Author's Note
Descriptions are based on the work done by RacoonKun support him/her on Patreon
Drakaina is the correct word for female dragon.
The Stakes
A green haired young man on the 19-year-old side of 18 years old dressed in a pair of purple jeans, looked at looked at himself in the mirror and smiled showing his more fang like front teeth. His tone muscles hid the true strength his body process. He gave his leathery wing a flap and a strech. "Looking good, Spike." he said to the mirror. Before he turned his gaze to wrapped box on his dress. He sighed, "I hope she likes this." he said as he picked it up the box before he put on a light green shirt and purple jacket the same shade as his pants. He then exited his room.
After a couple of seconds he arrived at the strairs to main lobby of the Castle of Friendship. The whole place was full of Hearth Warming decations, with wreaths, a large evergreen treen adorned with a wide array of orienimates, lights, garlands, candles and bells. On the top of tree was purple flame shaped like a heart. Under the lowest branchs of the tree were a multitude of wrapped boxes, all of them gifts. Spike smirked as he jumped onto the stair case railling and slide down it. He landed on his feet with a thud. "SPIKE!" came a familiar voice as a woman about a decade or so older then him came into the lobby. She had dark puple hair with a lighter purple and a pink streak in. She had feathery wings and spiraling unicorn-like horn from her forehead. She was dressed in a light purple shirt a long skirt a different shade to Spike's cloths.
"Good Morning, Twilight." Spike said as he rolled his eyes.
Twilight groaned, "We talked about you sliding down the railing." she started to scold him. "You're not a light as appear. It could break under you and you can fall and break a bone or two or three." Before Spike responded there was a knock on the front door. "We'll talk later." she said sturnly as if she was still repremanding a child. Spike only rolled his eyes as he flew over to open the door.
"WE'RE HERE!!!" shouted two men, two woman and two girls all together, all of them with horns like Twilight. One of the men was over three decades older than Twilight had amber eyes and dark blue hair, he was dressed in a gray azure shirt and pants under a matching winter jacket. The other man was somewhere between five to ten years older than Twilight had blue eyes and with blue hair with two streaks one a different shade of blue another a blue-green mix, not-like Twilight. He was dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans, with a purple jacket and scarff one between six and eight and the other between three and five. Older of the two women was about the same again of the older man and had blue eye with purple and white striped hair and dressed in a light gray blouse and dress under a black jacket. The younger woman was about as old as the younger of the two men. She had purple eyes with violet hair with rose and gold streaks and was dressed in a light pink dress and blouse and like Twilight, she too had wings and was noticed with a slightly swollenbelly indicating a child was in the earliest stages of his or her life. Much like the younger of the two women, the two girls had wings. The older girl had opal eyes with hair that was colored in a gradient of pink to purple with blie steaks and had a light pinkish gray dress. The younger girl had blue eyes with gold and purple hair and was dressed in a dark pink dress.
"Dad, Shining, Mom, Cadance, Flurry Heart, Skyla..." Twilight said as she idenified each of her guest as she joined Spike to usher them in. "You're early!"
"We caught an earlier train to Canterlot." Shining said as he picked up the two girls.
"We really wanted to be with THE BEST AUNT EVER!!" the two girls shouted together before they tackled their aunt.
"Girls," Cadance said as she and Shining took their daughters off of Twilight. "We talked about tackling Auntie Twilight." "Aww" the two girls pouted.
"So when do we meet Spike's girl friend?" Twilight's mother asked.
The man identified as Twilight's father pulled Twilght's mother to the side, "Now Velvet, dear, it's too soon for Spike to bring a girl to a family event."
"But Nightie," Velvet faked whinned, "Shining can't be the only one to give us grandchildern, Cadance is already bearing his thrid," she then turned to Twilight, "and Twilight might as well have a barren womb, heck she hasn't even adopted a kid."
"MOTHER!!!" Twilight shouted as she burried her face to hide her embrassement.
As everyone was laughing at Twilight's current state Spike sneaked out of the castle and flew towards to Twilight's school. As he flew through the halls he passed various humans, some had horns like Twilight's family, some had wings like Twilight and Cadance without the horns and some had niether. All of them heading out of the school, most likely home for Hearths Warming. After about fifteen minutes he arrived at the door he was looking for. On it was the name plaque that read 'Ocellus and Smolder'. Spike landed and knocked on the door. "Coming." came a female voice from other side. The door then opened to reveal a young woman with leathery wings and tail, not unlike Spike, however her scales were orange, she had purple hair and horns. She wore dark orange pants that matached her scales and a jacket that matched the pants with a light gold undershirt. "Hey bou." the woman said with a smirk before she kissed Spike on his lips.
Spike shock his head after they broke the kiss, "That's not the word." he muttered, "But A for effort, Smolder." he concluded.
"Gah." Smolder groaned as she turned and walked back into the room, "One more school refrence..." she started only for her to be hugged from behind and had her face turned to her left and kissed over her shoulder. After a second, they broke the kiss. Smolder smirked, "Feeling bold?" she asked rhetorically as she slided out of the hug and turned to face Spike as she leaned against her red. Spike only smirked in response. "You sure this is a good idea?" she asked. "To your adoptive family and everyone else here, heck even for Ocellus, Yona and Silverstream, bringing a... what do you call them?" she asked as looked at Spike somewhat confussed.
Spike smiled, "Special somebody." he answered as he stepped forward and took Smolder's left hand in his right hand. "Yay, it is considered a big deal, but if helps my adoptive mother pretty much ships us already and my sister-in-law, if you call her Shipance, she'll let it slide." The two then shared a chuckle. "Besides we also want to try out the Dragons' Fest of Fire." Spike pointed out.
Smolder sighed, "Alright let's get this over with." she said as she lept to be in the air to fly. She was then joined by Spike. "Don't forget I am doing this for you." she said as she had her finger tapped on Spike's chest to make a point clear, "But if Headmistress Sparkle gives me a book, I'm razing her castle to the ground, no surviviors." She then leaned in so that Spike could only see her eyes, "not even you," she growled.
Spike gulped at first, "Understood." he replied.
Smolder smiled and kissed Spike, "Glad we got that cover. Now let's go." After they flew out, Smolder locked the door behind them and flew towards the castle.
After their flight they arrived at the front steps. As the two started to climb the steps, Spike stopped her and him a couple steps from the door. "Look up." he said as he pointed to just above the door. "Mistletoe."
Smolder sighed, "Do we have to kiss in door way?" she asked with a clear groan.
Spike shook his head, "I'll just fly back to your room with a suitcase of your things, just give me you're key and wait until I get back before you knock on the door. Smolder gave Spike her room key and the male dragon flew back to her room. After a few minutes Spike arrived back with a suit case. He nodded to Smolder for her to knock. Smolder then walked up and knocked on the door.
Cadance was the one to open the door and spotted Spike not even the base of the stair, "Oh..." the princess pouted. She then smiled and allowed Smolder in. "Welcome Smolder," she said as the two walked in. "Spike has told us all about you." As she finished, she looked over her shoulder as Spike climbed the stairs.
After about hour or so later as everyone was in the dining hall and were preparing to eat, "I hope I got the Feast of Fire dishes right, Ember's letters were pretty vague on the details." Twilight said as she was leviatating the servings platters with various dishes, some where more inline to what humans ate, others were made with various gems and some stones. Twilight's comment was more concerning the dishes made with gems and stones.
Smolder took a spoon full of one dish and a fork full of another and muched on them. She then swolled what she took, "Not bad, next time use dragon fire to cook them." the drakaina said as she served herself from the rest of platters and then had them pass on to Spike who was across the table from her as she accepted some of the other platters.
"Okay so the food's the perfect, but I hope you don't mind the attempt at a Feast of Fire." Spike asked as he accepted was given to him as he severed himself.
Smolder smiled, "It's a good first try, but the key thing is actual the contest of story telling." she informed. "But since the only pile is the presents intended for everyone, a we'll do a wager among dragons."
As everyone was eating, Shining spoke up, "Not to come off a predjuice..."
"Only a human would care about their word giving offense to a dragon. And if you take offense to that, that say more about you then me." Smolder said before chomped down on her piece of the Hearth Warming Roast. "Good cow, Sweet Apple Aches?" she asked with the meat still in her mouth.
Twilight was somewhat shocked but everyone else shrugged it off. Shining then continued, "Don't you think it's kind of speciesist to only keep the contest between dragons?" he asked.
Cadance over looked at Smolder and noted a slit twinkle in her eye, a spark of something, then spoke up, "While it would be nice if we all took part in the story contest. How about we all act as the judges for the contest between Spike and Smolder." Shining, Velvet and Night Light looked at Cadance and she nodded to them.
The three then said together, "Agreed."
"Alright Smolder, what is the wager?" Twilight asked as she saw that the other adults seemed to be in agreement about something which she didn't get or had the time to get.
Smolder leaned back as she took a swig of her drink, "Professor Rarity always talks that one of the greatest shows of generocity in her life was when..." the drakaina started.
"Deal." Spike declared in confidence. "So what if I win?" Spike asked.
Smolder corrected her seat and leaned forward to look squarely at Spike, "If you win, I'll give a Hearth Warming Eve you'll always remeber." She then winked with her left eye and ended with a smirk.
Spike smirked back, "You're on."
"I say Auntie Smolder should go first." Flurry declared.
"Me Too." Skyla cheered. Spike, Velvet, Night Light, Shining, Cadance and Twilight all nodded in silence.
Smolder smirked and cleared her throat, "Once upon a time..."
Spike took the candle to light another as he walked along the table, "This story was told to be from Flash Sentry, who said he was told this from his drill instructor who heard it while stationed in Stonlingrad Penitentiary from the warden back when he was a simple guard." Spike said as he slowly re-lite the room.
"What's with the lighting?" Cadance asked.
Spike shook his head as he stepped between her and Shining, "One does not simply say words to tell a story." he said with a slight devilish chuckle. Spike went to between Flurry and Skyla on the opposite side of the table. He "The warden was making his rounds when stopped at the cell of one inmate, a man not much older than him. He decided to ask the inmate about why he was there. And the man thusly..."
TRUE! --nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses --not destroyed --not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily --how calmly I can tell you the whole story. Spike started as he started to walk to behind Twilight, "The man started as if he knew his sanity was questioned.
It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold, I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture --a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees --very gradually --I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever. Spike continued. "And thus spooked the warden, 'Planning to commit murder, because someone has a bad eye. What madness did this man have.' the warden pondered." Spike said as he hovered over to between Velvet and Night Light.
As Spike landed, "But the inmate sensed this questioning in the warden's mind and the inmate spoke,"
Now, this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded --with what caution --with what foresight --with what dissimulation I went to work! I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him. And every night, about midnight, I turned the latch of his door and opened it --oh so gently! And then, when I had made an opening sufficient for my head, I put in a dark lantern, all closed, closed, that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my head. Oh, you would have laughed to see how cunningly I thrust it in! I moved it slowly --very, very slowly so that I might not disturb the old man's sleep. It took me an hour to place my whole head within the opening so far that I could see him as he lay upon his bed. Ha! would a madman have been so wise as this, And then, when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern cautiously-oh, so cautiously --cautiously (for the hinges creaked) --I undid it just so much that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye. And this I did for seven long nights --every night just at midnight --but I found the eye always closed, and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye. And every morning, when the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber, and spoke courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone, and inquiring how he has passed the night. So you see he would have been a very profound old man, indeed, to suspect that every night, just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept. As Spike relaid the tail he flew to be above the table and ignited the candles on the chandelier and dosed them as he relayed of the part of the story when the man told of when he opened the latch of his lantern. Spike then landed be at his seat
"The man paused for a second as the warden was catching his bearings, so much was told to the then green wet-ear guard," Spike continued as he took a bit out of his meal and a drink. "'Why did the man do in short nothing for seven-nights?' the warden was thinking, which the inmate picked up upon and before the future warden could ask, the man continued his tale."
Upon the eighth night, I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch's minute hand moves more quickly than did mine. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers --of my sagacity. I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph. To think that there I was, opening the door, little by little, and he not even to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts. I fairly chuckled at the idea, and perhaps he heard me; for he moved on the bed suddenly, as if startled. Now you may think that I drew back --but no. His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness, (for the shutters were close fastened, through fear of robbers,) and so I knew that he could not see the opening of the door, and I kept pushing it on steadily, steadily. I had my head in and was about to open the lantern when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening, and the old man sprang up in bed, crying out --"Who's there?" I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle, and in the meantime, I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed listening; --just as I have done, night after night, hearkening to the death watches in the wall. Spike stopped the story as he walked around the table to be standing next to Smolder's chair.
"The inmate stopped once more. The warden thought because it was because of the terror of the old man's fate yet to come." Spike elaborated, he then gave a slight groan as if he was acting, before he began the story again.
Presently I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was the groan of mortal terror. It was not a groan of pain or of grief --oh, no! --it was the low stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe. I knew the sound well. Many a night, just at midnight, when all the world slept, it has welled up from my own bosom, deepening, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distracted me. I say I knew it well. I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart. I knew that he had been lying awake ever since the first slight noise when he had turned in the bed. His fears had been ever since growing upon him. He had been trying to fancy them causeless, but could not. He had been saying to himself --"It is nothing but the wind in the chimney --it is only a mouse crossing the floor," or "It is merely a cricket which has made a single chirp." Yes, he had been trying to comfort himself with these suppositions: but he had found all in vain. All in vain; because Death, in approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim. And it was the mournful influence of the unperceived shadow that caused him to feel --although he neither saw nor heard --to feel the presence of my head within the room. Spike paused for a solid second, long enough for everyone to start to notice that their hearts were beating faster than normal.
Spike slowly walked not saying a word until he was the head of the table, "The warden confessed that he felt his blood leave his face. Something the inmate would have seen too. The inmate then began his story again,"
When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a little --a very, very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened it --you cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily --until, at length, a simple dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot from out the crevice and fell full upon the vulture eye. It was open --wide, wide open --and I grew furious as I gazed upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness --all a dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones; but I could see nothing else of the old man's face or person: for I had directed the ray as if by instinct, precisely upon the damned spot.
Spike paused as he turned his back towards everyone, "The warden swore he heard a small chuckle from the inmate. The inmate continued,"
And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the sense? --now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound well, too. It was the beating of the old man's heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage. But even yet I refrained and kept still. I scarcely breathed. I held the lantern motionless. I tried how steadily I could maintain the ray upon the eve. Meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart increased. It grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every instant. The old man's terror must have been extreme! It grew louder, I say, louder every moment! --do you mark me well I have told you that I am nervous: so I am. And now at the dead hour of the night, amid the dreadful silence of that old house, so strange a noise as this excited me to uncontrollable terror. Yet, for some minutes longer I refrained and stood still. But the beating grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst. And now a new anxiety seized me --the sound would be heard by a neighbor! The old man's hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once --once only. In an instant, I dragged him to the floor and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a muffled sound. This, however, did not vex me; it would not be heard through the wall. At length, it ceased. The old man was dead. I removed the bed and examined the corpse. Yes, he was stone, stone dead. I placed my hand upon the heart and held it there many minutes. There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more. Spike paused he slowly turned to face everyone. Everyone had placed down their cutlery and had stopped eating and drink. Spike looked to each of them and his dragon eyes showed him that he had them all enthralled in the spell of his tale.
"The warden wanted to take a step back, the inmate had confessed to him that he had planned and executed to him, if the man had any plans to seek an appeal, this confession would doom him to never leave his cell. The inmate seemed to notice this and assumed the then-guard again thought he was mad and thus continued." Spike wove as he walked to between Velvet and Night Light,
If still, you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all, I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs. I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber and deposited all between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye --not even his --could have detected anything wrong. There was nothing to wash out --no stain of any kind --no blood-spot whatever. I had been too wary for that. A tub had caught all --ha! ha! Spike also laughed a little as he was channeling the inmate's own spirit as he recounted the tale. Everyone remained silent as Spike walked to his seat and took a minute to clean off his plate and finished his drink.
Once Spike finished his meal and gave a slight sigh of delight. He cleared his throat before he continued. "The warden wanted to vomit, but he had nothing in his stomach. He was disgusted by what was told to him. Murder is one thing, cutting up the body so to dispose of it and cover it up, that would have guaranteed the inmate the noose during the reign of Bullion. And yet the story was not over. There was more for the inmate to say." Spike exposed as he had another drink before he continued as he got up and walked around the table again as he spoke,
When I had made an end of these labors, it was four o'clock --still dark as midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart, --for what had I now to fear? There entered three men, who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity, as officers of the police. A shriek had been heard by a neighbor during the night; suspicion of foul play had been aroused; information had been lodged at the police office, and they (the officers) had been deputed to search the premises. I smiled, --for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country. I took my visitors all over the house. I bade them search --search well. I led them, at length, to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim. The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still, they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct: --It continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definiteness --until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears. No doubt I now grew very pale; --but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased --and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound --much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath --and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly --more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key, and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men --but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed --I raved --I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder --louder! And still, the men chatted pleasantly and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! --no, no! They heard! --they suspected! --they knew! --they were making a mockery of my horror!-this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! and now --again! --hark! louder! louder! louder! louder! "Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! --tear up the planks! here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart!
Spike stopped again as he sat down, "That was the last time the warden ever saw the inmate, he died while the warden slept following his shift. However, among the guards, current and former, say that if you walk by the inmate's cell on a silent night between the hours of 1 AM and 4 AM you can hear a beating heart, a heart of an old man, beating, telling the tale of its owner's death."
There was a long moment of silence as everyone slowly seemed to break from Spike's dragon spell. Smolder was the first to show signs of a real response as she started to clap in applause. "And here I was expecting a retelling of one of you comicbook's story arcs."
Night Light then spoke up, "Nice use of dramatic flares in the telling, looks like we have a bard in the family."
"A little dark for a story told on Hearth's Warming Eve, but if Smolder's story was appropriate for a Fest of Fire, then this is properly one of the tamer ones." Velvet commented, "The pauses were quite tense, although you eating after telling of how the victim's body was..." she struggled as she tried to find another way to say what she wanted, but not possibly scare Flurry and Skyla farther. After a few seconds, "Well it was a well-told story."
Shining spoke, "I am not sure it was an appoariate story for my daughters, but I actually do remember that story. Little known fact, every member of the EUP sends at least one month in Stonlingrad." Shining informed as he actually clapped.
Cadance gave a slight sigh, "It's going to be hard to get Skyla and Flurry to calm down, but did strike a chord with me." Flurry and Skyla looked at each other a little uneasy, they could tell Uncle Spike put a lot of effort into the story but it was really discomforting to them. They looked to their parents not sure what to say.
But before Shining or Cadance could give their daughters an answer, "It's okay that you two don't like the story now." Spike said as he got the two girls' attention. "Your parents aren't wrong to say that it wasn't appropriate for me to tell you that tale." The two girls started to smile, feeling a little better.
Before Twilight could speak, Smolder got out of her chair, "Well, Spike, two people didn't like your story and five, including me, did. I don't think we need to have Twilight cast a vote. I concede defeat." She continued as she walked over to Spike and took his head, "Well it's time for your prize." she cooed as she began to lead him away.
"Wait, what about opening one gift a piece?" Flurry asked. It was clear she understood the Light-Velvet family tradition but didn't seem to understand the fire between her uncle and his 'special some-dragon'.
Spike sighed, "Alright, but after we clean up." He then smirked as he placed his right index on his nose, "NOT IT!"
Smolder, Cadance, Shining, Skyla, Flurry and finally Night Light all repeated the gesture and phrase. Velvet groaned as she was the last to say anything. "Fine." she bemoaned.
Twilight herself groaned as realized why her family did that, "Oh come on. My gifts aren't that bad." She complained.
Shining got up an patted her on the back, "We all know you love books and want to share that love, but maybe you should try to share it with someone who wants to share it all with and ease back on it within the family." he tried to comfort his sister as they all started to clean up after the meal.
After half an hour everything was cleaned up and everyone was back in the main room with the tree and presents. "Well since Grandma gets to open Twilight's gift for her, I call Grandpa's gift." Shining declared as he gave Velvet the gift Twilight gave her and Night Light's gift to him.
"I'd like to know what mommy gave me," Skyla said.
"Daddy, can I open your gift to me?" Flurry asked and Shining nodded as he went to get the gifts from him to Flurry and Cadance to Skyla.
Cadance then took the gift Velvet had for her, "I think my mother's-in-law gift for me should be just right.
"I wonder what my youngest grandchild wanted to give me." Night Light said as he took the gift Skyla offered to him, it was clearly wrapped by a young child.
Twilight looked at everyone and was about to take the gift that Spike got her when she heard a cough from her mother, her sister-in-law, her father and brother. She turned to her older family member and they all shook their heads. Twilight then picked up the gift for her from Flurry. "Well, I wonder what our little snow herald got her B.A.E." she mused as she went back to the family.
Smolder was a little confused, "When I was first adopted, I tore open a gift for me on my first Hearth's Warming Eve, mainly because I was so young, a hatchling, I couldn't wait until morning. And Ever since then we have opened one gift on Hearth Warming Eve." the drake explained as he got his gift for the drakaina he was courting. "You don't have to give anyone here a gift tonight, but this is my gift to you." He then handed the box to Smolder.
"Alright so who opens first?" Smolder asked.
"Since Mom got stuck with Twilight's book, she gets to go first and then gets to pick who opens next," Cadance explained.
Velvet open her gift and it was, "a book. A copy of Stygian's newest novel. Thanks, Twilight." Velvet said with authentic gratitude and hugged Twilight. "Alright Cadance, you're next."
Cadance opened her gift from Velvet, as she held it up, "you're pearl necklace, oh Mom. You shouldn't have." Velvet waved her hand to dismiss it.
"Alright Flurry, What did your father give you?" Cadance asked Flurry opened her gift. It was a small doll that was not much different than Twilight's Smarty Pants doll.
"A study buddy. Thanks, Daddy, I think I'll call him Araca Me Dis." Flurry then turned to Skyla, "Well, sis, what did you get?" she asked.
Skyla opened her gift, it was a small box, in it was a necklace for a young child with a pendant that was made of purple gem shaped like a heart with white stars in the heart on a light blue heater shield. Skyla looked at Cadance with some confusion. "It signifies you, Skyla, it's a cross of my cutie mark and your father's," Cadance said as she placed the necklace around Skyla's neck.
"Thanks, mommy," the little girl said and turned to Night Light, "Go on Grandpa, I know you'll love it." She giggled as went to her grandfather and tugged at his arm.
Night Light had a light chuckle as he opened his gift and found it was a large folded cloth multiple bingo boards as one board with the words on the top, 'The Best Grandpa Ever' written clearly in a little child's hand. The man shed a tear and patted Skyla's head. "Thank you little one," he said as he kissed her forehead. Night Light then looked to Twilight, "Alright Twilight you're next."
Twilight opened it and found a small booklet made from school paper. The title on the 'cover' was 'My Best Aunt Ever', Twilight then opened the book and saw that it was made of pictures made by a child, no Flurry, showing many of the events of Flurry's life that Twilight and Flurry shared. "I think I found my new favorite book," Twilight said as put it to side with tears forming in her eyes as she took her niece and hugged her. After everyone awed... which also had a slight gag from Smolder, Twilight turned to Smolder, "Well you're the last one with a gift, Smolder."
Smolder opened the gift and place the box down in shock. "Is that?" she asked in bewilderment.
"Rarity gave it back to me a couple years ago, she said that she couldn't keep it, I am not the little boy that was smitten with anymore, she said and she had to let me go," Spike explained.
Smolder started to tear up a little. Before she wiped her tears away, Spike used his thumbs to do that with a smile. After which Spike took the golden necklace with the heart-shaped fire ruby and put it on Smolder. Smolder then stood up and took Spike's hand and started to lead him away from the rest to a place where the two could be more... intimates without other eyes to watch, "Wait, what's goin..." Spike started as he managed to stop the two from going forward.
"You won our feast of fire contest, it's time to claim your prize," Smolder answered as turned around to face him. "Also there is still your gift from me, you are the last one to open yours and no one claimed my gifts for them." Smolder spelled out to the drake while still keeping things under wraps.
Spike needed no more explanation as he picked up Smolder like she was a bride and he her groom, "Well, Happy Hearths Warming Eve, you all for Hearths Warming." Spike said almost too quickly as he took to flight and bolted. Leaving everyone else in the hall.
"So, am I going to get a cousin sometime next year?" Flurry asked with the bluntness of a child not old enough to grasp the ability to use tac.
"Maybe." Was the answer she got from Shining, Cadance, Velvet and Night Light in unison.
Author's Note
Next Chapter will be the true M rated chapter.
I had hoped to get this done fully earlier, but life is a b!+ch.
"Wait," Twilight raised her hand cutting Smolder off. The drakaina's groan in response to her headmistress' followed as everyone turned to Twilight as they were still chewing their food, all a little annoyed that she just cut off Smolder. "What's the title of the story?" She asked before she gave a weak laugh.
Smolder took a breath and had a swig of her cider before she answered, "The Revenge of Apep."
"I never heard that one." Spike said with a clear tawig of interest, "is from Southern Equestria?" he asked.
Smolder smirked as she nodded, "Close, but I can't say any more." she winked before she started her story again
Once upon a time, long before time existed there was nothing. Not even the concept of nothing. Then came a light, that light grew until it formed an orange-red cobra sixteen yards long from end of his nose to the tip of his tail. Slowly around the cobra, the rest of existence formed and the cobra noted that his hood was the largest light in the darkness. He slithered through the void to a formed piece of land with two rivers. One flowing south to north along the ground and another in the sky above it flowing east to west. The cobra was drawn to the river in the sky and started to swim along its surface and he saw from him hood he projected light onto the ground and in turn, plants began to grow. The cobra noted that the river he swam on went through a mountain cave. He followed the river into the cave and continued on in the dark for hours until he reached another opening which brought him back to the sky river at the far eastern side of the land he saw. This track he would continue for many years and all the while plants grew, animals came and humans appeared and soon other beings closer to him appear, somewhere appeared to be humans, others seemed more like animals and some as various crosses of humans and animals, a few of them even joined him on the river that flowed in the sky and underground in a barge.
One day, as the Cobra was swimming along one of the gods with a falcon head name Ra offered the Cobra a rest. The cobra accepted the offer and for the first time ever he shut his eyes and slept on the barge. As the barge passed the hours of the day and into the night, most noticeably during the seventh hour of the night, also known as the Secret Cavern, Ra took a knife and cut of the Cobra's hood and before it woke, Ra tossed the slumbering serpent off the boat and carried on taking on the role of sun god and kept it for so long that no-ever doubted that he was ever not the sun god.
However, the cobra, after he woke and found he was stuck in the Night's seventh hour and realized that his hood was cut off of him cursed the usurper to die every night as he passes from the twelveth hour of Day into the first hour of the night. Also part of the curse was that should Ra's body be devoured before it reaches the end of the twelveth hour of the night and entered into the first hour of the day, the cobra would reclaim his position as sun-god and will make all those that worshipped the pretender suffer the full wrath of the sun's flame. It was then that he took on the name Apep. And every night he waits in the Secret Cavern to devour Ra's dead body and all the gods that protect the body. However three thousand years ago Apep overpowered the snake Mehen, the gods Set and Selket and the very magic of Isis and he swallow the barge and all the gods on it. And with that Apep had his revenge and consumed the world with fire leaving himself as he got his justice and his hood back.
Smolder finished her with a tip of her head and had her hand raised with the palm up as if expecting a coin or two. She then raised her head, "So what did you think?" She asked.
"Well, dragons do have a culture with stories, in which, might make right and a dragon that shows weakness is brought low," Twilight spoke up as she tried to explain away some of the shock plastered on the faces of the other humans. "So we have to factor that into assessing it."
Velvet leaned back in thought, "Well, it comes off as a little too much like a bad revenge fic, with a dash of ex post facto revisionist history to the story in attempt to make Apep sympathetic." the older woman surmurised.
Night Light was also in thought, "Well, we should look at each story from as many perspectives as possible, at least half your work can be surmised as seeing the same thing from different angles." her husband challenged.
Shining then spoke up, "I kind of liked it, it shows that those who trick and steal are doomed to misery."
Cadance then spoke, "But what about mercy and forgiveness, or at least justice responses. You can't tell me that destroying the world is a just response to what happened."
"I liked it. It's often that you get to hear a story with a dragon as the good guy, or at least the initially wronged party." Spike commented. "Tell me I'm wrong."
"Uncle Spike isn't wrong, but it felt... short, like it was missing something." Flurry spoke up.
Skyla seemed to tear up, "Why did Ra do that?" the little one asked. "Ra's a big meanie."
"Well that's two, three if we accept the opponent's vote, that liked it, three that didn't, I am going to have say it wasn't your best work of fiction Smolder. Maybe because it was so on the spot with the telling or perhaps a lack of knowledge on how to connect with the audience. I am going have to say I'm neutral."
Smolder shrugged her shoulders and leaned back as she returned to her meal, "Half liking it, including my opponent, is actually better then I expected. You humans are actually less inherently tribalistic then other races."
After everyone had a little more to eat, Spike wiped his face off and cleared his throat as he got from the table. "Well then, it's my story. This one really doesn't have set title, but the telling is all in the heart." Spike said with a wink. He took breath and turned off all the light in the room and then ignited a single candle with lime green fire.
