A Song of Sand and Snow: A Game of Ponies

Spike

  “One day we will all meet together in this same place,” Twilight’s last words to the others departed with sorrow in Spike’s heart. He laid restless in his bed beside the window, peering outside at the streets of Ponyville. He could remember how the others were all together in the center of Ponyville.

“But for how long?” He muttered under his breath, the same words he said that went unheard of. Fluttershy was staying in her Cottage, the thought of leaving town to the North frightened her more than her shadow. If Dash didn’t mention there being mostly dragons she might be lenient enough.

Rainbow Dash was going to be with the Wonderbolts the entire time, heading off to Canterlot to attend a royal meaning; they were just invited guest after all. Applejack and the rest of her family was visiting family South. Rarity and Sweetie Belle were heading West. Pinkie Pie gladly enough was staying, but most of his friends were gone.

The young amethyst serpent puffed. “I don’t need them anyway,” he was still young after all. “I can do things that can be helpful too!”

Spike hop out of his bed, landing on the wooden floor where the crystalline walls glimmer by the bright rays of the incandescent sun caused his eyes to close down and flinch. He left the room fast, not paying mind to bumping against Twilight’s bed, and hurry out of the Crystal Treehouse with haste.

His stubby small feet click against the floor, kicking dirt as he rushed along with a determined smile. His green spikes that matched the color of his emerald eyes were sharp and pointy. He passed by a few ponies in this rural town. Rose and her stand of Roses, Lily and her stand of Lilies, and even the adorable ditz, Derpy Whooves. The summer lived on most ponies would say, admiring such a warm seasonal weather, Spike just found it convenient that Winter-Wrap up ended on the same day Twilight departed to a place where it is Winter every day.

Wooden homes with chimneys sporting at the tip, some alleys could be seen half clean and half dirty. But the rural town was not as big as Canterlot and nasty as Manehatten. Ponyville was a lovely town that was built by the Apple Family and it eventually lasted here for almost centuries and here on then before, the oldest of ones that had evidence of its historical value was Granny’s Smith’s age and photo albums and Mayor Mare’s documents.

He earned some hellos here and there passing by, some merchants came in from the Everfree he didn’t know just to trade with other ponies. Like Caramel who managed a Apple Stand for Applejack’s family so that their business doesn’t run out in town. He was not part of the family, by blood at least, but they treated him like one.

Family stays together, he thought. They take you everywhere they need to go, so why did Twilight have to leave like that and have me stay and clean up that dumb treehouse! Spike was upset with his surrogate mother. She was treating him too young, after everything they been through, he was still just a youngling in her eyes.

I am a Dragon…

He spotted Mr. Cake and Mrs. Cake Bakery Shop, the place where all his lovely sweets came in at its tastiest pleasures to satiate his appetite. Rarity was not around, the crush of his life was not around to give him a supply of gems to eat. Sugarcube Corner was the popular site since the Cake Family came to Ponyville, way before Twilight was around, or so he heard.

He used his small thin claws to push those wooden doors open, rushing inside with a bright smile on his thin lips. There was Mr. Cake behind the counter and Mrs. Cake in the background working in the kitchen. Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake, the sweet little twins were almost Applebloom’s age back in Cheerilee’s school.

Mr. Cake seemed old, just coming around his mid-age, with those same freckles on his sharp angle box chin and small eyes difficult to determine the natural color between brown or black. He was a batch of yellow, exclude the short mane popping out from under his hat on that long neck of his. Amber hair, a ginger color definitely.

Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake may have been twins, but their races differ. Pound Cake was a pegasus, black mane and light gray coat as his sister, Pumpkin Cake was her father’s color, with a puffy light orange mane. They both had matching blue eyes, cute and marble sizes. Every pony’s mane matched with their tail’s color, unless they wanted to do some highlighting, what Spike was taught from Rarity. Though their father had a short cut tail, their tails were evenly long and at point.

“Spike, pleasant to see you here.” Mr. Cake greeted the young dragon whose presence caught the twins attention.

“Spike!” They both rushed towards him happily.

“Hey guys,” he greeted, “I like to have the Dragon Special,” he told Mr. Cake, who nodded his head and went off with a gentle smile towards his wife. He brought his attention to the twins, “How are you guys here?”

“We’re great!”

That brought a smile to Spike’s face.

“So, now that I am here, free from Twilight,” he said, hiding the longing in his voice to see her again, “Would you guys like to hang out?”

They were close to his age, Pinkie Pie could baby sit them as they have fun and play games. If Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were around, they could even play hide and seek. The invitation brought a smile to their faces.

“Here you go, Spike,” Mr. Cake came back with a tray of three cupcakes with four gems inside the white frosting. It was quite an appealing site for a young dragon like him. “Just the way you like it.”

“Thanks!” He took it happily, it was free for him after helping the cakes out with Pinkie Pie after all.

“Don’t mention it.” Mr. Cake gladly said.

Spike was beginning to feel happy now, the day wouldn’t be as bad as he thought.

“Daddy, daddy,” Pound Cake hopped onto the stool, “Spike invited us over to his home!”

“Can we go?” Pumpkin Cake asked.

Spike took a single glance at Mr. Cake and for the first time he saw an unsure expression. This didn’t feel good one bit.

“I’m sorry, you guys, but you know that your mother’s tight on her schedule, by tonight we have to leave and take Pinkie Pie to her Rock Farm. Her family invited us after all.” Mr. Cake tried to sweeten the moment, but it only brought sorrow to the Twins and a returned emptiness into Spike’s heart.

He feign a smile, “It’s okay,” he lied. “Nothing too serious. You guys just gotta have fun right? Maybe another time.”

He didn’t give them much time to respond, not even the Twins which he adored the most. Spike ran off, leaving the tray behind, the cupcakes untouched by Spike’s claws. He always was that one star that gain no reputation at all. Unappreciated he felt, angry he felt, sad he felt, but most of all...jealous.

I am a Dragon! I deserve to go places too!

But Spike had stay young quite a long time to see how time would change for his friends whenever he found himself part of their adventures. He learned what Dragons were like, even faced a few that belittle him too long ago. Dragons were fearsome creatures that even the princesses would mess around with. Their scales made them impregnable against magic, their fire was from the sun stories went by that they swallow and blew upon their enemies, and their size were gigantic.

I am a Dragon!

But he was cut off from his thoughts. He ran out so fast that just turning the corner, heading straight home, he bumped against a pony in front of him. He was sent flat onto his rear, looking up, preparing to apologize.

Pinkie Pie stood before him, her smile was wide with those shiny pearl teeths. Her blue eyes sparkled as if she spotted the best thing in her life. With a pink coat and puffy pink mane, this mare was a living party-mare-with a love for sugar. She was also the youngest daughter to the Pie family.

“Spike!” she shouted, picking him up with just her two hooves and squeezing him tight into a warm and friendly hug, “I didn’t see you!”

I didn’t see you either.

“What are you doing here?!”

“...I…” He couldn’t help but pause for a moment, the pain of loneliness truly got to him. With Twilight gone, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash too, he felt quite isolated. Visiting Fluttershy would only be difficult since she was usually away from society most of the time. Pinkie Pie would be gone too.

“Hmm? Did you just happen to come by the Shop?” She asked, setting him down as her amiable nature picked up and she was also bouncing up and down. It was normal for her to be this excited.

He nodded. “You’re leaving too, huh?” He hurt to smile now.

“That’s right,” Pinkie Pie responded, oblivious to the sadness in his tone. “My ma and pa really want to see me, they also want to see the Cakes too! Apparently our families knew each other way before my pa was born!”

The way she called her father pa  made Spike flinched a bit. She was also childish, using big words in short sentences to make it easier to understand. Sometimes they could be wacky, but Pinkie Pie was a smart mare make no mistake. She had a way in bringing out the smile in everypony.

But I am a Dragon, we don’t smile.

“I...hope you have a good time over there.” He said, scratching the right side of his arm. Already, he did not want to be here in the middle of the warm heat, departing with one of the fewest friends he could see again.

Pinkie Pie picked up finally on his change of behavior. He wasn’t happy with her leaving and she was quick to think. Twilight was not here anymore, she couldn’t watch over Spike, but she did expected him to look after her place. It wouldn’t be a problem would it?

“How about you come with us?” Pinkie Pie suggested, this brought the drake’s attention to a pause as he looked up at her almost stunned.

“Wait, come with you?”

“That’s right! We could have room to fit one more! Plus, what else are you going to do here?” She asked, that caught Spike’s attention pretty well.

“Pinkie Pie, you don’t really have to,” he said, trying to be polite and not put any weight on her and the others. But the mare was as stubborn as Twilight. Try to turn her down from making you happy and she will do everything in her power to get you to smile.

“Nope, it’s soooo official! You gotta come with us! My family would probably be excited to find out they have a dragon as their guest too! Some drake who could find gems with just his nose!” She said, providing some evidence in how well he could fit in.

The Pie Family was not a family pastries and sweets, they were miners owning a Rock Farm in the dreadfulest parts of Equestria’s roughest territories. Hard and brawn, only Stonewolves-the stone aspect of a timberwolf-occupied their lands in the East.  He was great at finding gems!

He took it into consideration, but then what would happen when Twilight then gets back. She wouldn’t be happy knowing he left the place in a mess. She wouldn’t mind the least, after all, she could have taken me, he thought.

And he would have frozen to death. Dragons weren’t the most loved in the North, especially towards Diamond Dogs who don’t forgive so easily. It was a part of history Spike did not realize in his dreamy midst of the tales of Kings.

“I would have nothing here to do truthfully, so I wouldn’t mind coming with you if that’s not a problem.” Spike replied, a light smile spread upon his lips and it was good enough for Pinkie to give out a loud and attention grabbing cheer. The high pitch joyful shout made him flinch and cover his ears.

“If it was a problem, I would not have brought it up! Welcome aboard, Spike!” Pinkie did not hesitate to lift him up and toss him upon her back. He held on tightly and looked down at her as she bounced straight.

“Do you think I should bring something from home?” Spike asked.

“What would you like to bring?” Pinkie asked.

He thought for a moment, just going back may change his mind. He shook his head. “Never mind, let’s go!” He responded, looking down at Pinkie with a smile.

The pink mare bounced ahead, straight towards the Bakery. Spike thought of a possible explanation for his sudden departure. But the more he thought about it, the best thing he could think of saying is ‘I’m Sorry,’ however it would not be directed towards them.

“One day, we will all meet together in this same place.”

Spike ignored those thoughts abruptly. I have Pinkie Pie with me, when that day comes, I will know. He thought.