It's Hero Time!

The next morning was bittersweet to say the least. I got up and Twilight was already awake but yet she was still hugging me close. “Good morning.” I said.

Twilight kissed my head, “Good morning baby.” Twilight still had red, bloodshot eyes.

“That feels a little weird hearing you say that so suddenly.” I admitted.

“Sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize for that.” I said to her. “Let’s just take it slowly.”

“Alright.” Twilight nodded, and we slowly separated. “So Celestia put you in charge. How does it feel?”

“I’m scared.” I admitted. “I’ve never been a leader before.”

“I think you have.” Twilight said and she rubbed my back. “Remember when we were sucked into your comic book?”

“Yeah but that was something I knew about. This, I’m completely clueless.”

“Oh right…” Twilight trailed off, then she scratched her chin. “What about hoofball?”

“What about it?” I asked.

“Well none of those hoofball players would be very effective without a coach. This time instead of being put on the side you’re the one in charge.”

“I still don’t know.” I looked down.

“I believe in you Spike.” Twilight hugged me again and I hugged back. While we were sharing that moment together there was a knock on the doors. Twilight looked up, “I wasn’t expecting anypony today.” She looked out over the balcony and then we went down to the front lobby and opened the doors to see the other girls. “Girls what are you doing here?”

“We came for something long overdue.” Rarity said. Twilight realized that it wasn’t a book she was talking about.

Twilight nodded and let her friends into the castle. They all sat around the cutie map and I sat in my seat. Applejack was the first one to speak. “Spike yesterday after the princess said what she did, we all sat down together and thought about what we had done in the past. Before you got the watch.” Applejack took her hat off. “It’s a tough pill to swallow but the sad part is that it’s true. We didn’t treat you with a lot of respect and that’s something that makes us very ashamed.” AJ wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry Spike, I treated you like you were insane when all you were trying to do was help me out.”

“I’m sorry too Spike.” Rainbow Dash said. “I was very disrespectful, I should have treated you better. I was more like a bully than a friend. It wasn’t cool.”

“I’m sorry too Spike.” Fluttershy said. “I may not have done a lot but even ignoring a friend still hurts them.”

“I’m sorry as well Spike.” Pinkie sniffed. “For not inviting you to parties, for not inviting you to see Maud, and not listening to you.”

Then it came to Rarity. “May I please speak to Spike alone?” Rarity requested and the other girls nodded and left. Then the doors closed and it was just her and I. “Spike, if there is anypony that begs the most forgiveness from you is I. The way I have treated you is not becoming of a lady, it’s hardly becoming of a friend. I have known of your feelings of me for quite a while, and no nopony told me.” Rarity sighed. “There is a line that you do not cross and I did. I mistreated you and used your feelings to my own advantage, I abused your friendship and your feelings. That is appalling to even think about, and then I thought back to when I used you as a pincushion.” Tears fell from her eyes. “Looking back, I saw that I was a greedy, abusive monster.” Rarity sat next to me. “I think you’ve earned this.” She planted her lips on mine.

My eyes widened in shock then I kissed back. I was waiting for this for the longest time and then she separated from it. “Wow.” I muttered.

“I’m sorry Spike, but I don’t think I can date you though. You’re just too young.” Rarity said.

Then I paused. “Rarity, how old do you think I am?”

“12?” She answered.

“Rarity, I’m 19 years old.” I said. “Twilight hatched me when she was 5, she’s 24 now. I’m only a baby by dragon standards, if I were a pony, I’d be old enough to drink.” Needless to say Rarity’s jaw dropped.

“But, I-I don’t understand.” Rarity stuttered.

“Dragon’s grow based off two things, greed or age.” I said. “You’ve seen the greed, but a dragon living a greed free life usually becomes an adult around a thousand years old. If I guessed, Ember is at least 300.”

“So you’re saying?”

“By pony law, I am a legal adult.” I said.

“I-I, I need time to think about this. I’m not saying no, just understand that this is a lot of information to process all at once.” Rarity said.

“I get it.” I told her. “But first I need to talk to Twilight.” I hugged Rarity. “I forgive you.”

“Why would you forgive me?” She asked.

“Because that’s what friends do.” I replied, and she hugged me back. I then looked at the door, “You girls can stop eavesdropping on us.”

The door opened and the other five girls were blushing. “It was Pinkie’s idea!” Fluttershy blurted. Pinkie just nervously laughed.

“I don’t think I need to tell you the details then.” I said while sitting back down. The other girls sat down in their seats.

“So you’re 19?” Pinkie asked. “I messed up big time on your birthday file.”

“You should all know how old I am, I was born when you all got your cutie marks.” I said a little angry. “Last year, you didn’t even celebrate my birthday, you just celebrated the fact that you all got your cutie marks at the same time.”

“Okay, we really dropped the ball on that one.” Twilight looked down. “That’s not only rude but very disrespectful.”

“Girls if we sat here and talked about every little disrespectful thing you did to me we’d be here all day.” I activated the watch. “Instead I got a better plan.”

The girls all gulped. “Wh-What would that be?” Fluttershy asked.

I turned the watch and then transformed into Stinkfly. “Some payback.” I then sprayed them all with my stink slime.

Twilight gagged and nearly threw up. “Spike!”

“Twilight, let him go.” Rarity said while being covered in the slime. “It’s the least we deserve after the way we treated him.”

“Rarity aren’t you upset because you’re dirty?” Applejack asked.

“It’s tough love Applejack darling.” Rarity sighed. “Now do you have a bathhouse in this castle?” She turned her attention to Twilight.

“No, if you’re going to take a shower. You’re going to have to do it at home.” Twilight said while using her magic to wipe the gunk out of her eyes. “But I do have a hose out back, so you won’t have to go home all dirty.”

The girls agreed and worked their way out of their gunk and went outside and around the back to see me with the hose running. I sprayed them down with the hose. “Spike, why are you spraying us down?” Rainbow asked.

“I may want some payback, but that doesn’t mean I’m a bully. You girls are still my friends.” I said. “Now hold still.” I sprayed their coats, manes, and tails. “There now go take a shower. I’ll be at Plumber’s HQ.” I turned into XLR8 and sped off into the everfree.”

I got to the HQ within the span of a few minutes. I changed back into my regular self and entered the castle. When I entered I saw a face that I didn’t expect to see. “Trixie?”

The power blue mare looked at me. “Hello Spike.”

“Let me guess, the whole showmare gig is just a cover so that you can travel around and fight aliens?”

“Yes, but remember Plumbers are a police force, we don’t go around just fighting aliens. There’s a process.” Trixie said.

“You aren’t talking in third pony.” I noted.

“That’s just to sell the role as a showmare.” Trixie said. “I’m really not like that at all.”

“So is there anypony else that I know that are plumbers?”

“You know Bon Bon?” Trixie asked.

“The cream colored mare with the pink and navy mane?” I asked.

“Yeah, she’s a plumber too. She’s a field agent and is in charge of clean up detail.” Trixie said as we walked together. “Time Turner is an alien, we don’t usually bother him. He’s in a field that we don’t want to cover. Though he’s been helpful before, he usually doesn’t interfere.”

“Alright, but how does he look like a pony?” I asked.

“It’s complicated.” Trixie said. “I didn’t even pay attention when he was explaining because it confused me too much.”

I shrugged and continued to walk with her looking at the new technology that was built into the castle. “Are there any aliens working here?”

“Not yet we need to deal with the alien threat right now.” Trixie explained as the other girls walked up.

“Trixie?” Twilight asked. “You’re a plumber?”

“Yes I am.” Trixie said. “I’m going to be training you six.”

“A braggart like you?” Rarity asked while wringing out some of her mane.

“That’s just a cover so nopony will catch on to my real job. The showmare stuff is so I can travel around.” Trixie explained. “I’m really a nice girl.”

“But what about coming back and fighting Twilight?” Rainbow asked.

“I was just following orders.” Trixie said. “It was an order from Princess Celestia to test you.”

“Why didn’t the princess tell us?” Twilight asked.

“The same reason she didn’t tell you about us. Secret can kill if left in the wrong company. Loose lips sink ships.” Trixie said. “But let’s move on. If you would please follow me I’ll show you to your classroom.”

“Classroom!” Twilight said excitedly.

“Yes, if you girls are going to be plumbers then you have to go through the training classes, though it’s not an official training class. It’s more of a crash course.” Trixie explained. “Spike however is needed in the science department.” She handed me something. “This data pad will show you where to go.” I took the data pad and it showed an arrow pointing forward. “Just follow the arrow and you should be fine.” Trixie ushered the other girls into the room and I started to walk.

I continued to the stairs and walked down them, the activity in the room was like Manehattan. There were ponies, griffins, zebras, minotaurs, diamond dogs, and even a few dragons. When I entered the room Discord appeared next to me. “Spike, I sensed that you and the others had arrived. Did you meet the welcome wagon?”

“You mean Trixie?” I asked.

Discord nodded. “It was my idea, I felt that you all would feel better if there was a somewhat familiar face instead of just my own, also Steel was busy.”

“What’s he doing?” I asked.

“Trying to set up the communications array to communicate with the Plumber intergalactic base.” Discord said.

“So what am I doing here?” I asked.

“Crash course. You need to be able to lead, and with effective leadership you need to understand the full capabilities of the aliens at your disposal.” Discord said. “So get your reading glasses on, because you’re going to be doing a lot of reading.” Discord smirked.

“.........Crap.”