her, Lyra remained to play each chord and in rhythm which made Spike nod his head and enjoy the good chords and thirds played by his friend beside him. As the tragic thoughts he had over the last day, he couldn't help but think that it was a horror story, but playing on the harp was something beautiful to hear, especially that song which would make many ponies start horror movies.

Spike closed his eyes, as he enjoyed the sound of each cord was being played. Enjoying every second of it, Bach King was always his favorite composer and that song was one of his most famous works. Lyra was somepony who always knew how to play even the most strange ways, nopony could make a better version of this song than her, and Spike knew that because he watched her play many times as a kid and even trained with her with his violin. Both of them enjoying music classes, Spike started looking at his past.

"When did my life went on this turn?" Spike asked himself as he examined every day of his past, all the gems he ate, all the success and failures he and Twilight passed through and every memory remembered the good times he was with her, but all the bad times as well... He saw the time he was a little drake and started to play music but the filly beside him was so distracted with her books that she suffered an accident by making an entire bookshelf falls over her, making him try to help the little filly and protect her from all the problems she could have... Then there was the time he was on Ponyville were the times he could see Pinkie Pie avoiding him all the time, Fluttershy being more quiet than usual, Rainbow Dash forcing her smile, and the stares of the ponies over him... All the signs were about what almost everypony knew... minus him...

Spike's face darkened as he listened to the quick notes were playing, as he noticed something inside of him.
When he had to work every day inside of the library, or helping Twilight ever the case, he always was doing his best to make Twilight be safe, be her helper, but just that, always worked a lot, trying to receive recognition and just a few things he ever enjoyed himself. Just comics or walking into expeditions with Rarity, just in the end she takes the gems and leaves him with just scraps.

He just lay there, feeling nothing... maybe it was because he was too tired to feel anything, maybe all the hard work cleaning, shelving, cooking, and being an assistant, made him too tired to actually feel anything after he felt the urge scream of quit his job as being Twilight helper and run away from Ponyville at the night's train to Canterlot. As the final cords were played over the harp, Spike opened his eyes. Lyra played the song finished with a question that hit Spike in a way he never thought it would have.

"Spike... why aren't you angry?" The serene voice of his friend who finished her play made Spike remain quiet and after a few seconds of silence, Spike took a few bits from his bag and made the deposit on Lyra's hat.

"I'm gonna go home." Spike didn't turn his face to Lyra, but he felt yellow magic pulling him back from his sit.

"This song may be interpreted as the creation of a terror or a villain, but when I play on this harp... I treat this as waking up alarm... When ponies must face the reality and ask for help to find a way to deal with it." Lyra said as Spike didn't look at her, as he remained with his face looked serious but without a signal of anger. "I don't know how you did it, but you must have made a lot of damage control and kept up being mature enough to deal with it... But Spike... Everypony must let out your feelings... It's natural for a dragon to let out the anger... And hold your anger inside of you makes the damage worse than let it out..."

Spike was still stuck on his sit but remained in silence making Lyra felt a bit uncomfortable with the silence. Knowing he was free from the speel, he got up and left without replying to Lyra who seemed disappointed...

"You did well you jackass..." Lyra mumbled to herself, knowing she was terrible with advice but still trying to her friend up. She couldn't help but sigh and continue her play as many ponies pass through the park.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

I didn't know Spike knew how to play musical instruments.

[CaioCoia]

10966132
Actually Spike knew to play some in the cannon, one of them is a piano. XD

[Alxsofthenight]

I need more these stories so interesting so deep and yet so nice it makes me feel like the character in the store itself keep up the good work I wish you could make more of this hopefully gets more updates thank you :,-)

[The Sandwich Guardian]

Good stuff. Hope to see more soon.

[Themiei]

"Spike, that's awful. No... not awful. THAT'S AN ABSURD. Did you break the castle and destroyed her bedroom? Launched fire everywhere?" Moondancer who seemed furious about knowing this, made Spike raise his eyebrows and shook his head. "Wha... why didn't you destroy anything?"

???

[Alxsofthenight]

Oh man was year you know this reminds me of this quote right here "you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain" I felt like Spike would realize this sooner or later if he didn't find out sooner if you really think about it the story could have been more sad and yeah that's just my thoughts can't believe I'm coming back to read the story again and seen more chapters I mean what if honest you didn't say the truth would you become a villain either way that's just the story and we can't change it's already written

[CaioCoia]

11162016
Well in theory a betrayal could make you do one of this two options:

1- Make you stay bitter in the past and become bad with everyone around you.

2- Or make you say you had enough and decide to change your life forever, that's why he moved away.

And Spike has the best ponies to support his choice. Spike is a mature dragon and that's what makes this fiction special.