CH.6-Rough Beginnings and the Slavish Work-Flow of Spike the Dragon

Rainbow gracefully awakened, yawning and stretching all the while. She hovered lazily upwards, expecting to faze through the clouds of her bedroom and float effortlessly into the open sky…before hitting her head on the ceiling and crashing back onto the bed.

For a few seconds, she panicked before remembering the events of the past few days. She curled up on top of the blankets and sighed contently.
"Well, this is definitely better than a cloud... Heh, guess I don't have to pummel cat-man." She frowned and looked towards the glass doors leading downstairs, a flicker of worry in her eyes. "Well, without Tank I need to work off the built-up uncool stuff somehow. Anyways, I hope that furball actually went to sleep...uh, and didn't wimp out like when I left!" She smirked pridefully. After all, it wasn’t like she cared about what happened to him or anything. “I should go check on him…just to see if I need to make him man up, of course!" She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. Alternatively, she could just lie back and enjoy the soft, warm, comfy bed…

In the end, she decided that she needed the classic “five more minutes!” before she could fully rise from sleep. Once she was suitably awake, she flew downstairs, making sure to not hit the glass door this time.

She prowled the lower level of the house, finding nothing but the usual shoddy furniture and grand TV until she poked her head inside the kitchen. There, a human (or almost-human) lay on the ground with his tail out and wagging. His nose was tinted blue and he looked as though he were shivering. “No wonder; this place needs some heat or it's is gonna ice over!"

Rainbow laughed silently at her joke…or rather, almost silently. John’s ear twitched and his eye shot open. He jumped to his feet and swung his left hand dangerously close to Rainbow's muzzle, eliciting a yelp from the mare; there appeared to be claws protruding from his hands. (AUTHOR'S NOTE: IMAGINE THE CLAWS LIKE SABERTOOTH FROM X-MEN, TO CLEAR CONFUSION.) When he realized who he had nearly killed, he instantly retracted his claws and winced, bracing for the incoming explosion.

Rainbow simply sat on the floor, one eye twitching erratically. To say she was pissed would be an understatement. John rubbed the back of his head awkwardly with one hand.

“Heh…sorry.”

“Sorry!” Rainbow burst. “What the Tartarus was that for, huh!? I was coming down here to make sure you weren't still being wimpy and to tell you that the bed was great, but clearly, I need to show you why you shouldn't mess with me again!"

John didn't say a word but simply closed his eyes, looked to the ground, and opened his arms as if to say 'go ahead'. Rainbow’s jaw slackened in mild shock and she lowered her right forehoof to the ground.

"Oh, she's getting ready to buck me. I musta really scared her, sorry."

"H-he's accepting my threat to pummel him? He should be fighting back or at least chickening out! This guy is getting weirder and weirder..."
Rainbow shook her head scornfully. “You know what? Forget it. I-I'll just let you off with a warning this time!"
"Smooth, Rainbow."

John looked up and smiled gratefully. For a few moments, there was silence. Then his eyes widened and the smile burst into a brilliant grin.

"Oh, I did get you a case of apple cider, and some food. Food other than... 'dead squid' did you call it? It should cost the same as a punch." Rainbow's eyes widened at the sound of her favorite drink and instantly began sniffing around the kitchen like a blood-hound…the ridiculous sight left John unable to restrain a small ripple of laughter. However, he broke down completely when Rainbow found the box and downed an entire bottle in a single gulp before turning to face him. The unmistakable really? scrawled across her features did nothing to help his hysteric giggles.

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, furball. I'm sure your catnip goes nowhere in this argument." John promptly stopped laughing.

"You're right, it doesn’t,” he said, climbing to his feet and glaring at Rainbow. “And don't call me 'furball'." Rainbow rolled her eyes, crossing her forelegs in mid-air as she hovered on the spot.

"Puh-lease! You're probably as addicted to that stuff as I am to cider, halfling." John's observable eye twitched, but instead of erupting in irritation and fury, he shrugged and padded towards the fridge. He reached into the tiny opening before pulling out a delicious looking salad. He lifted into the air, offering it to Rainbow.

”W-what kind of drug is this guy on!?"

“None. I just have a longer fuse than most people. I guess it comes with the cat part of me."

"Wha? I... Grr! I need to stop speaking my thoughts!"

"Yes, yes you do." Rainbow just glared disbelievingly at John’s sly grin before he winced and coughed awkwardly.

"Uhh... you gonna take the salad or not? Also, take as much cider as you want. There's an extra case in the fridge if you need it." Rainbow instantly snapped out of her trance, grabbed the salad (along with the entire case of cider) and threw herself onto the counter with her loot.

John laughed warmly at the sight before turning back to the fridge to root through its contents. His hand emerged with…a thawed out, rotten fish and a shot glass of spoiled milk. Rainbow stared at his 'meal' disgustedly before frowning and tilting her head.

"Why are you eating... that when you just got food?” Her eyes widened. “And hang on! Didn’t you say you were broke? How did you get this stuff?” John wolfed down his 'food' before turning to Rainbow. The smile he offered her was genuine. “Well, to answer question one; all the food I got is for you. Plus, I don’t eat much; I don’t need a feast to survive, y’know. The Ramen and Hot pockets? Those are for my friends…and you, if you want any."

Rainbow’s eyes widened and for a few seconds, John thought he saw sympathy within their depths. Then, it disappeared, her composure neatly pieced together again.

Inwardly, however, Rainbow, was in turmoil. While she felt sorry for John, her pride was preventing her from doing anything about it. Pride or kindness? Pride or kindness…

In the end, her pride won out.

John continued as though nothing had happened. “And also…I feel as though you don't need to know how I got all this stuff, now do you?” Rainbow stopped chewing mid-bite.

"That... Is..." "It!
“I've had it with these dumb secrets of yours!” she snapped. “This crap about your supposed 'past' and how you're on your 'seventh life!’” Honestly! No one's past is that bad!" She hissed irritatedly and tore open another can of cider. “I mean, whadja do? Kill your mother?" Her heart almost stopped at the look John gave her. His ears dropped along with his expression. His face looked like that of a sad kitten…the ones people want to hug even when they bite and scratch.
“No…” Rainbow breathed. “You didn’t.” John flinched.

“I didn’t,” he confirmed. “See, technically... my mother killed me." Rainbow promptly spat out her cider, deeming it unimportant - something which had never happened. Ever

“WHAT!?" John flattened his ears against the volume of her scream.

"Now you know why I don't wanna talk about it! People are always so shocked the minute I even start on all of this and I don't want to be known as the one who made Rainbow Dash gosoft!" For a few moments, there was a tense silence. John was breathing hard. The cider trickling from the toppled can was the only sound penetrating the suspense. Then Rainbow chuckled uneasily

"Heh, please,” she murmured. “You'll never make me go soft!”
”Oh crap, I think I just got a soft spot for John."

"Hopefully that’ll get her to change the topic.!”

"You know, explaining to me some things about you would be nice. It doesn’t have to be about your past or anything,” Rainbow said, digging one hoof into her salad (which had lain forgotten until now). John leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms, pondering her question.

"How about this?” he decided. “You tell me something about yourself and then I'll tell you something about me. The deeper the secrets you tell me, the deeper the secrets I'll tell you. Sound good?” Rainbow raised a playful eyebrow and stroked a non-existent beard, trying to defuse the discomfort.

“Alright, I can work with that.” She grinned. “I have a pet turtle named Tank. Does that count as a secret?” John smirked.

“Not really, but hey, I can work with it. The name of my 'race' is Neko. I mean, I’m the only real one so I guess it technically doesn’t count as a race.”

“Huh?” Rainbow asked intelligently. Or, more accurately - considering that she mumbled the word around her twelfth can of cider - “HPMLLPML?” John winced and she shrugged, deciding not to press the issue. She wasn’t up to revealing any secrets deep enough to worm even a scrap significant information out of John.

"So, are any of the misfits coming over today?" John glanced questioningly at her. “Who, my friends? Nah, it's just gonna be you and me today. Maybe I can show you how the TV works and explain some other stuff about this world." Rainbow hefted herself off the counter and into the air, grinning smugly.

"Sure thing... Professor." John laughed before strolling towards the TV.

”Walked right into that one." Rainbow soared after him.

"I wonder how everypony back home is doing…”

Applejack gazed into Spike’s deep green eyes, relishing the smooth feeling of his claw gliding through her mane. She felt giddy as a school-filly.
“Spike…” she whispered.
“Silence,” the young drake breathed. “You don’t deserve to speak in my presence. That honor belongs only to the Lady Rarity.” Applejack’s eyes widened…and that’s when Spike’s charming smile fell away, his claw tearing itself away from her face.

“Applejack…Applejack. APPLEJACK!” AJ woke abruptly, only to find herself facing the scathing eyes of her incredibly angry grandmother. She yelped in surprise, leapt out of bed and fell hard to the floor, only to scoot on her rump to the furthest corner of the room.

“Well, should’a known she'd find out sooner or later."

Granny Smith sighed and the fury marring her features faded to be replaced by pathetic disappointment.
“Applejack…you slept in again. Even snuck outta the farm Big Mac tells me. Then ya' decide ta' sneak back home in the middle of the night? Ya' better tell me exactly why you're sneakin' out or you're gonna doin' nothin' but harvestin' apples for a long while!”

“I…uh..you see, well, er…” Applejack swallowed nervously and closed her eyes.
“Just get it over with.” She sighed.
“Alright,” she relented. “Guess there's no gettin' outta this now... It's gotta do with... with a guy." Granny's eyes widened and she stared at AJ in disbelief. "Ah think mah hearin's goin' out... did you just say that yer wakin' up late and sneakin' outta work is 'cause of a guy?" AJ winced, bracing for the inevitable, but it never came. Instead of piercing screams of horror, she was met with cries of joy. When she looked up, Granny was jumping up and down, shrieking in excitement. AJ continued to stare at her in disbelief until something clicked loudly in her grandmother’s back and she calmed her hysterics. "So ya' finally admit it,” she groaned, breathing hard and strenuously rubbing her upper back with one hoof. “Yer goin' out with somepony! Tell me; who's the lucky stallion?”

“Spike,” AJ blurted. Then her eyes widened and she clasped her forehooves over her muzzle in shock. She hadn’t meant to just say it like that…

Granny frowned and tilted her head to one side. “Spike? You mean that wimpy dragon-whelp-boy-thingy?" AJ instantly jumped from her bed.

"Don't you dare call mah Spike wimpy!" she snarled. Granny yelped and backed against the door in fear…before promptly remembering that she was the authority figure in the room. "Alright, alright! Wow, ya' must really be hittin' it off if yer defendin' 'im and sayin' he's yer's already!" AJ bit her lip, then looked down at the floor in sadness.

“He’s not exactly mine yet…” Granny squinted at her.

“Whad’ya talkin’ ‘bout? Go make ‘im yers, then!” AJ started as her grandmother smacked her over the head with one hoof. “Go on then!”

“I can’t!” AJ exploded.

“And just why not?”

“Because the fool only has eye's fer that bitch, Rarity."

“Now you mind your language, young filly!” Granny erupted, equally angry.

"What? She du'dn't like 'im and she treats 'im like trash, makin' 'im 'er personal butler…even a pincushion! I-it's just not fair, Granny! Why does he 'ave ta' go fer ‘er!?"

Then, Granny’s eyes widened as she saw Applejack break down for the first time in years and she could do no more than draw her granddaughter into her warm embrace.

When AJ had finally finished crying, she drew away with pity in her eyes.
“Well,” Granny said, “usually work helps vent out frustrations ’n all…but ya' don't 'ave ta' work if ya' don't want ta'."

AJ sniffled before shaking her head. Then she brightened considerably as she remembered something:
”Oh, hey, wait a minute! Spike might be comin' over ta' help!"

She hugged a surprised Granny Smith around the middle before soaring away to prepare for work.

Six hours later, however, Applejack was beginning to think Spike wasn't coming. She’d been bucking apples all day and seen no sign of the young drake. Sighing dejectedly, she lifted her hind-legs into the air…and then a voice washed over her ears, light as music. Her heart soared.

“Hey AJ, I'm here to help. Sorry for being late." Applejack's legs dropped and she whirled around to face Spike, barely suppressing a squee of excitement.
Oh my Celestia he’s here! Wait! Wait…play it cool.

"It's quite alright Spike,” she said casually. Then: “Ah’m just glad yer here!”
“Darn it! What happened to play it cool?”

However, her own nerves were forgotten in worry when she took a closer look at Spike…and realized what a mess he was.

Ebony bags hung beneath his eyes like crescent moons. His shoulders were sinking towards the ground and his ear-flaps were drooping pathetically. His skin was cracked and dry. Applejack shook her head in horror. “Oh, mah poor Spike!" "Are you alright? Ya' look as dead as a doornail!" Spike yawned tiredly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just kinda stayed at Rarity's for longer than I thought I would." AJ bit her lip.

"How long?"

“Fifteen, maybe sixteen hours, I guess?” AJ restrained the urge to clap a hoof to her mouth as Spike tried (and failed) to pick up an apple basket. She quickly snapped out of her trance and placed a hoof on his shoulder, trying to spare him from further embarrassment.

“Why don't you tell me how things got to this point? Ya look awful.” Spike shrugged.

"It's mostly boring stuff; you wouldn't want to hear about it." Applejack wanted to howl in frustration.
”I’ll listen to anything you say. Oh Celestia, how I wish you knew that.”
"Don't worry,” she said firmly. “Maybe you’ll stop feeling so tired if ya just tell me what happened? Can’t have ya workin’, that’s fer sure.” Spike nodded his head slowly before collapsing. AJ lowered herself carefully to the ground, gazing expectantly at him. Spike sighed reluctantly.

“If you really wanna know…it all started after I left the party with Rarity..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rarity was trotting cheerily home, a dazzling smile plastered across her face, and an enormous pile of suitcases and food (commonly known as Spike) trailing close behind her. Once inside the walls of Carousel Boutique, the young dragon collapsed, allowing his burden to drop from his shoulders and onto the spotless tiles. His exhaustion was instantly forgotten, however, when Rarity turned to face him, batting her eyelids.

"Oh, you can just put those in the kitchen, Spikey-wikey. Don't forget that I need your…er… back,” she said, dangling a set of magic-enclosed pin needles in front of Spike’s face. He grinned dopily, saluted and heaved the pile into the kitchen before falling to his knees once again, breathing hard. He squeezed his eyes shut. This was it. Today was the day.

"Alright, Spike, you got this man! She's right out there and you've been preparing for this a long time. It's time to finally ask her out!" Gritting his teeth, he marched out of the kitchen and towards the mannequin Rarity was examining with her back turned to him.

“Um…Rarity?” he asked. The unicorn spun around and flashed a brilliant smile his way.
"Ah, Spike dah-ling! Could you do me a teensy-weensy little favor and get down on all fours? Oh, and try not to move." Spike cautiously obeyed and is wasn’t long before he felt the familiar sting of needles digging into his skin, finding all the cracks in his hide. A tiny whimper eased itself from his lips, something which went unnoticed by Rarity.

”C’mon! Just do it! Ask her out.”
He cleared his throat. “Rarity, I need to ask you somethi”-
Rarity sighed frustratedly.

“Not now, Spikey. I need you to stay perfectly still or the pins will fall out. Oh, and talking might shake them out so it would probably be best if you kept quiet as well."

And so, Spike shut his mouth, continuing to endure what most experts would agree to be 'physical torture'.

Three hours later, when Rarity had finally finished her dress, she stood back and marveled at her work…not even bothering to acknowledge Spike hunched over in pain just next to her. She didn’t notice as he painstakingly removed each pin from his hide, trying his best not to tear his own scales.

When he was finally done, he gathered his courage once again and opened his mouth…only to find that a chart had been thrown in his face.

“Wha”-

"Spikey, could you be a dear and clean the kitchen for me? I'd do it but I simply cannot find the time to do so!” She brought her forehoof dramatically to her forehead. Spike laughed deliriously in response, the sound a chaotic mix of hysteria, exhaustion, and blind infatuation.
“Anything for you, Rarity…”

Unfortunately for Spike, “anything” turned out to be mopping, sweeping, organizing, dusting, cleaning the bathroom, tidying up Rarity’s 'inspiration', cooking dinner, fixing a broken mannequin, cutting ribbons, feeding Opal, giving Opal a bath (otherwise known as a death-sentence), returning the books Rarity had borrowed to Twilight, trying to get the cutie mark crusaders to settle down after they had decided to have an impromptu sleepover and finally cleaning up the resulting mess they left behind after eating dinner.

And after all of that, his resolve was stronger than ever. Nothing would get between him and his love. He raced towards Rarity and stared deeply into her oceanic eyes.

“Rarity. There’s something I need to”-

“Wha? Oh, darling, you can go now!” She twirled on the spot, stopping only when her back was turned on Spike. “Goodnight, Spikey-wikey.” Spike could do nothing but stand by, dumbfounded as Rarity breezed away, probably to pray to her ‘secret’ Trenderhoof shrine.

He sighed defeatedly and returned to library…only to find that he still needed to do his own chores. He had finally finished everything only to look out the window and realize that an entire night had passed and it was now the afternoon of the next day.

"Oh buck! I promised AJ I'd help her on the farm!" And with that, he ran as fast as his stubby legs could carry him to Sweet Apple Acres.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback End~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike glanced up at Applejack and was startled to realize that he had never seen such raw emotion in her eyes before. There was sympathy, frustration…anger.

AJ was MAD.

"How dare she! She's used Spike and treated 'im like trash before, but this went too far! Oh, and Spike... Oh, the poor thang, he prob'ly feels dead inside."

Applejack reached out and held Spike to her, never wanting to let go. She wouldn’t have had the dragon not tapped her awkwardly on the shoulder.

“Uhh, AJ?" She quickly let go of Spike, her cheeks as red as the apples she grew. Spike tilted his head contemplatively as she bit her lip worriedly, his eyes filled with sadness.

“What is it, sugarcube?” Applejack asked quietly.

"You know I think I understand now…why Rarity doesn't like me that way." AJ tilted her head in false confusion.

“Really? And why’s that?" Spike clenched his fist frustratedly. "Because she still thinks of me as a kid!" AJ was taken slightly aback by his answer. "What're you talking about? You’re not a kid, Spike!" Spike shook his head.

"You know that's not true.Everyone thinks I’m just a child! I’m going against my dragon nature. I can’t age…or at least look my age. You and Twilight know that. But everyone else? No dice." Applejack opened her mouth to argue, then found that she didn’t know what to say. She started as Spike snapped his claws. "But, I think I know a way I can look my age!" He grabbed AJ's shoulders and stared determinedly into her eyes, causing a light blush to decorate her features. “I need your help. Will you come with me?” AJ nodded instantly.

"Of course, Spike,” she said fervently. “Where're we goin'?"
Spike smirked and pointed into the distance.

"The Everfree forest!"

Author's Note

-Comments and Questions will be answered!
-Criticism is always welcomed!
-Thank you for reading!