All On Your Own

Chapters

Can't Take It Anymore
Highway to Hell
Arrival

Can't Take It Anymore

Twilight levitated a book from the shelf to her left over to the small wooden table that Spike recently crafted. Being made for small amounts of weight, the table was a little weak. As the purple alicorn continuously stacked more and more books on the table, it began to wobble and shudder.

"Spike! Could you grab a roll of paper from the--" She stopped. The small table split in half and fell to the floor.

"For Celestia's sake!" Twilight shouted.

"Your weak table just broke," Twilight called to the little dragon, somewhat annoyed.

Spike was infuriated. Though he knew she was currently going through her menstrual cycle, Twilight knew it couldn't withstand more than 10 books, but she had placed 13 on the table. "Why did you put so many books on the table?!"

Twilight made a face that suggested she didn't need to answer that.

Spike became even more angry. He grabbed some paper and brought it down the stairs to Twilight. Twilight spoke up. "You need to work on your carpentry, Spike. This...was pathetic. You didn't even try to pick out a strong wood, you just grabbed whatever was at the shop, and...

Twilight continued to complain about Spike's poorly made table, even though he had never done it before, and he'd just tried to see if he could create a sturdy decent little table.

Something inside Spike then snapped. Something that was suppressed for years. Spike took the paper and threw it in the fire place, igniting it and causing the paper to crumble and burn.

"Why would you do that?!" Twilight shouted.

"Because I can't take this anymore! I can't take anymore of you! Of your bullshit!" Spike kicked the broken table, causing pain to shoot up his leg, but he ignored it.

Spike stormed upstairs, and sat in the bedroom, hot tears streaming down his face, as his anger led to despair.

He was a little sorry for exploding like that.

Later that night, he put together an edible piece offering, which consisted of Twilight's favorite foods, like dandelions he picked from outside.

Spike crept downstairs into the dark library to find Twilight sitting at a desk, with a small lamp shining on her papers. The fire was no longer burning, only hot coals were left, though they still put off heat.

"Uh, T-Twilight..?" Spike said.

Twilight quickly turned her head, and since it was so dark, she didn't see Spike's small gathering of "I'm sorry I blew up" food.

"Oh, have you come to burn something else, my lovely assistant?" Spike threw the food down, the platter crashing against the floor. Spike ran upstairs, tears streaming down his face. The food was now visible to Twilight as she realized Spike was going to apologize. A feeling of regret filled her. Spike had gathered his things and went back downstairs.

"Spike, wait!" Spike did not turn his head as he left the Golden Oaks Library.

He hid behind a tree a good distance away and sat down. Since he knew that if he was running away, he'd need money. He had grabbed the small pouch he had used to contain 10% of all the money he'd ever earned, whether it be doing chores or helping out with the ponies in Ponyville.

But looking through his small backpack he realized he had forgotten one thing. His pass for the train. He had never used it, and it had one free first-time use on it before he began to be charged for each ride.

Twilight was outside, examining the area, but she could not see. Her horn lit up as she cast a spell of light. The front porch of the tree-home filled with light, and it even stretched out to the tree. Spike held still until Twilight went back inside. Using the darkness as his ally, he sneaked around the house to the back, where he climbed to the balcony. Twilight was downstairs, searching for a spell to help her find Spike, like a heat signature spell, or a night vision spell, or a Spike-finder spell, if there was one.

Spike carefully paced in the bedroom, and right by his small bed was the pass. He grabbed it, but just before he got to the balcony, he stepped on a creaky floorboard, creating a loud squeak as Spike cringed.

Steps were running to the bedroom door, in response to the noise. Spike heard and had no choice but to throw himself off the balcony. He landed safely in the bushes he planted a few years ago. The bedroom door swung open, and hit the wall. Twilight looked around and scurried over to the balcony, where she looked around and sighed. She continued to look through her vast collection of books, as Spike ran over to the train station. Since it was a Friday, you could ride the train free, without using your one-time free pass that comes with membership. But since this was free, they had to keep a limited amount of passes in stock, so that they don't go out of business for it.

"Uh, excuse me?" Spike said, standing on the tips of his toes as he stood at the booth for tickets. One train stood puffing and snorting on the track as it awaited a passenger. Spike held up his pass. "Could I have a ticket for the free Friday ride?" The colt at the desk nodded, and went to the back. He came back a few moments later, with a small blue ticket, that read "ADMIT ONE TRAIN RIDE - Manehattan." Spike thanked the colt, and hopped on the train, giving the conductor his ticket.

"I'm my own dragon now," Spike said as the doors shut and train began to move.

Highway to Hell

The train wheels rumbled against the tracks as the colorful train took off from the station that night. Spike felt no regret in leaving, as he knew he had valid reasoning for his behavior.

An older stallion stood up on the other side of the train, as he was on a train to Manehattan, visiting family. He was reading the newspaper, holding it up with a magical field that levitated the paper, turning the page occasionally.

Spike reached into his small backpack.

Inside was his bit bag, which held 300 bits he saved over the years, his train pass, some colored gems, and finally, a diamond. The diamond was a beautiful gem he found when he took up a job in mining for a few weeks. He sneaked it out, and had it cleaned up and made it very valuable, worth about 450 bits, to be exact. But he wanted to make sure he kept it, in case he needed money.

Hiding a small diamond is easier than hiding almost 500 bits.

Not much was happening on the train car he was in, so Spike got up and moved to the next car casually. The golden coins in his bit bag created a quiet jingling noise as he switched to the next car, which was the dining car.

A mare unicorn stood at the counter, levitating a rag to clean out the few glasses and plates she had left. She looked up and smiled as Spike walked up and sat on a stool in front of the bar. She began to speak. "What brings you here, hun?"

Spike sighed. "I'm just...going on a trip."

She nodded and looked around. "Well, you're the only one here, so what can I get you?"

Spike thought for a moment.

"Do you...have any...gems?" Spike asked, a little unsure.

A look of confusion covered her face as she thought.

"Uh, I'm not sure, but I'll check." She walked over to a back room, dropping the rag.

She comes back with a jar that contained a large amount of gems of all colors.

"So how much for it?" Spike asked, anticipated.

She looked down at the charge board, and down at the very bottom stated, "Gems - Complementary with any purchase of the Gem Cake."

"Looks like you need to buy the Gem Cake to get them," she said. Spike looked up and saw the pricing for a Gem Cake. The board read, "Gem Cake - 10 bits. One extra bit for every gem requested."

Spike looked back down at the mare. "I'd like a Gem Cake with all the gems you have. But leave them in the jar, please." The mare's eyes widened but continued to calculate his final total. "That'll be...147 bits, please."

Spike was now in the 'hotel' part of the train, which had several rooms you could rent as the train was on it's way.

He set his stuff on the nightstand and slowly fell unconscious with the moonlight shining down through his window and on his face.

Author's Note

This has some small attention but I'm hoping it'll turn into much more. Spike is a few hours away from Manehattan, and he is preparing for the ride of his life that is the real world outside the library back in Ponyville.

Arrival

Spike got up, the sun shining down on his scales as he climbed off the bed and lifted it up into the wall, as it had the ability to and left the room, locking it as he headed over to the dining car. He yawned and stretched, walking slowly over to the counter, with one thing on his mind--coffee. You can't blame him. He had a rough night, and to make matters worse, the room next door was not exactly the quietest in the world.

"It's you again." The mare behind the bar said. "What can I get for you?"

Spike wondered what he needed to drink to wake him up. "Um, just give me whatever's in the pot." The mare nodded and turned around, tilting the small pot over, pouring the hot dark liquid into a mug. Spike took the mug and drank it, the warm coffee flowing down his throat, making him feel less empty, as he now realized he really was on his own with nobody to turn to, and that was a big step.

"Something on your mind?" she asked, noticing his blank stare and the counter. Spike looked up and shook his head. "No, I just...don't know f some decisions I made were right." Spike took another sip. "Well, I may not be an expert on choice making, but following your instinct is never a bad thing. It's just..sometimes not the best thing." Spike pondered on her statement as she refilled his mug.

Later, in the afternoon, Spike laid down on his bed and ate some gems. He wasn't tired, just a little lazy. He stayed in there all day until the nighttime. Screeching was heard as the world outside stopped moving past the train. The train had stopped.

Voices were heard down the hall from his room as he began to realize what had happened. Twilight had stopped the train to find him. Spike grabbed his bag and shoved his stuff into it, and wondered what to do. He then remembered that the windows could open, and he opened it, in case Twilight came in while he was hiding and assumed he had run off.

Spike pulled open the bathroom door and looked for a place to hide. A small cabinet below the sink was all that was there. Spike, being a small baby dragon, could fit in there. So he opened the cabinet and fit himself inside. He then closed the door and waited. Spike had room to stretch, so he wasn't uncomfortable, but the drop of water that fell from the pipes annoyed him a bit.

Minutes pass. Spike anticipation grows as if he is being looked for by a murderer.

Then his door swings open and steps are heard, pacing around, obviously looking for him. Spike knew that even if they had obtained a heat-seeking spell, he was cold-blooded, and only gave off a faint outline that would take a higher trained magic specialist to make more clear and present in their vision.

After 5 minutes, the steps come closer to the bathroom. They pace around, and eventually leave. Spike did not release a sigh of relief, as they were still in the room and would hear him. Half an hour passes and the ponies leave. Spike stays in the cabinet just in case, and eventually falls asleep.

The next morning, Spike's ass and back are in pain, after sleeping in such a hard wooden cabinet. But he was safe from "her."

Within 2 hours, the train stops at a city. The big city of Manehattan.

Author's Note

I know I didn't add very much in this chapter, but I was in a hurry. I got this done in one night, finishing at around 1:30 AM. (i'm lazy) I would greatly appreciate comments, as I'm not getting any about this story. I had the idea for this story when I told my friends the story of the time my brother ran away when we were kids. He had nothing but $10, a comb, hair gel, (he liked to spike his hair) a mirror, and 2 bottles of Mountain Dew. About 2 hours after him running, we found him sitting on top of the school, drinking some Dew and fixing his hair. Damn my dad was angry. But anyway, I just want to say that some feedback would be great. Leave a comment or start a chat with me. I check it every day.

See you all on the equine side. ~LH