Twilight had quickly managed to procure a large enough room in the crystal castle along with the equipment to practise ice-archery. That was the good news.

The bad news was that there wasn't much time before the rescheduled ice-archery final, just an afternoon to turn the Dragon into a national class archer. Whilst Spike’s attempts were spirited and passionate, the execution was less so. Whilst loading the bow was easy with his claw, it took all the dragon might to pull back on the string with his mouth, the straining making it difficult to aim.

Having had another arrow miss the target completely, Spike sat down on the floor exhausted and defeated. Applejack was the first to come over.

“You're getting, er, better Sugarcube!”

Spike just raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

“Well, I mean, you at least occasionally almost reach the target now!”

The dragon let out a depressed sigh “It’s not really meant for somebody with my body, I’m just not strong enough!”

Of to one side, Fluttershy flicked through a copy of the rule book. The inherent violence of archery with its background of earth ponies using them to bring down pegasi in battle made her uneasy. Reading distracted her from the past and allowed her to remain for moral support for her dragon friend.

Suddenly, she jumped to her hooves, and let out a barely audible 'yay'. Rarity saw her shy pegasus friend excited look and came trotting over. “What is it?”

“Nowhere does it same you have to use your mouth!” Fluttershy practically danced with delight. Everypony and dragon came over and Twilight read the rule aloud.

“Contestants shoot ice-arrows from a regulation bow provided. Only one part of the body may be in touch with the string, and one part may touch the bow to support if required. No magic can be used and unicorns cannot take part in tier 2 or higher events to prevent cheating.”

“Nowhere does it specify that you have to use your mouth? Spike can use an claw!” Rainbow Dash looped in the air excitedly. Spike looked down and flexed his claws, knowing he was much better with them than he either was with his mouth.

Spike took a sip of water, and then walked back to the range. The ponies present instinctively held their breath as Spike loaded an arrow, and started pulling back with his claw. The dragon had a bit of a struggle to get the arrow pulled back but when he let go already the accuracy and power was better. There was a excited cheer from behind him as in the first try he hit the very edge of the target.

Spike repeated the action, finding it a lot easier than before and soon he started hitting the target at least a quarter of the time. As Spike practised the new method, he realised that whilst he didn’t stand a chance of meddling, at least he would make a decent showing.

After a half hour of practise, he was getting a bit tired so took a break. Spike picked up the bow and returned to where the others were sat. Pinkie Pie had gone out to find them all some snacks, and Spike sat down amongst his friends and grabbed a muffin.

“Looking good out there Spike!” Sweetie Belle was the first to speak.

“Yeah, it’s not bad.” Spike spoke with his mouthful, earning a telling off from Twilight about manners. The group chatted for a while to give the dragon some rest, but the nerves started to kick in for everypony. Twilight smiled at her assistant “One more hour of practise Spike, then you can rest for the big event!”

“Okay, I want to make a good show of it afterall. I may not stand a chance of medaling, but at least Ponyville will go down trying!” Spike smiled back.

“And you get to represent Ponyville in the Equestria Games, thats something to be proud about!” Fluttershy beamed, touching her medal.

Spike got to his feet, grabbed the bow, and headed back to the range. An earth pony then suddenly jumped into the air. “Hold onto your hooves, I’m about to be brilliant!” Pinkie Pie declared, appearing next to the dragon seemingly not having occupied any of the space between where she was and when she had been.

Spike went to put the bow into the holder on the floor, but Pinkie put her hoof over it and smiled as Spike looked at her with confusion “Don’t use the floor holder, hold the bow!”

“You what?”

“Become one with the bow, embrace the bow, let it feel like an extension of you!” Pinkie replied, suddenly sat cross legged a safe distance behind him.

Spike held the bow in one claw, looked at Pinkie like she was a madpony, and nervously took an arrow with the other. He loaded it and pointed it towards the target. Pinkie quickly stepped forwards gently lowered his rear arm until his claw was tucked under his chin.

“Aim the tip and the arrow will follow” Pinkie said in a very mysterious sounding voice.

Spike took a deep breath, waiting for Pinkie to step back and released. The arrow flew in a perfect arc and hit close to the centre of the board. “You know, you're onto something here!” Spike beamed at his excited friend, before turning back to the group. “But can I do this?”

Rarity read the rules again “Nowhere does it say the bow has to be in the holder, just that it is provided by the games.”

“So Spike can do this? Isn’t that, you know, cheating?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Its like the how the Fosbury Trot revolutionised the puissance, it only takes one pony to come up with a new technique” Applejack replied “It happens on the rodeo circuit all the time”

“And if anypony was to complain, well, we’ll deal with it then!” Twilight added.

Spike turned back to the target and shot again. He found that by taking his time with each arrow, he could get it to hit fairly close to where he wanted. After the last hour of practice, Spike came walking back to his friends, a big smile on his face.

“We’re really in with a chance now!” he declared, to loud whoops and cheers from his friends.

Spike looked around nervously as he walked out on the field with the five other competitors. Tens of thousands of ponies were cheering, and having saved the games that morning, many were cheering his new name Spike the Doubly Brave and Glorious Hero. A few days ago Spike would have gone to pieces, but having performed the heroic act earlier that very day, he was able to steady his nerves.

Shining Armour took to the centre of the field “Fillies and Gentlecolts, Princesses” the prince bowed to the royal box, causing his wife and sister to giggle. “Following on from this mornings disruption, the Games conclude as they always do with the ice archery finals! Ice archers, take your places!”

The five ponies and one small dragon walked up to their places. There was an audible gasp as Spike lifted the bow from the ground. After flexing his neck, he stood sideways just behind the line, the bow in his left claw, the bucket of arrows available to his right. The other contestants looked at him in surprise, but as professionals they disregarded him and started their own warm up and focusing routines. Upon command, the others took their position, Spike simply standing there ready. The countdown began and the horn sounded to start the event.

Spike grabbed an arrow, threaded the string through the nock, and placed the shaft on the rest. He took a calming breath and drew back the string was against his nose, keeping his composure. His competitors had already fired off two or three arrows, but he didn’t care. Lining up the tip with his eye, closing the other, he waited till he was ready and released. There was a massive cheer from a the crowd as the arrow flew directly into the middle of the target.

Buoyed by his first shot, Spike repeated the action but rushed a little this time, meaning that instead of hitting where he wanted he only glanced the top of the target. Remembering how Twilight learnt a breathing technique to release her tension, he did the same before taking his next shot. Spike repeated this a few times and every shot was a hit where he needed it, his target starting to get a good covering of ice.

The other competitors upped their speed seeing that Spike was making good progress. But this just made them lose even more accuracy, re-hitting parts of the target they had already hit. Spike ignored the others and just lined up each shot carefully before releasing. Systematically his target became filled, and Spike’s pride in himself overtook all the nerves he had.

As the reigning champion and the best ice archer for a generation, Snowy Sight finished first, ensuring the gold medal for Cloudsdale. Spike saw this out of the corner of his eye but he was nearly done. He knew all he had to do was finish third to guarantee the games for Ponyville. Spike lined up a shot and it sailed until the area he needed, the final part being covered in ice.

The banner behind his target dropped, showing he had finished and Spike quickly looked behind him. The second cloudsdale competitor had yet to finish, meaning that Spike was ahead of him - Ponyville had topped the medal table! He then noticed that except for the champion, nopony else had finished. The realisation dropped - he won silver. The dragon wanted to jump for joy, but didn't want to disturb the other competitors, so calmly lay down his bow and took a few steps back. He noticed that Snowy Sight looked over to him and nodded in respect, Spike doing the same.

Meanwhile over the stands, five adult mares and three fillies stood with their mouths agasp. Never in their wildest dreams did they really think Spike stood a chance at meddling, they just wanted to give it a go. Within moments the shock wore off the cheering began - Ponyville were overall winners! And up in the royal box Twilight had a big grin on her face.

The competition soon finished and Spike came running over to his friends, a miniature party developing down in the stands. The head of the cloudsdale delegation seemed to be upset and headed towards Mrs Harshwhinny. However, Snowy Sight flew over and put a wing out to block him, simply shaking his head and lead him back to where the rest of the team were - Ponyville had earnt this.

Celestia could see Twilight squirming in her seat as her friends lifted Spike in the air, and the eldest Alicorn turned to her former apprentice. “Twilight, Spike is...well...very close to you. I think it’s okay if you go down there and celebrate with your friends and him!”

Twilight few off immediately without even thanking her mentor, and within seconds had joined her friends in congratulating Spike, and the whole town for winning the games.

Up on the medal podium, Spike stood proud as the real Cloudsdale anthem was sung for Snowy Sight. But it didn’t matter if he had won or lost the event, he had done enough to ensure Ponyville’s overall victory. As the anthem finished and the three winners started to walk off, Snowy tapped Spike on the shoulder “Well done kiddo!”

“It’s not fair” the other competitor from Cloudsdale, who had earned bronze, complained.

“No, it is. It’s a whole new technique my faithful student” Snowy smiled, “All I know is I suspect that the next games we’re probably going to have stiff competition from Spike here, and maybe griffons. We’ll have to up our game, thats all! And thats a challenge I'm looking forwards to.”

Spike nodded back, a aura of respect developing amongst the athletes, before returning to one of the tunnels at the side of the field were all his friends was waiting. He lifted his silver medal towards Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, who clinked theirs next to his with an audible 'bam' from Rainbow Dash.

“Wow Spike, that medal really suits ya!” Applebloom beamed

Spike stroked the medal, the shiny metal glistening in the evening light and a thought popped into his head. Spike gently nudged the three crusaders closer to each other, removed the medal, and placed it around the three fillies necks. “I can’t keep this without hoarding, and you deserve one for the magnificent flag opening. Keep this in your clubhouse as a reminder just how awesome you are.”

The three crusaders squealed in delight, and gave Spike a massive hug. Twilight wanted to join in, appreciating just how mature it was for Spike to give away something, but with so many ponies around she had to remain dignified. “Well, its time for Spike to do the closing ceremony” Twilight reminded them and Applejack led the crusaders and the other ponies away.

However Rarity hang back and took Spike to one side. “Well done, Spikey Wikey” the unicorn smiled at the dragon “This meant so much to Rainbow Dash, but also to Fluttershy and, well, everypony. And what you did to the crusaders, that was probably the most generous thing anypony could do!”

Spike turned away to hide his faint blush at the praise from his not-so-secret crush. Rarity leant in, and titled Spike head back and kissed him. However, unlike the few times before, this time it was on his lips - it was modest affair of only a second or two but regardless it was a real kiss.

Rarity backed up and Spike stood there speechless as he touch a claw to his lips. Seeing the dragons shocked expression, Rarity simply giggled and said “You said you were an adult dragon afterall!” before trotting off, leaving Spike more than pumped up to light the fireworks.

Ms. Harshwhinny approached the dragon "Okay, it's time!"

Author's Note

• I wanted to add the technical wording was inspired by the complicated rules and wordings in the MLPCCG. Its so complicated Twilight would love it
  
• I know it’s a predictable cheap happy ending winning a medal, but lets face it thats what would happen in canon And some Sparity just because I usually have sad endings for Spike.
  
• And the ‘puissance’ is a mad event to watch, but quite exciting. Seeing the horses try to peer over the top is amusing, and its extra funny when the horse can’t be bothered to jump and plows through the fence (safely nowadays as it’s all lightweight materials)