The Dragon Who Becomes A Spy
It all started on a beautiful day in Equestria. The train from Ponyville came to a stop at Canterlot's train station, with a gust of steam and a screech of its wheel, with sparks flying from the railroad.
The doors of the train's passenger carts slide open as the passengers disembarked onto the station's platform. Among them are a group of five young mares – two earth ponies, two pegasi, and a lavender unicorn.
"Ah, Canterlot!" Twilight smiled. "It's always so nice to be back here again!"
"And a good place to move your birthday party to, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie giggled, with a hop and a skip of her legs.
"Pinkie, I'm not doing this for me," Twilight reminded. "I'm doing it for Rarity, so that she wouldn't have to feel left out for missing my party!"
"Then let's stop flapping our lips here and get a move on!" Rainbow Dash said anxiously, already zipping ahead towards Canterlot Castle.
"C'mon, Spike! Let's go!" Twilight called.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!"
Following the five mares was a young purple dragon, with green frills. He is Spike, Twilight's adopted younger brother, trusty sidekick, and Number One Assistant. Though, secretly, young Spike longed to have a chance to prove his heroism and to gain a recognition, with his sister and her friends. Little did the young dragon know, however, he's about to experience the story of a lifetime.
Pulling on a handle, the young dragon hauled out a red wagon that is big enough to carry a stack of gift-wrapped presents that were given to Twilight by every other ponies in Ponyville.
Spike was barely following Twilight and her friends through the crowd filled streets of ponies passing by and just going out their days. Even though Spike originally lived in Canterlot and knows the streets like the back of his claws, it was still hard for him to navigate through the busy streets, while pulling on a wagon full of presents behind him. None of Canterlot's civilians hardly seemed fazed at all.
"Excuse me. Pardon me. Coming through," Spike politely said as he tried to navigate amongst the ponies, bumping into a few along the way. "Sorry. Pardon me. Excuse me! Sorry! Hey, Twilight! Wait! Girls! Wait!" He desperately called out to Twilight Sparkle and her friends.
But it was no use. Twilight and four of her girls from Ponyville all disappeared behind the crowd of Canterlot ponies. Still, Spike pushed on through, hoping to catch up to them at Canterlot Castle, where Rarity will be.
Spike hadn't gotten far, let alone closer to the castle's bridge, however, when Spike accidentally bumped into somepony.
"Oomph!"
Both dragon and pony fell down on the ground with a hard thud, before they both got up and brushed themselves.
"Sorry about that," Spike apologized. "I wasn't looking..."
"Oh no, it's my fault," The pony replied in a French accent. "I apologize. I wasn't lookin' were I was going."
Spike looked up and his eyes widened in fascination to see, standing before him, looking down on him with concerns is a unicorn mare of tall and slim physique that it was almost like seeing Princess Celestia, but without her wings, and had dyed her mane and tail pink.
"Oh! Hello little one, where did you come from?" The mare asked.
"Uh...I just got off the train," Spike gasped breathlessly. "I was...on my way to my friend's birthday party. It's in Canterlot Castle."
"Oh?" The unicorn mare gasped. "Well, what a coincidence. Just the other day, I happened to run into a unicorn mare who is also staying at Canterlot Castle."
"That's Rarity!" Spike pointed out. "My friends and I were on our way to meet her right now!"
"Oh? It's her birthday?" The mare asked. "Funny. I thought her birthday isn't about a few more months."
"Oh, no, no," Spike shook his head as he cleared up the misunderstanding. "It's not Rarity's birthday. It's her friend, Twilight's birthday. We were going to celebrate it, back in Ponyville, but then we got a letter from Rarity saying that her cat is too sick and she can't return to Ponyville. So, Twilight decided to move her birthday party here, at the castle, so Rarity wouldn't have to miss it."
"Oh! Well, what luck!" The mare exclaimed. "Because it just so happens that Canterlot Castle is also hosting a garden party. And I was just on my way there, to meet up with Fancy Pants."
"I see. Hey! Why don't we go together?"
"Oui. Let's go."
With that, the mare and Spike were on their way to the castle. On the way, Spike decided to strike up conversation.
"By the way, name's Spike," Spike introduced himself.
"Pleasure to meet you, Spike," The mare nodded, before she started to introduce herself. "I'm–"
"Fleur de Lis! I know."
"Oh? So you've heard of me?"
"Oh yeah! I mean, your face is just all over Equestria! Everypony and creatures are all saying you're one of the most beautiful supermodels of the fashion industry. Even Rarity would gush on and on about you."
"Really," Fleur grinned with mild amusement. "I never knew my reputation would extend to...dragons."
"Oh. Sorry," Spike apologized, worried that he might've offended her. "I don't mean to offend if it bothers you."
"Oh, no, no, no. Not at all, dear Spike!" Fleur reassured. "In fact, I'm quite flattered, mon ami."
It wasn't long before Spike and Fleur de Lis at last arrived at Canterlot Castle. Once inside, Spike hauled his wagon load of presents into the ballroom, where the entirety was already decorated with streamers, balloons, and confettis from top to bottom.
"Wow, Pinkie's really outdone herself!" Spike said as he puts the gift-wrapped presents onto a table.
"Indeed," Fleur de Lis noted. "So this is what a birthday party looks like."
"Have you been to a birthday party before?" Spike asked.
"Oh, uh, yes, I have. But not quite like this..." Clearing her throat, Fleur de Lis turned to walk out the side door of the ballroom, leading to the aforementioned garden party. "Anyway, it's lovely to make your acquaintance Spike. I wish your friend, Twilight Sparkle, a happy birthday. I'll be out in the garden par–"
Fleur de Lis stopped mid-sentence. Spike looked at the white unicorn supermodel, noting the troubled expression on her face.
"Something wrong?" Spike asked, following her gaze, at the crowd of Canterlot Elites, mingling in the garden party. "What's the matter?" He asked again. "You looked like you've seen a ghost, or something."
"Uh...I'm fine, Spike," Fleur reassured. "I'm afraid I...need to get some fresh air," With that, Fleur de Lis took her leave and retreated into the garden party, with Spike's gaze following her, with piqued interest.
"I smell something rotten in Den-Mare," Spike commented.
Nevertheless, the young dragon brushed it aside and resumed preparing the ballroom for Twilight's birthday party. After about an hour, the presents were all set in their place, the piñata was ready, and the record player was tuned. Why would they still use a record player, when they could've gotten, say a radio, like DJ-Pon-3's, Spike doesn't know. But then, he decides not to question it, since this Twilight's big night and he wants it to be extra special for her.
After the party was set up and everything was in their proper place, Spike decided to sit in a chair and relax, with a cup of fruit punch in his claw.
Spike looked outside the window, watching the Canterlot Elites being all so dignified, elegant, and poised, as they mingled with each other on personal and influential matters. Spike rolled his eyes as he doesn't pay no mind to whatever they discuss. He's not big on politics, nor does he have any interests on getting acquainted with any ponies, who are infamous for being snooty and feeling all so high and mighty. Speaking of whom, he wished to himself that he could've gotten a picture of Rarity standing up to Prince Blueblood and shaking cake crumbs all over him.
Back to the present, Spike was just drinking his fruit punch, bored of his mind, waiting for Twilight and her friends to arrive in the ballroom, when his eyes caught sight of a familiar pony. An earth pony mare with a coat of light apple greenish gray, a mane and tail of moderate cobalt blue and very light fuchsia stripes.
"Bon Bon?" Spike asked to himself. "What's she doing here? I thought she was in Ponyville."
His interests grew even more curious, when he saw Fleur de Lis walking up to the earth pony and whispered something into the latter's ears. He watched as Fleur pointed her hoof, to which Spike followed, and saw a well-dressed unicorn stallion, walking out of the garden party. Before long, both mares proceeded to follow the stallion, out of the party and into the streets of Canterlot.
"Hmmmm."
Curiosity getting the best of him, Spike decided to follow along. Though, in the back of his mind, he was feeling rather regretful of leaving Twilight's birthday party.
"Sorry, Twilight," He silently apologized to his friend.
Still, he pressed on, wanting to know what Bon Bon and Fleur de Lis were up to.
The sky was decorated in a dazzling display of Princess Luna's stars. Princess Celestia's sun was just setting over the horizon, bathing the sky in a hue of purple and pink. The streets were lit. However, the part of Canterlot that Fleur de Lis and Bon Bon were going, was all dark and dim. Spike has never been to this part of the city before and the more he followed, the darker it gets.
'Why come here?' Spike asked himself, mentally. 'What are you two up to?'
Spike made sure to keep his distance as far away from the two mares as possible, when he followed them. He didn't want to give himself away, or run the risk of either of them catching him in the act of tailing. He also hid himself behind certain objects in order to hide himself, which wasn't a hard task, due to his small shape and stature.
After what felt like an hour, Spike felt he had followed them long enough.
"This is ridiculous," Spike shook his head. "I'm going nowhere. Twilight's party must've started already, without me. I'm going back."
Just as Spike was about to do so, he was stopped, when his frills perked up to the sound of a scuffle, from behind the corners of a wall.
"What the hay?!" Spike rushed over, following the sound of the commotion, and shimmied against a wall.
On the way, he could hear Fleur de Lis's voice shouting.
"Cease and desist at once you villains!" Fleur de Lis shouted.
"What the what?" Spike gasped.
"Sweetie Drops! Look out! Watch yourself! Get behind me! Stay back!"
What followed were the sight of flashing lights, indicating that there was battle between several magic users. And from the sounds of it, Fleur de Lis must be fighting, which is a surprising development, because Spike didn't know Fleur de Lis could fight. No pony ever heard of a mare like Fleur de Lis being in a fight before.
Spike slowly peeked behind the wall, to see a scene that everyone back home will never believe.
Before his very eyes was a fight between Fleur de Lis, Bon Bon against what appeared to be a dark creature that has the appearance of a pony, but with sharp fangs, wings like those of a bug, and holes in its legs, like Swiss cheese.
The bug-pony was blasting a fiery barrage of green magic fireballs at Fleur and Bon Bon. But with quick reacting, Fleur de Lis focused her magic to conjure up magic barriers that blocked some of the magic fireballs. During which, Bon Bon flanked the horsefly creature, trying to get the jump on it. The earth mare lunged forward and tackled the horsefly creature into the ground.
"Ha! Gotcha!" Bon Bon boasted.
"You're under arrest for attempted manipulation and infiltration!" Fleur de Lis declared as she walked over to the creature. "You should've been quick while you were ahead."
"Oh?" The horsefly cackled. "Then I hope you're not disappointed that I came prepared this time."
Without warning, Fleur de Lis and Bon Bon all found themselves ambushed and overwhelmed by several more creatures, like it, from the shadows. There were so many that neither Fleur de Lis nor Bon Bon had a chance to fight them off. Spike felt himself frozen in place, almost like he's been turned into a statue. He was petrified of fright, watching these scary, mysterious, pony-like bug creatures swarming all over Fleur de Lis and Bon Bon.
"Soon, you will all be prisoners of the changelings," The first horsefly creature cackled, as he and his friends continue to hold Fleur and Bon Bon down. "And then, all of Canterlot will kneel before our queen."
"Never!" Fleur de Lis cried defiantly.
It was from hearing Fleur's cry that Spike felt a newfound sensation in him. He was scared, but he didn't run away. He can feel his heart pounding fast and strong, like a drum, threatening to burst out from his chest. His mind was conflicted, like a raging storm. He couldn't think clearly. He doesn't know what to decide, or what to do in this situation. He could run off and get help, but it will be too late. He could try to help, but he was outnumbered. And he wasn't so sure if his little dragon flame was enough.
"Someone help us!" Bon Bon cried.
Spike helplessly looked at Bon Bon. And for a brief moment, in the blink of an eye, he saw Twilight Sparkle, in her place, all scared, helpless, and defenseless. Seeing Twilight vulnerable reminded Spike of his tragic past. How he was just a dormant egg. Just as lonely, vulnerable, and defenseless. The reason he is a living breathing dragon now, was because of Twilight, Princess Celestia, and everypony he knew. Because someone showed him love and care.
He wants to return the favor.
Out of impulse, Spike shouted, "Yo! Bug brains!" The horseflies turned their heads towards Spike, with bewildered expression, as the dragon continued, "Nah nah nah nah nah nah! Ya can't catch me!" He sang, while sticking his tongue out.
"What is that?!" One of the horsefly asked. "A lizard?"
"I'm a dragon! Dragon!" Spike frowned. "I don't do that tongue thing."
"Spike?!" Fleur de Lis and Bon Bon shouted.
"Ah. Friend of yours?" The first horsefly creature asked, before he sic his friends on the young dragon. "Get him!"
With a buzz of their wings, the horseflies all chased after Spike, who quickly took off running for his life. Spike quickly jumped into a barrel, with several horseflies following. They ended up cramming themselves together and got stuck in the barrel, while Spike snuck out through a hole in the bottom.
The young dragon didn't have time to revel in his victory, when he finds himself at the mercy of more of the horsefly creatures surrounding him.
"Can we talk?" He asked, to which the pony-like bug creatures responded by lunging at him, intent on pounding him to a pulp. "Guess not."
Spike managed to weasel his way out of the tussle, completely unharmed, watching the rest of the bug creatures continue to pound aimlessly at the ground.
"Morons," Spike grinned, before he ran towards Fleur de Lis and Bon Bon, helping them up. "Hey! Are you two okay?"
"Oui," Fleur de Lis nodded. "Merci mon ami!"
"Uh, don't thank him yet, Fleur!" Bon Bon pointed, to show that the three friends are all surrounded by more of the horsefly creatures.
"Uh, Spike," Fleur de Lis whispered. "How good is your flame?"
"It's green and sparkly, for sending messages," Spike answered and asked, "Why?"
"On my mark."
"GET THEM!!!"
"PULL!"
The changelings all lunged at the two mares and dragon. Reacting fast, Fleur de Lis fired a single ball of magic in the air.
"Shoot it, Spike!" Bon Bon screamed, to which Spike fired an explosive fireball at the ball of magic, which quickly erupted into a blinding light of fireworks.
"AH!" The horsefly creatures shouted. "So bright! Don't look at the light! I can't help it. It's so beautiful!"
"Warn me next time that happens," Spike rubbed his burning eyes, when he felt a hoof grabbing his claws.
"C'mon, this way!" Bon Bon shouted, as she and Fleur de Lis made their escape into the streets of Ponyville, with a blinded Spike in tow.
By the time the lights have cleared up, the horsefly creatures were dismayed to find their adversaries were nowhere to be seen.
"Blast it!" The first creature stomped his hoof. "They got away! And no doubt, that meddling Fleur will alert the guards of our presence and they'll be on high alert. We must escape and report back to Queen Chrysalis at once!"
Sometimes later, Spike had completely recovered his visions, as he sat down at a cafe, conversing with Fleur de Lis and Bon Bon.
"Phew! I thought I was a goner back there," Spike panted heavily.
"What you did was crazy!" Bon Bon added. "But...I'm thankful you came at least. Me and Fleur would've been...Ugh, I don't want to know what those changelings would do to us."
"Oui, it would've been horrifying," Fleur nodded. "But thank Celestia you came, mon ami," With that, Fleur inched her face towards Spike and pecked him on the cheek.
"Aw, hehehe," Spike chuckled nervously, blushing a shade of red. "It was nothing," Shaking his head, regaining his composure, he asked, "But what just happened back there? Who are those creeps? And...since when can you...fight?"
Fleur de Lis and Bon Bon all turned to look at each other, before they exchanged knowing nods, in total agreement. The mares turned back to Spike and Bon Bon was the first to produce a card.
"First off, my name isn't Bon Bon. It's Agent Sweetie Drops. I'm an agent of S.M.I.L.E. – the Secret Monster Intelligence League of Equestria," Bon Bon relayed, showing her card ID of the said agency. "We're basically an anti-monster agency, dedicated to work undercover and protect innocent lives from monsters, such as bugbears, cockatrice, chimera, and changelings, as you have just witnessed."
"Changelings?" Spike asked. "Is that what those horsefly things are called? Creepy. What exactly do they do, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Well, remember the parasprite incident we had back in Ponyville, some time ago?" Sweetie Drops asked, to which Spike nodded. "Well, changelings are kinda like parasprites, but worse. They feed off of love, by pretending to be the very creature you love most, and feeding off your love for them."
"Yikes!" Spike grimaced. "So...you're saying, those things can disguise themselves into...say Twilight, or Rarity. And then they feed off of...me?"
"Yup," Sweetie Drops nodded.
"Oh Faust!" Spike gulped, feeling an amount of his colors draining from him.
"Anyway, I've been tracking those changelings' activities for moons now," Sweetie Drops continued. "But as of late, they're becoming more organized and coordinated. They're getting more bolder and if we're not careful, all of Canterlot will be overrun by these things."
"Which is why as a former royal guard, I'm sworn to protect Equestria from all threats," Fleur de Lis added. "Even when I'm not on duty, the safety of Equestria's citizens always come first."
"Do tell, do–" Spike did a double take, as he turned to look at Fleur de Lis. "Wait a minute. What did you say?"
"As a former royal guard, I'm sworn to protect Equestria from all threats," Fleur repeated.
Spike was more bewildered than ever, blinking his eyes and asked, "You were a royal guard?"
"Oui."
"Wha...but...but...I thought you're a supermodel..."
Fleur couldn't help but chuckle, "Well, I'm not all fashion and poses, mon ami," Fleur replied, with a flick of her mane and a pose of her hoof behind her head, for emphasis. "Have you ever seen a supermodel fight like that before?"
"Well, I...uh, I didn't...I mean...I can't say that I have," Spike replied, more flabbergasted. "B-B-But...wow, this is a lot to process. You're a secret agent? You're a former royal guard? And...no pony is ever going to believe this!"
"Spike, I know it's hard for you to take in," Agent Sweetie Drops began. "But for our sake, if not yours, can you please do us a favor and not tell anyone?"
"Why would I tell anyone?" Spike asked. "There's no way my friends will believe this. And even if they do, Twilight's gonna freak out. And when she freaks out..." Spike shook his head, "Trust me. You don't want to see Twilight when she freaks out."
"Promise you won't tell anyone!" Agent Sweetie Drops asked.
"Okay, okay, I won't tell," Spike replied. "I Pinkie Promise. Cross my heart and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye."
"Then we're all in agreement then," Sweetie Drops got up and walked away.
"Hey!" Spike called out. "What should I do in the meantime? What are we supposed to do now?"
"Stay on guard," Sweetie Drops advised. "Keep an eye out for anything suspicious. I gotta report this to the agency," Before she left, however, Sweetie Drops walked back and asked Spike, "Although, I gotta say Spike. You've got some decent chops back there. How would you feel about working for the agency?"
"What? Me? A secret agent?" Spike asked, almost screaming his heart out with excitement.
"Shhhhhh!!!" Sweetie Drops shushed him. "It's suppose to be a secret," She whispered to him.
"Right," Spike nodded, and lowered his voice, "So...what exactly would I do, as an agent?"
"For starters, you'll be working undercover," Sweetie Drops explained. "Meaning you'll blend in with the crowd, drawing less attention to yourself, and look for anything out of the ordinary, and report it immediately to the agency."
"Sounds alright," Spike shrugged. "When do I start?"
"That's for us to decide, Spike," Bon Bon winked. "But I'll be looking forward to working with you again in the field."
With that, Sweetie Drops takes her leave, leaving Spike alone with Fleur de Lis.
"In the meantime, I believe we have some parties to return to," Fleur de Lis said, as she stood up and said to Spike. "Shall we?"
"Uh, we shall," Spike nodded as he and Fleur de Lis headed back to the garden party and Twilight's birthday party, if they haven't ended already.
On the way, Fleur decided to strike up conversation, "Today has been eventful, hasn't it?" Fleur asked.
"I'll say," Spike nodded. "Wow, me. A secret agent!" He smiled to himself. "If only I could tell this to Twilight...which I can't, and may never will..."
"But isn't it exciting, mon ami?" Fleur asked. "It means you'll be on lots of exciting adventures. Thrills! Exciting! Travels! Exotic places!"
"And fighting bad guys, climb the walls, swing through the windows secret agent-style, right?"
"...Um, one step at a time, Spike," Fleur de Lis advised. "First thing's first, you have to be trained up and learn some combat skills that would surely save your life."
"Is that the story with you when you first became a royal guard?" Spike asked.
"Oui. It wasn't easy. But the lessons were hard and the obstacles were brutal as they are challenging. But they were all worth it, in the end, when I first met Fancy Pants and saved him from a band of thugs."
"Say what now?"
Fleur simply chuckled, before she relayed, "It was years ago when I first saw Fancy Pants wandering obliviously into an alleyway. Unsurprisingly, he would've been robbed by a gang of thugs, had I not arrive on the scene to save him. Though I took quite the – how do you say? – beating, I was able to arrest the thugs. Afterwards, I escorted Fancy Pants back to his home, where he treated my injuries. Not long after that, he asked if I was interested in becoming his bodyguard, which I accepted, seeing how clumsy he can be."
"You're his bodyguard?" Spike asked, even more surprised. "I thought...no offense, but my friends and I though you were his special somepony! Sounds to me Snips and Snails owe me 20 bits, each."
Fleur de Lis chuckled, before she confirmed, "Maybe we are, or not. Either way, I love being there, by his side. Although, may I ask a small favor from you, Spike?"
"What's that?"
"Please don't tell this to anyone else," Fleur whispered. "I'd like to keep it a secret from the public's eye."
"Your secret is safe with me," Spike replied.
Secret Agent Man
