The Dragon in Twilight

-8-

“Rubin... you saved me...” Rosalina whispered, her voice hoarse as she lay injured and cradled in the dragon's arms. “You, you really do love me...”

“The word love...” Rubin began, kneeling down while he held the mare close to him. “...it is only a mere word to me, for it does not even begin to describe how much my passion, my desire for you burns, dear Rosalina... I would transcend from life's path without a second thought if it meant your happiness, for I am your protector of life, and of requisite. Nothing will stop me from keeping you happy...”

“But, your brother... he is...” Rosalina visibly cringed as the scene on the outer wall of the castle replayed through her mind.

“I had to, my sweet... Malcom was the agent of my undoing, the divider of our infatuation... only with his death could not only the kingdom of ponies stop their hate in dragons, but also allow us to join together once more.”

“Oh Rubin...” Rosalina let out a soft sigh as she nuzzled against his chest, enjoying the protective feel of his naturally armored body. She then looked down at her saddlebag, eying the potion inside. “So, now that we have the potion, how do you plan on using it?”

“Why, when the sun comes up, of course!” Rubin puffed out his chest as he raised his head up to daydream a bit. “I will finally be a stallion, permanently a stallion, to stay my form throughout the night so that I might be with you always... does that not sound wonderful, Rosalina?”

A pause, Rubin waits for a reply, but gets none.

“...Rosalina?” Rubin looks down to find her staring up at him, her lower lip puckered up and her eyebrows flared outward as if she was... pouting. “Rosalina, what's wrong?”

“It's just...” she sighed, pawing at his chest scales with her hoof. “I love you being like this... being such a big, powerful dragon...”

“But, sweet-heart... my dragon form, it is just a beast side of myself... a mere veil placed over my form, how could you see it more appealing?”

“Because...” Rosalina smiled sweetly as she stared up into his reptilian eyes with a dreamy gaze. “You already said it. You are my protector... and you know how much I enjoy feeling protected with you... in your arms...” She rubbed her muzzled against his chest again, taking in a slow, deep breath of his scent. “And against your body, especially when mine is so weak...”

“I...” Spike began, curling his arms around her more while bringing her up to his face. “I would do anything to see you better again... it pains me so much to see you like this.”

“Please, never change for me...” Twilight whispered as she pushed the potion down further into her saddlebag. “I always want you to be my strong, powerful, dragon protector...”

“But... It's all my fault in the first place, If I hadn't have...”

“Just stay with me, please...”

“I, I will, Twilight... I will, just please, wake up for me...”

“Wake up...?” Rosalina lifted her head in confusion. “Whatever do you mean-”

“Please Twilight, I beg of you, just wake up, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!”

“Rubin?”

“I shouldn't have told you I hated you, or ran away from you, or gotten you hurt so bad...”

“...Spike?”

“Please wake up Twilight, wake up...”

Spike...

Wake up Twilight...!

Spike, is that... is that you?

“Twilight?”

“I... S-spike...”

“T-TWILIGHT!”

Twilight opened her eyes slowly, taking several moments for them to get halfway, where she kept them for a while as she examined her surroundings. Her vision was blurred, and the feel of tears coming from her eyes was the first thing she noticed. The next thing was the feeling of her body laid on some sort of soft surface with what seemed like some sort of fabric draped over her. After that, the soreness and overall lack of mobility of her body became painfully noticeable. She couldn't even think right, her mind still transitioning from seeing her dreams to seeing what her eyes allowed her to.

But as she turned her head to the side, she saw him. His face was the only thing that came into focus. Of the bed sheets that adorned her, of the white room with the medical devices all around, and even of all the presents and gifts piled up in the room from her friends, all she was able to see at first, was Spike. His eyes were surrounded with reddened scales, stained and outlines from long-dried tears while his cheeks down to his chin were covered with fresh ones. His mouth was slightly agape, and he just stared at her with wide eyes, eyes of concern, of desperation, of the need for something so close to one's heart.

But as he saw her eyes opened his mouth began to crease ever so slightly at the corners. His eyes opened even wider still as he gave an open smile, albeit small, a very real smile still. His sobbing only increased then, and his smile went away as he closed his eyes and buried his face next to hers, tears spilling onto her sheets against her head while the sounds of his open crying filled the room. His whole body shook against the bed while his chest heaved from the heavy intakes of breath. For a while, Twilight couldn't tell if Spike was happy, or for some reason sad. But as he looked up at her again and she became more cognizant, she realized just how he was feeling.

“Twilight...” he whispered, biting his lip in a vain attempt to hold back his weeps. “You... you're alive...”

“Spike...” Twilight whispered back, her voice unable to go any higher than that as each word was said between soft breaths.. “Where... where am I... what happened...?”

“You're in The Canterlot Hospital right now...” Spike said as he brought up his arms and rested them on the bed, his claws settling lightly on Twilight's upper leg. “I... I thought you didn't make it, we thought you were dead, even the princess did, but...” Spike sniffed loudly a few times as he tried to compose himself.

“The dragon...” Twilight whispered as the memories slowly began to come back, shock flowing through her body, but her physical self unable to display the surprise she felt.

“You drove it away,” Spike continued, leaning closer to her. “You saved my life Twilight... you saved me from, from...”

“Markus...”

Spike reared his head back slightly, a confused expression on his face.

“Who...?”

“Markus Malcom...” a very faint, yet still noticeable smile appeared on Twilight's face. “We did it... he challenged us, and we beat him, just like Rubin... and Rosalina...”

“We... we did?” Spike lowered his head, thinking about Twilight's comparison to the book.

Spike... she obviously meant to compare him to Rubin. But, why would she do that? It's not like he yelled at her, raged at her and stormed off like.. he... did...

“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.

“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.

...he did act like Rubin. When he ran away, it was all a misunderstanding. He thought she hated her, when it wasn't the truth... just like Rubin thought Rosalina would hate him.

And Twilight. She came for him, followed him no matter what, no matter what was in her way she helped him out and saw to take care of him and his wounded heart, just as she had done in the forest, and just as Rosalina did for Rubin.

And that dragon... the one that befouled their love, the one that tried to bring back the feelings Spike had against Twilight. Using the same words Spike said... just as Malcom used the same words Rubin said.

"Yes...” it said through its teeth as he leaned his head back a bit. “You're so young, and this pony here is of adult age, obviously. And by that, I can only assume that she's been raising you for quite a while... perhaps even taking you in as some sort of guardian. She did say you were her assistant, did she not?”

“I, I did.. yes,” Twilight replied, her voice shaky.

“Well then I'm right,” his grin turned to a frown as he crossed his arms. “You, little pony, are just using him as a tool it seems, like your own little pleasure toy-”

“What!?” Twilight blurted out, her mouth agape for a few seconds. “I-no, no no no, that's , that's completely incorrect! I would never-”

“Oh really?” The dragon interrupted this time. “So then you weren't just about to take advantage of him like he was your own little sex slave?”

And in the end it all came down to a narrow escape... a narrow victory... but with their love preserved. Spike knew then just what Twilight meant about everything... about them.

Just then a doctor came through the door, his horn shining as he held a clipboard out in front of him. He looked up to see Twilight's eyes open, and sighed in delight.

“Ah, miss Sparkle!” he exclaimed cheerfully. “You're wake. This is very good news, all of your friends – and even Princess Celestia herself – have been so worried about you. And as you can see by the gifts...” The doctor motioned towards the strikingly large pile of presents stuffed in the corner. “Well.. that's self explanatory.”

“My friends...” Twilight whispered loud enough for the doctor to hear. “Are they... where are they?”

“It's actually not visiting hours right now...” the doctor scratched his hoof on his head. “The only reason Spike is here is because he would just flat out refuse to leave your side the whole time, no matter what we said or did.” He winced a little as he held up his left hoof, seeing if the scars were healing up well. “...And dragons apparently have some very sharp teeth...”

“How long... have I been out?”

“Umm... a good 3 days or so. You're lucky to be alive right now, miss Sparkle. I just wonder what it is that attacked you.”

“Don't worry about it,” Spike waved a claw in dismissal towards the doctor pony, eliciting a sigh from him.

“Well, anyways...” the doctor flipped through a few pages on his notes, scanning over them quickly. “Given your recovery course, we'll check up on you in about a week to see if you're ready to leave miss Sparkle. Until then, you're not going to be leaving that bed. Do you understand?”

Twilight nodded slightly.

“Good. I'll be just down the hall if you need me, take it easy now, and get plenty of rest.” And with that, the doctor left the room.

Spike watched the door to the room close before he turned back to Twilight. Twilight was smiling at him, and he smiled back. He carefully slid onto the bed, coming up against her and hugging her gently. Twilight's smile widened a bit as she used one hoof to slowly go around his side, returning the hug. They both laid there for a bit, enjoying each other's embrace, their comfort, and their warmth. They had each other again, and as far as they both could tell, they were home free as soon as Twilight got out of the hospital.

“Spike...” Twilight whispered lower than she normally did.

“Yes Twilight?” Spike asked as he kept his eyes close and his cheek up against hers.

Twilight turned her head a bit and planted a small kiss on Spike's lips, making the dragon blush a bit.

“I love you...”

“...I love you too.

Right there, Twilight and Spike both felt something. They felt something that only the two in the story felt, that they knew they felt, yet the words in the novel failed to describe. They felt what their love did to them when they were close, and when they were at peace. They felt... whole. They never wanted to leave each other again, and so Spike stayed there for hours, eventually falling asleep in the embrace. Twilight carefully brushed his spines with her one hoof, making sure not to wake him. She kept herself to him as her mind seemed to come to a conclusion.

He would be there for her, from then on out. Like the two in the novel that she so adored, that same novel that changed their lives, they were going to be complete. Twilight would always be with Spike, in his heart, just as Spike would always be in hers.

He was her dragon, her companion, her lover...

He was, The Dragon in Twilight.