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                     The Dragon Witch                      
                      -by Xutiepops-                       
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                    The Snarling Witch                     
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The Snarling Witch
On a cool summers day, the city of Canterlot bustles with ponies, noises, and dragons. Carriages bounce over the uneven roads of cobblestone, banners hung from poles for the upcoming celebration sway in the breeze, foals laughter and ponies chatter is what you hear for miles.
Near a local tavern, two dragons preform tricks. One blows fire as the other catches the spark on their tail and flies in the sky to spell out 'thank you!'. As they land on the stage with bright smiles, ponies cheer and bits are thrown into the hat in front of the show.
"That was amazing!" A filly yells and claps along side their parents. One of the dragons smirk in pride, while the other flies down to pick up the filly in their arms.
"Glad you enjoyed! What's your name?" The female dragon smiles, bright blue scales sparkle in the sun as their tail swings back and forth. The dragons brother rolls his eyes with a sly smirk as he grabs the hat and walks behind the curtain.
"Babs Seeds," the filly smirks and blows her hair out of her eyes. The dragon smiles happily at the pony until her wings snap against her back and send her and the filly falling from their place in the sky. Screams erupt from around and from the two.
The filly is caught by an orange earth pony while the dragon is caught by her brother. Everypony and dragon near by looks rudely at the white unicorn whose magic still held the dragons wings shut.
She was snarling at the dragon as her magic moved from the wings and to her mane. Some gasped in shock at her appearance, some stared at her in awe, few snarled right back.
Her snarl turned to a bored expression as her mane poofed right back into place. It was an assortment of colors, very different from her usual flaunting purple. Didn't mean stallions and male dragons still didn't gawk at her, they'd say this new look only made her even more attractive.
Her mane was an assortment of green, yellow, and her usual purple. All spiked and intimidating, she had a leather jacket that was studded on the collar and sleeves, a studded bracelet sat on her left fore leg. Her tail was cut much shorter and had another studded band that made her uneven tail even more uneven. Her deep blue eyes sparkled in the sun.
The dragons snarled in unison. "You could've hurt somebody, Rarity!"
Rarity rolled her eyes and walked right past them into the tavern, "That was the point, little fillies need to learn not to be entertained by you beasts, darling." She trotted into the tavern where every one had their eyes on her. The dragons taking shots, the ponies at the bar, the ponies and dragons simply talking. She rolled her eyes once again.
The old rickety tavern was the one place adults could go without their fillies, sad enough, it was the only one in town. It was ran by a family who specialized in apple this and apple that, the most profitable thing they owned was apple cider, the only real reason they had the tavern.
Rats ran across the floor in the back, fighting over something Rarity couldn't make out. The ceiling and floorboards creaked with every movement. Every corner had a dust bunny family making a couch on a spider web. The tables and stools seemed on the verge of snapping, especially under dragons and strong stallions. The jukebox in the corner had a few screws missing and it played a low static.
Ponies sat at tables enjoying the apple treats the tavern owner made, others were downing whiskey and a few dragons were seeing who could down the ale the fastest without breaking.
Rarity rolled her eyes as a familiar face approached her. A smirk sat on the pegasus' light blue coat and her rainbow mane spiked as she approached Rarity.
"Hey doll, care for a dance?" The pegasus asked, a cheeky look as she awaited her usual rejection whenever she tried to wow Rarity. Her name was Rainbow Dash, all stallions thought her a pest as she stole their girls right underneath them on their dates. The town casanova is what she was. Yet, no one hated her.
"Sorry... doll, I would buuuut saying as there is no music, I must decline," Rarity smirked and trotted past her, leaving Rainbow Dash's mouth open at the new rejection.
"Hey! We had something and your just gonna throw it away?" Rainbow Dash dashed over to Rarity, anger covering her tone. "I ask you to dance, you reject me, simple as that. Nothing different, princess."
Rainbow Dash was hovering in front of Rarity, showing off her black vest over a white shirt, a rose waiting to claim a girl for the night sat over her heart. Rarity snickered, a grin spread across her face as her magic forced Rainbow Dash on a stool at a table with a purple unicorn.
"Sorry darling, felt like something new, saying as you are ever so boring," Rarity smirked as she turned away. "Besides, if you want a princess, try the lovely Fluttershy."
Rainbow Dash scowled at all the ponies and dragons laughing at her, she snapped. "Everypony knows Fluttershy denies everyone."
Rarity ordered a wine. "That was the point darling, besides, any pony who forces anything onto her gets blown away by magic, gotta wonder who does that." Rarity's smirk insinuated that it was her protecting the Lady Fluttershy, though everypony knew Rarity wouldn't help a soul.
Rainbow Dash fumed and crossed her front hooves, she raised an eye brow at Rarity as she just stared right back. "You wouldn't happen to know who protects her, would you? I mean, she is your friend and all, but we know she isn't a witch like you."
Some were interested in the conversation between the fiends of town -maybe two were fully interested- everypony went back to what they were doing. The purple unicorn sitting across from Rainbow Dash occasionally raised her eyes from her book to witness the scene of her friend and the witch.
Once the two started bickering back and forth, she slammed her book down to catch the twos attention. Rainbow Dash stared with full attention at her friend, Rarity listened but looked away with annoyance as she took a drink.
"You two bicker like children, why not ask Fluttershy herself?" The unicorn asked and turned to Rainbow Dash. "And you're the fool for egging her on, you know Rarity is never going to stop as long as she gets under your skin."
Rainbow Dash huffed and crossed her hooves, stopping her bickering with Rarity. Twilight smiled as she returned to her book. Rarity smirked at an idea.
She stared at the purple unicorn with navy bangs, a pink and purple streak cutting through them, the violet eyes concentrated on the book, her crimson cloak wrapped tight around her. A simple pink dress sat underneath the cloak. She licked her lips and saw that Rainbow Dash was still pouting. Perfect, she thought.
"Why Rainbow Dash, I happened to notice you spend a lot of time with the scientist," Rarity sashayed over to the two and smirked playfully at Rainbow Dash who was now red. Rarity used her magic to grab the rose and she sniffed it with her eyes on Rainbow Dash. "Why isn't it you haven't handed this over to Twilight, darling? If you wanted a little help, all you had to do was ask."
Rarity placed the rose in Twilight's mane with a smirk. Then, a bucket of water appeared over Rainbow Dash and drenched her, earning a gasp from Twilight. Rainbows eyes narrowed as she growled at a cackling Rarity.
Rainbow Dash smashed Rarity into the bar, smashing through the wood and crashing into the wall of glass and alcohol. Rarity screamed as Rainbow simply trotted off. The unicorn growled and used her magic to slam Rainbow to the floor. She earned a punch to the cheek and Rainbow got a kick in the hind leg in return. Rarity squealed and growled, Rainbow Dash simply panted and growled as the two exchanged punches, kicks, bites, and magic.
The crowds cheered Rainbows name, despite her hate amongst the men in town. No one called the witches name as they fought. They lasted for about a minute or two before being separated by a red stallion and an orange mare.
Next thing the two knew, they were thrown out. The two stared at the door as it was slammed shut by an elderly green pony. The two sat in silence as they breathed and the adrenaline left their bodies.
Twilight ran out to aid Rainbow Dash, only reminding Rarity even more that she had no pony for her. She huffed as she stood up and dusted off, she summoned a hand mirror and groaned at the state her makeup was it. Her eyeliner and mascara was smeared, her blue eye shadow along with it. Blood tinted her lips, putting an off color to her black lipstick. She revolted in disgust as she summoned a wet towel to wash it all off.
"You happy with yourself, witch?" Rainbow growled as she tried to stand, only to fall miserably. Rarity felt a tinge of guilt as she turned away. She looked back and saw the state she was in. Her mane was ruffled, misaligning the colors they were in, her hind legs were covered in bruises, her shoulders and fore legs were littered in cuts from the glass. Rainbow yelped as Twilight pulled them out.
Rarity took a look at herself in the mirror, glass shards sat in her body as bruises started to form in her forelegs. A huge red hoof print on her cheek, cutting into her beautiful white coat. She sighed and started home to the woods, she needed more from the town, but first she'd find something at home to make these go away.
"Rainbow, why'd you do that?" The orange mare stepped outside, fury etched into her face. Rainbow sheepishly laughed.
The orange earth pony had golden hair and a brown cowboy hat. She wore a white shirt and brown overalls, brown boots sat on her hooves. Her emerald eyes cut into Rainbow Dash as Twilight picked glass shards out of her fur and skin with magic.
"Ow! Well... you see... um.. ow, Hey! That hurts. Anyways, she made fun of Twilight! I wasn't gonna stand for that!" Rainbow slammed her hoof down and jumped as another glass shard was pulled out of her skin. She groaned as she took a look at her hind legs, she instantly looked away and tried to cover up her disgust.
"She didn't make fun of me," Twilight said and fixed her patients mane, realigning the colors from orange, yellow, red to red, orange, yellow.
"Yes she did!" Rainbow Dash snapped, turning to Twilight, she fell and looked at the ground. "She said you'd be with somepony as low as me. That seems like making fun to me." Rainbow sulked.
Applejack sighed at the two, even if she slightly wished Twilight would correct her and say she would date someone as low as Rainbow Dash. "Look, I know that witch won't pay up for the damage, so you're gonna have ta."
Rainbows expression fell and she flew over to Applejack -well, tried to, her wing was sprained. She walked over and got down on her hind legs in front of Applejack. She put her front hooves together and begged. "Please! I'll do anything! I-I don't have that kind of money."
Applejack smirked and glared at Twilight. "Alright, you and the scientist gotta help rebuild until its fixed, but you're gonna have to pay for anything we don't have." She trotted back inside and Rainbow smiled and jumped up, just to sit back down from the pain in her hind legs.
"That means I don't have to pay for anything! The apples have everything they need to fix some bar table!" Rainbow jumped happily and hugged Twilight who blushed, but hugged her back.
Applejack smirked and poked her head out the door, "We'll need a hammer, screwdriver, and you're gonna have to pay for the next shipment." She went back inside and Rainbow Dash groaned. Twilight giggled and Rainbow Dash started laughing to.
The witch hid in the alleyway next to the tavern, her blood boiled at the scene. How desperately she wanted a friend to do that with, and Rainbow Dash got one thing she wanted? The town casanova? The town player? Rarity was shocked as to how, then she realized Twilight was her friend, Applejack was a friend of hers. Two ponies she never hit on. Rarity turned away and ran down the alleyway to the other side.
She had returned home to find she had nothing that could help her circumstance. None of her herbs she grew would be ready until next week. She had many flowers that helped make beauty potions and her makeup, but none could be used on their own to cover the bruises or the thing on her cheek. So she was forced to go back into town to find something that could help.
She mumbled hateful things about Rainbow Dash as ponies and dragons gaped at her. Some smirked as if she deserved it, some revolted at her appearance, others didn't notice. She hid her face, trying to act like it didn't hurt her, even if it did.
She was so lost in thought, that she didn't notice she walked into somepony until she did. She groaned as she sat up and saw it wasn't a pony at all, it was a dragon. She wanted to scowl, but he instantly stood up and extended his claw to her with a smile. He smiled as if she didn't have a huge mark on her cheek, or as if her forelegs weren't covered in bruises and cuts.
She swallowed and took his claw, she didn't know why but he helped her up and smiled. She was surprised by how tall he was. He seemed so young and didn't have his wings, yet he was inches taller than her.
She froze at what she saw, white sharped teeth stared back at her, green reptilian eyes stared down at her. A deep blue suit covering a white shirt sparkled in the sun as the gold chain and charm around his neck caught her eye. Purple scales with a green set of scales down his back were the creatures being. She looked at the charm and her breathe caught in her throat.
The charm was a fang in a crown in front of a fire, all seemingly gold. Only the royal dragons wore that, and the royal guards. But he looked far to young to be a royal guard, so he was the prince.
"Y-y-y-you're the prince?!" She exclaimed and he just smiled at her and chuckled. He nodded and she cowered away from him.
"Are you okay? You look hurt," The prince pointed out as she swallowed. He tilted his head, "and scared." She screamed and ran off, back to her home. She would just try tomorrow, there was no way she could talk to a real prince. Of course not. She was use to being snarky and the guards always let her get away with it because they were too scared of her, but a prince?
She'd be burned at the stake in a second if she even got close to being insensitive to the prince, much less be plain rude. She shook in her hooves as she ran through the opening into the woods at the end of town. She followed a path that went right off the trail.
Left by a big rock, right past a set of poison ivy, the set with blue paint on them, keep straight until you see a row of Poison Joke and take a sharp two rights down a set of pink flowers. She ran right to a hut in the middle of the woods, she stared at it as she caught her breath.
She looked up at the purple, pink, and blue boutique covered in plants. Poison Joke grew slightly up the left side, pink flowers sat on the roof top along with a bunch of crows. She looked at the boarded up windows and she remembered how pretty it used to be.
The pink-purple checker pattern came from the Canterlot castle, the blue and grey around the windows and on the bottom floor walls was all her genius design. The windows used to sparkled with the orange and yellow curtains. Now, they sat boarded up. The boutique got smaller as it got taller, but the genius design behind it all used to sparkle. The carousel boutique had magenta mannequins around the top floor that was a light blue with white designs. The same mannequin sat above the door on the edge of the overhang.
The door was purple with a doggy door for her cat and a diamond shaped window. The pink border seemed so dull and so did the magenta-pink lining on the bottom of the boutique.
She sighed as she opened the door and walked inside. The purple, pink, and orange design glowed through the darker colors placed over them. The edges of the three mirrors and the stage were painted dark orange, like a pumpkin. Her dressing room doors were black with a blue bat painted on them. The magenta curtains were now black with that blue bat and a new spider design alternating.
The floor was still its bright color, though it seemed to dim and the stairs to the upper floor were painted black and looked at if it wanted to crumble. The pink-purple checkered pattern was now dark purple and green. The whole boutique was a mix of black, dark orange, light blue, dark purple, and a hint of neon green. She loved it.
She sat against the stage near the three mirrors and recollected herself.
Had she just escaped certain death? Why did she let him help her up? She would've spat at a dragon or pony and got up herself. He was the prince, it was the only reasoning. Her mind recognized it before she did! Of course! That had to be the reasoning.
She smiled at her minds quick wits. If she had been disrespectful then of course she would be screaming at the top of her lungs on a burning stake. Then a thought occurred to her as her cat hissed at her from the kitchen.
Why did he, a prince, help the town witch? And why did he act as if she didn't deserve what had happened to her?
Spike watched as the town witch ran away, she was petrified. He was only confused and worried.
A red dragon with orange scales on his head that ran down his back only smirked and crossed his arms as he watched Rarity run away. He wore a blue suit -a couple shades lighter than Spikes- with the same gold charm Spike wore, except his was pinned to his suit, Spikes was a charm on a necklace.
"Great job! I know we're supposed to be 'pony friendly' but we shouldn't be friendly to some pony who hates us," Garble, the red dragon, smirked as he stood next to Spike. He was Spikes guard and friend, though he always snuck off to throw rocks at phoenixes.
Spike turned to him, confused. Then his eyes widened in understanding and he turned to see where she ran off to. "That was the witch Rarity?" He pointed in the direction he was staring. He we so confused, he couldn't believe such a beauty could be a witch.
"Yep, plucked all the phoenixes feathers before we got there, never got to chase anything for a month afterwards. She's a heathen." Garble smirked at his friend, "But you got her to run in fear! She was actually scared! Told you, you are a scary dragon."
Another dragon walked up, this one was thin and purple, he had blonde hair covering his eyes. "She's probably just scared cause he's a prince. She can't disrespect a prince, then she'd really be dead meat." Fume suggested, just for him and Garble to laugh at how petty ponies are.
"We should've told Ember not to be friends with those namby-pamby pony princesses," Garble mocked, only for him and Fume to laugh harder. Spike couldn't think, he was just worried about Rarity, the pony who had a reputation for saying she'd light up every dragon and pony in Equestria in blue fire.
He was always told she had a purple mane and wasn't... a total punk. She had a record of being a gothic beauty, sure, but she was said to be more elegant than punkish. And why was she hurt? Her forelegs were covered in bruises and cuts, her cheek had a huge red mark, and her eyes seemed so hurt. He wanted to help, he was going to be ruler, that meant he had to care for every one of his subjects, no matter how cruel.
That's how he saw it anyways, whenever it came up when he talked to Ember she lectured him on how it wasn't that way. The only way anything gets any respect is if they respect others back, rudeness shouldn't be given an easy time. Queen Ember was cruel, and only cared for those who let her. Garble and Fume were right, the only reason Rarity was even pleasant was because he was prince.
If she had a record of disrespecting the prince of dragons, then she would be burning at a stake. He sighed, that's all anypony thought of him, a prince. He wasn't a dragon who liked comic books or a dragon who disliked violence. He was a prince.
He sighed and turned away from the two laughing dragons and started to head for the dragons castle, opposite of the one for ponies. Queen Celestia had the same morals as him, yet her son made it impossible for her to use them. Her son would fit perfect as Embers kid, and Spike would fit perfect as Celestia's son.
Prince Blueblood was a charmer and had about every girl in town that was pretty in his eye. He was about as bad as that Rainbow Dash he heard about. But he also knew that Rainbow Dash was kind and ensured girls -dragons and ponies- a fun night at the tavern or wherever she found them.
Prince Blueblood only liked ponies, he never proclaimed that he hated dragons, but Spike knew he did. And he also knew that Prince Blueblood got girls too drunk to notice and he took advantage of them. At least that Rainbow Dash gave them a fun night and not a regret the next morning like Blueblood.
He stood in front of the castle for dragons. Most dragons went there for fun if they didn't take a liking to ponies, it was one thing Spike liked about Ember. She took care of dragons and ponies, as long as they respected her. The castle was a set of the dragon lands connected by a bridge that led to them. The castle was very pony like, well the castle was all of the dragon lands, but the real castle where Ember and Spike resided was very pony like and almost mirrored the ponies castle.
He took a couple of shortcuts through the mountains so he could avoid talking to any dragon, he wanted to get lost in thought. He smirked as he heard the faint echoes of his name being called by Garble and Fume who would definitely get in trouble at his expense.
Once he got to the castle, he noticed how different it was than the ponies castle. The pillars and structure was scorched and seemed made out of the rocks of the dragon lands, only to be painted over. Roses, crystal flowers, and tulips covered the tower, the closer they got to the top, the fewer there was and the vines were cut off by a fire breather who 'took care' of the plants.
He walked inside and saw the usual black and white checkered pattern of the floors. The pillars were painted black and the stairs that circled up to the second platform were a rustic hardwood. The walls were a faint purple. His mind ran to the gothic beauty that was the rumor of Rarity.
"Spike!" A familiar voice called. He looked up to see a smiling blue dragon in a dark blue dress, she had white horns that pointed downwards. Her happy expression turned to one of confusion. "Where is your guard, Garble was his name?"
"I told him I could get to the castle myself," Spike said reluctantly. He knew she would only yell at him, but he couldn't stand the idea of his friend getting in trouble because of him. Embers eyes narrowed on him and she flew down to stand in front of him. Her reptilian eyes stared daggers into Spike.
"You know not to let your guards off duty until you're here," Ember crossed her arms and Spike laughed nervously and stared up at her.
"Like anything could happen to me in the dragon lands, besides, I took the shortcuts and secret passages, no one knows of those," Spike defened himself. It was something he got used to. Ember crossed her arms and raised an eye brow.
She sighed and made a shooing motion with her claws. "Fine, fine, but don't let it happen again. Now, go get ready, we're having dinner with Celestia and Blueblood at eight." She flew off down a wing of the castle.
Spike sighed. "Great."
Author's Note
I hope you enjoy! And I would love some constructive criticism about my story.  
I hate how much love punk Rarity got, but I thought it'd be a nice touch for a chapter or two, though I do intend to make it a few-chapter thing, she's going to go back to her normal look soon.

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                         The Deal                          
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The Deal
Spike walked through Canterlot streets, he didn't even try to be happy. He crossed his arms and turned away from Ember, he blew smoke out of his nostrils and glared at Ember to notice.
She didn't.
He rolled his eyes at the insensitivity his so called mother had. Garble walked orderly behind him, though the small antics meant to make Spike laugh had worked. That was another thing he liked about Ember, she didn't care if he made a fool of himself in public.
He looked around and saw what a usual party pony had done with the town for the upcoming celebration. Colorful banners hung from every pole, even if diagonal, though many were charred or half burnt off, it was nice looking. The houses and shops had their own festivities up. Walls and windows had pictures of the pony and dragon royal charm, along with the celebrations symbol: A sun in front of a roaring fire.
It was the Summer Sun Celebration, the ponies rose the sun while the dragons did the main performance. The rest of the day went by with performing ponies and dragons, fire and magic tricks would fill the streets. The farmers and bakers made some of the best profit all you could smell -other than smoke- was the delicious treats they had for sale.
Spike never went to one. Him, Garble, Fume, and a few other dragons just had fun in the dragon lands, where no other dragon was. They'd see who could breathe the most fire, they'd play King of The Hoard -Garble and Spike always were the last two, they are tied. They'd tail wrestle, and play Dungeons and Dragons -Garble made it a competition, him and Spike are still tied- by request of Spike.
Ember always pushed Spike to go, but he never wanted to. He just wanted to sit in the Dragon Lands and have fun with his friends, eating nothing but gems all day long. Seeing all the preparations, he almost wanted to go.
"Don't you ever just want to throw rocks at a phoenix nest? It's fun," Garble started up a conversation while Ember was accepting cheers from the crowds. Spike finally made a small smile at his friend, to think they hated each other before.
"No, I was raised out of no where, so I'd rather not be the cause for others to be raised out of no where," Spike crossed his arms and smirked defiantly at Garble who just looked annoyed.
"But your better at fire breathing than any of us! No matter what you think, I'm telling ya, you're a royal dragon," Garble said, just for Spike to frown again and put out his fire to banter around as they walked to Celestia's castle.
"Of course he's a royal dragon, Garble," Ember hissed his name and Garble just rolled his eyes, knowing she wouldn't hurt a dragon who simply spoke. "He's my son." Garble, again, rolled his eyes, knowing it wasn't true. Most of Spikes guard knew he wasn't Embers child, every dragon knew! Spike looked nothing like Ember, and he had none of her mannerisms either.
They passed a fountain that had a pony statue pouring out water from an urn. Spike hated how 'Canterlot' was all pony and no dragon, Dragon Lands was all rock and nothing. The most dragon you saw in Canterlot were the dragons themselves. It made Spike think, why did ponies and dragons ever get along?
Then he'd always remember the outlaw dragons who were the biggest and nastiest, him and Garble made a pact to be just like them. He was sure Garble forgot all about it. The outlaw dragons were viscious and greedy, they didn't like ponies and wanted each of them dead. They only cared for themselves and nopony else mattered.
Spike wanted to be like that, but then he had Garble, his best friend, standing right next to him. There was no way he could care for nothing his whole life, so he just stayed as the prince of a now pathetic race. Dragons used to be mean and strong, now they lost drinking games to ponies.
Ember was back to accepting cheers from a crowd of dragons that had a pink pony at the core. Some called the pony a dragon pony, she seemed to spend all her time with dragons. Garble smirked, "Would ya ever marry the dragon pony?" Spike turned to him aghast.
"No way!" Spike practically yelled, just sending Garble to a howl of laughter. He crossed his arms, "It's not like Ember would even let me marry a pony. Her dad was the one to befriend Celestia, not her."
"I'm just kidding, though you'd be better off marrying a wimp dragon," Garble smirked, only ticking Spike off further. "And what's that mean?" Spike growled as Fume walked by and gave Garble a high five -four. He was already ticked off about having to even sit at the same table as Blueblood, Garble wasn't helping.
"Any dragons better off with a wimpy one, especially me," Garble smirked and Spike smiled again. Of course, he was just using Spike to talk about himself.
"Yeah," Spike chuckled, "Couldn't have a girl be better than you, now could we?" Spike started laughing, now Garble was the one growling.
"Says the one making goo-goo eyes at the town witch," Garble shot back to cut off Spikes laughter and sent Ember into attention. She grabbed Spikes arm roughly, forcing him to look at her.
"Tell me your little friend is lying," Ember growled as her claws dug into Spikes scales. Spike fought to get out of her grasp until she finally let go, leaving him to rub his arm.
"Jeez, of course he's lying, it's Garble," Spike seethed through his gritted teeth. Ember shot Garble a threatening glare before turning back to a dragon she was talking with. Garble gripped Spikes other arm and dug his claws in, though less hard.
"What was that for? You know you were," Garble yell-whispered as he let go of Spikes arm. Spike just growled as now both his arms were in pain.
"I've saved your scales countless times, just take this one. Besides, I wasn't. I thought she was less punkish and I've never seen her before, 'member?" Spike growled, his eyes narrowed as he was now in a complete bad mood. Now Garble put something on his mind that he didn't want there.
"Fine," Garble mumbled and they didn't talk the rest of the night.
The room they dined in probably had more class than anything else in the castle. It had the iconic purple-pink checkered floors which Spike wish Garble saw, just so he could prove to himself that Garble would hate ponies even more.
The table was long -unlike the one in the dragons castle- but they all sat at one end. Spike and Blueblood sat across from each other, as always. Ember and Spike were offered loads of gems -Spike hid some to give to the wingless dragons in the dragon lands- while Celestia and Blueblood ate normal food like a salad.
Most things were light blue, the chairs, and others were purple, the table if it didn't have a pink-purple checkered cloth sat over it. Of course, the walls were a pearly marble and the pillars in the hall were white and sparkled under the chandeliers light. Pink and blue roses were intertwined on them, along with a few crystal flowers that made Ember and Spike fight temptation with a bite on their lower lip.
Spike finished most of them gems so he didn't sit there and have everypony else wait on him. He hated eating around others anyways, especially Blueblood. He was prestigious and classy, he didn't get a single crumb anywhere. Yet gems were sharp and crumbs were inevitable. It didn't help that he knew Blueblood saw him as competition.
"So Spike, have a fiancée yet?" Blueblood asked with a smirk. Ember jumped to object, but Celestia put her hoof out, telling her not to bother.
Spike sat back in his seat -as always- and crossed his arms -as always. He raised an eyebrow at Blueblood and decided to play along. "No," he decided not to play along. Ember smiled at her son while Celestia seemed ashamed of her own. "I can't say I do." Spike played along. He could see Celestias smile and Embers shocked expression out of the corner of his eye.
"Don't you think it's about time you find one? Just because you're a dragon doesn't mean you can't get married," Bluebloods smirked as his eyes cut into Spike. Spike was used to it, he'd practically grown up with Blueblood.
"I could say the same for you, pick one," Spike scoffed and Ember smiled again. Even Celestia stifled a laugh as Blueblood turned red and shut up. Spike wasn't one for mischief, but when it came to Blueblood, he couldn't help it. It didn't go against his morals, everyone who was his subject deserved respect, Blueblood was more his equal than subject.
Bluebloods smirk returned, even Spike was curious to see what he was thinking. His tail swayed in thought underneath the table as his eyes narrowed on Blueblood, as if trying to read his mind. "Why don't we make a deal, Prince Spike?" Blueblood offered and Celestia wanted to object, but Ember told her to see how it played out.
"What's the deal, Prince Blueblood?" Spike wanted to sound even remotely fine with saying his name, it came out close to a sharp comment as it slipped off his tongue. His claws now dug into his own arms, reawakening the pain Garble and Ember had emplaced. He wanted to bite on his thumb like he usually did, but he couldn't bring himself to move his arms.
"Lets agree to find a girl that we'd want to marry at the Summers Sun Celebration, you'll be there, won't you?" Blueblood asked, sounding somewhat pleasant. Then, he almost growled, "Or will you be in the Dragon Lands with your little friends playing some silly game?"
Spike wanted to ruin his pretty face, but he decided to be there. He would've agreed politely if Blueblood didn't have a rude remark about his friends. "Deal, though I will say it'll be entertaining watching you find a girl that doesn't hate you, more entertaining than a game, I'd say."
Spike smirked as he saw Blueblood want to pounce him. He had more on Blueblood than Blueblood had on him, allowing him an easy win to every remark. Of course, that one shut up Blueblood as well.
He'd never win anything else if it came to comebacks, whenever him and Garble would argue, he'd give up since Garble always had the shot that Spike didn't have wings. And, he had nothing bad on Garble that he knew Garble would hate. Garble loved himself more than anything else, there'd be no way he'd let anyone else know he hated a secret part of himself.
He was usually good-hearted, so he didn't get into that many arguments anyways. But with Blueblood, he could go for hours and never run out of comebacks all surrounding the same thing he does, and there'd never be a repeat. He always called Blueblood his own fuel when it came to comebacks. Blueblood would start something, thinking he'd win and he never repeated himself, so if Spike could twist words -which he was pretty good at- he'd always win.
Ember finally stepped in, "Spike! You don't need to marry, you're the dragon lord next, no point wasting it on a stupid dragoness." Her eyes narrowed on Blueblood, obviously forgetting her place, "I think you should let the ponies play romance, a fierce dragon doesn't need that."
No one objected, how could they? Ember was obviously mad, and she didn't handle feelings well. Celestia would've stepped in, except for the fact that she hadn't had a husband either, she simply took Blueblood as the prince/son because he was her oldest relative fit for the crown. Blueblood didn't need a queen either, after two queens ruling over Equestria, the public was probably ready for a set of kings.
Yet, one of those to-be-kings was determined to find a queen to bring light to their home. And it wasn't Blueblood.
Spike never wanted a queen, or a marriage. But after seeing all the dragons in the dragon lands, he felt bad for them, and wanted a queen as kind and generous as him, a queen who would treat dragons with more respect than anything else.
"We have our deal," Spike said sharply, never taking his eyes off Blueblood. "I intend to keep it," he hissed and the prince just smirked back, as if to say 'game on'. No one talked the rest of the night, and Blueblood and Spike wouldn't dare take their eyes off each other, it was like losing a battle before it started. Spike liked things starting with a staring contest, as he won. Once Blueblood blinked -being fully aware of the staring contest- Spike stuck out his tongue with a smirk, Blueblood was on the verge of growling.
Rarity sat in her aged boutique, wincing as she brushed the tangles from her mane in a vanity mirror. She looked at the intertwining dark orange and black on the frame of the mirror. The dresser it sat upon was a rustic old brown, brushes and makeup laid upon it.
She sighed as she brushed through the same part of her mane for the thirty fourth time. Her cat with a studded black collar curled up against her leg, purring loudly.
Rarity sighed again, pushing herself away from the vanity, away from herself.
"Oh Opal," Rarity whimpered and looked at herself in the mirror. She saw the sparkle in her diamond blue eyes, no... she saw the blue flame that was her hatred light up her eyes. She looked down at her cat. "Why did those ponies get friends and I didn't?" She pouted as she rested her head on her hoof, wincing at the pain from Rainbow Dash's slap-punch.
"I mean that Rainbow is loyal to the one thing she seems to really care for... but that couldn't get her a friend forever, could it? I mean, that Twilight must be so jealous that Rainbow has yet to ask her for a night," Rarity growled, the blue flame glowing brighter.
"And that Applejack, she's so honest with every word she says, like nothing lies and nothing is sugar coated!" Rarity threw herself from her seat and turned to her boutique, rage pumping through her veins. "She should get a grip! That's all this world is! Lies and sugar coatings."
Opal jumped up on the stage, watching her witch owner do her magic.
"And precious Twilight," Rarity gagged. A magic image of Twilight appeared next to her, dancing away with Rainbow under a star casted night. "She has everything a witch would want! Her cutie mark is magic for Celestias sake!"
"Rainbow has friends, something a witch could use!" A blue flame obliterated the image that was the two dancing. She rolled her eyes with distaste. "Applejack has family and trust! Also something a witch would love to get her hands on!" She jumped onto the stage, knocking Opal off of it with a meow.
"That Fluttershy too! She's not any better!" Rarity gritted her teeth as she looked away. "Everyone follows her like she's a goddess! Only to get rejected with a broken wing or hoof. She has some magic, something a witch could want.... or more a protector.... yes, still something a witch would want!" Rarity's eyes narrowed on a magic image of the beauty that was Fluttershy. It went up in smoke and she turned away. "And such a crowd! Perfect for massive spells to see the effects!"
"And that petty, petty dragon pony! Such a witch she is, except not. She's a betrayal to her own kind! She loves the town of Canterlot," Rarity's expression fell to one of annoyance as a hoping pink pony bounced around her head. "Yet she decorates it with dragons and throws parties for them! Without her, those heathens wouldn't even be here!" She bit at the pink pony, snatching off her front half, leaving the other half to squirm and run in confusion and agony.
She snickered as she turned to the mirrors, she saw the edges darken, the blue flame rise behind her. The world around her fell to one that was the Canterlot fountain, the central of town. Ponies around her looked in fear, dragons tried to attack, only to fail miserably.
She burst into a maniacal laughter. Opal tried to run away, but Rarity swooped her up in her hooves, still in her central Canterlot. "Can't you see it Opal? A world for me? All of Canterlot to myself?"
She snickered again as she dropped the cat and looked up at the mirrors image of herself. A vicious witch who wanted Canterlot for her own, who wanted no pony around. "It is a wonder that I am not like other witches. I don't need loyal friends, or the truth. I don't need amazing magic, or a crowd, or kindness, or a party."
She glared daggers at her image as some light tried to show through the darkness in her heart. "Not like any pony was ever nice to you anyways," her image fell away as she pouted. Her mind flashed to that dragon and she slowly raised her head to her reflected images.
She didn't see the wicked witch. She saw two pearly eyes staring at her and a kind smile. She held out her hoof and touched her own. She shivered at the mirrors cold glass. She sighed and fell, tears left her eyes.
"Not like you need friends," she breathed and smiled weakly as she looked up at herself in the mirror. She wiped her eyes and recollected herself, "You can have everything." She breathed and touched her reflections hoof again, almost touching the mirror with her chest she was so close.
"Why risk it all for friends?" She breathed again, her breath blurred the mirror. She wiped her hoof across it and saw her blue flame, barley alive. She thought of Rainbow Dash and saw it roar.
A smirk played its way on her lips as she danced. "I have the perfect plan!" She smiled cheerily. "I'll take Canterlot from under it's own feet!"
She smiled up at the ceiling, "I'll marry that player of a prince, surely he'll have the only mare he hasn't had an encounter with yet! I'll take Canterlot from under him and make a fool of him in the process! Insult the king, ruin his reputation..." she sat in through, calculating the pros to the situation.
"Yes! My taking of Canterlot will take Equestria down with it! The fall of everything I hate! Opal, don't you see!" She looked around for Opal. "Opal?" The cat was no where to be found.
She groaned as she saw the doggy door flapping with Opals exit. Opal knew not to go out after dark. She picked herself up from her thoughts and followed Opal, mumbling and commenting about her cat.
After about twenty minutes of searching, she started to give up. She sighed as she walked back to the boutique. She had looked everywhere! The usual blue-green rose bush her cat slept in, the branches and holes of her favorite trees, the patches of flowers and herbs she'd ruin for fun, or defend for her own ravaging. Opal was no where! As she turned a rock onto the straight path, she realized she had no idea where she was.
She stared down the path and could barely seen the entrance, had she really gone that far? She shook her head, no matter, I'll just start back at the start, she thought. I'll know the route from there.
She trotted back to the start of the woods, she could've just turned when she recognized the woods, but she wanted to see the night sky. She turned at the front of the woods and looked up at the moonless night. She took in the fresh air that was Canterlot, nothing like the scented air that covered the woods. She smiled up at the sky.
The stars floated in the inky darkness, only a deep blue around stars that glowed bright. The trees swayed in a breeze and took her spiked mane with it. It was... nice. It was peaceful, like nothing could ruin it. The dark leaves blended into the night sky, just an endless pool of darkness, such a quiet darkness too. She wanted to hum, but couldn't dare ruin the moment.
Another breeze passed, it felt like it could last forever. The cold tickled her skin underneath her fur, she was tempted to leave and get warmer, but found the cold nice. No wonder ponies liked night air, it was like a fan that ran for twelve hours after the hot summer day.
"What are you doing?" A familiar voice asked. She turned to see the Prince of Dragons with a tall, red dragon next to him. Her heart froze to fear and shattered. Was he planning to take her away? To burn her for running?
"Oh... I -um, I-I was just looking at the sky," she smiled nervously and told the truth. The prince smiled while the red dragon rolled his eyes with a huff and a smirk. She wanted to snap and tell him he was a ruffian, but she couldn't insult the princes guard.
"It is pretty tonight, isn't it?" The prince asked and looked up at the sky. She stared in confusion. Her will taking over her head. She took a step towards him and saw how young he looked, though her was certainly a few years older than her. He noticed her looking at him and smiled at her. Heat rose to her face and she was suddenly happy the moon wasn't out that night.
"I-I... I was - I... I, um-," she stammered and her hooves were shaking so bad. Her smile wavered as she started backing up towards the woods. Knowing her luck, she tripped on a loose branch and waited for her impact with the ground.
Once nothing happened she noticed the new weight on her hoof, she creeped one of her eyes open that shot to both eyes being open. She screamed and jumped away, pulling her hoof out of his claw. He seemed somewhat hurt, though he shook it off and smiled nervously.
"C'mon Spike, nights young," the red dragon growled at Rarity. "Shouldn't really be making goo-goo eyes at the witch like earlier." A smirk crept across his face as a red blush turned to cover the princes.
Rarity's heart seemed like it was floating out of the fear pit. Goo-goo eyes? At her? And with such a young looking soul, there could be no harm or bad intentions behind it, did he really find her that pretty? Or that enticing? She shook her head and the spark lit back up, pulling her heart down from its float.
The prince growled and kicked the red dragon. "I told you it was because I never saw her before." He seemed so enraged and sure of his statement. Rarity's heart didn't need the heat to pull her heart down, it fell at the statement.
Such genuine care and such a nice heart. Could really make goo-goo eyes at her? What was she thinking! Why could a dragon -a heathen, a beast, a ruffian!- care about her. Her expression cooled to steel as she glared daggers at the two. Beasts and ruffians, no hearts or care. At least she had the remorse she didn't want to admit, these two had nothing but holes.
She turned away in midst of their arguing and started home. She wanted away before they tried anything, or she snapped. Before she could turn her usual first turn, something slammed against a tree. She turned to see the prince of dragons smile at her though he was slightly panting.
It was almost... adorable? Well that's what Rarity thought, then she'd told herself she needed to bathe in a crystal bath to purify her thoughts of this dragon.
"M-my name's Spike, what's yours?" The prince smiled eagerly. She looked at him like he had a couple of screws loose, yet she didn't care for ponies with screws loose, so she just looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Excuse me, your highness," she tried to make out without being rude, but couldn't help it. "But I'm sure you know my name, every pony knows my name." She turned back, but he grabbed her hoof again. She snatched it away and stood there, waiting to finish the conversation.
"I know, it's just... it doesn't feel like an official greeting without you saying your name, just cause I know it," Spike the prince smiled at her. His eagerness was obvious to Garble who was snickering at the fool he made of himself, but Rarity didn't see it pass her own feelings.
Why did he talk to her like she mattered though? "Rarity, my name is Rarity." She said, she wanted to be snarky, but instead sounded interested. She'd need some poison joke to fix her tongue.
He held out his claw to her, "Nice to meet you, Rarity." He instantly put his claw behind his back nervously. "Sorry, sorry, I know you don't like dragons."
Why did he respect her wants? She smiled genuinely, like she did when she looked at the night sky. "It doesn't seem like officially getting to know each other if you say you know things about me," she smiled. He only chuckled and waved good-bye to her as he exited the woods.
Her heart wouldn't leave her throat as she walked towards her own home.
Once she got home, she let out a dreamy sigh and then stared at nothing in confusion Opal started walking towards her. She shook her head and smiled. Her mind was working ahead of her. Of course if she won over a dragons loyalty could she get her way to Canterlots owner. Yet, the idea made her sick to her stomach.
Garble smirked as Spike confidently left the woods. Spike turned back to see if Rarity had gone, once he was sure she left, he let his confidence fall into a sigh of relief. Garble started laughing and smirked. "Well played, Spike. You let her see your kidish charm."
Spike's relief turned to panic. "Was I that bad? It probably would've gone better if you didn't talk." He bit down hard on his thumb as his other arm dug into his upper arm.
Garble laughed. "I'm kidding! She's never been nice to anybody, so you're doing great. She's a charmer, not a sweet heart, yet she was actually nice. I should be taking notes!"
Spike smiled in relief as him and Garble started leaving, "You have a way of making other feel like they did something."
"You have a way of making others feel important because you're such a wimp," Garble smirked, only to receive a playful punch from Spike. The two erupted into laughter. "Still, Spike, pick some one else. I'll let ya marry a namby-pamby pony, but not that one."
Spike was confused. "Why?" He glared up at the sky and internally cowered, she was right. It was a pretty night.
"She's just gonna take Canterlots stash and move us out, she'll make a fool of you!" Garble hissed, taking Spike away from his night gazing.
"But what if she's different and just doesn't know how to ... you know... be nice? Maybe I could help!" Spike smiled happily at Garbles disapproving stare. His expression fell and he rubbed his arm sheepishly. "I know, I'm being stupid and hopeful, two things that don't go well with dragons."
Author's Note
Hope you enjoyed and please tell me what you think :3

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                       The Festival                        
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The Festival
Spike watched the festival from the stage where Celestia had just raised the sun. He was so shocked to see so many ponies basking in the early sun rise as the Queen spoke. Ember smiled defiantly at all the dragons who finally took pride in themselves. It was this festival that actually reminded Spike that dragons could be just as happy as ponies, even with instincts that told them to kill and hoard.
"The Summers Sun Festival is a day to remind us all of our harmony in Equestria," Queen Celestia spoke happily. The crowd cheered at her words. Spike searched the crowd for Blueblood, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen. Once the crowds died down, Celestia continued. "I hope you enjoy this amazing day, as always! Though, I do think we should hear a few words from our upcoming Kings."
The crowd looked just as shocked and surprised as Spike. He stared at Celestia who smiled motherly at him. Spike didn't have anything to say, or any idea of what to say. He looked at the crowd and saw all the dragons looking at him, they looked radiant as the sun beamed off of their scales. Their proud stances only made them even more confident.
"Prince Blueblood," Celestia moved aside and the prince finally showed. The ponies started standing just as proud as the dragons. Though, most of the mares fell at the sight or looked disgusted.
The prince smirked at the crowds, Spike knew that smirk. That was a smirk of way too much power. Celestia was dooming Equestria to stupidity.
"It's nice to see how many of you can show," Prince Blueblood's voice seemed so genuine and kind, now everypony was standing and smiling proudly at their soon-to-be king. "As you know, my coronation for king will be in only three months."
The ponies and dragons were aghast, as if they'd forgotten the date for the coronation. "I intend to bring as much power to Equestria as Celestia did. I will protect each of you and make sure everypony is in good hooves."
Now, the crowds radiant glow started to waver. Dragons looked disgusted, and some ponies were appalled at the claim. Blueblood's smirk only grew wider. "Of course, I will protect all of Equestria and make sure everyone is safe," his confidence and power didn't waver as more and more of the crowd seemed disgusted. It was as if he knew they would be, and he didn't care. "Of course,-" his eyes pierced the crowd"- when I am king."
The crowds silenced. Then ponies started to cheer. "LONG LIVE KING BLUEBLOOD! LONG LIVE KING BLUEBLOOD!" They cheered. But Spike noticed the one pink pony who wasn't cheering. She was appalled and constantly glanced at Spike, as if asking for him to step in. He didn't have to.
The crowds died down once Blueblood put his hoof up. He gestured to Spike, "Of course, we should hear from Prince Spike." He glowered in Spike's direction. "This is his first Summers Sun Festival, after all."
Spike bit his tongue as he turned to the crowd. Seeing all eyes on him made him sick, but he knew he couldn't let Blueblood feel every ounce of glory. And he knew the dragons needed something that wasn't the prince of a different species.
He waved sheepishly at the crowds and he could see Ember out of the corner of his eye. She looked so disappointed, and he hadn't even done anything. Suddenly, the eyes bore into him and the silence cut him. He swallowed and finally spoke up.
"I know this is my first Summers Sun Festival," he started. "But I can already see how important this is of a holiday for everyone." Now ponies started smiling too. His confidence built up like building blocks. He turned to many of the dragons.
"I've seen some faces I've seen never leave the dragon lands," he continued, seeing the dragons shift at his words. He only smiled. "And that makes me happy." The shifting dragons stared in shock. "It makes me happy to see you here, enjoying yourselves in a land where you are respected and worth a ponies time or bits.
"I try my best to help each of you, even if I didn't want to be a prince for a long time," the crowd fell back to fear. "But I see now, that dragons need a ruler. Just like ponies need one.
"We need to have a balance, even if it means two rulers," he stared at the crowd. Their lost expressions seemed to light up. "We might live in harmony, but dragons and ponies can't live together under just a dragon, or just a pony." He glowered at Blueblood before turning back to the crowd. "But I know that no matter what, rulers have to care for every one. Not just their own kind or the other." He finally turned to the ponies.
"I thank each and every one of you, dragons are meant to be mean and lonely. I've never seen dragons happier than the dragons on the streets with a pony," ponies saw the prince with respect. He smirked at the dragons. "Though, I think we need some credit, we have cool tricks."
A chuckle echoed over the crowd and he smiled gingerly.
The speech was over after Ember gave a speech not even half as inspiring as Spikes. Still, everypony knew Spike was doing better than Blueblood, so why did Blueblood look so content? Spike shook it off. He smiled as he watched the dragons soar through the skies, jump through fire, make fireworks out of lava, shower the city in gems-
He always heard that the speech was for the ponies and the performance was for dragons, but he felt as if the day was for dragons. After the performance, he was the first to clap and cheer, soon everyone joined along.
Then, he saw the pony part of the day come to life. The dragons must've recognized how the whole ceremony was for them, so many reclined and watched ponies perform. They smiled and clapped, as if they were the ponies cheering for dragons. Spike couldn't have been happier.
He saw ponies performing everywhere. Every corner and main street was covered in caravans, stages, curtains, tents, booths, and venders whose treats filled the air with a homey smell. Spike could even see Garble enjoying it, and he hated ponies and they were doing most of the work.
A blue pony just finished her magic trick, she stood on her hind legs and fireworks went off behind her. Garble was the first to cheer, once he noticed Spike smirking at him, he crossed his arms and looked away like nothing happened.
Spike walked over to a pink pony standing in between a dessert vender and a apple treats vender. She seemed happier than ever and said hi to every one who passed by. "Hey, you're the dragon pony, right?" He pointed at her. She looked frozen with her mouth wide open.
Before Spike could ask if she was okay, her body launched up into the air and fell to the ground in a huge gasp, though she didn't see hurt at all. He smiled. "Seem like a performer yourself." She chuckled and smiled.
"I never see you around, all the dragons say you stay stuck up in the castle all day or help out wingless dragons," the pony said, trying to keep her body from shaking with glee. "It's soooooo nice to see the future king of my best friends!"
"I just wanted to say thank you," Spike smiled and she froze again, her mouth looked like it was opened wider than last time. She tried to mouth out words, her eyes were wide with shock and she was inarticulate. He chuckled and turned to the orange pony running the apple treat stand. She had bags under her eyes and she leaned on her hoof with boredom. When she noticed the prince, she straightened up, causing him to chuckle again. He smiled at her.
"You should get some rest," he said and she shook her head stubbornly.
"No one sleeps through the celebration," she said coldly, then she noticed it and looked sheepish.
"It's fine, I'm not going to have Ember or my incompetent guards throw you in the dungeons for being tired," he chuckled and started to walk off. The pink pony grabbed his tail and gasped, pulling him to her side.
He snatched his tail out of her grasp and stared her down. "What was that for?" He asked and she turned to him, her smile even wider than before. She pulled him closer to her, so tight that their cheeks were touching.
"Fluttershy's doing her dance! We haven't seen her around recently, must've been practicing," the pony jumped and pointed at the sky. Spike saw a yellow pegasus and he could admit she was very pretty.
She had a soft yellow and a pastel pink, only making her teal eyes stand out. She wore a light green dress with what seemed like a bouquet of flowers in her hair, though they were falling to the ground as she moved. He couldn't see any makeup on her face, meaning she was just a natural beauty. After seeing past her beauty, he noticed something odd.
She was dancing in mid-air, about three times a ponies size taller. A clearing was underneath her, moving with her movements. Though she wasn't dancing with anyone, and he tried to see her wings. They were strapped against her back. He stared in awe. Her movements looked as if she was in a waltz, yet no one was with her.
He knew magic, and nothing surrounded her to make her move in mid-air without her wings. And she looked as if she was holding on to something. He saw the crowd beneath her in awe and cheering, even if every time she looked down her eyes darted to look slightly upwards. If she was so nervous, then why was she doing it?
"How's she doing that?" Spike asked and Pinkie started to dance with him, he just followed along. She talked as they danced.
"No pony knows!" She pulled away, keeping her hoof with Spikes claw. She twirled back and into his arms, where she turned back and put one of her hooves in his claw and the other on his shoulder. "She just dances like that, it's been like that ever since last year.
"Ponies and dragons liked her once they finally noticed her, so they tried to score a date with her," the mare smiled as he pulled her up from the dip. "She always denied, so of course, the guys got mad and started just dancing with her."
"Like you?" He asked and she giggled, twirling away again and back.
"It's fun to talk and dance, she usually mouths words when she dances. But anyways, when guys started forcing her to dance, something would shoot them away. After a few more burnt ponies and dragons turned upside down, no one messed with her. They'd ask for a dance and decline, then they stopped entirely.
"Some think the witch Rarity -which is a friend of hers- cursed her since she's so pretty. Though, she seems so happy, and if I know Rarity, then I know she would brag," she smiled again as they ended their dance and ended up closer to Fluttershy than the apple stand. "I say its a creature she fell in love with that keeps her safe. I mean, if you notice her dress, it looks like something's holding onto it," she bounced away.
Spike turned to see that she was right. It looked as if something was on her waist, holding her closer. This peaked his curiosity, though the idea of being turned upside down for simply asking questions scared him. He started following the pink pony, feeling as if she was his first friend all over again.
"You usually dance with dragons?" He asked as he caught up to her and she smiled.
"It makes me happy to see them happy. No mare in town would ever dance with a male dragon and act as if they were dancing with a stallion," she smiled as they finally got to a clear street to talk. He looked around, surprised by the emptiness.
"I suspected no one would be here," she stated. "Without many dragons performing, there was bound to be a free street." She looked around at the desolate street. They could hear the thunderous roars of cheers and music from the festival. She smiled. "I loved your speech, its nice to know there's a dragon looking out for dragons for once."
"What's your name?" He asked and she smiled and saluted playfully.
"Pinkemena Diane Pie, at your service," her salute fell to laughter as she bounced around the emptiness. "Call me Pinkie Pie, or Pinkie!"
He extended his claw, "Nice to meet you. Name's Spike, though I'm sure you know that." His heart froze as the mare took his hand and shook it wildly. Why did he subconsciously treat this mare differently than Rarity? Duh, he thought. Rarity wouldn't have known me like her.
He looked at her and didn't feel anything like he felt with Rarity. Around Rarity he felt nervous and self-conscious. Around Pinkie Pie, he felt like himself, he felt like her friend. He stared at her, worry covering his face. His heart was dooming him to a cursed queen, or no queen at all.
"What's wrong?" Pinkie Pie asked when the tired orange mare walked up and grabbed her tail in her mouth. She shrugged and let the mare drag her on her back. Spike had no idea how she put up with it. Ponies didn't have scales, they had little fur that held their skin underneath. How couldn't she be in pain.
"Whatever it is!" She cupped her hooves and yelled. "Good hearts make it out okay!" She shot him a wink and flashed him a smile before bouncing to her hooves and following the orange pony, leaving him alone. He sighed.
He tried to like her, she danced with him and she talked so freely and she made him feel as if he could be a charming prince. Not a little dragon. So why didn't he like her over Rarity? Rarity simply screamed at the feeling of his claws, she made him feel so small and self-conscious. So why her and not her?
He sighed and then smiled confidently. He walked back to the festival. He told himself he was there to enjoy it, not look for a queen. He was there for his subjects, not a bet.
As he walked to the festival, he got the warm, homey feeling from before. He saw Garble whistling and cheering ponies on, especially when they used fireworks or fire. He saw ponies perform with help from old dragons who criticized them and then smiled like parents at children. He saw dragons and ponies cheering on a blue unicorn with a purple cloak and hat. She seemed to have the biggest crowd and no dragon mentor behind her.
He saw lines packing the venders of treats. The Apples cart, the Cakes desserts, Ditzy's muffins, Gustave Le Grands éclairs, Donut Joe's donuts, and Mulia Milds chocolate delights. He wanted to enjoy the treats as well, especially the donuts, chocolate, and the cupcakes, but he saw how long the lines were, and decided him and Garble would go diamond hunting later.
He smiled as he saw Pinkie Pie bounce between each one, giving a helping hoof to every pony, griffon, and mule. He even saw some dragons at a vender for gems. Now he saw why every one enjoyed the holiday.
He saw yellow and orange stages, dragons clapping overhead while ponies stomped their hooves. The purple and blue mysterious caravans of wonder, the deep purple and orange tents for tarot cards, hoof or claw readings, and crystal ball fortune telling.
The banners that hung between poles were burnt to crisps as the clear sky shown bright and the slight breeze made the strings sway in the wing. He turned his attention to the stage where Ember and Celestia invested in small talk as they went through applauding fillies, answering journalists questions, and giving autographs.
Then his mind ran to the worst. Where was Blueblood? Normally, the prince would at least seemed effected by losing to Spike, but he didn't even seem fazed. And Spike could see why.
Across the crowd of ponies -the dragons were mostly flying- he saw through a clearing and saw the pony prince talking to a mare with a rose in her mane. She smiled sweetly as he placed it in her mane, it instantly fading from the royal blue to a crimson red dashed with back.
She had a dark dress of red and black, her coat was a milky white and her hair was curled into a precious purple. Now he saw the gothic beauty that was Rarity. He no longer saw the punk he met, he saw the witch Rarity. The mare who stood out, who was smiling... at Blueblood.
His blood boiled and he dashed towards her.
He climbed to the top of a blue caravan, ignoring the calls from below that stopped the second they saw him. He dashed past performing ponies on a orange stage.
He saw Rarity and Bluebloods talk get closer.
He jumped over a tent from a caravans roof, coming close to knocking it down. His feet sprung with pain as he landed on the ground, he didn't listen when they burned for him to stop.
He ran over a yellow stage, ruining the trick of the popular blue mare. He didn't stop when she yelled after him.
"HEY!" She yelled, her voice was high pitched and annoying to say the very least. He finally saw a clearing form in the crowd and looked around for caravans. He saw none.
As he dashed through the clearing, he tripped over something and fell to the ground. When he looked back to see what he tripped over, he saw nothing. He looked up and saw Fluttershy dancing with her eyes closed and a smile plastered on her face.
He crawled to his feet and started running again. His eyes dilated in fear once he saw Blueblood take her hoof. His legs miraculously moved even faster.
He ran past a tent and tripped over one of the pins that held it to the ground. He would've looked back to see if he knocked it out of place, but the lack of screams gave him his answer.
He saw a tent with a door in the side of it. He didn't want to, but with the crowds on either side, he'd need to. He rolled his eyes as he climbed through the door and saw it was bigger on the inside. A fortune teller and table sat right in front of him. He looked beyond those and saw an opening in the tent on the other side.
But again, with the crowds, he would have some trouble. The space behind the fortune teller was too small for a dragon. He scowled as he jumped up and ran over the fortune tellers work, receiving half-hearted yells. He knocked over a crystal ball, skewed the cloth, and kicked a whole deck of cards across the room.
"SORRY!" That he just had to say sorry for, and the fact he had a soft spot for fortune tellers. He dashed out through the small opening.
He looked around, trying to see what the next best move would be. He saw none. Ever direction was a crowd, a crowd he was stuck in the middle of. He groaned as he tried to maneuver his way through ponies.
He got caught in a crowd of ponies, mixed in dancing, watching, waiting, and talking. He tried to get past them, his eyes trying to see over the crowd-
He looked around once he realized he was caught. He saw a purple caravan with a orange unicorn performing. He dashed towards there -well, he practically had to walk, as he was stuck in the crowd. He finally got free and saw the fake orange fire light ablaze as he fell to his knees from the crowd.
He saw her firey mane and the evil that stuck to her eyes as she performed lethal tricks, most only dragons watched her show. He was panting when he tried to launch to his feet. His launch turned to a slow rise to him leaning against the back of the caravan. He looked up at the ridges in the caravans wood.
He groaned as he reached up and locked one of his claw in the ridge, the other three claws making their own ridges. He pulled himself up higher with the other claw, pain erupted in his body. The pain in his feet and legs from running was barely bearable, but on top of that, he had just been jabbed in the sides and back from ponies unaware he was there. His claws fell from the wooden ridges, his body fell to the ground with a silent thud! as the music only seemed to get louder in his ears.
He groaned again as he forced himself up. He tried again and made it to the top of the caravan. But as he tried to dash to the end to get to another, he saw that she and Blueblood weren't there. Fear struck him as his body gave in and fell off the side.
"Spike!" He heard his friend yell and he looked up at the sky. He saw a huge, red beast in the sky. Yellow webbed between red sticks flapped as it passed overhead. His eyes shot open and he sat up.
"Outlaws!" He pointed and saw the dragon look his way. The dragon stopped and stared at him. He nodded and dropped something. Spike wailed to catch it.
A purple unicorn with a loose pink dress caught it. She stared at Spike and Garble, her face morphed to worry as she rushed over to them. "Take him to the local tavern!" The purple unicorn ordered of Garble.
"Why? It's not like he's seriously hurt or anything," Garble said, looking up from Spike who squirmed to get out of his grasp. "If Spike can squirm, Spike's fine." He dropped Spike who just growled.
"I don't care!" She yelled, worry covering her voice. "Just take him there, I'll explain everything there!" She took off. Garble turned to Spike for orders. Spike looked up at him, exhaustion and fatigue clouded his eye as Garble extended a claw to him. He took it and stood up, even if pain was surging to his legs, he was not going to let Garble carry him across town.
"Let's just go," he murmured and turned to the crowd. Fear struck him and he whirled to Garble. "I have to help her-"
Garble picked him up and flew into the air, dashing over the crowds so no one could tell he was carrying the prince. He looked at Spike and smirked. "Princess," he smiled and Spike crossed his arms.
"So why am I here?" Spike asked sharply as he sat in the room with four mares and his guard who seemed just as annoyed. There was Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, the purple unicorn, and the orange earth pony who was nodding off against the bar that sparkled with new. He sat on a table with Garble standing beside it.
The unicorn was pacing back and forth, worry and frustration covered her face. Pinkie Pie looked just as worried and Rainbow Dash just seemed confused.
"Yeah, I'm with him," Rainbow Dash pointed at Spike. "He goes running around, his body gives out cause he ran so much, you catch something, and now we're here and you're looking more worried than ever." She walked over to the unicorn and put a hoof on her shoulder, causing her to stop. "Pacing isn't gonna help, Twi."
Twilight sighed and turned to the prince, something green glowing in her hooves. She handed it to him and he grabbed it from her. He looked at it and saw nothing but a tasty gem, he could feel Garble peeking over his shoulder. He looked up at Twilight, "It looks like a regular old gem."
"Yeah, and it looks tasty," Garble smirked.
A book floated over, encased in a purple aura. The pages flipped and she turned the book to the two. It had a picture of the gem he held in his hands, Garble only noticed the word poisonous and turned away. Spike grabbed the book away from her magic and skimmed over the page.
He was still confused. "So, it's a poisonous gem. So what?" He asked, looking up at her from the book. Twilight rolled her eyes and grabbed the gem.
"Don't you get it?" She asked, every one in the room started listening, realizing she would say something important. "An outlaw sent this to bait you into eating it! Or any other dragon willing too!"
Spike finally got it, but still shook his head. "So they want a dragon dead? Why?"
"Outlaw dragons probably want pony loving dragons dead so they can rule, the less dragons, the less fight," Twilight offered, but the look Spike gave her told her she was wrong. Garble gave her the same look.
"Outlaw dragons only want dragons to go back to the way they were, or they don't care at all," Spike explained, kicking his feet. "They would kill a pony more than they would a dragon."
"So, what do you think it means?" Twilight asked the prince. Spikes spine went straight with fear. Someone depending on him for answers... someone who was smart?
Garble always asked questions and orders, but they never mattered and he knew Garble barely saw him as a prince. This pony saw him as a leader with the answers. Spike bit his tongue as his tail swayed on the table in fear.
"Um... I don't know," he admitted and Rarity finally found her way to the front of his mind again. His eyes dilated in fear and he threw the gem towards Garble who chucked it across the room to fight temptation. Spike tried to run out of the tavern, but Twilight appeared in front of him. She looked like an angry mother.
"And where are you going?" She asked, not even taking the time to realize her place underneath him. It was as if she believed it was her job to protect him. He knew he would learn to love and hate this pony, but not in the way he liked and despised Rarity.
"I gotta make sure Rarity's okay," he trekked past her and burst through the doors. He looked around and saw the crowd even more full. He swallowed as he took the same route as last time, except not ruining any shows or jumping down from caravans until his feet ached. He was still in no condition to be running as fast as he was, but he made it much farther than last time. He made it to the place they were before Blueblood took her off somewhere.
He panted as he looked around. Three branching paths. The woods, a secret passage into the woods, or the castle. The woods to his left, the passage right in front of him, the castle to his right.
He lunged for the secret passage and crawled through it, fighting thorns that pricked him and cut branches that scrapped his scales and dug their way underneath them. His knees and claws were pierced from rocks on the path.
Please tell me she's okay, please tell me she's okay, please tell me she's okay, he prayed as he crawled faster. Pain overtook him again and he started to slow down. He stopped for a second, trying to contemplate the why behind this endeavor, but he just went faster than before.
He came to a set of bushes, making a clearing in the woods. He wanted to stand and he wanted to cough, and most of all, he wanted to relax. But once he heard voices, neither of those wants could ever come true. He crouched down and looked through the bushes to see Rarity smiling and Blueblood smirking.
He was appalled as he heard them talk.
"I do have to say, I enjoy this look more than that brutish one from before. How ever did you end up that way?" Blueblood asked, charm and sweetness melted off of his tongue with every word. Spike could see that Rarity was happy, he could see she was safe. So why was his heart breaking at the sight of the witch finally smiling?
"Well, as I was brewing a potion, it got caught in my magnificent mane," she flicked her mane with a cocksure smile. "Then, I made a potion to get it out of my mane, and one to get it off of all my things. Long story short, or, short story short, I mixed up the two bottles."
She went sheepish and smiled nervously. "You don't hate that I'm a witch, right?" She giggled nervously. Spike lost his breath. He went sheepish and nervous around her and it was obvious by his mind that he liked her. Especially since his mind was racing with how cute the witch looked.
His heart broke farther. She really liked the Prince Blueblood? He needed to do something, anything to get her away from that monster before she fell to far into his trap. But he didn't do anything.
For once in his life, rage overtook his good heart. If she wants to be with him, fine, his thoughts were fueled with anger. He clenched his claws and turned away, not even caring if Blueblood or Rarity saw him. Though, he assumed the overgrowth of the woods would conceal him. Let the witch and snake marry, I'll protect the kingdom from their evil reign. He growled and gritted his sharp teeth.
Rarity stared wide eyed at the edge where he had once been. Because she saw the green spike on his head from around a tree, she could hear the distant growl that Blueblood assumed was a timber wolf and that they should be going.
She wanted to burst into tears and confusion. Once her mind caught up, her face hardened to steel and forced a smile. Why did she care that the monstrous beast went after her? Probably trying to catch her off-guard so he could slaughter her for her crimes against him.
Like she could ever care about what a dragon did or said. She giggled slightly and smiled at Blueblood, her pawn.
Blueblood smiled at her, his princess.
Author's Note
Hope you enjoyed. I wish the scene where he tried to get to her was better and more Disney-song-moment-like. But yeah. Please tell me what you think!

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                       The Aftermath                       
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The Aftermath
A few hours later, and the festival died down. Many venders retreated back to their own stores, including the Apples who opened up the tavern, letting in many dragons and ponies. Applejack and her big brother got more bits in that day than they ever have on any other Summers Sun Celebration. They assumed its because both species were extra happy.
The dragons were proud and confident in their soon-to-be leader, and the ponies were proud of their rocketing performances without the dragons performing.
The bottles on the shelves started to deplete and Applejack walked in from the back to replace the empty bottles. Once the door opened, she kept going, assuming Big Macintosh or Pinkie Pie would take care of the new customer.
Pinkie Pie gasped. "AJ! Look!" She pointed to a corner table where a mare sat all alone. Applejack looked and saw it was Fluttershy. She didn't see anything significant. Just before she looked away is when she saw it, she dropped an empty bottle and the whole tavern fell to a confused silence.
Suddenly, every dragon and pony was staring at Fluttershy with a shocked expression. She cowered at the attention, but that didn't make the silver band on a silver chain shimmer less.
"You're engaged!?" Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash exclaimed in unison. Fluttershy cowered at the yell and hid behind her mane. She finally looked past her mane once the conversation started back up and the clinking of glass against wood started back. Pinkie Pie bounced over the bar, Applejack ran from the side entrance, and Rainbow Dash flew up from her seat.
All stared at the silver band with shock, Fluttershy hid behind her mane. "B-b-but a guy never gets close to you!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, looking at Fluttershy's scared eyes. She swallowed. "How could one propose?!"
Pinkie Pie gasped again. "It's the dreamy creature that dances with you at the festival!" Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at her like she was crazy. But upon hearing Pinkie's theory, Fluttershy smiled and nodded.
"What!?" Applejack and Rainbow Dash's yells were drowned out by the taverns noise. Fluttershy giggled and smiled instead of cowered at the shouts.
"Did you really not believe her?" She asked with a playful smile and a raised eyebrow, then she giggled again. "I don't blame you, I wouldn't believe it either. I'm surprised anypony guessed it."
"B-b-but who could it possibly be?" Rainbow Dash asked, hovering over the ground. "A beastly dragon? A hideous pony?" She question and Fluttershy bit the inside of her cheek. She shook her head timidly. "Then who!?"
"A-a-a... um, some one n-named D-Discord, he keeps himself hidden. But he isn't even close to beastly or hideous," Fluttershy explained. She smiled dreamily, "He's actually quiet handsome."
Rainbow Dash lowered herself on the ground. "How could a pony or a dragon hide themselves if a pony considered them handsome?" She seemed so confused, but Fluttershy was lost in her thoughts.
"Well congrats," Applejack tipped her hat. She winked, "Make sure to invite us, ya hear? Maybe you could convince him to let a few ponies see him." Fluttershy nodded and hovered in the air with glee.
"I would love that!" She smiled at each of them. She lowered herself back to her seat. "So, what are all your names?" Her smile was charming, all three could admit that.
"Applejack!" Apple Bloom called from behind the counter. Applejack turned to Fluttershy and tipped her hat again, "Applejack, gotta go." She ran back to behind the counter and orders instantly started going faster.
"Pinkamena Diane Pie!" Pinkie Pie grabbed her hoof and shook it with a smile. "But every dragon and pony calls me Pinkie Pie! Or Pinkie.... whatever works for you, miss Flutters!"
Fluttershy giggled at the nickname and turned to Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash, right?" Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest and smirked proudly, causing Fluttershy to giggle once again. "I'm sorry I never got to dance with you, I've heard you're an amazing dancer."
"You're a pretty good dancer yourself," Rainbow winked and smirked. "We could get one dance in, or is your fiancé that jealous?" She whispered.
"He's not that jealous..." she sat in thought. "Actually, yes he is. But most of the time, he just tries to keep me safe. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."
Rainbow sighed. "There goes my attempt at dancing with every girl in town." Then she smiled as a deep blue dragon walked in with a sparkly red dress. "Congrats, but I found my damsel in distress for the night," she flew over and started talking to the dragon.
The dragon giggled and they sat down at a table. Fluttershy looked to Pinkie, "Why does she do that?"
Pinkie Pie smiled as she watched Rainbow Dash order a drink for her and a water for the dragon. "She says she just really admires girls and likes dancing with them. She's danced with most every girl and town at least twice, she enjoys it and she says her dates enjoy it too." She smiled dreamily. "She might be a town casanova, but she isn't mean or has bad intentions.
"She doesn't lead a girl on and is a complete gentlecolt to them. She says she likes making a girl feel like the queen of the world," Pinkie Pie turned back to Fluttershy. "Even just for a night."
The night rode out well. Business was good for the apples, Twilight got a lot of reading done, Fluttershy got some new friends, and Pinkie smiled as she bounced in the tavern from the Cakes shop. She looked and saw Twilight helping Applejack clean up and wipe down the tables.
"The Cakes just closed up! I'm guessing it's the same here?" She asked cheerily. Rainbow Dash flew in next to her with a pink mark of puckered lips on her cheek and a proud smirk.
"One of the best dragons ever, if I'm being fair," she smiled proudly and glared at Twilight who didn't even look up. She slouched and rolled her eyes, wiping off her cheek with her hoof.
It was late, so of course the town tavern was closed. Garble looked through the window to see four ponies sitting in the tavern talking. The only light was a candle, but each one of them seemed so happy.
He wanted to blow out the fire, walk around, growl, do anything to scare them and take their smiles away. He sighed, he needed those ponies, he really didn't want their help. But his friend wasn't at the castle, and he assumed the only ponies Spikes ever talked to would have an idea where the prince was.
All eyes shot to him when he pushed open the door.
"Sorry partner, we're closed," the orange mare said and the pink one jumped up in front of him. The orange one sighed, "What do you want?"
"Uh," Garble said, pushing the pink pony away from him. "You wouldn't happen to know where the prince is, would you?" He tried his best to sound nice and not insult them. Surprisingly, his mouth finally listened to his will for once. Now Twilight seemed worried. And her worried look alone sent every one else to worry.
"Is he missing?" She gasped, "He didn't eat that gem, did he?" She started pacing and he pointed at a book and satchel bag pile in the corner, where the green gem sat on top. She blushed and stopped pacing with a sheepish smile and a nervous laugh.
At least they're adorably stupid, Garble thought. "I'm guessing you haven't seen him?" Everypony shook their heads.
"Is he in danger?" The pink pony bounced, her tone and smile were cheery. "I can help look! I know where dragons like to hide so no pony can see their emotions!" She bounced cheerily.
"Pinkie Pie, stop bouncin', yer gonna cave the floor in again," the orange pony sighed and looked at Garble. "You want our help?"
He really didn't want to talk to ponies, much less be in the same room as them. But he had no idea where a dragon could be, and he wanted some sleep. So, he sighed and grabbed the pink pony by her mane and dragged her outside without a word.
He turned to her. "You're gonna help me find Spike, and if any thing sees us, act scared and say I'm using you. Got it?" She nodded and started bouncing away. He rolled his eyes and followed her from overhead, he instantly felt stupid. He could just fly over Canterlot and he'd surely see something purple and green, right?
He saw he actually needed this ponies help. The streets were littered with food, confetti, banners, posters, trash, and fabric from fallen tents. And the colorful stages and caravans only made it more impossible to find Spike. He groaned.
"So, where are we going?" He asked the pink pony who bounced so high that she momentarily was as high as he was in the air. He pointed at her, "How do you do that? You're an earth pony."
She giggled, "Unicorns are magical, pegasi can fly, earth ponies are strong. Duuuuuh. Anyways, we're going to Canterlot central, the fountain!" She bounced even higher than him, he growled and flew higher than her, clearly seeing a competition. She saw the competition and got higher as well. They were tied by the time they got to the fountain.
The pink pony bounced up and pulled on his wing, sending him and her flying to the ground and landing in a bush. He groaned and tried sitting up. "What was that for?" He asked and rubbed his head. She put her hoof to him mouth and pushed him down in the bush. She pulled the leaves apart to reveal a purple dragon sitting at the fountain.
Garble was about to say something when he noticed something different about Spike. There were cracks in the base of the statue on the fountain, and Spikes claws were bruised and bloodied as he stretched them out to get rid of the pain. Spikes tail swayed behind him angrily, adding force with every push in any direction. He growled as he looked up at the statue.
"I'll be the hero," he snarled as his reptilian eyes narrowed. Garble looked at the pink pony and saw she was scared and worried. He looked back to Spike who punched the statue again.
"I can be king next to a snake and his witch bride," Spike growled and crossed his arms, his claws digging into the scales on his arms underneath his blue suit. Spike grabbed the gold charm he had on his necklace and ripped it off, throwing it across the clearing without any thought.
Witch bride? Garble thought. Snake? What the hell is he mad about?
Garble and the pony next to him stopped breathing once Spike looked in their direction and locked his eyes. Once he looked away, relief washed over them.
Spikes tail fell to a stop, as did the rest of his body as he looked up at the statue. He tried growling again, but just sighed and gave up. "Why the hell do you care?" Spike asked and looked at his claws. Spike looked back up at the statue, "Why am I even here? I should be at the castle with Garble. He should be convincing me to throw rocks at phoenixes with him and Fume." Spike sat down on the fountain.
Spike looked down at his claws. "Now I to deal with this and my back," his claw fell to his side. Garble smirked at the princes idiocy. Of course the prince had no idea that his wings were finally going to show, and Garble wouldn't tell him.
Spike sighed, "Why am I even here?"
"I could ask you that," a voice said. Garbles eyes shot to Rarity. She looked hideous in his opinion. She had her lovely purple hair and a dress different from the one from earlier, this one was a deep blue that sparkled under the moon. She smiled, "It's not usual to see a dragon prince here at night."
Spike looked more nervous than anything and he hid his bruised claws under his tail. "H-hi Rarity..." Suddenly, his eyes looked more dangerous and he looked away and scowled. Rarity looked hurt.
"Oh... um," Rarity shifted nervously. Spike glared at her and remorse instantly washed over him, he jumped up and ran over to her. She looked up at him and swallowed. "W-w-why?"
"Why do you look so sad?" He asked and she just cowered away and laughed nervously.
"I-I... w-well, this is ... um, I-I think I should just g-go. I mean, you should be back at your castle doing princely things and I should be back at my boutique and um," she rambled nervously. Once she saw his confused face, she stopped. "What?"
"You live in a boutique?" He asked and she nodded, a confused look etched into her face. "I thought witches lived in huts." She burst out in laughter and Spike looked at her in awe as she did. Garble rolled his eyes and looked away. The pink pony seemed ecstatic and was about to burst with glee.
Of course, Rarity had no intentions of running into the dragon. She told herself he was the last thing on her mind, when really, she was fighting to keep him off her mind. Of course, he disappeared when she was with Blueblood, because she had an objective.
But when she pointlessly waited for her potions to brew, he never left her mind. The green in the cauldron only reminded her of his shimmering spines when he gave his speech. The growl of her cat only reminded her of his, and the woods around her reminded her of when he went after her.
She needed to get away from the boutique to get her mind off of things, her mind always went blank when she stared at the moon anyways. She had planned to simply sit by the fountain and make new constellations and new dress designs. She cursed herself for even approaching the dragon after she saw him, but she needed a backup plan, just in case Blueblood failed her.
She didn't expect to feel hurt when he turned away, more hurt than usual when ponies or dragons looked at her. And she definitely didn't expect him to care or notice. And she certainly didn't expect for him to make her laugh.
"Well, I know a few witches that hide themselves in huts so ponies can't track them down easily," Rarity stated as she walked past him to look up at the statue of the pony. She saw the cracks in the alicorns hoof, she saw the blank stare of pupil-less eyes. She used her magic to snap the statue to pieces.
"That makes things easier," Spike walked up next to her. She turned to him and jumped away, forgetting he was there. She smiled sheepishly and he shook his head with a smile. "It's fine, I was vandalizing it myself."
She stared at him, confusion and curiosity etched into her face. You need to get away, Rarity, she pleaded of herself as she watched him admire her destruction. Before he hurts you, rips you to shreds, takes advantage, blames it on a bear.
She was cowering from her thoughts and sealing her eyes shut. She whimpered, she wanted to get away. She just wanted to feel safe. And this creature with a nice attitude was terrifying her. She didn't feel safe, she felt endangered and mortified.
"Are you okay?" He asked her and her eyes shot open. She stared at him and realized she was crouched down on the ground with her fore legs above her head. "I keep asking you that and you only seem to get worse," he started walking towards her.
Her fear shot through the roof, but she couldn't move. She was shivering as he kneeled down and held out his claw to her, offering to help her up. She shook her head, her mouth was sealed but her eyes wouldn't shut, in fear that the second she'd shut them he'd attack.
Spike stood up and walked away, his face suddenly red. "You're scared of me?" He looked down at her and her wide, terrified eyes. "Aren't you?"
She couldn't speak or even move her head to answer. She didn't want to lie, she wasn't one for it, but she couldn't possibly tell him she was scared of him. He'd only attack her sooner than planned. Or he make attacking her his plan. It seemed he didn't need an answer.
He started to walk away. She stood up, the paralysis melted off. She stared in confusion and finally spoke. "You're not going to attack me? B-b-but y-y-you're a dragon." He looked at her, sorrow made up his reptilian eyes. She felt guilty, but she didn't listen to the guilt. "No matter how nice dragons are or claim to be, you still have your instincts to attack!"
She sounded so desperate, as if pleading him to be dangerous. And she was, she couldn't believe a dragon would not attack and she couldn't handle the truth of it. "You'll attack somepony one day! All dragons do! Look at what that Torch one did to Luna! Princess Luna is dead because of a dragon!"
He was completely staring at her now, just caring to listen to her. He wanted to leave so she didn't have to be scared anymore.
"Torch was the one who be-friended Celestia, and he killed her sister!" Rarity rambled, fear and desperation seized her voice. "Dragons are ruffians and vicious monsters! They attack and steal, they're greedy and scaley, and dangerous!" She was sick just thinking of a dragons cold scales and reptilian eyes and sharp teeth and claws. She was getting more and more terrified by the second, especially as she spoke herself.
"Dragons kill! All of you will take Equestria and outlaw all the ponies! All who don't go get killed, and then you send an army to kill us anyways!" Rarity rambled, her eyes shut with fear as the images flipped through her head. She felt a set of scales on her shoulder and she looked up to see Spike staring at her. She swallowed, but she didn't run. As if her sub-conscious knew he wasn't scary.
"Couldn't you just let me leave?" He asked with a smile that was sorrowful and playful. "You're just scaring yourself more, why did you think I tried to leave?" He let go of her and she was appalled. His smile fell to a sorrowful one, but his eyes showed how much her words cut.
"Now, this time, let me leave," he started and walked backwards with his claws in the air. "No more scaring yourself." She couldn't help but swallow air and nod nervously. He finally smiled again and turned away, walking out of the park without another word. She finally recognized everything she said and her heart tore apart with guilt.
Tears sprung to her eyes and she hung her head and sobbed. "Why are you crying over a dragon?" She picked up her head and puffed out her chest. Her look hardened to steel and she held her head high like a snob. "I've gotten soft a for murdering species," she spat. "How un-ladylike of me."
She picked herself up and left, leaving Garble and Pinkie Pie by themselves as Spike went one way and Rarity went the other. They looked at each other and Garble just stood up and stretched.
"Next time, don't make me hide in a bush," he growled and spread his bat-like wings. Pinkie Pie jumped out of the bush and smiled. She started giggling when she looked at the statue.
"I'm guessing he's either gonna walk around for the night, or go back to the castle," she smiled at him and bounced over the bush back to the tavern. "You should head back!"
Garble stared at the ground and growled as he chased after her, he hovered in front of her and she stopped and starred. He groaned, "Just thanks, okay pony?" He pointed a sharp claw at her and flew off into the sky.
Pinkie Pie sighed dreamily, "Aren't dragons so nice?"
"Says the pony dating a pony," Rainbow Dash flew up next to her and crossed her arms. "Seemed like a jerk to me."
"He just doesn't want to admit he likes ponies, that's all," Pinkie Pie smiled and bounced back to the tavern. "Where's yooooour marefriend? I thought she always looked after you."
Rainbow went red and flew next to her. "Twilight's not my marefriend, we're just friends," she muttered the last part.
Spike didn't go back to the castle. Not even the next day. He was stuck in the woods opposite of the woods Rarity lived in. Around him, trees laid mutilated around him, they were perched on stumps from a previous tree cut down. He sat in the middle of the clearing he made for himself.
His back hurt more than ever, but he still had no idea his wings were going to come in soon.
He sighed and looked down at the dragon-royal charm in his claws, he went back for it early in the morning before anyone awoke. Though he knew every pony and dragon would be sleeping in, due to having woken up early the morning before for the festival.
He threw it at a tree, as he'd done many of times. He sighed again. Was it really just because he was a dragon that Rarity didn't like him? And what happened to her? She seemed so happy, only to be frozen by fear. He couldn't think straight, not when he thought about her.
He called himself stupid and childish for caring so much about her. He put himself in harms way just to make sure Blueblood didn't hurt her, he told himself he'd do it for any pony, but he knew he wouldn't care as much as his did when he realized Rarity was in his trap.
He was so confused. Why did he like her? Sure, she was pretty, but she did nothing but scream and get scared around him. So why was she the only pony he seemed to like? And he certainly tried to like dragonesses, but it didn't work either.
Rarity's yells about dragons being vicious rang in his head as he sliced down another tree and watched it fall. As if her words of dangerous dragons made him dangerous. Her words fueled his anger as he sliced down another.
He couldn't think. Anger clouded his mind. When it wasn't there, sorrow, regret, and confusion clouded his mind in its place. He took a deep breath and blew out a huge amount of green fire, charring a tree black.
He couldn't go back the castle, not when he seriously was dangerous. When he thought about it, he was angry like this before Rarity showed, one she appeared he was nice and her words didn't cut into him as far as they did when he was furious like this. It was as if only when she was near him he was sane enough to be nice and himself.
Without her, he acted like a monster. It only made him more confused and it only made him hate her more. He wanted answers as to why his heart drew to the mean brute that broke his heart. He wanted to know why he liked her.
Guys liked girls because they were nice, generous, sweet, and smart. Rarity was rude, selfish, bitter, and cunning. Why did he like her? He concluded he didn't like bad girls, he always liked sweet girls who laughed and smiled with him. Then, he'd always come to the conclusion that her personality was a cover up to mask her real guilt and remorse for every thing she does.
He really wanted to believe she was nice and sweet underneath that rude and selfish mask. But he knew that was just the years of fairy tales he had heard. She really was just mean and nothing more. He wanted to believe she was mean, but then he'd remember how scared her eyes got and how much hurt and guilt he could see in them.
Could a pony who didn't care for others really feel hurt when some one didn't care about her?

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                   The Snakes First Dose                   
//-------------------------------------------------------//
The Snakes First Dose
Rarity went from checking her mane one second to rummaging in a box to sewing a dress. As she did this, she'd trip over Opal and hear a growl that only made her say sorry.
She had a dress prepared on a mannequin, she added a veil of fishnet over the dress and smiled at her creation. A jet black form fitting dress with a small bounce, the crimson and black rose sewed on to the front right above her heart. A trail of torn fishnet, just to show she was still a witch.
She sighed as she removed it, less loving of the dress. She needed to win Bluebloods heart, not scare him away with a little torn fishnet. She had learned he was a pansy, he was a selfish pansy who could do nothing. She smirked, "All the more reason to let me have Canterlot, isn't that right Opal?"
She looked around for her cat and groaned once she saw the doggy door sway with previous exit. She turned away. She had a date to get ready for, she didn't need to go after her cat.
She smiled as she looked in the mirror and used her magic to put her hair in a loose bun. Of course, most of her makeup had been dark colors, she sighed and wiped it all off. She needed to look like a princess, not a witch.
Her blue eye shadow stayed the same, but her previous light blue blush had gone a light pink. Her previous black lips were now a seductive red. Her once menacing eye liner now made her eyes bigger and she smiled at her look. It would work, even if she thought she looked like a basic mare who went to the princes doorstep, expecting approval.
She twirled in the center of the room, watching herself in the mirror. She already disliked the look, she was used to darker colors, it matched her mane and made her coat and eyes pop a lot more than these clashing princess colors she wore.
Jet black worked with any color, except when there were too many other colors to work with. Red, light blue, crimson red, and pink? She wanted it all to be blues and blacks, nothing light or princess-y about it. She looked at herself in the mirror, and turned away with a sigh as the dress formed around her.
It wasn't her. She knew she had a plan to her promise of her happiness, she knew how to get there without any flaws. Yet, she hadn't liked the way up her steps. For all she knew, Blueblood would want to 'fall in love' and spend a year after his coronation officially courting her.
For all she knew, her plan would fail and she would be stuck with the pansy her entire life. Her life would be in ruins, she'd simply make children and not do an ounce of the ruling -she could tell Blueblood was at least a tiny bit sexist. She wouldn't be able to brew potions, or terrorize. She'd be a 'nice' queen, with a 'happy' life all would be jealous of.
She looked in the mirror again, she saw the fear in her eyes of her failure. She knew how to have Canterlot for her own, without hurting anyone. She was so scared she would be throwing her life away when she had expected to find the one thing to make her happy.
She looked away from herself, she knew the only reason she was scared was because she was the villain in the tale. She was the creepy old witch that terrorizes everyone.
"The creepy old witch... that messes things up for herself," she sighed and looked in the mirrors again. She saw the dress and utterly despised it, but if it caught Bluebloods attention, then it would work. She put on her best smile and trotted towards the door, the second she opened it, her stomach knotted and she wanted to retreat back inside her home.
Everywhere she looked, she saw eyes staring right back at her. She felt inferior and terrified, she swallowed and slowly walked outside, glancing everywhere. She stepped on a branch and heard it snap. The eyes around her shuffled at the noise, but she froze, her breaths jagged.
She swallowed as the night air pierced her skin, she shivered. She heard the leaves rustle and the eyes shuffle around her again. Once she heard hoofsteps, she screamed and ran as fast as she could to the main trail through the woods.
She got caught on branches, leaves crunched underneath her. She felt cob webs hit her coat as she ran and swatted them away. The wind slammed in her face as she looked around, watching the eyes follow her as if they were running with her. She swallowed and turned away from them.
She saw the straight path ahead through the woods and smiled, she ran faster to get there. She jumped over rocks she would've tripped on, she avoided branches that would've snagged her. She smiled and panted in relief as she looked back at the eyes and creepy woods.
The eyes stared back at her, but they didn't move to surround her. The breeze was softer and not as chilling as before. The leaves didn't leave an eerie crunch under her hooves. It was as if they couldn't move to surround and fill the woods. As if they were limited to their part of the woods.
She stuck out her tongue at the monsters -no matter how uncouth or unladylike, she hated being scared. The ruffians didn't deserve her good manners. She summoned a mirror and used her magic to illuminate the scene to remove the branches and fix her hair.
She stared in confusion. She didn't see any branches, and her mane was just fine. She looked at her dress and saw there were no leaves she'd kick into it. There were no cob webs caught on her face or in her hair or on her chest.
She shook her head. She felt those branches snag at her dress, and she heard the wind untie her hair. Yet, her dress was in perfect condition, and her hair was still up perfectly. As if she didn't just run like a mad mare through the woods to the main trail.
She sighed and blamed the remedies she used to relieve her of her stress and the Poison Joke she used to fix her tongue. She puffed out her chest and held her head high, the mirror disappearing as she walked towards the entrance. She smirked as she saw the lights light up the streets where dragons and ponies walk. She was expected at the castle in more than enough time to get there.
She could have a little fun and terrorize civilians. She didn't have to worry about her darling Blueblood blaming her, she told him she'd stop being so cruel. And he would trust her and even defend her against the queen!
The power went to her head as it ran with evil thoughts, her smirk defiant over the moon itself. If she did this, then she wouldn't need stress remedies. And since her prince would defend her no matter what...
She couldn't help but laugh at the puny princes trust. Something she knew would only lead to a ponies downfall. And it certainly would. She concluded that even if she were queen, she'd have her fun continuously. And she could even plead her prince to let her live in her boutique.
She finally felt confident of her future as she watched a spectacle. An elderly dragon sitting in a rocking chair outside a cottage. Six little fillies sat around the dragon, two little dragons sat against the rocking chair. Rarity smirked as she snuck to the side of the cottage to listen in on the story.
"Queen Celestia and the Dragon Lord before Torch -No one knows his name- fought in a seven year war," The elderly one spoke. Each young one 'oooed' in response. Rarity stuck out her tongue and pointed at it, she would've made a noise to go along with it but she was hiding.
It was the story of how Celestia and Torch became friends and Equestria ruled under both once the two grew tired of a peace treaty. Many claimed it was because the two fell in love, though many knew that not to be true. It's not like either would be harmed by marrying, so if they were in love they would've.
The elderly dragons eyes shut with a smile as he continued, "The Dragon Lord passed down his lordship to his son through a Gauntlet of Fire, expecting Torch to finish up the war with a blood bath." Rarity used her magic to map out the scene while the dragon told the story. The young ones were too captivated to make any signs to it.
Other dragons and ponies started gathering around, Rarity stifled a laugh. "But Torch didn't want a battle. He knew how many dragons lives were taken, and he was smart enough to know when to retreat. So, he gave up," The elder continued.
All the ones around listening gasped as they saw an image of Celestia being decapitated and falling to the claws of a ginormous dragon laughing maniacally. "What is it?" The elder asked. He saw the image, "Oh dear Celestia! Whose work is this?"
All the adolescents around groaned all announced, "The witch, Rarity." The elder turned to see Rarity reveal herself. Every creature around gasped at her look. Having forgot she had on her dress and makeup, she cowered slightly. She wasn't used to wearing prissy clothes while terrorizing fillies.
"Is that how it happened?" The fillies asked, terror seizing them. They shivered as the two young dragons growled at Rarity.
"Yes, it is," Rarity hung her head, sealing every mouth around her. The young dragons tried to pounce on her, but when she looked at them, they stood in place. They were terrified. She turned to the fillies, "Dragons are beasts, ruffians. They will act like they love you." She lifted one of the fillies heads with her hoof, the little filly looked at one of the young dragons trying to get rid of her magic.
"Then, they will tear you to shreds," Rarity hissed and turned away. "Celestia trusted Torch, and the beast killed Luna. The Queens current heir and sister. Do you really want to trust a dragon now?" The fillies vigorously shook their heads and ran away. The mouths around her became unsealed as they shouted with objections.
One of the young dragons watched the fillies run off, he hung his head and Rarity saw what happened. She simply laughed and started past him, "Maybe you shouldn't go after a pony, they can't be trusted either."
"Why should I trust what you say?" The dragon spat and crossed his arms, trying to ignore his heart break. He sniffled and the adults around Rarity only got madder at the sight.
"Because I'm the one who ruined your little love-life. Really want trust a pony?" Rarity asked and trotted off, drowning out the shouts and curses. She giggled as she turned away, happy with her adventure of terror. She certainly felt better, and she didn't even need a remedy.
She trotted through town, sending late night vendors to ruin, making dolls of children come to life and bite their hair or scales. She sighed in relief, she felt much better. And it would certainly help her around her prince. If she was in a better mood, she would be on such a high pedestal, that her worries and doubts would take a lot longer to eat her than before.
She trotted to the fountain and saw a strange sight. A group of dragons in the royal blue and gold charm were discussing something frantically. They seemed to be panicking. They all silenced once the red dragon that seemingly followed Spike showed. Rarity hid behind a bush to listen. Being fashionably late wouldn't hurt the prince.
"Did you find him? Ember's freaking out," the red dragon's voice seemed to scare the dragons. They pushed a purple dragon with yellow scales forward, he groaned. His piercing blue eyes showed only fear.
"Well, um, sir," the purple dragon said nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. The red dragon crossed his arms and waited. The purple one visibly swallowed and rubbed his arm, "Yeah, uh... we haven't found him." He smiled nervously along with the rest of the dragons.
Rarity wanted to step in and ask, but either prince wasn't around to defend her. And after how she talked to Spike, she didn't trust that he would have protected her. She scampered off, just so she could be on time and not terrify herself. She needed to get back up on her pedestal.
"Ugh," Garble groaned and turned away from the dragons. He made a shooing motion with his claws, "Fine, fine. I'll find him, just go home." The dragons felt a bit of guilt as they exchanged glances. As soon as the first one took off, the rest did the same. Except for the purple one with yellow scales.
"The only place we haven't really checked is the woods outside of town," he mentioned nervously. He straightened up once Garble looked at him. "I-I... um, y-you could check the north woods and I could check the south ones."
Garble spread his wings, "Go home, I'll do it." He flew off. The purple dragon swallowed his fear and turned to the broken statue. He plopped to the ground sadly.
"Please, tell me he's okay," he prayed and looked up at the statue spurting water from a small pipe as the stone encase was broken in three pieces. "We need someone like him right about now."
Rarity had arrived at the castle, she could only think of the things she disliked about it. She liked the different towers, but instead of Pink, Purple, Blue, and White, they would be Green on the outside ones and Black on the inner ones. She'd have the bricks covered in black with designs painted in light blue.
She would have vines and flowers suffocating the castle walls, and the guards would look more like stone -since they would be stone- rather than bored. They suddenly went alert as she approached, looking bored of them already.
"Halt, what business do you have with the castle?" The left guard asked and held his spear at his side. The right guard pointed his spear at her and growled.
"The castle is off-limits to a scoundrel like you," the right guard glowered as he pointed the spear at her, trying to scare her off. She simply huffed with a small smirk. Her smirk went even wider once Blueblood came through the castle door and smiled at her. She had to say, he looked like a prissy princess turned male.
He looked just as he did every other day, except he looked like he spent more time. He had a dashing black suit to match her sexy-princess getup, yet his hair seemed just the same as ever. Rarity loved when people spent their time and effort on her, even if the guilt she felt at the idea of the trick to win Canterlot ruined it.
She smiled at her prince. He smiled back, though she could see the dashing charm behind it. "Gentlecolts, excuse me, but why are you pointing a spear at a fair lady?" He asked charmingly, peering at the spear pointed at Rarity. The guards looked at him as if he was a psycho.
"Um, sir... you do know this is Rarity, right?" The left guard asked, obviously the nice cop. The right guard sneered at Rarity before returning his eyes to Blueblood.
"It's Rarity, the town witch, the witch that scared my little filly into never stepping near a dragon or another pony," the guard growled, his spear still pointed at Rarity. "Why would we even give her the benefit of the doubt?"
"Well, I agree," Blueblood announced, moving the spears away. "Though, that won't be an issue anymore." He smiled as he turned to the guards, standing next to Rarity. "She's stopped her witch-like terrorizing, so your filly will grow out of it, or end up in the newspaper."
Rarity couldn't help but snicker and smile as she saw the angry guards defeated expression. Blueblood smiled and whisked her away to the freedom of the streets. "Thank you for defending me," Rarity said politely, even if it barley seemed like a defense at all. Blueblood smiled.
"Well, I'd rather put them in their place before they do it again. Though, I assure you if they do, they'll be fired," Blueblood smiled and Rarity genuinely blushed. A stallion... do something to get rid of ponies... for her? She never experienced such kindness before. She turned away, trying to recollect herself.
He chuckled, "You seem nervous. Although, so would I. Who wouldn't be nervous in such a beautiful attire?" Rarity's face lit on fire as she giggled along. She would've sealed the deal to marry him for him if he said the dress wasn't like her. Though, he was winning her heart, by her standards.
"Well, I'm not the only beauty tonight it seems," Rarity smiled genuinely as the two passed over a bridge. "You look quite dashing yourself." She couldn't hear the gasps of the sight or the confused faces around her. She was too focused on her prince to notice.
Bluebloods glower at the sight around them finally made her notice. She cowered and looked away. Blueblood scowled, "Once they see you aren't a menace they'll actually see you as a rightful queen."
Rarity used her opportunity. "W-w-would you even wait until I am queen to prove them wrong?" Once Blueblood looked at her did she finally feel inferior again. He wasn't over his scowl, but once he smiled she felt better. Even though she still felt judged for her thoughts. "I-I mean... would you let them prove I'm not a rightful queen... e-even until I am queen?"
Blueblood smiled again and she felt her legs liquefy. She wanted to collapse in his forelegs and have her own fairy tale kiss as he vanquished the dragon and freed her of her captivity. What he said only made her heart soar. "Of course, my dear. Though, it seems you are the only mare with a heart to understand and care."
Rarity's eyes were locked on him, she couldn't take them away. Once he noticed is when she stopped nervously. She finally let her guilt set in, only to make herself look sweeter. "You shouldn't have to be judged for your bride until marriage. You should marry some other mare so you aren't hated."
Blueblood seemed only to smile like she was the only mare in his eyes. Like she was his princess for now and forever. She never wanted to go to dinner, she never wanted to leave this walk, she never wanted to be away from this moment. "But you're worth all of the judgment and hate, my dear."
She smiled to herself and sat in bliss as they walked in silence. Even if she saw the trickery and seduction in his stare, even if she heard the persuasion in his voice, she didn't care. She was smart enough to know when the moment was trickery and when it was his real feelings towards her. And now, all she saw was the real love towards her.
She never had any pony risk to sacrifice for her, she never felt happier and worth more. She finally had what that blasted Rainbow Dash and Applejack had. What her friend, Fluttershy, and Twilight Sparkle had. She finally had happiness, and she couldn't give it away for Canterlot, she was in love.
They dined at a fancy restaurant named The White Hoof. It was solely ponies and everything was so prestigious and classy that not even Rarity wanted to step hoof in. Of course, Bluebloods hoof pulling her along made it easier. The floor were marble and cold, the table had the fanciest of white silks laid over -which she rambled over and it seemed Blueblood had listened.
The salads they had were some of the best in Equestria, even if mass-produced and without any emotion. Rarity saw all the other mares and stallions were like her and Blueblood, they didn't even seem to recognize her, so she didn't feel so ostracized. She fell in love even further. Until, a conversation set a chill to her spine for the remaining of the night.
She had felt like an entirely different pony. She felt like a princess, not the witch. But remembering Bluebloods past made her feel like a witch, and it made her proud to be the witch she was.
"It's nice to know we're so similar," she said mindlessly. The restaurant was so loud that there was no way he heard every word, but he seemed to make out what she said and took offense to it. His eyes cut in the Rarity and his smile faded to a small line. That chill ran up and down her spine. It didn't go away, even once she corrected herself.
"I-I mean... I-I-it's nice to know someone so... d-different than me can make me feel so different by just showing me a small bit of kindness," she forced her smile as she nervously corrected herself. "I-I just don't really feel like a w-w-witch."
She didn't. She felt like a young filly standing before a scary dragon. It seemed he didn't forget, and he clearly didn't believe her when she corrected herself, even if he seemed he did. His eyes still reminded her of her mistake, and they reminded her of her place as a witch, and they reminded her to act better if she had a chance.
No matter how sweet the conversation, she couldn't marry Blueblood. Though the chill almost disappeared as he said his sweet goodbye.
"I had fun, I hope to do this again, My Princess," he kissed her hoof and her face lit on fire again. Her heart rate increased and her mind played the words 'my princess' on repeat. She smiled and giggled nervously, forgetting her fear in his gentle stare. He smiled and they exchanged goodbyes and they went their separate ways.
She smiled and pulled the rose from her dress and sniffed it. She was so in love -by her standards. She forgot the cutting stare, she was so lost at the thought of being a princess. And she felt that if she was, she wouldn't be a terrorizing ruler, she'd be a nurturing queen and wife.
She sighed dreamily as she remembered the stare, it felt as if he was looking at her, cutting into her, telling her she was a witch and that was all she would be. She swallowed and looked around at the empty streets, the lamp posts the only light.
She felt her mouth go dry as she looked for the woods. She tried to think of his nice stare and sweet smile, she tried to think of his dashing looks and his charming words, just to get rid of that feeling. She thought about being the nice, nurturing queen she would've been if it was him as her king.
She saw the woods and imagined them the castle. Her standing high on the terraces with Blueblood at her side. Her heart soared with hope and happiness as she saw it and was compelled to it. She wouldn't need Canterlot if she had him, she wouldn't need her hatred if she had him. He'd given her the ability to care, even if it would be fake care for subjects and the only real for him, he still gave it to her.
She smiled and started galloping towards the image. Just before it disappeared to the woods edge, she felt that piercing stare, telling her she was a witch. It told her she was terrorizing witch that would always be a witch. Just a witch, not the princess or queen she pleaded to be.
Just a witch.
That stare kept her from her happiness. Her plans took such a turn and yet one stare, one mistake took away her plans and turned them back to the start. She shook her head and she stared numbly at the woods.
She didn't need prince charming to whisk her off her hooves. She didn't need prince charming to throw her aside to the children while he ruled. She didn't need prince charming fighting off the dragon.
She was the witch, the wicked witch that terrorized children and made adolescents angry. She was the witch that had a jealous rage burning inside her. She was the witch that had hate pumping through her veins. She was the witch that had a cold heart that only wanted isolation and power.
She smiled as she stepped hoof in her terrifying woods. She embraced the darkness and the chilling air that was the trail to the boutique. She hummed to the sound of crunching leaves and the sound of her dress being torn by branches. She coiled herself up in the cob webs, just to dust them off.
She smiled and sighed dreamily at the sight of her boutique, her home. Her smile only grew as she saw the fire in her eyes, it roared as a new dress slipped on her. A black Victorian dress that had the torn black fishnet laying on top. A set of black roses and tulips coiled in her mane as she let it loose to its normal curls.
She wanted Canterlot, and she would have it. Her little romeo could have his last fun before his humiliation. Besides, she had magic, and if she had the title 'Queen', then who could hurt her? The guards? They'd have to listen to her! Nothing could stop her once she was at the top.
Her heart froze. Except one thing could stop her. She swallowed.
Dragons.
Dragons could stop her.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                The Other Sides to a Crown                 
//-------------------------------------------------------//
The Other Sides to a Crown
The Apples Tavern was bustling, as usual. Dragons had fire breathing contests, using the drinks to help fuel the flame. Ponies played cards and chatted. Pinkie Pie slammed down a royal straight. Rainbow and Applejack groaned as they saw, throwing down their measly cards as well.
"I even cheated!" Rainbow Dash groaned as she sat back in her chair. Twilight walked up and smiled as she looked over the cards. She used her magic to look through all of the cards, then she started giggling.
"You understand that cheating usually means you have the good cards, right?" She asked Rainbow Dash and started laughing. Applejack understood what happened and started laughing as well. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were completely confused as they stared at the laughing mares.
"Ya usually keep the cards on ya and then replace your hoof with them, Pinkie ended up with your cards," Applejack announced and then started cackling. Pinkie Pie giggled along and Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs and pouted. Then, she started laughing along.
In between their laughter, Twilight pointed at the bar, "Isn't that the prince?" They didn't stop laughing.
"No way, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash laughed even harder and fell out of her chair with Applejack. "A prince knows not to drink, besides, that pretender probably has the finest of wines in his castle!" Applejack snorted and agreed as Pinkie finally caught on to Twilights question.
Her loud gasp took Rainbow Dash and Applejack out of their howls of laughter. They looked at the bar and saw Apple Bloom talking to a tired looking purple dragon. The dragon took another drink and Apple Bloom slammed down her forelegs.
"It's Spike!" Pinkie Pie bounced, almost slamming through to the second floor. She ran over to the bar, she dashed around the side and into the inside of the bars enclosure. She smiled at the prince happily, then her expression fell. "Spike?"
Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Applejack exchanged worry glances before they made their way over to the two -three if you count Apple Bloom. Rainbow Dash and Twilight instantly hugged each other in fear at the sight of Spike, even Applejack seemed a little scared.
"Uh, Prince?" Applejack asked and Spike just glared at her. He had no intentions of being the nice soul he always was. He was pissed and he just wanted to drown in alcohol that did nothing but burn. He would apologize and explain things later and they'd be his friends again. He smiled slightly at the thought.
How easy it was to scare to go back to being friends with only a few minutes. Though it did warm his heart to see them care, even if he was scary.
And he wasn't even scary. He just had bags under his eyes, a glower, narrowed reptilian eyes, and a snarl or bored expression at whoever he stared at. He wasn't scary, he looked more pitiful than anything. He looked away from them, he was pitiful... and they were scared? Rarity must've been right.
He didn't want to believe her or what she said. But she had every right to fear dragons, she had every right to be terrified of the weak link that was Spike. He didn't have wings, but he had sharp claws and teeth, he had fire. What did ponies have? Nothing but a spell to slam them into a wall. Like that would do anything against fire.
"Spike... what happened to you?" Pinkie Pie pushed worriedly. "Garble said you were missing and now you're here, and you look awful."
Spike didn't answer. His mind was running on anger from the night Rarity encountered him and called him a monster. And he was nice to her! She was an idiot, a foolish witch that only ruined things. She was a waste of space.
"I tried telling 'im drinking was a bad habit for a future king, but he won't listen!" Apple Bloom exclaimed and jumped on the bar. Applejack immediately picked her up and put her down. Her high pitched, southern accent was getting on Spikes nerves.
"Alcohol doesn't do anything to royal dragons," Spike growled and took another drink. "I'm just drinking it cause it burns." Now everypony seemed confused and a lot less terrified once he actually spoke. Apple Bloom blushed and ran off to the kitchen. He sighed, knowing he couldn't stay quiet forever.
Well, his silence was prolonged as the doors to the tavern slammed open. Every dragon and pony shot their attention to the door where stood the mare of his anger. Rarity.
She flipped her hair and smirked as she sashayed into the tavern. Mutters started up that piled into conversation. She trotted over to the four, not noticing Spike there. He noticed this, and just played along with her terror without scaring her away.
Rainbow Dash huffed, "Shouldn't you be on a date with Blueblood?" This finally caught Spikes full attention, but he still listened. It seemed the four were playing along. Maybe they were just too caught up in their anger towards her. Rarity smirked and puffed out her chest, holding her head high.
"I am afraid my picnic with the prince is over," Rarity smiled dreamily. She narrowed her eyes and smirked at Rainbow Dash. "He is a prince, so why not address him that way?" She looked at Twilight who nervously smiled at Rarity. Her pink dress was now a yellow one in the same form. It seemed to just be a different color.
"Sheesh, can't even dress nice. Really, Rainbow Dash, what do you see in her?" Rarity asked, her smirk looked hungry for a yell in her direction. And a yell she got, Rainbow Dash growled as Twilight blushed and looked down at the ground nervously.
"Leave her alone, she never does anything to you!" Rainbow Dash threatened rudely. She growled as Rarity started giggling. Applejack tugged on Rainbows tail and looked at her genuinely, as if telling her to not give her the satisfaction. Spike was currently thinking of the ways he could scare her to get Rarity to leave them alone.
Rainbow Dash was right, Twilight had never done anything to Rarity. And yet the witch still messed with her and embarrassed her for her own amusement, and that cocksure smirk on Rarity's face only made Spike more disgusted.
"I mean, you get the fanciest females in town," Rarity cooed, that smirk showed her bad intentions and they seemed to work. Rainbow flicked her tail against the ground angrily. Rarity used her hoof to raise Twilights head to look at her, Twilight cowered. "And this is what you pick? She doesn't even have any bit of a 'nerdy charm' to her without glasses."
Rarity dropped Twilight's head, leaving tears in her eyes and her staring at the ground. Spike was appalled by the sight. Before Rainbow Dash could say anything, he stepped in.
He stepped off of the chair, bringing Rarity's attention to himself. She didn't seem that fazed. He walked towards her and held her head up with a single claw. Rarity seemed scared now as she looked up at him. "I see what any one would see in Twilight." He started.
"A heart," he growled and Rarity cowered and backed into a wall. He only walked towards her, "And I can see what you and Blueblood can see in each other. A pony just like them, heartless and a cruel predator."
His expression softened as he saw her scared expression. He fell to a slouch as he looked away from her. "Look, Rarity. Stay away from Blueblood, I know you aren't like him... because you actually feel something. Even if its just fear, I don't care. Stay away from him."
She just stared at him, her fear turning to confusion as he spoke. Rainbow Dash and Applejack seemed annoyed, as if they trusted him to give her a taste of her own medicine and he failed them. He might've failed them, but he didn't fail himself. For some reason, he had an idea this would happen. But he didn't care, she was a good pony, he knew it. She had to be, his heart wouldn't constantly lie to him, right?
She shook her head, "No. You're wrong. I'm a witch, I'm one of the smartest ponies in town." She walked towards him, Spike just blushed like an idiot. Rainbow Dash and Applejack groaned as Rarity took control of the situation. "I know you dragons are beasts! I'm teaching all the fillies good, you're teaching them all that harmony can strive in a world of ruffians and civilized ponies!
"Ponies like them," she pointed at the four. "Those are the ponies who aren't smart, they're just stupid and believe dragons can be nice. Those are the ponies I hate!" Spike just stared at her, he almost felt bad for her. Well, he did. She believed that, and that's why her life worked as a witch. Just because she believed something awful.
"Blueblood is the only pony that has been nice to me! He listens to me, compliments me, makes me feel like I'm queen of the world!-" She was cut off once Spike grabbed her hoof. Fear set inside her, burning away her confidence.
"Well, for all its worth," he said and ripped the charm off of his necklace. "When he hurts you, just go to me. And if he doesn't, you can say you proved me wrong. I say it's a win, win." He placed it in her hoof and let go of her. Rarity was so confused and scared, she didn't understand. She knew dragons were awful, and yet this one seemed to soften at the sight of her.
But Blueblood made her so happy. She enjoyed most every moment with him, she felt like she had an equal. Yet, every time she also felt as if he was so good, she could never match. The more they talked, the more she wanted to stop messing with fillies. Then, that was the more she did it.
Yet this dragon was being so nice to her, even after she continuously called him a monster. And once she called Blueblood a bad pony, he seemed as if he could cut ties there. She shook her head and ran out of the tavern, she threw the charm down an empty alleyway and raced home.
"Spike!" Applejack and Rainbow Dash exclaimed, bringing him back to reality. He turned and saw their annoyed expressions. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, "You call that a comeback?"
"It was sweet!" Pinkie Pie laid on her back over the bar, one of her forelegs to her forehead as she smiled dreamily. Then she fell off and yelped. Spike blushed.
"If we were just as mean as her, then we're no better than her. Besides, how could any one ever like others if others are just mean to them?" Spike asked and Twilight smiled motherly at him. Just having her approval made him happy. One, because she was the smartest, and two, because it seemed she understood. As if she was Celestia and her approval made him feel like king of the world.
Rainbow Dash groaned and laid against the fallen Pinkie Pie who laughed. Rainbow Dash joined into the laughter. Spike and Applejack noticed the slight slouch in Twilights stance at the sight. The two smirked at each other understandingly.
"Well," Applejack sighed and took off her hat, holding it to her chest. She smiled up at Spike. "I agree with ya, Spike." She put her hat back on and winked. "You'll make a great king, partner."
"You guys know he's a prince, right? So why do you keep calling him Spike?" Pinkie Pie laughed and Applejack and Rainbow Dash's expressions fell. They looked up at Spike nervously and with forced smiles.
Spike smiled back, "My friends don't call me Spike. And I'd call you my friends." The four ponies smiled back at him happily. They smiled in the bliss of being united as friends, totally forgetting what was around them or the fact that Rarity even bothered them.
Twilights expression fell nervous as she laughed nervously, "Um... does Garble know you're here? He's been looking non-stop for you for the last to days." Spikes smile didn't fall.
"Nope!" He smiled and the ponies laughed happily. The doors burst open again, though they were to caught up in their situation to notice. So was every one else once they saw who it was.
"Spike," Garble growled as he walked up to the five as they clinked glasses. His claws were digging into his palms as his tail swayed angrily behind him. He gritted his teeth and smoke blew from his nostrils with a growl. "Spike!"
Spike only smiled defiantly as Garble approached the five. Every pony but Pinkie Pie cowered, she waved happily and smiled brightly. "Where the hell were you? Ember's been freaking out, I've been freaking out, every dragon on the guards terrified since they think they're so incompetent and they're expecting to get fired or something..."
Garble finally shut up and sighed, "Where were you? And why?" He said it angrily and crossed his arms. His relief finally setting in as he saw the prince, happy and okay.
"Nice to know you care," Spike smirked and Garble growled in response. He put down the glass and held his hands up, he still looked relieved to see his friend. "Look, I was just in the south woods."
"Why," Garble growled. "For two days you were just in the damn woods? There better be a good reason."
"I'll tell ya later," Spike smiled and took a drink along with the rest.
"Well, you should go to the castle, Ember's still freaking out and I don't want to make two trips there. So c'mon," Garble crossed his arms.
"C'mon!" Spike held out his glass to Garble. "Relax, she can freak out for all she's done." He actually seemed somewhat depressed, like a happy-depressed, "She's probably asleep anyways."
Pinkie Pie bounced up and pulled Garble into the corner with them, he leaned against the bar with crossed arms while the rest smiled in the corner. Rainbow Dash sat next to Twilight and Applejack, Spike sat next to Pinkie Pie and Applejack.
Pinkie bounced up and fixed Garble a weak drink, she handed it to him and they all clinked glasses happily. Garble finally relaxed about five minutes in and they didn't leave until the sun just started to set.
They had their fun, now they had to face Ember. Of course, Spike took all of the blame, he was used to it. What he didn't expect is when Ember hugged him and cried.
Spike couldn't sleep. So he did what he always did when he couldn't sleep. He sat in the empty ball room until the sun rose. Which was for another six hours, so Spike had some time to himself.
He got through his anger in the woods where he mutilated trees and charred others to the stump. Now, it was time he sulk in the depressive aftermath. He didn't even understand why this was happening, but he'd rather get through all his sulking now than bother every one else with it later.
If he didn't get over it now, he'd even think he didn't deserve the coronation and he would run away and not take the crown. He would ruin everything like creatures always do. They ruin things and that's how conflict starts, once conflict starts, they think they'll get a good ending.
He shook the philosophical thoughts out of his head. It was time to sulk, not go over society until the sun rose and he realized he lost his chance.
His back still hurt, he figured out his wings were coming in though. But it still confused him, dragons were either born with wings, or got them when they were young. And when they got them, they went through a day of excruciating pain and wake up with them and no pain.
He had three days of it and he was tired. He guessed it was because he was older, but it hurt and he'd rather have grown up with growing pains than multiple straight days of this. His excitement he was getting them and his confusion on why he hadn't had them yet drowned out the pain, for the most part.
He gritted his teeth as another wave of pain washed over him. His eyes sealed shut as he waited for it to be over. He just decided to run to his thoughts to get away from the pain. Of course, they had to be depressing and pointless. Yet, everything he told himself seemed so real, like the depression told him the truth.
He wondered why he was friends with those ponies. He just met the and he called them really good friends. The most he knew about them was that Twilight liked Rainbow Dash and Rainbow was oblivious to it. That was it. Sure, he knew their personalities... but should a few caring words really make him call them his friends?
They cared, most likely because he was the prince. He understood that as everything happened, but he was so desperate for something. He had no idea what that something was. He was a mess and it honestly annoyed him how they fixed him up.
At least Garble and him hated each other and simply grew on each other. Like a normal friendship. Well... at least some friendships started that way. Not simply calling a pony you just met your friend because they pitied you. At least Garble never pitied him, one of his favorite traits about Garble. He didn't baby anyone, even the prince.
Sure, he was depressed and sulking now. But it was scheduled and ready to happen. At the bar, he was just drinking for the pain and drinking to forget. He didn't care anymore and what he was doing wasn't healthy. And some few words from some ponies said fixed it?
How much of a baby was he? He even defended them! Only to fall into his helpless romance with Rarity. Rarity. Oh, Rarity! He had tried so hard to get closer to her, and that Blueblood beat him? Of course he was furious! And the snake had Rarity in his trap! He even had her thinking she was his princess! It made Spike sick and it made his blood boil.
He wanted to slay the evil Blueblood and take Rarity as his princess. No, he just wanted to keep her away from Blueblood, and if that got Rarity closer to him, it was just a bonus.
He tried telling himself he would do it for any mare -and he honestly would save any mare from Bluebloods tricks- but he still knew Rarity was special. She was flawed and scared, she only believed she liked Blueblood because he was nice to her. Spike wanted to be nice to her, and have her believe it.
But he didn't want to see her scared that it'd disappear. He didn't want her to be around an untrustworthy pony like Blueblood. He knew she wasn't safe and he wanted to help her. Yet, it was obvious that she didn't want to be saved. He just wanted to treat her like a good mare, who deserved kindness and defense. No matter what Bluebloods tricks, he was scared it'd be too late when she realized.
Spike thought of what Blueblood could possibly want from Rarity, then he'd concluded it was because she was the only mare in town who didn't hate the snake. And of course, he was using her just to win the bet.
Spike stood up, leaving his thoughts of Rarity in the room as he left. The castle was silent and cold, like all of the dragon lands. It was almost relaxing, it was like being outside without actually being outside. He growled as he turned to the front doors, slamming them open to the cold outside.
The ponies slept on comfy beds in warm blankets. Dragons slept on rocks that didn't fit them with the cold air. Ponies had families. Dragons had enemies. Ponies had warm homes and ceilings, dragons had the inky black sky as their roof.
No matter how harmonized or equal the dragons and ponies were, instincts still got in the way. Cause at the end of the day, one species was alone. Their cheerful façade would shatter at the cold air with no one there. Spike turned away from the field of rocks that held dragons on top. He took the secret passages to the main entrance and looked back.
The dragons looked like corpses. Their limbs hung off the side of the rock that simply held their torso. Their wings crumbled underneath them as their snores got blown away with the night breeze. At least their bodies moved with inhales and exhales. When Spike was young, he could remember snapping, seeing if time would stop and all the bodies would freeze.
Now, he was terrified that he did those things, and was happier than ever to at least see the dragons breathing. Even without the princess of the moon watching over their dreams, he felt as if she still was. As if she was watching over every thing in the lands. He felt as if she even kept the dragons safe from nightmares, even if a dragon took away her life right in front of her sister.
Spike was disgusted at the thought of Dragon Lord -king- Torch. He had a suspicion that wasn't what happened, but he never pried on Ember or Celestia to tell him. He liked making up his own stories. Spike suddenly thought of all the dragons sleeping on uncomfortable rocks.
He couldn't wait to help. He couldn't wait to be king. It was as if their misery fueled his hope in the future. He turned away and started walking into Canterlot. Even if the dragon lands were apart of Canterlot, every one knew it really wasn't. He looked around, taking in the nights embrace on everything. Not a soul in sight. Not even a squirrel.
He walked his way through town, just dealing with the cold air and the eerie silence around him. Not a candle was lit inside the cottages. The street lights lit up the way to the fountain, Canterlot Central. He hated it, it was called the central of Canterlot when it was so much closer to the ponies castle than the dragon lands. Hell, it was closer to the ponies castle than the center of Canterlot!
Once he got there, he saw that the bushes around had blooming roses. Of course, they were just replaced dying ones and magically aged them into blossom with unicorn magic, making the flowers think it was the start of spring. The fountain was fixed, still just a pony spewing water out of its mouth. He feigned innocence to himself as he thought he had no reason to be there.
He had every reason to be there. Just to see Rarity and to show her he wasn't a vicious dragon anymore. He could at least show her he wasn't going to tear her to shreds like he thought. She didn't show.
He stared, appalled at the morning light as the sun rose and he heart ponies hooves hitting the cobble stone in the distance. He shook his head, he was so sure she would be there. She had to be there. He couldn't go another day worrying about her.
He looked at the ground. He didn't care for her. Why did he care for her? A simple mare that simply hated him. Was it because she was scared? Every pony could be. Was it because she hated him? He would just be a hopeless idiot if so. Was it because she was guilty and he could see how hurt she was? No... he knew it wasn't a specific reason why he liked Rarity.
He just did. And he hated it. He hated every bit of it. Why was his heart so fixed on something imaginary? Rarity would never even get close to him, if Blueblood hurt her, she would go to Fluttershy or some pony. She wasn't an idiot like him. Even if she trusted Blueblood, could he really blame her?
A mare who no pony or dragon ever liked, so she resorted to listening to them and she hated them back. That was how the story went, no? It didn't seem like it. Yet, he was so sure that was what happened to her. He was so sure that she experienced the bad first, so she finally took comfort in the good that was given to her.
Yet she always said she hated dragons first. That she was the one to learn to hate dragons. So he was giving her a dramatic and heartfelt backstory just to make him feel better about himself? He finally didn't feel guilt for his hatred towards her. He finally understood why she was with Blueblood.
A snake and a witch would go well together, wouldn't they? A manipulating dog and a terrorizing, hateful shark would go together perfectly, wouldn't they? Hell, maybe they'd teach each other how to be even worse. They'd work well, so now Spike had a responsibility to keep them apart so they didn't take over Equestria.
The thought made him sick. Lying to a mare to save every one? Sure, it was nice and for the greater good. But could he really do that to a mare? No, the answer was no. Meaning, he'd deal with the problem once the time came.
His eyes shut as he leaned against a bush and crossed his arms, sleep finally taking hold of him. Surely a five minute nap couldn't hurt, no?
His eyes shot open once he heard a familiar giggle. He peaked over the bush and saw Rarity and Blueblood talking, and she seemed so blissfully happy. Spike could see the trickery on Bluebloods face, he was using her. No matter the reason, Spike had real evidence he was. He had that same smile when he acted polite to Spike.
Meaning it was all for the effect of the viewers that were Celestia and Ember. Spikes tail swayed angrily as he lowered himself, still keeping his now narrowing eyes on them. His teeth gritted together as his claws dug into the leaves of the bush. She wasn't in on the joke.
She was being used, she wouldn't be happy with a snake. But was he really allowed to have a say in things? The correct answer would've been no. But the answer the rage fueled dragon would have given would've been a yes as he watched them. He wasn't one for spying, but was it really spying if it lasted for two minutes?
"I'm glad to see you," Bluebloods voice sounded as seductive as ever. He eyed her dress, though Rarity was too happy to notice. "You do look nice, as usual."
Rarity giggled and smiled. "Oh Blueblood, you always know how to charm a lady." Now Spike was confused. Was this all an act, or really what he thought it was? And what were they doing? They were standing near a café, but they seemed more keen on talking through the early morning rather than actually going to the café.
Spike was even more confused, the sun just rose, so why was every pony out? The café seemed almost full with ponies, and so were the streets. Though, no being was around him. He looked up at the sky and saw the sun was almost at its peak. He was bewildered, then concluded he must've fallen asleep some time in between the sun rising and now.
"Well, if compliments are what you call 'charm' then I'd say you'd be just as charming as I," Blueblood announced. Spike concluded it was a trick as Rarity seemed unfazed by his words. Did she really not just hear that he thinks compliments about her dress would win her heart?
Spike wanted to take back what he said about her not being stupid. Maybe she wouldn't be stupid in a situation that counted.
"Maybe you can fix up the castle once you become queen, the place feels ancient," Blueblood rolled his eyes and Rarity went to a stop. She laughed sheepishly and looked away, Spike ducked down so she couldn't see him. Blueblood noticed her nervousness at the statement and narrowed his eyes on her. He took a step towards her like a predator.
"You are going to be my queen, correct?" He asked, he didn't even try to cover up his sharp tone or his cutting eyes. Rarity's hooves shook in place as she nervously forced a smile and nodded. Spike had enough.
He jumped over the bushes and noticed Rarity look at him. She seemed even more terrified, but less at the same time. She smiled nervously at Blueblood, "O-Of c-c-course I would be y-your queen, w-who wouldn't want that?"
Spike only got madder at the prince who had yet to notice him. "I believe a proposal is supposed to be much more meaningful," he announced and Blueblood whirled to face him. He only seemed shocked, but once he noticed it was Spike he seemed unfazed and bored.
"Well, of course the real proposal would be more romantic," he smirked and glanced at Rarity, expecting to see her swoon for him. Her eyes stood fixed onto Spike. Blueblood seemed angry and Rarity cowered and looked away once she glanced at him. Blueblood smiled, "I would just want to know she would be Queen. Say, you wouldn't happen to have a bride yet, would you, Spike?"
Spikes blood boiled. "Why don't you find someone who deserves you," Spike picked Blueblood up by the collar of his shirt. "Yourself. Don't drag a mare worth something into your miserable life. And don't trick or force her into it either," he seethed and dropped the prince.
"Because no matter the witch you think she is," Spike growled at him. He looked at Rarity with soft eyes, "She's much better than you..." He growled and turned back to Blueblood, "So find a different bride and forget the deal, cause I wouldn't call this a win for you. Let her decide if she wants to be queen, not you."
Spike growled and started to walk off. He was happy and relieved he got to do that. But he knew he would spend the entire day rethinking everything he just said and thinking of ways its could've gone better.
What made it all for nothing was the smirk Blueblood had on his face. As if he knew Rarity would marry him, even by choice. And that terrified Spike.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                  Cruelty to Hide Emotion                  
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Cruelty to Hide Emotion
Rarity smiled at her reflection in the fountains water. She could see the many bits that had collected at the bottom of the fountain. She used her magic to pull a bit from her satchel bag, she placed it in her hoof and threw it in with a sad smile.
"You really believe that wishes come true if you throw a bit in?" Blueblood asked, he seemed rather bored of her. Rarity couldn't care, her mind was trying to fight of sleep deprivation and was trying to enjoy the outing she was currently on. She smiled weakly at her reflection, she could almost see the bags under her eyes in the reflection, though she knew it was just her mind playing tricks on her.
"Not really," she replied, her answer was much to Bluebloods surprise. When she didn't continue it only confused him more, what confused him even further was that he almost liked the silence between them. He almost liked how real it felt, because whenever they talked, he always felt fake.
"Then why do it?" He asked, sure that she would give an answer. He knew he didn't like hearing her speak, it made him regret everything he had ever done before, but at the same time, it always felt like he was speaking with a monster.
"I don't know," she replied weakly, even he could tell she didn't want to be out. Though, he decided not to think about it, he didn't want to think he could worry of a demon like her. He expected to feel normal around her, yet he always felt so scared of her. Like she was the demon sent from hell to lure him in, not the other way around. He hated it, but he also loved it.
She didn't continue, as expected. She'd stare at the water, and he'd look around, extremely bored. He noticed a pony walking up to them, though he assumed the mare would simply walk by and look at the two in disgust. He had gotten used to that.
"Rarity!" He was surprised to hear her voice say such a name. The witch turned to face the yellow mare who was smiling. Of course, the first thing Blueblood noticed was the silver ring hanging from the chain around her neck.
"Fluttershy?" Rarity asked, she seemed so alive when speaking to this 'Fluttershy'. Finally! Blueblood thought. She's alive! He rolled his eyes as they talked.
"It's been so long!" Fluttershy hugged her. Once she pulled away, her face was morphed into worry. "A-are you okay? You aren't sick or anything, are you?"
Rarity finally looked attentive, she shook her head and smiled. "Oh no, darling. If I was sick, why would I be out? You know how I love to look my best!"
Blueblood had finally had it with her lies, she wasn't at her best, and if she was sick, he wouldn't let her stay out. He turned to Fluttershy, "I'm afraid my darling is one for modesty." Both mares looked confused, he could see the disgust and worry in Fluttershy's eyes.
He only smiled. "If you could escort her home for me? I would hate for her to hurt herself in the woods when she is not well." He didn't even give the two the time to protest, he turned and walked away. He almost felt guilty, leaving her. He worried if he would lose her at his own unexplained leave. What if she thought he hated her?
Oh well, he thought. If she hated him, his plan would work just perfectly with the suck-up Trixie. As he thought about it, he realized he hadn't seen her since his first date with Rarity. Oh well, she'd return, Blueblood thought. She loves me.
He smirked maliciously at the thought. He had her at his beck and call, prince or not. She had loved him and would always love him. Oh, how a little kindness from a dog got to a mare! Even if he'd prefer Rarity, things would always work with Trixie.
He noticed the blue hoof sticking out of the purple cloak. He smirked at his heard her voice. "Speak of the damn devil," he smirked.
She was smiling, with her eyes closed as she explained her magic trick to a few fillies. Blueblood was surprised to not see a dragon there, but he dismissed it as nothing.
"Trixie," he said sweetly and glared at the little fillies. They nodded and smiled, just to run off with their forced smiles. Trixie seemed annoyed but happy to see him at the same time.
"Did you have to do that?" She asked with her snarky, high pitched voice Blueblood was lucky to have forgotten. He rolled his eyes as he heard it, forgetting its existence. "That was the Great and Powerful Trixie's audience! They looked up to me!"
"Of course they would," he said, annoyance filling his tone. "You're taller than them. But I doubt any filly wants to be a shows horse, they leave that to the dragons."
Trixie was touched, then hurt at what he said. She shook it off and looked at him, knowing he wasn't there for her. "What do you need? A type of rose to give to a witch?" She growled and turned back to her caravan.
"No, my sweet!" He smiled gingerly, only for her to blush in response. She huffed and looked away, picking up a deck of cards and some ribbon from her previous performance.
"Well, I'm sure whatever it is," she started rudely, forgetting who she was talking to. "I'm completely sure the witch could help you with it."
"Can I simply not want to see my princess?" He asked sweetly, not getting furious with her rudeness like she expected. Suddenly, she wasn't mad or jealous anymore. She knew she could never stay mad at her soul mate.
She smiled, "S-sorry. Though, I know general meet-ups are not within our abilities at the moment with the plan and all." She couldn't help but smile as she felt she had control of the situation again. "So! What did you need? I am fully confident the Great and Powerful Trixie can assist you!"
He smirked as she played her game. Of course, it was a naïve game led by a naïve filly who would learn to late how useless she really is. Still, he needed her for his plan, or he wanted her for his plan.
He smiled sweetly, "It's just... you haven't seen me since my first date with the witch." She became putty in his hooves as he referred to Rarity as 'the witch'. "I was a little worried, that's all, really."
"B-b-but... we agreed we couldn't really be... friendly while you were courting her," she was practically begging for words that said she mattered. Blueblood wanted to burst out in laughter, he wanted to rain on her parade. She was so happy! How could this mare be this stupid?
"Well, that was assuming I would still get to see you," he started, almost sweeter than before. The fool couldn't even hear the malice underneath it, she couldn't see the domination in his smirk, she couldn't see the humiliation waiting for her in his eyes.
She was too love struck to notice and every word he said didn't help. "I hope you are doing well, but sadly, I do have to leave." Her happiness deflated, Blueblood tried his hardest to fake a frown at the words, even if her face was priceless.
"B-b-before you go," Trixie started, her face was red as she stared at the ground. Her hooves drew circles in the cobblestone as she nervously set her thoughts aside.
"Of course, what is it?" He asked sweetly, only sending her to cower further and to turn redder. Blueblood couldn't get enough of her! He was so appeased by her pathetic attempts at hate! She was so in love with him that it was sickening! He didn't even feel bad about it either! He loved being simply cruel to poor, little fools like her.
Trixie growled to herself as she finally built up the courage and kissed him on the cheek. Before she could turn away, -he just had to drill it in so he could laugh about it later- he pecked her on the lips and walked off, not waiting for a response to the action.
Trixie's heart soared! How could she had ever thought he would choose Rarity over her? That witch? Sure, the witch was pretty, but he could never love her like he loved Trixie. He just made her day and her heart filled with sure thoughts. She hummed and did her work happily throughout the rest of the day, nothing could ruin it!
Fluttershy and Rarity were both stunned to see the prince walk off. He almost seemed mad, even under his charming façade. Fluttershy turned to Rarity, worry etching into her expression.
"So he really is trying to court you?" Fluttershy asked, she was so worried. Rarity couldn't care, her mind was numb and she wanted away from everything. Especially the engaged nuisance beside her. She rolled her eyes.
"Yes," Rarity smirked. "He is quiet the gentlecolt." She eyed Fluttershy's engagement ring and surrounded it in her light blue magic. "You could even say we're engaged," she dropped the ring and started walking away. She didn't even hide the sharp cut in her tone.
As she walked away, she noticed a little colt with a balloon. She smirked maliciously as she used her magic to pop it. She hummed along to the foals loud cries, only to turn into a small snicker, only to go along to laughter.
Of course! That's why she was so bored and numb! That's why her body won't let her sleep! She just needed a little torment to ease her pain. It was all so simple. She forgot her fear and confusion from her darling Blueblood, she didn't even take the time to think of his sudden leave.
As she turned a corner, she froze and her eyes widened with fear. She turned, only to see nothing. Her heart was beating out of her chest and her previous confidence deflated. Her hooves began to shake in place as she watched her surroundings.
She expected that dragon prince to pop out of the shadows and maul her to death, like in her nightmares. She expected a dragon to swoop down from the sky, she expected a dragon to come by and threaten her for all her bits.
"It seems that mare abandoned you," she heard the familiar voice rang. She turned and saw Blueblood, the pony she didn't expect to be there. Her heart shrank in fear as he took steps towards her. He only seemed confused. "Why do you look so... scared?"
Her nervousness set in as she fumbled for an answer, "I- um... I-I would just hate for you to s-see me in such a state. After you so kindly noticed m-my illness." She was lying. She was lying to the prince, if he noticed her lack in health then of course he would reveal her lies.
He wasn't fazed by her worry, as if he didn't care it was a lie. He only smiled, "Well then, maybe your 'illness'... has had some effects to your wondrous ability to deceive."
Her heart shrank and constricted as her breath caught in her throat. Of course he knew! Why was she scared? She knew exactly why, she expected him not to reveal it. And just the fact that he did made it seem as if he would kill her for knowing too much.
She looked around for a pony, even if she was a witch, she'd still get help, right? All she saw was the edges of the woods to her left and the sides of houses to her right. Nothing, not a single soul other than Blueblood. The cobblestone under her feet turned ice cold, so did the air.
The look on Bluebloods face looked even more malicious than hers. She shook her head and sealed her eyes shut, fear took control of every part of her, she couldn't even scream.
"Stop worrying," he said, not withholding a regal manner at all. She peaked open one of her eyes too see a bored expression. Was the malicious one all in her head? "I'm not going to throw you in a dungeon for your failure to lie about things. It's obvious you aren't sick, I'm just curious as to what is the matter with you."
She was so shocked, the ground felt normal, the air was fine, the sky wasn't dark like earlier. What was wrong with her? And why was her prince acting so... normal and not princely?
She swallowed, afraid to speak the truth, afraid to speak normally with her prince. "I-I..." she couldn't say anything. After that measly attempt, she stopped trying. She went back to her numb state. What was wrong with her? Her hormones must be out of whack or something, she'd swallow some crystal flowers sprinkled with amethyst petals after this encounter.
She looked up at Blueblood. If her body ever let her out of this encounter. "Is it that dragon?" Blueblood asked, he almost seemed worried. But Rarity could hear the boredom over the worry. She suddenly felt hatred and felt the ability to lie.
"Why of course!" She said rudely, she'd guess he'd assume she was simply drone angry by the thought. "Who wouldn't be scared sleepless by a dragon attacking a loved one?" She wasn't even thinking. But after she said it, she recognized her mistake.
Blueblood, of course, took interest in what she said at last. She was almost furious that the mention of her love to him brought him from his boredom which should've been worry for her. But her fear as she took another step towards her drowned it out.
"You love me?" He asked sweetly, though all Rarity heard was a wicked tone that showed he overpowered her. She swallowed her fear and smiled weakly through it.
"O-of course," she said just as sweetly. "W-w-who wouldn't love a gentlecolt that treats me like I'm an actual pony and not the witch everyone else perceives me to be?" She almost felt confident in her words, though his stare set her back to her fear.
"You make it oh so believable, my love," he said sweetly again. Rarity felt so much guilt as he spoke, he knew she was lying, as he did before.
The air and ground went cold again, the sky turned dark and her fear ate away at her. She wanted to scream and cry and hide under her bed like when she was a child.
He smirked, "But I do believe stuttering makes it all for nothing." He looked so calm and interested, he didn't even seem mad at her obvious fear that Rarity had expected.
Rarity finally felt fine enough to talk again. "Y-you're right, I don't love you." She was terrified to admit it to the prince, especially one she assumed had grown fond of her. "B-but I still want to be your queen, because... I know I will love you... one day." She wasn't thinking. She was rambling and fumbling for words to get her out of the situation.
"Good, well, I hope you get better soon. I enjoy having someone as deceiving as me around," he smirked and started to walk away. Rarity watched as the dark sky and cold followed him, leaving her.
She felt so guilty. He was nothing but kind to her and all she did was be rude and terrified. How didn't he hate her for it? Surely that dragon prince would've hated and had her burned for even thinking she was scared of him.
She felt even more guilty. How could she say that? Sure, she hated dragons, but could she really lie about them? Everything she told fillies was true, but the idea that he'd burn her was ridiculous. Besides, she had proof he wouldn't.
He didn't, every time she was terrified of him, he did nothing but smile sadly and accept it. She knew times where Blueblood did nothing but even seemed to get closer to her when she was scared! She had called Spike a monster that was going to hurt her, he did nothing to hurt her, or even scare her further.
When she even hinted to the idea that Blueblood was evil like her, he terrified her and only got scarier as the night continued. It was as if he would scare her and then play with her fear. Spike, he seemed to try and fix it. She felt awful. She looked around, she was close to the opening in the woods. She sighed as she walked towards it. Oh how she wished to have a normal life like others! She couldn't even blame some wicked and tragic backstory for her cruelty. She couldn't even blame her parents.
They ran away too, and took her little sister along with them. Rarity ran towards the entry of the woods, just so she could cry away the times of ponies leaving her, as most did. She had her shot at a nice life and blew it! So why didn't she love the life she had now?
She turned to the entry of the woods, only to see a group of fillies and a mare to stare right back at her. Of course they were on a field trip through the woods, of course they were on the day she didn't need them to be.
She growled, only for the teacher to step in front of the fillies protectively. The fillies huddled together in fear. She snickered at the sight, thought guilt pulled at her heart. "Have fun in my woods! These woods are filled with Timberwolves and deadly flowers!"
She got close to one filly with an orange coat and purple hair, she held a bright yellow flower. Rarity recognized it as a yellow crystal flower, one of the safest in the woods. She smirked, "Better not bring the wrong one home to mommy! Some flowers let off a pheromone that builds glass in the lungs."
The fillies eyes went wide as she threw the flower to the ground and crushed it violently. Rarity snickered and before the teacher could say anything, she went on her merry way home.
The Apple Tavern was low on business today, leaving the four mares times to relax. Though, once Fluttershy walked in with a beautiful green dress, they didn't really relax and were invested in conversation.
The few dragons and ponies that were there were really mellow, and the whole tavern felt much calmer than it had on previous nights. Pinkie and Applejack were happy with the break, as on previous nights, they'd almost fall from exhaustion.
Pinkie Pie rocked a poofy skirt, she looked like a normal diner waitress mixed with the Victorian Era. Though, it was just the dress she had to wear when she worked at Sugar Cube Corner. Meanwhile, Applejack just wore some rustic orange overalls, she was too bored to wear anything else. Much to her grannies dislike, have you mind.
Rainbow Dash -in a dashing suit- was currently dancing with a yellow dragon in a red dress. Twilight watched her dreamily, though she seemed really invested in her book at the same time, so the other three couldn't determine whether the look was for Rainbow, or the book.
Fluttershy smiled as her, Pinkie, and Applejack watched the tavern. Today, it seemed to function as a diner more than anything. "What'cha think is going on? I ain't seem many dragons here other than those," she pointed at the few in the room taking shots. "And our main business is dragons."
"Oh yeah!" Pinkie blurted happily. "I'm pretty sure something's happening with outlaw dragons." She chugged a whole glass of something, both Fluttershy and Applejack were amazed until she slammed down the glass and revealed a milk mustache. Fluttershy started giggling as Applejack pointed at it. Pinkie smiled and started giggling too, after she licked it away.
"What's a outlaw dragon anyways?" Applejack asked happily. She looked so relaxed, Fluttershy was happy to see one of her friends were okay.
Rainbow Dash and her lady-dragon-friend walked up to the bar happily. "Oh! A outlaw dragon is usually the big, nasty ones from stories," the yellow dragon started happily. "They didn't want to be friends with ponies, so they're outlaws. Apparently, some of the guards have been seeing them around Canterlot, and other cities are reporting in sights of them too, so Queen Embers taking initiative."
"Interestin'," Applejack said with a smile. "Why ain't you there? Sounds like a big dragon thing to me." She took a swig of her Apple Cider, well, she tried. Rainbow Dash took it first.
The dragon laughed at the sight. "Well, most dragons only went because they thought Prince Spike would have a say in it."
This confused the four -Rainbow Dash wasn't paying attention. "Why would they think he would have a say in it? He's not king yet, wouldn't it be the queens job?" Fluttershy asked. The dragon only smiled, she seemed happy enough to simply explain and answer questions.
"Prince Spike was a outlaw dragon, every dragon knows it. Queen Ember has let him have a say in matters before, any outlaw dragon is family to him," she smiled at their confused expressions. "I'd say that was a stretch, so I knew he wouldn't have a say in it."
"Spike was an outlaw?" Rainbow Dash asked, finally paying attention. "But he's a royal dragon! Alcohol doesn't get to him like other dragons." The dragon only smiled and nodded. Twilight assumed she liked telling stories to younger dragons or foals.
"He's a descendant of a type of dragon with some specific genes, that doesn't make him a royal dragon, though that's what we call that type of dragon," she smiled and her eyes sparkled. Twilight recognized that sparkle from when she had looked in the mirror when she was so invested in an idea.
Why would Rainbow have interest in a teacher? "Some dragons I'm friends with have the set of genes, making them royal dragons. He's just called that cause Queen Ember took him in, though the set of genes will be extinct in the Dragon Lands after this generation."
This only spiked more confusion in the five. The dragon laughed and continued, not even needing them to ask. "The genes only gets passed on by advantageous dragons, it won't get passed on by dragons that don't hoard and don't follow instinct. Outlaw dragons will be the last ones with the genes in a century."
She continued without their question, she was so immersed in her explanation. "The set of genes isn't uncommon, and it's usually just genes that helped dragons with the Gauntlet of Fire, back when that was still happening."
The other mares didn't even try to get another word in, they happily listened to her as she talked. "The last generation had around fifty percent of dragons with it, of course, some hoarded since they wanted to live in the Dragon Lands, but didn't want to follow Torches rule.
"The generation before last -the one where Torch and Celestia made peace- had around seventy percent. Now there's around twenty, and with Prince Spike as the upcoming king, no dragons hoarding!" She smiled proudly.
Fluttershy and the others smiled, though Pinkie already knew all that information, for the most part. Twilight spoke first, "Well, thank you for telling us. Are you a teacher?" The dragon smiled and nodded.
"I'm glad you noticed! Though most dragons don't really pay attention in schools -reason why they don't go and why we don't have them in the Dragon Lands- I still like to sit a few by a flaming rock and tell them a history story or the science behind dragons. It's fun!" She smiled.
"Whoa! That's cool!" Rainbow Dash smiled, only for the dragon to blush happily at the approval of her date. The six delve into further conversation, until Apple Bloom and Babs Seeds ran into the tavern.
"Applejack!" Apple Bloom said loudly as the two raced over to the bar. The few ponies and dragons there giggled at the youth of the two. Applejack rolled her eyes and the five giggled at this.
"What is it?" Applejack said rudely, making it clear she was annoyed. Babs and Apple Bloom smiled nervously at her before talking.
"Well, somethin' weird happened today," Apple Bloom said simply. Babs smiled and ran to the back to help Granny Smith. Apple Bloom watched her leave with hurt.
"So?" Applejack asked. Twilight noticed how motherly she really was, well, it made sense. Big Mac took to the farms outside of town, Granny Smith cooked, and Applejack ran the bar -the easiest job by far. It was obvious the mare would take care of the two fillies.
Apple Bloom smiled nervously before explaining, as if questioning if she should say it or not. She cleared her throat. "Uh, while we were on our, uh, trip through the woods! The witch showed up."
Applejack raised and eyebrow. "Of course she would, there them woods are where she holes up." She was already tired of her sisters antics and blunt stupidity. But she didn't send her on her way like she usually would've, if Apple Bloom was really worried, it was something at least somewhat serious.
"I know, I know! Cheerilee even told us to watch out for her!" Apple Bloom started. "It's just... when she came into the woods... she seemed kinda sad. Then, she scared any filly who had a flower to bring home."
Now, Applejack regretted not sending her to the kitchen with Granny Smith. "Apple Bloom! What is wrong with you? Why would a witch bein' a witch bother ya?"
Apple Bloom cowered from the attention from the six and the criticism from her big sister in front of the five. She went red. She was surprised when somepony stepped in to defend her, "I think it is worrying, I mean... if Rarity's upset... maybe we should go make sure she's okay."
Apple Bloom smiled up at the older mare, this mare was almost as pretty as Diamond Tiara. "Ya mean it?" Apple Bloom asked happily, suddenly feeling very proud of herself.
Fluttershy nodded. "She did seem off earlier. Oh, I hope she's okay." She seemed so worried, her friends new Fluttershy was friends with Rarity, but they didn't expect her to worry over the witch.
"Yer really worried? Over the town tormentin' witch?" Applejack asked. Even Rainbow Dash dismissed it by taking another dance with the dragon. Pinkie Pie seemed interested in the answer, though she seemed interested in anything.
Fluttershy nodded, Apple Bloom puffed out her chest, as if saying she was right all along. "Well, I'll be helpin' Granny and Babs." She walked towards the back, only to dash up the stairs before Granny Smith saw her. Once Granny Smith had her back turned, Babs dashed up the stairs behind her.
Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie giggled. "I like Rarity, she's nice!" Fluttershy smiled. "I just felt like she needed somepony to talk to, it must've gotten lonely all on her own."
"Yeah... but shouldn't she have pushed you away?" Twilight put down her book to join the conversation. "It is Rarity, I'd assume she'd keep up a wall to keep any pony from getting to her and hurting her."
The three stared at her, she laughed nervously and blushed. "I- uh, read... a lot!" Twilight obviously lied, but the three decided not to uncover the tragic past of the lonely scientist just yet. It even looked as if she used her magic to pull her normal red cloak over her further.
"I mean... she tried, but I always kept coming back and offering her cookies or some help! One day, she seemed so out of it, so she finally let me in and we became friends," Fluttershy stated with a smile. Her hooves kicked happily in her green dress as she hummed along to the song on the juke box.
The three were surprised to see her sing! She more or so mutter-singed the lyrics blissfully with her eyes shut. It was as if she forgot she was explaining something. One of her hind legs tapped against the bar to go along to the beat. They decided to not bother her with it, afraid the timid girl would stop singing.
"I think we should try and be friends with Rarity," Twilight finally fessed. Applejack and Pinkie Pie stared at her, appalled. Twilight didn't expect Pinkie Pie to dislike Rarity, then Twilight remembered the many times Rarity preached things against dragons, some of Pinkie Pie's best friends.
"Nu-uh, nope!" Applejack said and got a bottle of Apple Cider from the shelves behind her. "All that mares done is cause trouble. I ain't gonna give her a reason to come up in here and start a fight with Rainbow."
"C'mon Cous!" Pinkie Pie said happily, grabbing a cup cake from her dress and eating it in one bite. As she ate, awaiting to give her big reason, she got crumbs that flew onto Applejack face. She smiled as she swallowed the last part.
"I looooooove frosting," Pinkie Pie said dreamily, only earning a hateful stare from Applejack. She laughed nervously. "Anyways! You know I should dislike her as much as the next pony, but what if we can help her? Ya know, change her for the better good? We have magic after all."
This confused the two. "Magic?" Twilight asked. "I'm the only unicorn we have, sure flying is technically a form of magic since there really is no clear reason or logic behind such small wings holding up such a large amount of mass, but is that really...?" She started rambling, Applejack and Pinkie started talking to each other, ignoring her and allowing her her ramble.
"The magic of friendship! Duuuuuh!" Pinkie Pie told her cousin happily. "We have friendship! No one can turn that away once they have it! It's impossible to give up friends! Besides, love is what would win her over, but friendship is the next best thing!"
The two noticed Twilight had gotten out a piece of paper and started drawing the many theories of flight as she talked. "You think we should worry about our own friends first?" Applejack asked.
Pinkie Pie chuckled. "Let the mare she wants to help her help her, like I said, 'Love is what would win her over'." The two laughed happily. Rainbow continued to dance, Twilight continued to discuss theories, and Fluttershy hummed and sang softly along to another song.
Trixie watched from the window, seeing the five converse happily. She could almost imagine her and Blueblood there, wasting the night away with their useless conversation. But it wouldn't be useless! She'd have him and he'd have her, they'd want nothing else.
"If only that Rarity wasn't in my way, I want to believe he loves me..." Trixie started and turned away, letting the oncoming rain mix in with tears. Her hat drooped from the rain as she hung her head and sighed. "But I just can't when he's not around."

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                     The Preparations                      
//-------------------------------------------------------//
The Preparations
In the old rickety tavern, laid three ponies drinking at the bar. Twilight had water while Applejack and Rainbow Dash had beers. They clinked their drinks and took a drink, Twilight lasting longer than both.
"So what's with this Rarity? What's she got with either of ya?" Applejack asked and slammed her glass down on the counter. The three waited in silence, wincing and waiting for the counter to snap. It didn't.
They had fixed the bar at least, it had nails jutting out and boards misaligned on it, but it held up. There was still a hole in the floor and the shelves behind Applejack were still snapped, and there were still some glass shards on the floor.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and groaned. "She acts like she's better than everypony else. Well, I tried to score a date with her and she rejected me! Then it became a little gag between us and she said nothing else, then today we started talking and that's when I saw how snappy she really is." She crossed her hooves and leaned back in the chair. She almost fell back when Twilight's magic caught her and set her chair straight.
"Well stop talking to her, I doubt I can kick her out -more or so that she won't listen- so don't mess up my tavern again. Otherwise I will make ya pay," Applejack said rudely and took another drink. As she did, the doors to the tavern opened. Without opening her eyes, "We're closed for the night, and tomorrow."
She opened her eyes to a pink mare with a bright smile. She laughed and bounced behind the counter with Applejack, she nuzzled up to Applejack who just looked disgusted. She pushed the mare off of her, "Sorry, I didn't know it was ya."
Pinkie Pie smiled widely. "Well duuuuuh!" She looked at Rainbow Dash and Twilight with a smile. She ruffled Applejack's mane, throwing her hat off in the process. "You didn't have your eyes open, silly!"
Applejack picked her hat back up, "Yeah."
Rainbow Dash leaned on the bar which struggled under her. "So dragon pony, what brings ya to AJ's old tavern? Always thought Twilight and I were her only friends."
Pinkie Pie giggled. "We're cousins! So I help out as an official apple!" She puffed out her chest and saluted, only to burst into laughter. She paused and looked at the awfully built counter. "What happened here?" She pointed at it.
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Rainbow got in a fight with that witch, they broke the bar, shelf" -she pointed at the shelves behind her- "and the floor boards," -she pointed at the caved in floors with broken boards sticking straight up- "though it ain't the only thing that needs fixin' round here."
Just as she said that, a piece of wood fell from the ceiling with a couple of stuff animals. Apple Bloom and Babs Seeds smiled innocently, but guiltily when they stuck their heads in the whole to see Applejacks depressed look.
"You two get away from there! Your dear big old sister and brother'll fix it," an elderly pony cooed. Applejack threw her head in her hooves in despair.
"We ain't never gonna be ready for the celebration! We'll be too busy fixin' up to even bake!" Applejack exclaimed and turned to Pinkie Pie. "Please? I'll pay, just please help us." She begged. Even Rainbow was aghast.
Pinkie Pie put her hoof up and shut her eyes. She opened her eyes and spoke, "Applejack. You are family, undefined and unsure and un-validated family, but family. Of course, I would help! With no pay!" The mare bounced to the back part of the tavern and returned with nails, a hammer, and a board of wood.
The three ponies moved to a table in the center of the tavern underneath a rickety fan that buzzed. Applejack groaned once she looked up at it. "I hope we make it in time for the festival. I don't think we can open the tavern until we get everything sorted, and that ain't gonna be for at least three more days."
Twilight smiled gingerly. "Look, AJ, we'll do anything we can to help you. Of course as long as it doesn't require actually building, as you see how that turned out." Everypony took a look at a working Pinkie Pie. They turned back to each other. "But we could get your supplies and help you cook for the festival."
"No can do!" Pinkie bounced as she pried the last board off of the broken end. The top for it fell with the pile of boards. Applejacks stomach churned.
"Why not?" Rainbow asked, flying out of her seat. She yelped sat back down to rub her wing, she winced once she tried to touch it and gave up. "I mean, Twilight has baking books I could read to learn, and I'd have her to correct everything I do."
"I think I'd be faster if I just baked," Twilight murmured.
Applejack shook her head, "Only apples cook for apples. Since we don't know if Pinkie's a real real apple, we just let her cook half of the stuff, and she loves baking!" She took a look down at her drink and took a drink from it, slamming it down on the table once she was done.
Magic encased each of their beers and threw them outside. Both shot Twilight a look. She rolled her eyes, "Look, we have three days to fix up this tavern and bake all your treats to sell. Do we really need to be drinking?" Applejack and Rainbow looked down, ashamed.
"Alright, so what do you supposed we do, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash scoffed and rested her foreleg on the table, crossing her legs and smirking as if she was queen of the world. Twilight sighed and then smiled.
Her magic dug through her satchel bag in the corner of the room that already began collecting dust, and found a scroll and pen. She smiled happily at the two. "Make a list!" She exclaimed.
The two groaned.
In the Canterlot castle, there are an abundance of rooms. In one, laid the Prince of Ponies and a female who seemed typically annoyed.
The room was blue, along with the crystal blue bedframe with a cobalt blue canopy. The floor was blue-white checkered and the bed covers looked like deep blue velvet. The furniture was a light blue, the princes white coat and blonde hair didn't stand out as he laid on his back on his bed.
The girl by the door was listening to him talk, even if she wasn't really listening. She had a light blue coat with almost white hair. She used her magic to make her hat a puppet, mimicking when the prince spoke.
"Oh please, like you're worth anything," he said and the girl put her hat back on. "Still, we need a plan. No matter how much I hate to admit it, that little weakling was right. There's not a mare in this town that doesn't despise me, or will let me get close to her."
The girl cleared her throat loudly and he started chuckling. "Like you count, you're my princess," he flashed her a smile and she just rolled her eyes and walked towards his bed.
"Why does it matter that I'm not the one you marry?" She asked rudely. "You keep telling me I'm your princess, and yet you plan to marry another!"
He lifted her head with his hoof and smiled smugly at her. She bit the inside of her cheek, she wanted to leave. "C'mon, you're going to help me. Then, we'll throw my 'princess' in the dungeon, and you and I will rule Equestria! Sounds like a lovely plan to me," he smirked and she backed away.
"Then why can't I be the one you marry? Seems like a better entrance," she crossed her hooves. "Think about it! The prince chooses a princess just as powerful as him!" She jumped to her hooves, wonder filled her eyes. "At the very end of the coronation we'll reveal that dragons are to be outlawed! And that ponies can't use magic other than royalty..." she rambled, but the prince stopped listening.
"Think about it, Trixie," Blueblood said sharply, cutting her off. "We'll find them a queen, one they can trust," he jumped off the bed and walked over to her. He could tell she was cowering from him, which only made him get closer to her. He started circling her like a shark. "And then they'll lose hope in everything once something they trusted so much has no power," he whispered in her ear with a smirk.
"So.... wouldn't it be the same if I was queen? I mean, they trust somepony, then they realize she's a villain." She said bluntly, as if it was so obvious she was smart. Blueblood wanted to growl and get rid of her, but sadly, she was needed for his plan.
"Seeing that a mare they adore can do nothing only makes them feel more hopeless," he rolled his eyes and jumped back on his bed. Trixie cowered in her stupidity. She hated feeling stupid, but she was excited for the festival, and the fact she would get to rule Equestria.
No one would call her stupid and worthless, and during the festival she'd be the best showpony. She'd steal watchers from dragons! She loved the festival, every year she went and excelled. It was the one day of the whole year she felt as if she mattered, until Blueblood came along.
He didn't treat her like every other girl, he actually respected her and came back to her. She felt so important and special, she never wanted it to end. That was, until this plan came up and he would have to go to another girl, and treat her like she mattered. He said he couldn't even see Trixie anymore.
"T-that's smart," Trixie mumbled, it really was to her. She knew Blueblood wasn't an idiot like her. Besides, the nicer she was, the nicer he was.
"Of course it is! And you're going to help me pick a girl," he smiled at the praise, he was too lost in himself to see Trixie's appall.
She was mortified. Her prince would have her pick his new princess? It was as if she was just handing him over to some worthless mare in town. Like giving up one of the reasons that made her believe she mattered. She couldn't believe he could ask that of her.
"W-w-what?!" Trixie yelled, taking him out of his trance. He simply stared darkly at her, she bit her tongue. "I-I mean... w-w-why me? L-like I have any track of which girls y-you've, uh, b-been with," she stared at the ground, just waiting for him to make fun of her.
"It seems you're right," he admitted, though it wasn't something difficult for him to do. Trixie stared in shock and the praise went straight to her head. She smirked defiantly. "Though, I still think you should help. I am doing most of the work."
Trixie rolled her eyes. "Well, duh! I know what a girl likes, no matter what you say, you have to admit you think bronze is all that wins a girl," Trixie stood to her hooves and her smirk never left her. "I know what makes a girl weak! Especially out of the things you do," she could see his interest on his face and her smirk only got bigger.
"Great, you found something useful for you to do," Blueblood dismissed it as nothing and she stared in disbelief and horror. Not that he noticed. "All that's left is to pick a girl," he sat in thought.
Trixie scrounged for something to make her useful. "You've never been with that Rainbow Dash or Applejack. I know Rainbow likes being the one in control, but certainly she would fall for a night with a prince in shining armor." She tried. "You two do have something in common."
Blueblood rolled his eyes, making her shut her mouth and telling her to stop trying. "And I know their both brutes, like they would fall for flowers and compliments... besides.... I don't want some cowpony, their disgusting."
Trixie wanted to object, but she kept her mouth shut and just listened as he thought aloud.
"There's that inventor, though she has that Rainbow and Applejack to keep her away from me," Blueblood thought. "That dragon pony seems to be the only option, though I couldn't possibly marry a pony who likes dragons, even if its a lie. I would have to spend time with her and those beasts." He groaned as he leaned back against the headboard.
"T-t-there is Fluttershy and Rarity," Trixie bit her tongue and looked away the second he looked at her. His stare made her feel irrelevant, yet she loved him and how powerful he was. His stare could paralyze the Great and Powerful Trixie, of course he was powerful all on his own without the money and royalty.
Blueblood sat in thought. There was a spell preventing anything happening to Fluttershy, so that was out of the options. Rarity hated ponies and dragons, she was obviously as poise as a princess, so of course she would fall for a prince who liked her. And she was a witch full of magic capabilities... A smirk spread across his face.
"Rarity, that's my princess," he muttered and Trixie turned away, fear grabbed at her heart and she needed to get away.
"Um, I'll go... I can help tomorrow or the day after... you certainly don't need to know how to make a girl like you now," she mumbled and left. Blueblood didn't care, he was still lost in thought about his new princess. Once she left, he noticed the door swing, but went back to his thoughts.
The second she left she cried and ran down the halls to the front of the castle. She wanted away from the suffocating air and environment that was the ponies castle. The second she burst through the front doors, the guards eyes shot to her. They looked... worried?
She didn't notice, she ran as far as her legs would take her and turned down an alleyway where she was sure she was alone. Worried faces and expressions watched her, though no action was made. She sat in the alleyway, panting as she covered herself in her cloak and used her magic to push her hat farther down on her head.
She cried.
"You're what?" Garble growled and Spike rolled his eyes.
They were sitting in the only colorful room in the whole castle: The Ballroom. It had the black and white checkered floors, but the pillars sparkled white, the candles in the chandelier were lit normally and not with dragons breath. There were decorations for the festival, bright oranges and pinks.
There was the charm of Equestria, the symbol for the Summers Sun Celebration, plastered on banners and posters that covered the walls. The chandelier was pink crystal, the walls were closer to a light blue than a grey.
The whole room made both dragons sitting in it gag, but it also made the queen sick, so it was the only place they could talk without her worrying about her 'son'.
"You're making a bet with a prince and leaving us here to celebrate without you?" Garble asked. Spike had just told him of his and Bluebloods deal for the festival. The encounter with Rarity made a lot more sense to Garble. Spike already had his eyes on a mare, yet it was one who earned her hatred from hating his kind. Garble concluded that Spike was just love stupid and would ignore his deal sooner or later.
"Yeah, basically," Spike said bluntly and Garble growled. "Look, there was no way I could decline whenever that jerk offers anything that includes competition."
"Yes you could've!" Garble snapped. "That little pony prince scum-bag doesn't deserve even an ounce of your time, much less a whole festival!"
"You don't know him like I do," Spike said, trying to keep a level head. "If I don't beat him at something he wouldn't let me live it down. And I have to reign over Equestria with this guy."
Garble finally shut up and started listening. Though he didn't want to, him crossing his arms told Spike he would be quiet and hear him out. Spike smiled.
"I didn't want to, but I'd rather not have him use a girl as something over me." Spike sighed. "I wish Celestia just picked Cadenza, whatever her name is, and not him. At least then I could rule with something that has respect for his subjects." Spike glowered at the thought. Blueblood disgusted him, and the thought of having to rule next to him made Spike hate him even more.
Garble sighed. "Well then, I guess you have to at least win a girl by the festival." Spike jumped up cheerily and smiled at his friend who was still sulking. Then, Garble straightened up and crossed his arms, "Don't think whatever your thinking, it'll be nice to have you out of the castle for once."
Spike rolled his eyes and smiled. "Thanks Garble. You do know you have to come with me, right?" Garble's confidence snapped and he just stared at Spike.
"What? I have to go with you to that namby-pamby pony show?" Garble asked. He looked so defeated as he slouched over and his arms hung from him with no force moving them. Even his wings drooped with defeat.
Spike's power went to his head, as it usually did whenever he could tell Garble didn't want to do something. He walked past Garble, "Ember is super protective, so of course she would want my guard to accompany me." He looked back and saw Garble defeated. He rolled his eyes.
"I don't expect you to be there, just run off and do whatever," Spike smiled and turned back to the ballroom door. Before he could open it, they swung open to Queen Ember. Spike stared nervously at her as she held open the doors. She crossed her arms.
"If you're finally going to the festival," she said and pointed at Garble. "Take pony-hater with you. Surely no one would attack, but there are rumors the outlaw dragons are going to show." Her eyes narrowed at the guard, "So don't go run off."
She turned and slammed the doors behind her, shutting them with her tail. Spike looked at Garble and laughed nervously. "Guess you're gonna be there after all," he said and rubbed the back of his neck. "But if outlaw dragons do show up, then we get to see them." He tried to cheer Garble up, but his friend looked so confused.
"How'd she know that?" Garble asked and pointed at the door.
Garble soon left to do something else with his 'rebellious' life, leaving Spike alone to his thoughts he wanted to burn alive.
He sat in the middle of the ballroom, his tail swaying in boredom behind him. He groaned and threw a comic book about a foot away from him. He had tried to read it to get his mind off things, but one of the characters reminded him too much of the thing he was trying not to think about.
The festival he didn't want to go to was in only two days and a morning. And he had no idea what to do, he knew there was the sun raising, speech, dragon performance, and then a day of performances a cheers. That was it.
He had no idea if Ember was going to force him to be apart of the crowd he didn't really want to see. Sure, he was determined to be king, and to be a great one too, but he wanted to live as a normal dragon before he had to rule. And currently, he was expecting to at least appear on stage next to Ember, making him a soon-to-be leader, reminding the dragons that they had hope.
Hope wasn't something he could give them, not when most dragons stayed in the dragon lands and rumored that Spike would lead them to a world without ponies. Spike couldn't lead a war, much less fight one.
The festival would remind him he's to be king in a few months, meaning he had to start learning how to be one. He started listening to Ember ramble about being a ruler, he started caring more, he left his friends constantly just to get a chance to better understand what it was like to rule over dragons.
He had only a few months, and he already had a high reputation among dragons. If he took on this bet with Blueblood and lost, then Blueblood would brag and bring every dragon to shame because their prince couldn't win a stupid girl. Yet, if he picked anything but a dragon, he'd be hated and criticized. When all dragonesses wanted was to party and have fun, none wanted to be a queen.
The first thing on his mind was his encounter with Rarity the night before. He really wanted to believe he could win her over with something special and magical. After talking to Garble, he realized she would just use him to take Equestria and rule it for her own as a dictator.
He didn't want that for anybody, especially not the dragons who even now still lived in hatred, no matter what history books said. Celestia and Dragon Lord Torch became friends, that didn't mean others had to follow. Most dragons only stayed because they were at least protected and cared for, most ponies simply avoided the creatures.
But that encounter with Rarity made her seem so sensitive and princess-like. She made herself look like a damsel in distress, fear consuming her forced smile that faded into a real smile before she left. Spike couldn't fathom that anyone could have that sort of acting, but he knew she was the witch and was determined to find another girl at the festival.
He needed to, a queen would tell them they didn't need to hate ponies, for they were stronger than hatred. But every time he imagined a queen giving a speech, he imagined the punk Rarity fitting in, like a dragon in a ponies coat.
Then, the image would fade into her cackling and setting the dragon lands aflame, leaving dragons suffering and fighting to leave, only to die right as they got to the gates to Equestria-
He shook his head and stood up, assuring himself that the pony-like room was to blame. He gritted his teeth in determination as he pushed open the doors and finally felt like a prince.
He stared at the empty foyer, not a piece of life in sight. He would pick a different girl than the witch, he would ensure his subjects a queen who they could trust. Even if he had to fall in love with a dragoness, he would pick someone they could trust.
He stared at the empty room, spine straight and his arms behind his back. His queen didn't matter about how he felt, the choice mattered and would be made for the greater good of the kingdom.
Not whatever he wanted.
He'd be ready for the festival, he'd be ready to celebrate and give his kingdom a life. He'd finally be a prince and the festival wouldn't be for a queen like Blueblood intended. The festival would be for the dragons that lost faith in everything and depended on the rock underneath them. He'd see his subjects strive with power and happiness, something he wanted to see.
They didn't follow Twilight's list. Well, if you count doing the list backwards as doing the list, then they did the list. They were supposed to fix the hole in the floor first since it was were the most ponies working would walk across. And the hole in the ceiling was meant to be third to last because Apple Bloom and Babs could survive without a part of the floor they never really used.
They fixed the ceiling first because the two fillies wouldn't stop whining. Then they were supposed to fix the shelves, they ordered the extra alcohol first and had to put it on the floor while they built the shelf. Then, they were supposed to check if everything was reinforced before sweeping, dusting, and polishing. They polished twice, swept horribly, and dusted the dust into the floor and didn't sweep it up. Then they checked in anything needed reinforcements and had to do it all over again, this time correctly.
Applejack and Rainbow constantly argued about who could hold the hammer, who was stronger, who could win Twilight's heart, who could polish faster-
Twilight always had to step in, and despite her best efforts, she couldn't get them to do the list in order. Surprisingly, they got done with a morning to spare to bake, and since Granny Smith and the fillies were working, most of the baking was done.
While Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash cuddled up to each other -they got along spectacularly during their time together, though Pinkie made it clear she was taken- Applejack cooked away in the kitchen, being her stubborn self. Twilight couldn't take it anymore and got up to go check on her.
She walked into the kitchen and found it was a complete mess. Dough and ingredients covered the rustic brown walls and hardwood floors. The table meant for three was moved to the corner and housed a white-green checkered cloth.
The stove and alternative refrigerator was just as rickety as the rest of the tavern. The pots and pans were covered in powered ingredients and ingredient covered hoof prints. Applejack was nodding off as she waited for a pie to bake. Twilight looked out the window and saw the celebration would start in a few hours. She took a few steps towards Applejack who woke up at the sound of the creaking floorboards.
"Hey-" Applejack yawned "-shouldn't you be asleep?"
"I could say the same for you. C'mon Applejack, I slept all day and you have to run a stand later. At least get a three hours sleep, I'll get Big Mac to help m-" Twilight said and was cut off by Applejack.
"I said no, don't you know what traditions are? We follow 'em cause their sacred to our families," Applejack said, sleep sealing her eyes shut as she leaned against the stove.
"No, I don't know what traditions are," Twilight said quietly as he levitated a squirming Applejack to her sleeping bag. Applejack shot up but once Twilight covered her up in the blanket she passed out. "But I know they aren't worth you health."
She sat their and finished up the baking and cooking with a happy tune in her head. At five, Granny Smith and Big Mac helped her set up the stall outside where some ponies were doing the same. Like the Cakes and Ditzy.
At five thirty, they got the sleeping ones awake and walked outside for the celebration, even if Rainbow Dash and Applejack leaned on each other and got a few extra minutes of sleep.
Twilight and Pinkie shook them awake once they saw the princess step hoof on the stage.
"This is it." Twilight breathed.
Author's Note
Tell me what you think! Hope you enjoy!