The Everfree House

Chapters

The Times They are a Changeling
Changelings 101
Empathy and Incense
Employee Benefits
A Game of Disguise and Discord
The Queen of Rags
Hydras and Changelings and Dragons, Oh My!

The Times They are a Changeling

The Everfree House

by Denim_Blue

Chapter One: The Times They are a Changeling

Spike stood patiently before a changeling drone sitting behind a counter. Neither had moved from their respective spots for almost three whole minutes, and the silence between them was deafening. The expression in her eyes was intense, but the drake’s own gaze was just as sharp and full of determination. Showing weakness right now was not an options that he could afford.

The changeling continued to scan his application silently, her vibrant blue eyes poring over every line, as though hoping to find some spelling error or flaw in his resumé, anything to turn him away. She would look up from the paper every so often and glance at him, perhaps sizing him up, comparing his appearance with the credentials he had given her.

At the tender age of 22, Spike had finished his first major growth spurt, and was now twice the size of an average stallion. On top of that, his muscle mass had more than tripled since his days as a dragon whelp. With his increased size, he had come to find walking on all fours to be a preferable means of locomotion. Along with his growth had come some dramatic changes to his body; wings had sprouted out from his back about four years ago had continued to grow along with him since. From the tip of his snout to the tip of his tail he was about nine and a half feet long. Even so, he was, at least in terms of weight and height, quite average for a dragon his age.

“Well...you definitely qualify for the position as far as physical abilities go...” the changeling said aloud.

It was true; his muscular frame put him a rank or two above the stallions in Ponyville in terms of raw strength. It was part of the reason he had applied for the position, after all.

“I see that you have a degree in Arcane History and Literature, too. You were also a scholastic assistant and scribe, is that right?”

Spike pursed his lips. “I...yes, I did. It was several years ago, though.”

“Something wrong?” the changeling asked, noting his expression.

“I’m surprised you’re acting so calm. You’re the first to interview me without asking anything about my diet, or ask if I have any greed-growth issues.”

The changeling nodded. “I won’t pretend to understand what it’s like to be a dragon, but I know what it’s like to be isolated...” She paused for a few moments, then sighed. “Equestria is a wonderful place, despite the difficulties we, as changelings, have faced. Still, I know what it’s like to experience prejudice. I can assure you that you won’t be dealing with any of that while I’m running this place.”

“I...thanks...” Spike said with a grateful smile.

She gave a hum as she continued. “So...Mister Spike, is it?” she inquired.

“Hm? Oh, yes...um...Miss...”

“Colea,” the changeling answered, a small smile finally showing on her lips. “I like the look of your resumé here, but...you don’t really have any work experience aside from a few years of study-aid work, though that seems to be more along the lines of a long-term internship, seeing as you received a monthly stipend from what you’ve written here.”

“No, Miss Colea, I don’t have any work experience,” Spike began. “I do, however, have some experience in crowd control during the Harvest Festival in Ponyville, and I can speak Gryphonic, some Wyrmahk, and even a little Morphelsic.”

“You can speak Morphelsic?” Colea inquired, eyes widening a bit. “That’s...impressive, especially for a dragon. Lots of the sounds are hard enough for ponies to say, let alone dragons.”

“Well, I figured that with how many changelings are living in Equestria these days, it’s only fair to know some of their language if they take the time to know ours, right?”

Colea smiled a little and chuckled. “I can’t argue that. I like your attitude. Not too many are so comfortable around us.” She looked over his paper one last time and nodded to herself, straightening them out and filing them away in a manila folder. “Between your experience working in public events, your language skills, and your list of community service work–very impressive list, by the way–I’d say you’re a good choice for us. If you wish, we could start you as early as today.”

Spike suppressed a sigh of relief. “I’d be happy to! Thank you, Miss Colea.”

The changeling grinned. “Wonderful. Now...while I do have to give you a detailed explanation of what is and isn’t allowed here at the Everfree House...I’m sure you already understand what a big part of our business entails, correct?”

Spike nodded. “Yes, and you have my word that I won’t...create any problems here.”

Colea nodded approvingly. “You’re a quick one, aren’t you?” She hopped down from her stool, put up a little ‘Out to Lunch’ sign on her desk, and made her way towards a door leading into the halls where all the rooms were. “Follow me, please.”

With the desk no longer in front of her, Spike was able to get a good look at Colea. She was rather short for a drone, he noted. Her dorsal fin started at the neck and ran all the way down to her shoulders. Her legs had large porous holes and her skin was made of the same black, pliable chitin-like tissue all changelings had.

As he made his way down the halls, he ignored the sounds of moans and squeaking mattresses behind some of the closed doors. A few changelings, male and female alike, peeked out from some of the open rooms at the sound of his heavy footfalls.

“So, Mister—”

“Spike is fine, Miss Colea.”

She laughed while looking over her shoulder. “Then just Colea is fine with me.” She turned ahead once more as she continued. “While I’m glad you wish to work for us...I’m curious...why do you want to work with changelings? Considering your credentials, you’d probably fit in better at the Canterlot Archives or at the Manehatten Museum of Natural History, don’t you think?”

Ah, there it was. The question he had been prepared for since before he started his application. “Honestly? I think I can relate with the changelings, at least a little bit. Ever since Equestria began taking in changeling refugees from the Badlands...well, you’ve all been doing your best to make it in our country. I’ve had difficulty adapting to pony society too, even though I was born and raised in it.”

Colea gave him an unreadable look, but nodded, urging him to continue.

“W-well...I’ve had my share of trouble fitting in. I almost destroyed half of Ponyville one time due to greed growth.” He saw her eyes widen. “I’ve got it under control, I promise! There’s a public file on it in the Ponyville archives if you need reference on that...but I managed to fix things up, and...well, everyone was quick to forgive me.” He shrugged his shoulders as he continued. “I guess...I just want to make sure you all get that same feeling of belonging here. That and...well, I have personal reasons for not working in Canterlot.”

He heard a few of the changelings eavesdropping on them murmur and whisper to each other. Colea’s wings twitched a bit as she smiled. “I appreciate your honesty and kindness, Spike. Not all of Equestria approves of our presence here,” she chuckled. “I’m glad you’re not like that, though. It makes hiring a lot easier for me.”

Spike felt his lips curl upward into a smile. So far Colea was proving to be a pretty easy-going changeling. He had been worried about how she would react to a dragon applying for a Security position, but so far her reactions boded well for him.

“Now,” Colea began. “The usual hours of operation are from 9 AM until 2 AM. We can talk about scheduling later, but do you have a preference?"

Spike smiled. “I’m willing to work whatever shift. Just as long as you give me time to sleep, that is.”

Colea chuckled. “I’ll make a note of that.” She turned right down another hall, and stopped at the entrance a large kitchen. “This is, in case you couldn’t tell, our kitchen. Since many of us live here, we have to provide our own food as well...aside from love, of course. You’re free to use the space as well, just be sure to clean up after you’re done...oh, and make sure to mark your food; Raxis has a tendency to eat any unmarked lunches.”

“That is a lie, Colea!” shouted a masculine voice down the hall.

Oh, please, Raxis! You still owe me ten bits for that deluxe sandwich you ate a month ago!” added another voice that came from the hall, this time female.

“I said I’d pay you back for that, Fade!”

“Tell that to my coin purse!”

Colea chuckled to herself. “Raxis is a good kid. Just bad at paying off small debts and eating others’ lunches. Not that anyone really cares that much.”

Spike laughed as well. “I take it there aren’t too many company picnics then, huh?”

Colea snorted as more laughter escaped her. “Smart and funny, huh?”

Spike just smirked. “I try.”

Colea shook her head, still smiling as she made her way out of the kitchen and towards a room across the hall. “This is our laundry and washroom. Be respectful of others’ belongings, and try to keep any laundry you bring here organized so it doesn’t get mixed with someone else’s clothes.”

A thought crossed Spike’s mind at the mentioning of clothes. “You know, I can hook you up with a friend of mine in town if you’re interested. She’s the best dressmaker in this part of Equestria,” he offered. “She could probably even give you a business discount if you become a regular client of hers.”

“Ah, you’re talking about Miss Rarity, right?” Colea smiled as Spike nodded affirmatively. “I actually had the chance to speak with her a while back. She’s been especially welcoming towards all of us so far.”

The rest of the impromptu tour consisted of Colea showing Spike the public showers, the dining area, and the residential living room, which also functioned as the meeting room for the employees.

“There’s a bedroom that you’re welcome to have down the hall here...though I’m afraid we don’t have a bed in your size. Anyway, I’m usually awake by eight in the morning, and breakfast is served between nine and ten. Lunch is up to you, and we typically all take part in making dinner.” Colea had finally brought them back to the front desk. “If you have any questions, feel free to ask me or any of our residential staff. I can give you a more thorough tour later after we get your papers sorted out.” She held out a hoof. “Welcome to our humble little establishment, Spike.”

Spike grinned, taking Colea’s hoof in a claw and gently shaking it. “I’m looking forward to working with all of you.”

“As are all of us. Now, before we get you started we’ll need to have you fill out a few documents and—”

“Colea?”

Spike and the changeling in question turned towards the hallway, spotting a changeling who stood about chest height with Spike, making her easily the tallest changeling he had seen since he arrived here. Unlike Colea, her short dorsal fin started just after her horn and ended at the top of her head. She had a sleek figure, and her eyes held an observant sharpness that he had often seen in Canterlot Castle, a sharpness usually seen among the guards. When she met Spike’s gaze her expression became inquisitive.

“Ah, Wisp, is everything alright?”

She looked Spike over a moment longer then turned back to Colea. “Sorry, Colea...we’ve got another case with Blur.”

Colea let out a low groan and uttered something in her language. “For the love of...again?” She sighed deeply, turning her attention to Spike. “If you want, you can get your first sample of what you might be doing on the job.”

“Um...alright?” he replied, unsure how to interpret the situation. “Is it something serious?”

“Probably not, but I’ve had to kick a stallion or tom-griffon out on more than one occasion.” Colea cracked her neck and took on a serious expression. “Wisp, come with, just in case.”

“I was planning on it,” the larger changeling replied.

The trio made their way down another hall, a part he hadn’t been shown before. It was different somehow, but he couldn’t peg what exactly made it different. It just felt different. More...peaceful? Subdued? He wasn’t sure.

“So, what’s your name, stud?”

Spike snapped out of his thoughts and turned to Wisp. She was giving him another appraising look, this time glancing over him with the slightest hint of a smile on her lips.

His cheeks grew hot, and he could not meet her gaze, much to his embarrassment. “Spike...of Ponyville.”

“Oh? You took a second name?” She raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t met a dragon with one before.”

“It’s...complicated,” Spike answered. “I’ve been living in Ponyville for quite a few years now. So...I just sort of took it on. The mayor even signed some official papers approving the second name.”

Wisp hummed thoughtfully. “What brings a young drake like you to this place...or should I say who brings you here?” Her tail swished from side to side, and Spike found himself in dire need of something to distract his eyes from the spot between her two thighs.

“Wisp, knock it off,” Colea said in annoyance. “The last thing I want is for you to scare off our newest employee before he even gets started.”

“Employee? Is that so?” Wisp purred. “Mmmm, well, Spike, I’m Wisp. If you ever need someone to talk to...or someone to have a little bit of fun with,” she wiggled her hips a bit. “I’m always available...well, except when I’m working.” She winked playfully at Spike.

“Erm...thanks...” Spike replied hesitantly.

“No problem.” Wisp looked back to Colea and frowned. “What do you mean by ‘scare’ away? I’m pretty sure we’ve got the opposite problem going on right now, thank you very much.” She stuck her nose in the air and flicked her tail a bit.

The trio stopped at a set of double doors. Spike picked up the smell of incense and green tea coming from within. The doors had wooden carvings of flowers and changelings on it. He could only imagine just how much time it took to get all the intricate little details—

“Come on...just...quick one!”

Spike’s ear frills twitched as he picked up a masculine voice from behind the doors, barely catching what was being said.

“...afraid I...very much...against...personal believings and...the...”

“What? But this is a freaking brothel! How can...say...?”

Colea’s frown deepened and he saw her mouth the word ‘brothel’. She looked to a clipboard pinned to the wall next to the doors and read it over. “Ah, Mr. Sweet Tea. I should have expected as much. He’s been bugging Blur for the past three weeks.”

Wisp tapped her chin in thought. “Wasn’t he the one that Ebon had to kick out?”

“Technically she asked him to leave. He did so after a bit of complaining.” Colea looked to Spike. “Alright, just follow my lead. Hopefully we won’t have any major issues here. Blur is...not what most of our clients come here for...even if they think otherwise.”

Spike didn’t follow. “What do you mean?”

“I’ll explain later,” Colea raised a hoof, knocking on the door three times. There was a bit of shuffling from within, followed by the door opening to reveal yet another female that stood a little shorter than Colea, wearing a dark pink kimono from the looks of things.

“O-oh, Miss Colea. Wisp...I am currently with a client who—”

“Blur...is everything alright, dear?”

Blur’s ears flattened, and her eyes trailed to Spike. She shrunk back in surprise, but quickly recovered. When she turned back to Colea, her voice was nothing more than a whisper. “I...am afraid that is very much not alright...”

“Alright. Let us handle this,” Colea replied softly.

“Thank you much.” Blur stepped aside and opened the door fully.

Spike took in the room, only to pause a moment as he took in the place. The room was easily the size of the lobby, and the decor and furnishings looked more appropriate in a noble’s house than a...place of such business.

In the far corner Spike saw a cozy-looking cot with a blanket and two pillows. Beside it was a tiny stone structure that resembled an oval of sorts with two branches coming out of the top and a heart carved in the center. Across from the cot was a dresser with several beauty products, brushes, and other things that he would expect to see in Rarity’s home, all neatly organized by size and function.

On the opposite side of the room was a small circle of cushions and what he could only describe as built-in stove top. It was small compared to any he had seen before, and didn’t look big enough for any real cooking on. There was, however, a kettle sitting on the surface, thin wisps of steam coming out of the spout. Beside it was a platter full of various hoof foods, small crackers with cream cheese and fruit on them, some kind of green pasty stuff he assumed to be a dip, and even sliced ribbons of sausage, likely turkey or chicken. While Spike’s own diet was namely vegetarian with gems, he did recall that changelings, like dragons, are typically omnivorous.

Sitting on one of the cushions was a dark green unicorn stallion that couldn’t have been more than a few years older than Spike. He had a cutie mark of a glass of sweet tea and a lemon wedge. He looked to Colea, Wisp, and Spike, his face paling considerably as he met the young drake’s gaze.

“I-I’ll just be go—”

“One moment,” Colea spoke, her tone leaving no room for argument. “Mr. Sweet Tea, I believe we had this discussion once before.”

“Well, yes, but I thought—”

“You thought you could corner Blur and convince her to service you?”

“I...” Sweet Tea frowned. “Look, what difference does it make? She gets a meal, and I get to have some fun with—”

Colea was upon him before he could finish the thought, a hoof pressing against his throat and another raised. “Don’t think I don’t notice the marks on her forelegs. Luckily for you she’s a pacifist, otherwise I’m sure she would have beat the snot out of you by now, and trust me, she could.”

Sweet Tea coughed as she released pressure on his neck. He glared at her and stood up. “What the hay is with your kind? First you try to take over our country, then you come to the princesses with your tails tucked between your legs, begging for refuge! You want to have a way to feed on love, yet you won’t work for—”

Colea’s hoof clocked him clear across the jaw, and Spike couldn’t help but wince as Sweet Tea was thrown a few feet to the left before crashing into a chair. Colea walked over to the stallion, lifting him up with a glow of her horn and bringing him eye level with her. “I have had it up to here"—She raised a hoof to her forehead to emphasize—“with you hypocrites! You talk about equality and harmony for all, and then you pull this crap?! Sure, some of you are genuine about it, but it’s the ones like you that...” She exhaled sharply and continued. “Just because we’re stuck with only a few options doesn’t mean we’ll be treated like...like...like dolls or objects to do with as you please!” She jabbed a hoof in Blur’s direction. “Blur is not interested in sex, and she has been more than clear about that with you and everyone else who’s visited her! That aside, she, like all of my house tenants, is free to refuse such services if she wishes!” She pushed him back. “Get out of my sight, and never show your face here again.” She turned to Spike and Wisp. “Escort this stallion from the house.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Wisp replied. Spike quickly recovered from his shock and followed Wisp, who was already leading the unicorn down the hall. When they reached the entrance, Wisp pushed the doors open and nodded once to Sweet Tea. “Beat it.”

“You can’t just let her strike out at me like that and not expect me to—”

Wisp’s horn glowed briefly as she hefted Sweet Tea up off the floor and tossed him out the door. “We’re well within our rights, bastard! We’re not under Ponyville ordinance, and in many cases we’re not even under Equestrian law! We’ve made our policies clear as crystal to you on more than one occasion!”

“That’s a load of crock!” Sweet Tea shouted. “Your building is on Equestrian soil! There are laws against—”

“It’s on Everfree soil, idiot,” Wisp snapped. “The Everfree Forest is within Equestria, but it’s also considered ‘free land’. It’s in the name!” She turned around, making her way back inside. “Don’t come back here, and don’t expect any refunds!”

Spike was about to follow Wisp when Sweet Tea called out to him. “Hold on...I’ve seen you before!”

Spike paused, raising an eyebrow. “Okay?”

“You’re...you’re Princess Twilight Sparkle’s dragon!”

His expression darkened for a moment, an unpleasant frown marring his features. “No, I was Twilight Sparkle’s assistant.” He snorted out smoke as he made his way inside. “Those days are long past me now, though.”

With that, he slammed the door, rattling its hinges and the windows in the front of the building.

“Did he hurt you?”

Spike and Wisp walked in to see Colea gently holding Blur in her forelegs. He began to back out, sensing that this was a personal moment, but felt a touch on one of his claws. Looking down, he was met by a smiling Wisp, who shook her head and motioned for him to go inside.

“Um...is everything alright?”

Spike’s deep voice shook the two changelings from their conversation. Colea nodded to Spike, a small smile on her face. “It seems so. I was just asking Blur if he hurt her.”

“If he did...” Wisp growled out.

“If he did, we’ll go to the proper authorities,” Colea cut her off.

“Pfft, a lot of help they’d be.”

Colea ignored Wisp. “Blur...did he hurt you at all? I see some marks on your forelegs.”

“Oh,” Blur lifted a foreleg, and Spike noticed faint, dark green marks around it. “Well, he was greatly...anxious. Perhaps a little demanding, but he was not of intent in hurting me.”

Spike quirked an eyebrow at her odd way of speaking.

Wisp noticed his expression. “Blur spent most of her life in Hive City. She’s fluent in several languages, but she’s still learning Equinic. For somechangeling who’s only been studying for three years, she’s doing very well.”

Blur blushed, her cheeks gaining a faint, dark green hue. “You are most kind, Wisp.” She turned her attention to Spike. “My apologies, young dragon. Um...what is your name?”

For the first time, Spike took a moment to get a good look at Blur’s appearance. She was of a similar build to that of Colea, perhaps a little smaller. He couldn’t tell for certain with the kimono she was wearing, though. The fin on her neck was much larger than either Wisp’s or Colea’s, leaning to one side a little. Her eyes were of a pale blue, perhaps a bit brighter than the other two.

Colea smiled in embarrassment. “Sorry, I never got a chance to introduce you two. Blur, this is Spike. He’s going to be working our security here.” Colea looked to Spike. “Spike, this is Blur, the Everfree House’s resident ceremonialist.”

“Ceremonialist?” Spike echoed.

“Ah...you are not familiar with changeling customs, yes?” Blur asked. Spike gave her a nod. “As a ceremonialist, it is...” She paused, likely trying to find the proper words. “I am...similar to a...priestess. Yes, a priestess.”

“Oh.” Spike nodded. “Um...what do you do?”

“I supervise many events of great special...um...” Blur turned to Colea, and muttered something in the exotic tongue of the changelings. Colea nodded and gave her a reassuring nod.

“Blur is sort of like a spiritual guide for us. While not all of us are religious, many of us look to her as a guru of sorts, kind of like the shaman of Zebrica or like one of the Wise-Hens in ancient griffon clans.”

“I am...still learning,” Blur mumbled, her gaze falling to the floor. “It is a very demanding duty.” She looked back up to Spike, giving him a smile. “I am happy to meet you, Spike.”

“The pleasure is mine, Blur.”

Blur gave a cute blush. She crossed her forelegs over her chest and spoke something in a hushed tone. He didn’t know what the gesture was for, but he was apparently in good standing with her. That was enough for him.

“Right,” Wisp said. “Well, I got an appointment with the Spa Sisters at four, but they said if I show up early they might have an open slot for an earlier time.” She stretched a bit and cracked her neck. “I’ve had this weird crimp in my shoulder muscles all week.”

“I told you to be careful with that Minotaur,” Colea chided. “They’re bigger than ponies, after all.”

“Hey,” Wisp chuckled. “She was a cute Minotaur. That, and I got to try out that one bull I’ve heard about.” In a flash of green, Spike was looking at none other than Iron Will. She flexed her muscles before shouting, “If it doesn’t fit—!”

“Knock it off, Wisp,” Colea interrupted. The disguised changeling rolled her eyes and returned to her true form with another flash of green flame.

“So, how was I?” Wisp asked as she looked to Spike. “Just like the real deal? Out of character at all?”

“I...only saw him in passing.” Spike cleared his throat. “Though, I’ve been told he liked rhyming. I guess you did pretty good...”

“Well, I guess that counts as a victory for me, then.” Wisp looked to Blur and Colea. “I’ll be sure to pick up some groceries on my way home.” With that, Wisp made her way out of the room and headed down the hall.

“That...I swear, sometimes...” Colea shook her head. “Spike, thank you for helping.”

“In all fairness, I didn’t really do anything.”

“On the contrary; your presence alone was enough. I wish it wasn’t that way, but it’s true. Dragons are strong and powerful creatures, so ponies avoid causing problems with them.” Colea’s smile softened, her expression sympathetic. “It...must be hard, being the only dragon in the area.”

“Well, technically, there’s this one jerk who lives deeper in the Everfree Forest, but...yeah, it can be rough. I’ve lived here long enough that most of the residents are used to me by now, though.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Colea said, somewhat relieved. “I hate to do this, but I’ll need to file an incident report on what happened. It’ll probably take a couple hours to make sure I can properly cover our collective legal hides in case Sweet Tea decides to try and pull anything. It wouldn’t be worth his time, but still, you never know.” She waved a hoof dismissively. “Anyway...would be willing to start tomorrow instead?”

Spike gave her a reassuring nod. “That’s perfectly fine, Colea.”

“Good, thanks for your understanding. Um...would you also be willing to fill out a form stating what you witnessed?”

Spike just laughed. “I’ve done plenty of record-keeping in my days. I don’t mind.”

Mulberry Road was typical as far as residential streets in Ponyville went. The houses were colorful, yet not to the point of being obnoxiously so. Then again, having Carousel Boutique at the end of the block likely contributed to that.

No one wished to face the ire of a Rarity fueled by a color scheme faux pas.

Spike made his way up the entrance of his abode, pausing as he heard voices from within.

Singing voices, to be precise.

“Bonbon, I need you hee~ere. You’re singing flaa~aat. Again...Laaaaaa~” sung one voice.

“Lyra, you know I’m a horrible singer,” mumbled another.

“Nonsense, you’re a pony. All ponies can sing. Try it with me, Laaaaa~”

A deep sigh. “Laaaaaa~”

“Now; do re mi fa so la ti do~”

“Do re mi fa so la ti do~”

There was a clopping of hooves. “Great! See? Much better than earlier!”

Spike opened the door and was greeted by the sight of two of his housemates, Lyra and Bonbon.

“Oh, hi, Spike,” greeted Bonbon. “How did your job hunting go?”

“I’m starting a new job tomorrow,” he replied with a grin.

“You are? That’s wonderful!” Bonbon got down from the couch, making her way towards him and wrapping her forelegs around him. “And here you were saying that you would be wasting your time.”

“Yeah, yeah, you were right, I was wrong,” Spike chuckled. “Thanks for kicking me into gear.”

“Where are you working?” Lyra asked.

“You won’t believe me if I told you.”

Lyra quirked an eyebrow as she walked towards him, stopping when she was past what most would consider to be a comfortable distance. For several seconds she simply frowned at him with a hint of suspicion while Bonbon stood aside, unsure what to do.

The quirky mare was hard to gauge, even when it came to her long time marefriend.

Spike suddenly stepped back as Lyra got onto her hind legs and took a few more steps forward, her snout now inches from his. She gave him a scrutinizing look and whispered in an accusingly. “You’re not working as a hitpony, are you?” She leaned forward, her snout bumping against his.

“What? No, no...geesh, Lyra, give me some credit here!” Spike shook his head. “You have to stop going to the theaters so much. Those movies are getting to your head. Anyway, no, I’m not a hitpony...”

“Oh!” Lyra dropped down to all fours, and smiled. “I didn’t think so, but I’m just saying, if you were, we’d have the right to know. You know, seeing as we pay half of the bills every month.”

“Lyra...”

“What? Bonbon, come on, you know he’d be a great hitpony.”

“Actually, I think I’d be a hit...drake? Maybe?” Spike suggested.

“Well...” the unicorn paused for a moment. “Yeah, I guess, but still, you’d be awesome.”

“Um...thanks?”

“Don’t mention it.” Lyra nodded. “So, where are you actually working, then?”

Spike shrugged. “That new place outside of town. The Everfree House.”

“What?!”

“Sweet!”

“Lyra!”

“What?!”

Spike looked between the two mares, one grinning while the other wore a look of disbelief on her face. After staring at each other for a moment, they returned their gazes to Spike.

Bonbon spoke first. “Why...but...that place is...a house of ill repute.”

“Oh come on, Bonbon. They were legitimate businesses back during Equestrian Renaissance, for pony’s sake,” Lyra groaned.

“Yes, then everypony started getting warts in places where the sun won’t shine,” Bonbon deadpanned.

“Hey, they got regulations and restrictions on how they go about that stuff these days. Employees at the Everfree House get check-ups every week,” Spike said.

“What about customers, though? I doubt they go through the same check-ups every time they go through.”

“State-of-the-art detection wards set up all throughout the place. If anypony, griffon, or some other creature has a...well, something that somepony wouldn’t want to catch, the staff will know, and discreetly ask them to leave.”

“Oh...that’s a bit intrusive, but I guess if it’s for the sake of everypony’s health,” Bonbon let out an exasperated sigh. “Still...it’s not just that. I mean, aren’t there changelings working there?”

Spike frowned. “What about them?”

She shrunk back at Spike’s gaze. “I-I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but...I guess I’m just worried about you. Not everypony approves of them in Equestria, you know...and I don’t like the idea of you getting caught up in anything.” Her gaze hardened a bit. “What are you doing there, exactly?”

“I’ll be working as Security staff. Mostly patrolling the bar and the suites, making sure everything is alright...” Spike waved a claw. “Security stuff.”

Bonbon relaxed a bit. “Security? Ah, heh, of course...of course.”

Lyra smirked. “You were picturing him working as a service drake, weren’t you?”

“N-no!” Bonbon snapped. “I...ugh, Lyra, sometimes...” She shook her head, forcing a smile for Spike. “I’m glad you found some place to work. I...well, it wouldn’t be my first choice of work—”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

“...”

Lyra shrunk back at Bonbon’s gaze. “Whaaat? Bonbon, don’t look at me like that,” Lyra chuckled weakly.

“As I was saying,” Bonbon continued. “I’m happy you found somewhere to work. Just...be careful. Security work in a place like that is probably not as easy as you might think.”

“Not to mention you’re right next to the Everfree Forest,” Lyra added.

“Oh my gosh, you’re right!” Bonbon gasped. Spike shot Lyra an annoyed look as she smiled sheepishly. “Spike, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, think of the Timberwolves, Manticores, and Cockatrices that live in that horrible place.”

“Fluttershy lives near the forest, and Zecora actually lived within it. Neither of them have many problems from what I understand,” Spike defended. “I appreciate your concern, though.”

Bonbon opened her mouth to argue further, only to be cut off by Lyra. “Bonbon, Spike’s a big boy. Let him make his own choices, alright?”

“I...” Bonbon flushed a bit in the cheeks as she gave Spike what she hoped was an apologetic smile. “I guess it’s hard to forget about the little guy you were not too long ago...”

“Heh,” Spike lowered his head a little as Bonbon walked towards him. “I’ll be careful, Bonbon. Only because you asked, though.”

Bonbon nuzzled his cheek. “You better, otherwise I’ll get Scootaloo to make you promise.”

Lyra snickered. “Considering her methods, I’m sure Spike wouldn’t mind.”

Bonbon frowned at Lyra as Spike’s cheeks turned beet red. “I swear, what am I going to do with you, Lyra?”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure Scootaloo could give you a few tips.”

Lyra laughed as she made her way into the kitchen, likely to prepare dinner. Bonbon patted Spike’s face sympathetically as he tried to hide his embarrassment.

“Are we really that bad?”

“Well,” Bonbon began. “Lyra and I...did get woken up by you two. O-only three times, I swear!”

Spike covered his face with a hand. “I am so sorry...”

Bonbon chewed her bottom lip, avoiding further comment. The last thing Spike probably wanted to hear was that she and Lyra didn’t mind the extra noise their two housemates made every so often...and sometimes even looked forward to it.

Fwump!

Spike cracked open an eye. Faint rays of moonlight filtered through the blinds of the otherwise dark room. He rolled over to face the bedroom door, spotting a familiar and decidedly equine shape at the entrance. His eyes quickly adjusted to the dark, and he was able to make out the fine, athletic figure of the pony.

The pony shrugged off a second large saddlebag and dropped it to the ground.

Fwump!

Spike breathed deeply, alerting the newcomer that he was awake. “Hey, Scoot. How was work?”

The young mare chuckled, a scratchy, yet feminine, sound. “You ever wonder how Cloudsdale’s weather factory gets all its schedules out to the general public?”

“Not really, no. Why?”

“Well, I was in charge of distributing the last-minute revised schedules for the next two weeks to about fifty different villages, towns, and suburbs in the Equestrian Valley, including Ponyville and Canterlot,” she answered. “A fifteen-hour work-day...but the overtime will be worth it when I get paid.”

“Going to spend it on more training weights and those protein shakes, aren’t you?” Spike let out a weak chuckle as Scootaloo stuck her tongue out at him. “Geesh, how much do they strap on you these days? Seventy pounds each?”

“Usually between sixty-five to eighty-two pounds, each of them.” Scootaloo nudged the pack next to her with a hoof. “I can handle it, sure, but it’s nothing to trifle with; flying with that big of a load all around the Equestrian Valley is dangerous. Luckily, these two are easily some of the strongest babies out there.” She gave a nod to the pair of wings on her back as they spread out, extending to their full length.

Spike watched as her powerful shoulder muscles flexed. Even in the dim light, he could make out the smooth curvature of her body as she gave her wings a few more hard flaps, stretching out the fatigue she had built up over the course of the day.

“You know...believe it or not, I’m not really tired right now,” Scootaloo began as she looked over her shoulder, her gaze meeting Spike’s. Her tail whipped from side to side a bit as a smirk spread across her lips.

“You don’t say...” Spike replied, his gaze transfixed on her flanks.

“Mmhmm. I’m kind of restless right now.” She stretched out her back like a cat, wings flaring out fully. “Think you could help me?”

“I could...”

Scootaloo turned around, putting a bit of sashay into her step as she approached him. “So...what do you think we do about it?”

Snapping out of his trance, the drake grinned. He leaned forward and planted a few kisses along Scootaloo’s neck, causing the young mare to moan softly. He stroked her mane gently with one of his claws, barely grazing the skin of her coat every so often. She shuddered at the contact and pulled away to catch her breath.

“You okay?”

Scootaloo laughed. “Just fine. It’s just...you know how I am after a long day of work.”

Spike wrapped an arm around her frame, gently pulling her closer and scooping her up so that she was resting on his chest and their faces were only a breath away from each other. He continued to run his hand over her mane, venturing a bit further every so often. He chuckled softly as her wings shot up when he stroked her shoulder muscles.

“Sh-shut up,” she mumbled weakly.

It had always been a bit of an inside-joke between them. Her wings responded almost instantly to any sensual touch. Apparently, pegasi considered it to be rather embarrassing, but he found it adorable.

“I didn’t say anything,” he whispered softly.

Not one to be outdone, Scootaloo leaned forward and met Spike’s lips with hers. Their tongues danced as they let out steamy breaths, eyes closed as they gave into the sense of touch completely. Every so often Scootaloo would whimper in pleasure as she felt Spike’s hands gently squeeze her derriere.

“S-Spike...can you...?” She let out another moan as his tongue began trailing down her neck. “Spike, please...!”

Understanding her perfectly, Spike placed a single digit against her slit, noting with a small amount of pride that she was already wet. He kissed her gently on the neck as he slowly prodded her marehood with his fingers. She let out a breath and bit her lower lip as he slowly parted her entrance.

“How do you want it?”

“Guh...two...fast...”

Spike raised an eyebrow. “Man, has today been that rough on you?”

“Guh, fuck, Spike, stop teasing me and...unnnnhaaa~” Scootaloo shivered as a second digit penetrated her. Her scent was easy to pick up on now, and her movements became sluggish as she gave in to the feeling of her dragon lover fingering her.

Sure, it wasn’t the first time she’d been teased or penetrated. She had been with a few mares, and knew all the wonderful sensations a skilled yet gentle hoof could produce. The downside to being a pony, though, was the lack of fingers for more intricate play. She supposed that was all the more reason to have toys to compensate for that, but still, there was something to be said about the warmth of another’s body as they pleasured you.

She and Spike had been together for almost two years now, experimenting in all sorts of things while keeping their relationship somewhere between casual lovers and a loving couple. One thing she had learned about him was that he always aimed to please, no matter how unplanned sessions like these were.

Her wings were rigid, almost painfully so. She could only focus on the feeling between her legs and the soft, emerald eyes that gazed at her lovingly.

“How is it?”

“Gnnn...” Scootaloo replied. She managed to smile, leaning forward to kiss him.

He happily reciprocated her gesture, groaning as she bit his lower lip, just hard enough to register a twinge of pain.

Scootaloo’s hips were now moving on their accord, taking in Spike’s fingers and squeezing them with every thrust. Meanwhile, Spike was beginning to have trouble focusing on the task at hand. Namely due to the growing arousal between his legs, but he was determined to finish his job first.

“Hah...Spike...I think...oh yeah, right-hah...aahhh~” Scootaloo’s wings flapped several times as she buried her muzzle into the crook of Spike’s neck. “Ohhhhh, I’m—”

Spike felt his hand become coated in her fluids as she let out a low groan, her whole body freezing as she let out shaky breaths. He held her against his chest and felt the rapid thumping of her heart as she slowly, ever so slowly, eased down from her climax.

For several long minutes they lay there, both coated in a fine layer of sweat. Scootaloo lifted her head, giving Spike a lopsided smile. “Thanks...”

“No problem,” Spike replied. “Didn’t know you were that wound up, though.”

She chuckled. “Hey, it’s spring. What do you expect?”

Spike shook his head. “Yeesh, thank the stars dragons aren’t affected by the seasons. I don’t know what I’d be like right now.”

Scootaloo hummed in thought. “I’d be interested in finding out if I could.”

“Of course you would,” Spike rolled his eyes and laughed lightly.

Scootaloo nuzzled him affectionately, then looked over her shoulder and down to his crotch, her smile widening noticeably. “So...your turn, huh?”

“If you’re too tired, I’ll be fine.”

Scootaloo snorted in laughter. “Oh, sure, ‘I’ll be fine’. Hah, right. I can see the bulge beneath your scales, even in the dark.” She rubbed over the sensitive spot with one of her back legs, eliciting a hum of approval from the drake.

Smirking, she turned around so that he got a good view of her butt. She began to tend to his concealed arousal, slowly teasing at the gap between two scales as they parted with her tongue.

“Uhhhnn...”

“There we go...” Scootaloo grinned as Spike’s twin rods revealed themselves to her, fully erect and twitching. She licked her lips, suppressing a giggle as Spike’s hips shook a bit when she tapped one of his shafts with a hoof. She would be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy the bit of dominance she had over him in situations like this.

Her tongue slowly ran up the length of one, then the other. She heard Spike exhale deeply, the faintest hint of smoke reaching her nostrils as she continued. She took a moment to look at Spike, whose tongue was now lolling out of his mouth.

Heh, and he says I’m the one who was wound up...

She couldn’t blame him–or herself–though. With her job demanding so much from her, and Spike often keeping himself busy with the odd errand or task involving friends, they didn’t get to have as much time alone like this as of late.

Again, hooves only provide so much comfort when a mare needs some alone time.

Satisfied with her warm up, Scootaloo spit into both hooves and began stroking the drake’s hemipenes. She could hear him uttering her name every so often between his hisses and groans.

Truth be told, Spike was her first and only ‘stallion’ that she had ever been with. For the most part, she preferred mares. Spike, however, whatever that reason may have been, drew her attention. Not so long ago, both of them were out on their own, not sure yet what they were looking for in life other than freedom as adults. They had started out as friends looking to help each other out, but that changed with time. He had helped her get her job as a courier, had been nothing but encouraging with her dream of becoming a professional flight sportspony, and above all else, he just plain loved her for who she was.

She smiled, and returned her thoughts to the shafts standing before her. “So...what am I going to do with you two?”

She waited, curious if Spike would suggest anything to her. When she was met with relative silence, she glanced over her shoulder, giving him a curious look. He simply smiled, his silent gesture to go on ahead and let her make the decision.

She glanced down to her own rear, giving him a questioning look, then nodded to his twitching shafts. Immediately his eyes widened, and he shook his head.

“Why not?”

“Scoot...we’ve been over this—”

“We won’t know unless we try, though.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Spike countered lightly. “As much as I’d probably like to, I like the idea of you not being injured more.”

Scootaloo snorted in irritation. “I bet you’d fit.”

“I bet I also might do some serious damage down there. I’m not a pony, Scoot. Despite what some stories say, there’s a good chance I could really hurt you...” He sighed, and placed a gentle hand on her back. “I don’t want that to happen.”

Scootaloo’s frown vanished slowly, being replaced with a reluctant smile. “Alright...someday, though...”

Spike nodded. “Maybe...”

Satisfied with his answer, she continued with stroking his shafts, but an idea struck her, and she slowed down.

“Wha...what’s wrong?” Spike asked.

“Sit up, I got an idea,” Scootaloo explained as she crawled off him. Spike did as she instructed, sitting cross-legged on their bed. Scootaloo reached for the side table drawer by their bed and pulled out a jar. She unscrewed the cover and lay down on her back before him, grinning deviously. Spike caught on immediately, his face lighting up in excitement.

“Heh, we haven’t done this in a while.”

Spike scooted forward, assuming what most would see as a standard missionary position. Spreading her legs and flagging her tail to the side, the mare gave him a teasing grin. “Well...?”

Spike rested his drakehoods just below her belly, and grabbed ahold of either of her back legs. In turn, Scootaloo took some of the lubricant in the jar and spread it over her belly and hooves. “Yeesh, this stuff is cold.”

“Good thing it washes off.”

“Still...it’s always cold.”

“Better than whipped cream, right?”

Scootaloo frowned deeply. “Good point. Though, I thought we agreed that we wouldn’t talk about that night ever again?”

“Hey, I had fun.”

“I know,” she grumbled. “I never heard so many jokes about ‘eating out’ in my entire life,” Scootaloo snickered a little as Spike smirked. “Alright, big guy, you ready?”

Nodding, Spike slowly moved his hips forward and Scootaloo placed her arms over both of Spike’s throbbing cocks. He shuddered as he came into contact with the cool lubricant, but the feeling was countered by the wonderful warmth of being nestled between Scootaloo’s arms and belly.

Slowly, he began to grind against her. The smacking of skin against skin filled the air as Spike picked up his pace. Scootaloo closed her eyes, loving the feeling of Spike pushing against her. While she would have loved it more between her legs instead of her stomach, she understood Spike’s concern. Just looking at the length of his hemipenes would make most mares more than a little hesitant and most stallions more than a little envious. Apparently, though, Spike was average for a drake his age, or so his research had told him.

Every so often Scootaloo would lick at the head of one of his cocks as he thrust, which in turn was rewarded with a shuddering gasp from Spike.

“Scootaloo...” Spike murmured, his voice heavy with lust.

He thrust forward again, but she held him in place this time. He paused for a moment to register, then stopped his movements as she began to suck on the head of both shafts, switching off every so often.

“Mmmmnn...” She hummed as she licked the tip while keeping eye contact with him. The way he winced and panted was equal parts adorable and sexy, at least for her.

She started stroking him off again, and the sensation of her tongue and her skilled hooves against his lengths seemed to be almost too much. It felt like he was ready to burst with how hard he felt against her fur coat, and his throbbing was like a pulse all on its own.

“O-oh...Scoot...I...gah...”

Despite his garbled message, she understood him clearly. Pulling her lips away from his two tips, she began to stroke him faster. He softly grasped a hold of one of her hooves with a hand, moving with her and holding her gaze.

Scootaloo just smiled and tongued the tips of both cocks once more. That, apparently, was enough to set him over the razor’s edge.

A jolt ran down his spine, and he grunted her name seconds before spurting onto her chest. She closed her eyes as more of his seed was released, coating her cheek and chin. The hot, sticky fluid’s scent invaded her senses and made her dizzy for a few seconds.

“Guh...stars above, Scoot...that was...” He exhaled deeply, a long satisfied breath. “Thanks...”

“Anytime, stud,” she replied with a grin.

She could feel his claws slowly loosening their grip around her ankles before letting go. Two strong arms picked her up and helped her up to a sitting position.

Scootaloo giggled as he felt a wet facial tissue wipe against her eyes gently. “Yeesh, Spike, how long were you holding that in?”

Spike let out a soft chuckle. “Male dragon, remember? Not exactly a small load I’m packing here.” He finished cleaning her off and grinned as she slowly opened her eyes. “Want to hit the shower?”

“Only if you’re inviting me,” she answered. “Care to try out that tongue of yours this time?” She flicked her tail a bit and grazed his nose.

“Who am I to turn down the request of a lady?”

“Hah, lady...” The mare rolled out of the bed. “Keep talking, loverboy. Oh...do we have any clean sheets to replace these with?”

“Way ahead of you. Did our laundry yesterday.”

“Oh good. The last thing I want is to borrow from Lyra and Bonbon’s linen closet...again.”

“We never told them about that, did we?”

“No,” Scootaloo began. “Though I think they figured it out.”

Spike paled a little. “Did we ever...on their...?”

“No, no...at least I don’t think we ever did. That’d be weird.”

Spike nodded, and the two silently agreed not to talk further on the matter as they made their way to the bathroom for a late-night shower.

“...it’s six in the A.M, and you are listening to Iron Hoof 95.8, your only station for the best in rock and metal of today and yesterday! I’m your host, DJ Headbanger, and we’re gonna start you off with some Metalliclaw with ‘Of Wolf and Mare’.”

Spike heard the lump of fur next to him groan as it scooted closer, nuzzling his chest.

“Scoot...”

The sound of bass, guitar, and drums began to blare from the radio beside him. For a moment he was tempted to just give up and stay curled up beside the mare sleeping next to him. Scootaloo nestled further into Spike’s warm body. He looked down to see a contented smile on her face.

Only she could be this peaceful while sleeping to metal music...

Spike nudged her gently with his snout. She protested with a weak groan, frowning as she was slowly roused from her sleep. Both eyes opened, a weak scowl on her face.

“Morning,” Spike greeted.

“Mmph.”

“Scoot, come on, you have to wake up.”

“Dun wanna...” she mumbled, pulling his wing over her body. “Too comfy.”

Spike sighed, and reached over to turn off the radio. He then slowly scooped up the pegasus with both arms. It was practically routine for him; Scootaloo was far from a morning pony, and she had a penchant for snuggling. While he liked the fact that she found him to be comfortable, the fact that she had work in an hour was more important.

She opened her eyes and gazed at him as he opened the door to their bathroom. Her mane was sticking up in different directions, and her eyes were still adjusting to the light of the bathroom.

He wouldn’t lie; Scootaloo was adorable in the morning.

“You awake?” Spike asked as he set her down on the floor.

She blew a stray lock of her mane from her face. “Yeah...”

Spike nodded, and left the bathroom so that she could complete her business in privacy. He made his way into the kitchen, pausing when he noticed Bonbon was already up and about, cooking something on the stovetop.

“Oh, morning, Spike!” she greeted cheerfully. “I was hoping you’d be a little while longer, but...” She smiled, flushing in the cheeks a bit. “I wanted to make breakfast before you both left for work.”

“Thanks, Bonbon. Need any help?”

“Oh, no, I’m just about finished. I figured pancakes would be a good way to start you off. You like banana and walnuts in them, right?”

Spike nodded and breathed in the scent of fresh bananas and walnuts cooked in pancake batter. His stomach immediately woke up, gurgling and demanding to be fed. Bonbon laughed as he gave her a sheepish grin.

“I’ll set the table.”

Five minutes later found Scootaloo, still half-awake, sitting at the table with Spike and Bonbon.

“So, how is everything?”

“Great, Bonbon. Your cooking is the best.”

“Mm,” Scootaloo grunted, the equivalent of a compliment from the mare this early in the morning. She turned to Spike and gave him and cocked her head to the side slightly. “What’re you still up for?”

“Oh...I didn’t tell you, did I?” Spike laughed quietly. “I got a job yesterday; I’m working Security at the Everfree House.”

“Hm?”

“The Everfree House...that place that opened up down the road, not far from Fluttershy’s place?”

Scootaloo nodded. “Mm. Cool. I’ll have to ask for you whenever I make deliveries there...” She finished the last of her breakfast and chugged her juice, letting out a satisfied sigh. “Thanks for the food, Bonbon. You’re the best.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, Scootaloo. Just be sure to get to work on time.”

Scootaloo snorted as she strapped her courier bags on, both brimming to the top with important letters to be delivered today. “Who do you think I am, Rainbow Dash?”

“Well, you did get flying lessons from her. Who knows what else you picked up from her?” Spike answered.

“Yeah, yeah. She’s awesome, but I’m punctual.” She gave a wave as she opened the door leading outside. “Later!”

Bonbon giggled as Spike shook his head. “You think she would be used to waking up this early after working her job for so long.”

“Scootaloo? Being a morning pony?” Spike rolled his eyes. “I think Princess Luna would sooner do a photoshoot for Playcolt magazine.”

“What about Princess Luna in Playcolt?” asked a voice. The two turned to see a groggy Lyra walking out of their bedroom, yawning and scratching her sides.

"Nothing, Spike was just joking.”

"Oh, that’s a shame. Luna’s got a nice pair of flanks.” Lyra sat down, completely oblivious to the scowl Bonbon gave her. “So, when do you leave for work, Spike?”

“About eight. I got a bit of time.”

“Ah,” Lyra replied with a nod. Her corners of her lips slowly curled upward. “So...how was last night?”

“Lyra, you promised you wouldn’t tease him,” Bonbon hissed, only to cover her mouth and give Spike an ashamed look.

“I...” Spike sighed. “Did we wake you up again?”

“Nah, Bonbon was reading and I was looking over some of my compositions,” Lyra answered with a wave of her hoof. “It sounded like Scootaloo was having a good time.”

"Lyra...” Bonbon continued. “Stop it!”

“What? It’s not like I have a problem with it...” Lyra grumbled. “Look, I’m happy for you two. It’s good to have someone that can make you feel amazing. Right, Bonbon?”

Bonbon shrunk back a bit, cleared her throat, and nodded. “Ehm...yes. Yes, it is.”

“I...well, I’m glad you two aren’t upset about it...or weirded out by it.”

“Weirded out by...huh?” Lyra cocked her head to the side, and a look of understanding passed crossed her face. “Oh, Spike, come on!” She actually sounded hurt. “You’ve lived in Ponyville for years, now. You’ve probably helped save our collective hides more than a few times from some disaster or another. That, and I won’t lie, you’re kind of hot. Besides the point, though; you really think something like you being a dragon would get to us?”

"Not really, but I know some folks are bothered by it.”

"Yeah, well, screw them, then.” She blinked. “Not literally, though, that might cause problems.”

"Well, still, thanks for being...um...supportive?”

“No problem,” Lyra grinned.

“Right, well, as Lyra was saying, we just want you to know that we’ve never had a problem with you two being together. It’s actually kind of adorable...I-I mean, not the stuff you do in the bedroom...”

“Yeah, that stuff is probably hot.”

“...it’s the fact you two are happy. That and it’s cute to see you carrying Scootaloo from bed in the morning.”

Spike flashed the two a grin. “Thanks, girls. I...that means a lot.”

“No problem, Spikey,” Lyra said as she levitated a cup of coffee into her awaiting hooves. “Oh yeah, if you’re going to be going through town after work, can you pick up a copy of the Canterlot Sun? I hear they have a review of the latest Equestrian Symphonic Orchestra concert in there. I want to hear how it went.”

“Sure thing. Actually, I should probably pick one up from the newsstand right now so I don’t forget later.” He got up from the table and made his way towards the door. “Later, girls.”

“Bye, Spike! Have a good first day at your job!”

“Be sure to tip the dancers fairly—ow! What the hay, Bonbon?”

Spike made his way out to the waking town of Ponyville. Neighbors were up and about, tending to their lawn or heading to work, a few pausing to wave to Spike as he headed for town square.

Spike reached the Ponyville newsstand within ten minutes, greeted the young mare running the booth, and picked up a copy of the Ponyville Press and a copy of the Canterlot Sun before paying her a handful of bits. He paused as he looked at the thicker newspaper from Canterlot, studying the image on the front page.

Princess Twilight Sparkle’s Tour of the Bovidian Lands Continues, Strengthens Relations Between Countries.

A picture of the young alicorn sitting beside three minotaur chieftains in a great hall took up most of the front page’s space. He grunted before folding the paper up and tucked it under his wing without a second thought.

“Well, would ya look at who’s up and about already.”

“Hm?”

Spike looked to his right, eyes lighting up as his lips split into a smile. “Good morning, Apple Bloom.”

Apple Bloom had probably grown the most out of the original three Cutie Mark Crusaders. She had gained the build typical of Apple family mares: lean, powerful muscle, a strong back, and a pair of powerful back legs that could break a cherry tree in twain with little effort yet get the attention of the passing stallion.

“Mornin’, Spike. I’m assuming you’re not up just to read the newspaper,” she said with a smile. “What’s the occasion for you being awake this early?”

“Aside from getting Scootaloo out of bed, you mean?”

Apple Bloom laughed. “That lazy mare. I swear she’s taking after Rainbow Dash more and more every day.”

“Heh, yeah. To answer your question, though, I’m heading to my new job.”

“You don’t say?” The mare beamed. “Well shoot, where are ya working?”

Spike bit his lower lip and looked away for a moment. “Heh, would you believe the Everfree House?”

The young mare’s eyebrows rose. “Y-you mean that bordello at the edge of town?”

“Well, it’s actually not part of Ponyville proper. It’s on Everfree soil...it’s a long story, full of legal jargon, from what I’ve been told.”

“Huh...” Apple Bloom cleared her throat. “So...erm...what exactly are ya doin’ there?”

“Security work,” he replied quickly. “Hopefully nothing too bad will happen on my first day, heh.”

“O-oh, heheh, right. I should’ve guessed you’d be doin’ something like...ahem...Security...” She looked to her hooves. “I...well, I’m happy to hear that!”

“Yeah, the pay should be pretty nice. I’ll be working odd hours though, from what it sounds like.”

“I can imagine. No rest for the weary, right?”

Spike chuckled. “Yeah...so...how is Applejack and the family doing?”

Apple Bloom visibly loosened up, a smile appearing on her lips. “Oh, we’re just great! Summer’s been pretty kind to us so far. Zecora’s been a big help since she moved in, too. Her and Granny have been brainstorming all these neat ideas for getting a great harvest this year. I’m actually running into town to get some soybeans and some winter squash.”

“Winter squash? Isn’t that stuff really tough-skinned, though?”

“Yeah, but Zecora’s got lots of great squash recipes that she’s been sharin’ with us! She says that producing a variety of crops will help keep the soil from being drained so quickly.”

“Makes sense,” Spike agreed. “I bet you’re having a field day with all the work, too. Is the new greenhouse up, yet?”

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Hardly. It’s my pet project, so I don’t really have free time for it. Still, I’ve been puttin’ sis and Big Macintosh to shame since I started doing the woodwork and repairs ‘round the farm. Once we get that greenhouse up, we can grow food all year long!”

“Think you can grow some gems for me?”

“Oh, sure, just as soon as Applejack allows me to start growin’ pears and orange trees,” Apple Bloom quipped with a flat look. “For the last time, Spike, we aren’t going to start a gemstone farm. It’d take up too much time that we don’t have.”

“I still think it’d be a great investment for your family...”

Apple Bloom shook her head. “Right, well, I need to get going. Um...have a good day at work!”

As Apple Bloom made her way down the road, Spike could only imagine how awkward things would be the next time he decided to buy some apples from Applejack. He could almost hear her lecturing him now...

“...now Spike, I want you to keep yer nose clean and stay out of trouble over there at that bordello, alright? I better not hear any stories from a sobbin’ Scootaloo ‘bout you fooling around with some mares you hardly know. Oh, by the way, tell Lyra we’ll be selling Golden Delicious apples next week. The trees aren’t ready, yet. Darn fruit bats have been nibblin’ at the—”

He sighed, and made his way westward towards the road leading out town, and towards the Everfree Forest. No sense in worrying himself to death about things he wasn’t certain about. Besides, he wasn’t doing anything too risqué; he was Security. If anything, his job was to ensure things remained safe at the Everfree House. There was no shame in something like that, was there?

No, of course not.

He couldn’t help but put a bit of spring into his step. Today had been off to a good start for him. He got an amazing breakfast, courtesy of Bonbon, he was starting a new job, and Pinkie Pie hadn’t run up to him and told him about some foreboding Pinkie Sense of hers. If all things went well, Ponyville would be able to avoid some minor crisis for at least the majority of the day.

Yes, so far, today was off to a good start, he thought.

End of Chapter One

Author's Note

This idea has been brewing in my head for months, now. Finally got it into a coherent form, and now a story. I'm intending for this to be mostly chapter or multi-chapter arcs (sort've similar to the style for Duties). There is an overlying arc or two in here, though.

Anyway, thanks for giving this a read!

Changelings 101

The Everfree House

by Denim_Blue

Chapter Two: Changelings 101

Spike opened the large double doors of the Everfree House, the scent of fresh pine and jasmine invading his nostrils the moment he stepped inside. He coughed a few times and attempted to clear his throat, eventually settling down enough to catch his breath. He closed his eyes and wiped away a few tears that had formed from his unplanned coughing fit.

“Looks like I’ll have to tell Blur that she put too much of that extract in her incense candles again,” said a feminine voice. Spike cracked open an eye and met the gaze of a young unicorn mare, probably only a few years older than he was. She had soft, teal eyes, a coat of gray, and a long two-tone mane of white and blue.

Spike chuckled. “Heh, I guess I just wasn’t expecting it. Incense and I have never got along too well. Dragons have strong noses...”

She gave a nod of agreement. “I’ve gotten used to it myself, but I was the same way for the longest time.”

The two shared a quiet laugh as Spike and the mare made their way through the lobby room. “I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve had the chance of meeting each other yet.”

“Sure we have,” the mare replied.

Spike quirked an eyebrow. “Really?”

She just laughed.

Spike chuckled, his cheeks turning the faintest pink. “Oh wow, now I’m embarrassed. I’m usually pretty good with faces… um… what’s your name?”

The pony moved a bit to show her cutie mark. It was a deep blue heart with an arrow piercing through it. “Well, my clients all know me as Lovestruck, but...”

Spike was momentarily blinded by a burst of green flame. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by a familiar face.

A smile parted his lips. “Wisp?”

“Aw, you did remember me.” She closed the distance between them, flitted her wings so she was eye level with him, and gave him a quick nuzzle. As she pulled back, her smile fell a little. “Sorry, I tend to forget that non-changelings can’t sense when a changeling’s in disguise.” She was engulfed in flames once more, taking on the form of Lovestruck again. “Lovestruck is the name of the persona I made for myself years back when I wanted to be in disguise for an extended period of time.” She winked at him and flicked her mane a little. “She’s a total flirt.”

“Wonder where she got it from,” Spike said with a laugh.

‘Lovestruck’ pouted. “Aww, Spike, don’t be so mean. I can’t change who I am… well, actually, I could, but you know what I mean.” She turned around and slowly, with deliberate sway in her hips, made her way down the hall. “Colea told me to come and wait for you. She wants you to head down to the cafeteria where everyone else is meeting.” Her tail flagged from side to side, just enough to hold Spike’s attention as they walked.

“Right… cafeteria...” Spike replied distractedly.

Wisp turned around quickly, catching him staring. She smirked as he averted his gaze, and let out an amused laugh as he became interested in a random landscape painting hanging on the wall beside him.

She giggled as he mumbled an apology. “I’m going to like having you around, Spike.”

“Um… thanks,” he murmured, cheeks now beet red with embarrassment.

The two made their way down the hall, passing by the kitchen and some of the suites. They made their way through another set of double doors and entered a large, open room with several tables set up. Spike looked to the far corner, noticing a large group sitting there. The group probably consisted of close to sixty individuals, he thought as he sized up its members. Most of them were changelings, but he spotted a few ponies, a tom-griffon, two donkeys, and a diamond dog amongst the crowd as well.

Wisp reverted to her natural form and made her way towards the group. Much to Spike’s embarrassment, the group had turned its attention to him as soon as he had walked through the door. While most of them seemed curious more than anything, a few amongst the group gave him worried looks. Silence followed as he attempted to give them a winning smile.

“Um… hello…?” Spike said, waving a hand to the group.

“Ah, Spike, good to see you.”

Spike looked down to see Colea walking towards him. She had a welcoming smile on her face and a mug of coffee floating beside her in a green magical aura. “Help yourself to some coffee if you want. There’s a few things on the table over there if you’re hungry at all.”

Spike shook his head. “No, thanks, Colea. I already ate this morning. Thanks for the offer, though.”

Colea nodded, and turned her attention to the group. “Everyone, this is our newest member of the family: Spike of Ponyville. He’s going to be in charge of most of our security around here, so do your best to help him feel welcome.”

There were a few clops of hooves and claps of paws as Spike gave another small wave.

“You’re from Ponyville? I think I’ve heard of you,” said the diamond dog, who, to Spike’s surprise, was female. She was probably the first female diamond dog he had ever seen if his memory served him correctly.

Her fur was a golden color, and her slitted pupil eyes were a vibrant green. She wore a buttoned up vest of dark red and black. The fur on the top of her head was long enough that she had apparently done it up in a ponytail, which ran down just past her shoulder blades.

He blinked a few times as she continued to study him. “Uh, really?”

“Mmhm, you helped save a pony from my cousin’s pack a few years ago,” she answered. “Made them lose a lot of gems, too...”

Spike wasn’t sure if she was upset or not; gauging a diamond dog’s emotions by voice alone was hard, considering they always sounded like they were growling.

Finally, his memories caught up to him. He recalled that day from quite a few years back. He had been helping Rarity dig up gems. It had ended with Rarity somehow talking the diamond dogs into handing over a generous amount of gemstones from their mine. To this day he never got an explanation on how she managed that. “Oh, y-yeah, I remember that. Um… listen I—”

“You did a good thing back then, helping Rover get his head out of his ass,” The canine continued with a toothy grin. “He always had some twisted idea that his pack could do whatever it pleased because of the huge gem mine they had.”

“Spike, this is Roxie,” Colea said with a nod to the canine. “She’s our head bartender. You two will be working closely together most nights. Roxie’s been with us ever since we opened up. If you have any questions when I’m not around, she’s probably your best bet for getting the right answers.”

Spike relaxed and gave the diamond dog a smile. “Good to meet you, Roxie.”

Roxie just nodded and gave a grunt of acknowledgement.

“Now that we got introductions out of the way for now, let’s get down to business.” She turned to a changeling. “Fade, anything new for us?”

The changeling—also female—had a sleek figure, and long wings, longer than the length of her body. Her dorsal frill was a bright aquamarine color, and ran down past her neckline and tapered off around her shoulder blades. Her eyes also seemed a bit larger than those belonging to any of the other changelings he had met so far.

“Well, as most of you know, the Grand Galloping Gala is coming up in about a month. Miss Rarity is just about done with Blur’s dress, and she’ll be finished with yours, Colea, in about another week. That’s her best guess, at least. She’s been really busy with orders, but she says she will get them done on time.” Fade tapped her chin in thought, then added. “Oh, yeah, she would like it if you both could stop over at the boutique and give her your thoughts on them before she does the finishing touches.”

“As expected of Rarity,” Colea said with a smile. “She’s nothing if not passionate about her work.”

“Understatement of the year,” Spike laughed. “Her client-base isn’t growing by the day for no reason.”

“Very true,” Colea agreed before continuing. “Now… I’m sure most of you have heard about our incident with a returning problematic ‘client’, Sweet Tea.” Colea’s tone had become serious, her smile gone now. “While the situation was resolved without much trouble, I just want to remind all of you working the suites that you are, under no obligation, required to do everything that your client tells you to do.” She waved a hoof. “Obviously a little role play, bondage, or dirty talk is expected on occasion—depending on the client—but if you are at all uncomfortable with the situation, or feel you are in danger, do not hesitate to inform the client, or more importantly, us.”

“About Sweet Tea,” piped up a changeling, male this time.

“Yes, Raxis?”

“We aren’t going to allow him back again, are we?” Raxis asked.

“No, and I’ll be adding him to our blacklist. If any of you spot him on our property, or anyone else on the blacklist, inform me, Spike, or anyone else nearby as soon as possible.”

Spike noticed many in the group briefly turn to look at him, likely sizing him up and making their own judgements on his abilities working security.

“So, are there any further questions?” Colea waited for a few moments, and after satisfied with the lack of questions, continued on. “Alright, last item on the agenda: relations with Ponyville.” Her tone brightened up noticeably. “I’m happy to report that, while we’re avoiding any major advertising or fundraising due to the nature of our main business, Aloe and Lotus have given us a generous donation of their scented and massage oils, and are considering giving our employees a small discount if they visit.”

There were murmurs of approval among the group mixed with surprised comments.

“As such,” Colea continued. “I’d suggest that we, in turn, give the spa sisters a discount on any services they request from us, including any purchases from our tea and coffee shop.”

“You have a tea and coffee shop?” Spike asked.

“And an adult novelty shop,” added a voice in the crowd that sounded like Wisp’s.

“I… see...” Spike murmured to himself, shaking his head and letting out a soft chuckle.

Colea turned her attention to Spike. “Yes, we have a tea and coffee shop. Blur and Ebon grow a small variety of tea plants in our garden behind the manor, and we harvest seasonal teas from the Everfree Forest when possible. Coffee beans are imported from a supplier I’m friends with in the Capricorn Tropics archipelago. It’s a bit expensive, though, so we don’t buy more than a crate or two every few months. It’s some of the best coffee you’ll find on this side of the Serpent Ocean, though. I guarantee it. We’ve had orders for our coffee from places like Canterlot and Manehattan. We’ve even had an order from the Crystal Empire on occasion.”

“Wow...” Spike was still trying to take in all the information he was receiving. To think that a group of changelings could be doing so well for themselves...

Colea had resumed talking to the group once more. “Aside from Ponyville’s day spa, though, we don’t have much for sponsorship or support. This is understandable, of course, but I’m thinking we need to push our alternative services more. Any suggestions?”

Spike noticed a hoof slowly raise up in the back, which was connected to a rather meek-looking Blur.

“Yes, Blur?”

“Um… I believe that… by making ourselves more public that we might make a better imaging for our community. Th-that is what I believe, at least.”

Colea grinned. “That’s not a bad idea, actually. Maybe we just need to involve ourselves more with the local populace. There’s tons of festivals we could get involved with, after all.” She lifted up a checklist with her magic, and made a note. “Anything else?”

There was a general shaking of heads from the group. She didn’t seem disheartened by this, however, instead just nodded and smiled. “Right. Well, we have a half hour before we’re open for business. Get something to eat from the table if you haven’t already, otherwise, you’re all dismissed.” She paused for a moment before her eyes lit up. “Oh, Double Take and Cobbler, you’re both on for making the main course for dinner tonight.”

Spike quirked an eyebrow at the mentioning of the second name. He followed the gaze of a few in the group, and his eyes rested on a blond-maned mare with a coat somewhere between orange and brown. The gears in his mind began turning, and his eyes lit up in recognition.

Isn’t she related to Applejack?

“Seriously? Again?” sighed a changeling who bore similar traits to that of Fade, though she had vibrant green wings and eyes unlike most of the others in the room.

“Double, you did it to yourself when you signed up for kitchen-duty this month,” said Cobbler matter of factly. A small smile worked across her lips as she added. “Besides, everyone here knows you’re our best cook.”

Double Take grumbled something unintelligible to the mare. Cobbler smirked and gave Double Take a light nudge with a hoof, then she whispered something to her that made the changeling smile.

“Alright, that wraps up the meeting for today. I’ll be with Spike here if anyone needs to speak to me.”

As the group dispersed, Colea made her way towards Spike. “I hope you aren’t overwhelmed. You’ll get to know everyone real quick, I promise.” She took a swig of her coffee before continuing. “So, any questions from you in particular?”

“I didn’t expect anyone but changelings here, to be honest.”

That got a chuckle from Colea. “Yeah, you’re not the first to say that. Roxie was actually our first non-changeling employee, but about three months after we were officially open, we started getting pony applicants along with changelings.” She smirked as Spike nodded. “Like I said, you’ll get the chance to meet everyone in due time. We’re a close knit group here, despite our size. Heck, a few of our employees here are in a relationship or married to each other.”

“Seriously? Isn’t that… going against some rules on fraternization or something?” Spike asked carefully. “I mean, I don’t have any problem with it, but…”

The changeling waved a hoof dismissively. “Equestrian companies and services might look down on it, but I say that as long as it doesn’t hinder their ability to work and keep the atmosphere friendly and welcoming here, go for it. Besides, it helps us changelings, since we thrive on love.”

“Good point,” Spike agreed. “So… what’s on the agenda?”

“Follow me,” Colea replied, turning towards the exit doors. “I’m going to show you the main areas you’ll be patrolling.”

Spike followed Colea as she exited the cafeteria, taking a sharp left and walking down a flight of stairs.

Spike was surprised when she paused at a door and held out a hoof in front of him. “We’re going to be entering the Everfree Bar. I’m only going to warn you once: this bar is Roxie’s turf. I’m in charge of the building, but Roxie is like my business partner. What happens down here is her call, so as long as it doesn’t violate any rules set by the Everfree House itself.” Her tone was stern yet unaggressive. “You seem like a smart guy, so I’m sure you’ll figure it all out. Just remember, if you have any questions about something down there, talk to Roxie.” She smiled as she finished. “She may look intimidating, but she’s a really nice dog once you get to know her.”

Spike frowned. “Have you had lots of problems down here?”

Colea waved her right hoof a little. “Well… yes and no. We’re technically not a part of Equestria, but the Everfree Forest, so…”

The drake nodded. “Yeah, what is the deal with that, anyway?”

“Heh, I suppose I should clarify that for you, shouldn’t I?” Colea took in a breath. “Several hundred years ago, back when Canterlot had just been built, Celestia declared that the Everfree Forest was not under Equestrian law. Seeing as Equestria encompasses the entire forest, that essentially made it landlocked bit of land that was free from governmental rule.”

“Oh, that must have gone well for Celestia,” Spike said with a snort.

Colea laughed. “Hardly. Fugitives would hide out in the woods, and Poison Joke nectar refining increased, and there was a huge spike in the black market for several centuries.”

“Really?” Spike frowned. “What happened?”

“About two hundred years ago, Celestia made an amendment to her decree and stated that Equestria still had responsibility in maintaining the well-being of the forest, and that Equestria was entitled to the task of removing any elements from it that were believed to be a threat to the country’s overall safety.” Colea gave a shrug. “Suffice to say, crime rates dropped shortly after and the Everfree Forest remained ever-free.”

“Yet Equestria still has some form of control over the forest,” Spike grumbled.

Colea smiled. “Not necessarily. So as long as we don’t declare war on Equestria or try to burn down the woods or attack the wildlife, we’re fine. In fact, we can ask for assistance in matters from Equestria’s law enforcement, should we feel that our establishment is in danger of becoming a target of aggressive acts. That or when we have some problematic customers.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Still sounds like Canterlot has a hold over the place.”

“Not a fan of the Royal Family?” Colea ventured.

“I… have my reservations about them. Luna and Cadance are alright, though.”

Colea held up a hoof and nodded. “I won’t pry. I would be lying if I said that Luna and Cadance don’t hold some degree of popularity among Equestria’s changeling population. Though, that may be my biased opinion and not actual fact.” She turned towards the doors and opened them. “Come on, we got a lot of ground to cover.”

The sound of slow, smoky jazz music coming from a nearby phonograph filled the air as the two walked through the doors. The lighting was dim, but not so dark that Spike had to strain his eyes to see. He scanned the spacious room, eyes falling immediately upon the bar counter, which covered the whole wall to his right. On the opposite side of the bar room was a small stage, big enough for a typical band to fit in with a little room to spare. There were small tables and chairs between either side of the room, a single aisle cutting through to create a path from one end of the room to the other.

“We’re getting a billiard table next week from a friend of mine in Chicacolt, and depending on how things go with that, we might buy a second one. We’ll be throwing them in the corners over there.” Colea nodded to an empty space near the bar counter. “There’s more than enough room down here, even for a guy your size.”

Spike whistled in admiration of the room. “Nice job here. Whoever you contracted to build this place pulled out all the stops.”

“Oh, we didn’t have a contractor work on this. We built this place ourselves.” The hint of pride in Colea’s voice didn’t go unnoticed by Spike.

Spike grinned. “I’ve heard rumors about changeling architecture. They say the Blackstone Palace in Hive City is older than the Shaedrohurn Ruins, and those ruins are already several thousand years old.”

Colea chuckled quietly. “Well, some of those rumors are a bit of a stretch. The current Blackstone Palace is about two thousand years old. It was rebuilt after the last major battle between the dragons and changelings occurred.” She headed towards the bar as she continued. “The original Blackstone Palace was built before Equestria was founded. Estimates put the old palace’s age somewhere around three to six thousand years ago.”

“Still impressive,” Spike added. “You don’t find architecture like that anymore.”

“Well, as much as I appreciate your respect for our species’ building skills, this isn’t exactly a palace. Just a good, solid building with lots of rooms and a foundation that will hold for centuries, the World Soul willing.”

Colea stopped at the bar counter and gestured to the empty room surrounding them. “Normally this place will have a few customers on any given night. We’ve been getting some regulars as of late, and I’m suspecting within a few months that we will be able to have it full on weekends.” She tapped the bar counter with a hoof as she continued. “This is where you can usually find Roxie. Again, if you have questions, don’t be shy about asking her.”

“What about rowdy customers?” Spike asked. “I never really got to talk to you about your procedures here, but from what I saw yesterday, I take it you’re not the kind to mess around.” He smiled a little. “Not that I blame you. Some individuals require you to flex your muscles a bit to get a point across.”

Colea nodded in agreement. “For the most part, if you can avoid getting physical with the customers, do it. Less messes to clean up, less hurt feelings, and it makes us look better. However, if you do need to get physical… well, try to restrain them and remove them before anything else.”

Spike gave a nod. “Understood.”

“If for some reason they become uncooperative and slip out of your grip… or if they threaten you with a weapon… you have the right to defend yourself. If you suspect someone has a concealed weapon, don’t approach them alone. Find one of our staff and confront the client together. Numbers help, remember that.”

“Got it… by the way, am I the only one working as a security staff here?”

“Well… technically, yes. The thing about our staff is that they’re rather flexible. Wisp does patrols through here once in awhile, and Colm isn’t a stranger to keeping things calm here.”

“Colm?”

“The tom-griffon at the meeting. He’s been with us a few months. Good kid, bit of an aloof one, though. From what I understand he served as a guard for the King of the Altus Province in the Griffon Kingdom. Kind of surprising, seeing as he’s probably around the same age as you.”

Spike stashed away that tidbit of information. “Alright, so it sounds like I’ll be working with pretty much everyone, huh?”

“That’s more accurate. We have positions, yes, but we all work together, too. If someone needs help, and you can provide that help, go for it.”

“Sounds like you all are more of a community than a business.”

Colea’s smile widened. “We like to think that, too. We help each other. If everyone’s content, our business runs smoothly, and things go better for everyone.”

“That’s a good philosophy to stand by.”

Colea continued to run him through the layout of the bar and some procedures: areas that had the best vantage points for monitoring the area while not drawing attention to yourself, what to do if a fight breaks out, location of fire extinguishers and the nearest exit in the case of a fire, and so forth.

Twenty minutes later and the two were once more on the move, this time heading towards the botanical gardens.

“I’m sure you can imagine that this place is a popular location for couples to sneak off to if they want some alone time,” Colea explained as they passed under an archway covered in ivy. “In the past we’ve chosen discretion over intervening. As long as they aren’t causing problems for those who are visiting the gardens, they’re free to do what they want.”

Spike sniffed the air. “Is that vanilla?”

Colea gave a nod. “Good nose. While the garden was made as a place for our customers to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature, it is also where we grow much of our own herbs and aphrodisiacs.”

“Aphrodisiacs?” Spike echoed. “That stuff is legit?”

“You’d be surprised. Jasmine, rose plants, ginger, and a whole bunch of other plants can be made into oils for intimate massages. Though, if you really wanted to know more about them, you should ask Ebon. She’s our aphrodisiac guru.”

“You said she was the one who grows tea with Blur, right?”

“Yes. She’s the one with a green hoof around here. Blur’s learned a lot from her, but Ebon is a master at gardening. That and massages,” Colea smirked. “I’ve been told that Miss Zecora from Sweet Apple Acres has even managed to learn a thing or two from Ebon.”

“Huh…” Spike said with mild surprise. The idea of a changeling that knew more about plants than Zecora did was a hard one to wrap his mind around.

They continued through the garden, Colea explaining the typical routes that worked best for patrolling the area. Spike had to admit, he didn’t expect such a beautiful place to be this close to the Everfree Forest. While it was definitely smaller than the grand hedge mazes of Canterlot Castle, it still was a sight to behold. What it lacked in area it made up for in scenery and floral arrangement. It even had a fountain with a two marble statues: a pair of female deer dancing around each other. Water trickled out from the antlers upon their heads.

When Spike had commented that only does from the reindeer species—which the two particular deer did not appear to be—had antlers, Colea had replied that the sculptor she had commissioned was set on making them that way.

“It’s based on some eon-old myth about the Everfree Forest, from what I understood,” Colea said with a wave of her hoof. “Everfree Forest is older than recorded history, though, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a grain of truth to those statues’ appearances.”

“Did they give the statue a name?” Spike asked curiously.

“In fact, they did,” Colea replied. “I believe it was ‘Fire and Life’. Something odd, but it fits.” She shook her head. “Anyway, let’s continue, shall we?”

Another hour later and the two had reached the front lobby of the bordello. “Well, any questions so far?”

Spike shrugged. “Nothing major. I’m sure I’ll catch on to everything soon enough.”

Colea nodded. “Good attitude. Now, for today, you’ll be shadowing Colm during his shift. He’s not technically Security staff, but, like I said, we help each other.”

As if on cue, a figure walked into the lobby. Spike recognized the feathered figure of the tom-griffon from earlier.

“Colm?”

The griffon nodded, his face schooled into a neutral expression.

“Um...” The griffon’s silence was a little off-putting for Spike. He held out a claw, extending it in greeting. “I’m Spike. Glad to meet you.”

Colm looked to the scaled appendage, then back to the dragon. He took it in his talons and shook in once. “Likewise.”

“Colm, like I mentioned earlier today, you’ll be having Spike shadow you and Double Take on your routes. If there’s anything in particular that you think he should know, feel free to tell him.” Colea looked to the clock. “Well, we’ll probably have some customers trickling in within the next hour or two.” She turned and walked towards the front desk of the lobby. “I’ll talk to you later, Spike.”

Spike bade Colea farewell and followed Colm down the hall. While he hadn’t seen many griffons in his lifetime, Spike had never come across a griffon that shared Colm’s coloration. His head was covered in ashen gray feathers, and his beak was a coal black color. A crest of white tipped feathers ran from the crown of his head to his neckline where his black fur began. His yellow eyes were both fierce and beautiful in a way that only a noble species like the griffons were capable of.

Within minutes they had reached what Colea dubbed the suites: rooms reserved for services of the more intimate kind. There were about fifty of them all together, and ranged in size from just big enough to fit a bed and nightstand to as large as one of the royal guest chambers in Canterlot.

One of them even had a jacuzzi if he remembered right.

“So… Colm, what do you do here aside from security work?”

“Cooking. Bartending.”

Spike frowned a little. A griffon of few words, it would seem. “Really? You bartend?”

“Yes. Thursdays and Fridays. Sometimes Saturdays when Roxie’s taking a break.”

“Cool,” Spike laughed. “Maybe you can give me some suggestions for drinks. I’ve never been much for the bar scene, personally.”

Colm gave no reply.

“Um… Colea said you’re from the Griffon Kingdom. The Altus province, right?”

“Yes. I was born there.”

“Oh, heh, makes sense. How is it in Altus?”

Colm paused, tilting his head upwards. A far-off look crossed his eyes before he frowned. “Cold, but not too cold. A short growing season in the north, mild winters in the south. Lots of grasslands for hunting hardy game. There is no other place like it in the world.”

“You hunted?” Spike asked, a faint hint of trepidation in his words.

“Yes, mostly rabbits and smaller animals,” Colm replied. “We griffons are omnivores, like dragons, but… less so. We need meat in our diet. Dragons can substitute meat for certain foods along with minerals.”

“Of course,” Spike replied with a nod. “I… well, it’s just that I’ve been raised around ponies. I have never eaten meat.”

Colm grunted, then continued down the hall. “Remember, we serve more than ponies here. Many species have different cultures. Some are more easily offended about things than others.”

Spike nodded as he continued to follow the griffon, taking note of how Colm reacted when Spike brought up the Griffon Kingdom and hunting. While he wasn’t sure, Spike suspected that Colm held those two things close to his heart by the way he had spoken with such certainty about them.

He tried studying Colm’s body language, fearing that he may have agitated the griffon. Colm’s tail wasn’t flicking from side to side, nor were his shoulder muscles taut as he moved. Still, Spike had a feeling that he might have crossed a line with the tom-griffon.

This guy’s tougher to read than Discord on poker night...

“So… Colm, Colea told me you were a guard for the King of the Altus province.”

“Correct.”

“Any good stories to tell?”

Colm gave a grunt.

“So… yes? No?”

“Perhaps.”

Spike resisted the urge to groan. Maybe the guy was just having a bad day. Maybe he was testing Spike.

Or maybe Spike was just being dealt a bad hand by fate and had to deal with a stick-in-the-mud griffon for the next couple of hours...

Canterlot. Capital city of Equestria. The Jewel of the Harmony Mountains. The Apex of Equestria (barring Cloudsdale). The Solar Citadel. The Moon’s Loft.

Canterlot was known by many names and titles, but one thing Twilight Sparkle had learned in her time serving as a princess was that it was not an easy-going city. At least for her.

“They want to have approval to do what?”

The messenger pony shuffled her hooves nervously before Twilight. “Th-they wish to erect a statue of Clover the Clever… on the very top of the mountain… your Majesty.”

“They are aware that the peak of Mount Canterlot has only about ten feet of solid ground to place anything on, correct? Besides, I think the peak is being used as a nesting ground for eagles.” Twilight shook her head and set the letter aside. “No, I’m sorry, but I cannot approve this. As much as I admire Clover the Clever’s accomplishments, I doubt even she would have approved of a statue on the top of a mountain that few ponies would be able to visit.” She gave the messenger a small smile. “I appreciate you bringing this to my attention, though. Thank you.”

The pony bowed and made her way out of the throne room.

Twilight’s ears perked up at the sound of gentle laughter. She turned to her side to see Celestia looking to her, an amused grin on her lips. “What?”

“I daresay you’ve been wanting to find something to annoy the aristocrats of Canterlot for quite some time. You look pleased with yourself.”

“A statue on top of a mountain is ridiculous. They should have expected me to say no,” Twilight replied with an annoyed huff. “Honestly...”

A guard walked through the double doors, clicking his hooves together once and clearing his throat. The two alicorns turned their attention to him as he spoke. “Your Majesties, Second Lieutenant Captain of the Wonderbolts, Rainbow Dash, is here to speak with you.”

Twilight’s frown vanished instantly, replaced with a grin. “Send her in, please.”

The stallion saluted and left the room. The doors opened, and through it walked none other than the brash pegasus mare that Twilight Sparkle had befriended all those years ago.

“Rainbow Dash, I wasn’t expecting you this early,” Twilight said as she hopped down from her throne. She met Rainbow Dash halfway down the carpeted path and gave her a friendly hug. “On leave again?”

“Yeah, Spitfire more or less forced me. She said I’m making everypony look bad at camp.” Rainbow Dash slumped a bit. “I have three weeks off! Three!” She snorted in annoyance. “What am I supposed to do for three weeks?”

“Might I make a suggestion?” came the voice of Celestia.

“Oh, hi Princess Celestia,” Rainbow flushed a bit, bowing quickly. “Sorry, I was—”

“It’s quite alright, Rainbow Dash,” Celestia said reassuringly. “As for your time off, I believe most ponies take a break from work and relax.” The hint of teasing in her voice didn’t go unnoticed.

“Haha, very funny,” Rainbow deadpanned. “Y’know, Princess, there’s always an open seat on our rosters for trainees. I think you could stand to get out and flex those wings a bit. Maybe work off a few pounds on that royal tush of yours.” She smirked a bit as Celestia raised an eyebrow.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight admonished as she cast an apologetic look to her former mentor. “That is Princess Celestia you are talk—”

Celestia’s laughter cut Twilight. The Sun Princess got up from her throne and made her way towards the two, stopping as she stood before Rainbow Dash. They shared a brief embrace before Celestia spoke to the pegasus. “Only you would crack jokes about my figure.” She sighed and shook her head. “It’s good to see you, Rainbow Dash. What brings you here?”

“I figured I’d let Twilight know if she’s got any free time that I’d be happy to have lunch with her. You know, catch up and stuff. I was going to head down to Ponyville tomorrow, so… yeah.” She scratched her neck a bit and looked to the side. “Also, y’know I wasn’t serious about your figure. Pretty sure you’re the envy of all supermodels every—”

“Moving on,” Celestia said with a laugh. “Twilight? What do you think?”

“Oh, well…” Twilight looked to her hooves. “I-I think I have a few appointments this afternoon still, and—”

“And I believe that I can cover those times for you.”

“Huh?” Twilight turned to look at Celestia. “Oh… no… no, Celestia, please, you don’t need to—”

“But I wish to,” Celestia interrupted gently. “Go on. I’ll be able to deal with the relentless hordes of lobbyists for a few hours…” Her smile grew a little. “That is, unless you wish for me to have lunch with Rainbow Dash instead and leave you here alone.” She tapped a hoof to her chin. “I do believe the Builders Union of Canterlot is supposed to stop by today in regards to a complaint about the cobblestones from the Cobblestone Makers Union being too large.”

Twilight’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks. The Builder’s Union of Canterlot… no… no she was not going to sit through another hour-long nightmare like that twice in one month!

“Oh, actually… that’s very kind of you, Celestia. I do have a lot of catching up to do with Rainbow Dash, after all...” Twilight cleared her throat and turned to Rainbow Dash. “There’s a great restaurant down the road that we can go to.”

As Twilight made her way towards the exit, Rainbow Dash exchanged a knowing smile with Celestia, who in turn winked and suppressed a laugh. After giving the alicorn a nod of thanks, Rainbow Dash followed her friend out the doors.

“My Lady...with all due respect, I don’t believe there’s a meeting with the Builders Union of Canterlot for another three weeks.”

“Oh, I’m quite aware,” Celestia said with a chuckle.

“So,” Twilight said between bites of spinach and daisy. “How was the tour? I didn’t get to read much about it in the papers.” She slumped a little. “I wish I could have been there myself. Y-you know that, Rainbow. It’s just that things get—”

“Hey, Twi, it’s alright, okay? The letters I get from you now and again are good enough.” Rainbow Dash patted Twilight’s hoof consolingly, then grinned. “As for the tour, it was pretty cool! We just finished up in Whinnyapolis two days ago.” She laughed. “I think my favorite part is the kids, though.”

“The kids?”

Rainbow nodded. “The fans, I mean. I love flying, but getting to wow the little rugrats? That’s the best part of every performance: getting to talk with the younger fans. It kind of reminds me of when I was a filly, you know?”

“Aww, Rainbow, that’s cute!” Twilight said with genuine sincerity in her voice.

“H-hey, no need to go and spread that around, okay?” Rainbow coughed into a hoof and looked around. “Y-yeah, though, I’m getting to like the kids at the shows. The fan-mail is always great, too.”

Twilight giggled. “I have to admit, I’m a little jealous.”

“Oh come on, Twilight. You’ve shown me that huge art collection of yours at least, what, five times already? I know you get drawings from foals all the time.”

Twilight flushed in the cheeks. “Okay, okay, yes, I do. That’s always the best part of sorting the mail. We have some real artists-in-the-making in Equestria. Some of them are even poets. You wouldn’t believe how many cute little poems I get from foals.” She sighed and added. “I think some of them are trying to flirt with me. It’s… kind of adorable.”

“Uh oh, sounds like competition,” Rainbow laughed.

“Oh hush, I have to hear about your love letters in perfume all the time,” Twilight said with a roll of her eyes. She then added softly, “Though… I guess I got a little jealous when you first told me about those letters of yours, too… so… yeah…”

Rainbow’s eyes lit up. “Oh, speaking of mail, I saw Scootaloo the other day. She was dropping off some important packages for Soarin the other day. I think they were training weights or something.” Rainbow smirked. “I didn’t get a chance to speak with her for very long, but she’s packed on quite a bit of muscle. She’s not as fast as me, but she’s got endurance to spare. She’s flying around Equestria with heavy saddlebags almost all day.”

Twilight looked up at the mention of Scootaloo. “Really? I haven’t spoken to the Crusaders in a long time...” She slumped a bit. “I haven’t spoken to quite a few friends in a long time, actually...”

Rainbow’s ears flattened a bit. “Still nothing from Spike, huh?”

“Nothing,” Twilight replied with a shake of her head. “I’ve tried sending him letter through magic, but I think he put up a mental block on my magic. It… all the letters I send to him just end up getting sent right back a second later. Celestia tries sending stuff to him, and those get sent back, too. I… I want to ask Luna to help, but… I don’t want things to become strained between them as well. She’s the only pony he still talks to in Canterlot as far as I know.”

Rainbow’s mood dropped a bit at the sight of her friend. She still never got the full details on what had happened three years ago, but she knew that it ended with Spike more or less storming out of Canterlot with only a few things in a suitcase, an argument between him and Celestia of all ponies, and very distraught Twilight Sparkle. As far as Rainbow knew, the argument had stemmed from a few things. Disagreements on social issues, namely. Spike had been a major advocate for opening up the borders to changeling refugees. Twilight had not. There may have also been an issue about dragon-pony political relations, but she never found out or bothered to ask.

That had been the straw to break the camel’s back, though. She had tried asking Twilight for more details on it, if only to help her friend get that weight off her chest. To this day, Twilight never revealed much more about it.

“I’ll make sure to check in and see how he’s doing when I visit the girls, okay?” Rainbow said softly, the usual cocky tone missing in her words.

“I...” Twilight nodded once, her eyes looking to her salad. “Thanks, Rainbow Dash. Just… if you can, would you tell him that I… tell him that I worry about him? A-and that I miss him?”

“I’ll be sure to talk to him. You shouldn’t worry so much, though, Twi. He’s a big boy now. He can take care of himself,” Rainbow laughed quietly. “Besides, Scoots, Bonbon, and Lyra are living with him. I’m sure they’re all looking out for each other.”

“I guess...” Twilight nibbled on a piece of daisy as she stared off into the distance, eyes gazing over the roofs of Canterlot’s many buildings. “Sometimes… sometimes I wonder if it was best for me to move back here. With everything that happened after Spike and I—.”

“Hey,” Rainbow began, voice cutting her off. Twilight’s ears twitched a little at the sound of her tone. Rainbow Dash’s gentle, comforting tone made Twilight look up. Rainbow was smiling a little “None of that. You’re an awesome princess, you’ve helped cement some real alliances with countries that Equestria hasn’t spoken to in forever, and you’ve helped keep the country safe.”

“Not to mention I’ve created a major fracture in the trust between Equestria’s government and the changelings...” Twilight grumbled. “Cadance was right. I was being too harsh on them...”

The pegasus gave a grunt of agreement, “Okay, so maybe you were a little tough on the refugees. Still… you were looking out for Equestria’s best interests.”

Twilight frowned. “Yeah? Tell that to the changelings living in Equestria now who feel like they’re being segregated and oppressed every single day...” Her ears folded down. “I was just… I didn’t want another repeat of Canterlot.”

“Nopony would want that, Twi. Well, except for Chrysalis and the changeling radicals… but you heard those speeches that some of the changelings gave. They’re grateful that Equestria gave them a place to live, even if it was a really slow process.”

Twilight said nothing in reply to that. Instead she forked in another mouthful and chewed slowly.

“Twilight, come on. You’re not a bad pony. I mean, everything worked out in the end, right?” Rainbow leaned forward a little and looked to Twilight, hoping for some kind of positive reaction from her friend. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re an awesome friend, and I trust you one hundred twenty percent with taking care of Equestria.” She winked as Twilight’s cheeks reddened a bit. “Don’t ever forget that.”

The alicorn set down her fork and looked to Rainbow Dash. She took in a slow breath, and her eyes closed as she exhaled. When she finally spoke, her voice just above a whisper, and her eyes starting to water up, “I-I just want Spike to talk to me again.” Twilight slumped in her seat and sighed deeply. “Even… even just a letter once a month… s-something… anything. From what Luna told me, he went and formed a new fire connection with Luna and Cadance a few months ago. That… that takes a deep level of trust, Rainbow, and some serious intertwining of magic. I just… it hurts, Rainbow.”

Rainbow Dash frowned as she tried to rein in her emotions. So much for trying to make Twilight’s break a happy one.

Rainbow knew that Spike had justification behind his actions, but it didn’t mean she was happy with the current situation between him and Twilight. The alicorn had never been shy about showing how much she cared for Spike when she was little, but nopony would have suspected how much his absence in her life over the past couple of years would affect her.

“Your Majesty...?”

Twilight and Rainbow Dash turned to the guard approaching the table. When Twilight spoke, it was hard not to hear the weariness in her voice. “Yes?”

“Forgive my interruption, your Majesty, but I was asked to retrieve you. The Canterlot University says they’ve created a new mass-teleportation spell and would like your approval on it as soon as possible.”

Twilight nodded to the stallion. “Thank you, Azure Skye.” She turned to Rainbow Dash, giving a sad smile. “Duty calls...”

“I’ll be sure to stop by again, okay?” Rainbow said, giving Twilight her most reassuring smile. “I promise.”

“Sure,” Twilight replied, doing her best to return the smile. “Who knows? I might even be able to take a bit of time off and visit you girls in Ponyville. I’d like to check up on Snails and see how things are going at the library under his management, too.”

Rainbow waggled her eyebrows at her alicorn friend. “Careful, Twilight. Your paperwork might find out you’re having an affair with those books.”

Twilight snorted in laughter. “Well, at least a book knows how to keep me company on a cold, late night.”

Rainbow chuckled as they got up from the table. They shared another hug and gave promises to see each other again soon.

“Thank you, Dash,” Twilight whispered. “I needed this; having a chance to just relax a little. Just having you around to talk to helps… ” Then she added, just barely loud enough for Rainbow to hear. “I missed you.”

Rainbow sighed softly as she leaned into Twilight a little, “I miss you all the time, too.” As she pulled Twilight a little closer, she added, “And I’m always happy to lend you an ear, Twilight. I know you’d do the same for me.”

Twilight hummed softly as they shared a brief nuzzle. When they pulled apart from each other, Twilight’s cheeks were rosy once more. “Um… tell the girls that I’ll be in town within a week or so, okay?” Twilight asked. “And… if you see Spike or Scootaloo…?”

“Will do, Twi.” Rainbow gave her a friendly bump on the shoulder with a hoof. “I’ll try and talk to Spike for you, okay? I know he’s stubborn, but even just getting a chance to speak with him would help, I think. Anyway, you need to go continue kicking some political tail for us.”

“I’ll do my best,” Twilight giggled, bidding Rainbow a final farewell with a wave of her hoof. With that, she unfurled her wings and took to the air with her two pegasus guards following close behind. Rainbow swore she caught Twilight glance behind once or twice as she made her way back to the castle, but it could have just been her imagination.

Rainbow stood there for a moment, watching as her friend became a distant dot of lavender making its way towards the castle.

Still an egghead. Glad to see you’re still the mare I know, Twilight.

Rainbow smiled as she dug into her saddlebags for some bits to lay down for her meal. She blinked when she noticed two separate piles had been laid down on the table, paying for their respective bills and providing a sufficient tip to the waiter.

She… darn it, how did she do that?

Spike looked at the clock hanging on the break room wall. Another ten minutes and his first day of work would officially be done. He sighed while running a claw over his spines.

While Colm was far from a conversationalist, it seemed like the tom-griffon had opened up to Spike a little by the end of their patrol. He even offered to show Spike the proper way to make a Manehattan cocktail.

Spike had come to realize two things within the past couple of hours. First among them: He knew next to nothing about changelings and their social norms, unlike what he previously thought. He had spent a great deal of time reading about their culture, but books could only do so much. Colea had told him not to worry about that, and to give it time.

The second thing he had come to realize was the fact that he had a lot of places to memorize for patrolling. Apparently, along with the bordello and the property surrounding it, the staff sometimes went out on patrols through the Everfree Forest itself. Like Colea had said, while most stayed out of the forest, it wasn’t entirely unlikely that some less-than-legal activity was going on within that tangled mess of trees and darkness. Therefore, in exchange for services from the Equestria’s law enforcement, the Everfree House reported any suspicious activity within the forest.

While he didn’t like the idea of going into those woods, he knew most things within it would likely leave him alone, barring a hydra or an overly-confident manticore. That or an Ursa Major or Minor, but those were few and far between.

Few creatures aside from other dragons had scales as strong as his, after all. It took a great deal of force to actually pierce them, and by that time most creatures would be getting a faceful of dragon flames as a reward for trying to attack him.

The door to the break room opened. Spike turned to the entrance, only to be greeted by the mare he had recognized earlier in the crowd. She was wearing thick-rimmed glasses, and held a newspaper in her teeth. He gave her a small smile and nodded. She nodded in return as she walked up to the icebox and pulled out a pitcher of apple juice.

“So… Apple Cobbler, huh?”

The mare paused from pouring herself a glass, giving Spike a nod. “That’s me.”

Spike grinned. “You don’t recognize me, do you?”

Apple Cobbler nodded. “You used to live at the Golden Oaks Library with Twilight Sparkle.”

Spike resisted the urge to frown. Of course she’d remember him through Twilight. “Heh, yeah, that was me.”

She balanced her newspaper on her back while picking up her glass of juice in her teeth. “Almost done for the day, aren’t you?”

“Yep. Colea wants me to come in later tomorrow, that way I can adjust to the second shift work.”

Cobbler nodded as she sat down and unfolded her paper. “Mm. It’s good we’re finally getting a stable staff member for security.” She sipped from her glass. “Though, I wasn’t expecting you to take up the job.”

Spike quirked an eyebrow. “Why not?”

Cobbler shrugged. “You don’t seem like a rough and tough kind of guy.” She must have noticed his cheeks flush a bit, and she continued before he could speak. “You seem good enough, though. Just not rough and tough.”

“I...” Spike blinked. “Is that a bad thing?”

Cobbler shrugged. “Maybe? That’s for Colea and Roxie to decide. I’m just an investor.”

“Investor?”

Cobbler looked up from the newspaper. “Yes. You know… give money to a company, hope that company gains a profit, get a portion of the profit?”

“I know what you mean, I… guess I’m just surprised.”

Cobbler frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know… aren’t you related to the Apples?”

Cobbler set her paper down on the table and gave Spike a weak glare. “What are you saying?”

“N-nothing, I just… I don’t know, I thought you’d be in the business of apples, that’s all.” He waved a claw quickly and gave her an apologetic grin. “Sorry, I’m just… I only know a few of your relatives.”

Apple Cobbler relaxed a bit, sighing deeply. “No, no… it’s just… I’m what some would call the black sheep of my family. Especially on my mother’s side. I get a bit defensive about stuff like that.”

“I take it your mother’s an Apple?”

“Yes. My father was born in Manehattan. He owns a grocery store. He met my mother there, and they moved out to Fillydelphia to start a farm after dating for a few years and then marrying.” She waved a hoof and rolled her eyes. “They were hoping I’d take on the farm when I got older, but much to their dismay, I’m not a farmer.”

Spike pointed to her cutie mark. “You’re apparently gifted with snacks, though.”

She shrugged, though a faint smile formed on her lips. “I got this back when I was visiting Ponyville, believe it or not. Granny Smith is my great-aunt. She taught me how to bake. It’s fun, and it doesn’t require me to sweat and buck apples all day.”

“Wow, those are words I thought I’d never hear from an Apple mare.” He cleared his throat as she raised an eyebrow. “I-I mean… well… you know...”

She shrugged, and picked up her newspaper. “My parents and I never really saw eye to eye. I still talk to them, but… I guess they were hoping for me to be something that I just don’t want to be.” She turned a page. “I moved to Ponyville because great-aunt Granny Smith has always been an understanding mare. A little absent-minded about things, but still caring and understanding.”

“So… what brings you to the Everfree House, then? Aside from being an investor?”

“I cook,” Cobbler answered without looking up from the paper. “I do a lot of the bookkeeping here, too. I worked as a secretary for Barnyard Bargains’ Fillydelphia branch before moving to Ponyville.” She glanced up at Spike, not a hint of jest in her voice as she spoke. “I’m good with numbers.”

“Heh,” Spike laughed. “I take it you and Applejack are quite opposites then, huh?”

Cobbler frowned. “Applejack’s a talented businessmare, and while she may not look it, she’s good at statistics.” She shuffled the paper a bit, hiding her face once more. “Big Macintosh is just a better recordkeeper.”

“I meant no offense. I just never took her to be much of a fan of mathematics, that’s all.”

“Understandable. AJ’s always been more about the outdoors and working the land, anyway.” Cobbler’s voice grew quiet. “I was kind of jealous of her growing up.”

“Really?”

Cobbler blinked, as though snapping out of a trance. “Y-yeah, but… um, we got over that.”

Spike knew when not to pry. “I’m glad to hear that. Applejack’s a great friend.”

The mare nodded in agreement as she continued to read.

Spike got up from his spot at the table. “Uh… well, I had better get going. Colea said she had some things to take home.”

“Mhm. Likely information packets,” Cobbler replied.

Spike smiled a little. “Later, Apple Cobbler.”

“Later,” the mare replied.

Spike made his way to the front lobby where he found Colea looking over some papers behind her desk. She glanced up at the sound of his footfalls, and smiled a little. “Everything go well today? Not too much to take in, right?”

While Spike may have been imagining it, it sounded like there was a touch of nervousness in Colea’s words. Her eyes didn’t leave his, but he swore he saw her smile waver a little.

“Heh, well, it’s a big place...” Spike began. “Still, I’m sure I can handle it.”

Colea’s shoulders relaxed visibly. “Good, that’s what I was hoping to hear… so… how was everything with Colm?”

Spike chuckled a little. “He’s not much for talking, is he?”

The changeling’s smile faltered. “No… he’s not the most social of griffons. Still, he’s a trustworthy employee, and a hard worker.”

“Oh, good, so it’s not just me then,” Spike laughed. “I thought he had some sort of grudge against dragons.”

“Oh, no, no, not at all.” Colea straightened up a bit. “The Everfree House doesn’t tolerate discrimination, and is open to anyone with an open mind and an open heart.” She grinned. “We earn our love here, Spike. Keep that in mind.”

“I will.” Spike gave her a thumbs-up.

“Good. Oh! Before I forget, here.” Colea pulled up a bag from behind her desk. “Quick question, do you own a film projector player at home?”

“Uh… wait, yeah, we do! My marefriend just purchased one recently.”

“Oh?” Colea’s smile was genuine, but there was a tiny hint of teasing in her tone. “So there’s a special somepony, huh?”

“Er… yeah. We’ve been living together for about two years with another couple in Ponyville,” Spike replied.

Colea grinned. “That’s wonderful to hear. I’m glad someone like you has someone that cares for you that way.”

Spike scratched his neck and grinned. “Eheh… thanks. She’s… really special to me.”

“No need to be embarrassed, Spike,” Colea said reassuringly. “Anyway, take this with you, then as well. It’s yours to keep.” She slipped a film reel into the bag.

“What is the film about?”

Colea just waved a hoof. “It’s just an educational film about changelings. Nothing too important, but it might help you adjust to the workplace a little easier. Watch it on your own free time.”

“That sounds pretty important to me,” Spike added. “Anyway, what time do you want me in tomorrow?”

“Stop by at three in the afternoon. Double Take typically runs the later patrols, so she can help run you through things.”

“Alright then. Anything else?”

“Well,” Colea’s smile fell a bit. “I know you’re still new here, but… you’re welcome to stay for dinner.”

“O-oh!” Spike blinked. “Oh, I wish I knew you were making dinner.” He chuckled a bit. “I would love to stay, but my marefriend is in charge of dinner tonight, and I think it’s spinach lasagna. I… would probably get in trouble with her if I missed—”

Colea raised a hoof and nodded. “Completely understandable. You’re always welcome to invite her over if you wish, too. We usually have more than enough leftovers anyway.”

“I’ll definitely remember that, then.” Spike gave a final nod and headed out the door. “Later, Colea.”

“Take care, Spike!”

As the dragon left through the front doors, Colea’s smile returned.

“I like him,” said a voice. Colea looked to her side to see Wisp walk out of the shadows cast by the late afternoon sun. She stretched a bit and sighed, “Too bad he’s already taken.”

Colea chuckled. “Like that’s ever stopped you before.”

Wisp frowned, walking up to the desk and standing up against it, front hooves resting on Colea’s work space. “Hey, I may flirt, but I won’t let it go any further than that unless Spike says otherwise.” She lifted her nose into the air, feigning indignation. “Though I would like to meet his marefriend: make sure she’s not some annoying mare who’s using him.”

“Oh, and you wouldn’t use him?”

“Please, Colea. Me using someone is never a one-sided thing.”

“I still say this could have used hot sauce...”

“Oh for Celestia’s sake, Lyra, we have hot sauce in the pantry if you’re so fixed on the idea,” Bonbon huffed, then turned to the pegasus across from her. “Scootaloo, this lasagna is wonderful. I think you really outdid yourself this time, and some ponies simply don’t know good food when it’s sitting in front of them.’

Scootaloo flushed in the cheeks and sunk into her chair a little. “Thanks… I-I got some pointers from Mrs. Cake...”

“Mm, remind me to thank her as well, then,” Spike said between mouthfuls. “It’s amazing!”

“So,” Lyra began turning to Spike. “I heard you say that you got a film from the Everfree House.” She grinned. “It’s changeling pornagraphy, isn’t it?”

Bonbon coughed several times before reaching for her glass of juice and chugging it down. After she stopped coughing and cleared her throat, she glared weakly at Lyra, who in turn was intent on keeping her gaze on Spike.

“I’m game,” Scootaloo said with a laugh. “Always wondered what they looked like under the tail, anyway.”

“Um… I don’t think it’s that kind of film...” Spike frowned. “At least I hope it isn’t...”

“Really? Oh, come on, Spike. You can’t tell me you’re not at least a little curious about what they look like,” Lyra said with a grin. “I know I am.”

Spike’s thoughts drifted to images of Wisp sashaying in front of him, putting a deliberate amount of flicking in her tail’s movements.

“Eh, not really...”

“Well, if it’s not pornagraphy, then what kind of film did they give you?”

“Changelings: Not Just Skin Deep...” Spike read aloud.

“Hmmm… eh, not the most original of titles,” Scootaloo commented.

“It almost sounds like a cheesy porn film...”

“Lyra, please,” Bonbon sighed.

“What? A mare can dream, can’t she?”

The four had set up the movie projector in the den and placed a white bedsheet on the wall. A few little adjustments and some careful placement of the film reel later, and they started up the film and sat on the couch.

The film opened with the typical countdown from three to zero, and some rather upbeat woodwind music was heard. The title of the film was displayed in bold lettering, followed by ‘an Everfree House Production’. The scene opened to a very familiar field of flowers by a stream with...

“Is that… Fluttershy’s cottage?” Scootaloo asked.

Spike blinked. “Damn, I think so. Huh...”

The camera panned around the peaceful scenery, only to stop as a changeling walked onto the screen.

“Hello, my dear friends! I am most happy to meet you!” the changeling gave a small bow, her large dorsal fin flopping to the side as she did so.

“Oh, isn’t she adorable?” Bonbon said quietly.

Spike laughed. “That’s Blur. I met her when I first stopped by there. She’s a really nice changeling. She kind of reminds me of Fluttershy.”

“I am Blur, and if you are unable to recognize, I am a changeling!”

“Oh, just a sidenote, Blur’s still learning Equinic,” Spike added. “Just in case you were wondering about her way of talking. She might be reading lines, though.”

“Now, you may be asking yourself, ‘Blur, what would a changeling be? You do not look like much of a pony to me!’,” Blur giggled a little. “That is most true! Changelings are from a place known as ‘The Badlands’. The Badlands are dry, hot, and often very...” She paused, her eyes scanning over something beyond the camera. “...inhospitable! Yes, inhospitable!” She beamed a little as she continued. “However, because of the benevolence of Equestria, we have been allowed safety inside Equestria’s most welcoming lands!”

Spike let out a derisive snort. “Benevolence my foot.”

“Spike, hush,” said Scootaloo.

“Some of you may know of changelings,” Blur’s frown dropped a little. “Sadly, there are less than pleasant impressions about our kind. Let me be the first to inform you that, just like ponies, not all changelings are alike!” She spread out her forelegs, her smile returning fully. “Most changelings are wonderful individuals. We have our own culture, just like you! Most important of all, though, we are capable of making friends, just like anyone else!”

At that point, another individual walked onto the screen. This time all four of the viewers shared a look of surprise as the newcomer looked to the camera.

Although… they didn’t actually look to the camera, but more towards a particular clump of grass and nervously pawed the ground. She did smile a little though as she glanced over to Blur.

“This is my friend, Fluttershy! She is a pony from Ponyville, and a truly kind soul!”

“Oh… thank you, Blur. That’s very kind of you to—”

The screen suddenly went blank. Spike groaned. “Damn thing probably got off kilter. Give me a second and I’ll have it—”

“—you have nothing to be ashamed of, darling. You’ve taken the form, and made it even more alluring,” an all-too-familiar voice cut through the silence as the film started up once more.

“Really?” asked another voice.

Spike turned around to face the screen, coming face to face with the image of none other than Prince Blueblood. “I… well, while changelings are theoretically unlimited in forms to take… it’s hard to switch sex. I-I mean, I’ve done it a few times, sure, but to really get an accurate copy of a male is… difficult. For me, at least.”

“I can imagine why, too,” replied the feminine voice off-screen. “It must be difficult adding the extra luggage.”

Scootaloo looked over the couch to face Spike. “That can’t be her, can it?”

Spike just shook his head, unsure what to make of what they were watching.

Scootaloo turned back to the screen. The camera was now panning over ‘Blueblood’s’ body, catching the finer details of his physique. “My word, and you say you’re only an amateur at changing your sex? Darling, you’ve done well here.”

Blueblood looked to the ground. “You’re too kind, Miss Rarity.”

“Ah ah… remember?”

Blueblood blinked, then flushed in the cheeks. “F-forgive me… Madam… Rarity...”

Bonbon looked over the couch. “I think we should cut the film, Spike.”

“What?” Lyra asked in clear disbelief. “Are you kidding?” She pointed to the screen with a hoof. “Look, don’t get me wrong, I love Rarity like any of my friends, but come on! This is something nopony else has probably seen.”

“Are you saying we should blackmail Rarity, Lyra?” Bonbon whispered harshly. “Because if you are...”

“No, nononono. I’m saying that this is likely some hot action with Rarity. Look, Bonbon, even you can’t lie: that mare has got it going on big time.”

Bonbon slumped back into her seat, her cheeks reddening a little. “I… well… still, we shouldn’t...”

Scootaloo coughed. “I… wouldn’t be against continuing.”

Lyra glanced over to Spike. “Well, big guy? You were head-over-heels for her not too long ago, right?”

Spike blushed in the face as he watched the screen. The camera was stationary once more, and sure enough, Rarity’s slim, white-coated figure made its way onto the screen… along with a tight-fitting black outfit and a small black mask covering her eyes.

Spike’s eyes widened as he noticed an object floating beside her. Oh sweet Luna, is she… carrying a riding crop in her magic?

“Now then...” Rarity said as she slowly began circling the transformed changeling. “Miss Double Take—erm, forgive me, I meant to say, Prince Blueblood...” Well, that answered one of Spike’s questions. “...what do you have to say for yourself?”

Double Take-transformed-into-Prince Blueblood schooled ‘her’ features into an ashamed frown. “Madam Rarity… I am sorry for being such an utter brute all those years back at the Grand Galloping Gala. You… you were nothing but a true beauty, and I was nothing but a fool.”

Rarity nodded. “A decent start. Although… that’s only the beginning, my dear prince.”

Rarity flicked the crop at Blueblood’s rump, earning a yelp of surprise from the ‘stallion’. “Yah!”

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t hit too hard, did I?” Rarity asked, the stern air surrounding her dissipating in an instant. “Oh, this was foolish. I’m sorry, Double Take, forgive me for asking you to—”

“Rarity, it’s alright. You just startled me, that’s all...”

“O-oh, well, ahem...” Rarity visibly relaxed. “J-just to review… safety word?”

“Ruby.”

Rarity nodded. “Yes, and please do speak if you feel uncomfortable. You… say you’ve never done this sort of thing before?”

Blueblood shook his head. “Never, but… I trust you, Miss Rarity.” A smile crossed the changeling-turned-pony’s face. “You’ve been nothing but kind to us. You’ve trusted us moving into town. I think I can afford to give you that same degree of trust.”

“Well, it was nice enough of you to give me a discount… and drop that surcharge for sex-changing transformation.” Rarity fidgeted a bit. “To be honest, I’ve never gotten many opportunities to try something like this out...”

Blueblood smirked. “Well, my lady, tonight’s your lucky night, then...”

Rarity giggled. “Oh, somepony’s just asking for a punishment...”

The sound of knocking caused the four to jump from their spots. Spike turned to the front entrance, then to the three mares. “Hold on, I’ll go see who it is.” He turned down the volume a tad and made his way towards the entrance to their home.

Spike reached the front door and opened it, only to hold back a scream in his throat as he looked at who was before him.

“R-Rarity?”

Sure enough, his long-time friend and former crush was standing before him. She fluttered her eyelashes a few times before her lips broke into a genuine smile. “Good evening, Spikey. I wanted to drop off some sewing supplies for Bonbon to borrow. She mentioned doing some simple repair work on an old dress of hers, but she didn’t have the right tools for the job, so to speak.” Rarity lifted up a small bag before Spike. “I thought she might appreciate borrowing some of my own supplies for the job.”

“Oh,” Spike’s grin couldn’t have been more forced. “I’ll… be sure to give her the sewing supplies when I get the chance.”

“I could just give them to her right now, actually,” Rarity said with a wave of her hoof, “I wanted to give her some tips as well with the dress. I would be happy to repair it myself, but she seemed determined to do it on her own.”

“Haha, well, that’s Bonbon for you. Always going the extra mile. Um… yeah, I’m sure Bonbon has a moment to come and talk to you, Rarity.”

Not a second later, the sound of hooves clicking on the tiled flooring reached his ears. He turned around to see Bonbon, cheeks bright red and her eyes unfocused, staring beyond the unicorn before her.

“Bonbon? Darling, are you alright?”

Bonbon blinked twice, then her cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red before speaking. “O-oh, right, sorry… heh. I was just thinking about your gorgeous...” Her eyes fell on the basket with Rarity’s sewing supplies in it. “...sewing tools! Yes, your… sewing tools are in such pristine condition.”

“Ah. I don’t know if ‘gorgeous’ is the appropriate word, Bonbon. My designs are gorgeous… but my sewing supplies?”

Bonbon waved a hoof and chuckled. “I suppose, heh.”

“Well, if you don’t mind, I’d be happy to have a look at it and give you a few pointers.” Rarity took a few steps further into the house, only to be stopped by Bonbon.

“Oh, no, that’s fine, Rarity. Y-you’ve already done more than enough for me tonight...” Spike didn’t miss the hidden meaning to her words.

A small part of him wished that he had paused the film instead of letting it continue.

“Now you… lick… hooves, Blueblood...”

Spike’s body went rigid, and he swore he heard Bonbon let out a squeak. Rarity’s ears twitched, and she frowned. A moment later, her eyes widened and a smile crossed her lips. “Oh, were you all watching a movie?”

“Y-yes,” Bonbon replied with a straight face. “I believe it’s almost over though.”

“Yep, nearly over.” Spike nodded in agreement.

“Oh? What movie were you all watching?”

Spike gave the only answer he could think of. “Uhhh...”

“We watched Dances with Timberwolves!” Bonbon answered quickly. “Not that good, honestly.”

Rarity pouted. “Truly? What a shame, I was hoping to catch it at the theater one of these coming weekends with Sweetie Belle. The cinema always shows classics on Saturdays, and I remember seeing it listed in the show times.” She sighed deeply. “Sweetie Belle was going to stop by for a few days during a break between tours, and we wanted to catch it.”

Bonbon blinked. “Oh, well, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. It… it just didn’t sit well with me.”

“That and Lyra kept ruining everything with all her talking,” Spike added.

Rarity laughed quietly. “She’s always quite the chatterbox during movies, isn’t she?”

“Ah! Y-yes, Madam, harder!”

The sound of leather meeting skin made Spike wince. He cleared his throat loudly and spoke. “Well, I better see if the girls need more popcorn. Be right back.”

Spike all but sprinted into the living room, nearly tackling the projector as he fumbled for the off switch. The film cut off suddenly, being replaced with a blank screen.

“Hey, what gives?” Lyra grumbled. “We were getting to the good part!”

“Rarity is in the other room!” Spike whispered loudly.

Both mares shared wide-eyed looks with the drake, then glanced into the kitchen.

“Seriously?” Scootaloo whispered.

“Yes, I lied and said we’re watching Dances with Timberwolves.” Spike looked over his shoulder, fearing that Rarity was going to be standing behind him. “Bonbon and I lied and said it was bad.”

“What?!” Lyra hissed. “That movie is amazing!”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo piped in. “The acting was phenomenal! Not to mention it was a pioneer for multi-species movies, and it revived the frontier adventure genre!”

“I know, I know! I cried several times when I watched it, trust me, I know,” Spike said quickly. “Look, just don’t say anything to Rarity about what you just saw, alright?”

Bonbon walked back into the living room, sighing deeply as she sat back on the couch. “Alright, she’s gone. That was too close.” She glanced over at Spike. “So, what was with this film going from educational to… to that?” She pointed a hoof to the blank screen. “Did your work just prank you or something?”

Spike gave her a clueless look and shrugged. “I swear I have no idea what happened with that film. For all I know somepony spliced the two films and somehow got it mixed up in the rest.” He took the film out of the projector and frowned. “I’ll be having a talk with Colea about this tomorrow. I’m positive it was an honest mistake.”

“I would hope so,” Bonbon harrumphed. “What if there had been foals in the room?”

Spike could only shake his head. Yes, a talk with Colea was definitely in due order.

The following day Spike had stopped by the Everfree House early to explain what had happened with the film. He had learned two very important things that day. Firstly, Colea was scary when she was angry. Luckily her anger wasn’t directed towards him. Secondly, should Colea and Bonbon ever meet, they would likely be the best of friends in no time.

“I can’t believe this!” Colea growled as she looked at the film. “What if there had been foals in the room while you were playing this?”

Spike could only nod and sigh. “I’m just glad there were only adults present.”

Colea’s grimace grew more intense as she shook her head. “I’m am truly sorry about this, Spike. I promise that what happened wasn’t intentional, at least from my end.” She made got up from her stool and made her way around the desk. “I’m going to have a long talk with Double Take about proper use of company property when I have a chance.”

“I believe I’m patrolling with her tonight, right?”

“Yes, and she had better give me an explanation before that time so that she can give you an apology as well.” Colea turned to face Spike fully. “I hope this doesn’t give you a bad image of us… well, at least not any worse of an image than you might already have of our business.”

Spike waved a claw and chuckled. “Don’t worry about it, Colea. Water under the bridge. Besides, I got a chuckle or two out of it. No harm done.”

Colea quirked an eyebrow, a small grin forming on her lips as she turned towards a hall nearby. She looked relieved, Spike thought. With a wave of her hoof, she gestured for Spike to follow.

“I appreciate that, Spike. Still, I’ll be having a few words with Double Take. It’s unprofessional, and making copies of those films isn’t cheap.”

Spike chose not to comment any further on the matter, noticing the grim expression Colea now had on her face.

Note to self: don’t tamper with company possessions. He thought to himself as they entered the cafeteria. A small group of ponies and changelings sat at a table, talking while enjoying their meals. All the noise stopped, however, as the door closed behind Spike and Colea. It was like someone had cast a mute spell on the room. The group turned to the door, sensing the now palpable waves of emotion coming off of Colea.

One of the ponies, a stallion with a blue coat and a dark blue mane, chanced to speak. “Um… hey, Colea? What’s—?”

“Double Take!” Colea shouted out, causing Spike to jump in surprise. “Get over here! Now!”

A blur of black and green was in front of Colea within seconds, a nervous smile on her lips. “What’s up, Colea?”

Spike recognized Double Take instantly from the meeting the other day. She was remarkably different from Wisp, Blur, and Colea, though he recalled another changeling sharing similar features to her.

Spike’s musings were cut off as Colea spoke. “Do you mind explaining why Spike found some confidential footage from a session of yours on one of our Cultural Introductory films?”

If changelings were incapable of turning pale, Double Take had come as close as physically possible to doing so. Her face went from black to a dark grey—subtle, but noticeable—and her eyes, if possible, widened. She turned to Spike and laughed weakly, “O-oh… so… you found that?”

Colea’s grimace deepened. “Yes, he did. He played it in front of his housemates, too.”

Double Take gave Spike and Colea a sheepish grin. “Um… sorry about that.”

Spike decided to be merciful and just waved it off. “It’s alright. If it means anything, I didn’t see most of it.”

“Really?” She perked up at that. “Oh, good, because I really don’t think I did as well as I could have done with my impersonation of Blue—”

“As it stands,” Colea cut her off with a glare. “The replacement for that film will be coming out of your next paycheck.”

“B-but… aw, come on, Colea! She requested I film it!”

“Then you should have asked for a blank film reel,” Colea countered. “As it stands, you’re going to be paying for the copy. You’ll also make sure that a good copy is sent to the client, free of charge. Am I clear?”

“Crystal, ma’am,” Double Take replied with a nod.

“Good. Now, Spike here will be shadowing you as you run the late-shift patrol throughout the house. Be sure to answer any questions he might have, let him know the ins and outs of what we do during the later hours of the day.” Colea leaned forward a bit, her shorter stature forcing her to look up at Double Take a little. “You’re on thin ice, missy. Another incident like that and you’re scrubbing the latrines for a week.”

Double Take gave a nervous grin. “S-sure thing, Colea. Whatever you say. I didn’t think it would happen, honest. I promise it won’t ever happen again!”

Colea’s stern gaze softened a bit, and she sighed. “Alright, then. Just… think before you act next time, alright? You’re a good kid, Double Take, but you can get yourself into major problems sometimes…”

Double Take was now blushing lightly. She gave a quick nod. “R-right. I’ll try harder next time.”

“I know you will,” Colea smiled despite herself. She turned to Spike and nodded once. “Alright, Spike. I’ll see you later. If you have any questions, ask Double Take or anyone else working here, okay?”

“Sure thing,” Spike replied, giving her a thumbs-up.

Colea made her way out the door, leaving Double Take and Spike standing there while several of the staff still in the cafeteria watched them.

“So...you didn’t think I did that bad?”

“Huh?” Spike quirked an eyebrow at Double Take’s question. Only after he noticed the light tinge of green in her cheeks did he catch on to what she was talking about. “O-oh! Well, I never met Prince Blueblood personally, but… you got his image down rather well.”

“Miss Rarity said I was good, but I think she was being nice… I…” She blinked, then clapped both hooves over her mouth. “Please don’t tell anyone I just said that was Miss Rarity in the film—gah, I said it again!” She shot a panicked look over to her co-workers, who had continued with their dinner and no longer paid them any attention.

Spike chuckled, “If it helps you at all, Double Take, I’m rather good friends with Rarity.”

That didn’t seem help her at all, for her eyes widened and she let out a squeaky gasp. “Y-you are? Oh no, I am soooo sorrysorrysorry! I didn’t do anything to her that she wasn’t uncomfortable with, I swear! Please don’t—”

How the heck did she get put in patrol work here? Spike thought to himself. He placed a gentle claw on her back and spoke softly. “Double Take. It’s fine. I’m not angry at you.”

“Y-you aren’t?” Double Take asked, peeking out from behind her hooves. “Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

“Promise?”

Spike rolled his eyes, but gave a nod. “I promise.”

That seemed to perk Double Take up a bit. She stood up to her full height and grinned. “Well, Spike, I’m looking forward to working with you tonight, then! Um… any questions before we start patrol?”

Spike shook his head. “Nothing at the moment.”

Double Take beamed. “Alrighty, then! Just follow me, then!”

Spike did just that. She was practically skipping ahead of him, humming softly to herself as they made their way down a corridor leading to the front of the Everfree House. Despite him being a rather respectable drake, he couldn’t help but admire her frame now that he got a good look at her. Her body was slender and lithe, and her eyes were noticeably larger than Colea’s, though still small enough that they didn’t detract from the rest of her features. Her wings were probably her most notable feature, though. While most of the changelings he had seen had wings about the size of most pegasi, Double Take’s wings were easily twice as long as the rest of the changelings’ wings.

“Um… I hope this doesn’t come off as sounding rude, but how come you’re so different from the rest of the changelings here?” Spike ventured, hoping he didn’t just cross some line with his question.

Luckily, Double Take only blinked for a second as she took in his inquiry, then grinned. “Oh! That’s because I’m what most would call a ‘scout’ class changeling.”

“Scout? You mean like… camping, nature hikes, and stuff?”

“Nope,” Double Take replied with a shake of her head. “There are four major classes, or… um…subspecies wouldn’t be a good term, but… well, maybe it would, but anyway, changelings are kind of like ponies. You have your earth ponies, your unicorns, and your pegasi. All three are different, but have a lot of similarities too.”-

“Ohhh, so you mean there are different kinds of changelings, huh?” Spike smiled. “I never remember reading about that.”

“Yeah, but like I said, I’m a ‘scout’ class changeling. Changelings like myself were responsible for searching for food sources and keeping a lookout for dangers to hives ages ago.”

“You make it sound like that’s not the case these days,” Spike said, curiosity clear in his tone.

“Well, these days a changeling can do whatever job they want. Queen Chrysalis more or less did away with predetermined duties in changeling civilization about… two thousand years ago, I think?” She paused for a moment in thought before continuing. “Aside from scouts, there are also drones, like Colea, soldiers, like Wisp, and nurturers, like Blur.”

Spike hummed in thought, “That explains why Blur had the large dorsal frill… is that normal for nurturers?”

“Yep!” Double Take answered. “But yeah, to answer your original question, I’m a scout changeling. We tend to have longer wings to help us fly faster and farther, slender bodies to help us move quickly, and large eyes to help us see things better and from farther away.”

The drake grinned. “I bet that’s pretty helpful when you’re working security, huh?”

“Eh, security work is only a part-time thing. You’re our first full-time guy, so you’ll definitely be better than me at it in no time at all.” She continued onward. “Speaking of which, we should be doing just that, heheh.”

Spike found himself liking Double Take more and more by the minute. She reminded him a bit of Pinkie Pie… mixed in with a bit of the same kind of nervousness Fluttershy often had.

“So,” Double Take said, snapping him out of his thoughts. “What about you, Spike? I have to admit, I never saw many dragons back home in the Changeling Nation. Anything special about you… well, I mean, aside from the fact that you are you, which is already special, but I mean… um…” She coughed into a hoof. “Sorry, I tend to talk a lot, in case you didn’t notice.”

“Nah, it’s fine. I’m happy to have someone to talk to about being a dragon. Most ponies I know just kind of take it for granted.” Spike gave her a toothy grin. “As for me, well, I can breathe fire. It’s green for some reason. Never really tried figuring that out, but it’s been that way my whole life. I also have these beauties right here.” He flexed the two wings that had been folded at his sides. He spread them out a bit as he continued. “Still not quite used to flying with them, but I can get from point A to point B if I need to with them. It does help to have a pegasus marefriend, though.”

“Oh?” the changeling cocked her head to the side and smiled. “You have a special somepony, huh?”

“Heh, yeah. She’s awesome. Well… we’re sort of in a relationship. Nothing too serious, but we still care a lot for each other.” Spike shrugged. “We’ve got a mutual understanding with each other. It’s working well for us.”

“I guess that’s what matters most. You should bring her out here some time, I’m sure she’d have a good… er, I mean, you two should totally have a date here and—well, I-I mean… this is a nice place to enjoy a romantic night out.” Double Take cleared her throat and faced forward. Spike could hear her berating herself under her breath as she pushed through the entrance of the Everfree House.

The smell of fresh growth and wildflowers filled Spike’s nostrils. He breathed in deep and exhaled slowly. “I love this time of year.”

“You need to meet Ebon, then.” Double Take smiled. “She’s our local green-hoof around here.”

Spike chuckled. “Everyone keeps telling me I need to meet this ‘Ebon’, but I have yet to see her myself.”

“Not too surprising,” Double Take commented with a sigh. “She’s a bit… reclusive. She likes her peace and quiet, but she’s never above saying hello to a new face.” The changeling lifted into the air, her wings buzzing noisily as she drifted ahead. “Come on, she’s this way. Just around the back of the house.”

Spike followed Double Take as she lead him around the house. Though, calling it a house was a severe understatement. Even though he had been here three times now, he still never got a full look at the sheer scale of the building. It was a solid two stories high, and he could see two of the Apple family’s barns easily fitting within its interior. The style of the building was similar to that of the old gothic houses in some of the older towns in Equestria, like Hoofington or Trottingham. There was a welcoming look to it, though. The shingles were a clay red hue, and the house itself was a tan, sandstone color. Flags flapping in the wind were positioned on two of the house’s towers, and there was a wind compass with a pegasus on the center tower.

All in all, Spike enjoyed the older style it held. It was easy to see that the house was made fairly recently, but the old-style charm was still there. A historical architect would have a field day looking over the house.

“Huh, I guess it’s true what they say: changelings are some of the best architects in the civilized world,” Spike said aloud.

Double Take looked over her shoulder to Spike and smiled proudly. “Miss Colea’s not an architect by trade, but she knew enough about building to get a floor plan set up. After the planning was finished Colea went and hired some changelings living in Manehattan, and we had the place finished within a month.”

“Wow, that’s a short period of time for such a huge building.” Spike shook his head in mild disbelief. “How did you all get it put together so quickly?”

“Teamwork, duh,” Double Take giggled.

Spike rolled his eyes and smirked. “Fine, fine, keep your trade secrets to yourself.” He continued onward as Double Take let out another peal of laughter. “So, do all of you live here?”

“Not all of us, but most of us do. Doctor Lepid lives in Ponyville, but he works here. Apple Cobbler and I have an apartment in Ponyville as well…” She tapped her chin in thought, wings buzzing as she hovered in the air. “I… don’t think anyone else that I know lives outside the house. Well, no, wait, Noteworthy does have a place, too. He goes there when he needs to focus on his music.”

“Noteworthy… I feel like I’ve heard that name before…” Spike thought aloud.

“He’s actually a local in Ponyville, though you probably guessed that much. He’s one of our local musicians, and he works at the bar on our busy nights if he’s not performing,” Double Take explained. “Usually, though, he’s playing his guitar down in the bar on the weekends.”

Well, it seems Spike knew less of the residents in Ponyville that he had thought. “I look forward to meeting him. Not much of a guitarist myself, but I can sing a little.”

Double Take let out a gasp, her wings buzzing faster as she closed the distance between them. “Really?!” Her eyes were practically shining with excitement. “Because we’ve been looking for someone to perform acts on weekdays, and we’re hoping to draw in some local talent to help strengthen ties between Ponyville and the bordello! Oh, oh, what can you sing?”

“I…” Spike took an unconscious step back as her grin grew. “Lots of stuff, I guess. My… friends sing a lot, and I kind of learned how to by being around them all the time. I mean, I’m not a professional—”

“That’s okay!” Double Take said, now rising and falling as she hovered while her hooves clopped together. “Ohhhh, this will be so great! I need to tell Colea and Roxie as soon as I get a chance!”

“Whoa, whoa, I never said anything about performing any gigs!” Spike laughed.

Double Take was buzzing around Spike happily, only to come to an abrupt halt as he said those words. She blinked several times, then looked down to Spike. “O-oh, heheh...right, you didn’t, did you?” She gave a nervous cough and settled back down onto the ground. “Well, if you do decide to do any stage performances here, you just have to talk to Roxie and Colea.” She tapped the tips of her hooves together and whispered. “Though, we are a little desperate for shows right now…”

“I’ll give it some thought. I could… wait…” Spike’s eyes widened, and idea coming to mind. He grinned and laughed. “I know the perfect way to get some real entertainment here.”

Double Take frowned a little. “We don’t allow erotic performances on the stage,” Then, as an afterthought, she added, “...usually… well, no, we do, but we try to avoid making them a regular thing.”

“Oh, no, I was thinking… you see, I have a good friend who’s gaining quite a name in the music business.” Spike couldn’t keep the hint of pride out his voice. “She’s still got a ways to go, but she’s really talented. I’ll see if I can get in touch with her. I’m sure she’d be happy to do some shows here.”

“Well, do let her know that we’re looking for someone to do a few gigs here. Even one night would be wonderful.” Double Take grinned as she flitted onward. “Just be sure to let her know the basics of our business first. We don’t want to surprise anyone too much.”

“Will do,” Spike replied with a nod. “So, how much further until we find this Ebon?”

“Oh, she’s—” Double Take paused abruptly in mid-air, her wings continuing to keep her aloft.

Spike almost bumped into her, stopping just short of doing so. He gave Double Take a concerned look. “Um, everything okay?”

She gave no response. Spike frowned and walked forward to face her directly. She was facing forward, but her gaze wasn’t focused on anything in particular. She opened and closed her mouth a few times.

“D-Double Take?” Spike said hesitantly.

The changeling’s eyes came back into focus, and then she blinked a few times. She looked to Spike, her eyes widening as she gasped softly. “O-oh, I am so sorry! You must have been worried for a minute there!” She grinned a little and laughed sheepishly. “I was just picking up a message from Ebon, actually.”

“Wait… what?” Spike asked, clearly confused. “I don’t follow you…”

“Telepathy,” Double Take began. “We changelings have a certain degree of it with each other. It’s mostly a voluntary thing, but we all like to keep in touch with each other in the house. If something’s happening on one end of the building it provides a quick way for us to reach each other.”

Spike’s eyes widened. “Wow, really?”

Double Take nodded. “Yep, though it takes a lot of focus to get a particular thought or message from one of us to another. We all recognize each other’s auras, so we’re pretty good at nailing down who gets what messages.”

“Huh,” Spike said as he sat down before her. “So… what did Ebon tell you?”

“Oh, right!” Double Take flushed a bit in the cheeks. “Sorry, heheh. Um, she said that Colea told her to tell me that there’s three ponies at the front lobby asking for you.”

Spike frowned. “Three? Did they give their names?”

“Yeah, actually. Two of them live with you, apparently. Um… what did she say their names were…?” She tapped her chin in thought.

Spike hazarded a guess. “Lyra and Bonbon?”

“Yeah!” Double Take nodded quickly with a smile. “Um… the other is… well, we weren’t expecting somepony like her to show up…”

That didn’t sound good, “Who would that be?” Spike asked, worry laced in his words.

Double Take fidgeted a bit with her front hooves, then spoke. “She seemed like she really wanted to talk to you.”

“Was her name Scootaloo?” Spike asked hopefully. Sure, she wasn’t a celebrity or particularly famous pony, but she had set a Ponyville record for the most wing push-ups during an Iron Pony competition a few years back.

“No,” Double Take answered. “She’s really famous, though.”

Well, so much for that. “Who is it, then?”

Double Take shook her head slowly. “I don’t know why she’s here, asking for you in particular. You… you don’t have any issues regarding the Wonderbolts, do you?”

Spike’s stomach tightened a bit. “Rainbow Dash?”

“Y-yeah… her.” Double Take stopped flying, landing on the ground softly. “She’s like...one of the best among the Wonderbolts right now, right?”

“Some would argue otherwise, but that’s the popular opinion. I’d definitely agree with that,” Spike replied. “She’s here to see me?”

Double Take nodded. “I wouldn’t be too worried about it, but the message Ebon sent made her seem… really unnerved. That’s not like Ebon at all to be bothered by something like this.”

Spike sighed deeply. “I suppose I should have expected something like this to happen sooner or later…” He ran a hand over his face, stopping to pinch the bridge of his snout. “Well… I suppose I shouldn’t keep them waiting, huh?”

The changeling frowned. “Is everything alright, Spike?”

“Hopefully,” he replied. “I’ll explain it all afterwards. No doubt Colea is going to be expecting some answers.”

Spike mentally cursed his luck. Not even a week into the job and already he was dealing with this kind of stuff? He had expected Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Fluttershy to find out sooner or later. Pinkie Pie and Rarity were knowledgeable about all current events in Ponyville, so news of his new job would inevitably reach those two. Applejack would no doubt find out from Rarity or Pinkie during one of the days that the girls in town would meet. Fluttershy would likely have found out from Rarity as well during one of their spa visits, though it seems that she already had a friend in Blur, so he wasn’t too worried about her thoughts on his place of employment…

Still, Rainbow Dash had been one of the last ponies he expected out of the group to learn of his job. Why she was here… well, he had several ideas, and the fact that Lyra and Bonbon were here as well could mean a multitude of things.

The two made their way back to the front of the Everfree House, the nervous tightening in Spike’s stomach worsening as they did so.

End of Chapter Two

Author's Note

Took long enough, eh? Anyway, here you all go. Thanks for your patience, and I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did writing it. More will be on the way, of course!

I'd also like to thank the illustrious Burraku_Pansa for the help he gave me while I wrote this!

Empathy and Incense

The Everfree House

by Denim_Blue

Chapter Three: Empathy and Incense

Spike and Double Take stood before the main entrance of the Everfree House and had been for the better part of a minute now. In Double Take’s defense, she had been doing so only because Spike seemed rather reluctant to go past those double doors leading into the building. Being the worrywart and kind-hearted soul that she was, she had opted to wait outside with Spike until he mustered up the courage to go through the doors.

“Well, no time like the present…” Spike sighed, taking a step forward. Double Take followed close behind. The double doors closed behind them, and for a moment Spike thought of retreating back outside, if only to avoid whatever confrontation awaited him involving a long-time friend.

As the two made their way into the lobby, Double Take let out an involuntary whimper. She landed on the ground and walked beside him. “Someone’s arguing with Colea…” she whispered.

“Ah, Spike,” called out a voice. He looked towards the front desk to see a rather disgruntled Colea sitting behind a desk, her gaze locked on a familiar, rainbow maned pegasus mare. “This mare here claims that she needed to speak to you. Supposedly, it’s important.”

“Yeah, because it is important,” Rainbow replied with a grumble. No doubt Colea’s less than thrilled attitude towards the young Wonderbolt had contributed to Rainbow Dash’s annoyance. While she would never admit it, she found a certain degree of enjoyment in being a household name in Equestria. To be treated as just another pony likely grated on her nerves.

“Yet,” Colea continued as she leaned forward in her chair. “She has yet to explain why she is here for you.”

“Um… Miss Colea, with all due respect,” Bonbon began, her tone gentle and placating. “Rainbow Dash says that it’s a bit of a personal matter. You understand, don’t you?”

Colea looked to Bonbon, her glare softening a noticeable amount. She sighed deeply, and rubbed her temple with a hoof. “Yes, Miss Bonbon, and I do understand that. However, Miss Rainbow Dash here has been nothing but rude to me, what with accusing me of roping Spike into our business when he voluntarily applied for the job.”

Rainbow snorted in disbelief. “I wasn’t accusing anyone of doing anything!” Rainbow flared her wings a bit. “I’m just… look, I won’t pretend I didn’t see you give me that dirty look when I walked in. What happened seven years ago in Canterlot is in the past, okay? I don’t know if you have a bone to pick with me or whatever, but it’ll have to wait. I’m here to speak to Spike, so—”

“Well, here I am, Rainbow Dash,” Spike cut her off, deciding to nip the bud of the conversation before someone said something that might start a real mess. A mess so bad that even he wouldn’t want to clean it up. “Um… Colea, is there a place where we can talk… in private?”

Colea’s blue eyes flicked to him, then back to Rainbow Dash, then she slumped a bit with a heavy sigh. “Yes, there’s a room to your immediate left when you go down the main hall. It’s big enough for a few ponies. I… just…” she hesitated, then concluded with a shake of her head. “I’ll talk to you afterwards, Spike.”

“Thank you,” Spike said. He gave Double Take a nod, and she returned it with a worried frown. He gestured for Rainbow, Lyra, and Bonbon to follow him. When they reached the door to the room Colea had pointed out, he opened the door and allowed them in first. He closed it behind himself, and began. “So… what brings you here?”

Rainbow Dash sighed, her body visibly relaxing. “Well, I was hoping to surprise you, but then that… Colea or whatever, decided to start interrogating me.”

“She has the right to question anyone entering her establishment,” Spike stated matter of factly. “You can’t blame her, given the current state of things involving the changeling refugees and the problems they’ve been dealing with.” He shook his head. “Everfree House itself has been having some trouble with clients as of late, so she’s just looking out for her employees. ”

“What, you think I’d…?” She shook her head. “Nevermind, I won’t ask.” She looked to Lyra and Bonbon, who simply nodded. Rainbow continued on, her eyes locked with Spike’s. “So… I have to ask… when was the last time you talked to Twilight?”

Spike arched an eyebrow, then glanced at Lyra and Bonbon. Both gave uneasy smiles. He sighed before turning back towards the door. “Right, I’m done here. Nice seeing you, Rainbow, but I’d rather not open that can of worms if I can—”

“Spike, stop!”

Rainbow was in front of the drake before he could make his way towards the door. He frowned as she hovered between him and his only exit. “Rainbow, please move.”

She matched his frown with a defiant grimace of her own. “I will… but only after I get some answers from you.”

Spike pinched the bridge of his nose, then grumbled something unintelligible. He ran a hand over his face, then shrugged. “Fine, fine… but only because you’re my friend.” He gestured to the large couch, and the three mares each took a seat. “What—though I’m sure I already have an idea about what you want to know—did you want to talk about that has to do with Twilight and I?”

Rainbow’s own annoyed expression softened. “I talked to Twilight earlier today. We had lunch, and I asked her about you. She… said she hasn’t talked to you since you left Canterlot. That was more than a year ago, Spike.”

“That was the intention of me leaving. This isn’t news to you, Rainbow Dash,” Spike said, his tone neutral. “What about it?”

“Spike… how are you alright with all of this? I mean, you two used to be family in everything but blood, now you don’t even talk to each other?” Rainbow shook her head. “I know it’s not…” She paused, then shook her head. “No, it is my business, because you and Twi are practically family to me as well. Heck, I’m pretty sure the rest of the girls would probably say the same thing.”

“Well, I guess things changed. For what it’s worth, we both tried to fix things up between us. That didn’t work.” Spike looked out the window of the room, his gaze drifting to the distant buildings of Ponyville that he could see beyond the rolling hills. “Twilight Sparkle’s still Twilight Sparkle, sure, but she’s not the Twilight Sparkle I know anymore. Canterlot changed her when she became an alicorn.” His gaze fell back onto Rainbow Dash as he continued. “What’s her problem, anyway? Does she miss having one of the few councilors in Canterlot who isn’t someone else’s political puppet by her side? Or does she just miss having someone who could chase away the droves of lobbyists?”

“Spike, that…” Bonbon said softly, only to stop when Lyra placed a hoof on her shoulder and shook her head. The earth mare slumped and said nothing further.

“No, Spike, I think she honestly misses you being there with her. You know, since she cares about you. Heck, I think I’d even go as far as to say that she loves you like a younger brother.” Rainbow folded her forelegs together as she matched Spike’s glare.

“Really?” Spike rolled his eyes. “She sure has a funny way of showing it. Revoking my position in the Canterlot Council and blatantly telling me that she doesn’t need me helping her anymore with politics because I ‘think with my heart and not my brain’ doesn’t seem like a very good way of telling someone you care.”

Rainbow went quiet for a long while after that. She glanced over to Lyra and Bonbon, who simply gave her uncertain shakes of their heads.

“So… that’s what started all this?” Rainbow asked. “I… never really got the whole story from you two.”

“Partly, yeah,” Spike grumbled. “It sure helped push things in the direction they’re in now, if anything.”

“What happened?” Rainbow asked.

“Didn’t Twilight tell you?” Spike asked. When he saw Rainbow shake her head, he sighed, and then he let out a sardonic chuckle. “No, of course she didn’t.” He scratched the back of his head as he gained a thoughtful expression. “Well, if she’s too ashamed to tell you, then I don’t know what to tell you. Besides, it doesn’t really matter what I tell you, does it?”

Rainbow cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on, Rainbow. We both know that Canterlot’s papers painted my whole public disapproval as a direct attack against Celestia and Twilight. I wasn’t speaking my mind; I was stirring up problems. At least that’s what the media said.”

Rainbow frowned. “I… read some of those newspapers, now that I think about it. I have to admit, some of the things you had to say about Celestia were less than flattering.” Her eyes widened suddenly, and she narrowed her gaze. “What, you think I’d believe some journalists over you?”

“You wouldn’t be the first, Rainbow,” was all Spike said in reply.

“You had some real cojones for saying the things you did, though,” Lyra added. “Rather stupid on your part in hindsight, Spike, but still admirable… sorta.”

Spike shrugged. “I won’t argue there. It didn’t really matter at that point, since I already signed my resignation papers before that whole fiasco.”

“You said that Twilight removed you from office, though…” Rainbow asked. “What—?”

“Yes, I was removed from my office in the council, but I still had a place among the Royal Advisory Committee. Less pay, more connected to the princesses. It’s not a public office position, but you still get a salary. It’s not easy being a person whose advice can influence the way a country is run, after all.” He shrugged. “Still, after getting removed from the Council, I pretty much called it quits with Canterlot and resigned from the Advisory Committee. I moved back to Ponyville shortly after. I have to admit, I was surprised that most of the town was still happy to see me after what I said about Canterlot and all.”

“What, you think we’d just tell you to get the heck out of town?” Lyra laughed and roll of her eyes. “Come on, Spike, it’d take more than that to make any of us Ponyvillians hold a grudge against you.”

“Yeah, besides, we knew you were only doing what you thought was right… though you could have maybe not said some of those things about Celestia…” Bonbon added with a small smile. “Still, we know you’re a good dragon. Politics is an ugly thing, no matter how you try to paint it. I think you came out alright for the most part.”

“They’re right, Spike,” Rainbow said with a sigh. “I’m only on your case about this because I care about you. Both you and Twilight. You know where I’m coming from here, right?” Spike gave a slight nod, grunting an affirmative. “I have to admit, I wasn’t happy with how you handled that whole thing, at least from what I saw and heard.” She scuffed the floor with a hoof and lowered her gaze. “Still, I… it’s not cool seeing you acting so distant and cold with Twilight. You can’t honestly be happy with this whole thing.”

Spike shrugged. “It sucked, don’t get me wrong. I got over it, though. I have friends and family who care for me.” He looked to Lyra and Bonbon, who both gave him a reassuring smile. “You two…” His gaze fell back onto Rainbow, “Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle… Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie, Rarity, and you too… I love all of you like family.”

Rainbow smiled a little, despite her overall mood. “Same here, Spike.”

The drake raised a hand finger as he continued. “Still, you can’t really pick your family. Sometimes individuals just don’t get along, and… Twilight and I are such a case.”

“But you haven’t even given her a chance to try and talk to you, Spike,” Rainbow argued. “I mean, have you thought that maybe she wants to try and patch things up? Because today, when I was talking with her, that seemed to be exactly what she wanted to do.”

“That’s the thing. We have patched things up. Numerous times.” Spike rubbed a temple and sighed. “We made up after our big fight over the Nomadic Dragon Citizenship Bill. By the way, that bill hasn’t been brought up since I first proposed it three years ago. Still in the ‘to do’ pile for processing, the last I heard.”

Rainbow frowned. “I never heard about that bill.”

“No surprise; the Council and most of the Advisory Committee were against that bill, but it’s still in the folders for record keeping, just in case anyone gets off their haunches and decides to actually approve it or get rid of it.” Spike snorted a bit, a low chuckle escaping him. “Chances are it will eventually be forgotten. You should see the amount of proposed legislation in the castle’s records office.” He frowned, as though recalling a bad memory. “Then there was the time we argued over decreasing funds to the Department of Equestrian Arcane Sciences and Department of Equestrian Agriculture so that we could increase funds towards the and the Department of Natural Sciences and the Department of Education.” He exhaled while shaking his head slowly. “That… well, that argument was ugly. Especially when I said she was playing favorites.”

“Bad move…” Rainbow said, wincing a bit.

“Yeah. She and Celestia wouldn’t speak to me for almost a month after I managed to circumnavigate the funding problem while the Department Arcane Sciences fund still got a fraction of its annual funds cut. The Council was all for it, and after pressing the princesses, Luna and Celestia caved in and signed it over.”

“Not Twilight, though?” Rainbow asked.

Spike tapped his chin. “Well, in the past, when the council voted for a bill, it had to be given final approval by the princesses. The entire process for passing a law can take months, sometimes years, if it’s not voted for right away due to disagreements between the councilors. Anyway, after the council passes a bill, the princesses need to have the bill signed into a real law. If only one or neither approved of the bill, it would get rejected and be sent back.”

“I imagine the one thousand years without Princess Luna changed that a bit, though…” Lyra said.

“Mm, that’s right,” Spike said with a nod. “Celestia was the only princess ruling Equestria during that time, therefore she was the only one needed to sign a bill into law. Mind you, the process changed a little throughout the centuries, but a group of legislators and the princesses giving final approval has always existed. It’s a rather effective process, since it stops a lot of bad ideas from getting through, and more public support for the legislators by having the princesses agree to it; a princess agreeing on a law looks good on paper in the public eye.”

“Yeah, but it also takes forever to do anything over in Canterlot,” Lyra added. “My father was a bureaucrat. I’ve heard the complaints all the time.”

“Well, yeah, but you have to look at it from a big picture. Rapid changes can be nice, but can also create problems. Some think giving a select few who represent regions of Equestria such power is bad, too. Still, legislators have to be careful about what they pass on to the princesses. They’re dealing with laws that affect everyone, after all. It’s why we have elections for councilor offices every few years.” He waved a hand as he continued. “Anyway, Twilight becoming a princess changed that both-princess-needed-for-a-bill-to-pass rule a little, since there are now three rulers in Equestria. As long as two or more princesses sign the bill into law, it’s passed.” He tapped his chin. “I think all but two members of the Council agreed to my proposal on the changeling refugee policy. Since it was a majority vote from the council, though, they approved it and passed it on to the princesses. With that, we were able to convince Celestia to change her mind and sign it with Luna.”

“I’d say next to you, Princess Luna has been one of the biggest names in the government as of late. Well, aside from Twilight’s tour of the southern countries,” Lyra said. “She’s definitely got high public approval, that’s for sure.”

Mentioning the Princess of the Night’s name brought a small, reminiscent smile to Spike’s face. Princess Luna. If there was anyone he missed that was still in Canterlot, it was her. Well, her and Pony Joe.

She had been a major supporter for Spike, and had actually been the one to suggest to Twilight that Spike might want to consider being her personal advisor. In time, she had also pushed Spike to take on a seat in the Council.

“Princess Luna’s been known as a bit of a maverick,” piped in a new voice. The four looked to the door, only to see Wisp standing there, an apologetic smile on her face. “Sorry, I was knocking, but then remembered that we placed a muting spell on this room a few weeks back because… well, reasons.” She chuckled. “Never knew you had a hidden passion for politics, Spike.” She turned to the three mares. “Is he always like that?”

“We try to stop him before he gets ahead of himself,” Lyra replied with a chuckle.

“Lyra. Be nice,” Bonbon whispered as Spike flushed in embarrassment.

“O-oh, sorry, Wisp.” The drake turned to the mares. “Lyra, Bonbon, Rainbow Dash, this is Wisp. She’s one of the employees here at the Everfree House.”

Rainbow frowned a little. “We were having a private discussion, you know…”

“I realize that, but I have a client, and this room was booked earlier today for just that,” Wisp said easily without a hint of shame in her tone. “Would you mind… well…?”

Spike nodded. “No problem, I think we were wrapping this talk up, anyway.” He looked to Rainbow, who looked far from being done with the conversation.

“Oh, well, alright then.” Wisp turned around to speak to someone beyond the doorway. “Mr. Caramel, you can come with me.”

As Spike and the girls exited the room, they stopped to look to a nervous stallion. There was a pregnant silence between the group, then Caramel spoke. “U-um… hey, Spike.” He looked to the other three. “Ladies.”

“Hey, Caramel,” Lyra said casually with a wave of her hoof. “How’s life treating you?”

“O-oh, good, you know… just helping with Sweet Apple Acres and Carrot Top’s farm.” He gave Rainbow Dash a smile. “I heard you were in town from Derpy earlier. She says you got a few weeks off from being an international icon, huh?”

Rainbow Dash smiled. “Yeah, it’s going to be tough adjusting to not being so busy, but it’ll be nice.”

Silence settled over the group once more.

“Um… so…?” Bonbon began.

Wisp cut in, breaking the awkward tension, if only a little. “So, you all know each other?”

“Yes. Yes we are,” Spike replied, relief evident in his tone. “Caramel and I worked on Sweet Apple Acres for a harvest season last year.”

“Well, I do it for a living along with making and repairing horseshoes. I don’t own my own farm, but I’ve got plenty of experience working on one.” Caramel cleared his throat. “So…”

Wisp gave him a light smack on the flank, causing him to jump in surprise. “Go on into the room. I’ll be with you shortly.”

Caramel, now beet red in the face, gave Spike and the girls a quiet goodbye and hurried into the room. Wisp giggled as she watched him leave, her smile growing with approval as she studied him. “Heh, he’s cute.”

“Well, looks like he got over Lucky Clover rather well,” Lyra commented, a small smile playing at her lips. “Good for him. The poor guy was torn up over that for weeks… though you could tell he tried to hide it.”

“Oh?” Wisp asked. “Who was she? A marefriend?”

“Oh, no,” Lyra said with a shake of her head. “I shouldn’t say more, but Lucky was his coltfriend.”

Wisp blinked, but recovered and smiled genuinely. “Oohhhhh, so that’s what he was talking about with ‘finally moving on’.” She frowned and looked to the room. “Was it bad?”

“Not my place to say,” Lyra sighed.

Wisp nodded in understanding. “Well, I should go, then. Spike, take care…” She paused a second later, turning back to the group. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get your names.”

“Lyra Heartstrings,” Lyra said, extending a hoof and shaking Wisp’s own. “This is Bonbon, my marefriend. We live with Spike.”

“Oh, well, it’s a pleasure to meet you two,” Wisp said with a genuine smile. “Spike’s been nothing but pleasant to us.”

“Of course he has,” Bonbon smiled. “Spike’s a true gentledrake.”

Wisp then glanced over to Rainbow Dash, her smile widening a bit. “I never thought we’d get the one and only Rainbow Dash to visit here, but I suppose we are near Ponyville.”

Rainbow blinked. “Y-you know my name?” She shook her head and replaced her surprise with a smug grin. “I-I mean, heh, yeah, that’s me alright. Nice to meet you, Wisp.”

“Likewise…” She stepped forward a bit, causing Rainbow to back up a step. “Are you staying in town for awhile? I won’t lie, I’m a bit of a fan of the Wonderbolts, especially the newer members. You all bring a bit of an edge to the group. Maybe you and I can… swap stories? Maybe over dinner? Some wine?”

Spike may have been new here, but he was already getting a good idea of how to deal with Wisp. “Easy, Wisp.”

Wisp let out a chuckle, covering her mouth with a hoof. “Oh, you’re no fun, Spike.” She narrowed her eyes, then added. “Or… is she your special somepony I’ve heard about?”

“What? Oh, stars, n-no! No, just a close friend!” Spike replied frantically while Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement.

“Oh, my mistake then,” Wisp said with a polite bow. “Regardless, please don’t be strangers here. Our doors are always open to you ladies.” With that, she went inside the room, shutting the door behind her.

The four looked to the now closed door for several long moments, an awkward silence hanging in the air.

Then…

“Well, I don’t know about you three, but I like her.”

Bonbon rolled her eyes, but a smile couldn’t help form on her lips as she looked to her marefriend. “She reminds me a bit of you, Lyra.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, then,” the unicorn mare chuckled. She turned her attention to Rainbow, a smile spreading across her lips. “So… are you going to take up her offer and… y’know, maybe come by her and—”

“W-what? No! No… I mean, I’ve never really known any changelings, and…” Rainbow was visibly flustered, her cheeks a healthy shade of pink. “N-not to say that she’s not attractive, but… I don’t even know her.”

Spike laughed. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Rainbow. She was just as bad when I first got here, too.”

Rainbow frowned, her embarrassment dying away quickly and being replaced with a stern look. She took a step forward. “Really?”

Uh oh, red flag, Spike! Abort! Abort!

“Y-yeah, but she was just flirting! That was all! It’s who she is. I told her I have a special mare in my life already, and she’s turned it down a few notches since then.” Spike grinned nervously as Rainbow Dash continued to frown at him.

“Does Scoot even know that you work here?” Rainbow asked, her eyes narrowing as she took a few more steps towards him.

“Of course,” Spike answered. “She didn’t mind at all.”

Rainbow Dash relaxed at that. “Hmm. I guess I’d expect as much. She’s never really gotten worked up over things like that.” She gave Spike a wary look. “Still, no funny business behind her back, you got it?”

Lyra sighed. “Rainbow Dash, they’re adults. Let them do their thing. Besides, you of all ponies should know how their relationship is.”

“I… alright, point made.” Rainbow’s frown slowly morphed into a small, abashed smile, which was more or less an unspoken apology from the mare. “I’m just looking out for my little sister, you know that.”

Ah, that was a small but very important detail as to why Spike was so patient with Rainbow Dash. Aside from the fact that she was a good friend of his, Rainbow Dash was also the big sister figure in Scootaloo’s life, or at least that’s how the two pegasi mares saw it.

He still could recall the time when Rainbow got word that they were in a relationship together. He learned more about the dangers of storm clouds that day from Rainbow Dash then he had in all the years since he had been born. It didn’t help that he suspected a few stray clouds in Ponyville had been following him around for almost a week after that talk, either… and that more than a few of said clouds had blue wings guiding them.

“Well, I imagine you plan to say hi to the rest of the girls, huh?” Spike asked.

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah, Pinkie’s probably got a party in the works for when she bumps into me. I sent a letter to Fluttershy a few days before I took my vacation, so she already knows. I’m sure the girls are all aware by now.” She lifted off the ground a bit, now flapping in front of Spike so she was eye level. “I’m not finished talking to you, but I’ll let it go for now. I already pulled you away from your work long enough… I also…” She looked away. “I might have ticked off your boss a bit. Sorry about that. I’ll go apologize to her before I leave.”

“Colea didn’t seem too upset with me, but that might be a good idea for your own sake.” Spike laughed. “I’ve already seen a bit of what she’s like when she’s angry. She’d make a great drill sergeant for the Royal Guard, heh.”

“So… will you at least think about maybe talking to Twilight?”

Spike, who had begun making his way back to the front lobby area, paused. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes meeting Rainbow Dash’s for all of three seconds before he looked forward once more.

“Maybe…”

They continued towards the lobby where Colea was still sitting, her eyes reading over the Ponyville Post. She looked up to the group, her dorsal frill twitching a bit before she spoke. “Everything alright?”

Spike gave her a smile. “Yeah. Um… Rainbow Dash here was hoping to surprise me with a visit. That sort of fell through, heh.”

Colea sighed, then hopped down from her seat. She approached Rainbow Dash and extended a hoof. “Ms. Dash, I apologize for coming off the way I did towards you. These past few days have been… stressful, to say the least.” She glanced over to Spike as she continued. “Luckily, Spike here is going to be helping make the rest of our jobs a little easier, and hopefully we can all then be a bit less… well, stressed.”

Rainbow gave a weak laugh and cleared her throat. “Yeah… I’m sorry for getting so upset, too. That was so not cool of me.”

“I hope you can forgive me for such unprofessional behavior. The Everfree House is meant to be a safe and welcoming place, and not full of suspicion and unbecoming behavior that I directed towards you.”

“Water under the bridge,” Rainbow said with a wave of her hoof. “Just keep this guy in line and you’ll do fine.”

Colea chuckled as she looked to Spike, “Oh, I’m sure we won’t need to worry too much about him. We have other employees here that fit the bill of ‘troublemaker’ already.” She then turned her attention to Bonbon and Lyra. “Miss Heartstrings, Miss Sweetie Drops—”

Lyra waved a hoof while laughing. “Please, Miss Heartstrings is my mother. No need for formalities with me,” Lyra grinned. “Same goes for Bonbon here.”

Colea nodded. “I’ll remember that, then. As I was saying, though, I wanted to thank you for the gift basket.” She nodded over to a large wicker basket of various confectionery treats. “I’ll try and keep them away from Raxis long enough so that everyone can try them.”

“Oh, no problem, Colea.” Bonbon beamed happily. “I just feel bad that I didn’t pay your place a visit sooner. It’s been a tradition of mine since I started selling sweets that I drop off a variety bag of my best candies to every new business that opens up around town. If you’re ever in need of any sweets, feel free to stop by my place.”

“Well,” Rainbow began. “I’d better go and say hi to the girls. I’m sure Rarity’s going to want me to do some modeling for some athletic wear designs, and Pinkie’s going to be looking for me sooner or later, I bet.” The pegasus turned towards the door, stopping before she opened it. “Just think about what I said, okay, Spike?”

The drake gave a nod, but nothing more. Lyra and Bonbon gave their goodbyes, and did the same, following Rainbow out the door. As soon as the mares were out of sight, Spike could feel a pair of eyes on him.

He turned to see Colea, studying him with an unreadable look. She didn’t appear angry, or upset at all for that matter. She seemed, if anything, curious.

“I suppose you’re wondering why—”

“Spike, I have a confession to make,” Colea said, cutting him off. He went quiet, noticing her expression becoming troubled. She looked to the ground, her usual confidence not present. “The truth is, I knew of your relations to the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, and about you and Princess Twilight Sparkle.” She grinned, despite herself. “After all, there aren’t many dragons living in pony society, let alone dragons who held a political office for a few years in Canterlot.”

Spike watched as she began to pace around the lobby, her wings twitching nervously as she glanced at him every so often. It was as though she was expecting him to lash out at her in anger or something of that nature. After a few long moments of silence between the two, she seemed to relax a bit.

“So, is that why you hired me?” Spike asked with a hint of trepidation.

Colea shook her head. “No, well… yes. At least part of it was due to that. We wanted someone who was accepting of changelings, and you fit that role well enough. That wasn’t the only reason why, though.”

“Ah,” Spike replied softly. Well, at least he had earned his job through his own merit.

“Spike, how much do you know about the Canterlot Invasion?”

He should have expected this question from the get-go, but it caught him off guard for a second nevertheless. The topic of the invasion itself had not really been touched upon in the time since he had taken on the job as security in the Everfree House, so he had avoided bringing it up himself.

“Um… well, I was there when the barrier had been breached…” He closed his eyes and collected his thoughts for a moment, then continued. “Queen Chrysalis wanted to more or less take every Equestrian and use their love and positive emotions like that to feed the changelings. It failed when Princess Cadance and the at-the-time Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor, literally removed her from the land of Equestria itself with a powerful magic blast fueled by love.” He shrugged. “That’s what I remember, anyway.”

Colea nodded. “You’re right, too. What most within Equestria don’t know is what happened to the changelings afterward.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. She had a haunted look in her eyes as she continued. “That event crippled almost half of the Changeling Nation’s forces for almost two years. Civil unrest within the changeling lands began brewing around that time.” She gazed out to the forest beyond the nearest window, her nervousness vanishing for a moment. “Spike… do you know what happened after that? I’m assuming you do, considering the political moves you made in Canterlot… but...”

“Well,” Spike looked to ceiling and cleared his throat, once more collecting his thoughts. “About four years ago, a group between eighty to one hundred or so changelings walked into Canterlot, asking for an audience with the princesses. Of course, they were immediately surrounded by armed guards, but seeing as they didn’t resist or attack, they were allowed entrance into the castle.” He laughed. “The nobility was in an uproar, of course. I got a kick out of it, if anything…”

Colea only nodded, a small smile playing at her lips.

“So, after they introduced themselves, their speaker… um...Councilor Orthopaes, I believe…?”

“Yes, that’s her name,” Colea replied. Her expression brightened at the mention of the name. “She’s currently the unofficial ‘ambassador’ for changelings in Equestria. She lives in Manehattan, where many other former members of the Changeling Supreme Council have taken refuge. She’s very kind, but also a real firebrand amongst her peers.”

“Right, well, eventually she, speaking on behalf of the refugees, requested a safe-haven from the infighting going on in the Badlands. Queen Chrysalis supposedly disappeared shortly after the Canterlot incident and—”

Colea bristled at that. “She didn’t disappear! She ran away, like a coward!” Spike, startled by the hostility in Colea’s voice, took a step back. He gave her a surprised look, and she frowned before muttering an apology. “Forgive me, Spike.”

“S-sure, no problem.”

Colea slumped and rubbed her temples with her hooves. “It’s… let’s just say you and I aren’t so different from each other in our regard towards some of the political leaders in our respective homelands.” She spat at the word ‘leader’ as though it left a bad taste in her mouth. “Chrysalis played a major role in cursing the entirety of our race to what might be decades or even centuries of contempt and distrust from the rest of the civilized world. She knew it, and she couldn’t even take blame for it like a true leader would. Instead, she ran away with her tail between her legs, and left two major factions that had formed from the failed invasion to fight over the remains of the government.” She glared at the floor, as though hoping it would erupt into flames. “I’d rather not speak any more of her if that is possible…”

“Sure, sure,” Spike said with a nod, storing away that tidbit of info in the ‘things to remember about work’ part of his mind. “So, after about two years of maneuvering through political red tape, exposing loopholes in legislation, and a few big names giving some serious speeches, a good majority of Canterlot’s politicians managed to get the princesses to allow changelings into Equestria and giving them access to citizenship. Within a year’s time, the population of the country increased by almost five percent.” He waved a hand. “And here we are now.”

The smile on Colea’s face grew, and for a moment Spike thought he saw her eyes moisten a little. She cleared her throat before he could ask if she was alright, then she spoke softly to the drake. “You make it sound like it’s not a big deal.” She chuckled. “Spike, not many changelings know of how deep your involvement in pushing for our right to be free in Equestria was, but don’t think your actions went unnoticed by us. While she may not have met you face to face, Orthopaes thinks the world of you. Trust me, she knows all that you gave to allow us the legal right to live within Equestria…” Colea sniffled a bit, and turned her gaze away from the drake.

“Colea?”

“I’ll be fine. I’m just…” She groaned. “I’m just worn out,” she sighed wearily with a shake of her head. “I haven't’ slept in almost two days now, and pretty soon I’m sure Wisp or Ebon will be trying to make me go to bed pretty soon.”

“Two days without sleep?” Spike frowned as he stood upright and folded his arms together. “Right, well, I think we’ll be getting you off to bed right now, then.”

Colea quirked an eyebrow as she looked up to the drake. “You plan on making me go to bed, young drake?” She chuckled. “I am the one who will be signing your paychecks, you know. Better be careful with that tone of yours, or I might lower your wages by mistake.”

He knew it was an empty threat, but she still held authority over him. Spike was in a familiar mode right now, though, and nothing short of a Ursa Minor rampage or a sudden bout of Greed-growth would stop him. “Uh huh, and as the head of security, it’s my job to make sure this place is safe. Being exhausted could lead to you passing out at a bad time, or perhaps making a mistake on some important paperwork, or—”

Colea grumbled, but didn’t appear to be too upset. “Alright, alright… fine, you win.” She made her way towards the nearest corridor. She paused for a moment, still facing forward, and said, “We can speak more on this another time, Spike.” She looked over her shoulder at him, smiling. “I’ll… in time, I’ll tell you more about it. Just understand that we all value you being here. I may not have been fully honest about my knowledge of who you are, but I was sincere in wanting to have you work here.”

“Heh, well, that’s good, because I sure would hate to leave you guys.”

The changeling’s blue eyes widened. She took a deep breath and swallowed the apparent lump forming in her throat. “I…” She paused, then shook her head.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing, it’s just… nothing…”

With that, Colea disappeared down the hall. Spike stood there for a few moments, staring at the spot Colea had been a few moments ago, mulling over her words.

So, she knew about his past and how close he was—or had been, in one particular case—with the girls? Honestly, he should have expected as much. Even though he had been a rather low key politician up until a few months before he resigned, he still drew a lot of attention in the short time that he began his campaign for the changelings. Still, it had only been a big deal for about a month or two at most before he was forgotten in the tides of the newspaper media.

“Spike!”

“Huh-what?” Spike spun around, only to jump back as he came face to face with Double Take, who had been fluttering in the air behind him. He fell back and tripped over his tail, landing on his back with a dull thud.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Double Take was by his side instantly, helping him to his feet as best as she could. “Oh my gosh, Spike, I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you like that! I was waiting outside for a while, but decided come back in and check on you, and when I saw you I started calling your name but you weren’t replying, and then I noticed you were distracted, so I tried tapping you on the shoulder, but your muscles, they’re so taut and firm—I mean, your scales are so thick that you probably didn’t feel my hoof tapping, so I had to call your name more loudly and oh my gosh I am so sorry!”

Spike blinked several times, his mind slowly digesting what she had said to him. He let out a laugh, and waved a hand dismissively. “It’s fine, Double Take. Sorry for spacing out there. So… should we continue on with the tour of the back of the house?”

Double Take flushed a bit in the face, and nodded. A small grin began to play at her lips. “Y-yeah, come on!”

Lyra and Bonbon had parted ways with Rainbow Dash once they made it back into town, Rainbow leaving with a promise to stop by for dinner at least once before her vacation was done. With that, the two mares headed back to their home.

“I hope Spike’s going to be alright,” Bonbon sighed. “Lyra, do you think we should go back and see if he’s okay?”

“He’ll be okay…” Lyra said. A moment later, she added. “We can talk to him about it later, though. It might not be a bad idea…”

“Yeah.” Bonbon plopped onto the couch and spread herself out so she was lying on her back comfortably. Lyra followed and snuggled up beside her with a content hum. Without even thinking, Bonbon began running a hoof through Lyra’s mane as the unicorn lay her head down across her stomach. “Those changelings were very friendly…”

“Mmm.” Lyra hummed. “That Wisp was a real cutie.”

Bonbon snorted in laughter. “What a surprise to hear that coming from you.” She rolled her eyes as she gently wrapped a foreleg around her marefriend. “She was kind of cute, though…”

Lyra lifted her head up, and grinned. “Did you just admit that a changeling was cute?”

“What?” Bonbon frowned. “She was! The little sashay in her hips when she walks is intentional, but I think it works for her.”

Lyra’s grin became mischievous. “Since when have you ever ogled at other mares like that?”

“Do changelings even call themselves mares or stallions?” Bonbon asked.

“I don’t know the term they use, but she’s a female.” Lyra smirked. “Have I finally corrupted that innocent mind of yours, Bonnie?”

Bonbon retracted her hoof from Lyra’s mane and gave her a light smack on the stomach. “Oh stop. Finally corrupted? Have you forgotten what we were like back in college?”

That got a laugh out of Lyra. “Poor Moondancer… how many times did she end up walking in on us?”

The two shared a giggle as they remained in each other’s forelegs. It was one of the few weekdays when Bonbon didn’t have any orders to take care of and was caught up on her candy-making for the week. So, the two had opted on making it a day to spend together, at least until Rainbow Dash had shown up at their door, asking for Spike.

Now, though…

Bonbon felt Lyra softly nip at her ear. She looked down to see Lyra giving her the sexiest bedroom eyes she could muster. Needless to say, it had the desired effect on Bonbon.

“Alright, come on,” Bonbon said with a giggle, making to roll of the couch, only for a hoof to hold her in place.

“No, wait. Let’s do it right here.”

Bonbon blushed. “B-but… Lyra, it’s the afternoon. Scootaloo could be home at any minute, and—”

“I know,” Lyra whispered huskily. “That’s kind of thrilling though, isn’t it?”

Bonbon's blush deepened, and she opened her mouth to argue. However, instead of protesting, she bit her lower lip and whispered. “C-can you at least lock the front door?”

Lyra grinned, and gave Bonbon a light nuzzle with her nose. “You bet.” Then, with a glow of her horn, she turned the deadbolt of the door so it clicked into place, locking the main entrance. A second later, Lyra was upon Bonbon, planting featherlight kisses on her lips and neck. Bonbon, not one to leave her long-time marefriend to do all the work, went to work massaging Lyra’s flanks with her hooves.

“Mnnnph…” Lyra moaned into Bonbon’s neck. Lyra wasn’t an exceptionally sensitive mare (unlike Bonbon), but there was something about the way the earth pony mare’s hooves kneaded her muscles that did wonders to the unicorn’s senses.

Bonbon opened her mouth as Lyra licked her lips, begging for entrance. Soon their tongues were playfully wrestling one another. Lyra was by far more skilled at this particular bit of foreplay, but she loved Bonbon’s participation regardless.

A string of saliva formed between the two as Lyra pulled away to take in air. Both mare’s were breathing heavily, and a strong scent began to fill the air. Lyra grinned at her lover and dearest companion.

Bonbon returned the look with a tender smile, one that brought a rosiness to her cheeks. It was a smile that said just how much Bonbon loved the her. Just like the first time she had given Lyra that look, it managed to make the unicorn’s heart pitter-patter a little faster.

Celestia, I’m so lucky… she thought as she leaned down to plant a trail of kisses along Bonbon’s stomach. She paused as she came upon Bonbon’s teats. She glanced up to see Bonbon looking at her, one eye closed while biting her lower lip, trying to restrain herself. The unicorn couldn’t help but smirk as she slowly licked one of Bonbon’s nipples.

“S-stop teasing…” Bonbon whispered, though she clearly had no real problem with the current activity.

“Oh?” Lyra hummed as she flicked her tongue on the other teat. “Would you prefer if I did… this?”

Bonbon yelped, and bit down on a hoof as her lover’s hoof began to massage the swollen nub above her marehood. “L-Lyra!”

A hoof gently pressed down on the unicorn’s head, and Lyra nearly gasped as she felt it slowly run up her horn. Lyra pulled away, cheeks flushed and sweat beading down her neck. Her horn was buzzing now as electricity tingled down her spine.

How does she do that every time? Lyra thought to herself. She grinned at Bonbon, who was panting heavily.

Bonbon whispered something breathily. Lyra’s ears twitched and she asked, "What?”

“I… I want you to let me take control for a bit…” Bonbon smiled. “Please?”

If Lyra had wings, they would have been fully unfurled right now. Instead, she sat up a bit and gave what might have passed for a formal bow. “If my lady desires that, then it shall be done.”

“Oh, stop it,” Bonbon giggled, gently pushing Lyra down with a hoof.

Lyra flopped onto her back as Bonbon got up and crawled over so that she lay across Lyra’s stomach. Bonbon immediately set to work, trailing her tongue across the unicorn’s chest. She slowly moved upwards, nipping playfully at Lyra’s skin, just enough to draw the occasional hum of pleasure from the unicorn.

Bonbon planted a few fervent kisses along Lyra’s neck and jawline before pausing to gaze into Lyra’s amber irises. For several long moments they stayed like that until Lyra broke the silence with a giggle, “What?”

“Just thinking,” Bonbon replied softly.

Lyra smiled lustfully. “Oh? What about?”

“How lucky I am,” Bonbon answered with a soft nuzzle to Lyra’s chin. “I have a wonderful marefriend… wonderful housemates who clean up after themselves… a nice house… a job I love…” She paused and rested her head against Lyra’s. “Mostly, I’m lucky to have the marefriend, though.”

Lyra chuckled, “I think that it might be the other way around. Any mare who gets to be with you is lucky.”

Bonbon ran a hoof across Lyra’s side, then sat up a bit. “Listen to me, getting all sappy on you…” Her smile became a devious grin. “Where was I?”

“Hmm, I think you were right about… here?” Lyra giggled, directing a hoof downward a bit. “Not sure, though, your tongue touches pretty much every part of me-oof!” Lyra let out another giggle as Bonbon flushed beet red in the face. “Oh come on, Bonbon!” She laughed a little harder. “We go at it at least once a week and you get flustered about a little teasing?”

Bonbon’s face scrunched up a bit as she looked away. “It’s not… it’s not what you said, it’s how you said it…”

Lyra sighed, but a smile played at her lips. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry for teasing.” Her smile became sheepish. “Though… would you be willing to continue? I… well, I’m kinda in a bit of a situation, here. I need a little help, if you get what I mean.”

Bonbon could feel the heat pulsing from the spot between her marefriends legs. She smiled, and gave a nod. Slowly, she lowered her head down towards Lyra’s marehood, and reached out with a tentative lick. Lyra’s hips bucked a little as she sucked in a quick breath. Encouraged by Lyra’s response, Bonbon decided to pick up the pace, her tongue flicking against the bud above Lyra’s lips.

“B-Bonbon… j-just keep going like that… mmmphhh…!” Lyra moaned into a foreleg as Bonbon continued to have her tongue dancing over Lyra’s marehood. She could feel Bonbon’s tongue slowly moving down, making tentative darts and parting her lips, just enough to leave the unicorn hot and wanting more. “C-come on, Bonbon, don’t be like that…! I-I’m the one who’s supposed to tease around—”

“I’m home!”

Lyra and Bonbon sat up immediately, Bonbon wiping her face off with a hoof while Lyra attempted to sit upright without looking too flustered.

Bonbon looked to Lyra, then pointed to a window. “Open it! Hurry!”

“Huh?” Lyra blinked in confusion, still trying to catch her breath.

Bonbon groaned. “It smells like we just rutted each other in here, which would make sense, since we were doing just—”

Scootaloo walked into the living room from the kitchen. “Hey, Bonbon! Hey, Lyra!” She hummed a tune to herself as she made way for her bedroom. “Spike back yet?” she asked.

“O-oh, well, I think he’s working until later tonight,” Bonbon replied while she gave Lyra a nod to open the window. With a glow of her horn, the unicorn did just that. Bonbon then continued. “Oh, guess who’s going to be in town for three weeks?”

There was the sound of something bumping against a dresser, followed by a stream of curses from the pegasi. Scootaloo galloped back into the living room, eyes wide and a smile on her face. “Rainbow Dash is in town?”

“Yep!” Lyra replied with a grin. “She told us to make sure you knew as soon as possible, too. She said she’s going to be staying at Fluttershy’s cottage, so you might want to check there if you plan on—”

There was a small dust cloud in Scootaloo’s wake as she made for the front door of the house. Lyra closed her mouth and sighed deeply. “She’s still got that hero-worship thing going on with Rainbow Dash, huh?”

Bonbon giggled. “No, it’s more of a deep admiration for her big sister now.”

The two were cut off from further conversation as Scootaloo poked her head back in. “Oh, and while I don’t have have a problem with you two rutting on the couch, could you just make sure to clean up any messes you make? Thanks!” With that, the pegasus was gone once more.

The two older mares paused, mouths slightly ajar as they processed what Scootaloo had just said. A smile eventually worked its way onto Lyra’s lips as she laughed quietly. “We’re just one big, kooky family, aren’t we?”

Bonbon smiled despite the furious blush on her cheeks. “I like it that way, honestly.” She sighed. “How much longer before she and Spike become serious about their relationship?”

Lyra quirked an eyebrow. “Whattya mean? They already share their rent costs, they buy groceries together, cook together at least six times a month, go for walks through the park together… heck, they even share the same dental floss and mouthwash,” the unicorn chuckled. “I’d say they’re already serious enough about their relationship.”

Bonbon frowned a little. “I know, but… well, you can’t say that you don’t notice Scootaloo bringing over a mare once every so often to ‘spend the night’.”

Lyra shrugged. “Hey, for the record, Spike is totally fine with that. Or did you forget that long talk that Spike and Scoots had about where they’re standing as a couple?”

“I suppose,” Bonbon sighed. “Spike does join in those… activities once in awhile, too.”

The two remained there for a long while, neither speaking and just enjoying the shared their shared warmth as they snuggled closer to each other.

“Do you still want to… you know…?”

Bonbon hummed as Lyra leaned against her. “There’s a reason why I prefer the bedroom, Lyra.” She got up, putting just the right amount of sway into her hips. “Well? Are you going to finish what you started?”

Lyra grinned like it was going out of style, and hopped off the couch, following the earth pony mare to their room. “Yes, ma’am!”

“So, how do I get inside?”

“W-well, can’t you tell?”

“Yeah, but… Double Take, I don’t think I’d fit.”

“Sure you will, Spike, you’re not that big.”

“I just don’t want to cause any damage…”

“Spike, trust me, it’ll be okay.”

“Well… alright…”

Spike stared down the small doorway a short distance in front of him. He wasn’t sure what he had expected to find when they finally reached the area where Ebon supposedly worked, but he had not been expecting a hut made of black, glossy rock. He guessed that it was made of obsidian, but he wasn’t sure.

“It’s actually a really complex structure. It may sound gross to you, but the hut was made from changeling saliva along with obsidian and basalt rock being chemically combined. The saliva hardened, giving the rock extra durability, but allowed it to keep its insulative properties…” the changeling scout blushed a little as Spike gave her an impressed look. “Um, th-that’s what Ebon told me, at least. I don’t have any real architect experience myself, so I’m not sure about it.”

He grinned, regardless. “Still, it’s really impressive craftsmanship,” Spike said as he admired the hut. It had a round base to it, which slowly wound itself upwards, like a cone of a seashell. There was a hole at the very top where small plumes of smoke rose from.

Double Take sniffed the air. “Ebon’s probably making something for breakfast right now,” she chuckled, then added as an after thought. “She probably knew that we were coming this way about five minutes ago, so she probably doesn’t have any problem with us stopping by.”

“Breakfast? At this hour?”

“Yeah, she’s has an odd sleep pattern, from what I understand. She stays up during the nighttime hours, mostly because a lot of the plants and ingredients she uses for her various creations are best collected during the nighttime hours.”

Spike quirked an eyebrow. “And you say she knows we’re outside and knew we were coming this way the whole time?”

“Well, not the whole time. But still, Ebon’s a really strong empath. She’s actually a sort of teacher to Blur. She can sense others really easily. She can sense their emotions, to be exact.”

“Huh,” the drake said as he approached the hut. “Well, I guess I better introduce myself.”

He rose to knock, only to halt as he heard a muffled, “Come in,” from within the hut. He looked to Double Take, who simply smiled and nodded. He opened the door, and was greeted by a dozen different smells at once. He let out a soft snort as he breathed in the air. The smells of burning wood, nutmeg, and a few others that made his mouth water a bit, washed over him instantly. He glanced around as he carefully walked into the hut, and was surprised to see it was fairly well-lit within. Natural light peaked in through numerous small, transparent portions of the hut that he hadn’t noticed from the outside.

The first thing that came to mind as Spike looked around was how much the place reminded him of Zecora’s old hut back in the Everfree before she moved in with the Apples. Walls were covered with various objects, most he imagined to be things from the changeling homelands: a few wooden panels with depictions of trees and flowers carved into them, a stringed instrument of sorts, and what looked like a rolled out sheet of parchment with the Morphelsic language written. These were among the decorations he noticed. There were several tables lining one side of the hut, all of them covered with various spices and plant matter. A quaint fire crackled peacefully in the center while a spit sat over it. In a far corner was a fairly large, yet humble, bed with a wooden frame and some furs blankets.

“So, you finally decided to pay me a visit?”

Spike looked around, his ear frills twitching at the sound of a changeling voice.

“I’m right behind you, Spike.”

Spike turned his neck to see an older changeling standing beside Double The changeling had a large dorsal frill that reminded him of Blur’s, and her body was less muscular than Wisp’s. A nurturer changeling, if he remembered right. “Um… Ebon, right?”

The changeling nodded, her expression neither upset nor joyful. “That is my name, yes. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Colea and Blur speak highly of you, yet you’ve only been here a couple of days.”

“Heh, I guess I tend to have that kind of affect with others,” Spike laughed, feeling a little humble and more than a little awkward by the situation. “Um, so, Ebon, I just figured I should get to know the staff around here. Double Take mentioned it would be a good idea to meet you, so… here I am.”

A long pause hung in the air as he held his hands up at his sides. He held the grin on his face, hoping for a reply from the changeling before him. Double Take coughed into a hoof and shuffled her feet a bit as Spike continued to stand there.

Ebon blinked once. “Indeed.”

Okay, well, not as much of a reaction as he had hoped for, but he took what he could get. “If you need anything from me, don’t be afraid to ask,” Spike added. “I’ll get the layout of this place down soon enough.”

Spike could have sworn it was a trick of the candles lighting the hut, but he thought he saw a flicker of a smile on Ebon’s lips. She nodded in what he took to be approval, then turned to Double Take. “Thank you for passing on the message to Spike, by the way. Colea seemed rather… distressed by the whole matter involving the pegasi mare. She is still a little bothered, it would seem, though I think she’s finally getting some sleep.”

Double Take sighed. “She’s going to work herself sick if she doesn’t take it easy. I mean, Wisp and her are co-owners, and Wisp said she’s capable of taking on a bit of the workload if need be…”

“Wait,” Spike held up a claw. “Wisp co-owns the Everfree House?”

“Yes, she and Colea pooled their funds together to build it. The location was not the greatest at first. They had to clear away a few trees and move a cockatrice nest. Even so, it is much better than being within the forest itself.” Ebon looked out a window, towards the Everfree Forest. “I’m sure we’ll be doing a forest walk soon. It’s been close to a month now.”

“Forest walk?” Spike repeated.

“That’s when we go out and patrol portions of the Everfree. If we find anything suspicious, we report it to Canterlot. Possible hideouts for criminals, weird magic stuff, anything, really,” Double Take explained. “We’ve got a pretty good layout of the forest area closest to the house, and it seems our numbers detract most predators from coming too close to the area.”

“Even Timberwolves?” Spike asked.

“Oh, especially Timberwolves. We carry matches if we ever have to make a campfire, but they serve as decent timberwolf deterrents if you bring a torch stick with you.” Double Take waved a hoof dismissively. “They don’t have much bite to them, mostly bark,” she giggled at her pun while Ebon gave a slight shake of her head.

“Oh, good… good,” Spike said with a sigh. He was fairly certain that the pack of Timberwolves in the eastern portion of the Everfree Forest still had a vendetta against him from back when he had been a young dragon whelp.

Good times, good times…

“Spike, if I may inquire?” asked Ebon, cocking her head to the side a bit.

“Uh, sure?”

“Do you have a special someone?”

This question was becoming less and less of a surprise to him everytime he heard it. Half of him suspected that the staff of the bordello already knew, and were just testing him to see how he answered. “Yep, I have a marefriend. She’s a pegasus, about a year or two younger than me. Why do you ask?”

Ebon’s horn lit up with a faint green light, and she picked up a small bag off one of the tables. She levitated it over to him, placing it in his hands. “That is an experimental incense recipe Blur and I worked on. Vanilla, with just a hint of cherry and jasmine extract. I think the cherry might add a little variety to the scent.

Spike opened the bag, and lowered his snout so that he could take a whiff of the incense burners. It was a heavy, wonderful smell, and he had to pull away as his vision began to swim a bit.

“I would advise against breathing that in too heavily, Spike,” Ebon said, the faintest hint of inflection making itself known in her words. “It’s for burning, not inhaling.”

“Duly noted,” Spike replied, tying the drawstrings back up and smiling apologetically.

“Yes, we also don’t need a hormone-fueled drake running around,” Ebon added with a small frown. “Wisp would probably like that, though.”

Spike cocked his head to the side as he looked to the bag. Then it clicked. “Oh, right: jasmine. Aphrodisiac… heh, guess I… didn’t think of that.” He tucked the bag into one of his scale pouches and wiped his snout, trying to rid himself of the smell.

Ebon gave a nod. “Yes, though I would like your thoughts on the incense, should you decide to use it. Preferably with your marefriend. Your thoughts will be kept confidential, I assure you.”

Spike didn’t need her to explain further. “I’ll… be sure to give it a try sometime.”

“Thank you,” Ebon said, then returned her gaze to Double Take. “Blur wanted me to let you know that she wishes to go to market tomorrow, by the way.”

Double Take frowned. “Tomorrow? I… well, I suppose I could try and work that into my schedule.”

“Something wrong?” Spike asked the two.

“Not really, Spike, it’s just… Blur likes to go to market once a week and buy a few things.” Double Take smiled a little. “Most of the time, though, she simply enjoys speaking to the Ponyville residents, and improving her Equinic. She likes to have one of us who is more familiar with the language with her, just in case she is having difficulty communicating with the ponies.”

“Has that happened before?” Spike asked.

“Once or twice. She had trouble negotiating the price on some produce. Bartering is still pretty common in Equestria’s communities, and you need a good command of the language to drive a good deal,” she replied. “Some folks take her inability to speak Equinic effectively for stupidity. They would be singing a very different tune if they knew otherwise.” Double Take sighed, “It doesn’t matter, though, Colea has made it clear that she wants somepony with her at all times while she’s at market. Well, anyone who isn’t in disguise, at least. Blur could disguise herself, but it goes against her personal beliefs to be in disguise among neighbors…” Her voice trailed off as she noticed Spike’s curious look. “It’s a long story, but… to make it short, Blur needs to have someone with her while she’s in town. Just for general safety and such.”

“You don’t think someone from Ponyville would try to hurt Blur, do you?” Spike asked, doubt creeping into his voice. “I mean, we’re a pretty peaceful bunch for the most part.”

“It’s not so much distrust as it is ‘not having someone with her in the event that something happened in town that was unexpected’,” Double Take clarified. “The town’s a magnet for random problems. Even we know that.”

Ah, that explains it, Spike thought. “Gotcha, that makes sense. Yeah, the town’s settled down a bit in the past couple of years, but… well, there was that fruit bat incident two weeks ago.” He shuddered as his mind drifted back to that day.

So much guano… Spike thought to himself with a shudder.

“Yes, I remember that day. I harvested some of the guano for my plants out back. I hope the fruit bats will stop by again soon,” Ebon added with another ghost of a smile.

“Erm… right.” Spike cleared his throat. “If you’re too busy tomorrow, I could maybe take her to market. Colea didn’t have me on the schedule for tomorrow anyway, so I’m free.”

“Oh, would you?” Double Take beamed. “Spike, that would be wonderful! I’m pulling a double shift tomorrow for patrol, and I’m usually the one to take Blur into town when Fade isn’t able to. Everyone’s been so busy as of late, though, so… yeah.” She took to the air, her wings buzzing as she made to the doorway. “Well, Ebon, we should probably continue with our patrol.”

“Yes, that would be a good idea. I must continue with my own projects as well.” She gave Spike a nod. “It was nice to meet you, Spike. Take care.”

“Thanks,” Spike said, then made his way towards the doorway where Double Take was waiting for him.

As soon as they were outside of the hut and had the door closed, Double Take was by Spike’s side. “I hope she didn’t bother you too much.”

“Who? Ebon?” Spike asked, receiving a nod from Double Take. “She wasn’t mean, if that’s what you’re asking. A little… off, I suppose, but who am I to judge?”

“Ebon doesn’t mean to come off as strange or distant.” Double Take rubbed her hooves together as she flitted by Spike while they made their way along the bordello. She appeared to be thinking over how to word whatever explanation she was going to give to Spike. “She’s a very… strong… empath. I mean… all changelings are empathic, at least to a given extent. Ebon, though? She has to consciously shut out emotions, otherwise they might overwhelm her.”

“Must be tough,” Spike said with a frown.

“It is. It’s why you don’t see her too much. Her condition’s not very common among changelings, but despite it’s rarity, it’s most commonly seen among nurturer changelings. Blur doesn’t experience it to the same degree, but she’s still pretty sensitive to emotions as well.”

The two continued onward, Spike glancing over his shoulder towards Ebon’s hut, it’s glossy, black surface reflecting the midday sun. “Is that why she seemed so…indifferent?”

Double Take gave a nod. “Yes, though that’s in part due to her also being brought up in a rather traditional home. You see, when it comes to interacting with new faces, most changelings don’t typically express emotions like ponies do in public. At least traditionally, they don’t. To changelings, emotions, especially love, are equivalent to wealth, health, and prosperity. They’re personal. The more emotions we show or share with each other, the wealthier those receiving them are considered to be. Flaunting wealth around is considered to be rude among most changelings.”

“That… actually makes some sense,” Spike admitted. “I don’t see many of you acting that way, though.”

“We’re changelings living among ponies. Openly, at that, without disguises on all the time. We’ve adopted some of Equestria’s norms and customs, too. Besides, it’s not like expressing emotions is a foreign concept to us; traditionally, we just hide them most of the time. Ebon’s just an extreme case.” She smiled. “If you’re curious, she was genuinely happy to see you. The fact that she gave you a bag of incense said so. You would know if she didn’t like you, trust me.”

Spike laughed, “I’m going to be honest, I didn't expect you all to warm up to me so quickly.”

“That’s because we can read what’s in your heart, Spike. We know you’re a good individual. Wisp says you’re a bit of a softie, too, but I’m not so sure about that. Either way, you wear your heart openly for others to see. We can tell.” Double Take grinned brightly as Spike’s cheeks reddened. She giggled as he looked away in embarrassment, which she could sense flowing from him like the heat from a fire. “Sorry, Spike, I’m only pulling your leg.”

The drake let out a snort, doing his best to appear insulted. He was touched by her words, but he didn’t want her to know that. He had to maintain some level of toughness, if only for his job’s sake. It didn’t help though, considering the changeling probably could have called his bluff. He wondered if there was any real way to conceal emotions from a changeling.

It’d be useful to know if he got any of them to join in on the weekly poker games at Fluttershy’s cottage. Discord might finally have someone that could beat his uncanny luck, or “cheating”, as Big Mac called it.

The quiet buzzing of Double Take’s wings told Spike that she had decided to move on. He looked to see her giving him a small smile, and his embarrassment vanished almost instantly. He returned the smile with one of his own.

“I guess I have always been a bit of a soft-hearted guy. I wasn’t really raised like most dragons, after all,” Spike said with a laugh.

“That’s nothing to be ashamed of, Spike,” Double Take said gently. “There are plenty of changelings who have lived their whole lives in pony society with little knowledge of the changeling culture. What matters is that you don’t let what others think of you determine who you are.”

Okay, Double Take had officially earned a place in Spike’s book of friends. He took a few steps forward and extended a clawed hand towards her. “You’re a good changeling, Double Take. I’m glad I get to work with you.”

Her response was an excited buzz, followed by a series of mumbled words and a lightly green-tinged blush spreading across her cheeks as she tried to regain her composure. “O-oh, well, thank you, Spike. You’re a… very kind dragon. Well, you’re the only dragon I ever got to know, but still!” She looked to his hand, still awaiting her hoof. She tentatively took it in her hoof and shook it, bobbing up and down only a little as she did so.

“So, what’s next?” Spike asked with a grin as they let go.

Double Take slowly fought down her rising blush, and nodded in a particular direction. “Well, there’s a nice little brook that runs near here, and the most delicious trout can be caught there!” She paused, then added quietly. “Um… you don’t eat meat though, do you?”

Spike nodded. “Yeah, ponies tend to be herbivores. Twi—I mean, when I was young, my caretakers raised me on an almost entirely vegetarian diet… well, that and a lot of gems,” he chuckled. “Still, I could eat meat if I had to, but I was raised a vegetarian for the most part.”

Double Take nodded. “That’s perfectly fine! The brook is still really beautiful to see, and the trout are fun to watch. Miss Fluttershy sometimes brings the otters over here and lets us play with them while they catch fish to eat.”

Spike chuckled softly, “That sounds a lot like Fluttershy.” He nodded towards the direction of the apparent brook. “Well, Double Take, lead the way.”

It was just going into the early hours of the next day when Spike finally got home from the Everfree House. He quietly opened the door, being sure to lift it up a tad so the hinges wouldn’t squeak too loudly. Upon entering the living room, the first thing he noticed was the faint smell of alcohol. His eyes adjusted quickly to the darkened room, and he could make out a large bottle of cheap whiskey and several empty bottles of various ales on the coffee table.

He shook his head and held back a laugh as he saw a saddlebag with a familiar cloud and rainbow-streaked lightning bolt in a corner of the room. “Looks like Rainbow Dash had found Scootaloo.”

The drake picked up a small stack of empty dinner plates off the coffee table and put them in the kitchen sink. Then he put away the opened box of whole wheat crackers on the floor, pausing when he saw an unfamiliar green bottle, corked and leaning against one of the legs of the couch. He cocked an eyebrow as he tilted it in the moonlight, an engraving of a butterfly in the glass making itself noticeable.

Wait a second… Spike tilted the bottle a bit, looking on the bottom and making out the words ‘Sweet Apple Acres’ in the glass. Applejack had given all of her friends a special bottle of her family’s hard cider about three years ago. Spike had finished his only a month after he had gotten it.

“Huh, looks like Fluttershy finally decided to crack open her bottle…” Spike whispered to himself, setting it on the kitchen table to prevent anyone from knocking it over and breaking it in the morning.

After picking up a few bottles and stretching a bit, Spike made his way to the bedroom. He peeked into the darkness, and could easily make out three distinct lumps under the sheets. He recognized one as Scootaloo by the messy tuft of light violet poking out in various directions. The other one was equally recognizable; few ponies that Spike knew had rainbow-colored manes, after all.

The last one took him a moment to recognize, but that long, pink mane that spilled out over a pillow brought a smile to his face nonetheless. He was happy to see Fluttershy getting out more often. She had loosened up in the past few years, but that didn’t change the fact that she would jump in fright at the sight of her own shadow sometimes.

Spike made his way back into the living room and began pulling the cushions off the couch. Grabbing a hold of a metal bar on the couch, he gave a good yank and pulled out the sofa-bed within. Not the most comfortable of options, but he didn’t mind.

Five minutes later and Spike was curled up with a comforter draped over him. He closed his eyes and let out a deep, relaxed sigh. Hopefully he’d wake up before the girls and be able to make a huge breakfast. It had been awhile since he got to go all out with breakfast, after all.

“Spike?”

Spike’s head shot up as he looked around the living room. He made out the faint silhouette of a mare at the boundary between the livingroom and bedroom hall. He squinted, and Luna’s moon managed to make out the faint shade of orange and purple on the mare.

“Scootaloo?” Spike whispered loudly.

The mare gave no immediate response, instead making her way towards the couch and throwing a pillow onto the pull-out bed. The mare’s familiar scent informed Spike that he was right in his guess.

“How was work?” she asked with a yawn.

“It was fine, more training today,” he answered as he lifted a wing to allow her to crawl next to him. “I didn’t wake you up, did I?”

“Nah,” Scootaloo answered. “I had to use the restroom a while ago. I was sorta dozing off when I heard you opening a the drawer with all the extra comforters.” She snuggled a bit closer as he blanketed her with his wing. “Besides, I don’t sleep as well without my favorite living-furnace nearby.”

“You flatter me,” Spike said, his voice dripping with feigned annoyance. “I’m so glad you think so highly of me.”

Scootaloo just giggled quietly as she nipped playfully at one of Spike’s ear frills. He did his best to keep the smile from reaching his face, and failed horribly. He eventually let out a chuckle as Scootaloo nuzzled his chin before licking his cheek playfully.

“You’re too easy to tease,” she laughed as Spike wrapped an arm around her.

“Love you too, Scootaloo,” Spike sighed as he rested his head beside hers. “Now get some sleep, or I won’t be up in time to make you and the girls my famous eggs and cheese benedict for breakfast.”

Scootaloo gave Spike a quick peck on the cheek. “I’m looking forward to it, then.” There was a long pause, and she added. “I also want to talk to you about what Rainbow Dash told me…”

“Oh… can it wait?”

“Mm, yeah, that’s fine. I’m off today, so it can wait until later on.” She placed a hoof against his cheek. “I… just know that I’ve never taken sides in this whole thing. That doesn’t mean I don’t care about you though, okay?”

Sometimes Spike wondered how the same rough-and-tumble filly he had known in his dragon whelp years could be the very same young mare that he shared his bed with every night. Life was a mystery sometimes. “I know, Scootaloo. Thanks…”

“Oh yeah, I want to stop by and visit your work, too. Lyra says there’s this hot changeling that I’d probably like to meet.”

Yep, life was just full of mysteries.

End of Chapter Three

Employee Benefits

The Everfree House

by Denim_Blue

Chapter Four: Employee Benefits

“Oh, Spike, this eggs benedict is delicious,” said Fluttershy quietly between mouthfuls of her breakfast.

Almost a bit too quietly, Spike thought with a smirk. He looked across the table towards a certain rainbow-maned pegasus as he held back a chuckle.

Rainbow Dash gave a noncommittal grunt as she poked at her food. She had claimed earlier, after Scootaloo had more or less dragged her out of bed, that hangovers and food never mixed well for her. Even so, she wouldn’t turn down a good meal, even if her body would rebel against her later as punishment. Fluttershy on the other hand, was faring quite well. Aside from a serious case of bed-head, she was fine. She apparently had more of a fortitude for hard cider than Spike thought.

Lyra and Bonbon were in similar states of post-inebriation like Rainbow Dash. Lyra was shoveling in food and gazing a hole into the wall on the other side of the room, rubbing her head every so often with a hoof. Alcohol induced headaches didn’t seem to stop Bonbon from being as cheery as ever, though.

“Oh, if you think this is good, you should come over here during Hearth’s Warming this year, Fluttershy. Spike makes the best breakfasts on the holidays. Why, just last year he made a coffee cake with apples and pear slices in it, along with a cranberry, raisin, and spinach salad bowl, and a vegetable stuffing and eggplant parmesan…” Bonbon sighed. “By the sun, it was amazing. He’s almost as good as Applejack and Pinkie Pie when it comes to working in the kitchen.”

“Whoa, let’s not put my skills on a pedestal now,” Spike laughed. “Applejack and Pinkie Pie could blow my baking and cooking out of the water if they wanted.”

“Don’t forget the baking contest last summer,” Scootaloo added as she walked into the dining area with a large helping of breakfast. “Mrs. Cake annihilated your wild berry pie.” She gave Spike a teasing smile as she sat down beside him.

“Hmmph,” Spike snorted. “I still say it was unfair, seeing as Pinkie Pie and Mr. Cake were among the judges.”

“So, um…” Fluttershy began, deciding to steer clear of year-old arguments. “I hear you’re working at the Everfree House. It must be really exciting.”

Spike gave Fluttershy a nod. “Yep, I actually met a few changelings who know you, apparently. Blur is one of them.”

“Oh, Blur is such a nice pony—I mean, changeling. She’s so polite, and wouldn’t hurt a fly. She has some wonderful tea blends, too. I really need to introduce her to Rarity some day.”

“Ugh, tea,” Rainbow stuck her tongue out. “Give me coffee any day over that stuff.”

“Oh, well… she makes more than just tea, if you don’t like drinking it. She also makes incense candles, practices calligraphy and poetry, and is pretty good at playing the shamisen… it’s very relaxing to hear her play.” A light blush formed on Fluttershy’s cheeks. “She… she’s been trying to teach me, but I’m not very good at it.”

“Shamisen?” Bonbon repeated. “Is that a type of musical instrument?”

“Mmm, it’s like a lute, but has a longer neck,” Lyra answered, her ears having perked up at the mentioning of music. “The shamisen, huh? They were introduced to Equestria about four hundred years ago… I didn’t think changelings created them, though.”

“Oh, well, I don’t know if the shamisen was invented by changelings, but Blur told me it’s been a part of changeling culture for… a very, very, very long time.”

“Blur… that’s the changeling you said you were going to help with getting stuff at market today, right?” Scootaloo asked.

“Yep,” Spike said between mouthfuls of food. “You feel like coming along?”

“You don’t think she’d mind, do you?” Scootaloo asked. “It’s been awhile since you and I went to market. Maybe we could do some shopping as well.”

“Oh, if you’re going, do you mind getting some horseradish sauce?” Lyra asked. “We’re almost out.”

“Ugh, I don’t know how you can stand that stuff,” Bonbon said, turning from her marefriend to Scootaloo. “If you don’t mind, could you two do that for us? Maybe some sugar, too?”

“No problem, Bonbon,” Scootaloo said with a wave of her hoof.

“Well, um… if you’re going to be helping Blur, maybe I could join you?” Fluttershy asked. “I’ve been hoping to stop by and see her, to be honest.”

“I don’t have a problem. I’m sure she would be happy to see you, too, Fluttershy,” Spike replied with a grin. “Though, if you two want to come with, we have to meet her at Quills and Sofas. Apparently, Blur’s become a regular with Davenport, so she gets a discount on upholstery and quills.”

“Rainbow, you want to tag along?” Scootaloo asked.

Rainbow gave a small smile. “Wish I could. I’m meeting Applejack around noon to help her make some repairs on the barn’s roof. Otherwise I’d join up with you guys in a heartbeat.”

“Lyra? Bonbon?” Scootaloo asked, turning to the two mares.

“I need to get ready for a gig tonight at the Rusty Plow,” Lyra explained.

“I have an order for a carrot festival banquet in the Coltachella Valley that I have to prepare desserts for. Carrot Top and I are actually going to be working together on it, so I need to meet her around three as well.” Bonbon looked at the clock. “Which… is actually less than two hours from now. Wow, time flies, huh?”

“You girls did get up only a half hour ago,” Spike laughed.

Breakfast was finished shortly after, and Spike, Scootaloo, and Fluttershy cleaned up and made themselves presentable for going to market. With a half hour to spare, the trio made their way to the town square, heading towards Quills and Sofas.

As they entered, Spike’s eyes were immediately drawn to a figure dressed in black kimono with a red and white floral design.

“Blur,” Spike called out.

Blur, who had been looking over a display of fine swan feather quills—all generously donated by the local flock living in the pond near town—beamed as she looked up to see the trio. “Spike!” Her eyes widened further as she saw the yellow pegasus accompanying him. “Oh, Friend Fluttershy!” Her wings buzzed as she lifted off the ground a little and made her way to the pegasus.

The two embraced in a hug, and shared a laugh. “Hello, Blur. How are you?”

Blur grinned happily. “I am doing most well! Mister Davenport has been helping me pick out some fine quills to take home for Colea and I to use.” She pointed towards the proprietor of the store, who nodded to the group. “He is a kind soul, and a most chari… uh… charitif—no, that is not the word…” She looked to Spike. “Spike, do know of the word used for… how do you say… being very giving?”

Spike quirked an eyebrow, but quickly caught what she meant. “Oh! Charitable?”

“Yes! That is my desired word! Mister Davenport is a most charitable pony!” Blur clopped her hooves happily. She turned to Scootaloo. “Ah, forgive me. I have not introduced myself.” She bowed slightly. “I am Blur.”

Scootaloo smiled and held out a hoof. “Scootaloo.”

Blur looked to the hoof, and smiled before taking it in hers. “It is most pleasing to meet you. Tell me, are you Spike’s special somepony?”

Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow, but recovered quickly and smiled. “Yes, I am.” She glanced over to Spike and smirked. “Has he been talking about me?”

Blur giggled. “Oh, not too much, but he always becomes very happy when he mentions you, from what I can feel.” She reached out and took Spike’s hand and Scootaloo’s and held them together. “I am most happy for both of you. I sense much… love and joy between the two of you…”

The two blushed, but smiled nevertheless. Spike was the first to speak, chuckling softly. “Heh, thanks, Blur.”

Blur let go and nodded. “You are most welcome, Spike. Now then…” She made her way back to Davenport’s desk. “I believe these two dozen quills will meet my needs, Mister Davenport.”

Davenport smiled. “Alright, then that shall be… fifteen bits.”

Blur blinked, “Fifteen?” Blur paused for a moment. “But… I have two dozen quills. That’s almost thirty five—”

Spike stepped forward and leaned down to Blur’s side. “Blur. He’s giving you a discount.”

Blur paused, and her lips slowly curled upward into a brilliant smile. “Thank you, Mister Davenport!”

“Oh, don’t mention it, Miss Blur. You’ve been a wonderful customer to my establishment. It’s the least I can do.”

Blur took the stallion’s hooves in hers. “May the World Soul embrace you with joy and love.” Davenport’s eyes widened a fraction as she leaned forward and hugged him. “Thank you again for your kindness!”

With that, Blur paid the stallion and made her way out the door with Fluttershy trailing behind. Spike shared a look with Scootaloo and Davenport. Scootaloo gave him an equally surprised look while Davenport still looked like he was trying to register what had just transpired.

“Um… well, that was unexpected,” Davenport said, though the smile on his face showed he clearly didn’t mind the affectionate gesture from Blur. “You know, I heard just last week that she bought almost all of Applejack’s produce, then went and donated half of it to the orphanage in Hoofington.” He shook his head and chuckled softly. “She’s just a little sunbeam, that one. ”

“So I’ve noticed,” Spike laughed.

Luna was old.

She would never deny such a claim.

She had been alive back when the Ancients’ Run mountains were still a smoldering line of volcanoes south of the great plains where she and Celestia had lived as foals. She had seen the rise and fall of many nations. Luna remembered back when Cloudsdale was known as Stratusloft, and made up of only a few pegasi who were bold enough to experiment with the idea of a wandering cloud city. She could still recall the days when dragons had lived in groups as tribes, quarreling over and sharing land as they saw fit.

Suffice to say, she had seen many things in her life.

Even so, the daytime was an aspect of life she was still less familiar with than most ponies. This was understandable, given her nature and her duties as an alicorn. Still, since her return, she made an effort to adjust to modern life in Equestria. This required her to get to know her subjects better, and part of this involved her getting less sleep.

“Princess?”

Luna turned to her side to see one of the castle staff holding a cup of steaming coffee in her magic. Luna took the beverage with a gracious smile, and dismissed the mare with a polite nod and a quiet word of thanks.

Coffee. By the stars, she wished she had known of this brew long ago. According to Celestia, it was a common brew in the southern climates of the world, especially in the islands of southern Zebrica and the Capricorn Tropics Archipelago. The plant had been a common item in trade for almost two thousand years within Zebrica and Saddle Arabia, but Equestrians had only begun enjoying the wonderful plant’s roasted seeds about eight hundred years ago. So, Luna couldn’t really be faulted on not knowing of it until recently.

“I see you’re up late again.”

Luna turned from her brew and saw the familiar face of her older sister peeking into her study. Luna smiled, a silent invitation for Celestia to enter. The elder alicorn did so, her gilded hooves making a soft clicking against the wooden floor.

“Looking up the recent tax reforms?” Celestia asked conversationally.

“Mm, not today,” Luna replied as she took an experimental sip of her still too-hot drink. “I’m reading over a report from Ms. Orthopaes, actually.” She lifted a scroll with her magic, holding it up before Celestia. “She’s says there has been a significant amount of progress with changeling integration in Fillydelphia. Her charges are settling in quite nicely.”

Celestia’s smile grew a little. “That’s wonderful to hear.”

Luna’s own smile fell a bit. “She also reported to me that there has been slight increase in the amount of reported harassment claims from changeling residents in Manehattan, Chicacolt, and here in Canterlot,as well.”

“I’ve heard the same,” Celestia nodded. “I’ve sent orders to several cities to increase their patrols during day and night time hours. Hopefully that will help a little…” Celestia shook her head. “Normally these sorts of incidents would be something that would simply be taken care of without much interest from the press, but…”

“Changelings, yes, I know,” Luna said, her tone a little harsher than she meant for it to be. Upon seeing Celestia gaze away from her, she added, “I… sorry, Celly. It’s been… stressful.”

“I know, Luna. I still don’t know why you haven’t elected some of your advisors to help you with these issues.” Celestia gave her a smile, one that conveyed multiple meanings: her pride in her younger sister, her admiration for Luna’s dedication, a dash of worry, and perhaps a bit of mirth from her sister’s slight pigheadedness.

Luna frowned at Celestia. “I’m quite capable of helping our newest members of society by myself. Besides, I don’t have many advisors, and they’re already swamped in their own work as it is.”

“Luna…” Celestia began.

“Orthopaes and the other ex-Councilors entrust us with helping the changelings, and I won’t let their trust be misplaced…” She placed the report back on the table while she continued reading over it. “Besides, Orthopaes and I are both, as you say, night-owls. This is the best time for me to work.” She looked up to Celestia, and added quickly. “Yes, I am quite aware that the sun has been up for several hours. My reasoning still applies.”

Celestia pursed her lips, knowing that any further argument would be futile. Regardless of how much stress Luna was shouldering with this added workload, Celestia knew that trying to reason with her would be foolish. Luna was passionate about these sorts of things, Celestia had come to learn over their many years ruling over Equestria.

As was the case, Celestia decided a change in topic was in order. “Rainbow Dash stopped by yesterday.”

Luna smiled. “Ah, how is our favorite Wonderbolt doing these days?”

“Same as always. Brash, full of pride, and still a wonderful mare.” The two shared a quiet laugh.

“I imagine Twilight was happy to see her. Poor girl has been working herself to the bone after her recent tour of the Bovidian Lands,” Luna said with a frown. “I’ve offered to help her with her work, but she’s stubborn.”

“That sounds rather familiar,” Celestia teased.

“Oh hush, Celly. I am used to the work. She’s still young. Why, even when Spike…” Luna paused for a moment. After clearing her throat, she continued. “Even when she was still new to her royal duties, she was taking on more work than any of our veteran staff do on even their busiest days.”

Despite her hopes, it appeared that Celestia noticed Luna’s slip. The white alicorn frowned sadly. “I was going to mention him, actually…” Celestia’s head drooped. “It seems that Rainbow’s visit also brought Twilight into a bit of a slump. She… they talked about Spike while the two had lunch together.”

Luna said nothing, simply nodded with a slight frown marring her features.

“I… Luna, I don’t know how else to say it. I miss him. Twilight misses him, even more than I. I was so…” The Sun Princess shook her head. “I was boorish and not thinking clearly. When he managed to circumnavigate me on the policy regarding changelings, I just… I got so upset. I thought he was trying to simply spite me.” She sighed, “No, that’s not true. I knew he was doing what he thought was right. I… I was paranoid.”

“Well, that paranoia was based on reasonable distrust. The changeling army did nearly conquer Canterlot,” Luna commented. “You werebeing stubborn, though.”

Celestia paced around Luna’s study, stopping every so often to glance at the title of some obscure book in Luna’s personal library. “Do you remember when I tried to stop you from participating in the initiation ritual to become an honorary dragon?”

Luna chuckled, “How could I forget? You were so worried about me that you almost made the sun set by midday. We had to make up an excuse to the entire kingdom about a ‘minor fluctuation in the celestial leylines’.”

The elder alicorn had the decency to blush in embarrassment. “Not one of my prouder moments. Still… if I had stopped you, I would hate to imagine how our relations with the dragons would be today.”

“We’re only equine, sister. If you are able to forgive me for what I did one thousand years ago, then I can forgive you for a minor lapse in control for all of eternity.”

Luna found herself wrapped in a pair of snow white wings while a strong neck rested over her own. “We need to talk to Spike…”

Luna knew her sister well. Celestia, much like her, was proud. Perhaps a lot more modest, but still proud. Her older sister was more subtle with her words, but, because she had known her all her life, Luna had a way of catching the hidden meanings to what Celestia said. In this case, she was asking Luna for help. “I can… try to talk to him. Face to face, even. Perhaps see if Cadance and Shining Armor would be willing to lend me their thoughts as well. The stars above know that those two think the world of him. I know for a fact that he still keeps in touch with them.”

“I imagine so. Cadance and Shining were much more… receptive to the changeling refugees.” Celestia’s voice betrayed her exhaustion. “Yet another mark against me, I suppose. If those two were able to welcome changelings with open hearts, then why couldn’t I do the same?”

“It wasn’t just you, Celly. You were a reflection a great many ponies.”

“Still…”

Luna pulled away gently from Celestia and gave her a frown. Celestia blinked, then gave a nod. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop.”

“Good. What’s past is past, after all. Learn from it, but don’t live in it.” Luna’s smile returned as Celestia gave another nod. “Now, I have been keeping tabs on Spike. Nothing too intrusive, but I know that he’s still living with little Scootaloo.”

“You mean your adoptive little sister?”

“N-no, Rainbow Dash already has that claim with her,” Luna said while looking away. “She is simply a filly whom I have come to know well over the years. She’s a charming young mare.”

“Mm, if you say so.”

Luna pouted. “Must you tease?”

“That’s what big sisters do, Lulu.”

At the mention of her seldom-used nickname, Luna’s cheeks turned beet red. “I-I just… ugh!” Luna turned away, doing her best to look affronted by Celestia’s teasing. “Hmph! Well, if you insist on embarrassing me, then perhaps I shall reconsider offering my help!”

“Okay, I’m sorry for teasing,” Celestia said, only sounding partially genuine.

Luna looked back to her sister, noticing the playful smile still on her lips. Deciding to surrender just this once to Celestia, she continued, “As I was saying… I’ll write to Cadance and Shining and see if they have any thoughts on the manner. Perhaps I shall pay Ponyville a visit as well. Nothing grand, just a little public visitation, check on the girls and Discord.”

Celestia’s smile softened. “Thank you, Luna. This means more than you can imagine.”

“I can imagine quite well. I care greatly for Spike myself. He’s like a nephew to me.” Luna lifted her nose a bit, trying to appear dignified. “After all, as the only honorary dragon within Equestria, and as Spike’s finstven, it is my duty to help guide him through such times.”

“Indeed,” Celestia agreed. “Regardless, your help is appreciated. If… if you need any assistance with your work, please don’t be afraid to ask Twilight or myself. Preferably me, though. You know how Twilight is about anything involving a quill and paper.”

“All too well, I’m afraid,” Luna laughed.

“Yes, Love! Love! Love for your family, love for your friends! Love for all of Equestria! For to love is to be one with the World Soul, and to be a part of the World Soul is to know true joy!”

Spike stood in the plaza of Ponyville, a slight blush on his face as he tried very hard to hide behind the two pegasi standing in front of him. Fluttershy for her part was just slightly less flustered, a small smile on her face as she watched Blur speak to the crowd before her. Scootaloo looked amused, simply enjoying the spectacle developing before her.

“So… this… World Soul, right?” began a mare who Spike recognized as Berry Punch.

“Yes, what do you wish to know, dear friend?” Blur asked.

“Um… what is it?” Berry asked with a lopsided smile.

Blur’s vibrant blue eyes blinked once before a smile broke across her lips. “Ah, the World Soul is the most generous and loving of entities in our world. All things that are living, they are part of it! It is a most wonderful thing, for we are both a part of it, yet still ourselves!”

“So… it’s like a puzzle?” voiced another mare.

“Um…” Blur frowned in confusion. “I… do not understand, friend.”

Fluttershy leaned close to Blur. “I think she’s asking if it’s many things that are… well, a part of one big thing when put together…”

“O-oh!” Blur brightened once more. “Yes, it is very much similar to a puzzle! We are all bound to each other by the World Soul!”

A stallion frowned a little. “Is this some kooky cult thing you changelings follow?”

If she was offended by the question, Blur didn’t show it. “Not at all, dear sir. Even if you do not believe in the World Soul yourself, simply living your life as happily as you can while giving the same joy to others is what matters most. The World Soul asks for nothing from us but to simply live as we see fit.”

“So, what, crime and stuff is okay according to the World Soul if somepony enjoys doing that kind of stuff?” the stallion asked skeptically. “Sounds flawed to me.”

“Oh, no, not at all!” Blur said quickly while waving a hoof before her, her wings buzzing nervously under her kimono. “No, for you see, the World Soul does not wish sadness or harm to us. Um… while it is good to find joy and love in life, it is… well… it is equally important to not bring unnecessary harm to those around you!” Blur smiled. “That is the belief that we of the World Soul follow.”

The stallion’s frown lessened. “Oh, well, I guess that makes more sense.”

Blur nodded enthusiastically as she continued. “I thank you all for listening. I also thank you all for giving us changelings your kindness. All of you from Ponyville, you are most wonderful ponies. Your open hearts have given us who thought we had nowhere to go a second chance. We will not forget this.” She bowed a little.

Spike noted a few changelings were actually among the crowd. Some nodded in agreement while others simply smiled. A few were even speaking to other ponies. He didn’t recognize them from the bordello, but he reminded himself that not all changelings in town worked there.

“Oh, oh, question!” spoke another pony. “Does the World Soul like cookies?”

Blur laughed as she looked up to the owner of the voice. “I believe it would, yes!”

Spike grinned as he watched Pinkie Pie trot through the crowd with two Cake twins close on her tail. “Great, because Sugarcube Corner is giving out free samples of our new Butterscotch Choco-nut cookies!” She bounced in place as she continued. “Everypony’s welcome to have one!”

A few ponies walked over to one of the cookie trays held by Pinkie, Pound Cake, and Pumpkin Cake. Within moments only a scant few of the cookies remained. The crowd dispersed, a few of the ponies and changelings bidding Blur a quick goodbye before continuing to go about their business.

Pinkie and the Cake twins made their way towards the four. “Hiya, Spike! Hi, Scootaloo! Hi, Fluttershy! Hi, Blur!” None were surprised that Pinkie knew the changeling by name. It was Pinkie Pie, after all. “Whatchya all doing?”

“Just helping Blur do some shopping in the market,” Spike answered, nodding to a large rucksack over his shoulder. “Just some groceries, mostly.” The drake turned his attention to the two foals behind him. Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake gave him wide grins.

In the past seven years, the two had garnered a bit of a reputation in Ponyville. Pumpkin had taken after Pinkie in the pranking department, much to her parents’ dismay and to Pinkie and Rainbow Dash’s delight. In fact, the “Great Cookie Dough Incident of Ponyville,”as papers had dubbed it, was caused by none other than the little filly and her adoptive aunt. Lily Valley, Daisy, and Roseluck had needed weeks of therapy to recover, and Thunderlane still couldn’t look at macadamia nuts without trembling in terror. No one had been injured, but Pumpkin had been grounded for three months while Pinkie had been grounded for four…

… Mrs. Cake could be downright scary when she was pushed far enough.

Pound Cake, on the other hand, was almost the complete opposite of his sister. He studied hard in school, and seemed to be allergic to the idea of pulling pranks. In a way, the colt reminded Spike of himself, but with less scales and a lack of appreciation for gemstones.

“So, what are you two up to today?” Spike asked the twins.

Pumpkin grinned widely. “We’re just helping Pinkie Pie out with stuff. Mom and Dad went to Coltsburg for a baking conversion, so Pinkie Pie’s in charge.”

“I think it was called a ‘convention’, Pumpkin…” Pound corrected, earning a frown and raspberry from his sister.

“Coltsburg?” Scootaloo let out a low whistle. “Dang, what are they doing holding a convention that far north? They might as well go up to the Crystal Empire if that’s the case.”

“I dunno, but Mom said we had to stay in Ponyville.” Pumpkin made a face. “She said we had to stay here and go to school and stuff.” She pouted, clearly unhappy. “It stinks, too, because Ms. Cheerilee’s making us read boring stuff about old ponies right now. I could be helping Mom and Dad make sweets, but instead I’m stuck reading about how Equestria was founded. It’s soo boooring! We learned all about that stuff at the Hearth’s Warming Eve pageant…”

“It’s not boring, Pumpkin. It’s history, and we need to know that kinda stuff when we grow up.”

“Why?” Pumpkin grumbled. “What’s so important about knowing when Canterlot Castle’s roofs were changed from blue to gold?”

“I… I don’t know, because, grown-ups know those kinda things,” was all Pound Cake said.

“Canterlot Castle’s roofs used to be blue?” Pinkie asked.

“See?! Grown-ups don’t know those kinds of things!” Pumpkin said, sticking her nose up while Pound rolled his eyes.

“Looks like you got your hooves full,” Spike chuckled to Pinkie as the twins began arguing.

“Eh, they’re not that bad,” Pinkie smiled. “Besides, they’re great help at the bakery.” She nudged the two, cutting off their debate, which had descended into name-calling. “Hey, why don’t you ask Blur if she wants any of the cookies?”

The twins perked up a little, and walked over to Blur. Pumpkin grinned as she balanced a tray with the few remaining cookies on it in her magic’s wobbly hold. “Hi, Miss Blur! Want a cookie? They’re free!”

Blur beamed happily as she took one of the morsels in her own magic’s hold. “Thank you, I very much would, Pumpkin Cake!”

Spike felt his smile grow as the twins talked with Blur about how they helped make the cookies. He glanced over to Pinkie Pie, who was describing in great detail how many batches of cookies she had to go through before she got the recipe just right to Fluttershy, who for her part tried to look as interested as one could be about the intricacies and differences of dark chocolate and milk chocolate.

“It’s cute, huh?”

Spike looked to his side to see Scootaloo watching the two foals bouncing, suddenly flooding Blur with questions.

“Is it true that changelings eat love? Where does it go?”

“Um, how come changelings don’t get cutie marks?”

“Do you know Tenae? He’s a changeling in my class, and he can do this really gross thing with his tongue where he horks up a loogie and—”

Spike decided to forgo listening any further, “Yeah, it’s… cute. Though I do hope Pumpkin doesn’t start getting any changeling friends of hers to help her pull pranks.”

Even Scootaloo shuddered at the thought. “Dude, that’s terrifying. Don’t joke about stuff like that.”

Spike gave her a serious look. “Who says I’m joking?”

Scootaloo gulped. “It’ll be like when Pumpkin dumped hot sauce in the Nightmare Night apple-bobbing tub all over again. But… this time without the stale hay.” The two shook their heads, forcing away a night of terror from their minds.

The two returned their attention to the group. Blur was doing her best to answer the twins’ questions while Fluttershy tried, in vain, to have the colt and filly ease up on their friendly interrogation.

“Does it hurt when you light up with that green fire? Spike burps out green fire, but he says it doesn’t hurt him,” Pumpkin said as she continued to bounce in place.

Pound’s eyes widened a little as he looked to Pumpkin. “Maybe dragons and changelings are related!”

Pumpkin gasped, then frowned. “Nu-uh! If they were related, then changelings would have scales, dummy!”

“I’m not a dummy, pumpkin-head!”

“Hey, Mom told you not to call me that anymore!”

“Then stop calling me dummy, pumpkin-head!”

Blur looked between the two, then to Pinkie, a look of helplessness crossing her features. Pinkie simply sighed good-naturedly and stepped between the two foals. “Alrighty, no more arguing!” She ruffled each of the twins’ manes, earning a grumble from Pound Cake and a whine from Pumpkin Cake. “Siblings are supposed to get along, not fight.”

“Tell that to Sweetie Belle and Rarity…” Scootaloo chuckled.

“Oh, but Pinkie is right, you two,” Fluttershy said, walking up to the two foals. “Um, I mean, it’s okay to disagree, but fighting about something and calling each other names is, well… not really nice.”

Blur chuckled softly. “It can be very hard to get along with siblings, though. I agree. My sisters and I would argue a lot when we were younger.” She shook her head while smiling. “We sometimes still do, but it is not as often anymore.”

“You have sisters?” Spike asked.

“Oh, yes! You know one of them, actually.”

“I do?” Spike asked, now confused.

Blur nodded. “You met her the first day you came to the Everfree House.”

Spike frowned a little. “Alright, I’ll bite. Who was it?”

Blur giggled. “Wisp.”

“Oh, I know Wisp! She’s really fun, and really nice! She invited me to the Everfree House a few times to play some games.” Pinkie looked to the twins, then leaned close to Fluttershy and whispered, almost too loudly. “Adult games.”

Fluttershy’s wings flapped a bit, “Y-you… really? I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but—”

“Oh, nah. I mean, she’s really pretty, and I was tempted… but I hardly know her. Maybe when I get to know her better, but for now, nah…” Pinkie said with a wave of her hoof.

Fluttershy, who was now flushed in the cheeks, just nodded in agreement.

“Well,” Spike began as he gazed at the town square’s clock. “Blur, did you want to head back, or was there anything else you needed to get?”

Blur shook her head. “No, I believe I have everything I needed to get.”

Spike shifted the rucksack on his back, wings adjusting as did so. “Alright, well, I’m ready when you girls are.” He looked to Fluttershy and Scootaloo, both nodding in turn.

Blur smiled as she looked to the Cake twins. “It was most nice being able to meet you two. Please continue to listen to Pinkie Pie, and do your schoolwork well.”

“We will, Miss Blur,” Pumpkin and Pound replied with nods.

“Don’t worry, Blurry, we’ve got everything under control at Sugarcube Corner.” Pinkie looked to the twins. “Right?”

“Right!” They answered.

“Alright, now let’s get back so we can make more of these cookies and start selling them! Onward!” With a bounce in her step, Pinkie made her way back to Sugarcube Corner, Pumpkin mimicking her gait while Pound fluttered a few inches off the ground, following after the two mares.

Blur continued to smile fondly. “I enjoy the youth of Ponyville. They are so open-hearted and curious.”

Scootaloo laughed. “Don’t let them fool you. Pumpkin’s a natural disaster waiting to happen when she’s scheming with Pinkie Pie. Now that Rainbow Dash is in town, things are going to get interesting real quick.”

Fluttershy sighed. “Oh, I do hope they don’t get into too much trouble…”

“They’ll be fine,” Spike said, waving a claw dismissively. “Pinkie Pie’s got a emergency plan for almost everything, anyway. Ponyville’s endured worse.”

Fluttershy bit her lower lip, then whispered. “Even worse than the Great Cookie Dough Inci—?”

“Okay, okay, point made, but in Pinkie’s defense, she was out of egg beaters, otherwise we would have had that contained from the beginning,” Spike replied with a heavy sigh. “Not to mention Discord.”

The four made their way out of town, heading down the road back to the Everfree House. The vast treeline that made up the eastern edge of the Everfree Forest loomed ahead as they crested a small hill, and Spike could see Scootaloo’s wings shift nervously.

Blur must have sensed her sudden shift of mood. Looking over her shoulder to Scootaloo, she said, “Do not worry. We have been living here for months, and we haven’t had any problems outside of a few stray timberwolves.”

“Timberwolves, huh?” Scootaloo asked. “Sounds like a problem to me.”

“Oh, most Timberwolves simply are looking for scraps of foliage or vegetation to eat,” Fluttershy said. “They aren’t actually carnivores.”

“They sure seemed to want to take a bite out of me way back when,” Spike mumbled.

Fluttershy’s gave him a sympathetic smile. “Timberwolves can be aggressive, and they do have have sharp teeth. But they don’t eat meat, Spike. I mean… they do bite, but they don’t actively hunt other animals. They’re just very protective of their family groups. And they’re so important to the recycling of plant matter in the wild…”

Scootaloo frowned. “You scare me when you talk like that, you know that, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy smiled to the younger pegasus. “You just have to learn how to appreciate how fascinating nature is.”

When they reached the front lawn of the Everfree House, the group was welcomed by a changeling who bore a similar body type to that of Double Take, though she had the typical light blue wings and eye color. She was missing a fang, though, Spike noticed.

“Sister!” Blur cheered, her wings buzzing as she galloped to meet the changeling. However, Blur stopped a few feet short. She turned to Spike, Scootaloo, and Fluttershy, then gestured to the new changeling. “Spike, Scootaloo, this is my eldest sister, Fade. Fluttershy, I do believe you two have met, yes?”

Fade gave a small bow to the group. “Hello, and welcome…” She looked to Spike, then said with a grin. “Well, Spike, I believe I’ve seen you in passing already, but still, it’s nice to finally speak to you face to face.”

Spike nodded. “Pleasure’s mine.”

“Fade takes care of public relations, and is very well spoken in Equinic. She studied in Manehattan for six years before she started taking care of Wisp and I back in the Changeling Nation,” Blur continued, puffing out her chest just a little, clearly proud of the older changeling.

“Alright, alright, enough making me out to be some hero, Blur.” Fade stroked her younger sister’s large dorsal frill and chuckled as Blur blushed a bit. “How was the trip to the market?”

Blur’s face lit up. “It was wonderful. Mister Davenport gave me a generous discount on his quills, and little Lemon Daze gave me some fresh cut wildflowers.” She frowned a little as she continued. “Mister Waddle’s hip has been hurting lately, but I suggested a herb to help him. I hope he gets better, he is a friendly stallion.” She sighed. “It was a fun day, though. I even told some of the ponies a bit about the World Soul!”

Fade’s smile fell a little. “Blur, we talked about public speaking and our beliefs…”

Blur waved a hoof defensively. “Oh, no, I wasn’t telling them to believe in the World Soul… well, I mean to say, I was telling them what we believe, and why we value love and making others happy. That is all.”

Fade’s smile returned. “Well, okay, but you have to remember that everyone has a right to believe what they want.”

Blur sighed, “Of course I know that, I would never disrespect someone else’s beliefs.” She pouted a little as she continued. “I am not a youngling, Fade. I’m an adult.”

Fade shook her head and pulled Blur in for a hug. “You’ll always be my little sister, though. Someone has to look out for you.”

“So, you’re also Blur’s sister?” Scootaloo asked.

Fade smiled and gave a nod. “Yes, Wisp and Blur are both younger than me. Though, everyone in the Everfree House tends to see Blur as our little sister.”

Blur blushed, then said a few words in the changeling tongue before folding her forelegs together and frowning. Fade just giggled softly while nuzzling Blur, who continued to pout.

“Blur, there’s no need to be so upset…” Fluttershy said gently. “I mean, I suppose it can be hard being youngest. I… well, actually, I was usually the oldest in my classes when I went to school. Though, I was picked on as a filly by some a lot of the more social foals in school…”

Exhaling and unfolding her forelegs, Blur nodded. “I know. It is just embarrassing to be teased like that.” She looked to Fade. “My sisters seem to be most fond of doing it, too.”

“I only tease because I love you, Blur,” Fade replied, giving her a final nuzzle. “I’ll help get the groceries and other supplies inside. Daze was looking for you. She’s in the lobby, asking something about her shamisen.”

Blur perked up at the name. “Ah, she is the new changeling from Manehattan that we met, right?”

Fade smiled. “Yes, yes, and she said you were going to help her tune her instrument so she could start performing today. Now go on, the poor dear has been waiting almost two hours for you.”

Blur looked to the three and gave them all a quick bow before scurrying inside. Fade shook her head and chuckled softly as she watched Blur disappear beyond the double doors.

“She’s a great sister, isn’t she?” Fluttershy asked.

Fade looked to Fluttershy and nodded. “Wisp and Blur are both wonderful siblings. They… can be a bit of a pain in the carapace sometimes, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world.”

Spike laughed softly. “Hard to believe that Wisp is related to you.”

Fade rolled her eyes. “Wisp was always more of the mischief maker of the two. She usually got Blur in on her little schemes when we were younger. Though, she was always the protective sister as well. She got in more fights at school over someone calling Blur a name than I can remember.” She gave a wistful smile, then looked to Scootaloo. “Ah, forgive me. Scootaloo, correct?”

Scootaloo took a step forward, offering a hoof. “Yep. I’m this lug’s marefriend.” She gave Spike a playful grin, which he returned with a smirk. “He hasn’t gotten into any trouble yet, has he?”

Fade took Scootaloo’s offered hoof and gave her a firm shake. “Spike, getting into trouble? None that I’m aware of,” Fade replied good-naturedly. “Though, I must admit, more than a few here have been curious about Spike’s supposed marefriend.”

“Oho? Really?” Spike recognized that smirk on Scootaloo’s face as she arched an eyebrow. It was the same smirk she gave whenever she encountered a challenge, or something that had caught her attention. “Do tell.”

“Um…” Fade seemed to pause. While he had been here for less than a handful of days, Spike was already starting to pick up on the subtle messages that showed a changeling was reading the surrounding emotions. Fade’s ear’s twitched a little, and she looked quickly between him, Fluttershy, and Scootaloo. She gave a quick smile, then said. “Honestly, it’s mostly just us giving Spike a bit of a hard time. Namely my younger sister, Wisp. She’s… well, as I said before, she can be a bit of a pain in the flank. Love her to death, but you get the idea…”

Scootaloo’s smirk fell a bit, settling for a small smile. “I understand. My older sister’s great, but she can be real stubborn and impulsive.”

Spike chuckled at that. “Kettle called the pot what, again?”

“Spike, be nice,” Fluttershy said, though he could see a faint smile tugging at her own lips, which she tried to hide behind the locks of her mane. Scootaloo stuck her tongue out as Spike continued to chortle quietly.

“I suppose you would like to come inside?” Fade said, though she seemed to be speaking mostly to Scootaloo. “If you wish, we could even throw in a luxury spa treatment for you at a discounted price, so long as Spike is willing to join you.” She winked. “Employee discounts.”

Scootaloo perked up at the mentioning of a spa. “That’d be great, I’d—” She paused. “Wait, is this one of those deals where you give me a hooficure, mudbath, and stuff?”

“That all depends on what you two decide. We have numerous options available here at the Everfree House.” Fade gave Fluttershy a small smile. “And of course, Miss Fluttershy, you are more than welcome here, free of charge.”

“Oh, no, I insist that you let me pay this time.” Fluttershy dug into the saddlebag on her back and fished out her coin purse. “I mean, that is to say, I’d really appreciate it if you would let me pay for the usual this time.”

Fade sighed, though the smile on her face showed she was far from upset. “Very well, if you insist. The sauna and shamisen treatment, right?”

“Oh, yes, and… well, if Blur is available after I’m done with my sauna, and if she wouldn’t mind, I’d really like for her to play for me. I-if she’s okay with that, of course.”

The changeling nodded. “I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to play for you. In the meantime, I’ll get you jotted down for our next open slot.” Fade ushered them to the entrance. “Right, shall we?”

The trio followed Fade through the doors and into the lobby, and as usual, Colea was sitting behind the front desk, eyes scanning over some paperwork. She glanced up and nodded to Spike, then returned to her paperwork. She did a double take before giving the drake a confused look. “Spike? You’re off today, what—?” She paused upon noticing the two pegasi mares. Her eyes lit up in recognition as she noticed Fluttershy. She took a few moments to study Scootaloo. Her eyes fell back on Spike, then back on Scootaloo, and a small, barely noticeable smirk formed on her lips.

Either it’s that easy to see we’re together, or changelings are real good at this emotion thing…

“Hey, Colea. Yeah, I am off today. I said I’d meet with Blur at market, and just followed her back here. Scootaloo and Fluttershy came along with me. We’re thinking of trying out the services here,” Spike explained.

Colea’s smile slipped, and her eyes widened. She cleared her throat, then looked into large binder. “Um, well, I’m sure we can accommodate for a dragon and two mares… we have some larger rooms on the far end of the building, and we can assure you that you’ll have the utmost privacy—”

Spike’s cheeks flared up as he waved a hand. “N-no, I meant that Scootaloo and I were going to maybe try out the spa or something while Fluttershy did her own thing! That’s all!”

Colea blinked. “Ah, right, right.” She cleared her throat again. “As I was saying, we have numerous services here for our customers.” She waved a hoof. “That can wait, though. I don’t think I’ve met you before, Miss Scootaloo. Welcome, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Thanks, same here,” Scootaloo replied with a grin. “Nice place you’ve got here, by the way. I was hoping to get a look at where my Spike’s working sooner rather than later.”

“Well, thank you. Not too many consider how much work goes into maintaining this place while being so close to the Everfree.” Hopping down from her stool, Colea continued. “We may have only been here for a year at most, but most of that time we weren’t in operation. It takes time to make a place like this, but we’ve managed to do well, I think. That and it helps when you have wonderful ponies like Fluttershy here to lend a hoof when needed.”

“I’m just happy to help,” the mare replied softly.

Fade laughed softly. “Fluttershy here managed to help us relocate a lot of cockatrice nests. She’s also been giving us advice when we’re dealing with wild animals around here. Without her, I doubt we would have succeeded nearly as well as we have.”

Fluttershy clearly was flustered with the praise, choosing to smile and look to the ground. “It’s nothing, really…”

“Alright, Fade, enough teasing,” Colea chuckled. “Fade, feel free to help Fluttershy with whatever services she desires. I’ll help Spike and Scootaloo get situated here.”

“Sure thing, Colea.” Fade looked to Fluttershy and nodded, indicating for the mare to follow. Fluttershy bid Spike and Scootaloo goodbye, and followed after the changeling.

With Fade and Fluttershy gone, Colea returned her attention to the couple before her. “So, what did you two have in mind? We have a list of options, but do keep in mind that we only have so many staff members available, so there may be a bit of a wait on some of the services.” She handed Scootaloo and Spike a list, and waited as they looked it over.

“Oh, hey, they got dance classes,” Scootaloo whispered excitedly. “I’m definitely going to give that a try sometime.”

“Count me out. I got two back left feet.”

“Aw, come on, what happened to the Spike that was dancing up a storm all those years back at the wedding while wearing a tuxedo and hat?” Scootaloo asked, elbowing Spike playfully.

“He gained about an extra six feet in length, about four hundred extra pounds, and then grew wings,” Spike countered in a flat tone. “Dragons and dancing don’t mix, Scootaloo. You know that.”

“We do offer courses for traditional dragon dances, actually,” Colea offered. “Blur is actually the one who runs those lessons.”

Spike quirked an eyebrow. “Wait… traditional dragon dances?” He paused, but then shook his head. “I-I mean, thanks, but no—”

“Aw, come on, Spike, it could be fun!” Scootaloo urged. “It can’t hurt, right?’

“Today, though? I mean, I’d at least like to prepare for one of these things. Besides, Blur will already be with Fluttershy, remember?” Spike countered.

“Ugh, fine, fine, some other time, then…” Scootaloo said, putting up her forelegs and surrendering. “What about a massage and hot tub? That sounds nice.”

Spike shrugged. “Sure, sounds fine to me.”

With a pleased grin, Colea filled out a time slot for the couple. “Luckily for you two, there’s a time slot open for the next hour, so you don’t have to wait.” She flitted over to her desk and scribbled in a few notes in her gigantic binder, then she closed it with a dull thud. “Alright, just sit tight and I’ll have someone here to take care of you two in a moment.”

Sure enough, Colea had found two changelings available to tend to Spike and Scootaloo, who were now being ushered down one of the main halls. One of the changelings was Wisp, the other being a younger drone named Odonae. Spike suspected that Wisp had pulled a few strings so that she was attending to him and Scootaloo. Not that he’d dare vocalize such thoughts, lest he provoke the unending teasing that would likely result from Scootaloo and Wisp.

“So, like, where are you two from?” Odonae asked casually.

“Well, I’m from Ponyville. Born and raised,” Scootaloo answered.

“And I’m from Canterlot, but I’ve lived in Ponyville for more than seven years now.”

Odonae gasped. “Oh wow, you’re from Canterlot? No way, you’re joking!” She didn’t even give Spike a chance to speak as she continued. “Like, my BFF and I went to Canterlot once. Most of the ponies were really snobby, but we totally loved the sights. Kinda gaudy, but it’s still pretty neat. A lot more shops and stuff then there are back in Las Pegasus. Oh, like, this one time while we were there, we went down to the market to get some food, but were stopped by this merchant who—”

“Odonae,” Wisp cut her off, loud enough to be heard, but gently enough to not be rude. “Reel it in, sweetie.” She gave the changeling a smile, and Odonae ducked down a bit as she continued walking ahead of Spike and Scootaloo.

“Oh my Celestia, I’m like, so sorry. I talk a lot sometimes, and I…” Odonae caught herself this time, and just smiled. “Sorry, hehe.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Scootaloo said with a laugh. “So you’re from Las Pegasus, huh?”

“Chyeah! Born there, actually. My mom left Hive City when she was still young with my grandad. She met my dad some years later, and eventually I came along. Like, my mom says I take after my dad, but I’m not sure how true that is, since my dad’s a pegasus. My mom’s a little crazy like that, but she’s alright, I guess.” Odonae shook her head. “But yeah, once the changeling refugee stuff went down in Canterlot, I decided to move east. Ended up finding work here. Pretty cool shindig we got going on here.”

Spike raised an eyebrow. “Was your mom… in disguise for all those years that she was with your dad?”

Odonae flicked an ear while cocking her head to the side. “Huh? Oh, nah. Well, at first she was, yeah. But then when they started to take their relationship seriously, she told him the truth.” She laughed, “My dad actually taught me how to fly and all that stuff, which is weird with him not being a changeling, you know? You think it’d be hard to teach a different species, but he did alright. Mom was always more down-to-earth, I guess.”

“Odonae’s one of our newbies, as we like to call our new associates. She’s learning the trade.”

“Huh, looks like Aloe and Lotus got some competition, huh? We don’t have many massage therapists in Ponyville,” Scootaloo commented.

“Masseuse, actually. Not a therapist,” Odonae corrected. “And yeah, I know the difference.” She gave Scootaloo a wink before looking ahead.

Scootaloo glanced over to Spike, a small grin on her lips. He just shook his head and continued onward.

Eventually the group reached a larger room that smelled heavily of jasmine and cinnamon. There were several massage tables within, all of varying sizes. Spike was relieved to see at least two that he would easily fit on with room to spare.

“Alright, Spike, you’ll be with me. Scootaloo, Odonae will be attending to you. Is that alright?”

Spike and Scootaloo shared a look, both nodding their consent and following the changelings to a pair of tables, one of them being large enough for Spike. Wisp gave Spike a nod, then tapped the table with a hoof. “Hop on up, big guy.”

Spike looked to Scootaloo with a small frown, who was already on her own massage table and gazing at Spike with a smile. Her smile vanished as she noted the concern in Spike’s eyes, and spoke. “Spike?”

“Um, Wisp, can… can I have a word with Scootaloo?”

Wisp frowned, and looked to Odonae before nodding towards the door. The two changelings left, leaving them alone.

“What’s wrong?” Scootaloo asked as soon as they had privacy.

“Scoot, I… I’m getting a strong suspicion that this massage might be more than just a good back rub and loosening of muscles… if you know what I mean.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “I kind of figured that out before, too. Odonae wasn’t exactly subtle about it.” Her expression softened. “Are… are you uncomfortable with this? Do you want to do something else?”

“No, no… I mean, I’m okay with it… as long as you are.” Spike flashed her a toothy smile.

Scootaloo’s smile returned. “If it’s with you, I’m all for it.” She nudged him a bit and added. “Who knows what might happen with those two, though, huh? I think that Wisp has a thing for you.”

“And I think it’s odd how you’re okay with that,” Spike laughed.

Scootaloo shrugged. “Hey, if she’s interested, it’s your call.”

Spike sighed. “Yeah, but… we’re already in a relationship. It should be our call.”

Scootaloo shook her head while smirking a little. “Spike, you and I both agreed back when we moved in together that we were okay with—”

“In my defense, Scootaloo, you’ve always asked me if it was okay before you invited someone over for a night.” The drake grinned as Scootaloo’s smirk drooped. “So, I think it should be a bit of give and take for both of us, don’t you?”

Scootaloo chuckled. “I… guess I didn’t realize that. Selective memory, that must be it.” She leaned up to nuzzle Spike’s chin. “How about we make a new agreement?”

“Alright. Shoot,” Spike said encouragingly.

“From now on, if we find ourselves in a situation where we might get more than just a little friendly with someone, we run it by each other first if we can.” She pulled back and smiled. “I mean, one hot night with someone isn’t worth possibly hurting you.”

“Heh, same with you.” Spike wrapped a wing around her, pulling her a little closer. She hummed in contentment. “Though, if it makes you feel better, I do recall involving myself in more than a few of those nights with a third party.” He waggled his eyebrows a bit.

“Heh, believe it or not, Archer still talks about how your tongue is better than any lover she’s ever been with.”

Spike flushed a bit. “Archer?” He recalled a blue pegasus mare and smirked. “Heh, she was… something else.”

Scootaloo sighed dreamily. “I’ve never looked at black lace the same way ever since…” She paused, then added. “You don’t think Rarity ever noticed us take some of her samples that one time she needed our help with modeling, do you?”

Spike shrugged. “If she did, I doubt she still holds anything against us.”

The mare nodded, then turned back to the door where Odonae and Wisp had exited. “I guess we sorta need Wisp and Odonae in order to get a massage in the first place, don’t we?”

Spike laughed as he let his embrace loosen, then pulled away from her and made to the door. He opened it, finding Odonae and Wisp sitting on benches in the hall. Both looked up as soon as he poked his head out.

“Is everything okay?” Wisp asked. “I… I hope we didn’t come off as too forward. If either of you are uncomfortable with things, we’ll be happy to change things up or reimburse you. We never meant to upset either of you.”

Spike smiled. “Scoot and I just had a quick chat. Nothing to worry about.”

Odonae frowned. “You sure?”

“Positive,” he replied.

Wisp and Odonae both smiled with relief. Wisp quirked an eyebrow, a bit of her teasing tone leaking back into her voice. “Good. Shall we get started, then?”

Spike simply nodded, a broad grin crossing his lips.

“Guuhhh…”

“Hive’s sake, Spike, your shoulders are like a mess of knots. Haven’t you gotten a massage before?” Wisp grunted as she pushed down on the drake’s scaly hide. “I mean, I’ve worked on minotaur bodybuilders that have looser muscles than you.”

“Duly… noted…” sighed Spike as he closed his eyes. Right now he was too relaxed to care about how stiff his muscles were.

Scootaloo, though?

“Ohhhhhh, sweet Celestia, yes…” Scootaloo moaned, almost a bit too loudly.

Odonae continued to knead the back muscles of Scootaloo, all while a healthy shade of green tinged the changeling’s cheeks. The smallest of smiles tugged at the changeling’s lips as she pressed against a particularly sensitive spot, right between her shoulder blades.

Spike couldn’t help but watch the display before him. He wouldn’t lie to himself: watching Scootaloo being stimulated while simultaneously being massaged was a major turn on for him. Not that he was all that surprised. If he were to be completely honest with himself, Scootaloo never needed to work that hard to excite him. Her moans and heavy gasps were usually enough for him.

Odonae ran her hooves along the length of Scootaloo’s wings, causing them to go rigid seconds later. The mare let out a gasp as Odonae’s hooves brushed the very tips, and Scootaloo’s tail began to swish from side to side.

“H-hey… give a mare a warning next time, huh?” Scootaloo said breathily, grinning as she looked over her shoulder.

Odonae giggled softly. “Sorry, couldn’t help myself. I have a thing for pegasi, I guess.”

“Really?” Scootaloo questioned, glancing over to Spike. “Looks like Spike and you have something in common, then.”

The drake cleared his throat as Wisp halted her massaging. He could feel her leaning forward, her warm breath tickling one of his ear frills. “Is that true, Spike?”

“M-maybe…?” Spike asked. “I mean, I’m not one to exclude anyone, regardless of species or—gya-hello!” Spike felt a set of sharp teeth gently nip at his right ear frill, sending wonderful sensations down his spine. “Oh shi—Wisp, k-keep doing that…”

Wisp giggled as she continued her gentle nipping, every so often darting her tongue out. “So, looks like someone has a sensitive spot, hm?”

“O-only when he’s turned on,” Scootaloo said breathily as Odonae began putting more weight on her shoulder muscles. “He’s… he’s also sensitive around the throat.”

“Unnngh… Scoot, don’t give her too much ammunition…” Spike moaned as Wisp planted a soft kiss on the base of either of his ear frills.

Scootaloo giggled between heated breaths. “T-try… s-sucking on his neck. He likes that a lot…”

Well, if Scootaloo was going to play that game with him, Spike would fight fire with fire.

“Hey, Odonae?”

“Hmm?” the changeling asked as she made circular motions at the base of Scootaloo’s wings and drawing out a moan from the pegasus.

“You see her hocks?”

Odonae raised an eyebrow. Scootaloo’s eyes snapped open as she turned to Spike with a nervous smile forming on her lips.

“Yeah…?” Odonae asked with fanged grin.

“She likes being licked there.”

Odonae smirked, then looked down at Scootaloo like the wolf who had managed to separate the lamb from the herd. “Oh yeah?”

Scootaloo found herself being rolled over gently onto her back. Odonae continued to grin hungrily as she scooted back a bit and raised up the mare’s right back leg so that she was facing it directly.

“Heheh… l-look, Odonae, just promise to be gentle at-oohhhhhhhhh yeaaaaah!” Scootaloo groaned loudly as a velvety tongue grazed the leg joint. Scootaloo arched her back and bit down on one of her forelegs to stifle her moaning.

Wisp paused her trail of nips at Spike’s jawline and chuckled, “Huh. She pulls off the ‘cute and sexy at the same time’ deal rather well.”

Spike, doing only a bit better than his marefriend as far as coherency went, laughed. “Only… only one in thirty ponies find the hock to be like an erogenous zone. Couple that with the fact that she’s super sensitive at the base of her wings and…” He smirked. “You get the picture.”

“Mmm… but what about you?” Wisp whispered softly into his ear. “You seem to like helping others feel good, but aren’t too quick to having someone returning the favor.” She leaned forward so he was able to face her directly. “A guy like you has needs too, you know.”

His heartbeat began to quicken its pace. He glanced over to Scootaloo, who, much to his surprise, was watching him amidst all the attention she was receiving. She nodded slowly to him, and moaned as Wisp began to plant butterfly kisses along his neckline.

Spike let out a growl, and found one of his claws ending up around Wisp’s side, pulling her closer. She hummed into his neck, her fangs grazing against the sensitive skin of his throat.

“Wisp… what… what do you want me to do?” Spike groaned softly.

Wisp pulled away. “Huh?”

Spike blinked, surprised by her sudden movement. “I… well, I mean… do you like having anything done in particular? Scratching the neck, massaging the flanks…” Spike blushed. “M-maybe… more?”

Wisp opened her mouth a bit, then closed it. She eventually found her words, and said, “I… huh… really?”

Spike frowned. “I-is something wrong? Oh no, what did I do? Am I not supposed to offer—”

“Spike, it’s okay,” Wisp chuckled softly. “It’s just… It’s usually me asking the questions.”

“Oh.” Spike looked away. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Wisp replied. “To answer your question…” She bit her lower lip a little, then whispered. “If… if you could use your fingers and… maybe…?” She gave a nod behind her, and wiggled her hips to make sure there was no misunderstandings.

Spike laughed. “Not the first time I’ve gotten that request.” He looked over to Scootaloo once more, and much to his surprise, was rewarded with the sight of Scootaloo and Odonae both having paused their rather heated massage, watching the two closely with what Spike could only interpret as eager smiles on their face.

“Well, they didn’t take long,” Wisp remarked with a giggle. She returned her own gaze to meet Spike’s and smiled. “Something we can help you two with, girls?”

Odonae’s grin widened. “Maaaybe.”

Wisp snickered, then looked to Scootaloo. “Surprised to see you back with us so quickly.”

Scootaloo flushed a bit, though it could have been from the recent activities she had been engaged in. “Yeah, I… sorta like watching.” She looked down, her smile faltering a bit as she cleared her throat.

Wisp quirked an eyebrow, then looked down at Spike. He gave her a sheepish grin. “For what it’s worth, the same can be said about me with her.”

“Wow, did we luck out with these two, or what?” Odonae asked as she looked to Wisp.

“Mmm…” Wisp smirked, turning from Spike back to Scootaloo and Odonae. “Interested in joining us?”

Scootaloo’s wings, which had managed to relax a bit, became as stiff as iron rods once more. She grinned like it was going out of style, and looked to Spike. “Would I?”

Odonae gave a more reserved nod and hopped off the massage table. Spike watched as Scootaloo hopped up on the massive massage table, lying beside him. She wrapped a foreleg around his arm, and smiled. A sudden weight settled on his stomach, and he looked to see Odonae had joined Wisp on the drake’s stomach.

“So… where were we, again?” Wisp tapped her chin, her eyes lighting up moments later. “Oh yeah!” She gave Spike a final grin before slowly turning around so that her backside was facing him and Scootaloo. Both Spike and Scootaloo had unknowingly been holding their breath as Wisp lifted her tail.

After several seconds, Scootaloo said. “Huh… so that’s what it looks like?” She glanced down at herself for a moment, then turned to Spike. “Not all that different, huh?”

Spike wasn’t sure what he had been expecting. “Yeah…”

Much like Scootaloo had said, Spike wasn’t all that surprised by what he saw. Wisp’s… marehood? Was that even the proper term for a changeling? Well, whatever the case, changelings and ponies apparently had a lot more in common than Spike had initially thought. Two small, lip-like folds of skin covered either side. Similar to the the labial scales of female dragons, his mind thought, but… not scale-like…?

Shaking his head and focusing on Wisp, Spike placed both hands around her rear. He gave her a soft squeeze, and was surprised when Wisp’s skin gave a little beneath his claws, much like that of skin. It wasn’t as soft as the skin of a pony, but the carapace of a changeling was surprisingly pliable in his hands.

Wisp’s tail twitched at the contact, and her wings buzzed. She lifted her right and left legs every few moments, as though she were attempting to adjust her footing. She rolled her neck a bit and let out the softest of hisses. She looked back and gave Spike a lustful smile, then glanced over to Scootaloo. “H-hey, come over here.”

Scootaloo cocked her head to the side, but smiled and got to her hooves. She walked around to face Wisp, who whispered into the mare’s ear. Scootaloo’s ears twitched, and she nodded excitedly. Then she crawled beneath Wisp, head first so that she was facing the same way as Spike, but lying belly to belly with the changeling. Wisp and Odonae were silent for a moment, though if their eye contact was any indication, they were likely communicating with each other.

Sure enough, Odonae’s lips split into that mischievous fanged-grin of hers. She got onto her back, and slowly positioned herself so that her two back legs were entwined with the mare’s. A moment later, Scootaloo let out a surprised gasp and bucked her hips as Odonae scissored her legs with the pegasus.

If Spike could have, he probably would have taken a picture of the scene. A dragon lying on his back on a massage table, with a pegasus mare on her back lying on his stomach. Add to that a changeling scissoring said pegasus just above the dragon’s crotch, and a second changeling lying on her belly over the pegasus mare.

Yeah, definitely wish I had a camer— wait, no, Lyra would steal the photo, knowing her.

Scootaloo let out a shuddering gasp that was accompanied by an equally sensual moan from Odonae. The fact that their grinding was right above the quickly swelling spot on his venereal scales wasn’t helping him maintain his focus. He glanced ahead to Wisp, who was patiently waiting for him, batting her eyelashes as he made eye contact with her.

While Spike may have been drowning in a sea of ecstasy right now, he was still a proper gentledrake. And it would not be proper to leave a lady like Wisp waiting.

Wisp let out another low hiss as he parted her lips with two claws. He stuck an experimental digit in with deliberate slowness, eliciting a shuddering moan from Wisp as her legs shook. Her knees buckled a bit, but she remained standing nevertheless. Spike pulled out his completely soaked digit, and a heady scent that was both new and yet familiar to him flooded his nostrils.

Well, looks like she enjoys that… Spike thought. He grinned as he once more stuck in a claw finger, gently probing her as she began to rock her hips. Wisp’s head snapped upward as let out a few loud clicks, and Spike stopped abruptly. He cast her a worried look.

“Hah… s-sorry…” Wisp breathed heavily over the moans from Scootaloo and Odonae. “Changelings… do that sometimes w-when… we’re really getting into it.”

“O-oh,” Spike said, his mind only half-registering what she said as he felt a growing moistness around his lower belly area, and it wasn’t sweat. Forcing his thoughts back to the task at hand, he smiled. “So… keep doing what I was doing?”

“Please,” Wisp answered in a sultry voice.

Spike could only grin, and continued tending to Wisp’s swollen sex. Her moaning and clicking were beginning to meld together into a single noise. It was rather encouraging, to be honest.

Meanwhile, Scootaloo and Odonae were still grinding against each other like there was no tomorrow. Spike couldn’t get a good look at her, but the pegasus’ airy gasps were all he needed to hear. “Getting close, Scootaloo?”

“Unnn, mmhmmm,” she moaned in reply. “Oh, buck, Odonae, I-I…”

Odonae was clicking as well, Spike noted. It was still new to him, but he wouldn’t deny it. It was sexy to hear.

“W-whoah, heheh…” Odonae gasped. Scootaloo and Odonae had paused in their little session, causing Spike to snap out of his thoughts. “Well hello to you, too, Spike,” she giggled.

Spike blinked. “W-what?” He craned his neck, only to find his gaze falling upon his fully erect hemipenes, standing at attention between Scootaloo and Odonae’s thighs. “O-oh, sorry. I didn’t even notice—”

“Sorry? Spike, I’m flattered,” Odonae purred. “Take a look at these, Wisp.”

Wisp managed to come down from her near-climatic high, and chuckled. "Huh, I almost forgot about you dragons and your awesome anatomy.”

Scootaloo chuckled, “The first time I saw them, I thought I’d hit my head or something.”

Spike rolled his eyes, fond memories coming back to him. He felt a gentle hoof drape over his right arm and gently squeeze him. He smiled. “Love you too, Scootaloo.”

“Urp!”

Spike, Scootaloo, and Wisp looked to Odonae, who was blushing a furious green now. She gave them a sheepish grin. “S-sorry. There’s… a lot of love going around and, um… I was kinda hungry.”

“Oh, um… no problem, I guess,” Scootaloo replied in a slightly muffled tone, Wisp struggling to keep her weight over from pressing down fully on her. “Did… did it taste alright?”

“Y-yeah. It’s really rich tasting.” She licked her lips. “I think I want another taste… if that’s alright.”

“Oh? I think we can help with that,” Scootaloo laughed. “Right, Spike?”

“Huh—?” Spike answered.

Without prompting, Scootaloo began to grind against Spike’s erections. He bucked his hips at the contact. To add the sensation, a velvety tongue began running up the length of one of his shafts. A moan had escaped his throat before he could do anything about it.

“Oh wow, that is, like, the cutest sounding thing ever,” Odonae laughed. “Is he always that sensitive?”

Spike heard Scootaloo laugh. “I’m still learning about how dragons tick down there, but… think Spike’s an exceptionally sensitive guy around there.”

“I’m right… here… Scootaloo…” Spike moaned as he felt her inner thigh’s slick surface grinding against him. “Oh Luna, S-Scootaloo, please don’t… keep doing that…!”

Spike’s eyes had closed, but he felt the weight of Scootaloo and Wisp shift a bit. Curious, he cracked open an eye. Scootaloo was now sitting upright while Wisp had her hooves draped over either of her shoulders, Odonae was continuing to provide ample attention to his erections.

Trying to prolong the inevitable, Spike redoubled his efforts on Wisp. He pulled her closer, causing her to squeal in surprise. Without warning, he plunged his tongue into the folds of skin between her legs, and she clicked so loudly that he could feel her body vibrate against his muzzle. Her wings began to buzz arhythmically. She may have started shouting out his name and ‘yes’ several times, but he wasn’t sure. He was aware that she was enjoying it, though, seeing as she was now pressing herself firmly against his face.

“Ohhhh, Spike!” Wisp gasped. He opened an eye to see her trying to remain standing, her forelegs wrapped around Scootaloo. “Scootaloo, I…”

Scootaloo turned to her side, and captured the changeling’s lips in a heated kiss.

Spike felt both his shafts twitch as he watched the two pull apart slowly. Scootaloo’s eyes met his for a moment, and she smiled knowingly.

That mare is temptation in equine form, I swear it… Spike thought as Scootaloo pulled the changeling in for another kiss. He felt her hips begin rocking harder against his lengths as she moaned loudly.

Spike wasn’t sure how much more he could take. He continued tonguing Wisp, being rewarded with a throaty moan-click every few seconds.

Maybe… Spike smiled to himself as an idea crossed his mind. While his tongue continued its work on Wisp, Spike gave an experimental flick against the small nub near the bottom of her slit.

The results were more than he could have hoped for. Wisp’s head thrashed back, and she let out a silent cry. Her tail whipped left and right against Spike’s muzzle, and the overpowering scent wafting from her was becoming intoxicating.

“Wow, like, that’s crazy. Spike, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Wisp this worked up before,” Odonae commented with a laugh. “Having fun, Wisp?"

“Sh-shut up…” Wisp stuttered. “His… his tongue is…”

“Amazing?” Scootaloo offered.

“Yes!” Wisp answered, arching her back. “Sc-Scootaloo, c-can you… can you?”

Scootaloo tilted her head to the side, but smiled as Wisp wrapped her hooves around her. Scootaloo turned to fully face her, and held her tightly. Wisp shuddered, then went rigid. Not a second later, Spike’s muzzle was covered in a green, clear fluid. Scootaloo rubbed Wisp’s back and nuzzled her gently as Wisp rode out her orgasm, whimpering Spike’s name and gasping.

Spike didn’t have a chance to relax, though. Odonae was once more giving his hemipenes full attention, moaning as she dragged her tongue up and down, planting a soft kiss near the base of each one, then repeating.

He hissed as Scootaloo returned to pressing herself against his lengths. Every so often she would lift her hips and rub up and down.

Spike slowly sat up, allowing Scootaloo and the still-recovering Wisp to adjust. Scootaloo leaned against him while Wisp crawled off, deciding to simply watch for the time being. Spike wrapped both arms around Scootaloo as she slowly rocked back and forth.

“Spike…?” She began. The questioning tone wasn’t lost to him. He could feel her moving further and further up towards his tip. He looked down to her, could see her biting her lower lip.

Despite every part of him begging to give in, he just gave her a weak smile. “I… Scootaloo, I don’t…”

“Please?” she added in a needy tone.

He sighed, and shook his head slowly. “Not yet.”

Scootaloo frowned as her head drooped a bit, but gave a nod.

“But…” he continued.

Scootaloo looked up to him, an ear flicking as she met his gaze once more.

“M-maybe… we can give it a try, soon. If… I’ll see if I can get any information on… on proper ways to prevent injury. You know… stuff like that.” He smiled. “I promise. I… I know it sucks, trust me. I just want you to be safe.”

Scootaloo’s wings lifted as she gave him her brightest smile. “You… you mean that?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

Scootaloo leaned up and planted a wet kiss on his lips. Spike growled as he pulled her closer, and let a hand drift down to the space between her back legs. She pulled back as he slipped a digit inside, and grinned innocently.

“No fair! Stop distracting me-oohhhhhh!” Scootaloo’s protests were met with a second finger. She closed her eyes and wrapped her forelegs around his arms as she held tight. “Those… damn fingers of yours! Mmmnn!”

Spike smiled as he nuzzled her mane. “Would you like me to stop?”

“Don’t even think about it,” she replied. “Ohhhh, damn it, this is so unfai-ahaaaaah!” Judging from how slick she was, Spike was confident that she was close to her limit.

“Scootaloo, look…”

Scootaloo opened an eye. Sitting a few feet from her was Odonae, who was now preoccupied with tending to her own arousal, her eyes glued on the two. Meanwhile, Wisp was simply leaning against her fellow changeling, giving the couple a half-lidded smile.

“I think they’re enjoying this, huh?”

“Y-yeah…”

Spike lowered his head a little, and planted a few kisses on her neck. Scootaloo attempted to reciprocate the gesture, but her mind was too addled by the wonderful sensations her body was feeling thanks to her drakefriend. Instead, she simply leaned her head next to the top of Spike’s as he continued to nip gently at her collarbone while Odonae and Wisp watched with rapt attention and enjoyment. The momentum of his fingering sped up, and she finally could take no more.

“Spike… Spike… g-going…”

“Hmm…?” Spike whispered into her ear. “Already?”

She moaned an affirmative to him.

He smiled softly as she let out a whimper of pleasure. With that, he planted a firm kiss on her jawline and sucked on her skin, then plunged his fingers deep. Scootaloo’s wings snapped out fully as she let out a squeal. Seconds later a few flecks of fluid soaked Spike’s hand and the wooden table beneath them.

Scootaloo wasn’t finished though, it seemed. She ground her hips against his hand, letting out moans as she increased her fervent pace. Spike just held her closer, his tongue tickling her neck as he ran his free claw up and down her stomach.

“Spike…” Scootaloo breathed. “I… I love you-mmmmphhh…!”

As she went through her second orgasm, Spike and her locked lips in a desperate kiss. Scootaloo pulled him as close as she could with a hoof, practically screaming into his mouth as more of her fluids squirted onto the table.

When their lips separated, both were taking in deep breaths. The faint smell of smoke wafted into Scootaloo’s nostrils, and she could see Spike’s neck muscles throbbing a little.

“Frilling out, huh?” She grinned weakly. “Such a charm—”

“Uhhaaaaa!”

Spike and Scootaloo turned towards their two partners in passion. Odonae had one hoof rubbing herself while the other was frantically holding onto Wisp. The older changeling smiled with amusement as Odonae let out a few shaky breaths as the same clear, green fluid soaked her hoof.

“Easy now…” Wisp said softly as she placed Odonae in an upright sitting position. When she let go, Odonae swayed a bit before falling back. Wisp caught her with a hoof, and chuckled. “Oh boy, sweetie, I think you took more than you intended.”

Scootaloo chuckled. “Is she alright?”

“Love drunk,” Wisp sighed. “It’s a side-effect for some changelings who feed on too much love or lust at once, especially lightweights like Odonae.”

“Shu’ your face… m’not lightweight…” Odonae mumbled, snuggling up to Wisp. “Like… so not a light… mmm….” She closed her eyes and yawned. “Just tired…”

Scootaloo and Spike stared at the now sleeping Odonae. Scootaloo found herself giggling and shaking her head while Spike just snickered quietly.

“That is adorable,” Scootaloo whispered. “Do all changelings get like that from eating… uh… what emotions did you say?”

“Lust,” Wisp replied with a gentle pat on Odonae’s head. “No, though. A lot of changelings experience emotions differently. Lust with me, for example? I become relaxed and full. Maybe a little sweaty, like I just ate some spicy food. Some get a more tangy or sweet taste. Every changeling’s different.”

Scootaloo nodded, happy with the response. “I think she said our love tasted rich, right?” She grinned up at Spike. “Gives me some ideas for the next time Bonbon makes too much cake batter, huh?”

Spike’s blush intensified a bit. “Heheh, m-mabye.”

Wisp chuckled, “So, did you two enjoy that?” Both nodded happily. “Great. I really had a good time doing that, too. Spike, I’m not just saying this to be nice, but I can’t remember the last time someone, and I mean anyone, made me cum that hard.”

Spike laughed sheepishly. “Um… you’re welcome, heh.”

“I did want to ask a question, though,” Wisp continued. “I… felt some apprehension not too long ago. Scootaloo, you were asking something, and Spike got a little worried.” When they gave her a confused look, she clarified. “Emotions are very palpable during intense moments. I think it was right about when you two started going at it by yourselves, there.” She cleared her throat. “I… I don’t mean to be intrusive, but if there’s any problems with your sex lives, we do offer counseling. Free of charge for employees and their significant others.”

Scootaloo’s ears perked up while Spike blinked in surprise. The drake looked down to Scootaloo, who simply nodded, giving her silent consent for him to speak. “Um… there is a bit of an issue, actually.” He looked away. “It’s… I guess it’s a little stupid—”

“Spike,” Wisp cut him off gently. With a glow of her horn, she brought a clipboard towards her from the far side of the room. “It’s alright. What happens in this room is strictly confidential, unless you or Scootaloo wish to share with others.” She grinned. “You can trust me on this one.”

Spike nodded, the tension leaving his muscles a bit as he relaxed with Scootaloo still sitting against him. “It’s about… well, size. Erm…” He pointed down to his semi-erect hemipenes. “Scootaloo and I have talked about it for… quite awhile now. I’ve read and heard stories about interspecies relations on our… scale, I guess. Most of them weren’t very reassuring.”

“He’s worried about hurting me,” Scootaloo clarified. “I’m not, but I don’t want to pressure him into something he’s uncomfortable with. That’s not to say we don’t find other ways to be intimate with each other, though.” She flashed him a winning smile. “Right?”

Spike smirked. “You said it.”

Wisp smiled. “Believe it or not, that’s not all that uncommon of a concern. We’ve only been open for a few months, but we do have staff here with experience in the field of interspecies sex therapy. I’m sure we could help you with your concerns.” A pencil floated towards her and hovered a few inches above the clipboard.

“You could?” Spike asked. “I mean… that’d be great, because… to be honest, we’ve kinda been looking for some answers, but… well…”

Wisp raised a hoof. “It’s a personal matter, understandable. If you want, though, we could set you two up for an appointment in…” She glanced down at the clipboard, “How about… a week or so? Would that work?”

Scootaloo and Spike looked to one another, then Scootaloo nodded. “Yeah, fine by us. We’ll just make sure it works with our schedules before we plan anything.”

“Wonderful,” Wisp said with a smile, making a small note on the clipboard with her pencil. “By the way, Spike, you’re still frilling.” She gave him a sultry grin. “Need some help?”

Frilling. It was a term Spike had more or less made up, because there was no known term for it in any Equestrian literature that he knew of. His neck muscles bulged out a little, and his ear frills would flare out. Hence the term. To put it simply, when he did so, it meant he was either under lots of stress… or he was… under a lot of good stress. The kind that needed to be released.

“Heh, I’m alright. I imagine you girls are probably tired, so I can take care of it.”

Wisp cast her gaze to Scootaloo. “You want left shaft or right shaft?”

“Whatever works. I know the quirks with either of them.”

Spike felt his throat tighten as Wisp’s grin gained a predatory look. It didn’t help that Scootaloo was giggling the whole time, either.

One hour later found Spike and Scootaloo relaxing in a hot tub just outside of the building. The afternoon sun’s rays were shining through the tree line of the Everfree, and the songbirds’ calls filled the air. The gentle sound of a shamisen playing in the background completed the moment as the two let the hot water soak into their sore muscles.

“This… was a good idea,” Scootaloo sighed. “Spike, your job is awesome.”

“This isn’t usually a part of my day-to-day schedule, if I’m to understand right,” Spike laughed. “Patrol work rarely involves what we did today.”

Scootaloo ran a hoof through her soaked mane and smiled. “Still… I’m glad we did this.” She leaned against him and closed her eyes. “I’m also glad we talked to Wisp about… an appointment for next week.”

Spike couldn’t help but agree. “Yeah. I want to make you happy, Scootaloo. I’m willing to see what ideas they have.”

“Spike, you big dolt,” Scootaloo chuckled softly. “You already make me happy.” She looked up to him, and her smile faltered for a split second. “Do… do I make you happy?”

“Never doubt it,” he answered.

Scootaloo let out another sigh, and closed her eyes. “I love you.”

Spike draped his wing around her. “I love you, too, Scoot.”

The shamisen playing faltered suddenly. Both looked to the changeling playing the stringed instrument, curious about what caused her to mess up so badly. She was flushed green in the cheeks, and looking to her instrument, intent on not meeting their gaze.

“Daze… are you alright?”

Daze was a soldier changeling who was probably a few inches shorter than Wisp in height. She had a body frame that was a bit thinner than Wisp’s, but she held a grace and poise that made her seem almost regal when she moved. Her movements were always purposeful, and she held an air about her that Spike likened to that of Luna, even Celestia, though his mind held reservations about the latter for a few reasons. She wasn’t above socializing though, much to Spike and Scootaloo’s relief. He could easily picture Daze and Rarity talking over a cup of tea in his mind, or perhaps having a thought-provoking conversation with him.

Her eyes, however, were very striking. He had seen enough changelings to notice the subtle differences between them. Her eyes held something, a sort of light that only an observant mind would notice. It was some sort of innate wisdom that came from years of experiences. She seemed older compared to Wisp, maybe even Colea. Perhaps she was around Ebon’s age?

She gave the two an easy smile. “Sorry, I was distracted by you two. It’s… refreshing to see love like yours. I apologize if I disturbed you.”

“No sweat,” Spike replied. “You’re music is lovely, by the way. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of the shamisen before today. A nice introduction, if you ask me.”

Daze frowned. “Really?” Spike and Scootaloo both nodded. Her frown softened a bit, the hints of a smile on her lips. “That’s unfortunate. The changeling race is rich with music. Though… I suppose what some might consider our isolationist behavior responsible for that.” She sighed. “I didn’t really start to appreciate our music until after the… Canterlot incident.”

Scootaloo frowned a little. “Why’s that?”

Daze smiled. “I used it to help get through some hard times. I’m still not very good at playing the shamisen, but I’m rather familiar with the Biwa.” When the two gave her blank looks, she continued. “It’s… another type of stringed instrument from our homeland. Typically shorter in length than the shamisen, to put it simply.” She lifted her instrument with her magic to emphasize her point. “It resembles the Lute of the southern regions in the Bovidian Lands. The Biwa actually descends from the Pipa… an even older instrument from before the founding days of the Changeling Nation.”

“Well, I still think it sounds nice,” Spike continued. “I wish I knew of this music sooner.”

Daze chuckled, “This is child’s play, what I’m playing.” She continued to strum the strings of the shamisen, its staccato-like notes setting the two back into a peaceful lull. “If… if you’d like, I’d like to sing you a song. It’s mostly from memory, and it’s in Morphelsic.”

Spike’s eyes widened. “You’d sing us a song in Morphelsic? I… I’d love to hear that.”

Scootaloo smiled at Daze. “That’s the changeling language, right?”

“Correct,” Daze answered. “It’s been awhile since I’ve had a chance to sing in my native tongue. I… grow homesick sometimes, but I’m happy here in Equestria. Singing helps remind me of the good times in the Changeling Nation.” She cleared her throat and closed her eyes, taking a few slow breaths. She strummed the strings a few times, playing to a tune only she knew. When she began to sing, Spike did his best to translate the words in his mind.

O, mother, to where do you fly?

Have the warriors come home? Have the cranes returned to the waters?

I hear the vendors, their voices rising over the din of the streets.

O, mother, to where do you fly? Take me with, take me with.

O, mother, to where do you fly?

The earth is rich, the roots are deep. The farmers’ are singing.

The taverns they ring with stories and songs of battles from days long dead.

O, mother, to where do you fly? Take me with, take me with.

The song was a lullaby, Spike decided. Soft, soothing, and fitting to the atmosphere around them. Spike still only had a rudimentary understanding of the song, but something told him that it wasn’t necessarily a happy one.

O, mother, where shall I go?

I can’t see your face, but your voice it still rings. Guide me, hold me.

The mothers and fathers, they stay in their homes. Weeping, lamenting.

O, mother, where shall I go? Come back to me, come back.

O, mother, where shall I go?

The ground is so cold, the sun it’s so far. Guide me, hold me.

The flowers rise up, the holes they are filled. More, yes, more everyday.

O, mother, where shall I go? Come back to me, come back.

Spike felt Scootaloo move a little closer to him. He looked down to see a bittersweet smile on her face.

O, dearest mother, where am I going?

I hear my name on the wind, but I cannot follow. It’s dark now, I’m lost now.

Love, surrounds me, but it no hunger do I feel. Mother, what’s happening?

O, dearest mother, where am I going? Find me. Please, find me.

O, dearest mother, where am I going?

I feel no pain, I feel only warmth. I sense you, where are you?

The voices they call, beckoning me to follow. Mother, who are they?

O, dearest mother, where am I going? Find me… f-find…

A soft sob cut into the music. Spike and Scootaloo turned to see Daze shaking, choking back tears.

“Daze?” Scootaloo asked, rising out of the tub suddenly. “Daze, what’s wrong?”

“Ah, forgive me,” Daze said softly, wiping her eyes. “This… this song is an old song of mourning. It… well, it was a song of mourning, but in the past century or so, changelings began to singing it as a lullaby to their younglings. A song to remind them of how much they love them.”

The corners of Spike’s lips curled upward. “It sounded sad, from what I got out of it. Sounds like a child singing to their mother… or… something like that.”

“You… you understand Morphelsic?” Daze blinked, then chuckled. “Of course you do. I forget who I am speaking to.” She sighed, and gave a nod. “ You are right, though, on both counts. It is a tragic song. You see, about four hundred or so years ago, the Changeling Nation was swept with a rather devastating sickness. While we changelings are a very hardy species, we still are capable of getting sick. Unfortunately, this illness was especially bad for the youngest changelings at the time.”

“Oh…” Scootaloo said softly. “So…?”

“There was, some scholars believed, a hatchling mortality rate of almost seventy-five percent during the worst years of this illness. Stillbirths… hatchlings dying in their sleep only hours after they were born…” Daze shook her head. “The Changeling Nation managed to find a cure for this illness, thankfully. We recovered in time, but…” Daze sighed. “The ‘Gray Rot’ as we have come to call it, still appears every so often. It’s rare, since most changelings are immune to it. I myself am immune to it, but… my hatchlings weren’t.”

Scootaloo put a hoof to her mouth. “Daze… I-I’m so sorry…” Without even thinking, Scootaloo pulled her in for a hug. “I can’t even imagine…”

Daze smiled, gently returning the mare’s embrace. “It was years ago. I’ve… moved on, for the most part. I still had one healthy daughter, and I was thankful for her. She grew up strong, and… and I am so proud of her.” She shook her head. “Look at me, though. I barely know you two, and here I am dumping my problems on you.”

“Hey, c’mon, don’t be like that,” Spike said softly, crawling out of the tub as well. “I believe Colea said it herself. We’re a family at the Everfree… we take care of each other.” He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as he closed the distance between them. “Daze, thanks for sharing that with us. It means a lot.”

Daze smiled. “No wonder they gave you so many titles.” She laughed softly, “Former Councilor Spike. The Firebrand of Canterlot… the youngest known member of the Equestrian Council, even by pony standards. The Voice of the Lost.”

Spike blinked, caught off guard by her words. “W-well… I was only doing what any good pony… or dragon would do.”

“Perhaps, but I’ve heard enough about you.” She placed a hoof on his arm. “Spike, for what it is worth, thank you. You’ve gave us changelings a chance to seek a haven during a time when our home was torn in two. So many of us were at a loss of what to do, and we had our foolish Queen to thank for it all.”

“Colea tells me she abandoned her station after the Canterlot incident.” Spike frowned. “Is that true?”

Daze drooped a bit. “It is. I… I was actually an attendant at the Blackstone Palace. I practically lived there. When… Chrysalis disappeared from us, most thought that they had failed her, and she simply left us to suffer on our own.” The changeling closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. “Some of us… only a few, mind you, thought that… that perhaps she felt that she had failed us. That she was too ashamed to continue leading.”

Scootaloo gave Daze a curious look. “What is the whole deal with the Changeling Nation right now?”

Daze shook her head. “It’s a bit of a conflict… well… yes, conflict is a good word for it. Some call it a war, to jazz it up.” She set her instrument on her lap as she continued. “Shortly after Chrysalis left, some more… extremists wished to take the control of her seat in the government. These extremists believe that changelings were in the right when it came to invading Canterlot. In their eyes, they see themselves as a higher life form compared to, say, a pony.”

“So, they see us as nothing more than food, huh?” Scootaloo asked bitterly.

“Yes, but mind you, they are considered extremists,” Daze clarified. “They are a minority. A growing minority, but still a minority among the masses. Sadly, some changelings are following along because these extremists hold lots of power already in the government, or have massive resources and land. A lot of them are buying the loyalty of those with few options for survival.”

“What about Chrysalis? She sure seemed to think that way,” Spike asked. “She did attempt to imprison the Princesses while feeding off of Shining Armor.”

Daze sighed. “True, but… well, there’s a lot of speculation on that. Chances are Chrysalis wasn’t thinking things through when she planned that stunt out. A lot of citizens in the Changeling Nation suspected that she was being impersonated by some high ranking military officer, and some think she became drunk on power.” She gave a weak smile. “Being a queen among an empathic race has its downsides, from what I understand. The Queen is very susceptible to emotions. It’s believed that the Queen is even susceptible to fits of psychosis if things become too stressful for her. It’s why Chrysalis always had so many advisors: she needed a steady ground when things became too much for her to deal with alone.”

“So you’re saying she wasn’t aware of what she was doing?” Spike asked, a little bit harsher than he intended. “Sorry… I just find that hard to believe.”

Daze actually laughed wryly at that. “No, I personally believe that Chrysalis was aware of what she was doing. Perhaps she got overconfident after some time. Maybe she was a bit delusional, but our queen has always been a bit… arrogant. Concerned about our well-being when you boiled it all down, but… still arrogant.”

“Heh, rulers tend to follow that pattern,” Spike snickered.

Daze simply raised an eyebrow at that comment.

“Scootaloo, Spike, there you two are,” called a new voice. The trio turned to see Colea making her way towards them. “I figured you’d be out here in the hot tubs.” She grinned hopefully. “Have you two been enjoying yourselves?"

“Yes, absolutely,” Scootaloo answered with a bright smile. “I think I’ll be coming by here more often.” She glanced up at Spike, and grinned. “Hopefully I won’t have to pull this guy from work, though.”

Colea laughed. “I’m happy to hear that. Wisp mentioned you that you two wish to schedule a…” She glanced over to Daze, then lowered her voice. “A therapy session?”

“O-oh, yeah.” Spike and Scootaloo both flushed a bit in the cheeks. “Did… Wisp go into any details?”

“No, not really. She said that you two seem to be quite happy with your relationship… but want to improve it.”

Spike’s shoulders relaxed. “Yeah, that’s… sorta what we were hoping to talk to someone about.”

Scootaloo gave a nod of agreement, then added, “I just want to let you know that Wisp and Odonae are wonderful girls. We really appreciated all they did for us. That and… they seem to really care about their customers.”

“Well, between the four of us,” Colea looked over her shoulder, then to her left and right, and spoke. “Not all clients are accepted here. Some of them end up getting kicked out of our establishment for one reason or another.” She brightened up as she continued. “That’s why clients like you two are so valuable to have: we like folks like you.”

“Awww,” Scootaloo waved a hoof to the changeling, feigning flattery. “You’re just sweet talking us.”

“Well, I am a lady of business. Have to keep my clients somehow,” Colea replied with a wink. Scootaloo just chuckled while Spike rolled his eyes in amusement.

Colea turned her attention to Daze. “I’m glad you decided to play for these two. I was hoping you’d decide to finally play for someone. Blur says you’re learning rather quickly.”

Daze snorted. “She speaks too kindly of me. I’m still a novice.”

“Well, then I look forward to hearing you when you’re a master at the shamisen. You’re already sounding fine to me,” Spike said encouragingly. “Don’t give up on it, though. Seriously, you’ve got a great voice, Daze.”

The changeling bowed a little. “Thank you, Spike. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of chances to play for you in the future, seeing as we’re co-workers.”

“Spike,” Colea began. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your personal time, but… well, as I said once before to you, we usually have dinner here. A few of us were hoping you’d like to join us.” She looked to Scootaloo, and added, “Of course, Scootaloo, you are more than welcome to join as well.”

Spike looked to Scootaloo, then back to Colea. “I don’t see why not. We’ll just make a quick stop to our place and let Bonbon and Lyra know. Yeah, though, we’d love to have dinner with all of you. The more the merrier, as they say.”

“Mm, also less food for Raxis to steal from others,” Daze added with a demure laugh. “Well, I do believe I should head back into town.”

Colea frowned. “You won’t be joining us for dinner, Daze? We always have plenty to eat.”

Daze gave Colea a regretful smile. “I’m afraid not. I have some errands to take care of before it gets to be too late.”

“Daze… you know, you’re more than welcome to one of our spare bedrooms. I know you’ve said you don’t mind your little flat, but—”

“Your offer is kind, Colea. I am thankful for it, but I’m happy with my current abode. Thank you, though, I do mean it.” She picked up a case and opened up, putting her shamisen back into it. “I’ll be by tomorrow, then. Same time as today?”

“Mm. Eight o’clock in the morning is fine,” Colea’s smile waned a bit. “You’re certain you won’t at least join us for dinner?”

Daze chuckled. “Perhaps some other time. I don’t eat as much as I used to when I was younger.”

“Oh please, you’re not that old,” Colea said said with a shake of her head.

Daze sighed. “Well, I’m happy to hear that. It means you youngsters still have some respect for the elderly, then.” She made her way into the Everfree House, waving a hoof to the group. “Spike, Scootaloo, it was… nice meeting you. I hope to see more of you in the future.”

“Take care, Daze,” Scootaloo said.

Spike returned the changeling’s wave with one of his own while Colea just sighed. He looked down to Colea, and smiled. “She lives in town, huh?”

“Yes. She’s been with us only about two weeks or so. Before her, our newest member was Odonae.” Her lips curled into a frown. “I don’t like to pry into the personal lives of others, but… she seems like she’s got a lot of troubles in her heart.”

“Yeah. She told us about her children… I give her a lot of credit for enduring all that,” Scootaloo said in agreement.

“Ah, yeah. She mentioned that once. The Gray Rot Disease had a resurgence back around the time I was born. I actually had it, but I managed to fight it off. I don’t remember much, considering I was barely two years old at the time. I have a faint memory of being cold and coughing a lot.”

“I’m sure you gave your parents quite a scare,” Spike added.

Colea’s frown deepened, but she didn’t direct it to him. “Perhaps… my… parents and I were never that close.” She waved a hoof. “Anyway, dinner won’t be until a few more hours, so if you have anything else to take care of before six, go for it.” Colea turned back towards the House as well. “I’ll see you two at dinner.”

As soon as Colea left, Spike and Scootaloo dried off and made their way to the front yard of the house, taking a scenic route through the gardens. As they made their way up the trail, they caught someone waiting for them up ahead.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” Scootaloo waved, flitting into the air to greet the mare. “How was the sauna?”

“Oh, it was lovely. It’s so nice to relax.” Fluttershy’s smile grew a little as she went on. “How about you two? How was your time together?”

“It was nice,” Scootaloo answered. “Been awhile since I could just kick back and enjoy a day of lounging.”

“Lounging, hm?” Fluttershy asked with a knowing smile.

“Y-yeah… and… other things,” Scootaloo finished lamely.

Fluttershy giggled. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.” She gave Scootaloo a gentle hug. “I’m happy that you and Spike are so comfortable with each other like that.”

“How did you know we…?” Scootaloo paused, then sighed, “Yeah, shutting up now.”

Spike finally caught up to Scootaloo, and greeted Fluttershy with a quick hug. “Enjoy yourself?”

“Oh, yes. Scootaloo says you two had a nice time as well,” Fluttershy replied. “Are you two on your way back into town?”

“Just for a bit. Scootaloo and I are going to have dinner at the House tonight.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful to hear. Um, but… Spike, what about our game night?”

Spike blinked. “Game… oh crap!” He slapped his forehead. “I forgot! Oh, wait, we usually start up at eight, right?”

“Usually, yes,” Fluttershy replied. “I mean, if you want, I can play as your cleric tonight. We’re not fighting anything right now, and we’re just in a town, so—”

“Ugh,” Scootaloo blew a raspberry. “Nerd-speak, incoming.”

“Oh, you’re just jealous,” Spike laughed. “But, yeah, Fluttershy, it shouldn’t be a problem at all. Dinner’s at six. Scootaloo and I will have dinner, and then I can just head on over after. Maybe we can finally recruit Scootaloo to our campaign, too.”

“Thanks, but no thanks. Making a… mage or whatever shoot magic lightning by rolling a die isn’t my idea of fun.” While she rolled her eyes and feigned disgust, Spike could clearly see the smile she was trying to hide.

“Someday, Scootaloo, you’ll turn to our side. You’d be a great monk,” Spike laughed.

Fluttershy giggled. “I always pictured her as more of an archer, actually.”

Spike paused, then gave Scootaloo a once over. “I… y’know, that’s true. Hm… maybe if we prestiged her, she could be a cool ranger.”

“Oh, a ranger?” Fluttershy repeated. “That would be fun to have on the team, but… oh, I don’t know if that’s too advanced for her. She’s just a beginner, after all.”

“You guys are talking about this like I’m already a part of the game,” Scootaloo laughed.

“Well, yeah, that’s because… uh oh…” Spike’s cheeks puffed up, and he gestured for the girls to back away. A moment after they did, he belched out a plume of green and light blue fire, and a scroll fell into his awaiting hands. “Huh… Princess Luna.”

Scootaloo’s eyes shined at the mention of the Night Princess. “Really? What’s it say?”

Spike smirked. “Easy, easy. I haven’t even untied the ribbon, Scoots.” He undid the dark blue ribbon tied around the parchment, then read it over, immediately recognizing Luna’s flowing, if not somewhat flowery, writing style.

Spike,

It has been some time since I last had a chance to speak with you. I hope this letter finds you well. How are things in fair Ponyville these days? Hopefully not too chaotic. I haven’t heard anything, nor have I read about anything devastating in the copy of the Ponyville Press I receive every day. As they say, no news is good news.

I am writing to you in hopes that we might be able to catch up. By “we”, I mean you, Scootaloo, and all of our friends in town. I do not wish to make a grand spectacle of my visit, but I know these things cannot be avoided most of the time. I shall make the proper preparations with Mayor Mare, as we both know how she enjoys giving her speeches. Perhaps I will give the excuse of taking a tour to see the local history: after all, I was on a tour of Fillydelphia’s museum of history not too long ago. It shall make for a convenient excuse to relax, hopefully.

Anyway, case in point, I hope you might be available later this week. If all things go well for me, I will have a weekend off to visit you and my favorite adoptive little sister Scootaloo (please do not tell that to anypony, by the way. The papers tend to make a huge deal out of any bit of favoritism). Also, I wish to speak to you about coming to the Grand Galloping Gala this year. I know you have never been a big fan of the event, but I would greatly appreciate you coming this year. You and Scootaloo might find yourselves enjoying it more than you might think.

That and if you do not come, I will be forced to read lines from the Power Ponies issue #258 to you in your dreams. We both know that would end badly for you.

I hope to see you soon. I shall give you an update if anything changes, otherwise, expect me to be in Ponyville this Friday sometime around noon.

Sincerely,

Princess Luna

P.S. Tell Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo that I would be happy to join them for a night of tavern hopping. Though I do not know what it entails, it sounds enjoyable. They both seemed rather eager for me to join them when I next had time available, and I know both of them are in town for the time being.

P.P.S. Write to Cadance and Shining more often. They both miss hearing from you, and say you still owe them a visit in the Crystal Empire.

Spike read over the letter once more, sighing with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. Princess Luna. Only she could so casually claim that she was making a visit to Ponyville to see him while under the guise of a public visitation. It wasn’t a secret among their circle of friends that she held a bit of a soft spot for Spike. She was both a mentor figure and a close friend to him… almost like…

Spike shook his head, driving the thoughts away from his mind before they ruined his good mood.

Scootaloo glanced over Spike’s shoulder while hovering a few feet off the ground. “Oh yeah, she mentioned the Grand Galloping Gala to me,” she said aloud as she looked over the letter in Spike’s hands. “You’re going to that with me, by the way. I promised Luna I’d force you if I had to.”

Spike snorted out a cloud of smoke. “Hmmph. If it’ll make the two of you happy…”

“So you are going to the gala this year?” Fluttershy asked him. “That’s wonderful, Spike. Oh, it’ll be so nice to have you come along with us girls after all these years. You know, I hear that Blur and Colea were given an invitation this year.”

Spike rolled his eyes, but couldn’t fight down the smile forming on his lips. “That’s right, I remember hearing about that. I’m surprised those uptight toadies and their—”

“Spike,” Fluttershy said in a warning tone.

“What? Oh, come on, I have every right to gripe about those ponies: I lived and breathed Canterlot for most of my life!” He groused when Fluttershy just frowned. “Alright, alright, some of them are okay… Fancy Pants knows how to have fun, and Fleur is pretty cool.” He chuckled as a memory came to mind, “One time, she dressed up in this really gaudy outfit full of peacock feathers, just for kicks. Three days later, half of the noblemares in the court were wearing similar styles.” He sighed while his chuckles died down. “Now there was a Councilor I enjoyed working with.”

The trio continued down the road, eventually parting ways at a fork leading north and and eastward to Fluttershy’s house and Ponyville respectively.

A tree just off the roadside leading to Ponyville proper rustled a bit as two voices conversed within its foliage. “So… that’s him, huh?”

“Yes. He fits the description, and I don’t see any other dragons in the town nearby.”

A rustling of paper was heard. “Yeah, that’s true. Kinda hard to get someone with a reputation like his mixed up.”

“Again. Dragon. Living with ponies. Not that hard,” said the other voice. “Look at this photo. Purple. Green spines, green eyes. You don’t need a degree to figure it out.”

“Okay, okay, I got your point,” grumbled the second voice. “So, what are we supposed to do? Monitor him?”

“For now, yeah,” answered the first voice. “Don’t bother approaching him, though. We’ve never gotten a good profile on the guy until a few years back, and even then, it’s just bare details. He knows his politics, is smarter than he looks, and is a valued member of this town. We don’t know how much of an actual danger he could be.”

“We’re going to need to be careful about this…” sighed the second voice. “This is almost as bad as when we had to deal with the Elements.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me of that debacle…” groaned the first. “Seriously; confetti as a weapon.”

“Crap, that’s right. The Bearers live here, don’t they?”

“Four of the six, at least. One’s a bloody princess living in Canterlot now, and the other works for that paramilitary flight team or whatever… the Wonderbolts.”

“... and they only sent two of us?”

“Bigger numbers make us more likely to draw attention, dingus.”

“No, you think? Still, I mean, it couldn’t hurt to send maybe four of us instead of only two.” The second voice groaned, “I’m not getting paid enough to deal with this.”

“Better than dealing with the the alternative,” said the first with a grumble. “All that damn cloak and dagger business back home is the last thing we need right now.”

“All that damn cloak and dagger business is what pays our bills, remember?”

“Oh shut up and get packing. We’ll head out at sunset.”

The second voice snickered, “Heh, I love you, too.”

End of Chapter Four

Author's Note

Well, there you have it. Hot changeling on pony on dragon on changeling action... in no particular order. Unsurprisingly, this chapter is the longest single piece of work I've written for any of my stories on Fimfiction. Go figure, huh?

Anyway, this chapter was made possible in part by two individuals: the dapper littlerobotbird and the illustrious Superflyingcookie. Their proofreading and thoughts/suggestions/corrections given to this chapter helped a boatload. I'd erect shrines in their name and sing great battle hymns about them, but that'd be overdoing it a tidbit. So instead, they get this bit of thanks on the Author's Note.

(Seriously, though, you two rock. Thanks, both of you!)

So, yeah, things are rolling along for Spike and the gang. Where will this crazy ride take us next? Who knows, but there is likely going to be either a) Luna, b) Luna, c) Luna, or d) Luna. Choices, choices, choices...

Thanks for reading!

A Game of Disguise and Discord

The Everfree House

by Denim_Blue

Chapter Five: A Game of Disguise and Discord

Spike and Scootaloo stood at the entrance to the Everfree House cafeteria. The muffled sound of several conversations happening at once could be heard just beyond the doors, along with the occasional laugh or shout.

“So… you’re okay with this?” Spike asked gently. “Just…remember, changelings are omnivorous—”

“Oh, Spike, quit worrying,” Scootaloo said with an amused chuckle. “I’m a big girl. Some cooked meat isn’t going to scare me away. Or have you forgotten how many times I’ve helped Fluttershy feed her animals, including her foxes, otters, and snakes? Heck, the fish we gave the otters were still alive.”

“You have a good point…” Spike relented. “I just wanted to be sure.”

“I know; you asked me at least a dozen times on the way here…”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Excuse me for worrying.”

“It’s only cute the first five times, then it’s a bit annoying,” the mare said with a nudge of her foreleg. “Come on, I’m starving.”

Spike opened the doors, and almost immediately they were greeted by several dozen greetings. Numerous changelings, some he had yet to meet, were waving to him animatedly.

“There’s the sexy duo, see? I told you they’d make it!” said a familiar changeling’s voice. Spike cleared his throat as Scootaloo snickered in amusement.

“Oh, it is Friends Spike and Scootaloo! How wondrous!” cheered Blur as she looked towards the two newcomers.

“Heeeey, they made it!”

“Just don’t eat all the food, okay?”

Spike blinked in surprise as he took in the scene before him. Several of the longer tables had been pushed together to form one long table that ran almost the entire length of the cafeteria. Admittedly, it wasn’t the biggest cafeteria he had seen, but it was still a sizable length.

“Oh wow…” Scootaloo murmured as her eyes scanned the assortment of dishes to select from.

The smells were rather exotic to her, but she recognized a few. There were several curry dishes, she could tell that much. One of them had a green sauce that smelled distinctly of spinach and cheese. There were assorted types of bread and wraps laid out, and dishes of raw greens. She spotted several large bowls full of rice and vegetables and greens to choose from: broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, water chestnuts, leafy greens, carrots, leeks, green onions, bean sprouts, and so forth. All of them were placed next to bottles of various sauces and oils. There were pots full of noodles in broth, and, were she a griffon, she would have been drooling over the plates with whole, cooked chickens and smoked fish on them.

“Spike,” Scootaloo said slowly.

“Yeah?”

“We’re making this a weekly thing, okay?” Her stomach gurgled, as if to add its input on the matter.

Spike laughed. “You’ll get no argument from me. Everything looks delicious.”

“That’s because Ebon, Fade, and I cooked tonight.” Spike and Scootaloo looked to see Colea wave to them. She grinned proudly as she continued, gesturing to the food. “We tried going with dishes common to our homeland.”

This time, both Spike and Scootaloo’s stomachs growled, and the two gave embarrassed smiles to Colea.

“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment for the food smelling good,” said Colea. “Have a seat and dig in.”

Spike and Scootaloo took seats between Fade and a male drone changeling. Spike and Scootaloo began to serve themselves what was within reach, both eager to try the delicious, and in some cases new, dishes.

“Oh, dude,” said the male changeling sitting beside Spike. “Don’t eat that stuff…”

Spike glanced down at his ladle full of spinach sauce curry and frowned. “Um… what’s wrong with it?”

“Fade used some pre-made ingredients and wheat noodles instead of rice noodles. It’s not authentic,” he replied with a grin. Almost immediately, Fade looked over to him and gave him an unamused look.

“So… it’s not bad?”

The drone laughed. “Nah, it’s fine. Fade’s not that bad at cooking. Though, I make better Appleloosan-style bean chili than she could ever hope to replicate.”

“Raxis, your praise never ceases to amaze me,” Fade said with sigh. “Ignore him, Spike. He’s like a bad case of carapace molt: if you scratch or bite, he only gets worse.”

While Spike didn’t know Fade as well as some of the others at the Everfree House, he was certain there was an undercurrent of teasing and genuine friendliness in her words.

“You’re being too nice, sis. I’d sooner put a bottle of ipecac in the next bowl of soup he steals from me if he insulted my cooking,” said Wisp, who was sitting directly across from Scootaloo.

“Oh, Wisp, I love it when you talk dirty,” Raxis laughed. Wisp rolled her eyes, but just like Fade, there was a genuine smile on her lips.

Spike looked over to Scootaloo, who was already digging into a massive plate of curry with spinach sauce. She took in a mouthful of the palak paneer, her eyes widening as she licked her lips. “Oh wow…”

“Do you like it?” asked a voice a table over from them. Spike recognized the changeling who spoke as none other than Ebon, who was watching Scootaloo with mild interest.

“Mmhmm!” Scootaloo replied, her cheeks puffed out a bit as she took in another spoonful. She blushed slightly and after swallowing her mouthful, added, “I-I mean, yeah. It’s great, um…”

“You may call me Ebon,” she said softly with the barest trace of a smile. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s been awhile since I could get ahold of paneer cheese, but a vendor passing through town happened to have some for sale. Blur here was perceptive enough to buy some for me.” Ebon looked over to Blur.

The younger nurturer changeling smiled at Ebon. “I had hoped you would be able to use it. Colea says you’re great at traditional foods.”

“Heh, it beats anything I can make,” Scootaloo said with a laugh. “Spinach lasagna is about the only thing I can do well. Well… that and PB & J.”

“Do not feel embarrassed, Friend Scootaloo,” Blur said with an encouraging smile. “Cooking is a skill that requires much practicing.”

Scootaloo nodded. “Yeah, don’t I know. Though, it’s kinda hard to want to cook when you have someone like Spike, a god at culinary work, and a master confectioner like Bonbon living under the same roof as you.”

“Bonbon?” Blur repeated. “Ah, is she a pony friend of yours?”

“Oh, well, yeah,” Scootaloo said with a smile. “Well… not just a friend. Spike, Lyra, Bonbon, and I all live in the same home. Spike and I pay rent to Bonbon and Lyra once a month.”

“We’re pretty sure they wouldn’t let us leave even if we wanted to, though,” Spike added. “We’re not so much tenants as we are housemates to them. I mean, we’re paying only a fraction of what most tenants in this part of Equestria do.”

“Tch, lucky.” Raxis shook his head and let out a sigh. “Back when I was living in Whinnyapolis, my landlord was a royal pain in the carapace. Jerk tried charging me extra fees every other month for some reason or another.”

Spike nodded in understanding. “The situation with changelings is getting better in Equestria. A little bit, at least.” He shrugged and gave a weak smile. “Not to mention you all couldn’t have picked a better place to set up shop. Ponyville is probably the most open-minded community in all of Equestria.”

“It’s a cozy little community,” Raxis agreed with a grin.

Spike returned to his meal, only to pause as he spotted a small pair of bright, inquisitive, blue eyes a little ways from Ebon peeking at him from over the table. The little changeling cocked its head to the side a bit, only to shrink back as Spike looked at it. Scootaloo must have noticed as well, because she began to giggle as the bright blue eyes ducked beneath the table.

A donkey jenny sitting next to the little changeling looked to Spike before nudging the little changeling. “Go on, Mande, say hello.” The little changeling buzzed, likely in protest, but the jenny just chuckled softly. “That’s Spike. Don’t you remember me telling you about him?” She placed a hoof gently on the youngling’s head and rustled its dorsal fin. “Now, be nice and say hi to him and Scootaloo.”

The changeling mumbled something, then looked to Spike. “Um… h-h-hello.”

Spike made a conscious effort not to grin. Young foals tended to be spooked the first time they got a look at his sharp teeth. “Hello to you, too. What’s your name?”

“I’m Mande… um…” Spike had never seen a young changeling face to face before, but he gauged by the tone in the youngling’s voice that it was a male. “M-my mom says you’re in charge of keeping her safe…”

Spike chuckled. “I’m in charge of Security here, so yes, I’d say she’s right.” He nodded to the changeling. “It’s nice to meet you, Mande.”

“Um… thanks…” The youngling seemed to relax a little. He then looked to Scootaloo, and Spike spotted the faintest of blushes appear on Mande’s cheeks. “H-hi, miss.”

“Miss? Oh, that’s cute,” Scootaloo laughed. “Scootaloo’s fine, sweetie.”

Mande was now a healthy shade of cucumber in the cheeks, mumbling as he shrunk back into his chair.

“So, how did you come to be Mande’s mother?” Spike asked, then added. “I… well, I only ask since…” He coughed into a hand. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

“No need to apologize. I adopted Mande about two years ago from the Canterlot orphanage,” the jenny explained. “Mande’s lived his whole life in Equestria.” She glanced up to Spike and Scootaloo, and chuckled. “Ah, sorry. My name is Amelia. I help care for the gardens with my husband Roulf.”

Mande perked up a bit at the mentioning of his adopted father. “Dad’s teaching me how to plant tulips right now. It’s fun!”

Scootaloo turned back to Mande and giggled. “I’m not that good at gardening. It takes lots of patience that I never had.”

“Oh, trust me, I can relate. My husband’s the expert, I just help out and keep the garden clear of any weeds. Roulf, though? He spent a good portion of his life working in the Canterlot Gardens”

That got Spike’s attention. “No kidding? I lived in the castle when I was still a kid.” He sifted through his mental catalog of castle staff, only to draw a blank. “Roulf… I feel bad, but the name doesn’t ring any bells for me.”

Amelia nodded in understanding. “Roulf was never one to garner much attention. He likes to keep to himself and tend his plants. He would be here tonight, but he’s helping a brother in Dodge Junction. He won’t be back until next week from what it sounds like.” She leaned down and gave Mande a loving nuzzle. “So, for now, Mande and I are in charge of the gardens around here.”

“So, Mande,” Spike began. “Do you go to school in Ponyville?”

“Um… yes.” Mande looked to Spike, then fidgeted a bit. “Miss Cheerilee is my teacher.”

“You know, Miss Cheerilee used to teach me when I was your age,” Scootaloo added. “You make sure to listen to her. She’s a great teacher.” Spike gave Scootaloo an amused look. “What?” She frowned.

“Hm? Oh, nothing. Just funny, hearing you of all ponies give lectures about being a good student.” Spike laughed, raising an arm as Scootaloo gave him a light slap with a hoof.

“Oh, shush.” Scootaloo turned back to Mande and continued. “Spike’s a dolt. If he ever gives you trouble, you just tell me, okay?”

Mande grinned. “M’kay, Mis- I mean… Scootaloo.”

“Spike,” Colea began, “Blur and I were given tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala, as I’m sure you remember, and we were wondering if you knew any reliable chariot services in Ponyville, seeing as you’ve lived here for quite awhile.”

Spike frowned a little, doing everything in his power to avoid looking to the pegasus sitting beside him. “Oh, well, I—”

“How crazy is that?” Scootaloo cut in, her voice a bit too chipper for Spike’s liking. “Spike and I are going to the Gala this year as well!”

Colea blinked, but a smile spread across her lips. “Is that so? Spike, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Um…” Spike shrugged. “Must’ve slipped my mind…” He gave a weak chuckle.

“This is most wonderful news,” Blur piped in, clopping her hooves together. “We shall all go together, then!”

“Haha, well, I’m not sure how long I’ll be attend—”

“That sounds like a great idea! You can meet the rest of our friends, and we’ll hitch a huge chariot ride to Canterlot together! I’m sure one of our friends can pull a favor or two from somepony in town,” Scootaloo said, once more speaking just loud enough to drown out Spike’s voice.

As Blur began to chat excitedly with Scootaloo about what she hoped to see and do at the Gala, Spike suppressed a loud groan. It was bad enough that his friend, the Princess of the Night, his marefriend, and a group of mares who were his friends, were all more or less begging (i.e. forcing) him to go the Gala, but now his own employer?

He gave Scootaloo an unamused look. She merely smiled back, and, despite his best efforts, he couldn’t help but sigh and smile a little.

I suppose it won’t be so bad, so long as she’s with me…

Dinner came and went, time flying by as idle chatter continued between the Everfree House staff. Spike couldn’t help but feel a tad disappointed when most of those attending dinner eventually excused themselves, retiring to their respective rooms and homes. He had enjoyed the familial atmosphere.

“So, Spike…”

Spike looked up from the glass of after-dinner brandy Colea had offered him, only to see Raxis standing beside him. “What’s up, Raxis?”

“Double Take mentioned you have a friend in the music business, right?”

“That’s right,” Spike replied, giving the changeling a nod. “I haven’t gotten around to writing her yet, but either way, she should be visiting town some time this month.” He chuckled in amusement. “Why? You looking to get into music?”

“Actually, yeah.”

Spike blinked. “O-oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make fun or—”

Raxis grinned. “It’s cool, Spike, no worries. I mean, I won’t pretend that it’s not a demanding, harsh business… but… yeah, I was hoping that maybe she can point me in the right direction to start up a band or something. Though, I suppose that all depends on what her style of music is.” He cocked his head to the side. “Mind me asking what her name is?”

“Sweetie Belle,” Spike answered.

As Raxis’ eyes slowly widened and his jaw went slack, Spike braced himself.

“N-no way. Sweetie Belle? You got to… oh, I get it.” Raxis shook his head and chuckled, then regained his composure. “Haha, okay, funny. So, really, who is it?”

Spike kept his expression serious, a practiced routine of his when it came to this kind of conversation. “I’m not kidding. Sweetie Belle is my friend. Heck, go over and talk to Scootaloo if you don’t believe me. She knows Sweetie Belle even better than I do. She, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle have been friends for years, back when I first moved to Ponyville.” The drake grinned. “They still write to each other all the time. I think Scootaloo even had a hoof in some of her songs.”

Raxis looked at Spike for several long seconds, his ears twitching a bit. “Wow, you’re freaking serious, aren’t you?”

“I am,” Spike replied. “Shoot, I had a crush on Sweetie’s sister for ages. Just ask her.”

The changeling laughed quietly. “I forget how many big names are from Ponyville.”

“Eh, I call it small town charm,” Spike said with a shrug. “So, yeah, do you want to meet her?”

“The chance to talk to the Sweetie Belle? The biggest rising star in Equestria? Y-yeah, that’d be awesome.” Raxis laughed and scratched his neck while looking to the floor. “I wasn’t expecting a musical icon like her to be your friend. Wow…”

“Yeah, just don’t be getting any ideas with her…” Spike said jokingly. “She’s a real heartbreaker. I’ve seen more stallions crumble before her than I care to admit.”

Raxis chuckled. “No need to worry, Spike.” His smirk became a little devious. “I’m not just a fan of the ladies, after all. In fact, if you’re not busy…” He let his words trail off, leaning a little closer to Spike, the faintest smirk on his lips.

“O-oh, uh… that’s flattering, but… I’m more inclined towards mares.” Spike gave Raxis a small smile. “Sorry.”

Raxis leaned away, laughing a little. “Ah, well, that’s a shame. You’re easy on the eyes, but I know when to stop digging down the wrong tunnel…” His eyes widened a bit, then he added. “Although… I don’t have to be a male. I mean, I am a changeling…”

Spike shook his head and laughed. “Raxis, I’d need way more brandy for that to happen. It’d just be in the back of my mind the whole time.”

Raxis sighed, but gave an understanding smile. “It’s cool, Spike. I wouldn’t be in this business if I didn’t respect preferences.”

“Raxis will rut with anyone, just as long as there is heavy metal music playing in the background,” said Wisp as she flitted over to the two.

Raxis rolled his eyes. “Says the changeling that’ll seduce anything with a pulse.”

“I consider that a talent, thank you very much. Being able to see the attractive qualities in others is a gift,” Wisp said, lifting her nose into the air. “There are, of course, exceptions to this gift of mine.” She glanced at Raxis as she continued. “Like you.”

Raxis and Wisp glared at each other for all of three seconds before Raxis’ frown split into a mirthful grin. It proved to be contagious, and soon Wisp wore the same look, laughing a bit.

Spike quirked an eyebrow while giving the two a bemused look. “Did I miss something?”

“Eh, Raxis and I used to hate each other when we first started,” Wisp replied. “Like, seriously. I wanted to stomp in his guts.”

“For what it’s worth, I instigated a lot of those fights we had. You weren’t entirely in the wrong,” Raxis chuckled.

Wisp nodded in agreement. “True.” She turned back to Spike. “Anyway, we eventually had to work together one night on patrol around the Everfree Forest. We were ambushed by a manticore. Had Raxis not transformed into one himself, I would’ve been killed.”

“You did help me out with that fight, though,” Raxis added. “Don’t forget about that.”

“Right, right…” Wisp waved a hoof. “Anyway, after both of us narrowly avoided being eaten by a manticore and a giant timberwolf that night…” Spike gasped. “I know, I know, crazy, but true… anyway, after that night, we sorta just… became friends, I guess. You don’t go through that kind of stuff without forging a bond.”

“I know what you mean. I’ve gone through some hard times, but I’ve had ponies like Scootaloo there for me.” Spike looked over to see his marefriend talking with Double Take. “I’ve made some great friends here in Ponyville. I wouldn’t trade them for the world.”

Raxis laughed loudly at that. When Spike gave him a confused look, the changeling shook his head and held up a hoof. “S-sorry. It’s just… wow…” He cocked his head to the side and smiled. “You’re the real deal when it comes to that stuff, aren’t you? I mean, I remember seeing the papers and how they spoke of you as a hero sometimes back when you were a councilor. Of course, a lot of them tried to make you out to be a typical crooked politician, but… well, I think most of us knew the truth.”

“Um… thanks, I guess,” Spike said with shrug.

“Don’t ever change, Spike,” Wisp said, giving Spike a playful nudge. “Alright, well, I need to get to bed. Early day tomorrow.” She gave Raxis a light bump on the shoulder with a hoof, and playful wink to Spike, then made towards the doors leading out of the cafeteria.

As Wisp disappeared beyond the doors, Raxis shook his head, smiling. “She’s got it bad.”

“Hm?” Spike asked.

“Nothing,” Raxis replied. “Anyway… yeah, if it’s not any trouble for you or Sweetie Belle, maybe let her know that I’d like to talk to her? I’d really appreciate it.”

“No problem, Raxis. I’m sure she’d be happy to meet a fellow music enthusiast.”

“Thanks. I better get to bed as well.” Raxis made his way to the door, waving a hoof to Spike as he did. “Later, Spike. Nice talking with you.”

“See you around, Raxis,” Spike called back.

It was at that point that Scootaloo walked over to the drake’s side. “So, you ready to head out to your nerd-gathering?” she asked teasingly.

Spike rolled his eyes. “Careful, now. Our Dungeon Lord happens to be the Spirit of Disharmony himself, you know.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Pfft, Discord’s a walking joke waiting to happen these days. That and Fluttershy would give him such a scolding if he acted up at all.”

“Hmph, obviously you’ve never played a campaign with him running things,” Spike grumbled, mostly to himself. “Roll a natural one and you’re guaranteed to have something completely illogical happen. Like, this one time I was fighting a cave troll and I was separated from the group. I rolled a natural one and Discord had a rutabaga suddenly grow out of my back, and then I was ten percent more vulnerable to biting damage. Not to mention—”

“Spike, reel it in. I don’t speak Dungeonese,” Scootaloo laughed.

Spike threw back the last of his drink, then nodded to the door. “Right, sorry. Let’s say goodbye and head out, then.”

“Leaving already, huh?”

Spike and Scootaloo turned to see Colea walking towards them. Spike offered the changeling a small smile. “Afraid so, Colea. I’m actually meeting some friends for our weekly get-together.”

“He plays Dungeons and Caverns,” Scootaloo said with a wave of her hoof.

Spike, now slightly flushed in the cheeks, frowned at the pegasus. “I was going to say that, you know.”

Scootaloo stuck out her tongue. “Sure you were.”

Colea chuckled, “Ah, never got into the roleplaying games, myself. Though, Blur has always had a fascination for fantasy and such.”

“You don’t say?” Spike perked up at this. “Well, our campaign’s been looking for another member for awhile now and Ponyville’s short on willing volunteers.”

“Well, don’t let me keep you, then.” Colea gave the two a nod. “Thanks again for stopping by. Spike, we’ll see you tomorrow around one in the afternoon?”

“You got it, Colea,” Spike replied with a nod. “Thanks for the dinner. It was great.”

“Later, Colea. I’ll be stopping by again soon,” Scootaloo said.

“Well, I’ll hold you to that, then,” Colea said with a smile. “Have a good night!”

Spike and Scootaloo made their way out of the cafeteria after saying their goodbyes to Blur

“Did you know Double Take used to be a government courier for the Changeling Nation before she moved here?” Scootaloo asked.

“Really?” Spike raised an eyebrow. “Wow, I guess that explains how she gets around so quickly.”

Scootaloo nodded. “Yeah, I was talking with her about my job. To be honest, with what she had to put up with working in the Badlands… my job is a cake walk.” She shook her head. “I’m glad you got this job, Spike. I… I guess I never really had anything against changelings. I mean, yeah, there was that whole invasion thing, but I figured not all changelings are like that.” She laughed, “It’s nice to actually meet changelings face to face, though.”

Spike paused, looking to the mare beside him. His expression was of genuine surprise. When he spoke, there was a hint of elation in his words. “That… I’m happy to hear that, Scoots.” He leaned down and nuzzled her gently. She returned the gesture in kind, sighing a little as she felt his scales softly brush against her fur. “I’m sure they appreciate the thought, too.”

“What can I say?” she said with a chuckle. “I’m just awesome like that.”

Spike smirked. “You sure you’re not just saying that because of our little session with Wisp and Odonae?”

“Hey, I’m not denying that I enjoyed that. I’m just saying, it’s great to actually speak to them and not just hear about them from the papers and word of mouth.”

Spike laughed, “Well, I’m glad, then.” They continued down the road in comfortable silence for awhile, eventually turning down a fork in the road that lead to Fluttershy’s cottage.

“So… I don’t think I’ve ever asked, but how many are in this dungeon game thing of yours?”

“There’s four of us in our current campaign.” Spike lifted a hand and counting on his fingers. “Fluttershy, Snails, Silver Spoon, and myself.”

At the last name, Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow. “Wait, I’m sorry… did you say Silver Spoon?”

“Yep.”

“Silver Spoon. Wears glasses… fussy with her looks… wealthy parents… helps run her dad’s jewelry store…?”

“Yes, Scootaloo. Silver Spoon, the mare that is best friends with Diamond Tiara. The same mare who used to terrorize you, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom.”

Scootaloo grinned deviously. “You don’t say.”

“Scoot, be nice. You told me that you girls all made up years go,” Spike said in a warning tone. “She’s… still kinda leery about letting others know she’s part of our group.”

“Heh, at least she knows a dorky activity when she sees it.” Scootaloo ducked as Spike attempted to flick her ear. She laughed as Spike snorted in annoyance. “Oh, come on, Spike! I was just teasing! Besides, if dorky things really bothered me, would I be dating you?”

Spike continued to grumble. Scootaloo sighed, and lifted into the air. She flapped around him a few times, then hovered in front of him. When the drake paused and met her gaze, she grinned.

“Spike, if it means anything, I still collect comic books. Heck, I just bought the latest issue of ‘Steampunk Talon’ last week. I can name every single one of Bud Steelfeather’s gadgets since issue #1 by memory.” She gave Spike a wink. “I think that makes me just as much of a nerd as you.” She then added with a smirk. “Maybe a cooler nerd, since it’s ‘Steampunk Talon’, but all the same…”

“You’re right, I guess…” The drake’s frown melted into a soft smile. “Not to mention the time we dressed up as Mane-iac and Hum Drum for Nightmare Night.”

Scootaloo’s cheeks brightened a bit. “Oh Celestia, don’t remind me of that.”

“Hey, you look good in spandex with a green wig on. And then you made out with Dinky after a few bottles of cider while she was wearing a Daring Do costume. It was like the gods of comic books and adventure novels were answering my prayers.”

“Ugh, I said don’t remind me!”

“What? Dinky wasn’t that bad, was she?”

“No, but trying to lie to Derpy about all the moaning that had been coming from her daughter’s room the next morning was.”

Spike blinked once. Then twice. Then he snickered. Then broke out into a fit of laughter.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” Scootaloo grumbled.

“How did I not hear about this?” Spike asked as he continued to laugh.

“Because Dinky and I were so embarrassed we swore never to speak of it… until now, I guess…” Scootaloo rubbed her temples with both hooves. “C’mon, I see Flutter’s cottage up ahead.”

Sure enough, the humble abode of Ponyville’s resident animal lover was straight ahead. The faint trickle of a nearby stream could be heard, and the chorus of nighttime insects was in full swing. The glow of lanterns could be seen through the windows, and Spike and Scootaloo could hear the faint sounds of conversation from inside.

“Think Fluttershy made any of her gingersnaps?” Scootaloo asked as they neared the cottage.

“You can eat after that huge meal we just had?” Spike asked her with a hint of disbelief. When she offered him a nod, he added, “Seriously?”

“Pegasus metabolism, Spike,” Scootaloo said, as though that was an at all believable answer.

“You ponies scare me sometimes. And I’ve been growing up around all of you my whole life.” Spike shook his head at the mare as they stopped at the door.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she chuckled, giving Spike a winning smile.

Spike knocked three times, not too loudly, and not too quietly. There was the shuffling of a chair from inside, and the sound of hooves on wooden flooring. The door opened a crack, revealing a single, deep cyan eye, a faint wisp of pink mane covering part of it.

“O-oh, goodness, Spike!” came the voice of Fluttershy, who opened the door fully. “Oh, and Scootaloo, too!” The timid mare smiled brightly, greeting the two with quick hugs. “Come in, we just started a few minutes ago.”

“Good. Snails didn’t get us in trouble with any local governments yet, did he?”

“I heard that,” called a stallion from within the cottage.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’,” Spike sighed. “Please tell me he didn’t offend some noble again. My Charisma checks can only save us so many times before one of us is going to get locked up in a dungeon.”

“Then Silver Spoon would have to break us out, wouldn’t she?” Fluttershy giggled. “Come on, I’ve been playing for you. I… um… spent a little of your money to get you some potions, since you were running low if I remembered right. Um, I hope you don’t mind…”

Spike chuckled. “Not at all, Fluttershy. Thanks.”

Fluttershy turned back to Scootaloo. “I didn’t think you’d actually show up. I do hope we don’t bore you too much.”

“Bah, I’ll get a kick out of it, I’m sure.” Scootaloo waved a hoof. “Besides, Spike’s adorable when he’s being a nerd.”

Spike’s smile instantly turned into an annoyed frown, and he grumbled something about comics and spandex as he walked into the den room.

“I-is he alright?” Fluttershy asked with concern.

Scootaloo laughed. “He’ll be fine.”

The two mares followed the drake into the cottage. Scootaloo’s eyes immediately fell upon the four figures sitting in the middle of the room.

She immediately recognized the floating form of Discord holding up a very dense book titled The Beginner’s Guide to Complex Dungeon Lording, Version 2.2 in one hand while holding a steaming mug in another. He wore a cap on his head with the words ‘Because I Said So’ on the brim, and had an elaborate robe that would have been befitting of the princesses themselves during a ceremonial event.

Next to Discord was Ponyville’s junior librarian, Snails. He had on a pair of thin-framed glasses, and was currently writing something down on a notebook. Every few minutes he would blow a strand of unkempt mane out of his eyes. Scootaloo couldn’t help but chuckle: despite his degrees in Entomology, Etymology, and Library Sciences, and the fact that his supposed IQ tests had placed him within the ranks of Twilight Sparkle, she would always know the young stallion as that awkard colt who was lanky, loved corny jokes, and had a big heart. She still saw him as a bit of a nerd, but she knew that more than a few mares had taken notice of Snails. If only he weren’t so obsessed with his studies, maybe he would have noticed as well.

Across the table, sitting next to Spike, was the mare that Scootaloo had a rather mixed history with.

Silver Spoon still held on to a bit of her haughty attitude, but had toned it down a lot and grown out of her bullying phase. She and Scootaloo were considerably friendlier to each other these days. That likely attributed to the fact that Silver had managed to step out of Diamond Tiara’s shadow during high school and open herself up to other ponies. These days she spent much of her time slowly taking command of her parents’ jewelry store and brushing up on her skills in appraising antiques. She had apparently gone to school for business, but stopped halfway through to return home after her father’s health began to wane. One day she planned to return to finish her education, or so she always said when asked about it.

Discord was the first to take notice of Scootaloo’s presence. He raised an eyebrow, then gave a crooked smile. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Ponyville’s resident wrecking ball.” He grinned as Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Long time, no see, Scootaloo.”

“Hi, Discord,” the mare sighed, a small smile creeping onto her features. “How’s the whole good-guy thing going for you these days?”

“Oh, you know. Same old, same old. I turned a pine tree into a giant cauliflower last month, received a few complaints from the local fauna…” He lowered his voice as he continued. “I was also verbally chewed out by a certain pegasus mare…”

“That tree was over two hundred years old, and has been the nesting site for a family of hawks for over six generations, Discord,” Fluttershy said in a gentle, yet stern voice. “You should have known better than to do that in the first place.”

“I still say you were being a party-pooper.” The draconequus returned to flipping through his guidebook, which he was now reading upside down. “At least I changed it back…”

Scootaloo simply shook her head and fought back another chuckle. She turned her attention to Silver Spoon, who was intently studying the dice laid out before her.

“So… never thought I’d see you here,” Scootaloo said, grinning a little. “How’s it going, Silver Spoon?”

Silver Spoon looked up, and seemed to be fighting down a blush. “I’m… fine, I guess.” She closed her eyes, then sighed. “You might as well get it out of your system.”

“Get what out of my system?” Scootaloo asked.

Silver Spoon looked squarely at Scootaloo this time. “Come on. I know you want to laugh. Silver Spoon, playing Dungeons and Caverns. Hilarious, I know…”

“Oh, no, don’t worry about that,” Scootaloo chuckled softly. “Spike’s getting the brunt of that right now. Besides, while it’s nerdy, nerdy isn’t necessarily bad, right? I mean, I collect comic books. To each their own.”

Silver Spoon seemed to loosen up a little upon hearing that. A small smile worked its way onto her lips. “Oh… I… sorry. It’s just… well, Diamond’s gotten used to it, but she kinda gave me some grief about it at first. So did a few of the other girls.”

“Really?” Scootaloo asked, her amusement disappearing instantly. “I thought Diamond was over her whole spoiled brat phase.”

“Nothing bad, just kinda annoying.” Silver gave Scootaloo a reassuring smile. “Mostly stuff like buying me a cloak and rucksack for my birthday, then buying me nothing but mead when we hit the bars.”

“I wish I could say the same,” Snails sighed. “Snips and Pip figured that replacing all the juice in my house with ‘potions’ would make for a good practical joke.”

“Potions?” Scootaloo repeated.

“Yeah… they bottled up tons of prune juice and poured a bottle of habanero into my strawberry jam. I, of course, guzzled down the first bottle of prune juice without even thinking about it when my tongue was on fire…” Snails shuddered at the memory. “Let’s just say I didn’t touch hot sauce for over two months after that… and I still get an upset stomach whenever I see prunes. Not so much with plums, thankfully.”

“Ew… sorry I asked,” Scootaloo replied with a wince. “So… are you guys already getting started?”

“We were about to embark on a journey to the Snagglerock Swamp,” Discord began, looking up from his book, which was now spewing out sparks at random intervals. “Up until Snails decided that attempting an untested spell in the court of a noble was a better idea. Now? The group is on the run from the Baron’s elite guard for almost setting the castle on fire.”

“... and destroying several hundred bits worth of property in the process…” Silver added.

“It was an accident, and you can’t blame me for rolling a natural one! I mean, come on! It’s completely up to chance!” Snails grumbled.

“Let’s… just see if we can try and solve the problem without getting arrested… again…” Spike said as he set out a few sheets of paper and die. “Charisma check, please be on my side…”

“So… how many more demon bats do we have to destroy?”

Spike looked at a random sheet of paper set before him. “Seven. One is immobilized by Fluttershy’s vines right now, and another is poisoned by Silver’s dart shots.”

“Great,” replied Snails. “Fluttershy, think you can heal me? I’m unconscious, and might suffer from head trauma if I don’t get healed soon.”

“Um… yes, but if I do that, then I might lose focus of my vines and the demon overlord bat would get loose.” Fluttershy looked to the dragon at the table. “Spike?”

“I’m almost out of healing spells for the day, and my Ring of the Sun still has that curse that we need to remove in order to give me extra healing spells,” Spike answered with a shake of his head. “Silver?”

“I’m still slowly sinking into a bog,” the earth pony mare grumbled.

“Oh, right, I’ll pull you out,” Spike said, shaking two die. “Aaaand… strength check of 18…”

Discord smirked. “You pull Silver out of the bog and she goes flying into the branches of a nearby tree. Silver, take one damage.”

“Oh come on!” Silver groused, making a tick mark on a sheet of paper. “I swear you have it in for me, Discord.”

Scootaloo, who had taken a spot beside Discord, giggled. “So, you always get to do stuff like this?”

“Yes, though I have to be somewhat merciful. It’s hard to be that way when they’re simply begging me to throw problems their way,” Discord answered with a dramatic sigh. “Luckily for them, when things do get ugly, Fluttershy usually bails them out.”

“Oh, I’m not that good…” Fluttershy said with a humble smile. “I just get lucky most of the time.”

Discord smirked, then leaned over to Scootaloo and whispered. “She’s about five levels higher than the rest of the group.”

“Is… that a lot?” Scootaloo asked.

Discord chuckled and gave Scootaloo a pat on the head. “Enough to make a difference.” He glanced across the table at the small group of ponies. “Sooo, what are you all going to do?”

Spike glanced at a notepad before him, and his eyes lit up. “Oh, geesh, completely forgot about this spell that I learned last level!” Spike cleared his throat. “I cast Sun’s Embrace upon the area to end my turn.”

Discord quirked an eyebrow. With a snap of his fingers, he produced the guidebook and started flipping through the pages. “Sun’s Embrace, Sun’s Embrace… hmm… Sun Storm, Sunnyside Eggs… ah… Sun’s Embrace.” He closed the book. “So… three six sided dice worth of damage to all Tartarus-spawn, undead, and chaos spawn. They’re bats, though, so—”

“Ah ah,” Spike held up a hand. “Demon bats. And, since I didn’t actually move at all, and I’m wearing my Helm of the Ursa Major, which allows spells to be cast on the same turn without—”

“Yes, yes, we know, Spike,” Discord sighed as he looked to Scootaloo. “I should’ve just listened to you and attacked them with viking slugs…” He waved a hand to the drake. “Fine, fine, roll your… dice or whatever.”

Spike grinned. “Don’t mind if I do.” He picked up the three dice and rattled them in his hands a few times, then dropped them on the table. “Let’s see… fifteen damage!”

“And they’re all dead.” Discord frowned. “Yay, team.”

“Oh, Discord, don’t feel so bad. We were almost beaten this time,” Fluttershy said consolingly.

Snails yawned. “Well, I don’t know about all of you, but I think I’m ready to call it a night.”

Silver Spoon glanced at the cuckoo clock hanging on the far wall of Fluttershy’s living room. “Whoa, it’s already after midnight?”

Fluttershy let out a small gasp. “Oh my, and I’m supposed to be getting up early to meet with Rainbow Dash for breakfast.” The pegasus looked to the others, and gave an apologetic smile. “I’m… really very sorry, but I think we’ll have to cut this game short for now. Unless you don’t want to, that is. I can let you all stay here if you want, but um, I’ll need to have one of you take over my character and—”

“It’s fine, Fluttershy. I think we’re all in agreement on calling it quits for the evening,” Spike said reassuringly. “Besides, I think we all had enough of Discord’s onslaught of insane inanity for today.”

“Oh, stop, Spike, you’re going to make me blush,” the draconequus said while feigning embarrassment.

As the group began to clean up the table, Spike excused himself to get a glass of water. He carefully watched where he walked, noting the occasional vole or mouse skittering past as he made his way to the kitchen sink.

“So, Spike, I’ve heard you’ve a new job just down the road.”

Spike looked over his shoulder to see Discord floating into the kitchen while using a nail file on his pinky claw. “Yeah, over at the Everfree House. Only a couple days, though.” The dragon shrugged as he took a swig of his water.

“Uh huh,” Discord continued, now sporting a pair of glasses with magnifying lenses attached, picking at something beneath a claw. “You know, if I recall correctly, you’re something of a celebrity among the changelings of Equestria.”

“Eh, it’s nothing huge.” Spike set down the glass, and turned to face the Spirit of Chaos fully. “I mean, between you and me, I’ve been trying to keep as low a profile as possible these past few years.”

“Oh, and I can only imagine what the reason for that would be,” Discord replied with a snort, tossing the glasses away. “Is this job of yours some attempt at getting under a certain alicorn’s skin? Perhaps two certain alicorns?”

“What I do is none of their concern,” Spike grumbled. “But for the record, no. I thought I’d give the place a look, figuring maybe I could get a job as a cook. Instead, I ended up hired for security work.” The dragon frowned. “Look, Discord, I know you’re on good terms with… those two these days—”

“Who? Celestia and Twilight?” Discord asked innocently. If it wasn’t for the over-exaggerated fluttering of his eyes, the dragon may have believed him for a moment.

“Yes…” Spike sighed. “Look, are you just going to try and badger me into talking to them again like last month?” Spike looked to Discord, who was now holding a rather fluffy badger in his arms and sporting a crooked grin.

Spike folded his arms together and gave Discord a level look.

“Fine, I’ll stop.” Discord shook his head and raised his arms in apparent defeat, dropping the badger in the process. The furry mustelid let out an annoyed hiss and padded out of the kitchen. “One of these days you have to talk to her, you know.”

“It’s a lot easier to avoid royalty than you’d expect, especially when you’re not trying to terrorize the countryside,” Spike snarked. “Why are you so worried about it, Discord? I mean, yeah, I know we’re friends, but… what’s with all the concern?” Spike waved a hand dismissively. “I’ve done just fine for the past two years, and I’m certain I’ll continue to do so.”

“Well, for starters,” Discord began. “Twilight Sparkle and Celestia are friends of mine, too.”

Spike gave a noncommittal grunt.

“Luna tells me that Twilight barely gets any sleep these days. Something about bad dreams and such.”

Spike nodded as he studied a shelf brimming with knick-knacks along the wall.

Discord grumbled in annoyance as he pulled a night cap out of his right ear. He then casually popped both eyes out of their sockets, and swapped them with a matching pair, though these came with armless reading spectacles. “Well, seeing as you’re acting like a brute and not even trying to be irritated by me, I’ll just be off to bed then. Good night. Hmph.”

With that, the draconequus left the kitchen. Spike sighed as soon as Discord was gone.

“He’s got a point, you know.”

Spike looked up to see Silver Spoon standing at the entrance to the kitchen. She had a dark blue cloak on, her saddlebags strapped to her back.

“Silver, don’t worry about—”

“First off, I am going to worry about it, so save your breath,” the young mare began. “Second, I won’t ask for specifics, but I can say that it’s not healthy to live with this resentment. I mean… you and Twilight were like siblings, for pony’s sake.”

“Yeah, key word there being ‘were’,” the drake replied. “The past is in the past.”

Silver Spoon frowned. “If you say so. Just… remember, nopony is perfect. Sometimes we do stupid things. I can attest to that myself. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom were Diamond Tiara and my targets for bullying when we were fillies. We knew the teasing hurt them, but we didn’t care. It took some time to realize that it was better to be their friends, and even longer still before they could get past their, well, completely justified resentment. Still, they did get over that, and we’re all better for it.”

Spike shrugged. “Well, you’ll have to excuse me, but foalhood problems aren’t a good comparison to what Twilight and I went through.”

“I… okay, fair enough.” Silver Spoon adjusted the hood of her cloak, and walked up to Spike. “Just remember that you’ve got friends who care about you, okay? I’m sure that, whatever happened, Princess Twilight still cares about you, too. If Discord can say the stuff he said to you with a straight face, then I’m pretty sure there’s a grain of truth to it.” She held out a hoof, Spike’s silent indication to lower his neck so she could give him a hug, which he happily accepted.

The faintest hints of a smile formed on Spike’s lips. “Thanks, Silver. You’re a good mare. One of these days you’re going to make somepony very happy.”

Silver Spoon’s cheeks lit up, and she huffed. “S-shut up! Gah, I try to be serious about something and you go and just tease me.” She let go of Spike and gave him her best frown, which ended up working against her considering the healthy blush in her cheeks. “Ugh, whatever…” She turned around. “Don’t be a stranger. My dad misses his favorite client. ”

Spike let out a chuckle. “Alright, alright, tell him I’ll stop by some time soon and order a few rubies.”

Silver smiled. “Later, Spike.”

As Silver Spoon left the kitchen, Scootaloo entered. “Snails left just a minute ago, so we’re the last ones here. Ready to get going?”

“Yep. Poor Fluttershy is probably already thinking about laying out some cots for us, isn’t she?”

“I had to stop her when I saw her pulling out the blankets. She said she doesn’t mind, of course.”

“Good. The last thing I need is to sleep in the same place as Discord.”

Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow. “Is he a loud snorer?”

“No, not loud. He…” Spike paused. “He snores in pig latin. Or in kazoo… or…” Spike shook his head. “The point is, don’t go on a camping trip with him and forget earplugs.”

Scootaloo laughed. “I’ll try to remember that. Come on, let’s get home before Mama Bonbon gets worried that we’ve been out too late.”

“Chances are she’s probably still awake, reading in bed while Lyra’s fast asleep.”

As luck would have it, Bonbon was indeed awake… along with Lyra, an alicorn princess, and two Royal Night Guards carrying said alicorn princess’ luggage into their house.

“Princess Luna, I am so sorry for being so ill-prepared for your stay!” Bonbon said hurriedly as she followed the Princess of the Night through the living room. “If there is anything you need—”

“Bonbon, correct?” Luna looked to the earth pony mare and smiled softly.

“Y-yes, your Highness.”

“I require you to take a slow, deep breath…”

Bonbon breathed in slowly.

“Now, slowly exhale through your nose."

The tension in Bonbon’s shoulders lessened a little as she let out a sigh. “I… forgive me, your Highness. It’s just… well, you’re here, and not the Gilded Hoof Inn. I wasn’t expecting you.”

“My apologies,” Luna said with a small nod. “I had endeavored to surprise Spike and Scootaloo. I did not mean to worry either of you.”

“Eh, no worries, Princess,” Lyra said with a easy grin and a laugh. “It’s nice to get surprise visits from royalty. Maybe next time just show up before midnight.”

“Lyra!” Bonbon hissed. “I-I am sorry for my marefriend’s behavior! She’s just tired and—”

Luna’s chuckle drowned out Bonbon’s apology. “Ahaha…. ah, forgive me. Lyra, I forgot how refreshing your straightforward attitude is. Most ponies are too nervous to say what they feel around me.” She nodded to the unicorn mare. “I shall do what I can to meet that request next time. And I thank you for being so generous.” She looked once more to Bonbon. “Miss Bonbon, while I appreciate your concern, I can assure you that saying how you feel is much preferred to attempting to protect my feelings. I am a grown mare, after all.” She winked, earning a laugh from Lyra and a small smile from Bonbon.

As Luna made her way through the living area, Bonbon continued. “I’m afraid we don’t have much to offer compared to a royal suite, your Majesty.”

Luna just nodded, stopping at the bedroom door of Scootaloo and Spike. “I will make do. Besides, I find your home quite charming, actually. It is… comforting. Not unlike my own chambers.” She opened the door while Bonbon made the tiniest noises of protest.

“Y-you… I… well, that’s Spike and Scootaloo’s room and… oh, nevermind…” Bonbon whispered. “Lyra, can you keep the princess company while I get some blankets and pillows?”

Lyra rolled her eyes and gave her marefriend a peck on the cheek. “Yes, now stop worrying so much, Bonbon. Princess Luna’s cool.”

As Bonbon trotted down the hall to the linen closet, Lyra made her way into Spike and Scootaloo’s room. Luna had turned on a lamp, and was now surveying the bedroom. “I must admit, I am surprised by the lack of books in here,” Luna said with a smile. “I always knew Spike to be an voracious reader.”

Lyra chuckled. “That’s because he keeps all his books in the basement.”

Luna gasped. “The basement? Has he gone mad? Surely he knows that the pages will decay with mold and moisture!”

Lyra shook her head. “No, no, we’ve got a more modern kind of basement. It’s cool, dry, and the walls are a good five inches of concrete.” She tapped her horn, then continued. “I also know a little warding spell to protect materials from dust and stuff. I’m no archmage, but I got a little magical know-how.”

Luna visibly relaxed. “Well, that is a relief. Spike has several rare novels in his possession and I would hate to see them being treated so poorly.”

The unicorn mare barked out a laugh. “As if he’d let that happen. Spike would have a stroke if he saw one of his books dog-eared, much less less letting them get covered in mildew.” She sighed. “I can only imagine who he picked up his love for books from…”

Luna’s head drooped a bit. “Has he mentioned her?”

Lyra shook her head. “Not really. He actively avoids talking about Princess Twilight and… um… your sister…” For the first time since Luna arrived, Lyra’s voice lacked any amusement or cheer. “No one pushes him to talk things out with them… at least, not anymore. Well, I guess Discord still bothers him about it, but Spike’s got a pretty thick skin these days.”

Luna nodded. “Politics has a way of forcing that upon you.”

“For what it’s worth, though, Princess, he thinks the world of you. I don’t know what you did for him when he was in office, but I bet he’d do almost anything if it was you making the request.” She chuckled. “I know what Canterlot can do to a pony. Heck, I spent most of my life in that place. It’s beautiful, and has a lot of good things going for it, but there’s some bad mixed in.”

“I’m not a fan of the aristocracy, either,” Luna said with a sigh.

“I never said anything about the aristocrats,” Lyra replied, raising an eyebrow.

“You don’t have to; it’s common knowledge that the noble ponies—and high society in general—have a gigantic wooden shaft shoved up their collective posterior.”

“Heheh…” Lyra smiled while failing to hold back a giggle. The giggle quickly bloomed into full-blown laughter. Upon seeing Luna’s confused expression, Lyra waved a hoof. “Ah, sorry, sorry. I just… didn’t expect that from you.”

Luna smirked. “Even royalty can be crude once in awhile.”

The unicorn wiped away a tear of laughter as she managed to calm herself down. “You’re alright, Princess. You’re alright.” With that, Lyra turned towards her own bedroom. “Well, make yourself at home. Bonbon should be back with some extra blankets and pillows for you in a little bit. Try not to let her nervousness get to you. She’s just a worrywart in general; royal visits only amplify it.”

Luna, now by herself, took a good look at Spike and Scootaloo’s shared bedroom. A few posters hung up on the closet door, most of them depicting the Wonderbolts, or rather, a particular rainbow-maned Wonderbolt. More than a few of those posters had a signature scrawled across the bottom. Luna studied them closely, a small smile crossing her lips as she read the words beneath Rainbow Dash’s signature on the largest one.

To my number one fan, and the best little sister a mare could ask for. Thanks for always believing in me!

At times, Luna couldn’t help but be a little jealous of Rainbow Dash’s relationship with Scootaloo. That wasn’t to say that she and Scootaloo weren’t dear friends. It was just the fact that Scootaloo had known Rainbow Dash before she was a world-renown Wonderbolt. The first time the young mare had personally met Luna had been in a dreamscape. Even then, the reason for Luna’s visit was due to nightmares.

Eventually Bonbon arrived with almost five different blankets and three pillows stacked across her back. “I didn’t know if you preferred quilts or silk sheets, Princess, so I brought both. I hope you don’t mind the thread count, it’s probably nothing compared to what you have back in Canterlot, but we don’t have much to—”

“Thank you, Bonbon,” Luna said with a soft smile, taking the quilts, sheets, and pillows from the mare with her magic. “Your hospitality is greatly appreciated.”

“Is… is there anything else I can get you, Princess?” Bonbon asked with a nervous smile.

“Yes, there is, actually.”

Bonbon nodded. “What do you need, Princess?”

“I need you to relax. Then, it would be most appreciated if you enjoyed a good night’s rest,” Luna’s eyes twinkled with laughter as Bonbon gave her a dubious look. “Would that be at all possible?”

Bonbon’s nervous smile slowly melted into a genuine one. “Yes, your Majesty. I think I can do that for you.”

“Not for me,” Luna corrected. “For yourself. Eight hours, no less.”

“Eight hours?” Bonbon repeated. “I… but… but I have to be up to make Scootaloo and Spike breakfast and then get to my shop by—”

“Don’t fret over breakfast. I will do that for you.”

Bonbon chewed her lower lip, clearly debating having royalty in her kitchen. “If you’re okay with it, then I guess I could sleep in a little.”

“Splendid,” Luna said with a nod. “Now, off to bed with you.”

“Um, one more question, actually,” the earth mare asked, this time her gaze falling upon something outside of the bedroom.

“Yes?” Luna asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Um…” Bonbon lowered her voice a bit. “Well, it’s about your… guards. Will they be here while you’re staying with us?”

“Ah.” Luna sighed. “I’m afraid my sister would have a panic attack if she found out that I was without any escorts. Considering the reputation Ponyville has received for attracting chaos, I can understand her sentiments. Still…” The alicorn plopped onto the large bed, sinking into the overstuffed comforter laying across it. “I am afraid that they will be here as long as I am, so I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. However, I can promise you that Penumbra and Nightshade are nothing if not considerate towards others’ privacy. They’re true gentlecolts.”

That calmed Bonbon down, at least a little. The earth pony gave another sideways glance towards what Luna assumed to be the two guards in question.

“They are both unspoken for, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Luna added.

“W-what? N-no! I would never—I mean, Lyra is—” Bonbon stammered, stopping only as soon as she noticed the amused grin on the Princess of the Night’s lips. “I-I should get to bed.” With that, Bonbon made her way towards her own bedroom.

As soon as Luna heard the sound of Bonbon’s bedroom door closing, she burst into a fit of giggles.

“Well played, Milady. However, I worry Miss Bonbon may be even more nervous around us now,” said a low baritone voice. Luna looked up to the doorway to see one of the Night Guards standing at the entrance. “Do you require anything else of us?”

Luna let out a final giggle as she quieted down. “No, that will be all for now, Nightshade. You and Penumbra are free for the rest of the evening, too. There are a few taverns that might still be open, though I’m afraid the nightlife of Ponyville is lacking for the most part.”

Nightshade gave a salute. “By your leave, Milady, we would like to…” Nightshade paused for a moment, cleared his throat, and continued. “That is… I had the idea that perhaps Penumbra and I might visit the new establishment outside of town, near the Everfree Forest. We… hear that they have extended bar hours.”

“Extended bar hours?” Luna echoed with amusement in her tone. “Is that what ponies are calling it these days?”

“Milady, we… we had no intention of engaging in—”

Luna waved a hoof. “What you stallions do on your off time is your own business. I shan't pry. Just return before sunrise.”

Nightshade gave a final salute. “Thank you, Milady. Good evening.”

The sound of two sets of hooves leaving through the main entrance of the home could be heard moments later, followed by the front door closing. Luna’s horn glowed for a moment, and the soft clicking of the front door’s deadbolt falling back into place was heard. Satisfied, Luna turned her attention to a small bookshelf near the bed, and picked out a random book to read until Spike and Scootaloo returned.

Less than a few minutes later, Luna was interrupted from her reading by the sound of the front door being unlocked.

“... can’t believe he’s still dating Silver, though, you know? I never thought I’d see those two together.”

Luna immediately recognized the voice of Scootaloo.

“Well, Snips did mellow out a bit after he started growing that goatee. Maybe Silver Spoon was just waiting for him to catch up with her and stop acting like a kid?”

Luna smiled, recognizing the deeper voice of Spike as well. She got up from the bed, but as the voices neared the bedroom, a thought entered her mind.

I really shouldn’t, but…

Luna held back a giggle, and with a flare of her horn, vanished into thin air.

Spike and Scootaloo quickly went through their nightly rituals before crawling into the welcoming sheets of their bed. Spike sighed as Scootaloo rolled over to his side and rested her head in the crook of his neck.

“You want me to get you up again tomorrow?” Spike asked.

Scootaloo smiled. “Nah, no need. I got a letter in the mail today from work. Apparently I have more overtime hours coming in my next paycheck than work expected, so they changed my schedule up a little. I’m off tomorrow.”

Spike laughed softly. “Lucky you.”

“Darn right. That means I can spend more time enjoying my built-in furnace,” Scootaloo yawned, nuzzling Spike’s neck. Spike hummed contentedly, enjoying the soft fur brushing against his scales.

“G’night, Spike.”

“Good night, Scootaloo. I’ll try not to wake you up when I get ready for work.”

With that, a peaceful quiet filled the room, the only sounds being the quiet breathing of the two occupants in the bedroom, along with muffled, barely-audible sounds of Lyra snoring across the hall. Spike felt his eyelids growing heavy as the feeling of Scootaloo’s body slowly rising and falling lulled him into a blissful night’s slumber…

“What? No ‘Goodnight, Princess Luna’ from either of you?”

Spike sat at the table, a grimace on his face as he poured himself a cup of tea and chugged it down, not even bothered by the piping hot temperature. Rays of the mid-morning sun peeked in through the windows as birds twittered happily outside.

The drake covered his eyes with a claw as he filled up his cup with more tea, trying his best to shield himself from the merciless daylight.

“Now now, Spike. Stop shunning the sunlight. It’s a good source of vitamin D, you know.”

“Then tell the sun to stop being so bright…” Spike mumbled back to the voice in the kitchen.

A plate of eggs and hashbrowns wrapped in a veil of blue magic floated over to the table, landing right in front of him. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed the words ‘I’m sorry!’ made out in hot sauce drizzled over the eggs.

Spike looked up at the dark blue alicorn grinning sheepishly inside the kitchen.

“I’m still mad,” Spike said, sticking his fork into the eggs.

Luna’s smile fell instantly. “But I said I was sorry sixteen times now! Surely you can find it in that golden heart of yours to forgive me for a little teasing?”

Spike rolled his eyes whilst shaking his head slowly. “You made me scream loud enough to wake up Scootaloo, Lyra, and Bonbon. Need I remind you that the last of those three burst into our bedroom with a baseball bat and nearly clubbed you over the head?”

“I… won’t deny, I hadn’t thought that plan of mine through all the way. I was so intent on getting a scare out of you two that I had forgotten you weren’t the only ones in the house.” Luna cleared her throat. “I promise not to make that mistake again.”

Spike sighed wearily, and looked to his plate. “The hot sauce was a nice touch, I guess…”

Luna’s ears perked up.

“I… guess I forgive you, Princess…” Spike said with a yawn. “Though I can’t speak for anyone else in the house.”

“Ah, well, Scootaloo promised as long as I let her sleep in today, I am good in her book.”

Spike let out a snort of laughter. “That sounds like something she would say.”

“Will I have to worry about Lyra and Bonbon seeking revenge…?” Luna asked tentatively.

Spike shook his head. “Nah, I think scaring the living daylights out of you when they almost jumped you was enough revenge for them. Those two were about ready to assault you with a baseball bat and martial arts before we managed to stop them.”

Luna frowned. “Lyra seemed rather disappointed when she found out I wasn’t an intruder.”

“Y-yeah, Lyra’s…” Spike waved a claw before continuing. “She’s like that. You get used to it. Don’t worry.”

“No, Spike. You misunderstand. I think she was actually hoping to get into a fight with somepony,” Luna continued. “She was on her hind legs and bouncing in place. She had a black belt tied around her forehead and a gi on.” She chuckled. “It was almost comical, really.”

“Okay, first of all, Lyra’s martial arts are not comical,” Spike chided gently, pointing his fork at the alicorn.

“Truly?” Luna asked in amusement.

“She’s nice and all, but Lyra’s got hair-trigger reflexes. Surprise her at the wrong time and you’ll be on your back a second later with a hoof pressed to your throat. Or you’ll wake up a few minutes later not knowing what happened.” He shuddered, then added. “Word to the wise: if you ever go out to the bars with Lyra, hit the deck if she speaks the words ‘Hold my drink and watch this.’”

Luna raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“Just… Lyra’s a great friend, don’t get me wrong. Love the girl, but she’s unpredictable. Only Pinkie Pie has her beat there.”

Luna gave a hesitant nod. “I will remember that.”

“Cool.” Spike wolfed down the last of his meal. He got up and placed the plate in the sink, along with a few others. “Here, I’ll help you clean up. I wash, you dry.”

Luna smiled. “Gladly.”

Spike filled up the sink with soapy water and began to wash off the glasses and kitchenware.

“So… I hear you have a new job.”

Spike remained focused on the dishes as he smirked. “Keeping up the letters with Scootaloo, huh?”

Luna chuckled. “I had thought she would be expecting me to show up here last night. To answer your question though, yes, we have been keeping in close contact.”

“Careful. Rainbow might get jealous.”

The two both shared a quiet laugh at that.

“So, your new job. Scootaloo didn’t say much in the letter, but she mentioned you work at a place near the Everfree Forest, yes?”

Spike shrugged as he handed Luna a glass, which she took with her magic. “More or less. I’m pretty sure you heard of it. The Everfree House?”

“Ah, yes. A brothel, if I remember correctly,” Luna replied, an air of curiosity in her tone. “Interesting choice of employment.”

Spike paused, looking to the alicorn princess with a slightly befuddled look. “What? That’s it? No uneasiness?”

Luna rolled her eyes. “Spike, I have been alive for many, many millennia. I have surely heard of stranger choices of work than a brothel.”

“They prefer bordello, actually,” Spike added. “Still, only Scootaloo was chill with it. Well, her and Lyra, I guess, but Lyra’s… well…”

“Lyra?” Luna offered.

“Yeah.”

Luna smiled. “Spike, this may surprise you, but once upon a time, such places were more plentiful. Technically, Equestria never outlawed such places. The brothels simply lost their appeal around the Second Equestrian Scientific Revolution.”

The drake gave a grunt of understanding. “Right…” Spike cleared his throat, then added, “Scholars discovered how sexually transmitted diseases were spread around that time, right?”

“Among other discoveries, but yes,” Luna answered. “Truth be told, I wasn’t a stranger to such places.”

As Spike turned to face Luna, a plate slipped out of Spike’s hands and into the sink, sending soapy suds flying while water splashed onto the floor and countertop. “Wait, what?”

“Oh please, Spike, do you think alicorns are not prone to the same urges and needs as other ponies?” Luna asked as she wiped her face of soap suds.

Spike’s cheeks reddened as he looked to the sink once more, busying himself with rewashing the same clean plate. “Well, n-no, but—”

“In fact, there was once a particularly charming little massage parlor outside of Wheatondale—that was near what would later become Hoofington—that I enjoyed. I met the sweetest stallion there named Treble. He was a gifted violinist, and played for me after… well, our sessions. Sometimes he would even play in the midst of our—”

“Right! I don’t need to know anything else about your sex life,” Spike said, cutting her off. “Okay, so you’re cool with it. Fair enough.”

Spike glanced to his right, noting that Luna’s eyes twinkled with suppressed laughter. He groaned and returned to the plate in his claws as Luna began to giggle softly.

“Scootaloo is comfortable with you engaging with others in sex, though?” Luna asked, her tone of casual curiosity. “I know your relationship is an open one, and I won’t pass judgement on your—”

Spike’s cheeks darkened further. “Oh, no, no, I’m not in that department. I run security, mostly.”

“Ah, security? As in… guard work?”

“Well, I guess so, yes. I’m the only full-time employee working security, though. The rest who are involved in security work are part-time or work in other areas.”

The Princess of the Night’s smile returned. “Of course you would be in security. You’ve always been the noble sort to watch over everyone.”

Spike shook his head. “It’s not that noble. I’m just making sure no one steps out of line there. If things get out of hand, usually the other staff members will be there to help. I’m mostly there for presence and such.”

“Mm, understandable. It’s no excuse to not be ready for a situation that requires physical force, though.” Luna’s expression grew stern. “I trust you’ve been keeping yourself in decent shape?”

“Er… yes… sorta…” Spike slumped as Luna’s expression became more skeptical. “No, not really. I’ve never really been out of shape, though.”

“You’ve lived your whole life in relative peace, Spike. A drake your age would usually have twice the muscle mass that you do. However, you’re open-minded and far more educated than most dragons your age, so that’s the trade off, I suppose,” Luna said with a hint of admiration in her tone. “Sometimes a silver tongue is all that is needed to dissuade a potential fight.”

Spike’s eyes narrowed. “Hey, are you saying I’m weak?”

“Not at all. I’m simply saying you’ve developed differently from most dragons. Having less muscle mass is nothing to be ashamed of, Spike.”

“For your information,” Spike began, setting down his dish rag and turning to face Luna fully, “I could put on twice the muscle mass I have right now if I wanted to. Dragons are capable of spontaneous growth, and I can gain anywhere from fifty to one hundred pounds in raw muscle if I—”

“Yes, yes, I do know of innate dragon magic.” Luna waved a hoof at Spike. “I am an honorary dragon, after all. That, and I also studied among some of the greatest dragon philosophers.” She raised an eyebrow. “Tuvollye enpropes memremnes, melleyes beiginn edemin?”

Spike sighed. “No, I haven’t forgotten that, Princess.” He then added in a quieter voice. “You remind me every chance you get, after all.”

Luna chuckled, “Ah, beigneid.”

Spike smirked, then said. “Inpoces-finst finstarrc hurdemin…” Luna frowned at this, and Spike chuckled. “Don’t you have a bridge game to attend, your Highness?”

“I take it that last part is a joke about my age?”

Spike just grinned.

Luna grunted. “I’ll let you have this victory. You need to work on enunciating your strong 'r' sounds, though. The dragon language is full of them, after all." She let out a huff of annoyance. "Regardless, I commend your boldness. Only a few dragons would have the gall to insult me so openly.”

“Hey, for what it’s worth, you’re smoking hot for someone as old as you are. I know for a fact that more than a few of the school colts in town would totally go out on a date with—”

Luna’s cheeks brightened as she did her best to remain composed “Must you tease me so?”

“I learn from the best, dear teacher.”

“I…” Luna slumped a bit. “Point taken.”

Spike and Luna finished shortly after, and set aside the remaining breakfast for the others for whenever the finally awoke.

“I need to take care of a few things before I get to work, so I’ll be going,” Spike said to Luna as he made his way to the door.

“Ah, well, what time will I expect your return?” Luna asked, followed by a yawn.

“Probably around midnight. You should be awake by then, I imagine.” Spike laughed. He opened up his arms as Luna walked towards him, and he gently wrapped his arms around the alicorn. “I missed having you around, Princess.”

Luna hummed, “Likewise. You and Scootaloo mean a great deal to me.” She looked up to the young drake. “Please, never forget that, alright?”

Spike chuckled. “Careful, Princess. People might start thinking you have a soft spot for us.”

“Let them, then,” Luna countered with a grin. “Everyone is entitled to a little favoritism. Even one as flawless as yours truly.”

“Fair enough,” Spike said as he let her go. “I better get going. Talk to you later?”

“Of course,” Luna replied with a nod.

With that, Spike opened the front door and stepped out into the morning air. The sun beamed down upon him, and he closed his eyes and let the warmth wash over him.

“Good morning, Sir Spike.”

The dragon looked to his right to see one of Luna’s Night Guards standing by the front entrance of the house, eyes forward. Turning to his left, he saw a second Night Guard standing at attention as well, mimicking the exact same stance and expression.

Returning his attention to the first guard, Spike smiled. “Good morning as well… Penumbra, right?”

The Night Guard stood a little taller, the tiniest of smiles on his face. “I’m honored that you remember me.”

Spike’s smile widened to a friendly grin. “It’s kind of hard to forget the you guys. I was a bit of a night owl, you know.”

Penumbra nodded, “Of course.” He looked ahead, then smiled. “And there are our replacements now.”

Spike looked a little ways down the road towards the direction Penumbra was facing. Spike could see two figures clad in the trademark night blue armor of the Night Guard making their way towards his house. As they got closer, Spike’s eyes widened a fraction.

“The Night Guard has changelings in its ranks?”

“Indeed,” said the second guard, Nightshade. “Optias Nightingale has been a member of the Night Guard for over fifteen years. He’s only recently revealed himself to be a changeling, though Princess Luna has known of his identity ever since the attempted invasion on Canterlot seven years ago.”

“Have… things been going alright for him?” Spike asked, studying the changeling officer. He was well built, and reminded him greatly of Wisp. He must have been a soldier changeling as well.

“Mostly, yes. Some of the higher ranking officers were…” Nightshade cleared his throat. “I… actually would prefer to stop speaking on this topic, Sir Spike. It’s above my paygrade.”

Spike nodded. “It’s all good.”

Nightingale and the unicorn mare beside him nodded to Nightshade and Penumbra. Both pegasi saluted in return, standing rigid without blinking.

“At ease,” the changeling said after a quick salute. The two stallions lowered their forelegs and stood straight. “Report,” Nightingale said, his tone firm, yet not overbearing.

“Sir,” Penumbra began. “Privatales Nightshade and I were granted leave from Primarch Luna at approximately oh-one hundred hours. We returned here at exactly oh-four hundred hours, as per her instructions to be here before sunrise.”

Nightingale nodded. “Very well. Privatales Major Primrose and I shall take over watch, then. Return by fourteen hundred hours.” He gave the two a quick salute. “Dismissed.”

“Sir!” both stallions said, taking to the air after a quick salute.

Spike couldn’t help but smile. While the Equestrian Royal Guard itself was a disciplined organization, the Night Guard was even more so. To become a member of the Night Guard was to become one of the best. Only about six hundred soldiers were currently in the Night Guard, versus the thousands that made up the Royal Guard and the Equestrian Rangers.

“A bit for your thoughts, Sir Spike?”

Spike looked to the changeling officer, who had the slightest hints of a smile on his face.

“Ah, sorry. Nightshade and Penumbra are just old acquaintances of mine. Luna typically assigned them to patrol near the quarters I studied in late at night back in Canterlot.”

Nightingale nodded. “Her Majesty holds those two in high regard. I’m happy to have them under my command.”

“Well, there’s a reason only the best of the best become Night Guards,” Spike agreed, then added, “You know, I’m afraid I haven’t had the chance to meet either of you.”

At this point, Primrose, the unicorn mare beside Nightingale, decided to speak. “If I may?” She looked to Nightingale, who nodded. “Privatales Major Primrose of Squad Aurora.” She saluted to Spike. “Sir Spike, with all due respect, if you’ve seen us while you were in Canterlot, then it was either intentional, or we weren’t performing our duties very well. Keeping hidden is our job.”

“Really?” Spike asked with a confused look. “Why’s that?”

Nightingale cleared his throat. “The Royal Guard focus on presence, discipline, and protecting Equestria, her princesses, and her citizens. The Night Guard focus on stealth, information, and protecting while remaining unseen.”

“Right, right, I’ve heard stuff like that before about you guys,” Spike said with a nod. “If you’re watching a Night Guard, there’ll be two others that you can’t see.” He began walking towards town. “Well, it was nice meeting you two, but I need to head to the post office. I’ll talk to you later Optias Nightingale. Privatales Major Primrose.”

“Very well, Sir Spike. We shall be here,” Nightingale replied, giving a quick salute.

Spike returned the salute with a nod, and made his way towards the Ponyville post office. It was still fairly early for most Ponyvillians, so his trip through town was fairly quiet. He gave a nod to a few ponies and even an undisguised changeling or two as he walked down the main road. Before he knew it, the tiny little building with the Equestria flag flapping in the front came into view.

“Morning, Spike!”

Spike looked up to see a very familiar pegasus flying down towards him, an empty mailbag hanging over her shoulders. “Morning, Derpy.” A smile spread across his face. “Up and at ‘em already, huh?”

“Someone needs to deliver the mail,” Derpy chuckled. “How’s it going?”

“It’s going pretty well. Rainbow Dash is in town, and Princess Luna just arrived last night, so Scootaloo’s on Cloud Nine right about now,” Spike said with a sigh. “Stars help us if those three decide to get into any mischief.”

Derpy chuckled. “Princess Luna’s in town, huh? I thought I heard someone at town hall mention a letter from the princesses.” She gave Spike what might have qualified for a sympathetic smile if not for the suppressed laughter. “Sounds like you got your hands full.”

“Story of my life with Scoots. Not that I mind, though.”

“Aww,” Derpy touched down onto the dirt road and smiled up at Spike. “She’s lucky to have you for a coltfriend, you know that?”

“I may or may not be told that from time to time,” Spike said with a wink.

Derpy just shook her head and laughed quietly. “So, what brings you to this part of the neighborhood?”

“Oh, I was just going to write and send out a letter to Sweetie Belle. I was hoping she might be able to pay a visit to my new work and do a show.”

The pegasus mare nodded knowingly. “Right, the Everfree House?”

“I… yeah, actually. How’d you find out?”

“Oh, well, Miss Daze told me when I was dropping off her mail this morning.” She patted her empty mail bag. “I just got back from my first route, and she’s on it. She actually lives down the road from me.”

Spike nodded. “Okay, well, that makes sense.”

“Yep, she says you’re working security there. Sounds like they’ll be in pretty good hands with you running things, huh?”

“For now, but I’m just one dragon, Derpy. I’ll probably need a few helping hands eventually.”

“Heh, I’ll bet.” Derpy grinned. “Anyway, I need to get going. My next route needs to be finished by one.” She lifted off the ground with a flap of her wings. “You take care now, Spike. Say hi to Scootaloo for me, will you?”

“Want me to tell her that the ‘old gray mare’ says she can still fly circles around her?”

Derpy giggled as she wrapped her forelegs around Spike’s neck in a hug. “You’re never going to let me live down that nickname, are you?”

Spike returned the hug in kind. “Hey, someone’s got to keep Ponyville’s future postmaster from getting a big head.”

“I guess you’ve got a point.” She laughed. “Just remember who’s bringing you your mail,’ she said as she let go of him, sticking her tongue out playfully. “Later, Spike.”

“See you, Derpy.”

With that, the mailmare flew around to the back of the post office, likely to grab her next bag full of mail. She only had to adjust her angle once as she disappeared from view.

“Heh, she’s getting better at the sharp turns…” Spike said to himself as he walked through the doors of the post office.

It was quiet inside, just as he thought it would be. A single pegasus mare sat behind the counter of the mailroom, busily sorting letters and stamping the occasional package while humming to herself contentedly. She looked up as Spike walked through the front doors. She gave Spike a friendly nod, then continued with her work.

Spike picked out a sheet of paper and a standard envelope from the stationery desk, then he took one of the quills the office provided and began to write.

Sweetie Belle,

Hey, it’s Spike. Hope you’re doing alright. Things are well here in Ponyville.

I recently got a job working for a small business outside of Ponyville, near the Everfree Forest and Fluttershy’s cottage. You may or may not have heard of it: the Everfree House. Before I say anything further about it, it’s a bordello with other services provided, and I’m working security there.

Anyway, there’s a bar there, and they’re looking for gigs to fill in their weekend time slots. I was hoping that, if you have the time, you might be able to swing by Ponyville and maybe put on a show for us. Nothing fancy, just you, your voice, maybe a little guitar.

While I’m on the subject of music, one of the employees at the bordello, Raxis, was hoping to meet you, should you decide to visit. He’s hoping to get into the music business, and I thought you might be able to steer him in the right direction. I can imagine he’s had some difficulty getting a hoofhold in the industry, seeing as he’s a changeling. He hasn’t mentioned anything like that, but I’m sure a few ponies are leery of him. Sad, but true.

Well, that’s all for now. We all miss you a ton, but we’ll keep on cheering you on. I heard your latest single, by the way. I also noticed Scootaloo received a check in the mail the other day that I’m fairly certain was from a recording label. She keeps denying that she had any involvement in ‘Soaring Heart’, but I’m on to her.

Hope to hear back from you soon.

Spike

Satisfied, the drake slipped the letter into the envelope and sealed it before writing down Sweetie Belle’s personal address on it. With any luck, she’d have a reply by the end of next week, so as long as her assistants were on top of keeping her mail sorted .

That or Sweetie will just decide to stop by unannounced like the last five times, and bring a trail of paparazzi with her to our front yard…

Spike exhaled slowly. He was capable of dealing with the Cutie Mark Crusaders when they were young. He could deal with journalists who wanted the inside scoop on Canterlot politics.

Paparazzi, though? His breaking point was right about there. Maybe it was the flashing bulbs, or the way they walked in front of you. He wouldn’t lie, though: he enjoyed having his tail ‘accidentally’ smack into a few of the paparazzi foolish enough to follow him from close behind.

He handed the letter to the postal worker, who promised to have it out by the end of the day. He paid for the stamp and stationery, and made his way out towards the Everfree House. He went at a leisurely pace, since he was going to be a bit early regardless.

Sure enough, it was about half past noon when he walked through the front entrance of the bordello.

“Hello, and good afternoon, sir!”

Spike looked to the front desk, smirking as he saw a familiar unicorn mare waving to him. “Ah, good afternoon, Lovestruck. I didn’t know you’d be here today.”

The gray coated 'unicorn' smiled seductively. “Mmm. Well, I couldn’t pass up a chance to see you, now, could I?”

Spike laughed, a slight tension in his voice, “Heh, I guess not, huh?”

Immediately the mare’s expression softened. “Sorry, Spike, I…” She let out a sigh, and green flames engulfed her. As the magic flames flickered out, Wisp stood before him with a weak grin on her lips. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

Spike shrugged. “I guess I’m just not used to other mares giving me the bedroom eyes aside from Scootaloo. Well… most of the time, anyway.”

Wisp laughed softly. “Not going to lie, Spike, I’m a bit jealous of you. She’s quite a cutie.”

“Well, it’s not like you two are complete strangers.” He gave her a wink. In return, she blew him a kiss and batted her eyelashes.

“So, your shift starts soon, huh?”

“Yep, in about thirty minutes.” He made his way over to the back of the desk, and pulled out a small binder labeled ‘Events’. He flipped through it, and paused on today’s date. “Huh, so the Spa Sisters are visiting?”

“They are, yeah. Something about sharing tips and ideas with Blur and Ebon. They’ll probably be here most of the day from how it sounds,” Wisp answered. “Oh, Colea asked if you could do some extra rounds through the gardens today. Sounds like we had an incident this morning with some colts trying to sneak in through the back door.” She chuckled. “If they wanted a free show, all they had to do is ask.”

Spike raised an eyebrow.

“What? Oh, I’d blow them a kiss and tell them to be on their way, nothing else. I’m not that bad.”

“You sure you wouldn’t tease them a little?” Spike asked with a smirk.

Wisp sighed. “Oh, stop! Let kids be kids while they can. They’ll have plenty of time to be adults.”

“What I wouldn’t give to have a few more years of being young…” Spike said with a wistful smile.

“Oh shush. I’m probably a few years older than you, so don’t make me feel worse about my age,” Wisp laughed. “By the way, if you want, Raxis, Double Take, Roxie, and I were going to head into town and try out one of the local joints for a late lunch. We figured you might steer us to the right place.”

“Yeah?” Spike smiled. “What about Posey’s Pizza? Ever been there?” Wisp shook her head. “The Second Street Diner? They have the best hayburgers in all of Equestria, though I’d advise against eating more than two… unless you’ve got a freaky pegasi metabolism like Scootaloo, then you can order seven and not gain a pound …”

“Can’t say I’ve been there, either,” Wisp said with a smile.

“Damn, really?” Spike quirked an eyebrow as Wisp gave him a shrug. “What about…” The drake tapped a claw to his chin. “Ah, Gardener’s Trove?” Wisp shook her head. “Candy’s?” Another shake of her head. “Sugarcube Corner?” Wisp gave Spike a weak smile and shrugged. “Not even Sugarcube Corner? Wow… you need to get out more. It’s the most popular spot in town. But, if you’re looking for something other than a quick snack, maybe not there. They have a small lunch menu, but there are some better places to choose. If you want to get fancy, I’d say go down Summer Song Lane and get a reservation at The Silver Platter. The place feels like a Canterlot restaurant, but without the pompous attitude.”

“See, this is why we think you should come with us. You know this town. Most of us have stuck around here, and only go into town for the essentials.”

Spike shook his head at Wisp in mock disappointment. “Such a shame…” He smirked as Wisp stuck her tongue out at him. “I’ll think about it. I’m not sure how busy I’ll be, but if you want a good place to just sit down and have a nice lunch without the wait, I’d go with the Second Street Diner. Order the Hay Deluxe with barbeque sauce.”

“Barbeque sauce?” Wisp repeated.

“Trust me, barbeque sauce.”

“If you say so,” the changeling chuckled.

“Alright, well, I’ll be around. Later, Wisp.”

“Catch you later, Spike. If you want to join us, we’ll be meeting here around three.”

“Okay, don’t wait around too long for me, though.”

Spike made his way down the main hall, stopping at a small punch-card machine next to a slotted shelf with various names lining it. After punching his card, he began his patrol down the halls, waving to the passing ponies, changelings, and occasional griffon. He hadn’t bumped into anyone that he recognized since seeing Wisp, though, so before long he found himself walking out the back doors leading to the miniature hedge maze.

Every so often he’d pass by a pony couple, sometimes the couple consisting of a random passerby and a high profile celebrity. Said celebrities would give Spike a knowing wink, their eyes briefly flickering from pony irises to a solid teal or blue.

Ah… that explains Fleetfoot being here randomly… and… Rainbow Dash…

Yeah, Spike was going to need to get used to seeing his more publically popular friends walking with random strangers and… doing less than innocent stuff with said random strangers.

Just so as long as I don’t see a double of me walking around, I’ll probably survive.

Spike had yet to run into any colts up to mischief, but he kept his eyes peeled, just in case. Chances are they probably gave up for the day after being caught by Colea.

It was when he had reached the less traveled part of the garden closer to the edges of the Everfree Forest itself that he heard a voice.

“... go and spend all your energy on keeping a disguise. Perfect. Just perfect…”

Spike frowned, the voice setting off a bell in the back of his mind. It was definitely feminine, but he couldn’t quite place it.

The voice sighed heavily. “I’m getting reckless. Though, I haven’t had much to eat in a few days, so it’s not surprising…”

It sounded like just one pony, or perhaps a changeling. He wasn’t sure exactly, considering it was coming from a distance. Slowly, he made his way towards the source of the voice. He was certain that he heard the slight flanging of a changeling voice from where he was. He still couldn’t tell exactly how far they were from him, but he could tell that he was getting closer.

“I just have to keep up appearances for a bit longer,” the voice continued. “She doesn’t suspect me… yet. Still…”

Spike rounded a turn, and paused as he looked down a dead end where he suspected the owner of the voice was.

His eyes widened.

Definitely changeling. Definitely female.

Though, he didn’t remember any changelings at the bordello who were that tall.

The little bell in the back of his mind was ringing off the hook now. He took a step back, memories from seven years prior coming to surface. He winced as one of his wings scraped against the side of a hedge and rustled a few of itsleaves.

The changeling seemed startled as she looked up and noticed him. Her own eyes widened, and before he could react, she had risen up on all fours and had her wings fully splayed.

“Spike…” she said, trying to sound as calm as possible, though he could clearly hear the panic in her voice. “I know this might be alarming, but I need you to just listen and—”

Spike wheeled around and bolted. He heard her curse as he made the turn.

Okay, think! She saw you, she’s going to stop you. You need to get someone’s attention, anyone’s! She’s probably going to swoop down and… wait, that’s it!

Spike tried stretching his wings out so that he could push off the ground, but to no avail.

Too cramped in here to get a good lift off! Crap, this just keeps getting—

Green flames rose up from the ground only a few feet in front of him. He skidded to a halt, just in time to find himself face to face with the changeling.

“Chrysalis?! W-what are you doing here?” Spike breathed.

Her response, however, was a gentle tap of her horn to his head. Seconds later his head felt heavy, and he tipped over on his side. The last thing he saw was two vibrant green eyes looking down at him.

There were many changelings in Equestria. This was a fact. All of them had unique traits that set them apart.

However, there was only one changeling that could stand up and face Spike at eye level while on all fours. That changeling was also the only one with an adornment on their head that greatly resembled a crown.

Spike, in his infinite luck, had managed to run into her, and now, he was completely at her mercy.

He silently hoped that, in a worse case scenario, at least Ponyville would be spared from whatever horrid things the changeling had planned.

End of Chapter Five

Author's Note

Hey, everybody! Miss me?

Yeah, so, got this finished a tad sooner than I had expected. A big thanks to littlerobotbird for the splendid job in pre-reading/editing this chapter. Go ahead and send them some love if you want, and read one of their fics while you're at it.

Well, not much to say about this other than I had been waiting for this chapter to be done not too long after I started this story. I'm sure a few of you were expecting that surprise character at the end. I DID hint at them appearing in a previous [blog], after all. So yeah, woohoo cliffhanger. Don'tcha just HATE those?

Keep your eyes peeled for the next update. Until then, keep on keeping on, folks!

The Queen of Rags

Chapter Six: The Queen of Rags

Colea breathed in the floral air as she strolled through the hedge maze. Whenever she needed to take a load off and just relax, the garden was usually her favorite spot to do so. The soft melody of a meadowlark could be heard off in the distance, and every so often she would spot a hummingbird zipping between flowers, paying little mind to her presence. A honeybee would hover from flower to flower and collect nectar, the faint buzz of its wings bringing a sense of calm to the changeling.

While it wasn’t perfect, Colea would not deny that Equestria was a beautiful place.

Heavy footfalls snapped her out of her thoughts, and she was greeted by the sight of a weary Spike walking beside a concerned Daze. Her concern grew into worry as she saw the bags under Spike’s eyes.

“Spike, is everything alright?”

“Nnngh…” was his response.

Daze turned away from the drake and shook her head as she met Colea’s gaze. “He started feeling ill from what it sounds like. Something about stuffed sinuses and an achy gut…” Daze frowned. “If you don’t mind, Colea, I was going to help him get home so he can get some rest.” She sighed deeply. “I’m sorry, but do you mind if I take a bit of time off to make sure he’s alright? We may need to stop by the pharmacy in Ponyville, just to see if we can get him something for his stomach and congestion.”

Colea nodded. “Of course, of course.” She flashed Spike a small smile. “Something must be going around, huh?” Spike gave a single nod. “Get well soon.”

“Thanks…” Spike replied in a distracted tone, rubbing one of his temples.

Colea watched as the two made their way out of the hedge maze. Well, if Spike was going to be sick, at least he was in good hooves. Daze wasn’t a skilled herbalist like Ebon, but she knew her fair share about medicine if her resumé had anything to say about it.

“Poor guy. I just hope it isn’t contagious…” She made a mental note to take an herbal supplement during her lunch today. Even if it wasn’t contagious, if a hardy drake like Spike was getting ill all of the sudden, there was a chance she could catch whatever it was as well.

As soon as Daze and Spike were out of sight once more, Spike’s eyes flickered a bright green. He swayed for a few seconds, then let out a groan and fell to his side. Daze caught him, letting out a grunt as he collapsed onto her back. She managed to support his weight with only slight difficulty on her part.

“For… a drake your age… unnf…” The changeling exhaled as she put a hoof forward. “You… you weigh more than I expected…” she grumbled, using her magic to lift up his backside so that it dragged behind her more comfortably. She looked over her shoulder and opened one of his eyes.

His sclera, usually a healthy white, were tainted green. He mumbled something and leaned against Daze a bit, mumbling something as he attempted to nuzzle her.

“Stop it,” she said in mild annoyance.

Spike mumbled again, and let his head droop once more.

Daze scanned her surroundings for several long moments and then sniffed the air. She flicked her ears around, listening silently for a whole minute, then took a second look around once more.

“Right… good…” she sighed, and her horn lit up. With a burst of green flame, the two vanished in an instant.

Seconds later, about a mile or three north, in a small apartment within Ponyville, the two reappeared. Daze set Spike down gently on the ground and let out a sigh of relief, happy to be back in her own abode and to have the several hundred pounds removed from her back.

She stretched her wings a bit, then walked towards a mirror. For a second time, Daze was engulfed in verdant flames. As the flames died out, a much taller, more elegant-looking creature stared back at her from the mirror’s surface.

“Chrysalis, you need to work out more,” the changeling said to herself as she stretched out her legs. “Honestly, he shouldn’t have been that hardto carry…”

The Queen of Changelings let out a small yawn as she turned back to the still unconscious drake.

“Now then…” She surveyed her humble apartment, searching for something. A smile crept onto her face as her eyes rested upon an open corner across the room. “Ah, that should do…”

The first thing Spike noticed upon awakening was that something was covering his mouth and nose. Oddly enough, though, he had no trouble breathing. If anything, he felt refreshed with each breath he took.

The second thing he noticed was that he was encased in a slimy, adhesive casing of sorts.

While moving his arms, legs, and tail proved to be near impossible, his neck still had a good deal of flexibility, allowing him to study whatever it was that was restraining him. His eyes widened as memories of Cadance and Shining Armor’s wedding surfaced to the forefront of his mind. The slimy material strongly resembled the same stuff that the changelings had used to immobilize him and the girls. In fact, he would put good money down on the material being the exact same.

Something stirred within a corner of his apparent prison. His eyes darted to a lump of shadows shuffling around beneath a few blankets, a faint glow of green light tossing each blanket to the side and revealing what lay beneath them. His eyes adjusted to the darkened room, and as he took in the features of what was no doubt his captor, he felt a cold lump settle in his stomach. He let out a strangled sound, which would have been a gasp, were it not for the gunk covering his mouth.

Two green eyes opened, drifting over to him lazily. A pair of translucent wings flexed, buzzing as they did so. Slowly, the lithe form of Queen Chrysalis stretched before him. There were a few audible pops as she rolled her neck and flexed her hips and shoulders, grunting as she got the kinks out of her spine.

“Ugh… forgive me, I’ve been needing that all day,” Chrysalis hummed in apparent relief. “Good to see you’ve finally woken up. I’m sure you’re curious as to why you’re here.”

Spike narrowed his eyes and let out a muffled response. Were he not in the situation that he was currently in, he probably would have been more mindful of the somewhat minty, floral scent of the viscous substance covering his mouth.

“Ah, the casing, well,” Chrysalis said with a hint of amusement in her tone. “I’d rather not remove your muzzle until I’m confident that you won’t be trying to burn my apartment down. That’d be bad for my security deposit.” Spike gave her a flat look, and Chrysalis smiled. “Besides, I’m almost certain you enjoy being bound up a little… aren’t you?”

Despite his anger, Spike flushed a bit, and attempted to shout something at the changeling queen.

Chrysalis merely chuckled in amusement as she approached him. “First of all, no, I am not planning to kill you. That would be a mess I’m not ready to clean up after, both literally and figuratively. It’s not easy to replace outstanding civilians like yourself, especially when you don’t have any subjects to help you.” Her emerald eyes twinkled mischievously as she added. “Though… perhaps you’d be interested in becoming my personal servant, hm?”

Her eyes flashed for a moment, and Spike’s own eyes glazed over, flashing with a green light for a moment as he moaned quietly.

Chrysalis hummed softly to herself as she approached the drake, only to come to a sudden halt. “No. No, control it, Chrysalis. Control…” She exhaled deeply, and placed a hoof on Spike’s head. Her horn glowed, and the green tinge to his sclera faded once more.

He blinked several times, as though he had just woken up. He took in the sight of Chrysalis and let out a stifled cry while attempting to pull away from her hoof and failing horribly.

“Relax, I’m not hurting you. I was just… trying to calm you down. You were starting to panic.” She looked away for a moment. “I…was only helping.”

Spike gave her a unconvinced look, but said nothing further.

“Right then…” Chrysalis pulled her hoof away from the drake, and continued. “Yes, I am Chrysalis, Queen of the Changeling Nation. Or… well, was, I suppose.” She straightened up a bit. “I will start by saying that I have not replaced any of the townsfolk with changelings, or placed them in pods. Nor have I eaten any of your foals, or sucked out their souls.”

Spike arched an eyebrow.

“You’d be surprised what the ignorant believe about us,” Chrysalis said in sardonic tone. Spike gave a muffled noise of agreement. “I have been living in Ponyville for about three years now, and—”

“Mmmph mphph?” Spike said, eyes widening dramatically.

Chrysalis sighed. “If I remove your muzzle, will you promise not to try and incinerate me—or my apartment for that matter?”

The drake looked to be mulling over the question for several long moments. He eventually gave a solemn nod. “Mmnph,” Spike answered with a single nod as his eyes narrowed.

Chrysalis studied him for a moment, her ears twitching as she cocked her head to the side. She nodded and gave Spike a small grin. “Seems you’re being honest. Good.” With a glow of her horn, she melted away the slime coating Spike’s nostrils and mouth with her magic. The rest of his body remained bound by the slime, however. “Better?”

Spike grimaced and smacked his lips. “I don’t remember that stuff smelling so nice back at the wedding.”

Chrysalis laughed. “Slime varies with the materials available. My personal touch tends to give it that lovely smell.”

“I think I got some in my mouth…” Spike grumbled.

“Don’t waste it; it’s highly nutritious, too.”

Spike’s cheeks turned a slight shade of green. “Ew.”

“So… ask away. I know you want to.” Her voice, while not condescending, held a definite smugness that Spike had heard all too often during his political days in Canterlot.

She waved a hoof, urging him to speak.

Spike wasted no time. “What are you playing at, Chrysalis? Why keep me alive? Better yet, why bother explaining this all to me in the first place?”

“Perhaps because I feel I can trust you. Well, that and you caught me without my disguise on,” she replied. “Maybe I figured I’d go to the hometown of the ponies that gave me so much trouble and figure out where I went wrong in my plans.” She frowned. “How much do you actually know about me, Spike?”

“I know enough,” the drake answered with clear disdain. “You tried to take over Canterlot, you wrangled up ponies, and you see most of us as nothing more than food. You weren’t that popular with your subjects after that whole fiasco blew over, and ran off at the first signs of civil unrest. You’re also sneaky and manipulative.”

To his surprise, Chrysalis nodded. “You’re right. A little far with that ponies as food, thing, but in an exaggerated, roundabout way, you’re right.”

“Not very good traits for a leader to have, I might add.”

Chrysalis smirked. “From what I understand, you’re not a big fan of political leaders. I’m sure Celestia or Twilight Sparkle would agree on that claim.”

Spike snorted out a thin cloud of smoke. “You know nothing about me, Chrys—”

“Your favorite gems are baby blue sapphires, which you prefer on pastries. You’re in a open relationship with one of Equestria’s best couriers, who also happens to be close friends with Rainbow Dash, who in turn is currently a Wonderbolt, and the Element of Loyalty… well, former Element if we’re being precise.” Chrysalis tapped her chin with a hoof for a moment, then went on. “You’re a skilled cook and baker, and while you’ve always been interested in trying meat, you haven’t out of respect for the ponies you live amongst. You still collect issues of The Power Ponies, though you think they lost a lot of their charm when the Mane-iac joined forces with the Power Ponies to defeat Professor Clawstein and stop him from using his time machine to take over the world back in issue #417.” She grinned as Spike’s jaw went a little slack. “You have a fond love for hard rock, and blame it mostly on your marefriend. Back during the Great Cookie Dough Incident of Ponyville, you valiantly attempted to hold back a wave of frosting with a large spatula, but ended up making things worse when—”

“Alright, alright, I get it! You know a lot about me… which I’m not sure if I should be amazed or creeped out by.” His frown deepened. “How do you know so much about me?”

“Well, seeing as you started the campaign to help my subjects in need of a safe haven while the rest of the Changeling Nation fell into political turmoil, can you really blame me for not being a bit curious about you?” Chrysalis answered. “You surprised me. I wanted to know more about you, especially after you up and left Canterlot shortly after the legislation passed.”

“That still doesn’t answer—”

“Spike, I am a changeling queen. I could transform into a fruit fly if I wished, and hang on your bedroom ceiling for days without you so much as noticing me.”

“You’ve been spying on me?!” Spike asked angrily.

“Only in public,” Chrysalis said, placing a hoof on her chest. “I’m not a big fan of voyeurism…” She smirked as Spike’s eyes narrowed.

“You’re really not doing well for yourself in my books right now,” Spike growled. “Spying on me? Infiltrating?” He glared. “So, let’s just pretend for a moment that I believe you. You came to Ponyville explicitly to learn more about me. What do—?”

“Not just about you. I came to learn more about ponies, about the Everfree House, and the magic that defeated us back in Canterlot so many years ago. It was love, but… we couldn’t feed on it. It’s an enigma.”

Spike, for his part, couldn’t help but agree with her on that one. He’d never gotten many details on that moment, but he recalled seeing Shining Armor and Cadance creating a spell simply by being with each other again.

He had found the whole ‘lovey-dovey’ spell thing kinda gross at the time, being a dragon whelp, but now…

“Yeah, you got me there,” Spike replied.

“Aside from that…” Chrysalis’ head drooped a bit as she continued. “I feel I have nowhere else to really go. I failed my subjects. Starvation was already an issue, and the invasion on Canterlot had only made things worse for us.” She looked up to Spike, and he was shocked to see her gaze soften considerably. “You managed to save many of my subjects’ lives, Spike. Equestria now has the second largest population of changelings in the world.”

“Yeah, though that all could have been avoided if you had just asked us for help with your food problem,” Spike said with an edge to his tone. “I’m sure Equestria would have been a lot more receptive if you’d done that.”

“Trust me, had I been in the right state of mind back then, I’m certain things would be much better for both our countries.” She shook her head. “I was a ruler unfit to lead. I realized that, and left before I made things worse for the citizens of the Changeling Nation. I have only what you see around you now, nothing else.” She waved a hoof, gesturing to her living room. “If I could find some way to end the infighting in Blackstone and solve the starvation issue, I would be content for the rest of my days.”

“Sounds like those two issues are something that need to be resolved by being in the Changeling Nation,” the drake remarked dryly.

“You don’t understand,” Chrysalis sighed. “My being there was not helping our country. I can have all the advisors I want, but my presence created equal amounts animosity and chaos in the Blackstone Palace. Half wanted me dead, the other half wanted to raise me up as their patron goddess and wage war against the world in my name.”

“Uh huh…” Spike replied, not at all convinced.

“Spike, half of the assassinations that took place before my self-exile had reports claiming the words ‘Praise the Hive Mother!’ had been carved into the victims’ backs.”

Spike blanched at that.

Chrysalis turned away from Spike and walked towards the main window of her living room. She pulled aside the curtains just enough for the daylight to creep in. “There’s none of that in Equestria. There’s still plenty of problems in politics, but at least there isn’t the threat of death hanging over an outspoken politician’s head. I’ve found myself falling in love with this country the longer I stay in it. Food is plentiful, tolerance towards differing beliefs is commonplace, not a rarity, and many of the ponies seem to genuinely care about each other’s well-being here.”

“Well, that’s also just Ponyville in a nutshell,” Spike added with a shrug, or what would have been one if he wasn’t held inside a casing made of slime.

“You also have one of the highest perecentages of ponies living comfortably above the average cost of living, a successful education system despite only having one schoolhouse in the town, and unemployment is almost a non-issue here,” Chrysalis countered.

The drake stared at the changeling queen before him, and she did likewise.

“How has Mayor Mare not made you a paid tour guide for Ponyville yet?”

Chrysalis gave a noncommittal hum, “I read the pamphlets at the city hall and committed the facts to memory.”

“What do you want, Chrysalis?”

Chrysalis smiled. “Nothing.”

Spike’s eyes narrowed. “Like I’m buying that.”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes and walked towards a corner of the room and plopped down on a chair. “I’m tired, Spike.”

It wasn’t just the words that she chose at that moment. Spike could feel the weariness her voice. It was the same voice that he sometimes caught brief glimpses of from Celestia or Luna, even.

“I’m tired of having to hide constantly. Tired of reading about issues in the Changeling Nation that I have failed to fix. I’m tired of the emotional influxes, the dizzy spells, and magic issues. My transformation magic failed me today because I was so worn down from using it constantly…”

“I thought changeling disguises aren’t that hard to maintain,” Spike said, raising an eyebrow. “It shouldn’t have been that hard, keeping your disguise up.”

“You’d be right, if it weren’t for two facts. First, I’m significantly taller than an average changeling. That requires more magic usage to make myself appear smaller. Secondly, I was also masking my own magical signature as well. If any of the changelings in Ponyville or the Everfree House sensed my magic, they’d know immediately.”

Spike frowned. “What, is your magic that special?”

“It’s similar to trying to pass off an alicorn as an earth pony. There’s something fundamentally different in the latent magic that only ponies can sense.” She waved a hoof. “The same can be said for us. Changelings are fairly sensitive to magic, so they would almost instinctively know that I’m in disguise if I slipped in keeping my magic masked.”

“What about right now?” Spike asked. “You’re not disguised right now.”

“That’s because I have a dampening ward over my home. No one can sense my magic beyond these walls,” Chrysalis replied. “Changelings are capable of some pony magic as well, as you know.”

Spike nodded. “Fair enough, so you’re being honest about mana-drain. Still, why bother staying in a town where your magic would stick out like a chipped hoof?”

“Because I like it here,” Chrysalis answered. “Is it so wrong of me to seek things that I enjoy?” She actually sounded hurt by Spike’s question. “Look, I’m being honest, alright? I’m just asking for you to trust me on this.”

“Why should I?” Spike countered.

“Well, you gave Discord a second chance and even a third with the whole Tirek incident.”

Spike paused. She had a point. He still remembered how traumatized Fluttershy had been over that whole debacle. Ultimately, things had backfired for the Spirit of Chaos, but everyone had kissed and made up. Still, Spike suspected that Discord was beating himself up over that, even after almost six years had passed since that day.

He studied Chrysalis. She seemed to be a bit thinner than he remembered. There were bags under her eyes, hardly noticeable unless you looked for them. Her carapace didn’t seem to have that sleek luster that the changelings at the bordello had.

He frowned. “You’ve been starving, haven’t you?”

Chrysalis shook her head. “Not starving so much as suffering from malnourishment. I’ve been feeling better since I started working at the bordello, but for a long while, I was feeling weak. It might be hard for you to understand, but love is as essential as a mineral or vitamin might be in another species’ diet. Our bodies began to fail without love.

“Why didn’t you just pose as someone’s spouse or something?” Spike asked.

“Well, that’s part of what I assume to be the problem. Changelings could steal love all they want, sure…” Chrysalis sighed wearily. “That wouldn’t be making things any better for us as a whole, though. From what I’ve read and heard recently, changelings in Equestria may very well be the healthiest in the civilized world. With no need to disguise themselves, love that they receive is given to them, not to their disguise…”

Spike nodded.

Chrysalis chuckled weakly. “I’m just... doing some soul-searching right now. I believe that is what some would say. Trying to discover myself again.”

“You said something about not being in ‘the right state of mind’ during the Canterlot incident…” Spike began. “What’s that mean?”

Chrysalis gave a hum, and looked towards her window once more. “The downside to being the only queen amongst changelings is that you are the only example to work off of. Anything learned is from your own experience.” She frowned. “As far as I’ve come to understand in all these years that I’ve ruled, I’m very empathic during stressful situations. Dealing with a starving land, worrying about rogue dragon raids, and maintaining a stable political environment… all quite stressful.”

Spike said nothing, just looked to her, silently urging her to continue.

“I suppose I could blame it on the more... extreme-minded within the council. Many of them were of the opinion that changelings were meant to conquer, and prosper, simply because of our ability to hide among our enemies, as they would say. We have adapted to the harshest environments, have endured many hardships, yet the Changeling Nation still thrives…” Her gaze drifted from the window to Spike. “Their emotions and feelings eventually left a mark on my psyche, I suppose. I soon came to believe that we needed to take control of Equestria, a land overflowing with love.”

“I... find that hard to believe,” Spike said. “You make it sound like it was out of your hooves to control.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Chrysalis replied. “After Canterlot, things went downhill for us. Many doubted my ability to rule, and to be honest, they were right to do so.”

“So, you abandoned ship when things got ugly.” Spike let out a plume of smoke. “Sounds more like you just didn’t want to deal with all the fallout that was going on.”

Chrysalis just shook her head. “We can debate this all day if we wanted.” She was now in front of Spike, her eyes locked with his. “I’m going to let you go. Whether or not you report me is your choice. I would rather you didn’t, though.”

“You just expect me to just forget that this ever happened?” He let out a bark of laughter. “If I did that, and someone found out I knew, I would be accused of treason or harboring an enemy of the state. Besides...” His eyes narrowed dangerously, “How can I trust you? You attempted to conquer our land once and tried to replace a leading figure in the government; what makes this any different? How do I know you’re not going to try and cause a repeat of Canterlot here?”

“If I wanted to cause any trouble, Spike, I could have done so at any time now. I’ve lived here for three years, after all. Plenty of time to hatch some vengeful plan upon all ponykind.”

“Not helping your case,” Spike growled.

“I suppose you’re right. Look... I leave it up to you. You can trust me, or report me to the guard. I don’t have anything to gain trying to take over Ponyville, even if I wanted to. It’s a small town, but I’d easily be overpowered by the populous. The changelings living in Equestria are loyal to the country, not to me. The chances of an Equestrian changeling revolt are practically nonexistent.”

Chrysalis’s horn lit up, and the casing around Spike melted away. He fell forward, taking an awkward step or two to catch his balance. He dropped down to all fours, and took a wary step back from Chrysalis. The changeling queen gave no signs of hostility. She simply watched Spike in silent interest.

“I should report you,” Spike said slowly. “But I’m not going to.”

Chrysalis perked up a bit, but remained silent.

“I’m going to go against my better judgement and give you a chance, Chrysalis. You made a good point: if I can give Discord a second and third chance, I can do the same for you.” He pointed a finger at her. “It doesn’t mean we’re buddies, though. I still think you have to answer for what you did in Canterlot, and abandoning your country and subjects like you did... but I can understand where you’re coming from, in a way.”

Chrysalis’s lips curled into the faintest of smiles.

“You want to better yourself? Fine. Ponyville is full of folks to learn from. Just remember, if you hurt anyone, it will be the last mistake you make. Clear?”

“As polished crystal,” she replied, placing a hoof to her chest. “I think you should probably stay home, though. I did tell Colea that you were feeling ill.”

Spike frowned. “Yeah, I was going to ask about that. How did you get me here?”

The changeling grinned. “I’m not some frail little noblemare, Spike.” She wiggled her hips ever so slightly, enjoying the fact that Spike was purposely maintaining eye contact with her. “I have strength to spare, even if I’m a little weak right now.”

“Yeah, but how the heck did Colea not freak out when she saw you?”

“Ah,” Chrysalis took in a breath and engulfed herself in verdant flames. Seconds later, the female changeling Daze stood before Spike. She grinned a little, giving a small bow. “I believe you’ve met Daze, yes?”

Spike’s frown deepened. The fact that she had been so close to Scootaloo when she visited the bordello set him on edge.

Chrysalis reverted to her true form. “Being a nurturer changeling is probably the easiest way for me to remain so in tune with everyone’s emotions without being questioned about it too much. They tend to be the most empathic of the four classes, after all.”

“So, Daze was all just one big fabrication, huh? Make up a little tragic story and get some sympathy to feed on?”

Chrysalis’s smile disappeared. “No. Our histories are the same, excluding a few minor details such as Daze not being royalty. We worked at the Blackstone Palace since we were old enough to have a job, and we have no spouse or relatives to speak of…”

“You lied about the whole losing your children to that epidemic.”

Immediately, Spike knew the answer as Chrysalis’s wings drooped. She slowly shook her head, her gaze falling to the floor.

Spike’s growing anger petered out quickly. “O-oh... so... you did lose your... ” He sighed, “I’m s—”

She raised a hoof, gently silencing him. “Don’t apologize. You didn’t know. It happened years ago, but… I’ve learned to cope with it.” She swallowed hard and her gaze once more fell to the ground as she let out a weary sigh.

Spike moved a hand to comfort her, but pulled back at the last second. Instead, he simply sat there. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to notice.

“Well…” Chrysalis enveloped herself in green flames and was once more Daze. “If you want, I’ll walk with you to your home. Then I’ll return to the bordello and explain that it was just a dizzy spell to Colea. Low fluid levels or something.” She shook her head. “Typical drake, forgetting to take care of himself in this warm weather…” She gave a ghost of a smile.

Spike couldn’t help but return it, despite his misgivings about the current situation. “Heh, I suppose that’d work for an excuse.”

‘Daze’ chuckled and gave a nod. “Sounds good, then. Do you want anything before we go back?” She walked to the icebox and opened the door. Spike noticed that it was rather empty, aside from a few carrots, a jar of jelly, some orange juice, and a carton of milk.

He walked over to her side and frowned. “Looks pretty barren in here.”

Daze hummed. “Yes, I... I’ve been meaning to go grocery shopping. Pantry’s almost empty too. Just a box of wheat flakes cereal, a bag of rice, and some potatoes.”

Spike hesitated, then asked. “Are you... having problems with money right now?”

Daze snorted. “Problems would indicate that things had been better. For me, this is an improvement from how I was living before I got my job. I at least have some choices for food in Ponyville. I didn’t have that luxury while wandering aimlessly through Equestria.”

Spike’s ear frills drooped a bit, and he arched an eyebrow while frowning with poorly hidden concern.

“Don’t fret over it,” Daze said with a wave of hoof. “Come payday, I’ll be stocking up on food.”

“That won’t be until next week,” Spike said with a disapproving shake of his head. He made his way towards the door of the apartment, stopping only to turn back to the disguised queen. “C’mon. We got a little time.”

Daze quirked an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”

Spike gave a snort. “Seeing as I know you’re here in Ponyville, I’m making you my responsibility. The last thing we need is a changeling queen passed out in the middle of Ponyville square during market because she hasn’t been eating well.”

That... actually made a good deal of sense. Still, Chrysalis rolled her eyes, a wry look crossing her features. “How noble of you.”

“I have some bits on me. We’ll get you the basics to get you by until payday,” Spike said as they exited the apartment.

Chrysalis locked the door behind them and followed after Spike. “Wait, hold on, you are not going to be buying me groceries.”

Spike sighed, “Why not?”

“I’m not the kind of changeling that likes debts hanging over her head. Besides, you already know my secret. I’m not sure I want you with any more leverage over me,” Chrysalis grumbled, a buzz of her wings punctuating her sudden shift in mood.

“Okay, well, how about this: you and I go buy some groceries, or I can report you to the nearest officer and—”

“Alright, alright, ugh…” Chrysalis’s wings buzzed once more. “If it wasn’t for the fact that you’re practically oozing with smug satisfaction right now, I’d believe you were doing this purely out of the goodness of your heart.”

Spike smirked, enjoying his small victory. “You’ll thank me later.”

“Hmph.”

“So, come on, be honest with us, Scootaloo. Is he… you know…?”

One of Scootaloo’s ears flopped against her head as she held back a sigh. She loved Rainbow Dash dearly. Princess Luna, too. They were both the sister-figures she had always wanted in life.

However, she never considered that, with having two sisterly ponies in her life came unwanted things, like impromptu interrogations about her love life over an early lunch.

“Dash, please…” Scootaloo groaned before taking a particularly loud sip from her juice. Maybe if she drank through the straw loud enough, she would be able to drown out the questions. That or she could try sipping until she ran out of oxygen and blacked out.

“I’m curious as well,” Luna added with barely repressed laughter. Scootaloo suspected that Luna, in fact, was more amused with the situation than genuinely interested, like Rainbow Dash.

“He’s good. We’ll leave it at that.”

Rainbow gave her a flat look. “That’s it? Just a ‘He’s good.’?” Rainbow sighed. “Come on. Details, Scoot! Details!”

“Why are you interested all of the sudden?!” Scootaloo groused, immediately regretting her outburst as several ponies sitting to their own lunches gave her awkward glances. After the other lunch-goers returned to their meals, Scootaloo glared at Rainbow Dash and Luna, who were now snickering and on the verge of tears from holding back laughter.

Celestia, please, strike me down here…

As luck would have it, Scootaloo’s silent prayers were answered at that exact moment… just not how she would have expected.

“Ah, Luna and Rainbow Dash! How utterly delightful! Fluttershy had told me you two were in town.” The menagerie of animal parts that was Discord popped into existence beside the alicorn and older pegasus mare, wrapping a paw and eagle claw around them in a hug. “It’s so good to see you two again!”

To Rainbow Dash’s credit, the mare gave a lopsided grin. “Hey, Discord. Good to see you.”

Luna was slightly less enthusiastic at the draconequus’s arrival. “Would you please stop poking my mane?”

Discord hummed as he drew a few, final lines in the alicorn’s starry mane, forming a constellation that greatly resembled a draconequus of his description. He pouted, only to receive a stern glare from Luna.

“Oh, fine,” he sighed, snapping his fingers and doing away with his alterations in a flash of magic. “I thought it was a nice improvement, personally…” He looked between the three mares. Scootaloo patted a hoof on the empty chair beside her, and Discord graciously took the offered seat before promptly putting on a monocle and looking over a menu. “So, how are we this fine day?”

“Tired, but I thought it would be nice to enjoy some midday sunshine for once,” Luna replied. “Twilight Sparkle’s been wonderful in offering to cover more court time, so I’m adjusting my sleep schedule a bit.”

Discord adjusted his monocle, as he looked up from his menu. “Ah, yes, our little Twilight’s been a rather busy bee as of late, hasn’t she? She just came back from a tour of the minotaur lands, I hear.”

“A rather splendid visit, from what I remember her telling Celestia and I,” Luna said with a smile. “We’re hoping to open up more trade between Equestria and Bovidia soon.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, already growing bored with the political talk. Discord seemed to notice, and grinned. “I’m sure you were happy with Twilight’s return, weren’t you?”

Rainbow Dash frowned as a rosy hue spread across her cheeks, but she refused to meet Discord’s gaze. Luna held back a chuckle and Scootaloo just smiled sympathetically at her adoptive older sister.

“Yeah,” Rainbow replied.

Discord’s smile grew. “No need to be so grouchy, my dear.”

Rainbow Dash’s ears flattened a bit. “We’re trying to keep things quiet, Discord. At least for now. I’m pretty sure that none of the girls know about it. You three and Princess Celestia are probably the only ones with any idea about... us. Well, maybe Princess Cadance too, but if she does know, she’s been keeping it a secret.”

Scootaloo’s smile softened. “Are you both that scared about it?”

“How can we not be?” Rainbow replied. “She’s the newest princess in Equestria, I’m a Wonderbolt, and we’ve both saved the land on more than one occasion. The paparazzi would be all over us.”

“You have to let the others know at some point…” Scootaloo pointed out.

“I know, I know. It’s just hard, you know? I’ve never been in a serious relationship before and…” She groaned. “It’s complicated. We’re both pretty new to the whole dating thing. I mean, sure, we know each other pretty well, so that’s out of the way, but it’s just…”

“We understand,” Luna said, placing a gentle wing on Rainbow’s shoulder. “We never meant to put you on the spot, as they say.”

Rainbow smiled a bit. “No, it’s alright. I… I trust you guys.” She quirked an eyebrow as Discord blew bubbles out of a corncob pipe he’d seemingly produced from nowhere. “Even you, I guess.”

“You honor me with such trust,” Discord said as he polished his monocle with a polka dot hoofkerchief. “However, I actually came to speak with Luna. Do you have a moment, Princess?”

Luna quirked an eyebrow. Discord rarely used such honorifics, much less with anything resembling sincerity. She gave him a concerned frown, but nodded, rising from her chair. She saw two of her Night Guards that had been watching from a bench across the street rise as well. She gave them a gentle shake of her head, and they nodded before staying put.

With Luna close behind, Discord walked to a public garden a few paces from the cafe, and spoke. “I felt an odd magical fluctuation a few hours ago.”

“Odd how?” Luna asked. “Magic runs deep throughout the entire known world, Discord. Unicorns practicing spells, zebra shaman performing sacred rites and rituals, griffon wise-hens calling on ancient magics to help guide others…” She trailed off as she studied the draconequus.

Discord, for all his antics and inane pranks, was intelligent. Annoying? On many an occasion. Crazy? Most definitely. Stupid? Far from it. In his rare moments of seriousness, Luna had learned to listen. Even when battling against him.

“Nothing like that. I couldn’t place it to be honest. It was brief, and it felt like the source was trying to contain the magic, so pinning it down was hard to do. It felt close, though.”

“How close?” Luna asked, worry creeping into her tone. “Should we be worried?”

“I…want to say no, but I’m not positive. I just know that it was close to Ponyville, and it was a very brief surge of powerful magic. I barely noticed it myself.”

Luna’s wings twitched a bit. “Powerful?”

“And old.”

Luna’s eyes widened. “Tirek?”

Discord’s own eyes widened. “Oh, good gravy, no. That old centaur is still locked away in the bowels of Tartarus last I checked. Still weak and bitter.”

“You’ve been checking on him?” Luna asked, more than a little perplexed by the idea.

“From time to time. Can’t say the visits are pleasant, but I promised Celestia to keep an eye on the old buzzard.” Discord shook his head. “Regardless, no, Tirek is still in Tartarus, grumbling about purple princesses and three-headed guard dogs.”

Luna released a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. “Good. The last thing we need is for him to be free once more…”

“Agreed. The last thing we need is that buffoon running around drunk with power again,” Discord said with a shudder. “I can’t say much else about the magic I felt, but I thought it wise to let you know. Twilight would start stressing out over it and probably map out some over-the-top plan to hunt down the magical influx. Celestia would probably send a detachment of Royal Guards to patrol the area within three shakes of a lamb’s tail. Cadance is up in ice-ville, so telling her would be rather pointless.” He smirked at Luna. “I figured letting the most level-headed of our princesses know was the best bet.”

Luna gave Discord a small smile. “I appreciate it, Discord. I’ll have my Night Guards patrol at all hours. They’re much more subtle about such things.”

“Mm, so I’ve noticed. I almost missed the mare watching us from the third story window.”

Luna chuckled, her own eyes briefly looking towards an apartment at the corner of Meadow Lane and Sparkle Road. “Noir is a new recruit, so I’ll take that bit of information as a compliment on her behalf.”

Discord polished his monocle, then popped out an eyeball to give it the same treatment before putting it back in place. “Anyway, I’m sure I’ll see you girls later when you’re hitting up the local bar scene.”

Luna’s smile vanished, having been replaced with an unamused scowl. “So as long as we don’t have a repeat of your visit to the Canterlot bars last month, I’m sure we’ll be happy to see you.”

Discord sighed melodramatically. “I shall live with the shame of turning everyone’s drinks at the Trotting Jenny Pub into cod liver oil for the rest of my days. It weighs heavily on my conscience.”

“I’m sure it does…” Luna said flatly. “Anyway, I shall remain vigilant for anything suspicious. Please keep me informed in the meantime.”

“But of course, Your Highness.” Discord gave a low, exaggerated bow. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m expected at Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie has a new Habenero Surprise cupcake that she and Pumpkin have been working on.” He clapped his hands with delight. “I’m sure it will be scrumptious.” He snapped his fingers, and was suddenly standing on a strange, two-wheeled vehicle of sort with neon green helmet strapped to his head. “Ciao, Luna!” He clicked a button on the handlebars, then leaned forward and glided off as the device let out a quiet, electrical whirring sound

Luna watched in mild confusion as Discord coasted down the dirt road. She had never seen such a device before, but knowing Discord, he’d probably stolen it from some alternate universe. It simply wasn’t worth thinking too hard on the matter.

Her thoughts drifted back to the magical disturbance that Discord had felt.

Ancient. Powerful.

If one as old and magical as Discord was referring to something in those terms, then she knew there was a need for at least a little concern.

She made her way back to the table where Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo had taken up a heated discussion of various upcoming sporting events—the very idea that Scootaloo thought Snowflake had even a chance against Fleetfoot in the Neiponese Iron Pony Marathon was apparently appalling to Rainbow. Numerous answers were dredged up from Luna’s vast store of memories, none of them a clear-cut reason for a sudden magical fluctuation that would make Discord, of all beings, concerned.

Whatever the case was, though, she could at least take comfort in the fact that Equestria was the safest it had been in years.

Luna had heard of Twilight’s fight with Tirek, after all. She only wished she could have seen it herself…

Celestia took in a few steady breaths as she wiped the sheen of sweat off her brow with a hoof. The boulder she stood behind cooled her as she pressed against it.

She was cornered. Somehow her opponent had managed to pin her down, and now she was trapped. Leaving her refuge would mean making herself vulnerable. Staying only provided her enemy with more time to plan her defeat.

She gazed up at the sky above her. A few cirrus clouds drifted miles above, but the sky was otherwise clear. Aside from being locked in combat, it was a rather lovely day if she were to say so herself.

Celestia felt an electric jolt run down her horn and through her spine, and she leaped away from the boulder seconds before it exploded into gravel. She rolled to the side as arcane bolts of magenta light battered the ground around her. She called forth a magical barrier and wrapped herself in golden light. The bolts of magic slammed into her shield, but went no further.

Her gaze rested on a figure floating overhead. They were encased within a sphere of pulsing, magical energy, arcs of pink and white lightning crackling around them every few seconds. Their eyes were glowing with a white light.

Celestia couldn’t help but smile with pride.

A little known fact about Twilight Sparkle: she enjoyed intense combat.

Not bloodshed. No, she just enjoyed the thrill of being in a situation where split-second decisions were necessity, and being able to outmaneuver and outsmart your opponent could mean the difference between victory and defeat. The kind of situations where pushing yourself to the limits was a must, not just an option.

Celestia understood that thrill, and perhaps could even say she’d felt the same at times. Though, if she were to be honest, Luna was far more in tune with her ‘inner warrior’ than Celestia ever would be.

Twilight Sparkle was a wonderful, loving mare, who sought peace and harmony between all. The young alicorn would never wish actual violence upon anyone if she could help it.

That didn’t mean, however, that Twilight didn’t want to improve her ability to stave off danger if need be, nor did it mean she didn’t wish to ensure that she had the capacity to survive such a situation to continue leading Equestria after the dust had settled.

And were she to have a bit of fun doing so, all the better.

Twilight met Celestia’s gaze, her eyes still glowing with magic. A smile crept onto her features, breaking the visage of a powerful, battle-driven alicorn. “Do you need a break, Celestia? I hope I’m not going too over the top with this fight…”

Celestia’s ears twitched. While she knew Twilight meant well with her concern, Celestia couldn’t help but feel slightly insulted by her former pupil’s worried tone. “Twilight Sparkle, I can assure that a little exercise will do me no harm. I’m not some graymane, after all.”

“You sure?” Twilight asked, and Celestia’s brows knit together as the younger alicorn giggled a bit. “You look a little winded. Maybe we’ll break for some cribbage or bingo.”

Let it be known that Celestia was a strong advocate for honor and courtesy. She was not the kind of pony to stoop to sneaky tactics in a duel. No, she always preferred facing her adversary with her honor intact. She had Luna to blame for that.

Still…

“Gyaaaah!” Twilight flitted to the left as a spear of solar-powered magic flew past her, missing her by the tips of her pinions. “I was only kidding, Celestia, honest!”

“I usually hold my tongue when it comes to jabs about my age, but that was too far, Twilight Sparkle!”

“There’s nothing wrong with cribbage! Granny Twilight played cribbage all the time when she was my—Oh that’s a big one!” Twilight blinked away with a quick teleportation spell, a blazing ball of yellow magic roaring past the spot she had been moments before. Twilight reappeared behind a large oak, daring not to peek around it, lest she risk the full power of Celestia’s righteous indignation. She closed her eyes for a moment, the white glow of her eyes fading to their normal violet. She calmed down the magic surging within her body and did her best to mask herself from Celestia.

Twilight took in a slow breath and exhaled.

Okay, so maybe she had gone a bit too far with the teasing. It wasn’t like it was the first time somepony had poked fun at Celestia’s age. Heck, she knew more than half a dozen jokes from her years in primary school that had a punchline regarding the princess’s age! Not that she’d dare utter them before Celestia, but still!

“I’m not that old…”

Twilight let out a quiet “Eep!” as she looked to her right to see Celestia standing beside her. She was giving Twilight an almost childish pout. “I-I…” Twilight sighed, “I’m sorry, Celestia. I… didn’t know you were so sensitive about such things.”

“I’m not, normally, but… hearing it from you of all ponies.” She shook her head. “I’m being a little unfair. It’s just that I’ve known you since you were still a filly. I suppose I just value what you say a little more than other ponies.”

“That’s flattering.” Twilight laughed. “I could say the same.”

The two chuckled. Celestia opened up a wing, a clear sign of forgiveness. Twilight smiled and walked forward, allowing herself to be gently embraced by Celestia.

“Sorry, Celestia.”

“It’s alright. I’m being foalish. I’ve heard far less flattering things from the Canterlot Sun whenever I approve a tax raise. Or lower taxes for that matter.” Celestia gave Twilight a tired smile. “I will be honest, though, I am a bit exhausted. We’ve been at this for… nearly two hours, I believe.”

Twilight and Celestia looked up to the sky, their gaze falling on something that was rather out of place, but was nevertheless there: a large clock face that silently floated in the sky, held by a powerful spell. The minute hand slowly ticked away, showing the two that it was nearly three in the afternoon.

“I’m sure the court is wondering where we are,” Twilight sighed. Her horn lit up and covered the two in a deep pink aura. A moment passed for the two, and then the dirt, grime, and wounds from their sparring session vanished.

Celestia admired her once-more unblemished white coat, and gave Twilight a thankful nod. “No rest for the weary, as they say,” she said with a soft laugh.

The two mares made their way towards a pile of stone ruins nestled near a hill. Large, broken pillars from an age long-gone lay scattered on the ground by the merciless hand of time. Moss and ivy grew over the stonework, the only part untouched being a stone door that appeared perfectly intact, as though it were brand new.

“I still can’t believe I’d never seen this room before,” Twilight said with a laugh as they opened the door. They walked through the doorway and found themselves within the walls of Canterlot Castle. Celestia produced a key with a spark of her horn, and locked the stone door behind them.

Celestia nodded. “The Pocket Chamber spell was one of Starswirl’s most favored spells, but I’ve only been able to use it to a limited extent.”

“Still,” Twilight said with a beaming smile. “Creating an entirely separate dimension must have been hard.”

“It’s only about twenty square miles, Twilight,” Celestia said in a humble tone.

“That’s twenty square miles more than I could create out of thin air. The stone ruins are very accurate to the Greco-Romarean ruins in the Serpent Isles, too,” Twilight continued.

“I didn’t create it out of thin air, either. I brought in seeds of plants from the area outside of Canterlot, and the sun in the sky is just a very large ball of solar energy that I created—”

“Celestia,” Twilight said, placing a hoof on the elder’s side. “It’s amazing. Please take a compliment, especially one from a peer.” She gave Celestia a playful wink as they continued down the hall.

“You’re shaping into quite the master of compliments.” Celestia chuckled.

“I had a good teacher.” Twilight flashed Celestia grin and winked.

Celestia and Twilight made their through the the corridors, bodies guiding them without much thought, having traversed the spacious halls of the castle numerous times before. As they neared the throne room, they were met by two guards standing on either side of the entrance.

“Your Highnesses,” said one of the stallions. “We were asked by Miss Raven to inform you both of Miss Orthopaes’ arrival upon your return. She is currently in the throne room.”

Twilight beamed. “Wonderful, we were hoping to speak with her. Anything else?”

“Nothing of note, Princess Twilight.” The two guards bowed, then opened the doors.

As the two alicorns entered the throne room, they were greeted by two female changeling drones.

The elder of the two grinned. “It’s a pleasure to see you both again, your Highnesses,” she said as both changelings bowed low, crossing their forelegs respectfully.

Twilight and Celestia gave respectful nods to the two. “Orthopaes. I trust your trip here was without trouble?” Celestia asked as the changelings rose.

“Mm, there was a delay, but nothing out of the ordinary. Getting out of Manehatten is never an easy task after all.” Orthopaes looked to her companion, and the younger changeling nodded before producing a manila folder from the saddlebag on her back. “This is my new secretary, Vesta, by the way. She’s a Manehattenite, born and raised. She has an informant back in the Changeling Nation who we’ve been keeping in contact with.”

Vesta gave another bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, your Majesties.” She presented the scroll to Twilight. “These files contain all the information we’ve gathered on the Changeling Nation’s current political climate. It’s… less than pleasant.”

The frown and sudden change in mood didn’t go unnoticed by Twilight and Celestia. Twilight took the scroll in her own magic, and scanned it over. “Oh dear…”

Celestia looked to Twilight, then Orthopaes. “How bad is it?”

Orthopaes sighed deeply and rubbed a temple. “You may wish to have a seat before we continue.”

“Very well,” Celestia said with a nod.

She and Twilight made their way to their respective thrones, Celestia only stopping to speak with her personal secretary, Raven. The bespectacled unicorn mare bowed as they approached.

“Raven, good to see you. I hate to trouble you, but could you by chance have the kitchen brew us some tea?”

“Of course, your Highness. Any preference?”

Celestia looked to Orthopaes. The drone simply shrugged. “The stronger, the better.”

“Perhaps a blend from the homeland, then? We recently purchased a few pounds of a blend from a store that opened in town here. Nestlewatch Black tea is what I believe it’s called.”

Orthopaes let out a hum. “Mmm, that’s one thing I miss about home. The coastal tea plantations are still some of the best in the world, if you ask me.” She grinned. “Though, Equestria’s starting to figure it out.”

Celestia couldn’t help but chuckle. “Well, Equestria has a longer history of brewing ale than brewing tea, so that’s not much of a surprise. We try, though.” She gave a nod to Raven, and the mare left to retrieve the group’s desired beverage.

Twilight decided to speak up once more, looking up from one of the sheets of paper. “Is the starvation really so widespread?”

“Sadly, yes,” Orthopaes answered with a shake of her head. The glow in her eyes dimmed a little. “We’ve talked to everyone with political influence that we can, but not every citizen in the Changeling Nation wishes cross over into Equestria, nor should they have to. I actually have been in contact with Princess Cadance as well. We have an idea on how to help stave off some of the worst of the starvation, but our research teams need more time to ensure the project will be successful.” She nodded to the folder. “Starvation aside, though, the political unrest hasn’t improved. There are two parties striving for control of the Supreme Council. Neither represent the majority.”

Twilight nodded. “I’ve heard a bit about them. One faction calls themselves the Bestowed, I believe.”

Orthopaes let out a hiss. “Bestowed. Pah!” She stomped the ground, her mood shifting radically and becoming more aggressive. “Princess, the only thing ‘bestowed’ upon them was the shortsightedness they share with our former queen.”

“I… heard they’re rather radical,” Twilight said, her voice filled with concern.

“They’re not just a radical-minded group, but one with money to back them up.” Orthopaes sighed. “They’re close to what you Equestrians would consider to be nobility among changelings. Old families that have existed for generations. Many of those families contribute a lot to society, and share their wealth. Unfortunately, the ones that are a part of the Bestowed are vocal, and couldn’t care less about anyone who doesn’t share their views.”

“That leaves quite a few outside of their party,” Celestia stated.

“They believe that they are entitled to rule, and that changelings are the apex of speciation. Everything else is either food or resource to them.”

“That’s horrible,” Twilight said. “They’re an actual political party? How were they ever able to gain this much power in the first place?”

“Money talks, Princess,” Orthopaes said. “They technically aren’t breaking any laws with their founding beliefs, and as long as they conduct themselves within the boundaries of Changling Nation law, they’re untouchable.”

“What of this other group that you mentioned?” Celestia asked.

“Ah,” Orthopaes tapped her chin in thought. “They share a similar attitude to those who follow the belief of the Hive Mother faith.”

“Hive Mother faith…” Twilight thought for a moment. “All life was born from a single egg laid by a changeling queen, right? Even ponies, griffons, and minotaurs?”

“Correct. For them, it helps explain why us changelings are able to have children outside of our species.” She waved a hoof. “Religious beliefs aside, they also believe that, as changelings, they must help enlighten other species and bring about unity.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Twilight said. “I’m sensing a ‘but’, though.”

“The founding members of the faith had good intentions, but it’s become so convoluted in revisions of sacred texts and modernizing themselves. Now, they’re more focused on rampant expansion, even if it means dirtying their hooves to do so.” Orthopaes' tone grew bitter at the last part. “If they were in charge, the Changeling Nation would be a theocracy."

Celestia sighed. “Equestria has had its share of… incidents relating to religion. It’s the reason why Luna and I sought to create religious freedom within Equestria, so as long as it doesn’t break the laws of the land.” She gazed at the numerous stained glass windows lining either side of the throne room. “This land has had its share of dark times, but Equestria has strived to learn from its mistakes.”

“You said you had a plan with Princess Cadance?” Twilight inquired, trying to keep the mood of the conversation from darkening further. “What did you have in mind?”

Orthopaes grinned. “The Crystal Heart is a powerful resonator of emotionally-fueled magic. It’s the main reason that the Crystal ponies are able to survive so far north.”

The gears in Twilight’s head were already turning. “Of course… you think we could store that magic and transport it to the starving regions?”

“It’s worth a shot,” Orthopaes replied. “I’ll admit, my knowledge of magical storage is less than expert, but that’s where I was hoping you would be able to assist us, your Majesties. Such a strong concentration of positive emotions could be what we need to help give the starving branch hives a chance to survive and pick themselves back up.”

Twilight looked to Celestia, silently asking for her former mentor’s thoughts. Celestia simply smiled. “It’s better than doing nothing at all. Trading routes between Equestria and the Changeling Nation are all but nonexistent right now, though. Transporting the magic will be difficult, no matter what method we use.”

“The Badlands aren’t the most hospitable of places,” Orthopaes added. “Desert hydra, sandwurms, and bandits. That’s not even including the harsh weather and lack of water throughout most of the region.”

“It would be a difficult task, no doubt,” Celestia agreed. “We have ponies trained for these sorts of tasks, though.”

“Who?” Orthopaes asked.

“The Equestrian Couriers,” Celestia answered with a hint of pride. “Their job involves traveling long distances almost daily.”

“You don’t plan on sending a single pony alone through the Badlands, do you?” Orthopaes asked incredulously. “Princess, with all due respect, that’s signing a death warrant.”

“Of course not,” Celestia answered with a small frown. “We’d have a few trained military pegasi accompany them. The only issue will be finding those who can travel for long periods of time and not slow down the courier.”

“I thought the Royal Guard consisted of the ‘best of the best’,” Orthopaes said with a hint of doubt. “Are you saying there might not be any good candidates for an escort job?”

“The Equestrian Military consists of four branches: the Royal Guard, the Airship Legion, the Royal Navy, and the Equestrian Rangers…” Celestia paused. “Perhaps a member of the Rangers would best fit the bill…”

Twilight nodded. “Field survival is what most of them specialize in… I suppose pegasi from that unit would be a good choice.”

Orthopaes raised a hoof. “Keep in mind that we haven’t yet figured out if transporting the Crystal Heart’s magic is even feasible. For all we know, it might be impossible. For now, we shall keep this plan in mind and await for results from our researchers.”

Twilight deflated a bit. “Good point, no sense in getting ahead of ourselves here…”

At that point, the doors opened once more, and Raven returned with an earth pony mare pushing a cart with a kettle of tea, four cups, and a platter of biscuits following behind.

“Ah, good.” Celestia gave a thankful nod to the earth pony mare, who bowed before excusing herself. “Well, now that the tea is here… how about we discuss your plans for the first Equestrian World Soul festival you wish to hold in Manehatten?”

“By the Hive… how damned difficult is it to choose a head of lettuce?”

“Like you’re one to talk, Phylus.”

Two squirrels sat in an oak tree overlooking the Ponyville square, acting far too calm for a bunch of arboreal rodents. The squirrel named Phylus was placidly chewing on an acorn, not so much eating it as he was just scraping at it with his front teeth. He looked to his companion, and asked, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, come on. Did you forget how long you took to choose a box of persimmons after that mission to Neighpon?”

“Hey, persimmons are serious business. They’ve got flavor to them, unlike lettuce,” Phylus defended. “Seriously, Palp, if you just—”

Palp held up a paw, and Phylus went silent. A moment later, a pegasus in dark blue armor landed silently on a tree branch next to them. He glanced at them for a moment, raising an eyebrow. “You’re a bunch of brave little critters, aren’t you?” He chuckled. “The animals are too tame around here.”

Phylus let out a string of high pitched chatters before he and Palp took off, running across a large branch and leaping to a neighboring maple.

They waited a moment, making sure the pegasus wasn’t watching them, then Palp spoke. “Damn Night Guards… bastard almost snuck up on us.”

“Tell me again where those guys were back when we were in Canterlot?”

“Shrill says they were planning a counterattack against us. Actually captured some of our soldiers. I think they’re still in Canterlot prison.”

Phylus shuddered. “They’re too stealthy to be ponies…”

“They’re not all ponies, you know. I heard that one Private… Umber, I think. I heard he’s an officer in their ranks.”

“Umber…?” Phylus repeated the name. “You mean the one that went AWOL about twenty-some years ago? Didn’t he cause a huge mess-up when he did that?”

“Yeah, he was supposed to be on lookout near the Ancients’ Run mountains when that big dragon raid happened.”

“The Charred Camp, you mean?”

Palp nodded. “Lost the whole company there. The lizards razed everyone inside before they had a chance to get out.”

Phylus grunted. “Think he’s here in town?”

“Don’t know. He’s probably not in disguise, though, since Equestria’s all open to us now.”

The two were quiet for a long time after that, continuing to watch the market below.

“Hey, Palp, mind if I be upfront with you about this mission?”

Palp’s beady brown eyes flickered green for a moment as he looked to Phylus. “Go on.”

“I honestly don’t have a problem with this Spike guy. I mean, sure, he’s a dragon… but he did save a lot of changelings from starving back home. He even told off Princess Celestia if the papers are right. Guy's got guts.”

Palp eyed his companion critically, then turned back to their target. “Yeah… same here. He’s a good kid, from what I know.”

The two squirrels resumed their silence once more, Phylus pulling the acorn he had been chewing on from his cheek pouch and nibbling on it once more.

“It’s just a head of lettuce, Daze. I’m sure it’s fine.” Spike looked to the mare selling the produce and gave her an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Carrot Top. She’s a picky eater, I guess.”

The orange-maned mare waved Spike off with a smile. “It’s alright. I usually don’t have customers who are so savvy with their produce.” She turned to Daze. “Hopefully my vegetables are alright, though. I take pride in my work.”

‘Daze’ looked up from a rather leafy head of romaine lettuce, and smiled. “You mistake my pickiness. They’re all good; I’m just looking for the best one.”

Carrot Top beamed. “You flatter me.” She inspected her lettuce for a moment, grinning as she pointed to a particularly vibrant green head of romaine. “Here. This one. I remember it catching my eye when I was pulling the lettuce from my garden. Crispy, but not too crispy. Just keep it in the icebox and it should be good for a few days.”

The changeling hefted the lettuce in a hoof, inspecting it for several long moments. Slowly, a smile worked across her lips. “It’s perfect. I’ll take it, along with the rest of the vegetables.”

“Wonderful!” Carrot Top checked off all the items before her. “So… one head of romaine lettuce… two kohlrabi… a dozen potatoes, six red onions, one rutabaga, five carrots, aaaand… one bundle of asparagus.” She took out a pencil and notepad, and began crunching numbers. “That comes out to forty-two bits even.”

Daze smiled. “Good produce for a price like that? Well, that’s awfully generous.”

Carrot Top laughed. “I may have forgotten a carrot or two. Just be sure to pay me a visit next time you need more veggies.”

“I shall,” Daze said with a bow, then placed her groceries in a bag that Spike was carrying. “Come along, Spike. I still need some fruits.”

Spike grumbled as he lifted increasingly heavier bag onto his shoulder.

“Have a good day!” Carrot Top called out as they made their way through the crowd.

Spike followed Daze as she weaved through the afternoon market goers. She eventually paused, her gaze locked on a particularly group of ponies. Barrels of apples surrounded the stand, and the smell of delicious baked goods and a faint aroma of tea leaves and herbs filled the air surrounding it.

“Chrys—erm… Daze?” Spike called out to the mare had remained in place for almost a solid half-minute. “You alright?”

“H-huh?” Daze looked to Spike. “Oh, uh… y-yes.” She exhaled slowly. “It’s just…” She nodded to the two mares running the stand. “I’m sure you can understand my hesitancy.”

“Ah,” Spike replied. “Well, so as long as you don’t mention a certain wedding, I’m sure AJ will be just fine. She’s a great pony. Zecora’s fine, too. Just be yourself… except, you know… not really yourself.” He then added in a low tone. “They’re good friends of mine, too. Understand?”

The changeling nodded, and began to make her way over to the apple-laden stand, only to freeze in place once more. Spike almost bumped into her this time.

“What now?”

“Colea.”

“Huh, what about…?” Spike looked to the Apples’ stand, and sure enough, there was Colea, chatting with Zecora. “Huh… she must be on a lunch break.”

“She visits the market once in awhile. Chats with the locals, buys lunch. She loves Fuji apples, and the Apples have a small section of them on their land.”

Spike said nothing, instead simply nodding as the changeling fidgeted in place. “Well?”

“I-I can’t go over there.”

“Why not?”

“I just can’t.”

Spike frowned. “Chr…” He bit his lip, and began again. “Daze, what’s wrong?”

Daze sighed deeply after enduring Spike’s intense staring for a few heartbeats. “She’s a smart changeling. Very smart, and perceptive. I was lucky enough to get you past her when I was bringing you back to my place. In fact, I’m sure she’s already well aware that we’re here, and just hasn’t got around to us yet.” She shook her head. “Buck it, we may as well talk to her. She’ll just question us later otherwise.”

Spike raised an eyebrow and followed Daze as she continued onward to the Apples’ stand.

Applejack, busy fixing a display of Apple-family tarts, looked up and spotted Spike. “Well, howdy, Spike! Speak of the dragon, we were just talkin’ with Miss Colea about you.” Her smile faltered a bit. “She said you weren’t feeling too hot earlier today.”

Spike grinned. “O-oh, yeah. Yeah, I was a bit out of it. Dehydrated, I think. Daze here got me to her place, and let me rest for a bit.” He gave the farmpony a thumbs up. “Feeling right as rain now, though. Don’t worry. We’re just getting Daze some produce, then we were going to head back to work. Pretty sure it’s not contagious.” He looked to Colea, who was giving him and Daze an unreadable look.

“Well, nothing will help you feel better than a nice, crisp apple. Or perhaps you’re lookin’ into some of Zecora’s teas and herbs?”

The zebra mare gave Daze a welcoming nod. “Ah, I can tell you have a love for tea, Miss Daze. Tell me which of these catches your gaze.” She gestured to the dried tea leaves that were held within sealed bags. “Several are from trees grown by my sister-in-law and I. We have blends of green, black, rose, and even chai.”

Daze’s eyes wandered from blend to blend. She eventually looked to Zecora, and asked. “How did you ever procure so much?”

Applejack decided to answer. “Zecora actually planted a few trees in the Everfree years back. After she married my brother, Zecora planted some saplings from those same trees near the farmhouse. We got plenty of farmland, so it didn’t take up too much space. Not too many trees, mind you, one or two of each.” She waved a hoof. “They don’t grow too big this far north, but we’re taking good care of them. You won’t see healthier lookin’ trees anywhere in Equestria!”

“Indeed, though I believe Apple Bloom’s the one to credit to them doing so well. Were it not for her, these blends would not be fit to sell,” Zecora said, earning a grin from Applejack.

“Heh, ain’t that the truth.” Applejack chuckled.

Spike raised an eyebrow. “Really? She never mentioned anything about tea trees.”

“Oh, she’s taken quite a liking to ‘em. Even made a few personal blends for herself from the dried leaves in storage back home.” Applejack snickered. “Girl’s got an eye for plant care. She’s an Apple, after all. She just don’t want somepony like Rarity catching wind. She likes the drink, not the etiquette and ceremony.”

Colea picked a blend from the stand. “I’ll take one bag of green if you don’t mind.” As Zecora took the payment from her she turned to Spike and Daze. “So, you’re feeling better, Spike?”

Spike grinned, doing his best to focus on not being nervous. He knew how well changelings could detect emotions, and he didn’t want her becoming suspicious. “Yep, just a little dehydrated. That’s all.”

Colea studied him for a long while, then sighed, the faintest traces of a smile on her lips. “Don’t do anything stupid like that again, alright? Take care of yourself. I don’t want Scootaloo saying I’m working you to the bone and not letting you rest.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“So, if you’re both heading back to work, mind if I tag along?” Colea continued. “I can always use some company on the way back to the House.”

“Of course,” Daze answered before Spike could say anything. The grin on her face was perhaps just a bit too cheery, but if Colea felt at all disturbed by it, she said nothing. “We just need to make a quick stop to drop off my groceries at my apartment.”

“Alright then,” Colea said, adjusting her own saddlebags.

As Daze began to scan the copious amounts of apples on display, Applejack looked to Spike. “So, Spike, Rainbow Dash stopped on by earlier. Said you and Scoot are comin’ to the Grand Galloping Gala after all?”

Spike let out a huff. “Yes. Yes I am.”

Applejack’s smile fell. “Spike… sugarcube… c’mon, I ain’t trying to poke fun.”

Spike sighed deeply. “I know, I know. It’s just that I dread what’s waiting for me at the Gala.”

“Shoot, not all the politicians want your head on a plate, do they?” Applejack asked, a bemused look crossing her features. “Newspapers said you had a great approval rating right before you went and… y’know, resigned.”

“I did, and I have more than a few friends still in Canterlot. It’s just that avoiding those I’d rather not talk to will be rather difficult.” He gestured to himself. “Big target and all.”

“Spike, if you wish, we can have someone else accompany Blur and I to the Gala,” Colea said with a twinge of worry in her voice.“I didn’t mean to put you in a situation that you would be uncomfortable with.”

“No, no, it’s alright. I’ll be fine, but I’ll just have to avoid certain ponies while I’m there. That’s all.” When he noticed that Colea appeared unconvinced, he added, “Colea, two alicorn princesses aren’t going to ruin my whole night, okay? Besides, they’ll probably be busy mingling with others. I’m sure they’ll be thinking along the same lines as me. No sense in picking at old wounds. Besides, Scootaloo wouldn’t let me back out of this now if I wanted to anyway.”

“Have you tried to... salvage your relations with Princess Twilight and Princess Celestia?”

The dragon looked down at the disguised former queen and shook his head, trying to hold back his annoyance. He wasn’t sure if she was trying to get under his skin, so he played it cool. “No. Not really. There were some… less than pleasant things said between us. Things that, even if I wanted to, I don’t think I could take back.”

“Sugar, you know that ain’t true,” Applejack began.

Spike let out a puff of smoke. “Look, can we drop this?”

“Holding onto dark feelings will not help at all. Such things almost led to ponykind’s fall,” Zecora stated as she rearranged the tea display. “It is never too late. No one should ever yield to such a fate.”

The drake sighed and just shook his head. “Zecora, it’s a personal matter. I… Twilight said and did things that… that made me lose faith in her.”

Zecora looked like she wanted to say more, but withheld further comment.

“Well,” Daze eventually said, breaking the silence and gesturing to the apples she had set aside for Applejack to tally up. “I suppose this should be enough groceries for now.”

“Right.” The farmpony turned to the small pile and looked it over. “So, that’s two Golden Delicious, two Braeburns, and four Fuji apples.” Applejack crunched the numbers before saying, “Fifteen bits, please.”

Spike placed fifteen bits on the counter for Daze, who collected the fruits into a bag for Spike to take. “Thank you, Applejack, Zecora. Take care.” She gave a nod to Applejack and Zecora before leaving, Spike and Colea following behind.

“Alright, ya’ll take care! An’ don’t be a stranger!”

“Do come back whenever you like, especially you, dear sir Spike!”

Spike gave a half-hearted wave to Applejack and Zecora, slumping as soon as he was a good distance from their market stand.

“She has a point, you know.”

Spike glanced down to Daze, who remained facing ahead. He forced down an annoyed growl, instead deciding to humor the changeling. “Hm?”

“Zecora. She was right. Keep holding onto bitterness, and it’s going to eat away at you,” the changeling replied.

Colea nodded. “I have to agree, Spike. I… can’t say that it’s my place, but I know firsthoof that there are a few that I wish I’d had a chance to make amends with before I left the homeland.”

Daze paused for a brief moment, meeting Colea’s gaze. “Really? Who?”

Colea chuckled, a hollow, mirthless sound. “Some friends that didn’t agree with me leaving. I’ve been known to have a short temper and a rather sharp tongue. Something that I inherited from my mother.”

Daze frowned. “Really?”

“Mm. She always had a way of using her words to get you to do something, and she knew just how to get under your skin.” Colea shrugged, and looked back to Spike. “Anyway, that’s in the past. The point I’m trying to make, Spike, is you might find yourself wishing you at least tried to patch things up years from now.”

Spike gave a grunt, but nodded nevertheless. “I’ve already told my friends that I’ll think on it.”

Colea smiled. “That’s fine. We’ll be there, too, don’t forget that.”

The trio reached Daze’s apartment not long after, Spike and Colea waiting patiently outside for her as she brought her groceries inside. The two shared some small talk regarding Ponyville’s market, but the relative peace was short lived.

“Colea! Spike! Oh, thank the Hive!”

Both spun to see a winded Double Take buzzing frantically towards them. She skidded across the ground as she came in for a landing, tripping over herself as she did so.

“Double Take? What’s wrong?” Colea asked, her wings buzzing. “Geesh! You’re trembling, and you reek of fear. What is it?”

“A hydra!” She managed to breathe out. “It’s making its way towards the House. I-I… w-we couldn’t scare it off! Wisp tried transforming into a hydra herself to discourage it, but that only made it angrier! I-I think it’s an older hydra, our spells are just bouncing off it! It just came out of nowhere, and…” Double Take’s wings fluttered rapidly. “I’ve never seen a hydra so… so furious before!”

Colea’s features grew cold, and even Spike felt a noticeable shift in her mood. “How far from the House?”

“I-I think it’s… less than half a mile maybe?”

Colea cursed and looked to Spike. “Go tell Daze that I had to leave. Inform the Royal Guard station in town while I—”

“Hold on,” Spike interrupted. “Colea, there aren’t many hydra in those woods.” He looked to Double Take. “Did the hydra have a gash across the snout of one of its middle heads?”

The changeling blinked. “I-I don’t know? Maybe? I mean, it was really big, bigger than any I’ve seen before. It had four heads, and it’s an ugly brown color, like mud!”

Spike nodded and turned back to Colea. “I think I might know that hydra. The only creatures that have more control in the Everfree are the Ursas, and they’ve moved deeper into the woods last I heard.” He opened up his wings. “Double Take, take me to the hydra. Colea, go inform the Guard.”

“What?” Colea began. “Spike, I know you’re a dragon, but you’re not planning on taking on a hydra by yourself, are you?”

Spike frowned. “Huh? Oh, no, not if I can help it. I’ll just distract him long enough until the Royal Guard shows up.”

“You sound like you’ve dealt with this hydra before…” Colea said. “I…” She let out a hiss of annoyance. “Fine, but don’t go getting yourself killed! If things go bad, you retreat. Just get everyone to safety. Got it?”

Spike nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ve dealt with the old guy before. He’s strong, but not too bright.” He flapped his wings, and gave a nod to Double Take. “Lead the way, Double Take.”

Double Take hesitated, looking to Colea for some hint of whether or not to go.

Colea exhaled slowly and gave a nod of resignation. Double Take crouched a bit, her elongated wings buzzing as she pushed off the ground with little effort. Spike followed her into the air, his wings kicking up loose gravel and dust with their powerful flaps as he took to the skies alongside the changeling.

Colea watched them go for several long seconds before running up to Daze’s apartment. Just as she was about to knock, the door opened and Daze walked out, halting before the younger changeling.

“Colea? What’s happening?” Her ears twitched, and she added. “Something’s wrong.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement. Her ears twitched some more, and she added, her tone a little more worried, “Spike’s gone. Where’s he off to?”

“The Everfree House.” She nodded for Daze to follow, and took off down the steps. Daze quickly shut and locked her door, and followed after Colea.

“What’s wrong? Has something happened at the House?”

Colea shook her head as they galloped down the road. “Not yet hopefully. A hydra’s rampaging through the forest. Double Take found us, and told us about it. Spike took off with her. He’s hoping to distract the hydra until the Royal Guard shows up, which means we need to hurry up and make our way to the guard station.”

“A hydra?!” Daze replied in disbelief. “That drake is going to get himself eaten!”

“I know, that’s why we need to move! I… he says that he’s dealt with hydras before, and I think this he might have a bit of a past with this one in particular. He’s not going to be alone in dealing with it. Sounds like Wisp and a few others are trying to slow the beast down, too.”

Daze bit down a growl. Damn it, Spike, the last thing any of us need is for you to become hydra bait!

Spike and Double Take covered the distance between Ponyville and the Everfree rather quickly. Spike could see four distinct, serpentine heads writhing above the tree line. Small, black dots buzzed around the hydra’s heads while a single, bird-like figure circled above the beast.

“Who’s all over there?” Spike asked.

“Wisp, Raxis, Fade, and Colm. Everyone else is evacuating the House.”

Spike flapped a little harder, crossing the remaining distance to the hydra within a few wingbeats.

“Hey, bog-breath!” Spike shouted.

One of the heads twisted towards Spike’s direction. Its eyes widened as a ball of green flame exploded upon impact with its muzzle. It let out a pained hiss, and the remaining three heads all directed their attentions at the young drake now hovering in the air.

“Spike?!” called out Wisp as she zipped up towards his side.

“Everyone okay?” He asked Wisp while keeping his eyes on the hydra, which was now slowly making its way towards him.

“Y-yeah!” Wisp replied. “Where’s Colea?”

“She and Daze are getting the Royal Guard,” Spike answered, dipping low as one of the heads snapped at him. He landed on the ground with a thud, and glared up at the hydra.

The hydra let out a snort from all four pairs of nostrils, the smell of swamp and decay washing over Spike, even from where he stood.

“Spike, be careful!” Double Take called out from above, still hovering in the air.

The hydra’s four heads let out roars as they lunged forward. Spike leaped back, flapping hard as he put a good dozen meters between him and the hydra. The four heads chomped down on the ground where he had been standing, spraying mud in every direction. As they rose back up, the heads all spit out mud and grass, glaring daggers at the young dragon.

“Let me handle him. If you see an opening, take it, but keep an eye on all the heads! The back of their skulls are good weak points,” Spike called out. He glanced up for a moment, noticing that Colm, Raxis, and Fade had joined Wisp and Double Take in the air.

The hydra bared its teeth and growled, and Spike felt the faint vibrations in his chest as it did so. He looked to the hydra head that was second from the far left. A nasty scar ran across its snout. A flicker of recognition flashed in their eyes.

Spike’s claws twitched.

“Long time, no see, huh?” Spike said as he cautiously circled the beast. “I got a little bigger since last time. Probably never saw me with these, huh?” He displayed his wings as the hydra eyed them warily. “I thought you ran back to Froggy Bottom Bogg.”

Spike noticed one of the heads twitch. He rolled to the side just before a set of massive jaws rushed forward, clamping down on thin air where he had been standing. Spike punished the hydra for its mistake with a quick jet of flame. The head let out a screech of pain while its counterparts let out roars of anger. The beast rose up to its full height and glared down at the little drake that dared attack it.

“Okay, big guy…” Spike let out a plume of sulphurous smoke. “Let’s dance!”

End of Chapter Six

Author's Note

All pre-reading/editing were done by the ever-wonderful littlerobotbird. Thanks for the help, as always, friend!

Hope you all enjoyed this. I've been waiting to introduce Chrysalis into this story for quite some time. I only wish I could add a sixth character tag for her. Ah well, that's how life is sometimes, no? Thanks for reading! Keep on keeping on, everyone!

Hydras and Changelings and Dragons, Oh My!

Chapter Seven: Hydras and Changelings and Dragons, Oh My!

Lyra Heartstrings was a pony of simple needs. She had her home, her dear marefriend, her music, food, and that lucky horseshoe she’d won in a drinking contest against Minuette three years ago.

She rarely worried about things like money, and, having grown up in the home of a minor noble family in Canterlot, she knew firsthoof what it could do to a pony. While there were plenty of ponies belonging to Equestrian nobility and high-class society that were of good character, she had also seen plenty of bad ones too. Wealth was a double-edged sword; it gave you the ability to acquire many things, but it also made it feel as though you never had enough.

She had realized that after living in such a household for years as a young filly, and after voicing those concerns to her mother and father… well… it had been quite a while since she had spoken to them.

Still, regardless of her philosophy on wealth and the psychoses it could breed, Lyra enjoyed the occasional luxury when it presented itself. If she had a few bits saved up, she would get a new musical instrument to add to her small collection, or some new strings for her lyre. Sometimes she would spot a nice looking gem on display at a jewelery store, and get it for Spike, or a new tool for Scootaloo’s ever-growing toolbox. If she felt particularly bold, she’d get a nice looking saddle to wear when she and Bonbon had a bit of time alone… maybe a bottle of wine or some of those fancy chocolates that Bonbon liked that were imported from the Capricorn Tropics. Then she’d wait for Bonbon to get home, and Bonbon would make a cute little gasp when she laid eyes upon Lyra wearing a little number from the backroom of Rarity’s boutique—

Heheh… Bonbon, you naughty filly...

“Miss Heartstrings?”

Oho, and what are you wearing that skimpy little apron for, my little sweet-toothed Bonbon?

“Miss Heartstrings!”

“Huh—what?” Lyra replied intelligently, her mind returning to the present.

Sitting before Lyra was a bespectacled mare behind a desk within the Ponyville Bank.

“You were asking about a withdrawal. I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past minute,” the mare said in an exhausted tone.

“Oh!” Lyra flashed the mare a grin that was a just a tad forced, and laughed. “Yes, a withdrawal! That is precisely what I was thinking about doing just now!” She cleared her throat and slid a withdrawal slip across the polished wooden surface. “Two hundred bits, please. You can put the balance on the slip, too, please.”

The clerk sighed and shook her head, but made no comment. She pulled out a money bag and began to count out rolls of twenty bits. A minute later she had a sizeable bag of bits sitting on the desk between her and Lyra.

“There you go. Two hundred bits, Miss Heartstrings.”

The clerk filled out the slip for the withdrawal and wrote down the new balance after crunching the numbers by hoof. As she handed the slip back to Lyra, a small grin cracked the bankmare’s lips. “Another night working the clubs, I take it?”

Lyra gave a shrug. “Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on how everyone’s feeling after work. Might be a busy night for me, or I might just play a song or two and saddle up to the nearest bar stool.”

“I suppose that comes with the territory of working a gig, huh?” the mare adjusted the glasses resting on her muzzle. “Is there anything else I can do for you this afternoon?

“Nope, that’ll do!” Lyra grinned.

“Alright, then. Have a wonderful day, Miss Heartstrings.”

Lyra bid farewell to the clerk and made her way out of the bank with a spring in her step. She put the bag of bits in her saddlebag and pulled the strap on the bag’s cover tight.

“Alright, let’s see… if I were a gig, where would I hide…?” She mulled it over as she made her way down the street. “Sugarcube Corner? No, if Pinkie’s there, she’ll bring out her one-mare band contraption and… then it just gets to be too much. Maybe… hm… Barnyard Bargains? No, too crowded.”

It took her another minute or so of walking before the answer came to her. “Wait… the Everfree House, of course!” She bounced in place and giggled. “Spike said they have a bar, and if they have a bar, that means patrons!” She paused for a second. “Surely they’d have a stage for performances, right? They gotta. Eh, no biggie. Play it by ear!” She resisted the urge to do a victory dance and reminded herself that she had yet to make any deals regarding work. “Okay, head to the bordello first, negotiate, then victory dance.”

She heard a raised voice ahead as she made her way down the road that eventually would lead towards the Everfree Forest.

“Are you certain?”

“Yes! We wouldn’t come to you if we weren’t serious! Please, I don’t know how far it is!”

Lyra stopped at the local Royal Guard station and noticed two changelings speaking to a stallion clad in the traditional golden armor.

“Of course, we’ll round up a few of our experienced soldiers to help,” the stallion said to the female drone. He turned around and called into the station, “Scrap! Ironclad! We’ve got an emergency in Everfree! Hydra on the warpath!”

Lyra approached the two changelings, recognizing one as the owner of the bordello.

“Colea?”

The changeling turned around, and her eyes lit up in recognition. “Ah! Miss Lyra! Hello!” She sighed. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t have time for pleasantries. We’ve got an emergency at the bordello, and the sooner we get it taken care of, the safer everyone will be.”

“An emergency?” Lyra repeated, her ears perking up for a second and then folding back with worry. “What’s wrong?”

Colea looked to the changeling beside her. The other changeling scratched her large dorsal fin, and gave Colea a shrug. “You might as well tell her. She does live with Spike.”

Colea exhaled slowly and nodded. She turned back to Lyra. “There’s a hydra approaching the Everfree House. Our more... experienced staff, and Spike, are trying to hold it off until the Royal Guard comes to help.”

“Oh.” Lyra didn’t even bat an eyelash as she continued. “Does it have a large gash across one of the middle heads? Muddy brown scales?”

Colea quirked an eyebrow. “Yes, actually, it does. Spike asked something similar… why?”

Lyra rolled her eyes and frowned. “Ugh, that’s old Soggybottoms.” Upon receiving perplexed looks from both changelings, she elaborated. “He’s an old male hydra, probably two hundred years old. Apparently Spike’s had a run-in with the beast like… three times, I think? The thing almost ate Princess Twilight once back when she was still a unicorn from what Spike told me.”

“Really?” the other changeling asked. “Is it that dangerous?”

“Well, any hydra is dangerous,” Lyra said, as though speaking to a child. “Soggybottoms is just a jerk. A dangerous, carnivorous, pony-eating jerk, but… still just a jerk. He’s got a vendetta of sorts against Spike in particular, I guess.”

“What could Spike have done to have a hydra hold some kind of grudge against him?” Colea asked.

About four years earlier...

It was a rather sunny spring day, as was to be expected for the Pony Days Festival.

Spike and Twilight Sparkle had decided to pay their second hometown a visit just for the annual celebration. Currently they found themselves perusing the local wares and delicacies set up along the appropriately nicknamed ‘Vendor Alley’.

“Still no gems on the menu…” Spike sighed. “Next year, Spike. There’s always next year…”

“Oh, Spike, stop,” Twilight said with an amused smile. “It’s not like we can’t go get you some if you really want them.”

Spike grumbled something under his breath, but Twilight chose to ignore it. Instead, she approached a booth with an array of postcards, wrapping paper, and stationery. A single pegasus was running the booth, her familiar face bringing a smile to Twilight.

“Hello, Derpy!” Twilight said cheerily. “Glad to see you got the stand up this year!”

Derpy Hooves looked up from a box of postcards she had been shuffling through. “Oh, hi, Twi—” She cleared her throat. “Hello, Princess Twilight!” She gave a quick bow before Twilight could make any protest. “Looking for a postcard to send someone? All of them have images of authentic Ponyville landmarks! I would know, since I took all the pictures for the cards!”

Twilight hummed in thought as she levitated a postcard of the Town Hall, the Sugarcube Corner, and expansive greenery of Sweet Apple Acres. “Oh, wow, Derpy, these are beautiful! I didn’t know you were such a talented photographer!”

“Heh, well, I dabble. Still an amateur at best, but Dinky got me this great camera for my birthday last year and I’ve been dying to try it out. So I figured making postcards to sell at the post office was a good enough reason to use it.”

Twilight eventually settled on a postcard of Golden Oaks Library, post-Discord reconstruction after the Tirek fiasco. After placing a few bits on the counter for Derpy, Twilight sighed. “You know… I’m glad Discord was nice enough to bring back the library after Tirek destroyed it… but it’s just never felt the same to me.”

Derpy smiled sympathetically. “New homes always take time to get used to… especially when the home was ash and cinder moments before.” She laughed a little, though it quickly faded as she cleared her throat and gave Twilight an apologetic smile. “S-sorry, I… erm… so, how’s it like being back in Canterlot?”

“It’s odd. I… honestly, Derpy, I miss Ponyville. ” She smiled, a small, genuine one. “Still, I have my duties to perform. I’m just glad Canterlot isn't too far. I can fly here within a day’s time if I really want to.”

“I don’t know if the Equestrian Airship Legion would be happy with such a dangerous force of nature flying through the skies of Canterlot,” Spike quipped. “Are you even allowed to use those things anymore after your last trip to Cloudsdale?”

“Spike!” Twilight hissed.

“I’m just saying, you caused almost five hundred thousand bits in property damage alone when you… right, shutting up, sorry,” Spike mumbled the last part, shrinking under the death glare that Twilight had leveled at him.

A laugh from Derpy, however, drove away Twilight’s anger. “Don’t worry, Princess. I’m the last one to judge anypony’s ability to fly.” She cast a wary look at the distant Town Hall and coughed into a hoof. “Live and learn, right?”

Twilight relaxed upon hearing that. “Thanks, Derpy. I’m getting better at flying, but I’ve got a long way to go, yet. I appreciate your support and kindness, unlike a particular dragon I know.”

Spike looked to the alicorn, a smug look crossing his face.

“Don’t you smirk at me, young drake! Keep up that attitude and I’ll have you doing note-taking for me at the next meeting of the Department of Urban Development.”

Spike just grinned wider. “With or without me notarizing the notes afterwards?”

Despite her best attempts at remaining miffed towards the dragon, however, Twilight couldn’t fight down the smile. “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood, today.”

Spike winked. “That’s why I’m pushing my luck.”

Derpy snorted. “Spike… you haven’t changed a bit.”

Spike frowned. “Hey, I have, too!” He lifted an arm and flexed, a healthy amount of muscle bulging as he did so. “I’m almost as tall as Big Macintosh, now! Maybe even taller!”

The distant sound of the clock tower bell signaled one o’clock. Derpy frowned, then looked to the crowd. “Okay… where is she?”

Twilight noticed the worry creeping into Derpy’s expression. “Something wrong?”

Derpy sighed. “Oh, it’s Dinky. I told her to be back by noon, and that was an hour ago. I’m usually pretty lenient with her. She’s a teenager; I like to let her have a bit of freedom, but…”

“Do you know where she went?” Spike asked.

Derpy looked to the drake. “She was going to help Fluttershy with some rabbits. She’s been thinking of getting a pet bunny, so she wanted to talk with Fluttershy about it first.” She looked to a clock in the center of the plaza and frowned. “I know it’s safe there, but… the Everfree Forest is so close…”

“If you want, I could go and check and see if she’s there or not and let her know you’re waiting for her,” Spike offered.

“Oh, no, I can’t have you doing that,” Derpy argued. “I’m sure she just lost track of the time, the silly filly.”

Spike shook his head. “I don’t mind, Derpy, really. I was hoping to stop by later and say hi to Fluttershy anyway.”

Derpy’s worry melted away to a grateful smile. “Thanks, Spike. Let her know to get back here ASAP, okay?”

Spike looked to Twilight. “You going to stick around here, then?”

Twilight nodded. “I need to visit a few ponies here and then prepare for my little speech in the town square.” She placed a hoof on Spike’s arm. “I’ll see you later, okay? If you can’t find me, meet me at Rarity’s. We’ll be staying there for the night.”

“You got it,” Spike said with a quick salute.

With that, he made his way down the road leading out of the plaza and towards the less densely populated areas of Ponyville. Soon the road gave way to a small neighborhood street, and eventually a simple hoof-beaten trail. Spike hummed to himself as he made his way south towards the Everfree Forest and Fluttershy’s cottage.

He was sure Dinky, if she was there, had simply lost track of time, just as Derpy had said. It wasn’t hard to while you visited Fluttershy. There were so many animals there. Most of the smaller critters shied away from Spike these days, though.

All except Angel Bunny, who by now was sporting faint lines of gray hair on his coat and was probably one of the few animals that held no trepidation towards the young dragon. If anything, Spike was usually little wary around Angel.

That rabbit still had a pretty strong kick for his age.

Within a few minutes, he could see the cottage in the distance. As he neared the humble abode of Fluttershy, though, he could sense something was off. Namely, the fact that Harry the bear was running towards him on his hindlegs, gesticulating wildly towards the cottage as he did so. A few songbirds were twittering rapidly as Spike neared the bear.

“Uh, what’s up, Harry?” Spike asked. The old brown bear just flailed its arms and continued pointing in a panicked manner towards the cottage… or, upon further study, the forest beyond.

Spike frowned, and looked past the bear towards the woods. “Is Fluttershy in the Everfree Forest?”

A nod from Harry.

“Is Dinky Doo with her?”

Another nod.

“This is something bad, isn’t it?”

The bear hesitated, poking its claws together, and then nodded.

“Of course it is. All my friends are trouble magnets. Luna forbid I could have safe, easygoing friends…” He sighed, “Probably just a timberwolf or a cockatrice running around causing trouble again. No problem, I’ll just—”

It was at that moment that a bone-rattling roar decided to make itself known, shaking the Everfree Forest to its roots. Now, unlike Fluttershy, Spike wasn’t an expert on Equestrian fauna, but he was pretty sure he could recognize the roar of an Equestrian Bog Hydra when he heard it.

“Oh, Tartarus…” Spike said. Puffing out his chest and steeling himself, he ran towards the forest, praying to whatever divine force cared to listen that he make it out alive.

Fortunately—or unfortunately, perhaps—Spike only had to go a little ways into the forest before coming to an abrupt stop. There was a small creek ahead of him, and he immediately noticed three things: Fluttershy walking backwards through the water, an unconscious Dinky Doo draped across her back, and a very angry Hydra bearing down on them.

“Fluttershy!” Spike called out.

The terrified mare let out a yelp, only to let a brief look of relief flash across her face upon seeing the young dragon running towards her.

“S-Spike?! Oh, thank goodness you’re— I-I mean, no! Spike, you need to get out of here!” She turned back towards the hydra. “I-I… Dinky and I were just watching over some bunnies when she saw one wandering towards the forest. We followed after it, but…we didn’t expect to run into a hydra!”

Spike craned his neck up to meet the gaze of the hydra. It snarled at him, all four heads glaring down at him. “I’m surprised it hasn’t caused any damage here…”

“I-I think it’s just looking for a new spot to nest.” Fluttershy took a step back. “Bog Hydras usually stick to deeper parts of forests, though. Though… I think we’ve run into this one before.”

Spike studied the hydra for several long seconds, and a flash of recognition crossed his features. “Oh, yeah! That was the same one that we ran into in Froggy Bottom Bogg! Heh, Twilight totally duped him by… oh… oh dear, I think it recognizes us…”

The hydra snorted, glaring daggers at the young, upstart drake.

Spike flexed his claws and snorted out green embers.

The hydra let out a murderous growl.

Spike grit his teeth and growled in turn.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy let out a quiet whimper.

One of the heads lunged, and without thinking, Spike cocked back a fist and socked the hydra in the side of the head. Blindsided, the head made impact with a large tree, leaving an impression in the bark.

“S-Spike…?” Fluttershy whimpered as she saw the other three heads snarl in anger as the fourth hung limply in a daze.

“Fluttershy, go,” Spike replied in a determined voice. “Get Twilight. She’ll know what to do.”

“But, Spike… the hydra could—”

“Go!” Spike roared.

The hydra, deciding it’d had enough of Spike, charged the drake. Spike jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the far left head’s powerful jaws.

Spike looked back to see Fluttershy still standing where she had been, petrified with fear.

“Fluttershy! Go! I’ll be fine, but you’ve got Dinky to take care of! Now run!”

That seemed to snap Fluttershy out of her terrified stupor. She bolted towards the edge of the forest, and Spike let out a sigh of relief as she vanished from sight.

Then the hydra took notice. With the fourth head having finally regained its bearings, the massive beast began to give chase to the pegasus.

“Oh no you don’t!” Spike inhaled deeply, his chest puffing out several inches. When he exhaled, he let loose a fireball roughly the size of a beach ball. The blazing orb of green flame connected with the back of the same hydra head that he had punched moments prior. The beast roared in pain while the other heads let out a frustrated hiss and turned towards him.

“You’re a long way from Froggy Bottom, aren’t you?” Spike asked the hydra, the hint of a challenge in his words. “What are you doing out in my neck of the woods?”

The hydra replied with all four heads bellowing out a roar and charging towards Spike.

Spike felt his heart hammer in his chest, adrenaline flowing through his veins. He didn’t even notice the slight growth in his muscles as he leaped away from two of the heads snapping at him. As a third head twisted about to flank him, he leapt up and landed on the scaled neck of the beast. He grappled with the beast, holding onto it by the scaled fringes on its nape.

It didn’t take long for the beast to fling him off with a few good thrashes of its head, and Spike landed on a rotten log that split beneath his weight.

The drake groaned, shaking his head slowly. The back of his head pounded from the impact and his vision was spinning. He managed to regain his bearings in time to see a set of massive jaws hovering over his body, dripping with thick globules of saliva.

“Crap!”

Spike raised his clawed hands up and grabbed the bottom jaw while his feet pushed against the upper jaw. He struggled against the force of the hydra’s jaws as they attempted to crush him, knowing full well that he was as good as dead if he failed.

“You’re… not… going to… eat… me!”

Spike’s adrenal glands were in overdrive now, thanks to the chemical cocktail running through his bloodstream. His muscles bulged even more beneath his scales, and with a mighty heave, he pushed the jaws open fully. With a final roar and a kick with one leg, Spike freed himself from the hydra, ripping an incisor from the beast’s mouth to boot. He landed on the dirt, the massive creature near him letting out a yowl of pain as blood poured from its mouth.

Spike let out a shaky breath, tremors running through his body as he steadied himself against the ground. He had yet to even notice the cuts along his body from where the hydra’s sharp teeth had managed to graze him.

“Okay… not going to let that happen again.” He stood up fully, and let out a snort. “Yeah, and there’s more where that came from, too!”

The hydra’s three healthy heads focused on him and let out snarls. Spike’s muscles tensed as it stomped towards him. He had expected the beast to lunge. He hadn’t expected for two of the heads to snap up two large trees, pulling them up by the roots.

“What—?” Spike’s words were cut off as the two heads swung at him with surprising speed, their makeshift weapons hitting him from either side, the drake barely managing to raise his hands before he was squashed between the trees.

When the hydra pulled the two trees apart, there stood Spike, rightfully staggered. A dragon-sized dent could be seen on either tree’s trunk now, but the young dragon had taken the brunt of the damage.

“That’s… some real dirty pool, jerk…” Spike grunted, then flopped face first into the dirt.

The hydra let out a satisfied snort, and one of the middle heads picked the dragon up by the tip of his tail. The head furthest to the right attempted to snap up the dragon into its jaws, but was denied with a headbutt from one of the other heads.

Spike opened his eyes, faintly aware that he was still in Everfree Forest. After a moment of taking in his topsy-turvied surroundings, he quickly realized he was dangling by his tail, which was firmly held in the jaws of a hydra.

“Oh come on!” Spike growled out.

Another of middle heads tried snapping at Spike, but the drake reacted with a swipe of his claws. Instead of meeting air or teeth, however, Spike’s claws sunk into flesh.

The offending head let out an angry, pained cry, partially blinded from the blood dripping into its eyes. The injured hydra head collided with the one holding Spike, sending him tumbling to the ground.

Spike scrambled back to his feet and scurried back a few dozen feet as the hydra stumbled about in confused agony.

“SPIKE!!!”

Spike spun around at the sound of his name. He gasped as a massive purple paw smashed through the trees, and he found himself looking up at the imposing figure of an Ursa Major.

The hydra noticed, too, for it had immediately ceased its rampage. It let out a whimper before turning tail and running back into the depths of the forest, leaving Spike alone with an even more dangerous creature.

The Ursa Major unleashed a deafening roar and watched the hydra vanish into the darkness of the Everfree, only turning to the young drake when it finally lost sight of the beast.

Spike just flashed the astral bear a sheepish grin.

“What in the name of Starswirl were you thinking?” the bear growled.

As Spike watched, the Ursa shrank rapidly in size, and he was able to make out the faint outline of the pony within the the mass of nebula-like patterns across its celestial body. Within a minute, the bear was gone, replaced with none other than Twilight Sparkle, looking none too pleased with the drake.

“Um… I had a moment of poor judgment?” Spike offered. “On the bright side, I think I’ve burned off all the calories from those gems I snacked on.”

Twilight was in front of Spike now, and pulled him down by an ear frill with her magic. Letting out a yelp, Spike found himself face to face with the alicorn.

“Don’t you ever, ever”—she wrapped both hooves around Spike’s neck, pulling him into a fierce hug—“ever, ever scare me like that again!”

“But, Twilight, Fluttershy and Dinky were—”

“I know. Fluttershy found me, and told me.” She sighed. “Still! You could have ran! Hydra’s aren’t fast creatures! Heck, bringing it closer to town wouldn’t have been the worst thing, Spike. I would have known before it got too close. I could have taken care of it…” She let out a shaky breath. “You’re too young to be facing off against a hydra.”

“But having a princess do it for me is okay?”

“Spike, I fought Tirek, and I probably could have defeated him if things had been different and he hadn’t found you and the girls,” Twilight replied in a serious tone. “I’m not some delicate little filly, alright? You know that.”

Spike mumbled what may have qualified as an apology, returning the hug. Twilight returned the hug with yet another one, nuzzling his cheek a little and then fussing over the scrapes he had gained from his tussle with the hydra.

“Still…” Now that the scolding had been given, she couldn’t help but smile. “I am proud of you, Spike, even if that was completely idiotic. Just promise me you won’t go and pull another stunt like that when it can be avoided.”

“No promises, but I’ll try,” Spike answered.

“You big dummy…” Twilight chuckled, wiping away some tears. “What am I going to do with you?”

Present day…

“Honestly, though, I’m not sure on the details. Fluttershy told me what she saw, but Spike’s pretty tight-lipped about the whole thing. I mean, he took on a freakin’ hydra, but you’d think he’d been caught on stage in a frilly pink tutu with how he avoids talking about the whole deal. Fluttershy told me—”

“Could it wait?” Colea asked with a hint of urgency to her words. “We still have that gigantic beast making its way towards us.”

“Oh, right!” Lyra waved a hoof while smiling in embarrassment. “Sorry, sorry, heheh, um, another time, I guess!”

“You say Spike’s run into this hydra at least three times?” Colea asked the mare.

“Mm, yeah. He ran into the big guy just south of Fluttershy’s cottage the third time. The confrontation was a lot less dramatic than when he fought it by himself though. Something about Bulk Biceps, Cranky Doodle, Pinkie’s party cannon, Snails and a marble bust of Princess Luna, but that’s about all I know.”

Colea and Daze blinked.

“We’ve had a lot of large-scale incidents in the past decade…” Lyra added with a grin.

“I do like this town,” Daze said with a smirk, laughing quietly as her fellow changeling sighed with a slow shake of her head.

“You ponies are crazy, I swear…” Colea said, not without a hint of mirth in her words. “Right, well, hopefully things won’t be that bad.” She gave a meaningful look to three Royal Guards standing behind her.

“Ma’am, we’re willing to help, but you have to understand that the Everfree Forest is not within the boundaries of Equestria proper. If we went into the forest without due cause, there’s a good chance we’ll find our collective tails pinned to some politician’s wall—”

Daze piped in. “But there are Equestrian civilians who could be in danger if the hydra isn’t dealt with.”

The three stallions looked to each other. The apparent commanding officer of the station smirked a little. “That should suffice for a loophole, then.” He cleared his throat, and said with some shame in his tone, “It’s a lot more ‘proactive than sitting on our hindquarters and watching from the edge of town.” He stood a little taller, and looked to Colea. “Has everyone at your establishment evacuated already?”

“Yes, it’s standard procedure for the staff to escort all guests out and head here. We haven’t seen anyone, yet, but one of my employees informed me that they already got everyone out of the building and surrounding area.”

“That takes care of that problem, then,” the officer said with a hint of relief. “Very well, let’s go deal with this hydra.”

“Did someone say something about a hydra?”

The group turned to see Rainbow Dash flapping in place only a few feet away from them.

“Oh, hey, Dash! Yeah, Soggybottoms is back, I guess.”

“Again?” Dash replied with a snort. “That guy’s a glutton for punishment. Spike know about it?”

“He’s actually already gone off to take care of it. Him and a few other staff members from the Everfree House,” Lyra explained.

The pegasus went silent for a moment, then nodded. “I’m in.”

“Huh?” Colea quirked an eyebrow. “Seriously? We’re dealing with a hydra.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Hey, I’m bored. Girl needs to keep herself busy, y’know?”

The changeling looked to Lyra, and the unicorn just grinned. “Just go with it. She’s dealt with worse.”

“Point taken,” Colea conceded. “You are a Wonderbolt, after all. That makes you a part of the Equestrian military, correct?”

“Para-military, actually,” corrected one of the guards, earning a frown from the pegasus mare. “Er… no offense, Lieutenant Dash…”

Dash let out a snort and returned her attention to the changelings and Lyra. “Whatever. Anyway, like I said, count me in. Old Soggybottoms and I’ve never been acquainted, and that doesn’t sit right with me.” She began to jab at the open air with her hooves, a smirk spreading across her lips. “Nopony messes with my friends and gets away with it!”

Colea’s frown deepened, and she exhaled through her nose. “Right. Let’s get going before something really bad happens.”

“Okay, Spike…” the drake murmured to himself under his breath, taking in a few gulps of air as he hid behind a large tree. “He’s fighting smart, he’s not lunging at you like a mindless idiot, and he’s gotten better at chucking trees.” Spike glanced at a rerooted pine a good twenty or so yards from his spot, stabbed upside down into the ground courtesy of Soggybottoms’ brute strength.

“Look on the bright side, Spike. At least he can’t fly or breathe fire like you,” a voice chimed in from behind a nearby moss-covered boulder

Spike shot Raxis an annoyed scowl.

“Oi, don’t give me that look. I’m just being optimistic. Yeesh, no need to get all pissy about it,” the changeling grumbled.

“He almost ate me. Twice!” Spike hissed. “Tell me, what there is to be happy about right now?”

“Well, you didn’t get eaten.”

Spike groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. Raxis apparently suffered from an acute case of chronic smartass. That or the changeling’s sarcasm was a coping mechanism for dangerous situations. Spike dared not admit to himself how similar the two were in that regard.

“You see Colm at all?” Spike asked, chancing a peek around his hiding spot.

“No, but knowing him, he’s probably got something cooked up.” Raxis poked his head up from his own hiding place. “So, what’s that hydra’s problem with you? He was ten kinds of angry when we first ran into him, but he was roaring bloody murder when you and Double Take arrived.”

“Long story,” Spike replied, narrowing his eyes at the hydra.

Soggybottoms was currently occupied with attempting to snap at the forms of Double Take and Fade, who were buzzing around his head and zapping him with green bolts of magic. Wisp, disguised as a large timberwolf now, was harassing the hydra’s legs with vicious snaps, doing everything in her power to keep the hydra distracted so he wouldn’t leave the forest.

Spike exhaled deeply and looked to Raxis. “Okay, I think I can get a clear shot at him. All the heads are too busy with the girls to notice us.”

“What’re you thinking?” Raxis asked, a frown forming on his lips.

“I can shoot a fireball at him. If I put enough force behind it, I could probably knock out one or two of the heads.”

Raxis’s eyes widened. “You could do that?”

“It’s compressed fire, so it’s not solid, but the heat rush would probably be enough. Dragon flame has magic in it, too, mine especially.” Spike took in a breath and exhaled. “I’m going to need to bulk up, though.”

“Uh… well, I don’t think this is really the time to put in a few sets of bench presses and squats, but—”

“No, no, it’s a dragon thing. Just… you might want to put some distance between us.” He remained focused on the hydra, one of his fists clenching and grinding his teeth. “Once I attack him, Soggybottoms is going to make a beeline right for me.”

Raxis’s frown deepened, but he nodded. “I got your back, Spike.”

“Thanks. I might need the help…” Spike took in another breath and exhaled, wisps of smoke leaking out of his mouth and nostrils. He waited until he heard the distinct buzz of Raxis’s wings as the changeling drone took off.

Satisfied that no one was close enough to get caught up in whatever mess he might create, Spike stepped out from behind the tree. Soggybottoms had yet to notice him, which was fine. All the more time to prepare himself for the inevitable.

The drake inhaled deeply through his nostrils, holding the breath for several seconds before exhaling.

“Okay, Spike. You can do this… it’s been a while, but it’s like second nature…” He swallowed hard. “Just… painful.”

Spike called forth the innate magic running through his body, and began to feel the power flowing through his bloodstream awaken. Glands in his brain started pumping out adrenaline and a cocktail of other hormones, prepping his body for what it perceived to be a classic case of ‘fight or flight.’

He hissed as he felt his shoulder and pectoral muscles expand suddenly, his wings twitching and flaring out as they adjusted to the added musculature. His arms and legs trembled for a few seconds, then bulged out, and he let out an involuntary cry of pain from the sudden transformation.

Unlike greed growth, ‘battle transformations’ for dragons caused sporadic muscle mass to develop while the overall size of the body remained unchanged. The result was a sudden growth of new scales to meet the demand of keeping his expanded body from bursting out of his skin while his nerves were pressed and shifted without adequate time for adjustment. Not to mention his bones had to adapt to the sudden weight.

That and Spike was probably a good twenty years too young for such transformations.

“Gah, Tartarus pits, that hurts!” He winced as a bicep twitched, and he grit his teeth as he struggled to keep himself standing.

After a minute had passed, Spike now stood a head or two higher than he had before while on all fours. Every movement he made, even taking in a simple breath, caused his body to ripple with power.

He stood back up on his hind legs and looked towards the hydra. Double Take, Fade, and now Wisp, back to her true form, were in the air above Soggybottoms.

Good. No need to worry about them getting caught in the blaze.

Spike took in a deep breath, deeper than what his lungs and diaphragm would have been capable of a minute ago. The fire in his chest ignited, and he let out a roar that shook the surrounding trees as a cloud of fire poured out from his open maw, only for a massive fireball to punch through it a second later.

One of Soggybottoms’ heads whipped around at the sound of the beastial roar, only to be flooded in a swath of emerald flames.

“What in the Hive Mother—?!” cried Double Take as she, Wisp, and Fade were knocked back by an explosion of green flames that swallowed the hydra. Unharmed and only jarred by the explosion, she stared down at the inferno of emerald fire. “What was that?!”

“I think that was Spike!” Fade pointed down to a large, purple figure standing not too far from the bonfire. “Does… does he look a bit off to you?”

The three changelings were given no time to mull over Spike’s new physique as a quartet of infuriated roars filled their ears.

“It’s still alive?” Wisp muttered. “How could anything survive that?!”

“Hydra scales are strong. Not as resistant to flame as dragon’s, but still strong.”

The trio spun around to see none other than Colm, hovering behind them.

“Colm? Where the hay were you?!” Wisp shouted. “We could’ve used your help back when…” She ended her scolding upon noticing a massive, iron longbow strapped across his waist, as well as a large quiver between his wings. The bow was at least a good foot or so longer than he was tall, and the bowstring had to be at least a quarter inch thick. “That’s… a very big bow you got there.”

“Griffon warriors trained in the use of the greatbow are capable of taking down a bull hydra, and even an Ursa Minor, if they have good enough aim.” He reached for his bow and gave the string an experimental tug. It barely gave, but he seemed satisfied. “If I can get a clean shot at it, I might be able to slay the beast without anyone getting injured…” He looked around, noticing a large oak tree towering over its neighbors. “That should suffice.”

Without another word, Colm dove down to the oak tree.

“Uh…” Double Take blinked. “I… okay, that’s cool, I guess.” She turned to her fellow changelings and let out a groan. “So, what do we do, stand here and look pretty while Spike and Colm take out the big, bad hydra?”

“You kidding me?” Wisp said, a smirk forming on her lips. “This just got more exciting!”

“Wisp…” Fade said, her voice taking on a concerned tone.

Wisp turned to her sister, and her smirk vanished. “I… Don’t worry, Fade. I’ll be okay.”

Fade’s eyes remained locked with her younger sister’s.

“I promise,” Wisp added.

Fade sighed, but gave a relenting nod. “Just don’t be reckless. We talked about this before—”

“I know, I know, and I said I promise, okay?” She fluttered closer to Fade and grabbed one her hooves in her own. “C’mon, sis… you know I’m not like that anymore.”

Fade, for her part, managed to look guilty. “I… Sorry.”

“Um, girls?” Double Take began, cutting the two off from further conversation. “ I enjoy heart-to-heart talks as much as the next changeling, we really should be focusing on the pissed off angry hydra down there.”

“Right.” Wisp shook her head and watched as the hydra began charging towards Spike. “Let’s see if there’re any more boulders for that behemoth.”

“Come on and get some, you bloated lizard!”

“Spike, that’s a little unfair coming from you.”

“Not now, Raxis!” Spike shouted, leaping into the air and flapping his wings to avoid a swing of Soggybottoms’ tail.

He banked hard to the right, avoiding the snapping jaws of one head. After putting a bit of distance between himself and the hydra, he landed once more and groaned, rolling his shoulders and stretching his arms; flying with his increased weight was taxing for his wings, so he couldn’t afford to stay airborne for too long.

Soggybottoms continued pursuing, all four heads now concerned fully with the upstart dragon. The hydra spun around, going for another swing of its tail. When it felt it connect with the dragon, the heads couldn’t help but smirk… only to immediately frown when they noticed the dragon was still standing and not smashing into a nearby tree.

“Heheh…” Spike chuckled, both arms grappling with the tail while his feet slid a bit. He managed to keep his feet planted in the soil, only sliding back a few yards. He glanced up at the beast and grinned ferally. “That’s right, buddy. Somedragon got stronger since you last fought them!”

With a grunt of effort and a might heave, Spike lifted the beast over his shoulder. The hydra cried out in shock as it was lifted off the ground and tossed into a nearby thicket of pine. Soggybottoms rolled head over heels once, landing on its stomach and facing towards the drake, its heads dazed and confused from the impact.

“Holy Hive Mother!” Raxis cried out, landing beside Spike. “Damn, Spike, that was crazy! How’d you even do that?” He looked away from Soggybottoms and smiled at Spike, levity quickly vanishing when he saw how heavily Spike was breathing. “Hey, you alright?”

Spike nodded. “Y-yeah… just…” He stumbled forward, but managed to catch himself. “Crap… okay, we should end this quick. Already feeling fatigued here from bulking up and throwing a few tons over my shoulder…”

Raxis’s expression grew serious, and he was engulfed in flames. When the magic flickered out, Spike stood beside a male chimera consisting of a ram and lion’s heads and a viper for a tail. The body was half feline and half goat. It’s voice, however, was still that of the changeling.

“Whoa, okay… that’s weird…” Raxis’s lion head murmured. “Okay… okay… just getting used to seeing three different angles at…” The lion took in a breath, and exhaled. “Got it. Got it… good…” The goat and snake heads were suddenly as alert as the lion head, all three speaking in unison. “I can hold this form for at least a few minutes, maybe… Let’s finish this chump and then get something to eat. I’m hungry enough to eat a horse…” He got a worried look from Spike, then laughed. “Er, joking. That’d be gross.”

“Okay, I get the picture,” Spike said with a shake of his head. “Can you breathe fire as a chimera?”

Raxis blinked and took in a breath from his goat and lion heads. His cheeks puffed out, and a plume of orange flames shot out of their mouths. “Sweet! Yeah, I’m good.”

“Great, let’s roast this guy. Maybe he’ll finally get the hint and get out of here, then. He doesn’t usually stick around once things get too hairy for him.”

Spike and Raxis each walked towards the still recovering hydra, stopping a good couple of paces away from the beast.

“On my mark,” Spike held up a hand. “Breathe…”

Both dragon and changeling-turned-chimera took in deep breaths. Neither noticed that one of the heads had both its eyes open, nor did they hear the distinct gurgle from the beast’s massive stomach.

Spike held up his claws, and began ticking down from four to one. Both planted their feet firmly when Spike’s countdown reached zero, and opened their mouths, expelling a wave of flames towards the beast.

At the same time, the alerted head belched out a dense, gassy cloud that quickly billowed forward. The heads all turned away and braced themselves.

Spike and Raxis only had a second to register what the hydra had done, as both were still blasting out fire from their mouths. The faint, but unmistakable odor of rotten eggs wafting into their nostrils.

Spike’s eyes widened as he ceased breathing flames, watching in horror and realizing it was too late. “Raxis, get down!”

Both were thrown back as the toxic cloud ignited, tossing the two like ragdolls.

Rainbow Dash, along with Daze, Colea, and three of the local Royal Guards, had been making their way towards the Everfree House when the explosion shook the very air around them. The group came to an immediate halt, watching as a cloud of flame burst into the air before quickly dissipating to leave behind only a telltale plume of smoke.

“Oh no…” Colea whispered.

“Scrap, Ironclad, follow me! Double time!” shouted the guards’ commanding officer before the three flew toward the fires without hesitation.

Rainbow Dash grit her teeth and watched the fire spread.

“That’s not good! If there’s a fire in the Everfree, it’ll reach Ponyville next!” She cursed under her breath. “Damn it! I… Daze, Colea, I need to get the weather ponies here in case that becomes a real wildfire.” She bit her lip, and continued, her voice now carrying a hint of desperation in it. “Please, when… when you find Spike…”

“He’ll be okay,” Daze said, her own voice firm and confident. “Don’t worry, Rainbow Dash. He’s a dragon; they’re built of tougher stuff.”

Dash nodded. “Y-yeah. It’s just…”

“We understand. We have friends there too,” Colea said with a nod. “Now please, if you need the weather team, then you need to hurry.” She looked back to the forest, and sure enough, fire was already spreading across the nearby trees.

The pegasus gave a final nod and was gone, heading back to Ponyville with only a rainbow-colored contrail and the crack of a sonic boom left in her wake.

Daze and Colea returned their attention to the forest, gasping as they saw four hydra heads poke out of the canopy.

“That must be Soggybottoms,” Colea noted with a grimace. “He’s definitely a big one.”

“No kidding, Lyra was…” Daze’s voice faded, and her eyes widened. “Oh no!”

“What-gah!” Colea flitted back in shock as Daze vanished in a burst of flame. “Teleportation? Since when could…” Colea’s frills suddenly went rigid.

She recognized that faint magical resonance left from Daze’s sudden spell. How couldn’t she?

Any changeling that had served in the military would recognize it. It was a magical resonance they were trained to notice at the drop of a hat.

“No,” Colea whispered. “It can’t be her…”

Fear and anger welling up in her chest in equal parts, Colea zoomed towards the chaos within the forest, intent on saving her friends, not just from a hydra, but also from a much more dangerous creature, it seemed.

Spike moaned in pain as he sat up, stars dancing in his vision as he opened his eyes. His head throbbed with pain.

Scratch that, his whole body throbbed in pain.

“Raxis…” Spike mumbled, looking around. He spotted a small, black form crumpled a little ways from him. He squinted and could make out the unconscious changeling leaning against a tree, likely the one he was thrown into. Spike stumbled towards the changeling, and checked him over. He was breathing, thankfully, but he was out cold.

“Hang on, Raxis, I’ll get you…” Spike’s words died on his lips as he noticed a shadow spreading across the ground before him. He slowly turned around to see Soggybottoms glaring down at him.

“Clever. Didn’t think hydra’s could store that stuff in their bodies like that…” Spike spread his wings, despite his body’s protests, and placed himself between Raxis and the hydra.

Soggybottoms responded by simply lifting up a foot and bringing it down on Spike in a bid to crush the life from him.

The dragon cursed aloud and braced himself. He grabbed the massive foot, crying out in pain as his body almost buckled under the weight.

“Damn it… damn… it…” Spike growled. “Why… won’t… you just… leave?!”

Spike slowly pushed against the hydra’s foot, eventually gaining enough leverage to heave it, causing the hydra to stumble back. Spike wasted no time and forced himself forward. As the hydra backpedaled awkwardly, the dragon leaped into the air crashed into the hydra’s stomach with a solid body check.

The beast let out a pained roar and fell onto its back. Spike landed on all fours and crumpled.

His right shoulder was screaming in pain.

“That… wasn’t supposed to hurt so much…” Spike groaned. He tried to push himself up from the ground, but his muscles spasmed and he could only hiss in pain as his body rebelled.

And just as luck would have it, though, Soggybottoms was able to get back up again. All four heads looked down at Spike with something akin to amusement, lowering to meet his gaze. When Spike was at eye level, the heads growled a huffing, staccato growl that almost sounded like laughter.

“Screw you…” Spike wheezed.

One of the heads, the one that had taken the fireball to the face earlier, opened its jaws and Spike was hit with its nauseating stench.

Great. Death by hydra…

Spike closed his eyes, too weak and hurt to attempt any movement.

But just as the jaws of the hydra were about to snap shut on Spike, he heard the particular sound of pierced flesh reach his ears alongside a cry of alarm and pain from Soggybottoms.

Spike opened his eyes and saw a giant metal spear with an incredibly large tip sticking out between the two middle heads of the hydra.

“What the…?” Spike watched as Soggybottoms stood up and looked around, his eyes eventually settling on something far in the distance.

The hydra took a few lumbering steps, but stopped as its eyes widened in clear alarm. A second projectile pierced the beast’s scaled body, this time through its left side.

The beast was given no rest, however, as a massive rock slammed into its back, causing it to stumble forward. Two heads whipped toward the sky, glaring at something Spike was unable to see.

“Plenty more where that came from, sweetie!” cried out a voice that Spike immediately identified as Wisp.

One of the heads glared at the boulder, then clamped down on it with its jaws. It picked it up, and with surprising skill, threw the boulder back in the direction it came from.

“Whoa, duck!” cried out a second voice, this time Double Take.

A second head looked back in the direction that the metal spears had come. It bit down on a healthy-sized tree, snapping it at the trunk and whipping it towards whatever had attacked it. Then, all four heads looked down towards Spike.

“Attack!”

Three, much smaller spears flew down from the sky, sticking into the hydra’s backside. Three winged blurs shot by overhead, and Spike could make out the golden glimmer of Royal Guard armor as they flew past. The hydra’s heads ducked and hissed at the new nuisances, and once more a head snapped down on a tree to heft it up in his mouth. It kept a sturdy grip on the mighty tree with its jaws, and swung at the pegasi as they came in for a second pass. They scattered as the tree swiped past them, disrupting whatever plan of attack they’d had. Luckily for the winged guards, they managed to evade the wild swings of the beast.

While one head kept the Royal Guards at bay with its improvised weapon, another yanked out the offending spears, hissing in pain when it managed to remove them. Three of the heads returned their attention to Spike.

“Would it make any difference if I said dragons give you horrible indigestion?”

The hydra just growled while the three unoccupied heads grinned maliciously at him.

“Yeah, didn’t think so…”

The heads reared back, mouths opened wide to devour the dragon, and lunged forward as Spike could only brace himself.

The pain, crunching of bones, and gnashing of teeth, never came. Spike hesitantly opened his eyes, shocked when he saw a small figure standing before him. It took him a moment to recognize the changeling, whose horn was lit and casting a massive wall of flames around them. The hydra’s took a step back, glancing down in bewilderment at the newcomer.

“Chrys…” Spike paused, his mind experiencing a moment of clarity. “I… Daze?”

The changeling looked back to Spike, a small smirk touching her lips. “Kept you waiting, huh?”

“I…” Spike frowned.

“I’ll take that as a ‘thank you’, then.” She turned back to the hydra, and her smirk vanished. “Alright, Saggy… whatever your name is…” Her voice rang loudly in Spike’s ears, amplified now by magic so that the hydra could hear her. “I’m sure you can at least understand my intent, so I’m giving you one chance. Retreat, or I’ll make you retreat.”

Soggybottoms’ heads let out snorts, clearly unimpressed. The head holding the tree in its jaws decided to take action first, swinging down in a vertical arc, intent on smashing the newcomer into a bloody pulp.

With a spark of her horn, the tree was engulfed in green before it crumbled into ash. The heads all paused and stared at their disintegrated weapon, then back at Chrysalis.

“Yes, that was me,” was all Chrysalis said in reply.

“Attack pattern Cirrus, go!”

Soggybottoms looked to its left, all of its heads ducking a moment later as the three Royal Guards zipped past him. Had the hydra reacted a moment later, it would’ve likely been seeing stars.

It was at that moment that a decent sized rock covered in a suspiciously green light decided to smack into the side of one of the heads. Whipping around to face the direction the rock had come from, the heads once more were facing down the disguised queen, who was currently studying a hoof with disinterest.

“I hate being ignored. Not to mention it’s just bad manners on your part,” Chrysalis said with a bored look.

The heads roared and lifted up a foot to stomp on her. She replied by catching the foot in her telekinetic grip before encasing the entire creature in her magic. The creature lifted off the ground, and, realizing too late its error, let out a pathetic whimper.

Chrysalis smirked. “Bye-bye, now.”

The creature howled as it was sent flying deep into the Everfree, so far that not even the guards or changelings flying overhead could make out where it had landed.

“Did… did you just toss a full-grown hydra with your magic?” Spike asked, more than a little baffled.

Sure, he had grown up with Twilight Sparkle, so he wasn’t too surprised to see things of that magnitude… but this wasn’t Twilight Sparkle.

Admittedly, he didn’t know the extent of Chrysalis’s magical powers, but a full-grown hydra?

“I have my moments,” she replied.

A moment later, the three Royal Guards, Colea, Double Take, Fade, Wisp, and Colm all landed beside her and Spike.

“Spike, are you alright?” Double Take asked, both she and Wisp running towards him while Fade and Colea went to check on Raxis.

“I’m fine… all things considered,” Spike said weakly. “Thanks for the help back there. I would’ve thought that boulder would have him. Soggybottoms is definitely a sturdy one.”

“Well, hopefully he won’t be bothering these parts again,” Wisp said, looking wary as she turned towards Daze. “Uh, that was pretty cool, by the way. I don’t think I’d be able to toss a hydra on even my best day.”

“I’ve been storing love for a long time.” Daze shrugged. “It helped.”

“So it did,” came Colea’s voice as she made her way towards Daze. “I have to admit, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any changeling pull something like that.”

“Like I said to Spike, I have my moments,” Daze said with a smile. “I’m actually rather exhausted right now. I could use a nap.”

“Uh huh…” Colea looked to the three guards. “Rainbow Dash went back to get the weather team so they could put out that fire before it got worse. They should be here soon.”

“Good,” replied the commanding officer, who was now looking towards the pillar of smoke rising into the sky. “They should have no problem putting the fire out with a good rain shower, but we should still get out of the forest in case it spreads this way.” He looked to Raxis. “Is he alright?”

“Just unconscious. My magic doesn’t sense any major injuries,” Colea answered as a glow faded from her horn. “Thanks for the help, captain.”

“Just doing our duty, ma’am.” He gave her a nod. “We’ll gladly escort you back to the Everfree House, but unless you require anything else, we’ll be headed back to the station to report this. I’m sure the Equestrian Rangers will be increasing patrols in Everfree to keep an eye out for any more hydras.”

With Colea and Wisp’s help, Spike was walked out of the forest while Colm had volunteered to carry Raxis. As they made their way, Spike explained the explosion to the group, and the guards made note to make sure the information was passed along to their peers in the other branches of the Equestrian military. Within a few minutes’ time, they were out of the forest.

They could already see a herd of pegasus flying towards the forest, heavy, rain-laden clouds in tow.

After the guards had left, Colea looked to the group.

“Well done, all of you. I know only Wisp, Colm, and I are formally trained for situations like what we experienced, but that was impressive work.” She looked to the tom-griffon of their group and smiled. “I don’t recall you being so skilled with the greatbow, Colm.”

“I have some skill, but not enough it would seem. I should have been able to take down the hydra with those two great arrows. My aim was lacking.” He gave Colea a quick nod, then one to the others. He paused a moment to look at Spike before lifting off to fly back to the house, bow and quiver strapped to his back once more.

Colea turned to Double Take and Fade. “You two as well, great job. That was dangerous work, but I’m sure that everyone at the bordello and in Ponyville appreciates what you’ve done.”

“Ahem.”

“Yes, Wisp, I’m proud of you, too. This isn’t the first time you’ve dealt with beasties, though. That and you’re former military; I expect this of you.”

Wisp rolled her eyes, but her grin never wavered. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m going to have a nice bubble bath.” She looked to Spike, and grinned. “You’re welcome to join me.”

Spike, despite his exhaustion, couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll pass, I think.”

Fade shook her head. “Sorry, Spike. It seems my sister doesn’t know when to turn it off.”

“Hey, fighting gets me excited!” Wisp argued as she, Double Take, and Fade wandered back towards the house, Double Take sparing a moment to turn around and wave to Spike.

As soon as the trio was out of sight, Colea turned to Raxis with a sigh. “I’ll have to put him in a healing pod for a few hours. I see a few burns on his carapace.”

“He helped a lot back there,” Spike said, lifting his head up to look at the unconscious drone. “He’s going to be okay, right?”

“He’ll be fine. A little rest, a nice meal, and he should be back on his hooves in no time.”

“Good,” Spike said upon hearing Colea’s response. “That’s good… we got lucky.”

“Yes, you did,” Colea said with a heavy sigh. She walked closer to Spike, and placed a hoof on his shoulder.

He winced a bit, his body still sensitive from the rapid muscle growth, and she withdrew her hoof.

“Sorry. And… thanks, Spike. I know it’s painful for dragons to gain all that muscle the way you did.”

“You know about that, huh?” Spike asked.

“I’ve dealt with dragons before,” she answered. “Needless to say, I think you’re the first one I’ve seen that bulked up to protect changelings.”

“Ponyville is my home. The Everfree House is a part of my home too now…” Spike said quietly.

“Still, what you did was brave. Incredibly stupid, but brave.” She chuckled. “I’m sure Scootaloo won’t be happy when she finds out about this, though, am I right?”

“Oh, I’m more or less a dead dragon,” Spike mumbled. “She flipped out last time Soggybottoms and I had a go-round, and that wasn’t nearly as bad as the first time.”

“I see. Well, tell you what, head back to the bordello and take a nice long rest in the gardens. I’ll make sure to let everyone know that you’re back there. Think we’ll be closed for the rest of the day to recover from this anyway.”

Spike gave her a grateful nod. “Want me to take him, too?” He looked down to Raxis, who was still out like a light.

“Please,” Colea said with a smile. “If you’re able, that is.”

“I’m good enough,” Spike replied.

“Thanks, Spike. Just tell Fade or one of the girls that he needs to be placed in one of the healing pods. They’ll take care of him from there.”

“Okay,” Spike said. He slowly lifted Raxis up and placed him gently on his back. “Thanks, Colea… and uh… thanks, Daze.”

Daze, who had remained quiet the whole time, gave Spike a soft smile. “I’m just happy you’re safe. Take care.”

Spike looked between Colea and Daze, noticing a scowl forming across Colea’s lips as she turned to her fellow changeling. When Spike looked back to Daze, a questioning look on his face, she merely nodded her head towards the bordello. He said nothing further, and made his way to the Everfree House.

Once the two were alone, Colea broke the silence between them. “Drop the disguise.”

Daze raised an eyebrow. After a moment, she smiled. But it wasn’t a happy one. It almost seemed… pained. “You always were a bright little girl.”

Colea bristled. “Do not talk about me that way.”

“Colea…”

“No! You don’t have that right! You don’t deserve—”

Daze took a step forward, offering a hoof. “Please, Colea, I know you’re upset, but—”

“Don’t touch me!” Colea growled, taking a step back and flaring out her wings. She hissed involuntarily, but quickly schooled herself. “Y-you… how dare you show your face here.” She paused, then shook her head. “No. You can’t even show your true face. You’re a coward.”

“Yes,” Daze said sadly. “Yes, I am.”

“Why are you here?”

Daze looked up to meet Colea’s gaze. But she lasted only a moment before quickly looking away. “I wanted to find you.”

Colea’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

Daze seemed to deflate, and forced herself to look the smaller changeling in the eyes. “I felt that if I was going to start figuring out where I’ve gone wrong in life… I should start with the most important thing in my life.”

Colea took a step back. Then another. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not.” Daze rubbed her eyes and blinked rapidly. “Colea… I have always loved y—”

“Stop it! Just…” Colea sucked in a breath through gritted teeth. “No. You can’t just… fix everything with pretty words!”

“I realize that, but I want you to know!”

“You say you love me? Well, you’ve done a damned good job of it!” Colea stepped forward. “I studied everything there was to know on the government when I was a youngling in school. I trained and built up my strength, hoping I could be as powerful as I thought you wanted. I joined the damnable military, and became the Lieutenant General of the Changeling Army for you!”

By now, Colea was trembling. Tears threatened to fall, but she wouldn’t let them. Certainly not in front of her!

“I told you how I wanted to make you proud, every day I could. I told you that you were amazing, and that I wanted to grow up to be just like you!” Colea stomped a hoof on the ground, and all but shouted, “I said ‘I love you’ every day, every night, and any time that I could!”

Daze was having a hard time swallowing the lump in her throat. “I-I-I know, Colea. I know.”

“And now… now, after all this time, you want to tell me you love me?! No!” Colea turned away from the changeling before. “You lost that right the moment you stopped being my mother.”

Daze sniffled. “Colea, please, just give me a chance…”

Colea looked over her shoulder, her eyes widening at the sight. Daze had her forehead pressed to the ground, body wracked by sobs.

Her mother never bowed. Not for anyone or anything.

“What are you—?”

“I’m sorry, Colea,” Daze managed to say, her voice heavy with grief. “I’ve been a stupid, selfish wretch. I have done so many horrible things in the past years…” She shuddered. “Oh, who am I kidding? I’ve decades of problems on my shoulders…” She looked up, her eyes flickering for a brief moment from solid blue to slitted green irises. “But you… and all of your brothers and sisters… you were the few treasures that I managed to bring into this world in what’s been forever…”

Colea turned away from her. “H-how do you know that… when I’m the only one still alive…?”

Daze let a smile creep onto her lips. “Because… they all live on within you, Colea.”

Colea let a single sob escape her lips, “You told me to ‘get out of your sight’ when I voiced my thoughts against invading Canterlot! How is it showing your child care if you can’t even listen to her?!”

“It was cruel of me, I know! I’m still trying to understand why I was the way I was those days,” Chrysalis replied in a strained voice. “My mind was a storm of emotions, Colea, and not all my own! I have no doubt more than a few of the changelings in the Supreme Council wanted a slice of Equestrian pie for themselves to lord over. I had convinced myself that, if we just gained control of Equestria, our famine problems would be over!” She shook her head. “Trust me, when that… that Princess and her husband shot me through the skies with my troops, it was a wake-up call. They used love to defeat me!” She looked to her daughter and swallowed hard. “I should have listened to the very changeling that I cared for most. I… I should have had you come with me to Canterlot in peace. You have always been more level-headed in stressful situations than I…”

“Well, you were wrong about conquest. Getting defeated by love itself was fitting. Empathic connections or not, letting yourself get carried away like that and running off of thoughts that aren’t your own was reckless and infinitely stupid,” Colea sweeped a hoof towards Ponyville, stopping at the bordello. “As you can see, the vast majority of Equestria is more than happy to help.”

“Just goes to show that wisdom doesn’t always come with age,” the queen said with weak nod of understanding.

Colea’s tone gained a hard edge. “I’m not about to let you cause another incident like you did in Canterlot, Mother. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t be halfway to Ponyville to let the authorities know you’re here.”

Daze rose up and chanced a step forward. Then another. She didn’t bother to conceal her emotions from the changeling before her. “Colea, not a day goes by that I don’t feel proud to be your mother. I’ve always felt nothing but pride in knowing that you were my daughter. My only regret is that I never told you that, and how much you truly mean to me.”

Colea let out a wry chuckle, “Well, congratulations. You did it. Guess you can ponder on how much I mean to you while rotting behind prison bars.” She flexed her wings and prepared to take off.

“Wait.”

Colea paused, and when the sound of flames crackling reached her ears, she looked to see the queen of all changelings standing before her.

Chrysalis reached for the crown resting upon her head. She glared at it for a long moment, then threw it to the ground and stomped on it, breaking it into pieces.

“What was that supposed to accomplish?” Colea asked. “You gave up your title years ago.”

Chrysalis sighed. “That thing… I haven’t deserved to wear that, or bear the title that comes with it for a long time.” She slumped forward, and Colea couldn’t help but notice how weak she looked. “I won’t ask for your forgiveness, Colea. You deserved better than me as a mother…”

In response, Colea just snorted derisively. “Too little, too late.”

“You’re sure of that?” Chrysalis asked.

Colea said nothing at first. Her wings buzzed in agitation, but when she finally did speak, her words were not full of the venom she had previously held, but instead with something Chrysalis couldn’t place.

It didn’t help that Colea was keeping a tight lid on her emotions; it was nigh impossible to read her aside from the anger she was giving off.

“This… this place is my home now. Even so… I still worry for the others back in the Changeling Nation.” She sniffled. “What do you plan to do about them?”

Chrysalis frowned. “I’m not sure… That’s why I came to Equestria. To learn.”

Colea surprised her by simply nodding. “Perhaps… Maybe there is some chance you’re being sincere.” She cleared her throat. “Does anyone else know?”

“Spike knows who I am. No one else as far as I can tell.”

Colea was quiet after that. Chrysalis kept her senses open, just in case someone approached. She wanted to be open and honest with her daughter, but she couldn’t risk things getting worse.

“I shouldn’t trust you. I should just be done with you.” She sighed, her wings sagging at her sides. “One chance, mother. I’m going to give you one chance. If… if you really mean to better yourself… to change who you are… then I want to believe you.” She looked over her shoulder as Chrysalis’s face brightened. “Don’t think this means I forgive you. I’m giving you a chance, but I’m still keeping my eye on you.”

“Spike said about the same thing,” Chrysalis replied. “I understand.”

“Good. I’ll need to have a word with him.”

“Don’t be angry with him. He… he’s a good dragon. I think he wants things to improve for changelings… no, not just changelings, but everyone.” She smiled fondly. “I want to see him succeed, too.”

“If I find out you’ve hurt him, or anyone… or if I find out you’ve been stealing love…”

“I haven’t, I swear.” She flexed her dull wings uncomfortably. “I haven’t taken more than what’s been given to me as ‘Daze’. It’s enough, but…” She gave a weak laugh. “She’s not the most sociable of disguises I’ve ever had.” Chrysalis smile settled to a grimace. “I’m not stealing love; I promise you that.”

“Fine. Keep it that way,” Colea stood up straight. “I’ll let you keep working, but I’m not going to let you live here. But I’m guessing that’s why you’re renting anyway.”

“I figured it was for the best.”

Colea gave a curt nod. “Councilor Orthopaes has been having talks with the princesses about aiding the changelings back in the Changeling Nation. If you can find some way to help her, that’d be a start.”

Chrysalis let a smile dance across her lips at the mention of Orthopaes. While the she and the former councilor had butted heads on policy and legislation, she could never find it in herself to hate the oft-hardheaded changeling.

“Perhaps that would be a good idea.”

Colea began making her way towards the bordello, only to pause. “If you wish to continue working here, then you’ll need to work better on concealing yourself. I don’t want our business being targeted by the Equestrian military for harboring an enemy of the state.”

“Colea, if it will put your mind to ease, I will find work elsewhere.”

“No, I’d rather keep a close eye on you.” She looked over her shoulder to meet Chrysalis’ gaze. “I know how you can be when you’re overwhelmed by emotions.”

Chrysalis opened her mouth to argue, but closed it with a soft click of her teeth. “Fair point.”

“I need to check on the others, and make sure everyone who evacuated the bordello is alright. They probably ran to Ponyville as soon as they found out about the hydra.” She turned back to the Everfree House. “We’ll talk later about your position here. I’m not sure if I like the idea of you being a servicer. Take the rest of the day off.”

“Very well, Colea.” Chrysalis said. With a glow of her horn, she was engulfed in green flames once more, and the changeling Daze stood in her place.

“Try not to cause any trouble until then,” Colea said, and continued walking.

Daze smiled. “Me? Trouble?” She saw Colea stop, and raised a hoof. “Sorry, I was just joking.”

“Hmph.” With that, Colea stretched her wings and flitted into the air.

Chrysalis watched her daughter a few moments longer. The smile on her lips fell as Colea’s retreating form disappeared from view, and the disguised former queen sagged a bit as she turned back towards Ponyville.

Chrysalis had always striven to be a strong, logical ruler. Sadly, being the queen, and a powerful empath as a result, she found it hard to not be swayed by the numerous individuals she ruled over.

Mental barriers could only hold so long against the onslaught of emotions.

Perhaps it was because of that drive to be strong that she’d never shown her daughter much in the way of affection, aside from the occasional word of approval. It wasn’t that she’d held no feelings for her only daughter; far from it, in fact.

Shaking her head and steering herself away from the dark thoughts that would follow, she instead focused on what Colea had said.

Helping the changelings in Equestria with relief efforts for those still in the Changeling Nation wasn’t a half-bad idea. Not to mention, she still had a responsibility to maintain. Queen or not, Chrysalis was by far the oldest changeling alive. Even if she didn’t directly rule over them anymore, she felt the need to help.

I wonder if this is how Luna and Celestia feel… she pondered as she lifted into the air with a buzz of her wings.

After a short nap in the peaceful gardens outside of the Everfree House, Spike had bid the others at the bordello goodbye, and made his way back home. He’d originally planned on continuing to work, but Colea had insisted rather strongly that he head home, stating that Scootaloo and his friends in town were no doubt worried about him.

Though, there was something that had bothered him about his brief talk with Colea before he left.

So… she and I know about Chrysalis now. He let out a deep sigh through his nostrils. At least she didn’t seem too angry with me. If anything she seemed sad… not sure why, though.

Spike shrugged it off for now, chalking it up to everyone having had a rather stress-filled day.

A small part of his mind told him that Chrysalis was in town, and not in a dungeon, but… honestly, he couldn’t bring himself to worry too much about it. She had said it herself, after all: if she were to try taking over Equestria, let alone Ponyville, she would have a lot of ponies and changelings to deal with. Even Celestia and Luna, for all their power, weren’t capable of stopping an entire nation by themselves…

...well, save for using their celestial charges to alter the land by causing massive tidal waves, bringing drought or an unseasonal cooling of the land… but he knew that neither of them would truly go that far.

And so, with the rest of the day off, and his concerns for a former changeling queen pushed aside for now, Spike made his way through the Ponyville. The walk had helped loosen his body back up, and his muscles had burned away most of their excess mass, much to his relief.

There was one thing that he felt he was forgetting about, though…

“Spike T. Dragon!”

Spike flinched at the voice of a very upset Bonbon calling his name.

Oh, yeah… that.

Spike put on his best grin and waved to the mares outside his home. Scootaloo stood at the front, and near her were Bonbon, Princess Luna, and Lyra. Said unicorn of the group was waving back jovially while the rest had unreadable expressions on their faces.

“Uhm… hey, girls,” Spike greeted. “Sooo, what’s up?”

“Lyra told us that you were off fighting a hydra today,” Scootaloo said in an eerily calm tone.

“Now, see, when you put it that way, you make it sound like I started the whole fiasco,” Spike said with a weak chuckle.” I was actually protecting the Everfree House and everyone who—”

“We heard the explosion from here, Spike,” Bonbon said, cutting him off. “Why didn’t you wait for the Royal Guard?”

Spike bit back a retort about the guards not helping much other than distracting the hydra.

Not really their fault, though; there were usually only a half-dozen guards at best stationed in a small town like Ponyville, and most only helped with law enforcement work alongside the local police force.

Battling hydras was more along the lines of work for the Equestrian Rangers and Royal Guards stationed in the major military outposts throughout the land.

“I… figured they’d catch up!” Spike replied with a toothy grin.

“You have to admit, he has a point,” Lyra said with a nod of agreement. “I mean, he’s a big dragon, they’re pegasi. They shouldn’t have a hard time catching up to him.”

“Lyra, hush” Bonbon said, attempting to keep her stern look.

Lyra, for her part, gave Spike an apologetic grin before schooling her features into a disappointed frown that she directed towards the dragon before her.

Traitor…

“I thought you said you weren’t going to fight Soggybottoms again,” Scootaloo said, her voice quavering.

“He was making his way towards the bordello, Scoots. I couldn’t just let him trash the place. He could have hurt somepony, or even moved towards Ponyville.”

“You could have asked for my help,” Luna retorted. “I could have easily dispatched of a hydra.” She rubbed a temple with her hoof, and then added, “Though, my Night Guards failed to know of the hydra until after the problem had been solved. This was a mistake on their parts as well as mine.”

“The bordello staff acted quickly, Princess. I’m sure you and the guards would have been aware of the hydra if it had gotten any closer, but we stopped it before that could happen.”

“Speaking of which,” Luna continued. “How did you stop the hydra?”

“Er, well, I didn’t, actually,” Spike said, hoping his nervousness would be mistaken for embarrassment.

The Princess of the Night would be far from amused if she learned about Chrysalis living in town.

“One of the changelings had been storing up love for a long time in her magical reserves, I guess. She was able to launch Soggybottoms into the air. Wouldn’t be surprised if he landed on the other side of the Everfree, actually.”

“That is rather impressive… and a bit alarming,” Luna remarked while the other three mares nodded in agreement. “The forest easily covers a fifth of Equestria.”

“Yeah, that would explain why she was so drained afterwards, I guess…” Spike said, hoping that would end the conversation.

Scootaloo decided to spare him further interrogation. She closed the distance between herself and him with a flutter of her wings and wrapped her forelegs around his neck in a hug.

“Please don’t ever do that to me again.”

Spike frowned. “I can’t promise that, but I’ll avoid it if I can.” Upon receiving a worried look from the mare, he continued, “Scoots, I’m a dragon. I can breathe fire, I can do things ponies can’t, and let’s face it, I’m a little hardier than the average pony is. If a big, scary beast of some sort decides it wants to cause trouble while I’m in town, I’m going to try and stop it.”

“Spike…”

“This is my home as much as it is yours or anypony else’s. It’s how I protect it…” He nuzzled her gently as she let out a defeated sigh. “But… in the future I’ll try to be more careful who I pick fights with, okay?

“Fine,” Scootaloo said, returning his nuzzle with a kiss on the snout. “So, you done with work?”

“Mmhm,” Spike replied with a nod. “Colea decided I’d earned the rest of the day off after that whole ordeal with Soggybottoms.”

She grinned a little. “Cool. Rainbow Dash wanted to stop by later, but I think she might be a while. She said she was going to help the weather team put out the fire in the Everfree Forest when we saw her flying into town.”

“Am I going to get an earful from her, too?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t doubt it,” Scootaloo laughed, then gave her drakefriend a gentle jab with a hoof. “Come on, let’s go inside and have some dinner. The girls are going to get together and hit the bars tonight. You should come.”

“First rounds are on me!” Lyra chimed in.

“I suppose I’ll join in as well. Someone has to help keep you girls in line,” Bonbon added with a lopsided smile while shaking her head at her marefriend’s antics.

“So, wait, Princess Luna is going to the bars too?” Scootaloo nodded. “We’re doomed.”

“I heard that!”

Meanwhile…

A few days north of Ponyville, in the region of the great Frozen North that housed the Crystal Empire, Princess Cadance read through a letter. She’d received it only minutes before, the dark blue seal complete with a crescent moon clearly indicating its origin.

“Good news, I hope?” called Shining Armor as he walked into Cadance’s personal office.

She had been in there for the better part of the day, looking over proposals on what to do with a lot of land south of the newly opened Crystal College.

“Mm,” Cadance said as she scanned over the letter. “Auntie Luna is visiting Ponyville for a while.”

“Oh yeah?” He grinned. “How long?”

“Long enough that she wants us to finally make that visit we had planned to make under the guise of a junket to central Equestria.”

“Huh,” Shining chuckled. “Should I be packing?”

Cadance smiled and rolled up the letter in her magic. She got up from her chair and gave her husband a loving nuzzle.

“I think we’ve earned a vacation, don’t you? The Crystal Council should be more than capable of caring for the kingdom while we’re out for a bit.”

Shining gave a nod of agreement. “We did plan on seeing Spike in Ponyville.” His smile fell a bit. “Twily would probably like to see us, too. She’s been asking if we’ve heard from Spike lately.”

Cadance’s own smile fell as well. “Aunt Luna told me that he’s still not talking to her, and their dragonfire connection is still severed.” She lifted a fresh roll of parchment, her smile returning a little. “Though, I understand that he and Scootaloo are still together if his letters are any indication.”

“Heh, Scootaloo. I have to admit, I never would have pictured Spike with a filly like that.”

“What do you mean?” Cadance asked with a giggle. “They’re perfect for each other.”

“I know, that’s the thing: Spike’s always been a laid back guy. Kind of a nerd, too.”

“Look who’s talking,” Cadance remarked with a chuckle.

“Hey, his comic book collection is the largest one I’ve ever seen. I’m not joking about that, either.”

“So, how does that play into them surprising you?”

Shining just shook his head and smiled while lifting up one hoof. “Scootaloo’s all about action, being the first to take on a challenge. You could see that in her even when she was a flower filly at our wedding. She’s never struck me as the kind of girl who would be interested in a serious relationship from what I’ve heard Rainbow Dash say.” He shifted hooves. “Now, Spike… Spike on the other hoof is more laid back, not nearly as outgoing. He’s also a romantic at heart even if he’ll deny it until he’s blue in the face. I just… well, I never could picture him with such an outgoing, free-spirited mare like Scootaloo. I always pictured him leaning more towards someone who was mellow in nature, sorta like him.” Both hooves dropped to the floor as he gave a shrug. “I’m not bothered by them being together; Scootaloo’s a fantastic filly, and I don’t think anyone’s ever made Spike so happy. I just worry, that’s all.”

“Well, love is blind, isn’t it Shiny?” she cooed, giving him a peck on the cheek. “Let’s get our bags packed for a week-long stay. I’ll send Spike a letter in the morning to let him know we’ll be visiting.”

Shining could sense the mischief creeping into his wife’s words, and raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going to bring that huge photo album with all those embarrassing pictures of Spike, are you?”

She paused in midstep, looking over her shoulder to face him with a meek smile. “... Nooo…?”

Shining Armor gave his wife what he hoped was a severely disapproving look. “Cadance…”

Cadance pouted. “Aw, come on, let me have this! Scootaloo, Lyra, and Bonbon would love it!”

Shining Armor exhaled slowly through his nose.

He may’ve been a strong stallion, but even he had his limits. Cadance’s adorable pouting was definitely chief among things that pushed him past said limits.

Sorry, Spike, I tried…

“Alright, Cady, but don’t go overboard. He’s got his pride, you know. Keep the baby photos to a minimum, if you could.”

“But he was so cute as a baby dragon!”

“Yes, and now he’s a proud, young drake with a fragile ego that adorable pictures could easily stomp into itty-bitty pieces.”

Let it be forever known that Shining Armor took his role as a reliable older brother seriously.

“I won’t go overboard, promise,” she said in a voice that he didn’t believe was entirely genuine, but far from malicious.

Cadance had always loved to pamper Spike when he was a hatchling. Shining could recall many a time when she would be seen in the castle’s nursery back in Canterlot, playing games with a young Spike still learning how to walk.

While she was a grown mare, Shining believed a part of Cadance would always remain that youthful, spry teenaged filly who just wanted to have fun and spread joy and love to everyone around her.

Oh, heck, he might not like it at first, but Spike’s a sucker for Cadance’s coddling, too… Shining thought with a smile. He probably loves all the attention, anyway.

With that in mind, Shining gave his wife a loving peck on the cheek and made his way to his room to pack a bag for their impromptu vacation.

He knew full well it’d be a wonderful—if slightly dreadful—surprise for Spike.

End of Chapter Seven

Author's Note

One thousand baby chimera were sacrificed during the making of this chapter, so I hope all of you are happy! It's the main reason it took a long time to get published for all of you. Chimeras apparently have this thing against their young being stolen. Eh, ends justify means, right?

Anyway, this chapter was looked over by the ever-amazing (and diligent) littlerobotbird. He's a gent of few words, most of them are quirky and meaningful. Were it not for him, this would have taken longer to update.

Well, hope you enjoyed the chapter. For those of you who might remember back when I was giving away a few clues on future events/things in this story, this blog post was indicating towards the event that took place between Colea and a certain changeling queen. If you remember that blog, and guessed somewhere in the ballpark, good on ya!

Alrighty, that's all for now! Until next time, keep on keeping on!