The Dragon in Twilight

-3-

“Oh no...!” Twilight whispered to herself as she read through a dramatic scene in the story.

“Do not listen to this fiend's lies Rosalina!” Rubin cried as he pulled a dagger out of his saddlebag, Rosalina cowering behind him. “Come any closer and I will make quick work of you!”

“A fiend, am I?” Markus Malcom growled as a smirk slid its way onto his face. “Oh dear Rubin, are you once more attempting to find this 'love' emotion that you have so dramatically failed at obtaining so many times in the past?”

“I have failed so much because of YOU, monster!” Rubin yelled as he took a step closer, only a few feet away from the black coat and dark purple maned stallion with maroon eyes ahead of him. “Time and time again you have spliced yourself into my life, ruining all that I had tried to work for! Your tyrannical ways will be put to an end right here, right now if you do not back off!”

“A monster am I?” Markus' smirk widened to a grin as he took a step closer towards Rubin. “Mr. Morneigh... have you not told this damsel the truth yet? Have you not told her that I am only as much of a real monster as you?”

“I said enough!” Rubin yelled as he took another step, his dagger blade nearing Markus' nose. “Foul demon, return to the shadows from which you crept! Another word of lies and I shall make the work of this blade meet the core of your throat!”

“Hmph, you seem odly serious about this... very well, I shall concede for now. But remember Rubin...” Markus lowered his head and stared straight into Rubin's eyes as he began to back away. “You cannot hide... what lingers inside! You may be normal in the day's light, but you shall transform come every twilight!” With that, Markus truned around and trotted slowly into the shadows of an alleyway, disappearing into the darkness.

“What...” Rosalina began, her voice still shivering in fear. “What does he mean... S-sir Rubin?”

“It is nothing...” Rubin replied, putting his dagger away. “Nothing at all... he is only trying to scare you, do not fall for his tricks, my love...”

“Oh Sir Rubin...” Twilight whispered in a dreamy voice as her eyes continued to read through the story. “How I wish to have such a strong, protective stallion like you in my life...”

“Who?”

“Sir Rubin...?” Twilight asked, her ears perking up as she looked side to side.

“Who?”

“Wait, who is...” Twilight looked over to the coat and hat hanger on the far end of the room and saw Owlowicious there, his eyes staring straight at her.

“Who?”

“Oh, it's you Owlowicious... back from getting your midnight snack?”

“Who.” The bird said as it fluttered its wings a bit, Twilight recognizing it as a sign of confirmation.

“Hehe, alright...” Twilight giggled slightly, then turning back to her book. “This story is amazing Owlowicious!” Twilight beamed as she floated the book up with her magic. “I can't wait to see what happens to Sir Rubin and Rosalina!”

“Who?”

“Oh, just the two main characters,” Twilight said as she put a bookmark into the pages and closed up the book, setting it back into her saddlebag. “I'm going to be going to bed now... it's awfully late. I'll leave the rest up to you now, alright?” She smiled as she turned to her nocturnal assistant.

“Who.”

“Alright, the night's all yours then!” With that, Twilight magically lifted her blanket off of her and folded it up, setting it next to her saddlebags and then turned to head up the stairs.

As she entered her room and crawled into bed, she began to play through the scenes that happened in her story as she speculated what would happen next. She snuggled into her sheets, her eyes slowly closing while the only sound she could hear was the snoring of her #1 assistant on the other side of the room.

“I wonder who that other stallion is...” Twilight whispered to herself as she slowly began to drift to sleep. “And I wonder what his past is with Rubin... oh, I can't wait to see how it all ends...”

~That Night, in Twilight's Dreams~

“Oh Sir Rubin Morneigh~!” Twilight squeeled as she found herself pinned back against a pile of hay with Rubin's hooves up against her hips. “This is so sudden... so devious!”

“Only for you my dear Twilight Sparkle...” Rubin whispered as he lowered his body down onto Twilight's, connecting their stomachs as their hooves slid around each others bodies.

“Oh please take me...” Twilight whispered back, her eyes beginning to shut. “Take me oh sweet prince...”

“Take you where?” Rubin asked suddenly, his tone out of line with the situation. “I just came to tell you I did all the chores...”

“W-what...?” Twilight asked, her eyes opening up to see the face of a dragon staring down on her.

“EEEEK!” Twilight screamed as she jumped out of her bed, her body scrunched up like a frightened cat as she balanced herself on the bed's headboard. “Spike!”

“What!?” Spike asked, leaning away from the bed. “What did I do? I just came to tell you the morning chores were all finished!”

“My... wait!” Twilight's eyes opened widely in realization, now able to process the current information. “Oh, um, silly me, hehe... I seemed to have been dreaming...”

“What in Equestria were you dreaming of?” Spike asked with a confused face. “And why did you call me a prince...?”

“It wasn't you Spike, it was... just, nevermind. It was nothing, really!”

“Were you dreaming about Princess Celestia being a stallion again...?”

“Spike, I told you not to talk about that...”

“But the big stuffed animal thing you made was really realistic!”

“Spike!” Twilight yelled as she returned to her bed, sitting normally.

“Sorry...”

“Anyways... so, you got the chores done?”

“Yup! All taken care of. Would you like to go out into town for some breakfast?”

“No thanks Spike. If you could just prepare me a small salad, that would be nice. I have a really good book I would like to continue reading.”

“Does it have a prince in it?” Spike chuckled.

“Hush Spike...”

“Sorry. But anyways, I'll go get your salad done now. Would you like any daisies on it?”

“Sure Spike, and thank you!”

“No problem,” Spike said with his usual grin as he left the room.

Twilight smiled softly and sat there for a moment before she remembered exactly where her book was. She left the room and went to her saddlebag, pulling her book out of its wrapping with her magic and then trotting back into her room. She casually flipped the pages open to where she had left off and took a seat on her bed, laying the book in front of her with her magic. After a quick reminder of what had just happened last time, she was off to reading again.

-a couple hours later-

“Do not come closer!” Ordered the low,booming voice from inside the cave. “If you dare follow me into this cave, then I... I will eat you!”

“No... no you will not,” Rosalina said in an unusually calm voice, staring into the dark cave on the side of a mountain. The dark forest surrounding her did not fear her anymore, even at night, and her courage grew as she desired to see the one she loved. “Please... I know what this is, I know what you're trying to hide... Rubin...”

“I am NOT this 'Rubin'!” The creature snarled loudly. “Do you know what I am!? Once I show you, thou shall fear me like all others! I am not a stallion; of earth, magic, or the sky...”

“T-then what are you...?” Rosalina asked, taking a step towards the cave.

“I... AM A DRAGON!” The voice boomed as the creature emerged unfurling its large wings as it displayed its teeth while it emitted a loud roar. In the nearby area, all the creatures in the forest scrambled and either ran away or ducked into their shelters, all except for Rosalina, who didn't even take a step back.

“No... don't do this Rubin...” Twilight whispered to herself, her eyes locked onto the pages.

“R... Rubin...?”

“WHY must you insist on calling me such a name!?” The dragon snarled angrily, now bearing his claws. “Do you wish to become my next snack, little mare!?” Deep down in the dragon's chest, his heart was already tearing him apart from the inside out.

“Sir Rubin... why are you doing this? Why do you not wish to come back to me? I already know it's you...”

“F-for the last time...” The dragon growled, though it began shaking slightly as it lowered its stance. “I am not this 'Rubin' you speak of... I am only a nasty, horrid, bloodthirsty dragon!” And in a voice too low for Rosalina to hear, the dragon added something else. “Just as I always have been seen as...”

“No Rubin, she won't see you that way! She loves you!” Twilight seemed to attempt to plead with the book,a tear beginning to slide down her cheek.

“You were never a beast in my eyes...” Rosalina whispered softly before turning around, tears now flowing from her eyes. “If you really wish to be left alone, then I will do so to make you happy...”

“Begone my little pony...” The dragon sneered as he began to turn back into the cave, tears forming around the lids of his eyes. “Go back to the safety and comfort of your bed, and know this to only be a bad nightmare...”

The dragon turned his head slightly, able to see the whimpering Rosalina walk slowly through the forest, tears dripping from her face to the ground. In only a few moments he himself began to cry, slamming his fist down on the floor. He growled, his voice angry – at himself, at what he just felt he had to do. He did his best to convince her, he tried his hardest to keep her from realizing who he really was, but she still seemed to find out. He knew this night would come, it always came... there was always a point where his would-be lover found out about his curse, and then left him... just like they all did.

His only hope, was to scare them off when they saw him as a dragon, and hope that they didn't realize it was really him. After all... what kind of pony would love a dragon?

“I would...” Twilight whispered to herself softly.

After a few moments, she rose her head up, coming to a full realization of what she had just said. Would I really love a dragon like that? She asked herself. Could I...? I don't even know any... The image of her assistant appeared in her mind, but she quickly shook it out. No, he's too young for that... for me, I would be a foal to think otherwise. With a light sigh, Twilight placed a bookmark in her book and closed it up. She took a look at her clock, and decided it was best to get back to studying.

She walked out of her room and down the stairs, seeing Spike organizing a few pamphlets on the far side. Thinking nothing of it, she casually wrapped up the book and placed it back into her saddlebag, then began to head to her bookshelf to find the book she had been studying yesterday. What she didn't see, however, was her assistant watching her place the book into her saddlebag, even taking the time to wrap it up. Spike was always the curious type, and if Twilight took the time to wrap it up, perhaps it was something she didn't want him to see.

“Hmm...”