Spike: Fluffy Belly Scratcher
B_25
Ponies always called my claws dangerous, and that made me feel bad.
I never blamed them for it. My claws were sharp. When I was younger, I would put holes in almost any wall just by pressing my claws against them. Papers were easily torn by mistake; books never survived their first reading.
My claws really were dangerous. I had to be careful with them, because they could harm things and hurt others. Those were the last things I ever wanted to do. Ponies told me that no good could ever come from my claw—or dragons, for that matter, because they had claws, and fangs, and other dangerous things.
And I kinda thought the same for most of my life. I ended up telling Twilight about it one night, and, well, from that one conversation, nearly every pony in this crazy town is after my claws.
I should probably start from the beginning.
“No no no!”
I wanted to cry as I stared at my claw. Every single digit stabbed through the letter I was holding—just one clench and my tips had punctured through the paper. I sighed as I wiggled them about, cringing as I heard the paper tearing.
“I'm so dead.” I used my other claw to pry the paper from my digits. I was careful to balance it on my palm, not trusting anything else about me near it. “Dear Celestia, please tell me none of this was from you.”
There's no real use in trying to hide the accident. Hopefully, Twilight would understand and wouldn't be mad; I've had lots of accidents over the years. I know that it being an accident means that it wasn't my fault, but to be honest, it didn't feel that way most of the time.
I was the one causing all the accidents, after all.
So away, I went through the castle, making sure to walk slowly to delay the inevitable, though I wasn't sure which was louder: the sound of my footsteps, or the beating of my heart. I tried not to think—I tried especially not to feel anything.
Sooner than later I was at a crystal door, and swallowing for what could be the last time. I knocked on it, banging freely on the solid crystal door, as I didn't have to worry about my claws breaking it. But on the first knock, the door swung back, leaving room for me to enter.
“T-Twilight?” I said into the dimly lit room, seeing only moonlight pouring in from the ceiling's high window. “You home? Or, er, you awake?”
“Hnnngh?” Spike spotted something rise from the desk set before the window, a fuzzy purple thing he knew all too well. “What's that? Mmm... oh, taxes aren't relaxing.”
“I... don't think they're supposed to be.” I came up to the side of the desk, where it took a few seconds for Twilight's eyes to adjust on me. I smiled up at her, wanting to put a claw on her back, but stopped when I remembered why I was here. “You alright? Doesn't seem like you got a lot of shut-eye.”
“I'm alright, Spike.” Twilight lowered her muzzle to mine, and much to my joy, nuzzled her cheek against my own, where her soft fur brushed against my hard scales. I know she didn't enjoy doing that as much as I did—who'd want something hard when you could be fluffy and soft? “Just in over my head, as usual. Offered to take on some of Princess Celestia's paperwork for her.”
“Regretting it?”
“I could never regret helping Princess Celestia.”
“Come on, Twilight.” I smirked. “If you won't be honest with me, then you won't be honest with yourself later.”
“Then I'm silently cursing her and feeling bad about it afterward.” Twilight looked back at the desk, papers scattered across the alleviated and tilted surface. She slumped heavily at the sight. “Paperwork is fun! At least, it's fun when I'm doing it, and not pretending to be Celestia of all ponies.”
“Maybe a break would help?”
“It's going to take a lot more than a break to clear my mind.” Twilight turned around in her seat, facing me fully. She was towering, her hind legs close together, her thighs unbrushed, leaving her fluff fuzzed up. “But how about you? I didn't give you any chores to do, but you look tenser than I feel.”
I didn't feel tense; I felt like a kid again. I wasn't a baby anymore, but I still kept screwing up like one. I needed to tell Twilight what I've done, to show her the accident that I caused, and then to take a deep breath, close my eyes, and wait for her to either shout or for everything to go silent.
“Come on, Spike.” I opened my eyes to see Twilight smiling down on me, though, to be honest, it was more of a smirk. “If you can't be honest with me, then you can't be honest with yourself later. If it helps, I promise not to laugh or get mad.”
I gulped. Guess that's the best offer I was going to get.
Holding up my claw, I held out the envelope. It still had the three holes in it, as well as tearing all around.
“Another accident with your claws?”
I nodded.
“Guess that makes it the fifth one this month.” Twilight's magic levitated the envelope out from my palm, floating the paper out of it. She read it. “Doesn't seem to be anything of importance. Just Pinkie sending out invites for another party.”
“Thank Celestia for that.” I took a moment to look down at my claws, staring at its contours, hating them. I curled my digits into a fist, driving that sharpness into my scales, but they weren't strong enough to break my scales. “What I wouldn't give to get rid of these useless things.”
“Useless things?” Twilight's muzzle invaded my vision. Her lips prodded at my fist, causing them to unravel, where she then laid her chin on my palm. “You didn't just refer to yourself as useless, did you? We talked about this.”
“I wasn't talking about myself,” I told her as I fought to keep my arm still, “I was talking about my claws. They're just so... useless!”
Twilight smiled. “Now what made you go and say a thing like that?”
“Because it's true!” I replied. “These claws have always been a pain! They never do any good. Remember that one time I cut your cheek?”
“I was crying, Spike.” Twilight's eyes almost had a glow to them as she spoke. “You comforted me by holding my cheek.”
“And that's my point!” Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, I couldn't take the risk of hurting her again, and without much thought, pulled my claw back. I could feel it drag across the skin of her cheek, almost cutting her again. “I wanted to help you! And what did I do? I hurt you.”
“You didn't mean to hurt me, Spike, and if you hadn't come that night, I would've been worse off for it.” Twilight stepped down from the stool as she stood at the same height as me. “Have ponies been talking about your claws again? Did they say something hurtful?”
“Nothing that wasn't true.” I sighed and shook my head. “Isn't there something you can do about this? Can't you cast a spell that will change my claws out for something... softer?”
“All the spells that can are temporary, Spike.” Twilight put her foreleg over my neck, something she could do, something she didn't have to think about, worry about, stress about. “And even if I did, I would be changing something that was integral to not only what, but who you are.”
“Yeah?” I snickered. “How do you figure that?”
“Because you wouldn't be who you are if it weren't for the decisions made because of what you are.” Twilight kissed at my cheek, giggling close to my ear. “I've told you this before, and I'll tell you this again, until you get it through your thick head.”
I actually chuckled.
“Your claws are a gift, not a curse.” Twilight pulled back until her muzzle was an inch away from mine. “And before you give me any lip, yes, your claws can be dangerous. But please, Spike, know that anypony that thinks that they are only dangerous, and nothing else, is wrong.”
“You sure?” I asked her, not shying away from her embrace. “Because those ponies were right about me ruining stuff.”
“Because you're still learning to use your claws properly.” Twilight's gaze flicked down to my claw, expecting me to lift it. So I complied without knowing why. “Your claws themselves are not dangerous—it's the way they can be used that matter. Think of a knife. When used correctly, it can chop food, cut things, and overall boost productivity.”
Then she narrowed her eyes. “But when used improperly, a knife can damage important things, or hurt somepony without meaning to.” Just as quickly Twilight's smile returned. “So it's silly to think of a knife only as dangerous. We need knives. We just need to learn how to use them properly so they help instead of harm.”
I listened to her point over a hundred times. There was no denying that Twilight was smart, and right, but when it came to this, when it came to me, it always felt like her words couldn't excuse my screw-ups.
“I feel like these claws do more harm than good.” I looked down at my claws again, shaking my head at them. “Don't get me wrong. It feels nice to be able to write. But I'd much rather use your magic.”
“And it took me years to master my magic.” Twilight lowered her muzzle before my chin. “My magic is able to write like your claws, but if used wrong, I could blow up the whole room! Everything is dangerous in its own way, Spike.” She kissed my claw again. “Don't think you're any different.”
She got me. Twilight got me. She always knew what to say, how to say it, and most important of all, when to say it. My heart cracked in a way that felt wonderful and I struggled to hold myself back from crying.
There was no chance in me saying anything: my voice would crack and then the tears would come, so I did the next best thing and threw myself at her. Twilight saw it coming because she left herself open, sitting down as my face collided with her chest, my cheek nuzzling her tuft of fur.
“Are we feeling a little better?”
I chuckled in response, which let the tears slip. She didn't mind at all, or at least she didn't say anything about it. All Twilight did was bring her forelegs around me, securing my body closer against her own, rubbing my back while I cried onto her chest.
I'm not sure how long we stayed like that, close and together, her fur all over my body, embracing me and comforting me, its softness and warmth being two of the things I could never get enough of. Ponies were all so perfect in their soft and cute ways.
It was hard to see how someone like me could ever amount to something like that.
But something strange happened during this almost snuggle session. Twilight's body was like a long and slim wall of lavender, and when I went to put my claws on her belly, I retracted them immediately when I felt her flinch and... giggle?
“T-Twilight?” I sniffed, pulling back enough to see her muzzle. “Are you okay?”
“I'm fine.” Twilight's expression was hard to read. She looked conflicted about something, but in a pleasant way, if that made any sense. “Your claw made my stomach feel really good for a second.”
“What? Really?” I wiped my eyes with a claw, before setting it an inch above her fluffy belly. “Kinda like this?” I didn't give it much thought as I stroked my digits along her underbelly, scratching at the skin beneath the fur. “That doing anything at all?”
“Oh, Spike!” I hadn't noticed it, but next to me, one of Twilight foreleg was thumping against the ground. “That feels great! But... but maybe it's best to stop for now. Just to be safe.”
The fear of hurting her again sent my claw flying back. Had I taken things too far? Did I scratch her too hard? Countless worries flooded my mind as I stepped back. Twilight herself was still sitting still, a goofy smile on her lips.
Her leg wasn't thumping against the ground anymore, but I could still see her tail wagging and flicking against the ground.
“Twilight,” I said, urging caution with my tone, “did you... enjoy that?”
“Our hug together? Of course I enjoyed that.” Twilight unleashed a nervous giggle and focused on everything in the room that wasn't me. “It helped me unwind a little, too. Needed that from my work and all that.”
Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward. “I meant the belly scratching. You enjoyed that, didn't you?”
“I enjoy a belly scratching?” Twilight gazed at me again, this time flicking a hoof nonchalantly. “Please, I'm not a filly anymore, Spike. Mares don't go wild for something like a belly-scratching anymore.”
“But you did enjoy it, Twilight!” I pointed a hoof at the leg that had given her away. “Your hoof was hitting against the floor really fast! Hard too. Kinda like Winona when you scratch her behind her ear.”
“I do not act like a dog, thank you very much.” Twilight stared at me for a few seconds, so I stared back at her, crossing my arms as I did so. Finally, the battle in her eyes was lost, and she cast her gaze downward. “Fine. I may have gotten a little excited by the sensation.” She quickly stared at me. “But that doesn't leave this room. Understood?”
I nodded.
The night could have ended there, I suppose, but something kept bugging me while Twilight stood again. Looking down at my claws, at these sharp, harmful things, I wondered how they could cause Twilight, somepony so soft and fluffy and everything great, to be so happy and excited when I scratched at her belly—the most sensitive and vulnerable place about her.
For once I was curious about my claws, stressed not by what harm but they could do, but rather, strangely, encouraged by this good they were capable of. Should I have left Twilight to her work? Should I have returned to my room alone to think?
“You said that you were feeling stressed, right?”
Twilight stopped before she could slink back onto the stool. She turned back around to face me, an eyebrow arched but her lips curled into a smile. “And sore, too. You offering to do my work for me?”
“I'll do my best to help afterward.” I made sure not to break away from her eyes, using a claw against my chest to repress the beatings of my heart. “But do you think we could try something before that? Maybe burn our stress together.”
“Spike,” Twilight said. “Does this have anything to do with your claws?”
“I know it's kinda weird, but you really did seem to enjoy it.” I found myself looking at her body again, how small and slim her barrel was, and the fur that had yet to be brushed in a while. It was one of the few times where we touched and we both felt great about it. “But if I can make you feel better, if only for a little while, I don't care how strange it may seem.”
“And as embarrassing as it is, I don't mind doing that with you either, Spike.” Twilight looked at me for a good long while before tossing her gaze aside. “But what you're asking to do is in a very sensitive area. Remember our talk about knives?”
“Twilight, do you trust me?”
She looked back at me. “Well of course I do.”
“Then I need you to trust me now to be careful.” I took a deep breath and then took an even bigger risk with what I said next. “Because you're right. There's a good chance that I could hurt you if I'm not careful. But it's only during times like these you can actually show—instead of tell—somepony that you trust them.”
Twilight seemed to think on these words for quite a while. I honestly believed I was overstepping my bounds—in fact, I knew I was. It was risky and weird, and could end in a number of horrible ways, but for the first time in a long while, I didn't care about what could happen with my claws.
There was a chance that I could finally do some good with them. That maybe, just maybe, if used rightly and carefully, they wouldn't do harm, that it could make them feel just as great as they made me feel.
I hoped that was the case.
“You're lucky I'm so stressed.” Twilight walked to me before kissing my cheek. With a smile and a roll of her eyes, she began lying back down on the ground, with all four of her legs up, and her chest and belly exposed. “Is this the first time you've been happy to hear that?”
“Like you wouldn't believe.” I swallowed at the sight before me. I always knew Twilight could be so cute in her adorkable ways, but this, this... sometimes it could be so criminal how unaware this mare was of how cute she was. “Guess I'll get started now.”
It was kinda hard to find a place to start out. Twilight was splayed out across the floor, with her under-body totally exposed, all free for me to explore. I kneeled underneath her right foreleg, hunching over so my claw could start scratching.
“O-Oh! Heh.” Twilight's body twitched on the impact. I decided to start off slow, just doing small and light scratches at her chest. They were concentrated things, which puffed up her tuft in response, making her hind legs start to quiver. “Dear Celestia that feels so good...”
“Do you want me to keep going?”
“Don't stop even if I tell you to.”
That was more than enough motivation for me, so I let my claws explore more of her chest, quickly losing the tips of my digits within the depths of her fur. But while I couldn't see anything, I could feel everything. I could feel how the strands of her lavender fur flicked past my scales, how her chest rose and fell in tandem with her breath—sometimes raising higher when I scratched particular spots.
Most of all, I made sure to be careful with my claws... but any stress or worry about them faded over time. I knew I had to be safe, that one wrong flick, a scratch too strong, and I could pierce past the surface of her skin. But I knew my limits well, and from the way Twilight's tail was flicking, I knew hers as well.
“You enjoying yourself?” I asked her.
“Oh, Spike!” Twilight exclaimed, giggling without restraint. “I almost feel like a filly again!”
“Then I need to get rid of that almost.” My claw had explored most of Twilight's chest, exposing where most of her weak spots were. She had three that I knew of: two were just underneath her forelegs, and the third directly on her chest. “You ready for stage two of amazing?”
Her forehooves, which curled into themselves in the air, trembled slightly.
So I decided to up the stakes as much as I could. I didn't always use my claw to scratch; I had to find a way to spice things up so what I did was use my palm to rub small circles into Twilight's chest, almost like a massage, calming her down from her high. Then, when she least expected it, I would attack her weak point with scratches, which just made her excited all over again.
There were some times when she would start giggling and almost be unable to stop. Her forelegs would attack me, playful beating at the side of my head, trying to get me to stop from my attacks. She almost got me into a leglock at one point—until one scratch underneath her leg had rendered her leg weak enough to escape from.
“Not fair!” Twilight looked up at me from underneath her bangs, one eye completely covered. “Not fair one bit!”
“Really?” I decided now was time to try my secret tactic. With one claw at her chest, I lowered my other claw to her stomach, and before she had a chance to realize, I started drawing circles along her belly. “How'd you like this one?!”
“Spiiike!”
Twilight didn't stand a chance after that. The moment my claw started scratching at her belly, her hind legs started thumping against the floor, unable to handle the sensation. It made me proud whenever I could find a patch of fur that made her giggle, a spot where I could scratch that sent her leg wild.
“Oh, Spike!” Twilight raised her head enough to see me, giggling as I was almost sprawled across her body. I needed to be able to scratch and rub everywhere. Anything that made her feel slightly better than what I was doing before. “You don't know how badly I needed this.”
I chuckled at her, and before I knew it, we were both panting. I tried scratching her belly some more, but my arms started burning in need of rest. I didn't mean to, but I ended up collapsing on Twilight's chest, her soft body impressingly supporting with my weight.
“I needed it badly too, Twilight.” I let my cheek rest against her chest, feeling her every breath, hearing her distant heartbeat. “I miss when we used to feel like kids. We haven't been this close together, ya know?”
“I know, Spike, I know.” I felt her forelegs cross over me, holding my body in place—not that I minded of course. “We should have done this sooner.” She giggled before kissing the top of my head. “And who knew your claws could be so... useful!”
I chuckled. “Were they really that good? You're not just saying that?”
“I don't think I could've faked a reaction like that, Spike.” Twilight laid her head back again, leaving only our embrace as our contact. Without meaning to, my eyes slowly drifted shut. “My hooves could never manage to do something like that. There's just something about your claws that make them perfect for rubbing and scratching.”
“So... you think we'll do this again?”
“Trust me.” Twilight's hoof rubbed along my back. “We'll be doing this long after you grow sick of it. That was the best stress-relief I've had in my life.” And then she giggled in such a strange and sly way. “I'm sure the girls will feel the same way after I tell them about this.”
My eyes shot open before they had a chance to close. “Er, what?”
“C'mon Spike, did you really think I was going to keep something like this to myself.” I raised my head enough to look into Twilight's eyes. Once again, she was smirking as she held me close. “The girls are going want a part in this. Maybe if you're lucky, this will score you some points with Rarity!”
That idea only made me gulp, and with the idea of how filled the future was going to be, I took my rest with Twilight. We didn't talk much more after that. But when I wrapped my claws around her barrel, I found I wasn't scared or worried about trying to hug her.
It was so strange and sudden how everything could change. My claws, these two things that I hated, suddenly made me unique in a world that didn't know what it was missing out on. There was more for me to learn—massages and ear scratching at the bottom of the list.
I smiled as I drifted off into sleep.
Maybe being a dragon in a land of ponies wouldn't be so terrible after all...
