The Rainbows Of Spike

After Spike had left the library, he decided to make his way to the marketplace, where he knew he could find Applejack's apple stand.

Spike knew that he was going to get a few stares and even a few ponies running away in fear, so he tried to stick to the back alleys as much as possible. Which was hard, because Ponyville was a small town. One such encounter though did surprise him.

Spike was hiding behind a cart full of hay when he heard some whispers from around the corner.

"Do you think it's gonna eat us", they whispered. It sounded feminine, and definitely young, like it belonged to a filly. The filly had a rather high voice, and seemed to be more curious than outright afraid.

"Of course he is! Haven't you heard of the stories! About the ponies that go to the badlands and never come back", another voice whispered. This one hinted at a country accent, but still retained the voice of a small filly.

"And we all know what's in the badlands", a third whispered, obviously unfazed by the presence of a dragon.

Spike already knew that it was the Cutie Mark Crusaders up to their normal shenanigans.

"You know I can hear you, right", Spike said. He heard three unified gasps in response, the scuffling of hooves, some light cursing, and something that indicated that one of them had tripped in the process.

Spike started after them, but realized that a teen dragon chasing three screaming fillies through town wouldn't have been his brightest idea ever.

After climbing over roofs, hopping over walls, and crawling under carts, Spike finally made it to the Plaza without any more trouble from anypony. Seeing that he still had his bits with him, he proceeded to look for Applejack's cart.

"Stay back ya dirty dragon! Don't y'all come any closer!"

Before Spike could even turn around, he felt something prodding at his backside.

Something that was very sharp.

Spike turned around, only to come face to face with none other than the Element of Honesty, Applejack, holding a pitchfork in her forehooves, pointed straight at Spike's chest.

And boy, did she look angry.

Applebloom was cowering behind her bigger sister, a look of utter fear and awe adorning her face. Seeing a dragon that's three times your size and has spikes that are as sharp as the most dangerous of swords can do that to somepony.

"Woah, Applejack, calm down! It's me, Spike!" Spike threw his hands up in the air, showing that he was at her mercy.

"I don't know y'all think ya are, claiming that you're Spike! You ain't nowhere near small as he, and I think I'd remember if Spike had some fancy looking  wings on his back", she growled.

This was going to take some convincing to show her that he really was Spike. He was gonna have to prove it to her, one way or another.

"Ok, how many dragons do you know that have green fire." Spike let out a small flame onto his palm, letting the spark dance across his fingertips. He soon extinguished the flame, fearing that it might spook Applejack a little too much.

"That ain't mean nothing! Who knows if all dragons can breathe green fire", she retaliated.

"Ok, well I can tell you about that one time that I helped MC you and Rainbow Dash's Iron pony competition. You were mad that Rainbow had used her wings to help her win."

Spike could see Applejack's expression falter, her faith in her rushed conclusion fading.

"We'll, anypony or anyone could've told you that story. Doesn't mean you're Spike."

Spike was running out of options here. There wasn't much left he could say that would convince her. Unless he told her... No, he couldn't tell her that! Not his biggest secret! But then he looked down again, and saw an angry Applejack, and a frightened Applebloom. He had to settle them down, and if that meant proving to them he was Spike no matter what, he had to do it.

"Alright", Spike started. He leaned in close, even though they were the only ponies present right now. He didn't want to risk anypony else hearing. "I'm going to tell you a big secret. But you have to promise not to tell anypony." He looked around one last time, to make sure they were all alone.

"I have a crush on Rarity."

Applejack just stood there at first, a blank look on her face. She looked at him for a few seconds before breaking out laughing, dropping the pitchfork to the ground with a clatter.

"Only Spike would have been nervous about telling anypony something like that", she said through tears of laughter. Right now, she was giving Pinkie Pie a run for her money as the Element of Laughter.

Applebloom had started to come out from behind her sister, and Irving him a better look.

"Holy pony feathers, Spike, it is you!" She proceeded to jump around the dragon in a circle, chanting "It's Spike, it's Spike, it's Spike" over and over again.

"Applebloom! Watch yer tongue! You know better than ta say things like that", Applejack scolded.

"Ah'm sorry big sis. I was just so happy that it was Spike and not some big scary dragon that was gonna eat all of us." Applebloom tried to make her puppy dog eyes at Applejack, but she would have none of it.

"That don't give y'all the right to swear in front of comp'ny. Sorry bout' that Spike", she apologized. "Anyhow, what can I do for ya, after accusing ya of going to eat all of us."

"Well, for one AJ, I woke up like this today. I'm just as confused about my body as you are. I was going to find Rainbow, but I figured I might as well come and get breakfast first, and since no one else would have wanted to serve... Well, a teenage dragon, I figured I would come over here", he explained breathlessly.

"Well, we're always happy to serve a friend", Applejack said with a small smile across her muzzle. "And as compensation for earlier, you get 1/2 off whatever you order!"

"Thanks Applejack, but I think I'll just take some Macintosh apples and some Golden Delicious. 10 of each please." Spike pointed to each type of apple as he said them, fantasizing about how wonderful they would taste. Sweet Apple Acres did make the best apples and apple cider in all of Equestria, anyways.

"That'll be 15 bits, partner", she said, her usual, happy tone coming back. He reached back into his bit bag and grabbed the appropriate amount of bits.

Collecting his apples, he bid his farewell to the duo, and proceeded his hunt for Rainbow Dash.

Knowing Rainbow Dash, she was probably near Sweet Apple Acres doing some new trick, or taking nap in one of the Apple family's trees. Why she decided to take a nap in a tree than a cloud was beyond him.

Spike ate a few of the apples while on his search, eating the apples whole. He didn't know what he was going to say her once he actually found her.

Hey Rainbow, I'm a giant teenage dragon now, and I need you to drop everything and help me use my new wings

No, to straightforward.

Hey Rainbow, Spike here. Just wanted to let you know that I had a major growth spurt overnight, and that I got these cool new wings

No, too indirect.

Hey Rainbow, just wanted to let you know that-

His train of thought was cut off by a sudden impact to the chest, and he along with his remaining apples, were sent flying across the fields.

Before Spike could even come out of his dazed stupor, he heard somepony shouting in his ears. And whoever it was sure sounded mad.

"Hey, why don't you just go back to where you crawled out of, you scaley demon." Whoever was shouting at him had managed to surprise tackle Spike and pin him to the ground. While he could easily of swung his tail at the attacker, he decided better not to. The only injuries he had received were minor, if that, so he decided a full on frontal assault would not be a wise idea.

"Ok, first off, who is this?" Spike had had enough of being tackled and screamed at for one day, and it wasn't even noon yet. "And second, I wasn't even doing anything wrong! I'm only looking for a mare named Rainbow Dash, and I bought those apples with bits."

Somewhere above him, he could feel his attackers weight lessen if only slightly. Finally, after a few moments of silence, she responded, "Why are you looking for Rainbow Dash. And what do you want from her."

"My name is Spike, and you see those cool new wings that you're sitting on? I need Rainbow's help to teach me how to fly. And for your information, the hole that I crawled out of, was Golden Oaks Library. So if you could please GET OFF ME", Spike yelled, sparks flying out of his snout to add to his anger.

"Spike? You can't be Spike. Spike is just a baby dragon. You're... Huge", she said, waving her right fore-hoof at him as if he couldn't tell on his own.

"It's called growing up. Now please, get off of me", he pleaded. This pony was really starting to get on his nerves.

There was a long silence that followed. Later rather than sooner, he could feel his attackers weight shift, and then it was gone. Pulling himself together, he made sure that none of his scales had been dented too badly in the assault. Finding his scales in a satisfactory condition, he decided to confront his attacker.

Spike turned around, only to find that the same mare he was looking for was the same mare who had attacked him.

There Rainbow stood, in all her colorful glory. Her mane hung loosely over her back and head, Andover wings were folded neatly over her back. She had a smug smile in her muzzle, something that she always seemed to wear. She didn't look like she had just attacked a teenage dragon and held him hostage. Yet Rainbow always seemed to never look anything other than perfect, in that sporty mare kinda way. Something that no other mare in Ponyville exhibited.

"So you say you're Spike huh", she said. "Then I bet you can tell me what my favorite color is", she teased.

Spike knew he was in trouble. This was the mare with an entire rainbow in her mane! He had no idea what it could have been!

"Ummm... It's... No color. You have all the colors of the rainbow in your hair. You don't have a favorite." Rainbow's face turned from a confident and brash smile to a stunned and confused look.

"How did you know! I've never told anyone that!" Rainbow started pouting like a little filly who had just gotten her dolls taken from her. Or, in her case, her favorite hoofball or sweatband. She knitted her eyebrows, and stomped her hoof on the ground in anger.

"Well, does this prove that I'm Spike", he said teasingly.

Again, she paused before responding. She rolled her eyes at the drake, and said "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you're a nice guy, but I still don't think you're Spike, even if you have the same color of scales."

"Awesome! So you'll teach me how to fly!"

"Yea, I will. I'm not the Element of Loyalty for nothing now, am I? But you have to do me a favor", she said.

"And what favor do I have to do."

"I don't know yet! Now come on, we're wasting daylight!" Rainbow took flight, yelling at him as the distance grew between the two.

What did I get myself into?