Ruby Heart

In the eastern wing of the golden oaks library was the cacophony of sounds you would expect from a group of dragons. In walked Spike , not quite a full sized adult dragon as he was raised by ponies , but much larger than when he was a baby.

“Alright class its time for everyone to settle down” thundered Spike his voice echoing as all the dragons took their seats. “Ok thank you very much, my name is Spike and I am here today to teach you all about the evils of dragon greed.”

The purple dragon stood behind his desk at the head of the class. It had been several years since Twilight Sparkle had allowed him to start using the eastern wing of the library as his classroom. He looked around the class at the six young dragons that had shown up for his class this year. A surprisingly good turnout considering most dragon parents just didn't understand the need for a class about the evils of greed. Collecting things and building a horde was just a natural part of a dragons life. But he knew how truly evil it could be and what happened because of such avarice.

Adorning his neck was the one thing most precious to him and the reason he was here teaching at all. On a chain of the finest Equestrian gold hung a gleaming red fire ruby in the shape of a heart.

“Okay everypo… err dragon can you tell me why we are here today?” spike queried. All the dragons looked about each other murmuring quietly and one young drake raised his hand. “yes Mr.?...” Spike asked.

The blue drake rose from his chair and said “Sparkler sir, and I know we are here to learn why a dragons greed can be bad”. “But isn't it just a natural part of being a dragon to collect things and build a horde?” Sparkler asked.

“Well” Spike replied as sparkler sat back down in his chair “it is true that dragons are naturally drawn to collecting things, but sometimes it can get the better of us and lead us to terrible acts.”

“To explain things and show you all the errors I made that forced me to change my life, and to want to help change the future generations, I'm going to tell you a story” Spike stated.

“Can you all see this necklace I am am wearing?” Spike questioned the class seeing nods as his answer “Well this jewel is very important to me, it was left to me a very long time ago by someone very special ”.

“The story takes place in this very town” Spike started “ I was a naive baby dragon, much younger than any of you. But my greed was still very powerful.”

___________

I was living here in Golden Oaks library with Twilight Sparkle. The day was almost just like any other day in pony except for one thing. Today was my birthday and I couldn't have been more excited. Usually on my birthday I would only receive one gift from Twilight and it was always a book. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate her gift, but seriously a book every year ?!

But this year was different it was my first year in Ponyville and all of my friends were giving me such great gifts I just couldn't control myself anymore. The seeds of my natural dragons greed had rooted and as they blossomed within me I was losing my self control ever more.

Suddenly my body started to change and grow at an incredibly rapid pace. I had aged to the size of a teen aged dragon in mere hours. This sudden acceleration of my natural maturation worried Twilight that she sought help from experts. First a doctor who did little more than coddle me and grate my nerves. Then onto a vet who had never seen an actual dragon before. And finally onto a shaman by the name of Zecora who lived in the Everfree Forest.

She was the one who finally identified the fact that my greed had started to get the better of me. Little did she know that it was too late and the foul emotion had been festering long enough inside of me that it had completely taken hold.

Twilight had taken me back to the library in an effort to cut me off from any worldly possessions in hopes that my greed would dissipate naturally. She locked me in this very wing of the library and had taken everything from the room that wasn't nailed down. I felt trapped and cheated, my only thoughts were on how I could escape my new found prison. Using the greed combined with the new strength found in my ever growing body, I smashed my way through the wall of the building to seek out new bits and baubles to start my horde.

I wasnt able to think clearly anymore. The Spike that the town of Ponyville had come to know and love was gone. What replaced him was the greed stricken monster I had become and nothing was going to come between me and my collection.

After trouncing my way through most of the town I finally came upon my ultimate objective. There it was Carousel Boutique the home of the most exquisite,fashion passionate, wonderful, generous, lovely, smoking ho…, Ahem sorry got a little bit off track there. As I was saying there before me was the one pony I loved above any others. Though it may seem strange for a dragon to have these feelings about a pony sometimes that is just how love works.

Rarity was her name, and what a fitting name, her pristine alabaster coat and flowing amethyst mane made her an extraordinary specimen. In my heart there was no gem more precious than her and I would have her for my very own. With my newfound size and strength she simply had no other choice. I crashed through the side of the building eliciting a shriek of terror from Rarity. I roared and scooped her up in my tail.

“Put me down you brute” she ordered but I wasn’t going to be swayed from my goal. I couldn't see then how frightened I was making her at the time,I don't think she even knew it was me. But it didn't matter, so clouded were my thoughts by the greed that had taken over my mind that I didn't care. I wanted her to be mine and that was all there was too it. I belted another howl at her in an attempt to cease her protests.

“How rude” she stated. Out of the corner of my eye I saw two of her friends attempting to make a rescue.

Fluttershy the buttercream colored pegasus called out “Don’t worry Rarity we’ll save you”.

The other sky blue pegasus Rainbow Dash flew up and screamed at me “put her down right now!”. The two pleading pegasi positioned themselves on either side of my head.

“I-if you wouldn't mind that is” Fluttershy beseeched meekly.

“I mean it dragon boy” Rainbow dash commanded.

“We’ll be ever so grateful if you’d be so kind as to possibly consider…” Fluttershy meekly stated.

“Drop her scaly” Rainbow Dash hollered.

Growing annoyed with their presence I turned and began to swat at the obnoxious ponies whipping Rarity about.

“Hey I’m- not some- sort of common-  fly swatter!” she cried while being thrust about through the air.

I caught the pesky pegasi in the pink cape adorning my precious Rarity. Once entangled the two ponies plummeted into a stream just below them.

“Girls” Rarity called in worry “my cape” she cried seeing the garment torn and destroyed.

I roared in my victory over the puny ponies when I heard the scream of something flying through the air at incredible speed. I looked in the direction from which I heard the howl of near mach speeds and saw the Wonderbolts approaching. They were an elite team of pegasi prided for their flying ability. Surely they were here to stop me from continuing my rampage and by the same token my collecting.

I growled and looked about, spotting a nearby mountain I made my attempt at escape. I clambered my way up the slope with Rarity still screaming wrapped in my tail, and my precious collection, which I had stored in the towns now destroyed water tower, in my jaws. The Wonderbolts were still in hot pursuit flying close enough to shear the spines off my back. I spotted a cave and stashed away my collection of objects for safe keeping. I turned to block the entrance to the cave and saw the Wonderbolts forming up for another attack run.

I watched and waited , at the very last second I swung the now empty water tower and caught the three Wonderbolts inside. Quickly I slammed the open side of the towers basin into the wall of the mountain cliff trapping the three pegasi inside. Again I roared being once more victorious over my attackers.

“Oh be quiet” spat Rarity casting an angry glance at me as I lifted her to eye level. “You've got nothing to be proud of. You steal everypony's things, terrorize the town, and use me as a weapon against my own friends!” She hissed. “Which, as horrible as it is, I can almost understand because you're a dragon and all, But this!” She wailed pausing to remove and present her now tattered and ruined dress “This is a crime against fashion!”

Her ensemble, having been removed, revealed a glittering red fire ruby in the shape of a heart. Rarity caught me gawking at the beautiful gem and asserted “ Oh no, You are not getting this gemstone!”

“This was given to me by my dear friend Spikey-wikey, the kindest, sweetest, most generous dragon ever” She reminisced “And it is too precious to me to give to a greedy old beast like you!”

Staring into the gleaming jewel a memory was sparked in the deepest recesses of my mind. Suddenly see through the eyes of the puny dragon I had been just that very morning. I was staring into the eyes of my beloved Rarity. Having seen how much the fire ruby would mean to her, I simply couldn't bring myself to just eat it. I instead chose to be generous and give of myself for her even on my own birthday. When I had given her the stone her face was alight with joy, and she gave me a kiss. Even before this though I had felt glee in my heart from simply seeing her happy.

Having come out of my daydream I saw this same pony clutched in my tail glaring at me in anger nearly in tears.

She stared daggers at me and spat “ Oh, what now? I suppose you'll be eating me or something?”

  Suddenly, as I recalled who I had been before this greed had sunk its claws into my heart, I began to shrink back down to my baby size.

“ Spike?, You're the rampaging dragon !?” Rarity screamed as she had her revelation we began plummeting from the sky as my body was no longer holding us atop the mountain. Having my normal train of thought returned to me I was stricken in fear of not only dying , but never having revealed my true feelings for Rarity.

“Rarity, I need to tell you something” I exclaimed “Just in case we don't make it I've always sort of had a crush–!” she put a hoof to my lips blushing slightly with a knowing smile grew across her face.

I looked into her eyes and saw love but all I could feel was guilt for what I had caused that day. Rarity and I hugged as the last few moments of what would surely be our lives passed by. In the last seconds I saw the ground rushing towards me at an incredible speed and with a sickening thud it was all over.

___________________

“Rar… Rarity…” I groaned as I started coming to.

I felt strange, the last I could remember I was plummeting from the top of a mountain. I felt strange as if I couldn’t move my left arm. I tried to sit up and look around  but my efforts were rewarded with a pounding sensation in my skull. As I lay there I began to regain my senses. The smell was familiar, clean and sterile. I could hear a beeping noise and voices in the distance. Suddenly I knew I was in the hospital. Several machines were hooked up to my body to track my vitals. My head was bandage , and my left arm was in a hard cast.

“Twilight… Twilight are you here” I coughed as I began to panic in my daze “Can anyone hear me!?”

I heard a door swing open followed by the hurried clopping of hooves on the hard floor.

“Doctor come quickly he’s awake!” A snow white mare shouted into the hall. A stirring of ponies poured into the room quickly gathering around the bed. Among them was Twilight Sparkle with a concerned look on her face.

“Doctor Whooves is he going to be okay?” the purple mare queried nervously

“Well Ms. Sparkle despite the severity of his injuries Spike has youth on his side” the doctor stated “and his dragon anatomy makes him a bit more resilient than your average pony, so in the long run I believe he will make a full recovery.”

“That’s wonderful news doctor thank you very much” she replied with a relieved sigh.

“Just make sure he gets plenty of rest and we should be able to release him into your care soon” The doctor continued “Now I’ll give you two some time talk while I see to the other patients.”

“I understand and again I can’t thank you enough” said Twilight with a tinge of concern.

The doctor turned and exited the room with his nurses in tow. One of the nurses took a few more notes on a chart she had held in her magical grip before following the rest out of the room. For a moment everything remained calm as Twilight stared at the door. For some reason she seemed as if she were trying to avoid starting a conversation.

I looked over to her and asked “Twilight is everything okay?”

She looked back at me as if snapping out of a trance “Spike everything is going to me fine now that I know you are going to be okay.”

“Are you sure” I asked “you’re acting awful strange?”

“Of course Spike” She grinned a big fake grin at me “the important thing is how you are feeling?”

I could see in her eyes that something was off but at the time I chose to ignore it.

“Well I’m pretty sore and a little tired but other than that I’m fine.”

“Well you did go through quite a rough day last week.”

“Last week what do you mean by that Twilight?”

“ Spike ever since the… erm incident you have been lying here in this bed unconscious.”

“Wow , I guess it was worse than I remember” I said rubbing my eyes with my good arm “what did the doctor mean when he said something about ‘other patients?’ ”

Twilight's eyes flew open as if in terror I knew something had to be wrong. She began to stare through the window into the sky as though suddenly the weather had become very interesting. After a few tense moments she seemed to steel herself to deliver the worst news I have ever received.

“W-well…” she stuttered “ the others he was referring to are Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.”

“What happened to them Twilight, are they going to be okay?” I asked in a panic

“They are doing better since they first arrived” she replied as calmly as possible. “After you lost control of yourself and caught them in that cape they fell into the river. I ran to the bank to help and when I finally got there all I could see were the bubbles coming up from where they had went into the water. I took every ounce of my magic but I found and raised them to the surface.”

She began to tremble as she recounted the harrowing ordeal. I could tell this had shaken her up quite badly if she  was still this affected after a week. Deep inside I felt regret for losing control but I was definitely glad that Rainbow and Fluttershy would be okay. My heart skipped a beat as my eyes shot open.

“Twilight , I remember Rarity was with me, what about her is she alright !?”

She sat there in shock again and I knew the I wasn’t going to like what she had to say.

“I-I was hoping you w-wouldn’t ask me that” She stammered.

I begged her “Twilight please you have to tell me what happened, I need to know”

“I can’t Spike…” She murmured “I can’t do this right now… I’m just not ready” as she began to walk out of the room.

The room grew thick with darkness, twisted by the uncertainty of what had befallen my beloved Rarity. My breaths came in short bursts  and my heart was pounding in my chest. I stared, as Twilight began to walk away, in disbelief of what was happening. How could she leave me like this without giving more than the hint that what ever happened didn’t turn out well. I tried to shout but my voice was stuck in my throat. As she began closing the door behind herself I attempted to get up and follow her. A spark of pain shot through my entire being and the world around me went black.

“T-twi…” I garbled as I fell back into the coma that had been my home for a week.

I could hear the blaring alarm of the medical machinery attached to me and the panicked clatter of nurses gathering as I faded out. Suddenly there was nothingness.

______________

“Rarity!” I screamed as I snapped out of my sleep for the second time.

“It was just a dream” I sobbed “more like a nightmare”

I looked around the room wondering how long I had been out for this time. I was alone but I felt a little bit better than I had the first time I awoke from my comatose state. Through the window I could see that Celestia had just begun raising the sun. The room was still and there was much to do by lie there and reflect.

I couldn't for the life of me remember what took place that day. Everything was blurred and thinking to hard made my head pound. Deep inside there was a nagging feeling because I knew something truly terrible had taken place. It was so terrible that Twilight couldn’t even look me in the eye when I asked.

A click on the other side of the room startled me. The door swung open wrapped in a purple aura. Twilight entered the room followed closely by Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. A more somber parade has never been witnessed. Even Pinkie, the ever cheerful pink goofball, wore an expression of sorrow. Her mane even seemed less bouncy than usual.

The group of mares gathered around the hospital bed. I was glad to see that Rainbow and Fluttershy seemed to have made it out of the ordeal safe and sound. But my heart sank at the absence of a certain somepony. Most of all though I just wished someone would say something. The silence was thick and eerie as the girls stared at me and back each ten times over until eventually Applejack took the lead.

“Spike I think Twilight has something she wants to tell you” Applejack said punctuating her statement by nudging the violet unicorn in hopes of goading her into speaking.

“C’mon Twi you have to tell him eventually” Pleaded Rainbow Dash.

“We know it won't be easy “  Empathized Fluttershy “But that’s why we all came, we are all here for you.”

The group followed with a chorus of affirmations.

“Yeah Twilight I know this isn’t my best subject but I know that we together can overcome anything” Pinkie stated in a strangely matter-of-fact tone.

Finally pressed on by the love of her friends Twilight willed herself to speak.

“Spike I know this isn't easy for me to say” She began  “and I can only imagine how it will affect you but… Rarity is no longer with us.”

My worst fears were realized in this instant, I didn't want to believe it. How could it possibly be that the one person I cherished above all else was gone. It couldn't be it, simply couldn’t be.

The lavender mare continued “I never really got the chance to finish telling you what happened.The day you lost control of your greed and ran amok in the town you took her to the top of a mountain to add her to your horde. When you finally realized what was going on you reverted back to your baby form. Afterwards you both fell from a great height. After rescuing Rainbow and Fluttershy from the river I only had time to stand by and watch as you both struck the earth. Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were rushed to the hospital immediately. The injuries Rainbow and Fluttershy had were severe but not life threatening. Unfortunately the said couldn't be said for Rarity...”

I could start to remember more clearly the events of that day as my best friend filled in the missing pieces. I was enraged. How could I let myself get so out of control that it would come to this. Why did I have to let my greed go so far.

“Spike” Twilight snapped to get my attention “I know that you probably blame yourself for this whole mess and partly it’s true that you are to blame… but it is just part of being a dragon. You can't put all the blame on yourself you are just a baby after all.”

She was right. Why couldn’t we have gotten to Zecora sooner and learned about what was happening to me. If only I could have regained control all of this never would have happened.

I began to feel myself shut down. I didn’t want to exist anymore, there just wasn’t anything left for me to live for. I looked out at the ponies before me. Applejack and Rainbow dash stood ever stoic but the tears running down their cheeks betrayed their resolve. Pinkie was doing her best to console a melancholy Fluttershy. And I, strange as it may sound, couldn’t even feel sad. I was completely numb to the world.

Twilight stood at the edge of my bed sobbing until she jumped as if she remembered something important. She opened her saddlebag with her magic and removed a purple velvet pouch and placed it on the bed. She looked towards me as if she was suggesting I should open the pouch. I instantly recognized the contents as a gleaming fire ruby fell into my claw. I clutched it tightly to my chest and began to weep.

“Rarity wanted you to have this Spike” declared Twilight. “She said to make certain that you don’t blame yourself for what happened. But that you never forget her and the love she had for you.”

Together we mourned the loss of a dear friend. I never wanted to let greed into my heart again. This stone would stay with me forever as a reminder of what destruction greed can cause.

________________

“And that is my story class” Spike offered still grasping the heart shaped ruby around his neck. “That’s why I am here today in front of all of you to teach about how friendships are more important than any horde could ever be. If we are to live among the ponies as is my grand desire we must learn to control our baser impulses. And greed is one of the most evil urge we have.”

The class sat in silence for the most part. Spike could see the emotion in the eyes of a few of his students and he was glad that his message seemed to have reached them.

“I only wish someone had helped teach me before it was too late” he concluded “and remember to cherish the ones you love”. You never truly know what you have until its gone”