When I Look Bad, I Feel Good
"When hatred judges, the verdict is just guilty.”― Toba Beta
"If there's no hatred in your heart, then your mind won't find fault with others." ― Toba Beta
Chapter 5: When I Look Bad I Feel Good
Once again they were walking through Ponyville, Twilight still in shock over what happened moments ago. She was starting to have doubts about her mission in proving Shadow Bolt wrong. I can’t believe he did that, he knocked down five trees like it was nothing. Then he said that HE WAS HOLDING BACK, Twilight gulped at the thought of his strength being at full power. Twilight started getting depressed over the lack of progress of her assignment. So far nothing is going the way I planned it would. As they were walking through town Twilight noticed the glares coming from the townsponies as they passed by. I wonder what’s up with them as she looked around she noticed that she was walking side by side with Shadow, so far she was always in front of him while they were walking, but now that they were right next to each other she realized something. They’re not glaring at me, their glaring at him.
After she realized that thought Twilight was reminded about what Applejack said earlier, “Ya look like yer trouble mister. The way ya look makes me want avoid to eye contact with ya and I don’t even want to speak to ya either.” Twilight looked at Shadow Bolt and saw that he was looking straight, he wasn’t even looking around and the red aura appeared very faintly, she looked around to see what the reaction of the townsponies would be when they saw the aura but it looks like no one sees it but her. Twilight noticed the frown he had on his face. Even though he’s not looking, he’s knows that everyone is staring at him with hateful glares. This must be how it is for him in every place he’s been. Twilight now knowing what it was like to be in his position made her sad, Applejacks words repeated in her head once again.“Ya look like yer trouble mister.” Twilight came to a realization, There must something about his appearance that’s making ponies hate him, maybe if we changed his appearance somehow ponies will have a different opinion about him. With that in mind Twilight knew the only pony that could help with that. Rarity, if anyone can help us in this situation it’s her. Twilight said to Shadow, “Follow me, I know where we should go next.”
Shadow didn’t say anything but nodded, and soon they were off to their next destination, Carousel Boutique.
It didn’t take long before they arrived at Carousel Boutique, Twilight hoping that Rarity wasn’t still too busy with her work to help Twilight. she opened the door which ranged the bell attached to it and they both walked in. Twilight said to Shadow, “This is Carousel Boutique, this is where my dear friend Rarity lives and works. She designs dresses and such. She also represents the Element of Generosity."
Shadow looked around and saw his surroundings, the room was stocked with materials and supplies such as mirrors, mannequins, and movable screens for privacy for when a client is trying on an outfit. He noticed some of the dresses hanging from a clothing rack, some dresses were on the mannequins, he also noticed how pink the curtains that hanged all around the room were. He only had two words to describe this place, Too girly.
They both stood there until the white unicorn that Twilight knew was Rarity entered from another room. She started walking towards Twilight and said, “Hello Twilight it’s good to see you again.”
“It’s good to see you too Rarity,” Twilight responded.
“Thanks to Spike I got a little free time to spend. So what can I do for you my dear frie-,” she stopped speaking when she noticed Shadow Bolt. She took one looked at him and gasp.
Twilight shut her eyes, already regretting bringing Shadow here. She’s gonna say something insulting about him I just know it and then he’s going to get furious. Twilight with her eyes still closed stood there waiting for Rarity to say something that will set off the picture in her head, soon she heard Rarity’s voice and she said, “Who is this fascinating stallion you brought here Twilight?” Twilight surprised from Rarity’s question opened her eyes and said, “Huh?”
Even Shadow wasn’t prepared for Rarity’s comment and stood there stunned. Rarity levitated a pair of glasses from a nearby table and put them on. She then started looking at Shadow Bolt real close up as if she was inspecting him. He’s never had anypony take such an interest in his appearance that wasn’t negative, he also didn’t like someone being so close to him. He started feeling very uncomfortable from the purple curled mane unicorn that was inspecting him like his was a dress or a piece of art. “Would you look at the symmetry of the colors of his mane and the color style of his tail, oh my, he’s almost taller than Big Mac, look at how big his wings are, and would you look at his bracelets, they are simply dazzling,” she said walking around Shadow in circles. “Hmm, no cutie mark, but that makes you more mysterious. You my fellow pegasus have such a look that only be described with two words, Bad Boy. Oh how you must have the mares running head over hooves for you.”
Shadow stood there totally speechless from Rarity’s comment, never has anyone ever gave him a compliment about his appearance that wasn’t insulting. He looked at Twilight and noticed that she too was just as surprised as he was.
Twilight stood there her mouth hanging opened, she too was totally surprised over what Rarity had said. She quickly snapped out of it and said to Rarity, “You're sure about that Rarity? He hasn’t had a positive feedback when it comes to his appearance. That's I why I brought him to you so that maybe you can do something that won’t have ponies give him such negative looks.”
Rarity put a hoof on her chin and started thinking while she was looking at Shadow’s face real close. Twilight was guessing that he didn’t like having anypony real close to him since he started backing his head away from Rarity. Rarity kept staring at him deep in thought, until she backed up with a look of inspiration, “Maybe we can put on a hat, no that won’t work with that mane. Maybe a snazzy suit, no no that won’t do, Hmmmm.”
Rarity stood there once again in deep thought “Idea,” she said in a sing-song voice. “Oh I know, wait right here,” she then left the room. She returned and with a pair of sunglasses that she was levitating with her magic. They were round and the lenses were red. They had no sides which looking at it would make it look like they would be constantly falling off. “I think these would look great on you,” she used her magic and placed the glasses on Shadows head. Sure enough they fit and as he moved his head he noticed that they didn’t fall off.
“They look wonderful on you, I knew they would,” she said. “Consider them a gift,” she turned to Twilight, “Oh would you look at the time I really have to get back to work if I’m going to have this order done by tonight.” After that she left the room to get back to work on her order.
Shadow looked at Twilight, it took him awhile before he said, “Your friend is…..different from anypony I’ve met before.” He looked at himself in a nearby mirror, “Nopony has ever given me something before that wasn’t hate.”
Twilight hearing the sadness in his voice said, “Well they don’t call her The Element of Generosity for nothing.”
He looked away from the mirror and turned to Twilight, “Generosity isn’t always a good thing for some. That’s a lesson I learned the hard way when I was in Manehatten.”
Twilight curious asked, “What happened?”
Shadow took off his glasses and put them on a nearby table, “As you already know I move around a lot. I spent some time in Manehatten trying another attempt to make friends. Kindness didn’t work so I thought about being generous was the key to friendship. I got a job doing weather control at night, which was fine by me since working at night I wouldn’t be bothered by anyone. I was in charge of bringing rain clouds to the city so it can rain while all the ponies were sleeping. It didn’t take long before I started chatting with my fellow coworkers, and it seemed that we were hitting it off. Soon they started asking for favors and I thought why not since that what friends are for. So once and awhile they would ask for some bits or for favors and I trying to be a generous friend gave them, but soon they would start asking for more and more that in the end I didn’t have anything left for myself. Then when it came time that I would ask them for favors such as bits so I could at least have some for myself to get things such as food, but in the end they refused my requests saying that they don’t owe me anything. Later I found out that my so called friends were really using me so they could have a few extra bits for themselves without having to do any extra work. Once again I got into my home and moved away cursing myself for being such a fool.”
When Shadow finished his story Twilight felt sad once again wondering why in Equestria someponies would treat someone so cruelly. “In the end ponies that are generous will always be taken advantage from others. It’s only a matter of time before your friend will also be taken advantage of.”
“No one’s gonna take advantage of Rarity while I’m around,” said a voice.
Shadow looked around trying to figure out where the source of the voice was coming from.
The voice said, “Down here,” Shadow looked down and in front of him was a baby dragon. He was purple, his eyes were green, and had spikes growing from his head to his tail which were also green. Shadow was curious as to see a dragon standing inside a building since dragons were always hated and feared, just like himself. What was more curious to him was the fact there were pins and needles sticking to his back.
“And who are you?” Shadow asked the baby dragon.
Twilight stood next to the dragon and said, “Allow me. This is Spike, he’s my friend and number one assistant.”
Spike blushed a little from Twilights compliment. Twilight then said to Spike, “Spike this is Shadow Bolt, he’s new so I’m showing him around and introducing him to our friends.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said with a smile then his face turned serious, “Now what were you saying about Rarity being taken advantage of?”
Shadow looked at the dragon and said, “I’m just saying that when ponies become generous, others will take advantage of them, and since Rarity is The Element of Generosity it will only be a matter of time before it happens to her too. I’m not saying that I want it to happen to her but it’s inevitable. Some will just take and take and take until there is nothing left to take and then they’ll move on to the next sap leaving the giver left with nothing. Its pony nature, can’t do anything to stop it”
“Well no one’s going to take advantage of Rarity, if they do they will have to answer to me,” Spike said while flexing his arms trying to act tough.
Shadow curious of Spike’s dedication towards Rarity asked, “Why do you care about what happens to Rarity?”
“Because,” he said, “Rarity is one my deepest, kindness, and most beautiful friends and I will do anything to protect her.”
“You really care about her?” Shadow asked.
“Y-Y-Yes I do care,” he said with his eyes looking away from Shadow Bolt.
Why does he care so much about Rarity? Shadow wondered. He noticed how Spike was looking nervous and how his eyes moved away when he said that he cared for Rarity. That’s when he figured out the reason for his dedication for Rarity.
The thought made him smirk and then he said to Spike, “You have a crush on Rarity don’t you?”
Spike was in shock that someone found out about his secret crush for Rarity that he could barely speak. “H-H-H-How did y-y-you f-f-find out about that?”
“My eyes see everything my little dragon,” he said. “I take it that Rarity knows about your feelings towards her?”
Spike didn’t say anything, “She does,” said Shadow. “And does she have the same feelings towards you?” he asked.
Spike looked down refusing to answer his question. Shadow then said, “I’ll take your silence as a no.” he then walked closer to Spike and asked, “And yet you’ll do anything for her?”
Spike looked up and said, “Yes I would do anything for her, whenever she needs me I’ll be there. I’ll always assist her when she needs help for her work and I enjoy helping her out in anyway I can.”
After that statement Shadow just stood there looking at the little dragon. His thoughts running through his mind, she knows his feelings towards her but she doesn’t have the same feelings towards him. And yet she lets him do anything for her even though he knows that she doesn’t like him the same way he does. Shadow continued with his thought until he came to a realization. The thought of it caused him to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Twilight asked.
Shadow stopped laughing and said, “Because I was wrong, at first I thought that Rarity was going to be taken advantage of because of her generosity. Now I see that’s not the case, on the contrary it’s the opposite. Rarity is taking advantage of Spikes generosity.
Both Spike’s and Twilight’s eyes open wide from Shadow’s comment. Spike quickly went on the defense, “Rarity would never do that. She’s not that kind of pony.”
“Oh no,” he said, “You basically do anything for her, you worship the ground she walks on but she doesn’t have the same feelings towards you as you do towards her, and yet she allows you to keep doing favors for her knowing this. I mean look at your back, she is basically using you as a slave or a piece of equipment. She takes and takes from you and she doesn’t give anything for you in return. She’s toying with you, she’s probably laughing at the thought of you two together. I mean a pony and a dragon, how ridiculous is that. I bet once you get big and ferocious she will have no need for you anymore since you won’t be able to fit inside her home. She might even start fearing or hating you just like everypony else does with dragons and then you’ll be all alone and your heart broken.”
Spike was getting furious from Shadow’s statement, Who does this guy think he is insulting Rarity like that. He doesn’t know her like I do or the ponies of this town. They would never fear or hate me just because I get bigger….. right?
Spike then remembered what happened to him after his birthday when he grew fifty feet and everypony was screaming and running away from him. He remembered when the Wonderbolts appeared and tried to take him down. He even remembered Rarity screaming when he grabbed her from her home.
Spike shivered at the thought of that happening again. Part of him was starting to believe that Shadow Bolt might be right from his statement. Then he started thinking about what he said about Rarity. There is no way that Rarity’s taking advantage of me, I do favors for her because I want to.
The thought of what Shadow said about Rarity repeating in his mind. It made him even angrier than he already was. In the heat of the moment Spike closed his eyes and shouted, “YOU'RE WRONG,” and punched Shadow in the chest.
Shadow saw how his statement had affected the baby dragon’s head that he sort of felt sorry for him, he didn’t expect what happened next. Spike in a fit of rage punched in him in the chest.
The punch obviously didn’t hurt him but the thought that Spike did that really surprised him. Spike opened his eyes and saw what he did and started backing away panicking. Shadow stared at Spike with a menacing look, then sensing the awkwardness of the atmosphere he said, “I think I’ll go wait outside.”
As he headed towards the door he stopped and turned around, he went to the table where he left the glasses that Rarity gave him and stared at them. After sometime he grabbed the glasses and said, “Tell Rarity I said….thanks,” he then walked out the door and went outside.
Twilight was in total shock over what had happened. She walked up to Spike who was feeling sad and comforted him. “Don’t pay any attention to what he said, we both know what kind of pony Rarity is. She would never take advantage of your emotions, and you know that. And you know that when you do grow up we will still love you as much as we always have.”
Twilight now started thinking of how her assignment has been one failure after the other. It’s no use, no matter what I try to do I can’t get through to him. Maybe I should just give up.
Twilight then noticed that Spike had a sick look on his face. Concerned of her friend she asked him, “Spike, are you alright.” She’s now worried that Shadow’s comment must have really affected Spike that she quickly hugged him hoping to make him feel better, “It’s going to be alright Spike, don’t worry it all be fine.”
Spike then let out a flaming burp which then a scroll appeared, that could only mean that it’s a letter from Princess Celestia. Twilight now relieved that Spike’s sickness was the result of the letter had let him go. She then asks Spike, “What does the letter say?”
Before Spike had the chance to read the letter out loud Rarity’s voice was heard, “Where are you my little Spikey-wikey? I could really use your help if you please darling.” In an instant Spike gave Twilight the letter and ran off to help Rarity, apparently Shadow’s comment barely affected him. Twilight then used her magic to open the letter and raised it to her eye level so she could read it. The letter said:
My Dearest Twilight,
I would like to say that I’m proud of you for taking an interest to someone less fortunate than yourself. I could only think that you’re the right mare for the job, if anyone can show Shadow Bolt the magic of friendship it’s you. As for this hateful red aura you’re seeing I have to say that I’ve never seen or heard anything about this ever before. I feel that it’s you're utmost importance that you succeed in your mission as I believe that this aura might be dangerous. I have faith in you Twilight and I await for your successful progress.
Yours truly,
Princess Celestia.
Twilight felt wonderful that Princess Celestia has absolute faith in her and that she’s confident that Twilight will succeed in her mission. She has total faith in me and I can’t let her down, Twilight thinking with total confidence now. Don’t worry Princess Celestia I won’t let you down, I’m not gonna stop until Shadow’s hate is gone and is replaced with friendship and happiness. Twilight then told Rarity that she was leaving and that Shadow said thanks for the gift. She then left and went outside where she saw Shadow just standing around wearing the glasses Rarity gave him.
“You ready to go to our next stop?” Twilight asked.
“Very well, lead the way,” was his response.
“Alright follow me,” she said. And soon they were off to their next destination.
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Y U NO UPDATE!?!?
2577493
Happy to see that someone cant wait to read the next chapter.
I am doing some last minute tweaking with the next chapter. It should be ready in a week or two.
oooh i like were things are going i know i said that i was waiting until i finished the story before i left a comment but i cant help my self THIS STORY IS FRIGGIN AWSOME!!
with that said im on to the next chapter
In the words of Cinema Sins: Sh*t he was right right. "Rarity Takes Manehatten" the episode where it happened. And this fic was released WAY before season 4. Sh*t who knew a fan fiction OC could predict the future.
I agree with what Shadow said about Rarity. I noticed that immediately when I found out. Especially since Rarity gets jealous when Spike can’t help her, despite the fact that she will openly admit she knows about the crush and that she doesn’t like him back.