Spike was getting older, and needed to get into school. Twilight had taught him the basics to get into highschool. Unfortunately, Spike now attends a school with only ponies, and he is the only dragon. One Saturday night, Twilight decides to check in on her friend, and, by adoptive logic, brother. He was writing a report for what appeared to be English.
Twilight let out a soft sigh as she stood in the doorway, overlooking his slightly slumped over form. She knocked lightly on the doorframe, the door was open after all, as she awaited his response.
"Hm? Oh, hey Twilight." He said in a dreary but determined voice. Looking at her from his seat.
"May I come in?" She asked politely with a small smile, not yet having entered the growing drakes room.
"Sure." He said, and looked back to his essay. Writing once again. He yawned and asked "What time is it?"
Her smile took faded ever so slightly before returning as she slowly trotted over to him. "It's late, that's for sure." She responded vaguely as she looked over his shoulder at the paper itself.
He was writing about something that she was surprised to see him write. Bullying. His essay was about how bullying causes depression, and that depression has caused more deaths than world wars.
She felt a slight pang of worry for him, he was family after all, but she forced it away. It was just an essay. "So how's the homework going?" She asked softly, taking a seat on the ground next to him.
"Um, good I guess. I'm supposed to have the final draft in by Monday. I haven't been able to think too much. This week's been long." He sighed sleepily. But he seemed to be dead set on finishing his essay. As she read the words already written, she noticed that he would make a great author.
"Well, you seem to be coming along well!" Her response was slightly cheerfull, quite obviously attempting to encourage him. "And if you're stuck you should maybe sleep and continue tomorrow? It's good that you are taking school seriously, but don't force yourself to stay up for it." She added with a caring smile.
"Okay, you have a point. But my teacher is very demanding. She expects a perfect essay. No excuses." He says in what sounds like frustration. As if she had singled him out.
"Oh? That's odd. You shouldn't get that type of pressure." She stated with a small frown before shaking her head slightly. "From what I can see it is really good. Better than most of your age. I would feel proud of my students if I were handed an essay like that." She added with a friendly smile herself, choking a yawn with a hoof.
"I guess I should get some sleep. I need to have some energy to continue." He reaches towards the desk lamp to turn it off, the bedside lamp still on. Twilight saw marks on his arm. Unnatural marks.
Twilight held her breath, barely able to resist the urge to grab him then and there... But if she had just seen what she though she did, then she would have to be careful regarding this. "Spike." Her voice had taken on a more serious tone. "Are you alright?" She asked after a short moment, her eyes locked with his.
Spike blinked several times "What are you asking?" His arm lowering, lamp left on.
Twilight felt a small, cold sting across her back of worry. "Like... Are you feeling okay?" She placed a hoof on his shoulder. Oh, she was so horrible at approaching subjects like these and now she resented herself for it.
"I'm fine, Twilight. There's nothing wrong." He said, smiling. Yet down inside he hoped to Celestia that she would drop the subject. He was afraid of telling her the truth about how he was.
She frowned again, struggling to keep her own emotions in control. "Spike..." She found it hard to choose the follow-up words. "Please don't lie to me." Her voice had quivered slightly. She was trying to keep herself from doing so and she was sure he would notice.
"T-Twilight. I'm not lying. I'm okay. Why do you think I'm not?" He asked, smile fading away.
She let out a soft sigh. It was probably for the better to be blunt. "I saw your arm." She said, nothing but worry in her voice as she held her gaze firmly to his face.
"I fell." Spike said quickly. "At school. I fell and scraped my arm on the pavement. Did you think that I was...hurting myself?" He forced the question, hoping that she'd fall for the lie.
Her frown deepened. If he thought she could misstake a falling injury with a precise cut, he thought wrong. "Show me your arm." She was careful to not sound angry, for truly she was not, but it was hard not to sound sharp.
His eyes went from calm to nervous. Probably because of the tone in her voice. He held out his arm.
She traced the outside of the injury with a hoof, a scowl on her face. "You know as well as I, that is not something that happens from a regular fall." She didn't want to sound accusing either, but it sort of came with the statement.
Spike kept his mouth shut. Not saying anything, and hoping that she would stop. He was trying to hold back from cussing. One of those cuts was from Tuesday, and still hurt. She didn't know that. And he hoped she wouldn't realize it.
She let her hoof fall back down. She sat in silence for a short, agonizing moment as she struggled to collect her mind. "... But why?" The worry and emotional hurricane going inside Twilight was obvious in her voice as she asked her question.
"Twilight, I'm...sorry. I can't talk about this." Spike said in a low tone, he face mixing weary and unhappy. He didn't want to talk to her about this. It wasn't right to make her worry so much.
"Spike? Please. Don't hide this." Twilight said softly. Her eyes filling with tears. She put a hoof on his shoulder. And he stared at her. Not speaking. "Please." She repeated.
"T-Twilight... Stop. I can't.." He sighed, and stared at his "sister". She started to cry. Her hurricane of emotions leaking out past the barriers. Spike closed his eyes, not wanting to watch this happen.
" Just, tell me what's wrong!" She said in a loud and upset voice. Her face showing agonizing fear for him.
"Fine!" He snarled unhappily. "But you can't get involved, understood?" He asked letting his eyes flame up as they opened again.
"But, I am supposed to help you." She said quietly. She wanted to help so bad, but Spike wanted her to stop being so protective.
"No, you can't change it. I have to help myself get through this mess. I'm constantly bullied for being the solo dragon at school. The CMC go to a different school than I do. I'm judged by everyone! So I thought making cuts in my arms would distract me, but it only made things worse." He growled out, standing up and moving so that he wasn't facing Twilight.
"Oh... My gosh. That is terrible." She said, expressing his and her sorrow. He turned to face her, eyes blazing and tearing up.
"You wouldn't understand! I'm a dragon. I am looked at as if I'm a murderer. You're a princess, you're loveable. I'm worthless." He groaned.
"No you're not." She responded.
"Just leave me alone. I need some sleep. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow morning." He said climbing onto his bed.
"Spike..." Twilight stepped towards him.
"GET OUT." He growled.
"Okay..."
