Blood Brandy's Snippet Storage Shed

by Blood Brandy

Chapters

The 'Clensing' of Queen Oscura
The Equestrian Royal Family
Spike's Mask
Five Out of Six
Loss
Loss Pt. 2
His Little Pet
The Girl Left Behind
An Interesting New Job
The Nobility of Canterlot
A Chapter the Author is Mildly Ashamed Of

The 'Clensing' of Queen Oscura

The 'Cleansing' of Queen Oscura

Characters: Spike, Mane 6, Sombra, Chrysalis

Tags: GenderBender, Comedy

(((((((((())))))))))

WHATDOIDOWHATDOIDO, WHAT-DO-I-DO!?!

Those were the repeating thoughts of a small, purple, reptilian missile as he sailed towards the shadowy, evil cloud that was Queen Oscura.

It's odd, sometimes, the things that can flash through one's mind when they're about to die. Some think of their loved ones, their friends, their old hopes, their regrets, some even end up thinking of what they had for breakfast three days prior.

Spike, being a dragon, young, but well on his way down the path of puberty after his recent 'greedy' episode, suddenly had the thought, one he was sure would soon be his last as he stared down the evil queen.

She's kinda hot...

(((((((((())))))))))

The Crystal Heart was an ancient and powerful artifact. Before the dark reign of Oscura, Crystal Scholars had theorized that it predated even the Warring Tribes era and the first Hearths Warming, long, long before the rise of either the Crystal Empire or Equestria. It was an object of great power, meant to help spread love and light across the lands...

And it had been sealed and, metaphorically, 'starved' for a thousand years plus decades of it's original containment by Oscura. While it had felt the joy of the Faire, that power quickly waned, replaced with fear at Oscura's approach.

Now, any published Arcane Scientist or Mystic Scholar could argue the possibilities and impossibilities of the idea of sentience within ancient, enchanted magical objects for days without either side gaining ground.

But in that moment, tired, metaphorically again, of losing energy and it's waning source, the Crystal Heart 'reached' for the only positive thought it could sense, using it as a basis, a spark to reignite the love within the citizens of the Crystal Empire.

Sure, the thought was mostly lust, but it would be good enough to get things started.

(((((((((())))))))))

Chrysalis looked over her kind, or what remained of them, anyway, as what little sustenance they had was rationed out. The great Changeling Army that had attacked Canterlot reduced to only a gross at most. Passing herself over in the rationing, the queen desperately tried to think of how she could save her subjects, where could she find enough...

...Love?

Chrysalis, like every changeling in Equestria, felt her head pulled towards the north. Even from this great distance, the love they could feel coursing into them left even the Changeling Queen feeling more than a little drunk and very randy, she could feel a power that made what she had with Shining Armor seem like that of a new-born unicorn foal. In unison, the horn of every changeling present glowed with their Queen's, the lot of them vanishing from that spot in a blind, leap-of-faith mass-teleportation spell.

(((((((((())))))))))

Twilight Sparkle looked on in sheer...well, she wasn't sure exactly what to feel at that moment. She'd been freed from Oscura's prison when an oddly tingly wave of energy shattered the dark crystals, allowing her to wink to her friends, only to find them all staring at the same thing.

The largest orgy they would probably ever see in their entire lives. It seemed like every Crystal Pony capable of partaking in the act was included, their returned crystal sheen making it a little hard to look at, but the act itself made it hard to look away.

And there, in the center of it all, with a spinning, glowing Crystal Heart suspended above them, was her Number One Assistant, his size now rivaling Big Macintosh's and his own scales shimmering like gems as he went to town on a rejuvenated, purified Oscura, her obsidian pelt shimmering both with the crystal sheen of her returned form and from the exertion of her activities.

And just when Twilight thought this couldn't get any stranger, a series of bright, green flashes illuminated the streets (Leaving Twilight and co. blinking dots out of their eyes as the light refracted and reflected off of the oblivious Crystal Ponies). When she was finally able to see again, Twilight was horrified to see the Changeling Queen and a small army surrounding the occupied Crystal Ponies. This wasn't good, Shining and Cadence were still exhausted, and she and the girls didn't have the Elements.

While the Element of Magic tried to think of a solution, Chrysalis trotted resolutely through the debauchery surrounding her to the dragon and Unicorn at the center. The Girls feared for their dragon friends life, which left them all the more surprised when he and Oscura looked at the changeling for all of three seconds before jumping her, the rest of the Changeling horde seamlessly integrated into the orgy.

Finally having enough, there was a stomp of a hoof, strong enough to break the stone beneath it.

Surprisingly, it was Cadence's as she glared at her husband with a maddened look in her eye, "If you aren't in our room in five seconds, I'm going down there with Oscura," She growled, winking away in a flash of pink. Wasting no time at all, Shining Armor left for their bed chambers at top speed.

With the tension finally snapping, Fluttershy fell back, stiff as a board as she passed out. An uncomfortable, antsy looking Rainbow dash just sputtered out a quick "Havetogotothebathroom," before dashing away, echoed and followed by Applejack and Rarity.

Looking over the event for about three second more, Pinkie broke out in what may have been the widest smile Twilight had ever seen on her face as she ran towards the Crystal Consummation with a loud cry of "PAAAAARRRTAYYYYYYYYY."

With a bad twitch developing in her left eye, Twilight simply rose and left for her room. She refused to believe what she just saw, she refused to believe that two of the greatest villains Equestria had ever known had been defeated with an orgy, she refused to believe that her little assistant had somehow become a Casanova, and most of all...

She refused to be the one to tell Celestia about this...

((((((((())))))))))

Celestia smiled as she walked through the beautiful halls of the Crystal Palace, something she'd thought lost for little more than a thousand years. The bejeweled mosaics, the crystalline sculptures, all of it just as lovely as it was so very long ago. Not only that, but she could feel the happiness and contentment just radiating off of every pony she passed. Walking the almost forgotten hallways to the throne room, Celestia was pleased at the chipper laughter she heard ahead, looking to a chef jovially speaking with...with...

"Oscura!" The Sun Goddess gasped, gaining the Empresses attention.

"'Tia!" The shimmering, obsidian Unicorn greeted cheerfully. as her body was covered in shadows and moved towards her at incredible speeds.

Celestia tightened her guard, she may not have her sister, or the Elements, with her, but she was still Celestia, damn it, and if this witch did anything with her precious student and her friend's, she'd...she'd...

She's hugging me, isn't she?

Yes, of all the things she expected the despotic ruler of the Crystal Empire to do, a dashing glomp was not even on the list. It was only Celestia's greater size that kept her from being toppled by the tackling hug.

"Oh, you have no idea how much I've wanted to see you again," Oscura said with an odd cheerfulness, "I'm glad it was today, though, I only just regained the ability to walk this morning. That dragon you raised really put me through the wringer."

Spike? What did he have to do with any of this? Twilight had been oddly vague on the details of Oscura's defeat, especially lacking in details considering she was bucking Twilight Sparkle, but what in the blue-balled Tartarus happened?

Celestia was so caught up in her thoughts that it took her a moment to realize she was being pulled along by the uncharacteristically cheerful Oscura.

"C'mon, Sunny-butt, everyone's waiting for me in the Throne Room, I'm sure they'll be most happy to see you."

Normally, the idea, the audacity of somepony calling her 'Sunny-Butt' would land said being in the dungeon, at the very least (Even more if it was somewhere near Discord's Statue. Knowing him, he would burst out just to laugh at her then turn back to stone), but Celestia was suddenly distracted by another new sight...

A Changeling! Changelings in the Crystal Empire, Changelings...Talking shop with a Crystal Guard member?

Before the whirlwind of new information could settle, Celestia found herself and Oscura in front of the grand, intricate doors to the Crystal Throne Room. The first thing she saw was Twilight and her friends. four of whom, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy, seemed to be trying to avoid eye-contact with anyone and anything.

Pinkie Pie, who hair seemed oddly...flat, today, looked like she was asleep on her hooves, which was confirmed when she let out a loud snore and muttered about cream filling and frosting. Did the mare not even stop thinking of sweets in her sleep?

Twilight herself seemed to have developed a severe facial tic, and even when she saw her teacher and smiled, the smile seemed a little manic and desperate, What horrors had been visited upon her dear student?

Next to Twilight stood her brother...well, maybe not stood. He was messy, his uniform buttoned incorrectly, his mane a mess, but he looked completely content and happy, almost as if he didn't know everything from his waist back was dragging on the floor as if he was paralyzed in his entire rear half.

Next to her husband, there wasn't a hair out of place on Cadence. Standing tall in her regal garb, a serene smile on her face, occasionally leaning over to nuzzle her dopey looking husband. In fact, the only thing that seemed out of place was that her wings defiantly refused to fold back along her body, sticking rigidly fanned out.

Finally feeling her fetlock released, Celestia watched the shadows engulf the Obsidian Empress, who appeared back on her throne, seemingly cut from a single piece of obsidian crystal, which drew Celestia's attention to two similar thrones on either side of Oscura's. One a large piece of Amethyst seating the young, but apparently no longer small, dragon Spike, and the other a throne of Emerald, upon which sat the same insect-like creature that had bested her only a short time before.

Seating herself on her throne, Oscura smiled a wide and oddly friendly smile, "Celestia, Princess of Equestria, on behalf of myself, my husband, King Spike, and my wife, Queen Chrysalis, I welcome you to the newly reborn Crystal Empire!"

Blinking for a moment, Celestia said the only thing that made sense anymore.

"Luna, when I wake up, I am so getting back at you for this weird dream!"

Author's Note

Let's see Celestia make a stained glass window of THAT!

This snippet came to be spawned by a thread, and I came up with this (Original idea thanks to JohnTheDragon).

Not really sure how the rest would go, but this is what it is.

Toodles.

The Equestrian Royal Family

A.N. This is a few bits and pieces, is sorta chronological order, based around the Royal Family of Equestria. Expect some time skips between them.

The Equestrian Royal Family

Characters: Spike, Mane 6, Princess Celestia, Prince Blueblood

Tags: Comedy, Adventure, Random

((((((((((Years Ago))))))))))

Celestia stared at the rounded object before her. She had no idea what went wro-

Oh, right, another year, another anniversary, another year without her beloved sister, and another night of heavy drinking to 'celebrate'. She'd come to the next day in the middle of a burned up clearing in a forest in who-knows-where, having at some point, transmogrified herself into a dragon, something she hadn't done in centuries.

In hind-sight, she should have noticed something over the last several months, odd cravings (Some of which needed her dragon form to add some moonstones), putting on a bit of a heavy belly, some mood swings, heightened sex drive (Several of her guard had started avoiding her by now), and then, several hours ago, as she settled down for the night, the soundproofing on her room bit her right in the flank when contractions started...

Immortal Alicorn or not, a pony was not meant to lay a bucking egg (Of course, there were odd rumors about Pegasus Ponies), and she couldn't muster the concentration to cast the spell for her dragon form...

So...bucking...painful...

And now...she had an egg...

Okay, she had an egg...

Her egg...

Her baby...

First priority, she needed to get a doctor, scratch that, a team of doctors and scholars, swear them to royal "Tell anyone and end up living alone, forever on a celestial body" secrecy, and make sure her egg was in good health...

As soon as I can move my legs again, she thought as she curled up on her bed, barely casting a cleaning spell in her weakened state, draped a wing over her egg and drifted to sleep...

((((((((((Episode: Best Night Ever))))))))))

Rarity looked on, her eyes twinkling, as a prince, the prince of her dreams, trotted down the stairs. He looked in her direction, a smile blossoming on his face. He began a swift, but elegant walk in her direction, he was getting close-

Oh, be still her beating heart, lest it rip free of her chest as he...

Walked right past her...

Frozen for a moment, the fasionista quickly turned to see her prince approaching...Spike? Moving quickly and quietly, Rarity managed to be close enough to juts happen to overhear their conversation (A lady does not eavesdrop).

"So I see you pulled your dick out of your stable long enough to join the party, Blueblood," Rarity's eyes shot wide open, had she not heard it herself, she'd have never believed her little Spikey-Wikey knew such brash and brutish language.

"And I see you've managed to separate yourself from that shut-in long enough to attend the Gala, Cousin," The mare's eyes shot wide, bot at the insult to her friend, and the prince referring to Spike as family.

"Nah, she's here, probably looking for Mom. Where's Cadance, by the way?"

"Oh, I think I saw her pull that boy-toy of hers into a closet, so she probably won't be attending this evening."

"Oh, don't tell me you're still mad she got to Shining Armor before you could."

Rarity heard the prince sigh, "Alas, he sexuality apparently isn't as flexible as his body, he won't even let me join him and Cadance."

Spike groaned, "Blueblood, you've got, what, a hundred stallions and mares in that little mansion of yours? Just let it go."

"Ninety-Eight, the twins left a year and a half ago to start a spa, but I suppose you're right. Besides, given a little scare they've had recently, there may be wedding bells for them before too long."

"And where's Luna? I was hoping to see her."

"I'm afraid it may be best to wait on that, cousin. Outside of official duties, Luna does not leave her tower."

"What? Why?"

"Well, she is a lot like Aunt Celestia, and she was up on the moon for a thousand years...Alone..."

"Oh...Oh!....Ooooooh," Spike's eyes widened in realization, "But, she's been back for months."

Blueblood nodded, "Yes, and in those months, she's put half her personal guard, dozens of servants, Cadance and myself in the infirmary with severe exhaustion and dehydration," For a moment, the prince adopted a far off look that screamed 'Worth It' before coming back to reality, "She's getting better, but it may be best to wait for another day to meet her. Besides, you may yet see her soon, she recently remembered she can enter the dreams of others, and there have been a lot of rumors of adults suddenly having a resurgence of wet dreams..."

(((((((((())))))))))

She couldn't believe it...

She could NOT believe it...

Spike was an alright little guy, she'd admit, but...

How was he hanging out with the Captain of the Wonderbolts? And they were laughing like it was just another day hanging with their buds and...

No way...

Did Spitfire just blush at Spike?!

Forget blushing, Dash's idol looked like a school filly talking to the hottest stallion in school.

Okay, she had to look away, she was afraid if she kept watching her brain would explode or something.

Rainbow Dash tore herself away from the sight, about to walk away, when she saw somepony else, it was Soarin'! The lieutenant of the Wonderbolts was trotting right towards her and-

"Hey, Spike, you've got to try this pie!" The Pegasus stallion called as he marched right past Dash.

Rainbow Dash simply stood there. In fact, she stood there the entire night, her brain trying, and failing, to handle the new information. She stood so still, in fact, that for the rest of the night, many guests thought she was an odd decoration...

((((((((((Episode: Sweet and Elite))))))))))

She couldn't believe it, this had to be some sort of coincidence. He was a perfect little gentlecolt, yes, but not only was this a party for the highest of high society, he should be in Ponyville as far as she knew...

Yes, that was it, this had to be a case of mistaken identity. Rarity turned to her hosts, "I beg your pardon, Fancy, Fleur, but who is that fellow there in the white tuxedo?"

"White Tuxedo..." Fancypants trailed off as if remembering something, but it was Fleur de Lis that broke her perfect decorum with a loud gasp.

"Spike!" The mare dashed across the room, scooping Spike up into a hug, causing him to drop a glass of what Rarity hoped was grape juice.

"By jove, it is Spike," Fancy smiled, adjusting his monocle before addressing Rarity in a low voice, "A bit of advice, Rarity, make as good of a first impression as you can, a friendship with young Spike will open more doors than you would ever know. Why, I wouldn't be where I am today without Spike Dragul Solaris." With a wide smile, the stallion trotted off.

Rarity watched, an odd twitch in her eye, as the elite of Canterlot gathered around her little Spikey-Wikey like he was the second coming of Celestia, Stallions joking, Mares swooning, and Rarity seriously wishing she'd packed her fainting couch.

((((((((((Episode: Dragon Quest))))))))))

"Now run along and play, Spike."

"Okay, thanks mom." Spike called back as he scurried off.

"Ooh, Celestia, you have to tell me your secret," A silver dragoness cooed from the other side of the lava pool, "I wish my boy was half as well behaved as your little Spike."

"Oh, I have my ways, but Spike does still tend to get into trouble from time to time," the transformed Celestia sighed as she lowered herself into the molten rock. The hot springs back home were great, but there was just something about feeling the dirt and grime of the day burning off of dragon scales that was just sooo relaxing. "He had his greed growth this past year, he ended up doing a fair amount of damage before he got himself under control."

"Ooh, his first growth," A stout, red scaled dragoness giggled, "Oh, it seems like just yesterday you showed up at the migration as a new mother, and now, oh, they grow up so fast."

"Oh, I know it," the alicorn-turned-dragon sighed, seeing her son swimming with other young dragons, "I'm afraid I haven't been able to spend much time with him as of late, and it seems he grows so much every time I turn my back."

"Ain't that always the way," One of the older dragonesses said, "One minute, they can barely nibble some mica, and the next they're flying out of the nest."

Stretching her long neck, something she still had trouble adjusting to, something caught Celestia's eyes, "I was...unaware Krickle had another youngling."

"Ugh, you've got to be kidding," The red dragoness groaned, "I pity the poor girl who mated that old coot. Must have had a few too many."

Celestia's eyes narrowed, but not at the comment. While Krickle was far from attractive for any species, both physically and personality wise, and his son seemed to be on the same path, it was something different about this new arrival that caught her attention.

It had hooves, two different colored sets...

"Please excuse me for a moment, girls..."

((((((((((Episode: A Canterlot Wedding))))))))))

Okay, things were bad, really bad. His cousin was weak from imprisonment, his mother was in a Changeling snot-balloon, his aunt was probably still asleep in her sound-proofed chambers, the girls were captured trying to get the Elements, and Shining looked like his brain had gone bye-bye.

Things weren't hopeless, oh no, Spike still had an ace up his sleeve, but it was an ace he was very reluctant to use. Not because it wouldn't work, oh no, it would work, and those bugs would be sorry they even LOOKED at Canterlot...

But, really, Blueblood wouldn't let him live this down for years. Dash probably wouldn't either if Spike weren't sure she'd almost wet herself out of fear from what Spike was about to do.

Standing among the wedding guests, Spike looked at the nearest Changeling Guard, and said the first thing he thought of, "So...how's your sex life?"

Yeah, it was awkward for Spike, but the point was to make it so for the guard too.

Little lesson on Changelings. Normally, your average changeling is as intelligent as your average pony, some are smart, some are dumb as a certain pair of unicorn colts.

However, during war or when war is on the horizon, a change is made to the larva in the changeling hatchery as they develop into drones. Instead of normal changelings, they end up as a sort of "soldier drone", a drone with little to no free will, and not much of a thought process, all forgone for a stronger connection to the subconscious hive mind connection to the queen and quicker development to maturity. This could work out to be an advantage, both in battle, where the soldier wouldn't think once, let alone twice, about dying for the good of the swarm, but in espionage too, as it allowed them to better imprint the persona of the pony they were copying, not having any personality of their own to interfere.

Sometimes, in the event of a large enough war, the queen would hoof-pick a select few larva to be a higher class of soldier, a sort of commander, let's call them Cerebrates, who would lead divisions of soldiers and take mental stress off of the queen.

However, the force needed to take Canterlot was, actually, relatively small, meaning no Cerebrate was needed, so the Changeling Spike spoke to, let's call him Chuck, answered with an always intelligent growl that bordered on a "Huh?"

But, it didn't really matter what Chuck said, Spike just needed it to open it's mouth. Jumping and slipping his arm between it's fangs, he brought his knee up and slammed the jaw shut enough for the fangs to punch into his hide, then screamed as loud as he could.

"OOOOWWWW, MOMMY!"

Chrysalis looked over to see what the ruckus was. The baby dragon, what was it...Spook? Spock? Whoever he was, one of her soldiers apparently bit him. Why was a little dragon here anyway? She'd wanted to ask, but couldn't since Cadance would probably already know. Any question she was going to ask was cut off by a rather large explosion directly behind the Changeling Queen.

Another little lesson about Changelings, they have a type of empathy. In much the way a normal pony's sense of smell would lead them to food or the like, and recognize what said food was, this empathy lead the changelings to food or away from danger, and was especially useful to the Queen, who had access to a sort of genetic memory from past queens.

So when a certain feeling came across her empathic senses, it triggered big warning signs. It was a strange mixture of love, devotion and blind rage with a slight dash of fear, it was the feeling of a mother ready to fight to protect her child (Something a past queen had learned was not to be underestimated when an earth pony mother had killed her,. Certain lessons tend to stick when you have the memory of your head being bucked in).

Chrysalis' mind did the math...a small dragon cried for it's mother, and now she felt like death was just over her shoulder.

...Okay, she can do this, she beat Celestia, she can beat an angry dragoness...

Then she felt something else...There was more than one being behind her...more than two, even, Are dragons polygamous?...

...Buck me...

She didn't want to look...

She didn't want to look....

She didn't want to look.....

She didn't want to look......

...Buck, she looked, and only her many years as a composed queen kept her from messing the floors...

Luna looked like she had just jumped from bed, red eyed and angry, the stars in her mane glowing an ominous red.

Cadance looked nothing like a pony who had been half starved and imprisoned in a cave for weeks. In fact, she looked nothing like the "Princess of Love" she was supposed to be, or the broken prisoner Chrysalis had been hoping to drag out of the caverns, but more like a hardened prisoner ready to shank a bitch.

Blueblood...Was that Blueblood? He looked nothing like the hedonistic, pampered little whiner she'd known and loathed. And where did he get the armor? Or the big honkin' sword? He looked like he should be out slaying demons to a heavy metal track.

But Celestia, oh, she looked pissed...supremely pissed...like glowing eyed, "I am about to sodomize you with an astral body" pissed as her mere magical presence burned off any remaining mucus.

"What. Did. You. Do. To. My. Baby. BOY!?"

Oh Buck me sideways.

She may have taken on Celestia before, but this, oh no, Chrysalis was ambitious, not stupid.

"I sur-" was a close as Chrysalis got to raising the white flag before a pink hoof knocked her across the room and into a wall.

"You seal me in caves, ruin MY wedding, try to take MY husband, and now you dare, YOU DARE to hurt my little cousin!" Cadance almost reached RCV levels of volume.

"Hold, Cadance," Celestia halted her niece.

Oh, thank what ever powers watching over me for the mercy of-

"After all, he is your cousin, but Spike is my son," Celestia growled as she approached the changeling...

Buck you, Powers that Be, buck you right in the balls...

What happened in the following fifteen minutes would never be written of, out of sheer horror. Hell, the things Luna had done with the Royal Canterlot Voice alone would haunt the nightmares of the obervers for the rest of their lives.

When the Royal Family was finished, the non-changeling guests were rooted to where they stood, save for the many who had passed out. The changelings had become new displays of modern art upon the chapel walls (making some interesting shades of green), except Chuck, who seemed to cease to exist in a flare of brightly colored light. The Royal Family was gathered around their youngest member, coddling the young dragon who kept insisting he was fine.

The Changeling Queen sat, quivering in pain, her voice having given out within the first few minutes, her legs broken, her carapace covered in cracks, oozing green blood, her horn, well, it had already been twisted, so the royal sisters had taken their time in bending, breaking and reforming it into a straight horn like their own, a process that was excruciatingly painful.

Chrysalis twitched as a shadow was cast over her, Celestia glaring down at her, "Oh, don't worry, you won't be dying today, I have better ideas for you."

Across the hall, the Elements of Harmony looked at the aftermath in horrified silence.

((((((((((Episode: Just after Magical Mystery Cure))))))))))

Spike sat at the breakfast table, sipping a coffee with a little something to help with the hangover. Twilight's Coronation had been a stiff, pomp and all together boring affair, but the after-parties BlueBlood had dragged the dragon to weren't, which lead to Spike's first night-long drinking binge, in which he surprisingly outlasted his hedonistic cousin, who passed out while doing shots against Spike, Hoity Toity, Pony Joe and Fancy Pants, all of whom were defeated by the power of the dragon before he blacked out, waking up the next morn-er, noon...-ish, in bed with a certain Wonderbolt Captian.

Speaking of firsts, the dragon thought as the door opened, allowing in the new princess herself, looking far more red than lavender.

Twilight, who somehow managed to look nervous, embarrassed and serenely relaxed all at once, kept her attention on the ground, not able to meet anypony's eyes as she took a place at the table.

After a time of silence, and finishing his 80 proof coffee, Spike finally braved his headache to speak, "Did you have fun 'celebrating' with Mom?"

Author's Note

A series of bits and pieces I wrote on another forum generally about the Canterlot Royal Family as a loving, if rather dysfunctional and somewhat hedonistic, family. Some of this, or at least basic ideas, will probably be used in my Star Bolt story, but this is what it is

Spike's Mask

Spike's Mask

Characters: Spike, Mane 6

Tags: Dark

(((((((((())))))))))

With a soft creak, a door opened into a small house on the outskirts of Ponyville, accompanied by hushed whispers.

"I don't think this is a good idea."

"Well you want to know what happened, don't you?"

"W-well, I-"

"Aw, hush, if she don't want to be here, then let her go."

"Girls!" Twilight whispered harshly, fully decked out in her black ninja suit, "We have to hurry, Rarity and Pinkie will only be able to keep Spike busy for so long."

Yes, Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had broken into Spike's house. Well, not necessarily broken in, since Twilight had a spare key for emergencies, and for them it was sort of an emergency, so technically she wasn't breaking any laws...

Or at least that's what Twilight told herself to try and ease her conscience, but she knew full well what they were doing was an invasion of privacy at best, and a felony at worst, but...

They were worried.

For the longest time, they had seen Spike start to struggle with his instincts more and more as he grew, becoming withdrawn, sometimes lashing out, becoming overly protective of his things which, seemingly, included them (Something that almost got out of hand a few times when one of them would go out on a date).

Then, several months ago, he just disappeared, leaving only a short note that he'd gone for help.

The girls had worried themselves sick for almost a whole month before he returned, but he was different.

Before he left, he had looked like, well, a dragon, as big as the jerks he'd met at the Migration, with sharp edges and an all around predatory look. But when he came back, well, he was still big, maybe about as large as Celestia herself, with a similar wing-span, but he was just...different, he had a calmer appearance and just looked like, well, not as much of a dragon. He'd become mostly quadrapedal, although he still had his clawed hands, his scales had lightened from the harsher shade of violet he'd gained to the old, calmer Purple he'd had in his youth.

And his personality had changed, admittedly, for the better. Yes, he still had some sort of greed, but about as much as any pony, nowhere near what he'd struggled with before disappearing.

He'd done something, changed himself, and Twilight had to figure out how.

"Why are we even doing this again?" Rainbow asked, sounding rather annoyed, "I mean, isn't Spike better off now?"

"But we don't know how, there are any number of ways magically changing one's body could have disastrous side effects, not to mention changes to his mind," Twilight explained again, looking through the single bookshelf in Spike's sitting room, "We have to find some sort of clue since he won't say anything."

"Well, what all would we be lookin' for, Twi'?" Applejack asked, looking at some of the pictures on the wall.

"Yeah," Rainbow sighed, "I mean, it's not like he's gonna have some journal titled 'How I Did It'."

The girls stopped at the clank of a lever and gears spinning. They looked up to see Fluttershy had accidentally knocked into a particularly high picture, turning it a little lopsided.

"Oops," The yellow pegasus muttered, before a few louder clacks sounded, causing a large portrait of Cadance and a younger Spike to swing open, revealing a safe.

The four mares stared in silence for several moments.

"Okay, so what do we do now?" Applejack asked, "'Cause I don't know about y'all, but I don't know how to crack a safe."

Twilight sighed as her horn glowed, the dial on the safe spinning wildly back and forth for nearly three minutes before they heard a loud click, turning the handle and opening the safe.

"Okay," Rainbow said, "honestly, Twilight, it's a bit weird you know how to do that."

"Just see what's in there," Twilight groaned, annoyed.

Reaching into the safe, Rainbow Dash pulled out a small, wooden chest, maybe the size of a hat box, a few jewels falling out behind it. Bringing the box down, Twilight carefully opened it to reveal...A Mask, a wooden mask shaped like a dragons face, like Spike's before he'd left, it's teeth bared in an ferocious growl that seemed almost real, like it was ready to snap at them.

"This is it?" Rainbow asked angrily, picking up the mask, "All this for a stupid mask?"

"Rainbow," Twilight hissed, "This could be an important clue."

"Oh, yeah," Rainbow said sarcastically, "The cheap looking mask is the secret to the magic."

"Rainbow Dash, there are several branches of magic that have been lost for centuries, for all we know, that mask could be dangerous!"

"I could get better masks than this at a fair, Twilight" Rainbow Dash said, holding the mask close to her face, "Beware of the cheap magic m-ACK," She pegasus stumbled back, chocking as the mask gripped onto her face. Her friends moved to help her, but before they could, they were stopped but a flash and a deafening scream.

When the girls blinked the spots from their eyes, they found themselves looking at a large, cerulean dragon with a line of bright, multicolored spines along her back.

"Rainbow Dash?" Twilight gasped.

"A-Are you alrigh'?" Applejack asked, Fluttershy cowering behind her.

"I...I," The dragoness looked at herself, clinching her clawed hands, "I...Feel AWESOME!" She could feel the power coursing through her body, "I feel like I could take on the world! Heck, I feel like I could take down Discord, Nightmare Moon and the changelings on my own!" Grinning as her hearts raced, Dash looked at her friends, "Why the heck would Spike give this up?"

"For a very good reason," A voice answered from the door, the girls turning to find the dragon in question, "Rainbow Dash, take that mask off, now!"

"Aww, do I have to?" Dragon Dash whined.

"Yes," Spike growled.

"But you aren't even using it."

"Take the mask off NOW!"

Dragon Dash growled at Spikes tone, how dare this shrimp order her! "No! it's MINE!" She back-clawed Spike into a wall, "You were wasting this, you had your chance and you just tossed this into a box, and now it's MINE, this strength, this power is MINE!" She yelled, a stream of blue fire screaming forth and enveloping Spike, causing the other mares to scream.

Before any of them could truly react, an arm reached out from the stream of fire, wrapping around Dash's muzzle and cutting off the fire, another reaching to the crest of the spines on top of her head, roughly pulling away from her. With another flash, the dragon and once again pegasus stumbled back from each other, the latter both feeling the crash from the energy high and the low from realizing what she'd done, to her friend and his home.

"Spike...Spike, I-"

"Get out, all of you," Spike growled, gripping the mask tightly.

"Spike," Twilight started hesitantly, "It was an accident, we were just worried and she-"

"Accident!?" Spike yelled, "You broke into my home, went through my things and broke into my safe!" Taking a calming breath, Spike scowled at his friends, "Just....just leave me alone, I need to calm down before I do something I'll regret."

The mares left with their heads held low, leaving Spike with only the mask to glare at.

Author's Note

Okay, basically Spike starts to lose himself to his dragon side and finds a way to put his negative attributes into a Mask, ala Majora's mask. Drama ensues.

I would see it moving on with Spike having to face certain drawbacks of this method, and even eventually having to use the mask himself to face some horrible enemy, and risk losing himself for good.

What do you think?

Five Out of Six

Five Out of Six

Characters: Rarity, Spike, Mane 6

Tags: Comedy, Romance

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Rarity was never one to just give into jealousy, especially directed at her friends. So when she saw Applejack blushing like a school-filly on a date with Spike, she didn't let it bother her. In fact, she was happy the dragon had moved on from her rejection, and seemed happy as a clam with Applejack, and she with him.

A lady doesn't spy, but Rarity would admit to some...attentive observations of the couple from across the restaurant, and Applejack, despite seeming as nervous as she'd ever seen the farmer, had been edging close to the dragon, bit by bit, all throughout the meal until Spike called her on it, only to pull her closer as they ate desert. Seeing her friends leave side by side, together and happy, gave Rarity a bit of relief after breaking the poor dears heart only a few short weeks before.

At least until the two days later. Her day had been odd enough when, during their weekly Spa trip, Fluttershy had denied a massage, claiming she had one already that morning from her date. Sensing prime gossip, a date from the previous night giving a massage in the morning had obvious implications, Rarity had tried everything she could to learn the name of Fluttershy's mysterious suitor, but all the kind mare would do is space out and sigh, seeming to melt into the bubbling waters of the hot tub.

Rarity couldn't be happier, first Spike and Applejack, and now Fluttershy and her mystery masseur, it seemed like all her friends were finding some very special someponies.

It was on her way home when she saw Spike seeming far closer than usual with Pinkie Pie, Spike himself bouncing along with the mare as she left her work. Then again, it was Pinkie, so anything unusual could be considered normal...

Up until she kissed him.

Rarity had been so frozen in shock that by the time she'd recovered, the pink and purple pair were gone.

What had just happened? How could her dear little Spikey-Wikey be a two-timer? Had she broken his little heart so badly as to ruin the little polite little dragon that he was?

Unfortunately, she wasn't able to confront him about it. He and Pinkie were out of sight, and According to Twilight, they had gone out camping and wouldn't be back until morning, and when Rarity had returned the next day, Spike had apparently already left with Rainbow Dash.

When Friday finally rolled around, Rarity was worried, She had to find Spike today, she had to confront him about the dangerous game he was playing with their friends hearts, Applejack seemed very close with him on their date, and Pinkie was hardly one to do anything in half measures. So, with a few more split ends than she liked and hardly able to concentrate on her work enough to finish this last order of the week.

Of course, that last order being for Rainbow Dash, who was watching over her shoulder and talking, made it even harder as Rarity drifted in and out of the conversation.

"-and when I woke up, I could barely even move my legs, and my wings were stuck in full 'pomf'. At least he was nice enough to bring me breakfast in bed, or I might have had to smack him when I could walk again." the Pegasus Pony chattered on as Rarity started listening again, "But man, was it worth it, I mean he had this trick with his tongue-"

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity screamed, turning bright red as she realized what she was listening to, "I am happy for you to have found somepony, but please don't speak with such...vulgarity in my shop."

"Hey, I was just telling you why I was late, and you didn't stop me earlier," Rainbow snapped back, "And you don't have to get all snippy just 'cause you gave up your chance with him."

For a moment, there was a screeching sound in the depths of Rarity's mind, followed by a horrible crash, She...she can't mean...

"Rainbow Dash," The fashionista started slowly, "what are you talking about?"

"Duh, Spike," Rainbow said, as if it was obvious, "You know, the one I was explaining made me late here? The guy with a four foot long tongue? The guy that-"

"NO!" Rarity cried, "This-this is horrible, this is just the Worst. Possible. Thing. EVER!"

"Uh," Rainbow looked at the overly dramatic mare, "No, I'm pretty sure it was the best possible thing ever. If he didn't have his date with Twilight today, we'd have probably just spent the whole dang day in bed."

"No, you don't understand, Spi-wait," Rarity suddenly stopped her dramatic pose as she looked Rainbow in the eye, "A date with Twilight? You know Spike is two-timing you?"

"Uh, is it still two-timing when there's five of us and we all already know?" Rainbow asked, scratching her head.

"F-Five?" Rarity's eye twitched. the mare balking at the statement as things added up, "Sp-Spike is with all of you?! And you all know?"

"Uh, yeah." Rainbow said like it was obvious, "AJ gets him on Monday, Fluttershy on Tuesday, Pinkie on Wednesday, then me, and today is Twilight's day with him. We're supposed to do group stuff over the weekend, but things have been a bit busy, I guess."

"W-why?" Rarity stuttered.

"Well, AJ had to cover for Big Mac, Pinkie needed to babysit, Twilight's been getting new bo-"

"NO!" Rarity yelled, feeling something eating away at the edges of her patience and sanity, "I-I mean why would you all have such a horrid schedule in such a...relationship?" The word almost sounded like poison in her mouth, how could they support their little friend becoming such a, such a fiend?

"Because we can't afford a house together, yet," Rainbow said, like it was obvious, "I mean, AJ said we can build it on their land, and we can build it ourselves pretty easy, but we gotta save up for a while to get the stuff to build it, since most of us can't walk on clouds without Twilight having to cast that spell over and over. But then once it's built, we can just live together and things can really get wild and fun."

Seeing her friend smile, Rarity's eye started to twitch again as her mind tried and failed to process this information.

"Rarity? Hellooooooo." The speedster waved a hoof in front of the unresponsive Unicorn, "Mission Control to Rarity, come in Rarity." She gave a slight poke to her friend, only for Rarity to fall over, stiff as a board.

(((((((((())))))))))

Rarity wasn't sure what was happening, one moment she was talking to Rainbow Dash about...something, then she saw a bright light in the distance, and somepony was calling her name.

Rarity...

Rarity..

"Miss Rarity?"

The fashionista blinked, looking away from the flashlight held by Nurse Tenderheart, "Oh, what happened?" Rarity asked, rubbing her head.

"Well, aside from a small bump on her head, she's fine," Tenderheart said.

"Oh, that's good to hear," a soft voice sighed at Rarity's right.

"Oh, Fluttershy," Rarity sighed in relief, she must have passed out or had an accident in the spa, "I had the strangest dream."

"Just lay down, Miss Rarity," Tenderheart said, marking something on a chart before heading to the door, "I'll just get you some asprin and you'll be good to leave."

"I'm glad you're alright, Rarity," Fluttershy smiled, "I was so worried when I saw Rainbow Dash carrying you here."

"Oh, it's nothing to worry about at-wait," Rarity paused for a moment, "Rainbow Dash?"

"Oh, yes, she said you passed out at the boutique and hit your head. I met her on her way here, she went to get the others and-"

"Fluttershy," Rarity cuter her off, "Are you dating Spike."

Turning red, the Element of Kindness hid slightly behind her own mane, "Yes."

Slightly surprised at the complete lack of stutter, Rarity pressed on, "And you know he's been dating the other girls, don't you?"

"Of course," Fluttershy answered with a quirk of her head, "I mean, Applejack asked him first, but we were all there and she was nice enough to keep things open and, well, the others were nice enough to let me be second, even though I would have been fine waiting until Friday."

"A-And you're okay with all of this?" the unicorn asked incredulously, "You're okay with only being one of many? Okay with encouraging Spike to be some sort of-of fiend?!"

"Now you wait just a minute, Rarity," Rarity had to admit, it was terrifying being caught by Fluttershy's glare, it was like being a filly again in trouble with her mother to the nth degree, "Spike is not a fiend, he's been nice and a perfectly polite dragon. And besides, he's one of many special sompony's to me, too." Too late did Fluttershy slap a hoof over her own mouth, realizing what she just said.

"Wha-wha-what!?"

"Well, you see, I..." Fluttershy fell over her own words, "Well, I have known Rainbow for a long time, and Twilight and Applejack and Pinkie, they are all quite pretty and nice and-and-" It seemed like Fluttershy's head could explode if anymore blood rushed to her face.

"You mean..." Rarity couldn't quite finish the question, almost dreading the answer that would forever change how she looked at her shy Pegasus friend.

"Well...Yes." Fluttershy looked away, "Such a practice wasn't uncommon among our ancestors, and even today, although it's rare, you occasionally see herd families among ponies and Pride families among Griffins and-"

Rarity stopped listening, and stopped pretty much everything else as she passed out again.

Author's Note

Another from a thread

Not sure how far this would go. Personally, I think the one who would have the most trouble with this, family wise, would be Twilight. Given that it's how things were, AJ's family may be more accepting of the herd dynamic as well as Pinkie's, but Twilight's family, living in high society Canterlot, may see it as odd, and we know all of jack-dilly-squat about Rainbow and Fluttershy's family's, but I made an assumption on Griffin's being more lion-like than hawk/eagle like.

Loss

Character Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Prince Blueblood, Princess Celestia, Mane Six, Spike

Content Tags: Character Death, Sad

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She saw it as soon as it was mentioned, she saw him sleeping, unaware of the danger he was in...

She heard everypony laughing...were they cruel, or just stupid?

She heard somepony's voice scream his name...It may have been her own...

She saw him falling in, but...No matter how much things seemed to slow, she couldn't move fast enough to save him...

She felt the freezing chill of the water as she gripped him close, and they were in the hospital in a flash of light...

As much as she didn't want to let him go, she let the doctors go to work...She hoped and wept...

When the doctor came out of the operating room a half hour later...She saw his downcast face and only wept...

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Twilight's expression was blank. She sat in the room in silence, not even given the comfort of the regular beeps one would hope to find in a hospital. alone save for the empty, blood stained bed in front of her.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. He'd promised to always be there to support her, just as she promised to be there for him. They were best friends, for the longest time, he was her only friend...

Friends weren't supposed to break promises.

She had nothing else to do, couldn't think of anything else now that the letter was sent, nothing but to stare at the spot he should be in, recovering.

"Twi'?" a voice drawled from the door. She was the third, or maybe the forth, to try and speak with Twilight. She'd thought it was funny, she saw him before Twilight had noticed, and she'd thought it was funny.

"Twi', c'mon, let's get you outta here and get you some-"

"He was smart, you know," Twilight spoke for the first time in hours, her voice cracked and throat sore from the crying she'd done. "Smarter than most gave him credit for."

AJ was somewhat reassured that Twilight was talking again, "Ah know he was, Sug-"

"Do you?" the unicorn cut in, her stare still on the bloodied bed, "Do you really? Did you know he had degrees? Masters in Accounting from the University of Manehattan, Masters in Mineralogy, Masters in Ingeous Petrology and Metamorphic Petrology from Canterlot University, did you really know that?" Twilight asked, her voice steadily rising, "Did you know he was going to try for his first doctorate before we came here? That he chose to stay here, that he chose to stay as my assistant, even when there was so much more that he could have done? DID YOU, APPLEJACK!?"

The farmer stepped back a bit, "W-well, no, Ah-"

"No you didn't," Twilight ground out, facing Applejack with bloodshot eyes, "Because you didn't know anything. You all just thought it would be funny to drop somepony into the freezing water that could probably still throw a full grown pony into shock, because hypothermia is just so dang funny, isn't it AJ!? IT'S FUNNY, ISN'T IT? HA-HA-HAAA!"

The farmer flinched with every fake laugh from the maddened mare, "Twi-Twilight, we didn't know, we're-"

"Oh, you didn't know!? Well that just makes it so much rutting better, doesn't it!?" Twilight yelled, "I'm sure if you trot on down to the mourge and tell him you didn't know, Spike will just pop right back up and say everything's fine! Right? Because You didn't know, well you know what? I can't be sure what will happen if I drop someone Mac's size in near freezing water, maybe I should knock him unconscious and we can find out!" Twilight pressed her face against AJ's, growling, "What do you say, Applejack? Should we find out so we know, maybe have Applebloom confirm our findings, or should we assume it a bad idea to be dropping anypony in nigh-frozen water?"

Applejack looked away, she knew Twilight was speaking out of hurt and anger, but it hurt all the same.

"Miss Twilight?"

"WHAT?" Twilight roared, her ire redirected at Nurse Tenderheart.

The nurse stood surprisingly steady, having stormed the anger of loss too many times before, "The Princess is waiting for you outside the morgue."

Both earth ponies watched the anger melt away from the unicorn, replaced again with sorrow, "Thank you, Nurse."

"And I'm sorry, Miss Twilight." Loosing a patient was always hard, but loosing one so young, such a thing made her and her sister think of quitting more than once.

"You did what you could, Nurse," Twilight said softly, "You all did, and i thank you."

"Don't thank me for failing," Tenderheart said, walking away quietly.

Twilight followed into the hall, greeted by the girls, most still in their Wrap-Up vests. They tried to talk, but she ignored them as she brushed past. They followed her through the hospital, down to the basement morgue, where she was greeted by a group of ponies. The princesses, they recognized, Celestia and Luna speaking to a doctor, but they were accompanied by a pink alicorn mare and a unicorn stallion they didn't recognize, the latter stoically holding the former as she sobbed.

"Princess, I," try as she might, Twilight couldn't think of what to say, of anything for this situation. Her head low, she settled on a low, "I'm sorry."

After a moment, Celestia bent her neck low, quietly speaking with her student, who nodded. Taking a moment to steady herself with a shuddering breath, the unknown unicorn and alicorn rising from their seats, Celestia turned, "I...I believe we are as ready as we can be, doctor"

"Very well, Princess," Doctor Scalpel bowed, opening the doors for the royal party, the rest of the girls staying back as they watched the royals and Twilight approach the small, sheet covered figure on the table. Steps seemed to become heavier as Twilight and her teacher approached, their hooves feeling as if they weighed tonnes as they beside the slate.

"No," a bare whisper passed through the morgue.

The sight when the sheet was pulled back was heart wrenching to any Equestrian citizen, the Elements of Harmony watched as their beloved princess chocked out a sob, crumbling from the weight of the truth setting in, "No, NO, NO!"

Celestia had to be supported by her fellow alicorns as she sobbed over the young dragon's body. Even the stoic unicorn stallion seemed to fight back tears as he turned to the doctor.

"Members of the Royal Guard will arrive soon to secure his remains and have them moved to Canterlot for burial. I'll be seeing to any paperwork needed."

"Of course," Doctor Scalpel nodded, "I-If it's any solace, he was sleeping when it happened, between that and the shock, he most likely never felt a thing."

"GIVE ME BACK MY BABY!"

"Doctor," The unicorn ground out as Celestia's sobs increased, "That provides absolutely no solace at all. The paperwork, please?"

"Ye-yes, Prince Blueblood," Scalpel scurried off. The stoic prince turned to the five other locals, looking on in horrified awe as their beloved leader broke down.

"I believe it would be best if you left, ladies."

"Hey, buddy, Spike was our friend too and-"

"Perhaps I should rephrase myself," The Prince cut of the polychromatic pegasus as a group of guardsponies entered the hallway, "This is a private, family affair, leave or you will be escorted out."

((((((((((Timeskip))))))))))

Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Applejack sat in the third row from the front, watching as pony after pony after well known, influential, weeping pony stood beside the small coffin and talked. Some told funny little anecdotes, that brought the rare smile to attendees, some told of awesome tales the girls would have never associated with the baby dragon they thought they knew, and some, like the normally calm and poised Fleur De Lis, simply broke down at the podium and needed to be escorted away. Even Spitfire, Rainbow Dash's idol, barely got out three sentences before she broke down and started beating on the coffin, yelling at the portrait of Spike for daring to leave them before she was dragged away by her teammates in a sobbing mess.

With each eulogy, the girls started to realize they knew less and less about the dragon they claimed as a friend. They hadn't known he'd saved Fancy Pants' life, they hadn't known he was the one that had helped Fleur De Lis to become a model, or that he'd helped Spitfire or so many other ponies to be who they were today.

After nearly two hours, it was Prince BlueBlood stepping slowly to the podium, the solemn unicorn looking out over the crowed in silence for almost a minute. The girls thought they'd end up seeing the stoic prince break down as well when he finally spoke.

"Spike, to me, was something of an annoying little punk," It took AJ and Fluttershy to hold Rainbow Dash down, seeing the unaffected looks on most of the ponies near them, a few even smiled sadly as the prince carried on, "He mouthed off to me as I did to him, insulted me as I did to him, we fought and argued over even simple things. He was a smart-ass little runt and I, as he would say, and pardon our language, was a 'douche of a stud-whore'."

"I stand here today, proud to say Spike was not a cousin to me, but a brother. I was happy to aid him when he needed it, and not afraid to put him in his place, just as he did to me. As a little brother, as a prince, he always made me proud, and there was no other I would want to have my back, even after that time he surprised me with an electric razor to the back of my mane."

Letting the chuckles die down, Blueblood looked to the coffin, "Over the course of this service, those of you who never met him or didn't truly know him have heard a lot of stories of how Spike touched the lives of others, in a number of surprising ways for a dragon, a race many consider to be just short of being monsters. Spike may not have been the kind of dragon you would expect, he may not have even been the type of dragons that his own kind would consider a real dragon, but he was the kind of dragon he wanted to be. For many of you, he was a friend, a pillar of strength, an anchor, for some of you he was a rival, for a good number of you, he was a secret love, and may I say I'm sure he's sorry to leave so many broken hearts."

"Those of you who didn't know him will leave here today will leave with a few interesting stories, some of you will take home a few nice anecdotes, or you may have simply spent the service with you head in the clouds, and I pity you, because you never truly knew this amazing little fellow."

"But, I think I pity the rest of us just as much, for we will leave this place to a world that is just that much emptier. Without our friend and confidant. Without a crush or colleague. A place at the table, at the gathering, and in our hearts that is now empty. All we can do now is support each other, and remember fondly our dear Spike."

"To many ponies he was many things, but I am proud to say he was my annoying, bratty, mouthy little brother."

Author's Note

That's right, I killed him off. I suddenly felt like writing a Winter Wrap-Up tragedy, and I find I kinda like writing a fun, 'Big bro' Blueblood.

Might add more or a part two or something after a while.

Loss Pt. 2

Loss Part 2

Character Tags: Princess Luna, Princess Cadance

Content Tags: Character Death, Sad

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Atop the highest room, in the tallest tower of Canterlot Castle, a lone alicorn stood as the sun was set uneasily with her power. Composing herself against the strain, she set to work raising the moon into the night sky.

"I could help you, you know," Her fellow princess said from the entryway.

"You have your own grieving to do," the lunar alicorn answered stoically, "For nigh a thousand years, our sister raised both the sun and moon whilst we were lost in madness, we can do no less than the same while she is lost in her grief."

"But you're still on the mend from your return, Aunt Luna, you could still have me or Blueblood help you."

"Peace, young Cadance, though our strength is not yet returned to what it once was, we have the strength to do this," Luna assured her, "Our sister is not the only one who mourns, you should be with those who share your sorrow so you might ease one another's suffering."

"And what about you?"

Luna stood still, her back to her niece, "We will handle our-self as we always have."

"And that's worked out so well for you before," Cadance deadpanned.

"You forget yourself, Cadenza," Luna growled.

"And you forget as well, Luna!" Cadance snapped, "It's not just you and Celestia anymore, you have me, you have Blueblood, we are family and we support each other. Bottling up whatever it is you're feeling will only make it fester and make things worse." The Princess of Love stepped close, draping a wing over her aunt, "Please, Luna, you have every right to mourn with us."

"Do we?" Luna asked, her composure falling to a look of melancholy, "We feel the sting of lost family, but do We truly have the right to mourn someone We never knew? Someone of whom our clearest memory is his look of fear upon seeing the monster we once were?" the moon princess raised her eyes to the symbol of her dominion, "We first met Spike when he visited, nary even a fortnight hence. We were reserved, guarded even as he extended his claw in friendship and familial love. Celestia introduced him as her child, and it shames us so greatly to admit, in the depths of our heart, we felt the jealousy of old spring forth again, that our sister would have a child, a family, whilst we were away."

"We smothered such feelings, but that longing lingered, that thought again, after a thousand years, of 'Why Celestia?'," Tears formed in the eyes of the nocturnal alicorn, "We had such jealousy towards our sister yet again, and lo, so soon afterwords her son is torn from her, and her happiness with it. And the horrid thought that plagues us, was it our doing? Did our jealousy once again call forth some cruel fate and rip from us kin we never had the chance to know? Did our foul and envious heart visit this horror upon so many and free a new nightmare unjustly upon them?" Sobbing, Luna finally collapsed to the ground, "Were it better that we stayed as we were upon the moon, or better still, perished and spared so many the ill fate of our unwanted existence."

*SMACK*

Luna's tirade stopped as a hoof-mark began to bruise on her cheek, Cadance looking angrily down upon her, tears falling from her face.

"Don't you dare say that again," the pink alicorn growled, "Don't you ever, EVER even think that again! I already lost my cousin, I won't lose my aunt as well." Lifting her senior princess from the ground, Cadance pulled Luna close, wrapping her in pink wings. "We love you, Luna, you aren't some horrible omen, you aren't the Nightmare, you are Celestia's sister, you are mine and Blueblood's aunt. We are family, Luna, and you don't have to feel like any of this anymore."

After a few moments of silence, something finally broke as Luna melted into her fellow alicorn's embrace and cried as she never had before.

Author's Note

Yeah, a short continuance snippet of Loss. I have some ideas for a next part. I'm actually slightly considering making it it's own side story, but a short one.

Also, it was oddly fun writing Luna like some sort of Shakespeare line (In my own half-assed way)

And, as a plug for another writer, if you like the whole Spike's Royal Family thing, check out Burning World by Ekhidna, who seems to be following some similar lines.

His Little Pet

His Little Pet

Characters: Spike, Twilight Sparkle, Mane 6

Tags: Teen, Sexual references, slightly dark-ish, sorta romance, some mentions of mild Pony bondage

Warning: This snippet is probably just barely on the teen side of the Teen/Mature borderline. Nothing explicit, just saying.

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So, to mark this milestone in my life, and comemorate our new chapter, I've decided to keep a journal of our current and future activities (Hidden from everypony, of course). Now, to start, proper introductions...

My name is Twilight Sparkle, graduate of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, Student of Celestia herself and, most recently, the Element of Magic.

I live alone with a dragon named Spike. Those who know us best think he's my assistant and best friend, those who know me in passing think he's some young colt of a dragon under my charge that I humor by calling him my assistant, and many who first see us think he's my pet.

Funny thing is, that third group is closest to the truth, only they have the roles reversed.

Despite being friends with the Princess of Love, being the student of the Princess of the Sun, having a brother as a Royal guard captain and being the Element of Magic, none of those are the title I hold dearest. The title I am most proud of is-

Twilight Sparkle, Spike the Dragon's favorite little pet. His loyal, loving and obedient pet.

What had all started with two pubescent creatures and natural curiosity that came in that stage of life has grown and blossomed into what is probably the most important relationship in my life. I am his, completely and utterly. While we keep up appearances for others, and he really does assist me in my studies, he is the one in control. He could order me to make an attempt on the princesses life, and I would without question.

He wouldn't, though, Spike, my Master, isn't like that. He's loving and caring, which is why I am able to trust everything I am to him so easily. He would never become wicked or violent (Well, except on every other Saturday, but we keep smart on those nights and always have a safe word and safety precautions and a first-aid kit and everything along with emergency releases on whatever equipment we use).

I mentioned a new chapter in our lives, well, it's already off to a great start (Demonically possessed princesses aside). It used to be kind of, or rather very, difficult for us to keep thing secret when we were in the archives. While the risk of being caught added a thrill, living in a place frequented by so many ponies so often at all hours of the day and night was a bit much. But now, not only do we have a place of our own that only open to the public for eight hours of the day, but I've made friends, and Master likes them too.

He seemed a bit wary of Applejack and Rainbow Dash, but I know he loves a challenge. I know I'm something of a pampered pet and Master tends to spoil me a little, but those two would be tough pets for Master, almost like guard dogs, and we'd probably need them too if we end up in any more misadventures.

And it's not like they wouldn't be happy and benefit if they behave like good pets, Master is great with numbers and investments (Which is how we afford our special equipment, Princess Celestia would notice when the records for my research stipend suddenly showed payments to certain stores, and she would ask some awkward questions Master and I would rather put off for another day), he knows a lot of important ponies he met while I was studying, and could probably bring the profits margins on Applejack's family farm to levels she never even thought possible.

And Rainbow Dash could use some discipline, she seems nice, but if she really needs to learn to be in control and take orders if she really wants to be a Wonderbolt, and master could certainly help with that. He could also introduce her to that Wonderbolt Captain he once introduced me to and put in a good word (I can't quite remember her name or her face, Master had me saddled up and reigned for a discreet walk through the park after midnight, and she was riding sidesaddle the opposite direction on a stallion pet of her own. I'll admit, I was a little jealous of his blinders, but Master got me some the next week).

Fluttershy seems born to be a perfect, obedient little pet, but she's so timid, she might get hurt on her own. But that look in her eyes when she first saw him and how eager she was to learn everything about him, I think she'll jump at the chance to be Master's pet.

Pinkie will probably be a bit tricky to train, but again, Master likes a challenge. She might need the most training. She's like the overexcited little puppy in the pet store, she's cute and loveable, but will need constant training and attention for a long while to make sure her training takes.

Rarity will be Master's pet...

That's it, that's all there is to it. That look of want in Master's eyes, while it did make me feel a little jealous (Which is silly, I know Master will always treasure his Favorite Little Pet), it also showed me he had decided. While he was unsure on the others, his decision in reference to Rarity was made when he saw her. She would be his, and I would help him, no ifs, ands or buts about it.

I'm sure there are plenty of others Master would like as pets in Ponyville, where there's a much greater variety then the cookie cutter airhead noblemares we saw most of the time in Canterlot (I noticed him eying the Mayor during the ceremony, he has had an eye for more mature mares lately) and we finally have enough space and freedom to take in more pets. I even found a sub-basement beneath the one I made into my lab we can use for a training room. Yay!

I'll admit, stepping out from the archives and living away from almost everypony I know seemed frightening at first, but at my Master's side and with the other pets he'll have soon, I know everything will be alright.

And so, with that confidence in mind, we start our lives in Ponyville,

Spike the Dragon and his #1 Pet, Twilight Sparkle.

Author's Note

Soooo...This is an odd little bit that popped into my head, a kind of dark-ish story with the background that Spike is only a few years younger than Twilight. The two enter puberty relatively close to one another and one experiment leads to another, and things turn out with Twilight being a sub in the relationship. A very devoted sub

No real plans to continue this as of yet, but figured I'd take an hour and get this down. I'll admit to feeling a little awkward in parts I wrote, but I kinda imagine some mild pony...lingerie would be stuff like saddles and such, blinders and reigns would be like Pony Bondage gear. That sort of idea can go to Alarajrogers, who mentioned something similar in one of her stories (The saddle as lingerie thing, that is)

And don't ask, I don't know why I thought of this.

The Girl Left Behind

♫Daddy, why’d you leave me behind,
When you made me, it was just you and I,
But now you’ve made a friend, of that mare Fluttershy,
And I let tears fall, but you don’t see me cry.♫

♫Daddy,
Did you even love me?
Do you remember I exist?
Looking now, I wouldn’t know you did♫

♫What kind of dad leaves his girl on her own to fend,
Forgetting about the chaos they loved to spread?
Daddy, can’t you see that I’m in tears,
Now that you’ve left me behind here?♫

Author's Note

A little song snippet to the tune of the Fry Song brought about by This Pic

An Interesting New Job

An Interesting New Job

Characters: Spike, Twilight Sparkle

Genre: Comedy

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Twilight was...torn, to say the least. Part of her was somewhat, let's say, disappointed in her assistant's new choice in vocation. It had started with him doing a favor for a friend when Snips was unable to take his girl Twist on a date on their anniversary. He'd asked Spike to keep her busy while he tried to work something out, and while it had, somehow, saved Snips' rear from the fire, it had sparked a very odd business plan for Spike, who soon had a bunch of other stallions asking for his help. Spike would befriend the mares, and accompany them to places the stallions didn't want to go. The whole thing seemed, well...Twilight didn't want to say it, but it struck her as being like, well, 'the oldest profession'. But, it was legal and Spike was his own pon-er, dragon.

Beside, it's not like there were really any complaints. In fact, aside from their initial annoyance at their significant others, Spike's customers seemed to be happy spending time with him. Whether it was when he took Flitter to the art show while Thunderlane was 'Sick' during a playoff game he had a few bits on, going to a public botanical garden grand opening with Sassaflash on the same day as the Canterlot Derby Caramel may or may not have had tickets to, or attending a Classical Music concert with Golden Harvest when Written Script had to attend a business conference with his boss, not a single mare had a problem with Spike himself. In fact, most of them had a great time with the dragon

But even with all that, even if a part of Twilight was off put by her long time friends new job, an even larger part of her really mad at her supposed "Special Somepony", Flash Sentry, who she had found had recently employed Spike's services to accompany her to a small expo at the Canterlot Academy for Higher Learning instead of coming himself. She knew he wouldn't be quite so interested, but she had hoped he would at least try to look into some of the things she liked as she had for him.

But, more than anything, she was actually surprised at how good a time she was having. She'd known Spike his entire life and while she cared for him deeply, he'd long been like the little brother she'd never had, she'd expected to be bored out of his mind, making some sort of snarky comments, but he was acting like a whole other dragon.

He actually stayed awake and looked interested at the lectures and panels they'd attended, they'd carried on long conversations of their own on what they'd learned over every meal. They conversed over arcane sciences, spell crafting and application, and numerous other things that, as much as she'd dislike admitting it, would have probably flown so high over Flash's head they'd hit the moon. Heck, it was less like she was talking to the usually snarky dragon and more like she was speaking to somepony with a doctorate in mystic sciences and a few other fields as well.

And even aside from the intellectual interaction they shared, their time together was incredible. Dancing, dinner, just plain fun all around. He'd even somehow introduced her to the famous astrophysicist and cosmologist Near Endless Horizon, who was so friendly it was as if he and Spike had known each other for years

A part of her, unknowingly, wondered something almost every one of Spike's 'customers' had wondered...

Why aren't I dating Spike instead?

Author's Note

A short little thing based on an idea from another forum.

Basically, guys hire Spike to befriend mares so they don't have to do stuff they don't like, and I think we can see where this would bite them right in the flank, right?

Kinda wrote this to keep things going. Keep my steam pumping so I don't fall out of writing again. Not my greatest work but, hey, better than nothing.

The Nobility of Canterlot

Characters: Princess Celestia, Queen Chrysalis, Changelings, Fancy Pants, Fleur-De-Lis, Prince Blueblood, Twilight Sparkle, Spike

Tags: Action, very mild gore and blood

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"Ah! Shining Armor's love for you is even stronger than I thought!" The changeling queen boasted, "Consuming it has made me even more powerful than Celestia!"

Her declaration of victory was cut short by a deep, echoing chuckle, breaking into full blown laughter-

Oddly enough, from Celestia herself.

"And what is so funny?" The changeling growled, "You've lost! Your throne, you home, your lands will be ours!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Celestia said, letting her laughter die down a bit, "I don't believe I got your name,"

Narrowing her eyes warily as the Sun Princess rose, seemingly unharmed aside from the scorch on her horn, the changeling growled, "Chrysalis."

"Well, you see, Chrysalis, that was actually rather comforting," Celestia stated, to the confusion of the changeling, "You see, even as Captain of the Guard and the elder brother of my beloved student, I still held some small doubts as to Shining Armor's intentions with my niece, which is to be expected, as she is more of a daughter in some ways. To know his love for her is this strong is...comforting."

"But it doesn't matter, you've lost-"

"-A ranged beam battle," Celestia finished in a bored tone, "Something many would be able to boast, not the least of which is my sister, Cadance in certain circumstances and, if not now then soon, even my gifted young student," She added with a wink at the bashful Twilight. "You see, my power isn't exactly great for battle. I'm better suited for support, things like protection, purification or," her horn glowing, the glow spreading to her whole body, Celestia stood tall, uninjured, "Healing. And if I do, indeed, need to battle, I'm much more of a-" in a flash, she was in front of the queen, "-close quarters combatant." With a glowing back-hoof, the changeling queen was sent flying towards a wall.

Slowing her unwanted flight, Chrysalis glared at the princess, "Then I suppose I'll just keep you at a distance while my Army destroys your city, won't I?"

Again, Celestia laughed softly, "I see you learned nothing of Canterlot in the two weeks and for or five days you have been here." Celestia smiled viciously at the surprised look on the changelings face, "Oh, yes, we caught on to you after a few days, save for Shining who was under your spell. We simply played along until we could find the real Cadance, which I had to bring in Twilight for, but that's besides the point. You see, Chrysalis, Equestria has very, very few inherited titles. Unlike the Griffon Empire, where nobility is inherited and the young are meant and expected to grow into their title, any being in Canterlot who bears a Title of Nobility has earned that title themselves through blood, sweat and tears, sometimes their own, sometimes that of an enemy of the country or the world at large."

Her eyes glowing, Celestia's voice carried through the castle, and throughout the entire city, "Nobles of Canterlot, hear your call to arms. We have been invaded by a small strike-force of shape-shifters. Until I say otherwise, give no quarter, and take no prisoners."

Chrysalis was almost insulted, "Do you think your weak little ponies will stand any cha-"

BOOOM!

A monstrous crash of thunder shook the room as lightning fried a squad of changelings outside a window that was shattered by the sound. The Queen managed to bring up a shield around herself, a few streaking lights struck the nearby Changeling Guards as another bounced off of her shield, revealing an...arrow?

*Boom!*

The arrows in her guards exploded, covering Chrysalis' shield in green blood as it was pushed back from the window.

"Freddy!"

"Ms. Fleur!

The Ponyville natives looked to their violet friends, then to the window in awe. Indeed, Fleur-De-Lis, the famous model, stood dressed in armor on a storm cloud of her own control, accompanied by Fancy Pants, dressed in something out of a spy novel with a patch over his usually monocled eye and what looked like an odd, drum barreled crossbow in his own mystic aura.

The girls had their attention torn away from the pair by a double-helix energy beam blasting away the changelings near them, the blast coming from the glowing eyed Night Light and Twilight Velvet.

"Twilight," the pair spoke as one, "Take your friends to safety, we will handle this."

"But Mooom, Daaad," Twilight whined, almost like a filly being told she couldn't have ice-cream for supper, "Me and Spike have been practicing for something like this." Her assistant scurrying up, she nodded, "Like Zecora taught you, Spike, Focus."

"Right!" The little dragon nodded before his eyes screwed shut in focus, gritting his teeth as his limbs twitched and cracked as they began to stretch, his body and muzzle lengthening to a point comparable to his earlier states of greed growth, but sharper, leaner.

"Twilight, ready?" The dragon grunted, receiving a nod before he spewed flames over his friend, getting gasps from their cohorts before they dissipated-

"And here I thought you'd never get around to wearing your birthday present," the dual voice chuckled, odd since it was only coming from Night Light's mouth.

Twilight stood in front of her friends in full armor, comparable to a royal guards, with a motif closer to her element and minus a helm. With a leap, she sat astride her assistant, who looked at the linked parents, "Fight now?"

"Pleeeeease, mom and dad," Twilight asked, again like a little filly.

The glowing parent sighed dramatically, sounding creepy in stereo honestly, before speaking, "Fine, as long as you watch yourselves."

The pair cheered, although Spike's sounded more like a low roar as he charged into the approaching changeling hoard, streams of fire and mystic energy firing from the pair as they attacked, leaving their awed friends in their wake, along with a path of dead or dying changelings.

The Ponyville mares couldn't quite believe what they were seeing. It was a bit more than disturbing to see their purple friends acting so...violent, slaughtering enemies left, right and center (Back, too, as a few changelings caught a heavy swing of Spike's much stronger tail). Not only that, but they seemed to almost enjoy themselves.

"Well," Twilight's parents spoke, "I suppose we should get you girls to safety, especially your friend there." The pair nodded towards a catatonic Fluttershy.

(((((((((())))))))))

The girls (Fluttershy being carried by Applejack) were led quickly through the halls of the castle by the hovering parents of Twilight Sparkle, seeing battle and carnage out every window, but even though they had seen a number of injured ponies, any dead they had seen had been splattered, beaten and, at times, charred remains of Changelings.

Dash had seen those familiar blue uniforms moving at incredible speeds, literally punching their ways through changeling after changeling. She'd seen stuff like this before, kinda. And while she may not know all the fancy math behind it like Twilight, she and a lot of now wrecked Ponyville trees knew, you go fast enough and don't stop, you can fly through pretty much anything.

If Rarity's worldview had already been jarred from seeing the famous Fleur-De-Lis frying entire squads of Changelings with lightning from the cloud she rode, it was cracked to almost shattering when she caught sight of her acquaintance and customer, Hoity Toity, who had revealed a set of heavy looking steel horseshoes underneath his cuffs, fighting off changelings and crushing their bodies with his own four hooves while keeping the same calm demeanor he had only a few months before at her fashion show, not a hair of his mane falling out of place.

Pinkie, surrounded by blood and death, felt something dark stir in the recesses of her psyche, especially so when she found Donut Joe hacking changelings to pieces with a large assortment of kitchen knives. The sight of the normally level-headed baker manically grinning as he sliced his enemies to iddy-bitty pieces...

Pinkie almost felt like she was in love, for some reason.

*SHOOM!*

As if the heavens themselves had cracked, a large swath of the sky turned black as night, enveloping a squadron of changelings attempting to flee.

"HUZZAH!" a very loud, very familiar voice rumbled the buildings and ground around them, another blast wiping more changelings from existence, the night princess's cry echoed by a significantly larger Spike bursting out the side of a tower, Twilight still astride his neck as he climbed, both of them shooting enemies out of the sky.

Soon, Twilight's parents lead the girls into a secure room already occupied by a number of out-of-town nobles and cheering children looking out the windows.

"Now, we're sure you have some questions an-"

"Ma'-er, sir...Whatever," Applejack finally spoke, "Mah Granny says 'Never ask questions you don' want the answers to', so iffin it's all the same to ya'll, Ah'm just gonna go set Fluttershy in a corner and start pretendin' this all didn' happen."

Author's Note

This is another idea brought to you from a thread at the FanFictionForum.

The idea was basically this. What if the reason everyone in Canterlot seems to not know the Elements isn't because Ponyville is a secluded little town, but because the Nobles of Canterlot got their Noble Titles the hard way, through adventures in Bad-Assery, fighting super-villains, saving innocents and stopping world-ending monsters. And the whole reason Celestia, Luna, Blueblood and Cadance are royals is because they are, indeed, the ultimate bad-asses among bad-asses.

This lead to such possibilities hidden in the characters of Hoity Toity, Fancy Pants and Fleur-De-Lis, cool ideas of Spike's "Royal Canterlot Buisiness", and can explain why Twilight is a fan of Daring Do, because as great as she is, Lara Croft will always be in the shadow of Indiana Jones (Yes, I'm saying that, in this story, Twilight is a hidden Croft-like bad-ass, raiding ancient tombs and doesn't tell the others because it seems like it should be common knowledge in her eyes, or is just not a big deal to her).

This kinda spins out to everypony in Canterlot being bad-asses, to a lessor degree, and making the Changeling Invasion a very, very, VERY bad idea.

So we have Fleur-De-Lis as a weather mage, since we already know Unicorns can interact with clouds using magic, both to stand on them and move/activate them (Rarity sucked at it, but since she was still able to do so, others should as well). I'd see her as maybe being someone Twilight looked up to before Daring Do and possibly Celestia, a young unicorn looking up to Fleur as someone she wanted to be like, a powerful mage in her own right.

Freddy, a nickname I like for Fancy (I go with the name Frederick Nancy Pants, but have no idea as to why I always want to) is a gadget user with an automatic crossbow and exploding arrows, dressed kinda like a pony Solid Snake.

Night Light and Twilight Velvet link their power. Kind of a simple thing for a married couple, but they're just general bad-ass like the majority of Canterlot, not the higher echelons like their daughter, son or future daughter in law.

The Spike growth thing is something I've kicked around a bit. If Spike's emotional state altered his size in "Secrets of my Excess", then theoretically, with sufficient mental control, he could control his physical size and proportions to a degree, cue a Yoda-style training montage with Spike and Zecora, who seems like the best one to help him in that respect, but given that he's still training, it kinda still affects his mind in vaguely Hulk-like ways.

The Wonderbolts kinda use Flash physics (I.E. Greater speed increasing your effective mass until it feels like your opponent just got punched by a metric tonne of hoof).

Not sure why I made Hoity a martial artist, but it seemed to fit.

As for Donut Joe? I just wanted a reason for Pinkamena :heart: Joe

All said, there's a reason not many wage war against Equestria

A Chapter the Author is Mildly Ashamed Of

A Chapter the Author is Mildly Ashamed Of

Character Tags: Spike

Category Tags: Song, (Comedy?)

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Well, this is a story, all about when,

My life got better then it's ever been,

And if you'd like to hear my story, just sit and chill,

I'll tell you how I became the Drake of the town of Ponyville.

~♪~♫~♪~♫~♪~♫~

In the castle of Canterlot, hatched and raised,

The royal archive are where I'd spend most of my days,

Tired of dealing with Canterlot chicks,

With heads full of hot air and personalities like bricks.

When my best friend Twilight had a panic attack,

she thought some ancient evil mare was coming back.

She got a bit paranoid and the princess said, "Chill,

Go make some friends and have some fun down in Ponyville"

Twilight kept trying and pleading to make her case,

But the princess kept that airy smile on her face,

And she gave us a wave as guards loaded the chariot,

and I told Twilight, "Well, we might as well go with it."

Fresh air, flying so high,

Looking down on the town from up in the sky,

The town looks like a nice place to be,

Tellin' Twilight, "It'll be fine, you'll see."

We got landed in town and Twilight was annoyed,

But I couldn't help but feel overjoyed,

'Cause hot and friendly mares were all I could see,

And I thought, "Buck yeah, Ponyville is for me!"

~♪~♫~♪~♫~♪~♫~

We got to our new place, it was getting pretty late,

When some ponies jumped out yelling, "Surprise, welcome buddies."

And with all these smiles, nothing was getting me down,

Because I'd found my home, as the Drake of this town

Author's Note

...No, I haven't been drinking, at least not in the last 48 hours, this is just an annoying little sprite that keeps bugging me, and I hope that, like a chain letter curse, it will stop bothering me if I spread it to you folks. I actually went through a couple of variations (Alternates were Prince of the town and the Pimp of Ponyville)

And if you can't figure out the tune to this song, you need to lurk more.