Beauties and the Beast

The Next Morning

After spending the night at Canterlot Castle, Spike woke up bright and early, walking down to the dining room, where Princess Celestia had prepared another of her pancake breakfast for herself and Spike.

"Good morning sweetie!" Princess Celestia called out to him. "Sleep well?"

"Sure did," Spike yawned, stretching his arms out.

"Well come here and sit! Got breakfast for you!" Princess Celestia tittered as she levitated a pancake towards Spike, "Look, you get pancake! And it's happy to see you!" She giggled.

"Uh, hi," Spike waved uneasily. Next thing he knew, he was seated in a chair, where his adopted mother quickly stuffed his face with the cake.

"No time to say hello or good-byes!" Princess Celestia began as she continues to feed her son. "Now remember, it's the start of a new day for you, little sunshine! Listen to your teachers, and no fighting! Play nice with the other kids, unless of course, when the other kids want to fight, then you have to kick the other kid's butt."

"But I don't want to kick the other kid's butt," Spike muffled.

"Don't talk with your mouth full!" Celestia scolded.

After managing to swallow his contents, Spike gasped, "Mom, what's going on? What's gotten into you?"

Princess Celestia simply chuckled, "Oh, Spike. I just can't help it," She smiled. "It's hard to believe that years ago, you were just a baby I was raising with Twilight."

"Yeah well, surprise," Spike said in sarcasm. "I'm not a baby anymore. I'm a....a...what are dragons about my age called?"

Princess Celestia pondered for a moment, before she answered, "I believe the proper term would be a fledgling."

"Right, that," Spike nodded.

"I'm not surprised you don't know any better," Sludge's voice echoed. "Twilight basically raised you as a pony. You're barely a dragon at all."

Spike froze as the traitorous dragon's words haunted him again, along with another, "Because she's teaching you to fly like a pony instead of a dragon," Smolder sounded. "We don't have feathers, for starters."

"I wish I had more "dragonish" knowledge to give you. Do you think being raised by ponies has affected you in other ways?" Twilight echoed.

"Uh... it must be hard growing up not really knowing who you are."

"Spike?" Celestia called, snapping the young dragon from his trance. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Uh, nothing," Spike replied, collecting himself, and his train of thoughts, and remembered. "Actually, now that I think about it," Looking back up at Princess Celestia, Spike started, "Hey mom? Do you still remember that story you once told me? About Long Mu?"

"Of course! How can I forget?" Princess Celestia asked rhetorically, smiling fondly at the mention of the legend. "She is one of my favorite legends, after all."

"Yeah, about that, I was wondering, was it real? Was it all a true story?"

"Hmmm," Celestia pondered for awhile, before she answered, "It's real to me, and to some of us who've heard the story. But why would you want to know if it's true or not, Spike?"

Spike scratched the back of his head, trying to find the words, before he answered, "Because, I was hoping, if by chance, that is," Taking a deep breath, Spike answered, "I was hoping that maybe, if Long Mu's children were still around. Then maybe, just maybe, I could ask them, what is it like being raised by her? You know, the fact that they're dragons, and she's a pony, like me and you, and Twilight," Spike's eyes widened at the fear he might've said the wrong thing. "But, of course, I meant I'm a dragon, like them, and you and Twilight are ponies, like Long Mu. Except she was a unicorn, like Twilight. I mean, like Twilight was. I mean-"

Princess Celestia chuckled as she raised a hoof up to silence Spike, "It's alright, sweetie," She smiled. "I understand what you mean."

"So, are they still around?" Spike asked with excitement. "Where do I go to look for them?"

Princess Celestia looked away for a moment, "I'm afraid those are some questions I can't answer," She sadly replied, much to Spike's disappointment. "But I think I know some pony who might." Celestia spoke up.

Meanwhile, back in Ponyville

"Spike?" Twilight asked in the past. "I just thought I'd check to see if you and Sludge had any luck turning up your dragonishness. It's hard not to feel like somehow I let you down all these years."

".....to feel like somehow I let you down all these years." The words repeated continuously, as Twilight sat in her head mare office in Friendship University, while looking at a picture of her and a baby Spike, despondently.

"It was all so easy back then," Twilight said, as she continues to gaze at the picture sadly. "Why does it feel like it was just yesterday?"

"That's because you raised me. Now I finally have a chance to see how I'm supposed to be." Spike's voice echoed.

"I don't think you're supposed to be any different than who you are." Twilight's past voice replied.

"Maybe you just don't like that I have a real parent now."

Back to the present, those last words were still sharp as a sword, stabbing through Twilight's heart, with the sound of heartbreak ringing clear in her mind.

"Of all ponies, I can't believe you would have a problem with that," Past Spike's voice added, which furthers the blow.

Twilight wiped a tear away. Thankfully, they learned the truth before tensions escalated any higher.

".....He also wasn't my real dad," Past Spike sadly revealed.

"Oh, Spike. I'm so sorry."

"I'm the one who's sorry. You were just worried about me, and I lost my temper. Sludge was just a great big phony."

"I have to say, I'm not surprised. There's no way a dragon like that was related to you. But if you still want to search for your real family, I'd understand if you spent more time in the Dragon Lands."

And yet, despite that offer, Spike refused, "I don't think so. I already know who my real family is," He said.

"Aww! It's me, right?" Twilight smiled.

"Mm-hmm! Besides, there's no way I'm living without pillows." Spike added, much to Twilight's amusement.

But all the same. In the events that followed that day, even after they've amended their friendship, Twilight couldn't help but notice how distance, scary, and tensed Spike had been. Starlight Glimmer even offered to consult him, being guidance counselor and everything, but even she was refused by him. Eventually, Spike got up and was off to Canterlot, and has yet to come back.

"Hey! Head mare Twilight!" Twilight was snapped out of her trance, as she puts the picture down and looked up to see the young dragoness, Smolder, standing before her.

"Oh! Hi Smolder," Twilight greeted. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"No," Smolder shook her head at first, before she admitted, "Actually, yeah....there is. I've been meaning to ask, where's Spike? How's the little guy doing?" As an answer, Twilight looked down, even more saddened. "Oh.....he's still taking it real hard, huh?"

"Eeyup." Twilight answered.

"Hey, I get him. If I were in his....uh.....feet? I'd be really steamed if I find out some random dragon was just passing himself off as my dad. Yuck!" Smolder shuddered at the thought.

"I know...." Looking back at the young dragoness, Twilight decided it was now the best time as any to strike up conversation. "Hey, Smolder? Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Depends. What kind of questions?" Smolder asked.

The Crystal Empire
Epic Chinese Music - Chinese Dragon by Derek & Brandon Fiechter

After his recent talk and reassurance from his mother, Spike was on the next train to the Crystal Empire.

He's not going there to receive numerous praises and love from his ever-growing fanbase, of course. He was on the way, hoping to get advice from someone very important and very wise at the Crystal Empire. No, not Sunburst.

Instead, it was one of the legendary Pillars of Equestria: Mistmane, the unicorn sorceress who represented beauty.

Spike remembered how it was only a few months ago, after the defeat of the Pony of Shadows and the restoration of unicorn apprentice, Stygian, the Pillars had disbanded to find their own place in the new era. Mistmane moved to the Crystal Empire, where she became the empire's royal landscape artist.

The young dragon had some questions he felt the unicorn sorceress would be able to answer.

Eventually, the train came to a halt at the station in the Frozen North, where its passengers disembarked. Spike, remembering how popular he was in the Crystal Empire, quickly dons up a large trench coat and a hat to conceal his identity, before he was on his way to meet the wise sorceress.

The walk was long and tense. Many passing Crystal Ponies were all exchanging weird looks at the stranger, whom they failed to recognize as their favorite dragon hero.

Spike tried to make himself presentable the best he could, which was very hard when he was dressed in a large coach that concealed his claws, and his hat nearly flew off to the wind that blows in the Crystal Empire.

At last, Spike made it to the palace of the empire.

"Halt! Who goes there?!" The crystal guards barked, denying Spike entrance.

"The brave and glorious..." Spike whispered.

"What?"

"I said, 'the brave and glorious....'"

"What? Speak up! We can't hear you!"

"The brave and-" Spike gave up and lifted his hat up, just a bit, to show the guards his face. "It's me! Spike!"

"WHOA!! NO WAY!!" The crystal guards exclaimed excitedly. "Spike the-" Before the guards could finish, Spike quickly shoved his claws up to their mouth, silencing them.

"Shhhh! Not so loud!" Spike shushed. "I'm kinda on a private business here."

"What is it? Is the Crystal Empire under attack?" One of the guards asked.

"No. Nothing like that. I'm looking for Mistmane. Have you guys seen her?"

"Seen her? Sure, we have! Royal crystal garden, you can't miss her."

"Thanks," With a tip of his hat, the guards allowed Spike to pass, entering the Crystal Palace, where he navigated his way through the halls of the palace, until finally he arrived in the royal garden, surrounded by a plethora of crystals in the shapes of beautiful flowers, trees, and statues that transcends an aura of tranquility and harmony.

"Wow..." Spike gasps as he marveled the beautiful crystalline landscapes. "This is beautiful...."

"Thank you...." A familiar husky voice sounded, as the figure of an olden unicorn mare stepped out from the shadows and stood before Spike, with a smile on her weary face.

"Mistmane!" Spike gasped, taking his hat and coat off, as he bowed his head in respect. "Hi!"

"Hello to you too, young dragon," Mistmane returned the gesture, before she stood up. "And what do I owe the pleasure of receiving a visit from a well-mannered dragon, such as yourself?"

"Well, you see....I was wondering if I could ask you some advice," Spike hesitantly answered.

"Oh of course dear child," Mistmane nodded. "I'd be most flattered. But first, would you care for a nice spot of tea?" She gestured to a nearby table, where a set of tea cups and a tea pot was already set up.

"Sure, okay!" Spike answered, as he followed the unicorn sorceress to the table, where she poured both herself and him a cup of tea.

"Now then," Mistmane began, after taking a dainty sip. "What troubles you young dragon?"

"Well...." Spike searched his mind for the right words, before he explained, "You know how I'm basically raised by ponies?" Mistmane nodded her head in response. "Well, my mom once told me of a story about this unicorn who also raised dragons. She goes by the name-"

"Long Mu?" Mistmane repeated, with her ears perked with interests before a soft smile was formed on her face. "Ah, Long Mu, the Mother of Dragons. I haven't thought about her in many moons." Realizing she had interrupted the young dragon, Mistmane beckoned, "Oh, I beg your pardon. Please, go on."

Spike complied, "Anyway. That story was inspiring and everything. But it left me with some questions, like what did Long Mu see in those dragons when she adopted them? What was it like to raise, not one, but six of them? And did it ever affect the dragons that they were raised by ponies? Which is why I'm here, because mom told me that you could answer my questions, being the Pillar of Beauty and everything."

"Ah," Mistmane nodded in understanding, before she took a sip of her tea, and began. "Well, like many of us. I've heard stories about Wen Shi and her dragons. But it was she who taught me the true meaning of beauty within."

Past

"I was a different mare back then, of course," Mistmane narrated. "Looking back, I'm not so proud with how I behaved back then. I had always thought that beauty is everything. And that it was all I ever cared about."

In the past, a young and beautiful Mistmane was strutting down the streets of a village, head held high, with many ponies stopping in their tracks to admire her beauty.

"But all of that soon changed when I met Long Mu, herself."

Young Mistmane wasn’t paying much attention to where she was going. Thus, it wasn’t long before she bumped into a unicorn mare in tattered clothes, spilling her groceries onto the ground, while sending a cloud of dusts all over Mistmane.

Naturally, the beautiful unicorn was repulsed by the appearance of the pony who bumped into her, and the mess she was in.

"Ugh! You clumsy foal!" Mistmane grumbled, while magically dusting herself.

"My sincerest apologies," The poor mare apologized as she scrambled to her hooves and quickly picked up the foods she had dropped.

"You will need more than that to earn my forgiveness, peasant!" Mistmane scowled, before she left in a huff.

The once snooty unicorn sorceress hadn't gone very far when a rush of wind blew through the town streets, and she looked up to see an aquamarine serpentine dragon slithering through the air before it landed in front of the mare, whom she had bumped into before.

"Māmā!" The dragon cried. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Rain," The mare said softly. "I am alright, little one."

“Māmā?” Mistmane exclaimed in bewilderment, looking at both the mare and dragon with confusion. “Did that dragon just called her māmā?”

Before long, five more colorful serpentine dragons appeared, surrounding the poor unicorn, and helping her recover the foods that were spilled to the ground.

“Thank you, my children,” The mare smiled, as she and the dragons shared nuzzles. “I think we’re still good for some stirred fried rice little ones.”

The dragons all exchanged joyful cheers as they followed the mare. Mistmane could hardly believed her eyes and ears.

"I, like so many other ponies then, had always seen dragons as destructive, savage beasts," Mistmane narrated. “So it’s obvious that I would find it unusual for a pony to harbor dragons, let alone treating them as if they were children.”

Young Mistmane decided to have some closer looks. Therefore, she secretly followed the poor mare and the dragons, until she arrived at a run down hut, that was located in the middle of a large forest, but close to a passing river.

Casting herself a camouflage spell, Mistmane kept herself hidden as she watched both dragons and mare going about their day.

The poor mare sets her bag of foods down, before she went into her hut to fetch a metal pot and pan and sets them on top of a pile of logs. Before she said anything, one of her dragons, a red and gold one, came forward and breathed a small burst of ember, lighting up the logs in a coat of flame, heating the metal pan as the unicorn's horn was lit up in a magic aura of her color, levitating the foods she bought, a knife, and other cooking utensils she used to cook the foods for herself and her dragons.

From her hiding spot, Mistmane continued to watch with interests as the mare and her dragons shared a decent meal together, like a happy little family. She continued to watch and observe the interactions between the mare and the dragons. From doing the chores around a hut of a house to going out to a river where the mare and her dragons played happy hours of splashing and swimming.

Mistmane could hardly believe what she was seeing.

"What I saw that day had changed my view on dragons forever," Mistmane narrated. "What I saw were no savage beasts, but gentle, intelligent, and loving children whose shared mother have made the beauty of their love shine from within."

One day, there was a terrible drought that destroyed all the crops. No unicorn magic was capable of bringing rain, nor did the local pegasi were successful in finding suitable waters to create rain.

Long Mu's children could not bear to let their mom die in the heat. And so, using their great magics, the dragons made it rain, bringing an end to the drought. Everyone was grateful.

Present

"Wow," Spike marveled. "Incredible!"

"Indeed," Mistmane nodded in agreement. "I see much of Long Mu's children within you, Spike. Don't be afraid. It matters not whether you are raised by ponies or not. What truly matters is who you choose to be, and who you choose to believe." Spike looked at Mistmane in confusion, "Or to put it simply, just be yourself," Mistmane clarified. "Beauty can be found, even within the beast."

Spike nodded in understanding as he took the moment to look at Mistmane all over. It was so hard to believe that some pony like Mistmane, with a beauty that rivals to that of Rarity, Fleur-De-Lis, or even his adopted mother and aunt, would be so willing to sacrifice it and end up with....her current state. And despite it all, it never stopped her from spreading beauty around the world, bringing smiles to every pony and creatures, while inspiring others that beauty is found within.

"Yeah," He nodded. "I think I get it now! Thanks Mistmane!"

"Anytime young dragon," Mistmane smiled.

Hoping out of his seat, Spike was about to take his leave, "Hey, Mistmane?" He began, turning his head in the unicorn sorceress's direction. "I think you're still beautiful to me," He smiled, which flattered the sorceress. "And thank you for your wisdom, sifu!" Spike bowed respectfully, to which the unicorn returned.

Mistmane was touched. That was actually the first time someone has ever referred to her as "sifu."

"Remember Spike. We are all students," Mistmane smiled. "If you ever need anymore guidance, don't hesitate to ask."

"I will. Thank you," With a flap of his wings, Spike took his leave as Mistmane watched him go.

Turning around, the unicorn sorceress walked over to another part of the garden where a statue of a beautiful unicorn mare rested, surrounded by statues of graceful, majestic serpentine dragons that are unlike the common ones seen outside of the Crystal Empire.

"I see so much of your children within him, Long Mu," Mistmane said wearily, lips trembling and a tear escaping from her eyes. "I never had the chance to say good-bye, Wen Shi.....sifu."

"How could you call them children?" Mistmane asked. "They're not exactly....related to you. Are they?"

"It really doesn't matter," Long Mu smiled, gently stroking across one of the dragon's neck. "For me, they're just children. And no matter the species, all children needed a mother, or a father."

Lana Del Rey - Young and Beautiful