A Friend of A Friend

Chapters

Spike / Rarity
Pinkie Pie / Fluttershy
Applejack / Rainbow Dash
The Cutie Mark Crusaders / Spike's Friends
Spike
Epilogue -- Twilight

Spike / Rarity

A Friend Of A Friend

Spike

When he thought about it, he supposed it spoke volumes to Twilight's influence that he'd actually made the checklist in the first place.

"'Check myself out in mirror.' Check." Well, it hadn't been a mirror as such. He'd actually spied his reflection in a window as he ambled casually through the warm Ponyville morning, but the result was the same. He was still looking good. Lookin' real good.

Walking on, Spike shuffled the parchment a little in his grasp until the entry above it came clearly to his eyeline. "Bake Jewel Cake." He looked around himself before returning his attention to the list. "Let's be honest, that's not gonna happen." Apart from the fact that he didn't currently have any jewels, his previous attempt at that particular endeavour had demonstrated that actually getting them into any kind of cake mix was next to impossible.

The three entries above it were already ticked off, but he started through them anyway. "'Smell my dirty feet.' Really?" He made a face. Well, it's on the list...

Thirty seconds later, and after a brief stomach-bongo session and a confirmation that his tongue could still reach the tip of his nose, he rolled the parchment up with a satisfied smile. He'd worked his way through the whole thing.

All six items.

And now... he was bored again.

Spike sighed. He remembered once thinking that he wished Twilight would go away on epic adventures more often. Well, she'd been gone for three days now and he already regretted that sentiment. She wasn't on an 'epic adventure' as such—well, actually, Twilight's opinion on that might differ from his own. She was in Canterlot trying to source copies of every book that had perished in the destruction of the Golden Oaks. That way, once plans for a new Ponyville Library were made, it would be that much easier to stock it quickly.

And it was, apparently, of critical importance that Ponyville not be without a fully-stocked library for one second longer than absolutely necessary. Never mind that the number of books ever checked out by Twilight—formally checked out as opposed to a quick loan to friends—stood at, what Twilight had defensively called, 'a round number of less than ten.'

Diligently exploring a dusty filing cabinet in the Town Hall records office had revealed a list of every book that had been registered to Golden Oaks. Twilight herself had a list of all of her personal copies, and Celestia had even kept a list of all the books she'd sent Twilight to read. That sure was a lot of lists, and looking through them all had revealed there had been a lot of books in that old tree. Some of them were incredibly rare, and the fear that something truly irreplaceable might have been destroyed—that some knowledge might have been lost forever—had left Twilight determined to find and replace every single title. She knew where to look though, and she'd estimated that it would take her about a week to scour the Archives and publishing houses in the city for everything she needed.

Spike could have gone with her of course, but a week of searching through indexes and publishers' reference lists, scanning for back copies in their catalogs had sounded like torture. The alternative—a week away from Twilight on his own in Ponyville—had seemed like an early Hearthswarming gift. The chance to do anything he wanted without anyone to tell him otherwise. He would be Spike the free-spirit with the run of the town! Ha-haa!

And now here he was three days later, wandering aimlessly, reduced to belly-bongos and tongue-tip-touching.

He plopped himself down on a patch of fresh, soft grass and huffed, a thin wisp of smoke escaping his nostrils. It was a little paradoxical to think that having Twilight around all the time was largely what kept him sane—Twilight herself wasn't exactly the high-water-mark in that regard—but it sure seemed to be true. After only three days, he was really starting to miss her.

He was really starting to miss the Library too, though that was never coming back. Whether by coincidence, habit or subconscious intent, the comfortable patch of grass he'd brought himself to lay directly opposite the charred, blackened and ruined shell of the once great tree. It didn't matter that its purpose as a library had gone vastly under-appreciated by the town at large, because to him it had always been... so much more than a library.

It had been home.

He couldn't stop his baleful gaze travelling slowly from the destroyed tree to the fabulous, crystal-like palace stood on the town limits; the newest addition to the Ponyville skyline, all shiny walls and sharp angles. It wasn't exactly in keeping with the village's rustic aesthetic.

Spike grimaced at the sight of it. There was just something about it that made him uncomfortable. It was a usurper, trying to replace something that could never be replaced. And it sure wasn't home. It might become that eventually, he supposed. He might even grow to love it. But it would take time. And he'd been trying to avoid the castle as much as possible until that time came.

Time was one thing he wasn't short of right now, but he'd officially run out of ways to pass it. The rest of the week until Twilight returned might as well have stretched into infinity. He flopped down onto his back in the warm grass and gazed at the sunny blue sky, watching a few birds fly casually overhead.

Come on, Spike. If Twilight were here without you, she wouldn't be bored. So... what would she do?

The answer was obvious. So much so that it popped into his head even without further thought. She'd go and see her friends, wouldn't she? Whenever she was at a loose end, or in some way troubled, Twilight's friends were always there for her, ready to help and cheer her up.

So, that's what he'd do too. He'd go hang out with her friends. How had it taken him three days to—?

He blinked. His friends. They were his friends too, of course. He'd go hang out with his friends. How had it taken him three days to come up with that?

Deciding which of his five closest pals to grace with his time wasn't easy. But one name did slowly bubble its way to the top of the list. The name of the most beautiful, elegant, perfect mare ever. And he could spend as long as he wanted with her! After all, he didn't have anything else to do.

Standing, he began to saunter in the direction of Carousel Boutique. He cracked a cheerful smile and gave a little, tuneful whistle. Boredom would soon be a distant memory.

* * *

Rarity

Spike rapped his knuckles on the door to the Boutique and waited patiently for it to open. From somewhere within, the sounds of faint commotion and quiet, melodic humming wafted to his ears.

In spite of his knocking, the noise did not abate and after a few patient moments of hearing the soft sounds of fabric being moved, cut, sewn and who-knew what else, he knocked again, louder this time.

It even took a third attempt before, slowly, the pleasant humming and other noises inside faded with a hesitancy that suggested interruption was unwelcome.

The door opened and an annoyed Rarity looked out, her red-rimmed spectacles perched elegantly on her muzzle. She impatiently—and automatically—looked left, then right, and then eventually down. Finally seeing him, her annoyed expression vanished in a flash, and instead her face brightened into a cheery, warm smile. "Oh, Spikey!" she said, turning and inviting him to follow her in. "I'm so terribly sorry, darling. I'm afraid I was very much 'in the zone' there. I barely heard you knocking."

Spike followed Rarity inside and it was as though he was under a spell. His eyes wouldn't quite focus and his grin wouldn't leave his face. His steps felt light, almost like he were floating, and his head swam a little. Even with that split-second annoyed expression, Rarity was the most beautiful pony in the world. And when she'd seen him and smiled... he was sure his heart had skipped several beats.

The interior of Carousel Boutique, however, was a total mess. Strips and scraps of fabric of every colour and material were strewn about the floor, over dress-ponies and across the low stage. Reels of thread and spools of ribbon were likewise littered about the place, as were several of the tools of Rarity's trade—a pair of scissors, a measuring tape, a pin-cushion among others.

Picking his way carefully over the mess, he followed Rarity to a dress-pony in the middle of the room which had been clothed in a beautiful, modern, flowing dress of green and gold. Not knowing much about fashion per se, he couldn't really comment on its form or fashionability. But it sure looked stunning, especially when the light caught it just so, and it was infused with just the right amount of Rarity's bespoke style and flair to ensure that anypony wearing it would certainly stand out from the crowd.

"This..." Rarity began, needing no prompt, "...is the first piece in my newest line. The Colours of Spring. What do you think?" She smiled that sweet, affectionate smile she had. The one Spike liked to imagine she saved just for him.

"It's... beautiful," he said honestly. He may not have known much about fashion and dresses, but he could certainly tell a thing of beauty when he saw it. And right now it was in the dress before him, and moreover, in the sweetly smiling, radiant face of the perfect pony who'd created it.

"Oh, Spike. You really are too kind," said Rarity as she turned back to the dress, re-setting her spectacles and levitating a piece of fabric and a threaded needle to her eyeline. "I've been at this one all morning and it's nearly finished. It just... needs a few more... adjustments..." Her voice became hollower and softer, fading until she trailed off.

"It looks amazing," reiterated Spike cheerfully. "It's... almost as beautiful as you are..."

Spike's eyes widened. He hadn't meant to say that out loud! Suddenly his cheeks became as fire and his eyes began to dart, desperately scanning the room for anything that might offer a hasty change of subject.

Rarity though, offered little reaction. "Hmm?" she said absently, still focussed on the garment before her, looping and weaving the needle and thread in her aura with such confidence and dexterity that she might as well have been performing a surgical procedure.

"I mean... uh... how come you need a new line, Rarity? Didn't you...? I mean, I... thought you had ideas for the next fifteen seasons or something?" It wasn't a seamless escape, but Rarity was apparently only half-listening.

"Mmm? Oh, I did," she muttered from somewhere very far away. "But this month's Clothes Horse... gave me... gave me... such... inspiration that I've had to completely... uh... re-think and re-imagine..."

She finally trailed off again, now snipping the thread with a pair of scissors and going to work on a hemline with the needle.

There was a pregnant silence as Rarity obliviously worked on, her eyes fixed rigidly on the dress, stitching the hem with exquisite care and attention to detail. Long seconds passed and Spike began to shuffle and fidget a little, unsure of what to do. Just as the urge to say something—anything—to break the awkward quiet became overwhelming, Rarity stopped, blinked twice, and looked back at him.

"Oh, Spikey, I'm so sorry. I promise I'm not doing it on purpose. It's just that I have so many ideas, and I haven't been able to lose myself in my work this much for months. It's wonderful to be able to take my time to create something without having to worry about a deadline for an important client. Or Fashion Week. Or an imminent threat to all of Equestria..." Even as she spoke, Spike noticed her gaze drawn inexorably back to the dress as though it held some hypnotic power over her, the tools enveloped in her aura going to work automatically on the fabric.

"Hey, no problem. I understand. Maybe I can help? Are you making anything for the... sophisticated gentleman?" he asked, twirling a nonexistent moustache.

Not diverting her attention from the dress, Rarity nevertheless wore a sympathetic smile. "Actually, I am. But I'm afraid none of it is for the... bipedal gentleman. You're slightly the wrong shape to model it for me dear..." Spike could already hear Rarity's voice turning distant once again.

"Well... is there anything else I can do?" he tried, able to filter out all but the merest hint of desperation from his tone.

Rarity's voice was soft and vacant now. "Hmm? Oh... perhaps you could pass me that blue... ribbon...?" Even as she spoke, Spike saw her pale-blue aura envelop a similarly-coloured spool of silken ribbon and begin to levitate it towards the gorgeous dress that had once more ensnared her attention. "Thank you... Spike..." she said vaguely, zoning out completely, entranced by her work once more.

Uh... no problem, Rarity. Spike sighed and quietly began to tip-toe towards the door, picking his way carefully back over the detritus strewn all around. If Rarity was really this absorbed in her work, then he wouldn't be much of a friend if he kept distracting her when she needed to concentrate.

As he reached the door, still slightly ajar, Rarity once again began the sweet, absent-minded humming he'd first heard outside.

He ducked through the door and closed it softly behind him, leaving his friend to work in peace.

She hadn't even noticed him leave, had she?

Pinkie Pie / Fluttershy

Pinkie Pie

Well, hanging out with Rarity hadn't exactly been a resounding success, but she was busy and that was understandable. Once she'd finished up what she was doing, maybe he'd try again, but for now he was off in search of another friend to spend time with.

And even as he was trying to decide who that might be, the answer presented itself.

In the space a little way distant from the front of Sugarcube Corner stood a garish, circular, brightly coloured patchwork tent of mostly-green. Planted in the earth just outside the entrance was a simple wooden sign covered with—what else?—streamers and balloons.

Madame Pinkie. Back by popular (future) demand! Every Wednesday-fortnight!

Spike smiled. If there was one thing you could never be around Pinkie Pie, it was bored. Confidently approaching the tent-flap, he lifted it and ducked inside.

Candles illuminated the interior and the spicy scent of burnt incense mingled pleasantly with that of molten candle wax. In the dim light he saw Pinkie sat up at her fortune-telling table in her traditional gypsy regalia, gazing into her crystal ball. As soon as he was within the tent, she spied him and began speaking in a deep, slow voice likely designed to convey an air of mystery and intrigue. "Welcome! Weeelcome to the chamber of Madaaaame Pinkie-Pieee! Welcome to you," —she fixed him with a piercing, ice-blue gaze— "Spike The Dragon!"

"Hi Pinkie. 'Sup?"

"Hi, Spike!" greeted Pinkie Pie, giving him a grin and a rapid wave. Then her half-scowl returned and Madame Pinkie was back in charge. "I sense... that you have come here for... a reason!" she proclaimed.

"Uh... yeah? I guess."

"I knew it! Oh, I am good. Hey, Spike? Want me to tell your fortune?"

"Sure!" said Spike, grinning. He pranced over to the floor cushion at the table opposite Pinkie and sat. Whatever was about to happen was sure to be funny, interesting, impossible, or all three.

Pinkie cleared her throat. "Look into the crystal ball, Spike. Gaaaaze into the Mystical Orb of Fate's Destiny-That-Is-Totally-Not-A-Fake-Like-That-Last-Guy-Thooooouught. Stare into it for a really looooong time..."

Spike dutifully gazed hard into the sphere. On close examination, the glass orb seemed to contain tiny particles of silver, floating softly within the crystal. He grinned. Only Pinkie Pie would tell a pony's fortune using a glorified snow-globe. Willingly falling into character, he became suitably astonished. "My gosh," he said, "It's full of stars!"

The fortuneteller nodded sagely. "I predict..." said Madame Pinkie, waving her hooves over and around the Mystical Orb of Etcetera, "...that you will get... Twilight Sparkle... a really cool birthday present this yeeeaar!"

Spike blinked. He looked up and quirked an eyebrow. "Uh... Pinkie?"

"Wow!" said Pinkie Pie, still staring into the crystal ball. "She's really going to love it! Aww, she is so lucky to have an assistant like you, Spike!"

"Pinkie?" Spike tried again.

"Yes, Spike?" Her eyelids fluttered.

"That prediction already came true, remember? I got her that telescope?"

Pinkie just looked quizzically back at him, cocking her head to the side.

"You were at the party? I told you guys the story of the adventure I went on the get the parts for it?" he tried.

Pinkie's head cocked a little further. Her brow furrowed slightly.

"There was a volcano in it and everything?" he prompted, a little frustration building.

Pinkie's head cocked still further, almost at ninety degrees to her neck now.

Spike frowned. "I sort-of saved Princess Celestia from a bunch of creepy lobsters? I was almost buried alive? You don't remember me telling you any of this?" A little anger managed to invade his tone without him really meaning it to.

"Nopey dopey!" Pinkie confirmed.

Spike sighed. He felt his head droop and his eyes found the floor. "Never mind," he mumbled. Pinkie had been right there with the others when he'd told them all. Apparently it wasn't that good a story. Not even worthy of recollection. Why would it be? It was only one of the most amazing things he'd ever done.

He slowly stood up from the cushion and turned, heading for the tent flap. Somehow, having one of his greatest accomplishments simply forgotten away into insignificance had turned his mood completely flat, and he suddenly didn't feel that being around the boundlessly energetic, occasionally impossible pink party pony was the best thing for him right now.

"Spike? You've kind of got a frowny-face there," said Pinkie, as though she were pointing out a milk-moustache, or a stray face-frog. Then he heard her gasp in terror. "Ohmygosh! My prediction didn't make you frowny, did it?!"

"No, Pinkie." He reached the threshold, but didn't turn. "I just need a little air. Too much incense, y'know?" He faked a cough.

"Oh. Okey-dokey!"

He pulled the flap aside and left the tent, emerging once more into the sunny Ponyville midday. He walked aimlessly forwards for a few moments, taking deep breaths of the fresh, clean air and waited for his eyes to adjust to the suddenly bright light.

A strange mixture of emotions assaulted him. First, annoyance. Then that turned to anger, to the extent that he felt his teeth clench and the back of his throat turn hot. Then the anger left him as quickly as it had come, leaving only an odd, hollow melancholy.

Pinkie Pie remembered everything. She was famous for it. He could go back into that tent, name any citizen of Ponyville, and Pinkie Pie would instantly be able to tell him how many days it was until their next birthday.

And yet, the most awesome adventure he'd ever been on... the coolest thing he'd probably ever done in his life... was a tale that was clearly less worthwhile remembering than a hundred arbitrary dates in a calendar.

That... was upsetting... a little bit.

Spike drew a deep breath through his nose and held his head up. No. His friends were interested in him. Of course they were. In fact, on his very first day here, one of his friends had been so interested in him that she'd listened to his entire life story!

He turned his head towards the road out of town towards the Everfree, and the little cottage at the border.

* * *

Fluttershy

"Oh, Spike?" Fluttershy's bashful but happy smile greeted him at the door to her cottage. "Won't you come in?"

"Sure. Thanks, Fluttershy," he said, gratefully accepting the invitation.

"I was just making some tea. Can I get you some?"

"Yeah, that sounds great. Thanks again." Spike bounced up onto Fluttershy's couch and waited while she disappeared into her small kitchen, listening to the sounds of clinking china cups and boiling water being poured.

When Fluttershy reappeared, it was with a tea-tray gripped expertly in her teeth and which she set down on a small coffee table before the couch. Taking care not to burn herself, she gingerly grasped the teapot in her mouth and decanted the sweet-smelling tea into a small pink teacup decorated with tiny red hearts. She stirred in a little milk and honey and then nudged the cup and saucer towards Spike, who took it gratefully.

He had to force himself to sip it slowly. He was really more of a gulper, and the fact that the liquid was scalding hot was no issue to a dragon used to breathing fire.

"Would you like some carrot-cake?" asked Fluttershy even before the cup had left his lips.

"Sure. Thanks." He watched as Fluttershy turned and headed for the kitchen again, leaving him to sip his tea quietly. In short order she returned with the promised cake and offered him a piece.

And that largely set the tone.

They shared pleasantries and inconsequential chatter which, while not awkward, didn't exactly flow smoothly because after every exchange, Fluttershy would ask if there was anything she could do for him.

"Would you like anything else to eat?"; "Can I get you a blanket?"; "I could give you a massage if you want?"; "Would you like to take a nap?"

It wasn't bad, he thought. The conversation wasn't exactly scintillating, but Fluttershy was pretty much offering to wait on him hand and foot. Maybe he could get used to this! And... it wasn't as though he was taking advantage, was it? Fluttershy was quite willingly—and very kindly—offering her hospitality to him, after all. She was being a good friend. A great friend! Yeah. He'd have to come hang out with her more often.

There was a brief shuffling sound from upstairs, followed by a series of soft thumps, followed by the appearance of Angel Bunny. The rabbit bounded into the living room and, seeing Spike on the couch, eyed him with suspicion.

Spike eyed him right back. They gave each other careful nods. They still weren't exactly best pals, but ever since their unscheduled trip to the Crystal Empire, they had an understanding.

"Oh, there you are Angel," said Fluttershy with a sweet smile. "Would you like some carrot cake?"

Everything changed.

Spike sat still, teacup in claw, staring into space, and felt his stomach slowly sink.

It was how she'd said it. With the same tone and the same inflection as when she'd offered the same cake to him earlier. And it made him see things very differently.

Suddenly, Fluttershy wasn't a kind, gracious host devoting her time to hanging out with a friend. She was... looking after him. She was taking care of him. Just as she would for any of the dozens of pets and animals she was responsible for.

To her, he was... he was...

He let out a long, quiet breath.

Somehow, 'a friend', wasn't the right way to finish that sentence anymore.

Feeling numb, he very slowly returned his cup to the saucer, and the saucer to the table. "I think I have to go." His voice was oddly flat to his own ears.

"Oh?" said Fluttershy.

"Yeah," he said, still unable to find a tone. He stood and his legs began to carry him automatically towards the door.

"But... you haven't finished your cake," said Fluttershy.

"I... I know," he said, weakly. "Angel can have it. Thanks, Fluttershy. I'll see you around." He pulled the door open, and closed it behind him as he left the cottage, leaving Fluttershy and Angel with perplexed expressions.

Walking the path away from the tiny house, Spike couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment that had settled over him like a heavy wet blanket.

Fluttershy didn't treat him like she treated her other pony friends, did she? Had Twilight turned up to her cottage, her visit would have gone quite differently than stilted conversation and the suggestion she might want a nap.

He was vaguely aware that he was judging Fluttershy a little harshly. After all, to her, all of her animals were her friends, just as much as anypony else. She hadn't meant to patronise or belittle him. She'd genuinely been treating him as someone she cared for.

But—he felt his teeth clench involuntarily—he didn't want to be 'cared for!' He could take care of himself! He just wanted...!

Spike slowed to a stop and stared at the ground under his feet. At the moment all he really wanted was somepony to talk to about all this. Somepony to reassure him that he was a real, true friend; because at the moment, the way things were going... he was starting to worry he might not be.

He raised his head, and his legs spurred him to locomotion once more. He left the winding path that lead back towards Ponyville, cutting across the wide rolling green field towards the treeline of the adjacent orchard, hope and confidence returning just a little.

There was a pony he could talk to.

Applejack / Rainbow Dash

Applejack

Applejack.

Friendly, loyal, and the most warm-hearted, down-to-earth pony you could ever hope to meet. She'd been the first friend he'd really met, the day he and Twilight had arrived in Ponyville, and he'd immediately liked her. And not just because she'd offered them both a mountain of delicious food.

Since then he'd always really liked being around Applejack. She always made time for him. Would always share a joke with him. She reassured him when he was worried, and never made fun of him or scoffed at his fears. And when they did get talking, their conversations ran a little deeper than those he might have with, for instance, Pinkie Pie.

If he were ever to get himself in trouble—real, serious trouble—and for some reason Twilight wasn't around, Applejack would be the first pony he'd reach out to for help. No question. And if he quietly confided in her, she would keep it a secret until her dying day, if he asked.

As he ran all this through in his head, his despondent mood slowly lifted. And the closer he got to the farm the happier and more confident he felt. Applejack would always be there for a friend.

The farmhouse came into view and he joined the hard dirt track leading onto the farm itself. Getting closer, he heard singing coming from somewhere unseen. Applejack's voice, soft and lilting, and carrying a tuneful folk song that he didn't recognise. You know, he never did find out what her favourite song was. Maybe he'd ask?

Following the crooning to its apparent source at the rear of the barn, Spike rounded the corner and was met with...

Well... the confidence he'd been beginning to build up didn't quite survive intact.

Arranged in a circle were seven steel watering cans, full to the brim with pure, clear water. And Applejack was jumping over each one, anti-clockwise in sequence. While wearing a bright blue full-body one-piece bunny-rabbit outfit. Singing all the while.

For a moment, Spike could only stand and stare. On any other day this would have been hilarious. He'd be rolling on his back and howling at the absurd thing he was seeing. But oddly enough, with the day he'd had so far... he didn't feel a whole lot like laughing at Applejack right now.

"Uh... Applejack?" he asked from a safe distance.

Applejack, too busy concentrating on her singing and her jumping, hadn't noticed him approach. Startled, she looked up at him in mid-air and her trailing hoof caught a watering-can handle as she landed. The can toppled and spilled all of its contents onto the ground, leaving only six standing.

"Aw, dangit!" she huffed, and glowered at the fallen watering-can as though it were at fault. Then she looked back up at him with a smile. "Howdy, Spike. Maybe give me a little more warning next time, huh?"

She grinned and walked over to him, pulling the blue fabric hood of the bunny-suit back from her head. Then her smile fell and her expression turned an odd, confused shade of worried. "You okay, pardner? You look a little... off colour."

"Um..." he started. But he could come up with no reply other than to come straight out and ask. "Applejack? Why... are you wearing a rabbit costume and singing while jumping over a whole bunch of watering cans?"

Applejack rolled her eyes and once more glared back at the watering cans as though they'd offended her. Then she looked back at him with a weary smile. "Zap Apples're comin'," she explained. "Tomorrow."

Spike breathed an inward sigh of relief. Applejack hadn't just gone crazy. "Zap Apples. Of course. But... doesn't Granny Smith usually take care of this?" He indicated the watering cans.

"Yep. Just my luck that they decide to come while she's away visitin' uncle Apple Strudel. And Big Mac's off in Appleoosa for the week too, so it's up to me to get 'er done." She rolled her eyes, shook her head slightly, and her weary smile returned. "I have spent all mornin' painting pink polka-dots in my kitchen, yellin' at glass jars, presentin' bouquets of flowers to beehives and now, this." She gave a self-conscious chuckle at the patent absurdity of it all. "Sure is a lotta work for one pony, but the farm really needs the bits right now, so I gotta make it happen."

"What about Apple Bloom? Isn't she helping?"

"Aw, she's off Crusadin' somewhere with her friends today. I already promised her she could last week, before the signs started comin'." She cast a quick glance towards the Zap Apple field, and the sickly-grey looking apples dangling from the purple-leaved trees. Then she looked back to Spike. "The farm might need the money, but I ain't gonna break a promise to get it."

"Well, have no fear, AJ! Spike the Dragon, loyal friend extraordinaire is here to help! Anything you need, shall be done. Just name it. Your wish is my command." He placed one claw on his belly and stepped back into an exaggerated bow. This was ideal! He'd spend the day helping Applejack like a good friend would. They'd talk. He'd tell her what was bothering him. She'd make him feel better. They'd laugh. It'd be...

Applejack was looking at him with a surprised expression. Then she gave an embarrassed chuckle and a sympathetic smile. "Spike, sugarcube? Forgive me, but it feels like we've danced at this hoedown before." She walked up a little closer to him and spoke more softly. "I appreciate it, but I don't need you doin' things for me. I've got it covered. Anyway,"—she carried on more brightly— "you've got more interestin' things to be doin', and I don't wanna be the pony who made you waste your day workin' a farm when you should be off having fun."

Spike's mood fell for what felt like the tenth time that day. He'd never consider a day spent helping a friend to be a waste. Was... Applejack saying his help was a waste of time? "You sure I can't... I mean, that you don't want any help?"

Applejack smiled. "I'm sure, Spike. I'm almost done anyhow. Just gotta finish singin' to the water, then drag a few baskets into place so I'm ready to buck tomorrow mornin'."

"Guess... you don't need me around then, huh?" Spike forced a laugh, but couldn't quite meet Applejack's eyes. He turned, and headed for the track that left the farm, bound once again for Ponyville.

"Spike?" Applejack said from behind him. "You okay?"

It was an opening. A chance to talk. All he had to do was say, 'no.'

But, really, Applejack was too busy for the heart-to-heart he'd come for. If he dredged up the issue now, he'd end up dragging her away from her preparations. And if the farm needed the money that badly... well he wouldn't be much of a friend if he jeopardised that for the sake of himself. If she didn't need help, it seemed like the best thing a good friend could do was leave her to finish in peace. He looked back at her, and managed—barely—to force a smile.

"Sure, AJ. I'm okay." He turned once more and walked the long dirt track back towards town.

After a few long moments the soft notes of Applejack's folk song began to drift once more from the back of the barn. It was a sweet tune, except with a faint, tragic undertone that he only now noticed.

Applejack would always be there for a friend.

* * *

Rainbow Dash

He didn't make it all the way back to Ponyville. Leaving the dirt road, he found a small rise just outside of the town, overlooking it, and sat on the soft, inviting grass. A faint breeze on the air carried the distant sounds of a bustling, happy village up the hill to him, but there was, thankfully, nopony else around at the moment. He had the world all to himself.

Everywhere he went it seemed he became an anchor, weighing down the ponies he called friends; getting in their way and forcing them to make allowances for him. That wasn't what a friend was supposed to be. A friend was supposed to be helpful. To be able to laugh and have fun with other friends, and to make their lives better. And yet all too frequently, and often in spite of his best efforts, he managed to accomplish the exact opposite. To the extent that now his friends didn't even want his help.

Some friend he was.

From his vantage point he could just see remains of the library that was no longer his home, as well as the great sparkling castle that just couldn't be home. As his gaze shifted back and forth between the two, he started to well up. There were very few places left that he could turn to, and it was as though, without explanation, some higher power had flipped a switch and decided he just didn't belong here anymore.

A short, faint but deep rumble attracted his attention from somewhere distant off to the west. He glanced towards it, but saw no obvious cause. Then it happened again. And a minute or so later, a third time, and as he watched there seemed to be a faint flash in the sky as well.

With his other choices limited to stewing in despondency or suffering boredom, or both, he dragged himself to his feet and headed off to investigate the source. Who knew? This might even make for another story that nopony would bother to remember.

After a few minutes walking across the lush wild meadows on the outskirts of the town, Spike crested a small hill and finally discovered the source of the sound.

Rainbow Dash was practicing.

He hadn't forgotten about her. But he hadn't sought her out before now simply because he knew the chances of him actually finding her were slim-to-nil.

Rainbow Dash. Always there when you needed her, but perpetually elusive when you wanted her. You didn't find Rainbow Dash. If she wanted to hang, then she found you. And if you blew it by being boring, she'd just be gone in a flash. That was how she rolled.

He considered himself fortunate that he did spend so much time with her, but had to remind himself that it was almost always when Twilight was around. In fact, with a sad pang, he realised he couldn't remember when the last time he'd spent real time with Rainbow Dash one-on-one was. If it had ever happened at all.

And with the day going as it was, there was no real cause to hope that that would change now. But he loved to see her perform, so he sat alone on the brow of the hill and quietly enjoyed watching the blue-and-rainbow streak soar and twist through the air.

The sunny afternoon sky was clear except for a single, dark grey cloud hovering conspicuously in the centre of Dash's aerial practice space. As he watched, Rainbow performed a mind-boggling series of loops, twists and turns in the air, using the cloud as some kind of centrepiece around which her performance revolved. Her speed steadily increased, her turns getting faster and tighter, building to some implicit climax. Then she rocketed vertically into the sky, becoming a mere dot high above the cloud, arching over, and began to power downwards with frightening speed. A thin corona formed at the leading edges of her outstretched hooves, becoming thicker and thicker as she descended. The angle of the corona increased, becoming sharper and more acute, and just as Dash hit the cloud the turbulent air itself took on the many hues of the rainbow.

Dash emerged from the underside of the cloud, the corona gone but still moving fast, and an instant later the cloud exploded.

BOOM.

The cloud vapour vanished to nothing in a flash, leaving the dozens of thin lightning bolts that were apparently stored within to explode and crackle outwards in all directions in a huge, spherical array. But the spectacular thing was that the lightning bolts, rather than electric-white, were instead hued with all the colours of the rainbow. It was like a gigantic, multi-coloured firework, but with lightning!

It was awesome.

Rainbow Dash did a quick victory lap of her aerial performance area before making a beeline for the hilltop where Spike was still watching, his jaw on the floor.

He had to admit, the fact that she'd even noticed him, let alone was coming over, was a little surprising. He didn't have long to be surprised though, because then she was hovering in front of him with her confident smirk.

"Pretty awesome, huh? I call it the Cloudburst. Whaddya think?"

Spike was still stunned. "It's... it's..."

"Spectacular? I know!" said Dash, excited in self-congratulation.

"It was amazing!" said Spike, finding his voice at last. "Can you do it again?"

Dash loved performing, and Spike figured he could enjoy watching that all day. That was almost like hanging out. The closest he was likely to get anyway.

"Yeah, in my sleep!" boasted Dash. "But I'm all outta storm clouds for today."

"Oh. You can't just... find another cloud to use?" asked Spike, scratching his head. That had never seemed like an issue before.

"Sure. Clouds are easy," said Dash. "But lightning bolts...? They're expensive."

"Ah. Right. So, are... are you gonna practice anything else, or...?"

"Nah, I'm all done for today. I'm gonna head on back to Ponyville and see what's goin' on."

"Oh. Well, do you maybe wanna ha—?"

"See ya round, Spike!" she said without pausing. Then, with a grin, a wave, a whoosh and a blur, she was gone. Nothing more than a rainbow-coloured streak heading for the town, leaving Spike alone on the hill once more.

Well... she probably thought he was boring.

Spike hung his head. Par for the course so far. Another friend who'd rather he didn't spend time with them. Slowly he began to trudge his way in the direction of Ponyville.

He had no idea what he'd do when he got there though.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders / Spike's Friends

The Cutie Mark Crusaders

Spike stopped halfway across the low, arched bridge over the stream which served as the Ponyville town boundary and, for no reason he could really think of, hopped up onto its wall. He sat with his legs dangling over the outer edge, elbows on his knees, the cheeks of his face resting in his claws, and simply gazed at his own reflection as it rippled and swirled forlornly in the slow-moving brook beneath him.

He sighed. And he stared. And he thought.

A minute became five. Five minutes became ten. Ten minutes turned to half an hour.

He thought about his friends.

Had Twilight been in his place today, or even just with him, everything would have been different. But because it had been him alone... well he'd ended up here, alone. That was the long and short of it.

Twilight would use every interaction with her friends as a way to learn a new lesson about friendship. He thought of all of the experiences he'd had with his friends today, and what he had learned from them.

Rarity: They don't notice you.

Pinkie Pie: They don't listen to you.

Fluttershy: They treat you differently.

Applejack: They don't need you.

Rainbow Dash: They don't spend time with you.

It all begged the question: Are they really your friends?

And, with his stomach slowly turning into a lump of ice, Spike realised he didn't know anymore.

It wasn't that they didn't like him. He knew that. But to be a real, true, honest friend was to be so much more than just, 'liked.' Rarity and the rest of the gang... they were Twilight's friends. And great friends they were too!

He was Twilight's friend. In fact he felt closer to family and she certainly felt the same.

So he'd always assumed that Twilight's friends would be his friends too. But... it didn't necessarily follow, did it? There was actually a degree of separation there. One that he'd always dismissed but which, after today, he couldn't simply pretend didn't exist anymore.

He wasn't really their friend. He was only a friend of a friend.

He let out a slow, slightly ragged breath.

It shouldn't be so bad, should it? After all, this was apparently how it had always been. Nothing had really changed. The gang were still there. They were, and would continue to be, nice to him. He'd still hang out with them... as long as he was with Twilight. Never on his own. Today had proved that.

So nothing had changed, but at the same time, he felt he'd lost something very important. Even if it was something he'd never really had, it didn't make it any less painful.

For the first time ever since he'd come to Ponyville, he felt alone.

The face of the reflection beneath him suddenly looked almost on the verge of tears.

Then, all of a sudden, it was joined by a second.

The new face appeared to the right hand side of his reflection, and gazed curiously into the water. The gently swirling, babbling stream distorted the image some, but he could clearly make out a lemon-chiffon coat and a shock of crimson hair topped with a large pink bow.

Then, to the left hand side, another face appeared. This one with a white coat, green eyes and a lilac mane. It too looked purposefully at the water.

And finally, from behind his reflection, inexorably rose another. An orange coat with a mane of purple, accompanied by a furious buzzing sound in his ears. Then weight pressed on him as Scootaloo alighted, her hindlegs on his shoulders and forelegs resting on the top of his head, peering over him down into the stream. She was literally standing on him, like it was nothing.

And all three of the new faces gazed curiously and captively into the brook below. And waited.

Nothing happened.

Then, after a minute, nothing continued to happen.

"Okay, I give up," said Scootaloo at last from her improvised perch. She looked at Sweetie Belle. "What are we looking for?"

"Shh!" admonished Apple Bloom, not taking her keen eyes off the water for even a second.

Another minute passed in silence before Apple Bloom joined Scootaloo in conceding defeat. "Okay, I give up too." She looked at him. "What're ya looking at, Spike?"

"Is it a jumping frog?" asked Sweetie Belle, keen to guess. "Or, a really big fish?"

"It's nothing," Spike sighed.

"Nothin'?" asked Apple Bloom, returning her gaze to the water as though honestly expecting to catch sight of the elusive, 'nothing.'

"Then, why are you staring down there?" asked Scootaloo from directly above him. She still hadn't felt inclined to remove herself from his head.

"It doesn't matter." Spike sighed again and shifted his weight slightly, gently prompting Scootaloo to hop off him and back down onto the bridge. Then he dragged himself to his feet and hopped down himself, walking dejectedly away into Ponyville and leaving the three Crusaders behind.

"Spike?" called Sweetie Belle's voice. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing," he said, still walking. "I've just been to visit all my friends. As it turns out, I don't have any. No biggie." He left it at that, and without destination in mind, his feet began to carry him of their own accord. Oddly enough, they seemed to be carrying him towards the new castle on the edge of town.

Well, it wasn't as if he had anywhere better to go.

* * *

Staring after Spike, the Crusaders were all sorts of confused.

"What do you think is wrong with him?" asked Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom looked thoughtful.

"Nothing?" suggested Scootaloo. "I mean, you asked him and he said nothing?"

"I'm pretty sure that's code for, 'something.' Didn't you see how upset he was?" said Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo nodded slowly. "Did he say he didn't have any friends? I don't get it. What was he talking about?"

There was a brief pause.

"Crusaders?" Apple Bloom piped up, stepping forward. "Are we Spike's friends?" The question was rhetorical, but the answers came nonetheless.

"Well... yeah," said Scootaloo.

"Of course," agreed Sweetie Belle.

"Okay then," Apple Bloom said, reaching a decision. "Our Crusadin' is cancelled for today, y'all. We're gonna have to wait to find out if we're Cutie Mark Crusader Lumberjacks."

"It was always a long-shot anyways," accepted Scootaloo with a shrug.

"Aw, I was looking forward to the song," said Sweetie Belle sadly.

"We've got a more important mission," continued Apple Bloom. "One of our friends is in trouble, and we're gonna help him!"

"We're gonna need a plan," said Scootaloo.

"He said he'd been to see his friends today. We should find out what's happened with them to make him so upset," suggested Sweetie Belle.

"Good idea," agreed Apple Bloom. "Scootaloo, you follow Spike and make sure he don't vanish. Sweetie Belle and I will start with our sisters an' go from there."

The three fillies tapped their hooves together and then broke. They began to trot in separate directions away from the bridge, each to their own task.

* * *

Spike's Friends

Frowning through her glasses, Rarity completed the final adjustment to the dress with absolute precision. Finally she took a step back and let out a satisfied breath.

Finished.

And what a work of fashion she had to show for it. The dress was stunning, even if she did say so herself. A symphony in green and gold, with just the right shade of blue to accent it as it flowed gracefully from withers to haunches and beyond.

Before she could remove it from the dress-pony though, a knocking came to the door.

"Spike darling, would you mind getting the door while I hang the dress up?" She'd have to do something nice for him. Buy him dinner perhaps. He'd been so patient and so helpful after all.

She took the dress in her aura and skillfully hung it on a hanger on an empty rack that, in a few days, would house the rest of the dresses and suits in her new line. But the familiar sound of the door opening was strangely absent, while the knocking continued.

"Spike?" she asked, turning to regard the empty room for the first time.

It was still covered in the glorious after-effects of her whirlwind of creativity. Not mess, oh no. Perhaps to a lesser-trained eye it might look as such, but to her: organised chaos. But the room was quite devoid of a familiar, helpful purple dragon who had surely been there but a moment ago...

When was the last time she could say for sure he'd been there? It had only been a few minutes, surely.

She checked her clock on the far wall, and with dawning horror, realised that those few minutes might actually have stretched to a few hours!

Had Spike left while she was distracted? Rarity realised that she'd been so caught up in her work that she honestly couldn't say. She had to admit that no matter how unintentional, her manners in relation to her favourite dragon had been rather poor. She would have to find Spike to apologise right away and make it up to him.

Right after she dealt with whoever was knocking at the door.

Even as she moved to answer it, the door opened of its own accord, admitting an impatient, worried Sweetie Belle who looked up in quick surprise when she saw Rarity already approaching.

"Sweetie Belle? What's the matter?"

Sweetie Belle's eyes narrowed slightly. "Sis?" she said, half-accusingly. "Have you seen Spike today?"

That was too much of a coincidence. "Why... yes. In fact I thought he was still here," she admitted, looking abashedly back around at the, 'mess' still littering the room, and scrunching her nose. "I was just about to go and find him to—"

"Rarity, Spike's really upset," said Sweetie Belle seriously. "What happened?"

Hearing that caused Rarity to flinch, and guilt prompted her to explain as honestly as she could. Which involved admitting that she'd just been too wrapped up in her work to devote any attention to him; that a few minutes seemed to have become a few hours; and that Spike seemed to have slipped out in that time without her even noticing.

"So Spike came to see you... and you just ignored him?" said Sweetie Belle, her voice squeaking a little with surprise.

"It wasn't deliberate!" pleaded Rarity. "I just... it was only because..." but she stopped there. There really was no excuse was there? How could she have behaved so poorly to dear little Spikey?

"Sis?" said Sweetie Belle. "We just saw Spike. He was saying he'd been to see all of his friends today. And that he didn't think they were his friends anymore." She shared a worried look with her big sister. "I think you need to go talk to him," she said finally.

"Oh my. It sounds like I might not be the only one, doesn't it?"

* * *

It was probably nothing.

But ever since Spike had walked off with that odd look... a gnawing sense of guilt had been building in Applejack.

She'd very nearly gone after him, but... he'd said he was fine. And he probably was!

It was probably nothing.

But she'd feel a whole lot better if she could just check to make sure.

She hadn't even got halfway to Ponyville before she met her sister coming the other way. Apple Bloom trotted in front of her, blocking her path, and fixed her with a look that was not quite a glare but which still held an accusatory edge. "Applejack?"

"Apple Bloom, there y'are! Listen, have ya seen Spike around? I'm fixin' to find him."

"I've seen him," said Apple Bloom coyly. She narrowed her eyes. "Why are ya lookin' for him?"

"He came to the farm earlier," Applejack explained, not quite hearing the hard edge in her little sister's tone. "When he left he seemed awful put out by somethin'. I just wanna make sure he's okay is all."

Apple Bloom frowned at her older sister. She raised her chin and drew herself up. "Park your rump, missy," she said sternly.

Applejack's eyes widened in surprise at the firm command, and her rear end discovered the ground in short order. It was as though suddenly Apple Bloom had become her older sister, and she was the one getting a dressing down. An unusual experience for sure.

"I wanna know exactly what happened when you saw him earlier," said Apple Bloom, still fixing her sister with a cool stare.

Applejack, still partly shocked, found she could only do as her sister demanded. She ended up relaying the scenario of Spike turning up at the farm in detail, even though really, there wasn't much to tell. She'd been halfway through singing to the water, Spike had arrived and said he could help, she'd told him it was okay because she was nearly finished, and then he'd left looking oddly down in the mouth.

"Applejack, how could you?" cried Apple Bloom once she'd finished. Applejack could only look stunned. Her little sister had obviously found her behaviour reprehensible in some way, but she couldn't fathom what she'd done wrong!

"Spike came to you for help!" said Apple Bloom. "And you turned him away!"

Taken aback, Applejack at least thought she'd found the root of her sister's misunderstanding. "No, AB. Spike was the one offering to help, y'see? He didn't ask for..." She left her sentence hanging there. Apple Bloom was shaking her head slowly, suddenly looking very disappointed at her older sister.

"Applejack... you're supposed to know better than that," she said softly. "Just cuz Spike didn't ask for help, don't mean he didn't need it." Her little sister fixed her gaze with serious eyes once again. "If Spike came to you needin' you to do somethin' for him, would you?"

"Of course I would," said Applejack without hesitation.

"Even somethin' as difficult as spending time with him?" Apple Bloom didn't break Applejack's gaze for a moment. "Spike's in town right now real upset. And I reckon it's because all day, the folks he thought were his friends have been turnin' him away just like you did. How's he supposed to feel when his friends won't even make time to talk to him? He's startin' to think he ain't got friends at all, and I can't blame him."

"But that's crazy," said Applejack, a little too defensively. "Spike's a good friend. A great friend! He knows that."

"Does he?" asked Apple Bloom simply. "Sis? When was the last time ya told him that? When was the last time ya really talked to him? Cuz it sure wasn't today."

Applejack could only look blankly for a moment, her mouth hanging open and a sudden feeling of panic descending. "Sis?" she asked, trying to keep desperation from her voice. "Please tell me you know where he's at?"

* * *

Apple Bloom led Applejack into Ponyville proper, and the pair were almost immediately met by Rarity and Sweetie Belle as they left Carousel Boutique.

It didn't take them long to compare notes, and with worried frowns, Rarity and Applejack agreed they needed to round up their remaining friends and get to Spike, post-haste. Or darn quick. Whichever was faster.

By sheer coincidence, they stumbled upon Rainbow Dash almost immediately.

Making their way toward Sugarcube Corner they found her reclining on the branch of a tall oak in town. She lay with her back propped up against the trunk, sipping a hay smoothy through a straw and apparently content to simply look at the world from behind her dark sunglasses for a while, watching afternoon slowly become evening.

"Dash?" asked Applejack, catching her attention from below.

"Hey guys," said Rainbow Dash casually, taking another lazy sip of her drink.

"Rainbow, have you seen Spike today, perchance?" asked Rarity.

"Sure have," said Dash, languishing on her branch. "He came out to watch me practicing some new moves. I'm perfecting one for Nightmare Night that's just awesome. Funny how none of my other friends came to watch," she finished with a little, playful grin.

"And then what happened?" asked Rarity.

"Huh? Oh, I ran out of lightning so I came back to Ponyville. Then I was thirsty so I got a drink, then I was tired so I got a tree, and then two ponies I know came by and started bugging me." She gave her playful smirk again and resettled herself against the tree trunk.

"And... what happened to Spike?" asked Applejack seriously.

That finally got a reaction. Rainbow Dash sat forward on her branch and the sunglasses came off, her expression worried. "Well, he... uh... I'm not sure..."

"Spike walked all the way out from Ponyville to watch you practice..." Applejack pressed, "...and when you were done, ya just left him out there?"

"Hey!" Rainbow retorted with an annoyed frown. "It wasn't... it wasn't like that," she finished weakly. It was exactly like that.

"You're not the only one dear," said Rarity, sharing a guilty look with Applejack.

Dash spread her wings and floated down to ground level. She exchanged a look with Rarity and Applejack, before frowning a determined frown. "Alright. I gotta go make it up to him—"

"We all do," Applejack interrupted, before Dash could vanish in a blaze of colour. "But we gotta find Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy first. Sounds like it might've happened to them, too."

Rainbow Dash looked at the ground in front of her for a moment, her eyes darting quickly as though thinking at a frantic pace. Then she looked up. "All right," she said firmly. "Well, I know where Pinkie Pie is."

* * *

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom stayed outside while the other three ponies ducked into the colourful patchwork tent that was Madame Pinkie's domain.

They found Pinkie sat strangely still at her table, her head cocked to one side, staring into space. Seeing three of her friends enter, she sat up straighter and greeted them. "Hi girls! I'd love to chit-chat, but I'm with a client at the moment."

"You... are?" asked Applejack, scanning the otherwise empty tent, and the vacant spot opposite Pinkie.

"Uh-huh!" Pinkie nodded. Then she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "It's Spike!"

"It... is?" said Rainbow Dash.

"Pinkie, Spike's not actually here, is he?" queried Rarity.

"Well, no. Not at the moment," admitted Pinkie. Then she perked up. "But he's coming right back! He's going to tell me the story about the really cool adventure he went on to get Twilight's birthday present."

There was the briefest of confused pauses before Applejack spoke again. "You mean the adventure he told us all about at her party? Where he climbed that mountain? Pinkie, you've heard that before," she insisted.

"That's what Spike thought too," said Pinkie, looking upward and bringing a hoof to her chin, racking her brains. "But I'm sure I'd remember something like that if I'd heard it."

"I'll field this one," Dash cut in briskly. "Pinkie actually doesn't remember much of anypony talking at that party. In fact, as far as Pinkie's concerned, it was an unusually quiet party. Am I right, Pinkie?"

"Well, yeah. Everypony was really quiet. You were all moving your lips like you were talking, but you weren't saying anything. Wasn't it a mime party?"

Everypony looked confusedly at Dash, who grinned and rolled her eyes. "Okay. So Pinkie Pie jumps out of the cake, remember? And frosting splatters everywhere? And I happen to notice that Pinkie's got a whole bunch of like, sponge and icing and jam stuck in her ears. So I spend the next hour making random noises behind her and she can't hear a thing!" Dash was laughing now, lost to memory. Everypony stared at her until she stopped. "What? I didn't know this was gonna become like, a whole big thing three months later."

"Oh well," said Pinkie. "It doesn't matter, because any minute Spike's gonna tell me all about it anyway! He's just outside getting some fresh air."

Some realisation seemed to strike her. Pinkie's mouth remained open in a silent 'O', and she looked worriedly at her friends. "Isn't he?"

Three heads shook sadly, and Pinkie's happy face slowly fell into a look of pure dejection, heartbreaking to watch.

"I'm sorry, Pinkie. Spike seems to be having a rather poor day, and we may all be partly to blame," said Rarity.

"Do you think he thought I wasn't listening to him? Or that I forgot his story? Or that I don't like his stories? Or that we're not friends?! Or that—?"

"That's probably about the size of it," said Applejack. Then, just as Pinkie's face jumped into horrified shock and prepared to crumple to tears, Applejack continued. "Don't worry Pinkie. We're all still Spike's friends, and before the day's out, he's gonna know it."

"Now, we need to find Fluttershy," said Rarity to the room at large.

"Found her!" came Sweetie Belle's high-pitched voice from outside.

A moment later, Fluttershy ducked inside the tent, looking surprised to find so many of her friends within. "Oh, hi everyone. Has... anyone seen Spike today?"

"Okay Fluttershy," said Rainbow Dash, cutting to the chase. "What happened when he came to see you?"

"Wh—? How do you know he...?" started Fluttershy, her surprise growing.

"Pretend it's the Crystal Ball," interrupted Dash.

"It's not a fake!" squealed Pinkie in the background.

But Dash was wearing her impatient expression, prompting Fluttershy to begin again. "Well, he came to my cottage earlier and I gave him some tea and some carrot cake. I offered him a massage, and then suddenly he left looking upset."

There was an odd pause.

"That's it?" asked Dash. Then she looked around at the rest of the group. "What the hay is wrong with that one?!"

"We'll figure it out on the way. Come on, y'all," said Applejack, heading for the tent flap now that their party was complete.

"W—where are we going?" asked Fluttershy. "I... I have to make sure Spike's alright."

"It's okay, Fluttershy," Applejack said softly. "That is where we're goin'."

* * *

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom led their sisters and their entourage right to the foot of the new, large castle on the edge of town, the front entrance to which Scootaloo was watching like a hawk.

Seeing them approach, Scootaloo stood from her patch of grass in front of the large, heavy doors. "He's been in there ever since the bridge," she said. "He really looked down the last time I saw him."

All of the ponies looked at the castle, within which one of their friends was alone, quietly hurting.

"So, how's this gonna go?" asked Dash. "Somehow, I don't think a rousing round of, 'For He's A Jolly Good Dragon' is gonna do it."

"Ooh, ooh! I know!" said Pinkie Pie. "We can throw him a 'We're-Really-Sorry-Spike-We're-Still-Bestest-Friends-Forever-Please-Forgive-Us Party!'"

"Nah. He'll be expecting a party," reasoned Dash. "I mean... you know what I mean. I say we do something totally awesome for him. Like... we could all take him for an epic day out to a rock concert. Or a theme park! He'd love that. I think there's even a dragon-themed one at Drake N. Manor."

"Well... I think we should just talk to him," said Fluttershy quietly.

"I agree," said Rarity in support. "As lovely as a... 'party,' or a day out would be, I don't think either would really get the message across."

"Spike's in there feelin' rotten because of us," said Applejack. "I reckon the first thing I'm gonna do is say I'm sorry, and go from there."

There were several solemn nods.

"Well," said Dash. "Unless you're planning on shouting it through the door, we should probably go in."

Spike

Spike

There were seven of them. Six-and-a-half, really. High-backed, clean stone chairs arranged in a circle. Thrones, in form and function. One for Twilight and each of her five best friends, each adorned with the cutie-mark of its intended occupant.

No doubt in the weeks and months to come, Twilight and her friends would have lots of serious, important, funny and crazy times gathered here, together.

Spike sat in the centre of the circle, quietly hugging his knees to his chest, and simply stared at the seventh.

It was all wrong. Only half as large as the rest and its back blank; unmarked by a symbol he didn't possess. A pointless addition, looking freakish next to Twilight's throne, and a blight on the otherwise perfect symmetry of the room.

All wrong.

It didn't belong in that circle.

But there it was nonetheless, so he'd be there too. He'd just keep quiet while they did their thing. Make notes or something. Stay out of the way. Clean up after.

He sighed, his breath turning to vapour in the dry, cold air of the castle, and when he blinked, he distantly felt a wet streak caress his cheek.

The room would look a lot better without that throne.

There was a distant, echoing bang from somewhere behind him. The door to the palace opening and falling shut again; the sound carried along the hollow, empty corridors. Then more echoes, this time a series of clip-clops as though half-a-dozen coconuts had been split in two and were being tap-tapped together, getting closer.

Spike remained still, hugged his knees a little tighter, and could do nothing but stare. He wanted to belong here. To be wanted here. But the more he looked at that chair—the more he saw how different it was to the others—it made a sad mockery of that idea.

Although he could hear the hoofsteps getting closer, he didn't really make the connection that they were approaching him until they stopped. Then Applejack stepped into his view and sat in front of him, worried sympathy on her face. He felt a little concerned pang and couldn't help but wonder what was wrong. Couldn't help but want to help. She might not think him a real friend but he still wanted to help, even now.

"Spike, sugarcube? Can we talk for a spell?"

Sensing the requirement for conscious action, Spike's trance slowly faded and more normal cognitive functions asserted themselves. His eyes focussed properly and he blinked several times. He wiped his face with his claws to discover his cheeks were coated with some kind of wet, ever-so-slightly sticky moisture. He looked up at Applejack, and around at Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie all stood surrounding him. Then his eyes found the thrones just beyond each of them, ready for use.

"Oh, right," he said. "Sure, go ahead. I'll leave you guys to it." He stood and started to walk away in what he hoped carried the appearance of his normal, confident stride.

Applejack's mouth opened and she missed a beat before shaking her head and trying again. "To you, Spike. We wanna talk to you." She smiled. "Please?"

"Uh... okay," said Spike hesitantly. It felt like he was in trouble or something. He took a step backwards and found himself bumping into the short, ugly, didn't-belong-in-this-room throne. His throne. He hopped up onto the seat without really thinking, shrinking awkwardly back into the foreign chair and finding the stone underneath him cold, hard and rough. The five ponies arrayed before him looked on in worry and sympathy.

Then Rainbow Dash flapped over and, without warning, wrapped her hooves around him and gently picked him up. "Nah, you were good where you were," she said, plopping him down softly back in the middle of the room, the smooth floor still warm from where he had earlier sat.

"Spike? I'm sorry. We all are..." began Applejack to several accompanying nods from the others. She looked like she was about to elaborate, but didn't get the chance because suddenly, Pinkie Pie.

She leaped at Spike and desperately wrapped her hooves around him in a crushing, suffocating hug. "SPIKEI'MSOSORRYITWASTHECAKE'SFAULT!" she half-screamed, half-cried, her face scrunching with the effort.

"P—Pinkie?!" Spike gasped. "C—can't breathe...! You g—otta l—let go!"

She released him and he fell onto his back on the floor with a thud. He sat himself up, a little dizzy from lack of oxygen, and saw that Pinkie looked guilty, her lower lip trembling as though she'd done something awful. It was hard to look at. Why were they all so upset?

Rarity finally brought some order to the proceedings. "Spike? I fear that our behaviour towards you today has been much less than a true friend should be entitled to expect, and... and..." She met his gaze and her voice became softer and more personable. "And we're all so, so sorry Spikey. For how we've treated you."

Fluttershy took a step towards him and dipped her head. "I'm really sorry if I made you feel like you weren't a friend, Spike. I don't know what I did wrong," she said honestly. "But I hope you can forgive me. I'd still like to be friends. If... if you want to."

Spike found himself stifling tears, and had to take a long, shaky breath. "Aw, Fluttershy, don't be silly. You didn't do anything wrong." He looked around at the ponies. "None of you did. You were just yourselves. I don't want you to apologise for that. There's nothing to forgive, guys. It's okay," he finished, a little hollowly.

"It's not okay!" said Dash. "Look at you, Spike. Right now you're more down in the dumps than a... uh... a... okay, never mind!" Then her face and voice softened too, and she stepped up close to him. "Come on, buddy. What's wrong?"

"Spike? Please, talk to us. There ain't nothin' you can't say," Applejack reassured. "We're yer friends."

"Are you?" Spike heard himself reply automatically. He bit his tongue. It had just slipped out. He hadn't meant it to. He'd meant to play it cool. Act like nothing was wrong. Play the cheery sort as usual. Seeing his friends wince with guilt at his question sent daggers through him, and he wanted nothing more than to smile and tell them to chill. Everything was cool. No sweat.

But... well, he’d committed himself now.

He took a deep breath. Okay then.

"It's just... I really like you guys. I mean, I care about you, just as much as Twilight does. But... I get it, y'know? She's your best friend and I'm... I'm just lucky I get to spend time with you. I guess I thought I might be your friend too." He needed another, shakier breath. "But... I'm not. I don't know if it's because I'm a dragon. Or because I'm a boy. Maybe I'm still too young or it's something else, but it's just different for me, isn't it? I'm not your friend like Twilight is. I'm just..." He turned and looked at the Throne-That-Didn't-Belong, his composure gone and tears running anew. "Just... a friend of a friend." He sounded pathetic, even to his own ears. His gaze found his feet, and he stood with his back to the ponies. He wasn't angry with them. He loved them and always would. It just... didn't work the other way was all. No big deal.

"Well, duh! Of course you are!" said Pinkie Pie.

Spike's ears perked in spite of himself. He glanced around to see the other four ponies looking horrified at Pinkie, and Pinkie looking innocently confused back at them. "Don't you get it?" she asked the room in general. Then Pinkie pointed a hoof at Applejack, but she fixed Spike's gaze and spoke directly to him. "You are a friend of a friend." She moved her hoof onwards towards Rainbow Dash. "And a friend of a friend of a friend." Next was Rarity. "And a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend." And finally Fluttershy. "Aaaand... so on." She beamed at him. "It doesn't matter how many friends there are in the middle. You're still a friend, silly." She lowered her voice and it became the unusually soft, sweet intonation that she used when she found occasion to be serious. "Besties forever, Spike. How could we not be?"

"Because I don't do anything?" Spike reluctantly protested, a little sniffle in his nose. It was nice of the girls to try and make him feel better. But it was just a kind façade. A thin veneer of compassion. Not true friendship. Not for him. Why would they even want that?

"I just get in the way, don't I? I mess things up. You'd all be no worse off if I'd never even come to Ponyville. Why would you ever need a friend like me?" he finished quietly.

There was a short silence before Applejack spoke up. "You're absolutely right, Spike. I don't need a friend like you." He felt her walk up close behind him, and her voice became soft. "But, that ain't how friendship works, is it?"

He looked over his shoulder at her to see her smiling kindly for an instant. Then her face became more serious and her tone hardened. "I need Filthy Rich to buy a hundred jars of Zap Apple Jam this week, or the barn roof ain't gettin' fixed this side o' winter. And yet, somehow... he ain't one o' my best friends," she said, tapping a contemplative hoof on her chin. Then back came the smile and the soft voice. "You ain't my friend because I need you to be, Spike. You're my friend because I want you to be." Her smile became just the kindest, warmest expression. "You an’ me are always gonna be friends. Y'hear?" There were four assenting voices from behind her. "And as for you, 'not doin' anything'?" she said, and put a gentle hoof on his shoulder. Carefully, she turned him around to face her, and he could see what looked like the beginnings of tears in her eyes. "You saved my life, Spike. I'd call that doin' something. And don't you go thinkin' I'm ever gonna forget it."

"Uh... mine too, I think," piped up Rainbow Dash.

"Ooh! Ooh! And mine!" squeaked Pinkie Pie. "Like when you stopped all those buffalo from squishing us, remember?"

"And who cares if you mess things up sometimes?" continued Dash. "Do you know how many times I've messed up? A lot!" Several sets of eyes stared at her. Dash winced and sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof. "Okaaaay, not doing my rep a whole lotta good here, but it's true. The point is..." She trailed off. "Aw, ponyapples, I forgot where I was going with that. It was good too," she muttered.

Rarity glanced at Dash and cleared her throat. "You were about to say that it doesn't matter if Spike makes the odd mistake, because nopony is perfect. And no matter what may happen, we will always love him for being the selfless, brave, and noble friend we know he is."

Dash blinked, then looked at Rarity. "Was I really going to say 'love'?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes you were," confirmed Rarity with a grin.

"I think we're really lucky you came to Ponyville, Spike," said Fluttershy with a proud smile. "You really do come through for all of us when we need help. And we're sorry if we never told you how much we appreciate it."

"Guys... I..." Spike tried, but tears were flowing freely now. The back of his throat was all choked up with something and so was his nose. It was all too much. "I dunno what to say."

"That's okay, Spike," said Fluttershy, drawing close to him. Then she slowly reached out her forehooves and wrapped them round him, pulling him into a soft, gentle hug. Then Rarity joined in. Then Applejack. Then Pinkie Pie, who at first threatened to crush them all. Then—

"That's how we're doing this? A group hug?"

"Dash, get in here!" snapped Applejack.

"Whoa, okay."

—Then Rainbow Dash.

...Who, for her token protest, seemed to be squeezing equally as hard as the others.

It was like being wrapped up in pure love and joy. In the back of his mind there was the vague thought that he, a butch, handsome, manly dragon, shouldn't really enjoy a hug this much. But that thought was quickly squashed because... well, it just felt awesome. All his friends—the ponies he cared about most in the world—really did care about him too. For the first time, the remaining days until Twilight was due back didn't seem so—

"Come on guys! Can't we come in yet?" It was a faint voice, echoing about halfway up the corridor. It sounded like... Apple Bloom?

"I thought we told y'all to stay outside!" hollered Applejack.

"Um... maybe?"

"But then we'll miss the hug!" complained... Sweetie Belle?

"Okay, come on down then," said Applejack.

There came the echoing clopping of a trio of small, galloping hoofbeats approaching at a rather phenomenal pace and then, just as Spike managed to get a look beyond the many legs and bodies in the midst of which he found himself, he glimpsed an excited Apple Bloom launching herself at the pile of hugging ponies.

There were two soft impacts, and the cuddle pressure increased subtly.

"Ugh, really?" protested Scootaloo's voice from nearby. "Can't we just—?"

"Scootaloo, get in here!" snapped Apple Bloom.

The pressure increased subtly one final time.

And the room wasn't so cold anymore.

* * *

The hug broke up. It couldn't last forever after all, but there were happy smiles all round. They began to chat amongst themselves, friends talking to friends.

Spike found Rarity standing a little way off from the group, just outside the circle of stone chairs, and realised he'd never get a better chance to say it.

"Rarity? Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Why of course, Spike," she said. Then, more softly, "Always."

"It's just... I mean since I'm being honest about how I feel and everything... with you there's always been... I mean I've always felt... well... I lov—"

He was cut off by Rarity's hoof shushing his lips. He realised he hadn't been able to look at her while he was speaking, but he looked up now, to see her smiling a friendly, sympathetic smile.

She sat, taking their dialogue just behind the back of one of the thrones.

"I know, Spike," she whispered, and as he watched he thought he saw a tear come to her eye. "But you were right. You're a little too young for that, aren't you? You're still a baby dragon after all." Rarity took her eyes off him and gazed upwards somewhere. "Oh, I had so many crushes when I was your age," she said wistfully. "I grew out of most of them."

"But it's not a—!" he began to protest, but Rarity's hoof found his mouth quite expertly once more.

"Pinkie Pie was right too," Rarity continued and her stunning blue eyes fixed his gaze again. "Forever, Spike. I'm not going anywhere. If you still feel the same way once you have a few more years under your belt, well... I'll still be here." She gave him a nuzzle and a wink. Then she was on her hooves again, making to rejoin the group. Just as she rounded the back of the throne she tossed her mane and glanced back at him. "Don't take too long growing up though, Spike. Don't you know? It's terrible to keep a lady waiting." Then she rounded the throne and out of his sight. The spell was broken, but he found himself smiling all the same.

One day, when he was ready, she would give him the chance. He figured that was one of the most generous things she'd ever done for him. But for now and the foreseeable future... friends. Real, true, close friends. He figured he could live with that, as he came back to the group himself.

As he rounded the throne, he practically stumbled into the trio of foals to whom he hadn't really had a chance to speak as yet.

The Crusaders' conversation halted and as one they stood before him, regarding him with friendly smiles.

"We just wanted to say we're really glad you're feeling better, Spike," said Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle nodded, while Apple Bloom signalled her agreement with a, "Yeah."

"Thanks, guys," he said. "I appreciate it."

"Oh, you don't need to thank us," said Sweetie Belle, still smiling. "It was the least we could do after all."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Uh... what was the least you could do?" Then the lightbulb in his head snapped on. "You mean...? Is everyone here right now because you guys told them to come?"

The Crusaders' expressions suddenly ranged from shocked to horrified, and three voices answered at once.

"No!" cried Apple Bloom.

"Of course not!" protested Scootaloo.

"Not... really!" said Sweetie Belle, which earned her a couple of quick glares from the others.

Apple Bloom took a breath and guiltily met Spike's gaze. "Spike... it ain't like that. Really, it ain't. It's just, when we saw you on the bridge earlier, you looked so sad."

"It was horrible seeing you like that, and we wanted to do everything we could to try and help," Sweetie Belle added.

"But, the way you walked off... well it was pretty obvious you didn't feel like you could talk to us about it..." said Scootaloo, disappointedly.

"So we went to get the ponies we knew ya could talk to," finished Apple Bloom. "Your friends."

"No-one's here because of us. Everyone's here because they wanted to help, including us," said Scootaloo.

"We're your friends too, Spike," said Sweetie Belle with a happy smile. "We hope you know that."

Spike smiled back. Then it was his turn to look guilty and he met their gaze. "Guys? About the bridge earlier? I shouldn't have just walked off like that. It was rude, and you didn't deserve that. It wasn't that I felt like I couldn't talk to you about it. It was more like I didn't think anyone wanted to listen. I was so convinced no-one wanted me for a friend... that I didn't even notice the only three ponies who took the time to come talk to me all day. I'm really sorry." He looked at each of them in turn, his eyes threatening tears yet again. "I know we're friends, guys. And I'm really glad we are," he beamed.

"Awww," said Sweetie Belle, welling up.

"Us too," said Apple Bloom happily.

"We're not hugging again," said a resolute Scootaloo. Then her face turned plaintiff and her voice dropped to a strangled whisper. "Pleeeaase Spike. Rainbow Dash is right there!"

Spike grinned. "Okay, okay." Then, in lieu of another hug he raised his right arm and clenched his claw, holding it out to the Crusaders.

Three hooves struck his claw simultaneously with a firm bump.

Yeah, they were great friends.

By now the light of the day had faded, and dusk had claimed the world. Soon the moon would rise and signal the onset of the night, and the ponies he called friends—that he knew as friends—would retire to their homes until the new day.

He sighed softly.

"Somethin' up, sugarcube?" asked Applejack with a smile, coming over to him.

He looked up. "Hmm? Not really. I guess it's just... this big empty castle doesn't really feel like home yet, and I'm kinda stuck here by myself until Twilight gets back." He gave a little resigned shrug. There was nothing to be done after all. Time was the only cure.

Applejack seemed to consider something for a moment, her hoof thoughtfully rubbing her chin again. "Y'know,' she said, "It ain't like Granny Smith or Big Mac are expectin' me home. And it is awful dark out now." She smiled down at him. "Mind if I crash here tonight?"

There was a zipping sound, and suddenly Apple Bloom was right next to her older sister, stood at attention. "Me too!"

"A slumber party? It has been a while," said Rarity.

"Aw, guys," said Spike, blushing. "You don't have to—"

"Well I'm not leaving," said Dash firmly. "It's raining."

Pinkie looked to the nearest window. "Don't be silly, Dashie. It's not raining!"

"Pinkie, trust me. If anypony leaves here right now, it's gonna start raining really heavily."

"Well we're not gonna risk getting rained on!" said a happy Scootaloo, a grinning Sweetie Belle at her side. "We'd better stay too."

"Spike?" asked Fluttershy quietly. "Would it... be okay if I stayed over tonight? It's just... it's a long way home and I think it might rain."

Tears started flowing again, and Spike's mood lifted for what felt like the tenth time that day.

Home was much, much more than just the building you lived in wasn't it? Home was where your friends were. Where you shared your time with the people you loved. Where you laughed. Where you cried. And where you were happiest. And this castle...

It was starting to feel a lot more like home already.

* * * The End * * *

Epilogue -- Twilight

Epilogue — Twilight

The rest of the week was awesome.

Applejack and Apple Bloom gladly accepted Spike's help with the Zap Apple harvest the following morning. Then he assisted with the jam-making and once the deal with Filthy Rich had gone through he was even able to help them patch up the barn roof, a job which left him oddly satisfied. They talked and joked and laughed the whole day, and when he eventually remembered to ask, Applejack told him that her favourite song was a tuneful but haunting folk melody called, The River Wild. He didn't recognise it, but Applejack gave him a quick, heartfelt rendition, and it was beautiful.

Afterwards, Apple Bloom and the others had apparently had the brilliant idea that what they wanted most of all for a cutie-mark, was a dragon. So he got roped into helping the Crusaders with all manner of activities that, in the end, were just an excuse to spend an evening having fun with friends in good company. And when the day was over and none of the three had a picture of Spike on their hip to show for it, he made a self-deprecating comment about it being for the best that they not have to look at his ugly face forever and they all shared a good, honest laugh.

He finally got the misunderstanding about his story cleared up with Pinkie Pie. Then she absolutely insisted on hearing every single detail as though he were telling it for the first time back at the party. And when he'd finally finished telling her, she squee'd and proclaimed it the Best Story Ever. She especially liked the part where he gave Twilight the telescope at the party; partly because it was a happy ending, and partly because Pinkie herself made a brief cameo appearance, jumping out of Twilight's cake—and right through the fourth wall, as Spike had Story-Pinkie say hi to Audience-Pinkie, to much delight.

He still felt a little guilty for Fluttershy. When she invited him for a critter tea party to make up for the thing he kept insisting she hadn't done wrong, he accepted only because it would make her feel better. He had to admit it wasn't the usual thing he went in for, but they were far more ease with each other, and a pleasant afternoon in the sunshine trading light, easy banter with a good friend accompanied by tea, cake, and chirping animals was—notwithstanding the huge hungry-looking grizzly bear—a wonderful, relaxing way to spend time. When, at Fluttershy's beseeching insistence, Spike told her honestly why he'd been so bummed out at her cottage, Fluttershy nodded quietly and said she understood. She'd been a bit surprised, she explained. Ponies—even those she was friends with—didn't often stop by for no reason other than to 'hang out' with her, and she admitted she might have fallen back too hard on her instinct to make him feel welcome. She accepted that she might need to rein it in in future, but she promised that she didn't think of him as anything less than a true friend. He'd smiled at that and told her he knew. Fluttershy thought of everyone as her true friend, and it didn't matter how many arms or legs they had.

Rarity wanted to make up for her blunder by taking him first to lunch and then to—where else?—the spa. And in spite of his insistence that it was an unnecessary gesture, she simply wouldn't take no for an answer. He was pampered and massaged to his heart's content, and Rarity ensured that for the whole time there, he was the centre of attention for once. It might have been a little much, but while his aching muscles screamed in ungrateful protest, he had to admit his scales had never shone so brightly by the end of that long afternoon.

The same evening, Rainbow Dash invited him and the rest of the gang to watch her practice her aerobatics over Sweet Apple Acres. She'd got a discount on a consignment of surplus thunderbolts from the Weather Factory, and with them she set four storm clouds in a staggered pattern in the dusky sky over the rolling orchards. Then she performed her Cloudburst on all of them at once, ricocheting from one cloud to the next, lighting up the sky with spectacular electric explosions in every colour imaginable, to a chorus of cheering and a party atmosphere. Afterwards, she insisted on flying Spike home on her back, giving him a lengthy and peaceful aerial tour of midnight Ponyville—a sight he'd never seen before. The village by night from the air was breathtaking, especially with the castle catching and reflecting the moonlight just so. When they'd alighted he hadn't been able to thank her enough, but she'd just responded with a warm smile, a quick wink, and an, 'Any time, Spike.'

And when, the next morning, he received a letter sent from Princess Celestia advising him that Twilight was on the next train home a day earlier than expected, he was right at the station to greet her.

"Whew! What a week!" she said happily, disembarking from the train, her saddlebags in tow. "But I did it. I found a copy of every last book! Most of them are on order, but Celestia's agreed to store them for me as they come in until the Mayor and I can agree on a plan for a new library. So, what'd I miss?" she asked as they slowly made their way from the station.

"Oh, not much. Usual Ponyville stuff." said Spike with his typical, relaxed smile.

"It can't have been that usual," Twilight chuckled. "The town's still in one piece, for one!"

They left the station and made their way into Ponyville, heading towards the castle at the edge of the village. As they continued to chat, Twilight glanced down at him with a peculiar, curious expression and he realised he'd been staring.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"No," he said, still smiling. "It's just... I missed you."

"Oh, Spike," Twilight chuckled happily and gave him a soft, playful nuzzle. "I missed you, too." They carried on walking. "So? Did any of our friends come by while I was gone?"

Spike stopped a moment and blinked, automatic reply dying in his throat. He looked up at Twilight. "Yeah," he said. "They all did."

"What, all at once? It wasn't anything serious was it?"

"Uh... nah. Nothing that talking to a friend couldn't fix." He smiled again. "Come on. I'll tell you all about it when we get home."

* * *

Author's Note

Edit -- 2nd Edition:
Because I am fickle, susceptible to peer pressure and have no artistic integrity, the final chapter and the epilogue have been edited to better recognise the contributions of our diminutive trio of heros, and the epilogue has been further edited to try and give more closure to Fluttershy's segment.

For this reason, I have republished those two chapters. I'll wait and see if I did the right thing.

Hi, folks.

Thanks for reading as always. This end piece is a little long and self-indulgent, so feel free to stop here if you'd rather not read the ramblings of a mediocre penman with too much time on his hands..

In keeping with my tradition of writing about subjects that have been done before and far better elsewhere, this is my Spike story.

I will admit that the execution may have let me down a bit on this one, but I liked the idea so I tried to muddle through anyhow. It may not be apparent, but when I'm editing I sometimes spend hours stressing over the phrasing of a particular paragraph or dialogue. And this is the best I could do.

But enough about me: let's talk Spike for a second, because he's an awesome, fascinating character who gets too little love, and a few of the comments from you guys gave me pause for thought. Bear in mind that this is all personal preference and your actual mileage will vary.

First off, Spike's age. I thought it was interesting that several folks pointed towards the difference between Spike's age and that of our heros as justification of sorts for their misunderstandings. Specifically, that Spike was a kid wanting to hang out with older ponies rather than ponies 'his own age.' Now... as far as I know, aside from a few dribs and drabs here and there, (Fluttershy is older than Pinkie; Sweetie Belle is over five) we don't know how old any of our characters are, and it seems logical to assume that different species would mature at different rates. So lets take physical age off the table and talk maturity. When you think about it, Spike is fairly autonomous. He cooks, he cleans, he goes to Canterlot on Royal Business by himself. So while he's specifically a baby dragon, he's really nowhere near a baby. I've always figured his 'age' to be somewhere between our foals and our grown ponies. He could be comfortable with either group, and it has been shown that he is. It's supposed to be Spike's increasing insecurity and the belief that he's different in some way that drives him downwards, and yes, he looks to the age difference to try and explain it. But really, as far as the main cast are concerned, it's just not an issue.

Second, a few people said that Spike's friendship with Rarity had a stronger canon basis than his friendship with the others. This surprised me because, Spike's infatuated with Rarity, sure. But to my mind, the pony that he actually has the strongest reciprocal friendship with, is Applejack, and has done since The Ticket Master. There are more 'little moments' that he has with her than with all of the others, right up to and beyond, Spike At Your Service - which brings me to the point at which I lose all credibility. I love that episode. It's got real heart and it does more to further Spike's relationship with ANY of our other characters than all of the previous two and a half seasons combined. And yet, because he's having the mother-of-all off-days trying to impress her, it's almost universally derided. It's not really until Inspiration Manifestation that Rarity's relationship with him gets the same sort of treatment and, to be honest, that episode left me cold.

Finally, I was surprised at how many people thought I was actually doing the, 'Mane Six really aren't Spike's friends' story. Really? C'mon guys, you know me better than that. Sunshine and Rainbows all the way. I'm actually surprised that no-one has called me out yet. All I do is write pretty much the same story over and over with different characters! If you want shocking plot twists and diabolical schemes, I may not be your best bet. As for the characters' various reactions, I do think I stretched credibility to near breaking point. The idea was that Spike is, and always has been, their good friend. But none of them realised just how much he needed to hear that today - they just assumed he knew. I had originally intended for each pony to have a roughly equal level of culpability for their misunderstandings but... well, Fluttershy can do no wrong, I can't blame Pinkie for what was genuinely an accident, Rarity and Applejack are kind of a draw, and Dash really had no excuse. But they all end up blaming themselves, and Spike ends up not blaming them for anything, so hopefully the narrative still works. I was also surprised by how many folks wanted an exploration of Spike making friends outside the main cast. While that's an awesome idea, that was never the intent for this piece. Spike could go and make new friends, sure. But what he desperately wants is to be friends with the ponies he really cares about.

And he is.

Anyway, story's over. I hope you found something to enjoy in it. As always, bonus points for spotting the references. A couple of them were subtle but you might have seen, Hot Fuzz; 2001 (or 2010); Monty Python; and Hitch-Hiker's Guide.

And I apologise profusely for the Drayton Manor pun.

Until next time, stay safe and have fun!

--The Author.