A Small Change for Smaller Voices

"Yes a -baby- dragon needs sleep, so we'll see you later," Twilight said as she used her magic grip to snatch Spike from Fluttershy's forehooves and shove her back out the door.

"A-are you sure, I could help put him to sleep, or- oh I could sing to him-" Fluttershy stuttered out, her back against the door Twilight was trying to close on her.

"I'm sure that won't be necessary, see you later!" Twilight flashed an obviously fake smile as she slammed the door closed. Spike sat behind her, hugging his shoulders in the darkness.

"Are you sure she can't stay, just for a little while Twilight?"

Twilight scoffed and gave Spike a look of annoyance.

"Spike, what is with you? You know we don't have time for nonsense."

"Oh come on Twilight, you heard what the princess said. You should be trying to make friends," Twilight heard the dragon stand up as he crossed the room to her, probably on instinct from his fear of the dark.

"Look, tonight could be the most important night in all of Equestria. I just need to study without a bunch of crazy ponies trying to make friends all the time,"

"Well it wouldn't hurt to just meet a few more of them at the celebration would it?" Spike said, his claw wrapping around her front leg for reassurance.

Twilight sighed, feeling water being sprinkled on the flames of anger in her mind. Her assistant, though naive of his childish fears, also had a very benevolent sense about their home country.

"Fine," she said in a gruff yet defeated tone, "whatever, just help me find the stupid light switch,"

Twilight separated herself from the dragon to fumble alongside the wall of the library. Her search ended roughly fifteen seconds from its starting point, right as she heard a giggle as her fur brushed another furry body.

And Spike didn't have fur, nor a feminine laugh.

Twilight nearly jumped from her very skin as simultaneously a light switch was pushed and a bright pink pony was screaming an impossibly echoed "Surprise!!" only inches from her face.

"Didn't think we'd just leave you in the dark huh? No siree, Pinkie Pie parties work a lot better with electricity!" The pink pony motioned to a whole crowd of ponies behind her, crammed together near the back of the library. Upon signaling behind her the ponies rushed about, slamming buttons on a jukebox, pouring themselves drinks, and otherwise partying in the middle of the library.

The first thought to register in Twilight's mind was 'How in Equestria did these ponies stay so silent?'

The second was repeated as if on a broken record:

'They're gonna ruin the books, THEY'RE GONNA RUIN THE BOOKS!'

"H-hey, Pinkie Pie is it?" Twilight held her hooves down over her ears as the pink pony nodded happily.

"What is all this!?"Twilight shouted, barely able to hear her own voice over the pulsing music from the amplifiers plugged up in front of the bookcases.

"It's your 'Welcome to Ponyville Party silly!! I decided to combine it with the Summer Sun Celebration pre-party so we just moved it to the library you'd be staying in!" Pinkie Pie did not take a single breath as she stated her piece.

"But it's a library!! You can't have a party here--how did you even know I'd be here?"

"Just a teensy bit of detective work!" Pinkie grabbed Twilight by her hoof as she led her to the snack table.

"After I saw you earlier today I just knew I had to throw a party for you......but I goofed and didn't catch your name," The mare smiled bashfully at Twilight, her wild curls bouncing as she made her way around the party-goers.

"Luckily I just had to talk to one of those Pegasus guys you flew into town with. A box of jelly donuts got me all the answers I needed,"

"Oh great, just goes to show how loyal the Canterlot troops are...." Twilight frowned as she poured herself a cup of the bright red punch.

"I know right? But then again all stallions tell me what I want to hear when I give them food!" Pinkie smiled innocently, oblivious to the effects of her own charm.

"Yyyeeaahh, well this is nice and all but I think I'm just gonna go rest up for the celebration ok?" Twilight smiled as widely as she could, edging her way to a bookcase.

"Aw but the party just got started! Are you sure you don't wanna come play with us all?" Pinkie snatched up a cupcake near her hoof and seemingly materialized a bottle of hot-sauce in the other. Twilight watched in shock as the pony casually emptied the entire bottle's content on the baked good and downed it in a single gulp.

"No, no, that's fine. I've had a pretty um...long day," Twilight's forced smile held bravely as she neared ever closer to the closest bookcase in the room. Bumping the bookcase with her rump she caught a tumbling book with her magic grip and retreated into the crowd.

"Hm, some ponies really just have too much responsibilities," Pinkie Pie shrugged and dumped more hot sauce onto a platter on the punch table.

"Oh pardon me--excuse me--sorry, coming through!" Spike wandered about the crowd of ponies, his manners lost upon the ears of the ponies dancing to the deafening music.

The dragon was sure he caught sight of a familiar Rainbow colored tail zooming about in the crowd. Hopefully that would mean the pink pony invited the whole town. Naturally that would mean somepony let Fluttershy into the Library right?

Lost in thoughts with his claw poked in between his lips, Spike collided with something soft yet firm all at once. Upon contact he heard a muffled cry of surprise.

"Keep your hooves to yourself you brute!" Rarity whipped around, thrusting the contents of her glass directly into the face of the offender. The said offender simply stood stunned, unable to even flinch as the sweet liquid washed over his face.

"I was going to say excuse me," Spike said, trying to act casually despite being drenched in the sticky liquid.

"Oh my goodness, I had no idea--come and let me fix you up dear," Rarity guided Spike towards a napkin dispenser on a nearby table and fussily set about cleaning his scales of the liquid.

"Just what I get for watching all those mare power movies. Thinking every stallion is a pervert..." Rarity ended her sentence with a series of 'tsks' as the napkins stuck to Spike's scales and left several small patches of paper behind. The dragon simply kept quiet as he was being cleaned, a bit afraid the mare would lose her cool again.

"There, a bit sticky but that should go away in a while. Are you okay dear?" the unicorn looked convincingly worried for the dragon she had assaulted, a hoof lightly touching his shoulder.

"Y-yes ma'am," Spike nodded as he shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"Are you quite sure? I could take you to the bathroom if you're feeling faint." Rarity dropped her hoof from the dragon's shoulder, but did not drop her look of concern. Spike however turned his gaze away.

"Actually I was wanted to find this mare, I was....umm....gonna ask her to dance," Spike felt blood rush to his face as the words left his mouth. He probably would not have been so bold as to ask Fluttershy to dance to her face, but claiming he would was the first hurdle he felt he needed to jump.

Rarity gasped out loud, quickly covering her chest with a hoof lest her heart melt within. The courage of this little fellow! Braving the knowledge that he could possibly be rejected, this bold little dragon still asked for her hoof in a dance.

"Why my dear, what kind of mare would I be if I said no?" The unicorn gasped out as she offered her hoof to the bewildered dragon.

"Um actually I was looking for a mare named Fluttershy, have you seen her her?" Spike looked about the room, nervously picking at the pieces of napkin still stuck to his scales.

Rarity's fluttering stomach crashed and a scoff escaped her lips before she could catch it. Why the nerve of this dragon! What mare here would be more of a catch than a fashionista such as herself! Fluttershy? Why, Fluttershy wasn't even confident enough to approach stallions let alone want to dance....wait.

"IDEA!" The mare sang out. Of course Fluttershy would never approach a stallion. A stallion would have to approach her in order to initiate anything.

The mare stared down at Spike who had clasped his claws together over his stomach. He was short, scaly, and definitely looked nothing like an adult. Plus he was a dragon. Oh yes, can't overlook that.

As a matter of fact, she had never seen a dragon close up before. Rarity was honestly surprised that the ponies in town hadn't paid more attention to the little fellow.

"Well I'm quite certain Pinkie Pie gave her an invitation," The unicorn said as she scanned the room.

"Well if Twilight hadn't upset her too much..." Spike picked at the carpet with a toenail, hoping Rarity wouldn't question his statement.

"Oh she's bound to be here somewhere," Rarity stooped down to meet the dragons eyes as she spoke reassuringly to him.

"I'll tell you what, if she's around I'll be sure to tell her a certain suitor has requested her hoof in dance," The unicorn smiled as the dragon fidgeted in excitement.

"I owe you one miss Rarity," Spike called over his shoulder as he retreated into the crowd, the music masking the sigh that escaped Rarity's lips.

An hour or so later found Spike still wandering about the party. He had gotten the usual stares, similar to the ones he had gotten for the first few years of his life in Canterlot. Thankfully though the stares were the product of simple curiosity that quickly turned to endearment; it's awfully hard not liking a sociable baby dragon.

Spike had continued to ask about Fluttershy, and he had been delighted to hear that she had been seen a few times near the snack table, being the natural wallflower that she was. Seeking the most discreet approach the dragon hunkered down beneath the snack table, every once in a while sneaking peeks between the long 11' hh pink tablecloths. After twenty minutes and roughly ten swiped cookies later, he caught sight of the long pink mane.

Fluttershy, though obviously trying her hardest to seem cheerful around the other ponies, clearly wasn't having the best time. She would smile, nod, and wave at the ponies she passed then quickly retreat back into the safety of her mane, the long pink strands a seeming sanctuary from the world beyond.

It mesmerized the dragon in a way he had never felt before. As he watched her from his hiding spot, half-eaten cookie in hand, Spike suddenly felt the urge to ask her things. About her life, her hobbies, her likes and dislikes. All things that laid just beyond her natural veil.

It was roughly at the same time that Spike had emerged from under the tablecloth that he decided Fluttershy was the prettiest mare he had ever seen. This base thought clouded his mind as he approached the mare, completely making him oblivious to the fact that he had no idea what he was going to say to her.

Fluttershy was sitting at a table close to a bookcase in the corner, busying herself just a little too much with a glass of punch she was sipping at. As Spike came into view in the corner of her vision her mane slipped away to reveal rather surprised grin.

"Hi Fluttershy!" Spike shouted over the music as he hoisted himself up and into the chair opposite the pegasus.

"Well hello Spike, did you decide to stay up late anyway?" Fluttershy pushed her drink to the side, no longer needing its protection from a conversation.

"I snuck away from Twilight for the night, she's somewhere around here though," Spike quickly scanned the room for the purple unicorn, realizing she could send him to bed at any moment.

"Well I'm sure she won't mind, the Summer Sun Celebration is a special enough night I would think," The pegasus, though much more comfortable engaging in a conversation with the dragon still insisted on sitting with her hooves between her legs.

"You must not know Twilight very well," Spike chuckled a bit, knowing full well the studious unicorn would never approve of him attending parties.

"I suppose you are right. There were a few questions I didn't get to ask earlier, that is...if you don't mind," The mare retreated back under the veil, if only for a second.

"I'm all ears," the dragon flicked one of the scales on the side of his head, lest she not get the joke that he in fact did not quite have ears such as hers.

"Well...how did you come about working with miss Twilight? It's not every day you see a pony walking around with a dragon."

Another hour or so was killed answering Fluttershy's myriad of questions about his life. About Twilight, the princess, even Pony Joe who happened to be Spike's favorite baker in Canterlot. Apparently bakers were held in high regard in Ponyville, despite the simplicity of baking itself.

Soon however, the mare's questions had subsided and were replaced by the occasional giggle and a flicking of hair from her eyes.

"Would you mind if I asked you something miss Fluttershy?" Spike asked, rolling a sour candy ball between his claws with his eyes following closely.

"Well I don't see why not," The mare smiled back at him, encouraging him to speak.

"Do you maybe wanna be penpals, like after me and Twilight leave back for Canterlot?" Spike's claws drifted away from the sourball, only to drum nervously on the tabletop.

"Oh! You can write too? I would love to be penpals, although my own hoofwriting isn't so nice looking..." The mare's wings rustled nervously as she spoke, betraying her fears of rejection.

"Aw well mine's not much better, I mean just look," Spike inhaled deeply and let the magical flame build in his chest. The trick was to exhale right when the flames cooled, otherwise the message from within would be lost.

Fluttershy jumped back in her chair as the little dragon breathed out a strange green flame. She stretched her wings out in front of her face, hoping the flame would not reach beyond the feathers and her hooves where she hid.

"Uh miss Fluttershy?"

Noticing that the magical flame had not swallowed her, Fluttershy peeked between her hooves and feathers to see the dragon holding out a scroll to her.

"If you sign your name here under mine I can write you anytime you want," Spike said, trying to keep the conversation flowing as if nothing weird had happened.

"O-oh...ok, is that magic? Can all dragons do that?" Fluttershy tentatively took the scroll from Spike and searched about the table for something to write with. Sure enough, there was Spike hoofwriting, large and loopey cursive showing the dragon's diligence as well as inexperience.

"Just me! Well....that I know of, I've never actually met any other dragons before," Spike stroked his chin as he tried to remember exactly how Princess Celestia told him to use the magical flame.

"Well maybe you could show me more later? I think Pinkie Pie wants to talk to us," Fluttershy gestured with her head towards the waving Earth Pony peeking through the crowd. In a crisp, clean motion of her neck Fluttershy signed her name on the scroll with a stub of pencil held between her teeth. As she finished she gently pushed the scroll back to Spike, making it roll back closed as she did so.

"Oh um by the way, did you maybe want to..." Spike trailed off as the mare stood from her seat.

"Yes Spike?" Fluttershy asked as she ruffled out her feathers.

"Oh nevermind, its not important," Spike said as he stood up and hustled over to Fluttershy.

He had realized a tad bit too late that he had no idea how to dance, let alone ask such a timid mare to join him.