Chapters “Spi-ike! Did you finish cataloging those books I gave you?” Twilight called to Spike on the second floor, slowly trotting over to monitor his progress. Spike didn't answer. He was busy trying to understand why the newest princess of Equestria suddenly needed her assistant to catalog every book in the library at three in the morning, and after a day in Canterlot.
“Now Spike, I want to make sure that we know exactly how many copies of Your Magic and You we have, Ponyville Elementary is just starting to teach basic levitation to the unicorn foals and I don't want to run out," Twilight said with a commanding tone.
“Uh...sure...Twilight... just let me get a new quill...” He yawned. Twilight gave him a bit of a smile and a pat on the head, then began to head back downstairs. “Just gotta get these ones cataloged,” he said with a yawn. The baby dragon then promptly slumped to the floor and quickly fell fast asleep. Twilight heard the noise and looked at her number one assistant, the dragon who she she could rely on for almost anything. On a pile of books, he slept, exhausted from the day.
“Sleeping on books...” Ordinarily she would be shocked at the lack of respect given to the printed medium, but instead, she smirked. Somehow Spike had adapted to that situation a lot better than she had.
Twilight walked over to the pile of books and the dragon that slept upon them. She picked him up and placed him on her back gently, though she knew that he wouldn't stir. She stopped at his basket, lowered Spike in, used her wings to pull the covers over him, and let out a sigh.
“He must be really tuckered out from all that work. Maybe tomorrow I'll make it up to him somehow,” she thought. Leaning over, she gave him a kiss on the forehead and said “Sleep tight.” Her bed was somehow less comfortable that night, and she fitfully managed to fall asleep to the sound of dragon snores.
The morning came earlier than either Twilight or Spike expected. Twilight had been planning a picnic with Pinkie and Rainbow Dash for weeks now, and she had to get up early to prepare the daisy sandwiches.
“Spike, get down here! The market always sells out of the best daisies just after dawn!” Twilight knew that if she didn't end up getting the sandwiches made, then everypony would have to eat whatever was Dash's latest attempt at cooking with Pinkie. She shuddered at the thought of her chocolate-covered buckwheat cakes. “Took eating half a dozen of Pinkie's Crazy Candy Cane Cookies to get that taste out of my mouth,” she thought. “Spi-ike! Come on! I don't have all day!” she screamed.
Spike began to stir, but only a little bit. He'd gotten used to hearing Twilight yelling from at the door for him to get ready. Sometimes he was lucky, and convince Twilight to go out by herself. Other times, not so much. Twilight wasn't afraid to overturn his basket, even if that didn't wake him sometimes. But he heard his stomach growl, and it felt like something was cutting into his back even more than usual, so he got up. He'd been meaning to ask Twilight or Zecora why his back had been hurting, but he figured it was just from lifting heavy volumes in the library. He walked over to the mirror that Twilight had hung near her bed.
“Ugh, those gemstones looked so good,” he said with a slightly sick look on his face. His eyes moved down the mirror,. “Lookin' good Spike, lookin' real good!” he said to himself. He turned his back to the mirror, still hurting from his basket. He stopped at his shoulder blades, and began to rub the spot that hurt the most. Spike felt a gust of wind and a sudden release of pain. He looked up into the mirror.
He had grown wings.
Spike fell back hard onto the floor. His eyes opened wide, and he could only stammer gibberish as the wind from the window blew through his wings. They shuttered closed on his back. “I-I...what happened last night?” His mind went straight to that one birthday that he would never forget. How would Twilight react to this? Another growth from greed? Would he be sent away from his friends in Ponyville, and the one mare he depended on more than anything? They'd already seen what happens when a dragon grows, they couldn't possibly want to deal with that situation again.
“Spike, come on!” Twilight screamed again, interupting his train of thought. He heard her walking up the stairs excitedly. “If you come we'll stop for ice cream and...” She stopped at the top of the stairs to see her number one assistant standing gaze fixed upon her mirror.
As she stepped around him, he was silent. “Spike, did..did something happen?” she asked with an inquisitive look on her face. Spike scrambled away from the mirror.
“Oh, it's nothing Twi! I was just making my bed and nothing strange was going on up here, no ma'am.” He leaned up against Twilight's bedpost and tried to act “cool.” Unconsciously, his wings unfolded and expanded to their full lengths, much to his horror.
“SPIKE! What in the name of Celestia happened? You grew wings! Did you-” Before she could finish her sentence, Spike broke down in tears.
“P-please don't send me away! I love all of my pony friends and couldn't live without all of you!” he managed to get out before collapsing into a fetal position on the floor. Twilight got down on the floor and laid her hoof on Spike's newly formed wings.
“Spike, why would you ever think that I'd send you away for this?” she asked, holding him closely.
“B-because dragons are giant beasts that hurt ponies and-and I can't control myself and-” Twilight put her hoof on his mouth, and levitated a tissue down from a shelf to wipe the tears out of his eyes. “It's not my fault, Twi...” he said with a whimper as the tissue wiped away his tears.
“Spike, I know it's not your fault. Dragons don't grow wings from greed, after all.” A look of shock shot over Spike's face.
“So it really isn't my fault?”
Twilight laughed. “No, you're just becoming a big dragon.” Spike's tears stopped and he began jumping up and down with joy. He began to flap his wings, slowly lifting into the air.
“Sweet! Now I can fly with you and Rainbow Dash and maybe Fluttershy if she feels like it and I can help Scootaloo-” He seemed to wobble in the air for a few seconds before crashing down back onto the ground. “Now you know how I felt,” said Twilight with a giggle. Spike dusted himself off and followed Twilight, who was heading back downstairs and out the door.
“Come on, Spike. I think I can afford a treat for my big brave dragon assistant,” she said as she put on her saddlebags. Spike eagerly began to spread his wings slowly in an attempt to glide down to the first floor, before falling face first.
“I'm okay!” he cried as he picked himself up again and rushed out the door. Twilight looked at him and patted him on the head.
“Note to self,” she thought, “buy more pillows.” They walked out the door and headed into town, two pairs of wings flapping in the wind.
Ponyville Market was busy as usual. Twilight trotted up to Daisy's stand and began to pull some bits out of her saddlebag.
“Hi Rose! I need some good eating daisies, the fresh ones from the fields outside Ponyville if possible.” Daisy looked at her excitedly.
“Oh, Twilight! Haven't you read any books about edible horticulture? What are they teaching you princesses now? Ponyville daisies can't hold a candle to the ones that they grow in Canterlot! I know the common bellis perennis is what you're probably used to, but if I could just convince you to try the subtle and delicate flavors of the Leucanthemum vulgare...”
Spike yawned. He remembered why he never liked to accompany Twilight on these early trips, and how a short trip to the market in the morning often wouldn't end until midday.
Spike's mind began to wander as Twilight eagerly listened to every detail and wondered where the other ponies were. Off in the distance, he could see Fluttershy carrying Angel on her back, with Pinkie Pie pronking around her excitedly with Gummy in tow. “Hey Twi, I'm gonna go uh...check out those zucchini,” he interjected into a conversation that was now about the correct variety of cider to pair with flowers.
“Uh huh, just don't wander too far off because you don't know how the townsponies may-”
Spike didn't wait for her to say anything else, and zipped towards the two ponies.
Fluttershy and Pinkie initially didn't notice anything different about their baby dragon friend.
“Oh hi, Spike. What are you and Twilight doing up so early? I'm just picking out a particular kind of lettuce that Angel likes. He won't eat his salads without it!”
Spike could barely get a word in before Pinkie came to a stop in front of him and interrupted.
“They're coming to my super-special Just Because You're Both My Friends Picnic this afternoon! I know Twilight's going to be bringing those yummy daisy sandwiches she makes so well, and Spike said that he'd make those awesome cookies, didn't you, Spike?”
He knew that there was something there was supposed to do last night. It's not like you can make enough cookies to satisfy Pinkie when you're up all night cataloging. Besides, his apron was still at the cleaners from an incident with Owlowlicious.
“Uh...hey, you two notice anything different about me today?”
He tried to unfold his wings, and managed to get them open a little bit.
“Did you get a mane cu-oh silly me, you dragons don't have manes!” exclaimed Pinkie.
“Um, did you shine your scales?” Fluttershy asked.
Spike slapped his forehead with his claw. He opened his wings fully and looked up at the two with a proud look on his face.
“Oh...my. Y-you've got wings now. Um, just a question, but you haven't been inside my cottage recently have you?” Fluttershy asked with most of the color drained out of her face.
“Nah, Twilight said this isn't like that, I'm just becoming a big dragon now.” Fluttershy let out a sigh.
“Oh thank goodness. I don't think I could stand to see one of my friends hurt us like those awful dragons do.”
Spike couldn't help but feel a little sad at the last part of that statement.
“What do you think, Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked.
She began to shake and suddenly began to pronk all around Spike. “THIS IS AMAZING! Now I can throw that Congratulations On Getting Dragon Wings party I've always wanted to! And Rarity said that it was unrealistic to plan for such an occasion,” she said with a beaming smile. She began to hug Spike tightly. “It's just soooo awesome that I know a dragon who has wings!”
“Wings? A dragon that has wings?!” one of the townsponies near Pinkie yelled.
“Everypony run!” another screamed.
The market that was once full quickly began to clear out, vendors hastily closing up shop.
“W-what? No, I'm not an evil dragon I-” Spike stammered out to no avail as ponies ran in fear of him.
Fluttershy quickly picked Spike and Angel up and began running, with Pinkie following. “Oh my goodness, Spike, ponies aren't really taking this well. Where in Equestria is Twilight?”
“She's at the daisy stand, hopefully!” Spike screamed over the cacophony of stampeding ponies. They rushed over to the other end of the market.
Daisy's stand, like all the others, was closed up and Twilight was nowhere to be seen. Crushed daisies littered the ground, pounded flat from the movements of worried hooves.
“Uh...I guess we should check out the library?” Fluttershy said timidly.
“Yeah, we can throw the party there instead!” Pinkie said as she pronked off with Gummy, ahead of Spike and Fluttershy.
“We'd better catch up to her before she riles up other ponies. Hopefully Twilight can help us,” Fluttershy said nervously.
Spike anxiously muttered “Yeah, Twilight will know what to do.” Angel began whining.
“Oh, don't worry Angel. Everything's going to be fine. Oh, and that goes for you too, Spike.” She began to nuzzle his face.
"Thanks, Fluttershy.” It only helped a little bit, he thought. Twilight was always the most reassuring to him. The library was only a short walk away, but it seemed like the trip took an eternity.
The walk back to the library was desolate. It wasn't exactly unusual for Ponyville residents to board up their windows and hide in fear, but Spike had never felt particularly in danger when they did. This time it was different. He was the reason why they were hiding again. He hadn't grown a single inch, but his two new wings were now the most feared things in Ponyville.
Twilight paced around the library. All of her friends had come over the second that they heard the commotion in town. Applejack was chatting with Rarity, and Rainbow Dash had her snout buried in the newest Daring Do. Twilight looked out the window.
“I hope Spike and the others are okay, it's so easy to get caught in one of Ponyville's stampedes.” Rainbow lifted her head up from her book.
“Relax, Twi. Spike can handle himself. He's got that dragon bravery thing goin' for him.” Twilight nodded, but Rarity only looked nervous.
“I know my Spikey-wikey will be fine, right girls?” Applejack put her hoof on Rarity's back.
“Ah, yah worry too much Rare. He's a strong little fella, I'm sure he's just fine.”
“Twilight!” Spike screamed as he ran into the library with Pinkie and Fluttershy following not far behind. “I know you said not to go off and make trouble but I swear I really didn't mean to this time and I know that you're probably going to be mad but I-”
Again Spike's wings unconsciously unfolded.
There were three audible gasps in the room, a reaction loudest of which came from the one pony Spike knew would react in the way she did. He didn't feel pride as he did when he had shown them off to Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. He blushed, and managed to spit out “Uh, hi everypony.”
“Oh my dear Spikey-wikey! What happened to you, darling?!” Rarity cried as she stared in a mix of fear and apprehension.
Spike blushed. Of course she'd be the first one to react to something like this. Rainbow's mouth went from being agape to a wide smile.
“Another new flying buddy? Alright! Hopefully you'll do better than Twilight's first experience with me.” Twilight glared at Rainbow.
“You took me out in a thunderstorm!” she said curtly.
“Not my fault you couldn't blow away the clouds.”
Twilight grimaced, and noticed Applejack was just standing in the corner of the room, not particularly interested in what was going on.
“Now why y'all gettin' worked up about this? Our little Spike is just growin' up, and for real this time. Twi told us all about dragons while ya were gone, Spike. We couldn't pick up what she was puttin' out, but we get it now. Anyway, I think we all owe him our support after all he's done for us.”
The five other mares nodded in agreement.
“I just don't know if the townsponies might change how they see him...” Twilight said as she glanced out the window. A few ponies were starting to come outside and take down the boards. Pinkie took a deep breath and began excitedly said
“Oooh ooh ooh! We can make his “Congratulations on Getting Dragon Wings!” party into a festival for the whole town! They'll see that this cute little thing wouldn't hurt a fly.” She patted Spike on the head.
“Good idea, Pinkie. Rarity, can you help Pinkie get the decorations ready?” Twilight asked confidently.
“It's going to be the most fabulous party ever for my little Spikey-wikey!” she squealed.
“Me and Rainbow are gonna go and buck some apples for cider for the party. Can't have a party without cider!” Rainbow cut in.
“And this time, I get first dibs! Well, after the dragon of the hour here, I guess.” They all walked out of the library, leaving Spike alone with Twilight.
Twilight stepped next to Spike. “See? They still love you, don't they? It doesn't matter what you are, Spike. You'll always have someone to love you.” Twilight had to hold a tear back as she looked into Spike's eyes.
“Twi...you're the greatest.” She hugged him and said,
“You too, kiddo.”
Spike ran back up stairs and promptly fell back asleep.
“Oh! I should probably alert the princess to the celebration. A royal visit certainly would help calm down the townsponies. Spike take a-”
She heard snores from upstairs and went to get the quill and paper herself.
Dear Princess Celestia...
Spike decided to get up before dawn to take a walk and air out his wings. It was unlike him to get up before noon if he didn't have to, much less before Twilight. He tiptoed out of the house and out the door. The sun was just rising, but Ponyville was still asleep. He walked down the main street, folding and unfolding his wings. “They don't have those ugly holes in them, thank goodness,” he thought. Spike remembered how intimidating those teenage dragons were with those gashes in their wings.
All of a sudden, Spike heard a loud noise that was undoubtedly a certain pink pony. “Hiya, Spike!” she shouted as she ran towards him. “What's my best dragon friend doing up so early? Ya don't want to spoil the surprise you'll get from your awesome festivale today!” She beckoned to a cart full of decorations and a large banner she had hung up. “Ya like it? Twilight said I should include a traditional piece of dragon artwork, so I did!”
Spike looked at the banner, with its intimidating dragon figure holding a noisemaker. It was clear to him that the banner had been changed. Smiley faces had been drawn over faces of horror, and he guessed the noisemaker originally was a house. Dragon artwork? As drawn by ponies, probably.
“Uh, Pinks?”
“Yes, Spike?”
“Where did you get the design for this banner?”
“I told you, silly! Twilight got the design for me from a book, and I painted it all by myself! Of course I had to make it a little bit happier, since I had to make it fun!
Spike decided to drop it. There's no way she intended to imply anything bad. She was too focused on planning to have any ulterior motive. “Well, at least she doesn't think I'm like that,” he thought.
“Oops, I almost forgot to post these all over town,” Pinkie said pulling out a large stack of fliers and interrupting Spike's thoughts. “How can we have a super-duper-special-awesome dragon party if nopony knows it's going on? Gotta go and spread the word!” She bounced away happily.
“That pony...” Spike shook his head. He didn't really ever know where she got her energy, but she never did fail to make him smile. She would be the kind of pony to make that kind of banner. It stopped being surprising once he thought about it, and he began to chuckle.
But his thoughts soon turned to another pony. Rarity seemed supportive, but what would happen during the festivale? Would she still be like that then, with everypony else around? Spike remembered seeing Rarity keep the Fire Ruby on her shelf, and everything it represented to her. He still had feelings for her, and they had recently only felt stronger. He hoped that she would start taking him more seriously, but her initial shockat the new addition in his life had surprised him. “I'm probably just overreacting to all of this...yeah...overreacting.” Spike thought, trying to reassure himself. The first ponies began to emerge from their homes as the sun rose higher, and Spike decided to head on back to the library before Twilight got too worried.
“There you are, Spike. Ready for an awesome day? I was just gonna go on a quick fly with Rainbow Dash, wanna come?” Twilight said as Spike walked into the library.
He looked at his wings.
“Yeah, I don't think I can keep up with a pegasus, much less an alicorn.”
Twilight giggled. “Ah, well. I wanted to go see the start of your festival with you anyway. I'm sure Rainbow will understand. Princess Celestia said she should be here soon, too.”
“Really? What'd she say?” Spike asked inquisitively.
“She's just happy that I said you're not upset by it,” Twilight said with a smile.
Spike breathed a sigh of relief. He had hoped Celestia wouldn't call in the Wonderbolts or send him to the dragon lands at the first sign of growth.
“Wanna hitch a ride?” Twilight lowered her wings and beckoned for Spike to jump on. He did, and soon both had taken to the skies, headed for the town square.
“Oh my Celestia, I can't believe we managed to put this together for our little Spike!” Rarity said as she looked over the festival.
A few ponies were milling about, eating some of the “gem” cookies that Pinkie had made especially for the situation. For a festival about a dragon, it was pretty cheery. Cutouts of ferocious dragons with little foal faces stuck in them made funny faces for photos, chocolate dragon eggs were being enjoyed, and hats with fins were all the rage of the occasion . But there was one thing missing. Well, two things.
“Hey y'all, just got Big Mac and Apple Bloom all set up at the cider stand so I thought I'd come and see what all of y'all been do-”
A streak of purple and lavender dove from the sky and gently landed on the ground, unnoticed by the rest of the festival.
“Oh hello, everypony? Did we miss anything? Spike and I just decided to fly on over- and it looks at right about the right time, too!” Twilight said excitedly, noticing Celestia take the stage in front of a large crowd, Mayor Mare and assistant by her side.
“Come on Spike, ya gotta get up on stage for the speech!” Applejack said, pushing a reluctant Spike towards the stairs of the stage.
“Well, this is it. The moment of truth.” Spike thought to himself. He knew deep down it was more than that. It was whether or not he'd stay in Ponyville that was on the line, especially if Celestia had a “relocation” plan to keep her subject happy. There were thousands of ponies there. Not even just Ponyville ponies. Canterlot ponies. Appleloosa ponies. Crystal ponies. He even saw some Saddle Arabian and griffon delegates.
“Jeez, it's just a pair of wings on a little dragon...” he thought abashedly.
Celestia began to speak with a booming voice and Spike quickly turned his attention to the audience.
“Fillies and gentlecolts, we're gathered here today to celebrate a momentous occasion: the day one of my most loyal assistants begins his journey into adulthood. May this usher in a whole new era of cooperation and understanding between ponies and races of all shapes and sizes-”
The minds of everypony in the audience were racing. Surely the princess could not mean that beastly dragons are safe to interact with, much less negotiate with!
“for we are all Equestrians with the true spirit of friendship and harmony at heart. Let this day be one of celebration and good tidings, all for a young dragon growing up to be a perfect specimen of the ideals of all Equestrians.”
Spike held back a tear as he saw Celestia walk down from the dais. The crowd was thinning out towards the festival activities and Celestia began to walk off stage alone. Spike approached her with trepidation.
“Hi, Princess-”
He corrected himself and bowed before her, saying sternly “Good day, your majesty.”
Celestia giggled.
“Oh, Spike. You've known me all your life. Twilight is a good friend of us all and you've been with her for ages. I think we can abandon some formalities.” Celestia said, leaning down and gently nuzzling Spike. “Besides, this day is all about you and the dragon you are and the one you're going to be.”
“It's just that I didn't expect you to-”
“To what?” Celestia asked with a smile. “To keep one of my loyal student's friends happy on his special day, even if that means dealing with ponies who wouldn't otherwise give him a chance? Spike, princess duty doesn't just mean signing treaties and going to tea parties.”
She lifted up Spike's head with her hoof and said lovingly to him, “A princess must be caring and loving of all creatures, Spike. Even the ones others may not give a chance.”
Celestia got up and began to walk off stage.
“But for now? I think we all could afford to have a little fun today, yes?” she said, with an almost childish and eager grin. “I personally cannot wait to taste some of the Apple Family's fine fritters and drink some of their fantastic cider, myself. Do me a favor and have fun today, Spike? I know how much work you do for Twilight, and you deserve a bit of a break, especially on your special day.” Celestia walked off stage, accompanied by a royal guard and Mayor Mare, dissappearing into the crowd.
He went behind the curtain of the stage. All of a sudden, Spike saw a familiar group of five mares walk up to him.
“Well wasn't that just the most positively-super duper amazing speech EVER?! Normally I can barely stay awake when the princess gets all into politics, but since it was about one of my best friends it was easy to stay awake!” Pinkie said excitedly.
“Y'all did great up there, Spike. Standin' straight up like a statue,” Applejack said, patting him on the back.
He realized that he hadn't moved an inch for the entire duration of the speech. He probably looked terrified to be up there.
“Yeah Spike, ya did great! Let's go hit up the cider stand to celebrate!” Rainbow Dash said, tousling Spike's crest.
“I didn't even say anything. I looked like a complete doofus.” Spike said with a blush.
“I know I wouldn't have even been able to stand up there. Too many ponies staring at me...” Fluttershy squeaked.
“Yeah, ya did great Spike. Come on AJ, Pinkie, Flutts. Let's go get some cider for this guy before it's all out! Maybe some cupcakes too!” They ran off, leaving only Twilight and Rarity with Spike.
“See, Spike, I knew Celestia wouldn't let you go. You worry too much.” Twilight said with a smile.
The sheer irony of that last sentence hit Spike so badly that he had to stop himself from laughing.
“Anyway, I'll just be over doing the whole meet and greet deal with those Canterlot ponies- you know how it is. See ya, Spike!”
“See ya, Twi!”
At last, he was alone. Alone with the mare of his dreams.
“My little Spikey-wikey looked soooo cute up on that stage- oh I suppose you don't want to be called “cute” anymore do you? Ah well, then.” She took a breath. You were rather handsome standing next to Princess Celestia, Spike,” Rarity said with a smile.
“I-I-I...uhhhh t-thank you so much Rarity, it really means a lot to me...” He was sweating and felt faint. The silence was deafening.
They were alone, and only the faint sounds of ponies playing off in the distance punctuated the bouts of silence.
“You must let me design a ravishing new suit for you, something that really highlights those marvelous wings of yours! If I might be so brash I'd say wings work better on you than they did on me!”
He remembered that day. The way her gossamer wings caught the sunlight was something he'd never forget. Well, that was one of the few things he wouldn't forget.
“Oh, R-rarity. That would be amazing.You'll always be the best-dressed mare in Ponyville a-and so b-beautiful.”
“Why, thank you Spike! I must admit, rarely have I seen a stallion pull off quite as many of my ensembles as you do,” Rarity said staring deeply at the awkward dragon.
In this moment, his mind was racing. He couldn't help getting tongue-tied and spitting out gibberish. His mind was going a mile a minute, and he just stopped talking. Spike tried to avert his gaze from Rarity's lovely blue eyes as the two stood there behind the stage.
“Spike, you idiot! Why do you always have to be like this around her? Just be a noble dragon...stallion, whatever! Stop acting so awkward and just tell her how you really feel!” he thought. His heart was beating out of his chest.
He realized what Rarity being like this meant. For the first time, he thought that Rarity was feeling the same way towards him that he did to her. Was she waiting? Did she always feel the same way? Does she really feel the same, or was it just his imagination?
Rarity looked at the dragon, just standing there in front of her and visibly nervous. There was something about him, something she couldn't put a hoof on. She'd always liked Spike, but she'd never imagined herself liking him in “that” way. But as he stood there fidgeting and visibly nervous, she couldn't help but feel something more.
She remembered everything Spike had done for him. The Fire Ruby was still her most prized possession, and he was the one who fought everything when she was overcome by Nightmare Forces. Maybe...maybe she did feel the same way. She had to break the silence.
“Oh, Spike?”
“Y-yeah?”
“I've been thinking, Spikey-wikey. About us. About what things are going to be like now. I'm sure you know what I
mean,” she said softly.
Spike felt a cold chill run down his spine. The worst case scenario ran in his head. He knew it was coming. His friends had accepted him, sure. But Rarity...she was different.
“R-rarity, I swear I'm still the same old little Spikey-wikey you've always known a-and l-lo-”
He stumbled on the last word. Rarity smiled and rubbed her hoof along the side of Spike's face.
“Oh, darling, don't you know what you really mean to me? You're the greatest gentlecolt- err, gentledragon I've ever met. Wings or no wings, I know that you're the most noble dragon in Equestria.”
“D-does this mean what I think it-”
Rarity silenced him with a passionate kiss upon his lips. Spike's eyes shot wide-open and his wings splayed out, and as Rarity pulled back, it hit him.
It took every muscle within Spike's body to not immediate collapse from the feeling of what had happened. Rarity began to walk down from behind the stage, then turned back to Spike.
“Just remember, Spikey-poo: I'll always be there for you,” she said with a seductive smile and a wink as she walked off into the festival grounds. “See you around.”
Spike, having lost control and still in a state of complete bliss, collapsed onto ground wings fully extended and with a smile from ear-to-ear. He breathed a sigh that was a combination of relief and success, and thought about what this meant for him. Not only had his friends accepted him, but one of them had responded in a way that was beyond his wildest imaginations. Maybe these wings really weren't that bad. Perhaps, he thought, they were one of the best things to ever happen to him. But he was completely sure of one thing:
For the first time since he'd gone through his change, he felt like he was comfortable with the new him.
The rest of the festival seemed to pass with a blur. He managed to catch up with Twilight and the rest of the ponies near a cotton candy stand. Pinkie Pie had two hooves up on the counter and was screaming.
"OUT OF COTTON CANDY AGAIN? HOW DO YOU EXPECT A PONY LIKE ME TO KEEP ENERGIZED FOR THE REST OF SUPER-TOTALLY-AWESOME DRAGON PARTY?"
An earth pony stallion peeked up from behind the stand.
"M-ma'am, you've eaten a-all of it and I don't have a-anymore..."
The pink pony suddenly began to fume, until she caught sight of a churro stand and galloped over towards it excitedly.
"That Pinkie Pie. Can always calm her down with sweets." Twilight Sparkle said, rolling her eyes with a smile.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash rolled their eyes. “And about five barrels of cider, too...that girl is gonna have to do field work for all of the cider she drank!” Applejack quipped.
“Yeah! I barely got a mug down before she just ended up drinking it all! Even Spike barely got a taste,” Rainbow Dash said with a slight frown. Fluttershy put her hoof around her and tried consoling her.
“I'm sure she was just really excited of our Spike being celebrated that she couldn't control herself. You know how it is. I'm just glad nopony got hurt in all of the fun,” she said with a grin.
“Rarity? Has anypony seen Rarity?” Twilight asked, craning her neck around the dispersing crowds.
“Ah haven't seen Rare since after Spike's speech. Maybe she was just off enjoying the festival by herself.”
“Yes, but now it's almost....oh hey, Spike!”
Twilight caught sight of Spike staring at a dragon mask being sold at a stand quite intensely. As she trotted up to him, he turned to her.
“Oh, hi Twi! I was just looking at these silly things.”
He pointed to the mask that was hanging from the stand. Big, goofy eyes and two horns growing out the side of its head.
“Imagine how silly a pony would look with that on!” Spike chuckled.
Twilight knew that the past few days hadn't exactly been the easiest for him. She knew that no matter what she could have told him, the only way he was going to be convinced that things were fine is if he found it out on his own.
“Spike, have you seen Rarity? We haven't seen her all day and were wondering if she was with you.”
“Uh, sorry Twi. I haven't seen her either.”
Like he'd actually go out and try to find her after what happened backstage. And what did Twilight mean, “if she was with you?” Spike's mind raced, wondering if Twilight was playing dumb with him. What if Rarity had already told them? Would they be fine with that, of all things?
“Hello, girls! I'm sorry, I was just looking at the most dazzling dragon-inspired ensemble from Canterlot, you know that they're very much more open to them these days than they used to be.” Rarity trotted around the six friends eagerly. Pinkie's face was stuffed with churros.
“Rarity! We've been looking all over for you! Ah well, all that matters is that you're here now, I guess. I think we can declare this festival a rousing success, right Spike?”
“Uh, yeah...” Spike said with a blush.
“BEST. DRAGON PARTY. EVER!” Pinkie exclaimed, before returning to her mountain of churros.
“We all should get some rest. We still have things to do tomorrow, right Applejack?” Twilight said, turning to her.
“Yeah, we do, especially you, Pinkie Pie.” Applejack said with a glare. “You gotta help me get cider production back up or Granny ain't gonna be pleased.”
Pinkie Pie smiled and pronked off with Applejack. “Worth it!” she excitedly exclaimed as the two walked off.
“Flutts and I better head back to our houses too. She's been begging me to have a 'pet picnic' for months now, and it starts early.” Rainbow Dash yawned. She was not a morning pony. They both flew off away.
“Spikey-wikey, I had the best time with you today. I can't believe the noble dragon that you've become in such a short time,” Rarity said, hoof under his chin.
“T-thanks, Rarity. And thanks Twilight, for being there for me. You guys really are always there for me.”
Spike began to tear up. Maybe he could fit in, even with his wings. He'd become what he always wanted dragons to be seen as by ponies. He might even start a new era of ponies and dragons living together in peace.
Rarity leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek. Twilight's eyes bugged out and she stared at the two in silence at first, before giving way into a smile.
“See you tommorow, my handsome dragon.” She trotted off back to Carousel Boutique, a pony who more than just accepted Spike's new change. She reveled in it.
“I see someone had an especially good day today, huh?” Twilight said, with a sly grin.
“Yeah, yeah,” Spike said, rolling his eyes and trying to comprehend how she was taking it.
“Come on, Spike. Hop on my back, and we'll go home.”
Spike decided against trying to fly home. He had always felt safe riding on top of Twilight, and this time didn't feel different.
“Guess somethings really never change,” he smiled contentedly. He stretched out his wings and let them flap in the wind.
As the two winged creatures flew high over the festival grounds in various states of disassembly, the light from the evening's sunset caught both of their wings. One set feathered and a deep lavender, the other scaled and green with purple edges. And yet, if you looked at them in the right light, you could almost see them join to form a being that was more than itself. A dragon, the ferocious beast that once terrified ponies, had found his way. Spike had proven he was more than the rough dragon exterior ponies saw in him. His friends would always love him, and somepony who was once his friend was now something more to him.
Underneath that armor of scales, there was a heart of gold.