Spike

He felt as though he were falling.

Though all around him was pitch black, he could feel the sensation vertigo brought on when one was falling. He could hear the wind howling all round him, but felt as though he was hearing it through a tunnel.

As the sensation continued on and his ear drums popped, he felt the air rushing passed him lessen, which he thought odd. His inertia and initial drowsiness kept him from making out much of his situation, until a shriek broke past the eerie gale. It sounded like it was coming from above; an animal crying for help. It felt so familiar, but he couldn’t figure out who it could be.

He began to look more franticly for a way through this darkness, to help whoever this familiar pony was, but when he reached forward with his claws, he was met with a sort of barrier. Pushing on this black casing revealed nothing but the presence of an impenetrable shadow.

The wind was growing louder now, picking up speed as the momentum built up. The shouting continued, but was becoming more distant as his pounding on the dark prison turned more violent. Another voice joined the cacophony of sounds and his scratching ceased. It was calm, determined and close.

His head jerked forward as the sensation of falling disappeared. A roar went out above him that nearly shattered his ear drums. He placed his claws against the barrier again, still unable to see anything around him. The roaring continued as he felt the ground come up under him. The sound of claws on snow caught his ears as a high pitched shriek answered the roar. There seemed to be a dozen of these noises from all round him, growing in volume which caused him to cover his ears.

He heard the sound of fire enveloping the area surrounding him, a resounding heat that he could feel within this blackness. The pounding resumed as he struggled to free himself from whatever was keeping him from seeing the outside world.

Another shout of anger went up just above him and he fought to remember who it could be. Something flew through the air and punctured what he could only guess as flesh, cutting the voice off abruptly. Silence took over. Still he scratched and punched at the solid shadows, feeling his heart rate pick up as what he thought was holding him began to stagger. The animal shouted again, this time considerably quieter than before.

He felt the heat of the fire consume everything around him. Wind currents changed and he felt himself being lifted up into the air again. The projectiles flew passed him, constantly heard through the scorching blaze from this creature carrying him.

It spun, or so the vertigo he was now feeling led him to believe, continuing to burn the ground and whatever their attackers below were. The sounds of the flying objects faded into nothing as the heat dissipated round him. He heard a grunt as the creature landed shakily on the snow once more. The animal toppled over, as it hit the snow. The creature had lost its grip on him and was now breathing raggedly.

From within his dark prison, his chest was beating wildly, trying to force his way out of this place and save whoever had risked his or her life to save him. He was enveloped in heat once again as he seemed to be moved. He was so close to this creature, he could hear its heart beat growing more and more distant and its breath slowing. It gasped for air and he lost the will to keep digging. He wanted to scream, to tell whatever it was to smash open this casing in order for him to fly it to safety, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t form any words to speak and ask for aid.

He listened as the creature coughed and sputtered, before muttering something in a speech he could not understand. It continued its struggle for air for a few more moments before its final breath entered his ears. They strained for any semblance of movement or heart beat or breath, anything to tell him that whoever had saved him was still alive.

Through the veil of darkness he placed one ear against the case, wishing that he wasn’t alone. He shuttered and drew in a ragged breath as he took his ear away from whatever this prison was.

Silence once again took over the expanse.

“No!” Spike jerked awake, eyes opening wide to take in his surroundings. His vision was blurred, unable to make out anything, though he wasn’t worried about that at the moment. Who was that? What was that? He groaned and shut his weary eyes. They burned with sleeplessness. The first dream I have in weeks and it’s a nightmare. Terrific.

He blinked his eyes open again, attempting to find his focus and understand where he was. He couldn’t bring himself to think about what had happened before this. The only thing in mind was the dream he had just experienced. It was unlike anything he had ever known, but strangely, he felt as though it actually happened at some point. Ridiculous, he thought drowsily. He fought off his initial inertia and squinted at the area once again. He felt like something was pressed against him, slumped over his chest as he lay on his side.

“S-Spike!” a familiar voice called. It was close, echoing loudly within his overly sensitive ear drums. It was still difficult to tell what, or who, had spoken, but he could feel the pressure on his chest strengthen; like whoever had shouted at him was using his body as leverage to venture closer. Spike could make out white against the background of this…cave? How did I…?

Spike felt hooves wrap around him, and warmth enter his chest. He shuddered suddenly. I’m…I’m cold. How? His memory was still cloudy. He could not yet grasp what was happening round him, but his vision was becoming clearer. The dragon heard soft sobs emanating from in front of him.

He focused first on the white coat and purple mane before him, clinging to his body as he began to recall. “Rarity?”

The seamstress lifted her own eyes to him at his call. “Yes, Spike. I’m here.” Tears ran freely down her face as she smiled up at him. Wracking sobs escaped her lips as she hugged him tighter. She lowered her head to stare at his chest. “I thought you were…that I…”

“What’s wrong? What happened?” All other thoughts were pushed firmly aside as he watched his lady crying and fretting over him. He tried to move; to have a better look at the mare of his dreams, but a pain unlike any other tore through his chest and lungs. He gasped in agony and heard his cry echoed back at him as he clamped a claw over his chest. So…we are in a cave.

“Spike! Please, don’t move. You’re hurt.”

Hurt? The last thing I remember was flying over the Ibexian Tundra. Spike was confused, but he thought that he was beginning to grasp the situation. We were going to find a dragon colony.

Unaware of the inner turmoil that the dragon was experiencing, Rarity continued on explaining. Her voice was unexpectedly strained and quiet. “I needed to see if you had any injuries. I would have used the first aid kit that we brought from Manehattan, but…there were no scars or cuts, only a few bruises and scrapes. I couldn’t believe that you had lost no blood from such a fall.” The proper lady took a few calming breaths, before smiling at him. “You are a tough dragon.”

Spike’s face flushed with pride hearing her say that. It was the way in which she said it: not in the flirtatious sort of way that he was accustomed to hearing her say such things, but just a happy, sincere and truly glad tone. “Thank you.”

Rarity let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob. Her lower lip trembled as her grasp lessened. “Don’t thank me yet. I…I didn’t think that I could save you. I-I didn’t know…what to do.” She sniffed miserably and Spike placed a claw under her chin to keep her gaze.

“Rarity, calm down. What’s going on? Where are we?” He had so many questions bouncing around in his skull he probably sounded just as frantic as the fashionista did, but he tried to keep his priorities straight.

The white pony took a calming breath and stared up at him in concern. “We crash landed in the Ibexian Tundra. You blacked out for some reason and…and we almost died. I managed to slow us down by teleporting us both. The velocity of our fall was halved when I teleported us closer to the ground, but…you still…”

She turned away, Spike seeing the beginnings of more tears developing at the corners of her eyes. “Rarity?” he asked, attempting to lean around to see her face. The pain kept him rooted to the same spot. What is this that I’m feeling? My lungs feel… He gasped for air, feel frozen.

After a few minutes of silence, the fashionista stared back at him again. He could see the undisguised fear in those sapphire spheres of hers as she continued. “I did not see what hit you, but I did see what you were hit with…after we landed.” Rarity pointed to Spike’s chest with a hoof, her eyebrows knitted in worry. The ambassador followed her gaze and saw an icy patch on his scales, just below where his lungs and heart were.

He felt out of breath upon seeing what he assumed was ice and snow covering his body. “What…what is…?”

Rarity shook her head at his unfinished question, most likely guessing how it ended. “It nearly killed you. If…if I hadn’t been here and attempted to heal you…you…” Spike watched as she took another calming breath. A few more tears dropped from her eyes and onto his scales. She focused back on him and spoke. “I wasn’t able to remove this completely…whatever it is, it is some powerful magic…but I managed to cease its advance on your heart and prevent it from doing any harm to your insides.”

Spike gawked at her, feeling all sorts of emotions wash over him. “You…you did that?” Rarity nodded her head silently, as they lay in this deep, dank cave together.

“…yes.”

“You…you…saved me.” Rarity looked away, fresh tears brimming at the bottoms of her sapphire eyes. “Please, Rarity…don’t cry.” He draped his right arm over the unicorn’s back. She cried out in pain, and Spike immediately retracted his arm. “I’m sorry! What-?”

The white mare’s jaw was clenched and her eyes were shut tight. It was then that Spike noticed how tired she appeared. Her mane was a disheveled mess, her eyes bloodshot with dark circles under them. Her coat was also covered in a layer of dirt and dust, Spike couldn’t even see her cutie-mark. It made him gasp, seeing her in such a dreadful state; it was worse than how she looked at the end of a difficult dress order.

She slowly lifted her eyes up to his again and winced. “I never wanted you to know.” The dragon felt a lump in his throat at her words. Rarity’s eyes looked so hurt, so scared. So guilty. He swallowed.

“Know what?”

They kept each other’s gaze for a few tense moments, but eventually Rarity sighed and broke eye contact with him. “It happened while you were in Canterlot, about two years ago now. I was out finding gemstones and I had put myself through a severe strain, because I had overloaded my saddlebags.” She took another breath and swallowed before raising her head up to him again.

“My body seized up…and I fell to the dirt, unable to move. I yelled for somepony to help me, but I soon realized that it was diamond dog territory. I only had one more option, because I would not be found if I simply lay there. I casted a teleportation spell that Twilight taught me in case of emergencies. I had no idea of the pain I would experience from teleporting while injured.”

She clamped her mouth shut, seeming to be in pain from just the memory. “It was excruciating. I made it back to Ponyville, collapsing on the ground and crying out. Within seconds, I fell unconscious. I awoke next in the Ponyville hospital, hours later. All of our friends were there, smiling hopefully at me.” At this point Rarity managed a small smile, probably attempting to lessen the worry in Spike’s eyes. “The doctors explained that I had experienced a back strain and Twilight said that because I cast a spell under extreme stress and injury that I hadn’t been able to reanimate myself correctly.

“I passed out from the sheer shock of my joints and muscles not being connected properly. I was out within a week, but both the doctor and Twilight warned me that the muscle would most likely be weaker after that and would be more easily strained. Because I had teleported, it was only worse. I took it easy from then on, but they all worried about me; especially Pinkie, the little dear.” She managed to return her eyes to the dragon ambassador, eyes still glistening.

“It’s happened again.” She swallowed. “When I teleported us closer to the ground, I saved you from a fall that would not be survivable otherwise, but despite that I have been cripplingly injured.” She shook her head remorsefully, her lower lip trembling. “Spike, my back is broken. I’m so…so sorry.” Rarity took an unsteady gasp of air, her hooves shaking as they lay on his chest. “I saw you lying there in the snow…unmoving. I had to bring you to safety. I dragged myself over to you and once again teleported us into this cave. I mended your wounds and stayed awake, waiting for you to regain consciousness.”

Spike shut his eyes, letting his tears fall after hearing what he made her do. I…I can’t believe it. I…I did it again…

“Don’t you dare blame yourself, Spike!” yelled Rarity, breaking his thoughts from seconds earlier. His emerald eyes flew open to see that her normally cheerful face was instead one of anger, placed firmly on him. “Don’t you dare think that any of this was your fault!” Tears still streaked down her face, but she didn’t even seem to notice.

He didn’t bother hiding it. It seemed that Rarity knew him too well. Spike swallowed hard, seeing the determined look crossing her face, defusing the argument that he had. “But…but I…”

“Please…” she whispered, losing all of that determination in one smooth motion. Her head fell to his chest and her grip on him lessened. “please don’t. Don’t make me hurt you again. I can’t…I can’t…” She began to sob outright, tears soaking his scaled chest.

Spike wanted to hold her, desperately. He wished that he could console her and tell her that she had never hurt him, but he couldn’t. So he let her cry into him, tears flowing down his purple scales until she couldn’t cry anymore. They both fell asleep like that, in silence.

Hours later, the dragon lifted one eye open blearily. He blinked a few times to regain his focus. It was dark out now, Spike having no idea how long he had initially been unconscious. He could see the sky quite clearly through the entrance to the cavern. Luna’s moon kept watch over the world, surrounded on all sides by thousands of twinkling stars that made up the constellations. Spike felt a breeze carry on through the opening as he turned to check on Rarity.

She was still there against his chest, finally resting after he had woken up. He worried about her; about how long she had been up, taking care of and watching over him. The ambassador felt the guilt well up in him as he glanced at her back. I caused this, he thought miserably. I-if I hadn’t left, then…she wouldn’t have been in trouble in the first place.

A white hoof rested loosely over his stomach, while Rarity herself had shifted to be sleeping on the dirt next to him. He managed to smile at the thought that in any other situation, Rarity could not have stood being covered in dirt. Spike swelled with pride that the mare would go to such lengths for his safety. It made him hopeful that maybe something had changed, and that she did care for him more than just as a friend. This was not the time for that though.

She had agreed to come along with him, made an effort to make up for whatever she thought she did years ago and now some unknown time ago she saved his life. “I have to do something for her,” he whispered as he felt the soft rise and fall of Rarity’s chest against his scales. He glanced around and found that Rarity’s saddlebags had been mangled from the crash landing. “It doesn’t seem like most of the food survived the fall, either that or Rarity threw it away after teleporting to have less weight on her back.”

Spike wiggled his way out of the unicorn’s grasp, placing her hoof tenderly next to her. She looked so peaceful as she lay there, a light smile settled on her breathtaking face. Rarity looks so adorable and beautiful right now. I’ve never seen her like this.

“Mm…Spike?” Spike’s eyes shifted from her body to her face, finding that she was startled awake. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, and soon locked themselves onto Spike’s as her drowsiness seemed to fade away. Rarity stopped smiling and tilted her head at him. “Where are you going?”

The dragon gulped silently, attempting to find a believable excuse for what he was doing up. “I…I had to go out for a little bit,” replied Spike, unable to come up with a better reason. His breathing was steady, he was thankful for that, so he hoped that Rarity would be fooled. Spike didn’t enjoy being untruthful to Rarity, but he wanted to surprise her with what food that he could find. “I’m sorry I woke you.”

The two of them stared at each other for a tense minute. After a while Spike imagined that she had figured him out and didn’t believe him; Rarity’s eyes shifted around looking at him, probably searching for a sign that he had been lying to her. Eventually, her sapphire eyes relaxed, but they still held a worried expression as she replied, “Please don’t go too far.”

“…I won’t,” he promised.

I can’t believe I’m doing this, Spike thought as he emerged into the night. I can’t believe I let her come with me. She doesn’t deserve this. I…I wanted to protect her and now Rarity is the injured one. He shook his head, walking forward to investigate his abandoned saddlebag.

The air around him was cool, but no wind was blowing at this time. Spike was thankful to feel his own warmth returning to him. Something began to trouble him as he searched for anything still intact. What could have made me so cold? Spike had never been cold before, being a dragon. It wasn’t comforting to think about.

Rarity had given his warmth back, a selfless act that he would never forget. He managed to smile as thoughts about the mare entered his mind. She doesn’t know how generous she is, but now at least I have proof whenever she starts doubting herself. Spike’s smile turned into a grimace as he dragged the saddlebag out from the snow. I brought her here without thinking…and now she has taken the brunt that should have been mine to bear. I’m such an idiot.

Spike touched the icy patch on his chest and looked to the stars at that moment, feeling the guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders. Rarity said that she hurt me…but it’s me, Luna. Please help me. I don’t know what to do. He clenched his teeth together and lowered his head to stare at the snow beneath his claws. The meals were frozen and mangled, but still salvageable; at this moment he was happy that he was a dragon, able to heat the meal with his fire breath. Spike took in some air as he realized that Rarity would not have eaten since they fell. He didn’t know how long it had been, but he couldn’t risk letting the white unicorn starve, not because of him.

Without a second thought, the dragon grabbed the saddlebag in his mouth and ran back to the cavern. Within, Spike found Rarity still awake, but her head was lowered to the floor tiredly. She caught sight of him and raised her head back up to greet him.

“S-Spike! You’re okay.” She smiled that smile that Spike had adored for years and waited for him to approach her. Rarity appeared so frail in that moment; so exhausted from the entire ordeal. Wound one of us…and the other feels the same, he thought bitterly.

“You shouldn’t have waited up for me,” whispered Spike as he slowed when he neared the mare. He shook his head. “You need your rest. You’re exhausted.” The ambassador lowered the saddlebag to the ground and pulled out the frozen meal.

Rarity merely smiled at him, a weary grin. “As if I could sleep when you are out in the wilderness. I was too worried to sleep, Spike.”

Spike heard a chuckle escape his lips when she said that. Worried about me? I’m not the one that… He cut himself off there, not daring to finish that line of thought. Instead he pushed one of the unbroken plates with the meal closer to the mare and proceeded to warm it with his dragon breath. “You need to eat. I managed to find my saddlebag, and thankfully the food in them is still alright to eat. This should warm you up a little.”

The fashionista hummed in pleasure as she gazed upon the ravioli and red peppers. “One of your best dishes as I recall. You’re going to spoil me, dear. Thank you.” Rarity once again smiled up at him in silence, seeming to be waiting for something.

Spike sputtered out some incoherent babble as he became uncomfortable under her gorgeous eyes. He shut his mouth tight before he could make himself appear any more foolish. He heard Rarity giggle at his expense and loved that he had brought that laugh and that smile out of her. Spike needed Rarity to be happy; to smile and laugh and to feel every kind of joy that she could. Now he didn’t feel as though he deserved her affections, the things that he did to her. She seems to be happier when around me, but how can she be when I know that I’m the one that brought her along? I know that Rarity insisted…but if I just hadn’t told her…and…left? The dragon tightened his jaw, understanding that he wouldn’t have done that to her again.

“Spike,” she whispered, breaking him out of his imaginings. Rarity patted the floor next to her, never letting her eyes drop from him. “Come and sit with me. Aren’t you hungry as well?”

The dragon swallowed hard at the way she was looking at him. She’s just…smiling at me…while- while she has a broken back…that I… Wordlessly, Spike walked over and lay down beside the white unicorn, feeling his face burning and his heart aching for the proper lady. “Yeah…but you need it more than I do. I’ll be fine.”

Rarity shook her head. “I cannot do that, Spike. You are just as hungry as I am. If you do not eat then neither of us will.” Seeming to notice his hesitance, she added, “Please.”

He nodded, unable to say no to the pony. Spike felt her lean into him and sigh contentedly, making every muscle in his body tense up. He sat up straight and stared forward at the cavern opening. What…what is she doing? “A-alright, but…we will need to split it fairly.”

“Are you alright, my little Spikey-Wikey?” Rarity touched a hoof to his shoulder. Spike blinked in anxiety and turned to face the mare beside him. She still held that smile on her face, but now she stared at him with her eyes lidded slightly.

“Uh yeah…I’m fine,” said the dragon managing to look Rarity in the eyes again. She smiled back at him and seemed to relax into him as she took the first few bites of the salvaged meal. The fashionista moaned her approval.

Rarity said, “Spike, this is delicious. Having this again after so many years, I daresay that you have improved upon the dish.” She gave him a sly smirk, probably knowing that he had indeed made a few adjustments over the years.

Spike chuckled at her cute reaction, able to relax into the conversation. “Thank you. I did add a few new spices to it this time.”

For a few moments, the two ate in silence. The ambassador held onto a smile as Rarity occasionally complimented his cooking ability, saying how the spices that he used worked well together or how the ravioli was perfectly heated; Spike was especially happy hearing that from her. For the most part they said nothing, enjoying each other’s company, but the dragon still did not know the full extent of his injuries.

He had no idea what this snow would have done to him if Rarity had not been here. He needed to know what this thing was on his chest. I need to know how long I was out for…and how long she’s been awake, he thought. “Rarity?”

She said, “Yes, dear?” The fashionista turned her head from the meal after a moment of silence between them, dropping her smile once Rarity saw his expression.

“How…?” He hesitated, jaw clenching, suddenly fearing what the answer could be. Spike locked his gaze with hers and spoke what was on his mind. “How long was I unconscious?” Rarity’s control over her magic faltered slightly as she held another piece of ravioli in her grasp. She sighed and placed it down on the plate, turning away from him.

After a tense moment, she faced the ambassador again and replied, “Two days, Spike.”

“Two…” Spike blinked in disbelief. “Two whole days? How?”

“You were not cut or bleeding, but you were injured on the inside.” She rested a hoof on the snow and ice on his chest, tears beginning to well up in her eyes again. “I do not know what this is, but it nearly killed you. You may have trouble breathing for the rest of your life, or you may not.” Rarity sniffed and wiped away her tears with a hoof. “I do not know the full extent of injury that the ice caused you.”

Spike asked, “And…what about you?”

“I was out for only a few minutes,” she replied, glancing up at him. “When you first crashed, I lost my hold on you and I flew from your back, landing a few feet from you. I only had enough time to see you lying in the snow before I fell unconscious as well. I awoke a few minutes after that. When it happened…” The mare hesitated, appearing oddly bashful, though Spike could not tell why. “Initially I had no idea where I was. I wasn’t in my bed, in my house or on my sofa. I suppose the fall made me forget briefly. I felt so groggy. I remembered everything when I attempted to stand. It was not nearly as painful as before though, thankfully. And then I remembered you.”

Spike swallowed hard. He didn’t like where this story was headed, nor did he like how she was looking at him now. “You were still lying there a-and…and I didn’t know what to do. What could I do? That’s when I spotted this cave not too far from where we landed. 'At least there was that’, I thought to myself, before I decided.” Her expression became firm and determined, staring directly into Spike’s eyes as she continued. “I had to get you out of the cold. I said that I would look after you and I meant it, Spike. I crawled toward you, keeping my body still with my magic to ease the pain and I teleported us in here.”

“I…I don’t…” He didn’t know what to say. Seeing her expression and hearing what she sacrificed for him only made the dragon appreciate her more for who she was. No matter what she said about herself, being selfish or mean spirited, Spike would never believe a word of it; not after this. You’re not selfish. I’m glad that I know you, and I have you to thank for helping me to be so generous to everypony.

Rarity shook her head with a soft smile on her face. “You don’t have to say anything, darling. I stand by my earlier statement. You are my friend; my best friend.”

Spike swallowed his response and leaned in, planting a soft kiss on her cheek, before responding. “Thank you, Rarity.” He sat back up, sweat already forming on his face as he realized what he just did. The cave grew silent as the dragon glanced anywhere but the unicorn, fearful of what she would say or do after his actions. His face was heating up, his cheeks rosy at the inexcusable thing that he had just done.

“You’re welcome, Spike,” she said. The answer came so swiftly to the ambassador that he hadn’t even had time to flinch. He lay there with a bashful grin returning to his face. Spike looked at her and smiled.

He said, “You’d better get some rest. If you’ve been watching over me for two days, you must be tired.”

Rarity shook her head. “Oh no, I’m fine. Honestly.” She was making a good effort to seem awake; she couldn’t hide the tiredness behind those eyes though, still begging her for some rest.

“Please, Rarity. I know that you need sleep. You always made it important to get enough sleep back in Ponyville, and being out here and injured should only make it more necessary. It’s my turn to watch over you.”

Rarity stared back at him with those sapphire eyes in surprise. They softened when he looked back at her pleadingly, asking that she listen to him. The unicorn nodded with a slight chuckle. “Alright. You really are too sweet to me.” She lowered her head to the cave floor and smiled kindly at the dragon before shutting her eyes.

Spike wanted to say that she was the sweet one for putting up with him even though she knew that he loved her; that he wasn’t deserving to be called sweet, doing what he did to her. Instead, he smiled at the mare now sleeping soundly against his chest. He was happy at least to be a good heated pillow for her. But what about when she wakes up? She couldn’t be moved and they had a very limited amount of food. Her back will still be broken and sleeping until it’s light out won’t change that.

The dragon kept his gaze on her sleeping form, glad and sad at the same time for having her come along. She saved my life, he thought. As long as I live, Rarity, I promise that I’ll protect you no matter what. When Rarity continued to slumber peacefully, the dragon ambassador turned to stare out of the cave entrance at the roaring storm outside. I’ll keep you safe, whatever it costs me.

Author's Notes:

Hello all,

I apologize for taking so long to publish this, it wasn't quite finished yet.

Another one of my favourite, more recent chapters; I actually wrote this one and the previous Rarity chapter before I wrote Luna's or Sweetie Belle's. I love the interaction between Rarity and Spike in this one, they know each other so well. Well, what a dream at the beginning too, sounds pretty dark, but did it actually happen? This chapter always makes me emotional, no matter how many times I read it; the scene with Rarity telling Spike that it is not his fault always makes me tear up. I hope that all of you readers like this chapter.

I don't think I will be posting another one next week, I'm pretty busy with school already. Unfortunately, it may be some time until the next chapter is written out fully. I just recently thought up a story of my own that can be published and it's an adaptation of this story (so most of it is already written), but I promise that I won't abandon this one. This will be written from start to finish. You have my word.

Thank all of you again for reading this. I publish these on here for you wonderful people to read and enjoy my ideas, so thank you. Ta ta!