Chapters Prologue: The start of something bigger
I could say that my life has treated me well, I've got good friends, I'm treated well, and ponies generally like me. If that was the case then I'd be lying. My life is confusing to say the least. I'm almost 17 and yet the mare of my dreams still sees me as a short-stack that thinks I'm over Luna's moon when she wants me to help her. In all honesty all the things I do are starting to take it's toll on me. My name is Spike and this is my story.
It started as a regular day in Equestria, Celestia's sun was shining, I could hear Fluttershy's birds chirping from my room. I stretched to hear my bones pop, I got up to get dressed and start breakfast. I could hear Twilight snoring away she had a late-night study session again . I honestly don't know how she became a princess, she can't cook for herself, she never organized the library before it got destroyed, in fact she hangs out with ponies who constantly destroyed the library on a daily basis, and they can't be bothered to use a front door!
"Nope I'm not going to let it get to me." I said to myself, this was a constant mantra I repeated to myself over the years. It helped when I was feeling down and didn't have anypony to talk to. I started in the kitchen with some egg white sandwiches and hash browns in mind. I heard Twilight get up as soon as the pan was sizzling the egg whites.
Then Twilight shouted. "Spike can you make some breakfast for me and the girls I invited them over so we can hang out in the castle and help get situated."
I replied back "Sure thing Twi."
She then hopped in the shower while I proceeded to make breakfast for five more ponies. I started grumbling while I separated more egg whites from the yolk. The dull pain in my back was inching it's way up my spine again.
"I'm going to have to visit the hospital again." I HATED the hospital I had to go anyways, when I was younger I suffered major nerve damage during the Iron Pony competition and I can barely feel a thing when my back is injured. It didn't help that a few weeks later Rarity used me as a pin cushion and it pierced some of the nerves in my back. It's the main reason I can't grow much larger then five feet. There was a knock on the door and Twilight came down to answer it. I was done with their breakfast, and started to work on mine the girls came into the kitchen, Twilight then asked. "Where's breakfast?"
I pointed to the plates next to me and she picked up all six with her magic and arms floating it out to the main hall. The plates landed on the table, map thing, whatever they called it.
Rainbow just looked at her plate and said. "I thought we were having pancakes. Not whatever this is."
I had finished making my breakfast walked into the room with utensils in my hand and plate in the other. Twilight looked at me asking. "Spike can we talk to each other alone?" I finally had enough this was the straw that broke the dragon's back.
"No."
Twilight reeled at what I had just said, "Excuse me?"
"You're excused." I replied sarcastically.
"Spike this isn't the time for jokes, I thought we agreed that we would make pancakes this morning." Twilight said sternly.
In which I replied. "There are two things wrong with that sentence, one we never agreed what I would make for breakfast you said and I quote. 'Spike can you make some breakfast for me and the girls I invited them over so we can hang out in the castle and help get situated.' Two we didn't make breakfast I did." That pain in my back was increasing and I tried to get up to leave in peace but I couldn't. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I tried to wiggle my big toe but it wouldn't move, I couldn't move. I couldn't feel my legs.
"Okay mister I don't know what's gotten you all huffy but you obviously need a time-out, now go to your room." Twilight just scolded me in front of our, no her friends. I was struggling to get out of my seat but the only one who noticed was Fluttershy. The pleading look in my eyes said help me . "Well, what are you waiting for Spike. MOVE!"
"I can't." That was my only reply. Twilight now looked confused, then she asked. "What did you say?" I gulped down the knot in my throat and said it, this time with more detail. "I can't move. I can't feel my legs."
The girls were standing in the waiting room of the hospital. Twilight was pacing the waiting room waiting for Spike to get out of surgery.
Nurse Redheart stepped out, "Princess Sparkle?"
Twilight rushed the door asking. "Is Spike alright?" Redheart didn't like to deliver this kind of news but she had some questions first. "Have you known about Spike's prior visits to the hospital?"
"No why?"
"Because the past four years have been damaging to his health, especially to his back. Since January he has experienced major nerve damage and it just snowballed from there. Did you know what happened on the date of the 28th?" Twilight gulped at this date, January 28th was the day of the Iron Pony competition and she volunteered Spike to be tossed from both Applejack and Rainbow Dash and then hog-tied. It caused nerve damage? Redheart continued, "Did you ever take him to get acupuncture therapy?"
Twilight looked at her. "No I haven't why?"
"Well that doesn't account for the multiple holes in his nervous system." She showed Twilight a scan of his back. "It looks like somepony used him as a pin cushion." Pin cushion? Spike once volunteered to be Rarity's pin cushion for a bit. He said he wasn't effected, he said that he had thick scales. It finally clicked in Twilight's mind, He wasn't doing it because he felt he wanted to, but because he had to.
"Can we see him?" Twilight now had tears in her eyes.
Redheart sighed and said, "He's still in surgery it's to determine whether or he'll be able to walk or not. In my professional opinion it's less than a five percent chance of him being able to do so." Twilight sat back down in the waiting room.
Pinkie was the first to ask. "What happened Twilight?"
Twilight sighed, "Nothing good."
Fluttershy asked."W-what do you mean?"
Twilight looked at her friends and asked. "Am I a good friend?"
The girls were shocked at this, they went to comfort her but she shied away.
"Where is this coming from sugarcube?" AJ wondered.
Twilight looked at her with red eyes. "You girls have been the best thing to happen to me. I would never take away the things we did together, but from what the nurse had said it's unlikely that Spike will ever walk again."
Rainbow spoke up. "What? Spike's a trooper he'll pull through this without a scratch on him...right?"
"I-I don't think so Rainbow, he's got less than a five percent chance."
The girls looked at the ground. Pinkie's hair straightened out a bit, Rainbow stepped away when that happened. She had already seen crazy Pinkie and she didn't want to again for a long time.
The nurse came up to the girls and said. "He's done with the surgery."
The girls knew it was time to face the dragon, "He's in room 420." The girls with their tears in their eyes trudged to the room their mood effecting almost everypony in the hospital. Spike was not feeling well, he was the opposite of good. He was just told that he'll never be able to walk again, he let that sink in. He already sent Celestia a scroll about it. She said that she'll be over soon and that she was going to have a long talk with the girls, this shouldn't have happened. There was a knock on the door.
"It's open." He replied.
The last group of people he wanted to see strolled in. The Mane Six, that's what everypony calls them. They're the heroes, they're the Elements of Harmony. They have the magic of friendship to help them in a jam. Where was Spike's help? Sure when he became a rampaging dragon and destroyed the town, they were there to stop him. When he needed help they weren't there. When the palace was put into place his chair was shorter than the rest. That meant that his destiny was to forever be a servant. The girls always focused on their problems. They were the last people on the planet he wanted to see right now.
"What are you doing here?"
Twilight spoke meekly. "W-we came here to help?"
Spike snorted. "Like anything I do needs your help."
Rarity scolded. "Spike I know that your upset but that doesn't mean that you have to take it out on Twilight like that."
Spike looked at her like she had said something crazy. "Upset? UPSET!? I'm not upset I'm livid. Throughout all the time I've lived in this backwater town I've been nothing but tortured, beaten, frozen, racially profiled, stolen from, tossed, kicked, fell, used as a test dummy for a mad scientist, treated like an animal, been a victim of pranking so bad that I have stress attacks,used as a pin cushion, and all around ignored when I needed help. But upset is where I draw the damn line. I am paralyzed from the waist down, I have to shit and piss in a bag from now on. I highly doubt that any of you would have given me the time of day before then so I'm leaving. Tonight, I'm going home, back to Canterlot where I am appreciated as an individual and not as a fucking slave that you can boss around on a whim."
Spike with all of his pent-up anger spent he just pointed a finger, "As far as I'm concerned, None of you are my friends."
That had hurt all of them, the girls walked back to the castle to see a chariot in front of the crystal tree palace.
They entered to find the Princess of the Sun looking down at them, "I am very disappointed in you all."
Celestia was looking down at the elements in her life she had seen quite literally all of it. The Griffin wars, Discord's rule, seeing her own sister turn into Nightmare moon. This was the bottom of the barrel. She was looking at a major disappointment, she had had considered Spike to be a son to her. She had trusted Twilight to take care of Spike but in the end she had failed.
"I am very disappointed in all of you."
The girls looked directly down at the ground, the solar princess continued.
"Twilight do you remember what I had said when I first asked you if you were responsible enough to take care of Spike?"
Twilight looked up to Celestia with reddened eyes saying.
"N-no."
"I asked you to do this. Don't overfeed him, make sure he gets plenty of nutrients, exercise, and schooling, and you said what?"
"That I would teach him."
"Did you?"
"No."
"What did you do?"
"I left him all alone, I volunteered him for things he didn't want to do, let him take care of me instead of me taking care of him. I never enrolled him into school, I used him for experiments. I never cared about his safety."
"Spike has requested to move back to Canterlot, and right now I can see why. With him being handicapped it would be easier for him to move around, but as for you six I have idea of how you can try to earn his trust back."
The girls perked up at this, Pinkie's hair regained some of it's puffiness she blurted out. "What is it? I'm willing to do anything to get my friend back."
Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Anything?"
The girls nodded in sync. Celestia acknowledged this and looked beyond the ponies to find the dragon in question rolling up to the scene, she then spoke up. "I think that the punishment will be left up to the victim to decide."
The mane six turned to see Spike in a wheelchair with guards on his left and right walking beside him. Spike decided to speak up. "Here's what I'm going to do. I've been around all of you long enough to know what you hate to do, you girls are going to work for me until I decide whether or not you are sorry. Rainbow and AJ you girls are going to be my maids. Which means you'll have to clean up after me, move me around, and clean me. Fluttershy I'm going to go easy on you since you actually gave me the time of day so I'm not going to punish you, but you do have to accompany me to Canterlot. I'd love to show you around the gardens. Pinkie I honestly think that you didn't know what you were doing wrong so I'm not going to be that hard on you, here is your punishment you must accompany me to Canterlot, but you are not allowed to throw a party for a week." The pink party pony actually fainted at that, while Spike continued. "I thought Rarity was melodramatic, speaking of Rarity I have the perfect job for you. Cleaning all the bathrooms in the palace, including the guard's barracks toilets."
That was the second pony to faint. The rumors surrounding the guard barracks toilets were no joke, especially on tofu taco tuesdays. Spike finally set his eyes on Twilight. He then approached his mom and whispered in her ear. The solar princess nodded, agreed, and spoke. "Twilight Sparkle, due to the endangerment and abuse of your friend Spike Solaris, I hereby temporarily revoke your alicornhood and your title of princess of friendship. I order you to move back to Canterlot effective immediately. For you to study culinary arts, independent living, and assign you to be head maid to Prince Spike Solaris until he deems you worthy of your princess and your alicornhood. It seems that you have a lot to learn."
The girls were shocked that weren't passed out were shocked hear that. Twilight simply nodded and said. "For all that's happened I definitely deserve it."
The guards and the girls helped with moving the dragon's possessions to the chariot out front, the two guards had Pinkie and Rarity already in the chariot and not a lot of stuff for the dragon. It was time for the girls to pay the piper, and that was in the form of one angry dragon.
The day was new in the Canterlot castle. Spike was having his room cleaned by Applejack and Rainbow Dash who were in some of the skimpiest Prench maid outfits that Rarity could make. Meanwhile Rarity was not having the time of her life either, she was in the same exact outfit and getting a lot of wolf whistles from the guards. She tried her best to hide her embarrassment from the guards but it wasn't working. Pinkie was running around the maze with Discord because she was one of the only ponies who actually enjoyed his antics. Fluttershy kept Spike company and was allowed to move her animals into the palace garden, so she could keep an eye on them.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders visited often, they were one of Spike's only friends and were sad to see him in a wheelchair. Spike kept thinking about the safety of Equestria. So he made a deal with the girls, if there was ever a problem that needed the elements of harmony to step in they would be allowed to. He ran this by his mom and she was alright with it. He initially calmed down and asked his mom what was going to happen to Twilight's alicorn wings and magic.
"It will be stored like it has before she ascended. Her wings are an extension of her Alicorn magic so it will disappear along with her magic."
"Will it hurt?"
"No it'll be like a small pinch and then gone."
Spike trusted his mother, but he didn't want to hurt anypony on purpose. He had vague memories when he was a monster and he didn't like it. No it wasn't fair to the girls but was it justified. Yes, all his life he was a minority he was the little guy that no pony gave the time of day. He didn't want to be mean but sometimes you got to be tough in order for anyone to understand where you're coming from. He was confined to a wheelchair, while the girls would've ignored him. He would have to struggle, he always had to take care of other ponies while he was the baby. Wasn't Twilight supposed to be the mother, the caretaker, why was he supposed to make all those things for them.
He was done bathing and was rolling his way out of his bathroom to get his clothes on at this time RD and AJ were out of the room. He kept thinking about how they had treated him, Rainbow said he wasn't a true dragon. Applejack made him count all the blades of grass on the farm and to get rid of him they staged a fake timberwolf to attack Applejack only for a real one to show up. He was showing his gratitude and she didn't care for it.
That made him feel sad, sure his initial thought for the punishment seemed bad at first but the girls got used to it. After the first week or so Pinkie was let off the hook, she didn't feel like throwing a party anyways so instead Spike asked her if she could help him around. She apologized for the whole winter-wrap up, after leaving him on a melting piece of ice while he was asleep. He accepted her apology and he apologized for telling her that she wasn't his friend and that he wanted to start over.
He got done with clothing himself and rolled out for breakfast, Pinkie was outside of his room waiting for him. "Hey Pinkie."
"Hey Spike, what's going on?"
"Just trying to get used to the idea of being in a wheelchair."
"Sorry." She said as she was pushing him. He just relaxed, when they came up to the dining room they saw delicious meals in store for them while eating.
Spike commented "Whoever cooked this food did an amazing job."
Celestia swallowed her food and said. "Twilight cooked this feast."
Spike had to strain to keep from spitting out his food. "Are we talking about Twilight Sparkle?" She nodded. "Could you please bring her out here?"
Twilight was summoned to the dining hall and she was racked with nerves, after living with her for so long Spike could tell. "You wanted to see me princess?"
Celestia corrected her student. "It was not I who requested for you to be summoned, that falls on Spike's shoulders."
Spike rolled up to Twilight and said. "I honestly thought you would've accidentally poisoned me in some way. I must say you did a great job, and thank you. I think that you are relieved of you duties as a chef."
"Really?" Twilight asked.
"Yes, I'm not angry anymore. So I think you don't need to cook any longer."
"Thanks Spike, and for what it's worth I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too, I'm not going to make mom revoke your alicornhood."
Spike had thought long and hard about this, she did earn to become an alicorn. What Spike had noticed is that how she did it, she had inadvertently messed up her best friends lives by switching their destinies, and just because you set out and fix it doesn't mean that everything is going go back to the way it was she had to know that. She had to know that her tendency to fear what everypony expected of her is just wrong.
"I thought of something else to keep you busy while you're here."
"What's that?"
"I need you to try to find a cure for my nerves attacking my spinal column. I don't think I can live in a wheelchair for my life and I know my friends don't want me to, so could you please help me. I don't want to be stuck like this."
Twilight hugged Spike and said. "I will do whatever I can to find a cure."
"Just make sure you eat once in a while."
With the meal concluded and Twilight relieved of her cooking duties she sprinted to the library dead-set on finding a cure for Spike's condition. Spike however had another problem or three that consist of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity.
Spike was not looking forward to his next meeting. Since it was now acknowledged that he was a crown prince of equestria he now had meetings to go to. "Now I know how mom feels." Spike mumbled as the Canterlot nobles were discussing more tax breaks for the rich. He didn't even know what a 401k was, he was starting to doze off when he got slapped in the back of the head by Twilight who was now named his assistant. He then whispered to her, "Hey you try listening to nobles that are greedy as hell, when I don't know anything that they are talking about."
Twilight then looked at the ground because of her failure to educate Spike, she then announced. "The Prince is tired and wishes to return to his quarters." The nobles moaned and then left the room as Twilight was pushing Spike back to his room, Twilight started to talk to Spike, "I have been searching the library for any answers to your paralysis, but nothing has come up yet. I would look into the older archives but I'm not allowed until you say so."
Spike looked at Twilight, "It wasn't my idea to name you my assistant you know. If you need me to write anything down that gives you permission then I would gladly do so."
The mane six were reassigned jobs after the first month. Rainbow became Spike's personal trainer, Applejack was assigned to the kitchen, and Rarity was given the job of being Spike's fashion consultant. The last job may have been made up but it kept her happy. They may not have been his friends but he wasn't a tyrant, he didn't like to watch people suffer. The girls now met Spike at a professional level, except for Pinkie and Fluttershy. Spike didn't like being a prince he would've given up his title if it meant he could pursue his true passion. He always wanted to be a famous musician, right now he never got the chance to have time to himself and play his music.
Once in his chambers he rolled over to his desk to start on writing that form for Twilight. He looked at his calendar to see that the Grand Galloping Gala was in a few weeks he made a mental note to let the girls off for the week. Being temporary castle staff most of the girls could get in without hassle, he also wrote down on another page to send tickets to Pinkie, Fluttershy, and the CMC. He then gave the note to Twilight, she hugged Spike and left the room.
"Finally, I can get back to my stuff." He sighed, he picked up his guitar and started to strum a few notes. Then there was a knock on his door he put his guitar down again and rolled over to the door and answered it his mother was at the door. "Hello."
"I heard that you skipped out on your last meeting."
"I'm sorry but I don't understand the things that they were talking about."
"I know it's hard for you to understand these things, so before you attend another dreadfully boring meeting. I want to ask if you wanted to enroll into night school?"
"Night School?"
"It's only if you decide to do it." She put some pamphlets on his desk asking. "Could you please at least take a look at these schools?"
Spike sighed, "I'll take a look but please no schools that make me feel like there's something wrong with me mentally, I'm handicapped and uneducated not mentally challenged."
Spike was then hugged and Celestia left, He was going to pick up his guitar again until there was another knock on the door. It was Rainbow Dash stretching, "Hey big bad dragon it's leg day."
Spike rolled his eyes then wheeled behind Dash closing his door. Dash was jogging next to him and said. "I'm still mad you know."
"Yes I know."
"How could you let that happen?"
"How was I supposed to know that the Wonderbolts were visiting?"
"You could've at least let me take off the maid uniform."
"Still the look on Soarin's face was priceless." The duo came across the gym when Spike received a punch on the arm from Dash. "Oww."
"That was for that comment."
"Sorry, it still was funny though." The pair got started on stretching, Spike was stretching his upper body as much as he could until a pair of ladies came in. His mother and aunt, all geared out head to toe in gym apparel. Spike stopped stretching and started to snicker, Celestia looked at her son and asked.
"What's so funny young drake?"
Spike gulped and nervously said. "W-well I-I didn't think that..." He trailed off not wanting to say anything even slightly offensive after all, wheelchairs don't last long on the sun. Celestia finished the sentence for him.
"Didn't think that I visit the gym that often?"
Luna then spoke up. "It's true."
Celestia looked at her sister appalled, "And what does that mean?"
Luna then slapped her sister's ass and said. "The kids are now calling you, what is it? Oh yeah, Princess Cake Butt."
Spike and Dash died at this and were howling with laughter. Spike and Dash's mouths were the closed with a golden aura, both silencing them suddenly.
"I have no doubt that Rainbow Dash found this funny, but I expected better then for my own son to laugh at my expense. I'm hurt." Celestia then put on the puppy dog eyes everypony from here to Manehatten would die with guilt. After their mouths were free Spike continued.
"What I meant to say was, I didn't think that you would have enough time in your schedule to come down here and exercise."
Celestia looked at him, she knew that he was covering but damn that was a good comeback. "Well then, I'm sorry for silencing you and for the puppy eyes."
Spike replied, "Apology accepted and I'm sorry I laughed, even though it was super funny."
"Apology accepted." Celestia then turned to Luna and asked. "Now they DID make sure that this would stand up to our Alicorn abilities?"
"Yes, Sister we do not want a repeat of last time."
"What happened last time?" Dash asked.
"Well lets just say that we owed the health and fitness department a lot of bits." Celestia said while scratching the back of her head with her hair wrapped in a ponytail.