Courage and Words
Spike took deep breaths, his heart racing, as he carried massive books from the crystal library to where Twilight and Star Swirl were sitting. They were talking about magic, something that he grew up hearing about. From the first day he was born, he saw Twilight surrounded by her own magic, blasting him and other ponies around her. Spike couldn't recall how it felt, to have his head blast through the roof, to expand in size. After that day that sealed Twilight's fate, which was shown by the cutie map and Starlight (long story), he had been stuck with chores. At first, Twilight was spectacle of him and took him in because of his special talent, sending messages to the Princesses through his green fire. Spike's hand wobbled as he held the books and the two powerful beings used their magic to levitate it out.
Without lifting her eyes from the book, Twilight commanded in a tone that she always used, "Spike, I'm out of ink again. Do you mind if you go to the store and buy some for me?" She wasn't really asking a question though. Spike had always felt like he owed her something since without her magical burst, he wouldn't have been born. It was similar to his dragon code, but different. Not being born wasn't the same as dying. It just would mean that he never existed.
He nodded at the alicorn, fully knowing that she wouldn't see him, "On it."
The usual reply came back, her voice always dipped in a sweet tone, "Thanks Spike." Her back still turned, she continued to read from where she had left off, eyes not looking at Spike at all. Spike walked out, his feet walking at a leisure pace. This was his fifth journey to the market and frankly, the shop ponies were starting to annoy him. They always started with the same sentence and ended it with the same fake, cheerful tone that just made him want to hurl. Halfway there, he realized that he was out of bits. Twilight always gave him bits, just in case she ran out of anything. She barely slept because of her excitement of being with her hero and was always cranky, but managing to show politeness and pretending to be kind.
The pony who sold the ink smiled, "Welcome to Feathers, Parchment, and Ink. How may I help you?"
Spike said, "I'm just here to pick up some ink for Twilight. I didn't bring any bits though."
The pony grabbed a few cans of ink and pushed it to the baby dragon, "Princesses don't need to pay for their supplies. Have a nice day." This had happened a couple times already. Spike didn't really pay for them but he did pay for a few of the rarest gems to make a necklace to his one and only crush. Maybe if he'll impress her enough, she would finally find out about how much he meant to her. He returned to the castle with the ink and set the ink on the tables.
Twilight barely glanced up from the book she was in love in, "Thanks Spike. Could you move them closer though? Also, fix dinner for the two of us. Here is some flour and sugar." Twilight, being exhausted, levitated the two ingredients over and then almost fainted, making Star Swir jump in shock. The magic aura surrounding them, faded, and left Spike in a mixture of flour and sugar. Spike felt the ingredients piling and felt the pressure within it. He was suffocating. He thrashed and managed to get flour as well as sugar all over the floor.
The almost ancient unicorn said, "I'll get her to her room. We both need dinner and that mess that you created needs to be cleaned."
Spike asked, "What do you mean that I created this mess on this floor that looks good enough to eat?" Spike would've left the last part out, but the floor just looked so inviting. The walls seemed to call for him and he was enchanted by how delicious they seemed to be. Spike's stomach rumbled in hunger. He realized that he didn't eat any of the delicious pony breakfast he fried; eggs, sandwiches, and other food. They had taken it all.
Star Swirl gave him a glare that could rival Twilight's, "Mark my words Spike. If you eat the floor and make it unstable, I will torture you. Now, clean up your own mess on the floor while I tend to Twilight." Spike sighed. He didn't have any magical ability, couldn't fly, couldn't breath a lot of fire, lacked confidence, and wasn't a pony. Those were perfect for a slave. Not wanting to be tortured, Spike drug himself to the mess of flour and sugar, thanking the fact that Twilight didn't add water to the mixture. He watched as the unicorn levitated the alicorn out, leaving him alone. Spike created a huge pile and threw it away into the trash can, knowing how dirty it was. His arms ached and his legs hurted as if a herd of buffalo stampeded on him. Spike was used to it though.
A shout came from another room, "Spike! Grab me the 1000001 spell book! Stat!" Spike groaned when he realized that it was the book that was really large and heavy. Twilight had broke his front jaw when she tried to have him catch the book when Princess Celestia sent her on a task of saving an Empire. Spike climbed a lagger and gulped before tugging the book out. He put all his weight into it and dangled dangerously over the crystal floor. Even though he was a dragon that loved to eat crystal and gems, the impact would still harm him. His jaw was still healing from that time, although he barely showed it.
Spike looked around, panicking, "Somepony? Anypony? Help!" His claws slipped once more and he gulped. This time there wasn't any changeling, no magic, no flying, and no earth ponies in this empty place. For once, he wished that Rainbow would come crashing in the books so his fall would be slightly softer and Rainbow might even catch him. Despite the constant mess that she made, he was sick of being a servant to Twilight and wished that he could be seen as something bigger than the alicorn's sidekick.
A sudden voice asked, "Spike? What are you doing up there? Where is Twilight and Star Swirl?" Spike's heart rate sped as he heard Starlight calling him.
He replied, his claws beginning to sink into the book, "Can you help me down and grab the book? I'm trying to give this to Starswirl." Immediately, he saw a light blue aura surrounding him and letting him down gently. The book came down after some time.
Starlight asked once again, "Where are they? Here, I'll carry the book for you. It's way too big for you. Sorry, I'm beginning to ramble again." Rambling was one of Starlight's worst habits, Spike assumed. The unicorn could go on for ages about one spell and it could make anypony lose their patience. Spike, meanwhile, was used to Twilight and it was nowhere compared to Starlight. One simple presentation meant the world to Twilight while Starlight was a little more open to adventure.
Spike replied with dejection clear in his voice, "Twilight fainted for overworking and other factors according to Star Swirl. He wanted this book. Can you give this to him?" Starlight nodded once before trotting out of the room with the book. Spike wished that he was a pony, but specifically an unicorn so that he would be respected instead of doing all the chores. Speaking of which, Twilight was going to want lunch. Spike glanced at the kitchen and the castle doors, also wanting to go to Rarity's to speak with his beloved. It was still love as first site and he was convinced at the fact that it was true love.
Spike decided to visit Rarity instead of Twilight's, deciding that Twilight wouldn't mind. Besides, his break days should allow for some hours outside of the castle. He pushed the heavy castle doors open and fell flat on his face. Luckily, Applejack who was carrying apples in her saddlebags caught him. Unfortunately, Spike never had truly good luck. A few apples hit him on the head and he sighed.
Spike said, "Thanks Applejack."
Applejack nodded, "Mind helping me putting the apples back into the bag? The others should be coming here for the emergency friendship meeting. Where are ya goin'?" Spike picked up the shiny apples that glinted in the light. He set them back into the saddlebags, ignoring his dizzy head. Without answering Applejack, he stumbled to the familiar site of the boutique.
Before he made it, a familiar and bossy voice said, "Spike! I just fainted but I'm back. Anyways, this meeting is really important. I want you to write every single word in the meeting and describe how the pony was acting and things like that. Then, I need you to organize each sentence onto flash cards and then I want you to sort them by emotion, subject, and speaker." He looked up to see that Twilight was on the balcony, looking at him with her stern eyes. A lot of paper and flash cards appeared in his claws. He sighed as he stumbled to the castle doors and waited for somepony to open the door.
He called out, "Can somepony open the door?" His claws were full and he didn't even want to think about the mess of what would happen if he tripped and fell. Spike didn't see the door even creak open. He sighed before using his back to try to push the hard door open. He ended up falling but he was a little lucky when only two flash cards fell from the large pile.
Once again, Spike shouted, "Open the door please!"
A voice came from the inside, "Spike, just open the doors by yourself. We are really busy! Oh no! You're not taking any notes right now. You need to come in now!" He saw a purple aura surrounding him and the parchment as well as the other things. Spike didn't even panic, he didn't have time to. He felt his stomach turn a few times before landing in the throne room. Barely having any sleep for the past week, as well as hunger, Spike didn't have the strength to hold anything anymore. He fell onto the paper and managed to tip the ink can over (just his luck right?). The paper stained with the black liquid that ran in the paper. Spike felt his nose bleed as well as other parts of his body that got cut by paper.
Rainbow carried him away from the paper, "You need to be more careful Spike. And Twilight, what was that? You know how badly all of us react to your teleportation spells. I'm surprised that he didn't throw up."
Fluttershy flew over, carrying a few kits over, "Oh Spike. Quickly, stay still and I'll get you fixed right up." She used some healing agents as well as many bandages that covered him.
Rarity looked at him and grabbed her fainting couch that came out of nowhere, "Of all the worst thing. This is the. Worst. Thing. And I mean it this time." Everypony rolled their eyes besides Rarity. They were already used to this line. Spike couldn't tell if his injuries itched or if it just came from the massive pain.
Twilight trotted over and carried him, "Spike, I'm so sorry. Are you feeling better now?"
Spike nodded, "Yeah, I'm tough." He glanced at Rarity to see if it impressed her. Unfortunately, the white mare didn't seem amused in any way.
Twilight set him on his tiny throne without a cutie mark, "Good. Now, start writing." Spike looked at his heavily bandaged hands before glancing at Fluttershy with hope in his eyes to only find the mare looking at the cutie map.
Spike shook his head, "I'm sorry Twilight but I think that my hands hurt too much. Say, where is Star Swirl anyways?"
Twilight said, "Oh, he left after I was okay. He wanted to explore the rest of Equestria. He grabbed some of the veggie tortillas that you made. That reminds me about the fact that you need to cook after this. No time to waste!" Spike looked at his bandaged hands that were shaking in anger.
For the first time in his life, Spike said, "No. I can't do it."
"Why? You're doing great!" Twilight looked at Spike with an unreadable expression.
Spike replied, "I'm sick of doing every job that you don't want to do Twilight! You treat me like a piece of trash that you might need later."
Twilight shook her mane frantically, "I never did that." Everypony, and every dragon for that matter, looked at Twilight with a raised an eyebrow. It was a little funny on Rarity's expression but it still worked.
Rarity said with a ladylike tone, "Darling, don't you think that you a being a little rough on Spike? I understand that you are very stressed and trust me, I know exactly how it feels. Are you certain that making Spike write with bruised and bandaged hands is a good idea?"
Twilight replied quickly, "I give him a lot of breaks."
Applejack said, "Sure ain't seem that way. Ah saw Spike and he crashed into me and mah apples! He never did that before. Remember when Ah couldn't see nor see nothin' when Ah tried to pick all them apples?" Twilight looked down at the map before shaking her mane as if this was all in her head.
Twilight asked, "If this has been bothering this been bothering you... All of you. Why didn't you say anything about this?" The ponies looked at one another before looking back at the alicorn that was losing it.
Fluttershy finally mustered some courage to come in Spike's defense, "So sorry for interrupting, but I thought that you two organize de something out. Such as if Spike did something, he would get some comic or extra dessert."
Applejack stretched her legs before saying, "Remember when Spike went to mah barn? When he went to tell ya about his dragon code, ya weren't paying attention."
Rainbow dropped down in front of Twilight's face like usual, "Yeah! Not only that but he has been putting up with a lot."
Pinkie Pie bounced around, "Maybe I should make Spike party! You know, full of diamonds and gems and jewels! Oooohhh! Rarity, want to help?!" Without waiting for a reply, Pinkie grabbed Rarity and they disappeared in a blur. The rest of them stared at the spot once occupied by two ponies before just coming down to the fact that it was just Pinkie being Pinkie.
Twilight turned to Spike, "Why didn't you say anything about it?"
Rainbow asked, "Why would he need to ask you? Do we ask you when we follow your lead? You're the princess of friendship, right?"
Spike held a mummified claw up, "Wait. I'm sorry but this is between Twilight and I. You don't need to stick up for me."
Rainbow shook her mane, "No way! You're my friend and I haven't been treating you like one. I barely visit you and see if you're alright. It led up to here. If you think I'll ever let you out of sight again..."
Spike sighed, knowing how it was useless to argue with Rainbow who was as stubborn as Twilight or Applejack, "Fine."
A pony entered, "Am I interrupting something?"
Twilight diverted her attention, obviously happy for a distraction, "Starlight!"
Starlight trotted over, "I heard some of the conversation Twilight and did you realize that your hero doesn't even care about Spike?"
Twilight shook her mane, "He would never do that! He changed on his view of ponies, just like you did."
Starlight said, "This isn't about me. Did you know that Star Swirl made Spike get the largest and heaviest book in the top shelf of the library to him? Then making a threat to torture him if he doesn't get it done?"
Twilight said, defending her hero, "This isn't about him. As you mentioned, this is about me and only about me."
Spike said, "Did you notice that every one of you have a talent on your small thrones? I don't. Mine is also significantly smaller than yours. Does this mean that I have less power than all of you? Does this mean that I should be treated this way?"
"Well... No but-"
"Because you have and if you continue, you might as well kill me."
Twilight and Spike had a stare down with Twilight breaking eye contact first, "Spike... I'm sorry. I promise to make it up to you."
Spike replied, "You don't have to. Just actually care for me as a family member or a friend. That's all I ask."
Twilight held a hoof to him, "Promise." Spike reached out his purple claws and shook her hoof, both of them smiling.