Ch.4: A New Spike-Good or Bad?
Meanwhile within the Everfree Forest, Garble waited calmly and patiently for Spike to make his appearance and prove that Discord can keep his word. As agreed, the others will wait back at the ruins because it seems significant that the leader be the first to meet up with the younger dragon. If Spike comes to the forest to meet up with him before sunrise, then Garble is to keep his part of the bargain with Discord and grant his request as payment for his services. If his Rookie Dragon does not come to him before sunrise, then the deal is off, and the gang is to retrieve Spike its own way.
As Garble sat on a rock with his arms crossing his chest and his left leg crossed over his right knee, he recalled when the gang first met Spike. The little guy just went up to them, said hi, and introduced himself as Spike. In response, the guys teased him about his small size, but only because he's small and adorable enough to be a babe magnet. Seriously, you put him among a group of teenage female dragons, and they'll be hugging and fawning over him like he's a Westie puppy or a cuddly teddy bear.
When Garble learned that Spike came from Ponyville and figured why he's so Pony-ish, he wondered if he's really a Pony in a dragon costume, so he gave him those tests to find out just how much dragon he has in him. He was a little impressed with Spike's connections with some high-class Princess after that belching contest but hid it with his teasing. He was impressed with how the little guy took on Crackle's "cousin" in tail-wrestling, but that was before finding out he was really three Ponies in disguised (man, they had his gang fooled; there was a bit of a striking resemblance). He started to like the kid even more when he knocked him off of that hill of gems in King of the Hoard; it was a sly sneak attack. He finally accepted that Spike's a dragon when he survived that belly-flop into the lava pit, and the gang accepted their new Rookie Dragon into the gang.
Garble then started to enjoy having Spike for a little brother before the phoenix egg incident. He tried to intimidate Spike into smashing that egg before those three Ponies stood up for him. It was then that Garble found out they're three of the namby-pamby Ponies that raised Spike. Even though they don't really stood a chance against him, Rad, and Bulldoze, Garble was willing to give those Ponies a chance to show what they got. Although it resulted in the trio crashing into a tree AGAIN, Garble found that evasive teleporting spell from that purple Unicorn quiet impressive. But despite all that, the gang really wants their Rookie Dragon back, most of all Garble.
And I'll get him back, he thought to himself, even if it means the gang terrorizing all of Ponyville. Maybe even get even with that purple Unicorn. She is the one who got them away, and she seems to be the one who mostly raised Spike…
He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a rustling from nearby. Jumping to his feet, the teenage dragon looked around. That's when he spotted Spike emerging from the bushes.
"Spike!" he cried with surprise. "Ya came! I had my doubts, but…looks like Discord kept his word." Spike then stepped towards him to come into the light…and that's when he saw it. Spike looks…different. He no longer has that innocent look on his face but a scowling frown instead, the same kind that he gave him when he refused to smash the phoenix egg. He also seemed to be having that sort of bad boy attitude on himself that the gang would show. And his scales…they look a little…gray.
"Long time, no see, Garble," he said, sounding rather smug. Even that tone in his voice wasn't the Spike he remembered.
"Uh, you okay there, dude?" the teenage dragon then asked him. "You look a little…I dunno…different." Spike just scoffed in reply.
"Just getting over those namby-pamby 'friends' of mine," he snarled, moving his eyes to the side as if he were looking back without moving his head. Garble blinked with surprise; this is the first time he's ever heard Spike talk like him and the others.
"Uh, o-kaaay…So…the others are waiting for us at Discord's place. Need a lift?"
"'Preciate it," the smaller dragon replied, climbing onto his back. Garble frowned a bit but let it slide before taking off. He should be happy that Spike is now joining the gang without the use of an intervention, but…this isn't the Spike he remembered. The Spike he knew before was good-hearted and caring because he was raised by Ponies. But this Spike…he's acting like he never was. Did something happen at Ponyville that made him act like this? Or does that Discord have something to do with it? He's even starting to regret asking that weirdo.
Spike, what's happened to you?