Love is in the air. All of Equestria rejoiced as everyone all spent the day together with their loved ones, under Celestia's sun.
It was over a year since the defeat of Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow, and Princess Twilight Sparkle's ascension to Supreme Ruler of Equestria, with her faithful assistant Spike as her royal advisor and fellow council of friendship.
Speaking of whom, it was on this particular day – Hearts and Hooves Day – when Spike was engaged for a very special date with a very special griffin friend of his. One Gabby Griffin, Griffonstone's mail courier, and the Cutie Mark Crusader's first griffin member.
The story of their ever-growing relationship dates way back, when Gabby first arrived in Ponyville, hoping to find her purpose in life, and to get herself a cutie mark, even though it seemed outrageous, if not impossible. But in the end, Gabby still succeeded in finding her purpose in life, and became a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, nonetheless. During that time, Gabby had once created a fake cutie mark for herself, which leads to Princess Twilight having Spike sending a lot of letters to the officials of Griffonstone. Gabby would later write back to explain the mishaps.
Having caught his fancy, Spike started writing letters to Gabby, wanting to know more about her, which leads to the two of them to write each other letters back and forth, resulting a special bond to form between dragon and griffin. This bond would later grow stronger as time goes on, to the point it seems the two have become more than just friends.
And this is the story of how their friendship has blossomed into love.
Spike was in his room, at Canterlot Castle, brushing his teeth and shining his scales. He really wanted to look his best for his upcoming date with Gabby.
After he was done, Spike looked at himself in the mirror. Satisfied with himself, he snapped his fingers and smirked, "Looking good, my dragon."
Satisfied with himself, Spike walked out of his room, passing the castle staffs and guards, when he happened to meet Princess Twilight in the halls, "Hey Spike! Looking good," She complimented. "Going all out for Gabby, huh?"
"You know it," Spike nodded. "I still can't believe it's been like, what? A year?"
"A year and a month since we've defeated the Legions of Doom," Twilight corrected. "And I know how you feel. One day, I was just an ordinary Princess of Friendship in Ponyville. Next thing I know, I'm the Supreme Ruler of Equestria after Princess Celestia and Luna retired!"
"You mean former Princess Celestia and Luna," Spike corrected her. "Speaking of whom, how are they doing?"
"Oh they're doing great!" Twilight smiled, as she levitated the recent postcard she had received from her former mentors. "They're having a great time they've ever felt in a thousand years, or so!"
"That's great!" the young dragon looked up at the clock, and his eyes widened to see he was running a little late. "Uh oh, gotta go! I'm late for an important date!" with a flap of his wings, Spike took off flying, out of Canterlot Castle and into the city.
"Have fun Spike!" Twilight called out. "Be home before dinner!" Once she was left alone, the alicorn could only sigh, "My little dragon is growing up," She said to herself, holding a hoof over her heart.
Canterlot City was bustling with the streets teeming with, not just ponies, but also the additions of griffins, dragons, yaks, even zebras, and creatures of every nations who have come from their homelands, far and wide, to have a great time together, and to experience the magic that is friendship.
This was also where Spike's friend, the one and only Gabby Griffin, was waiting most anxiously and excitedly for her date to come.
She happily perked her head up, when Spike's voice greeted her, "Hey Gabby! Sorry if I was late."
"No you're fine, Spike!" Gabby smiled happily. "I've been waiting all week for this date!"
"Well, let's hope it was worth the wait," the dragon smiled as he flies down to hug her. "Ready to get going?"
"I sure am!" The griffin chirped excitedly, flaring her wings up to further emphasize her excitement. "So where do we begin! I want to see every last bit of Canterlot here!"
"Well, as your official 'Canterlot Dragon Tour Guide' let me be the first to recommend our first stop..."
"...at the Tasty Treat!" Spike took Gabby down to Canterlot's "Restaurant Row" establishment, where he had made a reservation for both him and Gabby at the said restaurant, the Tasty Treats.
"Wow, this place is amazing!" Gabby said, marveling at the exotic, colorful, interior decor of the restaurant. "Love the colors and the fabrics here! They don't have anything like this back in Griffonstone!"
"Speaking of which, how's Griffonstone doing?" Spike asked. "Last I heard, ever since we took down Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow, some ponies started coming over to Griffonstone to help improve the relationship between griffins and ponies."
"Oh it's gotten a lot better!" Gabby smiled. "Thanks to the Apple families, most of our houses are repaired and were getting some overdue home makeovers! I could hardly recognize it!" She chuckled. "Oh, and a lot of the griffins are a lot nicer than they were before. I guess that last battle with the Legions of Doom have forged greater and newer friendships than we ever thought!"
"Sounds great!" Spike smiled as he pulls out a seat for Gabby, to which she gladly accepted, before he went and took his seat beside her.
"Mmmm-mmmm!" Gabby smiled, when she sniffed the air, smelling the aroma of the foods being cooked up in the kitchen. "Wow, I can already taste the food here!"
"I'm not surprised," Spike agreed. "Every year, Coriander Cumin and Saffron Masala would always go out to add some extra spice to their foods, for Hearts and Hooves Day."
"Whoa, really?" The griffin asked in astonishment. "So what exactly is Hearts and Hooves Day?" She asked.
"It's a holiday that Equestria celebrates every years," Spike began. "It's that time of year where everyone gets together with their loved ones, whether they be friends or family, or even as lovers. Y'know?"
"Wow, that's amazing!" Gabby chirped excitedly with stars in her eyes. "I didn't even know there was such a holiday!"
"Well seeing is–Huh?" Spike did a double take as he looked at Gabby in bewilderment. "What do you mean you didn't know there was such a holiday?"
"Because back in Griffonstone, we griffins don't normally celebrate any fun holidays together," the griffin explained, while looking down sadly. "Usually, whenever we get together, it's not on a friendly basis, and there would always be more squabbling and fights. Words are said and no griffin even wants to talk to each other again." Spike looked at Gabby with a sadden expression in sympathy. "We don't celebrate holidays, like your Hearths Warming Eve, or Hearts and Hooves Day, when we all just love each other. Of course, we're not even allowed to sing or dance either, so that's not a surprise..."
"Aw, Gabby," Spike walked up to Gabby, stroking his claws gently across her feather in comfort. "I'm sorry to hear with what you've been through in Griffonstone."
Wanting to change the subject and getting out of the awkward moment, Gabby shook her head and puts on her usual smile, "Don't be sorry, Spike." She chirped happily, as she reassures, "Because today, I'm with you now! And I know I'll have a good time with you!"
Spike only shook his head in response to Gabby's optimism. He couldn't help but admire how she's always so upbeat, even when she's under such stress, or depression. The only time she was truly upset, or at her wits end, was when she happened upon both Spike and Rarity engaged to a game of Ogres and Oubliettes, being quick to assume that Spike had walked out on her. She truly does value her relationship with Spike. Gabby is truly a unique, distinctive, one of a kind griffin.
Wanting to cheer her up, Spike began, "Even if there wasn't a Hearts and Hooves day in Griffonstone, I'm sure a lot of griffins have tried asking you out, Gabby."
"Actually, that's where you're wrong," Gabby frowned sadly. "None of the boy griffins were ever interested in a griffin like me. They think I'm just too... loud and too soft for their tastes."
Spike was outraged to hear what Gabby had told him, "What?!" He exclaimed. "That's ridiculous! You're the nicest, most upbeat griffin there ever were!"
"Aw, that's nice of you to say, Spike," The griffin smiled. "But I'm not anything special."
"Are you kidding me? You're ten times the griffins back in Griffonstone!" The dragon continued. "You're always looking for a silver lining, even in the darkest of days! You're crazy, but crazy in a good way, because you're not afraid to try something new! Even if it seems impossible, like trying to get a cutie mark! And on top of all that, you're always there to offer a helping claw for any griffins, or any creatures in need! And that's what I love about you!" Gabby couldn't help but blush as Spike continues on impulse, "Any griffins, or any creatures would be an idiot for not having you for a friend! And I can't help falling in love with you for that!" Quickly realizing what he just said, Spike quickly covered his mouth with his claws.
"Huh, what was that?" Gabby asked.
"Uh, nothing," Spike stammered, composing himself, while fanning himself a bit from the intense blush burning on his face.
"Hmmm, too bad," Gabby smiled, while eyeing him mischievously with half-lidded eyes. "Because that was the most beautiful thing any creatures has ever said to me."
Much to Spike's relief, their dinner at last came. And for the rest of their stay at the Tasty Treats, both Spike and Gabby ate in silence, though it doesn't help that Spike snuck a few quick glances at the griffin, watching her eat, to which she quickly catches sight of on a few occasions. Spike would quickly turn away, trying to act like nothing ever happened, though it was clear Gabby was aware of it.
Nevertheless, Spike couldn't help but feel pity for Gabby. Who knows what it was like to live in a society, where a time of friendship and love, such as Hearts and Hooves, is nothing but a fantasy? How long has Gabby lived through such a harsh life? And yet, she remains strong and upbeat. It was amazing. Spike's mind was made up. He intends to make this Hearts and Hooves Day even more special for Gabby.
After they've had their dinner, Spike and Gabby left the Tasty Treats, to take a stroll through the park, watching every ponies and creatures around them conversing and exchanging gifts with each other for Hearts and Hooves Day. The sun was barely setting over the horizon, which set the color of the sky in a beautiful hue of pink and red, which sets the tone of the romantic mood around them.
"Wow, this day is really beautiful, huh?" Gabby smiled brightly. "Everyone around us are all so... so..."
"Happy?" Spike guessed.
"In love! It's so romantic," The griffin cooed.
"Oh yeah. And it's about to get a lot more romantic," The young dragon looked to see a theater up ahead. "Hey Gabby. How much of a theatre fanatic are you?"
Spike and Gabby were later in a theatre, where they watched a musical play of a romantic story of sort.
"So what's going on?" Gabby whispered.
"This is the story of the first Hearts and Hooves Day," Spike explained, while they watched the whole musical performance playing out in front of them. "So there was this prince, who was madly in love with a princess from another kingdom. Unfortunately, they couldn't exactly be together, since they're always attending to their duties. So in a desperate attempt for them to be together forever, the prince stole a potion recipe from a wizard to cook up a love potion for both him and the princess. On the night the princess was to return to her kingdom, the prince gave her the potion to drink. They both drink the potion, and they immediately fell in love."
"Aw, that's so romantic~" Gabby cooed.
"It's not," Spike replied. "Here's where the trouble starts. Turns out, the potion worked a little too well. The two young lovers were so lost in each other's eyes, they couldn't perform their royal duties, and chaos reigned across the land." As he said this, Spike and Gabby watched as the stage was set ablaze, with ponies in costumes acting out the catastrophic events that were unfolding before the audience. From acting out a dragon's attack, to a griffin looting a jewelry store, and an ursa minor and ursa major rampaging.
Both Spike and Gabby couldn't help but cringe, particularly at the dragon and griffin scenes. Once again, throwbacks to the past conflicts between ponies, dragons, and griffins.
For the rest of the musical performance, Spike and Gabby continued to watch the story acted out before them, during which everyone in the audience watched the unicorn wizard discovering the chaos that had befallen onto the two young lovers' kingdoms. With that, the wizard worked his magic to break the spell of the love potion – which was later revealed to be a love poison. After she was cured of the love poison, the princess was nonetheless disappointed in the prince's reckless action, if not angry at his act of desperation that had not only endangered the lives of their people, but also put both their lives at stakes. As a result, the princess left the prince to undo the damages that was inflicted upon her land, in her state of absentmind, while the prince was left heartbroken, berating himself for his foolishness.
Since then, in the years that followed, on the exact same day, the prince and his people would always remember his reckless, desperate, and foolish attempt at love. He had decreed that from that day on, he would know nothing but loneliness for the rest of his lonely life. Or so he thought. In spite of everything he had been through, the prince's serving maid had remained by his side through thick and thin. It was on a dark and stormy night, when the prince fell gravely ill. His heartbreak had turned deep and sour. Out of love, true love, his maid crossed nearly half the world, searching desperately for the cure to save him, in spite of the odds.
Miraculously, the maid was successful in finding the cure, which was in the form of a flower. She took the flower home, quickly brewed it into a potion, which she used to rejuvenate the prince back to health. Why, he asked, did she risked her life to save his miserable one? In response, the maid explained her love for him. Even if he was still in love with the princess, she still wanted to be there for him, to be at his side, because they've been together for so long, since they were foals. Touched by her love, the prince fell in love with the maid, and asked her to marry him, which she accepted. From that day on, all of Equestria has celebrated Hearts and Hooves Day ever since.
All the way to the end of the story, Spike and Gabby happened to find themselves intertwining their fingers together. They even scooted together to close the distance, before they turned to look and gaze in each other's eyes. Both the music and the performance of the play were both haunting and enchanting, as both Spike and Gabby also felt themselves under a spell, encouraging them to come closer and closer, until they finally closed the gap with their beaks and jaws locked with each other in an intense kiss.
All it took was a loud uproar of applause from the crowd to snap the two back to reality. Thankfully, nobody in the crowd noticed it, allowing the two blushing lovers to awkwardly take their leave.
The moon was hanging high in the night sky, bathing the land in its luminescent aura. As the last stop of their date, Spike and Gabby were at the top of a mountain, looking down at the world below them.
"Before I had wings, and before I went to Ponyville with Twilight, this was one of my favorite place to go," Spike said. "Especially when it's at night, when I could look down and see all the lights from all the cities and towns far away, lighting up like fireflies."
"I see what you mean! It's so beautiful!" Gabby smiled.
"Yes, you are," Spike sighed out of impulse.
This didn't go unheard, "Aw, you think I'm beautiful?" Gabby blushed.
Realizing what he just said, and knowing that it was too late to take it back, or cover it, Spike sighed, knowing that it's now pointless to beat around the bush.
"You're not just beautiful, Gabby," Spike began wholeheartedly. "You are amazing. You're a one of a kind griffin. And I'll admit, before meeting you, I was... I was... I was crazy about Rarity. I thought she was the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes on... but she never looks my way." Gabby couldn't help but look at Spike with sad sympathy. "And then you came. You were... when you first came to Ponyville, you were this airhead, crazy griffin who was determined to get a cutie mark. I didn't know you back then, since we hardly see each other eye-to-eye." The two both exchanged nostalgic smiles, with Gabby beckoning for Spike to continue.
"It wasn't until your 'success' for acquiring cutie mark, in a way, when we finally started getting to know each other through letters. You say to yourself that you felt more and more out place, because of your differences from other griffins. But that's nothing to be ashamed of, because that's what makes you-you. To hear that there is another creature who felt just as out of place than I was, made me feel less lonely, being the first and only dragon who was raised by ponies. In time, I've come to embrace my differences from other dragons, and I want for you to embrace yours. All I ask was for you to don't stop being you. Because I love you."
With that, the pipe broke as Gabby puts a loving claw over her heart. Her eyes welled up with tears as Spike continues, "I love you..." He said to the tearful Gabby. "You... complete me." That did it. Gabby's eyes were overflowing with tears. "And I–"
"Shh, shut up!" Gabby squeaked, as she looks at Spike, tearfully, but happily. "You had me at hello. You had me at hello," she whispered, holding up her letter. The very first letter that started their beautiful pen pal relationship, which blossoms into something much more precious. Then, without a second thought, Gabby walked up and clamped her beaks around Spike's maw, pulling him close for another intense kiss, sealing the deal, and making it official.
Spike and Gabby were back in the streets of Canterlot, where Spike bid Gabby a safe trip and a good night.
“Well, I gotta head back to Griffonstone,” Gabby said as she flaps her wings and flies away. “See you tomorrow?”
“Definitely,” Spike smiled, watching the griffin fly away. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” Spike smiled, as he turns to take his leave. He was completely caught off guard when Gabby suddenly pounced on him from behind and gave him another quick peck on the cheek.
“Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, Spikelove~” Gabby giggled, before she took off flying again, leaving a stunned Spike.
Author's Note
Happy Valentines Day!
