Heart of Scales

Heart of Scales

Turn 6: The Race

The day started with the alluring scent of freshly baked apple pie that seemed to weave its way into Spike's nostrils and pull him out of his sleep like a hook and line. When he opened his eyes, he realized that the barn was still very dim and the sun hadn't risen yet. This was peculiar because he felt as if it should have already been midday given how refreshed and well rested he felt. After going to sleep at that time of night the previous day, he wouldn't have had more than a few hours of sleep before he woke. Usually he would've had a hard time getting his eyes open this time of morning. He didn't know what it was, but he was wide awake and unable to keep his eyes shut to return to sleep. Was it the hay mattress? Perhaps the fresh country air or the silence of the farm at night that did wonders for his sleep. Maybe it wasn't how he slept at all, but the smell of pie that was irresistible at this point.

Spike lifted his head and turned towards the source of the aroma. A fresh baked, still steaming slice sat on a clean white disk of porcelain. Right across it was Applejack.

"Mornin' to ya," she said. "It isn't too early, is it?"

"No, not at all," Spike replied, transfixed by the pie. The apples he had for dinner last night seemed to be ages ago.

"What're you waiting for? Best while it's hot. Help yourself."

Spike put his hoof near the pie, trying to get a feel of how hot it was. The heat from the crust warmed his hoof. He swallowed a whole mouthful of saliva as he watched the filling leak out of the sides like honey. He took a sizable bite off the top, feeling the crust break off with a crisp and the soft apple pieces massaging his tongue.

"Oh my goodness," Spike panted, the pie was piping hot inside his mouth, yet it was impossible to stop chewing. Whiffs of steam escaped his lips.

"I wouldn't be surprised if that was the best darn piece of pie you've ever eaten," Applejack said, proud of her work.

It was, but it doesn't mean that this was the first time he's ever had it. Applejack's baking was on a whole other level. It was enough to give the cakes at Sugar Cube Corner a run for their money. But there was another element to her baking that separated it from the rest. Certainly not something you'd taste anywhere else because it was special to Applejack.

"You didn't have to go through all the trouble." Spike said modestly, slightly lowering the plate from his mouth. "How early did you get up to make this?"

"Earlier than you, and there was nothing to it," Applejack crossed her forearms.

"I could have just had some more apples you know. No need to do too much for me."

"If its apples you want, we'll get to that later. Finish that up and let's get to work. Don't worry about the plate, leave it in the barn. See me outside when you're ready," Applejack said, pushing the plate closer to Spike's mouth.

"Stop worryin' and enjoy the pie." Applejack gave a smile before exiting the barn, leaving Spike free to finish his breakfast.

Spike continued to eat alone, finding it much easier to do so without Applejack watching him. When he was down to his last bite, he began to wonder if feeling that way was a good thing. Was he being too considerate? It would have been nice had he just thanked her for the pie and eaten it gratefully. She just might have wanted to stick around to watch him finish it. Maybe it was time to spend less time apologizing, and spend more time saying "thank you".

What happened, happened, and now that it was done and over, couldn't have happened any other way. All that was left was to prove himself in apple bucking. Spike ate the last of the pie, set the plate down gently on his pile of hay, and left the barn to join Applejack.

Spike should have never been so full of himself as to believe that apple bucking was simple work. He had expected it to be physically demanding at most. However, the subject was far more complicated than he could have imagined. They went all around the orchard as Applejack went up to select example trees and taught Spike where and how hard to buck. By the time their lesson was over, she had covered the entire middle section of the trunk with different colored chalk, looking something like an apple shaped dart board.

Apple Family™ apple trees were very sensitive to bucking after many generations of breeding. These kinds of trees had a much intimate relationship with ponies than average ones. It was as if they could understand who was trying to buck them, and their intent when their hoof came into contact with their bark. Spike didn't want to imagine trying to earn a tree's respect trying to buck them. These weren't wild trees, they were tamed, domesticated.

"Given your size, I reckon the medium difficulty trees would be the best for you to buck," Applejack said when they passed the barn, having decided where to take Spike next.

"Can't I start with some of the trees over there?" Spike pointed the group of apple trees beside the vegetable patch. Applejack brought Spike over to the mentioned trees, plunged her hoof into the leaves and branches and pulled out a very petite bright red apple. These trees were just about Applejack's height.

"These trees are for the little foals and fillies when they come to visit for their school field trips." Applejack gave Spike a sarcastic smile and slipped the small fruit in his mouth. "You can tap them with a hoof and they'd drop right down."

Spike chewed down the apple, impressed with the quality of taste. They were almost seedless, being so small. Spike was staring at the miniature trees in fascination before Applejack pulled him away.

It was noon when they were doing tub placement under the tree, preparing for Spike's first buck. As Spike had predicted, even tub placement was no walk in the park.

"You won't catch half of the apples if you put the tubs there." Applejack threw a few tubs out from under the tree and dragged a few around, completely changing their positions.

"Wouldn't it make more sense to add some more tubs?" Spike asked.

"Then how are you going to buck with all them tubs in the way? No can do. If you don't think it'll drop into the tub, then you better hope the wind blows. Go ahead, try it." Applejack backed off to let Spike get in front of the tree.

Spike gave it a shot, visualizing Applejack's buck in his mind, trying to imitate it exactly the way he's seen it many time in the past. He got in front of the tree, facing away, looking for the spot best spot to aim his hooves. Without a moment to spare, he bucked. He got the tree, but only one of his hooves connected, the other scraped the side of the trunk and ultimately missed. The apples swayed tauntingly above him. This tree mustn't have any respect for him after a pitiful attempt like just now. Was it able to sense his doubt?

"What happened with bucking all my apples?" Applejack chuckled. "Have another go, and do try to get both hooves on the trunk this time."

He wasn't as used to his pony body as he thought. Bucking was far from feeling natural to him. Applejack's teasing only made him want to kick the tree harder.

Spike got back in front of the tree and prepared for another shot, making sure to remember exactly where the trunk was positioned behind him. He stared at the tree for moment before realizing that bucking just wasn't going to work. He turned around and stood facing the tree. Applejack kept her legs crossed, watching expectantly. Could she be hoping for another laugh as Spike fails to drop the apples? He just needed to kick this tree hard enough. How was he going to do this in a way he felt comfortable doing?

Spike instinctively pushed off the ground with his forearms and stood on his two hind legs. He then twisted sideways delivering a powerful turning back kick, hitting the trunk square in the middle. It made a solid thump sound, one that he knew was bound to bring a few apples falling down. He finished facing away from the tree, looking upwards to see most of the apples drop from their branches. He smiled, satisfied with his first apple buck, although he ended up doing a kick to pull it off. Leaves followed the apples down, showering Spike like confetti, commending his success.

"Well, well, I think I got it down," Spike gloated.

"I haven't seen it down like that before." Applejack raised a brow. "Can't you just buck the regular way?"

"It might be faster for me if I stick to kicking."

"Fine, if it suits you." Applejack reached into the tub of apples and picked out two. She threw one to Spike and took a bite of her own, taking a seat under the tree, as Spike joined her.

"What about these?" Spike pointed to the tubs of apples beside him. "We're not going to finish them all are we?"

"I'll tell Big Mac to get em' later," Applejack said coolly. "Although I'd have no problem emptying those tubs, today's not the day. Anyways, congrats on your first buck"

"Congrats? Is it really that big of a deal?" Spike asked.

"In the Apple family it is," she said though a mouthful of apple.

"How was your first buck? Did you mess up like I did?"

"I was the best, obviously. Don't think we've had any pony born, who was as clumsy as you were on the first buck. No real need for the skill in Canterlot is there?"

"Not really."

"What kind of work did you do there?"

This was the first of difficult questions Spike knew he had to have answers for. He didn't see himself as a good liar, and he wasn't going to take chances to find out. Even if he had to forge his stories, it'll be easier if he based it off of his real past. This method was surprisingly effective.

"I worked at a hotel," Spike replied, saying the first thing that came to mind.

"If it's a Canterlot hotel, it must've been something fancy," Applejack said. "I bet you were paid lots."

"Not really, I was bellboy. I worked for tips." Spike stared at his untouched apple.

"But all the ponies are rich. They've got much to spare, you must've gotten a lot."

"You'd think that, but it depends on your point of view."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Applejack gave Spike a funny look.

"Some days it feels like you've gotten everything. Some days it's like you got nothing at all."

"You're still not giving me a clear answer."

"It's as clear as I can give, I'm afraid," Spike sighed.

"Did you enjoy working?"

"Yeah, it's where I was my best." Spike smiled. "Time flew, that's the truth."

"Exactly what kind of work did you expect to find in a small town like this? Most businesses are family owned, not exactly a place to job hunt. Can't imagine why you left Canterlot for Ponyville. Most ponies would have gone with the former."

"I don't really care where I work or how much I get anymore. I just needed a change in scenery. I'm pretty satisfied now."

Applejack smiled and got back up, leaving the shade of the tree. It wasn't until Spike finally began to eat his apple and finished it when she spoke.

"Are you planning on leaving Ponyville one day?" she asked as she turned to him.

"What makes you think that?"

"You're a traveling work pony, I have a feeling you're the type who has a hard time staying put in one place."

"To tell the truth, I haven't been traveling too long," Spike admitted.

"Is that so? Then how long?"

"I started right after I left Canterlot," Spike chuckled nervously.

"Are you goin' to be around?"

"I don't have any thoughts on leaving. Not yet at least."

"All right then." Applejack turned and began walking back towards the main dirt path that ran through the orchard. "That's about enough apple bucking for today. I've got somewhere I need to be. Wanna come along?"

"Sure, but where are we going?" Spike asked after running out from under the tree and catching up.

"To Whitetail Woods, the forest on the other side of town," Applejack said as they neared the gates of the farm. "Rainbow Dash challenged me to a race. She's been bugging me about it for a while now but work is work, and it's got to be done."

"You could have done it afterwards."

"I wouldn't be my best after spending myself on a day's labor. You know who Rainbow Dash is right? You saw her at the station last night, remember?"

"Yeah, the one rainbow colored one. Her name speaks for itself."

"We agreed to have the race yesterday, but then we heard the bad news. It's pretty much impossible to get into the competitive mood, much less be in high spirits afterwards."

"You mean the dragon in Canterlot?" Spike asked, finding it slightly easier to touch on the subject than he had been the night before. "Can you tell me more about him?"

"The dragon was Spike. I've told you that much," Applejack began in a serious tone. "It's not like how most ponies think, that it was some wild dragon that wandered into Canterlot from some mountains nearby. No, he was Spike.

"Rarity, you met her on the train, didn't you? She was invited to be a part of the Fashion Show. Of course, she began designing her little dresses and packing her bags as soon as she got the invitation. Spike, as you well know, had his crush on Rarity. Naturally, he did what he could to help. He even ended up following her to Canterlot as her assistant."

"He must have been good." Spike made a bittersweet smile.

"I don't doubt it, haven't seen him work, but I was darn sure that he was going to do his best by the look in his eyes when he left the station that day."

It was a good a chance as any. Spike wanted to know more about what others had thought of him. There really wasn't much purpose in knowing was there? It wasn't like he needed the option of being old Spike again. It was just a thing of curiosity, something that he found interesting to listen to. Maybe he'll find more reasons not to be old Spike when he hears more of how much of a laughingstock he was, chasing a mare he was never meant to be with. That is what they all thought of them wasn't it? It was alright. Things like that couldn't hurt him, not anymore.

"Things didn't work out?" Spike asked as they reached the end of the town and started on the dirt path to the forest.

"Rarity said it herself. Spike confessed, she turned him down, and he lost control. He's out there, I don't know where. My guesses are, it's because he's scared to come back home. Who can blame him? It'd be impossible to see Rarity after that."

"After he ruined the fashion show, makes sense that he would try to hide."

"That's another thing too, Rarity. I'm having a hard time what to think of her at the moment. She's told us too little and I want to know more, but I just can't go around demanding answers. She's my friend and I have to do what I can to make sure she gets through this all right. At the same time, I find it hard to believe how she handled the situation."

The words "the situation" could easily be replaced with "Spike" and the meaning wouldn't be any different. It was the same at the station with Twilight, when she told everypony that it was up to Rarity how she handled him. That was it, he was something to be handled, and there were ways to do it. Rarity just happened to have chosen one of the methods. Was it really all that simple? He loved Rarity. Rarity chose to say no. There wasn't anything more to it, was there? Did he want there to be?

They arrived at the clearing right on the edge of Whitetail Woods, which was an area surrounded mostly by trees with two paths extending into the woods. Preparations for the race had already been done. There was a small crowd of ponies from town that had come to watch the event. The starting line was already drawn out with white chalk powder and right behind it was Rainbow Dash.

There was also a large, pink contraption that looked like someone stuck a propeller atop a two pony bicycle. Spike can only assume that thing was supposed to be in the air, monitoring the race. It was no surprise to find its owner, Pinkie Pie, next to it, tweaking it to make sure it was in shape to be used. It still didn't convince Spike that such a contraption would be safe to fly in. One loose bolt could mean your life.

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were not the only ponies that Spike recognized. Fluttershy and Twilight were beside Pinkie Pie, watching her mess with the machine. There was a pony Spike had been looking for in particular. It was, of course, Rarity, who was most likely not in a fit state to enjoy this light festive atmosphere. She was absent.

Twilight noticed Spike and Applejack right away when they approached. Not wanting to keep the small crowd waiting any longer, Applejack got behind the starting line, was met with a smug grin from Rainbow Dash, and begun to do some warming up herself.

"Good to see you again, Ruby." Twilight gave him a small smile.

"Hello Twilight, so you've come to see the race too?" Spike could make nothing more than pointless chat.

Spike just had so much to ask but it felt out of place to suddenly ask. After spending most of his life being Twilight's assistant, he was bound to feel a good amount of worry. Many questions passed through his mind. Was she eating properly? How are the lists coming along? Is the library clean? Of course, those trivial matters came before wanting to ask her what happened to her missing baby dragon assistant, or if the Princess had replied to Twilight's letter yet.

"I thought I would be nice to be outside. I can't stay cooped up in the library all day, can I? How is it with Applejack? Are you adjusting well? I'm from Canterlot too you know. It can take a while."

"No really, I'm doing just fine." Spike made a waving gesture with his hoof, letting Twilight know that she didn't have to worry. She smiled and beckoned Spike to follow her to the pink contraption.

"I wouldn't be too sure of myself. I thought I was just fine too when I first arrived in Ponyville. Even if you are, a little advice wouldn't hurt. Do you want to know what the very first thing to do when you start living in Ponyville?"

"What might that be?"

"Make friends of course!" Pinkie Pie jumped in with a megaphone in hoof. "Hi Ruby!"

"Introduce him to everypony, Pinkie." Twilight gave her the signal to do so.

"Attention, everypony!" Pinkie Pie said loudly into her megaphone. There weren't too many ponies to require grabbing their attention in this manner. However, it did work to great effect, silencing the small crowd at once, earning their attention. She pulled Spike to her side, into view for everypony to get a good look, and continued to speak with her over-amplified voice.

"I want you all to meet Ruby! He pulled up into Ponyville station last night and is currently staying at Applejack's place! The best part is that he's decided to live here! With us! Everypony say hi! Say hi, Ruby!"

"Hello!" Spike said into the microphone that Pinkie had nearly stuck in his mouth, smiling for the crowd who cheered and greeted him. He could have sworn he heard a few wolf whistles.

"Everypony should know the drill! If you see him, wave!" Pinkie Pie began waving at the crowd, which was a signal for them to wave at Spike. Spike returned their welcoming gesture, feeling warm inside for being so well received.

"Are the two competitors ready to race?" Pinkie Pie turned to the two ponies in front of the line.

Rainbow Dash nodded, stretching her legs and for some reason, her wings as well. Wasn't this supposed to be a running race?

"Hey! No flying!" Applejack walked over to the flier and said to Pinkie Pike, "I almost forgot. Did you bring the rope?"

"Of course I did!" Pinkie Pie rummaged through the rear basket of the flier, which Spike just learned was stuffed with cupcakes for reasons unknown. She pulled out a rope from under the load and passed it on to Applejack who returned to the starting line and began to tie down the wings of a struggling Rainbow Dash. She tried to convince Applejack that she wasn't going to fly, but Applejack wasn't going to have any of it.

"We're good to go." Applejack gave the knot a good pull before returning to her spot.

"All right! Come on, Twilight! Get in the back!" Pinkie Pie jumped onto the front seat of the flier.

"Hey Ruby, how would you like to try co-announcing in my place?" Twilight whispered to Spike apprehensively.

"I'm on it," Spike nodded and went over to the flier after catching a glimpse of Twilight's smile of relief. It wasn't something he could choose not to do. Twilight asks, Spike does, that's just the way things are. Spike had no intention or desire to let it be otherwise.

"Can I ride instead?" Spike asked Pinkie Pie.

"Of course!" she replied. She didn't seem to care who took the back seat. Twilight gave him a look of gratitude and went off to join the spectators.

Spike got into the back seat of the flier, and noticed a small metallic box on the back of the seat in front of him. It turned out to be a tube microphone, most likely to be used for announcing. Spike was familiar with it after having used a similar one last time when he was with Pinkie Pie in the balloon, co-announcing for an event very similar to what was going on now. Whatever did happen to that balloon and why in the world was it not being used here now?

He placed his forearms on the handles, and placed his hooves on the pedals, he wondered if this was really something he was better off not trying. At least the microphone seemed to be securely tethered to the machine.

"All buckled in?" Pinkie asked, getting ready to take off.

"Buckled?" Spike asked, looking around for any safety belts or parachutes for that matter.

"Start the countdown Fluttershy!" Pinkie called, using the megaphone.

"Three," Fluttershy muttered, raising the starting gun with trembling hooves. Whether it was the tension of the countdown or everypony straining just to hear it, the scene fell silent. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were most likely switching their internal gears to the fifth, staring down the track as if they were about to shoot laser beams through their dilating pupils. The atmosphere intensified with number of Fluttershy's barely audible countdown.

"Two..." Fluttershy continued.

Pinkie Pie was just itching to get started, the machine vibrated with her excited shaking. The machine's propeller, slowly began to turn, as Pinkie eagerly, and unwittingly, released pressure on the petals in small sudden bursts. Spike kept his legs on neutral, not caring if they were moving without his consent. He let them turn as they wished. For he knew that if he tried to resist Pinkie's movement by pedaling backwards to keep the machine still, he was going to lose his hind legs as she shot off uncontrollably in the opposite direction, forwards.

"One..." Fluttershy whispered, choking at the crushing pressure of the count. Can she take it? Will she collapse? Was there a pony in Equestria that had a heart strong enough, the nerve, the capacity to carry out this legendary start off? Will they have to wait another eternity as a replacement pony takes her place and start again from three?

It was silent for what felt like about half an hour.

BANG!

Everything happened at one.

Fluttershy's alarmed squeak was swallowed by the long awaited, deafening crack that began the race. Streams of endless confetti and glitter spewed from the barrel of the starting gun as she dropped it. However, Rainbow Dash and Applejack had blasted off before it left her hooves. Their explosive start cracked the very ground where their hooves used to be a nanosecond earlier, tearing the air a new one.

Spike hadn't noticed that they were already up in the air, as he watched Pinkie Pie pedaling life into the whirring machine. The propeller spun above them, making a mess of Spike's mane with its gusts, having no effect on Pinkie's poof puff of a hair style whatsoever. At the same time, conducting the random and uninterpretable announcing that could only be hers. The ponies back at the starting line were doomed to sit out the rest of the race, without knowing what was even going down on the track. Spike could not hear a single word, as if he was shell shocked. An eerie high pitched hum was gradually replaced with the sound of wind and Pinkie's demand that Spike grab a cupcake from the back and place it on her tongue.

Spike fumbled through the cupcakes in the back, pulling out whatever stuck to his hoof, and placed it upside down on the surface of Pinkie's pink tasting strip extending from her mouth and flapping around the side of her head so that Spike was clearly able to see it in front of him. She retracted it right into her mouth as the immediate surge of sugar powered the machine ever so faster. The machine, was it the Flier? Or Pinkie herself? Whichever it was, it was keeping them up with the two light particles that were Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

Spike didn't have much chance to contribute. Pinkie was doing most of the pedaling, and leaving only small gaps between her talking for Spike to add some sense to the announcing. That gave Spike much time to concentrate on the race unfolding below them. It was a while into the race. Applejack and Rainbow Dash had left their tricks at the starting line. Rainbow Dash showed no signs of playing dirty, which made it clear that Applejack will keep it a clean game. It was a straightforward match. Spike took time looking out into the distance, there was large river where the woods ended, there were a few rocky faces up ahead on the tracks. It was a wondrous scene. Spike wished that the ride was more peaceful so that he could enjoy it better.

Something unsettling caught Spike's eye.

It was something large, an animal, a beast, to his horror, a dragon. Not just any dragon, a Velocidragon. Dark purple, with evergreen spikes, it came out of nowhere. It ran on two legs, at a frightening speed, at least four times taller than an average pony, closing in on Rainbow Dash and Applejack. They must've noticed by now. With the sudden appearance of this beast, they ran even faster, pushing their limits to get away. However, this dragon was a wraith. Accelerating did not seem to put any distance between it and the two ponies.

Spike couldn't just sit and watch while this dragon snapped at his friends from behind. A slow burning anger began to simmer in Spike. A dragon, why was it here, trying to hurt his friends? If nothing was done soon, they were going to be killed.

"Pinkie! Get me close to the rock face!" Spike ordered.

Pinkie understood the situation, and dived down at a great speed, stopping close to the rock face. They were right next to it. The propeller edged dangerously close, it would be disastrous if it were to even scratch the rock that was merely inches away. They were flying right over the racetrack, just behind the dragon. Spike didn't have much time to get off the Flier. The rock face didn't go on forever, he saw the end approaching. If he didn't take this chance he had no other way of getting off and reaching them in time.

At once he jumped off of the Flier and onto the rock face, running full speed. The flier immediately lifted upwards, having lost a passenger, a considerable amount of weight. It pulled away to a safe distance. The momentum from the flier kept him going forwards, speeding across inclined surface, closing in on his target. When he realized that the rock face was coming to an end, he aligned himself with the dragon, which was snapping away madly at the two runners. He let gravity pull his body downwards. He dropped closer to the track and off of the rock face before it ended and slammed into the dragon's side, causing it to stumble and fall behind as it ran.

It's attention was now on Spike.

"Ruby! What are you doing here?" Applejack shouted back to Spike, who had an angry dragon right on his tail.

"I'll lead it away!" Spike yelled back. "There's a fork in the road just ahead! You go left and I'll go right!"

Sure enough, there was a fork in the road. Spike didn't have time to remember which direction he told Applejack and Rainbow Dash to go. So as soon as the ponies ahead made their choice in path, Spike immediately threw himself in the other direction. It was just him and the dragon now. Spike jumped into the thick woods, hoping that the trees will slow the dragon down. However, it did no good. Although the dragon did lose some of its velocity, it was still faster than Spike, as he tried to keep his balance on the rough and bumpy forest floor.

He found his way back to the open path, to see Rainbow Dash flying above him. he also heard another set of galloping hooves that belonged to Applejack, who had decided to follow him, behind the dragon. She had a lasso in her mouth, the rope that had been previously used to tie Rainbow Dash's wings down. She was swinging it around, aiming at the raging beast's neck. She tossed her rope, only to have the dragon dodge to the side and her lasso miss. It caught Spike around his head, and slipped into his mouth. Applejack unknowingly pulled back as hard as she could, however she only managed to pull herself forward and Spike slightly back. They were both in front of the dragon now.

Spike was leading the pack, in front of Applejack, to whom he was connected to by a rope that she held in her mouth. Last was the dragon who was snapping away at Applejack's tail, coming dangerously close to taking its victim. Rainbow Dash cast her shadow on the path as she flew close by, but unable to do anything helpful. The band that kept Applejack's tail tied had been cut by the dragon's sharp dagger-like teeth. Her tail now flowed freely in the wind, making her an easier target. The dragon made a burst of speed and launched a fatal attack with its jaws.

Spike tugged with all his might, he was pushing his teeth to the limit, pulling Applejack away from the jaws of death. It was a battle, a battle of mandibles with this dragon. His perfect set against this jagged set of diamond-hard shards.

Applejack was not in the clear yet, she soon fell back into the dragon's biting range. The dragon appeared to waste no time building up another burst of speed to finally feel it's prey between it's teeth. It was preparing itself for its next attack.

Rainbow Dash, who had almost seen the death of her friend, recklessly charged in, beating the dragon on the head with her front hooves, but to little effect. The enraged dragon was finally pushed to the point of confirming Spike's worst fears. It spat a stream of emerald green fire into the air, covering Rainbow Dash. When the embers and smoke cleared, she was flying with them no more.

"Don't let go of that rope!" he shouted with a cracking voice, through the rope that he had between his teeth. He saw an expanse of blue up ahead. He looked back, making sure that Applejack had the rope firmly in her mouth.

The dragon seemed to slow when it breathed fire, it fell behind slightly, but it was nothing that it couldn't make up for. The river was just up ahead, and they were to reach it in a few seconds. Rainbow Dash had bought them some time before the dragon caught up. He was insane to try what he was about to do. However, this was just the insane situation to try it in.

The sky-blue and rapidly flowing river was a mere second away. Spike shut his eyes. He cut off all vision and focused on running, and running only. Unable to see the look of surprise and fear on Applejack's face when she realized that their remains were going to be food for the fishes after the dragon was through with them. The dragon took no notice of the river; it was only focused on Applejack's tail.

For what he needed to do, he needed speed. What he was going to try now, wasn't enough to do so. He wasn't used to running on four legs. He imagined his very first apple buck, how natural it felt when he started on two feet. That's right; he was a bipedal from the start.

Spike, with his eyes still shut, lifted his forearms off the ground and let his two hind legs to the work. Things become much simpler. Running became two times easier, faster.

He opened his eyes, the blue surface around him was whizzing by. He was moving across the surface but did not sink into its depths or get washed away. The galloping clops were replaced by a rapid splashing beneath him, which he soon learned were made by his pedaling hooves. That wasn't the only sound that filled his ear.

"Ye-haw!" Applejack yelled at the top of her lungs. She was water skiing across the surface of the river as Spike pulled her along, the ropes now around her hooves, leaving her mouth free to cheer whatever she wanted. Spike laughed, more and harder than he had ever done this past month, or years, or even his entire life.

He was running on water!

Whatever the hay happened to the dragon? Spike didn't know for sure, it might have totally wiped out into the river and was washed away by its overwhelming current. Who cared? They were out of danger.

Spike and Applejack cheered once more when they were joined a singed Rainbow Ash, flying low beside them, grinning arrogantly at the two.

He stretched his arms out to the side and felt the wind on his body. Was this how Rainbow Dash felt when she pulled off the Sonic Rainboom? If Spike had to guess, yes. He was the champion of running For just this moment, there was nothing but Applejack behind him, and everything ahead. Spike closed his eyes once more, to enjoy this feeling of pure freedom.

With the look of bliss, he didn't realize that his body had shutdown from exhaustion. A cool sensation washed over his body as he fell under the water's surface. He was swept by the current for a moment before feeling somepony's arm around his chest pulling him upwards.

Spike came to, able to see nothing but darkness. That was because something was covering his face, Applejack's hat. Spike breathed in the apple scented fragrance that filtered into his lungs and cleared his head. It was the same as her hair. He coughed a few times, clearing his throat of water.

Spike was blinded as the hat was lifted off of his face. The sky was drenched in the color of the sunset. When his eyes finally adjusted, he saw Applejack standing over him, as orange as the sky behind her, this familiar scene. He almost didn't recognize her. She had her hair down and was hatless. They were both wet, a long way to go before they were comfortably dry. She looked exhausted and worn, but her grin was heavy with relief and gratitude.

Spike lifted his head to check his surroundings. They had made it to the opposite side of the river. Applejack had pulled him onto the riverbank. Applejack squeezed the water out of her hat before putting it back on and laid down somewhere not too far from Spike. Spike lower his head back onto the grass, lying down as well, looking into the sky.

"Rainbow and I owe you one," she said.

"No you don't. I haven't done anything worth your dept," Spike replied.

"You jumped in to try and lure the dragon away."

"You're the one who came back for me when I did."

"Yeah, after you ran straight across that rock face and knocked the wind out of that dragon,"

"You're skilled with rope." Spike was having difficulty remembering what else Applejack did.

"You ran on water," Applejack shot back.

Spike said no more, he had been beaten. Applejack laughed at his silence.

"How exactly did you run on the side of that cliff? How the hay did you run on water?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, it just happened. I didn't know what I was doing," Spike breathed.

"That's amazing, you're amazing. No kidding." Applejack sounded sincere and serious. "I wouldn't be surprised if Rainbow Dash herself challenged you to a race.

"Never," Spike said at once. "Speaking of whom, where is she?"

"She went off to find Pinkie Pie while you were out. We'll need her Flier if we're going to get back."

"How long was I out?"

"A few minutes, you had a bit of water in your system," Applejack looked away.

They relaxed beside the river, letting the sun dry them as much as it could before it set. Eventually, Spike got up to the growing sound of familiar whirring. He scanned the sky to see Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash flying towards them. After a rough landing, almost crashing it into the river, Rainbow Dashed jumped out of the backseat, cursing the idea of using machines to do what was so natural for her.

A sweaty Pinkie Pie fell out of the front seat. The trip had taken its toll. She was suffering from a sugar crash without any cupcakes to keep her rush going. Applejack took a seat in the front, Spike had returned to his back seat after having placed Pinkie Pie in the empty large basket in the back, where she had previously stored her cupcakes. Rainbow Dash flew alongside them as the Flier soared above the forest at a steady speed. The propeller's fragile squeaking from above didn't bother Spike. After what he had been though, this was barely something to worry about. Even after being out for a few minutes, he was still tense, tingling even.

Spike appreciated the last breathtaking sight of the day, a sunset from a bird's eye view as it splashed its light over the treetops. The sound of the wind, the whirring of the propeller, the soft flapping of Rainbow Dash's wings, and Pinkie Pie's  delirious humming.

Applejack turned around, responding with a very warm smile. Another feeling of deja-vu came over Spike as the orange light reflected off of Applejack, causing her to emit a hypnotizing glow. It was as if the sunset was created solely for her coat.

The flier suddenly dipped. Pinkie Pie let out a cry of surprise as the basket fell out from under her. Rainbow Dash jumped and flew under the flier to try and hold it up in case it fell. It was because a distracted Applejack had forgotten to pedal for a moment. She quickly turned ahead, pedaling once more, over compensating and bringing the flier a little too high.

"Whoops, sorry," Applejack apologized as she tried to find her balance.