Spike at Your Service
Pony's Log Number 309: The old "life-saving debt" code drives me crazy. And when did Spike become so incompetent in trying to be helpful?...
One day at the Great Oak Library, Spike was standing on a small stool as he counted a tall stack of books placed beside Twilight's desk.
"Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve," Spike counted aloud as Twilight and Mario arrived with the former using her magic to carry some cups and a teapot full of freshly brewed tea to the desk.
"Huh. That's not that many," said Twilight, "Right my sweetie?" Mario chuckled.
"We've certainly had taller stacks over the years, my sweetheart," Mario added, giving his marefriend a little nuzzle.
"Are you kidding?" Spike exclaimed, "How are you two supposed to read twelve books in one weekend?"
"Princess Celestia obviously thinks we can or she would never have assigned them to us," said Twilight as she stretched her hooves on her seating cushion and used her magic to pour herself and Mario some tea into the cups, "We're not planning on letting her down, right sweetie?"
"Of course not," said Mario.
"Well, I hope you're not planning on sleeping then, either," said Spike. Twilight then turned to face Mario and saw him putting down a stack of the same books beside him and his own seating cushion.
"Sweetie," Twilight whined, "I thought we were gonna read from the same book and you were gonna hold me while we read together!" Mario chuckled as he used his magic to put everything away.
"I was hoping you would ask," said Mario, "I just wanted to honor your personal space just in case."
"Aww, come here you!" said Twilight as she took a seat on her cushion and Mario sat beside her as he hugged her from the side, even giving her a kiss by her ear before holding her close to him. Twilight giggled as she grabbed the first book and opened it.
"I don't get how you two don't get mushy reading like that," said Spike, "much less actually finish reading an entire book together. Well, at least in general you two don't overdo it with the mushy stuff so I guess I'll survive."
"Actually, Spike, why don't you take the day off?" Twilight suggested.
"Really?" Spike said in surprise as he peeked from behind the tall stack of books.
"Why not?" said Twilight, "These books are gonna keep Mario and I busy for a while."
"Besides, I'm sure doing your own activities would be more fun than watching us read and hold each other," said Mario.
"Hmm...I do have a long list of things I've been dying to do!" said Spike as he jumped off the stool and headed outside the tree house. As Fluttershy was taking Winona for a walk and Big Mac walked by pulling a wagon in the background, Spike unraveled a long list and began to read it.
""Touch nose with tongue"," Spike read aloud and then extended his long tongue so it tapped the tip of his nose and then checked it off the list, "Eeeng...done! "Play bongos on my belly"." Spike then sat down on the ground and made bongo drum sounds by patting his stomach.
"Done!" said Spike as he checked the task off his list, ""Smell my dirty feet"." Spike then lifted his foot. The fact his foot was giving off a whitish-green mist meant his feet probably smelled rather...
(foghorn fanfare)
...exactly. Yet Spike took a good whiff and just sighed contently. He must be smell blind.
"Done!" said Spike as he checked the task off his list. Spike then looked at his list, despite the long length of paper. Those were the only tasks on his list.
"Huh, that didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would," said Spike as he dropped the list to the ground. He apparently had more free time than he originally anticipated.
(Main Theme)
"What to do, what to do..." Spike pondered to himself as he walked about the town kicking a purplish-blue mushroom about absent-mindedly. He then kicked the blue mushroom out of his sight, where it apparently crashed into a cat, making it yowl. Spike then gasped when he noticed the hot air balloon had arrived and was just being tied up after Cherry Berry had finished taking some ponies for a ride.
"A hot air balloon ride!" said Spike as he rushed over to the balloon. He was in such a hurry that he smacked head first into the wooden pole the balloon was tied to. Spike was left dazed as the rope around the pole unraveled itself, causing the balloon to start floating away. Spike gasped.
"Oh no! Wait!" Spike shouted as he went after it, "Runaway balloon! Gah!" Spike then quickly jumped up on top of some boxes and then hopped into a canopy and bounced off of it. A pony had been dangling a towel with her hooves when Spike jumped face first into the towel.
"Sorry!" said Spike as he groaned and tossed the towel back to the mare and bounced off the canopy again.
"Geez, how does Mario make platforming look so easy?!" Spike asked himself aloud as he tried to grab the rope, but he was still short and ended up tumbling into a nearby wagon. It was the same wagon Big Mac had been pulling. Spike had just rolled away when Big Mac turned around to put a bag inside of it only to find the wagon gone. Spike then noticed as he rode the squeaky rolling cart as he found that the speed allowed him to catch up to the balloon. Spike put on a determined look on his face as he gave chase, but then there was trouble. Granny Smith was standing in the middle of the road. She was bending down to pick up an apple on the ground with her mouth. Any second, there could be a crash! Spike then used his claws to act like a brake, literally setting them on fire as Spike made the wagon come to a stop. However, he stopped the wagon so quickly that the harness dug into the ground, causing the back of the wagon to fling him high into the air like a catapult. Granny Smith just looked at the wagon curiously as Spike flew through the air blowing on his still enflamed claws to put them out. He then saw that his momentum had put him in reach of the rope to the balloon and grabbed it. It wasn't much longer before the balloon came down right in the middle of a familiar but dangerous dark forest.
"That was a close one," said Spike as he sighed with relief and tied the rope of the balloon onto a tree root sticking out of the ground. Then he looked around at the dark forest surroundings, "I-if I didn't know better, I would swear that I was in the middle of the dark and scary Everfree Forest." Spike then looked about nervously until he heard a distant growl. Spike flinched and looked around as he saw some pairs of ominous eyes gazing back at him from the dark shadows of the forest. He then yelped as he heard a twig snap.
"What was that?!" Spike exclaimed as he took a few steps back, "C'mon, Spike. Just because this forest is full of wild dangerous animals, doesn't mean that you're gonna see one! Hehe..." He then caught a whiff of a rather foal smell, making him cover his nose with his claw. Spike suddenly tripped and fell onto his back. Spike looked up as a giant creature made entirely out of wooden twigs and branches stood before him, glaring at him with glowing greenish-yellow eyes that glowed. Correction, it wasn't just one creature. It was three. Three timberwolves to be precise as they growled menacingly at him. Spike screamed and then ran for his life. One timberwolf pounced forward as the other two timberwolves gave chase, barking at Spike as they pursued him. Spike ran as fast as he could, but was soon trapped against a giant rock that was too steep for him to climb. He nervously put his back against it as the three timberwolves closed in on him. One then snorted its breath at Spike, making the little dragon cover his nose with his claw again before another timberwolf snapped its jaw at him. Spike cowered back as the three timberwolves snarled at him until a mysterious twig pelted one timberwolf in the head. They turned to see a familiar orange pony standing on top of some rocks.
"Come 'n' get me, ya big goons!" Applejack taunted as she tossed a black rock up and down with a fore-hoof. Spike smiled excitedly, grateful to see Applejack.
"Run!" Applejack shouted at Spike before she bucked the black rock into the face of another timberwolf before running off.
"I'm running! I'm running!" said Spike as the three timberwolves went after Applejack so he could take off in another direction. Applejack knew the three timberwolves were hot on her trail and then saw a low tree branch coming up ahead. With a determined look on her face, she grabbed the tree branch as she ran by and let it recoil. The impact smashed one timberwolf into a bunch of twigs. The other two timberwolves continued to chase after her. Applejack then stopped running as she saw some small rocks beneath her hooves. At the same time, Spike ran off in the background ahead of her. Applejack then bucked three rocks at the timberwolves, causing another one to break apart into pieces of wood. The surviving timberwolf looked back before continuing to pursue Applejack. Applejack continued to run as quickly as she could when she saw a hole in the middle of a tree. She jumped through it and the lone timberwolf tried to follow only to get smashed apart since the opening was too small for him. Both of its forelimbs slid across the dirt in front of her before falling apart into pieces of wood.
"Whew!" said Applejack to herself as she wiped her brow.
"Wow, Applejack!" said Spike as he ran up to her, "That was amazing! I mean, you rocketed those boulders at them like they were...rockets! Pow, pow, pow-pow-pow! You save my life!" Spike then froze when he realized what Applejack had done.
"You...saved...my life," said Spike with large eye before he walked up to her and hugged her tenderly for a second.
"Aw, don't mention it, Spike," said Applejack as she gently pushed him away, "C'mon, we should be headin' on back, now."
"Man, am I lucky you were out here," said Spike, "Uh, why were you out here?"
"Saw the balloon floatin' by with nopony in it," Applejack replied as she walked over to the balloon, "came out here to investigate. Guess you did to, huh?"
"Uh...yeah...I was investigating the runaway hot air balloon too!" Spike stuttered sheepishly as he kicked aside some broken pieces of wood on the ground, "So, uh, now that the mystery's been solved, let's get outta here, huh?" The two walked away. Neither of them were aware of the fact that with the sound of a distant howl that the pieces of wood began to glow green and were slowly allowing the timberwolf to repair itself.
It wasn't much longer before Cherry Berry arrived to collect the lost balloon and walked off. Thought it did seem she had sneaked a death glare at the small dragon but said nothing. Applejack didn't seem to notice.
"Thanks for walkin' me home, Spike," said Applejack, "That was mighty kind of you. But now I have chores that need tendin' to, so see you later." Applejack turned to head back to the barn when Spike decided to follow her.
"What chores?" Spike asked, "I'll do them!"
"That's sweet," said Applejack, "but you don't have-"
"It's the least I can do!" said Spike as he held a bucket loaded with apples above his head, making some apples spill out of it, "You saved my life! I need to repay the favor!"
"Shoot, Spike, that's what friends do for each other," Applejack replied, "You don't need to repay the favor."
"Yes I do," said Spike as he tried to put the apples that had fallen out of the bucket back into it.
"Sugar, it's okay," said Applejack in exasperation, "it's not necessary."
"Applejack, you don't understand!" said Spike as he picked up the bucket above his head again, "This is something I really need to do!"
"Well, I'd hate to get in the way of doin' somethin' you need to do," said Applejack rather sheepishly as Spike lost his balance and fell over, spilling all the apples from the bucket and dropping said bucket over his head.
"Great! What should I do?" Spike asked excitedly as peeked out from under the bucket.
"Uh...Apple Bloom's over yonder givin' little Piggington a bath," said Applejack, "I was gonna lead her a hoof, but maybe you could lend her one instead."
"On the double!" said Spike as he quickly ran off with the bucket still on his head. Applejack just smiled before picking up the spilled apples. It wasn't long before Spike found Apple Bloom busily scrubbing little Piggington, which happened to be a very large piggy, bigger than the yellow filly, and wearing a blue ribbon on its head.
"Applejack said I could help you!" said Spike as he arrived.
"Great!" said Apple Bloom with a smile, "I could use all the help I can get!" Spike then quickly grabbed a scrubbing brush, but at the same time, he carelessly knocked over the bucket of soap and water, leaving Apple Bloom drenched and with a beard made out of suds on her face before she shook the suds off.
"Heh, wait 'til Applejack sees how you sparkle!" said Spike excitedly as he got to work scrubbing. Apple Bloom just watched with interest before getting back to work herself.
Later on, Applejack opened the doors to her underground cellar to place some sacks from a wagon inside of it. She then heard a loud pig squeal and looked up.
"Ta-da!" said Spike as he and Apple Bloom gave the orange pony some happy smiles. Piggington just oinked in reply as she sparkled from being so clean.
"Good job, you two," said Applejack.
"Applejack, is it okay if I get goin'?" Apple Bloom asked, "I don't wanna be late for my Crusader meeting. We're gettin' fitted for water skis!" Apple Bloom squatted down before her sister excitedly.
"Heh, you definitely don't wanna be late for that," Applejack remarked, rolling her eyes a bit.
"Water skiin' cutie mark, here I come!" Apple Bloom shouted as she ran off into the distance.
"Spike, you can head on out too," said Applejack, "I reckon you have repaid me full so we are officially even Steven."
"What? Ohhh no," Spike protested as he jumped over to the entrance of the cellar, "We aren't even close to being even Steven! Please, Applejack, you must allow me to assist you further!"
"I dunno, Spike," said Applejack as she put the bags into the cellar, "Just don't feel right to have you, uh, doin' things for me."
"You have no problem letting Mario take over your chores," Spike pointed.
"That's cause half the time Mario doesn't even ask," said Applejack with a slight irritation in her down. But deep down, she really didn't mind Mario just showing up and lightening her workload from time to time.
"Please?" said Spike as he got on his knees and pleaded.
"Really, you don't-" Applejack tried to smile and politely put her hoof down, but Spike was being very persistent.
"Pretty please?" Spike pleaded harder.
"It's just not necessary-" Applejack tried to explain as she looked away from his puppy dog pouting.
"Pretty, pretty, pretty please?" Spike asked, now begging as he hugged her fore-leg. Applejack just rolled her eyes and sighed loudly.
"Oh, all right," Applejack conceded, not even noticing that Piggington was now rolling in a big patch of mud, "You can help Granny Smith and me bake some-"
"Pies! Pies!" said Spike excitedly as he got to work mixing some filling inside of a bowl, "I'm helping Applejack make some pies!" Spike then stuck a finger into the mixture and took a taste. Applejack and Granny Smith both cringed at the sight. It wasn't his taste testing that they found disturbing, but rather the mess Spike had made trying to help out. Spike had been so eager to help that he wasn't paying attention to what he was doing. Even his efforts to stir the mixture in the bowl were very sloppy.
"Uh, Spike, little feller," said Granny Smith with an uneasy tone, "could you get us some more eggs?"
"Coming right up!" said Spike as he rushed over to find a bowl of eggs sitting on top of a high shelf that nopony his size could reach. Spike exerted himself as he tried to jump up and reach the bowl of eggs. Granny Smith gave Applejack a little wink, thinking that would keep Spike busy long enough not cause any more trouble. Just as the two mares were about to resume their work...
CRASH!
Somehow, Spike had managed to knock the egg bowl off the shelf, breaking the bowl and smashing all the eggs inside of it.
"Uh, oops, sorry, Applejack," said Spike, "Lemme get something to clean that up!" Spike then rushed over to grab the nearby mop, but he was in such a hurry that he carelessly knocked over the bucket of water in the process, getting the floor soaked. In addition, Spike raised the tall mop too high and lost his balance, causing him to spin about and knock over a bag of flour onto the floor. For those who have read the chapter with the cake twins, they should remember what happened when water and flour mix. Spike didn't seem to notice and tried to mop up the sticky unseasoned dough on the floor, getting the mop stuck in its gooey substance. Spike tried to pull the mop out of the dough, but he pulled so hard that the mop flew behind him and got stuck dangling from the ceiling. Applejack just had a worried look on her face.
"I appreciate all your help today, sugarcube, but..." said Applejack, trying to be gentle with her words, "I can take it from here."
"Don't be ridiculous!" said Spike and knelt before the orange pony, "It is my honor and my duty! Today's just the beginning."
"What's that now?" Applejack asked blankly as Spike belched and made a hand drawn call-in card appear and showed it to her.
"You saved my life!" Spike explained, "According to the "Spike the Dragon Code", I owe you a life debt and must serve you."
"Now what about Twilight, and Mario too?" Granny Smith asked him, "Doesn't those two need your help and such?" Applejack just nodded in agreement as Spike breathed fire to make his call-in card disappear.
"Huh, you're right," said Spike, "I better break the news to Twilight and Mario. I just hope they don't take it too hard. Be right back!" Spike then quickly made his exit and headed back into town. The mop that had gotten stuck on the ceiling dangled lower to the floor as Applejack and Granny Smith just watched the little dragon leave.
Spike then arrived just outside the library and was about to head inside when he suddenly stopped himself.
"Come on, Spike, this is your personal, moral, ethical dragon code we're talking about!" Spike told himself, "You have to do this! It's not like you and Twilight won't be friends anymore...but it won't be the same...but it has to be done." With his mind made up, Spike opened the door and headed inside. Mario and Twilight were just reading as they sat together on the same seat pillow. Mario was still holding her securely with one fore-leg, but both of them were in deep concentration on the book and not each other.
"Twilight, Mario," said Spike, "Applejack just saved my life from horrible, dragon-eating timberwolves!"
"Mm-hmm..." said Twilight and Mario together.
"And, as you are aware," said Spike, "I adhere to my dragon code, and this means I must serve her for rest of my natural born days! I'm sure you understand."
"Mm-hmm..." said Twilight and Mario together again as the former turned the page of their book.
"It's...been...an honor...being your faithful assistant," said Spike as his eyes watered and a tear left one of his eyes.
"Sounds good," said Twilight bluntly.
"Okay then," Mario added in the same tone. Anypony could tell that neither of these two were not paying the dragon any attention. Spike didn't seem to notice as he took what little they said as "he could go serve Applejack", sighed, and left the Library without another word.
Back in the Apple Family kitchen, Applejack and Granny Smith had finished cleaning the mess Spike had made and the kitchen now sparkled. The two mares just smiled and shared a nod with each other when Spike appeared before them.
"She and Mario said it was okay," Spike told them.
"Really?" the two mares exclaimed in disbelief.
"So with Twilight's and Mario's blessing, I'm free to follow my code and serve you until-"
CRASH!
As Spike grabbed a broom and walked inside, the two mares shared worried looked as the dragon, in just two seconds flat, recreated the mess they had just cleaned up.
"Well, until forever!" Spike concluded with a smile. Applejack and Granny Smith looked more worried than ever.
Later on, Spike put out a very burnt and unappetizing apple pie on a window sill to cool down. He had barely turned away when the pie suddenly fell off the window sill and Applejack managed to catch it with her head, and somehow not get burnt by the metal tin.
"Listen, Sugarcube," said Applejack as she set the pie back in its proper place, "I completely respect your "dragon code"...I truly do, but I just can't cotton with you permanently servin' me."
"Please, Applejack," said Spike as he made his way outside, "my dragon code is part of me! I have to be true to myself! If you don't let me do this. I won't be considered a noble dragon anymore!"
"Oh, well," Applejack stuttered, "I can't have you feelin' like you're not a noble dragon now, can't I?"
"Great!" said Spike and knelt before her, "Then from here on in, your wish is my command." Applejack then looked at Spike agape for a moment.
"Oh, uh, okay..." said Applejack, "I would like you to..." She then noticed a lone plow in the fields and made a face.
"Hmm..." Applejack stuttered as she saw an unfinished fence that needed to be painted, but she made a face again and looked elsewhere.
"Huh..." Applejack groaned as she saw an axe sitting on a tree stump next to some fire wood and cringed fearfully.
"Oh!" Applejack continued to mumble to herself. Finding something for him to do wouldn't have been a problem if Spike hadn't become so clumsy and incompetent lately. She then saw the burnt pie on the window still and got an idea.
"...Help me take some of the pie you made to..." Applejack told him with some stutter in her tone.
"Rarity?" Spike asked hopefully.
"Uh, sure, why not?" said Applejack with reluctant tone.
Applejack and Spike then headed together to Carousel Boutique. The burnt pie had been placed on the table inside of Rarity's dining room and slice had been cut out of it for her to eat. Rarity just looked at it skeptically.
"I helped bake it," said Spike proudly.
"Eugh," Rarity remarked as she made a face. Then Applejack made a squeak with her neck to show that Spike was smiling happily at her. Rarity then used her magic to use a fork and cut a bit out of the burnt pie slice. She then looked at it and rolled her eyes, but then Spike just looked at her with hopeful eyes. Knowing what she had to do, Rarity trembled as she struggled to take even the tiniest bit and chewed it.
"You even look good when you're chewing," said Spike in his love-dazed state as he laughed nervously, "W-who looks good when they're chewing?" Just as the little dragon looked away, Rarity quickly spat out the piece of pie from her mouth.
"Oh I'm sure Mario finds the way Twilight chews adorable," Rarity remarked.
"Whatever," said Spike, "I mean Twilight's pretty and all, but you Rarity are the definition of what a beautiful mare looks like." Rarity chuckled but also rolled her eyes since she knew Mario would refute that claim.
I bet Shenran would say Fluttershy was the most beautiful pony when she chews if asked the same question. Rarity thought to herself.
"Aren't you gonna have some more?" Spike asked, derailing Rarity's train of thought.
"I...had a big lunch!" said Rarity with a nervous smile on her face.
"It's ten in the morning," Spike pointed out.
"Breakfast," Rarity corrected, "A big breakfast."
"Ohhhh. Okay," said Spike.
"Maybe you could take her plate back to the kitchen and wash it off?" Applejack asked him
"As you wish!" said Spike as he bowed before Applejack, took the plate and walked off. Rarity walked up to the orange pony with a curious look on her face.
"What was that all about?" Rarity asked as she walked up to the orange pony. Applejack sighed and removed her stenson hat before speaking.
"I saved Spike from some timberwolves in the Everfree Forest," Applejack explained, "and now he thinks he has to serve me forever." Rarity gave a delighted squeal.
"Oh, what I wouldn't give to have somepony forever in my debt!" said Rarity as she wrapped a fore-leg around Applejack's shoulders, "I'd get them to organize my closets, and give me pedicures, and help me with my sewing and-"
"Okay, I get it," said Applejack irritably as she rolled her eyes, "havin' somepony to do things for you would be a dream come true. But I don't feel right havin' Spike thinkin' he owes me somethin'. You tasted that pie. Sometimes, his help isn't that helpful."
CRASH
Spike then appeared at the entrance way to the kitchen as a huge mountain of suds appeared and began to rise behind him.
"Do you...have a broom I could borrow?" Spike asked sheepishly. Rarity just stared as she pointed to the said item beside the entrance way and grabbed it just as the suds literally buried Spike alive. The two ponies just stared at him for a moment as Rainbow appeared outside Rarity's open window.
"AJ, Rarity, what's happening?" Rainbow asked in her upbeat tone.
"Applejack saved Spike's life and now he has to serve her forever," Rarity told the blue Pegasus.
"Sweet!" said Rainbow as she leaned against the bottom of the window, "What are you having him do? Wash your laundry? Clean your room? Help you with your unfinished novel? Mine's about this awesome Pegasus who's the best flyer ever and becomes the captain of the Wonderbolts!" Rarity just gave Rainbow an unamused glare.
"How ever did you come up with that ingeniously woven plot line?" Rarity asked in a sarcastic tone.
"Just came to me," said Rainbow with a smile on her face, "Besides Mario said he's working on another fictional story about this little filly the same age as Scootaloo moves into this town with these animals that talk and act like us and suddenly finds she is now the mayor of the town."
"I read a sample that Mario showed me," said Rarity and giggled, "That puppy who acts as the filly's secretary reminds me of Twilight a little bit."
"I read the sample too. That puppy can be a bit absentminded," Rainbow remarked as they chuckled to each other.
"Getting back to Spike y'all," said Applejack annoyingly, "Thing is, I don't really want him to serve me forever, but I don't know how to get him to stop."
"That's easy!" said Rainbow, "Just make him help you with something really, really hard."
"I dunno," said Applejack wearily, "I don't want him to get hurt."
"Puh-lease," said Rainbow indignantly, "He'll quit way before there's even a chance of getting hurt!"
CRASH!
Applejack and Rarity looked over to see Spike arriving carrying a piece of drain pipe in his claw.
"Leave this to me," Rainbow whispered to Applejack before turning to the little dragon, "Sooo, Spike, Applejack was gonna help me stack some hay so I could practice smashing through it, but I'm feeling extra, extra powerful today."
"You are?" Applejack asked the blue Pegasus wearily.
"Yeah, I am," said Rainbow as she gave Applejack a wink, "So instead of hay, I'm gonna smash through rocks!"
"Rocks?" said Spike with a worried look on his face.
"Yeah!" Rainbow answered as she flew into his face and wrapped a fore-leg around his shoulder, "A huge tower of rocks! And you're gonna build it!"
"I am?" said Spike in a rather stunned tone, "But...the only pony who can smash through rocks is Mario. And he uses his homing attack!"
"Yeah, that's true, but I can handle it," said Rainbow as she flew back over towards the other two ponies, "I mean, unless you don't wanna help Applejack..."
"I do!" Spike replied as Rainbow took her seat back outside the window, "It is Spike's dragon code!"
"Then get to it!" said Rainbow as Spike headed out of the Boutique. Rarity was just nervously poked the broken piece of pipe as the blue Pegasus looked over at Applejack.
"Trust me," said Rainbow confidently, "This is gonna work like a charm!"
It worked like a charm alright. Rainbow and Applejack arrived to find that Spike was actually hard at work creating a very large and very tall stack of rocks.
"Huh," Rainbow exclaimed, "I was sure he'd give up after, like, three rocks."
"Oh, goodness," said Fluttershy who walked up to them. She had run into the two ponies and had explained what was going on, "If it'd been me, I'd have just pretended I didn't have anything for him to do."
"Why didn't I think of that?" Applejack remarked.
"Is this high enough?" Spike called out as the stood on the very top of the rock tower.
"That's plenty high!" said Applejack, "Come on down, Spike!" Spike then made his way down. Rainbow winced as she looked at the tall structure before her.
"Bad news: he actually ended up building the whole rock tower," said Rainbow and then added nervously, "Good news...I've got a rock tower to knock down." She then turned to Applejack.
"AJ?" Rainbow said in a hushed tone.
"Yeah?" Applejack asked.
"If I don't survive, tell Mario I love him very much and thank you for being such an awesome big brother," Rainbow said as she flew off. Applejack just gave her sympathetic smile.
"Haha, yeah! You can do it!" Spike cheered excitedly as Applejack and Fluttershy backed up to find a safe place to take cover. Rainbow looked back and smiled bravely, but as she looked at the tower she bit her lower lip and had a very nervous look on her face. She then slowly backed up a few feet and...
WHAM!
Rocks came raining down from above. Applejack cringed and Fluttershy covered her head with her fore-legs despite that they were hiding inside of a mini gazebo.
"That...was awesome!" said Spike as he walked out of cover while the rocks were still raining down and then a huge rock crashed on top of him. At least that's what Applejack and Fluttershy thought until Spike peaked out from behind the large rock.
"Wanna do it again, Rainbow Dash?" Spike asked, "Applejack can rebuilt it for you. And when I say "Applejack", I of course mean me!" Rainbow just sat on top of the pile of rock looking rather dazed.
"Sure! Why not...?" Rainbow replied woozily before falling onto her back.
"NO!" Applejack shouted as she rushed over to the still dazed Pegasus, "I mean, I don't think Rainbow Dash needs any more of your help. My help. She doesn't need it. Right, Rainbow Dash?" As Applejack had Rainbow sit up, the blue Pegasus was still rather woozy as stars circled around her head.
"Bbbbrrr," said Rainbow as she shook her head and snap back into reality and rubbed the back of her head, "Yeah. I guess I'm good. For now."
"And so am I!" said Applejack, "I just can't think of one more thing I need help with, so you don't have to do anything else." Spike just blinked as Fluttershy stood behind him and nodded in agreement. Spike then tumbled into his back.
"W-what do you mean you can't think of anything else I can help with?" Spike asked in shock.
"Exactly that!" said Applejack, "There's nothin' else. I don't want you to do anything."
"If I don't help you, how will I know I'm a noble dragon?" Spike asked as he stood up.
"Well, I-" Applejack stuttered.
"Maybe there's things you need help with," said Spike, "but you don't even realize you need help with!"
"If she needed help, I think she'd realize it," said Fluttershy as a matter of fact.
"Maybe not!" Spike interjected as he jumped on top of a short pile of rocks, "Maybe Applejack needs help realizing what she needs help with. Like...maybe your back itches."Spike then hopped onto Applejack's back and started scratching it.
"Huuuuh...that does feel...good," said Applejack contently.
"See?' said Spike with a laugh as stood up, "Or you might need help remembering your favorite song! "The dragon is the finest creature ever, there's more to him then just guarding treasure..."" As he sang, Spike grabbed Applejack chin and then let go, making her tumble forward despite already sitting down.
"I don't think that's her favorite s-" Fluttershy pointed out but was interrupted.
"Or...you might need help breathing!" Spike suggested as he zipped up beside the orange pony.
"Breathin'?" said Applejack, "I certainly do not-"
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
FWEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Spike then stuck a bellows inside Applejack mouth and pumped air into her, making her inflate like a balloon before she exhaled and blew the bellows and Spike away as her body deflated.
"See? There are plenty of things I can help you with," said Spike as he leaned against a bush, "and you don't even have to trouble yourself with thinking of them!"
"No, I'll think of 'em," said Applejack, "Lemme think of 'em."
"As you wish," said Spike. Applejack gave him a worried look.
Feeling like enough was enough, Applejack headed toward the Grand Oak Library.
"Twilight? Mario?" Applejack called as she made her way upstairs, "Twilight, Mario, are you two there?" Applejack then saw Mario holding Twilight close as they read their book together.
"Twilight! Mario!" Applejack shouted but the two ponies were still deep in concentration and didn't even hear her despite the fact the orange pony was only a few yards away. Applejack just looked at the two ponies irritably. But then she smiled and sneakily went over toward another one of Twilight's desks where she had three jars set up in a row next to some parchment. Applejack then bumped one of the jars, making it give off a loud clink.
"AAH!" Twilight and Mario yelped in surprise.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you two," said Applejack.
"No, it's okay," said Twilight as she walked over to her desk and fixed the moved jar of ink, "Mario and I need to take a break anyway."
"Yeah," said Mario as he rotated and bent his fore-leg a bit, "As soft and cuddly as you are, Twilight, I think my fore-leg fell asleep." Twilight just giggled to herself. Applejack just rolled her eyes at the two.
"I know Spike told you two that he was gonna follow his dragon code, and serve me forever for savin' him from the timberwolves," Applejack explained, "and that you two were okay with it, but-"
"Wait, what?" said Twilight in shock.
"Spike serving you forever say what?" Mario added.
"He said he told you all about it," said Applejack. It was then both Twilight and Mario just shifted eyes away from Applejack.
"Why didn't you hear him telling us that?" Mario asked.
"Don't blame me!" Twilight retorted sternly, "You were the one who has the better hearing around here!"
"And that makes it my fault?" Mario snapped.
"Better you than me!"
"Why don't you take responsibility for the fact you never listen to anypony?"
"No! Because it's your fault!"
"No, it's yours!"
"You!"
"You!"
"YOU!"
"It's both of yer faults!" Applejack snapped as Mario and Twilight growled at each other, but then sighed.
"She's right," said Twilight sadly.
"Yeah, she is," said Mario in the same tone.
"I'm sorry," said Mario and Twilight together, "Can you forgive me? Of course I can! I love you." They two shared a nuzzled with each other.
"Glad you've made up," said Applejack rather hastily as she walked up to her, "I'm guessin' maybe you two were a little distracted when Spike told you."
"Um, maybe a little..." said Twilight as Mario nodded sheepishly in agreement.
"I should've realized you two wouldn't have let him go so easily," said Applejack with some relief in her tone, "Well, now that you two know what's going on, maybe you could talk some sense into him!"
"Oh, Applejack, I wish I could, but this is dragon code we're talkin' about," said Twilight, "Surely you know how important the dragon code is to a dragon!"
"I sure am startin' to," said Applejack wearily.
"It's not that complicated actually," said Mario, "it's similar to Lemon Hearts' Code of Mare's Honor if I recall it." Twilight blinked.
"Are you referring to the time you saved Lemon Hearts from that runaway wagon and she was constantly trying to help you for three weeks straight?" Twilight asked, rather bitterly.
"I'm surprised you even remember her doing that," said Mario.
"How could I forget it? The way she was gushing over you and smiling at you!" said Twilight, "it drove me crazy! I was really jealous and I...I just didn't have the guts to speak up about it..." Mario just smiled and kissed her cheek.
"Well, since both codes are practically the same," said Mario, "I think we know what the escape clause is." Twilight blinked before she got a smirk on her face.
"Hm, Mario is right," said Twilight, "there's only one other way Spike is gonna fulfill the debt he feels he owes you."
Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack had given Spike a rather boring and tedious task, which he was actually willing to do. Counting all the blades of grass on the farm.
"Seventy, seventy-one, seventy-two, seventy-three, seventy-four, seventy-five..." Spike counted aloud as he lay on the ground on his stomach. Applejack just watched the little dragon count for a bit before heading inside of the barn. The rest of the mane seven were waiting inside.
"All right, y'all, here's the deal," Applejack explained to everypony else, "Spike needs to save my life."
"And you want us to shoot you out of a cannon towards a hornets' nest and give Spike a butterfly net so he can catch you in mere seconds before you hit the nest and are stung by a thousand hornets," said Pinkie as she presented her party cannon and unintentionally shoving Rarity inside of it, then put a bee keepers hat on Twilight's head, shoved a butterfly net into Fluttershy's and Rainbow's mouths, and presented a drawn sketch of how Spike would save Applejack.
"I'll wear this mustache," Pinkie added as she put on a clip-on barber's mustache on her nose and rubbed her fore-hooves deviously.
"No," said Applejack, "I am gonna be attacked by a timberwolf!" Applejack just smirked as the rest of the ponies all gasped and Fluttershy dropped the butterfly net from her mouth as her jaw fell.
"Can I still wear the mustache?" Pinkie asked in her random way, leaving Applejack to glare at her annoyingly. Soon there were all just outside the edge of the Everfree Forest.
"When I give the signal," said Applejack as she stood on a nearby pile of rocks, "Pinkie Pie and Rarity will come runnin' out of the woods, bein' pursued by the timberwolf. I'll start to run too, but then pretend to get my hoof stuck." As she continued to explain her plan, she showed them a basic drawing of herself with her fore-hoof stuck in the rocks.
"I'll ask Spike to help me dislodge it, and he will," Applejack continued as she showed another picture of Spike helping her break free and then a third picture of the timberwolf itself, "and I'll be able to get away from the terrifyin' timberwolf! Havin' saved me from certain doom, Spike will then consider us even. Everybody get it?" She smiled at the group.
"Uh-huh," said Fluttershy and Rainbow together, the former wearing buckets on her hooves.
"We'll do our best," said Twilight and Mario before they teleported away into a tree in the background.
"Mm-hmm," said Rarity.
"Just one question," said Pinkie.
"Yes?" Applejack asked but soon regretted it when she saw Pinkie put on the mustache, "No." Pinkie just sighed.
"Suit yourself," Pinkie conceded reluctantly as the mustache fell off and she bucked her party cannon off screen, sending it crashing into something behind her. Rarity then cleared her throat.
"We are all ready to play our parts, ahem, but are you sure your ready to play yours, Applejack?" Rarity asked her with a skeptical look on her face.
"What d'you mean?" Applejack asked, not understanding where Rarity was going with this.
"Show us your best "damsel in distress" move," said Rarity.
"Uh..." Applejack stuttered, "Oh, well, aheh, how's this? Hooooooo." Rainbow and Fluttershy just stared at her at Applejack's feeble attempt at sounding like she was in trouble.
"Absolutely horrendous!" said Rarity, "Okay, this needs some serious work! Now, first, you must lift up your foreleg up to your forehead, like so-" Rarity was about to demonstrate a good damsel in distress.
"Applejack?" Spike called out in the distance.
"No time! Here he comes!" said Applejack frantically as Rarity and the others scrambled to their hiding places, "Uh...over here, Spike!" Mario just watched the scene and shook his head.
"This is not going to work," Mario remarked in whisper.
"Why didn't you say so before?" Twilight asked indignantly in a hushed tone.
"I did say so before!" Mario retorted as Twilight gave him a raspberry.
"You're so lucky you're cute and beautiful, Twilight Sparkle," said Mario, giving her raspberry of his own before muttering, "no respect...no respect..." Twilight just smirked to herself. It was then Spike arrived, slightly out of breath.
"You said you had something else you needed me to do?" Spike asked.
"Oh yes, I, I was just hopin' you could maybe, uh, sweep up all those leaves for a compose pile, and-" Applejack was struggling to speak as she held up the rake to him with her fore-leg, but fortunately Spike interrupted her train of thought.
"But of course," said Spike as he bowed before he and grabbed the rake to get to work, "Oh, by the way, there are exactly twenty-four million, five hundred sixty-seven thousand, eight hundred and thirty seven blades of grass at Sweet Apple Acres." Applejack just looked stunned.
"I can't believe you counted every single one of 'em," said Applejack in shock.
"You asked me to," said Spike.
"I've heard of over-determination but that is ridiculous," said Twilight.
"Not really," Mario pointed out, "Remember when you asked me to count how many books are in the Canterlot library?" Twilight blinked and then rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"I still can't believe you counted them all," said Twilight.
"Nine hundred, seventy-seven thousand, three hundred eighty-three," said Mario proudly as the purple pony smirked and rolled her eyes. As the little chat between the orange pony and the little dragon finished, Applejack gave Rainbow and Fluttershy a wink. Rainbow then winked back at Fluttershy who covered her ears as Rainbow inhaled deeply.
"And, as a noble dragon and follower of my dragon code," Spike continued, "I-"
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!
Spike froze at the loud roar. But none of the ponies had realized that Rainbow's roar had summoned three real timberwolves from the forest.
"That was very convincing," said Fluttershy fearfully as Rainbow just smirked. It was then Rarity and Pinkie came out of the forest. However, their pace was rather slow for being in danger and Pinkie wasn't even running, but bouncing about with her usual smile on her face. Rarity then grabbed Spike by the head dramatically.
"Timberwolf!" Rarity screamed in an over-dramatic tone before mock sobbing, "We are doomed!" Pinkie then stopped bouncing about and gave a loud scream before the two just walked off casually. Mario face-hoofed himself as Applejack glared at them.
"See? Like that," said Rarity to Applejack as Spike looked more puzzled them frightened. It was then Twilight used her magic to operate a stringed puppet version of a timberwolf and made it come out of the bushes and head toward Spike. Spike cowered back at the sight as the wood from the puppet clanked about and Fluttershy stomped her hooves to make it sound like the puppet was stomping fiercely at him and Applejack. Mario then added his own touch of making the puppet snarl and growl. Spike was panicking as Twilight made the puppet's mouth open and...nothing. Twilight and Mario glared. Rainbow was so busy laughing quietly at Spike that she had missed her cue. Fluttershy lightly tapped the blue Pegasus to get her attention. Rainbow quickly recomposed herself and gave another loud roar, making Spike cower back again.
"Oh no!" said Applejack in the saddest attempt to act in distress that Mario had ever seen as she pushed her hoof between two rocks, "I seem to have got my hoof caught between two rocks! I cannot run away! I am a damsel in distress! Help me, Spike!" Mario then banged his head against the tree branch he and Twilight were holding onto. Spike quickly snapped out of feeling frightened and glared. Twilight looked uneasy as Rainbow and Fluttershy peeked out from behind the bush.
"Wait a minute," said Spike suspiciously.
"No, no, don't wait a minute," said Applejack, trying to do damage control, "Save me from the terrifyin' timberwolf!"
"Well, he would be terrifying if he wasn't a fake!" said Spike firmly as he pointed at the puppet, "You got the clomping on the claws..." As Spike said that, one of the strong holding a claw broke off.
"...the roar was spot on," said Spike as Rainbow and Fluttershy shared a high hoof, "and the detail on his face is pretty good."
"That's done," said Mario, "Anypony got a plan B?" It was then a foul stench cross Twilight's and Mario's noses.
"Pee-yew! Mario, you need a breath mint!" Twilight complained as she held a fore-hoof over her nose.
"Hey, the pony who smelt it, dealt it!" Mario retorted defensively as he held a fore-hoof over his own nose.
"Yeah well, the pony who denied it, supplied it!" Twilight remarked.
"That smell isn't from my breath!" Mario protested angrily.
GROWL!
Both ponies froze as their eyes shrunk as they turned their heads to see very frightening sight right behind them. Meanwhile, Spike was continuing to expose Applejack's little plot.
"But you forgot one thing: his breath," Spike continued, "You could smell a real timberwolf's breath from a mile-" It was then the foul stench crossed his nose. Spike just laughed.
"Too late," said Spike, "I'm already on-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Twilight and Mario screamed at the top of their lungs as they teleported between Spike and Applejack before running off together.
"Timberwolf!" Rainbow cried out. It was then three timberwolves appeared out of the forest. Applejack gasped as the three timberwolves roared.
"Timberwolf!" Spike cried out as he and Applejack made a run for it. Applejack then ran off in a different direction as the wolves barked after Spike. She then made her way above some rocks and bucked a larger stone right as the three timberwolves ran by. The rock tumbled into them, knocking them apart into pieces of wood in succession. Spike stopped running to examine the mess before giving Applejack a thumbs up. Applejack then smiled.
"Whoooooah!" Applejack yelped as the rock she was standing on fell down the rock pile, "Ow!" It was then a distant wolf howl was heard as the broken pieces of wood glowed green and started to reassemble themselves.
"Uh oh..." said Spike wearily, "Applejack, come on!" Applejack just grunted, some of the rocks had fallen on top of her hind leg.
"I can't," Applejack cried out, "I'm really stuck!"
"No more messing around!" Spike protested, not believing the orange pony, as he saw that the wood was assembling what appeared to be one giant sized timberwolf, "Let's go!" In addition, pieces of wood straight from the forest were being drawn toward the giant wolf as it neared fully assembling itself.
"Come on..." Applejack grunted, but she couldn't get loose. It was then the giant timberwolf, or one could even call it a king timberwolf since it had a wooden crown on it's head, came to life and roared loudly at Applejack as a large glob of drool splattered on the ground in front of her
"Forget it, Spike!" said Applejack as the king timberwolf smashed a large rock into dust, "You gotta get out of here! Would you just forget your dragon code already and go?!" Spike had landed on his back from the hard stomp as Applejack tried to stand on her hind legs and use her fore-legs to try and pull her trapped hind leg free. Spike then noticed a small rock by his claw.
"No! I have to save you!" said Spike as he bravely jumped forward and threw the small rock into the king timberwolf's throat. The king timberwolf started to choke as it tried to clear the rock from its throat, even holding up a fore-finger to say "one moment please", as some twigs started to fall off his body. Spike then grabbed one of the twigs and used it to dislodge the rock under Applejack's hind leg, freeing the orange pony in just seconds as the king timberwolf beat its chest, making more pieces tumble off his body.
"Let's get out of here!" Spike called out as they took off as fast as they could. The king timberwolf coughed a bit more, making even more pieces of wood and twigs fall off his body. He then gasped before collapsing to the ground and smashing himself into pieces.
It was a little while later when Applejack and Spike had finally caught up with the rest of the group and were both out of breath.
"What happened to you guys back there?" Twilight asked worried, "Thought you were right behind us!"
"Are you okay?" Mario asked worried.
"My hoof was stuck," Applejack explained as Spike stretched and made an O with his mouth, "and that timberwolf was coming right at me!"
"Wait, you were actually stuck?" said Rarity surprised.
"Uh-huh!" Spike replied.
"But Spike picked up a pebble," Applejack continued as she lightly pushed Spike over, "and rocketed that thing right at the huge timberwolf's mouth, and saved my life!"
"Aw, it was nothing," said Spike as he blushed and rubbed the back of his head.
"It was somethin' alright!" said Applejack as she walked up to him, "'Course, I wouldn't've needed help if I hadn't been tryin' to stage a fake timberwolf attack in the first place."
"Yeah, what was that all about?" Spike asked as he crossed his arms and glared at her. Applejack just sighed.
"I know this code thing's important to you," Applejack explained, "But if somethin' like this comes up in the future, think maybe we can go back to my code, say "that's what friends do" and leave it at that? I promise I won't think of you as any less noble..." Spike pondered for a moment.
"Sounds good to me," he replied as Twilight and the others just smiled, "But, maybe let's just try to avoid situations where one of us actually needs the other one to save their life?"
"You got yourself a deal," said Applejack as she extended a foreleg to him. Spike went to shake it back before he decided to give her a high five/hoof instead.
ROOOOOOOOAR!
Apparently the King Timberwolf had followed them and surprised the seven ponies and Spike.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" everypony screamed as all but Mario ran for their lives. Twilight and the others looked back to see Mario confronting the king timberwolf.
"MARIO! What are you doing?!" Twilight exclaimed as Mario narrowed his eyes before the king timberwolf.
"I've had enough of you trying to hurt my friends!" said Mario angrily as he grabbed a red and orange mushroom the size of his head out of his saddle bags.
"What kind of mushroom is...that...woah..." said Rainbow as she and the other's eyes widened. Mario tossed the mushroom over himself as it turned into magic dust.
(Mega Mushroom fanfare)
"Here I go!" Mario called out as he was now a giant pony that was the same size as the king timberwolf. The timberwolf growled as he lunged at Mario, who started to wrestle with it. Mario struggled at first, but then shoved the timberwolf down, leaving it stunned. Mario then walked over to the back of it, picking it up but it tail and started to quickly spin around. Once Mario picked up enough speed, he let go.
"So long, King Timberwolf!" Mario called out as he sent the creature flying deep into the depths of the Everfree Forest. Despite the long distance, they all could hear the timberwolf land as several pieces of wood launched high into the air and landed back into the forest. Mario smirked as the mushroom's effects faded and he was reduced to normal size.
"Maybe he'll think twice before messing with my friends," said Mario. The rest of the ponies and Spike cheered. Twilight gave him a kiss, as well as smack on the back of the head.
"Uhh...ow?" Mario yelped.
"Must you always risk your life like that?" Twilight asked angrily despite the fact she was smiling.
"I have to protect my mare and her friends," said Mario, "I love them very much." Twilight just rolled her eyes and hugged him tightly as the others awed and giggled to themselves.
"Since you save our lives, are we all your servants now?" Rainbow teased.
"Forget it," said Fluttershy before Mario could answer, "I'd never serve such a dork!"
"Thanks alot, Flutters," said Mario annoyingly as the others just laughed and gave him a group hug.
Who needs a bunch of lifelong slaves? Mario thought to himself, I got lots of love, which is so much better.
Late that night Mario and Twilight were both nearing the end of the last book in their stack. Both Twilight and Mario were feeling rather drowsy and finding it difficult to concentrate, especially since they were trying to read in the dark. Neither pony has thought of getting a light so they could see better. Then Spike surprised them both by dangling a lantern on a stick above them.
"Thanks, Spike," said Twilight.
"Yeah, we certainly needed some light, little bro," Mario added.
"Happy to help!" said Spike.
"Don't know what we'd do without you," said Twilight until she found Spike hugging one of her hind legs.
"No, really!" said Spike, "I'm really-really-really happy to help you!"
"Oh..." Twilight replied as she gave a light laugh.
"You really enjoy feeling useful to your friends don't you Spike?" Mario remarked.
"Yeah...I do," said Spike quietly, "And I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused too."
"It's okay, Spike," said Mario, "we know your heart was in the right place."
"Can I tell you guys something?" Spike asked timidly.
"Sure Spike," said Twilight.
"I made up the dragon code," said Spike, "Since I didn't have anything to do on my day off, I just wanted to be useful to some other pony. I guess you could say that I got a little too enthusiastic and wasn't paying attention to what I was doing. I mean...seriously...I know how to bake and I ruined a pie?! I'm never going to live that down! And for the record, Rarity, I know you were trying to spare my feelings, but even I wouldn't have eaten that pie slice! Though...I just hope she forgives me for wrecking her sink."
"I'm sure she will," said Mario, making a mental note to repair the damage in the morning.
"Well, that's good to hear," said Spike, "either way, I'm also sorry for forcing Applejack to accept my help. I should probably apologize to her personally in the morning. I just hope I can show her that I can be helpful without making a mess of things."
"Just...apologize and don't ask to make up for it," said Twilight, "In time, the opportunity will come where you'll be able to help Applejack out. She'll give you a second chance in good time."
"Great," said Spike as he yawned, "Well, if there isn't anything else you two need, I'll turn in for the night."
"Good night Spike," said Twilight and Mario as the dragon headed to his basket and fell asleep. Mario and Twilight just continued their reading until the final book was done, then parted ways for the night.
After a good night kiss of course.
Okay...this was a tough one to really fit Mario into. But I hope you all enjoyed what little I did add, such as some childish behavior between Mario and Twilight (after all, all couples have their little fights.), Mario doing a little parody of Super Mario 64, and the slightly altered ending to emphasize that Spike learned his lesson and acknowledge his mistakes. I felt like that was grossly missing from the episode and there was never a given reason why Spike suddenly became so accident prone and incompetent.
The next one certainly has more potential for Mario added content, even if things are going to get a little-chaotic...
Peace Pony Fans!