I'll Always Love You, My Little Hatchling.
Twilight tread on the cobblestone road leading to the thick trunk of her tree library which had become her home. The moon shone down on the street. The only sounds were her hooves clopping on the stone, the farming community having almost entirely closed up for the night. The lights of Sugarcube Corner's top room, where Pinkie lived, was still on and the rhythmic beat of pop music sang by the resident baker floated on the night air.
Twilight paused to listen for a few moments before continuing her trek towards her home. The ancient oak towered above the little town, its trunk thick enough for a Pony and her dragon to comfortably live in as well as having enough space for rows and rows of bookshelves. Its branches intertwined and twisted outward, each one covered in a beard of vibrantly green leaves. A night wind rustled through them, shook each branch.
She tread up to her door, pushed it open, stepped onto the hardwood floor. Owlowiscious had straightened everything up and organized all the books. Spike sat up straighter from his place on her back, lifting his face from her mane. He rubbed at his bleary eyes before resting his head back onto his favorite pillow.
"Tired, number one assistant?" There was a slight giggle in Twilight's voice.
Spike responded by yawning. "I had a rough day."
He was taken up in Twilight's glowing, violet aura and nuzzled. "See? You're just a baby dragon. You get sleepy."
"I know, I know."
She deposited him onto the ground. The owl soared by, perched on the top of a bookcase, hid his head under his wing and went to sleep.
"Are you hungry, Spike?"
Spike nodded.
"Alright. I'll make us something. Then, it's bath time."
She didn't mention what was to come after bath time. Spike followed after her into the kitchen area where she opened up a cabinet and stared in confusion at the contents which filled it. It was mostly bags of hay, a few bags of fresh cut daisies, a bag of bread, a bowl of gemstones, flour.
Spike hopped up on the counter. "I can make us supper."
Twilight levitated a bag of daisies. "I can do it. Go sit at the table and take a break. A daisy sandwich for me and...you know what? I was about to just assume what you wanted. We have really got to work on our communication." She placed down the bag of daisies. "Spike, what would you like for supper?"
Spike's lips twitched. "That bowl of gem salad. I've been letting it ripen for days now." What else could he have wanted?
She pulled out the bowl and placed it on the table. Spike pulled out a chair and hopped onto it, then waited for Twilight to prepare her own supper. Twilight opened the bag while pulling out a plate. She placed the simple, white plate on the counter, placed the bread on the plate, then opened the refrigerator door, her magic seeking and finding a jar of mayonnaise which she brought over.
Using a butter knife, she smeared the bread with the mayonnaise before placing six daisies on each slice of bread. She flipped on the tap, rinsed the knife in the gentle stream of water and then returned it to the drawer. Spike watched as she handled all of this in her magic. It took a great deal of her concentration. Normally, Twilight would walk over to the refrigerator and levitate the jar, not open it while her back was turned.
She put the mayonnaise back, closed the refrigerator door. Spike sneaked a glance at the ruby which crowned his gem salad. It was delectable. He could actually smell it, the delightful, tangy scent tickling his nostrils. Would it be rude to take it before Twilight sat down? It wasn't like he could get in more trouble.
Or maybe he could. There was no reason to test it. Twilight finished making her sandwich and sat down. She took a big bite out of it. Spike grabbed his ruby and popped it into his mouth. It was crunchy, bursting with flavor. It was not really possible to describe the taste of a gem. Only that it was delicious, or at least it was to him. He followed the ruby with a sapphire, the flavors a delightful contrast, like how the sweetness of shrimp complimented with spicy barbecue sauce.
That was the only way he could ever describe it when Ponies asked.
"Spike?"
The young dragon swallowed the last of the ruby. "Yes, Twilight?"
Twilight kept her gaze on her sandwich. "You weren't the only one who did something wrong today."
Spike's ears perked up. "What do you mean?"
"I should have known you were getting jealous. I didn't pay enough attention to your feelings and I'm sorry."
Spike nibbled on an opal. Its smooth texture was comforting to him. "It's not like I said, 'Yo, Twilight, I'm feeling left out.'"
Twilight snorted at his imitation of a Zebra rapper. "No, but I'm your...I'm the one who's supposed to take care of you." She took a bite out of the sandwich. "I should know these things."
Spike raised an eyebrow. "You once told me that it's okay to make mistakes. Everypony does at times."
Her ears wilted. "Even so, I drove you away. Forgive me?"
Spike shrugged. "There's nothing to forgive, Twilight."
Twilight smiled, took another bite out of the sandwich. The rest of the meal went by quickly. Twilight leaned back in her chair when the last bit of her sandwich was gone. Spike popped the last ruby into his mouth. This was a fire ruby, a spicier version of a regular ruby. Twilight hopped up. "Alright, bath time."
Spike obediently left his chair and trailed after Twilight. She stopped outside the brown, bathroom door. "Um, I know you're a big hatchling, but do you mind if I give you a bath? Like when you were little? Littler?"
Spike considered that. "Yeah, that'd be alright." He bumped the door open. "So, after the bath..."
The Unicorn picked him up in her warm field. Spike relaxed. Her familiar field always made him relax. "Yes?"
He tapped his claws together. Twilight hadn't even seemed a little mad, only depressed. "Am I getting a spanking?"
She turned on the faucet. The water flowed into the wide, ceramic basin of the tub, steam floating upward in little wisps. It was heavenly against his scales when he was deposited into them. The waters rocked against him. Twilight hummed a little tune as she lathered soap into his skin and poured in pink bubble bath. "You know the rules."
"I really am sorry."
"I know. Do you think you deserve a spanking?"
"Kind of. I lied to you, I worried everypony. Like you said, you can't love me if I do that."
Twilight gaped. "Spike, that's not what I meant! I meant...oh, damn-" She sighed, put a bit of soap in her mouth, spat it out. "I have really not been on top of my game today. Look, I was in a hurry to get to the hay board meeting. That's not an excuse. Otherwise I'd have talked to you, and yes, you'd have gotten a spanking. Oh, Spike." She drew him into a hug, felt his arms encircle her waist. "I love you so, so much and if you grow up to be the biggest, most ferocious dragon that ever lived, I'll still love you. Understand?"
He nodded against her fur.
"When I said that, I meant you weren't being your best self. That you're better than someone who lies and is mean to others." She rubbed the soap into the scales on his shoulders. "Spike, I promise, I'm going to be a lot more careful with my words from now on. Starting to think I should be the one getting her bottom smacked."
Spike closed his eyes as her hooves ran over his spines, rubbing the special kind of shampoo (just for dragons) into them. "It wasn't your fault, Twilight."
"I'm your caretaker. I have to take some responsibility." She gathered up water in her aura and splashed it over him. "I made a mistake and you did to. We both have to take responsibility."
The waters washed over him, the soap running into the water, turning it white and frothy. Spike watched the bubbles float into the air, reached out and popped some. "Alright. Do ya have to spank me though?"
"Yes. It's a good consequence. A warm rump helps you to remember to behave. I remember getting them myself."
"I remember too." He hid his mouth with his claw, trying not to grin at the memories of his young companion across her mother's or teacher's or even on one occasion, her big brother's knee.
She poked him. "Not so funny when it's happening to you. I have to discipline you for this, no matter how little I want to. You didn't tell me about accidentally burning the book-which wouldn't have gotten you into trouble if you hadn't lied. You tried to frame Owloiscious. You need a firm reminder about honesty."
Spike scuffled a foot. "Er, would a post-it note do?"
She just gave him the look.
"Shutting up now."
Twilight sighed. "I don't want to do it, Spike. But, I need to be able to trust you."
She ushered him out of the tub and wrapped a white towel around him, drying off his head, scrubbing the scales of his back and neck, wiping the water off his tail, patting dry his legs and his feet.
Spike dragged his feet as he was ushered out of the bathroom. Twilight trotted quickly towards their bedroom, Spike's gait was a crawl, falling far behind Twilight's. She was at the door to the bedroom while he was halfway behind her. He yawned. "Boy, I am so sleepy! Maybe I can hit the hay and we can do it in the morning?"
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Don't do this Spike. I just want to get this whole day over with and then we can get some sleep."
Spike remained where he was, exaggeratedly stretching. "But, I'm for real Twilight! I'm too sleepy for a spanking! Not too sleepy for a glass of warm milk though."
Twilight let out a groan, lit up her horn. "I didn't want to do this!"
Her magic yanked the baby dragon straight into the air where he flailed, kicking his arms and legs. His bottom lips trembled. He protested while she dragged him along.
She turned around. "C'mon Spike, this is hard for me too."
Spike felt tears brimming in his eyes, he kept trying to break free. Then, he saw Twilight's face and the fight went out of him. Unshed tears were shining in her own eyes. He went limp, allowing her to pull him along over to her. She levitated him next to her and slid into the room.
Placing him down, she levitated up a brown, wooden, oval-shaped hairbrush from the night stand. She tugged him along again by his ear fin, applying enough pressure to pull him along, but not enough to seriously hurt him. She would never really cause him harm. Spike knew that and that thought reassured him.
Twilight pulled a chair out from its place under her (sometimes their) study desk and sat down on it, pulling him over her knee, so his rump was positioned out for the coming chastisement. She rubbed his back. "Spike, I hope you understand why I'm doing this. I know we had that discussion in the bathroom, but please remember to be honest with me in the future."
The first whack of the hairbrush fell down upon his upturned backside. Spike squealed and yelped. A second whack came just as fast, striking the same target. He squirmed as several more whacks fell against his rear. "I will!"
She paused the spanking to continue the lecture. "If you have a problem, come to me!"
Each word was punctuated by a hard spank against the very center of his bottom. The spanks were firm, yet gentle. No unneeded force, nothing excessive. He kicked his legs while the hairbrush landed again and again on his bottom. Twilight, experienced as she was with this task, peppered his posterior with the spanks, focusing the hairbrush on the lower part of his rump before moving again towards the center of his backside.
Spike cried out, tears falling down his cheeks. The hairbrush built up heat in his bottom which was slowly growing pink beneath the blows from the brush. The brush bounced against first the right part of his chubby rear before bouncing against the left part. Twilight maintained an even pace with the spanks, the brush swatting every part of his rump.
Twilight pulled back the hairbrush and let it fall several more times against the drake's now almost entirely pink tushy. Spike didn't try to escape the punishing swats, knowing deep inside that he full well deserved a punishment for the way he'd acted. He still kicked though when a firm smack landed on his tenderized rear.
Ten more spanks landed in rapid succession, popping on his butt and leaving a lasting sting. Spike would be surprised if he could sit down tomorrow! He wept across her knee, pain and guilt roiling in his soul until she placed aside the brush, setting it on the desk, and pulled him into a warm embrace.
He smiled through his tears, which she wiped away with a brush of her hoof. She caressed his back, running strokes through his spines. Her chest felt so warm against his face, so soft. She clutched him tight, an embrace which he returned so they were both holding each other.
Two specks of moisture fell on his head. He looked up to find that she was crying. He reached up his claw and brushed away the tears. "Twilight? What's wrong?"
She squeezed him tight, almost too tight, but he didn't try to get away. "Spike, y-you're my little foal...my little scaled foal, but you're my foal...you're my son...I remember when you were a real baby and refused to even leave my side. It was so scary when I didn't know where you'd gone." She choked back a sob. "The last thing I'd ever said to you would have been a scolding. Please don't ever doubt I love you, ever again."
He found words even though he was nearly about to start crying again himself. "I'm sorry, Mommy." He hadn't called her that except when awoken from slumber, hadn't regularly called her that since he realized he was a dragon and she was a unicorn.
She kissed his forehead. "I forgive you, you're forgiven."
She stood up, placing him on her back where he could snuggle into her mane and then crawled into bed, turning over so she was hugging him.
He nestled against her. She turned off the lights and darkness crept into the room.
Within her embrace, he felt safe and he felt loved. Soon, both were asleep.
Author's Note
Something I wrote to get my creative juices flowing from a spell of writer's block. Also, a scene I imagine happening after the episode.
Ah, sweet slice-of-life. Epic adventures are fun, but this is my bread-and-butter.
