Firefly

Prologue

The soft patter of rain splashing against the crystallized windows of Canterlot High School reverberated around the interior of the classroom, effectively serving as a distraction to several students as they yawned while listening to yet, another boring lecture from their teacher. From where he was in the back, he could see the dark silver storm clouds as the swirled around in the evening sky, arcs of bright blue lightning passing between them. Loud claps of thunder would make the bodies of the ponies shudder every time it boomed.

Glancing at the clock only seemed to make him more nervous than he already was. After all, it wasn't everyday that one told their best friend that they were madly in love with them. Somewhere deep down he hoped that she felt the same way, but his mind couldn't help but think of all the things that would go wrong after he told her.

A bead of sweat dripped from his brow as he looked between the clock and the door once more, noticing how the second hand seemed to toy with his mind as each tick became slower and slower as the final bell drew nearer. Like the rest of the students, well the ones that were awake that is, he was steadily getting his footing to launch out of the chair while simultaneously grasping the strap of his bag.

“Remember class, I expect a full thirty page paper on Monday about the importance of the Equestrian Civil War and the impact it had on our nation as a whole. I don't just want to hear about the battles, but of the time between them and what the war brought to the citizens of this nation.” She stopped her lecture to look at one of the sleeping students. With a loud smack, she slammed her book down on her desk, startling those still asleep into full wakefulness as she eyed each of them in turn. “And when I say a thirty page paper, I mean thirty pages front and back, single spaced.”

If anypony looked closely they would swear that she had an evil smirk across her lips as she heard the collective groans from the students. All except from one dragon sitting in the back, trying desperately to act like he was more interested in the teacher than the clock. “As for you Spike, I expect YOU, not your brilliant sister, to write this paper, is that understood?”

Spike gulped as he awkwardly nodded his head, knowing that any other response would likely result in her taking his head off with one swipe of her hand. Before she could utter another word, the dragon was on his feet and out the door with the parade of other students as the final bell echoed in the now empty classroom.

Like a landslide down a rainy hill, the students poured out of the school and into their various modes of transportation home, whether it be their own personal cars, the bus, bike, or to run home. By now the rain was thundering down upon the school, creating small pools of water that some would unintentionally use to splash each other on their mad dash through the downpour.

Albeit all of the mass of chaos that the students had created, and though the rain was coming down with such harshness that he thought the pegasi had it in for him, there still stood five of his best friends, one of which was more like a sister to him than the rest. Twilight Sparkle was her name, and she adorned a soft smile as she watched him make his way through the mass if students over to their group.

As Spike drew nearer he could see that she was resting with her head on her girlfriend's shoulder, who was standing proudly with a cyan colored wing draped around her. Typical Rainbow Dash, he thought as he came to a halt before them. He gave each of them a hug in turn, Twilight, Rainbow, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. Although he was disappointed to see that Rarity wasn't among them, he just grinned and assumed she was already home working on a project.

No sooner has Spike joined them that the group started to dissipate, Applejack making a dash for her truck to go to work on her family's farm, Fluttershy going with Pinkie Pie back to her car so that they could go to their work, the local kennel and Sugarcube Corner, leaving only Twilight and Rainbow Dash, both of whom were heading back to Twilight's car to escape the rain.

Spike sighed as he started to slowly walk away from the school's parking lot and towards the main streets of Canterlot. He hadn't even taken a step of campus when he felt a hand placed on his shoulder. Whirling around, he wasn't surprised to see Rainbow, “Twilight wanted me to ask you if you wanted a ride?” Normally he would be ecstatic to accept a ride from Twilight, but as of lately he liked to walk home, to fly through the back alleys where nopony could see him, where he could be alone. He shook his head and continued to walk on down the street, turning down a back alley before Rainbow Dash headed back to the parking lot.

It was already starting to get darker by the time that Spike had turned from one alley to another, walking past the one street that has always haunted him. When he was a young dragonling he had learned from his adoptive mother Princess Celestia that this street used to house the most beautiful structures that anypony had ever seen. There was a time when the kindest and warmest of ponies used to live here, but after the War, nopony ventured into the tattered and burned ruins of this part of the city. Some even used to say that it was haunted by those that had died by the hand of Nightmare Moon. Nevertheless, he always used its alley way as a shortcut through the city.

Arriving on the other side of the daunting street he came across Diamond Lane, where at the end in a cul-de-sac was his beloved Rarity's Carousel Boutique. After a short debate that his mind eventually lost, he made his way down the street towards the tall standing snow white structure. He had only taken a few steps when he noticed something odd across the street from him. Walking beneath one of the various streetlights was Rarity, her beautiful coat soaked and matted together, her normally bouncy, curly hair was straight and lying against her soaked clothing. To him she was still the most beautiful pony that ever lived, aside from his mother and aunt of course.

Over the years he had started to date, and more than one pony had caught his interest, but none of them were Rarity, none of them had her heart.

Spike watched as she passed beneath another streetlight before she collapsed to her knees, and it was then that he could hear her quiet sobs above the thunder of the rain. Looking to make sure that no cars were coming, he darted across the street and slid to his knees next to her, quickly embracing her in his warmth. Rarity didn't even need to look up, she just simply turned into the warmth of her best friend and she let loose the tears that she had been holding back ever since that afternoon.

Gently, so as not to disturb her moment, Spike helped the silvery-white mare to her feet, step-by-step escorting her home. Along their trek through the rain neither one spoke a word, he being to afraid to ask and really not wanting her to get upset any more than she already was, and she was too busy crying to say anything.

As they drew closer to her home and business, she finally found her voice to tell the dragon one thing, “Don't leave me Spike. Please.”

Spike almost cried when he heard how she was pleading with him, how she sounded so broken and hollow inside, and it was all she could do to not drop her and just squeeze her there in his arms. Instead, he simply opted to carry her up the steps into her home, where her magic opened the door as quickly as she could so they could escape the bitter cold of the rain.

Whenever Spike had always been inside of her boutique before he was always amazed at how clean it was, of how everything was set up in a semi-specific way, but there was always something out of place. Today however, he could care less of how the furnishing was, all he cared about was the mare whom he had fallen in love with many years ago, and who was breaking his heart to see in her such a state of despair.

He led her over to the couch, where he laid her down so that she could find some towels to dry them off. The rain itself had been a little cold, for her at least, and he knew that with how drenched she was that she was possibly going to go into shock, if she didn't get sick first. As he stepped away, Rarity found the strength to grasp him and together they fell to the floor, but not before Spike managed to catch himself on his knees.

Rarity continued to cry into his shoulder, but now she was trying to cuddle closer to him for warmth. Spike, one not to turn down a friend in need, especially her, laid his wings around her and his arms to share the warmth of his body.

In relative silence, albeit from her quiet sobs, they sat together with nothing but the ticking clock and their beating hearts the only thing to keep them company. Spike alternated between telling her that everything was okay and trying to shush her while using a claw to softly massage her back and shoulders as best he could from their current position.

Some time passed before Rarity finally pulled back so that she could look Spike in the eyes. Using a single claw, he wiped away her remaining tears as he just simply smiled warmly at her. She returned the gesture. “Thank you Spike.”

“I'll never leave a friend in need, especially my best friend.” They retained their smiles as they let the silence once again encompass the room.

“Thunderlane broke up with me today.” The way that she said it so blatenly confused him, it was like all of the crying that she had just done was for naught. When she saw his expression she wanted to smile, but more tears started to form instead. If only you knew how much I loved you Spike.

It was no secret among their friends that Spike had a thing for Rarity, and when they were younger she knew, but recently she had come to assume that he had moved on from her. Only Twilight knew of her feelings for Spike, and she too was the only one who knew when she started dating Thunderlane that it was just her attempt to move on, but after two years of dating the silver pegasus, she knew that it was getting nowhere fast. She was just too in love with Spike to move on, she knew that he was her perfect match, and no stallion nor dragon could ever compare to him.

“It wasn't that he broke up with me that hurt so much Spike. It was what he said about you. He told me to stop being friends with you, told me that I spent more time with you than him, that if we were so close that we didn't need to see each other as much as we did.” She wanted to tell him more, but was unsure of how he would react. Upon seeing the love in his eyes that he had for her, a spark within her heart was rekindled, and she acted upon as quickly as it came. “It was when he said that instead of trying to hurt you anymore by playing with your emotions and feelings for me, that I should just tell a creep like you to find new friends and that I didn't need you....”

Spike placed a finger over her lips, “Forget about what he said. I'm here, and he's not.” He sighed, “I didn't know my friendship meant that much to you Rarity.” That struck the final chord in her heart, and it took control of her body before her mind could. There was no pause as she launched herself forward. Spike was left awestruck as he felt her lips pressing against his, leaving him, with wide eyes that watched her every move from hence forth. When he felt her tongue begging, practically pleading for entrance, he couldn't help but finally melt into the kiss.

After a while his mind finally kicked in and he broke off the kiss, looking at Rarity with a mixture of bitter turmoil. He didn't know whether to be sad, angry, happy, or just disgusted. “Spikey, I'm so sorry for not saying anything before.”

“What do you mean?” It was like a stack of bricks had been laid out before him, without mortar, and he was supposed to make them as strong as they were with the thick paste that normally held them together.

“Spike look at me.” No matter what she could have said to him, he could never hope escape the hold that her sapphire eyes kept him in. In much the same manner, she could never hope, nor want to escape the hold that his emerald slits kept her in. “You've never been just my friend Spike, not for a long time.” He began to understand what she was saying, but he still needed to hear it for himself. “What I am trying to say is that, I love you Spike, I always have.”

Spike's heart raced when he heard her finally admit her love for him, but he was still uncertain as to how sincere she was about it. Ya he could tell she wasn't lying, but he didn't know if this was just her way of dealing with the pain that Thunderlane had put her through. “What about Thunderlane?”

“I was just trying to run away from my feelings for you, I had thought that you moved on.” Rarity didn't know if it was what she said, or if it was a look in her eyes that he had seen, but she wasn't complaining when his lips captured hers once again, and this time his forked tongue slithered into her mouth to wrestle with hers before they could even think about what was happening.

Rarity managed to gain the upper hand and pressed Spike onto his back as they began to roll around on the carpet of her living room, both trying to pin the other. Finally, Spike secured his arms on either side of her as his lips tried to salvage as much of her as he could. His nose ran wild with scents, the smell of lavender in her hair, the sweet, tangy scent of orange and a soothing Shea coconut shampoo for her body, the soft smell of cherries from her perfume, and above all else, the smell of vanilla that came from where their hips were connected.

It was with a great reluctance that Spike broke their kiss, placing a few on her neck before pulling her to her feet, smiling at the fact that he was no longer just Spike, but her was her Spike, her knight, her prince, her lover, and her best friend still. And she was the same to him, neither one was complaining about their new title, in fact, they downright loved it. Spike, just once had to say it aloud, if not to the world then to himself. “Rarity, my Rarity.”

It was hard to believe, but the truth was thrown in his face when she gave him a quick peck. “And I won't let anypony forget it.” When he looked into her eyes he was startled to find that there was a certain hunger that seemed to sparkle in them.

As if by some unforeseen instinct, he followed her as she turned up the stairs at the back of the store, his mind starting to go blank as he continued up the stairs. He was lulled by the alluring scent of vanilla, the very same scent that came from the one place on her body that nopony else had ever seen. And here, in her home, she was going to keep nothing from him.

Neither one noticed where their bodies had taken them until Spike was lying atop Rarity on her bed, holding her hands above her body as he slipped her shirt off. Kisses were laid across her neck, making her moan, her mind turned into mush at his touch, and she only wanted more. “Spike, take me, claim me as yours.”

His mind flickered just like a light switch, and he instantly looked at her with concern and love, not lust or desire, “Are you sure Rarity? I mean, we just...” He was silenced by another kiss, one which told him how bad she needed him.

“The only reason I've never done this before, was because I was waiting for you Spike.”

He felt a little unsure of himself as he looked over her semi-bare body, taking in her figure. It could be his, all his, and somewhere deep down his greed was starting to surface. He wanted, oh how he wanted her, but his mind thought that maybe, just maybe, this was her way to move past Thunderlane.

Spike wanted to continue, and in his heart he knew that she did too, but he didn't want her to be tied down to him. For ponies it was one thing to just, rut, or make love, but for dragons, it wasn't just making love, it was mating. It meant that no female would ever be able to have that male, that the female would be smothered in his scent so that no drake would ever try and mess with her, it meant that she forever belonged to him, in body and heart, and vice versa, that was why there weren't any pony-dragon couples that existed in Equestria.

“Rarity, if we go through with this...” Again a kiss silenced him. Rarity wanted him to just stop talking already and take her. She knew what could come from their coupling, but she knew that a child didn't bother him. What he was wanting from her, was for her to surrender the rest of her life to him, to never think of another male, to know that everyday she needed him, for anything, that he would never leave. He wanted to know that this wouldn't end after today.

“I know the consequences, I know that once we mate we are bonded forever. Spike, I want to be your mate, I want to be claimed by you.” To emphasize her point she did something that only a female dragon would ever do for her drake, she turned her head and displayed her neck for him, a complete show that he was the dominant one, that she truly wanted to be his.

Spike smiled at her, “I love you Rarity, and I promise that I will always love you.”

“I know Spike. I will always love you too...”

Rain splashed down atop his head as he walked back through an alley that curved around and lead away from the main market district of Canterlot. Rats scurried away when they heard the sharp clack of his talons against the cobblestone street. Water dripped from the metal grated fire escapes protruding like little ladders among trees from the many buildings that inhabited the alley way. Dumpsters lined their back doors like guards in the shadows.

Spike paid no heed to anything as he continued on his walk home, thinking the whole while of what had happened back at the Carousel Boutique. After ten minutes he still felt like he wanted to turn back. It wasn't like there was anypony to stop him, but he did know how his sister got when he wasn't home by a certain time. On a night like this, she was sure to be cuddled up with Rainbow Dash back home at their apartment in front of a fire as they talked about, whatever it was they talked about.

Even when his feet splashed into the puddles of water his mind seemed not to take notice. It was if the world around him was turned off so that his body was on autopilot, while his mind was left to recount what had happened, up to when he had left the boutique. Leaving her when she needed him most hurt, but they both knew that it was for the best. No amount of him cuddling her, kissing her, or anything else would help her now. She knew what they had done, and she needed time alone to think over everything that had happened, to sort things out as it were.

There was no going back now, for either of them. Spike was now forever bonded to Rarity, if ever she were to die, he would feel his heart slip away and his life would soon follow. She felt the same way, of that he was sure, otherwise they would have never started the mating ritual. Now all that remained was for him to take her on the courtship flight, which he swore he would wait until they were ready to get married.

A sigh of content escaped him as he turned down another alley, now fully trusting his body in control as he thought less about Rarity, but more about what his sister, or his mother for that fact, would say when they found out what he had done.

Scuffling was heard ahead from behind a row of dumpsters. He ducked behind one of the dumpster to avoid being seen as a group of ponies garbed in only tan trench coats with matching hats emerged from the rear door of a nearby brick building. They grunted as they made their way further into the alley, walking past the drake and throwing something down on the ground with a loud thud. A low grunt was heard as another figure started to crawl away from the three standing ponies, each of which was wearing a mask to protect their identities.

“What should we do wit 'im boss?” The tallest of the three asked, his voice sounding deep, but not very smart.

“Ya boss. Whatcha got planned?” The shortest of the three spoke, his voice coated with a thick Manehatten accent, but sounding sort of nasally as well.

The leader of the three stepped forward, placing a booted foot atop the crawling figure. “I know exactly vhat ve should do vit dis von.” He spoke in a Germain accent. “Za boss vhants him dead. So dead he shall be.” Together, the group pulled out what looked to be small weapons that he had only ever seen on Canterlot Guards. It was what one engineer had called a pistol, it used a trigger to push forth a hammer that would then ignite with a substance called gunpowder to propel a bullet, a small piece of either copper, silver, or lead, that could tear through a pony's body like water through metal grating.

By now Spike was hiding on the other side of the row of dumpsters, laying low in the shadows as he watched the murder take place. Flashes of light ignited the surrounding walls as loud bangs were heard above the rain, all ending with blood starting to splatter along the cobblestone street. Through the flashes he could see the figure that they were shooting at, a gryphon dressed in a fancy shirt and tie, with black trousers.

It was over in a matter of seconds. Spike watched, stunned at what was a quick demise of a pony. He had only seen a pony's life end so quickly when he was visiting the Dragon Kingdom and a pony had killed a dragon. The pony's head was cut clean off, ending their life in the blink of an eye.

The leader of the group turned around, and in the dim light of the light hanging above the rear door to the building, Spike could see the faint glow of scales beneath the eye holes of the mask, and the unmistakable topaz orange slits that seemed to stare straight at him. The masked dragon drew his pistol again, aiming it straight at Spike.

It was now or never. The masked dragon drew closer to his hiding place. The amethyst dragon listened, and waited for the moment to strike. It was swift. Spike lunged out with his leg and slid the dumpster into the dragon, knocking him over and blocking his path as he bolted off in the opposite direction.

“After 'im.” Together the three masked figures gave chase to Spike, each one aiming and failing to hit the dragon as they fired their pistols. After they rounded the first corner and found themselves in the lower market, they knew they had him.

“Go back and grab ze car.” The leader said as he and the taller of the two followed him into the market.

Spike slid beneath one of the stands that were littered in the market's center, thankful that nopony else was around, but also curing the luck that there wasn't. Knowing the lower district though, anypony here would have turned him into the masked figures. Thus he remained hidden and listened as the leader spoke out, “It'll be alright little pony, I promise not to hurt you. Vhat say you come out of hiding? No need for you to die.”

The loud blare of a horn honking could be heard as a car swerved into the market square, knocking over two stands as it slid to a halt. Unfortunately for Spike, one of the stands was the one he hid under. Looking up, he saw one of the masked figures leaning out of the car with what he could only assume was a bigger pistol. He sprinted as fast as his legs would take him as the weapon started to shoot faster than he had ever seen before.

The amethyst drake raced down the market's center, narrowly avoiding some of the ponies that were trying to get home. Meanwhile, the car followed behind him with the masked figures trying to shoot him, managing to only hit the cobblestones. There was a sharp ringing sound as each bullet bounced off of the pavement and ricocheted by his ears.

Turning down an alley that was too tight for the car to fit, Spike doubled his speed, using his wings to aid him as he shot down the alley just as the car pulled up to the other end. Before any of the figures could draw, he was already sliding across the roof and had taken to the skies, until he saw the dragon get out and fly after him, shooting and managing to Spike in the left wing.

He fell to the ground, rolling a bit to absorb the blunt force of the impact, but breaking a few bones in his wing and arm in the process. Now, injured, he got back to his feet and continued down the street until he came to yet another street that led past a string of hotels in the upper district.

By now the dragon had been able to make out who it was they were chasing by the lightning that illuminated the area. His eyes were wide, but his determination seemed to override his common sense, and they continued through their 'safe zone', and passed into the upper district in pursuit. Spike looked back, hoping to see the car veering off, but instead saw it coming at him faster than before. “Help!” He shouted as he continued to run from the car.

He was starting to run out of breath as he slid into another alley, having to take a minute before he got back up and continued his mad dash down the dead end. When he reached the end he awaited his doom, looking back and forth between the smiling masked drake, and the fence that was to his back. Taking his chances, he sprinted at the car as fast as his legs would take him.

Just as the drake was about to shoot him, Spike slid under the door and bit down on the dragon's hand, making him drop the weapon. Without even thinking about it, Spike grasped the weapon and screamed as he shot at the tires and sides of the vehicle. Tossing aside the weapon after only a minute, he jumped atop the car and down the hood to the street to continue.

The masked dragon rose up from where he ducked in cover, gritting his teeth as he drew his pistol and jumped out the window of the car, giving chase once more. His screams of rage were drowned out by the sounds of the pistol firing, the bullets whizzing past the drake's head.

Spike turned down another street, seeing his apartment building in the distance. As he drew closer, he could see his older brother Shining Armor and cousin Princess Cadence, as they started to walk in his direction in the rain. “Shining Armor! Cadence! Help! Help!” Behind them emerged Rainbow Dash and Twilight, slowly following behind the older couple.

Shining Armor squinted his eyes to peer down the street upon hearing a distant voice. When he saw Spike, he smiled as he pointed towards him, having the girls follow him as he ran to meet his younger brother. He faltered however when he saw two masked figure in tan emerge from the street that Spike had, pistols raised and firing at the young drake. Immediately Shining Armor drew his own pistol. “Hang on Spike! Dash, let's go!” Twilight was shocked when she heard shots being fired, but she became scared when she heard Spike's name being called as both her brother and her girlfriend ran off to aid him.

Spike felt the air burning in his lungs as he ran down the street towards his brother, seeing him and Rainbow firing their own pistols at the masked figure that were trying to kill him. Both were starting to gain on the dragon, as he was hard pressed to outrun them before they finally zeroed in on him.

Rainbow yelled out as she fell to her knees and started to shoot as she slid in the rain covered street, ignoring the burn in her legs as she watched one bullet tear through the taller figures leg, spraying blood on the street. Shining too let loose a war cry as he fired back at the ponies. By the time that Spike had passed the two ponies, they were well on their way on advancing on the masked figures, managing to drive them back, but not before the masked drake managed to get a clean shot off.

“SPIKE!!!” Both Twilight and Cadence screamed as he fell to his knees almost instantly, blood pooling on the chest of his shirt. Twilight caught Spike as he fell pivoted on his knees and fell on his back, looking up at his cousin and sister while the rain poured down his face. Through it, he could see their tears as they fell upon his cheeks. “Please no, please no! Spike!”

Shining Armor turned to look back at his little brother, enraged at what the criminals had done. “Mother buckers!” He snarled as whirled back around and caught the masked dragon in his cheek, making him stop to grasp it, and his throat where Rainbow caught him. Finally, the two retreated back the way they had come. As they came to the street corner their car pulled up, which didn't stop as they jumped in and took off down the opposite street.

Spike raised his head a bit as he looked towards his sister, his first friend. “T-Tell Rarity...”

“Shh. Don't talk Spike.”

“Rarity...” With what strength he could muster, he said, “Mates, for life.” Blood pooled beneath them in the street, a deep, dark, crimson red that flowed away towards Rainbow and Shining Armor as they ran back. Both were too busy trying to make it back to the hotel to notice a certain white unicorn mare running down the street towards where Spike was lying.

Cadence managed a wry smile as she knew what it was that Spike was trying to say. He finally got to be with Rarity, if even for a night.

Rarity felt her heart breaking as she made her way over to where the two mares were cuddling Spike close. She had seen the shoot out between Shining Armor and Rainbow Dash from where she was behind a parked car on the street. When Spike went down she screamed his name as loud as she could, hoping to Celestia that he wasn't dead.

She came to her knees next to Twilight, quickly wrapping her arms around Spike, holding him close as she sobbed more than Twilight or Cadence had. Both were shocked to see the mare, but were mortified when they saw the mark on the mare's neck. Twilight knew what Spike had done, and she felt more tears start to form. “You can't leave me Spike, I love you. Please, don't go where I can't follow...”

Together, the mares held the dragon close as the sounds of sirens could be heard drawing near, their flashing lights illuminating the street as they drove down it. Shining Armor returned to put his arms around Cadence, who too was crying with the younger mares, while Rainbow Dash hugged Twilight, letting her own tears fall as she watched the steady rise and fall of Spike's chest. “Hang in there Spike, for all of us...”